Shi Lan lay among the flowers, quietly watching the tree-lined path leading to the side courtyard. The moonlight was cool and pale, casting dappled shadows on her fair and jade-like face, revealing a calmness and solemnity unlike that of an ordinary child.

The side courtyard was as quiet as during the day. The dim light made the courtyard very cozy. Shi Lan squinted at the slender figure shining through the window paper and sighed silently.

It was all her fault for being so influenced by the original owner's emotions that she hadn't thought things through. Although Tianxing was clever, she was still young and inexperienced, so her actions inevitably left traces. Shiyi was also very shrewd; even if she hadn't noticed at first, how could she not have discovered someone spying after so much time? What Shilan found particularly curious was that Shiyi had actually let Tianxing spy on her without doing anything, which was completely inconsistent with her previous attitude.

From another perspective, does this mean she is confident she can bypass Tianxing and do what she really wants, and that Tianxing is just a decoy to lull others into a false sense of security?

And coincidentally, she was that foolish person who had been deceived by her for so long.

The lights flickered a few times, and the courtyard turned dark and quiet. A few breaths later, a dark figure skillfully crossed the fence and moved towards them at lightning speed. Shi Lan held her breath and watched through the overlapping gaps as the dark figure tiptoed behind the rockery. A moment later, the dark figure emerged and headed straight for the wall a few feet away.

Watching her easily climb the ten-foot-high wall, Shi Lan couldn't hide her surprise. When Tian Xing reported it before, she thought Shi Yi only practiced ordinary external martial arts. Now it seems she was wrong. No wonder the young man specifically reminded her not to go against Shi Yi. It turns out she does have some skills.

Shi Lan tiptoed to the wall, listened intently, and a moment later, she slammed against it like an overfed fat cat. The violent impact brought a tingling pain, but Shi Lan endured it and still managed to grimace. Her short, chubby limbs clung to the wall, and though clumsy, she still managed to climb over the wall.

Outside the courtyard, it was pitch black. Shi Lan reflexively looked around and saw a dark shadow flash by in the night.

Shi Lan pursed her lips and followed that extremely familiar figure.

Fifteen minutes later, Shi Lan looked at the dilapidated temple in surprise. It must have been abandoned for a long time, as evidenced by the overgrown weeds and the crumbling walls and broken tiles.

Shi Lan carefully bypassed the rubble and debris, focusing all her attention on approaching the main hall, the only place with a sliver of light.

The main hall was equally dilapidated, with drafty windows everywhere, half a door panel leaning against a pillar, and half a broken plaque hanging crookedly. Shi Lan suspected that it could be easily blown down by even a slightly stronger wind.

Shi Lan pursed her lips, feeling both disgusted and curious. This place was in such a state of disrepair, so why was Shi Yi here?

So she tiptoed carefully to the window and peered inside through the torn window paper.

Under the dim light, several teenagers stood respectfully around Shi Yi. One of them, who looked a little older, spoke in a slightly distorted voice about the information he had gathered from the market and the methods he had used. Shi Yi listened attentively and offered guidance, patiently and meticulously instructing the children on how to quickly and discreetly uncover even more secretive information.

Outside the window, Shi Lan, listening to the story, didn't know how to describe her feelings.

Shi Yi's account was extremely detailed, and the children listened very attentively, their expressions extremely respectful—an expression Shi Lan had only ever seen on Shi Xi's face when facing the Master.

Suddenly, Shi Lan understood why Shi Yi had been able to gain the favor of the eldest prince and be kept by his side during the war.

The head of an intelligence network that was far ahead of its time would be regarded by any ambitious prince as a talent scout recognizing a promising individual.

What Shi Lan couldn't understand was that if Shi Yi only wanted wealth and status, she could have easily planned for it nearby. After all, the third and second princes of Yu Kingdom were not yet married. If she wanted to, although her father was indifferent to her, he was still her blood relative. In a critical moment, he would lend her a helping hand. With the help of her family, she could very well sit on the throne of imperial concubine, or even go further and become empress.

But she was willing to bear the stigma of treason and stay alone by Qi Yundi's side. I don't know if she was out of her mind or if she had other plans.

Shi Lan frowned in thought.

Inside the hall, Shi Yi finished giving instructions and got up to walk out. Shi Lan took two steps back, trying to hide behind a mottled pillar. As she walked, she seemed to have stirred something.

In an instant, the crisp sound of bells rang throughout the night sky.

Shi Yi froze, her beautiful face tense. This was her biggest secret and her last line of defense; any intruder must die.

Shi Yi glanced at Shi Lan with a cold and menacing look, then her slender figure rushed over like lightning.

Shi Lan blinked, glanced down at her feet, and without thinking much, ran towards the depths of the temple, using the overlapping and intersecting broken walls as cover.

Shi Yi followed closely behind Shi Lan, a sharp glint of light faintly visible between her fingers.

Ahead, Shi Lan, running hurriedly with short legs, was panting heavily as she ran. Behind her, Shi Yi was like a ghost, cold and eerie, following her like a shadow.

In the darkness, two figures chased each other. Shi Lan had short legs, but she was fast and managed to reach the back gate of the temple before she ran out of breath. Due to years of disrepair, the wooden door was long gone, and the empty door frame looked like an open black hole. In the distance, only a few shadows of the towering peaks and forests could be seen. A gentle breeze rustled the trees, as if ghosts were whispering.

Shi Lan was a little scared. She stopped and turned to look behind her. A dark figure approached quickly with murderous intent.

After hesitating for a moment, Shi Lan reluctantly rushed into the back mountain.

As Shi Lan crossed the threshold, Shi Yi finally saw the peeping tom. Shi Lan's distinctive short and plump figure made it very clear who it was.

Shi Yi gritted her teeth, reflecting on her own negligence while also harboring murderous intent. She immediately used all her strength to shoot the dagger she had been tightly gripping in her hand.

The thin, sharp blade pierced the night silently, the air whistling almost inaudibly as it rubbed against the blade. Shi Lan's damaged soul had not fully recovered, and her dulled senses meant she didn't notice anything amiss until the blade was about to strike her.

The sharp dagger sliced ​​through her thin short jacket, and Shi Lan only had time to twist her body to avoid a fatal blow.

With a soft 'hiss', a sharp pain shot through Shi Lan's shoulder and back. She let out a low groan and staggered into the woods.

(To be continued.)