What a stroke of luck—after searching in vain, success comes without effort.
Earlier, she had regretted that when Fei Luo escaped in Xiang Kingdom, she hadn’t had the chance to give her a harsh lesson. She hadn’t expected to encounter her again so soon.
Earlier in the swamp, when she threw out the fire starter and illuminated the giant beast’s two glowing green eyes, she also caught sight of the silhouette of a person on the beast’s back. At the time, she felt it looked somewhat familiar. Later, when she smelled the rich fragrance on Feifei’s body, among all the women she knew, only Fei Luo had such an intense fragrance.
She just found it too coincidental and didn’t dare believe it at first. She silently followed behind Yélu Qi, and indeed it was her.
Jing Hengbo’s lips curved in a cold and alluring smile. She felt no disappointment at Yélu Qi’s concealment, only satisfaction at this narrow encounter with Fei Luo.
Since that day, she was no longer so foolishly devoted to giving her whole heart to others. Whether Yélu Qi was now secretly meeting with Fei Luo or plotting to harm her in secret, she felt indifferent about it all.
After wind and snow come hidden knives and concealed blades—whoever harms her, she’ll stab back.
“Big brother, I knew you would recognize me.” Fei Luo’s smile was eerily haunting.
Yélu Qi’s voice also carried laughter, but it revealed a hint of coldness. “Where’s the antidote?”
In the firelight, he opened his hand. His right hand, which had been hidden by his sleeve, indeed bore several deep cuts. Now those wounds had swollen and turned a dark purple-black color, looking quite horrifying.
Jing Hengbo frowned—Yélu Qi was indeed injured, yet had deliberately concealed it from her.
“Big brother really pours his heart and soul out for that bitch,” Fei Luo didn’t respond to his words but sneered mockingly. “Clearly knowing that the gold-seeking beast’s claws are poisonous, yet for her sake, you didn’t even care about your life.”
“Risking one’s life for others,” Yélu Qi smiled gently in the firelight, “is always better than having others disregard your life.”
Fei Luo’s powdered face turned pale with anger, struck again by Yélu Qi’s words. She then sneered coldly, “I’m afraid that while you risk your life for others, they may not appreciate it. When the crucial moment comes, they’ll disregard your life just the same.”
“That’s fine too.” Yélu Qi said calmly. “If she doesn’t care about my life, that’s still my fate. As they say, you reap what you sow—debts of gratitude and resentment must be repaid. This is my one good quality—I’ve always been straightforward about acknowledging the things I’ve done.”
Fei Luo’s expression changed, then she sighed long and deeply. Her fierce anger vanished, replaced by a face full of grievance and sorrow.
“Big brother, don’t be like this. Don’t subject me to bitter mockery every time we meet, engaging in verbal sparring. In the end, we part in anger, each harboring resentment toward the other.” She said mournfully, “Have you forgotten the bond we once shared… Now that I’ve fallen to this state, can’t you… can’t you show me a little compassion?”
“A sentence I just said about myself can equally be given to you as a gift,” Yélu Qi said almost affectionately. “You reap what you sow.”
Fei Luo’s body trembled. She didn’t seem angry, but lowered her head and covered her face with both hands, her five fingers slowly convulsing as they clawed into her scalp.
The firelight cast her shadow in twisted, broken patterns on the mountain wall, dark and writhing like a ghostly specter.
“Say what you want… go ahead and say it…” she said with near exhaustion. “Since you’re walking together with that bitch, protecting her and hiding things from me, our bond is finished.”
“Did we ever have a bond?” he asked with a smile.
Jing Hengbo stared at the cold stone wall before her, thinking that when men turn ruthless, they’re all the same. This one’s skills were quite formidable too.
