In a blink of an eye, five days had passed.
The Sky Academy was in an uproar because two of its inner - sect disciples had suddenly gone missing.
The courtyard where Wu Xuan and the others lived was called the Moon - viewing Courtyard.
There were four girls living in the Moon - viewing Courtyard.
Apart from Luo Feiyan and Wu Xuan, the other two were both daughters of prominent families in the Sea Spirit Kingdom.
However, in front of Wu Xuan, they always kept a low profile and followed her lead.
"Princess, are you really unaware that Miss Luo from your courtyard is missing?"
"Do I need to explain myself to you? The legs are on her own body. Where she goes, do you think she'll tell me?"
The inner - sect disciples exchanged glances, and few dared to speak up.
Wu Xuan was notorious for her arrogance and cruelty. Unless it was absolutely necessary, they didn't dare to provoke her.
It wasn't that they were afraid of the Heavenly Glass Kingdom, but Wu Xuan's strength ranked among the top three among the inner - sect disciples.
In this era that respected strength, the weak had no say.
"Princess, please think carefully. Have you really never seen Feiyan?"
The one who spoke was Xia Qingyan.
"Yes. If Luo Feiyan doesn't come back today, the elders will notice during their inspection tomorrow. By then, she'll be expelled from the academy."
Wu Xuan snorted.
"Prince, I've said I don't know and haven't seen her. Since you don't believe me, why do you even bother asking? Only you would care about a woman like that."
Xia Qingyan frowned.
Wu Xuan continued, "Don't forget, the heir of the Eastern Continent also went missing with her. You all know what kind of person the heir of the Eastern Continent is. Since he came to the Sky Academy, he has harassed quite a few junior sisters. Luo Feiyan is somewhat good - looking. Isn't it a bit too coincidental that they went missing together? Is there nothing fishy about it?"
Xia Qingyan's face turned ugly.
"Feiyan is not such a fickle woman."
In Xia Qingyan's heart, Luo Feiyan was an extremely gentle woman. She spoke with grace and had the aura of a noble lady.
She abided by the rules and would definitely not do anything beyond the norm.
"Prince, I'm just speculating. Otherwise, how do you explain their disappearance together? We've heard that the heir of the Eastern Continent met Luo Feiyan more than once before they went missing."
Xia Qingyan didn't say a word.
He picked up the fan beside him and left with a flick of his sleeve.
Looking at Xia Qingyan's back, Wu Xuan muttered angrily.
"You like a woman like that. Apart from her good looks, what's there to care about?"
Seeing this, the onlookers shifted their gazes and didn't dare to look at Wu Xuan.
"What are you all crowding around my Moon - viewing Courtyard for? Get out! Get out of here!"
Now that Xia Qingyan had left, Wu Xuan didn't need to waste any more words on these people.
The large crowd dispersed.
Wu Xuan was angry.
She kicked the rockery in the courtyard. The pain made her quickly retract her foot.
There were still traces of blood on the rock from a few days ago.
"Princess, what should we do next?"
"What should we do? Without evidence, even if those old men from the Sky Academy come, they can't do anything to me. You just need to keep your mouths shut. You weren't the least bit soft - hearted when you bullied Luo Feiyan before."
"Tomorrow, when the elders come for the inspection and assess everyone's studies, since Luo Feiyan won't be there, she'll automatically be removed from the academy. Then, no one will compete with me for Brother Qingyan."
The two girls exchanged a look.
Living in the same courtyard as Princess Wu Xuan was really terrifying.
Sometimes they were worried that if they did something wrong, the princess might kill them while they were sleeping.
When Xia Qingyan walked out of the Moon - viewing Courtyard, his heart was filled with mixed emotions.
Luo Feiyan was extremely beautiful. It was only natural for a man to fall in love at first sight with such a stunning beauty.
Xia Qingyan also liked beautiful things and was attracted to Luo Feiyan.
However, although Luo Feiyan couldn't cultivate, she was very proud.
Xia Qingyan had spoken to her and shown his affection several times, but all he got was polite and cautious treatment. Even if Xia Qingyan took nine steps forward, Luo Feiyan wouldn't take a single step forward. Instead, she would take ten steps back.
Xia Qingyan was so lost in thought that he didn't even notice a girl bumping into him.
It was the girl who spoke first.
"Can't you see where you're going?"
How could such a big person not see and just walk straight into her?
Zhao Shuning had just finished buying the last few things and was holding them, planning to return to the small bamboo hut.
Who would have thought that not long after she started walking, a man walked straight towards her as if he wasn't looking at the road.
It didn't matter that the things were knocked down.
The man didn't show any reaction and was about to continue walking.
Hearing the girl's voice, the man stopped.
Then he dropped a few spirit stones and continued walking.
Spirit stones were not to be refused.
Zhao Shuning picked them up and put them in her bosom. Then she started to pick up her things and planned to go back.
As she was picking them up, she found an extra item.
It was a fan.
Zhao Shuning remembered that she didn't buy a fan before.
She thought it must have been left by the man before. Judging from its style, it should be a valuable item. So she called a servant, gave him some silver, and asked him to deliver the item to the cottage in the suburbs.
Then Zhao Shuning chased after the direction where the man had disappeared.
Whenever Xia Qingyan was upset, he would always go to the cypress tree and stay there for a while.
He would lie quietly under the tree, listening to the birds singing.
He closed his eyes and felt the gentle breeze beside his ears.
"Is this your thing?"
A voice came.
Xia Qingyan opened his eyes.
It was a woman wearing a red veil. Her eyes were so familiar, just like his deceased mother's.
One of the main reasons why Xia Qingyan liked Luo Feiyan, apart from her delicate appearance, was that her eyes were very similar to his mother's.
"Is this your thing?"
Xia Qingyan sat up.
Then he took the item.
He nodded.
"Thank you, miss."
"What are you doing here?"
"Nothing. Just thinking about some past events."
Zhao Shuning shrugged and then said, "The past is over. There's no point in thinking about it."
Xia Qingyan said, "It's easy to say, but when it comes to oneself, it's very difficult to break free from it."
His mother had been dead for three years. The green parrot she left for him had been released by Gu Xingran. Now Luo Feiyan, whose eyes were similar to his mother's, was also missing. The things he could use to pin his missing for his mother were getting fewer and fewer.
"We've met by fate. This is for you."
Zhao Shuning took out a little green parrot from behind. She originally bought it to amuse Luo Feiyan.
Now that she met this man and saw that he seemed so depressed.
Her master had said that saving a life was better than building a seven - storey pagoda.
Giving this parrot to him would at least let him feel that there was still warmth in the world.
The man was stunned.
He stared at the parrot that Zhao Shuning was holding out for a long time without reacting.