Jian Dan and Jian Xu followed Han Pengfei up to the main peak of the Cloud Sea Sect. Within the quiet of her private cultivation cave, Yun Yun Zhēnzūn was already waiting for them.
"Jian Lu of the Heavenly Sword Sect pays respects to Yun Yun Zhēnzūn."
"No need for formalities. Sit."
Once the attendants served spiritual tea and refreshments, they quietly left, leaving the cave in momentary silence.
Jian Dan and Jian Xu sat with lowered gazes, calmly waiting without speaking first.
"I called the two of you here today for a matter I must inform you of."
Yun Yun took a sip of tea before revealing her reason for summoning them.
"Has your sect's Jian Yu gone missing?"
The moment she heard that, Jian Dan realized the matter was far from simple. She answered with due caution.
"Jian Yu's behavior became unusual after she entered Cloud Sea Sect. During the chaos of the recent battle, just before the The Azure Blood Dragon Array Formation was activated on Yunyin Peak, she left ahead of time. Her current whereabouts are unknown."
Yun Yun Zhēnzūn couldn't help but silently admire Jian Dan's carefully worded response.
She admitted Jian Yu's disappearance, yet subtly pointed out that her odd behavior began after entering Cloud Sea Sect. That left plenty of room for interpretation.
"Are you suggesting that Jian Yu's disappearance is the fault of our Cloud Sea Sect?"
"I wouldn't dare imply that."
Yun Yun set her teacup down, continuing her line of questioning.
"From what I know, the Heavenly Sword Sect always sends one member in the open and one in secret on missions. You were clearly the leader on the surface. That would make Jian Yu your covert partner. Unless there were suspicions about her, why send someone else to assist you?"
"Zhēnzūn is correct. Jian Yu was indeed my partner for this mission, and there were no issues before we arrived at your sect.
As for Senior Brother Jian Xu, he was tracking a group of evil cultivators when he encountered two of our junior martial brothers. Realizing they were after the same group, they followed the trail together, which led them here to Cloud Sea Sect."
Jian Dan responded seriously and respectfully to Yun Yun Zhēnzūn's inquiry.
Her principle was clear: some matters could be admitted, others must not. To confess blindly would be digging her own grave and dragging her sect down with her.
"What Jian Lu said is true," Jian Xu added respectfully. "After I joined up with our sect's disciples, I insisted on coming to Cloud Sea Sect because I was concerned that the evil cultivators might try to stir up trouble. After all, with elite disciples from half the cultivation world gathered here, any sudden disruption..."
He didn't finish the sentence, but the meaning was obvious.
Unfortunately, what they feared had already come to pass. If not for Jian Lu's timely warning, Yunhai Sect—along with disciples from the Nine Great Sects—would have suffered severe losses. The consequences would have been unimaginable.
Even though the true experts of Cloud Sea Sect would surely have stepped in to turn the tide, it would have been difficult to account for the losses to the other sects.
"Forget it. Jian Yu entered the forbidden grounds of our Cloud Sea Sect—the 'Yunhai.'"
Jian Xu and Jian Dan exchanged a quick glance, both clearly confused.
"Did Jian Yu damage something within the forbidden grounds? If that's the case, we'll leave her to the Zhēnzūn's judgment and won't object in the slightest."
They rose at once, showing their firm stance.
"It's admirable that you're so principled. Unfortunately, after entering the 'Yunhai,' Jian Yu vanished. Her fate is unknown."
"This..."
Jian Dan wanted to ask, "It's your forbidden ground, how can one person enter and disappear without a trace?"
"You won't find her. The 'Yunhai' is full of bizarre turbulence, and sometimes brief spatial storms. That's why it's guarded at all times by two Mahayana Zhēnzhūn."
Yun Yun seemed to read her thoughts and answered before she could voice them.
"Forgive my bluntness, but Jian Yu was only in late-stage Void Refinement, with average combat ability. How could she have entered the forbidden grounds under the watch of two Mahayana experts?"
Jian Dan still chose to voice her doubt.
Han Pengfei shifted uneasily, shooting her a glance, hoping she would stop pushing.
