Chapter 56: The Dignity of a King

“Get up already! Weren’t you so smug just a moment ago? Why aren’t you running now?!” Nangong Lin sneered as she glared at the Giant Bass sprawled on the ground.

……………….

The soul of the now-dead Giant Bass floated above, gazing down at Nangong Lin while reflecting on its life.

“I was once the king of the bass clan. From the moment of my birth, my physique dwarfed all others of my kind.”

“I was more than twice their size, and when I reached adulthood,”

“Under the awe of the crowd, I ascended to the throne of my clan. But staying in one place for so long grew tiresome.”

“Every day was the same—mating with the female bass, over and over.”

“It became so dull that I yearned to explore the vast skies and seas beyond, to chase true freedom!”

“Decades passed, and this longing turned into a terrifying obsession in my mind, nearly driving me to madness.”

“So, half a month ago, on a bright and clear morning after finishing my daily mating duties,”

“I made a daring choice. Alone, I leapt from my familiar waters. Carried by the river’s current, I finally witnessed the boundless sky and sea.”

“At last, I arrived at this river. The sight before me filled me with ecstasy—the sky so blue, the scent of the earth so enchanting. I was lost in this paradise! But as I marveled at the vastness of this world,”

“This crazy girl yanked me right out of the river! Yes, you heard that right!”

“She just scooped me up without a second thought! How could I, a king, tolerate such an insult to my dignity?”

“I lashed out with a mighty slap, striking her right across the face. What I didn’t expect was that it ignited her competitive spirit!”

“Back in my old waters, life was so boring. But this girl—she brought me some fun!”

“So I decided to play with her a bit. Watching her struggle was oddly satisfying.”

“It was a thrill I’d never felt before. I dodged her every attack with ease, feeling quite pleased with myself.”

“But that decision led to my doom! When I saw she’d stopped chasing me,”

“I felt a surge of displeasure. How dare she ignore me after challenging a king’s dignity? I couldn’t let it slide—I had to strike back!”

“So I provoked her on purpose.”

“It didn’t take long to spark her fury. We played this game all morning. Just when I thought she was about to give up,”

“My taunting pushed her over the edge. She lost all sense of fairness in her rage!”

“What shocked me even more was that this girl turned out to be a Cultivator?! I’d assumed she was just an Ordinary Person.”

“That’s why I dared to provoke her so boldly. But in the next moment, without a word,”

“She pinned me in place. I couldn’t move a muscle.”

“I realized I’d picked a fight with a lion. Regret hit me like a wave. Now I understood why my ancestors warned against such recklessness.”

“If I could do it over, I’d turn tail and swim away without a second thought.”

“But there are no second chances. As that girl approached with murderous intent, I knew I was doomed.”

“She grabbed me, slammed me down over and over. And just like that, the invincible king of the bass met his end at the hands of a mad girl.”

……………….

The Giant Bass sighed over its tragic fate as a fish.

Suddenly, it felt something pierce through its body. Then came the searing heat of flames roasting its massive frame, oil sizzling as it dripped.

The Nalan siblings and Nangong Lin had unanimously decided to grill the Giant Bass before them. This way, they’d savor the most delicious fish!”

Under the Giant Bass’s horrified gaze, it watched its body being hoisted onto a makeshift grill!”

In that moment, the Giant Bass was overwhelmed with regret.”

“With its body gone, it could never enter the cycle of reincarnation.”

“Its soul would be forever trapped in this place.”

“As it stared in shock, the trio devoured its body completely.”

“No, I won’t accept this!” the Giant Bass roared in despair as its soul vanished along with its body.”

………………….”

The trio had long since polished off the Giant Bass. Sated and content, they shared their thoughts on the delectable meal.”

Nalan Xue smiled and said, “This is the best fish I’ve ever tasted. It melts in your mouth—fresh, juicy, with just the right chew!”

Nalan Su shook his head. “I think it’s more than that. This fish was huge, so it should’ve been hard to season properly. But Sister’s marinating and grilling technique breathed new life into it. Each bite lingers on the tongue!”

The two turned to Nangong Lin, eager to learn how she’d marinated and grilled the Giant Bass.”

Meeting their fervent gazes, Nangong Lin generously explained the entire process— the ingredients, the steps, every detail.”

They nodded in unison, already planning to catch another fish to grill next time.”

Laughter and chatter filled the air between the three.”

……………….”

