Feng Jiu’er had been taken away by someone. Where exactly she had been taken, no one knew.

They had searched the entire hillside, only to find the footprints of the person who had walked into the depths of the forest. Searching further in, there was no trace whatsoever.

That person’s lightness skill was extraordinarily formidable — even special forces wilderness tracking soldiers would likely be unable to track their footprints.

Who exactly had taken Feng Jiu’er away, and had they taken her alive — or had they taken away… a corpse?

Yu Jingfeng had searched the hillside for nearly an entire hour. Had Mo Bai not reminded him that the Prince would be waking up very soon, Yu Jingfeng might not have even thought to head back.

Yet the Prince was truly about to wake. If they did not return now, the Prince would grow suspicious.

“A Gu worm boring into one’s heart — throughout all of history, no one has ever survived it. You… should not cling to hope. Perhaps it was only… the Butterfly Madame’s people who were worried, and took her… corpse away.”

Mo Bai did not wish to discourage him, but this was the only outcome he could think of.

Yu Jingfeng felt a sharp stab of pain through his heart, yet what could be done about it now?

The Prince was about to wake at any moment. If they did not return, he would truly grow suspicious.

The Prince’s body had not yet fully recovered, and at a time like this, they absolutely could not invite any further complications.

No matter how great the pain in Yu Jingfeng’s heart, he could only force himself to collect his emotions and return first.

What he had not expected, however, was that the two of them would encounter Emperor Ji and Long Eleven hurrying back, just outside the valley of Butterfly Gorge.

“Feng Jiu’er has been taken away by someone. We searched all along the way and found absolutely no trace of her. I suspect she has been brought back into Butterfly Gorge.”

When Emperor Ji saw Yu Jingfeng and Mo Bai, he nearly leapt out of his wheelchair in agitation. “Take me quickly to find the Butterfly Madame! I want to ask her where exactly she has taken Feng Jiu’er!”

Mo Bai and Yu Jingfeng exchanged a glance, a wave of bitterness rising in their hearts.

“Why are the two of you standing there in a daze? Feng Jiu’er has come to this place — she is likely in great danger. Won’t you take me there?”

Seeing neither of them make any move, Emperor Ji furrowed his half-white brows and said angrily, “Utterly bewildering! Eleven, push me in at once!”

“Yes!” Long Eleven pushed his wheelchair and was about to head into the mountain valley.

The area ahead of them was the resting place outside the gorge for guests; only after passing through that area would they reach Butterfly Gorge itself. This time, Emperor Ji intended to force his way in directly!

Yu Jingfeng stepped forward in a single stride, blocking his path, and said in a low voice, “Sir, this subordinate… entreats you of one matter.”

…When the Ninth Prince woke, it was exactly one hour — no one needed to remind him; he woke on his own.

Upon hearing that he intended to depart, the Butterfly Madame rushed out hurriedly from within, abandoning all ceremony and her high chair, and it was plain to see she was deeply anxious.

“A’Jiu, I hear your Gu Poison has not been fully expelled yet. In such a condition, how can you set out immediately?”

Yu Jingfeng and Mo Bai forced their way in at the same moment, and for reasons unknown, they were especially guarded against the Butterfly Madame.

Zhan Qingcheng said indifferently, “Phoenix City is under threat of siege. This Prince must go to defend it.”

“But A’Jiu, you have not yet recovered. Your body is still frail — how could it withstand the toil of a long journey?”

She looked at Mo Bai, her expression darkening. “Is this how you look after A’Jiu?”

Mo Bai said nothing. For this woman, he could not even bring himself to spare an extra word.

Although it was because of the Butterfly Madame that the Ninth Prince’s life had been saved, they could, in truth, have sought other means.

Since they had known that Feng Jiu’er’s blood could suppress the Gu Poison, why not give themselves a little more time to find the safest and most effective method?

Now that Feng Jiu’er was gone, how were they to explain this to the Prince?

