The Penniless Thief Sect’s luck was absolutely horrible. It was a miracle that they’d been able to survive up until now.

“No, this wasn’t the kind of information I wanted.” Song Shuhang pressed his hand against the brick of the palace once again.

It seemed that he would have to use it another time to acquire some useful information, even at the cost of the pain becoming more unbearable.

And so, he urged the secret appraisal technique once again.

However, this time, the pain that he’d expected to experience did not appear. The absence of pain showed that there was no longer anything more to be identified; there were no longer any secrets to this palace.

Song Shuhang rubbed his eyebrows. Due to the strength he used being a bit too high, the rubbing caused his liquefied body to ripple.

Could I have made a wrong assumption? Did Slow-Witted Song not actually leave any code inside this palace? Song Shuhang got up and exited through the back door of the palace.

According to Immortal Master Ivory Trigram’s divination, the code was hidden in a filthy place that he could never think of. If it wasn’t this place, then where was it?

“Also, how am I supposed to keep this huge palace?” Song Shuhang sighed.

Scarlet Heaven Sword asked, “Do you need my help?”

“Senior Scarlet Heaven Sword, can you shrink the palace?” Song Shuhang said with glee evident in his voice.

“I am a sword,” Scarlet Heaven Sword said. “So, what I could do for you is to cut this palace into 100 pieces. After that, you could move it to the place you want, and then just reassemble it there.”

“…” Song Shuhang said, “Let me ask Senior Turtle first.”

He still had Senior Turtle in his Inner World. Before its realm was sealed, it was also an existence at the Ninth Stage Tribulation Transcender Realm.

[Senior Turtle, do you have a magical technique that would allow you to shrink down a palace?] Song Shuhang directly contacted the turtle in the palace.

The sea turtle replied, “I do… but I’m unable to cast it in my current state.”

Song Shuhang now felt a bit more troubled.

“How am I supposed to deal with this huge palace? Is it not able to shrink by itself?” he said while remembering the Palace of Winter. The Palace of Winter, which had the especially convenient ability of changing its size, could easily be sent to and from the Inner World.

Scarlet Heaven Sword said, “Come on, just let me cut it into pieces. It’s already a fragment anyway, you could probably just piece it back together afterwards.”

Song Shuhang sighed—was he really going to have to cut it apart?

The palace smelled so bad even when it was closed. If it were to be cut apart, what kind of overpowering stench would it release?

At this moment, the sea turtle who was inside the Inner World, voiced out a suggestion. “How about you bring this palace away first and look for a safe place to leave it. After that, you can just wait to meet with Pavilion Master Chu. Perhaps she has a way to shrink the palace down.”

Song Shuhang said, “The problem is, how am I supposed to lug around such a huge palace?”

Although the palace was floating in the air, which gave it the flavor of those ‘floating cities’ in light novels, it was incredibly huge, and Song Shuhang would not be able to push it around.

“Use my turtle shell,” Senior Turtle said. “My turtle shell would definitely be able to bear the weight of this palace. Even if your strength isn’t that good, it wouldn’t be a problem to use the turtle shell to move the floating palace around.”

“It looks like that might just be the best plan that I could go for.” Song Shuhang took out the turtle shell and used the saber controlling technique to move it under the palace. After doing that, he urged it to begin moving the palace.

And… the palace actually moved.

As soon as it moved, the stench within it began to spread around, decimating all those who smelled the horrid odor.

Song Shuhang quickly entered the palace, and then closed all of its doors, windows, and other things of the sort. He then tried to activate the barrier of the palace after recalling how the golden chain in his hand had resonated with the palace.

Song Shuhang had two golden chains at first.

One was from Elder Bamboo Pipe, and had the words ‘Beloved Dog 43B’ on it.

The other was a gift from Elder Bamboo Pipe to his disciple, Fairy Fleeting Life. However, Song Shuhang had already given that one back to Fairy Fleeting Life.

After having the golden chain and the palace resonate once again, the barrier of the palace successfully activated.

With this, the odor had finally been sealed inside, and no longer leaked out.

Song Shuhang let out a breath of relief.

❄️❄️❄️

The magnificent palace slowly flew behind them as Song Shuhang, Shan, Kindness, Great Master Turtle, the branch head, and several young disciples, who were carrying their teacher, headed back to the Black Horse Branch.

Kindness said, “Senior Tyrannical Song, was the one who had just come here a Tribulation Transcender?”

It was the first time that she had seen a spatial teleportation gate, so she felt really excited just thinking about it.

Song Shuhang nodded, and said, “Yes, that person just now was a big shot of the scholarly faction.”

Kindness excitedly said, “So cool.”

“Cool?” Song Shuhang was stunned for a while. He then thought back to the Daoist’s crazed appearance, messy hair, disheveled clothes, and a missing shoe on one foot.

There seemed to be a problem with Kindness’s aesthetic sense.

Kindness asked, “Senior Tyrannical Song, are you going to move this palace to our Black Horse Branch? The branch head wanted me to ask you this.”

Song Shuhang nodded, and said, “I am indeed planning on leaving it at the Black Horse Branch for now.”

Kindness turned to the branch head and translated Song Shuhang’s words.

The branch head’s face could be seen slightly convulsing.

“Relax.” Song Shuhang smiled, and said, “I’ve already sealed the entire palace, so none of you have to worry about the smell assaulting those of the Black Horse Branch.”

Now… just where in the world did Slow-Witted Song hide that secret code?

While he was walking, he pondered deeply.

Could Daoist Mulan have taken the code away?

Such a thought suddenly appeared in his mind.

Thieves would rarely leave empty-handed. With his keen eyesight, perhaps he had been able to find the treasure hidden in the palace and bring it away with him?

