The disciple from Gezao Sect who came to report whispered a couple of sentences into Wan Zhenyuan's ear, to which Wan Zhenyuan angrily retorted, "What were you people doing? Didn't you smooth things over in advance?"

The disciple mumbled back, looking wronged, "We did smooth things over, but it seems like several newly appointed police officers have arrived this time."

Hearing this, Wan Zhenyuan immediately felt a massive headache brewing. He knew that new officials were always eager to make their mark, and these newly appointed police officers were notorious for stirring up trouble, often manufacturing drama where none existed. While he wasn't afraid of these officers—with so many cultivators present—the cultivation world inherently disliked dealing with judicial departments. Having police show up during the Lotus Picking Assembly hosted by his own Gezao Sect was an absolute loss of face for Wan Zhenyuan.

The others overheard the exchange between Wan Zhenyuan and his disciple, causing an immediate uproar. They began chattering noisily, "Sect Master Wan, what is going on? Why are the police here?"

Wan Zhenyuan forced a bitter smile and clasped his hands. "Fellow Daoists, please remain calm. This must be an accident; we just need to explain the situation clearly!"

Someone commented sarcastically, "Explain? How do you explain it? You go explain it yourself; we won't be joining you!"

"Exactly! If the police can show up now, who knows who else will come next?"

Seeing the crowd erupt into argument, Wan Zhenyuan held up both hands, his headache intensifying, and shouted, "Everyone, quiet down, be quiet! I already have a contingency plan!"

At his command, the crowd quieted down, though they all fixed Wan Zhenyuan with hostile gazes, ready to curse him instantly if his explanation failed to satisfy them.

Wan Zhenyuan announced loudly, "At the Xuanmiao Temple, I had already prepared an excellent, secluded location. I intended for you all to visit tomorrow, but since this situation has arisen today, we might as well all move there together now. What do you say?"

The cultivators on the yacht exchanged glances. They were deeply displeased but lacked any immediate recourse. As they hesitated for a moment, they distinctly heard the sound of a distant police siren, causing an immediate panic. They reluctantly nodded in agreement. Wan Zhenyuan chuckled, bowed to the assembly, and said, "Then I shall see you all at the Xuanmiao Temple. I will dispatch disciples there to guide you."

Zhang Ling of the Zhengyi Sect led the way out onto the dock, followed closely by the other Zhengyi disciples. The rest of the cultivators on the yacht shouted encouragement, and one after another, they scrambled out.

Su Chan's eyes widened. "No way, how did this Lotus Picking Assembly turn into this?"

Ruan Hongling also remarked with a wry smile, "Why does it feel like a secret underground meeting? What are they playing at?"

Li Yundong smiled at the two women. "Alright, stop talking. Everyone's going, so we'll follow along." He then turned to Zhou Qin and whispered softly, "Can you move?"

Zhou Qin smiled faintly and nodded. "I can manage." As she attempted to stand, a sharp wave of pain shot through her body, causing her brow to furrow involuntarily.

Li Yundong sighed. "Don't try to be tough. Forget it, I'll carry you over."

Without waiting for a reply, he effortlessly hoisted Zhou Qin onto his back. Then, he turned to Ziyuan and asked with a smile, "Ziyuan, where exactly is this Xuanmiao Temple?"

Ziyuan laughed. "Do you really think I'm an all-knowing encyclopedia? That I know everything?"

Li Yundong chuckled. "Is there anything in this world you don't know?"

Ziyuan gave a knowing smile. "The sea of knowledge is boundless; there are countless things I don't know! However, coincidentally, I happen to know where the Xuanmiao Temple is."

Ruan Hongling proudly interjected from the side, "My senior sister Ziyuan knows the heavens above and the earth below; of course, she'd know such a minor thing!"

Li Yundong smiled. "Then may I ask True Person Ziyuan to lead the way?"

The group, chatting and laughing, disembarked the yacht. Upon reaching the pier, they indeed saw several police cars parked by the roadside. A few young officers in uniform loudly barked orders at the stream of Daoists pouring out of the vessel: "Hey! Stop right there! Everyone, halt!"

But these cultivators possessed extraordinary skills. They laughed freely, and though their steps didn't appear hurried, a few swift movements were enough to leave the police officers far behind.

When Li Yundong's party emerged, the officers turned and were instantly stunned. They saw a handsome young man leading a group of peerlessly beautiful women off the yacht. They had never witnessed such an concentration of earthly beauty before and were momentarily paralyzed with shock.

One officer stared dazedly for a moment before turning to his superior and asking, "Captain Zhang, what do we do?"

The captain, surnamed Zhang, scratched his head and grumbled, "Damn it, never mind! Go up and arrest them first! We'll sort it out when we question them back at the station!"

The officers instantly became energized and stepped forward, shouting, "Stop!"

