Yun Yan hurried to the Si Shui pavilion, searching everywhere but finding no trace of the white-veiled woman, Fu Mei. Confirming she had left, he stood alone by the mountains and rivers, lost in thought.
"Where did you go? Without a word... Fu Mei... I like you, I've always wanted to tell you..."
Fu Mei was watching from atop a cloud at that moment, then she vanished, disappearing from sight.
In their line of work, one could never love anyone, or their cultivation would be scattered. Fu Mei's master, Gui Bu Jue Shi, had suffered this fate. This was his warning to her: never fall in love with anyone.
Since many of her fellow disciples had broken this rule, she was the sole survivor of the Fu Zhou Jue Shi sect. This was likely why she had to live in seclusion, bearing the responsibility of being the last inheritor.
In the following days, Fu Mei seemed to deliberately avoid Yun Yan, remaining unseen throughout. Yet, Yun Yan continued to wait for her, silently.
Ming Zhi Tian knelt far from the Shen Lai ancient ruins, fretting over the two guards. "How can I get in? Fu Mei is missing, and I can't get the Illusory Eye Invisibility Talisman..."
Suddenly, someone patted his shoulder from behind. Ming Zhi Tian instinctively drew his sword, pointing it forward, as he didn't expect it to be Yun Yan.
"Don't misunderstand, my name is Mu Huai Tian."
Seeing that he meant no harm, Ming Zhi Tian sheathed his sword. He observed Mu Huai Tian's classical attire and the scattered mechanical parts hanging from his body, feeling a sense of familiarity.
Mu Huai Tian bowed respectfully. "I am an elder of the Mechanical Gate. Elder Chang Jiang is my senior brother."
Ming Zhi Tian's eyes lit up, and he quickly cupped his fists in return. "So you are a senior from the Mechanical Gate. Forgive my disrespect."
Mu Huai Tian looked puzzled. "A few days ago, I saw you in action. That was the Mechanical Gate's secret art, Blood Demon. You are the disciple of my senior brother, Elder Chang Jiang, aren't you?"
Ming Zhi Tian recalled his master, Elder Chang Jiang, had told him not to trust anyone. Though the person before him seemed harmless, he dared not forget his master's words.
"I do not know Elder Chang Jiang. I merely obtained a secret manual by chance and learned from it."
Mu Huai Tian found it plausible. "So that's how it is. May I see it?"
Ming Zhi Tian, noting his low cultivation, shook his head. "I destroyed the manual long ago. I'm sorry."
Mu Huai Tian smiled faintly. "It's alright... By the way, have you seen anything called the Shen Ji Ling?"
Ming Zhi Tian replied without hesitation, "No."
Mu Huai Tian chuckled awkwardly, seemingly trying to gauge something from Ming Zhi Tian's eyes. "It's nothing, just asking. But that item is very important to me. It concerns the token for the revival of the Mechanical Gate's legacy. If you find it or have any news about it, I am willing to exchange anything for it. Anything at all."
Ming Zhi Tian blinked. "That condition is worth considering!"
Mu Huai Tian's interest was piqued. "What? Have you thought of something? Where is the Shen Ji Ling?"
Ming Zhi Tian shook his head. "I don't know."
Mu Huai Tian sighed. "Alright, then I wish you good luck."
Ming Zhi Tian nodded. "Farewell, senior."
Mu Huai Tian flickered and disappeared, remaining in the shadows to observe. "This brat... Blood Demon... found it? Hmph, in my opinion, it's not that simple."
"Whoosh! Whoosh!" Two figures appeared.
"Xue Rou! Wu Tian! Greetings to the Old Ancestor of the Ink Gate."
Mu Huai Tian stood with his hands behind his back. "Have you gathered information about that boy's true identity?"
Xue Rou replied, "Reporting to the Old Ancestor, Ming Zhi Tian hails from the ancient cultivation world. He is currently at the sixth level of the Divine Emperor realm. He has always acted low-key and once served as a subordinate in the Xiaoling Immortal Mansion..."
"Acting low-key?" Mu Huai Tian's eyes were distant. "That sounds like my good senior brother's temperament. And you, what have you discovered?"