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

They splashed and climbed out of the pool.

Yin Huaixi didn't care about anything else; she was so focused on escaping that she ignored the pain in her body.

Staggering forward, barely managing to reach the riverbank, the tear in Yin Huaixi's back made her steps unsteady again. She stepped on the wet pebbles, lost her footing, and fell to the ground.

"Huaixi, you can't outrun me."

"Besides, if you go any further, you'll run into those lackeys of the imperial court. You really...would rather die than stay by my side?"

Her beautiful eyebrows were furrowed.

Sang Che's expression was like that of a virtuous woman who had been violated by a heartless man. She accused Yin Huaixi of wanting to escape, her heart breaking.

Slowly squat down.

With heartache in her eyes, Sang Che cupped Yin Huaixi's soft face once more, and with her other hand, she reached under her clothes and pulled out the small jar that Yin Huaixi knew all too well.

"Huaixi, be good, listen to me and eat the Gu worm."

"Then we can be together forever."

"Forever and ever, no one can separate us..."

"No one can break us up..."

With a gentle flick of the thumb, the lid of the jar was opened, revealing a blood-red worm lying inside. It was plump and clearly well-fed.

"No..."

"Sang Che... I beg you..."

"Don't do this..."

"I don't want to... eat this stuff..."

Yin Huaixi's resistant gaze made Sang Che involuntarily clench the jar, his fingers turning red and white.

Her eyes were filled with sorrow.

"Huaixi, only eating this can save your life!"

"Otherwise... you'll die here today. How could I let you die? Huaixi, I don't care who dies today, but you can't die!"

"You can't die!"

Strands of her long, black braids swayed, still glistening with water droplets. The silver ornaments on Sang Che's body jingled. Yin Huaixi held her head high, her lips tightly pressed together.

Use the last of your strength to resist.

"So what if I'm dead... Sang Che..."

Before she could finish speaking, Yin Huaixi's chin was gripped tightly by Sang Che, and the blood-red worm was right next to her lips in the blink of an eye.

Unable to move her cheeks, Yin Huaixi could only watch helplessly as Sang Che put the Gu worm into her mouth.

The thought of not wanting Sang Che to succeed surged up, and Yin Huaixi bit down hard, the blood-red worm turning into a pool of blood in her mouth.

She chewed fiercely, juice spilling from the corners of her lips, looking rather creepy.

"Sang Che, let me tell you... even if I die here today, I will never let you plant the love potion on me..."

"Blame it on your soft heart... you haven't planted the curse on me yet..."

More and more sarcastic remarks flooded Sang Che's ears, and Yin Huaixi smiled, already prepared to die.

"The remaining members of the thieves are still around!"

"Gentlemen, exterminate all remaining followers!"

On the opposite bank of the stream, the neatly dressed guards picked up their crossbows and aimed them at Sang Che and Yin Huaixi.

Before Yin Huaixi could react, the familiar sound of arrows piercing the air came.

"Huaixi, be careful..."

Holding her tightly in her arms, Sang Che's face was full of worry. She knew that if Yin Huaixi's body were to be pierced by another arrow, even she might not be able to save her life.

Unexpectedly, with his life hanging by a thread, Sang Che was actually willing to put himself in danger to save her.

"Sang Che... what's wrong with you...?"

Before he could finish speaking, Yin Huaixi heard a very clear sound of flesh tearing open; Sang Che had taken two arrows.

If it weren't for the distance of the raging stream, Sang Che would probably be dead by now!

Warm blood soaked her indigo dress. Yin Huaixi touched the viscous liquid flowing from her fingertips, and her breath hitched.

"Sang Che... Sang Che..."

The person on her body gradually lost strength, and Yin Huaixi didn't know what was wrong with her. The panic and fear in her heart gradually increased, almost threatening to devour her.

Following the sound of the wind, the familiar Miao language drifted into my ears once again.

"Don't worry... I expected this."

Despite being in so much pain that he could barely open his eyes, Sang Che still had the leisure to comfort the bewildered Yin Huaixi.

"As long as you're alright, Huaixi... it's all worth it..."

The butterflies fluttering around Sang Che seemed to sense their master's waning life. They folded their wings and landed listlessly on Sang Che's bleeding back.

"Saintess!"

"Hurry and rescue the saintess!"

The Miao people, with their bows drawn and arrows nocked, barely managed to suppress the arrows fired by the Imperial Guards. Across the rippling stream, the leader of the Imperial Guards could see that they were almost out of arrows.

However, the number of Miao people on the other side of the river has increased rather than decreased, which is clearly a sign that reinforcements have arrived. If we do not retreat now, then... we may not be able to escape!

"The situation has changed!"

"On my command, retreat!"

...

His eyes were tightly closed.

Yin Huaixi remained unconscious for several days.

When she opened her eyes again, she was covered in white bandages. Hua He was still sitting by the coffee table, flipping through an old medical book.

"Awake again?"

The word "again" in Hua He's name was quite meaningful. Yin Huaixi frowned and was about to move when a wave of soreness swept over her.

"Don't move. Even if you could get out of bed like this, where could you go?"

When Hua He was covering for Yin Huaixi, she had already imagined what would happen if Yin Huaixi failed to escape and was caught.

But she never expected that Yin Huaixi was not injured by Sang Che, but was riddled with bullets by the imperial guards.

"Is A-Che... alright?"

"Is she alright?"

Without thinking, Yin Huaixi looked at Hua He expectantly, eager to know the answer.

Her voice was extremely hoarse and weak, and her face was pale, as if she had just walked through the gates of hell.

"you…"

Hua He hesitated in her answer. Shouldn't Yin Huaixi hate Sang Che to the core at this moment?

But she didn't hide anything and told the truth: "Her condition is not optimistic..."

"The arrow almost pierced through her back. Ah Shui and the people the High Priest brought are guarding her. I'll take care of you here."

As Hua He recounted Sang Che's injuries, Yin Huaixi felt a pang of pain in her heart.

Yin Huaixi lowered her eyes, her expression forlorn.

"After you fainted, A-Che was still awake. She was furious about what the court had done to you... so she forcibly used the bloodline of Chi You to make the Gu worms fight the enemy until blood flowed like a river."

"With both qi and blood deficient and her heart meridian damaged, it's a miracle that she survived."

Hua He wasn't saying all this to plead for Sang Che in front of Yin Huaixi; she just felt that Yin Huaixi had the right to know everything.

"Then...when can I go see her? I want to...see how badly she's injured."

His concern was evident in his words.

Yin Huaixi's fingers unconsciously gripped the soft bedding. Sang Che's life was hanging in the balance because he was trying to save her, and she couldn't just be heartless and not ask a single question.

Moreover, it's still unknown whether the court has taken its anger out on her second sister, Yin Huaixi. She needs to rely on Sang Che's people to find out the information.

"You care so much about A-Che, don't you hate her anymore?"

Hua He poured Yin Huaixi a glass of warm water and brought it over.

Her body instinctively took it, and Yin Huaixi put it to her lips. She originally wanted to drink it slowly, but for some reason she wanted to swallow it all in one gulp.

Her lips glistened with moisture as she handed the empty teacup to Hua He, her eyes misty with tears, and asked in a hoarse voice, "Could...you pour me another cup?"

I'm a little thirsty.

Hua He was taken aback when she received the teacup.

Yin Huaixi's condition is very strange!

This is like...like being...cursed with a curse!