Winds and Clouds Stirring

An 800 Li Urgent Dispatch was insufficient to describe it, but even so, it was already two days later by the time Yaoye received the message.

After reading what the letter said, Yaoye flew into a rage on the spot. Gripping the longsword at her waist, she radiated killing intent, wishing she could drag the Wang Brothers over and slice them into a thousand pieces.

Taking a deep breath, she was in no mood to explain anything. For the first time, she abandoned her post without authorization, immediately taking the letter back to the Imperial Palace. She needed to discuss this with Jia Xingtian.

Watching Yaoye leave, all the soldiers on the Training Ground fell silent as cicadas in winter. They looked at one another, all thoroughly frightened. It was their first time seeing the First Princess so angry.

No one outside knew what Yaoye and Jia Xingtian discussed within the Imperial Palace, but many saw that near noon, the First Princess, clad in full armor, hurried out of the palace with nearly twenty people and departed aboard a Flying Magical Beast.

Sharp-eyed observers recognized that even a Deputy Commander of the Imperial Guard had accompanied her.

Something major had happened!

Everyone had the same thought.

That was because Wei Ping, the Imperial Guard's Deputy Commander, was a genuine Dou Wang. Though he had not entered the ranks of the Top Ten Experts, no one dared underestimate him. Even he had been dispatched, showing just how serious the matter was.

What these people did not know was that Yaoye's lineup was even more formidable than they imagined. Aside from Wei Ping, the Dou Wang, the weakest among the rest were all Eight-Star Da Dou Shi. They simply could not recognize them.

The Imperial Family's foundation was beginning to show itself.

"Travel at full speed. Ignore everything else."

Yaoye issued the command coldly. Whether for public or private reasons, she wanted to reach the Magical Beast Mountain Range sooner. Chen Guan was only missing; he was not confirmed dead.

Deep down, she did not believe Chen Guan would die so easily—let alone in such a pathetic fashion. No one understood that young man better than she did. Someone so clever, would he really seek his own death?

She would not believe it even if beaten to death.

Thus, dead or alive, she had to find him!

This time, she had come prepared to dig three feet into the ground throughout the Outer Edge of the Magical Beast Mountain Range.

Nalan Family.

Nalan Jie, his face dark, leaned against the bed as he listened to Nalan Su's report. He had been calm at first, but when Nalan Su asked whether they should send people to investigate, he immediately flew into a rage.

"Utterly foolish! Is the Imperial Family's business something you should investigate? If this old man had not been afflicted by this Scorching Poison, that would be one thing. But now you want to make such a reckless move—are you trying to ruin the future of my Nalan Family?"

"Father, don't get agitated. I was only mentioning it. But should we inform Yanran?"

Informing Nalan Yanran was just a pretext; notifying the Misty Cloud Sect was the real purpose.

Nalan Jie felt utterly weary. "No need to bother with her."

He understood Nalan Su's meaning. He merely wanted to place bets on both sides. But with the Imperial Family making such a huge move today, did the Misty Cloud Sect need their notification? Mite'er Family.

Teng Shan had personally watched Yaoye lead her people away. The display had been considerable.

As a merchant, he keenly sensed that there might be profit to be made. He immediately summoned a clever elder with Dou Ling strength.

"Have someone investigate the news. You should also go join the fun. If the Imperial Family needs help, you may lend a hand as appropriate. Use your own judgment—I have great confidence in you."

North of the Jia Ma Empire's Imperial Capital stood several floating mountains, known as Misty Cloud Mountain! The Jia Ma Empire's foremost Sect Force, the Misty Cloud Sect, was located there.

At this moment, the Great Elder, Yun Leng, who had received the news, stood before Yun Yun to make his report and request instructions.

"Send an elder to investigate the details. Before the matter becomes clear, do not interfere rashly."

"Understood, Sect Master."

Watching Yun Leng leave, Yun Yun let out a soft sigh.

Since taking over as Sect Master, she had felt several times more exhausted than before. There were countless complicated matters to handle, all draining her mind and spirit. She did not even have enough time to cultivate, so that after more than a year, her strength had only risen by one star.

