Chapter 52: A Realm Within

"This woman is selfish and hypocritical, driven by greed. I've never regarded her as a sister," Bai Luan said, feeling a weight lift off her shoulders as she shared her buried past. "Leave her to me. I'll investigate."

"Then let's go to the scene," Ling Ji stood up from the sofa and addressed Ying Ning. "Do you have any of An'an's belongings with you? Something she wears frequently?"

Ying Ning shook her head. The sudden incident left her with no time to return home; all of An'an's personal items were there. "I'll go get them now."

"Good," Ling Ji nodded. "Meet us at Jinghu Park once you have them."

Jinghu Park, where An'an had vanished, was eerily empty today. The incident had scared away the usual crowd, leaving the expansive park cold and desolate.

But the emptiness suited their purposes perfectly.

"Ma'am, this is the toy bear An'an holds every night when she sleeps. Will this do?" Ying Ning pulled a small twenty-centimeter-high teddy bear from a black plastic bag. Through the partially opened bag, other items like a comb, pajamas, and hairpins can be seen.

"This will do," Ling Ji took the bear, sniffed it briefly, then returned it to Ying Ning. She inhaled deeply, sifting through the myriad scents—perfume, body odors, fresh grass, food, car exhaust—until she isolated the sweet, milky fragrance that was uniquely An'an's.

"I've got it," Ling Ji said, her lips curving into a smile as she moved northwest. The others quickly followed.

They walked past flowers, through shaded paths, and over cobblestone walkways, heading steadily towards the edge of the lake. As they reached the lakeside, Ying Ning felt a growing unease.

"Her scent ends here," Ling Ji pointed to a spot beneath the water. "A demon used water-walking magic to take An'an through an underwater tunnel."

Ying Ning instinctively looked where Ling Ji pointed. The clear, emerald green lake lay still like a polished jade. Beyond the surface, nothing but deeper green water was visible.

"I'm aware of the waterway beneath Jinghu leading elsewhere," Yu Zhiyan said, his eyes puzzled. "But the tunnel isn't big enough for An'an's child An'an's size."

"She was likely placed in the demon's spatial realm," Hu Li explained. She glanced around, ensuring no cameras were in sight, then made a subtle gesture towards a large stone by the lake. The stone, which three adults would struggle to lift, floated lightly towards her and vanished into thin air.

"Every demon has a spatial realm, the size of which depends on their bloodline and cultivation level," Hu Li continued, retrieving the stone and sending it back to its original position. "A demon capable of traversing waterways with water-walking magic must have considerable skill. Storing a small child in their spatial realm would be no challenge."

"It's not just demons. High-level cultivators without realms can achieve this too," she added, recalling the legendary stories. "Like the immortal Zhenyuanzi in 'Journey to the West,' who could store entire cities in his sleeve."

"Do you know which demon took An'an?" Hu Li asked. Despite her years in the capital, she was familiar with most demons. Those adept at water magic were few, and even fewer would assist in such schemes. She mentally listed the suspects, ready to act on Ling Ji's answer.

"It's a Gu Diao," Ling Ji said, her tone firm.

"A Gu... Diao?" Hu Li's eyes widened in pure shock, her usually calm demeanor shattered. "The kind that lives in the marshes and swamps of Lu Wu Mountain?"

"Exactly," Ling Ji confirmed. "I've tasted its meat before. There's no mistake."

Hu Li: "..."

She was left speechless by the unexpected information.

"I'll call Zhao and check if the Special Management Bureau has any records of Gu Diao in the mortal realm." Hu Li quickly composed herself and dialed Zhao Jiong.

Three minutes later, she relayed Zhao Jiong's response. "There are no records of Gu Diao in the Special Management Bureau. Elder Bai Qi was equally surprised; he thought they were extinct."

"So it's an undocumented Gu Diao?" Xing Miao's eyes narrowed thoughtfully.

Hu Li nodded. "That's what Zhao said."

"Is An'an still alive?" Ying Ning asked, her voice trembling with unfamiliar terms and fears. "Does this Gu Diao... eat people?"

