Jiang Wang’s gaze fixed upon Lei Zhanqian.

At this moment, Lei Zhanqian stood before him, his back bowed, hair disheveled, his expression etched with profound bitterness.

“You indeed know of Lin Youxie’s matter?” Jiang Wang inquired.

“Recently, several groups arrived in Deer Frost County. Those azure-clad constables meticulously screened everything, inside and out. Of course, I could not remain entirely oblivious.” Lei Zhanqian explained, “Seeing the Marquise of Bo Wang today, I realized that both Marquis Lords must have come regarding Constable Lin’s disappearance…”

He continued, a helpless tone in his voice, “But I truly do not know what exactly befell Constable Lin, nor her whereabouts.”

“Brother Lei, you are a clever man,” Zhong Xuansheng said slowly, “but your words are somewhat difficult for me to grasp. Why not be seated and explain at your leisure?”

Lei Zhanqian settled back down, half-sitting, and spoke cautiously, “I saw the Marquise of Bo Wang on the first of May. Later, I heard that Constable Lin also vanished that day, and precisely within that very forest… Furthermore, given that the Capital Patrol Office has investigated for so many days without success, I presumed the Marquis of Wu An would surely pay a visit.”

Zhong Xuansheng remained silent, merely urging him on with his eyes.

Lei Zhanqian continued, “The Marquise of Bo Wang went to that ancient forest, known as Wild Man Forest, a place few in Deer Frost venture into. However, Wild Man Forest is the primary source of Autumn Blue Mushrooms, so our Lei family dispatches people there several times each year… Ah, Autumn Blue Mushrooms are one of the essential ingredients for brewing Deer Cry Wine.”

“Deer Cry Wine is exceedingly precious, making Autumn Blue Mushrooms valuable as well…” Zhong Xuansheng prompted, “But surely it is not necessary for you to personally go and harvest them?”

“Naturally, such matters were never my concern in the past,” Lei Zhanqian admitted. “However, during that recent period, a Lan Chi appeared in Wild Man Forest. Several teams of our Lei family’s mushroom gatherers vanished within the mountain forest…”

He spoke with a hint of bitterness, “To be frank, since the Eleventh Prince’s unfortunate incident, the Lei family’s offerings have significantly diminished. Deer Cry Wine remains the exclusive business our Lei family still controls, and it is now virtually the family’s pillar industry… I had no choice but to personally venture there once.”

“Encountering the Marquise of Bo Wang that day in Wild Man Forest was also quite unexpected. But believing there would be no further interaction, I simply departed without a word.”

Qi Zhi’s *Exotic Beasts Records* states: “In the Springs of Immortality dwells a malevolent giant, named Lan Chi. It possesses eight arms and an ape-like face, a black body covered in long hair, and three webbed toes. In its fury, it laughs with a human voice, its mouth swallowing the color of the sun, and it feeds on bones until they gleam. Those who behold it feel a profound urge to die.”

The Springs of Immortality are a mythical place, but setting that aside, the Lan Chi is clearly recorded as a rather ferocious exotic beast.

Zhong Xuansheng listened, then remarked, “Speaking of which, I truly did not know why this place, Wild Man Forest, in your Deer Frost County, is so named. Are there still wild men hidden within it even now?”

Lei Zhanqian answered readily, “Long ago, this was a land of miasma, teeming with venomous insects. Indeed, some people, fleeing war, hid within the ancient forest and multiplied over several generations, becoming akin to wild men. After several conquests, Great Qi formed its present territory, which included this region. When the current Emperor ascended the throne, among his internal affairs was a specific item concerning ‘curing evil lands.’ Lou… the Seven Thieves once purged the miasma from this place, breaking the heaven and earth evil with great magical power. Only then did this ancient forest transform into its present state, free from harmful evils. However, the name Wild Man Forest has persisted ever since.”

The so-called ‘Seven Thieves’ in Qi Country often refers to the Duke of Lou Lan.

