’Pfft—!’

Mu Qingge collapsed directly onto the floor of the space’s palace, blood gushing from her mouth, staining the floorboards a deep red. The blood pooled into a line, flowing unnoticed toward the vibrant giant egg.

Yin Chen also fell heavily beside her, passing out completely. Its once snow-white, gold-tinged fur had turned pitch black, with many spots bald, revealing blood-red flesh.

"Master Yin! Master Yin! Are you okay?" Mengmeng hurriedly rushed to Mu Qingge’s side, asking anxiously.

Mu Qingge was in severe pain and couldn’t speak. She could only manage to lift her hand weakly, waving at Mengmeng.

At this moment, the blood Mu Qingge coughed had already reached the base of the giant egg, and shockingly, the egg absorbed the blood, causing its entire surface to flicker rapidly a few times.

"Cough cough, give these pills to Yin Chen." After resting for a while, Mu Qingge caught her breath and managed to tell Mengmeng.

Mengmeng took the elixirs thrown by Mu Qingge and turned to walk toward Yin Chen.

Meanwhile, Mu Qingge lay on the ground and passed out.

During this time, she didn’t notice the blood-red gemstone necklace around her neck emitting a dim, mysterious glow.

If she had entered the space a moment later, she would have triggered the power sealed within the gemstone necklace to protect her from the attack. Do not forget, this blood-red gemstone was formed from Si Mo’s blood.

Mengmeng fed the elixirs to Yin Chen and turned around, only to discover Mu Qingge had already passed out.

Mengmeng was somewhat aware of Mu Qingge’s physical condition. Apparently, Master’s body was quite special. No matter how severe the injury, as long as there was still breath, it would automatically recover.

Thinking about it, Mengmeng chose not to move Mu Qingge’s body recklessly.

However, when her eyes fell on the area in front of Mu Qingge, she suddenly exclaimed in surprise, "Huh? Where’s the blood Master spat out?"

She finally noticed something unusual, but there was no one to answer her question.

Mu Qingge slept for a full seven days and nights before slowly waking up.

As she opened her eyes, her vision was a bit blurry. After blinking, it gradually became clear.

Mu Qingge stretched lazily, her joints crackling.

She no longer felt any discomfort, and the injuries caused by Jin Gui’s self-detonation had healed.

This sleep had left her feeling refreshed and very comfortable.

Pushing herself up from the bed, she sat up.

"Master Yin, you’ve finally woken up!" Mengmeng appeared directly in front of Mu Qingge, exclaiming excitedly.

Mu Qingge rotated her neck and asked, "How is Yin Chen?"

Mengmeng quickly replied, "It woke up two days ago and brought Master Yin back to bed. It’s now in seclusion, said it felt a breakthrough bottleneck, and not long after it overcomes this, it will become a Divine Beast!"

Mu Qingge paused, blinking, "A breakthrough so soon?" If she remembered correctly, Yin Chen had just advanced when she entered the Purple Realm.

"Truly enviable!" Mu Qingge said sincerely.

Mengmeng nodded her little head, "Maybe it was the intense battle a few days ago that heavily injured it, thereby stimulating its bloodline."

Mu Qingge nodded in agreement and asked again, "How many days have I slept?"

Mengmeng counted on her fingers and replied, "Seven days! Master Yin slept for a whole seven days!"

Seven days!

Thankfully...

Mu Qingge sighed in relief internally.

Back then, she had agreed with Mo Yang and the others to meet in the Ghost Sea in three months.

If she slept for several months at once, it would delay many things.

"Master Yin, you must not take such risks again!" Mengmeng suddenly stood solemnly, furrowing her brow sternly at her. "Do you know? If it weren’t for your special body, if it weren’t for your bones and flesh tempered by the Thunder Pool, you would have already died long ago amidst such power."

Mu Qingge slapped Mengmeng on the head, reprimanding her, "Stop saying such blunt truth. I just woke up; can’t you say something nice?"

Mengmeng covered her head, pouting, "I’m just reminding you!"

"Alright, alright." Mu Qingge shrugged, "I didn’t expect that lunatic would actually self-detonate so readily, unable to see past things."

