Happy times always pass quickly. In the blink of an eye, two hours had gone by.

Not long after they heard the sound of waves, the sea came into view before them.

What everyone called the Black Abyss was in fact the sea.

Listening to the roar of the waves and watching the churning surf far below at the base of the cliffs, Feng Jiu’er’s mood grew a little heavy.

“Jiu’er, another two li of mountain road and we will reach the place Yu Jingfeng spoke of.” Zhao Yusheng slowed his pace and looked at the person riding behind Feng Li.

“Mm.” Feng Jiu’er looked back once, then let her gaze fall back onto the surface of the sea.

Zhao Yusheng gave a nod, pulled on his reins, and returned to the front of the group.

“Jiu’er.”

Feng Li’s voice was nearly swallowed by the sound of the waves, but Feng Jiu’er could still hear his call with perfect clarity.

“Father, what is it?” She leaned out beside him and looked up at his profile.

“How much do you know about the phoenix mark on your body?” Feng Li’s voice sounded once more.

“They say it is a treasure map — or rather, half of one. If the other half can be found, a treasure might perhaps be located.”

“Father, does this mean you know the whereabouts of the other half of the treasure map?”

“I do not.” Feng Li lowered his eyes and shook his head.

“Years ago I had in my possession a piece of jade passed down through our family. I was told it would be of great help in finding the treasure — only now…”

“A jade pendant?” Meeting Feng Li’s gaze, Feng Jiu’er furrowed her brow.

She released her hold on her father, reached down to untie a jade pendant from her waist, and held it out before Feng Li.

“Father, is this the jade pendant you mean?”

Feng Li lowered his eyes to look, and a faint curve appeared at the corners of his mouth.

“Good — she did not discard everything I once gave her.”

From the look of things, the jade pendant had been given to her mother by her father — not her maternal uncle — since it had been a family heirloom.

Perhaps her maternal uncle had noticed something significant about it and quietly kept it safe.

Sensing her father’s quiet joy, Feng Jiu’er forced a faint smile.

Her mother, who had not hesitated to discard everything belonging to her father — it was plain how deeply she hated him. Truly, deeply, and utterly.

Since Feng Li did not know the full truth, he could go on feeling secretly pleased with himself for a good while longer — and Feng Jiu’er had no intention of shattering the illusion.

“I once had someone trace a rubbing of the phoenix mark. When the jade pendant was placed at the center, I could faintly make out what appeared to be a mountain range.” Feng Li’s voice sounded again.

“Jiu’er, that mountain range may well be located within the Black Gorge. But everything must wait until the missing half of the treasure map is found before we can know for certain.”

The sound of the waves grew louder and louder, swallowing Feng Li’s words almost before they left his lips — but he knew his daughter could hear him.

Sure enough, upon catching Feng Li’s words clearly, the grip with which Feng Jiu’er held onto his garment tightened considerably.

“The Black Gorge? Father, I did not mishear you? You truly said the Black Gorge?”

She glanced down at the ground, then swept her gaze across the surrounding mountain ranges, before her eyes returned to Feng Li.

“Father’s Black Gorge — even the very ground we are walking on right now falls within the boundaries of the Black Gorge.”

“If I recall correctly, the vast stretch of land from Bei Mu to the south all the way to the Black Abyss is all part of the Black Gorge. So it is possible that one day we might be…”

“Passing right over the treasure without even knowing it?” Feng Jiu’er deliberately lowered her voice for the last part.

“Mm.” Feng Li gave a slight nod. “Though this is all conjecture on my part.”

Feng Jiu’er drew a deep breath, withdrew her gaze from Feng Li, and leaned back against him.

“Mm. I understand.” She looked at the distant ranges of mountains stretching one beyond the other, and the corners of her lips curved up faintly.

If the treasure truly lay within the Black Gorge, she felt even more confident now.

Father — wait for her. Once she found the treasure, she would reclaim for him everything that rightfully belonged to him.

Having seen Feng Li off, Feng Jiu’er, Zhao Yusheng, and Xiao Yingtao immediately turned back toward Zhao Family Stronghold.

