Chapter 171 - 180

In late autumn, after the sun set, the entire forest was plunged into darkness. A

dim, yellowish light emanated from a cave hidden in the dense woods. A strong leopard paced back and forth at the cave entrance, much like a dutiful guard.

Inside the cave, Bai Wushang, holding a lotus leaf filled with spring water, frowned as he looked hesitantly at Murong Wei lying on a pile of dry grass.Full novel: Greedy Baby: Abandoned Wife Mother Becomes a Concubine — read the rest free on N​o⁠v​e⁠l​C⁠o​d⁠e​x⁠.​o⁠r​g⁠

The pill she had just swallowed was still in her mouth, and she couldn't swallow it.

He had endured the pain in his feet and run several miles to find a water source.

Her face was growing increasingly pale; her veil had been removed, and the gruesome scar on one side appeared even more terrifying in the dim firelight. Cold sweat beaded on her forehead, and she remained unconscious. He didn't know what kind of poison Nangong Jingsi had used on her needles.

Left with no other choice, he had to first give her the pill and then try to expel the poison.

"Hey..." he whispered, nudging her gently, paying little attention to the scars on her face. Seeing that she was indeed unconscious, a helpless smile played on his lips

as he said, "Don't blame me if you don't wake up." He then took a large gulp of water, slowly leaning down to gently press his lips against hers, his thin lips pressing against her pale ones, feeding her water and the small pill.

Murong Wei's throat bobbed gently a few times before returning to calm; she had already swallowed the water and the pill. However, the man clinging to her didn't seem to intend to leave.

Unable to see his expression, his face, marked with a beauty mark, must be smiling as usual. He supported his weight on her with one hand beside her head, while the other hand slowly... slowly, somewhat timidly, somewhat furtively, traced along her arm, his fingertips lightly touching, his fingers moving inch by inch upwards, climbing to her shoulder, before abruptly stopping.

His lips remained pressed against hers for a long, long time. Finally, his large hand, which had been resting gently on her shoulder, moved upwards, inch by inch, no longer just lightly touching, but gently caressing her.

"Mmm... mmm..." Murong Wei whimpered softly, whether she was about to wake up or vaguely sensing something was wrong.

His hand, already touching her scarred cheek, suddenly froze. He slightly lifted himself and pulled away from her delicate lips.

"Hmm... ooh... cough..." She remained uneasy for a long time, her brows furrowed, as if the medicine was taking effect.

The pill had been given to her by Zhao Xueling of the Hundred Poisons Sect. Although it couldn't cure the poison, it could temporarily suppress the toxicity and protect her heart meridian, but its effects didn't last long.

Soon, she quieted down again, lying on her back with her eyes closed, her eyelashes long and thin. Her peaceful sleeping face was like that of a porcelain doll. Even with half her face disfigured, in his eyes, this woman was still the most adorable, even more adorable than Ye Bao.

He turned his head, closed his eyes, and dared not look at her. A smile deepened on his beautifully shaped lips, the curve growing wider and wider. It was unclear what he was laughing at; perhaps it was self-mockery. He

had only just decided on this idea. Although it was somewhat petty and ungentlemanly, he wasn't exactly a gentleman, especially towards her, was he?

His large hand finally slowly covered her tightly closed eyes. Then, he leaned down again, his smooth, sensual chin moving upwards, resting against her neck, inch by inch, gently touching her delicate chin.

His thin lips tenderly sought hers, a warm, moist kiss lingering from her lips to hers.

This wasn't the first time they had met, but a real kiss was unprecedented.

His handsome face drew close, his eyes tightly closed, his beautiful long eyelashes trembling slightly as they touched her face.

“Weiwei…if I hadn’t met you…” His soft voice, barely audible, pressed against her lips. Then, his hand, which had been supporting him, tightened suddenly, his lips finally locking hers, his tongue lingering, sucking and probing.

“Mmm…” But the moment he entered, she became uneasy again, instinctively reaching out to block him.

At the same time, Yinling’s voice came from the doorway, “Master, we’ve found it.”

He slowly raised his head, his handsome face as dark as could be, his eyes filled with displeasure. She, however, calmed down after her breathing returned to normal.

“Master, we’ve found the place.” Abao’s voice also came. These two maids hadn’t appeared for a long time. If their master hadn’t actively sought them out, they might still be searching everywhere. That

’s how their master was; even they couldn’t figure out his every move.

Bai Wushang’s lips curled into a helpless, somewhat mischievous smile. He picked up Murong Wei and carried her out of the cave. Only when the Golden Leopard saw its master emerge did it step aside to let Yinling and Abao in.

"Master, this..."

"Murong Wei...isn't she in the royal family?"

"What...Master, you're looking for the hot springs because..."

...

Yinling and Yebao were both somewhat taken aback. Their master only told them to find the hot springs as soon as possible, but didn't say what they were going to do, let alone that Murong Wei was also there. Judging from her face, she must have been poisoned.

"Yinling, go and inform the Thirteenth Prince that Murong Wei and I went out of the city on business and won't be back tonight." Bai Wushang said calmly, gesturing for Abao to lead the way.

"Master, this..." Yinling looked displeased.

"Lead the way!" Bai Wushang didn't even glance at her, suddenly speaking sharply.

"Yes!" Abao pushed Yinling aside and quickly went to the right, not daring to ask a single question along the way. This was the first time she had seen her master so inexplicably angry. Usually, the sisters would laugh and joke with him, and he would allow it.

But too much laughter makes the smile seem fake. He was

much more serious now, and his smiles seemed all the more precious. She felt that her master had changed since Murong Wei appeared, though she couldn't quite put her finger on it. At least, she hadn't seen him joke or banter with them yet.

They hadn't gone far when they could vaguely see white mist rising from a densely forested valley. Abao wisely stopped, knowing without asking that her master was using the heat of the hot spring to expel the poison from Murong Wei's body.

"Master, it's just ahead, a small pond. The mountain nights are cool, and I've tested it; the temperature is just right," A Bao replied.

Bai Wushang nodded and strode forward. The golden leopard that had been following them suddenly darted out of the bushes and hurried after them. A Bao smiled helplessly, realizing he was worse off than that beast and had to keep watch from a distance.

Bai Wushang glanced around to make sure the environment was safe before taking off his own shirt. His hand was already on Murong Wei's sash, but a helpless smile played on his lips. He ultimately didn't pull down her sash and instead removed the five silver needles from her abdomen one by one.

The needles were mostly blackened, all highly poisonous, and each one a different kind. He frowned, checked Murong Wei's pulse again, and then carefully carried her into the water.

As soon as they entered the water, the chill of the autumn night gradually dissipated. She leaned quietly against his well-defined, sensual chest. Her thin clothes offered little protection from the water, quickly becoming soaked through, revealing glimpses of her alluring curves.

He led her to chest level, and seeing her subtly alluring figure, though it wasn't his first time, the darkness in his eyes deepened. After a long silence, he gritted his teeth and pushed her away, striking her hard on the back with both hands.

"Ah..." she screamed suddenly, spitting out a mouthful of black blood... She woke up!

Murong Wei's first reaction upon regaining consciousness was pain—a sharp, stabbing pain in her abdomen, like being cut with a knife.

"Weiwei, don't move, or I really can't save you." He laughed, a teasing laugh, a joke that gradually became her exclusive domain.

"What's going on?" Murong Wei frowned, enduring the pain, and turned around.

His smiling, narrow eyes immediately looked down. Her soaked clothes, the steaming water, and the vaguely visible, rounded curves of her breasts under the bright moonlight—he smiled mischievously, his gaze unwavering. "You really can't save me…"

Before she could finish, she abruptly looked down, saw a glimpse of her exposed breasts, and immediately raised her hand, "Slap…" and slapped him hard across the face. "You pervert!"

As soon as she finished speaking, she began to feel dizzy, waves of light rushing to her head, making her unsteady and causing her to fall backward, her lips turning completely purple.

A flicker of anxiety crossed Bai Wushang's eyes, but he still casually stepped forward, pulling her up by the waist. "My lord, I'm not joking. If you move, I can't save you."

"What happened?" She looked up at him, her handsome face red from the slap, but she still smiled, showing no anger.

"You were injured by Eunuch Liu in the abdomen, with five kinds of deadly poison. It must be forced out as soon as possible. The heat here helps blood circulation, but it has its advantages and disadvantages. If the poison isn't forced out quickly, it will only accelerate its entry into the heart!" Bai Wushang smiled helplessly.

"Really?" Murong Wei asked suspiciously.

Bai Wushang pressed directly on her abdomen. "Ah..." Murong Wei cried out, in excruciating pain. As a healer, she immediately understood what was happening and asked anxiously, "Did Eunuch Liu see us?"

"No, he was attacked by the assassins back then. I took you away before he even saw us." Bai Wushang frowned slightly and answered seriously.

"Really?" Murong Wei asked again, only knowing that someone was approaching without her turning around. Could it be Eunuch Liu?