"Master Yin, there’s something else I need to tell you." Mengmeng’s little brows furrowed even tighter.

"What?" Mu Qingge looked at her.

Mengmeng said, "After you returned here, the blood you spat out disappeared."

Mu Qingge paused.

The blood disappeared? How bizarre and strange?

"Uh, does the floor here have an automatic cleaning function?" Mu Qingge pondered and asked tentatively.

Mengmeng shook her head like a rattle.

Mu Qingge scratched her chin, squinting her eyes, murmuring to herself, "This won’t do. This place is too big, and without an automatic cleaning function, the mere act of cleaning would be exhausting!"

"Mas-ter Yin! Baby is talking about something very serious, can’t you be more se-ri-ous?" During Mu Qingge’s murmur, Mengmeng’s big eyes flared with sparks.

Mu Qingge’s mouth twitched, and she rubbed the tip of her nose, thinking to herself, "Actually, this is pretty serious! For someone who hates doing chores, it’s a top priority."

However, seeing Mengmeng’s puffed-up look, she didn’t say what was really on her mind, only said, "It’s just some blood after all; I’ve already spat it out, can’t eat it back. Besides, no matter where it ran off to, it’s still in the space, so it’s not wasted on outsiders. If it’s gone, it’s gone."

Mengmeng still wasn’t appeased, her lips pouting tall.

Seeing this, Mu Qingge had no choice but to take out a porcelain bottle from her bosom and opened the lid. Immediately, a light fragrance of Dan wafted from the bottle’s neck, causing Mengmeng to involuntarily swallow.

As Mengmeng reached out to take it, Mu Qingge avoided her little hand and teased, "Not mad anymore?"

Mengmeng turned her face, pouting proudly. She wanted not to give in to Mu Qingge’s temptation, but her big eyes couldn’t help but shift their gaze to the elixir bottle, the yearning in her eyes was naked and unconcealed.

Seeing her like this, Mu Qingge stopped teasing and tossed the bottle to her.

Then, she got up from the bed, first passing by the two "dinosaur eggs," tapping each egg lightly, causing them to sway like weebles.

After a little mischief, Mu Qingge left the room to check Yin Chen’s situation.

The cultivation of Spirit Beasts differs from humans; it doesn’t require special meditation, hand seals, and so on. When Mu Qingge saw Yin Chen, it had already resumed its normal size, its furry tail wrapped around its body, curled up like it was sleeping.

Mu Qingge did not step forward to disturb it, just stood outside and watched.

At that critical moment, she remembered Yin Chen breaking through the encirclement of Spirit Beasts and standing in front of her.

She could sense that at that moment, Yin Chen had resolved to die in front of her. If she hadn’t opened the space in time and grabbed its scruff to bring it in, Yin Chen would probably have turned into a pile of dust by now.

At this moment, Yin Chen’s fur had regained its luster and cleanliness, and the bald patches had sprouted tender new fuzz.

Mu Qingge’s eyes flashed, and she backed away.

...

When Mu Qingge returned to the sky above the Endless Swamp, she was shocked by the scene before her, thinking she had accidentally transmigrated again!

The barren, dry land before her had no semblance of a swamp anymore?

Even the poisonous miasma had vanished without a trace, leaving only a gray sky, as if after a rain, about to bring another downpour.

"I’ve been asleep for seven days, not seven years, or seven hundred years, right?" Mu Qingge was stunned.

In her mind, such drastic change wasn’t possible in a few days.

Mu Qingge pursed her lips, traversing the sky.

After walking a while, she discovered that the entire Endless Swamp, due to dehydration, had sunken deep, like an ugly scar spreading across the earth. The edges of the Endless Swamp had also become clear as a result.

"Is this still the Endless Swamp?" Mu Qingge looked around, hoping to find some trace of her previous memory, but to no avail.

In the seven days she’s been unconscious, what exactly happened here?

This was her current dilemma.

"Can a self-explosion close to the Purple Realm really not have the ability to cause such an effect?" Mu Qingge discarded her speculation.

A Purple Realm Strong Person self-detonating in a city can indeed destroy a city. But this was the Endless Swamp, not a man-made city—how could it become like this due to a Purple Realm self-explosion?

