When Mo Bai arrived, Feng Jiu’er had already fallen unconscious.

Her face was completely drained of color, and even in her faint, her brows remained tightly knitted together in agony.

Her slender body still trembled faintly, her entire being unable to settle into full stillness.

Even in unconsciousness, she suffered so terribly!

“Examine her quickly!” Zhan Qingcheng placed Feng Jiu’er on the bed, the large hand gripping her small one still holding firm.

“Your Highness, may I ask you to first withdraw your true energy? Your true energy is of no benefit to her current condition.” Mo Bai said urgently.

Zhan Qingcheng hesitated briefly, then finally withdrew his inner force, released Feng Jiu’er’s hand, and yielded his place to Mo Bai.

He stepped back one pace, yet his gaze remained locked tightly upon Feng Jiu’er’s face.

Why had she been perfectly fine just moments ago, only to be struck by such shattering headache so suddenly that she fainted from the pain?

“Your Highness, it is the Gu Poison in Miss Jiu’er’s head.” Mo Bai administered acupuncture to Feng Jiu’er, allowing her to gradually calm.

Once she grew calm, Feng Jiu’er’s body finally stilled, her disordered breathing slowly returning to normal, and at last she sank into a deep slumber.

“Just now, Miss Jiu’er, I fear it was because of her and Your Highness…”

Mo Bai glanced back at Zhan Qingcheng. The latter was dressed in sleeping robes, the collar left open, his firm and slender frame not entirely exposed, yet its contours unmistakably defined.

With that appearance, just now with Feng Jiu’er… Mo Bai dared not dwell on it further. Such thoughts would be disrespectful to His Highness.

He averted his gaze, redirecting his attention to Feng Jiu’er, and said in a low voice: “Your Highness, this subordinate has cautioned you before — until this subordinate has found a solution, please exercise restraint. And yet, Your Highness…”

Yu Jingfeng gave a light cough, cutting off his continued grievance.

Mo Bai did not know, but Yu Jingfeng understood perfectly well in his heart — His Highness had already exercised more than enough restraint. Otherwise, did he think Miss Jiu’er could have gone on so freely and comfortably until now?

It was precisely to prevent himself, when drawing too near, from doing things even he himself could not control, that His Highness had deliberately kept his distance from Miss Jiu’er during this period.

Others did not know, but having remained constantly at His Highness’s side, how could he not?

And now Mo Bai was still asking His Highness to exercise restraint — was he not digging out His Highness’s very heart?

Though tonight, it appeared that things had been somewhat… beyond restraint…

Zhan Qingcheng’s expression remained impassive. Whatever they said seemed to have no effect on his emotions.

The only thing that could affect him was anything related to Feng Jiu’er.

“How is she to be treated?” That was what Zhan Qingcheng cared about most.

Since Jiu’er had returned until now, quite a number of days had passed, yet Mo Bai had not a word of news!

Mo Bai knew his medical skill had fallen out of His Highness’s favor, but inadequate mastery was not something he could control.

“In response to Your Highness, during these days this subordinate has been studying various Gu Poisons. Miss Jiu’er was originally constituted to be immune to all poisons — even if some poison had caused damage to her body, given enough time, the toxins within her should have been gradually neutralized on their own.”

Such a constitution sounded utterly fantastical. Likely even Feng Jiu’er herself believed she was like the Ninth Imperial Uncle — having been fed various poisons from childhood until she had built up resistance to them all.

But Feng Jiu’er was in fact different from the Ninth Imperial Uncle. The blood within Feng Jiu’er inherently carried detoxifying properties, though she herself had not yet grasped this.

Naturally, something so fantastical would be very difficult for most people to accept.

“Your Highness, since Miss Jiu’er’s body is impervious to poison, and yet this poison has already resided within Miss Jiu’er for some time — in that case, the matter itself is a contradiction.”

“This Prince wants to hear the conclusion.” Zhan Qingcheng’s voice was cold.

Mo Bai drew a deep breath, then exhaled slowly, and said in a hushed tone: “This subordinate suspects that what afflicts Miss Jiu’er is not poison, but rather — the Merciless Gu.”

Another Gu!

Zhan Qingcheng’s large hand clenched tight, his expression darkening to something terrifying.

Yu Jingfeng’s heart shook as well, and he quickly asked: “If it truly is a Gu, why could you not detect it the last time?”

“The Merciless Gu has no form and no color — it is exceedingly difficult to perceive. Most importantly, this is a singular Merciless Gu. It does not act upon just anyone.”

Mo Bai was uncertain whether his explanation was comprehensible to them, but the notion that there existed in this world such a reclusive master was truly frightening.

“The one who planted the Gu combined it with hypnotic technique, causing the Merciless Gu to lie dormant within Miss Jiu’er’s body. On ordinary days, she would appear to have no problem whatsoever, and it would produce no effect on others — except for the one person sealed away by the hypnotic technique at the time the poison was planted.”

“Are you saying that person is our Master?” Yu Jingfeng’s breath faltered, and he immediately felt a surge of fierce hatred toward that person.

“What manner of person could be so cruel to His Highness!”

No — this was not cruelty toward His Highness alone, but cruelty equally toward Miss Jiu’er and His Highness both!

Zhan Qingcheng’s fist was clenched so tightly it crackled, yet that face, frozen for ten thousand years, still betrayed little emotion.

But those who knew him well understood clearly — His Highness’s fury at this moment had nearly reached its peak.

If the one who planted the Gu were standing before him right now, he would surely tear that person apart with his own hands!

With his own hands. Tear them apart. Alive. Bloody. Shredded apart!

Mo Bai knew that what he was about to say would only enrage His Highness further, yet it was the truth.

“As it stands now, the one sealed away at the time of hypnosis is, without doubt, Your Highness yourself.”

And so Feng Jiu’er had forgotten everything between herself and the Ninth Imperial Uncle. When memories surfaced on occasion, her head would split with pain, even to the point of unconsciousness.

That much alone would have been bearable — if she simply did not think of it. But most critically, Feng Jiu’er feared she would henceforth be unable to develop feelings for her Ninth Imperial Uncle.

The moment feelings stirred, the Gu worm would be roused, bringing on the same fierce headache.

And should her feelings deepen beyond all control, the final outcome would be pain so extreme that… it would kill her.

Mo Bai had no wish to anger His Highness, but the full weight of this matter still had to be laid out before him with complete clarity.

His Highness made no response, but Yu Jingfeng was so furious he wanted to kill someone: “Unforgivable! Who could be so ruthless? Could it be… Mu Mu?”

Feng Jiu’er had been brought back by Mu Mu, and what Mu Mu had done to her during that period was beyond anyone’s ability to verify.

“But Your Highness,” Mo Bai reminded carefully, “whoever it was, that person at least saved Miss Jiu’er’s life.”

When Feng Jiu’er had been sent out of Butterfly Valley, she had appeared to have no chance of survival. Mo Bai, with his many years of medical experience, had not believed any miracle could restore Feng Jiu’er to life — he had long since concluded she would die.

And yet, a miracle had truly appeared. She had returned alive, whole and unharmed before everyone’s eyes.

Except for one thing — a Merciless Gu planted in her mind.

The one who had returned alongside Feng Jiu’er was Mu Mu. Could this matter truly be connected to Mu Mu?

“Mu Mu only said he encountered Miss Jiu’er along the road, and Miss Jiu’er gave the same account.”

Yu Jingfeng looked at Zhan Qingcheng and said in a low voice: “During these days, this subordinate has had people watching Mu Mu. However, he appears no different from an ordinary student, and this subordinate has not yet been able to uncover anything.”