When Yan Ruyu returned, Feng Lingtong let out a sigh of relief.
"How's it going?"
"Nothing unusual."
Feng Zhan then strolled over cheerfully and said, "Sister, I'm leaving tomorrow. Buran has to stay to set up the Star Disk Formation. After all, Qingyun Peak is not a suitable place for a woman to live. The lord of Qingyun Kingdom has sent people to invite you many times. The sedan chair is still waiting for you at the foot of Qingyun Peak."
Feng Lingtong ignored Feng Zhan and looked at Yan Ruyu. "Buran, are you okay?"
"Sister, don't worry. Since Su Mu has come to pick you up, you should go and stay in the palace for a while. Recently, the celestial phenomena have been a bit chaotic. There are unpredictable unknowns intruding. I have to keep an eye on the changes in every corner of the Nine - Continent Continent. It will be inconvenient for me to act if you're here."
"Okay."
They were blood - related, and there was no need for too many polite words between them.
"A Zhan, are you going back to the Clan Association?"
"Yeah. I have to go back and keep an eye on that brat Zhao Huai."
Zhao Huai?
A sense of foreboding suddenly came over Yan Ruyu.
Just then, a strange mental thought suddenly appeared above Qingyun Peak.
"What's this?"
"It's Elder Xia's divine sense."
Yan Ruyu gently waved her sleeve, and the images of Xia Wanning and Ji Qinglin appeared in the sky.
Ji Qinglin looked extremely anxious, while Xia Wanning seemed rather calm.
"Greetings to the Emperor!"
"What's the matter?"
Xia Wanning stepped forward. "Your Majesty, Zhao Huai is missing."
Zhao Huai is missing?
Feng Zhan quickly looked at Yan Ruyu, and Feng Lingtong also stood up from her seat.
When Xia Wanning saw Feng Lingtong in the image, she frowned involuntarily and asked, "Why is the Saintess with the Emperor?"
When Yan Ruyu's face showed displeasure, Xia Wanning suddenly realized what she had said and quickly lowered her head.
"Your Majesty, please calm down. Wanning definitely didn't mean to overstep."
Yan Ruyu didn't respond to Xia Wanning.
Instead, she asked, "How could Zhao Huai be missing? Was there anything unusual when he left?"
Ji Qinglin replied, "Your Majesty, there was nothing unusual when Zhao Huai left. In the past two years, his state has been very stable, and he has never shown any other forms. He went out on a mission this time just like he always did, but he still hasn't returned."
Yan Ruyu frowned.
"What about Zhao Huai's life - pulse aura?"
Xia Wanning replied before Ji Qinglin. "Your Majesty, neither I nor Ji Qinglin could sense Zhao Huai's life - pulse information."
"I see. By the way, what about the Demon Valley?"
"Ji Qinglin and I have both checked the seal of the Demon Valley. It's not loose at all. Zhao Huai should not have entered there."
Yan Ruyu nodded.
"I see."
The image disappeared, and Xia Wanning let out a sigh of relief.
"Qinglin, thank you."
Ji Qinglin's face was ashen, and his tone was very displeased.
"Thank me for what? Thank me for shielding you from the information that's bad for you? Xia Wanning, I really doubt if you're still the little girl I used to know. Why have you changed so much?"
"Ji Qinglin, I haven't changed."
"You haven't changed? Fine, you haven't changed. It's me who has changed. If you hadn't suggested sending Zhao Huai on a mission so far away, he wouldn't have had such an accident. Also, I heard everything that day."
Xia Wanning clenched her fists.
She stared at Ji Qinglin's back and asked, "What did you hear?"
"You were talking about the phoenix."
Xia Wanning let out a sigh and replied, "What's the problem with that?"
"Wanning, you clearly know that the phoenix is Sister Ling's contracted divine beast. Moreover, there's no evidence to prove that the phoenix is still alive after all these years. Besides, the phoenix is the king of all birds and is extremely proud and unruly. What's your intention of bringing this up in front of Zhao Huai?"
Xia Wanning sneered.
"I was just talking casually. It was Zhao Huai who had an evil mind and insisted on eavesdropping on my words."
If Xia Wanning had told Zhao Huai these things openly, he definitely wouldn't have believed them.
But if he heard them accidentally, he would trust this information more.
"Wanning—"
Ji Qinglin let out a long sigh.
"What?"
"Wanning, I've known you for so many years. I've regarded you as a very important part of my life. We're not family, but we're closer than family. I hope you won't become someone I don't recognize."
Xia Wanning turned around.
She said indifferently, "Ji Qinglin, people change. You change, and I change. No one is an exception."
"I just hope that this matter about Zhao Huai has nothing to do with you. You should know how important Zhao Huai is to the Emperor. The Emperor specifically told us about him before leaving."
"You seem to be talking too much."
"Really? Wanning, I saw this in your room."
Ji Qinglin threw a piece of paper with the names of alchemists on it in front of Xia Wanning.
Xia Wanning was a bit flustered at this moment. Ji Qinglin never lied. If he was unhappy or suspicious, it would be written all over his face.
Today, Ji Qinglin was originally going to report to the Emperor alone, but Xia Wanning was worried about him and begged him for a long time to go with him to see the Emperor.
"Wanning, I need an explanation from you. These are not what I think they are, right?"
Xia Wanning took a deep breath, walked in front of Ji Qinglin, looked into his eyes and asked seriously, "Ji Qinglin, you like me, don't you?"
Ji Qinglin's eyes began to dodge, and his face became extremely unnatural.
"Ji Qinglin, I know you like me."
Ji Qinglin simply stopped being coy and admitted generously, "Yes, I like you. I've liked you for a very long time. I fell in love with you the first time I saw you when I was a child. Wanning, even if you know I like you, you won't like me, right?"
"Moreover, even if I like you, I won't just watch you make a big mistake. Wanning, I hope you won't become the kind of person we used to hate."
A flash of disgust passed through Xia Wanning's eyes.
But a smile bloomed on her face.
She stretched out her right hand and gently hooked Ji Qinglin's neck.
"Wanning, what, what are you doing?"
Xia Wanning smiled gently. "Qinglin, I like you too. As long as you promise to help me with this one thing, we'll get married. Okay?"
"What thing?"
Ji Qinglin felt that the veins in his body were going in reverse, and his face was extremely red.
Xia Wanning had never shown such a coquettish side in front of him.
"Help me, Qinglin. Help me, okay?"
"Me? How can I help you?"
"I, I have my own difficulties. Help me go and see someone. When you see him, you'll understand. All the things I've done will be explainable."
"Wanning, I—"
Xia Wanning made up her mind and took the initiative to kiss Ji Qinglin on the lips.
When their lips parted, Xia Wanning said, "Trust me, okay?"