"Why would I lie to you? Your life is yours to decide. I'm busy, sir!" Bai Wushang said dismissively.

Murong Wei turned around and said indifferently, "Thank you for your trouble, I... ah..."

Before she could finish speaking, he had already struck two major acupoints on her back with a palm. This guy was so nonchalant just now, why is he in such a hurry now?

After several blows, Murong Wei's mouth was full of black blood. She knew the seriousness of the problem. Supporting herself in the water, Bai Wushang's large hand covered the two major acupoints on her back. He was no longer using external force, but circulating his internal energy to expel the poison from her body.

As time passed, she felt her whole body burning hotter and hotter. The heat was blocked by her soaked clothes and dissipated very slowly. If this continued, not only would it prevent the remaining toxins in her body from being expelled, but also, over time, the heat from the hot spring would force the poison attached to her skin back.

What should she do?

"Bai Wushang... I can hold on... Take me back to the Prince Li's residence to find the imperial physician," Murong Wei murmured, her pale face dazed.

"I don't trust any imperial physician except you," Bai Wushang said, his usual joking expression gone. He was frantic; this method of expelling the poison seemed unlikely to work if they delayed any longer.

"I have a way... I'll teach them to use needles," Murong Wei said, turning to leave, but Bai Wushang grabbed her, immediately refusing, his tone domineering, "No!"

"It will work... Where are we? I... I... Let me calculate... How much time do we have to get back?" Murong Wei was so dizzy she had to close her eyes, her eyelashes trembling, her brows furrowed. If Bai Wushang hadn't held her down, she wouldn't have been able to stand.

The poison in her body, initially not so strong, had suddenly intensified. It wasn't the poison itself, but rather that Bai Wushang hadn't had time to expel it; the hot spring had actually accelerated her blood circulation, amplifying the spread of the poison!

“Old Bai, there’s still time… hurry…” Her small hands gripped his large hand tightly on her shoulder. Just as she was about to turn around, Bai Wushang growled unhappily, “All the imperial physicians are men, idiots!”

With that, he reversed his grip and violently ripped Murong Wei’s soaked clothes apart.

“Ah…” Murong Wei suddenly woke up, at a loss for what to do, when Bai Wushang’s large hand reached down and ripped it open, tearing the gauze dress to shreds in the water. The light gauze floated around her, and under the bright moonlight, her fair skin was completely naked, held against his burning chest.

This was his original plan, but he never expected that she would wake up with just the first slap after entering the water.

“Bai Wushang… let… let go…” Murong Wei instinctively tried to struggle, but now, poisoned, even with great strength, how could she possibly struggle against Bai Wushang, a grown man?

"If you die, I won't take responsibility," Bai Wushang whispered. Before she could even understand what he meant, her smooth body was turned around and shoved aside.

She staggered several times, and if it weren't for the resistance of the water, she would have fallen over long ago.

His palm then covered her, not on her back, but on her bare shoulder. "Hold on! If you live, I will take full responsibility!"

"Bai Wushang... I just..." She didn't even have time to speak before she saw two streams of heat flowing continuously into her shoulders. Unlike the palm on her back just now, it seemed that some unfamiliar force was penetrating her. Black blood trickled from her lips, and her naked body, every pore bulged exaggeratedly, was drenched in sweat. At least the skin exposed above the water was covered in cold sweat, unlike the hot spring water.

The heaviness in her abdomen gradually disappeared, replaced by a sense of ease she had never experienced before. She felt a surge of energy slowly settling in her dantian, and her blood vessels opened up. Although she was submerged in water, she felt incredibly lighter.

The toxins were dissipating, rapidly escaping from her mouth and through every pore.

Her blood circulation accelerated, seemingly originating from the power in her shoulders, flowing smoothly throughout her body. Murong Wei's strength gradually returned, and her consciousness cleared. Soon, she realized what had happened.

This guy had actually opened all her major acupoints and channeled his internal energy into her!

He himself still had years of deadly poison in his body! Didn't he know how dangerous this was?!

"Enough! Let me go!" Murong Wei suddenly shouted sharply, struggling violently, but she dared not move after raising her hand.

This struggle was probably the most effective she had ever had since she transmigrated. The moment she raised her hand, Bai Wushang pressed his entire body against her back, his chin slamming heavily against her shoulder.

She dared not move, gritting her teeth to support his full weight. After a long, long time, seeing no movement except for his panting, she hurriedly spoke, "Bai Wushang, are you alright?"

He held her slender waist with both hands, his chin resting on her shoulder, his handsome face pale, panting, but a relaxed smile played on his lips. "If something's wrong, let me lean on you for a while... and I'll be fine."

In the desolate wilderness, in a steamy hot spring, a naked man and woman soaked in the water. What could possibly happen?

She was slowly recovering, not just recovering, but also clearly feeling her strength increasing as her energy channels opened.

He, on the other hand, embraced her from behind, his head resting on her shoulder, his narrow eyes slightly closed, as if taking a nap.

For a long, long time, she dared not move, afraid that he might do something. To pull him out of the water, completely naked, was an extraordinary challenge for her.

A silence as deep as the night, a cool breeze blowing away the surrounding disgust, and by the moonlight, she finally saw her reflection in the water, her face instantly turning red.

The water and light outlined the lines of their intertwined bodies so clearly; his masculine, strong, and sensual lines pressed against her softness, his powerful arms, still wet, held her tightly within an inch of her beautiful, rounded breasts.

His head, resting on her shoulder, was slightly tilted, intimately close to her cheek.

What a fiery and passionate scene this was!

She had experienced countless such scenes, even if they were all just for show, she was usually quite immune and wouldn't easily lose her composure. But alas, she was always powerless against this guy.

Her face grew increasingly hot, her body burning, and she quickly closed her eyes, asking, "Bai Wushang, have you rested enough?"

"Not yet," Bai Wushang replied quickly, not having fallen asleep.

"Then rest after we get ashore," Murong Wei said irritably.

"Can't we get ashore yet? I saved you, at least let me lean on you for a while," Bai Wushang said innocently, the warmth in his eyes gone, his arms tightening around her, turning his head to look at the sky, looking quite content.

"Fine, I'll lean on you, but take your hands off me!" Murong Wei said sternly, knowing this guy was starting to act shamelessly!

"Weiwei, I'm considering a very serious matter," Bai Wushang avoided answering, drawing out his words with feigned seriousness.

"Do you really have to think about this in the water, all naked?" Weiwei asked earnestly, finding it surprisingly pleasant to banter with him.

"Yes," Bai Wushang replied with a chuckle, turning his head to rest his smooth chin against her shoulder, rubbing it playfully.

"Then let go of me. You can think about it as long as you want," Murong Wei said, her small hand gently gripping his chin. The moment she finished speaking, her grip tightened!

Bai Wushang's eyes twitched slightly. This woman seemed to have fully recovered; her strength was extraordinary. A little more, and his jaw would have shattered.

"How is it?" Murong Wei asked, politely removing her other hand from his grasp.

Bai Wushang shrugged and opened his arms. Murong Wei then slowly turned around, submerged in the water, and looked up at him. "Close your eyes. Don't turn around for the time it takes to drink a cup of tea!"

"Okay!" Bai Wushang's smile was brighter than the moon in the sky. His long, narrow eyes slowly closed, and his beautifully shaped lips curved upwards. How could a face with a beauty mark under its eye smile so beautifully? Murong Wei was a little stunned, but dared not linger. She hurriedly plunged into the water.

However, just as she entered the water, Bai Wushang suddenly plunged in, creating a huge splash. Before she could even catch her breath, she felt a tightness in her shoulders, and her whole body was being pushed rapidly backward in the chaotic splash.

Forced to hold her breath, before she could even struggle, her back slammed against the pool wall. The splash subsided, and they were still in the water. She abruptly opened her eyes to his handsome face. A beauty mark hung a centimeter below his right eye, and bubbles trickled from his smiling lips. His eyes were still closed. His hands were on her shoulders, drawing her incredibly close.

Murong Wei's gaze moved down to his well-defined chest muscles, then further down. His soaked trousers couldn't hide much. She couldn't control her eyes, nor her wildly pounding heart. She couldn't hold her breath any longer, and bubbles, like his, trickled from the corners of her mouth. What on earth had he been thinking about?!

Suddenly, "Splash..." Before she could even look away, he abruptly pulled her out of the water. The water reached her chest. His arms encircled her slender waist, and once again, their bodies pressed together, the soft touch on every part of her.

She was stunned, completely unprepared.

He slowly opened his handsome eyes, perhaps unaware even of the tenderness within them. Silent and speechless, he looked at her, who was stunned. He tilted his head slightly, his eyes lowered, and his thin lips drew closer and closer… closer and closer…

Murong Wei's small hands, which had been pressed against his burning chest, unconsciously tightened. She lowered her eyes, watching his lips gradually approach below her nose. Her mind went blank; she had never felt anything like this before, and she couldn't control herself.

