Thus, Yun Ya only ordered “All of you withdraw for now,” and everyone set down their tasks and retreated dozens of zhang away.

Lu Ming silently followed Yun Ya, seeing his heavy footsteps as he deliberately looked around in all directions. Lu Ming couldn’t help but touch his forehead: “Whatever you’re looking for, just let me handle it…” Shouldn’t an injured person act like one? Couldn’t he just lie down properly and let others take care of him?

Yun Ya walked to the side of a large carriage and suddenly said, “It’s here.”

There was a person with a gruesome appearance. Strictly speaking, only half a person remained, as the lower half had gone missing. However, there were many such unfortunate souls on the battlefield, yet Yun Ya examined this one with particular attention.

Then, he picked up a necklace from the pile of grass, a broken piece of pink jade.

Lu Ming saw that the pendant was shaped like a bunch of grapes, and the pink jade in Yun Ya’s palm resembled a squirrel.

Ah, wasn’t this the precious jade that the State Preceptor used to wear at his waist? How did it end up broken here?

Being a clever man, he immediately understood: that the State Preceptor had given it to Lady An’an.

When a man gives his treasured jade to a young lady, the implications behind such a gesture—did the State Preceptor truly understand? If he did, then seeing this object now and thinking of the person, he must be very sorrowful.

But Yun Ya just coldly snorted: “She deliberately left it behind.”

“Huh?”

Yun Ya didn’t bother to explain to him. This grape-squirrel pendant indeed contained a life-saving mystical art and judging by this, it had indeed taken effect earlier, otherwise, that little girl would have lost her life. However, he had also secretly placed a tracking spell on it; as long as Feng Miaojun kept it with her, she couldn’t escape his spiritual sight.

It seems she discovered this and abandoned the jade pendant here. If someone else had abducted her, how would they have discovered the jade pendant she had hidden close to her body?

Yun Ya’s face grew darker, as he tried to sense the Heart-Fixing Worm he had planted in her body, and then—

There was nothing after that.

The creature should have been spiritually connected to him, reporting her approximate location at all times. But now it was like a clay ox entering the sea, completely without a trace.

Yet at the beginning of the explosion, he had confirmed her survival through their spiritual connection—if she had died, how could he have drawn her spiritual energy into his dantian?

“She escaped,” Yun Ya said word by word, the coldness in his voice making Lu Ming beside him shudder involuntarily, not daring to ask why Feng Miaojun had fled.

He only regretted that he had been busy with battle affairs and couldn’t spare the attention, and this girl had run away.

What Yun Ya had planted in her body was a Heart-Fixing Worm. Although he had never told her about it, Feng Miaojun had cultivated at Yan Hai Tower for three years, and who knows how many strange and unusual books she had read? Perhaps she had already discovered it herself and knew the method to remove the worm.

If that were truly the case… Yun Ya narrowed his eyes, the corner of his mouth curling into a cold smile. If that were truly the case, then she must have been planning her escape for a long time, to be able to remain so composed and to seize the opportunity so precisely!

He had tied a thin thread to Feng Miaojun, and now the little cat had quietly bitten through the rope and fled, leaving only a broken end in his hand.

But he didn’t understand—why did Feng Miaojun want to escape?

Were the benefits he offered her too few, or was she afraid of his methods?

No, neither seemed likely.

Although they hadn’t spent much time together, he could see that this girl was quite calculating. Staying by his side brought her many advantages; before reaping all the benefits, how could she bear to leave?

The State Preceptor’s guidance, and cultivation teachings—she had abandoned all these, which could only indicate one thing:

She had weighed the pros and cons, yet still felt that staying by his side had more disadvantages than advantages.

So the question became: what disadvantage was there in staying by his side?

She was merely an orphaned girl, like a drifting weed, never having put down roots in any kingdom. Following the State Preceptor was the dream of countless cultivators, why would she discard it like an old shoe?

Yun Ya had been lost in thought for a while. Lu Ming noticed the bloodstain on his robe growing larger, and could only cautiously ask, “What do you plan to do now?” Even if one were made of iron, one couldn’t withstand such blood loss. State Preceptor, do you realize how terrible you look? Why do you keep coldly smiling?

Hearing his voice, Yun Ya finally awoke from his reverie. His expression instantly returned to normal, though his figure swayed twice: “Help me back, I’m tired and need to rest.”

“…Yes.” Lu Ming quickly supported him, inwardly grumbling: So you do know you need rest?

As Yun Ya turned, he glanced at the cliff not far away.

Years ago, he had missed An’an in this same way. Would he repeat the same mistake this time?

He recalled his first meeting with Feng Miaojun; she had undisguised fear of him, fear that came from deep within.

How could such a shrewd and composed young lady be so afraid of someone she had never met before?

Now that Feng Miaojun was no longer by his side, some clues immediately became clear—

When things are abnormally strange, there must be something supernatural at play.

Her fear was impossible to conceal, which could only mean one thing: she was still hiding something from him.

Besides the sharing of spiritual energy, what other secrets did she have?

Yun Ya exhaled a breath.

Damned little wildcat, no, she was an ungrateful white-eyed wolf.

She’d better pray he never catches her again, otherwise…

Lu Ming supported him as they walked back, and seeing the smile that appeared on his face, his back turned cold in waves. He quickly changed the subject: “How strange, I sent someone to find the Medicine Master, why hasn’t he arrived yet?”

Before he finished speaking, a guard hurriedly approached from ahead, and bowed to Yun Ya: “State Preceptor, His Majesty summons you!”

More than two quarter-hours had passed since the two armies had negotiated a ceasefire.

The great tent had not yet been set up, but the King of Wei couldn’t wait. He left the Medicine Master outside and randomly chose a large carriage to bring Xiao Yan inside.

“Father,” Xiao Yan’s eyes were red. Only a few people knew that the King of Wei’s life was hanging by a thread, sustained by the Yang-Returning Pill, and now the medicine’s efficacy would last for less than half an incense stick’s time.

The King of Wei’s once ruddy complexion had already turned ashen, with sunken eye sockets. Xiao Yan looked at him with pain in his heart: “I’ll go invite the State Preceptor, he has great mystical powers, perhaps he has a way to cure you…”

Before he could finish, the King of Wei had already grabbed his arm and said urgently: “No! He cannot save me, even if a deity came it would be the same.”

The ingredients of the Yang-Returning Pill were all highly toxic, and once consumed, they stimulated his last life force.

Rather than stimulation, it was more like overdrawing. The King of Wei now felt the failure of all his organs, truly “beyond Heaven’s help.” He thought that in less than a quarter-hour’s time, his life force would be completely extinguished.

“Listen carefully, I want you to do a few things.”

Xiao Yan nodded vigorously. At this critical moment, he would comply with any request the King of Wei made.

“Find the culprit and avenge me,” the King of Wei’s voice was becoming hoarse. “I know the culprit has nothing to do with you. But he schemed against our Xiao family, you must find him.”

“Yes!” Tears finally streamed down Xiao Yan’s face. “Rest assured, Father, I will avenge you!”