Yun Yun was not obsessed with power. Taking over as Sect Master had been more about responsibility.

Her naturally detached temperament meant she would not harbor any designs on the Imperial Family, but she still had to ensure that nothing detrimental to the Misty Cloud Sect occurred. That too was responsibility.

A tiny boat upon twin streams could never bear so much sorrow.

People always had many moments when they could not help themselves.

Chen Guan probably never imagined that merely because he had gone missing for a few days, such a tremendous impact would result. A tiny butterfly beating its wings had stirred up Huge Waves.

All eyes were focused on the Imperial Family. In just a single day, the Imperial Capital had taken on the feeling of undercurrents surging beneath the surface.

Moreover, this trend only grew more intense.

When Yaoye arrived at the Magical Beast Mountain Range, met with the Wang Brothers, took over Jieji City's City Lord's Mansion, and gathered a large force to officially begin the search, many people could no longer sit still.

Rumors gradually spread that the Imperial Family had discovered something valuable in the Magical Beast Mountain Range. No one knew exactly what it was. Some claimed it was a Strong Cultivator's Cave Mansion, some said it was high-grade Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, and some even claimed it was a Seventh Tier magical beast egg. Rumors flew everywhere, impossible to distinguish truth from falsehood.

Yet it had to be said that the Imperial Family's actions were indeed highly misleading.

Thus, only a few days later, Mitel Teng Shan arrived. Yun Sheng, a Dou Wang from the Misty Cloud Sect, also came. Even Yan Shi, the Lion King, heard the news and came to join the fun.

Who could have imagined that little Qingshan Town would one day gather so many powerful experts at once—four Dou Wangs in total.

Two of them even ranked among the Top Ten Experts! In response, Yaoye remained silent and sneered inwardly. She had never seen anyone so eager to work for free.

Unfortunately, Yun Yun had not been drawn here. Otherwise, they could certainly have searched more deeply.

But On Second Thought, it seemed only natural. After all, apart from her, the Imperial Family had only sent a single Dou Wang to lead the team. In the eyes of those who thought themselves clever, there must be something valuable here, but its value was likely only enough to tempt Dou Wangs.

If there truly were some heaven-defying treasure, it should not have been her who came, but Jia Xingtian.

The mountain-searching party moved quickly. Especially with several Dou Wangs present, no magical beast in the Outer Edge could obstruct their steps. Faced with a crowd of this scale, their only chance of survival was to flee deeper inside.

However, the entire Outer Edge was still enormous, and it could not be thoroughly searched in a short time.

It was worth mentioning that Yaoye did not blame the Wang Brothers too harshly. She had indeed been furious at first, but she calmed down during the journey.

Strictly speaking, the two brothers had not neglected their duties.

Wang Dalang especially had risked his life by venturing deep inside to search, nearly losing half his life. When Yaoye arrived, he was still lying in bed.

Qingshan Town was still the same Qingshan Town, yet it seemed that everything had changed.

The mercenaries, whose voices had once been louder than the next and whose speech was crude, seemed as though they had collectively been castrated. They all spoke in hushed tones now, creating a stark contrast with their rough appearances. Even the usually bustling Ten Thousand Medicine Hall had been much quieter these past days.

Xiao Yi Xian had been idle for an entire day, propping her fair chin on her hand as she gazed toward the Magical Beast Mountain Range.

She vaguely had a suspicion. The commotion outside was not so complicated; it was highly likely related to that fellow who often brought her Fire Fox meat.

Because when Yaoye arrived, Xiao Yi Xian had happened to see her from afar. Her face had held only urgency, not the expression someone should have while searching for those mysterious treasures.

Of course, she would not tell anyone this.

From the bottom of her heart, she also hoped he could be found.

But Yaoye was the First Princess of the Jia Ma Empire's Imperial Family. Since she cared so much, Xiao Yi Xian became intensely curious about the young man's identity and unconsciously began imagining things much like Wang Dalang had.

A prince?

The emperor's illegitimate son? Or this woman's little lover?

Curious~

While Winds Rise, Clouds Surge in Qingshan Town, the culprit behind all this was currently sweating profusely in a hidden chamber beneath a lake.