Chapter 52 (Part 1)

Yu Zhengzheng’s face darkened as she demanded, “How could she be missing? Weren’t you with her the whole time?”

Hengwu Xianjun’s lips pressed into a tight line, but he could not find the words to respond.

He had indeed been with her, but he had briefly left to handle some matters after seeing Shanshui soundly asleep. He had instructed subordinates to guard the door in his absence.

When he returned, he found his subordinates unconscious on the ground, and the room where Shanshui should have been resting was empty.

He had searched all of Qingcheng Mountain but couldn’t find a trace of her. In desperation, he came to Yu Zhengzheng’s residence to look for her.

Seeing his silence, Yu Zhengzheng frowned deeply.

Shanshui wouldn’t have wandered off on her own. Judging by Hengwu Xianjun’s panicked state, he must have already searched everywhere.

The only ones likely to target Shanshui were either An Ning or Xiang Feng.

“Where is Xiang Feng?” she demanded urgently.

Hengwu Xianjun’s lips were pale. “I sent people to look for him. He’s missing as well.”

“What about An Ning?”

“She’s still on Qingcheng Mountain.”

Yu Zhengzheng froze.

Xiang Feng and Shanshui had vanished together, yet An Ning was left behind?

Could it be that Xiang Feng had discovered An Ning’s true identity and decided to abandon her?

She wasn’t sure. After all, while An Ning was a fake, the body she inhabited was still Xue Xi’s.

Would Xiang Feng really give up on An Ning but also on Xue Xi?

“Keep searching and send people to Gui Xu Mountain to look for them,” Yu Zhengzheng instructed after some thought. “I’ll go find An Ning.”

Hengwu Xianjun nodded. He, too, believed that if Xiang Feng had taken Shanshui, Gui Xu Mountain was a likely destination.

Shanshui hadn’t been gone long, and Xiang Feng was injured from the illusionary realm. If they pursued him now, there was still a chance to catch up.

Hengwu Xianjun’s voice trembled slightly as he spoke, “I’ll personally search Gui Xu Mountain for her. If you find anything, contact me immediately.”

He handed her a communication bracelet and hurried away.

Watching his hurried departure, Yu Zhengzheng felt there was something odd about the whole situation, something she couldn’t quite put her finger on.

Xiang Feng’s cultivation was below that of Hengwu Xianjun. If Hengwu Xianjun had stayed by Shanshui’s side, how could Xiang Feng have had the opportunity to act?

What was so urgent that Hengwu Xianjun, after everything that had just happened at Xian Ming Hall, felt safe leaving a sleeping Shanshui unguarded?

Yu Zhengzheng couldn’t understand.

Still, seeing his panicked state, it was clear he was genuinely worried about Shanshui, and she didn’t think it right to question him further.

As she prepared to leave, Rong Shang caught up to her. “I’ll go with you.”

Yu Zhengzheng’s face turned cold. “Do you know that when you’re not with me, I’m at my safest? You should realize that I’m in the Golden Core stage, and you’re just a powerless weakling now.”

Rong Shang nodded calmly. “I know. That’s why you need to protect me.”

Yu Zhengzheng: “…”

Could he be any more shameless?!

She didn’t bother arguing and turned to leave, walking quickly. Rong Shang didn’t rush but trailed after her, keeping a consistent distance.

Of course, she was aware of his presence but couldn’t do anything about it. It wasn’t as if the road belonged to her—she couldn’t exactly break his legs to stop him.

Abruptly, she stopped in her tracks. He halted as well.

Despite his injuries from the illusionary realm, no matter how fast she walked, he kept pace, maintaining a distance of two or three steps.

Lowering her gaze, she noticed his shadow. Because of his injuries, every step seemed labored.

She resumed walking, no longer deliberately quickening her pace.

When she reached An Ning’s residence and pushed the door open, An Ning lay on the bed, her face as pale as paper, her eyes closed.

A sliver of sunlight streamed through the window, casting a soft glow on her, highlighting the faint purple veins on her neck. She seemed as fragile as a chick freshly hatched from its shell, as if two fingers could easily end her life.

For a brief moment, Yu Zhengzheng felt an unexpected pang of sympathy.

After all, An Ning was just a puppet, acting only on her master’s orders.

Her very existence had been one of exploitation, discarded the moment she lost her usefulness.

The real villain here was the master behind An Ning.

Squatting by the bedside, Yu Zhengzheng gently toyed with An Ning’s hair. “If you’re awake, you should open your eyes.”

An Ning remained silent, her eyes tightly shut, like a lifeless corpse.

Yu Zhengzheng lowered her gaze, her voice soft: “What are you avoiding?”

An Ning’s eyelashes quivered slightly before she slowly opened her eyes. Her dry lips parted weakly: “Are you here to mock me?”