Li Yundong turned, let out a soft chuckle, and said to Ziyuan and the others, "How about we have a little foot race? See who's the fastest?"

With Zhou Qin quietly clinging to his back, the other women burst into laughter and playfully surged forward, leaping away in a few bounds until they vanished from sight.

The police officers stood rooted to the spot, mouths agape, watching these beautiful women disappear with the agility of Wuxia heroes in just a few leaps.

Only Li Yundong, still carrying Zhou Qin, remained. He smiled towards the officers and called out, "Hey, what exactly are you here for?"

Captain Zhang snapped out of his stupor. He stated gravely, "Someone reported you for illegal assembly!"

Li Yundong looked puzzled. "Who called it in?"

Captain Zhang put on a stern, authoritative face. "I can't tell you that. You need to come back with us. Once you explain things clearly, there won't be any issue."

Li Yundong wasn't foolish. If everyone else left and he stayed behind, he'd surely become the scapegoat. He laughed heartily. "Never mind, I'll come have tea at your station another day. I have matters to attend to, so I'll be taking my leave now!"

Captain Zhang panicked and shouted, "Stop! Don't leave!" Then, he bellowed at his subordinates, "What are you standing there for? Go grab him!"

The officers jolted back to reality and rushed forward to apprehend him.

Li Yundong had no desire to get entangled. Laughing lightly, carrying Zhou Qin, he moved with the lightness of a swallow, taking a few nimble leaps to clear the moat from one side to the other before swiftly moving into the distance.

This feat left the police utterly dumbfounded. They stood by the riverbank, their eyes nearly popping out. "Holy cow, are we filming a movie? That's too exaggerated!"

Meanwhile, at a distance, Claire, John, and Alba watched Li Yundong's departure in stunned silence. The three foreigners exchanged wide-eyed glances. Alba stammered, "Did I just see that right? He... he just jumped from one side of this river to the other?"

John stuttered, "It looked like it... My God, and he was carrying an adult woman on his back! Even if she's a woman, that's still a grown person. How did he leap that far?"

Claire's eyes were wide. Once again, she witnessed a power in this young man that seemed inhuman. This further confirmed what her grandmother had once told her: there are mysterious people in this world who possess profound and powerful abilities!

Alba was pale with shock. "If he entered the Olympics, he could probably sweep every single track and field gold medal!"

Claire let out a soft sigh for an unknown reason. "My grandmother was right; China is truly full of hidden dragons and crouching tigers. There must be so many extraordinary individuals living among the common people."

Alba stared, bewildered. "Why don't they come out to win glory for the country and serve the nation? Aren't the Chinese known for their devotion to their country?"

Claire shook her head. "They are special; you cannot measure them by ordinary standards."

Alba considered this and nodded. "That's true. That Li Yundong is a complete male chauvinist pig!"

John looked distressed. "Ladies, the problem now is... what do we do next?"

Claire frowned. "We follow them and see what’s happening!"

John offered a wry smile. "But how do we follow? Who do we follow?"

It was only then that the three foreigners realized that nearly everyone from the yacht had vanished. There wasn't a single trace of them left on the street.

Across the road from Claire, Cinian, Shenxiu, and Tachibana Chiko were watching this scene of chaotic departure with surprise. Tachibana Chiko said with childlike innocence, "Master Cinian, why are they running away? Is it because they knew we were coming?"

Cinian remained silent, his gaze strangely fixed on the dumbfounded police officers. Shenxiu, however, sneered, "These spineless Chinese cultivators—scared off by a few unarmed policemen!"

Tachibana Chiko looked disappointed. "Ah? So we won't get to see any excitement?" She reached out to tug Cinian's sleeve, pleading, "Master Cinian, what should we do?"

Cinian thought for a moment, then raised his hand. Moments later, a sparrow landed in his palm. He murmured an incantation, shook his arm, and the sparrow fluttered away instantly.

Cinian turned to Tachibana Chiko with a gentle smile. "Don't worry, Tachibana Chiko, we'll find them soon enough! These Chinese cultivators are truly laughable—running away and changing venues just because a couple of police officers showed up for their Lotus Picking Assembly. Heh, it's utterly unbelievable, a complete farce!"

Just as the sparrow dispatched by Cinian soared into the sky, Li Yundong and Ziyuan's group had already regrouped. They soon arrived before the Xuanmiao Temple on Guanqian Street in Dongwu City.

Li Yundong observed that Guanqian Street was a bustling commercial pedestrian zone, yet deep within it stood an antique Daoist temple, its incense perpetually burning and visitors flowing like a river. He asked, "Is this the place?"

Ziyuan nodded. "Yes, this is the Xuanmiao Temple. This street market is named Guanqian Street because it is situated before the temple."

No sooner had she finished speaking than a person walked over from the roadside and asked them, "Excuse me, are you True Person Li Yundong and True Person Ziyuan?"

