Hua Yaoyue.
Hua Yaoyue again.
Back on the Heaven-Escaping Shuttle, Ji Yuan had tentatively asked Bai Zhan whether he had ever heard that name.
Bai Zhan had searched his memory carefully before shaking his head. He had never heard of her.
Ji Yuan's face had remained calm, but Bai Zhan had clearly seen the fleeting shadow of dejection in his eyes.
He had made a mental note then—someone who could bring that look to his junior brother's face could never be a mere acquaintance.
And now Ji Yuan was no longer content just to ask about her.
He wanted Bai Zhan to help find her.
Others might not have grasped the weight of that change, but Bai Zhan missed very little.
This Hua Yaoyue mattered immensely to his junior brother—enough for him to set aside all reserve.
Bai Zhan did not hesitate for a moment.
"Don't worry. I still have a few good friends in North-Knowing Tower."
"I've been away from home for years, so my face doesn't carry much weight there anymore. But those friends still hold important positions. Getting them to use North-Knowing Tower's resources to find someone for me won't be a problem."
Ji Yuan rose, stepped back half a pace, clasped his hands, and bowed deeply.
Bai Zhan reached out and helped him up.
Looking at Ji Yuan's still-calm face, he could no longer suppress his curiosity. "Junior Brother, who is she, exactly? Why does she matter so much to you?"
Ji Yuan was silent for a long while.
Outside the window came the faint roar of the Whitewater River. Bamboo shadows swayed gently across the lattice.
"She was my master in my early years on the Cangluo Continent."
Bai Zhan's brows rose despite himself.
The Cangluo Continent—of course he knew Ji Yuan had come from