In confusion, Mu Qingge arrived at the edge of the Endless Swamp.

Standing at the edge and looking back, the once pitch-black, poison miasma-covered endless swamp was no longer visible.

Mu Qingge took a black cloak from her space and draped it over herself, dressing very inconspicuously.

She walked towards the direction of the nearby city, firstly to investigate what had happened in the Endless Swamp, and also to check on the trends of the Myriad Beasts Sect and the Refining Tower.

She remembered that when that lunatic self-destructed, the old black dog from the Myriad Beasts Sect and the hook-nosed one from the Refining Tower had retreated first.

Did they die or not?

If they died, then the treasure conflict in the Endless Swamp could temporarily settle. If they didn’t, then this matter was probably not over!

Even if they didn’t come to find her, she would seize the opportunity to go back and take revenge.

Damn it! Two major powers ganging up to trouble her, trying to eliminate her as soon as possible, did they really think she had no one?

Leaving the Endless Swamp, Mu Qingge was surprised to find that not only the Endless Swamp had changed, but it seemed like the entire Rong Country had changed. Originally, outside the Endless Swamp was a dense forest, but now, the plants had withered, leaves had fallen, and everywhere was a scene of decay.

Even the clear river had turned into murky black water, smelling nauseating.

Mu Qingge walked to the river, and with a slight smell, she could determine the water was poisonous.

"This poison seems to be exactly like the poison miasma from the Endless Swamp," Mu Qingge frowned and analyzed.

Peculiar phenomena passed one by one in front of her eyes.

Mu Qingge finally arrived beside the main road, but the scene before her eyes shocked her even more. On the main road, many people lay scattered, their skin emitting a rotten stench, and those pustules made one disgusted.

These people were everywhere along the way, countless in number, and all around her ears were the painful groans rising and falling.

’What exactly happened?’

Mu Qingge couldn’t remember how many times she had asked herself this question.

She did not rashly attempt to save people, not forgetting that she might now be wanted jointly by the Myriad Beasts Sect and the Refining Tower.

Mu Qingge walked along the main road toward the town.

Outside the town, she found it was almost like a dead city.

Those guards used triangular scarves to cover their mouth and nose, checking everyone entering the city; anyone with sores or emitting a foul odor was not allowed to enter. Furthermore, the infected people inside the city were also escorted out of the city and detained in the rundown temple at the outskirts, with strict guards.

Mu Qingge didn’t rush to enter but stood outside to observe for a while.

In no time, she noticed two wanted notices posted on the bulletin board outside the city walls.

One notice was issued by the government, and the other jointly by the Refining Tower and the Myriad Beasts Sect. Both were about the same person, whose appearance was described as handsome with a frivolous and sinister smile, accompanied by a fox spirit beast.

The notice stated, "This person seized treasures from the Refining Tower and the Myriad Beasts Sect in the Endless Swamp and used demonic arts to lure the poison miasma from the Endless Swamp, poisoning the entire Rong Country..."

In short, discovering the wanted person and reporting to the government or the two major powers would bring rich rewards, even an antitoxic elixir.

Mu Qingge watched, sneering continuously, her disdain for the shamelessness of the two major powers reaching a new height.

All treasures under heaven, as long as they’re without an owner, anyone can take them.

When did those ’dinosaur eggs’ hidden in the Endless Swamp become their family’s? Since they couldn’t win, they resorted to a nationwide manhunt? On top of that, they accused her of using demon arts to lure the poison miasma to harm the masses?

If she had such abilities, she would have slapped those two major powers to death already!

Fortunately, during the battle that day, it was already dark and chaotic; they didn’t clearly see Mu Qingge’s appearance, so the drawn likeness might resemble her by one or two points, or not resemble her at all.

Mu Qingge turned and left the bulletin board.

She did not go far, instead choosing a tea shed outside the city wall meant for resting travelers, found an empty spot, and sat down.

Currently, most of the people in the city were infected, businesses in the tea shed had long ceased, and with no shopkeeper, it was filled only with travelers resting temporarily.