“I didn’t expect to be defeated so quickly, so very quickly…” Fei Luo seemed not to hear his words, murmuring to herself. “Gong Yin was too formidable… That night he appeared to yield, but then turned around and tore us apart one by one. The incident in Xiang Kingdom must have had his hand in it—otherwise it wouldn’t have been such a coincidence that just as Yong Xi was about to rise to power, he forced me to leave Imperial Song. Now I can no longer contact any of Imperial Song’s subordinates or allies. My overt and covert contacts in Xiang Kingdom were all uprooted in a single night. Those who weren’t uprooted also betrayed me. After I escaped from the Xiang Palace, I sought refuge with three subordinates in succession. Two of them sold me out, and one tried to kill me outright—fortunately I was alert… I had no choice but to flee Xiang Kingdom alone… and was forced to hide in these deep mountain swamps, temporarily keeping company with these disgusting wild beasts… Yélu Qi, you needn’t laugh so happily. He struck first against you, second against me. The next might be Xuanyuan Jing, or perhaps Cheng Gumo… That night we seemed to have won, but we actually lost… The Jade Dragon照 still belongs to him… I have a premonition… None of those who confronted him in the plaza that day will escape, not a single one…”
She suddenly raised her head. “Big brother! We must cast aside old grievances and stop this internal strife! We must join forces to resist Gong Yin! He will never spare anyone who dares to oppose and defy him! I’ve always felt that even our current wretched state is not his final judgment upon us! He would never merely exile you while still giving you the official position of Eight Tribes Circuit Inspector, letting you travel the world in comfort. Nor would he merely drive me from Xiang Kingdom and Imperial Song, simply stripping me of my position as Female Chancellor… He must have other plans… Big brother! Gong Yin is so ruthless and merciless—if you still cling to old grievances and refuse to unite with me, in the future, my fate will become yours!”
She grew increasingly excited, her passionate voice echoing through the mountain’s belly, making the stone walls hum and resonate.
Jing Hengbo focused intently on the water droplets seeping from the stone wall, flowing cold against her fingertips.
Yes, Fei Luo was right—this was his style.
Patient retreat was merely stepping back to facilitate a more vicious strike.
Silent on the surface, razor-sharp at the core.
She listened carefully, trying not to let her breathing become erratic and be discovered when she heard that name.
Upon first hearing Fei Luo mention him, her heart trembled. Fei Luo’s account confirmed her own suspicions, bringing even more confusion to her mind.
His move against Fei Luo—was it because they had opposed and defied him, violating his inviolable authority, or was it because of something else…
She gently shook her head, setting aside these chaotic thoughts. Now was not the time to think about such things. She should remain calm and focused, and learn well.
Learn all the political maneuvers of this world, borrow from others’ wisdom to forge the sword of her own shrewd heart, and wait for the day when she too could make such an elegant retreat, turn around, draw her blade, and strike!
Yélu Qi’s voice came softly and slowly.
“Fate…” he chuckled lightly. “Mine will certainly be different from yours.”
“Do you think that by protecting Jing Hengbo at this moment, she will be grateful to you, protect you, thank you, and not settle old scores with you in the future?” Fei Luo laughed mockingly. “Yélu Qi, when did you become so naive? Do you understand women? Do you know that if I were Jing Hengbo, given any chance, I would definitely kill you!”
“You are not Jing Hengbo,” Yélu Qi said flatly. “Don’t compare yourself to her. Enough nonsense—the antidote.”
“Want the antidote?” Fei Luo giggled. “Didn’t I say? Form an alliance with me. Don’t deceive me like last time—truly ally with me.”
“How do I show sincerity?”
“Go back and kill Jing Hengbo.”
The cave fell silent, then Yélu Qi’s light laughter rang out. “You’re joking, right?”
“You know I’m not.”
“You just said that Jing Hengbo won’t trust me now. Do you think that with me by her side, I could kill her? Do you take Seven Kill and Tian Qi for pushovers?”
“You’re no pushover either.” Fei Luo curled her lip. “Yélu Qi, stop pretending. Others might not know you, but don’t I? All these years, you’ve been chosen by the Yélu clan to serve as this Left State Preceptor out of atonement, providing various protections for the clan. The clan hasn’t treated you well, and in your heart you’re completely unwilling to be this State Preceptor—you’re just playing along. In your struggle with Gong Yin, you never gave your all. In matters big and small, whenever it came to crucial moments, you would retreat. Haven’t you been using Gong Yin’s power to suppress the Yélu clan, preventing them from gaining too much influence and restraining you?”
