“Boy, didn’t you forget something?” Blossom coldly interrupted Bai Xiaofei.

  “Blossom is right. We old fogeys have spent so long here just to wait for a result. Do you really take us for your prisoners? Drive us away after you’re done interrogating?” Nanmo Sheng followed, obviously implying that he wouldn’t let the matter slide if Bai Xiaofei didn’t provide them an answer immediately.

  After all, the questions Bai Xiaofei had just asked were no different from rubbing salt into their old wounds.

  “Seniors, you really don’t think that such a big problem can be figured out by asking some questions, do you? All I can do is keep collecting information and slowly narrow it down. I promise I will give you an answer, but not now.” Bai Xiaofei wouldn’t be Bai Xiaofei if he was so easily scared.

  What’s more, all five of them together wouldn’t be enough for him to beat up, while the power they held could not affect him. Since the Holy Puppetsmith Mountain was being sealed off, they couldn’t find anyone to deal with him.

  Therefore, Bai Xiaofei had nothing to fear.

  Facing this dirty play, the godsmiths gnashed their teeth in anger and helplessness. In the end, they left one by one with cold snorts.

  “Lil’ Brother, I really broke out a cold sweat for you.” Ling Hai sighed with lingering fear. Just now was definitely the most exciting conversation he had ever seen.

  “What’s there to be afraid of? I don’t intend to stay in Ethereal for much longer anyway,” Bai Xiaofei replied nonchalantly.

  Ling Hai was stunned. “Then what about that girl Ni Xue…?” He hurriedly used his ‘killer’ move, whom he had especially found to keep Bai Xiaofei.

  “Let’s talk about something else,” Bai Xiaofei directly changed the subject.

  However, Ling Hai could see that his expression wasn’t that of wanting to shirk responsibility, but… melancholy?

  “Err… Alright, Lil’ Brother. So, what do you think of those five?” Ling Hai grew serious upon mentioning their top priority at the moment. As for whether Bai Xiaofei could be retained, that would be a matter for the future.

  “What do you think?” Bai Xiaofei asked back with a smile.

  Ling Hai revealed a pondering expression as he recalled the reactions of the five godsmiths. Then, he answered, “I don’t think any of them said something suspicious, but if I have to guess, it’d be Thousand Flames. After all, he is the only one who interrupted you to answer without listening to your question. I feel that he was afraid.”


  Bai Xiaofei shook his head with a wry smile. “Brother, my judgment is just the opposite. I think that except for Thousand Flames, the other four are very suspicious.”


  Dumbstruck, Ling Hai exclaimed in disbelief, “How is that possible?! Didn’t they all answer your questions very well? Especially Nanmo Sheng, he even admitted to such a big issue!”


  “That’s exactly why. Their answers are so perfect that they must have been thinking about it ahead of time. And since they can remember so clearly, it means that they’ve been holding on to it in their hearts. Such is no different from the kind of motivation that drives them to do things contradicting their own principles,” explained Bai Xiaofei.

  Ling Hai was instantly persuaded. He gulped. “Then… next…”


  “We wait and see. The problematic one won’t be able to sit still.” Bai Xiaofei smiled craftily. The meeting was only to beat the grass and startle the snake, the first round of his plan!

  Ling Hai quickly understood Bai Xiaofei’s meaning. He voiced his concern, “But, what if they realize this? They may not be intimidated and continue to stay put…”


  “Then, give them enough pressure, make them think that I’ve got a suspect!” Bai Xiaofei said.

  Ling Hai’s eyes lit up. In the next ten minutes, Bai Xiaofei explained to Ling Hai in detail what he needed to do next.

  “Alright, I remember. But there seems to be nothing for you to do?” Ling Hai asked a fatal question at the end, instinctively thinking that Bai Xiaofei had bigger plans.

  “Me? Of course, I’m going to have a rest. This has taken too much brain juice from me. I can’t always run errands, right? Don’t forget that I’m only an outsider,” declared Bai Xiaofei matter-of-factly.

