Seeing Banxiaâs 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.
âYour mood seems off. Do you regret being with me? Or do you dislike their teasing?â he asked.
âNo, itâs not thatâthings moved too fast, and I couldnât process it. In just one afternoon, everything changed so much that it feels like a dream,â Banxia replied, her eyes distant.
To her, it truly seemed surreal, as if some divine aid had granted her every wish. Sheâd skipped the mortifying steps and arrived straight at happiness. Everything had gone so smoothly it was almost unbelievable.
âYou 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!â 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, âDid you pick up a new one?â
Banxia examined the sash in his hand and then her own. Though identical, she was sure this was not hers. âWaitâwhat did I say to you this afternoon?â she asked.
âWhat do you mean? Itâs only been half an hour. Are you going to deny it now?â Ye Yu laughed, taking her hand tenderly.
Banxia shook her head earnestly. âIt really wasnât me this afternoonâI was chasing Xiaomeng the whole time.â
âCome on, thereâs no need to make up excuses. If it wasnât you, then who was it?â Ye Yu frowned.
Alarmed, he swept his Divine Sense over himself to ensure heâd not been injured or poisoned. Relieved there was no harm, he pressed, âWho then?â
Banxiaâs face grew grave. She motioned to summon Xiaomengâbut 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 Xiaomengâs 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 Realmâs gates. Guided by Xiaomeng, Ye Yu and Banxia arrived at a familiar spot: the entrance to Feng Yingzhiâs quarters.
Ye Yuâs first thought was that someone must be intruding on Feng Yingzhiâs roomâwhy else so many wards and seals? Banxia, however, turned pale. Remembering Feng Yingzhiâs hoarse voice and how heâd 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: âIs someone hidden here?â
Feng Yingzhi shook his head emphatically, shrinking deeper into the blankets, not daring to speak.
Ye Yuâs expression darkened. Was the person under the quilt not Feng Yingzhi at all? He peered at the blue ring on his own handâit matched exactly the one âBanxiaâ had worn earlier. Refined yet unassuming.
âThe blue ring...â Ye Yuâs eyes widened in disbelief as he stared forward, his face flushing.
Banxia gripped Feng Yingzhiâs hand and whispered, âDonât say you didnât mean it or it was unintentionalâexplain yourself!â
âI... I canât explain!â Feng Yingzhi bowed his head, desperation in his voice. How could he confess, âI helped my best friend win the man she couldnâtâ? 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 choiceâhe 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!