The town's night was bustling yet tinged with a long-standing solitude.

Shu Han looked at Shangguan Ruolin, who was sound asleep on the bed and couldn't help thinking about her desolate expression during the day. He thought, "The senior, being a Core Formation cultivator and under the protection of a Nascent Soul cultivator, should be worry-free. However, it seems she has some troubles she doesn't want to mention."

Yet she was now eating and sleeping, not needing to cultivate at all, and really looked like a carefree girl.

Shu Han sat cross-legged, opened the formation diagram that Qin Xue'er had given him during the day, and studied it carefully. He had studied alchemy, talisman creation, and artifact refining under his master's tutelage, but had not yet had the chance to fully grasp formation crafting.

Nevertheless, Shu Han had a deep knowledge of formations. He looked at the diagram and studied the construction carefully. The night passed quickly.

This "Silent Heartbreak Formation" was, in his eyes, indeed one of the top-tier formations, not inferior to the highest-level formation recorded in the Bai Family Artifact Refining Manual — the Stellar Wish Formation.

Both formations, when fully deployed, could trap a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator. However, the "Silent Heartbreak Formation" was more convenient to deploy, not requiring as much effort as the "Stellar Wish Formation".

The "Silent Heartbreak Formation" was suitable for use against enemies, while the "Stellar Wish Formation" was more suitable for defense. However, the "Silent Heartbreak Formation" had higher requirements, just the demand for three Foundation Establishment mid-stage sound-based magic treasures gave Shu Han a headache.

Sound-based magic treasures? Foundation Establishment mid-stage? And three of them?

No wonder Qin Xue'er said that several generations had not been able to successfully refine this formation. It seemed that he would need to keep an eye out for materials for these two formations in the future.

Not just the materials for these two formations, but also for the external incarnation and the lifebound magic treasure he planned, would require large quantities of materials to produce.

It seemed that improving his cultivation and entering the Foundation Establishment stage was not a once-and-for-all solution, instead, he would have to plan for even more things.

After studying the diagram for the entire night, Shu Han rubbed his sore eyes, tiptoed out of the room, and prepared to have the innkeeper prepare a table of food and drink to relax. With his current cultivation, he could naturally achieve abstinence from food. He had simply grown accustomed to the delicacies of the mortal world over the years, and still wanted to enjoy a feast when he had the chance.

The morning rain was falling in a drizzle over the Town. Whether it was the rain or the result of studying formations all night, Shu Han always felt a suffocating pressure in his chest, as if his breath was being suppressed.

The innkeeper had a table full of good dishes prepared on the second floor by the railing and had already poured the wine, waiting for Shu Han to come over and taste it.

Shu Han walked around the corner, and from the second floor, he could see the entire rainy scenery of the Town.

However, at this moment, a graceful woman with a floating white gauze and fluttering black hair was standing by his wine table against the wind.

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Looking at her from behind, against the backdrop of the rain curtain, she looked like a celestial being exiled to earth, exhibiting an elegant charm.

Shu Han was taken aback. This woman's back looked very familiar.

"Lady, my name is Shu Han. If you don't mind, could you share a drink with me?"

The woman slowly turned around, her stunning face wearing a mysterious smile as she looked at Shu Han.

Shu Han's scalp prickled and he took a deep breath, rubbing his eyes in disbelief, "Senior! You... You've recovered? Weren't you sleeping in your room just now? How did you get here?"

The woman covered her mouth and chuckled softly, "You've mistaken me for someone else, sir. I've never met you before."

Shu Han was surprised, "Aren't you Senior Shangguan Ruolin?"

"The person you're referring to is my twin sister. I'm her younger sister, Shangguan Ruotong."

Shu Han was astounded, "You two sisters really look exactly the same!"

Shangguan Ruotong continued to smile, the rain curtain behind her getting denser, and the sound of the drizzling rain filled the inn.

She said, "My sister and I were born twins, very few people can tell us apart by our appearances. Three months ago, I suddenly had a hunch that my sister might be in trouble, so I came after her. Could you tell me where my sister is?"

Shu Han breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that as they were twins, her cultivation level must not be weaker than Shangguan Ruolin's, so Senior's injuries would be saved. He hurriedly said, "Senior, please wait a moment. Senior Shangguan Ruolin is still resting. I'll go notify her to see you right away!"

"Thank you, sir."

As Shu Han rounded the corner, he couldn't help but marvel at how different the two seniors' temperaments were, even though they were born of the same mother. He rushed into the guest room and gently woke Shangguan Ruolin.

"What are you doing?! I haven't slept enough! Don't bother me!"

Shu Han hurriedly shouted, "Senior, there's someone you know looking for you!"

Shangguan Ruolin, bleary-eyed and groggy, mumbled, "Someone I know is here? Who would know me here?"

With that, Shangguan Ruolin followed Shu Han out to the hall, her face full of suspicion.

Shangguan Ruolin, rubbing her eyes, walked out from behind Shu Han and shouted, "Who is it?"

Immediately, both of them saw each other and their eyes simultaneously widened in shock.

The rain was getting heavier.

Shangguan Ruotong couldn't help but cover her mouth and chuckle, "Sister, it's been so many years, you've become so petite and cute, it reminds me of when we were children."

However, Shangguan Ruolin didn't find it amusing. She abruptly stepped back, grabbed Shu Han's sleeve, and asked coldly, "How did you know I was here? Did you put a tracking magic treasure on me?"

Shu Han felt a chill run down his spine. The situation wasn't as harmonious as he'd anticipated. The two sisters' reunion had instead created an oppressively tense atmosphere.

Shangguan Ruotong laughed, "Sister, I've wanted to do this, but your cultivation was too high and I never had the chance. You ask how I knew your whereabouts. Don't you know that we've always had a mental link?"

Shangguan Ruolin's face changed drastically, her voice trembling, "I severed that connection years ago! Unless... you've cultivated a Golden Core and re-established the connection with my Golden Core!"

A Golden Core flew out from between Shangguan Ruotong's eyebrows in response.

"I trailed you by three hundred years, but I've finally caught up! Now that you've lost your cultivation, it's finally my turn to take the initiative. How do you want to die, sister? I can satisfy you!"

In an instant, all the raindrops outside the building froze in the air. The frozen raindrops were like steel needles, radiating a chilling murderous aura.

Shangguan Ruolin quickly jumped behind Shu Han, yelling at him, "Kid! Go quickly!"

Shu Han had already sensed that something was wrong. Hearing Shangguan Ruolin's urgent call, he didn't have time to ask more. He immediately summoned his Black Claw and Pursuing Sword, cloaked himself in a black fog, turned into a streak of black light, and fled south through the inn!

Suddenly, Shu Han felt severe pain in the back of his hand. When he looked down, he saw a large gash cut into his arm by the rain. The faster he flew through the still rain, the more the black fog protecting him was being stripped away by the rain strands.

Without this protective black fog, he would've been torn to pieces by these rain-strands already.

Shu Han was getting anxious, "What is this thing!"

Shangguan Ruolin shouted from behind him, "This is not rain! It's her lifebound magic treasure, the Phoenix Feather Falling Flower Needle! Keep going, don't stop!"

However, in the rain, Shangguan Ruotong's bell-like laughter could be heard everywhere.

"Haha, sister, you can't really think that you can escape from me with a Foundation Establishment novice cultivator, can you?"