When spending time with Si Qing, Fu Huan always felt much more relaxed, and the gloom in her heart dissipated.

“How did you come to Phoenix Feather Pavilion? Aren’t you afraid of being seen?” Fu Huan nestled in Si Qing’s arms, speaking leisurely.

“I couldn’t worry about that.” Si Qing’s tone was somewhat heavy.

Fu Huan nodded, the corners of her lips curving slightly upward, not saying much more.

“Huan’er, you can’t be merciful to Lengyuan anymore.” Si Qing frowned, finally putting the matter of Lengyuan before Fu Huan.

No matter how kind-hearted Fu Huan was, this time she absolutely could not let Lengyuan off easily.

Otherwise, there would certainly be more deadly blows in the future.

“Mm, I know.” The smile that had just appeared in Fu Huan’s eyes vanished instantly. At the mention of Lengyuan, her heart was now filled with nothing but complexity.

She and Lengyuan were destined to never become sisters.

…

…

“Knock, knock…” Someone gently knocked on the door.

Zi Yu’s voice came from outside, “Master, the Heavenly Emperor’s celestial attendant Tong Yan has brought a message. The Heavenly Emperor wants you to meet him in the garden pavilion now.”

“The Heavenly Emperor…” Fu Huan frowned slightly. Hadn’t the Heavenly Emperor just told her to rest well for two days? Why did he suddenly want to see her?

With that thought, Fu Huan pursed her lips and looked at Si Qing, “Then I’ll go to the garden first. You should return to the Netherworld. I’ve recovered most of my powers now and can protect myself.”

“Mm.” Si Qing nodded, reaching out to ruffle Fu Huan’s hair.

…

On the way to the garden, Fu Huan glanced at Tong Yan walking beside her, feeling that something was odd.

When the Heavenly Emperor usually had matters to discuss with her, he would ask her to go to Qingyang Hall. If he wanted to see her without important business, knowing she had just left the fire prison and was not in good health, why would he ask her to go to the garden?

But since the message was delivered by the Heavenly Emperor’s celestial attendant, there shouldn’t be any mistake.

When she arrived at the garden, Fu Huan indeed saw the Heavenly Emperor sitting in the pavilion drinking tea. However, the Heavenly Empress was also sitting beside him. The two were chatting and laughing in the pavilion, creating a harmonious atmosphere.

“Greetings to the Heavenly Emperor, greetings to the Heavenly Empress.” After approaching, Fu Huan bowed slightly to them.

“Ah, Huan’er has arrived. Come quickly, sit down.” The Heavenly Empress beckoned to Fu Huan, gesturing for her to sit.

Fu Huan sat down beside the Heavenly Empress.

“Just now, Lian’er was having tea with me and suddenly mentioned you. She said that you told her you had fallen in love with an immortal lord. Is this true?” The Heavenly Empress smiled, looking at Fu Huan.

Lian’er?

Third Princess Bing Lian?

The smile on Fu Huan’s face stiffened slightly. So it wasn’t the Heavenly Emperor who wanted to see her, but the Heavenly Empress.

And the reason for seeking her out was just because of something Bing Lian had said.

Wait a minute…

Bing Lian…

Wasn’t she closest to Lengyuan?

And what the Heavenly Empress mentioned was completely fabricated—when had she ever said such a thing to Bing Lian?

Could it be that Lengyuan had instructed Bing Lian to do this? Was the purpose to divert her attention?

Thinking of this, Fu Huan couldn’t help but clench her sleeves. It seemed Lengyuan had begun her next move.

“Huan’er, why aren’t you speaking?” The Heavenly Empress examined Fu Huan, inquiring.

“I’ve thought carefully, and the Third Princess must have remembered incorrectly. I never told the Third Princess that I liked any immortal lord.” Fu Huan smiled awkwardly.

Hearing this, the Heavenly Empress also smiled, “I suppose so. Lian’er, that girl, is most confused.”