“You seem to have grown smarter after losing power,” Yélu Qi neither confirmed nor denied, smiling at her. “Though perhaps, you’ve grown stupider.”
His tone became increasingly gentle, but Jing Hengbo noticed that somehow, he had moved very close to Fei Luo.
Fei Luo seemed to sense this too. She leaned back and sneered, “Big brother, are you planning to kill me?”
“He wouldn’t dare!” Suddenly an angry shout rang out from deep within the mountain’s belly.
Yélu Qi looked up. In the firelight, his profile showed no surprise, his lips still curved in a smile, though the smile gradually grew cold.
Footsteps clattered, sounding chaotic in the spacious mountain cavity. Seven or eight people emerged from the darkness. Jing Hengbo frowned—she hadn’t expected so many people hiding in the shadows. She quietly made a gesture, and Feifei silently leaped across the cave ceiling.
“Yélu Qi!” The first to emerge was an elderly man in brocade robes, thin and dry but speaking with great vigor. “I’ve been listening for quite some time! You’re becoming increasingly muddled! Instead of staying in Imperial Song to protect and rescue our clan members, you’ve run off to escort that banished witch! Where does this leave the clan? Kneel!”
“Yélu Qi, kneel before the Grand Scholar immediately!” The others shouted angrily in unison.
Fei Luo gracefully rose, brushed off her clothes, gave the Grand Scholar an elegant bow, and stood behind him with a subtle, satisfied smile on her lips.
Yélu Qi didn’t move.
In the firelight, his profile was like carved stone, his eyes deep and dark.
“The Grand Scholar is so imposing that I was frightened and my knees nearly buckled—I almost knelt,” he smiled lightly. “But then I remembered that clan members cannot be subjected to punishment hall trials without cause. To prevent the Grand Scholar from breaking the law, I’ll skip this kneeling.”
“Yélu Qi!” The old man grew even more furious, his beard seeming ready to fly horizontal with rage. “How dare you say you’re innocent? Your failure to maintain your position as Left State Preceptor is a crime! Your failure to remain in Imperial Song to rescue the Yélu clan members in the capital is a crime! Your refusal of Female Chancellor Fei Luo’s alliance proposal is a crime! Your possession of half the Imperial Map silk scroll without surrendering it is a crime! Your refusal to kill that bitch Jing Hengbo is a crime!”
“Regarding the Left State Preceptor position, you initially only said I needed to maintain it for five years, and now the five years are complete—what crime have I committed?” Yélu Qi said coldly. “When the Yélu clan members in the capital were accused of crimes, I was also imprisoned. When I left the capital, I was penniless, and the city gates were closed—how could I rescue anyone? Fei Luo is no longer Female Chancellor, and allying with a defeated dog would only be a burden—why should I ally with a dog? I don’t have the Imperial Map silk scroll, and even if I did, such a prophecy book that brings disaster to the country is beneath the Yélu clan’s notice—I advise you to give up that hope. As for killing Jing Hengbo…” He smiled slowly, “What bribes did you take from Fei Luo to listen to her instigation and give such orders? What benefit would killing Jing Hengbo bring to the Yélu clan?”
“Yélu Qi! How dare you speak to me like this!” The old man turned purple with rage. “Such audacity!”
Yélu Qi’s expression showed complete weariness, and he didn’t even bother to respond.
“I have lived a life of integrity and will not tolerate your slander!” the old man raged. “Allying with the Female Chancellor is the clan’s will! The clan leader’s will! Though the Female Chancellor is temporarily out of favor, she maintains close ties with the Huangjin Tribe. The Female Chancellor now has an excellent plan to gain the Huangjin Tribe’s support, along with considerable manpower and resources. At this crucial time, I will not allow you to disrespect the Female Chancellor, much less disobey her wishes!”
