The Great Qin Dynasty: The egg of the Black Bird was revered as a national guardian beast.

child time.

The night was deep and the moonlight was like a ribbon.

The bright moonlight shone down on the palace tiles and gradually disappeared into the majestic and imposing Xianyang Palace.

In the stillness of the night, Jiang Lu couldn't fall asleep no matter what he did.

Perhaps it was the excessive heat of the weather, but Jiang Lu felt an inescapable sense of unease that kept him tossing and turning, unable to sleep.

Since I couldn't sleep anyway, I got up with a sigh.

Perhaps because the bedchamber was too quiet, the sound of him getting up alerted the guards outside the door.

They came in: "Young master, is there something you need?"

"Nothing's wrong." Jiang Lu had nothing wrong with him; he just couldn't sleep and wanted to wander around.

He looked up at them.

Jiang Lü was silent for a moment, then smiled and said, "Change your clothes, I need to go find Ziying."

"Yes."

The guards didn't ask Jiang Lü what he wanted to see Zi Ying for; they were already used to it.

After all, their young master often did this, frequently spending time with Young Master Ying, and they had a very close friendship.

Jiang Lü didn't have to wait long.

Soon, someone brought out a dark-colored outer robe for Jiang Lü and helped him put it on.

After getting dressed, Jiang Lu waved his hand.

"Alright, you may all leave. I'll go myself; you don't need to follow me."

"This, young master." The guard hesitated for a moment, then raised his head.

After all, as a guard, one's duty is to protect the young master's safety closely. Isn't this dereliction of duty?

"It's alright," Jiang Lu said calmly with a smile.

Soon, he walked out of the bedchamber, looked up at the bright moon, and headed towards the bedchamber where Ziying was.

He did not sleep, nor did Ziying.

Soon, he arrived at Ziying's palace, where guards stood watch. Upon seeing Jiang Lü arrive, they bowed and paid their respects.

"Young master."

"Hmm." Jiang Lü nodded and asked, "It's late, has Ziying gone to bed?"

"This..." The guard was speechless for a moment.

But they shook their heads: "Young master, we do not know either."

"I see." Jiang Lü nodded and went inside.

Soon, he arrived at a sleeping quarters where the bronze lamps were still lit.

He chuckled, stepped forward, and called out, "Ying! Ziying! Ziying, are you asleep?"

Ziying: ... (annoyed... silent)

Receiving no response, Jiang Lü walked to the window in front of the sleeping quarters, opened it a crack, and called inside.

"Ziying! Ziying, stop pretending! I know you're not asleep. Get up, get up! I'll take you to find the Mountain Spirit!"

Ziying: "..."

Jiang Lü shouted at the window for a long time,

Squeak.

With a soft sound, the door to the sleeping quarters was opened, and Ziying was seen wearing a thin outer garment, looking at Jianglu.

He touched his nose and gave an embarrassed smile.

"Ziying, I knew you weren't asleep. The night is perfect tonight, let's go find the Mountain Spirit."

Ziying closed his eyes and helplessly raised his head.

He said, "Jiang Lü, you're such a stubborn mule!"

.........

"Stubborn donkey, are there really mountain spirits?"

Holding a bronze lamp in his hand, Ziying looked at Jianglu walking in front of him and asked this question.

Jiang Lu stopped in his tracks: "Of course!"

He turned around, looked at Ziying, and spoke calmly, but with unwavering conviction.

"Also, don't call me a stubborn donkey."

Ziying smiled. To have searched all this time for a rumor that was being circulated in the palace, and you still say you're not a stubborn mule?

But he didn't say much more.

If you're going to look for him, just go with him. We have nothing else to do anyway, right?

Thinking about it, he picked up the bronze lamp and walked forward.

Jiang Lü snorted, then hurriedly caught up with him, looking at Ziying as he walked and said.

"Don't disbelieve me, there really are mountain spirits in this palace."

"Otherwise, why would I have worked day and night without ever slacking off? If I didn't have it, I would have given up looking long ago."

Ziying laughed out loud: "Yes, yes, yes."

"You don't believe me?" Jianglu asked, looking at Ziying carrying the lantern, after hearing Ziying's tone.

"Hehe, I believe you."

Upon hearing this tone, Jiang Lü immediately became anxious, took a step forward, and closed the distance between the two.

Then he grabbed Ziying's arm and said.

"Ziying, I have never said these words to anyone else. I am telling you today, but you must not tell anyone else."

Across from him, Ziying raised an eyebrow.

"What?"

Jiang Lü first looked up and looked around.

Seeing that no one was around, he leaned close to Ziying's ear, thought for a moment, and then whispered.

"I'll tell you, I saw that mountain spirit with my own eyes."

"That day when I returned to the palace, I heard a hoarse voice. When I went over to look, I saw a dark figure."

"But before I could get a good look, it flew away in an instant."

"Is that so?" Ziying said, glancing at Jianglu. He felt that Jianglu's words were completely unbelievable.

If it were true, how could they have seen it so many times without ever seeing a single hair?

"It's true," Jiang Lu said with a straight face.

It's infuriating! He even told him this, but Ziying, that stubborn mule, just won't believe it!

"Okay, alright." Ziying smiled gently.

What he cared about was never any mountain spirit; whether it actually existed was none of his concern.

Looking at Jiang Lu, he said this.

"Alright, I believe you. Jianglu, one day we will find this mountain spirit."

"Okay," Jiang Lu said with a smile.

But the next moment, a mischievous, hoarse voice came from above their heads.

"I heard you were looking for me?"

The two were taken aback for a moment, but Ziying immediately reacted, pulled Jianglu behind him, and then raised the bronze lamp.

Huhu.

A gust of wind, seemingly from nowhere, swept by.

The bronze lamps in their hands were immediately blown out, and the place suddenly became pitch black.

Ziying's eyes narrowed slightly.

Turning his head, he felt Jiang Lu's body tense up. He grabbed Jiang Lu's sleeve tightly and clenched it.

He whispered, "Don't be afraid."

He nodded at first, but then shook his head after realizing what he meant, and said, "I'm not afraid."

He then said, "I wasn't lying to you, there really are mountain spirits."

Ziying remained silent, letting out a barely perceptible sigh. "What kind of time is this to still be concerned about this?"

"Weren't you looking for me?" a hoarse voice came. "I'm here, what are you afraid of?"

Ziying raised his head and asked, "Who are you?"

After he finished speaking, he pricked up his ears and listened intently, trying to find out where it was through the sound.

"Aren't you looking for me? If so, how could you not know who I am?"

A deep, hoarse, and sharp voice.

The sound, seemingly forced out of the throat, echoed above the high walls of the covered walkway.

"I am the one you've been looking for..."

"Mountain spirit."

The night was as dark as ink, obscuring all around.

But now, Ziying and Jianglu both looked up and saw only a pair of cold eyes shining in the darkness.