"What's wrong?" Li Shiqing asked softly.
Her tone was as distant as if she were speaking to a stranger, showing no sign that the two were engaged.
Qing Buli also shook his head coldly, saying nothing, only glancing at Jiang Ruomei.
Jiang Ruomei continued to cry, saying "I'm sorry," before finally fainting. Li Shiqing quickly caught her.
Jin Lingfeng frantically searched for Jin Lingyun's remains, finally finding only the lone "culprit," the Thousand Year Black Iron Sword, and some scraps of cloth amidst the crocodile swarm.
His face was as pale as paper, his mind absent, dragging down the progress of the entire large group.
Yun Youyue said impatiently, "Little Martial Uncle, the deceased are gone. Besides mourning, we must look forward. Don't forget, we have more important things to do."
Jin Lingfeng and Jin Lingyun, the two brothers, were not like other royal siblings who engaged in fratricide. On the contrary, they were as close as brothers. Jin Lingfeng, in particular, trusted and relied heavily on Jin Lingyun.
This was partly because Jin Lingyun and his consort had saved Jin Lingfeng. It was also because Jin Lingfeng lacked Jin Lingyun's deep scheming and worldly wisdom. His smooth sailing and prosperity in the Artifact Forging Peak over the years were largely due to Jin Lingyun's advice.
He said sadly, "Youyue, I have no older brother anymore."
Yun Youyue disdained his cowardly demeanor, but remembering she still needed his help, she offered perfunctory comfort, "If Jin Lingyun were still alive, he wouldn't want you to waste away for him. Little Martial Uncle, you must pull yourself together."
"You are right."
Jin Lingfeng emerged from his grief and looked up to see Li Shiqing, dressed in red.
He knitted his brows tightly and said unhappily, "My older brother is dead, why are you still wearing red?"
"Ah?"
Before Li Shiqing could react, she heard Qing Buli and the now-awake Jiang Ruomei speak in succession.
"Change your clothes."
"Junior Sister Li, let us show some respect for the deceased. Your attire is inappropriate."
Li Shiqing, being straightforward, felt a bit confused but didn't dwell on it. She readily agreed, "Okay."
After she changed into a different outfit, Jin Lingfeng added, "As a woman, you should wear less colorful clothing. Modesty and reserve are the proper way."
Li Shiqing clenched her sword hilt, her jaw set, and did not respond. She didn't want to argue with someone who had lost a loved one.
"Jiang Ruomei, why did you leave the team without authorization?" Yun Youyue suddenly asked.
She was proud and reserved, single-mindedly focused on finding Emperor Starfall Di Huan as soon as possible. She did not speak to anyone except Jin Lingfeng along the way.
Her sudden question startled Jiang Ruomei, who feared Yun Youyue would blame her for Jin Lingyun's death.
Jiang Ruomei quickly explained, "Senior Brother Jin and I discovered that the Vermilion Bird was intercepted here, so we didn't go with you to find Fellow Daoist Qing. We followed in this direction."
She pointed in a direction similar to where Bai Shengyi and the others had left, "Could it be..."
"Is it Bai Shengyi and them?" Jin Lingfeng interjected.
Jiang Ruomei's heart leaped with joy, surprised that she had so smoothly made Yun Youyue suspect Bai Shengyi and the others. However, she remained silent, looking at Jin Lingfeng timidly.
Jin Lingfeng took her silence as agreement and continued to analyze, "It's not impossible. This Highness remembers that Senior Sister Qianying mentioned in the main hall that Bai Shengyi entered the secret realm also to search for medicinal herbs to cure his eyes..."
"Why didn't you mention something so important earlier!" Yun Youyue rebuked. She had forgotten that Starfall Di Huan was also a divine medicine coveted by alchemists and herbalists.
Jin Lingfeng was completely suppressed by Yun Youyue's aura. He didn't dare retort when scolded and said softly, "I'm sorry, Youyue, I... I didn't think of it for a moment..."
Yun Youyue was irritated by his pathetic appearance. Was he still the Crown Prince of the Golden Sparrow Kingdom? It was truly laughable!