That year, the Qi Emperor personally led the campaign against the Duke of Lou Lan, enumerating seven crimes, denouncing him as the seven evils thief.

Subsequently, people rarely spoke directly of the Duke of Lou Lan, referring to him by this title instead.

Zhong Xuansheng listened, then added, “The Lan Chi is a very rare exotic beast. I have only seen it in books and did not expect it to appear in Wild Man Forest.”

“The Marquis Lord speaks truly. I, too, was quite puzzled, but I suppose that Wild Man Forest is vast, ancient, and deep. Apart from the Seven Thieves, no one truly understands it. Some strange occurrences are not entirely impossible…” Lei Zhanqian stated, “I have already slain that Lan Chi. Because of its rarity, I brought its carcass back. It is still preserved in the basement. Perhaps the Marquis of Bo Wang would care to examine it?”

This was likely merely a polite offer.

But Zhong Xuansheng immediately rose to his feet: “Then I shall trouble you.”

Lei Zhanqian was slightly taken aback, then replied, “Please follow me.”

A group of people then followed Lei Zhanqian, changing their location once more.

As the foremost great clan in Deer Frost County, the Lei family’s ancestral home occupied an incredibly vast area, nestled beside mountains and water, its scenery uniquely beautiful.

Lei Zhanqian’s “basement” was built beneath a pond where lotus leaves connected with the green water, its entrance hidden within a rugged artificial rock structure beside the pond.

“Due to the storage of wine, our Lei family has constructed numerous basements. This particular basement has been passed down through the generations of ancestors and now belongs exclusively to me. It stores some special wines from various years, as well as many of my personal collections, including the Lan Chi’s carcass…” As he led the way through the tunnel, Lei Zhanqian explained, “The underground temperature is very low, specially controlled by a magical array…”

Approximately every three zhang, a Bright Glory Pearl was embedded in the basement’s ceiling, casting a light that was not overly bright, keeping the entire basement in a perpetual state akin to dusk.

This was likely one of the Lei family’s considerations for storing wine.

Both sides of the basement were polished to a smooth finish, but on the walls above ground level, at a height of about two chi, were rows of neat, rectangular stone alcoves, not too deep, spaced at regular intervals, arranged like hanging paintings.

And within them rested jar after jar of aged wine.

At first glance, it resembled a shrine.

The exteriors of these wine jars were also incredibly smooth, almost like copper mirrors, capable of reflecting human figures, clearly having been meticulously cleaned by special personnel.

Walking through this rather aged basement, gazing at the jars of wine enshrined like idols, was also akin to observing the history of the Deer Frost Lei family from another perspective.

How a small workshop initially engaged in brewing grew step by step, becoming an empire’s great clan, eventually marrying a clan daughter into the deep palace, where the noble consort gave birth to a prince—a descendant of Great Qi’s imperial lineage, flowing with the Lei family’s blood, who once sat upon the dragon throne…

This family held the hope of growing into a top-tier illustrious house of the empire, sharing in its glory!

Later, the Lei Noble Consort died, followed by the tightly sealed gates of the Longevity Palace.

The Lei family, in a single night, plummeted from prosperity to decline, much like this basement storing aged wine, where the chill slowly seeped out.

Observing the Lei family was also observing Qi Country.

Families like the Lei family, these hereditary great clans, were precisely the foundation of this prosperous empire.

Yesterday’s commoners, today’s illustrious house.

Today’s Lei family, tomorrow, whose family will it be again?

Although Fourteen had become the Marquise of Bo Wang, removing her heavy armor, she still spoke little in front of outsiders.

After entering the basement, Jiang Wang also spoke infrequently, leaving all inquiries to Zhong Xuansheng. This was because Zhong Xuansheng would undoubtedly ask more pertinent and targeted questions. He simply used his eyes and ears, observing meticulously.

In a specially carved stone chamber, they beheld the Lan Chi.

The carcass of this Lan Chi was spread out and nailed to a wooden cross.

It stood over one zhang tall, its muscles and bones robust. Its entire body was blackish, save for the white fangs protruding from its mouth. The left fang was already broken in half, only the right one remained relatively intact.