“Oh? What plan? Let me hear it. Perhaps I’ll change my mind.” Yélu Qi smiled with apparent interest.
“Listen while kneeling!” the old man’s anger remained unabated.
Yélu Qi considered for a moment, then knelt down on the jagged, cold ground. Looking up with a smile, he said, “As you command.”
Jing Hengbo’s heart jolted—she never expected he would actually kneel.
Looking at the smug expressions of those around, it seemed such incidents were not uncommon.
The old man’s anger dissipated as he stroked his beard with satisfaction, saying leisurely, “Though you finally show sincerity, it seems too late.”
Everyone laughed.
“Tell this black-hearted boy? What if he turns around and sells us out?”
“He really believed it, haha! We never planned to tell you anyway, silly boy!”
The smile on Yélu Qi’s face gradually froze, and an eerie cold light flickered across his jade-like features.
“Angry?” The old man glanced at him disdainfully and lectured, “What right do you have to be angry with me? I haven’t even gotten angry at you yet! First explain clearly to me why you didn’t give your all against Gong Yin, why you didn’t deploy Yan Kill during that night’s incident, why you absolutely refuse to kill Jing Hengbo and even publicly protect her. Are you using this opportunity to exile yourself from Imperial Song and break with the clan?”
“The Grand Scholar needn’t ask,” someone nearby said sarcastically. “The facts are obvious—he wants to break away from the clan and start his own faction. Unfortunately, his judgment is poor. He chose a queen, and a fallen, exiled queen at that. Who knows if our Young Master Yélu’s allegiance to the Blackwater Queen means he plans to establish a new kingdom on the Blackwater swamp? What would this new kingdom be called? Blackwater Kingdom? Oh, the first State Preceptor of Blackwater Kingdom does sound rather imposing. But that Blackwater marsh is full of nothing but poisonous beasts and villains. Would the black dragon serve as chancellor and bandits and thieves as governors? Hahaha…”
Everyone laughed loudly, their voices scattering and colliding against the cave walls, filling the cave with echoes of “Blackwater, Blackwater, Blackwater.” The vibrations shook water droplets from the cave walls, which pattered down on everyone’s heads.
Yélu Qi remained silent, bracing one hand on the ground to rise. Jing Hengbo noticed that his poisoned hand was once again covered by his sleeve.
“Don’t get up!” the old man shouted coldly. “Kneel there and reflect!”
Yélu Qi ignored him and continued to rise.
A cold gleam flashed in the old man’s eyes as he suddenly threw something over, saying, “Stubborn traitor! You dare to rise? Look at this!”
Yélu Qi looked down and his entire body went rigid.
Jing Hengbo clearly saw veins suddenly bulge on the back of his hands!
After a moment of rigidity came trembling, growing more violent until Jing Hengbo thought she could hear his teeth chattering slightly from rage.
Her heart tightened with an inexplicable sense of foreboding, and she felt confused—Yélu Qi was patient and deep, able to bend and yield. He had just knelt down and endured such humiliation and mockery with a smile. Though she had seen him compromise and fail many times during their acquaintance, she had indeed never seen him lose composure or become dejected. He was truly someone with inner strength.
What kind of devastating blow could cause him such pain?
“The clan has no place for traitors! We have our own methods of punishment!” the old man barked sharply. “For every wrong step you take, we cut off one of Yélu Xun Ru’s fingers like a tree branch! If you dare to rise now, I’ll order the second one cut!”
Yélu Qi’s body trembled as he crashed back to his knees with a loud thud. His knees struck the ground with countless scattered stones, and one could imagine that this kneel had certainly broken his knees.
But he seemed to feel nothing, supporting himself with both hands on the ground, looking down at the object before him. His supporting hands were actually trembling.
Jing Hengbo strained her eyes and could only see a white shadow—was this… a finger?
Xun Ru?
This name sounded familiar. She thought carefully—hadn’t Yélu Qi mentioned it before?
“Ten thousand regrets that Xun Ru, my elder sister, suffered misfortune because of you…”
It was his elder sister?
