diskusbooks Chapter 322 She's Not Here
Chapter 322 She's Not Here
"Great Elder!"
"Greetings, Grand Elder!"
In no time, apart from the person seated, all the men in black robes in the hall knelt on one knee, placed their right hand on their left shoulder, and performed a grand salute to him.
Great elder?
Upon hearing this title, Xie Cangming was visibly taken aback, and a faint smile appeared on his lips.
This was the first time since entering the Ancient Cang had Xie Cangming's identity been definitively stated, and even the people behind him were inevitably surprised by the scene.
Looking up, the cold and aloof emperor's image was not much different from what Xie Cangming had imagined.
He walked with elegant and composed steps, the dull sound of his footsteps standing out starkly in the silent environment.
Upon reaching the center of the hall, Xuan Yuan and the others stood behind them.
The sheer cliff face remained cold and indifferent, seemingly unsurprised by the arrival of the group. With his long eyelashes slightly lowered, he surveyed the crowd below with a kingly air, his sharp gaze sweeping over each unfamiliar face, but his attention was focused on Xin Moling's face.
The group also secretly speculated about this white-haired king. He was so handsome and dashing, yet he exuded a chilling aura that made people unconsciously fear him.
After staring at each other for a long time, everyone held their breath, and the atmosphere in the room became strangely eerie, so quiet that you could hear a needle falling.
Finally, Xie Cangming spoke first.
"Xie Cangming greets the Emperor."
He still stood with his hands behind his back, his deep voice, neither humble nor arrogant, resounding throughout the entire Xuanming Palace.
The elders kneeling on both sides could only lower their heads and listen obediently. Upon hearing these words, they were overjoyed.
Baili Juebi did not respond, but simply stared intently at the person in white.
Suddenly, his robe fluttered, and under the watchful eyes of several people, he slowly rose and walked down the high steps, stopping in the center of the hall. The person closest to him was naturally Xie Cangming.
"Thank you, Cangming."
The voice from the sheer cliff was devoid of any warmth as it uttered his name, word by word.
Xie Cangming was no longer as relaxed as usual; instead, he wore a smile, as if he were seeing an old friend he hadn't seen for many years.
"Yes, Emperor."
"You're back."
"Yes."
"You even brought my younger brother back with you."
His sharp gaze pierced Xie Cangming's shoulder and finally landed directly on the Azure Water Sword in Xin Moling's hand.
“Ah Ling is the Emperor’s relative. Now that I have returned, I will naturally bring him here to search for him.”
With his brows furrowed slightly, Xin Moling gripped the Biyue Sword, his eyes fixed on the person in front of him. Was this his and Yan'er's cousin, his mother's nephew?
The next instant, Baili Juebi met those sharp eyes and brows, unabashedly releasing a low pressure around him.
The men were all skilled martial artists, so this test was no problem for them, let alone Xin Moling, who came from a military background.
Until Hua Buyu couldn't take it anymore, she reached out and pinched Xin Moling's arm hard, then threw a flirtatious wink at Baili Juebi.
"Your Majesty, you are so handsome, you are exactly my ideal type. Would you be interested in getting to know me?"
"Flowers do not speak, so one must not be rude."
Xie Cangming was exasperated; given this woman's temperament, he should have expected this scene to occur.
"Oh dear! Didn't you say this Emperor is Xin Moling's cousin? That's double the marriage! Greetings, cousin!"
Baili Juebi ignored this and stepped to Xie Cangming's side.
A tall, imposing figure blocked her way, and Xin Moling met his unusually cold eyes without hesitation.
"Xin Moling?"
"Yes."
Even with his closest cousins, Xin Moling didn't show much joy. The person in front of him had ordered Yan'er's abduction, causing him and his sister to be separated for months. It was already a miracle that they hadn't gotten an explanation. All he wanted right now was to see Yan'er.
Xuan Yuan stood silently to the side, secretly assessing the strength of this white-haired emperor. If he were to confront him head-on and take Yan'er away, would he have a chance of winning?
After staring at him for a long time, Baili Juebi raised his hand and pressed it on his shoulder. The iceberg that had remained unchanged for thousands of years finally cracked open, revealing a warm smile.
"Ah Ling, welcome back. I am Baili Juebi, your cousin."
Feeling the weight on his shoulder, Xin Moling's already furrowed brows tightened even more. This person's martial arts skills were no less than his own; was he an enemy or a friend?
Seeing that Xin Moling remained silent, a slight awkwardness filled the air, and Hua Buyu quickly patted his arm.
"Xin Moling, your older cousin is talking to you!"
Coming to her senses, Xin Moling simply nodded frankly at him.
"Emperor Baili".
Hearing this address, Baili Juebi's interest grew even stronger. No wonder Yan'er was so stubborn; it turned out the two siblings were so alike.
Thinking of this, his tone softened somewhat.
"Ah Ling, the journey will be arduous, but I will make all the arrangements. You can stay in Gu Cang with peace of mind. From this day forward, you will be the third prince of the Baili royal family, enjoying the same privileges as my two younger brothers."
"No! I am only myself, and I have nothing to do with your Baili family. I came here only to find my sister Xin Moyan. Emperor Baili, I ask you, was Yan'er taken away by your people? Where is she now?"
Without the slightest hesitation, Xin Moling questioned Baili Juebi in an extremely serious tone.
Upon hearing Xin Moyan's name, the people behind her all looked up, afraid of missing any useful information.
As for Xuan Yuan, his dark eyes were filled with a deep, brooding emotion, and he did not look directly at the hundred-mile cliff. As Xie Cangming had said, he needed to keep his composure and find out where Yan'er was before making any plans.
To this, Baili Juebi merely curled the corners of his lips slightly.
“That’s right, Yan’er is indeed in Gu Cang. A-Ling, I didn’t know you were coming here today. This morning, I had your two cousins take a few girls to Jinglie Mountain for a visit. Now it seems you’re almost there.”
"Jinglie Mountain?"
Xie Cangming asked in confusion, his brow twitching as if he understood.
"Where is Jinglie Mountain? What a coincidence, we just arrived and Yan Yan has already gone out to play?"
Upon hearing the news that Xin Moyan had gone out for a trip, Hua Buyu ignored Xie Cangming's warning and immediately started shouting loudly in dissatisfaction.
And who are you?
Feeling all eyes on her face, especially on the aloof man beside her, Hua Buyu quickly changed her expression, feigning a shy and coquettish demeanor, and curtsied slightly.
"Brother Baili, hello! I am Hua Buyu, Yan Yan's good friend. I have come here to pay you a visit. Please take good care of me!"
"..."
The tender gaze left the others speechless. Xuan Yuan pursed his lips and exchanged a glance with Xin Moling, both seeing helplessness in each other's eyes.
"Flowers do not speak?"
"Mmmmmmm!"
She nodded enthusiastically and even moved closer.
After staring at Hua Buyu for a long time, Baili Juebi finally nodded to her.
"Yan'er once mentioned that she had a close friend named Hua Buyu."