Cloud Mist Sect Disciple Missing? Me: Sorry, a Rich Lady Can Vouch for Me Last Night!

Meanwhile, An Yi returned to Wutan City. Instead of going back to the Xiao Household, he headed toward the Mittel Auction House.

Sneaking out of the Xiao Household in the dead of night, he had climbed over the wall in secret, but he had not avoided every hidden sentry.

After all, he had done this sort of wall-hopping escapade plenty of times over the past few years.

Before breaking through to become a Dou Practitioner, An Yi had actually been rather timid.

Back then, he would spend his days smashing rocks beneath the waterfall, but as soon as the sun set, he would always hurry back to the Xiao Household on time.

There was no other reason. Low-level magical beasts really did appear in the deep forests outside the city at night!

Those magical beasts feared the aura of human experts and usually dared not wander near Wutan City during the day. But at night, darkness was their best camouflage, and the entire forest became a hunting ground for predators.

It was only after successfully breaking through to the Dou Practitioner realm a few years ago and condensing Geng Metal Qi that An Yi confirmed ordinary first-tier magical beasts no longer posed a fatal threat to him. Only then did he gradually start letting loose, occasionally spending the night outside to push his body through all-night extreme training.

After all, even if he encountered some tough second- or third-tier opponent he could not beat, he could definitely escape with his skateboard-shoe-like mutated movement technique.

The advanced footwork that Medicine Elder had marveled at—using finely controlled Dou Qi released through the soles of his feet to accelerate his movement—had actually begun as An Yi's life-saving escape technique, forced out of him by magical beasts chasing him down!

But in a major clan like the Xiao Household, getting caught staying out all night inevitably meant receiving a vicious scolding from the clan head, Xiao Zhan.

Although An Yi was an unwelcome outsider, he still nominally bore the title of "Xiao Zhan's adopted son."

If a teenage young master was fooling around outside in the middle of the night and something happened, leaving him missing an arm or a leg, where would Xiao Zhan's dignity go?

Therefore, if An Yi wanted to sneak out of the city at night openly, he needed to find himself a flawless excuse.

So, shamelessly, he set his sights on Ya Fei.

At the time, Ya Fei had just been "exiled" to the remote backwater of Wutan City and was in a low mood.

Seeing An Yi, a pitiable orphan dependent on others, who happened to be an exquisitely cute white-haired boy with a honeyed tongue, Ya Fei's maternal instincts naturally overflowed, and she could not bring herself to drive him away.

After the two became thoroughly familiar with each other, whenever the Xiao Household questioned An Yi about staying out overnight, he would confidently say, "I slept over at Sister Ya Fei's."

No matter how strict Xiao Zhan was, he could hardly swallow his pride and go to the Mittel Auction House to ask a delicate chief auctioneer for confirmation, could he?

Moreover, to make the act convincing, whenever An Yi returned to the city late at night, he would sometimes actually shamelessly run to Ya Fei's private courtyard to mooch off her bed.

And tonight, not only had he left the city, he had also casually snapped the neck of an inner disciple from the Cloud Mist Sect.

Since that unlucky fellow was already dead, if he immediately turned around and ran back to the Xiao Household now, that would be far too suspicious. If anyone investigated later, suspicion would fall squarely on him.

For murder and arson, it really is safer to get a rich lady to provide an alibi.

As An Yi calculated inwardly, he quickened his pace and soon reached the back wall of the Mittel Auction House.

Like it was second nature, he climbed into Ya Fei's courtyard, pulled out a spare key from his Storage Ring that he had acquired at some unknown time, and expertly unlocked the door to Ya Fei's fragrant chamber.

At the soft click, Ya Fei, who had been sleeping lightly, instantly opened her eyes.

After recognizing the familiar figure sneaking in under the moonlight, she rubbed her brow irritably.

"Little An? Why have you come running over in the middle of the night again?"

An Yi shut the door tightly behind him. Without even taking off his outer robe, he climbed directly onto the soft bed that carried a faint fragrance and skillfully found a comfortable spot beside Ya Fei to lie down.

Ya Fei laughed and patted his fluffy white head. "You're not a child anymore. Sneaking into a girl's room in the middle of the night and climbing into her bed like this—what kind of behavior is that?"