❄️❄️❄️

When Song Shuhang and the rest got back to the Black Horse Branch, they saw a young man standing watch by the entrance of the village. He went up to them and said some things that Song Shuhang could not understand.

Kindness translated the young man’s words. “Senior Tyrannical Song, he said that a guest had come looking for you just now. They are currently within the branch, waiting for you.”

“Guest?” Song Shuhang wondered.

He had only been transferred over to the Beast Realm by accident, and he did not even know anyone in the Beast Realm.

The only exception was if they had also been transferred from the ‘Crystal-Clear Water Pavilion’ to the Beast Realm.

Is it an enemy?

“Senior Scarlet Heaven Sword.” Song Shuhang reached out to the virtuous lamia.

The lamia obediently handed Scarlet Heaven Sword to him this time.

Song Shuhang took Scarlet Heaven Sword, and after giving it some thought, he took out the ‘flat imperial crown’ and handed it over to the lamia. “Wear it if need be.”

Song Shuhang then said, “Kindness, please take me to see that guest. Don’t stray too far away from me, stay within a range of five meters from me.”

Kindness blinked, and asked, “Is it an enemy?”

Song Shuhang calmly said, “Possibly.”

He first settled the ‘palace’ on the grassland within the Black Horse Branch.

After that, the young watchman led the way, and Song Shuhang and co. followed him towards the place where the ‘guest’ had been left.

The door to the room was open, and inside was a man with a puzzled face.

Despite being inside a room, the man still held an umbrella and refused to put it down.

After seeing the man, Song Shuhang froze for a moment, and then lowered the sword. “Daoist Umbrella?”

It was unexpectedly Daoist Umbrella, who had been unable to leave the Crystal-Clear Water Pavilion earlier. However, he was now inside the Black Horse Branch… Could Pavilion Master Chu have sent him over?

Daoist Umbrella turned his head and looked at Song Shuhang. “Fellow Daoist, were you calling me? Fellow Daoist, you are? Eh, you’re Profound Sage Tyrannical Song.”

Song Shuhang rubbed his temples… Again?

Song Shuhang asked, “Had you been given any important missions before coming here?”

“Mission?” Daoist Umbrella mused.

After a moment, he raised his head bitterly, and said, “I seem to have forgotten.”

Song Shuhang: “…”

Of all people, Pavilion Master Chu had sent this guy over to conduct a mission. That was probably the biggest mistake she had made in her life.

“Profound Sage Tyrannical Song, who am I? Why am I here? Am I supposed to be doing something here? Do you know why I’m here?” Daoist Umbrella fired a series of questions.

Song Shuhang raised his head and looked at the sky. After that, he let out a faint sigh.

You’re asking me, but whom am I supposed to ask?

Daoist Umbrella scratched his head, and then closed the umbrella. “Oh, right, I have a small book which I write in so that I can remember important things.”

After saying that, he opened a small book and quickly turned to the last page.

“Today [the date], Profound Sage Tyrannical Song borrowed 10 Sixth Stage spirit stones from me.”

After reading that, realization seemed to have dawned upon him.

He raised his head and looked at Song Shuhang. “Right, Profound Sage Tyrannical Song, you seem to have borrowed 10 Sixth Stage spirit stones from me a few days ago. Could I be looking for you because of this?”

Song Shuhang: “…”

“No, no. I’ve only just lent out these spirit stones, and I wouldn’t go such a great distance to look for Senior Tyrannical Song for such a thing,” Daoist Umbrella said in distress.

At this time, Song Shuhang saw a writing on his umbrella.

It was an exceptional and beautiful handwriting.

[I have something I gave Daoist Umbrella so that he could bring it to you, please keep it safe for me.]

Was it Pavilion Master Chu?

Song Shuhang pointed at the umbrella, and said to Daoist Umbrella, “Pavilion Master Chu gave you something so that you give it to me. What is it?”

Daoist Umbrella pondered, and then he quickly began cupping all over his body.

Soon, he found a jade box. “It should be this. I don’t seem to remember ever having this box on me. Now that some time has passed, it must be that I have forgotten that Pavilion Master Chu gave it to me.”

Song Shuhang took the jade box and opened it.

Within the box was a small statue carved from red crystal. The statue was a lifelike representation of Pavilion Master Chu. It had long hair that was spread out around it, and it seemed to be in a deep sleep.

There were five crystals of different colors around the crystal statue. The crystals formed a large formation that protected the sculpture.

Song Shuhang curiously said, “What is this?”

Scarlet Heaven Sword glanced at it, and said using secret voice transmission, “Close the jade box and protect it. This is a means for a Tribulation Transcender to resurrect.”

Song Shuhang froze. He immediately closed the jade box, sent it into his Inner World as soon as possible, and placed it beside the ‘living spring’.

Could it be a means of resurrection that Pavilion Master Chu had reserved for herself?

What is she planning on doing?

She can’t be planning to ‘die’ together with those who seized her ‘Crystal-Clear Water Pavilion’, and then come back to life through this thing, right?

“My mission is complete, Senior Tyrannical Song, I’ll be going first.” Daoist Umbrella lightly patted the teleportation formation on his umbrella and opened a portal to the Crystal-Clear Water Pavilion.

Before leaving, he said, “Oh, Senior Tyrannical Song, don’t forget about the spirit stones that you owe me.”

After that, he entered the spatial gate and disappeared.

Song Shuhang: “…”

A series of thoughts appeared in Shuhang’s mind. With Daoist Umbrella’s goldfish memory, what if he ended up forgetting about being repaid the spirit stones right after the spirit stones had been given back?

If it were so, wouldn’t I end up owing him ’10 Sixth Stage spirit stones’ forever?