Why did you provoke me?

Yu Meng was very puzzled by Niannian's words. So she stared at Niannian, as if she wouldn't let her go until she explained herself.

Niannian smiled. "Fourth Sister, what is your purpose in wanting to write a book?"

"Of course I'll tell..." Yu Meng paused here. Could she tell Niannian her guesses? And then have Niannian write them down in the book.

He sighed. "I haven't decided yet."

Niannian smiled, "Don't you feel like you have a lot to say that you could write down, but when you think about it carefully, you don't know how to write it down?"

Yu Meng just stared at Niannian like that.

"If we're just writing some storybooks, then exaggerating a bit is fine. But if we want to write about real events, then we have to think it over carefully, otherwise it's easy to mislead readers." Niannian also sighed, "I don't want to write a book like a storybook, so although I have the idea, I haven't put pen to paper yet."

"Don't you really like watching that kind of thing?"

"I like it. But I don't want to write that kind of thing?"

"So what kind of thing do you want to write?" Yu Meng was genuinely curious.

"I... want to write..." Niannian didn't say what she wanted to write in the end.

"Oh, Fourth Sister, let's not talk about that anymore, that's all for later. Let's talk about this big rock now, is there really something good inside?"

"The little black cat said, a little, but not much."

"What do you mean?" Niannian stared wide-eyed at Yu Meng. "There is, there is. How come there aren't many?"

"It means that this thing is too old, and it can no longer retain the energy inside."

"Ah, then you've wasted your time." Niannian's thoughts coincided with Yu Meng's.

"Not really. The little black cat said there's still a tiny bit of energy left inside, which it can absorb."

"That's good!" Niannian said without asking any further questions.

The two went back inside. "Fourth Sister, how many of those line drawings do you know?"

"What, you want to learn something else?"

"Yes, I do." Niannian was very straightforward. "Such useful methods should be prepared in larger quantities, especially the special ones, which I prefer."

Yu Meng tossed the book to her, "Then figure it out yourself. Keep the book safe, don't lose it."

"Fourth Sister, you're joking, right? You think things can get stolen here? You underestimate them."

Seeing that Yu Meng's expression had changed, Niannian quickly changed her mind, "Okay, okay, I'll listen to Fourth Sister."

"Niannian, you should have seen the photos in Jing San's communication bell. Those people are different from us; they'll do anything to achieve their goals."

"Fourth Sister, do you know something?" Niannian stood in front of Yu Meng. "Fourth Sister, I know you feel sorry for me, but I'm not a child anymore. Is Third Brother's situation really that bad?"

Yu Meng nodded. "Indeed, someone came down to investigate this matter."

"From the same place as the lame old man?"

Yu Meng nodded.

"Are we in danger?" Niannian asked immediately afterward.

"If the investigation leads to Jingchuan, we might all be implicated."

Niannian was stunned and sat down abruptly in a chair. "Fourth Sister, is it too late to give up on Third Brother?"

"It's too late, and besides, are you willing to give it up?"

Niannian's eyes suddenly lit up. "You said it's too late, so why should we give up on him?"

Yu Meng couldn't help but laugh out loud.

Niannian shook her hands and stomped her foot. "Fourth Sister, what time is it? You're still joking with me."

"no."

Yu Meng's smile faded. "The danger I was referring to also comes from those two seniors."

"What happened to them?"

"A group of people came down from above looking for them; they were the kind who would rather die than not see their bodies."

"It's that serious. What did they do?"

Yu Meng shook her head. "I've tried to probe them several times, but they haven't said anything or revealed any information."

Niannian's eyes widened again. "They used you as a knife?"

Yu Meng touched her nose. "Not really, since they gave us quite a lot."

Yu Meng sighed inwardly. Could she say that all of this was just a facade? What truly offended these people might be the small water droplet on her neck.

Time passed quickly. Three days later, Secret Shadow sent back a message: Guihong Pavilion was searching for the alien mother crystal core.

It is said that a master has confirmed that a real alien mother crystal core exists in this world.

The huge weight that had been hanging over Yu Meng's throat finally lifted. It was exactly as she had guessed.

Now that four groups of people have come down, whatever their purpose may be, they all have only one objective: to seize the alien mother crystal core.

Yu Meng's mind raced. Four groups of people—that meant there were four forces in the lower realm.

These four forces are all quite powerful.

She needed to find a way to make these people fight amongst themselves. That way, they wouldn't bother her anymore.

The most urgent task is to identify these forces.

Having figured all this out, she gave Shadow a new task: to find out about these four factions.

The Shadows were completely bewildered when they received the mission. The four mysterious groups corresponded to four different factions.

The key issue is those four mysterious groups. He doesn't know who they are, so how can he find the four forces that correspond to them?

Having no other choice, he secretly slipped away to the cripple's courtyard.

"Old Temple Master, you must show me a way out. I don't understand the tasks the new Temple Master you chose gave me, how am I supposed to carry them out?"

The cripple didn't say anything, just watched Secret Shadow perform.

He practically trained Mi Ying himself, and he knew Mi Ying's tricks inside and out. Mi Ying was someone who could adapt to any situation to achieve his goals.

After all that sob story, the cripple was still sitting in his wheelchair, leisurely drinking tea.

He sighed inwardly; this old temple master was becoming increasingly difficult to fool.

"Sigh, you silly boy, couldn't you have asked one more question? Since Yu Meng said that, she still has clues about those four groups of people."

"I know. But if I asked, it would make me seem so incompetent," Secret Shadow said hesitantly, explaining why he didn't ask.

The cripple slammed his teacup down on the table. "So coming here isn't embarrassing for you?"

"You've done all sorts of shameful things; if you wanted to be shameful, you would have embarrassed yourself long ago."

"You think you can take me for granted, can you?" The cripple looked around angrily. Secret Shadow shrewdly handed him a broom. "Please be gentle. This belongs to someone else. If you break it, you'll have to pay for it."

The lame man was caught between a rock and a hard place: whether to hit him or not.

Finally, he threw the broom aside and said, "Stay away from me. I can't hit you now, even if I wanted to."

Shadow approached, "I won't run, you can hit me all you want. If it weren't for you back then, who knows what would have become of me?"

"Secret Shadow, are you upset that I gave you all away to other people?"

"No, you have your reasons for doing things."

The cripple picked up his teacup again. "Yu Meng is very protective of her own. You won't suffer if you follow her."

"I know. I knew she was a good person when she agreed to let me go and save my sister. That's why I've always done my best for her."

"Then what are you doing here tonight?"

Secret Shadow looked up. "Of course I've come to see how you're doing."

"Anything else?"

"Also, I want to confirm whether this quest issued by the Temple Master is related to you?"

"And the answer?"

"You know that the Temple Master has connections to four groups of people, which proves that you know about this matter. And given your personality, you would never meddle in other people's business."