Since all of it was the Ninth Imperial Uncle’s arrangement, Feng Jiu’er had indeed not pressed for further details — and the fact that even Yu Jingfeng had boarded the ship made her feel all the more at ease.

……

The war came to an end, concluding with Mu Mu’s triumphant return to the fold.

With Zhan Qingcheng at its head, the Longwu Army had occupied several great cities in the south, forming a new force centered on Phoenix City.

By conservative estimates, this force now extended over nearly half of Bei Mu.

In the great hall, Zhan Qingcheng’s tall frame sat in the seat of authority.

He held a newly received letter in his hand, and a faint smile had begun to play at the corners of his mouth.

He was naturally a man of breathtaking beauty — and in the soft glow of that slight smile, he appeared even more captivating.

It was not only women who could not help but steal a second glance; even men found their gazes drifting back to him involuntarily.

Standing beside Emperor Ji, Leng Yue had long since fallen into a daze just staring at him.

“A’Jiu — do you not hear your adoptive father speaking to you?” Ye Luosha fixed her eyes on the letter Zhan Qingcheng was holding, and her demeanor instantly turned ice-cold.

Zhan Qingcheng lifted his gaze and glanced at Ye Luosha, then let it settle back onto Emperor Ji.

“A’Jiu, the situation is now firmly in our favor — this is the ideal moment for us to march north. I urge that we draw up a plan immediately: push northward, take back the imperial capital, and overthrow the Zhan Imperial Dynasty.”

Emperor Ji raised his voice, making the point a second time for emphasis.

“Only by overthrowing the Zhan Imperial Dynasty can the Di Clan restore its rightful position of dominance over Bei Mu.”

Zhan Qingcheng did not respond to Emperor Ji’s words immediately. Instead, he cast his eyes down once more to the letter in his hand.

Not knowing what had crossed his mind, Zhan Qingcheng’s face broke into the faintest ghost of a smile for the second time that day — one so slight it was nearly imperceptible.

Watching him like this, both Ye Luosha and Emperor Ji turned frigid, and almost simultaneously, they were both quite certain the letter had something to do with a particular person.

As Ye Luosha was about to erupt in anger, Zhan Qingcheng’s low, resonant voice sounded: “I have no current plans to march north.”

“Why not?” Hearing the very response he least wished to hear, Emperor Ji’s hand on the armrest of his wheelchair tightened into a fist.

“Without marching north, how are we to restore the Di Clan’s dominance?”

“War only brings suffering to the common people. What I want is a nation at peace, prosperous and secure.”

With those words still lingering in the air, Zhan Qingcheng curved his lips faintly and rose to his feet.

Looking at the letter in his hand, a captivating little face drifted into his mind.

“I do not want to wage war. Seeing brothers wounded and the common people flee — it pains my heart.”

Feng Jiu’er’s words had been circling in Zhan Qingcheng’s mind without cease. He pressed the letter into his palm and stepped forward with long, unhurried strides.

“Adoptive Father, I need to step out for a while. You and the others can decide on whatever remains.”

His gaze swept briefly over Emperor Ji, and then Zhan Qingcheng’s tall frame passed through the room like a breeze, leaving no trace behind.

After he had gone, Ye Luosha turned to look at Emperor Ji.

“It must have something to do with Feng Jiu’er. When have you ever seen A’Jiu in such good spirits?” She clenched her fists and slammed them down hard on the armrest of her chair.

A sharp crack rang out, and the armrest went flying — to where exactly, no one could say.

“Feng Jiu’er, Feng Jiu’er — always Feng Jiu’er.” Emperor Ji’s demeanor had turned glacial to the extreme.

“Adoptive Father, allow me to go and kill Feng Jiu’er.” Leng Yue drew a sharp breath, furious beyond measure.

“Overestimating yourself!” Emperor Ji looked at her with a slight frown. “Do you think the Feng Jiu’er of today is someone you can simply move against at will?”

“Right now, even I myself am no match for her.”