Transforming into a stunningly beautiful fox spirit, leaving a scar on the heart of a prodigy.

The autumn wind swirled withered leaves along the official road.

The black horse galloped with all four hooves, raising a cloud of dust.

Gu Xiang held the reins in one hand and the long sword at his waist in the other, his gaze fixed straight ahead. His face was taut, his lips pressed into a straight line—the same expression he wore when killing people in the imperial court.

The dragon-patterned jade pendant at his waist struck the scabbard repeatedly with the swaying of the horse's back, producing a crisp sound.

Su Qing's wisp of soul resided in the jade pendant, and it felt a little dizzy from the swaying.

She tried to send a telepathic message: "Gu Xiang, slow down."

Gu Xiang didn't slow down, but simply replied with one word: "Urgent."

Su Qing pursed her lips.

That fool, when it comes to serious matters, he turns into that cold, aloof prime minister.

Gu Xiang, who warmed her feet under the sycamore tree, drew her eyebrows, and never retaliated when she bullied him, seemed to be hidden in the deepest part of his heart.

Now, he is the blade of the Great Zhou.

Su Qing stopped speaking and simply watched the scenery on both sides of the road rush past through the jade pendant.

The further you go, the fewer people there are.

This place is outside the territory of Qingniu Town; to the west lies Luanshipo.

The terrain of Luanshipo is complex, with jagged rocks and wild animals often appearing. Even hunters dare not venture deep into it on ordinary days.

According to Li Yuxin, Li Qingge disappeared 30 miles outside Qingniu Town.

Calculating the distance, it's near this rocky slope.

As the sun gradually set in the west, it cast long shadows of the two people.

Gu Xiang suddenly pulled on the reins.

The black horse let out a long neigh, raised its front hooves high, treaded a few steps in place, and then stopped.

Su Qing asked through the jade pendant, "Have we arrived?"

Gu Xiang didn't say anything.

He dismounted swiftly.

This is an open meadow, with several huge blue stones scattered around. The grass is very tall, above knee-high, and rustles in the wind.

Gu Xiang stood in the middle of the grass, looking around.

There were no signs of a struggle.

There was no blood.

There weren't even any messy hoofprints.

It's too clean.

It was unusually clean.

Gu Xiang stepped into the bushes, his boots making a slight cracking sound as they stepped on the grass.

He walked very slowly, each step as if measuring.

Su Qing was getting impatient: "Gu Xiang, what did you find? Is there any remnant of an array?"

Gu Xiang remained silent.

He walked to an inconspicuous mound and stopped.

There is a flower growing there.

The flower stem is slender and purplish-black, with a palm-sized flower at the top. The petals are layered and are a dazzling red, as if the flower has just drunk its fill of blood.

Among the withered autumn grass, this flower seemed out of place.

Gu Xiang bent down and stretched out his hand.

His fingertips touched the flower stem, paused slightly, and then snapped it open with force.

"Click."

The flower stem broke off, and a few drops of milky white sap flowed out.

Gu Xiang held the flower in her hand and stood up straight.

"come out."

Gu Xiang spoke to the air.

Su Qing thought he was calling for the ambushing enemy and was about to warn him when she saw Gu Xiang lightly tap the jade pendant at his waist.

"I'm calling you," Gu Xiang added.

Su Qing was taken aback.

A beam of red light emerged from the jade pendant and condensed in front of Gu Xiang.

Although it was a spirit, it appeared somewhat illusory in the sunlight, like smoke that could be blown away by the wind at any moment.

Su Qing floated in mid-air, looking down at the flowers in Gu Xiang's hand, and then looking around.

"What's wrong?" Su Qing asked. "Is this flower a clue? Is it a mark left by those robbers? Or does it have Li Qingge's scent on it?"

She fired off a barrage of questions, her expression somewhat anxious.

Although Li Qingge is a loud and boisterous girl, she's genuinely good to her.

She wouldn't be able to live with herself if something really happened.

Gu Xiang looked at her, and the coldness in his eyes softened somewhat.

He didn't answer Su Qing's question, but simply stepped forward and raised his hand.

Su Qing instinctively tried to dodge, but saw Gu Xiang gently place the bright red flower into her hair.

That was a hair bun manifested from a soul.

Logically speaking, physical objects cannot touch the soul; they will pass directly through it.

But the flower was placed firmly and proudly on her head.

Gu Xiang took a step back and scrutinized her.

Red flowers, red dress, stunning beauty.

"So beautiful."

Gu Xiang said softly.

Su Qing froze in mid-air.

The wind blows, and the grass ripples.

Su Qing's mind went blank, as if something had exploded.

What time is it?

Li Qingge's fate remains unknown!

Princess Da Zhou has gone missing!

This idiot called her out just to put a flower on her head and then compliment her on how pretty she is?

A nameless anger suddenly surged up.

"Gu Xiang!"

Su Qing's eyebrows shot up, and she lunged forward menacingly.

"Are you out of your mind! That girl is about to die, and you still have the mind to indulge in romance? What kind of prime minister are you? Have you gone mad from studying too much these past few years?"

As she cursed, she swung her fist and punched Gu Xiang in the chest.

She didn't use any spiritual power; it was just an unconscious outburst.

