Li Fei adjusted the bamboo hat on her head and glanced up at the sky. The sun was setting in the west—another day wasted in vain.
With a long sigh, she found a secluded spot to land. The Horn of the Rhinoceros immediately transformed into a black donkey. Suppressing the spiritual energy around her, she hopped onto the donkey’s back and slowly made her way along the mountain path. She should reach Duantu before nightfall.
A few days ago, Lei Xiuyuan had suddenly left alone. She had chased after him for half a day but failed to catch up, leaving her no choice but to leave a letter in the Sweet Splendor Realm. Using an illusion spell to disguise herself as a village girl, she set out to search for him.
She had cautiously lingered near the No Moon Court for a long time but heard no news. Then she went to the Eastern Sea, where Celestials were everywhere. Exercising extreme caution, she searched for Baili Gelin, only to learn that the Sea Sect Disciples had already been evacuated. Even more shocking was the news that Xuanshan Zi had been ambushed and killed by Long Mingzuo’s people. With the impending Sea Fall, the major Immortal sects had no energy to spare for this matter and had to set it aside for the time being.
It didn’t take much thought to realize that with Xuanshan Zi dead and the major sects too preoccupied to restrain Long Mingzuo, the state of Yue would deteriorate. Unable to find Lei Xiuyuan and the others, and hearing no rumors about the Yaksa, Li Fei had no choice but to head to Duantu first to assess the situation.
The black donkey carried her leisurely into Duantu. To her surprise, the capital of Yue remained as prosperous as ever, with no signs of war or Long Mingzuo’s men roaming freely. Had Long Mingzuo not made his move yet?
When she arrived at the Prince Ying’s residence, she noticed that the dense Spiritual Qi Net above the mansion had been torn open with a large hole. With her spiritual energy suppressed, she couldn’t sense any fluctuations inside, so she lingered at the gate, squinting for a closer look.
The guards at the entrance, seeing an ugly village girl on a donkey peering intently at the mansion, immediately shouted to drive her away. “Get lost! How dare you loiter in front of the prince’s residence?”
Li Fei thought for a moment, then dismounted and asked, “Is His Highness in?”
The guards raised their weapons and barked, “Don’t come any closer!”
These guards were as snobbish as ever. Frowning, Li Fei didn’t want to cause a scene and attract attention, so she took a few steps back and asked again, “May I ask if Prince Ying is here?”
After several unanswered attempts, she had no choice but to remount the donkey and leave. But before she could go far, a woman’s voice called from inside the mansion, “I could hear all the commotion from inside. His Highness is reading. Keep quiet and don’t disturb him.”
The prince was in? Li Fei turned back and called out, “Um… I’d like to see Prince Ying. Could you announce me?”
As she spoke, she glanced inside and saw the woman who had spoken earlier. She wore a camellia white dress with a scarlet hibiscus hairpin. Li Fei froze, then flushed red, suddenly no longer wanting to enter.
Before the guards could react, the woman spoke kindly, “What business do you have with His Highness?”
Li Fei shook her head. “No… nothing… never mind.”
The guards grew furious. “This village girl has been loitering outside for ages, always asking if the prince is here! When Miss Miaoqing asked, she said it was nothing! She looks highly suspicious! She might be a spy from Wugou’s side! Don’t let her go! Arrest her for questioning!”Li Fei was caught off guard as they swarmed her. She dared not use any Immortal Techniques in such a large city—any spiritual energy fluctuation detected would bring endless trouble. Helpless, she was dragged into the prince's manor like a chicken, all the way to the central courtyard. Someone had already informed the steward inside, and the second steward glanced at her casually before waving his hand dismissively. "If she looks this sneaky, why bother asking questions? Just drag her out and kill her!"
Were all the people in the prince's manor this arrogant and cruel? Li Fei was furious and about to use her fist-and-sword technique to break free when she suddenly saw a young man in luxurious robes walking gracefully from behind the courtyard. His dark hair cascaded over his shoulders, exuding an air of nobility and elegance—it was Ji Tongzhou. He was talking to the girl named Miaoqing beside him, not even glancing in this direction.
Li Fei immediately called out loudly, "Ji Tongzhou!"
He froze, turning to look at her. His expression first showed shock, then quickly turned to wild joy, only to darken in an instant before finally settling into complete indifference.
"How audacious! How dare you call His Highness by his name!" The guards were terrified and rushed to cover her mouth, but the young prince slowly walked over and waved his hand. "Stand down," he said coolly.
He stared at Li Fei for a long while before suddenly smiling mockingly. "Why are you dressed like this again? Are you addicted to playing the village girl?"
Li Fei forced a dry laugh. "There's some trouble... You probably know about it too."
