Xiahou Tingan silently entered the study.

As Xiahou Rong had previously said that nobody could enter this yard without permission, this place was quiet and had nobody around. Even if they found out that someone had secretly barged in, Xiahou Rong didn’t dare to kick a fuss as he ran out on his own to catch that person personally.

Why? Wasn’t it because he was guilty and was worried that the intruder really heard something and would spread it around?

Hence, the entire Xiahou Residence was still silent, and this incident didn’t cause any chaos.

This was the Xiahou Residence study. Let alone ordinary people, even the young masters and missies in the residence didn’t dare to get close casually.

But Xiahou Tingan was different. He was nurtured as the successor by Xiahou Rong, so he frequently entered this place within the last two years. Hence, he was very familiar with everything here.

He walked in and went straight for the desk.

There were many items on the desk, and he roughly scanned through them before his eyes lit up at a pen holder.

After that, he carefully moved the pen holder away, and a secret compartment jumped out from below the desk.

A copper key was placed within.

Xiahou Tingan retrieved the key and turned to the small couch.

It was used when Xiahou Rong was tired from reading books on a normal day.

Walking to the couch, Xiahou Tingan felt around the edge for a while and heard a kada!

The head of the couch suddenly split open from the middle, and another secret compartment jumped out!

A palm-sized black wooden box sat quietly in the secret compartment. At first glance, the black wooden box was very ordinary. But upon closer inspection, one could see a faint silver pattern layer on it.

Xiahou Tingan knew that this wooden box contained the Nine Clouds Yuan Recovery Pill. The silver pattern on the outside was the barrier for this wooden box.

He had heard his father mention that this Nine Clouds Yuan Recovery Pill was the only ninth-grade pill that Shangguan Jing had passed down. It was very precious.

This wooden box was also personally made by Shangguan Jing, and he had set up the barrier on it on his own.

After thousands of years, even though the barrier had loosened up, every emperor would tighten its security. Hence, the seal was still very strong to this day.

This was also the reason why the black wooden box had an extremely strong aura, which made it easy for someone to find it. Hence, Xiahou Tingan came here to directly take away the pill from within.

This barrier was naturally not something he could deal with his own strength, but… He had a key!

The point was that this key had a drop of the Princess’s blood. Therefore, it could easily break the barrier and smoothly open the item from within.

Looking at the black wooden box, Xiahou Tingan swallowed a mouthful of saliva with much difficulty. His throat turned dry as his eyes sparkled with excitement.

He was so nervous that his palms were filled with sweat as he hurriedly rubbed them against his body. He held the key and inserted it into the lock.

Crack!

He heard a crisp sound and an unlocking note!

Xiahou Tingan held his breath in and gradually opened the box.

A red pill the size of a dragon’s eye sat quietly within. There were nine clear golden lines on it—it was indeed the Nine Clouds Yuan Recovery Pill!

An intense herbal fragrance spread across the room.

Xiahou Tingan lightly took a waft and immediately felt rejuvenated! Even the force in his body seemed to be more energetic!

He was secretly shocked. A ninth-grade pill is indeed legendary! If one really takes this pill… It will nourish one’s bones and increase one’s cultivation. It would be incredible!

Xiahou Tingan suppressed his agitation as he reached toward the Nine Clouds Yuan Recovery Pill.

But at this moment, a cold wind suddenly attacked him!

Xiahou Tingan saw a black figure flash before him, and the Nine Clouds Yuan Recovery Pill disappeared.

He was taken aback and immediately looked up!

A mysterious person in a long robe was holding the Nine Clouds Yuan Recovery Pill! The other party covered themselves tightly, and Xiahou Tingan couldn’t even tell their gender, let alone their appearance and figure.

Shock and anger overwhelmed Xiahou Tingan as he immediately pounced forward. However, the other party easily avoided his actions as they put away the Nine Clouds Yuan Recovery Pill and turned to leave without hesitation.

That person’s figure was like a shadow. Before Xiahou Tingan could even see the other party’s movements clearly, they had already vanished!

Seeing that the person had run away, Xiahou Tingan didn’t dare to yell as he hurriedly chased after the mysterious person. But the moment he reached the door, he realized that the night sky was pitch black and that he couldn’t see the other party’s traces at all.

Everything happened too quickly.

Xiahou Tingan felt that he was still immersed in the excitement and elation of retrieving the Nine Clouds Yuan Recovery Pill in the previous second. Then, he was suddenly intercepted the next second, and everything was gone!

Even if he wanted to chase after the other party, he didn’t even know where to go!

Xiahou Tingan was filled with vengeance and anger as he clenched his fists, which made cracking sounds.

He spent so much effort to come here and found the Nine Clouds Yuan Recovery Pill with much difficulty, but he didn’t expect it to be stolen away by someone so effortlessly!

He was stumped, and he couldn’t breathe properly. He was about to explode.

Xiahou Tingan wanted to leave once and for all, but thinking of the traces he hadn’t cleaned up, he could only resign himself to his fate and head back.

Looking at the empty black wooden box, Xiahou Tingan wanted to die! He had thought of all sorts of possibilities, but he didn’t expect someone to plot against him!

That person had clearly followed him in. If not, they couldn’t have passed through the outer barrier. The other party was just waiting for him to find the Nine Clouds Yuan Recovery Pill before taking action!

Xiahou Tingan closed the wooden box and locked it.

Perhaps it was a hallucination, but he felt that after the Nine Clouds Yuan Recovery Pill was gone, the silver patterns on the black wooden box had become much dimmer.

But this was no longer his business!

Xiahou Tingan placed the key back and returned everything to its original state before leaving reluctantly.

Luckily, the way back was rather smooth for him, and he wasn’t discovered by anyone.

He came here anxiously but went back in defeat and with grumbles.

Xiahou Tingan became very suspicious and had to check his surroundings every few steps, terrified that someone was still following him.

Even though he knew that the other party had already obtained the Nine Clouds Yuan Recovery Pill and definitely wouldn’t follow him anymore.

His trauma still lingered.

Returning back to his house, Xiao Die was still peacefully sleeping on the bed.

However, Xiahou Tingan’s eyes were wide open, and he couldn’t sleep the entire night. The disappearance of the Nine Clouds Yuan Recovery Pill will definitely be exposed sooner or later. By then, I would definitely be listed as one of the suspects! I originally wanted to use this Nine Clouds Yuan Recovery Pill to improve my Yuan meridian, cultivation level, and abilities so that Father can’t do anything about it even if he’s angry. Everything would’ve fallen into place, but now, that item was stolen by a third party! If they investigate my part, I will definitely be dragged down!

Xiahou Tingan thought for a long while. If it really can’t do… I’ll use the truth behind the Princess’s death to threaten him!