’Now, at the very least, I can confirm two things.’ Mu Qingge calculated in her heart. ’First, that Hei Mu and Feng Kunhai are probably not dead. Second, for some unknown reason, they think I survived that self-destruction, hence teamed up with the court to issue this wanted notice.’

The disturbances in the Endless Swamp and the disaster spreading across Rong Country were naturally unrelated to her.

However, she could also deduce that they pinned this mess on her to use pressure and force her out.

The common folk are not overly concerned about the loss of treasures by these two major forces, but they are very worried about the people who poisoned them, and the promised antidote inside.

"Cough cough... Ah, what sin have I committed!" At a table not far from Mu Qingge, someone sighed.

Mu Qingge’s eyes lightly shifted to her, without saying a word.

The person’s words immediately resonated, and everyone resting in the tea shed began to talk.

After listening for a while, Mu Qingge finally understood that after she returned to the space heavily injured, the sky suddenly rang with thunder, as if repeating a sentence, but the sound was so piercing that their ears hurt, and they didn’t hear clearly what it was saying.

Then, poisonous rain began to fall, and those who were caught in it immediately developed fevers, had their skin and flesh fester, and grew toxic sores.

In one day, no city in Rong Country could escape.

From the mouths of the people, it seemed impossible to find any useful information.

Mu Qingge frowned slightly, got up, and left the tea shed.

As for saving people?

Sorry, since Rong Country’s government, along with Myriad Beasts Sect and the Refining Tower, have wronged her so much, do they still expect her to save people? She’s no Bodhisattva!

The poison miasma from the Endless Swamp is indeed fierce, but it’s not an unsolvable poison.

Moreover, it’s been diluted by the rain. With Rong Country’s resources, they can completely solve this crisis, so why should she meddle? Then expose herself and attract the pursuit of the two major forces and the government?

Since there are already wanted notices for her here, then surely there are in other cities as well.

The question is, how did they know she wasn’t dead?

’It seems that unless she captures someone from the two major forces, it’s difficult to know the answer,’ Mu Qingge said in her heart, and quickened her pace.

Her next destination is Rong Country’s Wanfeng City, from which the journey to Ghost Sea is the shortest.

Just as Mu Qingge expected, every city she passed had wanted notices for her. Unfortunately, the person drawn on the notice looked nothing like her, and she didn’t have Yin Chen with her either, nor any name or information, posing no threat to her.

These past few days, Rong Country’s ’epidemic’ has been mostly controlled.

Myriad Beasts Sect and the Refining Tower may ignore the lives of the common folk, but Rong Country’s Emperor cannot. For this detoxification, they’ve probably contributed all their hidden herbs.

On this day, Mu Qingge had arrived near Wanfeng City, and could vaguely see the city’s walls in the distance.

Suddenly, a shadow appeared in front of her, blocking her way.

Seeing the visitor clearly, she frowned: "Is it you?"

Gu Ya, with a tight face, said to her, "Little Lord, the Master requests your presence."

Si Mo is here too?

Mu Qingge frowned again.

But she still followed Gu Ya away.

After walking for a while, Gu Ya suddenly said to her, "Little Lord, since you disappeared days ago, the Master has been waiting for you, day and night without rest. Having followed the Master for many years, I’ve never seen him care so much about anyone."

’Waiting for me?’

Mu Qingge paused her steps, looked at Gu Ya. ’Why use the word ’waiting’? Could Si Mo have already known the secret of my space?’ Mu Qingge quickly flashed a hint of doubt.

But soon she felt relieved. The token that hid the space was originally told to her by Si Mo. Why would he not be curious?

Mu Qingge did not ask why they knew she ’disappeared’, but instead thought about Gu Ya’s words, ’I’ve never seen him care so much about anyone.’

For some reason, a warmth suddenly rose in her heart, like someone carefully warming her with fire.

In a daze, Mu Qingge followed Gu Ya to a place by the water.

All around, were jade-like green bamboos; in the center of the lake, there was a pavilion, the scenery quite pleasant.

Mu Qingge was slightly surprised, the scenery here seemed untouched by the poisonous rain, remaining pure.

Of course, she did not ask, because she quickly reacted. With Si Mo’s ability, this small anomaly wasn’t difficult.

