A Weakened Fu Hua Ventures Alone into the Northern Desert to Rescue Her Grand-Disciple Li Sushang

"That was one of Su Mei's trump cards in her scheme: Fu Hua's true identity." Tang San tapped two fingers lightly against his knee. "Otto flatly denied that she had 'ascended.' Clearly, in Fu Hua's world, there was no such thing as ascension to the Immortal Realm. That was a lie Su Mei invented. So what was the real truth?"

The image on the Light Screen shifted, revealing the outline of a dilapidated frontier town. Fu Hua entered an old teahouse. A few travelers sat scattered around the room. She ordered a bowl of the cheapest tea but did not drink it. Instead, she rested her palm against the warm rim of the coarse ceramic bowl, as though drawing from it the faintest trace of warmth.

The view suddenly pulled back, then switched to a vast intelligence hub draped in white. It was a field archives facility under Schicksal. Files lay stacked in rows as high as hills, and Otto Apocalypse sat at the head of the room, holding an unopened confidential letter between his fingers.

"Lord Otto, the Golden Sand Gang's secret report has arrived." An attendant softly handed him a thick sheaf of papers.

"Open it." Otto's expression did not change. "Don't leave out a single word about the whereabouts of that 'cripple,' Fu Hua."

The letter was unfolded. Otto skimmed it quickly, his brows lifting slightly. "Interesting. She abandoned her disciples, yet went to the Northern Desert of her own accord. That's Golden Sand Gang territory, and things haven't been peaceful for them lately. They kidnapped someone the day before yesterday—who happens to be the daughter of an old acquaintance of Fu Hua's."

Chang Gongwei raised an eyebrow. "The Golden Sand Gang... bandits? They kidnapped an old acquaintance's daughter? What story is behind that?"

"Qin Suyi," Lei