Morning came, at the pass of eight, and everything had been settled.
Yu Xiao sat alone on her bed, sulking as she stared at her palm.
Her thoughts churned restlessly—Tiaopi, missing along with her memories.
The Duan siblings, who had worried about her every day. Her provider, who had given her everything without question.
The Beiming Palace, where Palace Lord Xue Baitian and the Young Master had welcomed her warmly, offering her shelter and safety. And now, her spiritual power has nearly dissipated.
According to that man, she had been given the name 'Stone-Honey'. Her meridians were severely damaged, so he had insisted she stay and recuperate.
Unfortunately, Young Master Yun Qingjue hadn't offered any help in finding Tiaopi.
Even if the others weren't around, at least she would have had Tiaopi to talk to.
She let out a sharp gasp.
This was devastating!
She pressed her fingers to her temples.
What should I do?
Then it struck her—this morning, those two had left the place.
This was the perfect opportunity to search for Tiaopi herself!
She scrambled off the bed, her bare feet hitting the cool floor.
After steadying herself and smoothing down her rumpled clothes, determination flickered in her eyes.
I don't believe Tiaopi just vanished like that.
She drew in a deep breath.
Held it.
Then exhaled slowly, centering herself before stepping toward the door.
She left the chamber cautiously, her footsteps light as she began to explore the place.
First, she reached the main chamber—the one where Long Jianyu spent most of his time in quiet, undisturbed solitude.
The space stretched out before her, tremendously wide and eerily silent.
It felt wrong somehow, too empty, too still.
She scanned every corner, reaching out with her senses, but there was no trace of Tiaopi's presence.
Nothing.
Her chest tightened with disappointment.
Cautiously, she crept forward, keeping close to the stone pillars that lined the corridor.
She peered out from behind one of them, her eyes darting toward the threshold ahead.
The cool stone pressed against her palm as she steadied herself, listening intently for any sound—footsteps, voices, anything that might give her away.
Silence.
She held her breath and edged closer to the entrance, her heart pounding in her ears.
With no other option, she silently strode toward the open threshold, slipping into another corridor.
The passage ahead was undeniably dim, lit only by the faint glow of azure torches flickering along the walls and the occasional glimmer of luminescent stones embedded in the surface.
The pale light barely carved a path through the shadows.
Yu Xiao pressed forward, her eyes adjusting to the darkness as she moved deeper into the corridor.
Meanwhile, on the opposite side of the estate, Long Jianyu and Yun Qingjue hadn't truly left at all.
It was all a setup.
Yun Qingjue had voiced his doubts about Yu Xiao's intentions, and Long Jianyu had agreed to test her—to catch whatever ulterior motive she might be hiding.
The moment Yu Xiao stepped into the corridor, Long Jianyu sensed it.
He had planted spiritual energy throughout the estate to detect every unusual motion, every shift in the air. His eyes narrowed slightly as her presence rippled through his awareness like a stone dropped into still water.
But that wasn't all.
Woven carefully into the corridors were countless traps—invisible threads of spiritual energy, pressure-sensitive seals, and hidden formations. If she ventured too far, there would be no escape.
He remained perfectly still, watching from a distance, waiting to see what she would do next.
"Dijun, are you certain about this?"
Yun Qingjue asked him directly, his tone measured but concerned.
"This was your plan. You're the one who doubted her."
Long Jianyu's voice was calm, almost indifferent.
"If she truly has an ulterior motive toward me, well—let's see what she's capable of."
"But the place is filled with countless traps. She's just an ordinary woman; she might get hurt."
Long Jianyu's gaze remained steady.
"As you said, she's searching for that person named 'Tiaopi.' Let's give her a way forward. You know that man, don't you?"
Yun Qingjue hesitated.
"Dijun… actually, I've never seen him before. Yu Xiao persuaded me to help her find him, but I don't know what their connection is. I've frequently sneaked into the Beiming Palace, yet I've never found anyone called 'Tiaopi.' It's strange."
"Has she asked you for anything else? Tell me everything."
"I don't think so. Only about Tiaopi. Nothing else."
Long Jianyu's expression shifted, a hint of calculation flickering in his eyes.
"Let's go. Trail her."
With a subtle gesture, Long Jianyu cast an invisible spell, concealing their auras completely.
Even if they spoke, Yu Xiao wouldn't be able to hear them.
A moment later, both he and Yun Qingjue dissolved into the air like mist, vanishing without a trace.
They reappeared soundlessly, not far behind Yu Xiao, hidden from sight, watching her every move.
Successfully, Yu Xiao passed through the first passage.
But this was far from over.
Three open thresholds now stood before her, each one dark and unwelcoming.
