In the curtain of rain, a petite figure dashed through the streets at high speed, the splashing water drawing fine fragments of light beneath the dim streetlamps.
Yunli's footsteps were hurried, splashing water all along the way. Cold rain crashed against her face from the tips of her hair, and her golden eyes were filled with anxiety, hoping only that there was still time.
She hadn't specifically contacted Mu Yao, only sending an obscure message telling her there was no need to return to the Ability Bureau today.
As for her disciple, Mo Xin...
She possessed Yunli's true legacy and had her Space Ability to protect her; surely, even if she truly went missing, she wouldn't easily come to harm.
Without wasting a moment, Yunli exerted light pressure with her toes and leaped cleanly over the school's side wall—who had the heart to walk through the main gate properly now?
Just as she landed and was about to continue her mad dash toward the Ability Bureau, a familiar voice suddenly came from behind, cutting her off mid-step.
"Are you... Yunli?"
Yunli instinctively turned toward the sound and was stunned when she saw who it was—it was actually Mo Xi.
She stood in the rain holding a red umbrella, her eyes full of astonishment as she stared at the petite figure who had just flipped over the wall, clearly very surprised by the scene before her.
Seeing that Yunli was about to leave, Mo Xi threw down her umbrella and blocked her path with a few quick flashes.
She stared straight at Yunli and said, "Wait, you're Mo Xin's best friend, right? Do you know where my sister went?"
Hearing this, Yunli answered truthfully.
"I don't know either. I was just searching for her everywhere in the school.
But I really have an urgent matter right now, so I have to go. We'll talk later."
After saying that, she turned sideways, intending to brush past Mo Xi and leave.
But at the moment Yunli and Mo Xi crossed paths, the former's pupils suddenly constricted.
Yunli instinctively tilted her head slightly, and an icicle wrapped in a chill whistled past her ear, pinning itself into the tree trunk behind her with a "thwack," splashing ice shards everywhere.
She turned back in disbelief, her golden eyes filled with confusion, clearly not expecting the sudden attack.
What surprised her even more was—wasn't Mo Xi supposed to be an ordinary person?
Yunli never expected that the other woman would be an Ability User just like Mo Xin?!!
At the same time, Mo Xi was also sizing up the Yunli before her with a scrutinizing gaze.
Although she had done one transaction with Yunli, the interaction between them was actually pitifully small. Most of what she knew about Yunli came from her sister's mouth.
At this moment, the two women's eyes met. The fine drizzle wove a hazy barrier between them, and the atmosphere was so heavy it almost seemed to solidify.
"What are you trying to do?" Yunli frowned, her tone questioning.
To this, Mo Xi immediately offered a sincere apology.
"I'm very sorry. I have no ill intent; I just wanted to test you."
The attack just now wasn't malicious; it was purely to test Yunli.
Combining her past suspicions, she had indeed doubted Yunli's status as an Ability User.
And Yunli's instinctive reaction when dodging the icicle—clean, decisive, and precise in a way no ordinary person could be—completely confirmed her suspicions.
Hearing this, Yunli felt somewhat speechless.
She naturally knew it was a test, and combined with the relationship between the other woman and Acheron, she would have fought back long ago otherwise.
"Fine, I get it. I have urgent business, so I'm leaving. If there's news about Mo Xin, I'll let you know."
However, Yunli had only taken two steps when Mo Xi blocked her path once again.
"Wait!"
"Hey! For Mo Xin's sake, I won't hold what just happened against you, but don't push your luck! What exactly do you want?"
Despite Yunli's explanation, Mo Xi still showed no intention of yielding. Her eyes were fixed on Yunli, clearly not planning to let her leave easily.
Instead, Mo Xi showed a look of vigilance, her gaze locked onto Yunli with a hint of suspicion.
"Do you really not know my sister's whereabouts?"
"Yes! If I knew, I would have gone to find her already!"
"Then where are you going in such a hurry?"
Yunli helplessly pressed her hand to her forehead. How could she not know by now—this girl clearly suspected she was involved in Mo Xin's disappearance.
And that was indeed the case.
Back in the past, Mo Xi had wondered why an Ability User would get close to her sister.
After all, being able to produce so many Foundation Establishment Monster Cores for trade, if one ruled out luck, was enough to show that Yunli's strength was not weak.
She really couldn't figure out why such a powerful person would show special care for her sister.
Only because Yunli had truly helped her sister, and because that girl Mo Xin trusted her from the bottom of her heart and loved being with her, had Mo Xi chosen to turn a blind eye for the time being.
She told herself that perhaps she was overthinking, or that the two of them really hit it off.
But now that Mo Xin's whereabouts were unknown and Yunli was sneakily flipping over the wall to leave school, the suspicion in Mo Xi's heart rose once again.
She was Mo Xin's roommate and classmate; the two were practically inseparable on a daily basis. How could she know nothing?
Most importantly, with Yunli trying to run away in such a hurry at this exact moment, Mo Xi would never believe it was a coincidence. The other woman likely had something to hide.
Thus, she stood before Yunli, her tone firm.
"You must tell me clearly today, where did Mo Xin go? Otherwise, I won't let you leave!"
Seeing this, Yunli couldn't help but feel a sense of bitterness.
Her original intention was simply not to get bogged down with Mo Xi right now, but she hadn't expected it to backfire like this.
Seeing Mo Xi standing ready as if she wouldn't let the matter rest, Yunli was about to offer an explanation when a bone-chilling cold suddenly came from beneath her feet.
It wasn't the damp cold of the rain, but a bone-piercing chill containing ice shards.
Yunli's heart tightened, and she instinctively looked down—only to find that her bare little feet had somehow been encased in a thick layer of ice, with ice shards spreading up her ankles.
Even in the surrounding moisture, a trace of bone-chilling cold was faintly mixed in.
This was naturally Mo Xi's doing.
After all, according to her deduction, Yunli's strength was bound to be formidable. To be safe, she wouldn't give the other woman any chance.
Yunli's face had now turned completely dark.
She realized clearly that no matter how she explained, Mo Xi wouldn't easily let her leave in the short term.
But right now... Director Yanxi didn't have that much time for her to waste.
Without the slightest hesitation, Yunli made a decision in an instant.
She no longer tried to explain. The aura around her suddenly surged, and her previously relaxed presence tightened instantly.
Mo Xi keenly sensed this change and abruptly drew her frost spring sword, the blade pointing directly at Yunli, its cold light flashing in the rain.
"For the sake of Mo Xin and our past acquaintance, I don't want to fall out with you! As long as you can explain clearly, I won't make things difficult for you!"
Hearing this, Yunli slowly looked up. The bangs over her forehead were blown aside by the wind, revealing those golden pupils.
"I'm sorry, but I really don't know your sister's whereabouts."
Yunli's voice paused. Her golden eyes were full of seriousness as she said word by word:
"I will help you find your sister, but definitely not now!"
In the next moment, Mo Xi's pupils suddenly constricted as a strong sense of crisis welled up in her heart.
But before she could react, a scorching heatwave suddenly erupted from Yunli's entire body, instantly dispelling the surrounding chill. The ice on the ground melted at a speed visible to the naked eye, and the rain falling within half a meter of her was evaporated into steam.
Yunli's eyes narrowed, and she suddenly exerted force with her feet.
Crack!
The ground shattered inch by inch, and the thick ice wrapping her ankles broke like glass. She charged out like an arrow from a bow, disappearing into the vast curtain of rain in an instant.