Zhao Ji Has Gone Missing

Qiu Tu's question clearly did not catch Dong Xue by surprise.

It could even be said that the moment she saw Qiu Tu tonight, she had known why he had come.

Therefore, without any hesitation, she said, "Reporting to you, sir, Her Excellency truly is in seclusion."

From the moment Dong Xue entered the courtyard, Qiu Tu had actually activated "Order Space" and had been testing her words for lies the entire time.

So once Dong Xue finished speaking, Qiu Tu knew that she was indeed telling the truth.

She really is in seclusion.

With that thought, Qiu Tu could not help asking again, "What is she in seclusion for?"

Dong Xue answered with a serious expression, "Reporting to you, sir, Her Excellency should be adjusting her condition in seclusion so that, once she emerges, she can lock onto Qiu Tu's location."

Hearing Dong Xue's words, Qiu Tu's face showed a hint of realization.

According to the intelligence reports, Star Gazing God King was a peak Level Four God King, but Zhao Ji's current realm was no weaker than hers.

Under such circumstances, abilities such as divination and prediction would consume enormous amounts of energy, perhaps even fail outright.

Therefore, it was reasonable for Star Gazing God King to enter seclusion and recover before using such an ability.

As long as she isn't locating me right now, there's still a chance to turn this around.

With that thought, after learning why Star Gazing God King had entered seclusion, Qiu Tu relaxed slightly and began focusing on the identity of Star Gazing God King, which interested him more.

His fingertips lightly tapped against the cold stone table as he asked, "Does His Majesty the Destruction Tyrant often come to Star Gazing Tower to visit Star Gazing God King?"

Dong Xue was visibly surprised by Qiu Tu's question.

Clearly, she did not understand why this "Silver Mask God King" before her would be interested in such a trivial matter.

Could he, like Ghost Face God King, also admire Star Gazing God King? Was he trying to determine whether Star Gazing God King was His Majesty's forbidden possession?

However, though she was puzzled, she knew that this "Silver Mask God King" had already grasped her weakness. She had no room to question him.

So after freezing briefly, she hurriedly shook her head and answered frankly, "Reporting to you, sir, no. His Majesty is occupied with countless affairs. Aside from the annual Heaven-Sacrificing Ceremony, he almost never comes to Star Gazing Tower, nor does he meet with Her Excellency."

After thinking for a moment, she added, "I have served Her Excellency for decades. The number of times I have seen His Majesty come here privately does not exceed four."

A thoughtful look appeared in Qiu Tu's eyes when he heard Dong Xue's answer.

After considering it, he asked again, "What about Your Highness the princess? Does she often visit Star Gazing God King?"

This time, Dong Xue did not even need to think before hurriedly shaking her head and saying with certainty, "No, she does not."

"Over the years, I have had even fewer chances to see the princess than I have His Majesty."

Qiu Tu nodded thoughtfully once more at Dong Xue's words.

Things seemed to be getting more and more interesting.

With that thought, he pondered briefly, then suddenly asked as if something had occurred to him, "Then do the two of them communicate privately often?"

This question was perhaps somewhat complicated. Dong Xue clearly thought carefully before answering, "As for communicating often... they do seem to be in frequent contact."

"Seem?" Qiu Tu keenly caught the faint hesitation in Dong Xue's emotions.

His fingers stopped tapping. He leaned forward slightly, his silver mask reflecting a cold gleam beneath the moonlight. "Either they do or they do not. What does 'seem' mean?"

Dong Xue gave an awkward smile, her round face flushing slightly.

She chose her words carefully. "Reporting to you, sir, it is because... because Star Gazing is actually very fond of peace and solitude."

"Normally, she rarely leaves her chambers. In her daily life, aside from divining the stars, she simply sits in the tower in a daze."

"Sometimes, even we maids who serve her may not see her more than a few times in an entire month."

"So we do not know whether she communicates with Your Highness Hui Ming in private."

"However..." Dong Xue changed course and added, "Her Excellency does frequently carry out tasks for Your Highness Hui Ming."

"Because I help Her Excellency record the contents of her astrological divinations, I know that many of them were divinations requested by Your Highness Hui Ming."

"That indicates that she should have remained in private contact with Your Highness."

At that point, Dong Xue seemed to recall something and said,

"For example, this mission to kill 'Qiu Tu'..."