Meanwhile, Gu Qingyi led Gu Qingxiao to Qin Wan’s courtyard.”

The courtyard was in disarray from neglect—withered leaves and broken branches littered the ground, mud everywhere, a complete mess.”

“Could Sister Nangong be here?!” Gu Qingxiao asked in surprise, pointing ahead.”

Gu Qingyi surveyed the chaos and shook his head with a faint sigh. “She’s not here.”

The two tidied up the courtyard a bit before hurriedly leaving. They scoured every corner near Xiaoxi Village.”

But there was no sign of her.”

Later, Gu Qingyi brought Gu Qingxiao to Wang Jia’s residence. Seeing the place reduced to rubble, they could only turn back empty-handed.”

Not far off, a rustle in the bushes near a tree caught their attention.”

Gu Qingyi parted the grass and instantly recognized the horse—it was the one Nangong Lin had ridden that day. In her rush, she must’ve forgotten to take it.”

Since the horse was still here, it meant Nangong Lin hadn’t passed through this area.”

With no other choice, they untied the horse from the tree.”

Leading the horse, they turned and walked away, soon entering a nearby forest.”

They passed through the same forest Nangong Lin had traveled through that day.”

Spotting footprints on the ground, they deduced she must’ve walked this path.”

Sure enough, as they followed the tracks, their guess proved right.”

Suddenly, a pit in the ground caught their eye. Next to it, a sharp stone was stained with blood.”

Further ahead, faint bloodstains dotted the path, scattered haphazardly on the ground.”

They also noticed torn strips of fabric nearby.”

Piecing it together, they concluded that Nangong Lin had indeed come this way that day.”

It was dark, and she couldn’t see the path clearly. She must’ve stumbled into the pit, her hand pierced by the jagged stone beside it.”

Enduring the pain, Nangong Lin likely pulled the stone out.”

Then, she tore pieces of her clothing to bandage the wound, which explained why the bloodstains stopped here.”

The shredded fabric confirmed their theory.”

Elated by these clues, the siblings realized Nangong Lin was still alive—and likely not far away!”

Leading the horse, they followed the footprints step by step. Finally, they spotted a house in the distance.”

Gu Qingyi’s heart raced with excitement. He tugged the horse forward, and together they rushed toward the house.”

In the time it takes to sip half a cup of tea, the siblings reached the entrance to Nalan Qiang’s courtyard.”

Gu Qingyi hesitated at the door, unsure whether to knock. What would he even say if they met?”

“Is anyone home? We have a few questions. Could you spare a moment?” Gu Qingxiao stepped forward and knocked on the gate.”

In an instant, the noise at the door startled someone inside.”

Zhao Fang heard the commotion and hurried out of the kitchen. Wiping her hands on a cloth, she headed to open the door.”

She called out urgently, “Stop knocking, I’m coming!”

With a creak, the door swung open.”

Zhao Fang blinked in surprise at the handsome young man and beautiful girl before her. “May I ask what brings you here?” she inquired, puzzled.”

Gu Qingxiao looked at the elegant woman and cautiously asked, “Aunt, we’re looking for someone. Would it be possible for us to come in and take a look?”

Gu Qingyi pulled out a necklace from around his neck.”

Seeing the necklace glow with a brilliant light, he was instantly certain—Nangong Lin was definitely inside!”

The siblings exchanged a glance and nodded.”

Gu Qingyi spoke with urgency. “Aunt, the person inside means a lot to us! Please, let us take just one look.”

“Yes, Aunt, if the person we’re looking for isn’t here, we promise not to disturb you!” Gu Qingxiao pleaded, her eyes full of hope as she looked at Zhao Fang.”

“Alright then, I’ll let you take a quick look. If they’re not here, you must leave immediately!” Zhao Fang relented, though she seemed a bit reluctant.”

Seeing her agree, the siblings quickly thanked her and hurried inside. They searched everywhere but found nothing.”

Finally, in the last bedroom, they spotted Nangong Lin’s clothes on a table, along with the glowing necklace beside them—but no sign of her!”

Overjoyed, they rushed out to find Zhao Fang. “Aunt, do you know where the owner of that room is right now?!” they asked eagerly.”

Zhao Fang sighed as she looked at them. “You mean that young lady? She went out to play with my son and daughter. They should be back later tonight.”

“You can sit down and wait for a while.”

“That sounds good. We’ll wait here then.”

The siblings agreed it made sense. Finding a spot outside, they settled down to wait.”