The day rolled quickly toward noon. The sun hung directly overhead, warming the air that had remained cool since morning. Its heat seeped through the city streets, yet Liuyao Pavilion stayed shaded, as if its walls absorbed the sun's rays, preserving the calm within.
Yifan sat leisurely on the upper terrace of Liuyao Pavilion, a cup of tea releasing a thin wisp of steam from his hands. His movements were unhurried, almost as if time itself slowed around him.
Xue Yao, the girl in the red gown, had just finished consolidating her cultivation after her recent breakthrough. Her eyes sparkled as they fell upon Yifan, as if a soft voice continued to echo in her heart:
'Praise me… praise me.'
As if sensing the thought, Yifan slowly rose to his feet, gazing at her without turning away.
"Hmm… not bad at all," he said casually.
The simple words made Xue Yao's smile bloom. She twirled slightly, her body swaying from side to side. Her playful manner was that of a young girl seeking attention, yet her aura of courage remained, like a red rose that had not lost its thorns.
Yun Xinyao had also appeared. She cast a glance at Yifan, her cheeks flushing at the memory of the previous incident, then bowed her head, biting her lip. Yifan noticed, and returned a faint smile, enough to make her heart flutter even more.
At that moment, Yao Yue stepped forward. Her yellow gown fluttered slightly in the midday breeze, and her voice, soft but clear, asked:
"Young Master, where is your next destination?"
Yifan lifted his cup, sipping the tea slowly. His gaze fell on Yao Yue, calm but carrying a depth that was difficult to read.
"Actually… I have no specific destination," he replied flatly.
"But… I am somewhat interested in the place where the fragments of the Heavenly Veil Mirror were found."
Hearing this, Yao Yue's expression turned serious. She walked toward the edge of the upper terrace, her eyes scanning the bustling city below, as if opening the pages of a long-forgotten story.
"The mirror fragments were discovered by one of our Liuyao Pavilion elders quite by accident…"
"Oh? Tell me more," Yifan replied lightly.
"Yes…" Yao Yue nodded.
"At that time, some of our elders were delivering goods to a clan on the outskirts of the Northern Region. On their return, they accidentally stumbled upon a secret realm."
"A secret realm?" Yun Xinyao squinted, as if catching a faint clue.
"Indeed," Yao Yue said quickly.
"There was no danger within the secret realm. The elders then found the mirror fragment. Unable to discern its level as an artifact, they explored it using their spiritual senses. Yet, one by one, their consciousness vanished, as if their souls had been drawn into the mirror fragment."
Yao Yue took a slow breath before continuing.
"Only one elder survived, because he did not explore it with his spiritual senses. In a panic, he brought the fragment back. Upon arriving at the pavilion, the two ancestors assessed the artifact directly… and it was decided to auction it."
She bowed her head slightly. "That is the story."
Silence enveloped them. Yun Xinyao suddenly looked at Yifan, her voice low but steady:
"Brother, isn't something strange about this?"
Yao Yue and Xue Yao were momentarily puzzled by the address. Since when did the purple-dress girl call Yifan "Brother"? Yet they held their silence; the matter at hand was more important.
"Yes. There is indeed something strange," Yifan replied firmly.
Yao Yue refocused, her chest fluttering slightly at his response.
"Young Master, could you tell me?" Her voice slipped out, uncontrollable.
She knew Yifan's insight surpassed anyone. Even her two ancestors could not compare. With hopeful eyes, Yao Yue looked at him, awaiting illumination.
"At the previous auction, I already sensed something unusual from the auctioneer's explanation. And from your account, it became even clearer."
Yao Yue held her breath. "What is unusual, Young Master?"
Yifan did not answer immediately. His gaze shifted slowly to Xue Yao, as if waiting for her to speak.
"Soul…"
The single word came from Xue Yao. Yao Yue's eyes widened at Xue Yao, a strange feeling stirring within her. She froze, her brow furrowed.
Yun Xinyao smiled faintly, knowing Xue Yao was no ordinary person.
'As expected from someone who caught Brother's attention,' she thought.
Yifan nodded slightly, seemingly satisfied with Xue Yao's words.
"What Xue Yao said is correct."
"According to ancient records, the Heavenly Veil Mirror does not possess the ability to absorb souls. Its power lies in analyzing mysteries and sealing, not soul absorption. That is what makes it unusual."
Yao Yue's eyes widened, as if her horizon had expanded from a single conversation. Her admiration for Yifan grew another notch.
Yet a question gnawed at her heart. How could Xue Yao know this?
"Miss Xue Yao, you…" Her voice faltered, then continued, "How do you know?"
Xue Yao lowered her head. Her beautiful eyes trembled, as if she were confused herself.
"Actually, I don't know. But… I seem to have seen that mirror fragment before."
"What?" Yao Yue gasped.
The simple words carried immense weight. Yun Xinyao's expression turned serious as well. She glanced at Yifan.
"Brother… could it be…"
Yifan nodded slowly. That was enough for Yun Xinyao to understand that her thoughts aligned with his.
"Xue Yao, where did you see it? Do you still remember?" Yifan asked, his gaze piercing Xue Yao's eyes.
The girl's heart pounded. Her hand touched her chin as she tried to recall something.
"It seems…" she murmured.
Her brow furrowed, eyes closed tightly, as if she were reaching through thousands of lifetimes to grasp a single faint memory.
Yao Yue held her breath, even forgetting to swallow, afraid of disturbing the crucial moment.
A few moments passed. Yifan was about to stop Xue Yao from straining herself, but just then, she opened her eyes. Her gaze trembled, yet it was clear she remembered.
"Young Master… it was in the Southern Region of the Tianxian Continent," she said.
Yao Yue finally exhaled in relief. That single sentence made the wait worthwhile. Yet she immediately realized one thing: could Xue Yao be from the Southern Region?
"Brother, shall we go there directly?" Yun Xinyao asked impatiently.
"No need to rush," Yifan replied lightly.
"Isn't there someone who will search for it for us?"
Yun Xinyao paused for a moment, then let out a small laugh. "Oh, that's right, I nearly forgot, hahaha…"
She had almost forgotten Yu Tianlei, the human toolsman released by Yifan.
Yifan did not release him out of pity. He knew that Yu Tianlei's grudge against him would push the man to seek power, even to pursue other fragments of the mirror. It would save time.
Although the Heavenly Veil Mirror fragment was not an offensive artifact, it contained a powerful sealing technique, and it was an Immortal-level artifact. Whoever possessed it would stand at the pinnacle of the world.
Yu Tianlei would certainly not miss the chance. Moreover, Yifan already had some knowledge of him, with the shadow of the Crown Prince of the Yusheng Dynasty constantly haunting his steps.
Yifan only needed to exploit Yu Tianlei's hatred and objective. Everything had been planned—if Yu Tianlei discovered it, he would surely cough up blood.