"Was arranged by Princess Hui Ming. She asked Her Excellency to search for 'Qiu Tu's' traces."

"And it was because I was always helping Her Excellency keep records that I learned so much classified intelligence and was able to tell Ghost Face."

Hearing Dong Xue's words, Qiu Tu felt that her relationship with Ghost Face now made sense.

At the same time, it seemed he had also confirmed one of his own suspicions.

With that thought, he fell silent for two seconds before looking at Dong Xue and asking for further confirmation,

"So... did you personally see Your Highness Hui Ming give Star Gazing God King those orders?"

Dong Xue's body trembled almost imperceptibly. She hesitated before shaking her head. "Probably not. I suspect Her Excellency communicates with Your Highness Hui Ming through some special means of communication."

"So we maids do not normally see it."

"However..." Her tone shifted again. "Star Gazing is kind-hearted. Before every period of seclusion, she would briefly explain the circumstances to me."

"So I can confirm that Your Highness Hui Ming does indeed assign her tasks frequently."

Qiu Tu's eyes gained several more traces of thoughtfulness upon hearing Dong Xue's words.

If his new suspicion had previously only held a thirty percent chance of being true, then after hearing Dong Xue's account, he was now nearly eighty percent certain.

But if that really is the case, then it truly is a huge secret.

And one that could very likely bring about death.

With that thought, Qiu Tu silently told himself, No.

I need to be more careful about this. I can't fail to scheme against others only to be schemed against by them instead.

With that thought, Qiu Tu did not hesitate. After asking a few more questions about Star Gazing God King, he decisively used "Order Space" to alter Dong Xue's memories.

Thus, two minutes later.

Dong Xue stood in the courtyard with a blank expression, looking ahead and then behind her.

After a moment, she said in confusion, "Why am I standing here? Why didn't I go inside to rest?"

By then, Qiu Tu had long since left Dong Xue's courtyard. After standing there for two seconds and finding nothing unusual, Dong Xue shook her head and walked into the inner room.

At the same time, outside the Imperial City.

A ghostlike figure silently merged into the shadows at the corner of a wall. As he moved at high speed, he analyzed all the intelligence he had just extracted from Dong Xue.

It has nothing to do with the Destruction Tyrant.

She usually keeps to herself, yet she occasionally carries out missions for Princess Hui Ming.

No one has seen the letters or communication process between Princess Hui Ming and Star Gazing God King.

Everything pointed toward an intriguing possibility.

However, the implications of that "possibility" were far too great. Even though Qiu Tu had guessed it, he did not dare tell anyone else directly and could only bury it in his heart.

Even if I have guessed everything, I should still verify it personally.

Also... while Star Gazing God King is still in seclusion, I need to meet Sister Zhao Ji as soon as possible and make new arrangements. Otherwise, she may truly be in danger.

With that thought, Qiu Tu could not help raising his head to look at the sky.

Fortunately, there are still seven days left. That should be enough time to get in touch with Sister Zhao Ji.

Three days later.

Inside the lounge of "Cloud Cat God King."

Qiu Tu paced irritably before the enormous floor-to-ceiling window.

Outside lay Prison City, crouching like a steel beast. Yet in his eyes, its grim ramparts and cold iron chains resembled a massive cage that had trapped him inside as well.

What is going on? Why can't I contact Sister Zhao Ji?

That was right.

Ever since three days ago, when Qiu Tu had arranged everything and had his subordinates set up signals between himself and Zhao Ji both inside and outside the World Passage to Royal City World, he had begun waiting patiently.

Yet one day, two days, three days passed.

Zhao Ji remained completely unheard from.

"Could... something really have happened?"

Qiu Tu's brows were tightly furrowed, and his knuckles had turned faintly white from the force of his clenching.

"But that shouldn't be possible. Didn't Dong Xue say Star Gazing God King was still in seclusion, recuperating?"

What exactly is going on?

With that thought, Qiu Tu stopped pacing. His eyes beneath the silver mask flickered with a cold light.

"Calm down. I have to stay calm."

Qiu Tu took a deep breath and forced his chaotic thoughts to settle.

He returned to the window and looked toward Star Gazing Tower, which appeared and disappeared amid the distant sea of clouds.

Perhaps things had not reached such a terrible point.