“Do you submit or not? Will you obey or not?” the old man roared in interrogation. “The clan’s orders—do you dare say you won’t obey again?”
Yélu Qi raised his head.
In just this instant, his forehead was already damp with sweat, his black hair sticking to his jade-white cheeks, the color contrast startling to behold.
“You… to Xun Ru…” his voice was no longer as leisurely as before, each word cold as frost.
“What do you want to do?” The old man warily stepped back. “Yélu Qi, you may have high martial arts skills and rebellious bones, but I advise you not to be bewitched and do something you’ll regret! We came here today with the clan’s authorization. If you dare attack us, we’ll set off fireworks and Xun Ru will be killed immediately.”
“Even if we can’t set off fireworks,” another person added viciously, “if we don’t return tonight, that bitch Xun Ru will still be killed tomorrow!”
“The clan has many people in the city this time and allows no mistakes. Any irregularity with us and Xun Ru will be killed!”
“Yélu Qi!” the old man bellowed, throwing out a pill. “Swallow this! Then return to Jing Hengbo’s side! Kill her tonight! Otherwise, you’ll never see your blind sister again!”
“Swallow it!”
“Take it immediately!”
The firelight cast looming black shadows on the mountain wall, forming huge, grotesque group figures wielding sharp blades and fierce knives, pressing toward the trembling figure in the center with both hands braced on the ground…
The shouting reverberated, and water from the mountain walls fell even more rapidly.
…
After the shouting came suffocating silence.
Feifei dropped back down from the cave ceiling, her large eyes slowly blinking at Jing Hengbo. Jing Hengbo nodded, then shook her head.
The corners of her lips curved slightly upward as if still smiling, but the arc was slanted and wicked.
After a long moment, Yélu Qi’s voice rang out from the cave, slightly hoarse.
“Fine, I’ll take it.”
The crowd laughed with satisfaction, their shadows dancing restlessly on the cave walls.
Yélu Qi slowly reached out to grab the medicine.
The crowd laughed like jackals.
Jing Hengbo raised an eyebrow.
Yélu Qi’s outstretched hand suddenly reached backward, extending into the winding muddy pool flowing behind him. His five fingers curved like hooks as he violently clawed downward!
With a splash, mud and water sprayed everywhere. A huge black shadow leaped into the air as an enormous object was grabbed by his single hand and swung viciously through the air!
“Bang!” A dull thud, fierce wind howling—the massive object crashed hard into the crowd! The old man bore the brunt of it!
The old man looked up to see the huge black shadow crashing down, muddy water pouring over his head. He retreated in alarm, but those behind him stumbled and moved slowly. He pushed out with both palms to resist, but was already too slow.
The wind roared like a tiger, and darkness descended before his eyes.
The dull震动 of the massive object crashing down seemed to make the entire mountain belly resonate with humming.
The old man’s lower body was pinned, and he spat out a mouthful of fresh blood with a “wah.”
He stared wide-eyed and said in a raspy voice, “How dare you… how dare you… Yélu Qi, you’re insane! After being poisoned, if you rashly circulate your inner energy, your hand…”
Before he could finish speaking, Yélu Qi had already swept over. His silver-black robes flashed in mid-air like a dark night demon flying across the pale sky.
The other few who weren’t struck had no time to help the old man and fled, but their steps were somehow unsteady, staggering like drunkards.
Yélu Qi landed, planted one foot on the old man’s face, turning his angry curses into screams of agony, then resolutely drew his sword and thrust downward!
“Sss!” With one sound, fresh blood spurted, red and white splattering against the cave wall.
Yélu Qi stepped on the old man’s head and leaped up. The face beneath his foot was filled with the terror of death, with a piercing hole through the center of his brow.
“Yélu Qi has gone mad! Run! Get the news out!”
That group was so frightened by the killing intent and divine might of this sword strike that they dared not even draw their swords. They turned and plunged into the darkness. Not far behind was the mountain crevice through which they could exit the mountain. The one running in front reached into his robes for fireworks while running.