The air grew thick with tension.

Gu Diao, known to look like eagles with horns and cry like babies, were indeed man-eaters.

"Yes, it eats people," Ling Ji answered truthfully, piercing the silence. "It prefers infants, then young children."

The Gu Diao she had eaten had devoured many people, causing public outrage that reached her ears. Accompanied by Si Xi, she had exterminated it to protect the people.

Ling Ji never lied, nor did she see the need to soften the truth.

Whether Ying Ning could handle the truth was not her concern.

Ying Ning swayed, but Yu Zhiyan caught her quickly. "It's not as bad as it sounds. Don't scare yourself."

"Ling Ji will save your child. Right?" Yu Zhiyan nudged Ling Ji with his gaze.

Ling Ji, misinterpreting Yu Zhiyan's signals, asked, "Is your eye twitching?"

Yu Zhiyan: "..."

"If the child is alive—" Ling Ji began, but Xing Miao clapped a hand over her mouth, laughing awkwardly. "Our Lady is straightforward and honest."

"She means An'an has a blessed fate and will surely survive until we rescue her."

Ling Ji pushed Xing Miao's hand away, frowning. Humans were strange. They asked for the truth but couldn't handle it.

Turning away, she caught sight of two figures—a black and a white shadow. Before her mind could fully register, her body reacted.

In an instant, she grasped the shadows and two spirits appeared at her feet.

"Greetings, Lady Ling Ji," Black and White Wuchang greeted respectfully.

"Is Ying Anhe dead?" Ling Ji asked directly.

Confused by the sudden questioning, Black Wuchang quickly checked his app, scanning the recent and upcoming death lists. "No, my lady."

"Good. You may go," Ling Ji waved them away.

The spirits exchanged a glance, surprised by her leniency. White Wuchang, emboldened, added, "Lady, though Ying Anhe is not dead, her life is in grave danger if captured by those practicing dark arts."

Ling Ji: "Hmm?"

Xing Miao's eyes narrowed. "How so?"

"Her eight characters are all yin, making her a rare pure yin body," White Wuchang explained. In the cultivation world, such a body was highly sought after as a cauldron.

Ling Ji glanced at Ying Ning, then nodded at the spirits. "Understood. You may leave."

Regretting his outspokenness, White Wuchang quickly closed his mouth and fled with Black Wuchang.

"Lady Ling Ji..." Ying Ning began, her voice filled with trepidation.

"Rest assured, An'an is alive," Ling Ji reassured her.

"That's wonderful." Hearing her daughter was alive, Ying Ning felt warmth seeping back into her heart. The ice surrounding her spirit began to thaw, bringing a glimmer of hope.

As Ying Ning's face brightened with rare relief, Xing Miao resolved to find An'an quickly.

"Can you track An'an's scent to their location?" Xing Miao asked Ling Ji.

Ling Ji sniffed the air, frowning. "Follow me."

Half an hour later, the group stopped by a pond in the suburbs.

"The scent ends here," Ling Ji said, sniffing the air again, her brows furrowing deeper. "This can't be right."

Determined, she focused solely on her sense of smell, blocking out all other sensations. Apart from a faint, familiar stench, there was no trace of An'an.

Ling Ji's eyes flared with dark fire, her fists clenching. "They used a spell to mask their trail."

"Lady, let me use the star chart to deduce their direction," Xing Miao said, trying to calm the visibly angry Ling Ji. "They used the spell near their hideout, which means we're close."

"Yes, you've done well. Don't be angry over someone unworthy," Yu Zhiyan comforted Ling Ji, holding her close to soothe her.

The fire in Ling Ji's eyes dimmed, her gaze sharp as she scanned the surroundings. "You calculate. I'll scout around." With that, she vanished.

Yu Zhiyan, staring at the empty space, asked, "What kind of spell was that?"

"Teleportation," Hu Li replied, eyes filled with admiration. Though she too could teleport, Ling Ji's speed was unmatched. Only a few in her clan could rival her.

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