Gu Ya stopped and said to Mu Qingge, "The Master is waiting for the Little Lord in the pavilion on the lake."

With that said, he disappeared.

Mu Qingge looked towards the Lake Heart Pavilion, where a man in white stood with his back to her, seemingly stroking the zither.

The faint sound of the zither rippled across the lake, stirring up gentle waves.

"Come here."

The two words, as gentle as a breeze, drifted into Mu Qingge’s ears. She involuntarily obeyed the command within those words, and stepped towards the pavilion in the lake.

It wasn’t until she stood behind the man, so close to him, that she suddenly woke up.

The zither music abruptly stopped.

The strings emitted a harsh buzzing sound, as if venting the player’s inner anger.

Mu Qingge pressed her lips together in silence.

Firstly, she didn’t know what to say, and secondly, a voice inside her was telling her that it was best not to speak at this moment, that silence was golden.

Suddenly, she saw the pure white wide sleeves flutter for a moment, and then, the ancient zither in the man’s hands was thrown into the lake.

The sound of the water was sudden, breaking the tranquility of the lake.

Mu Qingge’s heart skipped a beat, confirming that this man seemed to be angry.

But why was he angry?

Mu Qingge felt a bit displeased.

Suddenly, Si Mo turned around, his handsome face more breathtaking than a vast landscape, intruded into her gazes without warning. His deep amber eyes looked at her, containing a hint of anger and a touch of complexity.

Suddenly, a massive force drew Mu Qingge in, making her irresistibly drawn in front of Si Mo.

The distance between them was so close, they could feel each other’s breath, and a familiar phenomenon could hear each other’s heartbeat.

Mu Qingge’s eyes slightly widened, her lips tightly pressed together.

She didn’t want the man before her to know her heartbeat suddenly accelerated.

In her eyes, there was a trace of stubbornness as she met Si Mo’s gaze.

Si Mo stretched out his hand, the long fingers moved towards her collar.

Mu Qingge felt she should stop it, but her body wouldn’t move.

At this moment, Si Mo’s fingers had already parted her collar, the slightly cool fingertips brushed over the skin of her neck, inducing a momentary shiver.

The feeling came quickly, and went quickly.

Si Mo’s fingertips hooked onto the golden chain, pulling slightly, revealing the gemstone formed from his blood between his fingers.

Seeing the blood-red gemstone, Mu Qingge’s memory returned to the scene of that day.

But, before she could emerge from her memories, Si Mo’s indifferent and clear voice came: "Still wearing it, obedient as always."

This sentence stirred the small rebelliousness in Mu Qingge’s heart.

She forcibly broke free from Si Mo’s control, raising her hand to grab the necklace on her neck.

But, Si Mo reached out a finger and pressed the blood-red gemstone against her neck’s skin, saying with an unyielding gaze: "Be good, wear it, it has benefits."

Mu Qingge stepped back, distancing her body from Si Mo’s fingertips.

She adjusted her collar, her gaze clear as she looked at the man before her: "Why are you here?"

Si Mo lowered his eyes, his long and thick eyelashes hiding the emotions in his eyes, leaving two faint shadows under his eyelids. "I sensed Ge’er was in danger, so I came."

Mu Qingge tentatively asked: "Gu Ya said you’ve been waiting for me for many days, so does that mean you came to Rong Country as soon as you noticed my disappearance? The thing with the Endless Swamp, was it you? That poisoned rain too?"

Si Mo didn’t deny it, just slowly lifted his eyes.

Those eyes, with unfamiliar coldness and cruelty, looked at Mu Qingge. "The people of Rong Country wanted to harm you, so I made the entire Rong Country suffer with you. If they dare to kill you, I will bury you with millions of lives from Rong Country."

A chill rose from Mu Qingge’s feet.

The Si Mo in front of her seemed less like an ethereal being and more like a Hell Demon King, entwined with countless corpses, filled with blood and carnage.

As if, this was the real him.

That previously unstained appearance was just his facade.

"Is Ge’er afraid?" Si Mo suddenly asked.

Mu Qingge instinctively shook her head.

