His Highness the Madman gave in again today.

"Huh...what?"

Yun Yihe's eyes flickered for a moment before he firmly denied it, "Go to the Nine Provinces Continent? No, it wasn't me... I'm too busy, how could I have time to go..."

"Yeah?"

A faint smile flashed in Mo Sangyu's eyes, but she didn't expose him: "Then maybe I saw it wrong."

"By the way, is there something you need this time?"

Yun Yihe quickly changed the subject.

"Yes, I'm here to find Yun Xian'er."

"Yun Xian'er... yes, her first meditation session is almost over, she should wake up in the next day or two... or should I take you there?"

"Will the Lord himself lead us there?"

Feng Xingyu's thin lips curved slightly, his smile carrying a hint of ambiguity: "Wouldn't that be far too condescending?"

Yun Yihe snorted softly, his gaze falling on Mo Sangyu.

Ok.

Little fish are cuter.

"What are you looking at?" Seeing Yun Yihe staring at Mo Sangyu, Feng Xingyu's eyes narrowed immediately, revealing a dangerous glint: "If you keep looking, I'll gouge out your red eyes and feed them to the fish."

"..."

Suddenly, Yun Yihe snapped to attention, seemingly recalling something.

He's actually capable of doing something like that.

"Then please make yourselves at home."

Yun Yihe subtly shifted his gaze, but inwardly he thought, "She's just a wife, what's so great about her?"

"alright."

Mo Sangyu was speechless. She glared at Feng Xingyu first, and then looked at Yun Yihe and said, "Eat quickly, and then take us to where Yun Xian'er is in seclusion."

"oh."

Yun Yihe responded lazily, then sat down and continued eating.

The two waited for him for a moment, but he didn't say anything more.

After the meal, whether willingly or unwillingly, I eventually led them to the back mountain.

Yun Yihe led them toward the back mountain.

The mountain path wasn't steep; the bluestone steps wound upwards, with ancient trees towering on both sides, their branches intertwined, completely blocking out the sun.

The higher you go, the stronger the spiritual energy becomes, refreshing your mind and spirit.

Mo Sangyu took a deep breath and looked around: "The spiritual energy here is much richer than in other parts of Cloud City."

Yun Yihe didn't even turn his head: "A spirit-gathering array has been set up on the back mountain, specifically for the clan's disciples to use in seclusion for cultivation. Usually, apart from healing injuries and breaking through, no one comes here."

After walking for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, a steep stone wall appeared ahead.

A stone door was carved into the rock face. The door was tightly closed, and a faint, cold light shone through the cracks.

Yun Yihe stopped and turned to look at them.

"This is it."

He raised his chin and pointed to the stone door: "Yun Xian'er is inside. I can't be sure when she'll wake up. You'll have to wait for her yourselves."

After saying that, he turned and walked down the mountain, waving his hand behind him: "You're welcome."

Mo Sangyu watched his retreating figure and couldn't help but curl her lips into a smile.

"This Yun Yihe is actually more pleasing to the eye than before."

Feng Xingyu let out a cold laugh.

"I hate it even more than before."

Mo Sangyu turned to look at him: "Don't be jealous for no reason."

Feng Xingyu's gaze fell on the direction where Yun Yihe had disappeared, a cold, dark glint in his eyes: "He has a criminal record."

Back then, Yun Yihe, right under his nose, said he wanted to take Ayu away from the Great Chen Palace, and even took her away in front of him.

He would remember that moment of panic and despair for the rest of his life.

"What?"

Mo Sangyu was stunned for a moment before she realized what he meant.

She sighed and reached out to squeeze his fingers: "Let bygones be bygones. After all, we still need him to stay and guard the Cloud Clan. We can't let him really run away."

Feng Xingyu pursed his lips and remained silent.

Sooner or later, he'll have to experience that kind of feeling.

"pity……"

Seeing a hint of regret flash in Feng Xingyu's eyes, Mo Sangyu asked suspiciously, "What's a pity?"

"It's nothing."

Feng Xingyu put his arm around her shoulder, and the two stood at the doorway. A gentle breeze blew, causing her hair to flutter silently.

They were extremely lucky; just as they were about to find a place to sit down and wait, they sensed that the person inside had woken up.

This kind of meditation-based healing method requires them to wake up once, and then forcibly enter a second meditation within an hour at most, so they don't have much time left.

As a descendant of the entire Yun clan, Feng Xingyu was naturally able to open the stone gate.

He simply raised his hand and placed it on the stone door. A faint red mist welled up from his palm and seeped into the crack in the door.

The stone gate emitted a muffled rumble and slowly slid open to both sides.

The cave was small, with smooth walls, as if it had been carved out of the mountain by some force.

Several lamps were lit in the corner, their wicks burning with a ghostly blue flame, illuminating the room as if it were the deep sea.

