Night had fallen over the Phoenix Clan.
Ningyan remained within the small forest that bordered the clan grounds, several miles from the manor itself. He had no intention of stepping into the main city. If things went wrong, he refused to let innocent lives be caught in the crossfire.
He did not know how Madam Qin Lihua would retaliate.
But if she refused to dissolve the bounty, then so be it.
He exhaled slowly.
Better to end it quickly.
His gaze dropped to Su Nianci, who still lay unconscious upon the cold earth.
Reaching up, Ningyan removed the illusion mask.
His appearance shifted instantly.
White hair spilled down his back, luminous beneath the moonlight, each strand catching the pale glow of the night. The wind stirred softly, brushing against his robes and hair as if in quiet reverence.
For a moment, he simply stood there.
Then he looked up.
The sky stretched endlessly above him.
…Where was Lan Meishan?
A flicker of unease stirred in his chest.