Yun Youyue, somewhat agitated, contacted the previous Vermilion Bird and found it was indeed out of contact. This feeling of losing control made her face extremely grim.
"From now on, we travel at full speed. Anyone who falls behind again will not be spared!"
She cast a warning glance at everyone, released another Vermilion Bird to lead the way, and then flew ahead on her sword.
Perhaps it was Yun Youyue's warning, but the subsequent journey was very smooth. After three days of travel, they followed the Vermilion Bird to the edge of a desert.
The scene was extremely strange and ominous.
The boundless desert was swept by yellow sand, desolate and bleak. However, about a meter above the desert, dark clouds and mist swirled, creating a suffocating and oppressive atmosphere.
Jiang Ruomei even suspected that Yun Youyue had led them astray.
But seeing Yun Youyue surveying the surroundings, she dared not speak.
"There are signs of a struggle. Bai Shengyi and them might have arrived earlier. Everyone be careful," Yun Youyue said, tilting her chin. "Qing Buli, Li Shiqing, you two go scout ahead."
The quieter it was, the more vigilant Yun Youyue became.
Qing Buli and Li Shiqing did not move.
"Don't waste time, you two. We've sheltered you all this way, are you unwilling to contribute even this little effort?" Before Yun Youyue could get angry, Jiang Ruomei, eager to please, spoke up.
Li Shiqing frowned, suppressing her anger. They had dealt with spiritual beasts and the like along the way, while these three had benefited from their efforts. Now they dared to speak of sheltering them?
She was straightforward and generous, but not foolish.
If she hadn't promised Qing Buli to travel together earlier, she would have left on her own.
Just as she was about to refuse, Qing Buli said, "Senior Sister Yun, Shi Qing and I are both injured. We may not be able to scout effectively."
His voice was weak and calm, yet carried an unrefutable force.
Yun Youyue was slightly surprised, then said indifferently, "Then Jiang Ruomei, you go."
After all, their status in her eyes was the same. Thinking this, she urged, "Hurry up, don't waste time."
Jiang Ruomei's expression changed, but she dared not argue. She obediently flew her sword into the desert.
"Shengyi, how did you know Jiang Ruomei was up to something?"
Feng Wuya watched as Jiang Ruomei said something, and then Yun Youyue's group rushed towards the direction they had previously left. He had to praise Bai Shengyi's foresight.
If Bai Shengyi hadn't feigned a move in front of Jiang Ruomei with him and Zhu Wu, then circled around to the rear of Yun Youyue's group, they would have clashed.
Feng Wuya wasn't afraid of confronting Yun Youyue, as they were all after Starfall Di Huan, and a confrontation was inevitable sooner or later. However, Zhu Wu was still unconscious, so a direct confrontation wasn't the best option.
"That's not important," Bai Shengyi said, not finding it strange. Jiang Ruomei was essentially a calculating woman, comparable to the hypocritical Bai Murong.
However, if this person remained, it would be very beneficial to her.
"Then what is important now?" Feng Wuya asked, holding a small handkerchief, looking somewhat confused.
Bai Shengyi smiled but did not answer. Instead, he said, "Let's not rush to find Starfall Di Huan for now. Let's find a place to wait for Zhu Wu to wake up and rest."
Feng Wuya, though puzzled, had come to trust Bai Shengyi's words, so he immediately picked up Zhu Wu.
"Then we need to hurry, it's getting dark."
The two searched for half an hour and found a place with both water and relative safety.
The crescent cat in Bai Shengyi's arms seemed to have gained sentience and instantly woke up, meowing.
Bai Shengyi took out the Moonstone Grass. The cat coiled next to it, as if drunk, holding the stem and inhaling, looking blissfully ecstatic and serene.
Bai Shengyi then took out a grill and fish bought from the mess hall. The Tengmeng Vine voluntarily slid from his wrist, skewered the fish, allowing Bai Shengyi to light the fire and start grilling. After it was cooked, he gave two fish to Bai Shengyi, while the Tengmeng Vine took another to feed the cat.
Feng Wuya, watching all this: ... dumbfounded.