By evening, the rain had stopped. The air carried the fresh scent of wet earth, refreshing and pleasant.
"Brother Wu, you defeated a high-ranking Spirit Elder alone. That's already beyond the requirements of the trial. When we return, you should receive an extra reward. Have you thought about what you want?"
Wu Qi shook his head. "Cultivation is for improving oneself, not for rewards."
"We've contributed nothing to Spirit Hall. We've already received more than enough because of our elders."
"Besides, this matter isn't worth mentioning to me. There's no need to claim credit."
Hearing him speak so modestly, Chang Kong rolled his eyes.
If it were him, he would never be so humble. What was the point of having strength if you didn't show it?
If Wu Qi knew what he was thinking, he would probably say, "You haven't experienced enough of the real world."
What was Spirit Hall like internally?
If they acted too openly, did he really think Bibi Dong would not take action?
For now, keeping a low profile and developing steadily was their best choice.
Without sufficient strength, drawing attention in front of Bibi Dong was practically asking for death.
After entering the inner city, the two of them were not subjected to any inspection.
Following the intense battle earlier, they urgently needed to replenish their strength.
As they stepped into a restaurant, Chang Kong could not help asking, "Where does the food here come from?"
Logically speaking, the environment of Death Canyon was unsuitable for growing crops, and there were not many Spirit Beasts either.
Yet the restaurant was able to provide large quantities of rice and meat. It was worth thinking about.
Wu Qi felt somewhat helpless. Chang Kong seemed overly fond of conspiracy theories.
Wasn't it obvious? The food was surely supplied by Spirit Hall.
Even the City of Slaughter, with an even harsher environment, still had food and drink.
Spirit Hall provided supplies to such places to maintain stability and prevent these exiles from causing harm to the continent.
Before long, the waiter brought the dishes.
After only a few bites, the sound of begging came from outside.
Turning around, they saw a mother with a mute child, tears in her eyes as she prayed for alms.
Chang Kong felt a stir of sympathy. "A mother raising a child alone in a place like this, it can't be easy. Did the people at Spirit Hall make a mistake in their judgment?"
As he pondered, the other customers in the restaurant began discussing the matter.
What was mentioned most often was that Spirit Hall had wrongly judged the mother and child, leading to their exile here.
To survive while waiting for their case to be overturned, the mother had no choice but to beg with her child.
Wu Qi tilted his head and carefully observed the woman. She appeared flawless, no different from an ordinary beggar.
But the mute son behind her showed panic and fear in his eyes.
His instincts told him there was something wrong with this mother and son, yet he could not immediately pinpoint what it was.
The mother approached their table with a bowl in hand. Chang Kong directly poured a plate of meat into it.
"Thank you, benefactors."
She bowed deeply toward them.
Chang Kong helped her up, while Wu Qi remained unmoved.
A few minutes later, the mother and son left. Chang Kong could not help asking, "Brother Wu, what's wrong? You seem distracted. Did you notice something?"
Wu Qi frowned. "Do you think a female beggar could survive here for so long without incident? And from what the other customers said, they've been begging here for quite some time."
Chang Kong did not understand. "Isn't that normal? There are female beggars in Spirit City too, who came in during famine."
Wu Qi shook his head. "Is that the same?"
Spirit City was a city governed by strict laws, and it was where the Pope's Palace stood. Few people would dare cause trouble there.
But what was this place?
Death Canyon was a paradise for criminals.
If someone wanted to assault a woman in the street here, no one would interfere. Some might even applaud, provided they were not afraid of being killed in return.
Moreover, Spirit Hall's authority had not completely fallen into Bibi Dong's hands yet. How could a wrongful conviction so easily happen to a simple mother and child?
If it was not a misjudgment, then it had to be an act.
Eliminate all the impossible explanations, and whatever remains, no matter how absurd must be the truth.
Even after hearing his reasoning, Chang Kong still did not believe it. He muttered, "Forget it. We'll ask around when we get back."
After finishing their meal and stepping out of the restaurant, the mother approached them on her own.
Chang Kong looked startled. "Not full? Should we order another portion for you to take back?"
The woman quickly waved her hands. "No, no. Benefactors, you must have just arrived here, right?"
"If you don't have a place to stay, I can introduce you to an inn."
"Please don't misunderstand. The owner of that inn is a good person. If I help bring in customers, he gives me and my child some food."
"Benefactors, what do you think?"
Chang Kong seemed convinced that the mother and son had been wronged. If he could help, he naturally would.
The woman led the way, guiding them through several alleyways to a secluded area.
Not far ahead stood the signboard of an inn.
Along the way, they could hear the sounds of fighting within the city. Yet on the path the woman led them through, they encountered almost no danger.
Just as they were about to reach the inn, Wu Qi suddenly stopped. "What a tragic performance. Unfortunately, you exposed yourself."
The woman turned around, looking confused. "Benefactor, what are you talking about?"
"What's going on?" Even Chang Kong did not understand.
Wu Qi sneered. "In this paradise for criminals, a mother with a child wouldn't survive even half a day."
"I'm guessing quite a few people have had improper thoughts about you. Unfortunately for them, they must have underestimated you. Their ashes have probably already been scattered."
Now that the truth had been spoken aloud, the panic on the woman's face vanished instantly, replaced by a cold smile. "Since you're so clever, I'll give you a chance. Leave behind the gold badges, and I'll spare your lives."
Chang Kong's mouth fell open. Everything Wu Qi had said was true.
"Tell me," Wu Qi said calmly, "how did you figure it out?"
The woman sneered. "Those exiled here can barely take care of themselves. Who would bother giving alms?"
"Heh. You two were so confident and unconcerned. If you're not trial participants, what else could you be?"
Wu Qi thought to himself, as expected.
She had staged a tragic scene to filter targets from the crowd.
He had to admit, she had some brains.
If he had not remained cautious, they might already have fallen into her trap.
Wu Qi spread his hands. "Unfortunately, you guessed wrong."
"We slipped in illegally to search for a certain medicinal herb. We don't have any badges like you said. Clearly you don't believe that. So it seems we'll have to fight."
Admitting they were trial participants was out of the question. Who knew how many ears were listening in the shadows?
Once exposed, they would face pursuit every single day for the next twenty-nine days.
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