Feng Qingyi stared blankly at the disconnected phone call. "What's wrong with him?"
Qian Jue glanced at Feng Qingyi. "If you're not leaving, I'll go first."
Feng Qingyi pondered the video call she had just received from Qin Yuchuan, asking where she was. Could he be coming to find her?
It was possible to return to Shengjing using the space-time teleportation array.
"You go ahead, I'll stay here for a while."
After Qian Jue left, Feng Qingyi took out her phone to message Qin Yuchuan.
[Qingyi: Where are you?]
[Qingyi: Why did you suddenly hang up earlier?]
Feng Qingyi waited for Qin Yuchuan to reply, but after a long time, there was still no response.
Just as she was about to leave, the door to the room suddenly opened. The newcomer wore a black mask, revealing only a pair of deep-set eyes.
Feng Qingyi knew immediately it was Qin Yuchuan. She rushed over to hug him but was avoided.
"Yu, what's wrong?"
Qin Yuchuan looked at the figure before him for a long time without speaking.
Feng Qingyi tugged at his sleeve. "What's wrong? Why aren't you saying anything?"
"Where did you go?" Qin Yuchuan's tone was ice-cold.
"We went treasure hunting. Look, this is what I brought back. This sword is for you." Feng Qingyi hurriedly ran to the corner where the sword was kept and brought it over to Qin Yuchuan.
Qin Yuchuan showed no intention of taking it.
Feng Qingyi looked at him. "It's very heavy, I can't hold it much longer!"
Hearing this, Qin Yuchuan took the sword. "Is there nothing else you want to tell me?"
Feng Qingyi: "Do you not like this sword? If you don't like it, I'll prepare a different gift for you next time."
Qin Yuchuan felt somewhat exasperated. She seemed to have no idea why he was angry.
"Why didn't you tell me you were going treasure hunting? Don't you know how worried I was about you! You're not familiar with Shengjing. If something had happened, who would have rescued you?"
Feng Qingyi: "I wasn't alone. Qian Jue and the others were there. I thought we'd be back quickly, so I forgot to tell you..."
"Then why didn't you contact me when you couldn't return?" Qin Yuchuan asked again.
Feng Qingyi lowered her head. "It wasn't my fault. My phone wouldn't turn on in there. Even if I wanted to contact you, I couldn't!"
"Is that so?" Qin Yuchuan said.
Feng Qingyi nodded quickly. "Yes, I swear everything I'm saying is true."
Seeing Feng Qingyi's earnest expression, Qin Yuchuan's anger dissipated.
"In the future, if you come to Shengjing again, inform me in advance."
Feng Qingyi continued nodding. "I understand. I promise, from now on, I'll tell you wherever I go. I won't make you worry."
Qin Yuchuan pulled Feng Qingyi into his embrace. His grip was a bit too tight, making Feng Qingyi feel like she could hardly breathe.
"...Yu, you're hugging too tightly. I'm a bit uncomfortable."
Hearing this, Qin Yuchuan loosened his hold on Feng Qingyi. "I'll take you back. Your brother is very worried about you."
Feng Qingyi looked at the black mask on his face and poked it gently. "Why are you wearing a mask today?"
Qin Yuchuan: "This is Shengjing. It's not convenient for me to show my face right now."
Feng Qingyi ran to the side and picked up her backpack. "Let's go, we're heading back!"
Qin Yuchuan looked at the bag in Feng Qingyi's hand. "What's in there?"
"Gold, silver, jewels, and some other things I packed randomly. I'm not sure exactly what's in there," Feng Qingyi said.
Qin Yuchuan: "Don't go treasure hunting anymore. If you like gold, silver, and jewels, I'll give them to you."
"...Is receiving gifts the same as finding them yourself?" Feng Qingyi muttered under her breath.
Qin Yuchuan looked into her eyes. "What did you say?"
Feng Qingyi quickly shook her head. "I didn't say anything, nothing at all!"
After escorting Feng Qingyi back, Qin Yuchuan, unable to leave his military duties, gave her a few special instructions before departing.
Back at the villa, Feng Qingyi changed her clothes and went downstairs.
Feng Qingci was sitting in the living room. "Be honest, where did you go yesterday and today?"
Feng Qingyi sat down next to him. "I just told you on the phone, I went to my friend's house. My phone ran out of battery, and I forgot to charge it."
Feng Qingci continued to question: "Your friend? Which friend?"
"Jiang Xiaoxiao, I went to see Jiang Xiaoxiao," Feng Qingyi replied.
Feng Qingci: "I've already called her. She hasn't seen you at all. Don't try to fool me."
Feng Qingyi thought for a moment. "Since you already know, I might as well tell you. I went treasure hunting in the mountains."
"Treasure hunting?" Feng Qingci clearly didn't believe her.
"If you don't believe me, come upstairs with me and see the treasures I found," Feng Qingyi said.
Feng Qingci followed Feng Qingyi upstairs with a mix of belief and doubt. Seeing the backpack full of jewels, Feng Qingci was a bit stunned.