  While Ling Hai was rendered speechless by his answer, Bai Xiaofei walked out the door.

  “Ah! Hey!” Watching as Bai Xiaofei disappeared, Ling Hai let out the longest sigh ever. The most humbled princes ever in history probably all belonged to Ethereal, but it couldn’t be helped with the particularity of Ethereal. Everything basically revolved around the five brothers as there was no one left of the older generation.

  However, despite complaining in his heart, Ling Hai wasn’t slow at all to execute the plan.

  First, he mobilized the garrison and further retracted the scope of the blockade on the Puppetsmith Holy Mountain. The soldiers were armed to the teeth and ready for war. Then, a restriction order was issued upon the four godsmiths aside from Thousand Flames, forbidding anyone from having contact with them.

  Of course, this restriction order was issued in private, known to no one but the soldiers who received it.

  This created a feeling for the suspect that they had been pinpointed and fully monitored. In particular, Ling Hai even sought out Thousand Flames and asked him to take a tour around the other four’s residences respectively, further strengthening their idea that only they were quarantined.

  Naturally, this earned similar responses from the four godsmiths: They flew into a rage!

  However, Ling Hai didn’t care as he was reminded by Bai Xiaofei to prepare for this reaction. Suspicious or not, any person would react this way, not to mention people of their status. What really mattered was what they were going to do after!

  Puppet masters with the ability to monitor the entire Puppetsmith Holy Mountain began to take turns twenty-four hours a day, not letting slip the slightest movement. Ling Hai even used a sealing formation that cut off all contact with the outside world.

  After that, all that was left for Ling Hai was to wait.

  In the meantime, Bai Xiaofei gave himself a holiday as he had said. He spent three days strolling around the city with Ni Xue and Tan Xin without care while all the higher-ups of the capital were in a frenzy with all the work on their plates!

  ……


  Sitting on the roof of the inn, Bai Xiaofei quietly looked up at the night sky.

  “Where’s Tan Xin?” he asked, knowing who was approaching just from the sound of their footsteps.

  In fact, everyone’s footsteps were unique even in a crowd, as long as one cared enough to listen.

  “I told her to sleep early,” replied Ni Xue as she sat down beside him.

  “She has never slept so early. So, are you here to say goodbye?” Bai Xiaofei smiled gently.

  Ni Xue’s expression froze.

  “I haven’t been monitoring you. Recently you’ve been acting all jittery, so the reason should be nothing else but that you are leaving,” Bai Xiaofei explained as Ni Xue fell silent. “Still refuse to admit it, my teacher?”


  With that, the thread of hope in Xue Ying’s heart vanished.

  “When did you know?” She pursed her lips, her voice full of sorrow.

  “From the moment I saw you. Although your disguise skill is formidable, the way you look at me is too unique to not notice. Besides, you seem to forget Huskie, whose nose is sharper than that of a dog. The moment we met, he almost rushed out from the puppet space.”


  “However, I thought you must have a reason to use such a method to come to see me, so I decided to cooperate with you. After all, only in this way can you be by my side, right?”


  Bai Xiaofei gazed at Xue Ying, his eyes were full of tenderness. At this moment, the person sitting beside him had only one identity - His woman!

  “Shouldn’t you be loathing me?” asked Xue Ying hesitantly as her heart drummed under his gaze.

  “If it were someone else, I would, but you are my woman. I naturally will bear all your mistakes for you!” Bai Xiaofei declared with a smile.

  However, Xue Ying couldn’t muster a smile at all. Tears instantly filled her eyes.

  Gently taking her into his embrace, Bai Xiaofei let her vent all of her long pent-up emotions until her sobbing ceased.

  “The deadline my master allowed me has passed. I must go today,” she said.

  In the end, Bai Xiaofei had guessed right.

  “As long as you are well, that’s fine. From now on, you only need to do one thing.” He looked at her with a burning fire in his eyes. “Wait for me! I will definitely find you!”