Endless Sea never places puzzles in plain sight. Sure enough, trying to find someone right after entering Lu Yun Tower was no walk in the park.

The Yun clan was a large family. Yun Panshan had no children, but plenty of siblings and relatives, and many had come to greet the Feather Clan’s arrival. Leading them was Yun Panshan’s brother, Yun Pannan, a middle-aged man with a friendly face who was always smiling.

“The Lord of the City has an old injury, which flared up yesterday, so he’s had no choice but to go into seclusion. But with us here, all city affairs will proceed as usual,” Yun Pannan said, with an apologetic expression on his face. “Before going into seclusion, the Lord entrusted us to assist you in clearing out the Demon Clan remnants, and we’ll give it our utmost support.”

The hospitality the City Lord’s Mansion extended to the Feather Clan was impeccable. They had prepared a courtyard next to the City Lord’s Mansion, a residence specifically for esteemed guests. Yun Pannan was courteous and obliging, treating the Feather Clan like close friends.

Still, Chen Xin and Ling Luo couldn’t shake their doubts. They worked together to subtly gather details on the Yun family’s situation over drinks at the banquet.

The Yun family stood as a three-legged force. The City Lord, Yun Panshan, was respected for his virtue and wisdom. Yun Pannan, sociable and adept at navigating social circles, managed family affairs as the steward, while the eldest brother, Yun Panlong, who was cold by nature but highly skilled in martial arts, served as the city’s chief guardian.

These three held the power in the family. If Yun Panshan were to fall ill, the next City Lord would likely be chosen between Yun Pannan and Yun Panlong. However, Yun Panlong wasn’t present, as he never participated in these affairs.

Xie Shuangxue, seated next to Ling Luo, leaned over and asked, “Brother Ling Luo, how did you know that Yun Panshan fell ill suddenly, rather than just going into seclusion as he claimed?”

Ling Luo didn’t hide anything and replied in a low voice, “The City Lord of Zi Yue Isle has always been a loyal ally of the Feather Clan, and he and Yun Panshan are friends. They originally arranged to meet and discuss the recent Demon Clan unrest. It seemed Yun Panshan had something important to share, something potentially serious. Yet, at the appointed time, he didn’t show up, nor did he send any message.”

Given Yun Panshan’s character, if he truly had gone into seclusion, he would have ensured Yun Pannan was informed, without forgetting to send word to Zi Yue Isle. This discrepancy made it clear something was amiss.

The Yun family appeared amiable, but who knew if they were harboring ill intentions?

Xie Shuangxue nodded, indicating he understood.

Ling Luo’s suspicion was indeed reasonable.

Lu Yun Tower appeared peaceful on the surface, yet a deep-rooted demonic aura had long permeated it.

Xie Shuangxue, having gone through testing, already knew how this storyline ended.

In the early stages of the plot, the Feather Clan pursued their investigation and ultimately discovered a mark resembling the skeleton symbol on Yun Panlong. They also found evidence that he had long since practiced dark arts and descended into demonic cultivation.

Once exposed, Yun Panlong indeed summoned countless Skeleton Ghosts, mirroring the massacre in Penglai City. He killed Yun Panshan, drove Yun Pannan to his death, and attempted to carve out his own territory, prompting the Feather Clan to unite with other towns to suppress Lu Yun Tower.

Of course, they succeeded.

However, Yun Panlong was clearly not the true mastermind.

The plot hadn’t ended, and many questions remained. Yun Panlong only wanted control over Lu Yun Tower and had no need to attack distant Penglai City, which had no connection to Lu Yun Tower. Yet, after his death, the demonic aura’s disturbance quieted somewhat, like the calm before the storm.

As for Lu Yun Tower, although it lost its former prosperity after the turmoil, it didn’t collapse. Later, it was said that another member of the Yun family stepped in to restore order and succeeded Yun Panshan as City Lord, but Xie Shuangxue knew little beyond this.

He hadn’t anticipated that this part of the Book of Floating Dreams storyline would intertwine with the longstanding mystery of Yun Ruowei, which had captivated players.

Xie Shuangxue mainly caused trouble in Floating Dreams Cloudspace; that was his stage.

And since Floating Dreams Cloudspace wasn’t connected to the outside world, the information Xie Shuangxue received was limited to what his character knew, often knowing the outcome without understanding the process.

