What Zhang Dapeng had said was somewhat exaggerated, but it wasn’t entirely without basis.
He, too, had noticed Cheng Yao’s various peculiarities.
If things really were as Zhang Dapeng claimed… then a junior constable like him simply couldn’t shoulder the consequences!
After pondering for a moment, he decided to sound out Zhan Haoting.
At that moment, Zhan Haoting was speaking with several clan elders. Constable Wang straightened his clothes and walked over.
“General Zhan,” he addressed him differently this time, “given the current situation, with the imperial treasury robbed and the Black Armored Guards… Both incidents have shaken the entire court, and everyone is watching us. For Madam Cheng to ‘disappear’ at a time like this—is it really appropriate? In my opinion, it would be safer to rescue her first and discuss the matter at length afterward.”
The meaning behind his words was obvious: Cheng Yao’s escape had been arranged by Zhan Haoting. He hoped Zhan Haoting would take the bigger picture into account and have Cheng Yao brought back before she caused trouble at such a critical juncture.
Zhan Haoting raised his eyes to him, his gaze sharp as a blade.
“Constable Wang,” he said in an even voice, “my wife is devoted to me and I to her. Even if I were in the depths of hell, I would never use her or order her to do anything.”
Constable Wang froze.
He looked into those deep, unfathomable eyes, trying to find some trace of deception, but saw nothing.
Still, his suspicions did not disappear.
Zhan Haoting was far too calm. If he truly cared so deeply for his wife, how could he remain so composed after she had been abducted? Something was not right!
“Since that is the case, I’m relieved. I only hope Madam Cheng is blessed with good fortune and returns safely soon.”
Though Constable Wang said this, he then instructed the constables, “Zhang Dapeng, Li Liming—Madam Cheng has been abducted by bandits, and the general is in danger as well. You two will remain at the general’s side and protect him.”
One of them despised Cheng Yao, while the other was as devoted to duty as Constable Wang himself. Both would keep a close eye on Zhan Haoting and seize any opportunity to catch him in a mistake.
Zhan Haoting made no comment. But deep in his lowered eyes, the chill grew even colder.
His thoughts had long since become bound to the woman whose whereabouts were unknown.
…
At that very moment, Cheng Yao was in a thoroughly bewildered, dizzy state.
She had been roughly hauled away by the household servants and was unable to break free. Then, in the blink of an eye, several dark figures seemed to flash past. The next moment, something clamped around her waist, and her entire body soared into the air as if she were riding on clouds!
Yes—she was flying!
The wind roared past her ears, while the scenery before her eyes streamed backward at an astonishing speed, blurring into flowing patches of color.
Instinctively, she grabbed tightly onto whatever was wrapped around her waist. It seemed to be someone’s arm?
But who cared what it was? It was unbearably frightening. Better to hold on first and worry about the rest later!
The intense sensation of weightlessness and speed sent her stomach churning. Her head spun, and she could barely think.
It was like riding a high-speed roller coaster with no safety restraints—while blindfolded!
She couldn’t make out who had taken her, nor could she see where she was being taken.
All she could tell was that her captor possessed astonishing martial arts skills. Their movements were as fleeting as smoke; every time they vaulted off something, they seemed as light as air, and their speed was absurdly fast!
Damn it, these ancient people who knew how to fly through the air were seriously terrifying. Their movements were so smooth—it made a helicopter look clumsy by comparison.
But…
Who had taken her?
What did they want?
Where were they taking her?
Countless questions whirled through her mind, yet she couldn’t make sense of even one of them.
She clenched her teeth and forced herself to remain conscious. Otherwise, she might be sold off without even realizing it.
She had no idea how much time passed in her dazed state. At last, they stopped.
Her feet touched solid ground again, but a wave of weakness swept over her, and she nearly collapsed.
The arm around her waist released her.
She struggled to open her eyes. Her vision was still blurry, but she could vaguely tell that she had been brought into a room. Behind her came a soft click—the sound of a door closing—followed by the metallic clank of a lock sliding into place.
Bracing herself against the cold wall, she took several deep breaths and worked to settle the churning qi and blood in her body and clear the dizziness. Only then did she begin to examine her surroundings.
It was an empty room.
A genuinely empty room.
The four walls were bare. There wasn’t even a table, chair, or lamp—only a stark floor and plain walls.
The window was high and narrow. Dim light filtered through, barely enough to see by.
A faint moldy smell lingered in the air.
More alarming still, Cheng Yao keenly sensed that the “magnetic field” here was wrong!
An invisible, oppressive force permeated the surroundings, as though forming an unseen cage.
“A formation…” Cheng Yao’s heart sank.
Someone here was proficient in the esoteric arts of Qimen Dunjia!
A powerful formation had been laid around the area outside. Those outside could not enter, and those inside could not get out!
Cheng Yao couldn’t help recalling what had happened when she had previously tried to sense Shao Yutong’s location—the obstruction and backlash she had encountered in her spiritual power.
The sensation was far too similar to what she was experiencing now.
With a thought, she held her breath and stilled her mind, focusing on Shao Yutong.
Unexpectedly, this time she actually sensed Shao Yutong’s presence!
Although a thin barrier remained and she couldn’t determine her exact location, she could be certain that Shao Yutong was here!
There were two possible explanations. First, she herself was inside this formation. Since the formation blocked those outside from entering but did not restrict those within, its obstructive effect was weaker.
Second, the formation here was not the same one she had encountered while trying to sense Shao Yutong before. It might be weaker—or it might contain a flaw.
Whatever the case, it meant she could use her space to escape.
At that thought, Cheng Yao’s heart settled.
Her captors had not yet laid a hand on her, which meant she was not in immediate danger. Or perhaps they wanted something from her and had no need to rush her escape.
Still, she had to let Zhan Haoting know that she was safe. Otherwise, he would likely worry himself sick.
Her consciousness sank into the space.
This gray, mist-shrouded chaos was the only refuge and trump card she had at that moment.
Silently thinking of Zhan Haoting, she teleported from the space to the exile convoy’s camp.
The scene shifted, and the faint dizziness vanished at once.
Beside the campfire, Zhan Haoting was still leaning against that same slab of bluestone with his eyes closed, seemingly resting.
Constable Wang sat beside him like a guardian deity, his brows tightly furrowed.
Even more outrageous, Zhang Dapeng and Li Liming were sitting not far in front of Zhan Haoting, their eyes wide as bronze bells as they stared at him without blinking, as if afraid he might vanish into thin air!
This was an absurdly tight watch!
There was no way she could take Zhan Haoting into the space with her now.
If she couldn’t take him away, she could at least send him word that she was safe.
Cheng Yao returned to the space, found paper and a brush, and quickly wrote a few words:
“Safe. Don’t worry. I’m in Heartless Valley.”
She crumpled the note tightly, then teleported back to the shadows near the camp. Waiting for the right moment, she tossed the paper ball. It flew silently toward Zhan Haoting’s chest.
Zhan Haoting’s ears twitched.
The paper ball was still several feet away from him when a hand shot out from the nearby shadows like lightning and intercepted it with perfect precision.
It was Song Ze!
Song Ze warily swept his gaze across the surroundings. Then his eyes fell on the crumpled note, and a look of ecstatic delight instantly burst across his face.
