Was it you that night?
Chapter 225 - 223: Retrospective Space

Chapter 225: Chapter 223: Retrospective Space

Shen Zhiyao pulled Meng Yun aside and asked, "Can you still enter Qinghe’s dreams now that she has disappeared?"

Meng Yun replied with a bitter smile, "How could I?"

Shen Zhiyao momentarily lost for ideas, then asked, "Did Nan Sheng really not take Qinghe away?"

"Nan Sheng’s expression of surprise when she learned of Qinghe’s disappearance didn’t seem feigned; it’s unlikely it was her. Instead, the Gong Xian you mentioned does seem capable; with his cultivation base, he might have had the chance to take Qinghe away without a trace. Only, Gong Xian’s background is unknown to us, and we wouldn’t know where to find him," Meng Yun said, frowning worriedly.

Out of options, Shen Zhiyao spoke softly, "You’ve said you regard me and Qinghe as your own sisters, so you wouldn’t betray us, would you?"

Upon hearing this, Meng Yun was displeased, "Qinghe is my lifesaver; how could I possibly betray her?"

Shen Zhiyao, no longer hesitant, then recounted the background of Gong Xian. As for the true identity of Dongfang Wuya, she omitted it for the sake of caution, mentioning only that Gong Xian was likely Shangxuan Yue, who once stole Dongfang Wuya’s Snow Bone Grass.

Furthermore, after Nan Sheng’s association with Gong Xian, her cultivation base increased rapidly, making it likely that Gong Xian had already ascended to the Immortal Realm, a place they were incapable of searching.

After listening, Meng Yun dismissed Shen Zhiyao’s thoughts, "There is a barrier between immortals and cultivators. Even if Qinghe is someone Wuya cares for, he can’t lay a finger on her without accruing karma. If Gong Xian is truly an immortal, he would cherish his hard-won status even more and would not easily break his vows."

"So you mean, he didn’t take Qinghe away?" Shen Zhiyao’s eyes brightened.

Meng Yun decisively set up a barrier, recalling something very important, "Have you noticed that the disappearances of Wuya, Xiao Bai, and Elder Shen, as well as Qinghe, are all very strange? Wuya, Xiao Bai, and Elder Shen vanished overnight, and Qinghe disappeared in such a short time without any signs."

Shen Zhiyao nodded incessantly, "So what about it?"

"I suspect that their disappearances have all led them to the same place. Qinghe once told me that she had a dream about Wuya twice. In the dream, Wuya attacked her, and she could still feel the pain after waking up. Now I suspect Qinghe has entered that dream as well, and it might not be a dream—it could be another space..."

Shen Zhiyao listened, completely bewildered, "I don’t understand what you mean?"

Seeing Shen Zhiyao’s confused and curious expression, Meng Yun couldn’t help but laugh, finding this side of Shen Zhiyao quite amusing.

"What are you laughing at?" Shen Zhiyao’s brows furrowed in displeasure, "How can you still laugh when Qinghe is missing?"

Meng Yun’s smile faded as he couldn’t resist patting her head, "I suspect that Qinghe is now with Wuya. If that’s the case, she won’t be in any danger, so do not worry. They might be trapped in a certain space, which could even be a space from the past, because Qinghe mentioned that when she was in the dream, Wuya was watching another Qinghe, who was still in the Foundation Establishment Stage..."

The more Shen Zhiyao listened, the more confused she became. Seeing her puzzled look, Meng Yun, holding back his amusement, explained, "In simple terms, Wuya might be trapped in a space from the past, also known as Spatial Retrospection. If nothing unexpected happened, Qinghe might also be in that space from the past."

This time, Shen Zhiyao finally understood. But understanding was one thing; how to retrieve them from that past space was another issue entirely.

"Why would Mr. Wuya be trapped in that space? And how did Qinghe end up there?" Shen Zhiyao looked at Meng Yun with expectant eyes.

Seeing her eager gaze, Meng Yun suddenly felt as if he could do anything.

"If he wasn’t trapped in that space by accident, then someone must have confined him there. As for Qinghe, because I allowed her to share a dream with Wuya and they had a bout of spring breeze, experiencing dual cultivation and forming a close relationship, it’s the only reason she could have stumbled into that space by chance," Meng Yun speculated.

Elder Shen nodded repeatedly, "I understand. Mr. Wuya has a special identity, and since Qinghe has undergone dual cultivation with him and shared dreams, their bond is deep. That’s how she managed to find Mr. Wuya in such a manner!"

Meng Yun’s eyes showed appreciation, "Exactly. So you needn’t worry too much, as the saying goes, ’fortune favors the virtuous.’ As long as Wuya is there, Qinghe will be safe."

"Do you think Mr. Wuya entered that space by accident, or was he trapped there by someone?" Shen Zhiyao looked at Meng Yun expectantly.

The question stumped Meng Yun.

Given Wuya’s cultivation base, it would be difficult for someone to trap him in a space, but if that space involved people and things dear to Wuya, causing him to let his guard down, then it wouldn’t seem difficult after all.

Qinghe had said that both times she went to that space, Wuya was looking at the Qinghe of the Foundation Establishment Stage through the Xuantian Mirror. If Qinghe was used as bait, making Wuya completely off his guard, then trapping him wouldn’t be difficult.

"It’s possible that he was trapped in that space by someone who knew that Qinghe was Wuya’s weakness," Meng Yun pondered more and felt that this possibility was quite high.

Why was it such a coincidence that Wuya disappeared on the very day he was to marry Qinghe?

So was it a male cultivator who fancied Qinghe behind this, aiming to sabotage the marriage between Qinghe and Wuya?

If Qinghe harbored resentment towards Wuya for disappearing on their wedding day, would that not completely sever the possibility of them being together?

With this in mind, Meng Yun turned to ask Shen Zhiyao, "Do you know, besides Wuya, who else at Sky Pole Sect has affections for Qinghe?"

Shen Zhiyao replied without hesitation, "There are plenty of male cultivators who like Qinghe. Previously, several elders didn’t like her, but now they beam at the sight of her, as if Qinghe were their daughter. Other senior brothers also like Qinghe a lot. She’s so beautiful and has such a good temperament..."

"Zhiyao, stick to the main point!" Meng Yun interrupted Shen Zhiyao’s endless chatter, unable to help it.

Shen Zhiyao felt every word she said was the main point since Qinghe was indeed well-liked, but she realized she had missed a key person, "It must be Xiao Chen behind this! He’s not just once said he wants to marry Qinghe. She ignored him, so he turned love into hate, and on the day of her wedding, he made her groom disappear!"

What’s most critical is that Xiao Chen is one of the original male protagonist, and Qinghe also said not to be fooled by Xiao Chen’s current Nascent Soul Stage cultivation because his true self is quite formidable.

Mr. Wuya is also a male protagonist, so isn’t it logical for Xiao Chen, another male protagonist, to trap Mr. Wuya using Spatial Retrospection?

Meng Yun had a deep impression of Xiao Chen. He seemed harmless, but Meng Yun felt Xiao Chen was cunning, and he had the motive.

After they agreed, they decided not to stir the grass and startle the snake, but to secretly keep a close watch on Xiao Chen and observe if he displayed any unusual behavior.

Meanwhile, Shen Qinghe gradually grew sleepy while trapped in the Golden Cage.

When Dongfang Wuya and Xiao Bai returned to Bixiao Tower, they saw Shen Qinghe sleeping peacefully inside the cage...