Ning Zhishui first went to retrieve her personal savings, then returned to her room to organize her Qiankun Bag.
The reason she had deliberately set aside part of her savings was that she had no restraint when it came to spending. At this moment, she was only interested in shiny, beautiful trinkets, and would buy them on sight.
After being scolded by her mother a few times, she had to save a portion to avoid spending it all.
It had to be said that the Ning family spoiled this little girl quite a bit. Although they were not extremely wealthy, they gave her a generous allowance.
She sorted through her crystal stones, pills, talismans, and other items, putting aside the useless things separately, which could be sold to exchange for a few more crystal stones.
“Excluding the final payment I need to give Gao Yue, I still have over four hundred crystal stones. Basic pills are covered, talismans are a bit lacking but still usable, and weapons… this little broken sword is really frustrating.”
Ning Zhishui sighed as she surveyed her possessions.
However, considering her body was only fourteen and her cultivation had just reached the Bone Formation Realm, her current resources were acceptable.
“Hmm… going out shouldn’t be a problem.”
After putting her things away, it was not long before her aunt came over to deliver the materials for artifact refining.
“You want to learn artifact refining?” she asked.
“Yes, I’m a little interested and want to try it out,” Ning Zhishui replied obediently.
“Refining artifacts is not easy to learn. I’ve prepared many books for you. Read them carefully first,” Ren Fei said, passing over a Qiankun Bag. “All the items you wanted are inside. But remember, safety comes first. Do not experiment carelessly. If anything happens, seek your father or mother. Do not tinker alone.”
Ning Zhishui had not expected her aunt to give her all of the old man’s refining materials.
The old man surely would not object. To him, she was the greatest hope of his ‘rebirth,’ and he would naturally be generous with his resources.
But her aunt… she had given them so readily?
Could her aunt have changed her nature? Giving so freely?
Given her personality, she probably thought Ning Zhishui merely wanted to play with something new and had prepared materials casually to humor her.
Unexpected indeed.
“Thank you, Aunt!” Ning Zhishui said with a smile, hugging the Qiankun Bag.
“Quickly clear the bag, I still need it back,” Ren Fei hummed lightly.
“Got it.”
Ning Zhishui placed the items on the ground, then returned the empty Qiankun Bag to her aunt. “You’re leaving tomorrow, right? Wish you a smooth journey.”
“Yes, I’m going to sleep. You should rest early too.”
“Alright.”
Watching her aunt leave, Ning Zhishui felt her attitude toward her seemed a little strange.
Odd. She had not said anything to offend her.
Never mind. Aunt’s mood changes frequently and is hard to predict. Even Lin Huaiyuan, skilled at reading women’s hearts, might not always get it right, let alone her.
Early the next morning, Ren Fei left with Lin Huaiyuan, who had come to the Ning residence to pick her up.
Lin Huaiyuan was a gentle and refined young man, standing beside Ren Fei like a perfect pair.
Watching the two leave, Ren Muqing hesitated. “No matter how I look at Huaiyuan, he seems very fine. Husband, could what Zhishui said actually happen?”
“Some things are hard to say. You may know a person’s face but not their heart. We should just keep an eye out,” Ning Cheng said. “Besides, Zhishui will also keep watch. If anything is unusual, we’ll notice first.”
They did not believe Ning Zhishui’s words because there was no evidence. Dismissing a long-known person based on empty words alone was unreasonable.
If Ning Zhishui truly discovered evidence, they could not remain indifferent.
“Hmm, that’s true…”
“Father, Mother, something’s wrong!”
Ning Chengfeng ran over shouting, “Little sister, little sister is missing!”
“What?”
Both parents’ faces changed immediately. “How could she be missing?”
“She is gone, she ran off! And left a letter,” Ning Chengfeng said, handing over the paper.
The letter was simple. Ning Zhishui said she had business to attend to and would be away for a few days, asking the family not to worry.
But she did not say where she was going or what she had to do.
“That girl, when did she run off?” Ren Muqing felt faint. “She is only fourteen. Where would she go alone?”
“She…” Ning Cheng’s expression was odd. “Perhaps she is not fourteen.”
Ren Muqing froze. “It seems that might be the case…”
Regardless of whether what Ning Zhishui said about Lin Huaiyuan, Shen Bingqing, or Ning Chengfeng’s master was true, one fact was clear to everyone—
She was not the fourteen-year-old Ning Zhishui.
Whether she had truly lived over three hundred years was uncertain, but she was definitely no longer fourteen.
Certain changes in experience would affect a person’s demeanor, gaze, and speech, which could not be hidden from close family.
“She probably has something necessary to do but cannot explain to us, so she resorted to this method.”
Ning Cheng folded the letter and took out a communication talisman, sending her a message.
“Ning Zhishui, I will not ask what you are doing, but you must report to us every morning and night. Do not let your mother and I worry.”
After he finished, Ren Muqing anxiously asked, “Should we go find her?”
“She probably left in the middle of the night. She has already left the city. Where would we even find her?” Ning Cheng shook his head. “As long as we know she is safe, that is enough. The rest… we will find out eventually.”
Ren Muqing nodded, her worry easing somewhat.
At this time, Ning Zhishui had already arrived in the neighboring city, Qiushuang City.
She had slipped out after dawn, without her family noticing.
She could not delay. She had business to attend to.
And she could not tell them. If she did, they would ask why. Explaining why… would take ages.
Even if she explained everything, they might not believe her and could lock her at home.
Given this, she had no choice.
After receiving her father’s message, Ning Zhishui breathed a sigh of relief and replied, “Thank you, Father. I understand. Please do not worry.”
After putting away the talisman, she entered the teleportation hall of Qiushuang City.
“Where… young friend, are you headed?” the steward asked, looking up.
“Niluo City.”
“Twenty crystal stones.”
After paying, she was led to one of the teleportation arrays. A swirl of movement left her sneezing from the cold.
She had not even seen her surroundings properly before feeling the chill.
“Traveler, Niluo City has arrived,” a female cultivator’s cold voice announced as the array stopped.
“Thank you,” Ning Zhishui nodded and stepped out of the teleportation hall.
She was still unwell from coughing through the previous night, feeling fatigued today.