Based on past experience, her fist would pass through Gu Xiang's body and hit the air.

"Bang."

A muffled thud.

Su Qing's fist slammed solidly into Gu Xiang's chest.

It feels hard and warm to the touch.

That was the feel of flesh and blood.

Su Qing was stunned.

She remained in the fist-pumping position, staring blankly at her hand, then at Gu Xiang.

"Eeya?"

Su Qing let out a cute, strange cry.

She tried to pull her hand back, then stretched out a finger and poked Gu Xiang's face.

Soft.

It is elastic.

Gu Xiang didn't dodge, letting her poke him.

"You actually managed to run into him?" Su Qing's eyes widened in disbelief.

She pinched Gu Xiang's ear again.

Hot.

"What happened?" Su Qing asked. "I'm alive? No, my original body is still trapped under the sycamore tree."

Gu Xiang grabbed the hand that was messing with his face.

Palms pressed together, fingers interlocked.

That long-lost, real touch made both of their heartbeats skip a beat.

"It's this flower."

Gu Xiang pointed to the red flower on her head.

"This is the Soul-Gathering Flower," Gu Xiang explained. "Ancient texts record that this flower grows in extremely yin places and can gather souls and solidify spirits, allowing the soul to temporarily possess a physical form."

Su Qing suddenly realized.

She touched the flower on her head; it was icy to the touch, yet it carried a strange power that continuously flowed into her soul, making her feel more solid than ever before.

"At least you have some conscience," Su Qing snorted, pulling her hand back. "You even know to find me some tonics."

Although she said that, she couldn't hide the smile in her eyes.

It's so good to have met him.

Even if it's only temporary.

"However..." Su Qing changed the subject, "In this desolate wilderness, where would you find such an extremely yin place? The yang energy here is quite abundant."

Gu Xiang turned around, her gaze falling on the mound where she had just picked the flowers.

His eyes sharpened again.

"This is the clue."

Gu Xiang walked up to the mound and stomped his boots heavily.

"Where the Soul-Gathering Flower grows, there must be earth spirits dwelling underground."

Gu Xiang's voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable air of authority.

"Earth spirits love to consume yin energy, and their excrement can nourish the Soul-Gathering Flower."

Su Qing floated to his side, glancing at the flower with disdain: "So what I'm wearing on my head is...?"

"It's a rare and precious treasure," Gu Xiang interrupted her thoughts.

He drew his long sword from his waist, the tip pointing at the mound.

The righteous energy flowed along the sword, emitting a buzzing sword sound.

"I know you're down there."

Gu Xiang said coldly.

"come out."

"Otherwise, I will turn over all the soil within a ten-mile radius and dry you out in the sun."

The mound remained still.

The wind is still blowing.

Su Qing, arms crossed, watched the spectacle unfold: "It's ignoring you. Is it because your official authority as prime minister isn't strong enough?"

Gu Xiang ignored her teasing.

With a flick of his wrist, the longsword plunged violently into the ground.

"puff."

The sword was mostly submerged.

A surge of white, righteous energy flowed down the sword and into the ground.

The ground shook violently the next moment.

The unremarkable mound of earth suddenly exploded, sending dirt flying everywhere.

A grayish shadow darted out from underground, emitting a sharp cry as it ran.

"Don't kill me! Don't kill me! I didn't see anything!"

The thing was only half a person's height, looked like a large radish, with a few sparse green hairs on its head, and its facial features were squeezed together, making it look both comical and ugly.

It is the Earth Spirit.

Gu Xiang flashed and blocked its path.

A long sword was held against the earth spirit's neck.

"Shut up."

Gu Xiang gave a low shout.

Tu Ling fell silent instantly, her two beady eyes staring at Gu Xiang in terror, her whole body trembling like a leaf.

It could sense the terrifying aura emanating from the man before it.

That was the malevolent energy accumulated from killing countless living beings, mixed with the righteous energy of extreme strength and masculinity, making it the nemesis of such monsters.

"Sir...sir, please spare my life..."

The earth spirit stammered, begging for mercy, "I...I was just sleeping here, I...I didn't do anything bad..."

Gu Xiang sheathed his sword and looked down at it from his high vantage point.

"I ask, you answer."

"If you tell even one lie, I'll chop you up and feed you to the dogs."

Tu Ling nodded frantically, "Ask away! Ask away! I'll answer everything I know!"

Su Qing floated over, curiously examining the ugly thing.

"Can this thing really know Li Qingge's whereabouts?" Su Qing expressed her doubt.

Gu Xiang glanced at her and reached out to straighten the flowers in her hair.

"Although earth spirits are timid, they are connected to the earth's veins, and no sound or movement within a hundred miles can escape their ears."

Gu Xiang turned to look at Tu Ling, her eyes cold.

What happened here five days ago?

"Remembering Qin'e: Searching for Footprints on the Rocky Slope"

The autumn wind is fierce, and the grass and trees on the barren plain wither and fall.

The rain falls softly, the sound of horses' hooves shatters the silence, a moment of heartbreak.

The Soul-Gathering Flower blooms as red as ever, and the soul of the beauty seems to linger there.

It vaguely seems to be pointing a sword at the yellow earth; who knows what it means?