She wasn’t afraid, on the contrary, she felt this Si Mo was more genuine. And... what was this inexplicable sense of emotion stirring in her heart?

In this world, there was someone who cared so much about her, willing to slaughter an entire country for her!

Seeing Mu Qingge shaking her head, Si Mo continued: "The people of Myriad Beasts Sect and the Refining Tower dare to hurt you, shall I destroy them?"

"No need!" Mu Qingge refused without hesitation.

Si Mo looked at her, the coldness in his eyes began to melt, revealing gentle familiar affection, and a bit of pampering that Mu Qingge was used to.

Mu Qingge straightforwardly said: "I will take care of my enemies myself. Sooner or later, I will make them pay. Revenge isn’t satisfying if you rely on someone else! So, you don’t need to act."

Si Mo nodded, saying to her: "Alright, I won’t interfere in this matter. I believe Ge’er will make them regret crossing you sooner or later. However, since they dared to frame you, I will have Gu Ya clarify that it was all my doing, and has nothing to do with you."

"No need." Mu Qingge refused again.

Si Mo curiously looked at her, seemingly waiting for her explanation.

Mu Qingge felt embarrassed under his gaze, her expression a bit awkward as she said: "You did it for me too, I’ll take the blame for this. If you clarify, wouldn’t that tarnish Your Majesty the Holy King’s reputation?"

"Is Ge’er thinking for me?" Si Mo’s amber eyes twinkled like stars, with a hint of anticipation.

"No! Don’t misunderstand, I just... just..." Mu Qingge was at a loss for words under Si Mo’s gaze.

"Just what?" Yet, Si Mo clearly saw her embarrassment but continued to ask.

"Just to repay you for the help before." Mu Qingge suddenly put on a stern face and said.

This seemed like a very reasonable excuse.

Mu Qingge heavily nodded in her heart, looking up at Si Mo and said: "Yes, you helped me many times before, this time consider it paying a bit of interest back to you."

"Is that all?" Si Mo stared at her, unwilling to miss any change in her expression.

"Yes, that’s it." Mu Qingge nodded.

Suddenly, her cheeks were cupped by Si Mo’s large hands, forcing her to tilt her head up to look at him.

"Ge’er, what am I supposed to do with you?" Si Mo looked at her with a complex gaze, his amber eyes carrying a glassy sparkle, like distant stars in the sky.

Mu Qingge suddenly stiffened, not knowing how to react for a moment.

She felt her cheeks begin to warm up, the feeling like someone had thrown a jug of oil on a fire inside her, suddenly igniting tall flames.

In a daze, she felt Si Mo’s extraordinarily handsome face gradually approach.

Suddenly, a slightly cool and soft kiss landed on her forehead.

This kiss, like a time bomb, made Mu Qingge freeze, as if her entire body was like a porcelain doll, appearing cracked and instantly shattered into pieces.

She seemed suspended in the clouds, yet also rising and falling in the sea.

When she came back to her senses, there was no sign of Si Mo before her.

She looked around, unable to feel Si Mo’s presence at all.

"Damn it! He took advantage of me! Next time, I’ll definitely get my revenge!" Mu Qingge said fiercely. Suddenly, she froze for a moment, realizing what was wrong with her words, then quickly corrected herself: "This matter, it’s enough to offset the several debts I owed him before!"

After speaking, her expression was momentarily uneasy.

After taking a deep breath, Mu Qingge’s emotions finally calmed down. She exhaled a breath and left the Lake Heart Pavilion, heading towards the direction of Wanfeng City.

...

Wanfeng City, considered the largest city in the southwest of Rong Country.

Several days have passed since the poison rain, and although the place still bears scars, normal life and operations have resumed.

Without exception, Mu Qingge’s wanted poster is still prominently displayed on the notice board of the city wall.

Outside the city gate, there are disciples from the Refining Tower and the Myriad Beasts Sect, holding portraits and comparing them one by one to people with similar builds and appearances.

Mu Qingge watched for a moment and headed toward the city gate of Wanfeng City.

To reach the Ghost Sea, she must pass through Wanfeng City. Otherwise, she would have to take a detour.