The long hair on its body was scorched and curled, making it appear messy and unsightly.

There were also many exposed wounds, ferocious and hideous.

However, it was surprisingly clean, without a hint of dirt, and its internal organs had been removed. There wasn’t even a trace of strange odor anywhere on its body, having clearly undergone special processing for long-term preservation.

“This Lan Chi appears quite formidable,” Zhong Xuansheng remarked, examining it.

“According to the records in *Exotic Beasts Records*, it should not yet be mature, so it has not reached a very powerful state. It is currently equivalent to the combat prowess of a cultivator in the Inner Mansion realm,” Lei Zhanqian explained. “I, however, was still able to handle it.”

“With this one Lan Chi present, could there not be another nest?” Zhong Xuansheng inquired.

“That, I am not entirely certain of,” Lei Zhanqian replied. “But the book states that it is naturally solitary.”

Zhong Xuansheng mused, “Since it is an immature young beast, there should still be a mother beast nearby…”

“This is not recorded in the *Exotic Beasts Records*,” Lei Zhanqian was visibly stumped. “Does the Marquis of Bo Wang know at what size a Lan Chi begins to be solitary?”

Zhong Xuansheng simply stated, “My knowledge also stems entirely from the *Exotic Beasts Records*. This is the first time I have seen a real one.”

During the exchange between Zhong Xuansheng and Lei Zhanqian, Jiang Wang had silently begun his observation.

The techniques for examining a carcass, learned from that nameless book, could now be put to some use.

He focused his observation on the wounds of this Lan Chi, also analyzing its hair and flesh.

Although he had not refined the professional methods passed down by the Lin family, applying them for the first time still yielded some useful information.

For instance, the specific time of this Lan Chi’s death did indeed match Lei Zhanqian’s account, occurring three months prior.

It had also undoubtedly perished from a thunder technique.

The power Lei Zhanqian demonstrated, reflected solely by this Lan Chi’s carcass, indicated that he had made significant progress during this period. Although his spirit seemed somewhat diminished, his cultivation had not regressed.

Especially that wisp of sharp intent at the Lan Chi’s heart…

“Brother Lei, we have crossed paths many times now,” Jiang Wang suddenly spoke. “You seem to always face your opponents bare-handed. Do you not possess a skilled weapon?”

“Skilled is not the word,” Lei Zhanqian’s eyes dimmed, and he replied in a low voice, “His Highness taught me a set of saber techniques before. I wasn’t particularly fond of it and didn’t refine it much. After he left, I took it up…”

Jiang Wang let out a soft sigh and did not speak further.

“To have only ever seen it in books, to only be able to imagine its appearance in my mind,” Zhong Xuansheng was still gazing at the Lan Chi before him, praising, “Brother Lei has truly broadened my horizons today. This trip was not in vain.”

Lei Zhanqian quickly composed himself, flatteringly saying, “That two Marquis Lords would see this with their own eyes means it has not appeared in vain, nor was my personal venture into Wild Man Forest and battle with it in vain.”

Zhong Xuansheng smiled, then glanced around again, praising, “This basement is truly well-built, the craftsmanship unique. As the saying goes, ‘seeing a leopard through a tube allows one to see a single spot.’ From this alone, it is no wonder that Deer Frost’s fine wines are renowned throughout the world.”

“To receive such praise from the Marquis Lord, how fortunate I am!” Lei Zhanqian maintained his humble posture. “Later, I shall select two jars of the finest wine from here and personally deliver them to the two Marquis Lords’ residences… I only hope you will not find them disagreeable.”

“No need for such politeness!” Zhong Xuansheng’s face bore a smile, and he kindly patted his shoulder. “It would seem this Marquis is simply greedy for your wine.”

Lei Zhanqian slowly replied, “Wine, no matter how good, still needs appreciative connoisseurs to taste it. Otherwise, like a cow chewing on a peony, how could it not break one’s heart? Our Lei family brews wine for a living. Three years of brewing, ten years of cellaring, selling to the wealthy, gifting to those who appreciate its taste.”

