After provoking the holy maiden of Miao territory, she was infected with a love curse.

"Sir, how far is it from here to the capital?"

"You keep saying we're almost there, but I haven't even seen the tail end of the capital!"

Sitting atop a haystack, with her hands resting on the soft straw, Jiawan's legs swayed.

She squinted at the main road ahead, sighing inwardly, "This capital city is really far away!"

We've walked so far and still haven't seen it!

By then, Jiawan had already abandoned those two attention-grabbing puppets and was traveling light.

The weathered old man driving the oxcart turned to look at Jiawan and said slowly, "Young lady, you can't rush things. We're almost there... but this old man and this ox are really no good."

While Jiawan was idly weaving grasshoppers out of straw, she listened to the old man's rambling.

Suddenly hearing a strange sound from the air, Jiawan looked up sharply and gazed into the dense forest on both sides of the road.

The lush pine forest was filled with dense foliage, and through the endless gaps in the dark reeds, it seemed as if countless eyes were staring at her.

anyone?

The thought popped into my head.

Jiawan instinctively took out the bamboo tube hanging from her waist and flicked open the bamboo lid.

The long-dormant insect crawled out, its antennae twitching, awaiting its master's command.

"Good boy, go and take a look."

Jiawan lowered her voice and spoke softly. Without any hesitation, the little insect flapped its wings and flew away.

After an incense stick has burned.

The old man continued talking about his family's trivial matters, and the more he talked, the more heartbroken he became. With snot and tears streaming down his face, he followed Jiawan on the oxcart, complaining about his elderly mother who still needed care and his children and grandchildren who had to deal with the daily necessities of life.

Her heart pounded, and Jia Wan kept rubbing the bamboo tube with her fingers. The oxcart rolled over a pebble, and in the bumpy ride, her connection with the Gu worm was abruptly severed!

"Sir, I'll get off here."

They knew they were being watched.

Jiawan immediately tried to jump off the oxcart.

She was already getting a good deal by hitching a ride with this old man, so how could she cause him to lose his life because of her?

"what?"

"Young lady, this is the middle of nowhere. Without me, this old ox, leading the way, can you manage on your own?"

The oxcart was moving slowly, so Jiawan jumped off. She braced herself on the ox's rump, raised her hand, and slapped it hard.

The old ox was slapped on the backside, which spurred it on, and it charged forward fiercely.

The old man sitting in front had never experienced such a shock before. He could only pull the rope on the oxcart tightly to prevent his old partner from throwing him off. He had no time to care about Jiawan, who was left far behind.

Until the oxcart completely disappeared.

Jia Wan stood with her hands on her hips, still looking fearless, and sneered, "I wonder which villains are lurking behind me like this."

"Release my child, and I'll spare your lives!"

A silent wind swept by.

After waiting for a long time without receiving a reply, Jiawan frowned and walked into the dense forest.

None of the snakes, insects, rats, or ants in the mountains responded to Jiawan's call, and based on this alone, Jiawan could conclude that...

There are definitely people hiding here.

She concealed her whereabouts extremely well along the way, even fearing being discovered, so she no longer used her puppets.

Who would have thought that they would still be targeted?

To have such skill, following her all the way, even within the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, is to deal with the Gu worms she releases.

This group of people could not possibly be there to rob you.

He raised his hand and parted the thatch.

Jiawan's silver ornaments swayed, and a sharp, piercing sound suddenly reached her ears!

With a slight tilt of his body, the flying needle pierced into the pine trunk with a "whoosh".

They remained silent, apparently waiting to ambush him.

Jiawan thought to herself that these people were really despicable. If they had the guts, they should have come out. She had been played for a fool, so she naturally lost her patience.

With a wave of her hand, Jiawan spilled the poison powder she had hidden in the silver ornaments.

A mountain breeze blew through the dense forest, and the poisonous powder immediately scattered. The man in black, who was huddled in the grass, immediately held his breath.

However, this poisonous powder is extremely potent; if it gets into someone's eyes, it will immediately cause unbearable discomfort.