Ji Tongzhou led her into his private courtyard. His room was as extravagantly decorated as ever—even the curtain hooks had been replaced with crystal ones. Books and the delicate toys she had seen in their childhood were scattered messily on the table. Li Fei sat stiffly on the chair, keeping her gaze fixed straight ahead. After a while, a beautiful maid served tea. Li Fei stole a glance—it wasn’t the Miaoqing who resembled her—and she couldn’t help but sigh in relief.
"I know about the expulsion order. I’ve been searching for you for days with no news." Ji Tongzhou pushed an enamel teacup toward her and picked up his own with perfect poise. "You actually dared to come out alone? Don’t you know you’re being hunted by major Immortal sects now? Ten thousand taels of silver and ten exclusive No Moon Court Immortal Techniques—you’re quite valuable."
She was being hunted? Li Fei sighed inwardly. "I just came to check on you. I heard Elder Xuanshan Zi was killed... But I’m glad you’re safe. I can’t stay long—I don’t want to cause you trouble. I’ll leave after this cup of tea."
Ji Tongzhou raised an eyebrow. "Where’s Lei Xiuyuan? How could he let you come out alone?"
Li Fei hesitated. "It’s a long story. It seems my identity has been exposed."
She told him about Chongyi Zhenren and Su Wan being imprisoned, carefully observing his reaction. His face remained calm and unreadable—no surprise, no shock. To be honest, this composed and inscrutable Ji Tongzhou made her uneasy.
After listening, he only asked quietly, "Who revealed it?"
Li Fei shook her head. "I don’t know. Maybe it wasn’t even someone’s doing. Celestial Cui Xuan has distrusted me for a long time."
Ji Tongzhou said nothing, lowering his head to sip his tea slowly. Li Fei didn’t know what to say either. His reaction was strange—though he was physically present, it felt like his mind was elsewhere, and he only listened to her words half-heartedly. Unable to sit still any longer, she stood up. "Forget it, I’d better go. I’m relieved to see you’re safe."
As she pushed open the door, Ji Tongzhou suddenly called out to her, "Jiang Li Fei."
"What?" She turned back."Why didn't you ask if it was me who revealed it?"
Li Fei paused for a moment, staring at him: "...Was it you?"
"What kind of person do you think I am?"
Li Fei was taken aback. She lowered her head and thought for a long time before finally whispering, "You... have changed so much. I don't know."
Ji Tongzhou set down his teacup, stood up, and took a few steps toward her, speaking slowly, "You think I like you, so I wouldn't harm you. Does that make you feel smug in your heart? Someone who risked his life for you, quietly stepped aside when you were with someone else, and then unconditionally helped you when you were alone and helpless—is that how you see me?"
Li Fei's gaze gradually turned cold. She said solemnly, "Whether I see you that way or not, you know the answer yourself. Don't assume everyone should tolerate your willfulness. At least when it comes to emotions, I have a clear conscience toward everyone."
Ji Tongzhou gave a faint, cold smile. "You always look down on me like this—because I like you? So you feel invincible? Why did you come to see me? To check how I'm doing, whether I'm heartbroken?"
Li Fei couldn't help but laugh at his questions. She met his gaze mockingly, "How ridiculous. It's because you belittle yourself in your heart that you think others look down on you. From start to finish, you're the only one being willful. Just because you like me, I must pay attention to you? If you're unhappy, you have to make others unhappy too? You act nice when you're in a good mood and pick fights when you're not—do you think you're still a three-year-old child?"
Ji Tongzhou let out a long laugh, his eyes icy. "I'm tired of your cruel yet righteous face. How about smashing it to pieces?"
He suddenly grabbed her face, and Li Fei felt as though her jaw would shatter under his grip. The pain made her slap him instinctively, but then her head suddenly buzzed—her vision blurred, and her legs wobbled unsteadily. The tea! There was something in the tea?!
She bit her tongue hard, hoping the sharp pain would clear her mind, but it was useless. Countless tiny fragments seemed to fall like snow before her eyes, and the dizziness grew worse. With the last of her strength, Li Fei shoved Ji Tongzhou away, her body slamming against the door before she tumbled outside and rolled down the steps.
The vast night enveloped the courtyard, and the maids and servants who had been there earlier were nowhere to be seen. Li Fei tried to circulate her spiritual energy, but it refused to obey. Despair widened her eyes as her blurred vision, obscured by countless falling specks, caught sight of Ji Tongzhou slowly crouching down before her. His gaze was as cold and predatory as a demon beast's, staring at her with terrifying intensity.
"I once risked my life for you. Now it's your turn to repay me."
It was him? Had he really been the one to reveal the secret? That was the only thought Li Fei had time to grasp before endless darkness swallowed her whole.
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