Like a large cat, An Yi buried his head in her warm, soft embrace. His voice was muffled, carrying just the right hint of vulnerability.

"...I can't sleep."

Ya Fei's hand paused slightly, and her tone immediately softened as she gently stroked his back. "What's wrong? Did someone wrong you in the Xiao Household? Or... do you miss your mother again?"

An Yi said nothing. He simply tightened his arms and held her a little closer.

Seeing this, Ya Fei's softest spot was touched. She said nothing more, merely gently returned the embrace around the seemingly insecure youth and closed her eyes.

In the darkness, An Yi comfortably shut his eyes, though a satisfied curve quietly rose at the corner of his lips.

What was acting? This was acting!

Back when he had first shamelessly come to Ya Fei to mooch off her bed and build goodwill, he had used this very excuse.

An orphan whose parents had both died, dependent on others and subjected to constant bullying, desperately longing for a warm embrace in the dead of night to draw a sense of security from.

That excuse was simply unbeatable!

What soft-hearted woman could refuse such a handsome little boy who looked so utterly broken?

At least, it worked every time on a woman like Ya Fei, who looked shrewd and seductive on the outside but longed for warmth in her heart.

The next day, An Yi slept comfortably at the Mittel Auction House until the sun was high in the sky.

After making sure everyone at the auction house had seen enough of him to establish that he had been there all night, and after mooching a lavish lunch, he patted his backside, bid Ya Fei a satisfied farewell, and leisurely strolled back to the Xiao Household.

However, the moment he stepped through the Xiao Household's gates, An Yi keenly sensed a tense, oppressive atmosphere hanging in the air.

The guards hurried about with grave expressions.

"Oh, Young Master An Yi! You're finally back!"

The familiar little maid in green rushed over, stomping her feet anxiously. "Where have you gone this time? Why did you stay out all night again?"

"The Mittel Auction House. Where else could I have gone?" An Yi answered casually with a yawn.

Hearing that familiar answer, the little maid visibly relaxed. Then she lowered her voice and said urgently, "Young Master, something terrible has happened! That inner disciple brought by Deacon Ge Ye of the Cloud Mist Sect... has disappeared!"

"Disappeared?" An Yi raised an eyebrow, putting on a surprised expression.

"Yes! The clan has already sent out everyone it can to search for him. The clan head and elders are currently in the reception hall keeping the Cloud Mist Sect guests company. You were gone all night, and now this has happened. You need to hurry over, show your face, and explain where you've been!"

As she spoke, the little maid pushed An Yi toward the hall.

An Yi rolled his eyes. "One of the Cloud Mist Sect's people went missing. What the hell does that have to do with me...?"

Before long, An Yi arrived at the reception hall.

The atmosphere inside was so heavy it seemed water could drip from it.

The Xiao Household's core younger generation stood in neat rows along both sides, each one silent as a cicada in winter, not daring even to breathe too loudly.

Ge Ye, seated among the guests, wore an ashen expression, his brows furrowed into a deep crease. Nalan Yanran beside him also looked anxious.

The moment Xiao Zhan saw An Yi swaggering through the doorway, he abruptly rose to his feet. Already on the verge of losing his temper, he bellowed:

"An Yi! You stayed out all night again! Where the hell did you go?!"

An Yi spread his small hands, looking completely innocent. "The Mittel Auction House."

Xiao Zhan's expression froze. That utterly confident answer nearly choked him to death.

He opened his mouth, wanting to curse him out, but could not air such family shame before the Cloud Mist Sect guests. In the end, he could only viciously flick his sleeve.

"...You little bastard! Get over there and sit down!"

An Yi curled his lips and obediently walked to the side.

Well, wasn't this a rare sight? There was actually a seat for him in the hall today!

Beside the tea table next to Xiao Xun'er sat a rather exquisite-looking chair.

But An Yi could guess with his toes that Xun'er had specifically instructed the servants to add it. Otherwise, how could those three elders who disliked him possibly be kind enough to reserve him a seat?

An Yi sat down, leaned close to Xiao Xun'er, and asked in a voice only the two of them could hear:

"What's going on? Why does everyone look like they're attending a funeral this early in the morning? Did someone die?"