“Weiwei…” he murmured, his hot breath brushing against her lips, so very close. She dared not speak, afraid that if she did, she would touch him. She gave a silly “Mmm,” not even knowing she had answered.

“Weiwei…” He moved closer, releasing her shoulders and pressing her against the edge of the pool, trapping her in his arms. She instinctively leaned back, creating some distance; she could hear her heart pounding in the water. “Old Bai…we…no…”

she stammered, almost incoherently. She should have pushed him away, told him it was wrong, even denounced his shamelessness, but the words wouldn't come out.

He looked down at her stammering, her misty eyes finally clearing somewhat. A playful glint appeared in his eyes as he smiled. “Weiwei, are you nervous?”

Finally, he didn't kiss her; his kiss was cool and icy…

“No!” Murong Wei immediately denied, finally coming to her senses.

“Then why are your hands trembling?” Bai Wushang asked with a smile, looking down at her small hands pressed against his chest, still trembling.

Murong Wei pounded on him violently, "Let go of me! You bastard, let go of me! If you like staying in the water, stay there all you want!"

Bai Wushang let her hit him, his smile gone, "Weiwei, I've thought it through!"

"Then go up!" Murong Wei roared.

"Regarding you and me, well, you see, I also..." Bai Wushang hesitated, looking her up and down.

"You don't need to take responsibility. I'm not that narrow-minded; I won't cling to you!" Murong Wei quickly protected herself, sinking deeper into the water, afraid this guy would say something outrageous.

"So, you're not going to learn martial arts?" Bai Wushang raised an eyebrow.

Murong Wei was taken aback. What did he mean?

"My lord, I've opened all your major acupoints and given you 30% of my internal energy for free. If you don't learn the method of cultivating internal energy in time, I guarantee you'll suffer a qi deviation before you even return to the Prince's Mansion," Bai Wushang said, slowly retreating, adding casually, "I won't take responsibility then!"

With that, he turned and slowly swam towards the opposite bank, a complex emotion hidden in his narrow eyes. What had just happened to him?

Bai Wushang dressed himself neatly, watching with amusement as Weiwei, utterly embarrassed in the water, gently stroked his chin, which she had pinched until it ached, without saying a word.

Murong Wei belatedly realized her clothes were completely torn in the water, floating forlornly to one side. She huddled on the edge of the pool, glaring fiercely at Bai Wushang, and shouted, "You're responsible for my clothes!"

Bai Wushang remained silent, smiling as he sat down on the opposite bank.

Murong Wei was furious. Since their confrontation, he hadn't uttered a single word. Did he expect her to remain submerged forever?

This guy was infuriating when he spoke, but even more infuriating when he was silent!

"Bai Wushang, what exactly do you want?!" she gritted her teeth and swam over.

"My lord, I need to consider another matter," Bai Wushang finally spoke.

Murong Wei looked up at the sky, wanting to shout.

"What would you like to learn, Weiwei? All eighteen weapons: spear, hammer, bow, crossbow, gun, whip, mace, sword, chain, claw, axe, halberd, spear, shield, club, gun, rake. Which one do you like?" Bai Wushang asked with a smile.

"I want clothes!" Murong Wei said through gritted teeth, enunciating each word clearly.

"How about a sword? Then we can have a duel, a match made in heaven!" Bai Wushang said thoughtfully, ignoring her question.

"Alright, give me your outer robe first," Murong Wei said in a low voice.

"Here you go!" Bai Wushang was very generous, presenting his sword. It was a blue-green longsword with very special striped patterns carved on the blade, and the hilt was made of very precious blue jade—you couldn't tell unless you looked closely!

"What exactly do you want?" Murong Wei was furious, her heart pounding.

"Swordplay in the water. No matter what method you use, if you knock down ten of my darts, I'll give you clothes." Bai Wushang said with a grin, completely unserious. Then, Jin Baozi slowly emerged from the nearby bushes, carrying a package in his mouth—clothes prepared for Murong Wei.

Murong Wei glanced at Jin Baozi and coldly said, "Just ten?"

"Quite the boast, isn't it? That's right, just ten." Bai Wushang's smile widened. The training for this woman would begin tonight!

"Alright!" Murong Wei was full of confidence. Back when she practiced spear fighting, it was like Xiaolongnu locking Yang Guo in a giant birdcage to catch birds—the iron cage filled with countless sparrows, and the old master demanded she never miss.

Although the lighting here wasn't great, she could still see clearly!

"Confidence is a good thing." Bai Wushang smiled, kneeling on one knee and presenting the longsword.

Murong Wei returned the smile, but as soon as she took the sword, not only did she feel heavy, but her heart sank!

This sword was so heavy! She had the strength to grip and swing, but to swing at a rapid pace in the water was impossible, let alone create waves to accurately knock down the darts.

This guy was serious!

Before Murong Wei could even grip the blue jade arrow properly, Bai Wushang's first dart had already been launched. "Weiwei, I have three darts in my hand. I'll keep throwing until I run out. If you don't knock ten down into the water, you can go back to the Prince Li's mansion!"

The dart was his usual butterfly dart, reflecting a golden shimmer in the moonlight, flying over her at a height of half a meter towards the opposite bank!

Murong Wei was shocked and tried to sweep her sword across the water, but the sword was too heavy. Before she could even create a wave, the dart had already crashed to the other side with a clatter!

"Brute force alone isn't enough, especially for a petite woman like you," Bai Wushang said with a smile, casually throwing out another golden butterfly dart.

Murong Wei had no time to speak to him. She gripped her sword tightly, submerged herself in the water, and instead of sweeping the dart horizontally, she slashed it vertically!

Instantly, a wave surged up, obscuring all vision. Even Murong Wei couldn't see him anymore. She only saw Bai Wushang sitting on a large rock on the shore like a carefree young master, toying with the third butterfly dart in his hand, a wicked grin on his face.

Before the splash subsided, a clanging sound rose from the opposite bank, announcing Murong Wei's second failure.

She surfaced, her brow furrowed, panting heavily. She felt a similar energy surging within her dantian, churning and churning, unable to find an outlet.

"Weiwei!" Bai Wushang called out with a smile.

Murong Wei turned sharply, only to see the third dart coming towards her, at the same height, but faster than before.

The blue jade sword was still in her hand underwater, tip pointing downwards. There was absolutely nothing to use for leverage in the water. Even if she were focused enough to disregard her nakedness, she couldn't possibly flip herself up and knock the dart away.

What to do?

The only way was to use the water. She gritted her teeth, gripped the hilt tightly, and once again raised the sword, slashing fiercely at the water's surface. A spray of water erupted, but just like the second time, the spray was merely water thrown up. Although it kept pace with the dart's speed, it had no power. The dart easily passed through, and the sound of it hitting the ground told her for the third time that she had failed!

"Keep going!" Bai Wushang laughed, his hand firing darts relentlessly, no longer one at a time, but three at a time. At this rate, thirteen darts wouldn't last long!

Murong Wei was frantic. The same method wasn't accurate; only by increasing the force, creating enough water to throw up, could she stop the darts!

She continued relentlessly, holding her breath, rising and falling in the water again and again, sweeping and slashing with her sword. Suddenly, she disappeared from the pool, only the light of her blue jade sword flashing past, waves rising and falling, making the entire hot spring seem to boil, the splashes lingering.

Bai Wushang suddenly stood up, gripping his throwing darts tightly. He had already taken a step forward, but ultimately retreated.

He could clearly see that the darts had darted through the waves, their speed noticeably slower. This foolish woman, she was actually trying to measure the force!

If each of his darts had the power to destroy a large tree!

Just as he lowered his gaze, suddenly, a wave surged up from the opposite bank of the pool, stopping the darts that had slowed and lost power after surging through several waves!

In the spray, he vaguely saw a graceful figure, like a mermaid, leaping from the water and quickly disappearing back in!

Only then did the waves recede, and no more surges occurred.

The water gradually calmed, and mist slowly gathered, obscuring the figure!

Bai Wushang frowned abruptly. He hadn't heard the sound of the darts hitting the ground in the water. He had indeed seen the person who had used the pool's edge for leverage leap up and throw three darts with their sword.

But now, where was she?!

To wield an unfamiliar sword in the water was something only a martial artist could do, let alone create so many waves in succession.

He, having trained since childhood, knew all too well how much strength and breathing it required.

"Murong Wei!" he blurted out, and almost simultaneously, three butterfly darts shot fiercely from the water, heading straight for him!

Three butterfly darts traced beautiful arcs through the air before landing at Bai Wushang's feet.

On the shimmering water, she wiped the water from her face, panting, and held up three fingers to him.

Three!

She had knocked down three darts, triumphantly diving underwater to retrieve them. Though exhausted, she was now excited. She never knew her limits, only that when pushed too far, she would inevitably retaliate.

