Jiang Wang once again sat atop the horizontal branch where he had meditated before.
Opening his Dry Yang Red Pupil, he carefully examined the surroundings, trying to find even the slightest possible trace... but in the end, of course, he found nothing.
He leaped down, recalled the direction Lin Youxie had taken when she left, and followed the faint path still lingering in his memory outward.
With every step, he scrutinized his surroundings. As though facing a battle of life and death, he let no clue escape him.
Step by step, treading over withered bamboo and fallen leaves, he walked out of the dense forest and reached the nearest city, yet still gained nothing.
Jiang Wang had expected this, so he remained calm on the way back.
After all, more than three months had already passed. Even if there had been traces, nature would have long since silently erased them. Besides, he was no match for the Green Badge professionals of the Patrol Inspection Office.
Even if he put in a little more care, what could he do when the fallen flowers and yellow leaves had already grown old, leaving only mountain winds and bright moonlight?
There had been no trace to begin with—where could he possibly search?
He decided to investigate another line of clues, to face that black wall.
He had left the Marquis of Wu'an's Estate in the morning. By the time he returned, the moon was already high in the sky.
The entire day could be said to have been wasted.
Yet the state of mind tempered from that fruitlessness was known only to himself.
At the estate, however, he encountered someone unexpected—the heir of the Earl of Shuofang, Bao Zhongqing.
At least this time, he had not brought along his delicate wife, nor did he