Beside them, the Heavenly Emperor listened to their conversation and looked at the Heavenly Empress, “Fu Huan has just come out of the fire prison and hasn’t rested properly. Let her go back to rest first.”

“It was my oversight.”

…

Qingyang Hall.

Lengyuan now stood in the Heavenly Emperor’s bedchamber, facing a study alcove inside, searching for traces of Imperial Consort Qingzhi.

Zhu Ling stood outside, heart in her throat, keeping watch for Lengyuan.

Watching Lengyuan flip through books, Zhu Ling had to admit, Lengyuan was truly daring—even sneaking into the Heavenly Emperor’s bedchamber.

Lengyuan hurriedly flipped through the volumes, unable to find anything about Imperial Consort Qingzhi.

After going through almost all the books in the study alcove, Lengyuan irritably put down the final book and walked out with a dark face.

When she entered the Heavenly Emperor’s sleeping chamber, she glanced at his bed. Her peripheral vision caught sight of something under the pillow, and her expression brightened as she quickly ran over.

Under the pillow lay a book.

Lengyuan picked up the book and saw that the cover page had no writing. Eagerly turning to the first page, a face as beautiful as snow appeared in the portrait.

This face…

Lengyuan bit her lip and quickly flipped through page after page, discovering that this entire book was filled with portraits of the same woman.

And the woman in these portraits indeed looked very similar to the plain-clothed woman she had seen in the mortal realm yesterday.

Could that woman in plain clothes be Immortal Chun Meng from the forbidden area?

But if she was confined to the forbidden area, how did she escape?

Lengyuan couldn’t understand this point. She put the book back under the pillow and then left with Zhu Ling.

Upon returning to Cui Ling Palace, Lengyuan sat in a rocking chair, her thoughts in disarray. Yet she felt that this jumble of thoughts would soon be sorted out.

The woman from the forbidden area appearing in the mortal realm—there must be something fishy about this.

“Zhu Ling,” Lengyuan called out.

Now whenever Zhu Ling heard Lengyuan call her, she felt her whole body tremble. She approached and bowed slightly, “What does Upper Deity command?”

“Go to the mortal realm now and search for that woman in plain clothes. As soon as you have news of her whereabouts, summon me with this purple conch. I want to personally capture that woman and bring her before the Heavenly Emperor.” Lengyuan handed Zhu Ling a purple conch.

Hearing this, Zhu Ling felt somewhat relieved. She took the conch and hurried to the mortal realm.

…

On her way back to Phoenix Feather Pavilion, Fu Huan had a gloomy face, feeling that the visit to the garden had been strange and pointless.

With that thought, she shrugged her shoulders, planning to go back and get a good sleep.

As she passed by a courtyard, she caught sight of a furtive figure. Fu Huan paused, looking toward that figure. Upon closer inspection, she discovered it was Zhu Ling, who served Lengyuan.

Seeing Zhu Ling, Fu Huan became more alert. Noticing no one else around, she concealed her presence and followed behind Zhu Ling.

Zhu Ling went straight to the mortal realm. Once there, she headed directly to a rouge shop.

Fu Huan followed behind her, feeling that Zhu Ling’s behavior was strange, as if she were searching for someone.

After wandering around the rouge shop for a while, Zhu Ling quickly came out and headed toward the eastern outskirts, constantly looking around and observing the people passing by.

Soon, she arrived at the eastern outskirts. After inspecting the area, Zhu Ling sat down on a stone step outside the city gate, observing people entering and leaving the city.

Seeing this, Fu Huan quietly activated a summoning spell.

Soon, Zi Yu appeared beside Fu Huan.

“Nanny Yu, keep a close eye on this Zhu Ling. She’s acting strangely.” Fu Huan said in a low voice.

Zi Yu understood and nodded to Fu Huan.

…

Half an hour later, after bathing, Fu Huan finally collapsed onto her soft couch. During this period, she had been confined to Xianshan Manor and then imprisoned in the fire prison, leaving her without proper rest.

