Shen Chu was surprised when he saw the bottle in Riven's hand.
Previously, he had seen similar bottles in the hands of those Nascent Soul sea creatures inside the ruined city. He had assumed they had all been destroyed under the infernal rain he summoned.
He didn't know how one had ended up in Riven's hands.
Then again, there were many things regarding the Immortal Master that he no longer tried to understand.
So he simply asked, "Immortal Master, what exactly were those sea creatures searching for?"
Riven carefully observed the bottle. Inside it, the small metallic needle trembled slightly before stabilizing once more.
After a moment, he said, "I think they are looking for some kind of herb."
"Herb?"
Shen Chu was immediately confused.
He could understand sea tribes fighting among themselves over territory or treasures. He could even understand them searching for an ancient inheritance.
But an herb?
What kind of heavenly herb could drive countless sea tribes into madness and make them invade the land itself?
Still, he decided not to think too much about it.
The sea creatures had already crossed onto human territory. Whether they were searching for herbs or immortal treasures, retaliation was unavoidable.
Shen Chu stood up.
"Immortal Master, I will return shortly."
Riven merely nodded.
The next moment, Shen Chu vanished.
Riven remained seated on Rocky's back. He knew where Shen Chu had gone.
Previously, Shen Chu had refrained from taking action because he didn't wish to alert the stronger sea creatures. If those Spirit Sovereigns and Nascent Soul beasts sensed danger beforehand, they might scatter and escape.
Now that the Naiad Spirit had fled, there was no longer any need to hold back.
Riven simply looked at the crystal bottle in his hand.
The tiny needle continued pointing in a fixed direction not toward the sea but deeper inland.
After roughly ten minutes, Shen Chu returned. There wasn't a trace of blood on his clothes, yet the faint scent of burnt flesh still lingered around him.
"Immortal Master, we can leave now."
Riven nodded.
Rocky spread his enormous wings and flew toward another city.
While they were traveling, Shen Chu asked,
"Immortal Master, where do you intend to go within Thaloryn Continent?"
Riven unfolded the map.
"First, we need information. Without understanding the current situation, it would be troublesome to move around blindly."
Shen Chu nodded.
Fortunately, the nearest city wasn't too far away.
After that, he quietly sat down and began pondering the strange herb that Riven had mentioned.
Two hours later, they finally reached a medium-sized city.
Unlike the destroyed cities they had seen before, this place remained intact. However, the atmosphere was extremely tense.
The city gates were shut, and soldiers armed with bows and spears stood atop the walls, constantly observing the surroundings.
Alarm arrays had been activated, and the entire city looked as though it was preparing for war.
Riven and Shen Chu entered quietly.
After wandering around for some time, they noticed that the city was practically deserted, as most shops had already closed; even restaurants and inns were empty.
The few people walking on the streets moved hurriedly, as though afraid something terrible would happen at any moment.
Seeing a middle-aged man rushing past, Riven stopped him.
"Do you know where information can be bought?"
The man froze.
He stared at Riven and Shen Chu as though they were strange creatures.
"You two aren't from around here, are you?"
Shen Chu smiled lightly.
"No."
The man's expression changed.
"You should leave immediately."
Without waiting for a response, he hurriedly ran away.
After stopping two more people, they finally received an answer.
Black Water Association.
One of the largest information organizations on the continent.
As long as one had enough money, almost anything could be bought there. Following the directions they received, they eventually arrived at their destination.
To Shen Chu's surprise, the so-called Information Guild looked like nothing more than an ordinary tavern.
There weren't many people inside, but the atmosphere was strange.
As soon as Riven and Shen Chu entered, every person inside turned to look at them. Ignoring the stares, they walked directly to the bartender.
"I need information regarding a family."
The bartender was momentarily stunned.
Then, noticing several customers secretly paying attention, he coughed lightly and with a professional smile, he asked,
"Which family would sir like information on?"
"Millings."
The bartender scratched his head.
"Millings?"
He pondered for some time.
"Sir, I don't think there are any major families by that name around here."
Riven thought quietly, then he turned to Shen Chu.
"How often does Drifting Mist Pavilion recruit disciples from other continents?"
Shen Chu replied after some thought.
"Every five years, I think."
Riven nodded, then he looked back at the bartender.
"Do you have information regarding disciples recruited three years ago?"
The bartender's eyes lit up.
"Of course."
"We keep records of every sect recruitment."
"But..."
He smiled.
"Information has its price."
Riven casually placed a spirit qi stone on the counter.
The bartender's pupils shrank, and he immediately covered the stone with his hand and discreetly glanced around. Seeing that no one else had noticed clearly, he smiled.
"I'll return shortly."
He disappeared into the back room.
Meanwhile, the people inside the tavern exchanged glances.
Although most of them had only caught a glimpse, they had clearly seen Riven produce a spirit qi stone.
Many greed-filled thoughts emerged in their minds. However, neither Riven nor Shen Chu looked ordinary.
Moreover, anyone carrying such treasures couldn't possibly be simple. Thus, no one dared to act rashly.
After several minutes, the bartender returned carrying a folded piece of paper.
He handed it over respectfully.
"Everything is inside."
Riven opened it, and there were countless names listed.
After scanning through them, his gaze stopped.
Riven Millings (Murong City)
His eyes paused.
Taking out the map, he asked,
"Where is Murong City?"
The bartender examined the map. After some thought, he pointed toward a mountain range.
"I believe it's somewhere around here."
"The city is quite remote."
Riven nodded.
He folded the map and left.
Outside the city, Rocky had already descended and was waiting for them.
The moment they boarded the Roc, Shen Chu asked curiously,
"Immortal Master, did you find what you were searching for?"
Riven looked at the map.
"Perhaps."
Murong City wasn't marked precisely, and the bartender had only given an approximate location.
Still, that was enough.
Riven compared the map with their current position. Murong City lay extremely far away, and traveling normally would take several days.
But Riven had no intention of wasting time.
He placed his finger over the marked mountain range, and the space around them distorted slightly.
Shen Chu, already accustomed to it, calmly sat down.
However, Rocky trembled. Even after experiencing teleportation multiple times, the Skylance Roc still couldn't get used to it.
The surrounding scenery blurred, and everything flashed past in an instant.
Then, the distortion vanished.
Rocky let out an uneasy cry, and Shen Chu opened his eyes.
Before them stretched an enormous mountain range, with dense forests covering the land.
At the foot of those mountains stood a city.
Murong City.
Riven looked at the city from above.