The Prince did not yet know the truth. When he finally learned of it, who could say how the winds of the world would change!

It had not occurred to her that Mo Bai would not give her even the slightest acknowledgment. The Butterfly Madame suddenly felt a wave of indignation rising in her chest. Having lived as many years as she had, she had never been shown such disrespect.

Even A’Jiu, at the very least, knew to call her “Aunt.” Yet Mo Bai’s attitude was truly insufferable.

However, her mind was entirely consumed now by A’Jiu’s imminent departure, and she had no attention to spare for anyone else.

She looked at Zhan Qingcheng and said, “A’Jiu, stay and rest for two more days. If you are worried about the safety of Phoenix City’s people, then in two days, Auntie will accompany you to Phoenix City to assist in its defense. How does that sound?”

“There is no need.” Zhan Qingcheng’s face was expressionless as he took the robe Mo Bai handed to him and draped it casually over his shoulders.

He glanced at the Butterfly Madame and said lightly, “This Prince will remember the great kindness of Auntie’s remedy and Gu cure. It will surely be repaid in time. Farewell.”

“A’Jiu!” The Butterfly Madame watched him walk out the door, wanting to stop him — yet she knew she could not.

Though A’Jiu’s body was still very frail at this moment, to truly keep him here would require a battle that left both sides injured. But what would be the point of that?

“A’Jiu, if you truly insist on going, Auntie will accompany you.”

Walking ahead of her, Zhan Qingcheng suddenly stopped. He turned to fix his gaze on her, his expression cold as frost.

“The military encampment is a place of gravity — how could Auntie presume to cause a scene there!”

Having said this, he turned and strode forward without looking back again.

He had said… that she was causing a scene!

The Butterfly Madame felt a jolt to her heart. Had she not seen his cold, unyielding back leap nimbly onto his horse and leave without the slightest hesitation, she might have wondered if she had heard him wrong just now.

She had only wished to help him defend the city, yet in A’Jiu’s eyes, it was apparently nothing more than causing a scene…

Hu Shuang, walking beside the Butterfly Madame, offered quiet comfort. “Madame, military life is filled with toil and hardship. His Highness simply does not wish for Madame to suffer.”

The Butterfly Madame said nothing more. She only fixed her gaze on that upright and slender figure — growing ever more radiant with each passing year — as he moved away in the wind, and she pressed her thin lips tightly together.

“Your Highness, the Sir has sent word.” Yu Jingfeng strode quickly to Zhan Qingcheng’s warhorse and presented with both hands the note that had been retrieved from the carrier pigeon.

Though there was still no great stirring in the depths of Zhan Qingcheng’s eyes, the swiftness with which he snatched up the note revealed the truth — the Prince was genuinely very concerned, and very… anxious.

The note said that something had occurred at home, and that Emperor Ji had taken his people back to the Imperial City first, where he would await the Prince’s triumphant return.

The “home” Emperor Ji referred to was naturally the Tianzun Sect. Though he did not much involve himself in the Sect’s affairs these days, in the Sect Master’s absence, matters still had to be handled by the former Sect Master.

It was unclear what was happening within the Sect, but he was now the Ninth Prince, and since he bore that title, he had to take responsibility for his people.

That girl had been brought back to the Imperial City… that was just as well. He did not wish for her to witness the bloodshed of the battlefield.

When he returned in triumph, he would see his girl again…

He crushed the note in his palm, and in an instant it turned to ash. Then, Zhan Qingcheng raised his hand.

Yu Jingfeng immediately called out, “Longqi Army, hear the order — march at once for Phoenix City!”

The brothers who had been separated from them on Jianlang Mountain were all waiting outside the valley now.

No sooner had Yu Jingfeng’s voice fallen than a single rider had already shot forward at full speed.

The Prince had departed! Every heart gave a jolt, and they each leapt onto their mounts, pursuing him at their swiftest pace…