Just now, she had reached her limit; a surge of energy, accumulated in her dantian, rushed upwards. Completely unsure how to control it, she simply used it as she was, splashing water and propelling herself forward from the edge of the pool!

Now, though panting, she was brimming with power, feeling no soreness or fatigue, still feeling the urge to explode.

"Three!" she shouted at Bai Wushang.

"Hehe, what about these three?" Bai Wushang chuckled, casually sweeping out three more darts. They didn't fly together, but in three different directions, far apart, not only giving her no chance to catch her breath but also increasing the difficulty. When facing a real enemy, perhaps she would be even more ruthless than him!

Murong Wei frowned, grunted, and swam rapidly backward, seemingly trying to outrun the poisoned darts!

However, one in the air, the other in the water—it was simply not a fair fight.

When she reached the edge of the pool, the three darts landed behind her.

She didn't turn around, as if she had expected it, her expression unchanged as she looked at Bai Wushang, "Continue!"

Bai Wushang smiled, seemingly sensing something, and again launched three butterfly darts simultaneously. His hand had barely touched the water when Murong Wei had already raised her sword high above her head, floating in the water up to her chest. Even with a foot braced against the pool wall, she couldn't muster much strength.

Unless, she was using internal energy!

"Bang..." The sword slashed down, a thunderous roar erupting, waves surging. With a single strike, wave after wave followed, each higher and fiercer than the last! The darts, once

inside, were instantly swept away by the waves, disappearing without a trace!

Murong Wei lay on her back by the pool, watching the towering waves surge forward, a smile playing on her lips. Unconsciously, she had become adept at wielding the blue jade sword, and the previously turbulent energy in her dantian seemed to be under better control. At least, she understood how to circulate her energy, and no longer felt it was strenuous.

Waves pushed forward, crashing at Bai Wushang's feet, splashing water everywhere.

He took two steps back, looking at Murong Wei on the opposite bank, his smile deepening. "Weiwei, you're much smarter than I was back then!"

"Six darts, and four more to reach ten," Murong Wei said.

"Hehe, continue." Bai Wushang said with a smile, turning to the side and slowly raising the butterfly dart he was playing with in his hand, hesitating to make a move.

Murong Wei had figured out the trick, and was confident that she could knock down the dart flying across the water without leaving the water, so she patiently waited for Bai Wushang's thirteenth dart! "

Unexpectedly, this guy played dirty!

The dart shot into the water with incredible speed, hurtling towards her and leaving a clear ripple on the surface, rapidly spreading towards Murong Wei!

Murong Wei quickly sank into the water; drawing her sword underwater was clearly difficult. However, no sooner had she entered the water than the butterfly dart broke through the surface, slicing through the air and landing on the opposite bank!

With proper force, this wasn't impossible!

However, she hadn't anticipated Bai Wushang using this tactic, and before she could even decide how to respond, several loud bangs rang out as ten darts landed in quick succession, their speed so fast that only the dark waves obscured their shapes, all hurtling towards her! She was caught off guard

, unable to predict when the darts would break through the water!

She could only retreat, holding her breath, her brow furrowed. She had to wait for the darts to break through the water before striking them down; otherwise, the guy on the bank would definitely not admit defeat in the water.

"Can I cheat?" A thought flashed through her mind, but she had nothing but this longsword!

Suddenly!

Three darts shot up, breaking through the water. Murong Wei rushed out of the water, but it was too late; the shore was behind her, and the darts landed accurately!

Soon, three more darts flew past her.

Murong Wei panicked, letting out a sharp shout. Her longsword sank, and a towering wave erupted from the water, completely separating the shore from the water!

Even she was surprised by the power she had gathered in her dantian; she only felt slightly dizzy, her breathing remained steady, but she missed the darts that had landed behind her before the wave even rose.

After a long while, the wave subsided, and she clearly saw... Bai Wushang, who had reached the other side, was just as astonished, staring at her. She

had actually managed to unleash the full potential of a mere three layers of internal energy!

Startled, she quickly turned back and counted the darts on the shore. There were eighteen in total; she had knocked down six, meaning Bai Wushang still had six left!

She had at most two more chances to make a mistake.

Bai Wushang's eyes held a rare seriousness, his handsome brows furrowing slightly. He walked to the edge of the pool, unfolding a stack of darts in his hand, ready to launch.

Murong Wei's heart tightened. She knew all too well that when this guy got serious, it was never a good thing. She immediately became vigilant, gripping her blue jade sword tightly.

She didn't know how many darts he would throw, but she had to minimize her mistakes!

"Weiwei, watch closely." "Bai Wushang lowered his voice and said softly, a smile curving his lips. He threw darts one after another, which formed a straight line in the air, like a small knife, heading straight for Murong Wei. The speed was not fast, but Murong Wei could see clearly that it was five darts connected end to end. The forces interacted, and although the speed was not fast, the power was extremely great!

Water alone couldn't stop her; only a hard object could!

In her hand, only a sword!

At this moment, perhaps it wasn't about clothes anymore, but about winning, about achieving!

She removed the pearl hairpin from her hair, her long, black hair cascading down her body like a waterfall. She slowly rose, stopping at waist level in the water. Her naked body was curvaceous and slender, and under the tranquil moonlight, her fair skin seemed to shimmer with a luminous glow. She stood there, her black hair accentuating her beautiful figure, every inch exuding an alluring charm, yet unaware of it. Her pale face was focused on the flying darts. She raised her sword, her movements, though untrained, resembling those of a seasoned swordsman, swinging it in a beautiful arc to deflect the first dart. "Clang..."

The subsequent darts, connected end to end, were also deflected, the force added to the first dart, clashing with Murong Wei's sword.

Perhaps this wasn't a clash of weapons, but a clash between Bai Wushang and herself.

She hadn't expected Bai Wushang to add such terrifying power to those five darts.

Her small hand, gripping the sword hilt, bulged with veins, forcing her to use her other hand to defend. She gritted her teeth, frowned, and channeled her inner strength from her dantian, causing the sword to tremble and clang against the darts.

Even so, she could only barely hold off the five darts; she had no strength left!

Just then, Bai Wushang, on the shore, a wicked smile playing on his lips, slowly took out the last dart…

Under the tranquil moonlight, amidst the swirling mist of the pool, her long, flowing black hair served as her robe, the water her skirt, her fair skin shimmering with a luminous glow. She stood there silently, sacred as a goddess of the night.

Even as her strength gradually dwindled with time, she remained composed. She knew she couldn't win, yet she insisted on challenging herself, on fighting. With only one dart left, she tightened her grip, determined to take down these five.

She was determined!

"Ha!" she groaned, gathering her strength once more, so focused that she didn't notice Bai Wushang's movements on the shore.

The blue jade sword, bathed in moonlight, flowed with a silent, ethereal blue. After her exertion, it began to tremble again, but this time, the trembling was steady and continuous, unlike the violent one before.

"Bang!" Suddenly, a cracking sound rang out. The first dart shattered, falling into the water. The second dart immediately caught up, still holding the sword.

Overjoyed, she finally released her teeth, her pale lips now swollen and red!

However, before she could even smile, the sword suddenly trembled violently!

What was happening?

No, it wasn't the sword that trembled, it was her hand, her frail body! It trembled violently all at once; she could even hear her bones cracking.

What was happening?

A strange power, also originating from her dantian, was completely different from before, entirely beyond her control.

It seemed to be a hidden secret within her body, inadvertently activated!

Not only did the sword tremble, but the four darts pressed against it also trembled, making her dizzy, her head throbbing with pain, feeling like a machine about to fall apart.

How could this be?

"Clang, clang, clang..." It was the sound of the sword, the sound of the darts, as if they too couldn't withstand such energy and would shatter instantly!

She should have let go; continuing would have damaged her bones or at least her meridians. But at this moment, she actually smiled.

Once again, he clenched his teeth, desperately trying to endure the tremors beyond what a normal person could bear, attempting to control them, gripping the sword hilt tightly with both hands, refusing to let go.

Soon, the entire pool of water trembled, as if a volcano was about to erupt within it.

Bai Wushang, on the shore, had long since stopped throwing darts. A hint of joy flashed in his eyes, but more so, worry. He shouted, "Murong Wei, let go!"

"Murong Wei, let go, quickly!"

"Murong Wei, let go, or your grip will break!"

...

He shouted urgently. He knew perfectly well what was happening in the pool, and it was something he had always wanted to test. Today, he could finally be completely certain!

However, no matter how much he shouted, Murong Wei completely ignored him. It was unclear whether she had even heard him. Her eyes were focused on the four darts. Seeing the first one shattering in the trembling, the smile on her lips deepened.

"This is the eighth one!" she counted silently in her mind, then suddenly shouted sharply. "Bang..." The sound of gold shattering was so beautiful; even gold could shatter before her eyes!

Then, the third, fourth, and fifth pieces, before they could even be joined, shattered one after another in mid-air, breaking into countless shimmering golden fragments that fell into the water.