"Heh. Jian Lu, you're quite sharp. But this touches on internal matters of our sect."
Hearing that, Jian Dan understood. Since it involved their sect's secrets, it wasn't her place to press further.
"In that case, once we return to our sect, we'll check Jian Yu's soul lantern. Regardless of the outcome, she trespassed into a sect's forbidden area. If anything happened, the fault lies with her. I'll report everything truthfully to the sect."
"I called you not only to inform you of Jian Yu's disappearance, but also to ask what she had been doing recently. Anything suspicious?"
"After settling on Yunyin Peak, she only met me the first day. After that, she remained on the peak while I entered seclusion to raise my cultivation. She later left Yunyin Peak to meet a Daoyou from Purple Sky Sect. I thought she was simply visiting a friend and didn't pay it much mind."
Jian Dan chose her words carefully, only sharing what she deemed necessary.
"She also offered to escort Lu Xuanyuan, who had been temporarily staying on Yunyin Peak, but the boy refused. I assumed the Daoyou from Zixiao Sect had asked her to help with that."
Off to the side, Jian Xu listened as he sipped tea without much enthusiasm. He truly admired Jian Lu. Everything she said was true, yet she only revealed half the picture. She wasn't about to tell Yun Yun Zhēnzūn everything.
"Very well, I understand. Now that things have calmed, the Divine Soul stage competition will resume in three days."
"Yes, Zhēnzūn. Thank you for your effort."
With that, Jian Lu and Jian Xu left Yunhai's main peak. Han Pengfei offered to escort them personally.
"Young Master Wushuang, no need. You're busy, and we can find our own way back."
"Please don't take offense. My grandaunt is still unsettled from the recent attack on Cloud Sea Sect, which is why her tone may have been a bit harsh."
"No offense taken, Young Master Wushuang. We're simply answering Zhēnzūn's questions truthfully. But Jian Yu's disappearance is indeed suspicious."
Jian Dan walked at a calm pace down the long cloud bridge. She casually removed the magnolia hairpin from her bun and tucked it into her newly acquired jade storage ring.
Han Pengfei's expression dimmed slightly. He glanced at Jian Xu Zūnzhǔ before quietly asking:
"Zūnzhǔ... did you not like my gift?"
Jian Dan stopped walking. Jian Xu continued forward, tactfully giving them space to speak.
"Wushuang, I accepted your token of gratitude, so naturally I accepted the gift as well. But after I wore that hairpin, a female cultivator named Yu Yaoyao seized my spirit beast, Yue Liang, and threw her into your sect's forbidden ground, the 'Yunhai.'"
Han Pengfei froze. He clearly hadn't heard about this.
"Is Yue Liang alright?"
"She's safe. I gave her a teleportation talisman. But I can't say the same for Yu Yaoyao. Yue Liang said a black-robed figure threw her into the Yunhai. She didn't see anything after that."
Han Pengfei looked frustrated. He had known Yu Yaoyao's intentions, but thought he'd made his stance clear. Yet she still caused trouble for Jian Lu Zūnzhǔ.
"I won't hold a grudge against a junior, but I don't want something like this to happen again."
"Of course, Zūnzhǔ. I will handle it appropriately."
"Good."
Jian Dan said no more. With a single step, she caught up to Jian Xu, and the two left the main peak together.
Han Pengfei turned back and sought out Yun Yun Zhēnzūn.
"Grandaunt, about Yu Yaoyao..."
"She was rescued by Yun Hai Zhēnzūn, but her cultivation was destroyed. She's now a mortal, incapable of further cultivation. Her father has already taken her back to Yuntu Peak."
Yun Yun Zhēnzūn's reply was calm.
Han Pengfei didn't know what expression to show. Yu Yaoyao had no one to blame but herself.
"She brought this upon herself. Later, go visit her. I have a fifty-year 'Zhu Yan Pill.' Deliver it for me."
A white porcelain pill bottle floated in front of him. Han Pengfei gave his grandaunt a complicated look before accepting the bottle and bowing as he left the cave.