The sisters were planning to leave the restaurant, but Yuanshi's hand froze on the chair. They immediately his under the tables.
"…Wait," she whispered, her voice trembling slightly.
Yuexi glanced at her sharply. "What now?"
Yuanshi's eyes flicked toward the large window overlooking the courtyard outside the Ruishang Inn.
"Look." Her voice barely above a breath.
Yuexi followed her gaze and her blood ran cold.
The courtyard had erupted into chaos.
Cultivators were shouting, running, and jostling each other. One man waved a sword, swinging wildly at another who had snatched a map. Another cultivator shouted, "Give it back! That map is mine!"
The inn had become a battlefield. Tables overturned. Chairs toppled. Plates clattered across the stone floor. A few patrons tried to flee, but others pushed through, fighting for scraps of the maps. The noise was deafening. The way the cultivators had almost dismantled the Ruishang inn with their terrifying abilities scared them.
Yuexi grabbed Yuanshi's arm, her voice rising. "We have to leave now!"
Yuanshi shook her head, her face pale beneath the veil. "Not yet. If we move now, they'll notice us. We'll get trapped."
"Trapped?!" Yuexi's eyes widened. "We're already in a madhouse!"
Yuanshi's lips tightened. "Exactly. We wait then we run when no one is watching."
The sisters crawled slowly from beneath the table, pretending to adjust their veils and fanning themselves. Every movement was exaggeratedly casual, but their hearts were pounding.
"Okay… slow…" Yuanshi muttered, dragging her sleeve across her lips to hide the faintest quiver.
Yuexi's hands shook as she smoothed down her fake servant robe. "Yuanshi… I swear if we get caught, they'll kill us without even breaking a sweat"
Yuanshi took a shaky breath. "We won't. Just… follow me."
They edged toward the back hallway near the kitchen, eyes darting at every movement. A pair of cultivators nearly brushed past them, and Yuexi yelped, clutching her sister's arm.
"Shh!" Yuanshi hissed. "Keep calm!"
"Calm?!" Yuexi hissed back, whisper barely audible over the chaos. "There's a man waving a sword two feet from my face!"
Yuanshi twisted her veil slightly to peek at the corridor. "Not our problem. Move!"
They slipped into the bathroom like shadows, slamming the door behind them. For a moment, the only sound was their ragged breathing.
"I think I'm going to faint," Yuexi muttered, pressing her hands to her knees.
"Then don't," Yuanshi snapped, half-laughing, half-panicked. "We're not dead yet. Now change!"
They tore off their elegant dresses, tossing them carefully into the bag with the remaining fake maps. Then, hastily, they pulled on their filthy beggar clothes.
Yuexi grabbed the urn of dirt and flung it across her sister's face. "Do it faster! They'll be back here any second!"
Yuanshi groaned as the gritty powder rubbed into her eyes. "I'm not dying… oh gods, I think I'm going blind!"
Yuexi smirked grimly. "Better blind than dead!"
The sisters scrubbed their faces roughly, rubbing off the last traces of makeup and blood-colored handkerchief marks. In minutes, their transformation was complete. The delicate sect beauties were gone, replaced by ragged street beggars.
Yuanshi grabbed the money pouch, her hands trembling violently. "Split it," she whispered.
Yuexi nodded, shoving half under Yuanshi's robe. "If we get caught… at least one of us has it."
Yuanshi swallowed hard. "Good thinking."
They peeked outside the bathroom door. The hallway was clear.
"Go!" Yuanshi hissed.
They darted down the hallway like frightened mice. Behind them, a clatter of trays and shouts echoed.
"HEY!"
A burly attendant spotted them. "You filthy beggars! What are you doing in here?!"
Yuexi shrieked. "Run!"
The attendant grabbed a broom and swung at them. The sisters ducked instinctively.
"Get out! Get out!" he roared, chasing them down the back staircase.
Yuanshi's legs felt like jelly as she sprinted, glancing back. "We can't let him touch us!"
