Turmoil and the Reserved Ninth Royal Uncle

Prince Nolan had no wish to argue with Storm Cloud Bu, but the man simply wouldn't quit, chattering endlessly in his ear. After relentless needling, Prince Nolan finally looked up and gave Storm Cloud Bu a direct glance.

Just as Storm Cloud Bu's face lit up, convinced Prince Nolan would be jealous and angry, Nolan spoke in his signature slow, deep voice: "Looks like your injury is fine now. Since that's the case, tomorrow you'll set out for Moonvault Palace Sect. I want to know who that 'Aunt' really is, and why she sent people to approach Ethan Xiao."

"Ah... my wound, it hurts so much." Storm Cloud Bu froze for a moment, then instantly clutched his injury, collapsed onto the table, and began to play dead: "I think my wound just split open again. I'm dying..."

Prince Nolan remained unmoved, watching Storm Cloud Bu's antics with a cold gaze. His expression never changed as he said, "You had the leisure to watch the show at dawn and even chat with the Wang clan's Grand Heir—are you sure your wound hurts?"

"Ah... how did you know?" Storm Cloud Bu immediately stopped his wailing and looked at Prince Nolan with a strange expression.

Was Prince Nolan just that well-informed, or had he been there this morning too?

Uh... Either way, what he did just now was basically asking for death!

Storm Cloud Bu was filled with regret, looking at Prince Nolan with a pleading face: begging for forgiveness!

He—he really didn’t mean it, he just wanted to see Prince Nolan lose his cool. How was he supposed to know Prince Nolan was so reserved... uh, so composed, that he’d secretly go to see Serena Feng off and not let anyone find out.

"Hmph..." Prince Nolan shot Storm Cloud Bu a sideways glance, his expression eerily similar to how William Wang Jinling had looked at Bu earlier that day.

"I—I..." Storm Cloud Bu realized things had gotten serious and didn't dare play dead any longer. He straightened up obediently and pleaded, "Nolan... I know I was wrong. Um, do I really have to go to Moonvault Palace Sect?"

Moonvault Palace Sect has gotten stricter and stricter. The people they've managed to plant there are stuck on the outskirts, nowhere near the real core. The two who finally made it inside were kicked out before they even had a chance to act.

Moonvault Palace Sect looks loose on the outside but is sealed tight within—getting any real information out of there is nearly impossible.

"If you won't go to Moonvault Palace Sect, then go to Liancastle. Pick one." Prince Nolan generously gave Storm Cloud Bu a choice, but it was hardly a kindness.

"Can I not go to either one?" Storm Cloud Bu was on the verge of tears. Bella still wasn't better—he wanted to stay with her a while longer.

Either way, going to Liancastle or Moonvault Palace Sect meant he wouldn't be able to get away for quite some time.

"Neither? What, you want to take over the Assassin Bureau now?" Prince Nolan's eyes flicked to Storm Cloud Bu's injured abdomen, a flash of disappointment passing through his gaze.

Last night was just a routine reconnaissance—any ordinary shadow guard could've done it without injury. Yet Storm Cloud Bu came back hurt.

"I..." Storm Cloud Bu didn't dare make a sound. Prince Nolan definitely knew he'd gotten himself injured on purpose.

Vincent Su shook his head and withdrew. He'd been planning to speak up for Storm Cloud Bu, but after hearing Prince Nolan's words, he instantly gave up the idea.

Storm Cloud Bu really did need to get moving—otherwise, he'd waste his whole life on Bella Qin.

"I'll go to Liancastle." After a moment's silence, Storm Cloud Bu made up his mind—he knew he couldn't keep avoiding his duties, so he spoke up decisively before Prince Nolan could get any more annoyed.

He'd neglected his real work for far too long.

"At least you're salvageable." Prince Nolan's expression softened slightly. "Ghost Hall agents have already infiltrated Liancastle. Don't get involved in Ghost Hall's business there—just track Jason Lan and see what he's investigating lately."

Only two fragments of the Nine Provinces Treasure Map remain, but there's been no news at all. Prince Nolan suspects the map is almost certainly in Jason Lan's hands—or at least he knows where it is.

After all, his information came from the old-timers in Liancastle. Those elders know about the existence of the Nine Provinces Treasure Map—there's no reason they wouldn't have a fragment. If they didn't give it to Prince Nolan, they must've left it for Jason Lan.

"Yes, sir." Storm Cloud Bu didn't dare joke around anymore and quickly straightened up. He accidentally pulled at his wound, breaking into a cold sweat—but he didn't dare let it show.

Serves him right!

Vincent Su didn't feel sorry for Storm Cloud Bu at all—he'd brought this on himself, and no one could've talked him out of it.

......

Serena Feng was worried about Feng Jin, so she pressed on at a relentless pace, riding day and night, changing horses whenever possible. Unless they were utterly exhausted, they wouldn't stop to rest. In just six days, they'd already covered two-thirds of the journey. At this rate, Serena would reach the Westlyn Imperial Capital in three more days.

"Miss, if you keep pushing like this, your body won't hold up," one of the Eighteen Riders warned.

It wasn't just Serena—even the riders were almost at their limit. If they hadn't kept changing horses, the mounts would've collapsed from exhaustion.

"We'll rest for a day before reaching Westlyn." Serena blinked her sore eyes, leaned against a tree, and didn't want to speak.

The Eighteen Riders quietly withdrew, not daring to argue.

For the past two days, news from Westlyn kept coming. Young Master Feng Jin had fallen ill last month and still hadn't improved. Not only those on the Left Bank, but even Spring and Autumn were so anxious that, if Serena hadn't arrived, they would've taken Feng Jin back to Eastlyn by now.

Traveling day and night, they didn't have time to worry about inns. Serena's group rested wherever the road seemed safe enough.

Tonight, after another stretch on the road, they pressed on until midnight. The darkness was deep, and the path ahead was too narrow for horses. Serena and her group had no choice but to stop and rest in a small grove.

While the Eighteen Riders built a fire and cleared the area, Serena rested for about half a stick of incense before standing up. She grabbed an emergency lamp and walked a few steps into the woods. The Eighteen Riders, knowing her temperament, didn't follow.

Serena was exhausted, but her nerves were tight—especially at night in the woods, where she stayed on high alert. Any stir of wind or grass put her on edge, and she could instantly detect even the faintest trace of blood.

Serena halted and called out into the darkness, "Go check ahead—see what's happening."

Whoosh—a shadow shot past from behind Serena. Good thing she was brave; anyone else, seeing this at midnight, would've thought they'd seen a ghost.

The shadow was Left Shore, her master—his lightness skills were unmatched. He returned in moments. "Dead bodies. Lots of them."

Judging by the bodies, they'd died recently—the blood was still fresh, still flowing...

"Here?" Serena was startled. They were already inside Westlyn territory, not far from the Imperial Capital. This was a bustling area—how could there be a massacre here?

"Call the Eighteen Riders. We'll check it out together." Serena wasn't one to meddle, but Left Shore's tone made her uneasy. She couldn't rest until she saw for herself.

"Yes." Left Shore hesitated, but still followed Serena's order.

Worried for Serena's safety, Left Shore moved even faster than usual. In the blink of an eye, he was back at her side, silent as a shadow.

When the Eighteen Riders arrived, they were nearly scared witless by Left Shore...