"Master, please wait a moment."
Hei Jiao immediately began sniffing the area.
"Found her, Master, she's in that direction."
Hei Jiao said to Ning Beichen.
"Take me there immediately."
Without a word, Ning Beichen rose into the air on his sword, flying out like a bolt of lightning.
Though his speed was already astonishing, he still felt it wasn't fast enough. He never expected that what he thought was just a nightmare would actually come true.
If anything were to happen to his Shiniang, Ning Beichen would never forgive himself, nor would he know how to face his Master.
Soon, Ning Beichen arrived at the forest outside the city. After sniffing around, Hei Jiao pointed to the north and said.
"She went that way."
Without hesitation, Ning Beichen sped off again at his fastest pace.
Before long, Ning Beichen appeared by a fast-flowing river in the forest.
"Master, the scent disappears here."
Hei Jiao told Ning Beichen.
"Abu, can you still sense my Shiniang's exact location?"
Ning Beichen asked it.
"I should be able to, but for some reason, after reaching this point, I can no longer sense her life aura. Either she's dead, or something is blocking her life aura," Hei Jiao replied.
"I believe my Shiniang wouldn't die so easily. Her aura disappeared here, and there are no signs of a struggle. This suggests my Shiniang might have hidden herself," Ning Beichen analyzed as he examined the nearby traces.
"In such a situation, if it were me, and I were injured and no match for my enemy, what would I do?"
As he spoke, Ning Beichen looked at the swift river.
"My Shiniang might have gone into the river."
After saying this, Ning Beichen immediately leaped down, searching along the turbulent river.
Not long after, Ning Beichen found a small piece of white cloth at the bottom of the fast-flowing river. Ning Beichen recognized at once that the fabric was the same as the material of the skirt his Shiniang was wearing.
Because Song Qiuyan's clothing material was very special and different from ordinary fabrics, Ning Beichen, despite having met her only twice, was greatly impressed by the clothes she wore.
Ning Beichen clutched the piece of fabric in his hand and frantically searched the riverbed for Song Qiuyan's whereabouts.
However, he followed the river all the way downstream without finding any trace of Song Qiuyan. While this made Ning Beichen anxious, he also felt a hidden sense of relief.
The absence of his Shiniang's body meant there was a high probability she was still alive.
If he had indeed found Song Qiuyan's corpse, Ning Beichen wouldn't have known what to do.
Therefore, not finding anything was the best outcome.
Ning Beichen and Hei Jiao continued searching there for a long time without finding any sign of his Shiniang. The difficulty in finding her was due to Hei Jiao's inability to sense Song Qiuyan's life aura, making it impossible to track her.
Thus, Ning Beichen and Hei Jiao had to leave. They returned to inform Hongxiu Pavilion of the Shiniang's disappearance. With Hongxiu Pavilion's vast resources and intelligence network, it would be more effective than him searching alone.
However, things were not as simple as Ning Beichen imagined. Even Hongxiu Pavilion couldn't find Song Qiuyan's whereabouts for a long time, and as a result, internal chaos began to brew within the pavilion.
As long as Song Qiuyan was in charge, no one dared to harbor any ill intentions. But now that Song Qiuyan was gone, those with ambition and aspirations began to emerge, naturally including those who were instigated by others with ulterior motives.
"Are you certain that Song Qiuyan hasn't appeared?"
Li Wuyi asked.
"Yes, Sect Master. Our people have been monitoring Hongxiu Pavilion. Due to Song Qiuyan's disappearance, the pavilion has fallen into disarray."
The subordinate replied.
"Excellent, excellent, this is wonderful! Hahaha... Heaven is truly aiding me."
Li Wuyi burst into loud laughter.
Like Ning Beichen, he also hadn't found Song Qiuyan's whereabouts, and he had been constantly worried that Tianda宗 would face retaliation from Song Qiuyan.
"Sect Master, this is our chance for revenge. We can take advantage of Song Qiuyan's disappearance to reshape Hongxiu Pavilion. By then, even if Song Qiuyan returns, the pavilion will no longer belong to her."
Shu Feng urgently said to Li Wuyi.
"Very well, Elder Shu Feng, I will entrust this matter to you."
Li Wuyi agreed.
"Yes, Sect Master."
Shu Feng replied happily.
...
"What did you say? You want me to compete for the position of Pavilion Master of Hongxiu Pavilion!"
Ning Beichen looked at the woman in front of him, utterly bewildered.
He recognized her as Yao Yao, the one who liked to sway in front of him.
"Yes, the Pavilion Master has disappeared, and you are the only kin recognized by the Pavilion Master."
Yao Yao told Ning Beichen.
Ning Beichen did not immediately agree. To him, finding his Shiniang was more important than anything. Yet, Hongxiu Pavilion wasn't focusing on the search but on electing a new Pavilion Master, which seemed absurd.
"Miss Yao Yao, tell me the truth, has Hongxiu Pavilion fallen into internal chaos?"
Ning Beichen wasn't foolish and quickly understood the underlying reason.
"Yes, Hongxiu Pavilion is currently divided into several factions, with many ill-intentioned individuals mixed in. If they succeed, Hongxiu Pavilion will be finished," Yao Yao said sadly.
"Hongxiu Pavilion won't be finished, it will merely undergo a change in leadership. It seems some people have been impatient for a long time," Ning Beichen said with a cold snort.
What angered him wasn't their coveting the position of Pavilion Master, but their failure to search for his Shiniang's whereabouts.
Coming from the civilized world, Ning Beichen knew that no power in this world was eternal. Whether it was individual influence or imperial families, they were all the same.
No matter how brilliant a force was, its decline was inevitable with the passage of time, akin to the twilight of the gods.
"How many people are currently vying for the position of Pavilion Master within Hongxiu Pavilion?" Ning Beichen asked.
"There are only three individuals qualified to contend for the position. The first is led by the Grand Elder, with at least half of the internal members supporting him. The second is the Xiu Nü, as she possesses the strongest cultivation and power, also commanding half of the internal support.
"And the third person... is you."
Although Yao Yao didn't finish her sentence, Ning Beichen could tell that even though he was the third contender, he likely wouldn't have much support within Hongxiu Pavilion.
"However, Young Master, don't worry, we still have a group of people loyal to the Pavilion Master, and they will all support you," Yao Yao added.
"There probably aren't many who are loyal to my Shiniang, right?"
Ning Beichen could gauge the situation from Yao Yao's expression. He had experienced his fair share of power struggles when he was the King of Darkness.
People's hearts are complex, but human nature is even more so. Without formidable methods, managing an organization effectively is extremely difficult.