“Well said, ‘selling to the wealthy, gifting to those who appreciate its taste!'” Zhong Xuansheng praised endlessly. “Words describing the world’s wine houses, none better than this! Brother Lei being able to utter this sentence means the Eleventh Prince need not have worried!”

These words were merely a slightly embellished way of saying selling at a high price to the wealthy and gifting without cost to those in power. Delving deeper, it was not uncommon and did not amount to any profound truth. However, without truly insightful understanding of worldly affairs, such words could absolutely not be spoken.

At least, the former Lei Zhanqian would not have possessed such realization.

“Years ago, outside the Heavenly Capital secret border, talented individuals gathered, and I also gained some understanding by the sidelines, having discussions with guests from the Longevity Palace. At that time, one was a young guest who had traveled far, and the other a powerless noble son. Born without discerning eyes, Lei Zhanqian failed to recognize jade in the rough. Only His Highness said that the stout young master Zhong Xuan, who usually keeps a low profile, would surely possess extraordinary bearing upon ascending the stage today, and that the guests invited from afar would also be anything but vulgar…”

Lei Zhanqian spoke with emotion, “But who could have known that today they would both be marquises of the realm?”

He added, “I should take the two Marquis Lords as my examples.”

“You speak too kindly, Brother Lei.” Zhong Xuansheng patted him, then said, “Alright, alright. We have seen the hidden wine and the Lan Chi. Let us ascend.”

Lei Zhanqian stepped back, half a body’s length, “I shall have someone retrieve some secretly stored fine wine and prepare some wild game. Why not stay here for the evening banquet, Marquis Lord…”

“An evening banquet is not necessary.”

Zhong Xuansheng waved his hand, the expression on his face becoming serious once more: “However, Brother Lei, this time my brothers and I came here truly with a matter to request.”

“Just say it. What can I do?”

“From April to June of this year, all unusual occurrences throughout the entire territory of Deer Frost County, help me gather them and compile them into a book. I will send someone to your mansion tomorrow to retrieve it. Time is very tight. Is there any problem?” Zhong Xuansheng said as he walked.

Lei Zhanqian responded decisively, “No problem!”

Zhong Xuansheng then said, “Additionally, I want all of your Lei family’s records concerning Wild Man Forest. Of course, this information is not free. I will pay according to the specifications for first-class information from the Patrol Inspection Office.”

“Apart from Autumn Blue Mushrooms, Wild Man Forest doesn’t contain any important rare materials. These materials are nothing rare. I will have someone organize them well and give them to you together then. For the Marquis Lord to mention money is somewhat distant.”

“Hey, there will be many opportunities for future cooperation. To do long-term business, one cannot allow one side to pay for nothing,” Zhong Xuansheng’s attitude was friendly. “In this matter, you must listen to me.”

A touch of surprise suddenly appeared in Lei Zhanqian’s eyes: “Very well, I shall listen to the Marquis Lord!”

As they spoke, the group had already exited the tunnel.

Zhong Xuansheng stopped his steps: “We shall stop here for today. Brother Lei, there is no need to escort us further. We still have many things to attend to, we must still visit Wild Man Forest and also the County Governor’s Office.”

Lei Zhanqian also understood that they had urgent matters, so he simply stood in place, cupping his hands in the bleak autumn wind: “The kindness shown by the two Marquis Lords to their friends is witnessed by the sun and moon. I believe that good people are protected by Heaven, and Constable Lin will certainly also turn danger into safety…”

The carriages of the Marquis of Bo Wang and the Marquis of Wu An could be said to have arrived and departed in haste.

However, the unease they brought to the Lei family suddenly transformed into surprise.

Up to this day, what could possibly excite the Lei family more than the long-term cooperation proposed by the Marquis of Bo Wang?