Several people endured the pain, biting their lower lips and refusing to utter a sound, letting the blood in their eyes blur their vision.

Raising her hand to her ear, Jiawan listened to the soft, muffled groans.

He was very pleased with himself.

The little mouse that had been clinging to someone's back was finally caught.

She walked toward the source of the sound, and in that instant of carelessness, another flying needle came hurtling from afar.

This time, Jiawan couldn't dodge in time.

The flying needle embedded itself in her shoulder. Jiawan raised her hand to pull it out, not afraid that the needle might be poisoned.

Her constitution was already immune to all poisons.

With such rudimentary skills, they think they can compete with her in poisoning? These people are far too inexperienced.

However, as soon as her fingers touched the tail of the flying needle, Jiawan's expression changed again, and her previous smugness vanished.

This anesthetic... how could it be so potent!

Ordinary anesthetics are nothing more than a tickle to Jiawan, or at most an ant bite that burns like fire. But now... this tingling and numb sensation is overwhelming.

Jiawan couldn't bear it and collapsed to the ground.

Putting down her weapon, the woman in black didn't dare remove her mask. She raised her hand, signaling her subordinates not to make any rash moves.

Wait for the powder to dissipate.

Then bring this Miao woman to the head of the household.

...

As dusk fell.

After the curfew was imposed, Lingshui City was completely silent.

Inside the grand mansion.

Yin Huaixi was exhausted from her journey and just wanted to take a good bath to wash away the dust. She glanced at Sang Che's luxurious bath and asked to use it without hesitation.

"Ah Che, I'd like to bathe with you. You don't mind, do you?"

The herbal bath made people feel relaxed and warm all over. Yin Huaixi would often bathe with Sang Che under the pretext of taking care of him.

It was truly enjoyable.

Perhaps due to ingesting the Gu worm, Yin Huaixi also began to feel cold, but there was no cold disease raging in her body.

However, Sang Che's illness was too severe, and it would spread and erode her physical senses.

With her arm resting on the edge of the bathtub, Sang Che's eyes were covered by a thin veil, so she couldn't see Yin Huaixi's figure, but she could naturally sense that Yin Huaixi was becoming more and more unscrupulous.

"It's alright."

"This medicine is not irritating. You can soak in it; it's good for your health."

Taking advantage of Sang Che's inability to see, Yin Huaixi lay lazily, laughing, "A-Che, what did you order people to leave for?"

"Could you tell me?"

Knowing that Yin Huaixi would ask this, Sang Che gave a soft "hmm".

He replied, "I sent them out to find Ah Shui's whereabouts."

A single sentence lured Yin Huaixi unconsciously toward Sang Che.

Yin Huaixi hadn't expected Jiawan to leave Fengming Mountain, but since she was able to shake off Sang Che's surveillance, it proved that she was able to reach the capital city on her own.

It's not difficult.

But when they arrived at the imperial city...

Jiawan is a lone tree that cannot support the whole.

She couldn't possibly have just swaggered into the palace; Yin Huaixi would have to rely on Sang Che to find out Jiawan's whereabouts.

If Jiawan were found by the emperor's men, they would have a real handle to threaten Sang Che into risking his life to refine the "Gu King".

At that time, regardless of her true relationship with Sang Che, as long as the emperor knows she is not dead, he will surely eliminate all traces of her and exterminate the entire Yin family...

Yin Huaixi placed her hand on Sang Che's damp skin, pressed her body against Sang Che's, and lowered her head to kiss Sang Che's earlobe.

Continue to entice.

"So... Ah Che, have you found anything?"

Sang Che enjoyed Yin Huaixi's initiative and approach, and obediently took the "bait".

"Found it."

"She stopped in Lingshui City a few days ago, bought some dry food, and buried two people."

Upon hearing this, Yin Huaixi was in a daze.

The next second, Sang Che grabbed her waist through the thin gauze damp with moisture.

Sang Che raised his head, his nose resting against Yin Huaixi's neck, and she gently bit down.

Grind with the tip of your teeth.

Having gotten what she wanted, Huaixi should give her what she wants in return.