Li Yundong turned to see a young man dressed like an ordinary person addressing him. He asked curiously, "Are you from the Gezao Sect?"

The young man offered a slight smile. "True Person Li, please forgive my failure to perform Daoist etiquette in this busy area, lest we draw unwanted attention. Our Sect Master instructed me to meet you here. Please follow me."

Li Yundong smiled. "Very well, lead the way."

The group followed the young man as he walked at a steady pace.

Li Yundong carefully surveyed their surroundings. Although the pedestrian street was lined with trendy, fashionable brand stores, none of the buildings were very tall—the highest was only five stories. The overall architecture retained a classical elegance. Moreover, the young man led them through several turns within the Xuanmiao Temple grounds, guiding them into a narrow alley paved with bluestone. All around them were classical garden structures with white walls and black tiles, creating the sensation of stepping out of the noisy mortal world into a secluded, refined paradise.

Li Yundong couldn't help but wonder. "In this prime real estate area of Dongwu City, there's still a place like this? Does this all belong to the Gezao Sect, or is it borrowed?"

The guide smiled faintly, stating with a touch of pride, "Our Sect Master owns several gardens in Dongwu City; this is merely one of them!"

Li Yundong turned to Ziyuan and whispered, "Is the Gezao Sect this wealthy?"

Ziyuan also murmured back, "The Outer Elixir Sect is the wealthiest of all cultivation sects in the world because they make their living selling medicine! Haven't you heard the saying: 'Either rob people or sell medicine'? The most profitable business in the world is robbery and pharmacology!"

Li Yundong clicked his tongue internally. "Indeed. And selling medicine is essentially legal robbery!"

After a few more steps, the young man suddenly stopped before a round, arched wooden gate. He smiled. "We have arrived, True Person Li, True Person Ziyuan. Please come in!"

With that, he approached the entrance, pushed open the wooden door, and respectfully invited Li Yundong and the others inside.

Li Yundong, still carrying Zhou Qin, led Su Chan, Ziyuan, and the others into the enclosure. Looking around, Li Yundong found himself in an elegant garden blooming with flowers. Green grass and trees surrounded them, interspersed with oddly shaped rockeries. Ahead lay a winding path paved with cobblestones, and in the distance, swallow-tailed eaves and red pillars contrasted with white walls in a courtyard-style corridor—everywhere exuded a classical, poetic charm.

What was even more remarkable was the faint, melodious sound of Pingtan (Suzhou narrative singing) drifting from the depths of the garden—a delicate female voice singing a sweet tune in the soft, slurred Dongwu dialect, momentarily captivating Li Yundong and the others.

Beholding such beauty, Li Yundong couldn't help but exclaim, "They say Jiangnan gardens are the finest under heaven, and Dongwu gardens are the finest in Jiangnan! Truly lives up to its reputation! Sect Master Wan certainly knows how to enjoy life!"

Su Chan looked utterly charmed and yearningly said, "Yundong, when can we live in a garden like this?"

Li Yundong laughed, pinching the little girl's nose. "Sure, but if we had a garden, who would sing little tunes for me?"

Su Chan beamed and pointed at herself. "Me! I can sing!"

Li Yundong laughed heartily. "You can sing little tunes? That's a rarity. You'll have to sing one for this old master when we get back!"

Li Yundong and Su Chan’s flirtatious banter was often oblivious to the setting. Ziyuan cast an apologetic glance at the leading young man and smiled faintly. "We can manage from here; you can leave now."

The young man smiled, nodded, and turned to depart.

Ruan Hongling watched him go, her gaze carrying a hint of curiosity. Li Yundong noticed and teased, "What's wrong? Did you see a handsome guy and get starstruck?"

Ruan Hongling rolled her eyes at Li Yundong. "What nonsense! I just thought that guy was a bit strange!"

Li Yundong asked, "What was strange about him?"

Ruan Hongling queried, "It's the first time I've seen a man see so many beautiful women and remain completely composed, showing no shock or stupor!"

Li Yundong burst into laughter. "Are you praising yourself indirectly?"

Ruan Hongling spat. "Pah, dogs can't spit out ivory! Stop rambling and let's go!"

Li Yundong cheerfully followed the path, while Su Chan, Ziyuan, and the others admired the meticulously planned flora of the garden, sighing in appreciation.

Only Ruan Hongling remained preoccupied with the earlier encounter. The more she thought about it, the stranger it seemed, and she unconsciously lagged behind the group.

As she rounded a corner of a covered walkway, Ruan Hongling suddenly sensed someone watching her. She whipped her head around and saw a figure swiftly dart into a shadowed alcove.

Although the movement was fast, Ruan Hongling recognized the silhouette. Her heart gave a jolt. She wondered: Why did that figure look so much like Elder Martial Brother Cao Yi of the Fox Zen Sect?