The Marquis of Wu An was a new noble of the empire, and the Zhong Xuan family was a top-tier illustrious house. If they could truly establish a connection, the Lei family’s decline could be said to have been halted, and there might be future prospects.

Lei Zhanqian put forth Zhong Xuansheng’s two requests, and the Lei family immediately sprang into action. Lei Zongxian even wished to personally wield a whip, urging the clan members to meticulously organize all the information the Marquis of Bo Wang desired.

And on Jiang Wang and Zhong Xuansheng’s side, their carriage had already rumbled far away.

It was still Qing Zhuan driving.

There were still only three people inside the carriage.

Zhong Xuansheng leaned back in the carriage, his eyes closed, seemingly resting.

However, he suddenly asked, “Is Lei Zhanqian’s saber technique very strong?”

Jiang Wang replied, “It’s not bad, almost comparable to the level of the Dong Ji Army’s General Chao Yu at the Grand Master Ceremony at that time. This indicates that he hasn’t wasted his time during this period.”

“Likely so,” Zhong Xuansheng said, then asked again, “Meeting Lei Zhanqian again today, what are your feelings? I mean… how do you evaluate him?”

“The departure of the Eleventh Prince was a huge setback in his life, but it is also not necessarily the beginning of his self-cultivation. It’s just that the previous Lei Zhanqian will no longer exist.” Jiang Wang said with a sigh, “I remember the first time I faced him, I indeed felt a strong oppression from him. I almost broke through to the Inner Mansion realm early because of him…”

“In that case, you would not have been able to defeat Wang Yiwu in the Inner Mansion realm,” Zhong Xuansheng continued a sentence very calmly, then sighed, “Lei Zhanqian, this person, is like a character from a storybook. Experiencing great change will lead to great achievement, ah.”

“Do you feel that Lei Zhanqian has a problem?” Jiang Wang asked.

Zhong Xuansheng said, “Up to now, all suspicions regarding him have been cleared.”

“Are there still uninvestigated suspicions?”

“It’s hard to say. Deer Frost County isn’t large, but it isn’t small either. If Lin Youxie never left Deer Frost County, the qualified individuals locally who could be involved and capable of making things so clean are only a few families. The Lei family is of course the most influential family in Deer Frost County. Families like the Zhou family and the Yan family were also glorious in the past. The current Deer Frost County Governor, Luo Zhengchuan, is also not a simple character…”

Jiang Wang remained silent for a moment, then asked, “So, why are we going to Wild Man Forest now? Do you already have clues?”

Zhong Xuansheng simply said, “The Patrol Inspection Office has already searched Wild Man Forest several times. You also personally went once. Now I am going again… what do you think?”

Jiang Wang asked, “What do I think?”

“What was your previous question?” Zhong Xuansheng asked.

Jiang Wang likely understood, thought for a moment, then said, “So, you want to beat the grass to scare the snake?”

Zhong Xuansheng did not answer this question, turning instead: “Lin Youxie’s disappearance, I increasingly believe it was an accident. Because all established social connections and past clues are insufficient to lead to her disappearance. No one wanted to deal with her, and no one had the necessity to deal with her. And in all cases, accident cases are the most difficult to uncover the truth. Because perhaps it was just a passing strong individual who casually took her away… and so on, how can one investigate?

Of course, in our Qi country, not so many reckless things happen. Local strong individuals all have countless concerns, and passing strong individuals all need to report. Not many people have that kind of courage, and not many people can handle traces so cleanly. I am more inclined to believe that she might have stumbled upon some matter…”

“What matter could she have stumbled upon?” Jiang Wang asked.

Zhong Xuansheng slowly said, “This country, although powerful and prosperous, still hides many undercurrents beneath the calm surface. Any single undercurrent is enough to overturn several large ships and also enough to swallow too many people.

For example, the Duke of Lou Lan, who was defeated that year but whose corpse was never found; for example, the Equality Country, which once stirred up waves; for example, the Dry-Withered Courtyard, which was exterminated many years ago; for example, the case of Concubine Lei Gui, which you already know…”

Jiang Wang understood very well. Given Lin Youxie’s serious character, it was indeed possible for her to stumble upon troubles she could not handle.