She stared ahead, a smile still playing on her lips, her hands slowly gripping the longsword, but blood trickled down her swollen lips. She was smiling, looking at the astonished Bai Wushang, her smile radiant with blood, "Old Bai... not ten... it's... it's eleven! Give... give... your clothes..."

Before she could finish speaking, her smile froze on her lips, and she instantly fainted in the water.

"Weiwei!" Bai Wushang cried out in alarm, jumping into the water and frantically pulling her out. This woman's stubbornness was truly both endearing and infuriating.

Why was she being so stubborn? She wanted to go back to the Li Wang Mansion naked, and he wouldn't allow it!

So stupid!

After much effort, he finally dressed her properly. This outfit was specially prepared for her to attend the Chrysanthemum Banquet, but unfortunately, it was now being used for this occasion.

He checked her pulse, confirming she hadn't suffered a qi deviation, but had simply fainted due to excessive qi circulation. Reassured, he picked her up, gently pressing his handsome face against her forehead for a while before releasing her. Not daring to get soaked himself, he carried her away. This woman, just as he had expected, was a prodigy in dantian qi cultivation…

At noon, their carriage finally returned to the city. Murong Wei was still unconscious, nestled in Bai Wushang's warm embrace, looking like a porcelain doll, hardly resembling the stubborn and unyielding woman he was known for.

“Master, the Li Prince's Mansion… is blocked…” A Bao's voice came.

“What’s going on?” Bai Wushang frowned, lifting the curtain.

He saw that the Li Prince's Mansion was packed with people, all wealthy and noble, each accompanied by servants and carrying many gifts. What was happening?

"Go ask," Bai Wushang said softly. He had just lowered the curtain when he looked down and saw Murong Wei staring at him with a sleepy face, looking confused.

Bai Wushang immediately put on a smile, "Awake?"

Murong Wei composed herself, looked around, then at him, her sleepy expression changing instantly. Just as she was about to speak, Bai Wushang quickly covered her mouth, "It was Abao who changed your clothes, I didn't do anything!"

"Mmm...mmm..." Murong Wei struggled violently, kicking and punching in the small carriage.

Bai Wushang struggled to restrain her and explained, "If you don't believe me, you can ask Abao. I'm always very principled. We've already arrived at the gate of the Prince Li's residence. Stop making a scene, the Prince Li's residence is being besieged!"

Murong Wei immediately quieted down, blinking her big eyes at him.

"Let's talk this out, no hitting," Bai Wushang reminded her.

Murong Wei nodded obediently. Bai Wushang, still not reassured, added, "A liar is a dog."

Murong Wei nodded obediently again, and only then did Bai Wushang release her grip. Immediately, "Slap..."

Murong Wei slapped him squarely across the face. Not content with that, she suddenly stood up, pinned him down, and pinched his hand hard. "Bai Wushang! You scoundrel, you despicable person, you bastard! If A Bao dressed me, how could the skirt sash be tied in the front? Every woman knows that the sash of this kind of skirt is tied in the back! You lied to me, you're vulgar, despicable, and shameless!"

Bai Wushang covered his head with his hands, not daring to utter a word.

Murong Wei punched and kicked him a few times before finally getting off him. Still not satisfied, she stomped on his instep and shouted, "I'll hold a grudge!"

With that, she retied her skirt and angrily got off the carriage. Bai Wushang slowly removed his hand, a smile playing on his lips. He burst into loud laughter, admitting he'd really messed up; he genuinely didn't know how to wear that skirt.

The road in front of the Prince's Mansion was completely congested. Passersby either stopped to watch or detoured.

Murong Wei looked at the dense crowd from afar and vaguely saw the Prince's Mansion's steward explaining something to several high-ranking officials at the gate, his arms blocking the throng of people, looking quite helpless.

"It's really lively." Bai Wushang appeared beside her at some point and said with a smile.

"These people all seem to be dignitaries from the capital." Murong Wei said.

"Indeed, that's the second son of the Grand Councilor, that's the third young master of the Daoming family, who is as famous as the Nangong family, and that's the wife of the Minister of Rites." Bai Wushang pointed out.

"What are they looking for the Thirteenth Prince for?" Murong Wei looked puzzled. She saw A Bao coming from afar, waving at them repeatedly, seemingly telling them to leave.

"What's going on?" Bai Wushang was also suspicious and stood still.

"It's definitely not good news, they're going through the back door." Murong Wei said, turning to leave.

Just then, someone shouted, "Murong Wei is there!" The noisy crowd immediately quieted down, and everyone turned around, stunned to see Murong Wei.

This legendary physician who had saved Prince Qi and the Thirteenth Prince, this legendary woman of extraordinary talent who outshone all others at the Yellow Flower Banquet, this legendary woman who exposed Gu Xihe's plagiarism—she truly lived up to the legends, so beautiful.

She wore a light blue silk gown wrapped around her chest, with a white gauze overlay. Her graceful neck and clearly visible collarbones were elegant and sexy. The folds of her skirt flowed like moonlight, trailing more than three feet on the ground. Her long, black hair was tied up with a matching light blue ribbon, adorned with a rare and precious blue jade hairpin. A strand of hair fell to her chest. A blue veil covered her small, high nose, and her large, clear eyes exuded a calm composure.

Who spread the rumor that she was a mother? She was so young, her blue and white gauze dress complementing her perfectly, matching her气质 so beautifully. She was like a butterfly fluttering in the wind, or like pure, clear snow... So beautiful!

Bai Wushang watched the crowd's reaction with satisfaction. This outfit was made under his personal supervision at great expense; the blue jade hairpin alone in her hair was priceless.

Everyone was amazed, except for Murong Wei, who was oblivious. When she was tying her dress, she only thought the dress was quite pretty, not even realizing that her hairstyle had changed.

"So beautiful!"

"Truly a beauty beyond compare!"

"Who said she was mistaken for a servant at the Chrysanthemum Banquet because of her clothes? She's always so radiant; she must have been even more stunning at the banquet. It's such a shame I couldn't see her in person!"

"That must be Lord Wushang! Finally, we've found a woman who can stand shoulder to shoulder with him! Look how well they match!"

"No, no, no, this woman and Prince Qi are a match made in heaven!"

"Ahhh! I love her dress so much! I wonder which tailor made it; that shade of blue is so rare!"

...

Murong Wei frowned slightly, looked down at herself, but since she wasn't particularly particular about ancient clothing, she didn't react strangely and turned to leave.

At that moment, everyone swarmed over.

A Bao and Bai Wushang quickly stepped forward to stop them, and the steward and servants rushed to help. Bai Wushang stepped back, a smile playing on his lips. It was unclear whether he was more happy for Weiwei or just amused by himself. Whenever Bai Wushang appeared, it was always a city-wide sensation; now, he was the one being portrayed as a protector of a flower.

Murong Wei was at a loss. Were these people here for her?

"Miss Murong, I am the third young master of the Li family. I have acquired a fine poem and would like to invite you to our residence to appreciate it together."

"Miss Murong, I am Liu Shang, the second young master of the Military Affairs Bureau. I witnessed your elegance at the Chrysanthemum Banquet and have been deeply captivated by your poem ever since. Today, on your behalf, I have invited scholars and poets from the capital to the Pear Garden for wine, poetry, and discussion. What do you say?"

"Miss Murong, I am still the third young master of the Daoming family. I have long admired your reputation and learned of your exceptional medical skills, which have led you to resign from your position as imperial physician at the Qi Prince's residence. Therefore, I have personally come to invite you. I wonder if you would be interested in serving as a family physician at the Daoming family? The compensation and benefits are guaranteed to be no less than those at the Qi Prince's residence!"

"Miss Murong, we don't know you at all. I'm just Xiao Dai from Yihua Garden. I heard that you defeated Consort De with your performance of 'Rainbow Feathers' in the Han Kingdom Palace, winning over Prince Qi's heart. My master specifically asked me to deliver an invitation. If you're willing to come to Yihua Garden, I guarantee that within a month, your value will increase a hundredfold, and your fame will no longer be limited to Xuanyuan, but will extend to all the vassal states, and everyone in the Divine Continent will know you!"

...

This was practically an invitation, an offer. Murong Wei only knew that her reputation had long been ruined by the women of Prince Qi's mansion, but she never expected that a chrysanthemum banquet could spread such rumors so quickly and so outrageously!

They actually... actually called her Miss Murong. It seemed that this was the first time she had ever been addressed like this since she transmigrated.

"Everyone, please make way, please make way! Our Prince is waiting for Doctor Murong!" The steward diligently maintained order. Doctor Murong and Lord Bai hadn't returned all night yesterday, and his master's expression was not good.

Out of respect for the Thirteenth Prince, no one could snatch her away, so they all handed out invitations. Murong Wei accepted them with a smile, her ears filled with self-introductions and enthusiastic invitations. As she was ushered into the mansion, she nodded to everyone as she accepted the invitations, but she felt no joy. A tall tree catches the wind, and fame brings trouble. A bad reputation is better than a good one; it's more likely to cause trouble.