Now she was truly exhausted.

Before long, Fu Huan fell into a deep sleep.

Soon, just as she had fallen asleep, Fu Huan was gently shaken, “Master, Master!”

“Hmm?” Slightly awake, Fu Huan responded groggily.

“That Zhu Ling, at the city gate, she waited for a woman with an immortal aura. That woman appears to be an immortal, but she’s dressed in plain clothes. She entered the city, and Zhu Ling followed her after seeing her.” Zi Yu spoke urgently.

Hearing this, most of Fu Huan’s drowsiness vanished. She squinted at Zi Yu, “An immortal? A woman?”

Zi Yu nodded.

Seeing Zi Yu nod, Fu Huan quickly sat up from her bed and began hurriedly putting on her shoes and changing her clothes.

This was bad!

Chun Meng might have been discovered by them!

Didn’t Si Qing say he had already settled Chun Meng safely? How could she have been targeted by Lengyuan?

Fu Huan couldn’t understand, but she rushed out and hurried to the mortal realm.

After searching the mortal realm, there was no trace of Zhu Ling anywhere.

…

Side Hall of Cui Ling Palace.

“Young lady, you’re an immortal. Why do you disguise your appearance to live in the mortal realm?” Lengyuan smiled, looking at the plain-clothed woman before her.

The woman in plain clothes bit her lower lip, sitting on the ground. After a moment of silence, she slowly spoke, “You have the wrong person. I’m just an ordinary mortal woman.”

“Oh? An ordinary mortal?” Lengyuan raised her eyebrows, then her expression darkened. She slightly raised her hand and swept it across the plain-clothed woman’s face.

A cold light flashed, and a face of exceptional beauty appeared before Lengyuan.

“You are Immortal Chun Meng, aren’t you?” Lengyuan smiled, looking at this face that indeed resembled Imperial Consort Qingzhi perfectly.

The plain-clothed woman sitting on the ground pursed her lips, remaining silent.

“Don’t be afraid. I mean you no harm.” Lengyuan reached out to stroke Chun Meng’s hair, then said, “You know Fu Huan, don’t you?”

“Fu Huan…” Hearing this name, Chun Meng raised her eyelids, her eyes showing some animation, but they quickly dimmed again.

Lengyuan observed this reaction completely.

It seemed they knew each other. This would make things easier.

“I’m Fu Huan’s elder sister, Lengyuan. She asked me to have someone find you and bring you back to stay at my place for a few days.”

“She said the Heavenly Emperor is going to the mortal realm in a couple of days and was afraid you might be seen by him.”

Lengyuan was telling blatant lies, but judging from Chun Meng’s reaction, she felt she was right.

It seemed that Chun Meng’s appearance in the mortal realm was closely connected to Fu Huan.

Upon hearing Lengyuan’s words, Chun Meng’s wariness decreased slightly. She nodded at Lengyuan but didn’t say much more.

“Zhu Ling, take Immortal Chun Meng down to rest well. You will attend to Immortal Chun Meng for the next few days.” Lengyuan spoke.

Zhu Ling nodded.

Watching Zhu Ling support Chun Meng as they left, a playful smile appeared on Lengyuan’s face. In just a few days, she would know everything.

…

Over the next few days, Lengyuan took meticulous care of Chun Meng. Chun Meng, feeling no abnormality, didn’t think too much of it and often smiled at Lengyuan.

“This morning, I heard Huan’er say that getting you out of the forbidden area took a great deal of effort. Is that so?” Lengyuan carried a bowl of porridge into Chun Meng’s chamber, looking at her with an innocent expression.

Chun Meng took a sip of porridge, and her face stiffened slightly after hearing Lengyuan’s words.

“Don’t worry, I’m Huan’er’s sister. I won’t say anything improper. I just want to know what that girl has been doing behind our backs to trouble herself again. She’s grown up, yet she still makes us worry, sigh…”