Seeing Banxia’s expression turn uneasy, Ye Yu thought perhaps his fellow immortal partners had been overly enthusiastic and startled her. He waved them away and led Banxia into the rear garden of the Wuwei Tower.
“Your mood seems off. Do you regret being with me? Or do you dislike their teasing?” he asked.
“No, it’s not that—things moved too fast, and I couldn’t process it. In just one afternoon, everything changed so much that it feels like a dream,” Banxia replied, her eyes distant.
To her, it truly seemed surreal, as if some divine aid had granted her every wish. She’d skipped the mortifying steps and arrived straight at happiness. Everything had gone so smoothly it was almost unbelievable.
“You were the one who woke me up this afternoon. I should learn from you. I was so hurried that I even left my belt behind!” Ye Yu said lightly. He pulled a white sash from his Storage Ring and bent to tie it around her waist, only to notice she already wore one.
Curious, he added, “Did you pick up a new one?”
Banxia examined the sash in his hand and then her own. Though identical, she was sure this was not hers. “Wait—what did I say to you this afternoon?” she asked.
“What do you mean? It’s only been half an hour. Are you going to deny it now?” Ye Yu laughed, taking her hand tenderly.
Banxia shook her head earnestly. “It really wasn’t me this afternoon—I was chasing Xiaomeng the whole time.”
“Come on, there’s no need to make up excuses. If it wasn’t you, then who was it?” Ye Yu frowned.
Alarmed, he swept his Divine Sense over himself to ensure he’d not been injured or poisoned. Relieved there was no harm, he pressed, “Who then?”
Banxia’s face grew grave. She motioned to summon Xiaomeng—but no matter how long she waited, the little bull did not appear. Only then did she recall it was still stuck in the wall, trapped after her scolding.
She led Ye Yu back to the wall, yanked on Xiaomeng’s tail, and pulled it free. Then she shoved the forgotten sash into its mouth. Within moments, the panoramic map flickered to life again.
This time, the marker lay scarcely two hundred meters from the Tower, nowhere near the Divine Realm’s gates. Guided by Xiaomeng, Ye Yu and Banxia arrived at a familiar spot: the entrance to Feng Yingzhi’s quarters.
Ye Yu’s first thought was that someone must be intruding on Feng Yingzhi’s room—why else so many wards and seals? Banxia, however, turned pale. Remembering Feng Yingzhi’s hoarse voice and how he’d encouraged her confession, she realized a shocking possibility.
Before she could think further, Ye Yu swept aside every formation with a flick of his sleeve and dashed inside with Xiaomeng, seeking the source. All they found was Feng Yingzhi huddled under blankets, facing the wall as if in reflection.
Ye Yu communicated silently: “Is someone hidden here?”
Feng Yingzhi shook his head emphatically, shrinking deeper into the blankets, not daring to speak.
Ye Yu’s expression darkened. Was the person under the quilt not Feng Yingzhi at all? He peered at the blue ring on his own hand—it matched exactly the one “Banxia” had worn earlier. Refined yet unassuming.
“The blue ring...” Ye Yu’s eyes widened in disbelief as he stared forward, his face flushing.
Banxia gripped Feng Yingzhi’s hand and whispered, “Don’t say you didn’t mean it or it was unintentional—explain yourself!”
“I... I can’t explain!” Feng Yingzhi bowed his head, desperation in his voice. How could he confess, “I helped my best friend win the man she couldn’t”? Once spoken, Banxia would surely go mad.
As she prepared to press further, a wave of drowsiness overwhelmed Banxia and she collapsed into a nearby chair. Ye Yu had cast his Thousand Dreams Illusion, ushering her into a dream-state projection.
He had no choice—he needed to uncover the truth now, or he would never know how to face these two best /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ friends again!