Yuexi's face was streaked with dirt, her hair falling into her eyes. "I-I can't believe we're actually running for our lives!"
They skidded around the corner and burst through the backdoor into the alley behind the inn.
Panting, Yuanshi whispered, "Almost… there…"
The attendant thundered out behind them, waving his broom and shouting curses. "I'll get you! You… you little thieves!"
Yuexi laughed shakily, but it was more hysteria than amusement. "We survived! We actually survived!"
Yuanshi bent over, hands on her knees, trying to catch her breath. "Don't… talk yet. Keep moving."
They ran across the alley, throwing their elegant dresses into a waste basket behind the kitchen.
"Trash them!" Yuanshi gasped, "We can't leave any trace!"
Yuexi nodded fiercely. "Better beggars than corpses."
Then they ran toward the crowded market street.
The moment they reached the marketplace, the sisters immediately changed their posture.
Their backs hunched.
Their movements slowed.
Within seconds they looked like ordinary beggars wandering the streets.
They spent the entire day in the market.
Sitting near the road.
Pretending to beg.
Watching.
Listening.
And what they heard made them almost laugh out loud.
The madness at the Ruishang Inn had only grown worse.
"They say the maps are being sold for triple the price now!"
"I heard someone paid a thousand taels for one!"
"No, no! Someone said the Flying Sword Sect ladies are still in town!"
"Find them!"
"If we capture them we can get the real map!"
Yuanshi lowered her head quickly to hide her smile.
Beside her Yuexi whispered quietly.
"We really stirred up a hornet's nest."
Yuanshi nodded.
"And now there's a bounty on the ladies of the Flying sword sect."
Her smile slowly faded.
"…Which is exactly why we need to leave tonight. We don't have time to waste at all"
Yuexi agreed immediately.
As evening approached, they began searching the market roads for traveling merchants.
Eventually they spotted a trading cart loaded with goods preparing to leave the town gates.
The driver sat lazily at the front while chewing on a piece of straw.
Yuanshi approached him hesitantly.
"Sir…"
The man glanced down at the two dirty beggar girls.
"What?"
Yuanshi lowered her gaze respectfully.
"Sir… are you traveling to the next city?"
"Maybe."
The man shrugged.
"Why?"
Yuanshi clasped her hands nervously.
"My… my sister-in-law and I are looking for work."
She gestured toward Yuexi.
"My husband died last year…"
Her voice trembled slightly.
"…and my husband's family died in a tragedy not long after."
Yuexi nodded solemnly.
"We can't find work here."
Yuanshi continued quietly.
"We thought… maybe in a bigger town we might have better luck."
She hesitated before adding,
"My son is still young. I need to support him."
The driver looked at them silently. "Do you think I run a charity? Besides why should I put some disgusting beggars on my cart? Are you just trying to steak the goods?"
Yuanshi quickly continued. "No sir, I guarantee that we'll not be a bother to you. We are not theives we're just in a hard situation. Besides, we'll pay you for the ride."
The driver questioned "How are you going to pay for it"
"A kind woman gave me some money."
She revealed a small coin.
"I can pay for the ride."
The man scratched his chin.
Then finally he shrugged.
"Fine."
"We leave tonight. You better be here on time, I'll not wait if you're late."
Yuanshi bowed gratefully.
"Thank you, sir."
The sisters exchanged a quick relieved glance.
That night…
They returned to the Feng Palace Inn.
Yuanshi pushed open the door to their room.
And immediately froze.
Someone was sitting on the bed.
A man wearing a fox mask.
His black robes shimmered faintly in the dim lantern light.
An attendant stood beside him respectfully.
The masked man leaned back lazily as if he owned the room.
When he saw them enter, he tilted his head slightly.
Then he spoke.
His voice calm.
Amused.
"Welcome…"
He paused briefly.
"…Lady Feng Min of the Flying Sword Sect."
The room fell completely silent.
Yuanshi felt her heart drop into her stomach.