"Senior Jin Lie, what a fortunate encounter to meet you here. This junior resides in this very garden. Might I invite you for a small drink?"
"Well..." Jin Lie looked somewhat troubled. After a moment's thought, he said, "Young Friend Xuan Yun, it's not that this old man wishes to slight your offer. Under ordinary circumstances, I wouldn't hesitate at all. It's just... I truly have some urgent matters to attend to right now. How about this: after I find Feng Yan and settle my affairs, we can sit down for a couple of drinks? Rest assured, since I've given my word, I naturally won't go back on it."
"Senior, you speak too formally. How could this junior possibly doubt your word?"
Hearing Jin Lie's agreement, Xuan Yun felt more at ease. He asked, "But Senior, you mentioned Feng Yan just now. Has something happened to Young Lord Feng Yan?"
"Young friend, haven't you heard anything?"
"Heard what?"
Xuan Yun was puzzled. Liu Li beside him whispered a reminder, "Senior Brother, how could you forget? On the way here, many people were saying that Young Lord Li Fengyan got into a contest with that wealthy lord at the gambling tables and ended up losing everything—tens of millions, I heard."
Only after Liu Li's reminder did Xuan Yun recall. He had initially thought Li Tianhua's claim of urgent business was just an excuse, but it seemed it was true. Something really must have happened to Li Fengyan.
"Ai! A disgrace to the family! That brat Feng Yan has brought shame and ruin upon us! He's utterly disgraced the face of our Jinwu Li Family!"
Mentioning his own descendant Li Fengyan filled Jin Lie with uncontrollable rage. His anger wasn't because Li Fengyan had lost tens of millions. Frankly, tens of millions wasn't a significant sum for the Li Family; they could afford the loss. Not just tens of millions, but even hundreds of millions wouldn't be a problem.
What truly infuriated him was that Li Fengyan had provoked someone into a gambling contest, lost tens of millions, and then repeatedly goaded some 'wealthy lord' into betting on a triple—only for that person not to lose, but instead win a full eighteen billion in one go!
If this matter had remained unknown to outsiders, it might have been tolerable. But now it was spreading like wildfire, practically known to everyone.
Worse, most rumors claimed that without Li Fengyan, that wealthy lord would never have won eighteen billion. It was precisely because Li Fengyan kept provoking him to bet on the triple that the man won eighteen billion. People were saying the Jinwu Li Family members were too foolish, not only losing tens of millions themselves but also helping someone else win eighteen billion.
This was the real reason for Jin Lie's fury. In all these years, the Jinwu Secret Realm had never suffered such a massive loss of face.
"Young Lord Feng Yan... has he gone missing now?"
"Ai! He ran off. Who knows where that kid has gone. That's why we're preparing to go out and search for him."
"Senior, please don't be too harsh on Young Lord Feng Yan. Gambling involves wins and losses; it's quite normal."
"If only Feng Yan were half as sensible as you. What a pity!" Jin Lie shook his head and sighed. "Young Friend Xuan Yun, you carry on with your business. This old man must go find that brat Feng Yan."
"Senior, why not let me join your search? Many hands make light work."
"I appreciate your kindness, young friend, but this is a family matter. Best left to us to handle."
After bidding farewell, Jin Lie hurriedly departed with Li Tianhua, Li Jingya, and the others.
Watching Jin Lie and his group leave, Xuan Yun said, "Ling'er, you can rest assured. Since Senior Jin Lie has accepted my invitation, I have a way to persuade him. As long as he agrees, I believe the people of the Jinwu Secret Realm will be more restrained in the future."
"Wow! Brother Xuan Yun, you're truly wonderful! If you can help, I'll be grateful to you for a lifetime!"
Although Qiānniǎo didn't say it aloud, she had long realized her mistake and deeply regretted her impulsiveness back then. She never imagined that a moment of rashness years ago would bring such great harm to the Xiaoluo Secret Realm.
"Little girl, just for you calling me 'brother,' I'll help. Moreover..." Xuan Yun glanced at Qiānlíng, leaving the rest unsaid.
Qiānniǎo seemed to understand what he meant. She ran to Qiānlíng's side, linking arms with her, and said, "Moreover, Qiānlíng is my sister, right?"
Xuan Yun smiled faintly.
"Sister Ling'er, Brother Xuan Yun is helping us so much. How are you going to thank him?"
How to thank him?
Qiānlíng didn't know how to thank him either.
The favor Xuan Yun was offering was too great, so immense she truly didn't know how to repay it.
She gazed at Xuan Yun, silent for a long while, before finally speaking. "I will forever remember this debt of gratitude, Young Lord."
Xuan Yun laughed. "Calling me 'Young Lord' is too formal..."
Just then, a group of over ten people emerged from the garden—members of the Xiaoluo Secret Realm.
"Elder Mu, Uncle Feng..." Qiānniǎo greeted everyone. To her, the people of the Xiaoluo Secret Realm would always be like family.
"Qiānniǎo, Ling'er."
The elder, Elder Mu, frowned deeply. He looked around as if searching for something and asked, "Isn't Little Drunkard with you?"
"Elder Mu, wasn't Little Drunkard staying in the garden with all of you?"
"He... he's missing!"
What?!
Hearing that Little Drunkard was missing, Qiānniǎo immediately asked, "How could he be missing? When we left, he was resting in the garden!"
Qiānlíng also asked, "When did you discover Little Drunkard was gone?"
"After you left, we saw Little Drunkard had fallen asleep in the garden, so we didn't disturb him. We stayed in the main hall cultivating. But when we finished our cultivation, Little Drunkard was already nowhere to be found."
Xuan Yun asked, "Have you searched the entire Floating Sky Island?"
"We have. Every corner. We even asked at the other manors. No one has seen Little Drunkard."
"How could Little Drunkard just vanish for no reason?" Qiānniǎo grew increasingly anxious. "Could he have gone out wandering alone?"
"He has no cultivation whatsoever, no magical treasures on him, and this is a Floating Sky Island. He couldn't have gone down."
"Heavens!" Qiānniǎo seemed to realize something, her face turning deathly pale. "Little Drunkard couldn't have... couldn't have fallen off, could he? He has no cultivation; he'd die from the fall! Wuwu..."
They immediately went down to check but found nothing. Inquiries with others revealed no reports of anyone falling from the Floating Sky Island.
Returning to the island, Qiānniǎo couldn't hold back her tears. "Wuwu... How could Little Drunkard disappear... Wuwu... It's all my fault. I shouldn't have left him alone in the garden. Wuwu..."
"Qiānniǎo, don't cry just yet. Didn't we just ask? No one fell from this Floating Sky Island. Moreover..." Qiānlíng comforted her, "Moreover, although Little Drunkard has no cultivation and no treasures, his physical body is extremely tough. Even if he did fall, he definitely wouldn't die from it."
Hearing this, Qiānniǎo immediately stopped crying and nodded. "Right, right! Little Drunkard's body is so strong. I couldn't budge him an inch even with all my strength. Even if he fell, he wouldn't die. But... but where could he have gone?"
Just then, an earth-shaking tiger's roar suddenly echoed through the sky. Everyone looked up and was instantly struck with terror.