The spiritual energy in the air was so rich it was almost condensed into water droplets; even a single breath made one feel their meridians throb.

In the very center stood a jade bed, its entire surface pure white, gleaming with a cool, serene light.

Yun Xian'er lay there with her eyes closed, her face still somewhat pale, surrounded by a faint silvery-white halo.

The halo seemed to have a life of its own, flickering and rising gently with her breath.

Feng Xingyu and Mo Sangyu walked to the jade bed and looked down at Yun Xian'er.

Her eyelashes trembled, and she slowly opened her eyes.

His gaze went from blurry to clear, lingered for a moment on Feng Xingyu's face, and then moved to Mo Sangyu's face.

A hint of confusion flashed in her eyes, and her mind went blank for a moment.

"woke up?"

A clear and gentle voice came from beside my ear.

Yun Xian'er's memories slowly returned. She tried to sit up, supporting herself on the jade bed, but Mo Sangyu gently pressed her down: "Lie down, you shouldn't move around right now."

Yun Xian'er glanced at her, but didn't insist, and lay back down.

Her voice was a little hoarse: "Why...did you get here?"

"We've come to ask you something."

To save time, Mo Sangyu didn't beat around the bush: "Regarding my mother-in-law, we suspect that her disappearance may be related to the Rong clan. I know that you are the closest to her, and you know many inside stories that outsiders don't know."

"So please tell us everything you know about the past."

Yun Xian'er remained silent for a long time before finally sitting up from the jade bed and leaning against the stone wall.

She was still radiating a faint glow, which was spiritual energy repairing her body and the special power in her dantian.

"There are indeed very few people who know about some of the things that happened back then."

Yun Xian'er sighed softly, as if lost in a distant memory.

Since Feng Xingyu and Mo Sangyu both came to ask her personally, she naturally didn't hide anything and told them everything she knew.

Back then, Yun Xian'er was still little, and she would always follow Yun Wangshu around, calling out "Sister Wangshu," wanting to play with her.

Therefore, I do know more about her than others do.

The three brothers of the previous generation of the Rong clan each had their own integrity and were all chosen ones.

As the eldest daughter of the Yun clan, Yun Wangshu had a close relationship with the three brothers of the Rong clan since childhood. They grew up together and had a good relationship.

She was born with a bright and beautiful appearance, a carefree and cheerful personality, and a love for freedom. She warmed everyone around her like a little sun.

The three brothers of the Rong clan all doted on her.

When they were young, their feelings were pure, but as they grew up, their thoughts changed without them realizing it.

The eldest brother, Rong Yanzhi, is the heir to the direct line of succession. He is gentle and dignified, and he and Yun Wangshu have been bound by a predestined marriage since childhood, with the eldest daughter of the Yun clan destined to marry the patriarch of the Rong clan.

However, he only ever regarded Yun Wangshu as his younger sister. He had a true love in his heart, who later became the wife of the Rong Clan's patriarch, Ling Xueyuan. The two were deeply in love and had a son and a daughter after their marriage.

That is, Rong Xuanci and Mo Sangyu.

The second elder brother, Rong Xiuyuan, was gentle and modest, and had a delicate mind.

He developed inappropriate feelings for Yun Wangshu from a very young age, but he knew that Yun Wangshu was destined to become the future Lord's wife and his sister-in-law. He should not, and could not, have such thoughts.

Therefore, his love for Yun Wangshu was kept hidden in his heart, never crossing the line. He always respected and protected her, silently offering warmth without ever forcing her with his love.

The variable lies with the third brother, Rong Huaijin.

He is obsessive, ruthless, and extremely possessive.

Rong Huaijin was the first to express that he had different feelings for Yun Wangshu.

At first, because of her engagement to her elder brother, Rong Huaijin was jealous and resentful, and hated the engagement to the Venerable Lord to the bone, but she still tried her best to restrain herself.

Later, she learned that her elder brother already had someone he loved and only regarded Yun Wangshu as a younger sister. Yun Wangshu also did not like her elder brother. The two had been secretly planning how to break off their engagement.

From then on, Rong Huaijin could no longer restrain himself. He was convinced that Yun Wangshu could only be his. His obsession with Yun Wangshu was deep in his bones. He couldn't bear to see her close to others, and even his second brother, Rong Xiuyuan, would make him jealous and target Rong Xiuyuan in every way.

This change in relationship left Yun Wangshu feeling lost and disoriented, and she was no longer as close to Rong Huaijin as before.

Later, Rong Yanzhi succeeded to the position of the clan leader. The clan elders pressured Rong Yanzhi to marry Yun Wangshu as soon as possible to solidify the alliance between the two clans.

Seeing that the two were about to succumb to the pressure and the broken engagement could not be dissolved, Rong Huaijin completely lost control and declared in public: "No one but me can touch Ashu."

Only then did the Rong clan realize that Rong Huaijin harbored wicked thoughts of coveting his future sister-in-law.

