Once again, it was by the riverside.
Xia Wanning finally stopped after fleeing there.
She leaned against a willow tree and slowly slid down.
Why did she flee? Even she herself couldn't explain clearly.
Was it out of fear? Or perhaps guilt?
"She's just Ye Ling's reincarnation. What's there to be afraid of?"
Xia Wanning let out a self - mocking laugh.
However, the pounding heart in her chest told her that she had indeed been afraid just now.
Even though she wasn't as overbearing as Ye Ling, Xia Wanning still feared her.
That was why she had fled in such a hurry.
"Ye Ling, how far are you going to push me?" Xia Wanning said coldly.
She calmed herself down, then stood up and began to disperse her primordial spirit. She wanted to tell the Emperor Venerable what had happened in Shengjing City.
But this time, just like before, the Emperor Venerable didn't receive her primordial spirit transmission.
"How could this be?" Xia Wanning was a bit scared.
She wanted to try again.
At this moment, a soft voice drifted over.
"Still want to try? Elder Xia, don't you know Yan Ruyu? If he has something to do, he would at least send you a talisman to explain. Now that he doesn't even accept your transmission, haven't you noticed what the problem is?"
Xia Wanning's face darkened.
She covered her chest and looked at the black - cloaked person who had spoken.
"It's you again? Why are you so persistent?"
The black - cloaked person burst into laughter.
The voice was sometimes male and sometimes female, making it impossible to tell their real gender.
"What? Now you think I'm persistent? Elder Xia, have you forgotten that it was you who begged me to help you back then?"
Xia Wanning lowered her head and looked at her feet, which were covered in mud from her hasty escape just now.
"Your goal has been achieved. I've helped the young master in the Ghost Domain reach a new height in his abilities as you wished. We're even. Why do you keep following me?"
"Elder Xia, you should know that the things you've done will be like a brand on you. Over time, the wound will scab over, but the scar will never disappear. Now, it's impossible for you to sever our relationship. Yan Ruyu has already noticed."
Xia Wanning clenched her fists.
"It's all your fault. You lured me back then."
The black - cloaked person laughed even more wildly.
"If there wasn't an evil seed in your heart, how could I have lured you? If you weren't jealous of Ye Ling, jealous that she took what should have been yours, how could you have listened to me and set up those traps step by step? Elder Xia, it's your own evil deeds. Don't shift the blame onto me."
Xia Wanning reached out and quickly rushed to the black - cloaked person's side. Then she tore off the black robe.
The face hidden under the black robe was breathtakingly beautiful.
She was the most beautiful woman Xia Wanning had ever seen.
For a moment, Xia Wanning was stunned.
But the black - cloaked person swayed and changed into another appearance.
"I didn't know that you, Elder Xia, would use the sneak - attack trick on me."
Xia Wanning hadn't recovered from the shock. How could this black - cloaked person transform into such a beautiful face?
How did she do it? And was the black - cloaked person male or female?
"Am I beautiful?" The black - cloaked person transformed back into the previous appearance.
She touched her face, but there was no trace of a smile on it.
Xia Wanning didn't say a word. The black - cloaked person continued, "This face is very beautiful, but you haven't seen someone even more beautiful."
The black robe fell, and the black - cloaked person disappeared.
Only then could Xia Wanning move her body. What kind of peerless beauty was that appearance just now?
Someone even more beautiful? In the world, perhaps only the Emperor Venerable could surpass such beauty.
But Xia Wanning had already seen the Emperor Venerable. Who was the black - cloaked person referring to when they said she hadn't seen them?
Xia Wanning was completely confused, but now, she didn't have the time to think about this problem carefully.
What she was worried about now was whether the Emperor Venerable already knew about this.
Was it because, as a venerable, he couldn't interfere in the affairs of the Nine - Continent Continent that he didn't come to question her?
Xia Wanning was in a complete mess and didn't know what to do.
If Ji Qinglin were here, perhaps he could share some of her troubles.
Thinking of Ji Qinglin, Xia Wanning felt a dull pain in her heart. She glanced at the surrounding environment, paused for a moment, and then disappeared.
At this time, Zhao Shuning in the cave slowly woke up.
She stretched and looked at the phoenix, murmuring, "Little Phoenix, it's time to wake up."
The phoenix didn't respond and was sleeping soundly. It seemed that it hadn't had such a peaceful sleep for a long time.
Zhao Shuning decided not to disturb the phoenix anymore and left the cave alone.
Standing on the mountaintop, she looked down at the countless small hills below.
She reached out her hand to block the glaring sunlight.
The sunlight passed through the purple bead. Because there was a crack in it, the sunlight scattered in different directions after passing through the bead.
Zhao Shuning was lost in thought.
She slowly stroked the bead.
Yes, she missed Zhao Huai.
Zhao Huai had been with her since she was born.
When she was a child, Zhao Huai couldn't cultivate spiritual energy or spiritual power, but he still stubbornly used his weak body to protect the weak her behind him.
All those little memories were stored deep in Zhao Shuning's heart.
She had never forgotten, but she also dared not recall.
Zhao Shuning took off the purple bead, strung it separately with ice - silkworm silk, and then hung it around her neck.
There was also a warm copper plaque around her neck.
It was a gift from Mo Bai.
Zhao Shuning thought for a while, took off the copper plaque, tied it together with the purple soul - condensing bead, and wore it around her neck, placing it closest to her heart.
Mo Bai, it had been many years since they last met. She wondered how he was doing now.
After the purple soul - condensing bead came into contact with the copper plaque given by Mo Bai.
In the cave on Qingyun Peak.
The Star Chart Formation suddenly trembled violently.
Many chess pieces fell to the ground one after another.
Yan Ruyu quickly stood up and used his spiritual power to control the chess pieces.
After about a moment, the chess pieces were re - assembled and returned to the chessboard.
Bai Ze stood up. Feng Zhan let out a sigh of relief. Looking at this scene, he sighed, "Fortunately, the Star Chart Formation has returned to normal. Otherwise, there would have been a big problem."
Yan Ruyu remained silent.
Feng Zhan realized the importance of the matter and quickly asked, "Buran, what's wrong?"
"The Star Chart Formation is in disarray."
"Really? I see that all the chess pieces are in their respective orbits. It shouldn't be in disarray."
Yan Ruyu shook his head.
He pointed to two of the constellations and said, "Brother, look, these two constellations have swapped positions."
Feng Zhan was stunned. It took him a long time to say, "Can we swap them back?"
Yan Ruyu shook his head.
"It's predestined. It can't be changed. She will surely go back one day."
Feng Zhan asked, "Not even you can control it?"
Yan Ruyu nodded.
Feng Zhan asked, "Is it the same as back then?"
"Yes."
The faint voice was full of helplessness.