After thinking for a moment, he asked again, “Where she disappeared in Deer Frost County, which matter is most likely involved?”

“Don’t be anxious,” Zhong Xuansheng said kindly. “The range of the correct answer is getting smaller and smaller. I have a premonition that this time, we might just catch a big fish…”

Zhong Xuansheng said not to be anxious.

But how could Jiang Wang not be anxious?

He fundamentally did not care about any big fish or not big fish. What he cared about was his friend’s safety.

Although Zhong Xuansheng repeatedly emphasized that Lin Youxie’s disappearance did not equate to death.

His comparison to Bao Bozhao’s case, however, itself suggested a certain tendency.

What could make a person disappear more cleanly than death?

From May 1st until today, Lin Youxie had already been missing for over three months!

In the vast majority of disappearance cases, this duration of disappearance could essentially be considered an unfortunate outcome.

But no matter how anxious he was in his heart, he could only force himself to remain calm. He had to ensure that in the process of searching for Lin Youxie, he provided help, not disturbance.

The carriage, under the cover of night, stopped outside the quiet Wild Man Forest.

Occasionally, a few bird calls made the empty mountain seem even more desolate and the distant mist appear further away.

Jiang Wang, along with Zhong Xuansheng and Qing Zhuan, entered Wild Man Forest in the dead of night. Stepping on dead branches and leaves, their footsteps rustled all the way to the spot where he and Fourteen had separated that day.

Looking around, it was no different from the daytime.

“What do we need to do now?” Jiang Wang asked.

Zhong Xuansheng counter-questioned, “That day when you separated from Lin Youxie, what were you doing?”

Jiang Wang was silent for a moment, his tone complex, “Cultivating.”

Lin Youxie had been missing for over three months before it was discovered. This was because in Qi country, he was her only friend.

But on the day Lin Youxie disappeared, they hadn’t exchanged any meaningful words.

He had simply been cultivating.

Zhong Xuansheng looked at him and simply said, “Then continue.”

Perhaps to cover up some uneasy emotion, Jiang Wang asked again, “When will we go to the Deer Frost County Governor’s Office?”

“When did I say I wanted to go?”

“You said so at the Lei family’s.”

Fourteen, at this moment, took out her heavy sword and casually chopped down a tree. She did nothing else, merely silently put away her sword and sat very gracefully on the tree trunk.

“That was just casual talk,” Zhong Xuansheng sat down beside Fourteen, his demeanor calm. “Of course I want to investigate the Deer Frost County Governor’s Office, and of course I cannot personally do so. Before we went to the Lei family, I had already sent Shadow Guards to investigate. The results will be available soon. We just need to wait here. The Lei family, the Zhou family, the Yan family, the County Governor’s Office, the Patrol Inspection Office—I am seeking information from all of them. I mentioned that Lei Zhanqian was also in Wild Man Forest that day, so we visited the Lei family. Once all this information converges, the answer you seek will emerge.”

Facing Jiang Wang’s anxious eyes, Zhong Xuansheng kindly said, “Wait for information, wait for accidents, wait for changes, wait for anything. Just rest assured, give me three days, and I will certainly bring you the truth.”

Jiang Wang then spoke no more.

He looked up at the stars through the gaps in the leaves, then flew up to sit on the same horizontal branch where they had separated.

Closing his eyes, he continued to cultivate the Art of Mind Dust.

In this particularly lonely night.

Qing Zhuan would occasionally leave, and upon returning, would have a large stack of the latest collected information in his hands. Accompanied by Fourteen, Zhong Xuansheng leisurely flipped through it, seeking clues among the myriad threads.

And Jiang Wang sat alone on the horizontal branch, his solitary shadow cast below. Always cultivating, always silent.

In a single thought, a hundred turns and a thousand returns.

In every instant, millions of thoughts are born and extinguished within a person.

The development of thoughts is of course novel, but fundamentally, their application also needs to be integrated into the divine soul system.