Near the end of the banquet, Xie Shuangxue, who had remained silent, suddenly spoke up, addressing Yun Pannan: “Steward Yun, may I be so bold as to ask— I’ve heard there’s an expert craftsman known as the Evil Sword here at Lu Yun Tower. Do you know of his whereabouts?”

Yun Pannan’s expression flickered for a moment before he quickly forced a smile and replied, “Young Master Xie, I’m afraid you’re mistaken. The Evil Sword did appear here at Lu Yun Tower, but his whereabouts are erratic, and he’s been out of sight for several years.”

Really?

His expression made it clear something wasn’t right.

Ling Luo noticed and quietly reassured him, “No worries. I’ll send someone to look for him.”

Xie Shuangxue looked slightly surprised, then smiled at him. “Thank you, Brother Ling Luo.”

This banquet was indeed full of undercurrents.

After returning to their lodging in Lu Yun Tower, the Feather Clan’s residence, which sat on higher ground with a good view, Xie Shuangxue found his accommodations impressive.

Yun Pannan, well-versed in matters regarding the Feather Clan, had indeed been thoughtful. Upon seeing Xie Shuangxue’s gold-rimmed waist token, he understood his significance and arranged a room for him that was second only to Chen Xin’s and Ling Luo’s.

Xie Shuangxue pushed open the window in his room and gazed down to see the bustling street below.

Lu Yun Tower was indeed vastly different from Penglai City. It was much larger—no longer a small map where fifty people could crowd into one line. Here, even tens of thousands of players integrated into the main city without feeling crowded. Xie Shuangxue could easily distinguish them from the NPCs.

They wandered around, asking questions, wearing noticeably different clothing, all clearly curious about Lu Yun Tower.

The attraction wasn’t just the World Quest; major guilds had also posted high bounties related to Yun Ruowei.

Upon entering, it was clear that Lu Yun Tower’s location on the world map was exceptional, positioned at the center of several main system cities, surrounded by abundant game resources. In the players’ true timeline, this was an uncharted land, a valuable asset.

Guild cities couldn’t just be built anywhere but required a construction decree specifying the area, and these were typically in peripheral locations, often at exorbitant costs.

A decree for a main city had to be unlocked through special quests, and since the launch of Gods and Demons, the number of decrees granted could be counted on one hand.

Securing a construction decree for Lu Yun Tower was tied closely to Yun Ruowei. Players would have to thoroughly investigate events from a hundred years ago to uncover the mystery a century later.

As Xie Shuangxue pondered this, he suddenly heard someone push the door open behind him. When he turned around, it was Ling Luo.

“Brother Ling Luo?”

“You asked about the Evil Sword at the banquet, didn’t you? I know it’s to repair your sword. Yun Pannan’s evasiveness was obvious, so I sent someone to investigate,” Ling Luo said. “It’s not that difficult. Although the Evil Sword has been elusive for several years, he was friends with Yun Panshan. If we ask Yun Panshan for help, the Evil Sword will naturally show up. When Yun Panshan awakens, I’ll approach him.”

Xie Shuangxue was a bit surprised; he thought Ling Luo was merely comforting him before, but he hadn’t expected him to act so swiftly.

Ling Luo’s character was indeed honorable, with a strong sense of justice and responsibility. Despite the recent disappearance of Ling Luo’s younger brother, Ling Luo hadn’t taken it out on Xie Shuangxue. Instead, he looked after him at every turn.

Yet, recalling the original storyline upon entering Lu Yun Tower, Xie Shuangxue couldn’t help but sigh inwardly.

Ling Luo’s life later on was far from happy. These were likely his last untroubled days.

As the second lead in the storyline, Ling Luo would gain fame from the battle at Lu Yun Tower. But afterward, he’d change—soon enough, others would discover he had succumbed to demonic cultivation, though no one would understand why.

According to Feather Clan law, those who practiced demonic arts were to be executed, their bones burned to ash. Elder Ling pleaded with all his might to spare Ling Luo’s life, allowing him to survive, though barely.

At that time, amidst everyone’s neglect, Xie Shuangxue would seize an opportunity and take the life of Ling Luo’s younger brother. When news of this reached the death prison, Ling Luo wept blood and then broke into insane laughter before escaping the next day.

When he reappeared, he had become a fearsome Demon King, his white wings turned entirely black. Tales spread of his ruthless killings and merciless heart.

By then, Xie Shuangxue, too, would have fallen to demonic influence.