She now only wanted to do two things: first, master martial arts; second, find the Xuanyuan Military Manual to overthrow Xuanyuan's rule. She didn't need to worry about Xuanyuan Lie's difficulties or Xuanyuan Che's schemes; only then could she truly protect herself and Ye Bao!

Upon arriving at the main hall, Xuanyuan Li, with a dark face, summoned Murong Wei. Bai Wushang, however, had no intention of following, smiling at her, "My lord, I'm tired. I've found a good place to sleep!"

"You think Xuanyuan Li is going to pack his things and leave now after arguing with that dog of an emperor like that?" Murong Wei asked suspiciously.

"The autumn hunt is almost here. He should leave after the hunt, and he might even show you the real jade box! Hurry up!" Bai Wushang urged.

"Aren't you coming with me?" Murong Wei asked suspiciously.

"My lord, I've served you all night, I'm really tired, let's go!" Bai Wushang waved his hand and turned to head towards his courtyard, with A Bao following closely behind, looking worried.

Murong Wei didn't ask any further questions and hurriedly followed the steward to the main hall.

At this moment, Bai Wushang stopped his hurried steps, his lips twitching slightly. "A Bao, go to the Qi Prince's residence and find out how Consort De got her hands on that rare medicine from Nanzhao."

"Master, I heard that the medicine was sent to the palace and is in Xuan Yuanlie's hands. Consort De is just a concubine in the Prince's residence, how could she get it?" A Bao asked, puzzled. "

Of the four vassal states, Han is the weakest. If she can gain a foothold in the Qi Prince's residence, she must have a way to get the rare medicine from Xuan Yuanlie," Bai Wushang said.

"Master, I'd better apply the medicine for you first before going," A Bao said worriedly.

"Go." Bai Wushang waved his hand, his lips twitching, yet he still smiled, and turned to leave, seemingly in a good mood...

In the courtyard, which already had few servants, everyone had been dismissed, leaving only Lord Wushang sitting alone in the hall.

His back view was somewhat lonely and forlorn, his brows slightly furrowed, his face unusually serious.

He carefully removed his black and gold-trimmed boots, revealing a shocking patch of blood on his snow-white stockings. His right foot was alright, but his left foot was a complete mess; his entire instep was probably ruined.

His tightly pursed lips began to twitch uncontrollably. He lifted his foot and carefully removed the white stockings inch by inch. His right foot was easier to remove, but a deep wound on the instep had reopened sometime earlier, the bleeding had stopped, leaving a long, congealed bloodstain on the scar.

His handsome brows furrowed slightly as he slowly lowered his right foot, then lifted his left. He touched and tapped here and there, hesitant to completely remove the stocking, fearing the flesh inside was probably stuck to the instep.

"Hiss..." He grimaced, gritting his teeth, and pulled a sharp jade dagger from his sleeve. Carefully, he pried at the toe of the stocking, slowly lifting it until he finally made a cut. As he tried to cut further, he touched raw flesh, and a sharp, piercing pain shot through him, causing cold sweat to bead on his forehead!

"Ha." He groaned, gritted his teeth, and ruthlessly grabbed the torn section, ripping it open with a sharp tug. "Hiss..."

Whether it was the sound of his own voice or the tearing of the stocking was unclear, he looked up, veins bulging on his forehead, cold sweat pouring down his face, his eyes tightly shut.

Blood dripped down his mangled, bloodied foot, the tattered white sock still clutched tightly in his hand. After a long, long time, he slowly opened his eyes, took out a medicinal powder from his sleeve, and frowned as he sprinkled it on his right foot.

The wound on his foot was from childhood training; it hadn't reopened for many, many years. It was a miracle it hadn't cracked after being stomped on by Murong Wei so many times.

He bit his dagger, head bowed, his expression serious. His movements were swift and precise. After sprinkling the powder on his hand, he casually tore off a piece of cloth from his robe and thinly bandaged it. While his right foot was healed, his left foot was still in some trouble, requiring him to use the dagger to pick away the necrotic scabs.

His handsome face was expressionless except for seriousness. It took him a while to treat the wound, apply medicine, and bandage it. This man, so known for his tenderness, showed little mercy to himself; even when it hurt, the pressure was considerable. He finished quickly, put on his boots, and was eager to see what the Thirteenth Prince wanted with her. It must be something good; how could he miss it?

Only then did he raise his head, letting out a huge sigh of relief. A smile appeared on his lips, and he chuckled to himself, "Murong Wei, I've held a grudge against you too!"

All the doors and windows of the main hall of the Prince's mansion were tightly shut, and the steward personally stood guard outside.

Bai Wushang watched from afar, not approaching the steward to ask anything. After a moment's thought, he turned and headed towards the Thirteenth Prince's backyard.

Sure enough, the main hall was a bluff, a smokescreen; the Thirteenth Prince and Weiwei were both there.

He didn't show himself, leisurely lying on a tall tree nearby, listening silently.

She didn't know what Xuan Yuanli had said to her, but Murong Wei looked troubled and said, "Thirteenth Prince… forgive me for speaking frankly, but it was agreed before that Lord Wushang and I would be loyal to you, and you have a master behind you. Today you intend to betray your master, and we really need to think about it carefully."

"Murong Wei, keep pretending! Think it through before you tell me!" Xuan Yuanli roared, showing no patience.

Murong Wei was startled. The Thirteenth Prince's inexplicable trust in her made her more cautious, even though, to be honest, this prince was indeed a trustworthy person.

He had just told her very directly that he was going to keep it a secret from Xuan Yuanlie, that he was going to find the Xuan Yuan Military Manual himself, and that he wanted to become the emperor of Xuan Yuan.

He spoke these words frankly, without

holding back a single detail. "Thirteenth Prince, you should know better than I how much power Xuan Yuanlie wields in the Central Plains and the four kingdoms. Why not find it yourself instead of relying on him? Why make your relationship with him so strained?" Murong Wei probed again.

"Isn't it all because of you!" Xuan Yuanli said irritably, downing a cup of tea in one gulp.

"There are so many capable people in the world. Bai Wushang alone is enough to help you find the person you need," Murong Wei said calmly.

"What, I think highly of you, and you're not happy about it?" Xuan Yuanli's voice turned cold.

"I wouldn't dare. Since that's the case, Your Highness, I have a question... I'll ask directly." Murong Wei became serious.

"Go ahead and ask!" Xuan Yuanli said.

"Your Highness, how much of your betrayal of the emperor was Weiwei's fault?" Murong asked.

Xuan Yuanli suddenly laughed, a loud, hearty laugh. "Murong Wei, can't you just say it's all because of you?"

"No, that's too much responsibility," Murong Wei said earnestly.

"Half, like how you saved me, and I took you in, because we're friends, that accounts for half. The other half... I can't tell you!" As Xuan Yuanli spoke, he snapped his fingers, and a sharp, piercing cry echoed through the air.

Murong Wei looked up sharply. A red-tailed kite was approaching, its claws seemingly clutching something, a vibrant green from afar.

Xuan Yuanli raised his hand; a bronze dragon-head bracer, resembling a warrior's armor, appeared on his right arm, both resolute and iron-blooded.

The red-tailed kite swooped down, its speed gradually slowing. As it drew nearer, its claws landed first, placing what it had grabbed on a table before settling on Xuan Yuanli's arm. Its jewel-like round eyes stared intently at Murong Wei.

Murong Wei looked at the object on the table and gasped!

It really was him!

The real jade box was indeed in Xuan Yuanli's hands. When Ye Bao replaced the eight-layered jade box, Xuan Yuanli had already done so.

This jade box was made of jadeite, completely translucent and flawless. Finding such a piece of old mine icy jadeite was already difficult enough, but to carve such a jade box was even rarer.

Murong Wei noticed the jade lock on the jade box. Just as Guiguzi had said, this jade box lock was a tortoise lock, a lifelike jade tortoise. The tortoise's tail and head were not in a straight line; its head faced right, and its tail slightly upturned to the left!

This was the genuine article!

"Murong Wei, stop pretending. I've seen the eight-layered jade box in my brother's study. You and Bai Wushang switched it, didn't you?" Xuan Yuanli sat down, scrutinizing Murong Wei.

Hearing this, Murong Wei's heart skipped a beat. This guy... actually... not only held back against Xuan Yuan Lie, but also against them. The eight-layered treasure box that Ye Bao had prevented was naturally a replica of the one Bai Wu Shang had, and the locked one was naturally the innermost golden box. The one Ye Bao stole was the replica made by Xuan Yuan Li, so the jade box was locked.

"No," Murong Wei denied.

"Murong Wei, you're still pretending! Only a few of us know about this!" Xuan Yuan Lie roared.