She had no idea which one to choose.
Her brows furrowed deeply as she folded her arms across her chest, releasing a long, frustrated exhale.
Her eyes darted between the three passages, searching for any clue, any sign that might guide her decision.
"Seriously!"
Her voice rang out sharply, echoing down the stone corridor.
She threw her hands up in exasperation.
"Ha! Why do I feel like I'm trapped in some kind of survival game?"
Her words bounced off the walls, filling the silence.
"I never imagined finding Tiaopi would be this hard! Not in a place like this!"
Her voice carried loudly through the corridors, unguarded and raw with frustration.
"That stingy Yun Qingjue!" she continued, her tone dripping with indignation. "I begged him—actually begged for his help! And how does he repay me? He rejects me flat out!"
She kicked at a loose pebble, sending it skittering across the stone floor.
"He's nothing like Stone-Honey. Stone-Honey is a total package—generous, composed, and actually helpful. Those two are completely different!"
Behind her, still cloaked in invisibility, Long Jianyu's eyebrow arched ever so slightly at her unexpected praise.
Beside him, Yun Qingjue's expression stiffened, a flicker of offense crossing his features.
He opened his mouth as if to protest, but Long Jianyu raised a hand, silencing him with a subtle gesture.
A moment passed before Long Jianyu glanced sideways at Yun Qingjue, a mischievous smile tugging at his lips.
Yun Qingjue said nothing, but let out a sharp gasp of exasperation, his eyes narrowing in silent indignation.
They continued to watch, waiting to see what she would do next.
"I can make it. Hmft!"
Yu Xiao straightened her shoulders, determination flashing in her eyes.
This time, she chose the first threshold on the left, stepping forward with renewed confidence.
Long Jianyu and Yun Qingjue followed her in silence, their invisible forms gliding effortlessly behind her.
Halfway down the passage, Yu Xiao stopped abruptly.
Something felt different beneath her feet.
The corridor was completely carved from stone, its floor covered with a thin layer of sand—but there was something underneath.
When she shifted her weight, the ground gave way slightly, sinking beneath her step.
Her breath caught.
She froze, her heart hammering in her chest as she stared down at her feet, trying to understand what she'd just triggered.
Curiosity overtook caution.
She crouched down slowly, brushing aside the sand with her fingertips.
There was definitely something hidden beneath—something solid, deliberate.
A mechanism, perhaps.
Her fingers traced the edges of what felt like a concealed tile or pressure plate.
She glanced upward sharply, scanning the ceiling for any signs of danger—falling blades, arrows, or collapsing stone.
Then her gaze swept around the corridor, quietly observing every shadow, every crevice.
Her mind raced.
Stone-Honey is a formidable person. Yun Qingjue said he isolated himself here.
But the strange thing is, without Yun Qingjue around, he's completely alone. There's no one else here—no servants, no guards. So this place must be well protected. In other words, this corridor is likely filled with traps.
She exhaled slowly, steadying herself.
Let me figure this out on my own first.
Without finesse, she scraped the sand away in broad strokes, revealing what lay beneath.
A rectangular tile emerged before her, distinct from the surrounding stone.
If this object sank when stepped on, it probably served as some kind of hidden trigger—but for what?
To test her theory, she braced her hands on either side of the tile and pushed down with measured force.
The corridor shook violently in an instant.
A sharp crack split the air as the floor beneath Yu Xiao's feet gave way, opening into a yawning chasm.
Darkness stretched downward—deep, almost bottomless.
The pit widened rapidly, stone crumbling at the edges.
Her instincts kicked in immediately.
With a sharp breath, she threw her weight backward, flipping upside down in a graceful arc.
Her body twisted mid-air as she launched herself away from the collapsing floor, landing in a crouch several paces back from the trap.
Her chest heaved as she stared at the gaping hole before her, heart racing.
That was close.
Witnessing this from behind, both Long Jianyu and Yun Qingjue stood frozen in stunned silence.
Yun Qingjue's eyes widened in disbelief, his mouth falling slightly open.
Long Jianyu's expression shifted—his brows lifting, a flicker of genuine surprise crossing his normally composed features.
Yes, she appeared to be an ordinary woman.
Her spiritual power was nearly depleted, her meridians severely damaged.
By all accounts, she should have been helpless.
But that movement—that speed, that precision—was anything but ordinary.
Her reflexes were sharp, her form flawless.
The way she'd evaded the trap with such fluid grace spoke of extensive training, perhaps even combat experience.
Long Jianyu's gaze sharpened, reassessing the woman before him.
Yun Qingjue exchanged a quick, bewildered glance with his Dijun, silently questioning what they'd just witnessed.
Who exactly was this Yu Xiao?