With the entire Feather Clan suffering tragic fates—either dying or losing their minds—Lu Yun Tower marked the beginning of Ling Luo’s downfall, indirectly pushing Xie Shuangxue further toward the abyss.

To Xie Shuangxue, Lu Yun Tower may be a blank storyline, but it was intricately connected to future events.

And now, with the Ling brothers standing by his side, he realized the plot had already changed. If it continued along this path, all his efforts would be in vain.

Since he was here, he had to find out what had really happened.

Xie Shuangxue couldn’t allow himself to fall to demonic influence, and it would be best if Ling Luo didn’t either.

“Brother Ling Luo, I think many of these matters trace back to Lord Yun,” Xie Shuangxue said. “Steward Yun is obviously trying to keep us from seeing him. It might be best to pay him a visit.”

Ling Luo hesitated, “But Lord Yun’s retreat is in the center of the City Lord’s Mansion…”

The Feather Clan, as guests, couldn’t forcibly enter. Besides, they were here to investigate traces of the Demon Clan, not meddle in Lu Yun Tower’s internal affairs.

“The City Lord of Zi Yue Isle said it wasn’t just a retreat, didn’t he? And it’s oddly timed with discussions about the Demon Clan,” Xie Shuangxue reasoned. “Don’t worry, Brother Ling Luo. I’ll go myself. Trust me. Even if I don’t see Lord Yun, I’ll come back safely.”

After some hesitation, Ling Luo eventually agreed.

That very night, Xie Shuangxue set out.

Moving in line with the storyline logic would consume less energy, and with his recent rise in popularity, Xie Shuangxue had enough resources to back up his actions.

Not expecting to meet the City Lord on the first attempt, Xie Shuangxue intended to scout the area. He had studied the City Lord’s Mansion map, but he needed to see the layout himself.

Dressed in dark attire, he moved like a shadow, nimble as a black cat. His skills were similar to those of a player’s assassin class, specializing in stealth and concealment, though players couldn’t match his proficiency.

While climbing over a wall and mentally noting the guards’ patrol timing, he began retreating but suddenly bumped into someone.

No way—was he caught this quickly?

Heart pounding, Xie Shuangxue instinctively reached out to cover the person’s mouth and considered knocking them out. But in the dim light, he hadn’t seen their face clearly. Just as a patrol approached, the two of them squatted down and fell silent together.

The other person didn’t shout?

Xie Shuangxue, puzzled, waited for the guards to pass. He hadn’t even opened his mouth when the person spoke first.

“Hey, brother, smooth moves there! Which guild are you from? I haven’t seen you around.”

Xie Shuangxue: ?

Wait, this wasn’t another NPC like him.

As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, the moon peeked out from behind the clouds, casting light. He squinted, finally recognizing the face.

It was a player—a familiar one at that.

Qiao Zhihui was live-streaming late at night. During the day, he worked on the World Quest; by night, he took on guild bounties.

He belonged to the second-ranked guild, “Wandering the Horizon,” and as a skilled assassin, Qiao Zhihui had come to scout information on Yun Ruowei.

When he’d bragged about being in the top 100 of the Assassin Rankings, he hadn’t exaggerated; he could actually place in the top 30.

Encountering a tough Skeleton Ghost Boss earlier was merely because his class wasn’t suited for direct combat, but infiltrating the City Lord’s Mansion was right up his alley.

However, the security here was too tight.

He’d snuck in nearly an hour ago and hadn’t even made it to the central area yet. He huddled in this dead-end corner, afraid to step out for fear of being spotted by a guard and getting killed on the spot. Several players had already been captured and sent back to respawn points.

Unexpectedly, he noticed someone else, with skillful moves, approach smoothly.

Qiao Zhihui had seen all the top assassins and their outfits. None wore a dark suit like this with their face covered. A newcomer, perhaps?

Qiao Zhihui took another look at his minimap, noting there were no other player markers, indicating the use of a stealth skill that kept the user hidden.

After a while, the person finally spoke, their voice pleasing to the ear: “Why are you here?”

“For Yun Ruowei! Ah, I reckon there’s a lot of people lying in wait here. Stick around; tonight’s bound to be busy,” Qiao Zhihui said. “Though I’m just here for the fun. Let Bai Qiuyan and the others fight over it. I just want to catch a glimpse of my dear.”

“…Your dear?”

“My dear is Xie Shuangxue! I heard he’s staying somewhere nearby,” Qiao Zhihui glanced outside again. “Hey, do you know which building he’s in?”