Divine Rant Activation
"Perhaps Lei took it," the doubtful one said firmly.
"No, Lei didn't take anything. The storage pouch was tied to the robe and didn't even bump into anyone. So how?" The thoughtful one's brows furrowed as he spoke.
"Was it… No, it can't be." The anxious one in a brown robe shook his head frantically.
"That mortal girl…" the depressed one muttered.
"Right. Her. It couldn't be... but doubt is clinging to me like mist in a spirit forest," the doubtful one spoke once again.
"Xuchong Realm is terrifying! What do we do now?" The anxious one murmured, trying to make itself small.
"We find her to clarify our doubts, but where do we look?" The enthusiastic one suggested with a bright smile, waiting for an answer.
The facets exchanged confused glances.
Divine Rant Deactivation
—
Long Xiao paced back and forth across the narrow floorboards, racking his mind over what had transpired.
Then, suddenly... dizziness hit him. His limbs grew heavy, his vision blurred, and he collapsed onto the floor like a divine bag of flour.
"Master!" Lei rushed quickly to his side.
Everything faded into black.
Lei lifted Long Xiao, putting him gently onto the cotton bed.
"Master, you jest." Lei chuckled.
"If this is about leaving you alone, I didn't do it on purpose. I smelled some nice chicken, and I couldn't wait to taste it."
Seeing that his Master was truly out cold, the bird fell silent.
"Master…" Lei murmured, kneeling by the mattress and allowing a fraction of his celestial form to bleed through the mortal disguise.
As evening approached, Lei quietly summoned his celestial fire, circulating a subtle warmth through the room to keep the mortal chill away while he watched over his master.
When Long Xiao finally opened his eyes, it was already morning. The sounds of the birds chirping could be heard. Lei was still asleep, lying on the floor beside Long Xiao's bed. His right wing covered Long Xiao's lower body. Long Xiao's head spun violently. His throat felt dry as tinder, and he could barely focus, but his vision was no longer blurred.
"Whatever affected me has worn off." Long Xiao muttered, gently patting Lei's head.
The touch instantly jolted Lei awake.
"Master, you're awake! You've been asleep for three days!" Sniffling loudly, the bird launched himself forward, trapping Long Xiao in a bone-crushing hug with his massive reddish-orange wings.
"Get off me, you oversized rooster," Long Xiao snarled, though his voice lacked any real bite.
"Dear guests… is everything alright?" A voice suddenly sliced through the morning haze, saving Long Xiao from the bird's death hug.
Not wasting a second, Long Xiao pulled back abruptly, silently thanking the heavens. They turned in unison, their eyes fixed on the door.
Lei quickly transformed back into his mortal form, smoothing down his red and black robes as he called out, "Please come in!"
The wooden door swung open. A woman stood at the threshold, watching them intently.
Her hair was completely untied, and her robes were finer than those of any other woman Long Xiao had seen on the chaotic main floor. She was no commoner, and certainly no ordinary servant. Her attire was a striking blend of rouge silk and snowy white layers—the red as deep as freshly spilled petals, the white as crisp as morning frost. Long, dark hair fell freely down her back, undisturbed by pins or ornaments, yet impossibly elegant. At her collar, a single crimson tassel hung like a whisper of a hidden identity.
Long Xiao and Lei, still seated on the bed, stared in mute awe at the striking beauty who stood before them.
"Are you the innkeeper?" Long Xiao asked, his throat still sore and rough.
"What makes you say that?" Her lips curled into a smile, but the warmth never quite reached her eyes.
"That's because you look way too modest for a shop attendant." Lei shrugged, walking to the window.
"You're both right, esteemed guests. I'm indeed the innkeeper. If this guest official is experiencing a breakthrough in his cultivation, I apologize for the interruption. Perhaps I should return later," She continued, her voice dripping with a dangerous, business-like sweetness, offering a slight bow before turning to leave.
"No, wait," Long Xiao called out. With a sharp glare, he signaled his divine mount.
Lei caught the hint immediately and gestured toward the room's low table.
"Please, have a seat, Innkeeper!" Lei flashed a bright, helpful smile. "I just remembered that my Master has only just awoken. I will fetch some hot soup to soothe his throat."
With a quick dip of his head, Lei smoothly slipped out the door. He clearly had no intention of getting caught in the middle of a financial mess, though he would undoubtedly be lurking nearby, ready to pull his Master out of trouble if things turned bloody.
The Innkeeper gracefully sat on the empty chair. She took a slow, deliberate breath before speaking.
"Esteemed guest, my workers have informed me that you have remained locked in this room for three consecutive days. You have neither accepted our services nor have you settled your daily tab. Is something amiss, or were you perhaps planning to depart through the window without paying?" Her tone was sweet, but her eyes cut through the air like unsheathed daggers.
Ah. So this is what mortals call 'the death stare.' It really does feel like being stabbed in the gut, Long Xiao thought, a sudden chill washing over him.
He quietly activated his divine senses, letting them sweep across her. To Long Xiao's shock, his inner eye revealed a strange, turbulent dark energy that resided deep inside the innkeeper's aperture. The darkness shrouded the innkeeper's aperture, but it strangely wasn't harmful to her in any way.
Meanwhile, just outside, Lei's ear was pressed firmly against the wooden door. A straightforward beauty, the bird beamed silently. Uh-oh, Master is in terrible trouble. Shaking his head, Lei finally wandered down the stairs.
"Unfaithful bird," Long Xiao muttered under his breath.
Forcing himself to ignore the splitting headache, he straightened his back and adopted his most regal, serious expression. "Innkeeper, this might sound entirely absurd… but my storage pouch has been stolen."
"Stolen?" she repeated, a single eyebrow twitching.
"Yes. It happened the moment I entered the city. A small girl approached me under the guise of offering directions to a reputable inn. I believe she picked my pocket. If your establishment could assist me in locating her, I will gladly pay my outstanding dues—with interest, naturally." Long Xiao looked at her expectantly, letting the weight of his words sink in.