After a simple meal at the inn, Li Musheng's group took several rooms and rested. The inn showed no signs of anything unusual throughout.
But about half an hour later, an uninvited guest quietly concealed their figure and arrived at the inn.
Then, with a single leap, a blurred shape drifted lightly in through the window of one of the rooms.
"Your servant pays her respects, my lord."
Han Meiyan materialized in the room, her shapely silhouette composed, her eyes fixing themselves steadily on Li Musheng where he sat at the table.
Li Musheng glanced at her, then waved a hand, "Miss Han, no need for formalities. Come and sit."
At those words, the expression beneath Han Meiyan's veil shifted subtly.
Earlier, outside Taixuan City's gates, she had been just like everyone else at first, with no idea who the person in the carriage forcing their way through was.
But the Li Musheng inside the carriage had recognized her, and had sent her a covert voice transmission.
With this thought in mind, Han Meiyan drew a quiet breath inwardly and came to sit across from Li Musheng.
Li Musheng poured her a cup of tea and said, "To speak plainly, if you had come any later, Miss Han, I might already have gone out to take care of business."
At those words, a flash of puzzlement crossed Han Meiyan's eyes, like the ripple of autumn water.
She clearly could not imagine what sort of business the Great Li Eighth Prince, who was even about to take over as the next Pavilion Master of the Hidden Kill Pavilion, could possibly need to personally go and handle himself.
But of course she did not dare ask, and instead immediately said with an apologetic air, "The Young Lord of the Brave Marquis House kept pestering me and your servant needed more time to shake him off. I came to see you as quickly as I could the moment I was free."
Li Musheng narrowed his eyes slightly and looked at this Demonic Saintess of the Six Desires Demonic Sect, then his gaze shifted and he suddenly said, "As I recall, it has been more than two months since you and I last parted. The Life and Death Talisman in Miss Han's body should be approaching its next activation."
At those words, a look of unease flashed in Han Meiyan's eyes, though she quickly composed herself and gave a quiet nod, "That is so. As you said before, the Life and Death Talisman activates once every three months. By the count of days, it should be about time."
Li Musheng raised an eyebrow slightly, "Then why did Miss Han not come and find me, but instead come all the way to the Great Xuan capital?"
Han Meiyan's expression immediately changed, and she quickly explained, "I did consider going to find you, but after Your Highness returned to Shangyang City from Falling God Peak, you disappeared without a trace very soon after. Your servant genuinely could not find any trace of your whereabouts."
At those words, Li Musheng shook his head and said mildly, "Three months is neither short nor long. The wisest choice for Miss Han would have been to remain in Great Li's territory."
As he said this, Li Musheng did not press the matter further, and instead shifted the subject, "The task I asked Miss Han to undertake, has there been any news?"
At those words, Han Meiyan's expression changed sharply, and she immediately rose to her feet and bowed in apology, "Your servant has used every means available to search for the divine beast Fire Qilin as instructed, but that legendary creature is truly so elusive and intangible that your servant's abilities have fallen short, and no useful information has been found as yet."
Li Musheng watched her without speaking. He could naturally guess why Han Meiyan had not remained in Great Li to seek him out early and have the Life and Death Talisman removed, but had instead traveled all this way to the Great Xuan capital.
But he did not bring it up. After all, a desire not to remain at someone else's mercy was entirely understandable.
What mattered to Li Musheng was whether she had genuinely been working on what he asked of her.
"A reminder for Miss Han. The last time we parted, I said you should stop being involved in the demonic sect's affairs from then on."
Li Musheng looked at Han Meiyan, then withdrew his gaze and said slowly, "I hope Miss Han means what she says. As for having the ambition and the desire to find a way to free yourself from the Life and Death Talisman, that is not something I will stop you from pursuing."
"But the matters I have entrusted to you, you must handle properly. Otherwise, the Life and Death Talisman in your body is something I will simply not remove."
At those words, Han Meiyan looked up sharply at Li Musheng.
In that moment she understood perfectly that he had seen through her purpose in coming to the Great Xuan capital all along.
A flicker of fear passed through her eyes, and she said in a trembling voice, "Please forgive me. Your servant lost her head and harbored foolish hopes, thinking to use those Demonic Cores to free herself from the Life and Death Talisman."
She bit her lip and continued, "But your servant never forgot your instructions throughout. I have continuously been searching for the divine beast Fire Qilin and any trace of the Qilin Sacred Cult, but the time has simply been too short, and I genuinely have no news yet."
"I hope you can give your servant a little more time. I will do everything in my power to find a lead and make up for my failings."
At those words, Li Musheng picked up the tea cup from the table and took a sip, thought quietly for a moment, then said, "There is no need to be tense. That kind of lead is not easy to come by. Having no news from you was well within what I expected."
"Even so, the next time we meet, I hope to hear something useful."
As he said this, Li Musheng raised a hand and flicked a finger, and a flash of talisman light entered Han Meiyan's body.
Han Meiyan's frame gave a slight tremor, but she felt no ill effects, and if anything sensed a subtle lightening within herself.
"The next time the Life and Death Talisman activates will be in half a year. If by that time Miss Han still has no progress to report, I trust you understand what the consequences will be."
Li Musheng said this as a mild warning, then waved a hand, "If Miss Han has nothing else to attend to, you may leave now."
Han Meiyan was just a move he had made on a passing whim. If she brought results, so much the better. If not, he was not particularly bothered.
At those words, a measure of relief settled over Han Meiyan, and she immediately bent in a bow, "Many thanks, my lord. Your servant will not fail your expectations."
With that, she gave Li Musheng a quiet, lingering look, her eyes flickering with an unreadable light, and then rather than leaving immediately, she hesitated for a brief moment and said, "Though your servant does not know what has brought you to Great Xuan, I have heard some private intelligence among the demonic world's people."
"According to what I have heard, virtually every top-level expert from all three of Great Xuan's great demonic sects has mobilized completely, and they have all slipped into the Great Xuan capital, all for the sake of those Demonic Cores that are almost fully gathered."
As she said this, Han Meiyan paused briefly, but when she saw no particular reaction from Li Musheng, she continued, "The leaders and sect masters of all three demonic sects may even be present. And the Great Xuan court, in response to the three demonic sects, has also cast a net throughout the capital to catch them."
"Your servant knows that Your Highness's martial cultivation is without equal, but Taixuan City is extremely dangerous right now. I hope you will take care."
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