Silver-black robes danced wildly, sword light flashing through the red and white liquid, chasing directly after the fleeing figures.
“Swish, swish!” The sword tip pierced three men in succession, fresh blood from their pierced backs forming a long rainbow. It was like a blood bridge spanning the dark mountain belly.
The sword light was so fast that it formed a white rainbow in mid-air, illuminating the entire mountain cavity. White vapor crisscrossed in the darkness, cutting through the blackness like falling snow.
When the flying sword fell, cold energy arose. The hissing sounds were endless, each one harvesting a life. Sword rising, sword falling, blood splattering, blood dripping—all happened in mere moments. The continuous thuds of bodies hitting the ground were like heavy drums beating on the earth. In an instant, corpses lay scattered across the ground, and he walked over them, his robes flying horizontally, his feet unstained by fresh blood.
Behind him, Jing Hengbo raised her face, her gaze intoxicated. The brilliant sword light cast mottled shadows on her face, and her eyes seemed to glint with sharp light.
This was the first time she had seen Yélu Qi display his swordsmanship. She never expected that the romantic and lazy Yélu Qi, who smiled as if perpetually drunk and charming, would possess swordsmanship like wild snow in the deep night—frenzied yet sharp, unrestrained yet controlled. Between restraint and release, his technique was absolutely clean, making one feel that not an ounce of strength was wasted. His graceful posture was like writing a bloody poem.
Jing Hengbo thought of how he drew his sword in rage, writing poetry with killing intent. Though he lived his life with composed ease and disliked desperate confrontations, he was willing to rise up in murderous fury for two women, plunging himself into a hopeless situation.
Her heart warmed slightly, then turned cold as she pressed her hand to her chest.
“Help—” The last man ran toward the mountain crevice, already seeing the cold moonlight seeping through the gap. Just one more step and he could step into the open space of life. The firework in his hand had already had its fuse pulled—just one more step and brilliant light would shoot straight to the sky, writing itself in the eyes of those waiting for news in the distance.
“Crack.”
The sound was brief, but the claiming of life was prolonged.
The man’s throat made gurgling sounds. His foot stepped outside the cave, but his body half-turned back, struggling to look at that man who had always been patient but suddenly transformed into a demon in an instant.
Yélu Qi stood atop a field of corpses, fresh blood still dripping from his sword tip, cold meaning not yet dispersed from his lips, tinted with the bloody color of death.
“You…” That man struggled to raise his hand, pointing at Yélu Qi, and a strange smile actually appeared at the corner of his lips.
Jing Hengbo’s gaze jumped.
Only now did she notice that Yélu Qi’s right sleeve was torn, exposing his arm. The purple-black on his arm had turned into a black line, pressing straight toward his elbow.
After being poisoned, he had rashly circulated his inner energy—the poison had surged upward!
That man seemed extremely pleased, cackling with laughter. Taking advantage of Yélu Qi looking down at his own arm, he suddenly threw the firework in his hand outward.
“Hiss!” Sword energy shrieked wildly, instantly shredding his body. Yélu Qi’s figure passed through his body with a long slash of his sword.
The hissing, smoking firework fell.
As the firework hit the ground, Yélu Qi turned back and saw that Fei Luo’s figure had already disappeared. Knowing she must have fled during the chaos, seeing the sword about to fall, he unhesitatingly switched his sword to his other hand and slashed down at his own right arm!
“Smack!” A piece of rubble struck fiercely, knocking his sword aside.
At the same time, a graceful figure flashed past Yélu Qi, laughing as she said, “What’s the rush to chop off your hand? There’s still one more person!”
Yélu Qi suddenly looked up.
Jing Hengbo’s figure had already flashed to the other end of the mountain cavity, into the darkness. What looked like just a mountain wall now had urgent panting sounds coming from it. After a moment, a human figure slowly backed out from that mass of darkness, the back of their clothes completely soaked with sweat.
It was Fei Luo.
Facing her was Feifei.
