Feng Jiu’er felt an immediate surge of grievance.

She was not a child, was she? To forbid her from wandering off — it was hardly any different from watching over a small child.

She had merely lost her martial arts. It wasn’t as though she had gone back to being a baby.

Every single one of them, honestly…

“Very bored?” Tuoba Keyan looked at her with a smile.

“Do you have something fun in mind?” A flicker of delight crossed Feng Jiu’er’s eyes — truthfully, she really was terribly bored.

It had been so many days now, and every single day was spent traveling. Either sitting in the carriage or riding on horseback, and even during rest stops, all she could do was sit down and catch her breath.

Once she had eaten and drunk and rested for a brief moment, they were off again immediately.

Bored? Yes, genuinely and truly bored.

“Look at you — you’re exactly like a child right now.” Xuegu couldn’t hold back a quiet smile.

“Don’t talk nonsense.”

“I’d say so too.” Tuoba Keyan laughed as well.

Feng Jiu’er shot them both a look. She was simply born with a bit of a restless spirit — but she was absolutely not a child.

With her level of intellect, what child could compare to her?

Hmph, hmph, hmph — why should she even compare herself to a child? That would be lowering herself entirely.

“Jiuqing is right there not far behind you. Go find him for some conversation.”

Tuoba Keyan gestured toward the rear. This girl used to love seeking out Jiuqing for a chat — why had she been ignoring him these past few days?

Xuegu instinctively glanced back. Jiuqing’s face remained eternally, unchangingly cold.

Expressionless, he walked not far behind Feng Jiu’er, silent, presence suppressed, the sense of his existence truly minimal.

For a person to carry an aura as powerful as the vast ocean, yet also make others barely feel his presence at all — such perfect control over one’s bearing was achievable only by those who had reached the absolute pinnacle of martial mastery.

Several days had now passed since his identity had been revealed, and Xuegu had originally assumed that things between them all would be very difficult.

Yet to her surprise, they had gotten along without any trouble.

Jiu’er looked back, and her gaze landed precisely on the look that Jiuqing had sent in her direction.

Her heart felt as though it had been struck by a bolt of lightning in a single instant. She was so startled that her hand jerked, nearly dropping the reins entirely.

“What happened? Did he bully you?” Tuoba Keyan’s brow creased. Why was Jiu’er so frightened of Jiuqing?

Could it be that Jiuqing, with his superior martial strength, had truly done something to harm Jiu’er?

The two of them had spent time alone together outside before, and whatever had happened between them, no one knew.

Jiu’er had always loved seeking Jiuqing out for conversation before — but these past few days, wasn’t it all a bit too strange?

“How could he? He would never do something like that!” She might not want to talk to him, but she absolutely could not allow anyone to tarnish Jiuqing’s name.

Tuoba Keyan saw how serious her expression was — there was even a hint of indignation on Jiuqing’s behalf — and the corners of his mouth curved slightly. He let out a quiet breath of relief.

“Then it’s you who’s been acting as though you were bullied by him. Can’t blame others for thinking too much.”

“I… how have I been acting like that?”

“If that’s not the case, then why not go over and talk with him?” It had been several days since they had spoken, hadn’t it?

Anyone with eyes could see that in the beginning, Feng Jiu’er had been glued to Jiuqing’s side constantly.

Jiu’er shot him a glare. Tuoba Keyan’s voice was so loud — how could Jiuqing possibly not hear that?

If she didn’t go over now, it would look as though she truly had some grievance against Jiuqing.

Even if she really did have a grievance against Jiuqing, he would not care in the least.

A man of his standing was not the sort to concern himself with such trivial matters.

But the thought of him mistakenly believing she had something against him — Jiu’er felt uncomfortable about that too.

She simply didn’t want to be too close to him. She had never intended to make him feel wronged.

At last, she pulled on the reins and slowed her horse’s pace, gradually bringing herself to ride alongside Jiuqing.

Jiuqing said nothing. He had clearly heard the exchange between Tuoba Keyan and her just now — but he did not so much as look at her.

“Hey, I truly have nothing against you. Don’t get the wrong idea.” Jiu’er was still a little uneasy.

Best to make that clear.

She simply did not want to be close to him — she had never wished to make him feel uncomfortable.

“Mm.” Jiuqing gave a noncommittal sound in reply. His manner was exactly as it had always been — expression, voice, attitude, all entirely unchanged.

Yet after that brief reply of his, Feng Jiu’er found herself with nothing further to say.

He clearly didn’t care at all — so what else was there for her to add?

And yet, having returned to his side only to say nothing, the atmosphere turned peculiar.

Just as she was trying to think of how to get a conversation going without seeming forced, all of a sudden her wrist pulled tight.

“Jiuqing…”

The words hadn’t even left her mouth before she was pulled up off Zhuiyue’s back in a single movement, swept over to his side.

Mu Mu’s voice rang out low and steady from behind: “Ambush ahead — prepare for battle.”

His voice was not loud, but it carried the depth of his inner force, reaching every brother in the group with perfect clarity.

Everyone drew their long swords immediately, eyes sharp on the movements around them.

This was not the site of the ambush — that lay ahead, at the entrance of the mountain ravine.

But this mountain ravine was the only way through. Ambush or not, it could not be avoided.

From behind, two horses surged past at speed — Mu Mu and Jian Yi.

In the blink of an eye, they were at the head of the formation.

Xuegu kept Tuoba Keyan to a position not far behind her, while Qiao Mu ordered Yanu back into the carriage and took up guard beside it herself.

Every person grew alert and cautious.

Feng Jiu’er exhaled slowly. Her heart had been thumping wildly just now — she hadn’t known why Jiuqing had suddenly pulled her over to him.

She had almost thought… thought that he meant to take liberties, and had been on the verge of resisting!

As it turned out, she had been imagining things entirely.

Still, nestled against Jiuqing’s chest, this feeling — it instantly called up a great many memories.

Many memories of being together with Ninth Imperial Uncle.

Jiuqing’s scent was faintly that of a medicine chest, distinguishable from Ninth Imperial Uncle’s own scent. Yet why did his presence always feel so uncannily similar?

At this proximity, she looked up again at his jaw — and even there she could find no flaws.

Unless — as she herself had once done — he wore a full custom skin-mask, and the telltale seam was on his forearm?

She had not forgotten: among those around Ninth Imperial Uncle was a master of disguise. What little she herself knew of disguise had originally been learned from Elder Shi.

But would Elder Shi help Ninth Imperial Uncle assume a disguise and leave Bei Mu?

No — wouldn’t that be placing Ninth Imperial Uncle in danger? If this were the case, Ye Luosha would be the first to jump out in opposition.

Elder Shi applying a disguise to him — with Elder Shi’s extraordinary skill, it would indeed be possible to do so without detection.

But it still didn’t add up.

All at once, Jiuqing pressed her head against his chest. He tugged his outer robe aside, and it swept around her small frame, enveloping her entirely.

Two, three sharp clunks rang out — the unmistakable sound of a long sword batting projectiles out of the air.

In that split second of distraction, the opposing side had begun its attack.

But what occupied her thoughts at that moment was not the battle — it was… if Jiuqing was Ninth Imperial Uncle wearing a disguise, then on his chest and lower abdomen there should be the edge of the skin-mask seam.

Should she or shouldn’t she… undo his clothes and look?