Guarding the River of Time

Chapter 461 - 451: Reunion with an Old Friend, Searching Along the River of Time

"If Su Mu’s daughter is in danger, you must do everything possible..."

Lady Houtu looked at Shen Yu with a serious expression and flickering eyes.

Upon hearing this, Shen Yu was clearly taken aback and asked, "Are you referring to Nannan, my lady?"

Lady Houtu nodded in response.

Because after she goes into seclusion, only Shen Yu, who oversees the Nether River, has the capability to handle some very dangerous calamities. Moreover, only Shen Yu can be so relentless.

Although she left a lamp and a glimmer of hope for Nannan, she did not want it to come to that...

"Rest assured, my lady, any task you entrust to me will be executed without reservation."

Shen Yu said with a slight bow.

In fact, without the lady’s words, she would have acted if Nannan were in danger. What puzzled her was that the lady had specifically instructed her.

Shen Yu hesitated for a long time as she watched Lady Houtu’s back before finally voicing her doubt: "My lady, I dare ask you a question and hope you can clear my confusion..."

Upon hearing this, Lady Houtu slowly turned around and replied word by word while looking at Shen Yu: "Knowing the truth now won’t benefit you."

"You only need to follow my arrangements, and that’s enough. Rest assured... you won’t regret it..." Lady Houtu obviously knew the doubts in Shen Yu’s heart.

She knew Shen Yu wanted to inquire about Nannan’s origins, the whereabouts of Shen Cha, and the relationship between Nannan and Shen Cha...

She definitely wouldn’t reveal the real truth.

Because Nannan’s existence was already an accidental, unstable factor capable of influencing the major trajectory of the Ten Thousand Realms.

......

"I understand, my lady."

A hint of loneliness flashed in Shen Yu’s eyes. She obviously understood the lady’s well-meaning intentions, yet... didn’t know how to describe her feelings.

"Go."

"I’m going into seclusion."

"Remember my words. During my seclusion, all of you must follow Su Mu’s arrangements, whatever he requires of you, without any defiance."

"He is me, and I am him..."

Lady Houtu gave Shen Yu another reminder.

.....

A black boat burst out from the light and arrived on the Long River.

Seeing the familiar surroundings, Nannan knew she was almost home.

"Oh, dad, look! Why is someone wandering in front of our house?" Nannan pointed in the direction of the house and said to Su Mu, who was meditating on the deck.

Hearing this, Su Mu opened his eyes and looked in the direction Nannan pointed.

He saw a figure pacing back and forth on the waterway at his house’s entrance.

Immediately, Su Mu put away the black boat and switched to an ordinary boat.

Because Lady Houtu had warned him that this boat was a special artifact not to be easily revealed to others.

"Nannan, you go ashore first, and head home."

Saying this, Su Mu waved his hand to let the little boat dock.

Nannan, obedient as ever, asked no questions and ran home after getting ashore.

.....

Once Nannan was safely home, Su Mu walked towards the figure.

Since he didn’t know if the person was a friend or foe, if they were here to cause trouble, having Nannan by his side would be extremely dangerous.

As he got closer, the figure sensed movement and turned around.

Su Mu finally saw the face of the figure clearly.

"Elder Su! You’re finally back!" A voice filled with surprise reached Su Mu’s ears.

"Li Qiye?" Seeing that it was a friend, Su Mu let out a sigh of relief.

Recently, too many people were coming to cause trouble for him, often resorting to action without a word, which kept Su Mu constantly on edge.

Li Qiye was an old friend of Su Mu, though his background was not entirely clear, he was at least a friend, not an enemy.

"Why are you here to see me?" Su Mu asked.

"It’s nothing serious, really. I’m still the same as before, just planning to stay on the river for a bit and wanted to seek your opinion first." Li Qiye said straightforwardly.

His ultimate goal was singular: to find the sheep!

After returning, he conducted another divination and discovered the creature was on the River of Time!

Yet the River of Time wasn’t an unowned place now; with Elder Su guarding it, if he wanted to search there, he definitely needed Su’s permission first.

Upon hearing this, Su Mu was slightly stunned. In the past, he used to pressure others to pay a toll to cross the river, but even now when he wasn’t home, people still came to pay him voluntarily... This was... very considerate.

"I thought it was something big."

"It’s nothing; stay as long as you like."

Su Mu waved his hand and said.

"I remember you were looking for your lost spirit pet?" Su Mu recalled that the last time Li Qiye was wandering by the river, he said he was looking for a spirit pet.

"Yes, I’m surprised you remembered, Elder Su."

"That creature is hiding somewhere on your river, my elder." Li Qiye responded.

Talking about the "creature," he almost gnashed his teeth.

"Need help?" Su Mu offered.

Since his River Affinity had reached eighty percent, with his Divine Sense, he could cover most of the Long River. Given a clue or a trace of its aura, it would be easy to find.

Hearing this, Li Qiye hesitated.

Last time, Elder Su offered to help him find it, but out of pride, not wanting to trouble him, he politely declined.

This time, however, he hesitated. He wasn’t as prideful anymore. Maybe... he should let Elder Su help?

But this favor was so enormous, what could he repay with...?

This was no ordinary river; it was the River of Time. Finding something here would definitely require immense effort.

After much deliberation, he decided to owe this giant favor.

"Would it be too much trouble for you, Elder?" Li Qiye tentatively asked.

"No trouble, just a small task." Su Mu waved his hand dismissively.

"Do you have any traces of your spirit pet’s aura? Or can you describe its appearance?" Su Mu inquired.

Hearing this, Li Qiye pulled out a small tuft of white wool from his sleeve. Although he called it a small tuft, it was actually seven strands.

Each of these seven strands had significant origins, representing Li Qiye’s great efforts and seven failures, each time almost catching the creature, only for it to escape...

It was through these seven strands of wool that he conducted divination and ultimately locked onto the River of Time.

Yet, upon setting foot on the River of Time, he lost its traces again, as if the creature’s aura was being shielded, rendering him unable to detect anything....

When Su Mu’s Divine Sense fell upon the wool, his brows furrowed tightly.

Is this wool?

Why does this aura seem somewhat familiar???