The little monster swayed its tail, step by step forcing Fei Luo backward, its large purple eyes staring into Fei Luo’s eyes, slowly blinking.
Fei Luo’s spine was rigid, her steps stumbling, her face full of confused and tense expression—she seemed to sense someone standing behind her but couldn’t break free from Feifei’s control. Under extreme fear and unease, even her body was slightly convulsing.
Jing Hengbo stood behind her, smiling as she opened her arms.
It looked as if Fei Luo was about to throw herself into her embrace.
In the dark mountain belly, with urgent breathing, lifelong enemies were step by step delivering their vital back to her.
The atmosphere was eerie, but Jing Hengbo’s expression was very satisfied.
She waved her hand, and Feifei did a somersault and moved away.
Released from the restriction, Fei Luo’s whole body relaxed. She couldn’t help but let out a long breath, her legs went weak and she took another step back, then felt herself bump into an embrace.
She was startled, then thinking it was Yélu Qi, quickly put on the gentlest, sweetest smile and gracefully began to turn around.
However, halfway through turning, she froze.
The body behind her, like hers, had curves and softness, elasticity—even more curved than hers, with shocking contours.
And a hand, a cold hand, had already gently yet resolutely touched her face.
Jing Hengbo’s voice rang out laughingly beside her ear, “Hey, good evening, Lady Chancellor.”
…
Fei Luo felt as if all the blood in her body had turned cold.
This voice was so familiar—lazy and husky, uniquely charming. Before, hearing it was merely annoying, but now hearing it brought terror.
“Jing… Jing…” She wanted to speak, wanted to curse angrily, but when the words reached her lips they became broken, trembling sounds.
She didn’t know why, but previously she had never feared Jing Hengbo, had even looked down on her somewhat. However, that night in the wind and snow, witnessing her escape from the palace yet dare to return to the imperial plaza, witnessing her plunge a knife into Gong Yin’s chest, witnessing her drive away her rescuer when in desperate straits, suddenly made her heart turn cold. She had to re-evaluate this woman because of the resolute coldness she displayed at crucial moments.
She had seen Jing Hengbo’s previous romantic naivety and willfulness, so she was particularly shocked by her calmness and killing intent that night.
Examining her conscience, if it had been her in that situation, she might not have been able to do the same.
So she especially wanted to kill Jing Hengbo, not hesitating to ally with others for this purpose, because she always felt that as long as Jing Hengbo didn’t die, she would be her deepest nightmare in the future.
Now, this nightmare stood behind her, pressed tightly against her, and was still laughing.
The more she laughed, the more terrifying it felt.
“Lady Chancellor has such great abilities,” Jing Hengbo said leisurely. “Unable to be chancellor anymore, exiled to another country, yet still able to persuade the Yélu clan to engage in some grand plan. This scheming ability is truly impressive. By the way, may I ask what exactly this grand plan is?”
While laughing, her fingers explored Fei Luo’s face, murmuring to herself, “Ah, facing backward is so inconvenient. Where are the eyes?”
She kept a bit of fingernail, cold and hard, poking around Fei Luo’s face without any consideration. Fei Luo had no doubt that if she became displeased, her fingers would ruthlessly poke down at her most vulnerable eyes.
She had witnessed Jing Hengbo’s ruthlessness.
“Put down your hand… I’ll tell you, I’ll tell you.” She immediately said.
Jing Hengbo chuckled softly, her finger falling, but deliberately falling slowly, slowly sliding down along Fei Luo’s throat. Fei Luo felt goosebumps all over her body standing up tensely, couldn’t help swallowing, afraid that if Jing Hengbo got interested, she might poke a hole in her throat too.
“You’re eager to talk, but I’m suddenly not eager to listen,” Jing Hengbo said melodiously. “Give me the antidote first.”
Yélu Qi, who was walking over, paused slightly, his gaze shifting in the darkness.
He hadn’t expected that Jing Hengbo’s first concern would be getting the antidote for him.
