The Side-Consort’s True Identity

"I've always wanted to ask her to help me talk to Claire—to tell her there's nothing romantic between us," Lord Faustin confessed. "But I kept hesitating, thinking she probably wouldn't agree, so I never went through with it."

"So why do you think she's still alive?" Lily Bai asked, baffled.

"Because I have a strand of her hair!" Faustin said, bright-eyed. "She left it on my clothes years ago. Whenever I want to find her, I use it to sense where she is. Just a few days ago, I could still feel her presence!"

Lily Bai frowned and reached out. "Let me try with the hair!"

Faustin pulled out a small pouch from his robe and fished out a long strand of hair.

Lily Bai took the hair, cast a sensing spell, then asked, puzzled, "Are you sure this is Jean Qiao's hair?"

"I've even used this strand to find her before!" Faustin insisted.

"She's in Drake Abyss now," Lily Bai said.

"Wait, so is she dead or not?"

Lily Bai reached out. "Hand me the talisman paper—I'll go check Drake Abyss myself."

Lord Faustin handed her the last Soulbinder talisman.

Lily Bai returned to Drake Abyss, handed the Soulbinder to Adrian Drake, and gave him some instructions.

Then she took the strand of hair and tracked down its owner.

It turned out to be the First Prince Brandon Xiao's Side-Consort: Eve.

Invisible, Lily Bai watched Eve gently coaxing a child. Comparing her to the portrait of Jean Qiao that Lord Sky Xiao had drawn, they seemed like two completely different people.

Even before she married the First Prince, they'd already done a thorough background check on her.

Nothing suspicious turned up in the investigation...

...

"What are you thinking about?" In the bedchamber, Sean Shaw hugged Lily Bai from behind.

Lily Bai explained Eve's situation: "...My tracking technique can't be wrong! And my master's strand of hair... I think it's almost impossible that it's a mistake."

"So, Side-Consort Eve is actually Jean Qiao?"

"And it's not possession! My tracking technique only recognizes the body, not the soul," Lily Bai said. "So I was just thinking, is there any way to completely turn one person into another?"

She looked at Sean Shaw. "Disguise technique? No way that could fool our eyes."

Sean Shaw nodded.

"So it must be some kind of spell?" Lily Bai frowned.

Sean Shaw thought for a moment and said, "Why not visit Claire? I have a feeling this is connected to what happened back then."

Lily Bai nodded.

Sean Shaw said, "I'll go with you."

"You stay home and watch the kids!" Lily Bai said. "I can handle this myself."

"Let Adrian Drake watch them," Sean Shaw said. "I have to go with you."

"Why?"

Sean Shaw said righteously, "So no one tries anything funny again."

Lily Bai snorted, "I'm already the mother of two kids—who do you think is still pining for me?"

"Better safe than sorry," Sean Shaw said. "I'll drop the kids off, you get ready."

Lily Bai shook her head. "Whatever you say."

So the two of them went to Enlightenment Peak together.

Naturally, they first paid their respects to Divine Marquis Lann Yin.

Divine Marquis Lann Yin saw Lily Bai and was quietly moved.

But he didn't say much, just sent someone to summon Claire.

Claire gave them face and came out to greet them.

Seeing her, Lily Bai felt a pang of sadness and grabbed her hand. "Claire, how did you get so skinny? Your round little face is all pointed now!"

Claire smiled faintly and shook her head. "Maybe I've just been cultivating too hard lately!"