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

Dense forests and thickets.

After walking for an unknown amount of time, Yin Huaixi's cheeks were covered in bloody scratches from sharp tree branches.

"This illusion is somewhat similar to the art of Qimen Dunjia. I calculate that breaking the formation will take time. Miss Yin, did you bring any items to ward off the Gu poison?"

Zhao Huining was exhausted when she arrived here. Her hair was soaked with cold sweat. She pursed her lips tightly but did not tell Yin Huaixi about the alarming news.

She knew that people's hearts must not be disturbed, otherwise it would cause endless trouble.

"I brought it."

She quickly took the package off her shoulder, squatted down, opened the package with her fingers, and took out an exquisitely crafted sachet.

"These are all things I took from the village. They were made for me by that person... and their effects should be outstanding."

The words "that person" were mentioned.

Yin Huaixi paused slightly, but quickly composed herself.

Carefully discerning the mountain path before her, Zhao Huining dared not wander off. She turned her head and smiled slightly, saying softly, "It seems that this Miao holy maiden, who is rumored to be a female demon, is truly sincere towards you, daring to give you such a good thing."

"Isn't she afraid you'll run away?"

Zhao Huining asked this to inquire whether Yin Huaixi had been infected with a love potion by the Miao holy maiden.

She had heard of the "love potion" from Miao territory in the palace. It was said that if a Miao woman fell in love with someone, she only needed to plant the well-cultivated love potion into the body of her beloved, and her beloved would "have the same heart as hers".

May you love each other until old age.

Yin Huaixi isn't stupid.

She understood what Zhao Huining meant by asking her that question, and tossed the sachet over. Yin Huaixi watched as Zhao Huining caught it, and she raised an eyebrow.

"Don't worry, sir."

"She didn't put a love spell on me, otherwise, I wouldn't have followed the adults here."

"It has long been left in the Miao village."

Clutching the indigo sachet in her hand, Zhao Huining looked down at the butterfly embroidery and nodded slightly.

"Perhaps she doesn't want you to die."

That's all.

Zhao Huining raised her hand and lifted a lush green shrub, sniffing it lightly to sense the mountain air.

"What...does that mean?"

As a reader familiar with the original novel, Yin Huaixi knew that the love potion would have side effects, but she didn't understand why Zhao Huining would say such a thing.

As he trudged through the muddy mountain path, Zhao Huining lowered his voice and replied to Yin Huaixi.

"I think you should know that once the love potion is planted, the more the host resists, the more the love potion will drain the essence and blood from the body, thus shortening lifespan."

"She's been delaying the application of the love potion, enduring the gossip of everyone in the Miao village—isn't it because her heart is with you?"

The reason Zhao Huining brought it up was that she wanted to test Yin Huaixi's true feelings for Sang Che.

If she had already switched sides to Sang Che, or if she had been afflicted with the love potion without anyone knowing, even herself, she was unaware of it.

This is going to be difficult.

The temporary alliance was not stable, if it weren't for the fact that Yin Huaixi bore some resemblance to her old friend.

Zhao Huining wouldn't take Yin Huaixi away from Fengming Mountain, lest she needlessly cause her trouble.

After much deliberation, Zhao Huining realized that if she were Sang Che, she would have planted the love potion in Yin Huaixi long ago to avoid causing trouble.

Hearing Zhao Huining's words, Yin Huaixi chuckled helplessly. She raised her eyes and stared at Zhao Huining's thin back, asking in return, "Since you come from a noble family, you should understand how wealthy families treat the pet cats they keep at home."

"I like it very much and want the raccoon I have in my hands to live a long life. I asked the servants to find food that will make the raccoon's fur shiny."

"She couldn't bear to plant the love potion in me; she just hoped I could live a few more days and stay with her a little longer."

"If I insist on escaping and she catches me, do you know what our fate will be, sir?"

Eloquent and quick-witted.

With just one sentence, he described the two of them as grasshoppers tied to the same rope, and Zhao Huining shook his head helplessly.

You're right.

