Shi Rui’er glanced at her strangely. “Sky-Cloud Empire?”

Jiang Zhiyuan tugged at her lips, but there was no smile in her eyes. “Yeah, don’t you know? The princess consort of the Sky-Cloud Empire coincidentally has a legendary three-eyed eagle. She also has a red-tailed phoenix at the same time.”

“She has an agreement with two fiends, and they’re both legendary fiends? How is that possible?” Shi Rui’er’s first reaction was to shake her head.

Fiends were very prideful; it was impossible for them to choose to serve the same master at the same time, let alone two legendary fiends.

“I wouldn’t dare to lie in front of you, Senior Sister. You can go and ask around to know if it’s true or false.” Talking about this, Jiang Zhiyuan’s blood boiled. If it weren’t because Shangguan Yue had two legendary fiends, how could I possibly lose? Even now, I still don’t know how exactly Shangguan Yue did that. 

Hearing Jiang Zhiyuan say this, Shi Rui’er was rather surprised. Jiang Zhiyuan really has no need to lie about such things. After all, I can easily know about it if I ask the Sky-Cloud Empire. So that means… it is actually true? 

“If it’s true, then I really have to go there when I have the chance in the future.” Shi Rui’er thought for a moment and suddenly laughed. “She’s really worthy of being the princess consort that Rong Xiu chose. It seems like she isn’t as unworthy as the rumors in school say, right? Jiang Zhiyuan, what do you think?”

Jiang Zhiyuan’s expression froze.

Shi Rui’er was clearly mocking her! That was because all the rumors that were spreading about the Sky-Cloud Empire’s Princess Consort basically came from her back then.

Of course, she wouldn’t say anything good about the other party. After much spreading, it became even worse.

Jiang Zhiyuan forced a smile. “…Senior Sister, you’re right.”

“I’m not sure what’s wrong with the academy these few years as there are always people causing trouble out of nowhere. Some people aren’t as capable as others, yet they aren’t thinking of how to diligently cultivate and be better. Instead, they keep thinking of ways to spread false rumors about other people and even ruin their reputation to drag them down…” Shi Rui’er coldly snorted. “Sometimes, they really deserve to be taught a lesson.”

Jiang Zhiyuan was so angered that she couldn’t speak as her face flashed white and red.

Chu Liuyue watched on from the side and raised her brows slightly. Tsk. I really rarely see Jiang Zhiyuan being stumped in front of one person. Even in the Sky-Cloud Empire back then, she acted as if she was half the master. But in front of Shi Rui’er, she has to act gingerly, terrified that Shi Rui’er will do something to her. If it weren’t because the time isn’t right, I really want to go up and ask what happened. 

“Oh right! Jiang Zhiyuan, you previously said that they were ambushed again when you guys escaped, and that’s also the reason you separated from the rest, right?”

Jiang Zhiyuan nodded rather nervously, as if she still had lingering fear about the previous incident.

“Well, why don’t you tell us what exactly happened back then?”

Jiang Zhiyuan muttered, “…I was too nervous at that time, so I only focused on escaping. I don’t remember the things that happened clearly…”

“Then. just tell us in detail about how you fled.” Shi Rui’er emphasized the word ‘fled’ in a seemingly laughing manner. “The more detailed your description, the more useful it is to us. It can’t be that… you’re not willing to say this either, right?”

Jiang Zhiyuan felt guilty, and her mind quickly spun. This Shi Rui’er is very sharp and critical! I did meet with two attacks, and I did escape in the middle of the chaos, but the truth Is very different from what I had told Elder Hua Feng and the rest at the start. If I say it… 

No! I definitely can’t say it! I can’t let them find out what happened back then! If I do—

“Senior Sister, you’ve misunderstood. Why wouldn’t I talk about it? M-my mind is still quite messy now. Let me think about it carefully…”

“You should think about it.” Shi Rui’er laughed lightly. “When you’re done tidying up your thoughts and have figured out what you’re going to say, it’s not too late to tell us then.”

This sentence sounded weird somehow, but Jiang Zhiyuan couldn’t find a way to retaliate. Thus, she could only suppress the anger.

She looked down, and her light gaze seemed frail and pitiful.

Nobody saw the grievances that flashed across her eyes.

It wasn’t the first or second time that Shi Rui’er had targeted her, and it wasn’t like Jiang Zhiyuan didn’t hate her. However, Shi Rui’er was the legitimate Second Miss of the Flying Star Sect, and she was nurtured as the next successor from a young age. She had a distinguished status, and she was more talented and capable than her.

The two were worlds apart, so she could only hold it back. Luckily, Shi Rui’er left after a few months.

Jiang Zhiyuan didn’t expect to meet her a few years down the road!

“Yeah, Rui’er is right. Rest properly and tidy up your thoughts. Then, you can try your best to recount the entire incident clearly. That way, perhaps we might be able to get clues to find Bo Yan and the rest,” Elder Hua Feng agreed with Shi Rui’er’s words and added.

Jiang Zhiyuan could only smile forcefully. “Yes, I understand.”

…

The crowd walked for a distance, and the sky completely turned black.

The temperature at night was extremely low. If they stayed at the same spot, they had to waste a large amount of force to maintain their body temperature. And if they weren’t careful, they might just sleep forever.

Hence, the crowd chose to continue going forward.

In the dark sky, the moon wasn’t to be seen, and there were only a few stars shining.

The crowd silently walked forward.

Suddenly, Shangguan Jing’s voice sounded in Chu Liuyue’s ears. “Yue’er.”

Chu Liuyue was quite surprised. “Ancestor? What’s the matter?”

Shangguan Jing paused and said, “I feel that… this place is very familiar.”

His voice was very light, but it sounded like thunder to Chu Liuyue’s ears. She knew very clearly that if there wasn’t something important, her ancestor wouldn’t randomly say this.

“Did you recall something?” Chu Liuyue asked in her heart lightly.

“Not yet, but… I should’ve been here before.” In actual fact, he had this feeling ever since they reached the Flood-Desert Northern Region and got out of the transportation formation. As they kept going forward, the feeling became increasingly stronger. It was only now that he could finally say it with certainty.

Chu Liuyue found it weird. “Are you sure?”

Shangguan Jing simply replied, “I think I know… where to walk from here.”

Chu Liuyue suddenly stopped in her tracks.

“Chu Yue, what’s the matter?” Elder Hua Feng was walking beside Chu Liuyue the whole time. Seeing that the latter suddenly stopped, he couldn’t help but turn around and glance at her curiously.

Chu Liuyue recovered her senses and smiled to hide her thoughts. “It’s nothing, but I feel a little tired.”

Elder Hua Feng sighed, and white mist escaped from his mouth.

It was indeed too cold here, and it was very effortful to walk.

“I think everyone is also tired too. Why don’t we all sit down and rest for an hour?”

This suggestion gained everyone’s agreement. In actual fact, after traveling for a day, they couldn’t hang on for much longer.

Everyone cleared an empty spot on the snowy ground and sat down cross-legged as they recuperated respectively.

The only benefit here was that the force was still quite rich.

Chu Liuyue also sat down and closed her eyes. “Ancestor, please continue.”