"Are you sure these are real? Not some props you bought for a few dozen yuan on the street?"
Feng Qingyi said, "If you don't believe me, you can have them tested. I guarantee they're real."
"Where did you find these treasures?" Feng Qingci asked again.
Feng Qingyi said in a low voice, "I met some online friends, and we arranged to go together. It was in a big mountain."
Feng Qingci: "Why didn't you call me to go treasure hunting with you? You know I'm poor! If I had these treasures, I could probably buy a car and a house soon."
Feng Qingyi shared some of the items with Feng Qingci. "These are for you. You can sell them for money."
"Next time you go treasure hunting, remember to call me!" Feng Qingci said.
Feng Qingyi sighed, "You think these treasures are so easy to find?"
Meanwhile, on Eastern Emperor Mountain.
Grand Tutor Xu and Madam Xu sat worriedly on a rock.
"My dear, where do you think our Linghe has gone?"
Madam Xu: "Sigh! We've been searching for almost a day and still haven't seen her. I hope she hasn't encountered any danger!"
"It's getting late. Why don't we return home and continue the search tomorrow?" Grand Tutor Xu suggested.
Madam Xu suddenly stood up. "Return? We're not leaving until we find our daughter today."
Just then, a guard from the Zhao household reported to Master Zhao and Madam Zhao: "Master, Madam, the young master has returned home."
Master Zhao: "Wasn't he said to have gone up Eastern Emperor Mountain? How did he get back?"
"This servant is not sure, but the young master is indeed at home now."
Madam Zhao: "Since our son has returned home, we should head back early too."
Master Zhao nodded, "Very well, let's go!"
Seeing the couple leave, Grand Tutor Xu and Madam Xu became even more worried.
Madam Xu: "Their son has returned home. Could our daughter have gone back as well?"
Grand Tutor Xu: "It's possible. Let's go home and check."
The couple followed the group down the mountain.
At the Xu residence, Xu Linghe carefully placed the weapons she had brought back after returning home.
Hong Ying, seeing Xu Linghe, was very excited. "Miss, where did you go yesterday? Why are you only back now?"
Xu Linghe: "Didn't I tell you before I left yesterday? I went treasure hunting with Qingyi and the others."
"Are those swords and daggers the treasures you found, Miss?" Hong Ying asked skeptically.
Xu Linghe nodded, "Yes! These hairpins on my head are too. I'm planning to give them to my mother. I also have a piece of jade hidden in my sleeve for my father."
"I just went to their courtyard but didn't see them. Where have they gone?"
Hong Ying: "Miss, you were gone all night, and the Master and Madam were very worried. They heard you went up Eastern Emperor Mountain, so they left early this morning to look for you."
Xu Linghe sighed, "At their age, aren't they tired of such exertion? Why bother?"
"Hong Ying, quickly send someone to bring them back. It's getting late, and it will be dark soon. It's dangerous to be out at night."
When Grand Tutor Xu and Madam Xu returned home and saw that Xu Linghe had already come back, they breathed a sigh of relief.
As Xu Linghe had anticipated, after receiving her mother's concerned attention, she was then beaten with a broom by her father.
If she hadn't quickly produced the gifts she had prepared for him, the situation might have been even worse today.
Grand Tutor Xu looked at the jade stone in his hand, "At least you have some conscience, but even so, you're grounded for half a month. A young lady staying out all night, what kind of behavior is that?"
Xu Linghe returned to her courtyard with a dejected face, realizing she wouldn't be able to go out for the next few days.
At Guanyuan Temple.
Qian Jue handed the space stone to Guang'an, who examined it thoughtfully.
Qian Jue asked, "What do you need this space stone for?"
"It has its uses," Guang'an replied.
Guang'an took out the previous space stone and placed the two together.
A colorful light filled the room, and the two previously separate space stones merged into one.
Qian Jue watched in amazement, "I didn't know they could combine!"
"They were originally part of one large space stone that split apart, so naturally, they can be reassembled," Guang'an explained.
Qian Jue looked at the irregularly shaped space stone, "Judging by its shape, it seems two pieces are still missing. Don't tell me you want me to go find them!"
"You've found the last piece," Guang'an said.
Qian Jue asked, "Then where are the other two?"
"They will appear when the time is right. You can leave now," Guang'an started to dismiss him.
Qian Jue sighed, "You really do use people when you need them and discard them when you don't."
Guang'an asked, "If one day we could all return, would you want to go back to the world you originally belonged to?"
"Does it matter if I want to or not? Aren't you always talking about maintaining spatial order?" Qian Jue retorted.
Guang'an replied, "If you don't want to, then stay here. I won't stop you."
"We'll see when the time comes. You should worry about yourself for now!" Qian Jue left with a flourish.
Guang'an watched his retreating figure, "After all these years, you're still the same. Do you really think no one can see through your thoughts? If you didn't want to leave, I wouldn't force you."
Now that all the space stones in this time-space had been found, the rest would be much easier.
When that person returns, everything will fall back into place.