This enraged the Rong clan elders, who all rebuked Rong Huaijin. Even Rong Xiuyuan stood on the opposite side, criticizing him for having such thoughts.

Rong Huaijin, however, did not care. He went against the entire clan for Yun Wangshu's sake, and even disregarded Yun Wangshu's wishes, forcibly taking her away and fleeing the Yun and Rong clans.

This matter escalated to the point where it was impossible to resolve.

However, the news was suppressed by the combined efforts of the two races.

It's not exactly honorable for a younger brother to covet his sister-in-law.

Those who knew the truth were all respected elders, and Yun Xian'er only knew the general outline. As for how Yun Wangshu left Cangxuan Realm and how she ended up in the Nine Provinces Continent, she knew nothing.

When she learned that Yun Wangshu might be on the Nine Provinces Continent and wanted to go find her, she had a conflict with Yun Yihe and was imprisoned in the Black Swamp Forbidden Land by him.

Fortunately, Yun Jin kept in touch with her. Although he couldn't help her get out of the forbidden area, he could help her find someone in the Nine Provinces Continent.

However, when they found her, she had not only gotten married and had children, but she had also lost her memory and was imprisoned in the cold palace.

Yun Jin went there several times, wanting to take the mother and child away, but Yun Wangshu didn't believe him. He could only try to help her regain her memory first, but she chose to fake her death to escape.

Feng Xingyu and Mo Sangyu knew what happened next.

"A-Shu possesses the power of resurrection. I know that the fire back then couldn't have killed her, so in the years that followed, I kept asking A-Jin to help me find her. Unfortunately, A-Jin's abilities are limited, and he has never been able to find any news about her."

"Then you..."

After hearing the whole truth, Mo Sangyu finally raised a question: "Didn't you ever consider that Rong Huaijin found her, took her away, and hid her?"

"Of course I've thought about it."

Yun Xian'er sighed, "Ah Jin has been tracking and investigating Third Master Rong more than once, for nearly two years, but he hasn't found anything."

"Master Rong has not married for so many years. Given his personality, he is indeed highly suspicious and still harbors ulterior motives towards Ashu."

"But we have no evidence, and he hasn't shown anything suspicious. If we just go and question him based on guesses and suspicions, we won't find out where Ashu is, and we'll only make him wary."

After saying these things, Yun Xian'er entered a deep meditation and fell asleep again.

She has already told them everything she knows.

Upon exiting the stone cave, Feng Xingyu, who had remained silent until now, spoke softly, "Ayu, Mother Consort... she must have been imprisoned and deprived of her freedom."

Otherwise, she wouldn't have stayed away from him all these years, letting him be bullied and struggle to survive.

"Yun Xian'er just said that my mother loves freedom, but she has spent most of her life being trapped by others..."

He couldn't even bear to think what if, during these past ten years or so, his mother had been...

How painful must her life be?

Mo Sangyu patted his head reassuringly: "Don't worry, we're getting closer to the truth. We'll find her soon, and soon she'll be free."

Feng Xingyu lowered his head slightly, rubbing his hand against hers. His mood remained low, but his aura grew colder: "If it really was your third uncle who did it... I will kill him!"

"it is good."

Mo Sangyu's single, unwavering word slightly improved his mood.

"Let's go try our luck with the Rong tribe."

Yun Xian'er was right when she said that unless there is concrete evidence or they can directly follow and catch Rong Huaijin in the act, they should not rashly question Rong Huaijin. Making Rong Huaijin wary will only make it harder for them to find him.

The couple descended the mountain, preparing to teleport to the outskirts of Rongjing City.

With Mo Sangyu, the legitimate daughter of the Rong clan, they could enter without anyone else leading the way.

However, as soon as they descended the mountain, they saw Yun Yao guarding the foot of the mountain. Upon seeing the two of them, she immediately stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, Your Highness, the Rong Clan's Lord has arrived."

Big brother's here?

Mo Sangyu and Feng Xingyu exchanged a glance, a strange light flashing in their eyes at the same time. They then quickened their pace and headed towards the clan.

Rong Xuanci must have discovered something if he came to find them at this time.

Sure enough, as soon as they met, Rong Xuanci said in a deep voice, "Third Uncle really did keep a woman outside. When I went to the Nine Provinces Continent to find you, I learned that you had come to the Cangxuan Realm, so I guessed that you might be from the Yun Clan."

"Yu'er, brother-in-law, come with me quickly. Third Uncle is in the clan right now and could leave at any time. Once he leaves, who knows when he'll come back? This time, we'll secretly follow him. If the woman he's keeping on the side is..."

He paused for a moment, then continued, "Actually, I think it's unlikely. If it really is Aunt Wangshu, how could she have remained so quiet for so many years, unless..."

"unless."

Feng Xingyu picked up where he left off, a murderous intent emanating from him: "Her freedom has been restricted!"