Now, with the entire Rong Country issuing a warrant for her, there is truly no need for detours.

"Stop!"

As she approached the city gate, Mu Qingge was stopped by the guard.

Immediately, disciples from the Myriad Beasts Sect and the Refining Tower approached with the portrait. Standing on either side of Mu Qingge, they opened the portrait and carefully compared it.

"It does look a bit like her," said the uncertain disciple from the Myriad Beasts Sect.

The disciple from the Refining Tower, however, shook his head: "It shouldn’t be her."

Mu Qingge stood there, letting them scrutinize her. The guards of Wanfeng City also got a good look at Mu Qingge’s features and, in awe, said, "This young man is much more handsome than the one in the picture, it can’t be the same person, right?"

With this remark, the disciple from the Myriad Beasts Sect became even more uncertain.

The guard then asked, "May I ask your name, where you reside, and your business in Wanfeng City? Do you have any papers on you?"

Mu Qingge smiled slightly and took out the Elder Token from the Medicine Tower, handing it to the guard: "I am an elder from the Medicine Tower Headquarters, touring Rong Country. I heard about a recent outbreak and thought I’d visit Wanfeng City to see if I could be of any assistance."

She spoke in a way she had already verified that Rong Country’s medical supplies were adequate, and an outsider would not be needed. However, saying this effectively concealed her identity and aroused no suspicion.

Indeed, upon hearing she was an elder from the Medicine Tower Headquarters, not only did the guards of Wanfeng City immediately show utmost respect, but even the disciples from the Myriad Beasts Sect and the Refining Tower reined in their arrogance slightly.

"So it’s an elder from the Medicine Tower, please enter the city." The guard returned the Elder Token to Mu Qingge and cleared the way for her to enter the city.

Mu Qingge reclaimed the token, nodded slightly, and walked into Wanfeng City with poise.

Once she had passed, the three gathered together to discuss quietly.

"Why is this elder from the Medicine Tower so young?" questioned the puzzled disciple from the Refining Tower.

The Myriad Beasts Sect disciple responded, "I heard from the elders of the sect that the elders of the Medicine Tower are alchemy masters, each skilled in maintaining their youth. We may see them as teenagers, but in reality, they could be centuries-old monsters."

The guard nodded in agreement: "That makes sense. Medicine Tower, Refining Tower, and Myriad Beasts Sect are all major factions in Linchuan; we absolutely cannot offend them. I must report this to the City Lord."

Having said this, he exchanged a few words with his colleagues and hurriedly headed to the City Lord Mansion.

Seeing this, the disciples of the Refining Tower and the Myriad Beasts Sect exchanged glances. The former said—

"Though our Refining Tower is on par with the Medicine Tower, the sudden appearance of someone from the Medicine Tower in Wanfeng City definitely warrants a report to our elders." said the disciple from the Refining Tower.

The Myriad Beasts Sect disciple added, "Yes, though my sect does not have much connection with the Medicine Tower, we are part of the same powers. Since an elder from the Medicine Tower is here, it is only proper to inform our elders."

With that, the two parted ways, each heading into the city to find the elders stationed in Wanfeng City.

...

Mu Qingge could not have anticipated how things would unfold to this extent.

Or rather, she did not foresee that the elders from the Myriad Beasts Sect and the Refining Tower stationed in Wanfeng City would be two old acquaintances. If not for this, dealing with the City Lord of Wanfeng City or those from the Myriad Beasts Sect and the Refining Tower would have been a breeze for her.

Having the title of the Medicine Tower, Mu Qingge naturally wouldn’t leave shortly after entering Wanfeng City. She wandered around the city and found an inn to settle in, planning to rest for a day before heading out.

Meanwhile, the three she met at the city gate had already entered three different residences.

"What? An elder from the Medicine Tower has come?" Feng Kunhai shot up, somewhat incredulous.

The disciple from the Refining Tower nodded, cautiously saying, "Yes. The identity token was checked by the guard, and he himself also mentioned that he was touring Rong Country and intended to come to Wanfeng City to see if there was any way to help after hearing about the previous outbreak."

With a thoughtful look in his eyes, Feng Kunhai pondered, "If that’s the case, I must meet with him, lest I’m accused of being disrespectful."