Initially, Jiang Wang’s cleansing of the Mind Dust mark was achieved by directly using his overwhelming divine soul power to flush it out, clearing away Lin Youxie’s fragile sub-thought.

His current cultivation, compared to the initial Lin Kuang, was absolutely not inferior, and his spiritual awareness strength was even superior. Therefore, his progress in cultivating the Art of Mind Dust could be said to be very rapid.

The heart is a sea, and thousands of thoughts are the fish swimming within it.

The five senses are all windows to the heart sea; what is seen and heard is felt.

When you see something, hear a sound, or smell a scent, the fish swimming in the heart sea vie with each other and leap, creating countless ripples!

The strongest of these fish can leap out of the heart sea, entering the level of main consciousness, perceptible to ordinary people.

From this are born joy, anger, sorrow, fear, love, hate, desire… the seven emotions and six desires.

The heart sea is not calm. Even when ignorant and unaware, when not hearing or feeling, there are undercurrents and flows, rivers and galaxies competing. The “fish” in the water are also ceaselessly born and extinguished, multiplying without end.

For the vast majority of cultivators, too many thoughts are often simply a “disturbance” to the calm of the heart sea, the so-called “雜念” (miscellaneous thoughts). Many cultivation schools regard eliminating miscellaneous thoughts as the primary achievement in cultivation, and methods for eliminating them are endlessly developed.

Like Cui Yigeng of the Diligent Academy, who took the thought of diligence as a large fish, swallowing the four seas, swallowing all miscellaneous thoughts. With one heart, one intent, and one sword, he was thus sharp and unbeatable.

Like Jiang Wang himself, grinding his heart and sharpening his will, his Dao intent firm, never disturbed by miscellaneous thoughts. “Let the winds blow from east, south, west, or north, I shall travel my distant path.” Later, activating the Red Heart divine ability would suppress all dissenting will and other thoughts, making the heart sea calm for millions of miles.

Lin Kuang was different from others.

He began by diligently cultivating the miscellaneous thoughts that constantly arose and vanished within the heart sea, binding them as heart dust. This could be considered a genius’s act.

Miscellaneous thoughts arise easily in people, but to precisely capture the “thought fish” in the vast and boundless heart sea that have not leaped out of the surface, yet are sufficient for use, is an incredibly difficult matter.

And these miscellaneous thoughts are very fragile; a single ripple in the heart sea could potentially crush the “thought fish” to a count of millions.

Conventional divine soul power, once applied, could potentially cause a tsunami in the heart sea.

Regarding how to select suitable thoughts, how to capture them, how to help them grow, how to cultivate them… all these are recorded in detail in the Art of Mind Dust.

Lin Kuang had already cleared the path ahead.

Those who follow in old footsteps will always find it much easier.

Jiang Wang, with the Red Heart Divine Power as his main commander, relaxed slightly, and suddenly thousands of thoughts vied to leap out.

For a time, random thoughts and emotions surged.

Worry! Anxiety! Fear! Anger!

Among them, the most intense thoughts collided with each other.

The Anger Fire Dao Technique, just right for stimulation, caused that thought named “anger” to suddenly expand, instantly surpassing the others.

An invisible “heart net” formed by spiritual awareness quietly descended, precisely capturing it!

The method recorded in the Art of Mind Dust is to first capture the strongest thought and cultivate it into the main thought. This is a quite detailed process, requiring selection among many thoughts, and the final choice also necessitates prolonged observation.

Jiang Wang skipped those steps, directly catalyzing the strong thought with Anger Fire.

Then, using the heart net, he suspended this thought above the heart sea. Again, according to the secret method researched by Lin Kuang, he used the power of spiritual awareness to build special connections and conduct meticulous nurturing…

This was a process similar to “incubation.”

Until a certain moment, the crystal-like thought suddenly “broke free,” and its thought awareness, like a bird flying high, stretched its wings and soared in the heart sea sky.

