Chapter 97: The Underworld Disco Scene

The carriage rolled along the wide cobblestone streets of the capital and finally stopped in front of a brightly lit mansion.

The vermilion gate stood tall, the jade steps were gleaming, and guards in black armor stood on both sides, holding halberds and with sharp eyes.

Inside the gate, the melodious sounds of string and wind instruments mingled with the aroma of fine wine and delicacies, wafting towards you.

The bright lights illuminated the carved beams and painted rafters, and the glazed tile roofs, showcasing the imperial grandeur and extravagance.

The Third Prince, Li Yan, personally greeted them at the gate of the mansion. Dressed in a brocade robe and wearing a jade crown, he smiled warmly and spoke earnestly: "The presence of you distinguished guests is an honor to my humble abode! Please come in! Today, I have prepared a simple feast to invite you all to discuss the grand plan of eliminating the demon. I hope you will not hesitate to offer your guidance!" His outward appearance was impeccable, and his enthusiasm was overflowing.

Upon entering the banquet hall, one finds that a considerable number of people have already gathered.

Seated on one side were several female cultivators dressed in brightly colored gauze dresses, their eyes sparkling. They were clearly from the Hehuan Sect. The leading female cultivator coldly swept her gaze over Fang Li, her expression filled with undisguised hostility and scrutiny.

Another portly male cultivator, his fingers adorned with numerous jeweled rings, squinted his small eyes and smiled as he sized up Shen Yunzhou and his group.

There were also some strange and unusual people sitting around, their eyes flickering and giving off a somewhat eerie vibe.

Faced with this turbulent situation, the members of the Tianyan Sect each performed their duties and navigated the situation.

Shen Yunzhou, dressed in black, had a cold and stern expression. He exuded an aura that kept strangers at bay, silently deterring those with ill intentions from prying into his life.

Xie Chen, dressed in a purple robe and holding a folding fan, moved with ease among all sorts of people, his witty remarks cleverly defusing any probing questions and elegantly controlling the situation.

Ji Qianqiu, clad in dazzling golden armor, stood in a conspicuous position with his arms crossed, his eyes sharp as knives, carrying an undisguised warning and exerting a show of force.

Mo Yun and Ling Shuang sat discreetly in a relatively quiet corner of the banquet hall. Mo Yun's gaze was calm; he appeared to be sipping wine, but in reality, he was meticulously observing the layout of the hall and the orientation of the beams and pillars, searching for any possible hidden nodes in the rune array. Ling Shuang, on the other hand, lowered her eyelids, her divine sense like invisible threads, quietly locking onto Li Yan, who sat in the main seat, and the several strange individuals with suspicious auras, capturing every subtle fluctuation of spiritual energy.

Fang Li sat there, munching on the delicate pastries in front of her while internally ranting, "Tongzi! This scene... this lighting, this music, this fake smile... doesn't it look like the Oscars? Li Yan is definitely Oscar-caliber!"

The system's voice carried a mix of tension and excitement: [“Host! Stay calm! This is clearly the Oscars' underworld branch venue! (Just kidding!) Incense scanning in progress… Holy crap! The concentration is seriously off the charts! It's definitely from the same source as the black powder we got before! This place is incredibly eerie!”]

Just then, a self-proclaimed charming young master from a prominent family, holding a wine glass, approached Fang Li with a smile, attempting to strike up a conversation.

He had only taken two steps closer when a chilling gaze swept over him from the side. Although Shen Yunzhou did not turn his head, the coldness made the young master's smile freeze, and his steps involuntarily stopped.

Another young master, unwilling to give up, was about to speak when Xie Chen smiled and interjected, gently waving his jade fan: "Brother, I just heard you mention the newly opened Hundred Plays Pavilion in the south of the city, which was quite spectacular. I wonder about the illusionist..." With a few words, he subtly steered the conversation away from Fang Li.

Ji Qianqiu went even further, clenching his fist so his knuckles cracked, staring intently at any male creature that tried to approach Fang Li, his warning clear.

Fang Li was completely oblivious to this, her attention entirely focused on the pastries on the table: "These peach blossom pastries are much better with rice than that young master's! Tongzi, have you memorized the recipes? We'll have the old man in the dining hall study them later."

Tongzi: [I've got the high-definition recipe! (Rubbing hands) I'm so excited to have this when I get home!]

After several rounds of drinks, the atmosphere in the banquet hall became increasingly lively.

Suddenly, without warning, the hairpin in Fang Li's arms began to heat up and start to tremble slightly!

Fang Li was startled and instinctively pressed her hand to her chest.

"Tongzi! Zanzi... what's wrong? Does she have a high fever? She's shaking like a phone on vibrate!"

The system's voice suddenly rose: [Host! It's not a high fever! It's a GPS navigation signal spike! (Excited) The direction is very clear! Southeast corner! Abnormal spiritual energy fluctuations! The concentration of underworld energy is off the charts! There's definitely a ghost! A powerful ghost!]

Fang Li's heart tightened, and she forcefully suppressed her turbulent emotions.

She put down her chopsticks, stood up, and gave Li Yan and the others at the table a slightly apologetic smile: "Your Highness, everyone, please excuse me for a moment to change my clothes." Her excuse was natural, and she quietly left her seat.

Shen Yunzhou noticed Fang Li leaving her seat immediately. He frowned slightly and was about to get up when Li Yan raised his glass to toast him, stopping him.

Xie Chen paused almost imperceptibly in his fanning motion. He subtly moved his fingertips, and the "Traceless Silk Talisman" quietly emerged, silently attaching itself to the hem of Fang Li's clothes. A deep meaning flashed in his eyes.

Seeing Fang Li leave her seat, Ji Qianqiu immediately tried to stand up and follow. Mo Yun, sitting beside him, subtly placed a hand on his arm, giving him a look that said, "Don't rush, stick to the plan." Ji Qianqiu glanced at Mo Yun, then at the head of the table, and sullenly sat back down, his eyes fixed on the direction Fang Li had disappeared in.

Inside the Forgotten Dust Palace, Ye Wuyang's divine sense pierced through the void, and an ice jade chess piece suspended at his fingertip suddenly stopped.

He fixed his gaze on the violently trembling hairpin, and on the southeast corner of the palace it pointed to, his divine sense paying close attention.

Following the increasingly strong guidance of the hairpin in her bosom, Fang Li avoided the maids and patrolling guards, passed through the winding corridors, and gradually moved away from the noisy banquet center.

Deep within the Prince's mansion, the further southeast one travels, the sparser the lights become, and the more secluded the environment. The guards also become fewer in number.

Finally, she stopped in front of a secluded courtyard in the southeast corner of the Prince's Mansion.

The courtyard walls are high and entwined with vines, making it appear exceptionally secluded.

The hairpin's trembling and burning sensation reached their peak, almost scalding! It pointed steadfastly towards a stone door deep within the courtyard, half-hidden by vines!

The stone gate was ancient and imposing, blending seamlessly with its surroundings; it would have been extremely difficult to spot without the hairpin's guidance.

The system screamed in her mind, filled with unprecedented terror: [“Host! This is it! The underworld rave is right behind the door! The spiritual energy fluctuations are off the charts! This is going to kill us!”]

Fang Li's heart pounded wildly. She looked at the stone door that seemed to lead to hell, then looked down at the burning hot hairpin in her arms.

She took a deep breath, her eyes narrowed, she steeled herself, and reached out her finger to carefully touch a slightly protruding stone brick next to the stone gate.

Fingertips fall!

The stone door slid open silently, releasing a suffocatingly rich aroma of decay and strange incense.