Chapter 263 - 262

Ling Yanzhi had wanted to go with Xi Yu, but just as he was about to move, he suddenly froze.

Meanwhile, the Red Snake also sensed its other self approaching.

The Red Snake joyfully revealed its form, coiling around Ling Yanzhi.

Its head stared intently at the end of the road. "She’s close, she’s close! The little one is looking for us, Master. Let’s just wait a bit longer."

Ling Yanzhi suppressed the urge to go straight to her.

"Mm." His tone was casual, but his fingers secretly clenched, his long lashes trembling as they lowered.

’I wonder who Jian Yu will run to first?’

Although Jian Yu rarely mentioned her Soul Beast Skill, Ling Yanzhi knew she had a way to find him.

If she wanted to.

’It was childish, but he was still inexplicably excited.’

「Meanwhile」

As soon as Jian Yu and Sheng Yue landed, they followed the path on the map provided by the Red Snake.

They reached the outskirts of the Slave Market and saw the ground littered with unconscious soldiers, a few of whom were severely injured.

It was the first time Jian Yu had ever seen so many people lying on the ground.

She checked a random person. "Not dead."

Jian Yu looked up and said with certainty, "Ayan and his group were here."

In other words, they were the ones who did this.

She could see the residual Soul Power on their bodies.

Sheng Yue paused, his eyes downcast in silence. "It was them."

Besides Xi Yu and his group, few people were capable of something on this scale.

’The fact that they were only poisoned and knocked out meant they weren’t being hunted—though it didn’t feel much different.’

Jian Yu asked hesitantly, "Will they get in trouble? I can help cover this up so the people on Emperor Wolf Star won’t find out."

"There’s no need." Sheng Yue met Jian Yu’s worried gaze and pressed his lips together.

More than his own suspicions, he wondered why Jian Yu wasn’t surprised at all.

His gaze fell on the large tree in front of the Slave Market’s gate. "They were very careful when they made their move."

Some time had passed, so even if the aura of their Soul Power hadn’t been concealed, it was already about to dissipate.

Moreover, the toxins in the bodies of the men on the ground were also slowly fading.

Unless someone like Pei Yin, who always carried a toxin detector, came by, all traces would be gone in another two minutes. There’d be nothing to find.

The only reason Sheng Yue could guess it was Xi Yu’s group was that he knew they were currently on Emperor Wolf Star, not to mention their well-known abilities.

After a moment’s thought, he decided to help check for anything they might have missed.

He channeled his spiritual power, releasing it in all directions. Confirming that the surveillance was no longer active, Sheng Yue glanced up at the sky.

The surveillance drones that usually patrolled the sky on a schedule were gone.

A glance from the corner of his eye revealed twenty drones that had fallen to the ground, now piled up in a corner like a heap of scrap metal.

Sheng Yue retracted his gaze, and his blue eyes involuntarily settled on the fluffy hair at the back of Jian Yu’s head.

Since Xi Yu and the others weren’t around to help her get ready, Jian Yu had taken to simply tying her hair up in a messy bun these past few days.

Her hair was fine and soft, so even with a tight bun, numerous stray strands fluttered in the sunlight, shimmering gold and giving her a gentle, soft appearance.

Sheng Yue swallowed. "Your mask is crooked."

"Oh." Jian Yu adjusted the fox mask on her face, then stood up without letting her gaze linger.

The two red threads on her wrist, representing Ling Yanzhi and Xi Yu, were fluctuating violently. It was obvious they had just been through a major battle.

’I don’t know how much Soul Power they have left, or if they’re in danger right now.’

Jian Yu glanced around. "This is strange. There are so many houses, but not a single person."

With such a big commotion, you’d think there would be at least one person gawking.

The Red Snake, having just finished syncing memories, explained, "The villas on both sides are used by the Slave Market for storage. The people inside ran away as soon as trouble started."

It bowed its head. "My master investigated. The two rows of buildings nearby have secret doors leading to the space station."

The Red Snake recounted what had just happened, making a point to mention Emperor Wolf Star’s outrageously perverse laws.

Sheng Yue frowned.

The more Jian Yu heard, the stranger she found it.

The Red Snake exclaimed, "What a coincidence! That person came to Emperor Wolf Star too."

Jian Yu was confused. "What person?"

The Red Snake organized its thoughts. "Gu Qi. The boy we saved in the Beast Forest. The one who was trying to impress the little one and led us to find the Heavy Python."

Its voice was laced with confusion. "My master happened to be on the same ship as Gu Qi. Gu Qi was selling things onboard and mentioned during a haggle that he was going to Emperor Wolf Star because the pay was good there. But the afternoon he got off the ship, he was arrested by the Star Police."

Xi Yu has a good memory and a sharp eye, and since Gu Qi had been pretty rowdy on the ship, the memory of him was still fresh.

At first, they thought he was arrested for not having a proper visa. It was only after investigating that they learned Gu Qi had been transferred to the Slave Market.

That’s when they realized something was wrong, which led to today’s visit to the Slave Market.

"We have to find them first." Jian Yu looked toward the Slave Market. "Ayue should be inside."

Sheng Yue nodded and instantly teleported a meter forward.

He turned back to find Jian Yu still hesitating where she stood.

"What’s wrong?"

Jian Yu seemed too embarrassed to look at him, pointing in another direction. "I’m going over there. Let’s meet up later."

Sheng Yue watched her for a long moment. "Alright."

The two separated.

Following the pull, Jian Yu arrived at a small path behind the Slave Market.

She walked straight for a minute, rounded a corner, and saw Ling Yanzhi looking up in her direction.

He had one hand in his pocket, eyes half-lidded, leaning back lazily.

"Master!" The Red Snake flew over, merging with its other self.

Jian Yu didn’t move. Her gaze crept upward as she peeked at him from the corner of her eye. Her fingers twisted the hem of her dress, her knuckles turning white from the force.

Her wide eyes blinked timidly, as if she were trying to carefully identify him.

Ling Yanzhi had a great physique, the kind of figure that could make any clothes look good.

But this pale cyan outfit seemed to clash with his personality.

It made him look less sharp and heroic, and more gentle. Yet, the slight upward tilt of his lips held a touch of his usual cool indifference.

"Tsk." Ling Yanzhi took off the mask, revealing a face identical to Qu Xian’s.

It was a jarring sight.

The refined face was at odds with his lazy, roguish air.

Jian Yu raised her hand and gave a little wave. "Hi~"

Ling Yanzhi stared at her for a moment, then reached up and pulled off the disguise.

He spread his arms, a wide grin breaking across his face. "So, you didn’t recognize me?" he asked in a casual drawl.

Jian Yu trotted over and threw herself into his arms, muttering, "It didn’t look good on you at all."

She looked up, blinking.

The moment Ling Yanzhi caught her, he took a step back with his right leg to absorb the impact.

He wrapped his arms around Jian Yu’s waist and back and helped her remove her mask.

Beneath the mask was Jian Yu’s fresh, delicate face, which bore no disguise.

He grinned and let out a soft chuckle. Without a word, he let Jian Yu hug his waist tightly and bury her face in his chest, sniffing him all over the way one would cuddle a cat.

’You’ve lost weight,’ he wanted to say.

But Jian Yu’s face was fair with a rosy glow; she hadn’t lost weight at all. In fact, she looked like she’d put on a little.

It was enough to make him grind his back teeth in affectionate frustration.

He pinched Jian Yu’s cheek. "What are you sniffing around for?"

’Like a little puppy.’