"I've decided to take you with me."

"There is no turning back."

...

The mountain paths are not suitable for riding tall horses.

Yin Qingyue, Tian Jian, and a small team behind them could only travel on foot. They wore soft armor, which was much lighter than heavy armor and made it easier to travel.

Such fine weaponry was a privilege reserved only for the emperor's personal guards.

"Sir, we haven't encountered any poisonous insects or snakes in these mountains on our journey. Could this be a trap?"

The mist spread through the forest, and Tian Jian instructed everyone to wear veils to protect themselves from the poisonous miasma in the mountains and prevent them from being inhaled and killed.

"No."

"Gu worms are precious. If these Miao people hadn't noticed us sneaking in, they wouldn't have released the gu worms."

The village was not large, and even if they gave it their all, they wouldn't have many Miao soldiers. Tian Jian focused all his vigilance on the rumored "descendants of Chi You".

If we can eliminate the descendants of Chi You who are skilled at manipulating Gu worms and using Gu techniques, then this village will be within our grasp.

Yin Qingyue frowned slightly upon hearing this. She used the scabbard to push aside the drooping branches, and her boots stopped.

"grown ups."

Hearing that she had something to report, Tian Jian turned around. A thin layer of water droplets had accumulated on the brim of his black hat, and his eyes were like those of a snow-capped eagle.

"The absence of snakes, insects, rats, ants, and Miao people's Gu poison here suggests another possibility."

"There's a giant Gu here."

Upon hearing Yin Qingyue's words, everyone's expressions turned extremely ugly.

Tian Jian hurriedly received his orders at the imperial court and rushed all the way to Lingshui City. In order to complete the mission, he had indeed worked hard to study the Gu techniques of Miao territory in the past few days.

The obscure and difficult-to-understand Chinese translation gave him a headache, so naturally he couldn't understand it as well as Yin Qingyue, who studied it carefully.

His eyes turned icy cold as he walked towards Yin Qingyue.

"Tell me, what exactly is this great Gu poison?"

...

A large sheepskin umbrella blocked the fog in the forest, and Sang Che lay on a bamboo chair, looking languid.

"Holy Maiden, the imperial army, well-equipped and heavily armed, is almost here. They carry powerful protective items against Gu poison, and Ahei can't get close to them!"

Setting down the vessel he was playing with, Sang Che smiled faintly, unhurried.

Just as she thought, these Han people dared to attack Fengming Mountain so openly, they must not be unprepared like last time. This time, she could not confront them head-on.

Otherwise, it will implicate other innocent villagers in Fengming Mountain.

"It's alright, I'll have Ahei go with them too."

"You continue searching for Huaixi's whereabouts. Don't worry about this; I know what I'm doing."

Upon hearing Sang Che's order, the man sighed and couldn't help but chime in, "Holy Maiden, if you really don't want that person to leave, why bother giving her the medicine packet to ward off evil spirits?"

"With the antidote formula personally prepared by you, Holy Maiden, even if all of us Gu worms were to use our methods, we probably wouldn't be able to find any trace of her."

Listening to this person's rambling, Sang Che reached out to interrupt him.

The voice was completely flat: "Noisy."

"Go find it, then go find it."

"Phoenix Cry Mountain isn't very big. You've lived here since you were little. If you can't even handle this small matter, what use are you to me?"

As soon as Sang Che's reprimanding voice fell, the man obediently shut his mouth and dared not say another word.

He turned and disappeared swiftly into the dense forest. Yin Huaixi's ears twitched slightly as she listened to the receding footsteps of the man.

With his slender fingers pressed against his cheek, Sang Che was now surrounded not by blue butterflies, but by fiery red butterflies.

"Good children, I know you can do it, go on."

"Go and bring her back."

With a flick of her fingertips, red butterflies intertwined and fluttered, brushing against Sang Che's indigo-blue dress.

They left Sang Che and flew to a distant place.

Listening to the sound of butterflies fluttering their wings, Sang Che narrowed his eyes and smiled.