The moment Ziqing and Baili Weisheng scaled the wall, they immediately spotted a man standing with his arms crossed right before the main entrance of the Consort Manor’s grand hall, watching them from afar!

This person was none other than Jun Beiyue himself!

Ziqing and Baili Weisheng were indeed startled, but they quickly recovered. Baili Weisheng pursed his lips and, mimicking Jun Beiyue, crossed his arms and leaned against the wall as well.

That this fellow would show up here at all — it seemed he and Ziqing had arrived late. Whatever they could have investigated, this man had already investigated.

Ziqing, both startled and delighted, rushed over. “How did you get here first?”

“I came with General Hei Hu to verify a few things nearby, and stopped by on the way,” Jun Beiyue answered — clearly there was more behind his words. Ziqing understood immediately: it seemed the internal chaos in Xi Jing and Xuanyuan Lige’s trip to meet Minhan Mude’er in the Xiongnu lands were somehow connected after all.

But for now, none of this was Ziqing’s immediate concern!

So far, Xuanyuan Lige still hadn’t exposed them to Nanzhao — that, perhaps, was the last remaining line he hadn’t crossed!

Everyone harbored ambitions to vie for the realm, especially descendants of royal houses. Whatever Xuanyuan Lige intended to do, she was willing to stand shoulder to shoulder with Jun Beiyue and see it through to the end!

Right now, what concerned Ziqing most was still the whereabouts of Yelu Qianqian and Situ Haonan.

Situ Haonan’s martial arts ranked among the very best in Longyuan — unless he’d been restrained by something, there weren’t many who could have captured him.

“Any news of Situ and the others?” Ziqing asked urgently.

“It’s not just us searching for them — the Eighth Prince of Xi Jing is searching for them too,” Jun Beiyue said flatly.

At this, Baili Weisheng, who had been leaning nonchalantly to the side, immediately straightened up, exclaiming in shock, “What?”

The internal chaos in Xi Jing had, after all, been triggered precisely by the Eighth Prince.

The Xi Jing emperor had intended to pass the throne to Yelu Qianqian, and naturally all the other princes were displeased. Yet Yelu Qianqian hadn’t taken in a husband to rule alongside her — instead, she’d married down to Situ Haonan, making it plain to everyone that she had no interest in the position of Empress!

The internal chaos in Xi Jing had broken out not long after Situ Haonan married Yelu Qianqian.

It was the Eighth Prince’s attempt to usurp the throne that had sparked the unrest. Now, the old emperor was being held in check by the Eighth Prince, and the chaos was nearly drawing to a close.

“I thought the Eighth Prince was using the old emperor to threaten the two of them — why would he also be searching for people?” Ziqing was equally puzzled. If they hadn’t been abducted by the Eighth Prince, then things were more complicated.

What else could possibly restrain Situ Haonan?

“What about Situ City and Nangong City?” Baili Weisheng asked.

“Neither knows Situ Haonan has gone missing,” Jun Beiyue said flatly — the shadow guards had already checked thoroughly.

“Could it be…” Baili Weisheng was startled, looking at Ziqing in shock.

“Could it be that Situ Haonan ran into someone with martial arts skill above his own…” Ziqing murmured, sounding almost unbelieving.

But even if that were true, why abduct them in the first place?

If it were about the succession struggle in Xi Jing, whoever had taken them should have already revealed their leverage by now!

“Situ Haonan’s residence has been searched thoroughly. The servants said he and Princess Qianqian only stayed home two days after the wedding before heading south — probably to come find us,” Jun Beiyue added.

At the moment, there wasn’t a single lead to go on — the Longyuan mainland was so vast, finding someone in it was no easy task.

This was the Consort Manor, the residence they were meant to stay in whenever they returned to the capital — they’d never actually lived here. The entire estate was still plastered with festive red “double happiness” characters.

This was the last place left to search. Jun Beiyue circled the grounds once, and found nothing either!

“If it’s an abduction, the purpose is surely leverage — sooner or later, word will come out. What worries me is if it’s a vendetta killing,” Baili Weisheng said thoughtfully.

At this, a name immediately surfaced in Ziqing’s mind. “Wanyan Lie!”

Situ Haonan moved in the martial world, so having enemies was nothing unusual — but the feud with Wanyan Lie was anything but ordinary!

“Wanyan Lie can’t touch him!” Jun Beiyue snorted coldly, his deep eyes turning complicated, as though he’d thought of something, yet held back from saying it.

“Either way, as long as there’s suspicion, there’s hope — let’s set out for Xiliang at once!”

Ziqing was anxious. If Situ Haonan and his wife had fallen into Wanyan Lie’s hands, the consequences were simply unimaginable!

As she spoke, she turned to leave — but after only a few steps, she stopped abruptly, whirling back around, brows furrowed tight.

“What is it?”

“What are you staring at?”

Both Jun Beiyue and Baili Weisheng looked puzzled.

Ziqing, however, darted forward, squeezing between Baili Weisheng and Jun Beiyue, and rushed to the doorway, tearing down the large red “double happiness” character!

In that brief moment of turning her head, her gaze had swept across the character, and something had struck her as off!

Jun Beiyue and Baili Weisheng hurried over, and the moment they examined the red character closely, they understood at once what was going on, without Ziqing needing to say a word!

There, faintly visible on the character, was a flame — also red in color, but a shade lighter than the red of the character itself, resembling the color of fire!

The flame was actually quite obvious — only, if one hadn’t paid close attention to the character, one wouldn’t have noticed it at all!

Baili Weisheng immediately tore down the “double happiness” character from the other door, and found no flame on that one!

“This one was added on afterward — it’s a mark!” Ziqing murmured. This method was clearly the arrogant, provocative signature of someone who had committed murder and robbery, then set a fire and left their mark behind!

“So there really was a purpose behind it! But what does this mark mean…” Ziqing frowned, puzzled.

Yet Jun Beiyue and Baili Weisheng spoke almost in unison, “The Flame Mountains of Xiliang!”

“What?” Ziqing was startled. The Flame Mountains of Xiliang — what kind of place was that?

“This is going to be troublesome!” Baili Weisheng sighed.

“How could they have offended the Flame Mountains?” Jun Beiyue’s handsome brows knit tight.

“Would the two of you just explain already!” Ziqing said urgently.

“That’s where the martial artists of Xiliang gather — a great mountain range, where nearly every peak has its own independent sect. There are some twenty-odd sects, large and small. This range lies right before the Flame Mountain proper, and is the only path through. This flame mark is their shared emblem — they worship the god of fire,” Jun Beiyue finally explained.

At this, Ziqing finally understood why Baili Weisheng had called it troublesome.

Twenty-odd sects to search through one by one — how could that not be troublesome?

“The Flame Mountains — is there really someone there capable of capturing Situ Haonan?” Ziqing still couldn’t make sense of it. Never mind that godforsaken corner of Xiliang — even the martial artists of Xi Jing couldn’t compare to those of the Central Plains!

“It is rather strange, and there’s no prior grudge between them either,” Baili Weisheng said, stroking his chin, glancing at Jun Beiyue a few times.

Jun Beiyue, however, offered no further explanation. He put away the “double happiness” character and said flatly, “Let’s go. Back to the northern wastes, to prepare to kick down some mountain gates!”

There were indeed many unanswered questions, but regardless, this matter couldn’t be separated from the Flame Mountains.

Since they dared leave a mark, then Jun Beiyue would dare kick down the doors of every single sect, one by one!