"If it really is Thousand Illusion Mountain, then this is troublesome!"

Someone scoffed, "So what if it's Thousand Illusion Mountain? We don't even know if it's real or fake. Besides, they haven't been hiding from the world for that long. Do you think they can surpass our Heavenly Cloud Sect?"

"Don't forget, the sect leader is a god-like being!"

Others countered, "But I've heard that the sect leader also seems to have some connection with the Thousand Illusions Sect. If that's the case..."

"Let's not talk about that. The sect leader has been in seclusion for too long, and it's uncertain when he'll come out. Let's talk about Yuecheng and those kids who came to our door!"

When Moon City was mentioned, everyone fell silent for a moment.

"Are we really going to summon lightning? After all, they are officials of the imperial court. Won't this make enemies of the court?"

"We've already arrested them. Isn't that going against the imperial court? Even if we release them now, do you think they'll let us off the hook?"

"I don't understand. My Tianyun Sect has been detached from worldly affairs for many years. Why is it now choosing to oppose the Yan Kingdom's court?"

These words immediately aroused dissatisfaction among some people.

"What do you mean by 'right'? The consecutive years of drought are a warning from heaven. The emperor's virtue is not worthy of his position, which is why the people are displaced and suffer. We are just following the will of heaven."

The speaker was the most authoritative elder in the Tianyun Sect. When the sect leader was away, his word was law.

No one dared to object anymore, after all, once Tianyun Sect took this step, there was no going back.

Suddenly a disciple rushed in, panicked: "Elders, it's terrible! The boy we captured yesterday has escaped!"

"What? They escaped? Send people to search for them immediately!"

At the same time, Ning Yao also reached the top of the mountain.

However, for safety reasons, she did not rush in directly, but observed from the outside.

The Tianyun Sect is located at the highest point of Tianyun Mountain. The entire mountaintop appears to have been deliberately flattened, creating a vast and spacious area, where the Tianyun Sect is situated.

Ning Yao used a concealment technique to disappear into thin air, and then began to approach.

She wasn't sure what other treasures the Tianyun Sect possessed, or whether they would discover her, so she had to proceed with caution.

Following the topographical map provided by Fu Liyuan, Ning Yao passed through the sect's main hall and training grounds, eventually reaching the very back, the most remote place.

The place is semi-circular, with a high platform in the middle, similar to an altar, and several pillars on it with iron chains wrapped around them.

The iron chain gleamed silver in the sunlight, clearly indicating that it was no ordinary object.

Behind the platform is a cliff face that connects to the rest of the mountain, and directly below it is an entrance guarded by several people.

Ning Yao guessed that this must be the so-called water dungeon.

Since there were guards, it wouldn't be easy to get in. Besides the guards, Ning Yao noticed that there seemed to be two iron gates not far from the entrance.

Ning Yao pondered that she could indeed hide inside, but she would still be discovered if she opened the iron gate.

Besides, she didn't know what the situation inside was like.

Were Ning Jin and the other person tortured or injured?

All of this is unknown.

After much deliberation, Ning Yao decided to leave the sect's territory first and wait for Xiao Yuanhuai and the other two to arrive before making any further decisions.

Suddenly there was a commotion outside, followed by a series of hurried footsteps.

Ning Yao, who was hiding in the shadows, held her breath instantly, because the leader seemed to be quite skilled in martial arts.

"Weren't they supposed to lock him in the water dungeon? How come he escaped?"

A disciple said tremblingly, "When my senior brother saw that the young master was handsome, he didn't have him locked up in the water dungeon, but took him to his residence instead."

Upon hearing this, the other party's face darkened: "This is utter nonsense! It's bad enough that we let him bully men and women in Moon City all the time, but now he dares to ruin important matters for the sect! Have a few people tie him up, and don't let him out without my order!"

The group left, grumbling and cursing.

Ning Yao's face was now covered in frost, chillingly cold.

If she wasn't mistaken, the person they were discussing just now should be Shen Ci'an.

Someone actually coveted him?

It's unbelievable that someone in the Tianyun Sect has such a peculiar hobby.

With a cold glint in her eyes, Ning Yao turned and left.

Leaving via a side path, Ning Yao suddenly became alert as she passed through a dense forest.

There was someone in the dense forest, breathing heavily, as if they were trying their best to suppress something.

Ning Yao concealed her aura and approached step by step, without the other party noticing her approaching at all.

Upon closer inspection, Ning Yao immediately recognized the other person.

It is Shen Ci'an!

Ning Yao quickly stepped forward and helped him up.

Even in his dazed state, Shen Ci'an remained vigilant against the outside world, and the sudden appearance of the person caught him off guard.

When the other person helped him up and leaned on his shoulder, he had no strength to resist.

But the moment they came into close contact, a pleasant lotus scent made him recognize the other person instantly.

"Yaoyao? What are you doing here?"

The boy's face was flushed, his tone was excited, and his gaze was completely fixed on her profile.

Ning Yao didn't notice that she had grabbed Shen Ci'an's wrist with one hand and made a diagnosis in just a few breaths.

"They poisoned you?" Ning Yao's expression was very unpleasant.

Having reached this conclusion, Ning Yao then turned her head slightly to look at Shen Ci'an.

She was stunned when she saw it.

After more than half a year apart, Shen Ci'an has matured a lot. Although the naivety of youth has not completely faded, one can still see the sharpness in his distinct features.

He had small wounds on his face, whether from the battlefield or from the Tianyun Sect, it was hard to tell, but they added a touch of rugged beauty to his appearance.

Her beautiful phoenix eyes were slightly upturned, and because of the poisoning and the joy of Ning Yao's arrival, the corners of her eyes were red, and she had a touch of affection in them.

More importantly, Ning Yao saw her reflection in his eyes, and for a moment she panicked, involuntarily recalling some things from the past.

Ning Yao's ears turned red. To avoid making her uncomfortable, she asked softly, "Besides being poisoned, are you injured anywhere else?"

Shen Ci'an leaned on her shoulder, and she turned her head to ask a question. Her warm breath brushed against the other's face, and Shen Ci'an's gaze became even more profound.

He forced back his pain and replied, "No, they couldn't beat me, nor could they hurt me. I was poisoned by accident."

As he spoke, he subtly moved closer to her, his breath tickling Ning Yao's neck.

Despite the strange sensation, Ning Yao took out an antidote pill and fed it to him.

Shen Ci'an obediently ate it, and whether he did it intentionally or unintentionally, his lips lightly brushed against Ning Yao's fingertips.

The scorching heat reached her fingertips, and Ning Yao was stunned again.

She lowered her head to meet Shen Ci'an's eyes, her gaze unwavering.

At first, Shen Ci'an blinked innocently, but the longer they stared at each other, the more guilty he felt.

In the end, Shen Ci'an was the first to give in and looked away.

Ning Yao scoffed, "What a coward!"

Upon hearing this, Shen Ci'an stiffened, and the next second he simply snuggled into Ning Yao's arms.