NOVPUB"So how do the people here handle meals?" Da Zhi, the monk, asked subconsciously. 𝔫𝖔𝖛𝖕𝖚𝔟.𝖈𝖔𝔪
"Everyone is self-sufficient. They grow their own food," Gu Yue replied.
"Let’s go take a look inside the city; we might be able to score a free meal."
The three of them walked toward the center of the city.
On the way, Xu Zimei also learned a lot, as there was no monetary trade here.
The people did things according to their likes.
Everyone was doing what they loved.
When Xu Zimei arrived at the busiest area of the city, he saw many people with small stalls.
Various items were displayed on different stalls.
Of course, these items weren’t for sale but were offered to passersby for them to evaluate the craftsman’s skill.
"There’s food over there," Gu Yue spotted a stall and quickly ran over to it.
The stall owner was an elderly man who slowly stood up when he saw them approaching.
"Do you have any food?" Gu Yue eagerly asked.
The elderly man smiled and nodded, taking out a box of fried rice and handing it to Gu Yue.
Watching Gu Yue eat voraciously, he smiled and said, "Give it a review."
"Delicious," Gu Yue, without lifting her head and speaking indistinctly as she ate, replied.
It was obvious that she was really hungry.
"Young lass, I am not satisfied with that answer," the old man said with a smile.
"I gave you food for free because I wanted you to point out any flaws.
Never mind, never mind, but next time I will not let you eat for free."
Gu Yue smiled a little embarrassedly and said, "But I truly cannot find any flaws; this is the most delicious meal I’ve had since I was little."
"If you like it, then the existence of this bowl of rice is justified," the elder nodded.
He said, "I’ve enjoyed cooking since I was young. Seeing the praises left by people who have eaten my meals fills me with joy.
My biggest dream is to become the best chef in the world.
Anyone who has tasted my cooking will be longing for more for the rest of their lives."
Xu Zimei smiled and looked around.
Suddenly, he realized that this place was not as bad as he had imagined. There were people cooking, people weaving baskets, and people carving.
Everyone was doing what they loved to do, and there was eternal serenity in this world, free from quarrels and fights.
Apart from natural deaths, there were none.
"We should get down to the serious business now," Xu Zimei said.
He looked at Gu Yue and asked, "Are you going to find your mother by yourself, or are you going to follow us?"
"I’m scared to go to the place where my mother is by myself. Can I follow you guys for a while?" Gu Yue replied.
"If you want to follow, then follow, but I can’t guarantee your safety," Xu Zimei said.
After that, he looked at Da Zhi, the monk, and replied, "Let’s search for the Nirvana Beads."
After they left the city, they arrived upon a desolate wilderness.
Da Zhi, the monk, then took out what he called his Ancestral Master’s Taoist Bone.
"Protect me," Da Zhi, the monk, ordered.
He placed the bone in front of him, slowly bit open his index finger, and dripped his fresh blood onto the bone.
At that moment, a heaven-shaking aura emanated from the Taoist bone.
The diagrams of the Five Elements and Bagua Tai Chi evolved within.
"According to the Changes of the Circulation, inscribing the Great Dao Bone," Da Zhi, the monk, chanted softly.
He folded his hands into some ancient gesture, and myriad things evolved on the bone, incredibly complex.
The evolution even surpassed Xu Zimei’s Heaven Expanse Astrolabe.
After a long while, a flame of namelessness ignited from the Taoist bone.
Da Zhi, the monk, suddenly opened his eyes, his forehead covered in cold sweat, and took a deep breath.
"We’ve found it," said Da Zhi the monk.
"Are you alright?" Xu Zimei asked.
"I’m fine, it’s just a pity about our Ancestral Master’s Taoist Bone. Such a rare treasure," Da Zhi the monk lamented.
"Where are the Nirvana Beads?" Xu Zimei asked.
"I just caught glimpses of a scene, the Divine Maiden Palace," Da Zhi the monk replied.
"The Divine Maiden Palace?" Gu Yue exclaimed in shock beside them.
She said, "That can’t be, my mother is inside the Divine Maiden Palace."
"Do you know where it is?" Xu Zimei asked.
"Everyone here knows. The Divine Maiden Palace is the highest authority here, where the Dust Envoys issue commands," Gu Yue replied.
"You’re not thinking of going to the Divine Maiden Palace, are you?"
"If what the monk said is correct, we should probably go," Xu Zimei said.
"But besides on designated days, the Divine Maiden Palace is not open to the public," Gu Yue replied.
"It’s said to be the residence of the World-weary Divine Girl."
"The Mythical Era and the Wild Desolation have already ended, and even the Era of Emperors has lasted for millions of years.
That World-weary Divine Girl, no matter how powerful, couldn’t possibly have lived so long," Da Zhi the monk said with some disbelief.
After all, the World-weary Divine Girl was a divine spirit from the Mythical Era, and the time difference between then and now was too vast.
"But here, no one has ever dared to challenge the authority of the Divine Maiden Palace," said Gu Yue with some worry.
"Is the Divine Maiden Palace far from here?" Xu Zimei asked.
"Every place has a Divine Maiden Temple. It’s said that the temples have direct access to the Divine Maiden Palace," Gu Yue replied.
"Then let’s find the nearest Divine Maiden Temple around here," Xu Zimei said.
The three of them asked around at the city gate and found out that not far from there, just three kilometers away, there was a Divine Maiden Temple.
The Dust Envoys of the nearby cities usually lived there.
Heading north, about half an hour later, Xu Zimei saw the legendary Divine Maiden Temple.
The temple was built on a grand and majestic scale.
All around were blue and white walls with many small statues lining the top of the wall.
At that moment, several Dust Envoys were entering and exiting the gate.
When the three of them approached the Divine Maiden Temple, the Dust Envoys stopped them.
"This is not the time for worship, entry is not permitted," explained a Dust Envoy calmly.
"We’re not here to worship, we wish to go to the Divine Maiden Palace," Da Zhi the monk replied.
"The Divine Maiden Palace does not receive idlers," said the Dust Envoy, waving them off.
"Please leave quickly."
"What if we insist on going?" Xu Zimei asked.
"If I said no visitors, then there are no visitors," the Dust Envoy replied indifferently.
Xu Zimei glanced at Da Zhi the monk.
Da Zhi the monk reached out with his right hand and grabbed towards the Dust Envoy.
The Dust Envoy was startled and hurried a few steps back, attempting to escape.
Unfortunately for him, Da Zhi the monk acted preemptively and directly suppressed the Dust Envoy under his palm.
"Someone is breaching the Divine Temple," the Dust Envoy shouted, as a special aura began to pulse around him.
Immediately after, the sound of bells began to ring out.
Countless waves of formidable power rose from within the temple; the bell tolling continued unabated, echoing up to the skies.
"Well, trouble has come again," Xu Zimei said reluctantly.
"It was inevitable. We want the Nirvana Beads, how could others willingly give them up?" Da Zhi the monk said.
The next moment, about a dozen figures stepped into the air and flew out from within the temple.
These individuals were all wearing the red robes of the Dust Envoys, each emanating an imposing aura.