Similar conversations took place at the City Lord Mansion and the Myriad Beasts Sect’s branch in Wanfeng City.

Soon, each party sent people to find out the whereabouts of the Medicine Tower elder.

Mu Qingge did not deliberately conceal her whereabouts, so the three parties easily found out the inn where she was staying. Before long, three invitations arrived in Mu Qingge’s hands.

On the table, from left to right, were the invitations from the City Lord Mansion, the Myriad Beasts Sect, and the Refining Tower.

Mu Qingge’s lips curled into a faint smile, with a playful edge to it.

Especially on the invitation from the Myriad Beasts Sect and the one from the Refining Tower, the names Hei Mu and Feng Kunhai were respectively signed.

Mu Qingge suddenly felt a sensation of old rivals meeting again.

"I never expected them to be in Wanfeng City. I wonder how much they have recovered after Jin Gui’s self-explosion," Mu Qingge’s eyes narrowed slightly.

The content on the invitations was similar, indicating that the three parties had reached an agreement.

All of them invited Mu Qingge to a meeting at the City Lord Mansion the next evening, to attend a banquet specially prepared by the City Lord as a welcome gesture.

If she didn’t show up, it would surely raise suspicions. But if she went...

Mu Qingge chuckled silently.

During that battle, she had fought closely with Hei Mu, and Feng Kunhai had been constantly launching sneak attacks from the side. Others might not recognize her, but these two—though they may not be able to describe her appearance in detail—would definitely recognize her upon sight.

"It’s a trap I know too well, but I have no choice but to step into it!" Mu Qingge tucked away the three invitations and laughed at herself.

Since she couldn’t avoid it, she might as well prepare for the impending battle!

Mu Qingge stood up, flicked the dust off her garment, her posture as straight as a sword, and her aura indomitable.

...

The next day, Mu Qingge stayed at the inn and did not go out.

Sitting cross-legged on the bed, she seemed to enter a state of cultivation.

Not until dusk, when the sun’s afterglow shone through the window lattice onto her, did her long, curled eyelashes quiver slightly, like butterfly wings slowly opening.

An indigo glint flashed deep within those clear eyes.

Mu Qingge rose from the bed, walked with her head held high, and briskly pushed open the door, walked out of the inn, and headed toward the City Lord Mansion.

The City Lord Mansion of Wanfeng City is located at the very center of the city. The city gate opposite the City Lord Mansion leads away from Wanfeng City and in the direction of the Ghost Sea, the route Mu Qingge planned for her departure.

Walking on the wide streets, the commercial districts on both sides had regained some of their bustle, but it did not stir Mu Qingge’s heart.

Following the main street, she arrived at the City Lord Mansion and presented the invitation.

"So, it is an elder from the Medicine Tower. Please." The guards at the City Lord Mansion were very respectful as they led Mu Qingge into the mansion.

The banquet was set up in a flower hall and not too many people were invited. Besides those from the City Lord Mansion, only Hei Mu from the Myriad Beasts Sect and Feng Kunhai from the Refining Tower were present.

The number of attendees was about fifty, and it did not feel cramped in the flower hall.

The melodies of court music resounded, and the dancing girls swirled elegantly.

The delicacies of Rong Country and fine brewed wines were laid on the table, waiting for the protagonist of the banquet to arrive.

"Reporting to Lord City Lord, the elder of the Medicine Tower has arrived!"

A guard of the City Lord Mansion announced respectfully from outside the flower hall to the middle-aged man seated at the main seat inside.

Wan Jianfeng’s eyes lit up, and he excitedly set down his wine cup, rising to greet, "Oh? The elder is here? Quickly, please come in!"

Following his movements, Hei Mu and Feng Kunhai, seated on his left and right, also stood up calmly and went outside with him to welcome the guest. The others from the City Lord Mansion naturally followed suit.

When Mu Qingge reached the flower hall, she saw a group of people standing at the entrance.

Indeed, Hei Mu and Feng Kunhai were among them.

"It’s you!"

"Incredible, it’s you!"

Then, just as Mu Qingge saw the two, they recognized her too!