"Master, shh... you'll ruin your voice. Here, the thing is here." Murong Wei sighed and tossed out the fake jade box.

"I'm more curious about how you stole this thing." Xuan Yuan Li asked curiously.

"It's a secret, Thirteenth Prince. What Weiwei is curious about is how you know the secret of this eight-layered treasure box." Murong Wei countered. Xuan Yuan Lie probably still didn't know that the golden box was fake, while Xuan Yuan Li clearly knew that the locked one wasn't just the last golden box.

Xuan Yuan Li raised an eyebrow at her, remaining silent.

“Bai Wushang stole it, go ask him!” Murong Wei said helplessly.

“I started looking for this before Xuanyuan Lie even started looking for it…” Xuanyuan Li said calmly, his clear eyes suddenly dimming, unlike his usual self; such a dimness shouldn’t be in his eyes at his age.

It should have been something to be very proud of, but Murong Wei clearly saw a sense of loss in his eyes.

“Did you find out about it in the Liusha Kingdom?” Murong Wei asked softly. The Eightfold Treasure Box originated from the Buddhist Kingdom, the faith of the Liusha Kingdom.

“Yes, there are eight sets of these Eightfold Treasure Boxes, three gold, three silver, one jade, and one sandalwood. They all contain genuine fakes! Fakes containing genuine fakes are considered genuine fakes, while fakes without genuine fakes are considered genuine fakes. Opening the Xuanyuan Emperor’s tomb requires two things: the legendary Hanhai Key from the Han Kingdom, and the Brocade Living Map. Legend has it that both of these things are hidden in the Eightfold Treasure Boxes,” Xuanyuan Li said truthfully.

Murong Wei frowned. This guy had said even more than Lao Bai had told her. She asked anxiously, "Does His Highness mean to leave the capital to search for the treasure letter? Have you received any news?"

"Where is Lord Wushang? Any good news?" Xuan Yuanli grinned and asked with a chuckle. He was an emotional man, his emotions coming and going quickly, even more childlike than Ye Bao.

"This... you can ask him directly," Murong Wei said with a smile. She finally understood why the Thirteenth Prince had only called her and not Bai Wushang. If it were her, she would have avoided that guy as well.

"If he can tell me, I don't need to ask you!" Xuan Yuanli rolled his eyes at her.

Murong Wei was helpless. This guy was clearly wary of them, yet he liked to get close to them, as if he was trying to find a friend he could completely rely on to fight alongside.

Could it work? She wasn't so sure, and she didn't know what Bai Wushang was thinking.

"Thirteenth Prince, can this lock be opened?" She changed the subject. She had settled the matter with the Big Winners after she was released from prison that night, and Guiguzi should be arriving soon.

Just then, the steward rushed in, "Thirteenth Prince, another invitation! The Shen family has sent an invitation!"

"The Shen family?" Murong Wei was suspicious. She remembered seeing that young master Shen at the Big Winners.

Just as Xuan Yuanli was about to accept the invitation, the steward said, "Master, this is for Doctor Murong. It's an invitation to tomorrow's poetry banquet."

"Me?" Murong Wei exclaimed in surprise, quickly opening it to find it was indeed an invitation to the poetry banquet.

"Go back! These young masters in the capital are just bored and have nothing better to do!" Xuan Yuanli said displeased.

"Hmm, just say I'm busy." Murong Wei didn't take it seriously, tossing the invitation aside on top of a pile of other invitations.

However, before the steward had gone far, Bai Wushang's lazy voice drifted over, "Weiwei, we still have to give Young Master Shen face..."

Murong Wei and Xuan Yuanli searched for a long time before finally finding Bai Wushang in a large banyan tree. He was lying across the trunk with his arms behind his head, swinging his legs leisurely.

"Come down!" Xuan Yuanli said in a deep voice, knowing that Bai Wushang had overheard their conversation.

"Thirteenth Master, why don't you let him down? The scenery here is quite beautiful," Bai Wushang said with a smile, turning his head slightly.

"What did you mean by that?" Murong Wei asked.

"If I'm not mistaken, the young master of the Shen family is also looking for the Eightfold Treasure Scroll; he should have one," Bai Wushang said casually.

"What?" Xuan Yuanli exclaimed in surprise, leaping lightly onto the tree.

Bai Wushang turned to look at Murong Wei, waiting for her to pull out her all-purpose hook. Murong Wei glared at him, then nimbly climbed the tree trunk, reaching his side in a few moves, even more anxious than Xuan Yuanli. "How did you know?"

"When I went to get the locksmith, didn't that monk say someone had already contacted him? A young hero, from Nanzhao, with a flute at his waist," Bai Wushang said.

"You investigated?" Murong Wei asked, frowning. "

The monk misjudged him. What he had at his waist wasn't a flute, but a bamboo short sword. That person is none other than the young master of the Shen family, Chen Zui," Bai Wushang said.

"Chen Zui? I've seen him; he does indeed carry a very special bamboo sword," Murong Wei said hastily.

"You've contacted a locksmith?" Xuan Yuanli suddenly asked sharply, completely bewildered.

"Indeed, I have not only the fake jade box, but also the real gold box," Bai Wushang said with a smile. Murong Wei was slightly taken aback, not expecting Bai Wushang to tell the truth. She thought he would hide the matter of the gold box!

"A True Gold Box?" Xuan Yuanli exclaimed in surprise.

"Indeed, the True Gold Box that Han Kingdom retrieved, we've also found a locksmith, Guiguzi, who is familiar with the Eightfold Treasure Box. Your Highness, what about you?" Bai Wushang raised an eyebrow and asked.

"Six months from now, the Liusha Kingdom will hold a grand Buddhist ceremony, once every ten years. At that time, the Liusha Tomb Palace will be opened. Inside the palace are two Eightfold Treasure Boxes, containing the ashes of the past Liusha queens. I've searched through all the history books of the Liusha Kingdom, but I haven't seen any record of the origin of these two Eightfold Treasure Boxes. I've only seen them in unofficial histories, saying they fell from the sky, a blessing from Buddha." Xuan Yuanli also confessed.

"A Buddhist ceremony... is not something ordinary people can attend." Bai Wushang said thoughtfully.

"Who is Guiguzi? Can he pick locks? Where is he now?" Xuan Yuanli was more concerned about this matter.

"Look, at the gate." Bai Wushang smiled and pointed to the gate in the distance. The gate was still crowded with people delivering invitations. A person dressed in a black robe from head to toe stood out conspicuously in the crowd.

"Steward, quick, the back door!" Xuan Yuanli exclaimed in alarm, hastily climbing down from the tree. No one knew Xuan Yuanlie better than him; the Li Prince's residence had long been under surveillance.

"Why did you tell him everything?" Murong Wei asked casually, watching Xuan Yuanli's hurried departure.

"My lord, I hope he becomes emperor," Bai Wushang said jokingly.

"Really?" Murong Wei asked suspiciously.

"Really," Bai Wushang smiled, tilting his head to meet the sunlight filtering through the leaves. "I'll go to the banquet with you tomorrow. Shen Zui is not someone to be trifled with." "

I met the Thirteenth Prince the other day; he's quite quiet, not very talkative," Murong Wei said.

"He's the only male heir of the Shen family, the overlord of the martial arts world. You could say he's the crown prince of the martial arts world. This person is better suited to be a friend than an enemy. We'll see how things go tomorrow," Bai Wushang said calmly.

"I didn't realize he had such a powerful background," Murong Wei remarked.

"Heh, even Xuan Yuanlie has to give him some leeway. The martial arts world and the imperial court have always been adversaries, never interfering with each other. This force shouldn't be underestimated," Bai Wushang said.

"Then let's go see for ourselves!" Murong Wei exclaimed excitedly, nudging Bai Wushang. "When will you start teaching me internal energy? I always feel a surge of energy in my dantian."

"You don't need internal energy, you need qi. You're a natural qi practitioner," Bai Wushang said mysteriously.

Murong Wei was completely bewildered, having no idea what he was talking about. What qi? What qi?

"There are two kinds of martial arts: strength and qi. Strength, or internal energy, is what we usually refer to as martial arts training. It increases with skill level, and most people can achieve something with diligent practice. But qi is different. A qi practitioner must have talent; otherwise, the qi will dissipate quickly once it settles in the dantian. The qi in the world is divided into extreme cold and extreme heat. You belong to the hot category, which is why you were able to transform strength into qi last night in the hot spring and wield the Blue Jade Cold Sword," Bai Wushang said earnestly.

Murong Wei was stunned. "You're also a qi practitioner?"

"My lord, I cultivate the extreme cold qi, which is incompatible with yours!" Bai Wushang said with a smile.

"What's the use of cultivating Qi? Can it compare to power and wealth?" Murong Wei asked. She hated imperial power the most; she couldn't resist it, only possess it!

