In just one night, the forbidden place had been ruined and turned into dust. Uncle Qiu who looked at the result suddenly felt lost. There was a tingling pain in his heart but he didn't know why. Why did he feel so sad that he wanted to cry?

He was in a good relations.h.i.+p with Aunt Yue and thought of her as his own mother, but was it supposed to be this painful? Uncle Qiu was confused, but he could only help to search Aunt Yue's whereabouts.

Uncle Qiu even tried to ask Xiao Fang whether she saw Aunt Yue or not, but the latter shook her head. It was fortunate that Lin Jian had guessed with such a big matter happened, the hidden guards would certainly find Uncle Qiu. Xiao Fang had gone there the previous day, so naturally, Uncle Qiu would look for her. Thus, Lin Jian told her to go back to her room first.

She had just arrived and changed her clothes to her sleeping gown when Uncle Qiu asked to meet her.

Not only Xiao Fang, but Lin Jian also went back to his own room --- just in case, they wanted to search his room. They promised that they would gather once again the next day in Yao Ying's room --- they were worried about Yao Ling's condition too.

Uncle Qiu had tried to find Aunt Yue's body, but he could find nothing. The hidden guards that were dispatched also couldn't find any trace at all! She had gone missing whether they wanted to admit it or not.

Uncle Qiu once again second-guessed himself. 'Why does he suddenly keep feeling these unbearable feelings?' He felt frustrated!

No one could answer him, and he could only clutch his heart tightly. It seemed like there was a fleeting memory about Aunt Yue inside his mind, however, when he tried to remember, it was gone.

'Aunt Yue... where are you?' Uncle Qiu asked helplessly.

-----------------

Yao Ying watched the burning house from afar and he got a complicated feeling. He turned to Yao Ling and he saw the latter sleep peacefully... He knew that this was only the calm before the storm. He didn't know how to explain everything from Yao Ling.

The fire was pretty big and he didn't think anyone would be able to survive in that condition, especially with how weak Aunt Yue's condition was.

He looked at Lin Jian and Xiao Fang and asked, "What should I do?" He needed someone to give him a piece of advice, or at least... an a.s.surance.

Lin Jian and Xiao Fang knew that Yao Ying felt at a loss, after all, they realized the gravity of this matter too from the way how Yao Ling behaved just now. "I'm sure she would listen to your explanation," Lin Jian tried to comfort Yao Ying.

Yao Ying laughed bitterly... he also hoped so, but he also knew how stubborn Yao Ling was. She had yearned her family for a long time and when she finally found her grandmother, she was cruelly taken away from her --- and he was part of the reason. He could have brought her along with them, but he didn't. He chose to follow Aunt Yue's suggestion, after all, Yao Ling was the most important thing for him.

Yao Ying knew that she would be heartbroken when she woke up.

"Did all of you notice that Aunt Yue's face suddenly turn older?" Xiao Fang asked while sighing. She decided to change the direction of their conversation --- they already had enough negativity in one day.

Yao Ying and Lin Jian nodded their head. "It seems like by helping Yao Ling... she used up all her power. Otherwise, she should be able to maintain her youthfulness like always," Yao Ying answered. The other two came up with the same conclusion, so they weren't really surprised.

These past two days, their eyes had been opened that there was a possibility that there would be a lot of hidden clans out there with hidden powers. Thus, they were more receptive towards the recent happening. Well... they saw it with their own eyes, so how could the not believe in it ah~?

Somehow, they knew that Aunt Yue wouldn't survive the ordeal this time... Thus, the atmosphere became solemn once again.

Yao Ying already told Xiu to find out what happened after the fire and he could only wait for his news. He prayed that nothing would happen to Aunt Yue, even though deep down... he knew that it was practically impossible. When Xiu came back and reported to him his findings, he knew that things would be bad for him. He ma.s.saged his forehead, not knowing what to do.

Xiao Fang asked the question that they didn't know the answer as well, "No body was found in the house? No corpse?" The last time they saw Aunt Yue... she was still there ah~! She was beyond weak, so how could she vanish without rhyme or reason?!

"Does it have something to do with the man that she mentioned?!" Xiao Fang asked in confusion. If yes, what kind of fate that Aunt Yue would be in?

"Where did she go?" Lin Jian also asked out of bewilderment, but no one would be able to answer this.

Yao Ying shook his head. "We shouldn't discuss this... at least, there will be hope that she's still alive..." Even though it was merely wishful thinking, at least, it would make Yao Ling feel better. Besides, they still needed to maintain the appearance that they didn't know anything about the matter in the forbidden place. He was afraid that their conversation would be overheard by other people.

He remembered that Aunt Yue said that Yao Ling would sleep for a little while when he snapped at her for suddenly making Yao Ling fall asleep, but why did she still sleep soundly? He was afraid that she would be in a coma once again.

Yao Ying gripped Yao Ling's hand tightly. "Yao Ling... you have to wake up! Do you hear me? You have too!" Even though there was no danger, he still remembered how desolate he felt when Yao Ling was in a coma.

He couldn't go through that again!

It was too painful!

-------------

When the trio was waiting for Yao Ling to wake up once again, the man who had been targetting Yao Ling with a lecherous thought asked his subordinate, "What happened? I told you to pay attention to the forbidden place!"

He had heard about the matter in the forbidden place and it angered him to death! How could such a big thing happen right under his nose?! He had a.s.signed several people to watch Aunt Yue, but all of them was useless!

Only one had survived the ordeal! The other two were killed because of the fire!

The survivor was kneeling down in front of him with a trembling body. He was really afraid of his master. Even though he was so beautiful, but his heart was so dark...

The man squinted his eyes and then threw the cup that he held towards the survivor. It hit his subordinate's head directly, but the latter didn't dare to dodge. He could only grit his teeth and let his young master vent out his anger at him.

He knew that it would only make the man angry if he dared to move. A trail of blood started to appear on his forehead at the place where he was. .h.i.t, but he didn't even dare to wipe it.

"I'm sorry, Young Master! This subordinate is incompetent!" His subordinate could only apologize. He knew that he had made a grave mistake as a hidden guard that was placed inside the forbidden place as a spy. Something this big had happened and he knew nothing about it until it was already too late. He was unconscious along with the other hidden guards.

"Where did she go?" The man asked viciously. Without that old woman, they couldn't continue their mission and he felt annoyed.