Chapter 350: Certain Death Either Way

“Junior Sister, what do you think about what Mr. Gu said? That he saw a ‘Path to the Heavens’ within your soul, and even saw our master on that path… Was it an illusion, or real?”

True Immortal Ling Xuan stroked his beard. Every event unfolding before him was beyond his comprehension, making this True Immortal recall, for the first time in ages, the helplessness he once felt as a mortal when faced with things he couldn’t understand.

Hearing this, True Immortal Ling Xi shook her head. “Whether it’s real or not, Mr. Gu wouldn’t lie to us.”

“Besides, didn’t Mr. Gu already say… After his divine sense withdrew, the ‘Path to the Heavens’ hidden in my soul disappeared?”

“At that same moment, I indeed felt the blockage—of declining cultivation and sluggish thoughts—vanish.”

“This proves that the root of the Five Decays of Heaven and Man lies in the staircase Mr. Gu mentioned…”

True Immortal Ling Xuan furrowed his brows. “But Mr. Gu also said he isn’t sure if the staircase will reappear…”

“We can only take things one step at a time…” Ling Xi paused briefly before continuing, “If the Five Decays of Heaven and Man manifest again, Senior Brother, come with me to kill the Flood Dragon Emperor.”

“This…” Ling Xuan hesitated, but upon seeing Ling Xi’s resolute expression, he swallowed his words and simply nodded in silent agreement.

From the early morning, the midsummer sun was already unbearably scorching. In the desert city of Eternal Slumber, the heat turned it into a giant steamer.

Even the thick-skinned and sturdy-bodied members of the demon race carried parasols to shield themselves from the relentless sun as they walked through the streets and alleys.

Outside the entrance of the Hunting Arena, Hua Erniang limped out from the shade and stepped into the blazing sunlight.

The glare made her eyes well up with a few drops of moisture. Squinting, she raised a hand to block the sun and slowly made her way toward the inn.

She was in poor condition. Her aura was chaotic, and her dark red dress was soaked in dried, blackened blood—evidence of how grueling last night’s battle had been for her.

On the long street, passing pedestrians and vendors turned their heads away, whispering amongst themselves.

“Look, Innkeeper Hua is out… I heard she won five consecutive matches last night, breaking the record for the same arena. But I reckon her remaining five matches will be a tough fight!”

“Of course! Just look at her—she looks like she could be blown over by a gust of wind… If she hadn’t spent all her wealth to delay the match for a day, she probably wouldn’t have even made it out of the arena gates today!”

“She’s made plenty of money in Eternal Slumber City over the years, but now she’s giving it all back! When’s her next match?”

“Midnight!”

“Good! I’ll make sure to get a front-row seat to watch that woman get beaten to death!”

“What, you have a grudge against her?”

“Nope, I just can’t stand the fact that she looks better than me and has a higher cultivation!”

“Tsk tsk tsk…”

The harsh gossip filled the air, and Hua Erniang heard every word. If this had been before, she would’ve confronted them without hesitation.

But now, like a tiger fallen from grace, she had no strength left to stir up trouble.

This extra day she bought with all her money—she had to use it to recover as much as possible.

After a long walk, Hua Erniang finally arrived at the entrance of Taste of Freshness Inn. The door was slightly ajar, and she pushed it open to step inside.

The next moment, a rich, mouthwatering aroma hit her.

Following the scent, she saw Gu Ning’an lifting the curtain to the backyard, stepping out with a large steaming bowl of soup in his hands.

The enticing fragrance made the exhausted Hua Erniang’s fingers twitch in anticipation. When her stomach let out a loud growl, she awkwardly smiled. “Mr. Gu, your cooking is incredible… Just the smell alone is making my mouth water.”

Placing the bowl down gently, Gu Ning’an gestured toward her. “Since you’re back, come and eat.”

“I shouldn’t, but…” Even as she spoke, her steps quickened toward the table. As she approached the steaming bowl of soup, she grabbed a pair of chopsticks from a nearby table.

“Don’t rush, this is—”

“I know, it’s lamb soup!”

Hua Erniang sat down and continued, “You must have baked some flatbread too, right? I’ll be waiting for it…”

Lamb soup wasn’t a delicacy unique to Great Wu, but Gu Ning’an hadn’t expected the woman before him to have eaten it before.

“Alright, I’ll go get some.” With that, Gu Ning’an turned and walked back to the courtyard.

When he returned, he was carrying two empty bowls and a plate of thin, crispy flatbread, toasted to perfection.

“In that case, I won’t hold back!” Hua Erniang picked up a piece of flatbread, scooped herself a bowl of lamb soup, and casually dunked the bread into the broth before devouring it.

Opposite her, Gu Ning’an ate at his usual, unhurried pace, breaking the flatbread into four pieces, from smallest to largest. He followed his own method: eating a dry piece first, then dipping one into the soup, then soaking another in the broth, and finally wrapping a piece of meat inside the last one.

Within the time it took for two incense sticks to burn, they had emptied the plate of flatbread and finished the rich, meaty lamb soup.

Hua Erniang patted her now-full stomach and gave an embarrassed laugh. “Mr. Gu, I’m really sorry… Your lamb soup was just too delicious. Before I knew it, I’d eaten too much…”

Gu Ning’an waved a hand dismissively. “No worries. I wouldn’t have finished it all by myself anyway. Besides, the ingredients all came from Innkeeper Hua’s kitchen—I’d say I got the better end of the deal.”

“Ah…” Hua Erniang leaned back against her chair and let out a long sigh. “The day after tomorrow, this place will have a new owner…”

Gu Ning’an asked, “Innkeeper Hua, you won your matches this time, didn’t you? Why would the inn still be changing hands?”

Hua Erniang gazed up at the ceiling beams and said helplessly, “Out of ten matches, I’ve only won five, and I’m already in this state… If I hadn’t had some savings to delay the next round for a day, I wouldn’t even have been able to eat your delicious lamb soup today.”

“This might just be my last meal in this lifetime.”

“It won’t be your last,” Gu Ning’an said with a smile. “Since you’ve delayed the match by a day, why not have a few more good meals tonight and tomorrow?”

“Mr. Gu… you’re quite good at comforting people.”

Hua Erniang lifted her head, smacking her lips as if savoring the lingering taste. “Your cooking is truly something else. It’s even better than the lamb soup my husband and I used to eat back in the day.”

“Speaking of which, Mr. Gu, do you have the time to hear about my past with my husband?”

“I have nothing pressing…” Gu Ning’an gestured toward the gruesome wounds on her shoulder and arm. “But shouldn’t Innkeeper Hua rest?”

At his words, Hua Erniang glanced down at her injuries. After a moment of silence, she waved a hand dismissively.

“Forget it!”

“Dead either way—resting for a day won’t change anything. I might as well spend my last moments talking!”