Under the dim yellow light in the study, the two began a meticulous search.
Liu Ruyan and Ji Boda stood shoulder to shoulder, their gazes blazing like torches, overlooking not a single corner.
"I checked the desk drawers. Nothing." Liu Ruyan gently opened the last drawer and shook her head.
"Nothing under the coffee table either." Ji Boda crouched down, carefully examining every inch of the floor.
They went through the piles of documents and every book on the shelves, so thoroughly that they did not even overlook the gaps between the pages.
The air in the study seemed to freeze. Only their soft breathing and the rustling of pages could be heard.
Finding nothing among the belongings, they began examining the study itself. Every corner and every object came under their careful scrutiny, again and again.
At last, in an inconspicuous corner, they discovered a section of seemingly withered vine. It grew there quietly, like a silent sentinel witnessing everything within the study.
An inexplicable excitement welled up in Liu Ruyan's heart. She hurried over and crouched down to inspect the vine, a flicker of surprise crossing her eyes.
"This is Tengcheng's Martial Soul-the Withered Vine," she said softly. "He really did leave something behind. It looks like it's been here for some time."
Ji Boda crouched down as well, studying the vine and sensing the faint fluctuations of soul power emanating from it.
"Hmm. To last this long, it must have been wrapped in withered soul power to conceal its fluctuations as much as possible, then infused with a large amount of life soul power," he said gravely. "No, this kind of soul power could probably remain here for over a year."
Liu Ruyan raised her head and looked at Ji Boda, her eyes full of confusion.
"But