To her master, her only value lay in this body she inhabited. From the moment she gained sentience, she had been trained to mimic Xue Xi’s every word and action.

For so many years, she had obeyed her master without question. To her, her master was everything.

But now, her master had abandoned her.

Without any warning. Just yesterday, her master had praised her for her excellent performance.

Yu Zhengzheng remained silent for a moment before saying slowly, “Xiao Yuqing has told me everything about you.”

An Ning’s pupils narrowed slightly. “What did he say?”

Yu Zhengzheng didn’t respond immediately, observing An Ning’s expression instead.

An Ning seemed tense, as though she cared deeply about Xiao Yuqing’s words.

This wasn’t right. Advanced puppets were supposed to follow only their master’s commands. Whoever created An Ning was her master.

According to Xiao Yuqing, it was “Xiao Bichi” who had created An Ning, while Xiao Yuqing had only infused her with sentience. Thus, “Xiao Bichi” was her true master.

If that were the case, why did An Ning care so much about Xiao Yuqing?

Yu Zhengzheng kept her expression neutral. “Not much, just some things about you and Sect Leader Xiao.”

At the mention of “Sect Leader Xiao,” the light in An Ning’s eyes dimmed slightly. “Oh.”

Yu Zhengzheng narrowed her eyes. Whenever Xiao Yuqing was mentioned, An Ning tensed up. Yet when her supposed master was brought up, she remained indifferent.

An Ning looked exhausted and shut her eyes again. “If you’re here because of Shanshui, you don’t need to ask me. She was taken by Xiang Feng.”

Yu Zhengzheng nodded and probed further. “I know, but Xiang Feng will come back for you.”

An Ning let out a bitter laugh, her voice laced with sorrow. “And what does that matter? He’s after Xue Xi, not me.”

This confirmed Yu Zhengzheng’s theory.

Deep in thought, she considered the situation. If An Ning was so certain that Xiang Feng would return, someone must have told her something. But in that case, what was the point of Xiang Feng taking Shanshui?

Initially, Yu Zhengzheng had assumed Xiang Feng left with Shanshui because he had seen through An Ning’s facade and decided to stay away from her and the ensuing chaos.

But now, it seemed Xiang Feng hadn’t given up on An Ning.

If that were true, he could have taken both An Ning and Shanshui with him. Why go through the trouble of only taking Shanshui and planning to come back later for An Ning?

Surely Xiang Feng knew that Hengwu Xianjun wasn’t someone to mess with. If he dared to abduct Shanshui, Hengwu Xianjun would just as easily kill An Ning.

Could it be that Xiang Feng intended to return shortly and felt there was no need to bring An Ning along for such a brief departure?

Yu Zhengzheng tested her theory again: “It seems Xiang Feng doesn’t care about you. Gui Xu Mountain isn’t far, just a two- or three-hour journey. If he cared, he’d have taken you with him…”

An Ning interrupted her. “Stop trying to get information out of me. I don’t know where Xiang Feng went.”

Yu Zhengzheng gave up. An Ning was unyieldingly loyal to her master. Even as an abandoned pawn, she refused to betray her master.

With a long sigh, Yu Zhengzheng turned to leave but was stopped by An Ning’s words: “Be wary of Hengwu Xianjun.”

Yu Zhengzheng froze and turned back. “What do you mean?”

An Ning said nothing more, as though she hadn’t spoken at all.

After a moment of silence, Yu Zhengzheng left An Ning’s chambers.

The sky outside was growing darker. As she walked along the path, An Ning’s parting words echoed in her mind.

What did An Ning mean?

She pulled out the communication bracelet Hengwu Xianjun had left her and tapped it twice. It lit up briefly before he answered.

Before she could speak, Hengwu Xianjun urgently asked, “Is there any news about Shanshui?”

Yu Zhengzheng shook her head. “No, An Ning only said Xiang Feng took Shanshui, but she doesn’t know where he went. Have you reached Gui Xu Mountain?”

Hengwu Xianjun’s expression darkened. “Not yet. Let me know immediately if you learn anything.”

Without waiting for her to respond, he cut the connection.

She exhaled deeply. Perhaps An Ning was just trying to confuse her. After all, the puppet had never been truthful.

Distracted, Yu Zhengzheng walked absentmindedly along the darkened path.

She wasn’t too worried about Shanshui’s safety. Though she didn’t know Xiang Feng’s intentions, she was certain he wouldn’t harm Shanshui.

The sheer volume of information she’d absorbed today left her mentally exhausted.

But one thing was clear: regardless of what everyone was scheming, their ultimate goal was still Rong Shang’s primordial spirit.

Thinking of Rong Shang, she instinctively glanced to the side, searching for his figure.

Caught up in her search, she failed to notice the large banyan tree ahead.

Turning her head back, she only saw the tree at the last moment, crashing straight into it.