Chapter 2347

She spoke bluntly: "I ate noodles at a stall in the evening, and there was a dirty yellow-eyed white cat there, thin and small, with a slight limp on its left hind leg. I have a connection with it; I want to take it back to Cangyan. You, you go find it for me."

"A cat?" Nie Xiaolou frowned. "You want a cat? I'll have someone get you one."

"No, I want that one! If I don't save it, it won't live long." Mei Wuniang refused outright. "If you don't get it, I won't leave. The Demon Emperor said you were to send me safely out of the vicinity of Lingxu City, right? Besides, you injured me like this—shouldn't you compensate me a little?"

Nie Xiaolou was speechless.

But this wasn't hard to arrange; anyway, he didn't need to go find the cat himself.

"Fine."

……

At dawn the next day, Nie Xiaolou's Qingwei guards indeed found the little white cat for Mei Wuniang.

It was said that over fifty people searched with lanterns for most of the night, combing through the nearby mountains and forests before they finally brought it out.

This little cat couldn't put its left hind leg on the ground, always curled up, but when it saw her, it meowed nonstop, as if it recognized her at a glance.

Mei Wuniang saw it, and the corner of her mouth lifted in a long-absent smile: "Indeed, it is."

Seeing her play with the cat, a Qingwei guard asked her: "Can we leave now?"

"Sure. Where is your National Preceptor?"

The Qingwei guard chuckled: "The National Preceptor handles ten thousand affairs a day—how would he come to see you off?"

So five Qingwei guards escorted Mei Wuniang aboard a floating barge pulled by demonic birds, departing eastward.

They took the aerial route to avoid being intercepted en route.

Mei Wuniang, exhausted in body and spirit from her ordeal, was not only physically weak but also suffered severe soul trauma, unable to withstand the fierce high-altitude gales.

Thus Nie Xiaolou thoughtfully assigned her a floating barge—like an airborne carriage, with sealable doors and windows, allowing passengers to rest properly. The birds pulling it were six giant black-tailed geese, flying swiftly and smoothly, with a special trait ordinary demonic birds could not match: they could fly two thousand li a day without rest.

During her journey on the floating barge, Mei Wuniang remained in a half-asleep, half-awake state, dazed and lethargic.

Her injuries were too severe; even her soul damage surpassed her bodily harm, and what she needed most was not meditation but more sleep and nourishment.

Sleep replenishes vital energy—a function no elixir can replace.

The Qingwei guards were also conscientious, regularly delivering food and medicine into the floating barge, otherwise leaving her to rest in peace.

Communication between them was minimal.

After what felt like a few days, or perhaps half a month, the escort party finally reached the border of Cangyan, exchanged travel documents, and proceeded straight to Ju City.

Such long-distance passenger air transport is now commonplace in the world, albeit exorbitantly priced.

That day, the weather was fair and pleasant. The Qingwei guards delivered Mei Wuniang to the southern part of Ju City's Xianyi Forest, then bade farewell.

They had delivered her to the designated place; no demonic bird may carry passengers into Ju City.

After they left, Mei Wuniang sent out a signal and then waited.

About half an hour later, the reception party arrived.

According to protocol, after she sent the signal, the arrivals would verify her identity and, upon confirmation, escort her into the palace.

But this time, a large force poured into the Xianyi Forest, completely isolating her inn and the other passengers and demonic birds, and then a person approached slowly.

This person had a collapsed nose, long whiskers, small eyes, and was not tall—someone who would blend into a crowd and be hard to spot. Yet once he straightened his face, an aura of authority from a superior emerged.

As soon as he entered, Mei Wuniang became wary: "Who are you?"

"I am surnamed Du." The man chuckled, "We have never met, but I have heard your name for a long time. You have worked hard, Fifth Lady!"

In Ju City, the only notable surname Du is one person. Mei Wuniang's face showed surprise: "Could it be Minister Du?"

"Exactly." As he spoke, he bowed deeply to Mei Wuniang, then produced a pure gold token from his bosom and showed it to her.

This was a minister's tablet, with dark red elemental power light flowing through it.

Mei Wuniang immediately stood to salute, but Du Shan pressed her down: "No need for much ceremony—you look unwell, please sit." "How did you come in person?"

"Seventeen days ago, I received a notice here that your wax pellet had been opened. The Emperor had warned that this object is tied to your life. At that time, it was just when the Heavenly Palace's Cloud Master was being replaced, so we worried for your safety." Du Shan shook his head. "The handover at the top of Heavenly Palace hides how much bloodshed? Today, as soon as I received your signal, I had to come personally… look at your complexion—you seem badly injured?"

Mei Wuniang grunted: "I was hiding well in the Heavenly Palace, then suddenly assigned to return Former Aunt Zeng's remains to her hometown. It turned out to be Lu Yongyan's scheme to lure the enemy; halfway, bandits came to rob the road, but were caught red-handed by Heavenly Palace personnel. I seized the chance to escape, but alas, I was caught again by the Heavenly Palace's National Preceptor, Nie Xiaolou."

"I also received news that Former Aunt Zeng died that day, and you were dispatched from the Heavenly Palace." Du Shan frowned: "Did Nie Xiaolou torture you? Why did he seize you?"

"He wanted to know why Former Aunt Zeng was executed—whether she had heard some secret she shouldn't have."

"Nonsense—how would you know such secrets!" Du Shan snorted. "Even Former Aunt Zeng was granted death. If you knew too, you would have followed her long ago—how could you have been sent down the mountain?"

"Yes, I said the same, but that damned fool just wouldn't believe me." Mei Wuniang extended her right hand, originally long, fair, and tender like spring scallions, now with three fingers bare and nail-less—however one looked, it was strange. "He had his men pull out my nails, break my left hand, and search my sea of consciousness, severely damaging my soul."

She drew a deep breath: "Minister Du, you said if Nie Xiaolou ever falls into Cangyan's hands, could I dismember him and take my revenge?"

Du Shan immediately replied: "If he is of no use, then dispose of him as you wish."

Mei Wuniang gritted her teeth, making a grating sound: "Then it's good."

Du Shan asked again: "And that wax pellet—who did you finally give it to?"

"I gave it to Nie Xiaolou, who then passed it to the Demon Emperor, giving me a chance to return."

"Clever girl!" Du Shan did not hide his admiration: "How is your injury recovering?"

"Just flesh wounds—I won't die." Mei Wuniang whispered, "Actually, I used Master Dong's demonic puppet and, from Former Aunt Zeng's memories before her death, uncovered several secrets."

Du Shan started: "Did you truly hear the secret?"

"Indeed." Mei Wuniang smiled triumphantly and revealed the three secrets.

Du Shan listened, his expression growing increasingly gloomy and solemn, nodding repeatedly:

"Good, good—this information is of great importance; Cangyan has much to accomplish! Fifth Lady, you have rendered great service this time."

Mei Wuniang said earnestly: "If I can add fuel to Cangyan's resistance against the Heavenly Demons and help this great cause succeed, it would not be in vain for the seven years I spent in the Heavenly Palace, expending my energy and enduring hardship."