Despite, the fading bruises on her neck, Zhi Yan woke up in a great mood. The night before she had considered not bathing to keep up the traveling merchant image that had worked surprisingly well in deterring issues up until now. But in the end, she decided it was best for wounds on her back to indulge. And what a great decision it was. 

Now, she sat quietly sipping a tolerable cup of tea watching the morning bustle of people walk about on the street outside. The chatter and buzz in the air fueled a sort of liveliness that she craved.

The loud sound of boots in the quiet lobby interrupted her thoughts and she watched as a trio of cultivators walked in. 

They were a conspicuous group of men all dressed in blue and white robes with headbands around their heads. Their sect symbol a small swallow, and crane flying about one another in a circle was sewn in a blue thread that blended into the back of their robes seamlessly. Staring at the robes, Zhi Yan felt a twinge in her chest. Something about them felt incredibly familiar. But shuffling through the girl's memories would take time as large portions were missing especially before the well incident. Whatever it was, Zhi Yan decided that leaving was the best rejection of unnecessary trouble. Setting down the cup, she placed some coins on the table and got ready to leave. 

"I am Qu Zihao and we are the disciples of the Tongshan Sect1. We were wondering if you have seen a woman." The middle disciple waved his hand, conjuring up a scroll, and handed it over to the hostel owner.

Zhi Yan's hands halted in the middle of brushing her robe before she resumed her actions. Why was the Tongshan Sect, a righteous sect, looking for her? Cultivation sects seldom concerned themselves with these trivial issues opting to deal with more important matters such as demonic cultivators, miasma, and the like. Regardless, she was not safe here. Without even needing to look, she knew that the hostel owner would gesture to her.

"Miss!" Just as she was about to step out the door, the clear and boisterous voice of Qu Zihao stopped her in her tracks. So close.

In an indolent manner, she slowly turned around her robes swaying about her. She was dressed in one of the robes that she had grabbed from her wardrobe, a simple light green robe that complemented her mannerisms. Her eyes though seemingly lethargic shrewdly took in everything about the group. Qu Zihao was a tall man with wide shoulders and a definitive air about him. His neatly combed-up hair was a sign that he was a quick and efficient person. Zhi Yan tilted her head to one side. "How may I be of service to this Young Master?" 

He paused surprised at something and then gestured to her robes, "If I may ask, is this cultivator part of the Qitian Dao Clan?" Cultivator?

"...Yes. Yes, something like that." She answered vaguely, trying to discretely glance at her own clothes for whatever insignia or design he saw. Unfortunately, she could not tell and settled for aloofly gazing at the group while trying to think of an excuse to escape. 

Before she could say anything, a shorter boy with a pale dumpling-shaped face stepped forward. "If we may ask, what is this great cultivator's name?"

Her eyes trailed to the three disciples standing in front of her. "My name is Yan...Zi."

"Yan Zi2?"

She straightened herself up a little more to give her assertion more authority. "My last name is Yan. Yan Zi." 

"Miss Yan, do you know of a Miss Zhi Yan, Gui Rong City mayor's daughter?"

Zhi Yan furrowed her brows and tapped her chin, a face smoothly morphing into a look full of contemplation. "I have never been to Gui Rong City, so I unfortunately don't believe I have ever met her."

"Then Miss Yan, why are you here in Peng Tian City?" She was starting to feel like she was being interrogated by the short gerbil-looking boy.

"I am here to...explore."

"To explore?" Wang Qin squinted at her with suspicion as if the notion was peculiar to him. 

"To explore." She raised an eyebrow. "Do you gentlemen have opinions about it?"

Qu Zihao instantly stepped forward and forced the boy to bow with him. "We would not dare hold any issue at all with Miss Yan. Please excuse my little brother, this is his first time on an official outing and he is clumsy in his behavior."

Nonchalantly, Zhi Yan waved her sleeve, dismissing the apology. "Traveling is one of the best ways to increase your cultivation while using it for personal relaxation." Her emphasis on the word personal seemed to finally do the trick. After exchanging a few more trivial pleasantries they dismissed themselves and bid her farewell. Then like the lofty cultivator she was of whatever sect they mentioned, Zhi Yan swept out the door. 

However, as soon as she turned the corner, she quickened her steps to the stables. She needed to leave now. 

Back inside the hostel, Wang Qin looked at his senior brother, Qu Zihao. "What are the chances that she looks exactly like the missing Zhi girl, Senior Brother Qu?"

Qu Zihao sighed. "But Madam Zhi mentioned that the girl didn't have any qi and I clearly could feel the qi emanating off of her. Also, that robe is clearly one of the Qitian Dao Sect's robes and it would be very hard to get your hands on one."

"But not impossible." A nasally sharp voice. Qu Zihao turned to look at the last member of their trio, Tong Ye. "Like Brother Wang said, what are the chances that we run to a cultivator who looks exactly like the Zhi Family's waste of a daughter? If she is smart enough to obtain one of their robes, it would be easy for her to disguise her lack of cultivation."

******

Once Zhi Yan was a fair way outside the city walls, she abruptly pulled on the donkey's rein causing it to let out a noise in disagreement. If the Tongshan Sect was in Peng Tian City, did that mean they were also in Xing Jing City and the Capitol? But the Capitol was still a great distance to travel even for cultivators. Still, those pesky cultivators even those insignificant disciples would get there before me. 

So was the Capitol even worth going to? Annoyed, Zhi Yan snapped the donkey reins again causing the animal to make a noise of protest. Well, there is a lot of what I can do once I get to the Capitol and how would they find me in a sea of mortals? What she needed was something that effectively made her disappear. Zhi Yan let out a dry laugh, a couple of days ago she had thought killing herself was a viable option. It was true, dying would solve a handful of her problems but she knew that dying would just aggravate whatever situation that got her killed in the first place by returning her there. And besides she had made a promise and once that promise was fulfilled she could live the rest of her days with nothing to plague her. Satisfied with her resolution, Zhi Yan gave a self-assured nod and continued on her way.