Zhang Guanyi and Liang Zhen followed her instructions and withdrew to the edge of the valley, careful not to disturb the two people inside. Dusk was settling in. After Mei Chengyu heard Yu Sui's account of what had happened at Nether Lake and learned that the Yang Qi had been sealed inside Gu Gan, he frowned.
Yu Sui said, "Shen Liu and the others took Third Brother and Mu Mengbai to Nether Lake to fish for Yin-Yang Fish. It seems Pu Heng promised someone he'd draw out the Yin-Yang Fish for the person behind it all."
"That person is most likely Elder Zhu." Mei Chengyu's voice was calm. "Elder Zhu is a School of Names Sage from Qingyang, and he's made deals with plenty of people there in private."
"But why Third Brother?" Yu Sui found it strange. "If this was a deal between Elder Zhu and Qingyang, he wouldn't risk Third Brother."
Mei Chengyu understood what she meant: Elder Zhu wouldn't risk his own son out of respect for Nangong Ming.
"Why are you so afraid of your father?" Mei Chengyu asked.
Yu Sui blinked, wondering why her senior martial brother had suddenly asked her that. After thinking for a moment, she answered seriously, "It's a sense of oppression that goes back to my childhood. I thought he was powerful, someone to fear and obey. I didn't dare contradict him or make him angry."
Mei Chengyu laughed. "Were you the kind of well-behaved child who, when your parents didn't approve of you, would panic and swear to try even harder to please them?"
"Of course not," Yu Sui denied.
She had never thought of Nangong Ming as her "father." In Yu Sui's subconscious, he was simply a dangerous stranger in an unfamiliar world.
"Senior Martial Brother, you might not