Each person’s cultivation of thoughts is different, with variations in specific manifestations. The thought that Jiang Wang cultivated took the image of a heart sparrow.

With this as the main thought, he then captured other “thought fish” as sub-thoughts.

Fish transformed into birds, thus creating waves in the heart sea.

With a thought, Jiang Wang’s heart moved, and a wisp of sub-thought attached itself to Zhong Xuansheng’s body.

This feeling was very peculiar.

If he did not think, nothing existed.

But as long as he slightly recalled, he instantly knew where his thought had landed. He could retract it at any time and follow the trace at any time.

Throughout this entire process, Zhong Xuansheng was completely unaware!

The duration of the Art of Mind Dust lay in how long the thought could survive independently after being sent out. The “stronger” the thought, the longer it could provide feedback.

Jiang Wang had already cultivated the “heart sparrow,” and the Art of Mind Dust was now considered accomplished. And this heart sparrow was lively and active, full of vitality.

In the darkness, for some unknown reason, a sense of apprehension suddenly arose at this time.

He still sat calmly cross-legged on the horizontal branch, but he had already released this main thought, intending to seriously sense the surroundings.

This was the place where he and Lin Youxie had last met.

The invisible and intangible “heart sparrow,” felt only by himself, flew out of the heart sea, flew out of his body, and sped towards the distance in this dark forest at midnight.

Occasionally, moonlight and starlight penetrated the gaps in the leaves, dim and sparse, unable to serve as a companion.

The heart sparrow flew rapidly in this world, following however the rules unique to the heart sea world.

Jiang Wang was sensing.

Sensing that woman who had waved her hand and walked alone into the distance.

It was as if he had returned to that day.

Sensing the mood of that friend with a green scarf on her head, abandoning everything of the past, leaving her homeland and hometown.

There was a sense…

The heart sparrow truly had a sense, vaguely capturing some kind of similar trace!

Lin Youxie had left clues behind!

Jiang Wang suddenly felt a surge of joy, stabilizing his emotions, allowing the heart sparrow to continue flying.

Following that faint sense in the darkness, the heart sparrow pierced straight through the forest, finally landing in front of an ordinary ancient tree.

The straight-line distance between here and the forest clearing where Jiang Wang was sitting cross-legged was less than three thousand zhang.

This ancient tree had no special features. No matter what divine power or eye technique was used, no trick could be discerned.

But in the heart sparrow’s perception, on that ancient tree, there was a small black cat.

Small, cold, curled up on the tree branch…

That was Lin Youxie’s main thought.

Yes, Lin Youxie had indeed left clues behind, but what she left here was her main thought, not a sub-thought.

This itself was a cruel answer.

More than three months had passed, and this small black cat was already very weak, on the verge of breaking and vanishing at any moment.

As the main thought of a cultivator in the Inner Mansion realm, it was fundamentally unable to withstand great winds and rains.

But it still stood guard there, alone.

Waiting for a person, unknown if they would ever come.

On the horizontal branch less than three thousand zhang away, Jiang Wang sat cross-legged, his eyes slightly closed.

In front of this ancient tree, the heart sparrow flapped its wings, hesitantly approaching that black cat.

The tiny thought-cat was already like an illusion. Even in the thought world, it was not clear.

Only the black cat’s eyes, those eyes, looked over so brightly, as if seeing the very bottom of his heart.

These eyes seemed to be asking—

When will that person open that nameless book?

In Jiang Wang’s heart, a sense of sourness arose.

Then the small black cat lightly leaped, shattering within the heart sparrow’s pupils.

He thus saw—

He saw the last scene left behind in Lin Youxie’s eyes on May 1st of the Dao Calendar 3921.

He saw a hand, a pale, bloodless hand, pressing down from above her head with a calm and irresistible posture, plunging this world… into eternal darkness!

－－－－－－Off-topic words－－－－－－

Worked an extra shift last night, got up at seven today and have been writing until now.

This chapter has over eight thousand words, four updates dedicated to the great ally Qi Qi.

Please forgive me.