"Outside the court, military force is imperial power. Whoever is more capable is the ruler. The Shen family is an example," Bai Wushang said calmly. To find the Eightfold Treasure Box, the resistance from the court was easy to overcome, but the resistance outside the court was not so easy to evade. He had traveled around searching for treasures for many years and knew this all too well.

"Then how do you cultivate Qi, and what is the ultimate level?" Murong Wei asked anxiously. She understood the reasoning Bai Wushang was talking about. As an assassin, in the world outside the rulers, there were no rules or constraints; the strong were the law!

"The hottest Qi relies entirely on external force, and the coldest Qi relies entirely on internal cultivation. You are much luckier than I am," Bai Wushang smiled and lazily got up.

"What do you mean!" Murong Wei pressed.

"That means you don't need to repair it yourself; I'll find it for you, sir." Bai Wushang said, casually tossing her a yellowed scroll. He added, "This is a sword manual. The first part is about internal energy cultivation, and the second part is about techniques and routines. Once you've learned it, I'll answer any questions you may have."

Without waiting for Murong Wei's reply, he leaped down from the tree. Guiguzi had arrived; he should go and meet him.

Murong Wei was still completely confused, feeling that what Bai Wushang had said was somewhat frightening and difficult.

He must be teaching her to prepare for the future; with the Shen family's young master involved in the Eightfold Treasure Scroll, the forces in the martial world were bound to be in turmoil.

She not only didn't want to be a burden, but she also wanted to be able to help. She wondered if Ye Bao was as talented as she was; if only he were here! That kid was sometimes much smarter than her; at least they could study this sword manual together.

Suddenly, it seemed like Ye Bao…

At this moment, Ye Bao, along with Qinglong and Huofeng, had arrived in the territory of Shang Kingdom.

Snow was falling heavily, and the horse was struggling to move. He was curled up in Qinglong's arms, his large hood covered by two holes, his shifty eyes darting around… plotting something…

The Kingdom of Shang is located in the far north of the Divine Continent. Its territory is entirely covered in ice and snow, without a trace of soil.

To the south, bordering the Kingdoms of Xuanyuan and Han, lies a vast expanse of icy plains dotted with numerous snow-covered lakes. The people of Shang live on this plain, their houses built of ice and snow, surviving by hunting sea beasts and fish. Each household keeps several fierce and loyal sled dogs in front of their doors.

To the north stretches an endless expanse of icy forests, where the world's most cold-resistant plants grow wildly. It is a place brimming with countless treasures, frequented by snow beasts. Unless one is a hunter or a fearless Black Path fighter, no one from the Kingdom dares to approach it easily.

The people of Shang wear strange clothing: a thick fox-fur robe covered by a wide, black robe from head to toe. What distinguishes the Shang people from the Black Path fighters is that the Shang people do not cover their faces, while the Black Path fighters cover their entire faces, revealing only their eyes.

Just like now, Ye Xiaoshao, nestled lazily in Qinglong's arms, his small body completely huddled in his black robe, only two holes left to reveal his mischievous, narrow eyes.

A cold wind howled, sweeping up a blanket of snow. Even Qinglong's handsome eyebrows, covered by his hood, were stained with white, not to mention Huofeng, who was leading the way; even her horse was practically a snowman and a snow horse.

Where they should have walked, Ye Xiaoshao refused to dismount.

"Qinglong, the snowstorm ahead is too heavy; the horse can't go any further. We have to dismount!" Huofeng, leading the way, turned her head with difficulty, her long hair whipping wildly in the cold wind, and shouted loudly.

"Try again! If a person can walk, a horse can too!" Qinglong shouted back, his breath steaming in the air.

"It just won't work!" Huofeng roared in anger, dismounting but refusing to move. She even let go of the reins, allowing the horse to run back, then pulled her hood back up, hands on her hips, blocking the way.

Qinglong frowned. Children and women were both difficult to please. Helplessly, he said, "Young Master Ye, let's dismount and walk. I'll carry you, how about that?"

"No," Ye Bao replied lazily. Under his wide black robe, he crossed his arms, his sharp eyes hidden beneath the robe, staring at Huo Feng.

"Ye Bao, let me tell you, Qinglong's indulgence is harming you. Once you're in Nanzhao and join the Hundred Poisons Sect, no one will protect you!" Huo Feng said angrily, walking towards him step by step.

"Who wants to go to Nanzhao with you?" Ye Bao retorted lazily. Along the way, no matter what he tried to escape, he couldn't get away. Huo Feng was easily provoked, but Qinglong behind him had a very good temper. There was only one thing that was non-negotiable: letting him go.

"Get this straight, it's not you going with us now, it's us forcing you back!" Huo Feng said angrily, turning to Qinglong, "If you continue to protect this child, don't blame me for being impolite!"

"How will I be impolite?" Ye Bao retorted first, having already become Qinglong's spokesperson.

"Alright, alright, the storm is coming! We're too far from the village, we must get to the dock as soon as possible!" Qinglong said urgently.

"You're welcome..." Huofeng's angry voice trailed off, and she suddenly leaped into the air, flying towards him.

Qinglong frowned, completely unprepared and calm, while Ye Bao in his arms was even more meditative than him, simply turning his specially designed rotating hood so that his eyes were facing the back of his head, out of sight, out of mind.

Seeing this, Huofeng was so angry she almost vomited blood, and kicked him hard, "Qinglong, get out of the way! Today I'm going to teach this arrogant brat a lesson!"

Qinglong wouldn't let go, and in the nick of time, he tightly hugged Ye Bao and quickly took to the air, dodging Huofeng's invisible kick.

"I'll let you ride a horse!" Huofeng kicked the horse hard, startling it so much that it turned tail and ran away.

Within the wide black robe, Ye Bao lowered his head, seeing everything clearly below. He let Qinglong hold him tightly, holding a dart in one hand and gripping the tail of the hibernating Bu Qing with the other. His eyes narrowed, and the dart slashed fiercely towards Bu Qing's ear. Bu Qing, in its deep hibernation, showed no reaction, and bright red blood immediately seeped into the dart.

"The opportunity has come! I'll let you act recklessly!" He narrowed his eyes, grinning wickedly, and the poisoned dart suddenly shot down, heading straight for the charging Fire Phoenix!

"Ha!" Fire Phoenix cried out, but it was too late. She rolled over and landed quickly, immediately kneeling on one knee. She deftly pulled the poisoned dart from her right shoulder, and upon seeing the bluish-black color, she was shocked!

Anyone from the Poison Sect would immediately recognize it as Bu Qing's poison! And it was even fresh blood!

"You brought Bu Qing!" Fire Phoenix roared. Her poisoned hand was completely powerless; pain and numbness were spreading throughout her body, forcing her to circulate her qi to suppress the poison.

"Bu Qing?" Qinglong exclaimed in shock, his hands instantly loosening their grip!

"Thud..." Poor Ye Xiaoshao, still grinning smugly, suddenly tumbled headfirst into the snow!

Qinglong quickly landed, but dared not touch him.

Bu Qing, Bu Qing was quite infamous within the Hundred Poisons Sect, one of the Ten Great Forbidden Poisons. If an ordinary person contracted it, it wouldn't cause any major problems, but for those knowledgeable in poisons, with just a slight combination, it could become various incurable deadly poisons!

On one side, Huofeng pulled out countless medicines, testing poisons and preparing antidotes herself, completely unable to care for Ye Bao. On the other side, Qinglong hesitated, not daring to step forward.

Ye Xiaoshao's smugness was short-lived; his head was now stuck in the snow, his little hands desperately trying to pull himself out, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't.

The long time passed quickly as the snowstorm intensified.

Finally, Huofeng cured him; it was pure Bu Qing poison, fortunately, she had specifically studied it.

Fire Phoenix gritted her teeth, turning to confront Night Treasure, but saw Azure Dragon, who always doted on Night Treasure, still staring blankly at the little boy struggling.

"Hey, pull him up! He'll suffocate!" Fire Phoenix quickly said. Azure

Dragon then snapped out of his daze, rushed forward, and after a moment of caution, grabbed Night Treasure's small legs and yanked him up.

Night Treasure fell to the ground, his face and head covered in snow, his innocent little face blankly staring.

"Night Treasure... Young Master Night..." Azure Dragon tentatively waved in front of him.

Ye Bao snapped back to reality, his first instinct being to look at Huo Feng. Huo Feng pressed a hand to her injured shoulder, frowning as she looked at him.

"Ye Bao, child!" Qinglong exclaimed, startled, and quickly nudged him.

He remained dazed, staring intently at Huo Feng. Huo Feng, surprised, asked, "You brat, have you gone mad from the fall?"

Ye Bao continued speaking, seemingly genuinely stunned.

"You brat!" Huo Feng cried out anxiously, waving her hand in front of him.

Just then, Ye Bao burst into tears, his face bruised and battered, sobbing uncontrollably.

Why did every time he had a mischievous idea, it end like this?

This was the eleventh time he'd fallen in the snow, and why was Huo Feng's hand still unharmed and unpoisoned?