The streets were bustling with people, and nearly every shop on either side bore a brightly colored sign or a cloth banner.
"Wow! So this is the Mural World! It's incredible! Everything looks so real!" Sun Yao felt her body give a slight shudder as her vision transformed and she truly entered the place, exclaiming in delight.
The surrounding pedestrians cast curious glances at the young girl.
But Sun Yao was completely oblivious. She opened her eyes wide, her gaze sparkling as she continuously scanned her surroundings, her face full of excitement and curiosity.
Sun Yao was a Gu Master from Spirit Affinity Hall, a disciple the sect was cultivating with great care—a Gu Immortal seed.
Originally, Spirit Affinity Hall's nomination had belonged to Feng Jinhuang. Unfortunately, because Feng Jiuge had openly rebelled, Qin Dingling had grown hesitant.
Spirit Affinity Hall had promptly changed their nominee, and thus Sun Yao replaced Feng Jinhuang.
However, the sect's cultivation turned out differently from what Sun Yao had imagined. Spirit Affinity Hall had simply told her the origin of this mural and then sent her inside.
For a time, Sun Yao lingered, enthralled, amidst the streets and various shops.
She had grown up within Spirit Affinity Hall since childhood. Her daily life had been filled with senior brothers and sisters, cultivation, and sect rules and restrictions, with rarely any contact with the secular world.
Now, everything here was fascinating and novel to her.
She used Yuan Stones to buy several strings of candied hawthorns, eating as she walked and looked around.
In an alley, she saw a paper-cutting artisan; under the scissors, pieces of red paper swiftly transformed into lifelike butterflies and flowers.
She entered a theater to watch an opera. The performers wore painted faces in various colors and magnificent, exaggerated costumes, singing in long, high-pitched tones.
At a street corner, she stopped to watch two strongmen perform the acrobatic feat of smashing a large stone on one's chest.
Suddenly, her shoulder was gently tapped.
Sun Yao turned around and saw a young man with a square face and an honest, righteous appearance.
Before she could speak, the upright-looking youth smiled somewhat naively and said, "Are you from one of the ten great ancient sects?"
Sun Yao's eyes widened instantly, and she cried out in pleasant surprise, "Senior Brother, you are too?"
The young man nodded and cupped his fists in greeting. "Chen Dajiang of Wind Cloud Manor."
"So it's Senior Brother Chen!" Sun Yao's heart trembled slightly, and she hastily returned the salute. Chen Dajiang was the current chief disciple of Wind Cloud Manor; Sun Yao had long heard his famous name, which resonated like thunder.
Sun Yao felt as though she were meeting a celebrity. When Chen Dajiang had risen to prominence, she had been insignificant—merely Feng Jinhuang's follower.
Like Sun Yao, Chen Dajiang was his sect's recommended candidate and had also been sent into this painted world.
Meeting in such an unfamiliar place, though it was their first encounter, they felt an innate sense of closeness.
"Senior Brother Chen, I wonder what other arrangements our sects might have in sending us here to train," Sun Yao asked.
Chen Dajiang shook his head. "I'm just as clueless about that. I originally thought that once we entered here, we would receive instructions for the next step. I didn't expect our sects to seem to have no arrangements at all."
They discussed the matter privately but found no answers, so they decided to travel together.
"Please give us some food, we beg you. My mother and I haven't eaten for three days."
"Spare some money, give a little charity, please."
"My old father has passed away. This humble daughter sells herself to bury him. I beg you, kind sirs, to grant my wish!"
Wandering aimlessly, they came upon a stretch of street filled with the starving and destitute. Many people, gaunt and sallow, sat slumped against walls. Numerous beggars held out their hands or raised a broken bowl in supplication.
The passersby on the street hurried along, eager to avoid them, with rare few stopping to offer charity or relief.
"How can this be? It's only a couple of streets away," Sun Yao exclaimed, shocked by the scene.
Chen Dajiang analyzed in a low voice, "This is the Mural World of God Emperor City. Every major historical scene that occurred within the Emperor City is condensed into these murals. It seems this depicts some historical famine year in the Emperor City."
Sun Yao's sympathy stirred. "Senior Brother Chen, although they are only figures in a painting, not truly real, they are too pitiful. I still wish to help them."
Hearing this, Chen Dajiang looked at Sun Yao with new respect. He smiled and said, "Not to embarrass Junior Sister, but I was thinking the same. Why don't we act together?"
"Okay!" Sun Yao chirped, agreeing immediately.
They spent both money and effort, not only distributing Yuan Stones but also purchasing thin porridge, steamed buns, and the like, delivering them into the hands of the beggars.
"Good people!"
"Thank you, benefactors. Your life-saving grace, we will never forget!"
"Benefactors, please allow this humble one to follow you and repay your kindness!"
The downtrodden crowd was filled with gratitude and praise.
Just then, a frivolous voice cut in: "What are you doing?"
Sun Yao and Chen Dajiang turned to see a Gu Master dressed in a white robe, a jade belt at his waist. His posture was straight as a sword, and an air of arrogance permeated his brow as he walked toward them.
"So it's Brother Xiao Qixing of Spirit Butterfly Valley!" Chen Dajiang cupped his fists in greeting.