Maybe Zhao Ji had encountered some trouble and could not get away or respond to his signal for the moment. Maybe Zhao Ji was recovering from her injuries. Or perhaps she had gained some insight from that battle and was in seclusion cultivating.

The enemy was too powerful. He had to trust Zhao Ji.

After all, only by remaining calm could he break the deadlock.

On the other hand, if Zhao Ji's disappearance left him distraught, he might not only fail to save Zhao Ji, but even get himself killed.

Hah... I'll wait.

At that moment.

A respectful knock sounded outside the heavy stone doors of the bedchamber.

"Enter."

In that single second, Qiu Tu had already composed himself and once again assumed the role of "Cloud Cat God King," ruler of the three departments.

Upon receiving Silver Mask God King's permission, the Shadow Department member bearing the news hurriedly stepped inside.

After approaching Qiu Tu, the Shadow Department member immediately dropped to one knee and reported, "Lord Silver Mask... news has come from Star Gazing Tower. Star Gazing God King... has emerged from seclusion."

Qiu Tu's expression barely changed at the Shadow Department member's words, but his pupils beneath the silver mask abruptly contracted.

So soon?

Wasn't it supposed to be seven days? This was only the fourth day!

Countless thoughts flashed through Qiu Tu's mind like lightning, yet his voice remained utterly calm. "All right. I understand."

"Also, Lord Silver Mask..." The Shadow Department member paused, seemingly organizing his words. "Star Gazing God King sent word through a maid. She knows that you specifically went to Star Gazing Tower to see her while she was in seclusion."

"So now that she has emerged, she invites you to visit Star Gazing Tower for a discussion."

Qiu Tu's heart began pounding uncontrollably upon hearing those words.

Because if everything was truly as he suspected, then meeting Star Gazing God King this time would not be particularly safe for him.

However, considering his current situation, Qiu Tu ultimately decided, after hesitating for a moment, to personally meet with Star Gazing.

"Prepare the carriage."

Qiu Tu's voice came through the mask, cold and calm.

"Yes, sir."

The Shadow Department member promptly answered respectfully.

Very soon, a silver war chariot drawn by eight Cataclysm Creatures stopped outside Prison City.

Dressed in black and wearing a silver mask, Qiu Tu boarded the chariot under the protection of a squad of Shadow Department members.

The wheels rumbled over the cold flagstones of Prison City. Before long, Qiu Tu arrived at Star Gazing Tower.

Perhaps because Star Gazing had awakened, Qiu Tu felt that this Star Gazing Tower before him seemed somehow alive when he arrived again.

The tower, built from unknown crystals, now emitted a gentle yet profound starlight that reflected one another with the dark-red blood moon and countless stars hanging above.

Around the tower, space was subtly distorted. Light was refracted and stretched there, forming circles of ripples visible to the naked eye.

"Lord Silver Mask, this way."

Dong Xue, dressed in a plain white gown, had already been waiting before the tower. When she saw Qiu Tu, she gave a slight curtsy, her voice gentle and businesslike, as though nothing had happened.

Qiu Tu swept his gaze over her, nodded slightly, and strode inside.

Within Star Gazing Tower, the smooth black floor was like a mirror, reflecting the sight overhead. Above them stretched a vast Star Sea. Countless stars, nebulae, and galaxies slowly revolved, radiating lights bright and dim.

For that instant, Qiu Tu even felt that he had not entered a tower, but stepped into the center of the universe.

At the same time, just as Qiu Tu admired the breathtaking Star Gazing Tower before him, a somewhat ethereal and sacred voice sounded beside his ear. "You're here?"

Qiu Tu could not help looking toward the source of the voice.

Then he saw a woman dressed in Daoist robes sitting cross-legged on a futon with her eyes closed tightly, apparently doing something unknown.

Just as Qiu Tu thought he might have misheard her.

The woman suddenly spoke again. "You're here?"

Hearing her words, Qiu Tu hesitated before asking, "Does Lady Star Gazing know me?"

The woman slowly opened her eyes and looked at Qiu Tu.

Her eyes seemed to contain an endless universe. In just an instant, Qiu Tu could not help losing focus.

With neither joy nor sorrow in her gaze, the woman looked at Qiu Tu and slowly said, "How could I not know you?"

"Lord Silver Mask, Lord Cloud Cat, or perhaps... Lord Qiu Tu."