“There’s no antidote…” Fei Luo, afraid that Jing Hengbo would get angry, quickly added, “This is poison from the gold-seeking beast’s claws. I haven’t developed an antidote yet, but there is a way to treat this poison—you just need powdered Heavenly Green Moonstone, a special product of the Huangjin Tribe. Though moonstone is rare, the royal palace should have some in its collection, and several forbidden grounds of the Huangjin Tribe also have some…”
“Royal palace, forbidden grounds,” Jing Hengbo chuckled. “What wonderfully safe and reliable places. Why don’t you just say the moon or Mars?”
Fei Luo didn’t understand her words but could hear her suspicion and killing intent. She quickly pulled a pill from her bosom and said, “Though this doesn’t completely treat the condition, it can suppress the toxicity, preventing the poison from taking effect for three days. The Huangjin Tribe chief is cruel and domineering. Except for a few forbidden grounds he doesn’t dare enter, almost all the good things in the tribe are concentrated in his palace. You can ask Yélu Qi about this—he can vouch for me…”
Jing Hengbo looked at Yélu Qi, who nodded.
“Come, try eating a bit.” Jing Hengbo had Fei Luo eat a little of that medicine, waited a while, then tossed the pill to Yélu Qi.
“Second matter—your great plan?”
Fei Luo hesitated for a moment. Jing Hengbo immediately knew she was organizing lies. What she would say next would certainly be half-truths.
How could she force out the truth?
A movement suddenly flashed through her mind.
In Xiang Kingdom, in that underground pill chamber, that wretched eunuch had once pressed his finger on a certain spot on her head, and then she felt her head become confused and painful, as if about to explode. Though that feeling lasted only an extremely brief moment, she felt completely unable to think at that time. She was certain that if someone had asked her about secrets she was most unwilling to reveal, she would have spilled everything.
That would be the best method for interrogation and torture…
Her fingers moved, relying on memory to feel for that position. Using both fingers with force, she pressed down hard!
“Ah!” Fei Luo immediately let out a sharp scream, desperately shaking her head.
Jing Hengbo’s heart leaped with joy, knowing it had indeed worked.
“Your plan!” she shouted sternly.
“I… I’ve had some dealings with the Huangjin Tribe chief in recent years and inadvertently learned one of his secrets.” Fei Luo indeed answered quickly, as if trying to escape such confusion. “It seems that San Dong and Xuanyuan Jing once had some agreement with the Huangjin Tribe. I don’t know the specific agreement. I only know that the Huangjin Tribe chief was very angry after San Dong’s death, saying he wanted to take back what was lost because of San Dong. From his tone, it seems he wants to rebel again. But the Huangjin Tribe suffered heavy losses in that rebellion years ago. Now, whether in manpower or resources, they’re somewhat insufficient. So the Huangjin Tribe chief set his sights on Ash Gray Valley…”
“Ash Gray Valley?”
“Ash Gray Valley!” Yélu Qi was startled. After taking the medicine, he looked at his arm—though the purple-black hadn’t disappeared, the black line had stopped spreading upward.
“You know it?” Jing Hengbo looked at him.
“One of the three forbidden grounds of the Huangjin Tribe. Legend says it contains ore that can create the most powerful crossbow weapons, and grows many herbs that can counter the world’s strange poisons. But whether it’s the ore or the herbs that’s problematic, Ash Gray Valley is not only filled with swamps, but also perpetually shrouded in a layer of gray mist. Anyone who enters will definitely not survive more than three days. Those who exit within three days also easily develop skin ulcers and die early. So although the products of Ash Gray Valley make everyone’s mouth water, after so many people died over the years, gradually no one dares to go anymore.”
Yélu Qi thought for a moment and added, “Moreover, while officials don’t dare enter, some martial arts masters from the wilderness still keep trying. Three days is limiting for ordinary people—ordinary people might not even cross one swamp in the valley in three days, naturally finding nothing. But for jianghu people with excellent lightness skills, three days is enough to traverse the valley back and forth. So over the years, there have been masters entering, but strangely, more and more masters die there with no return. Now Ash Gray Valley is no longer Ash Gray Valley—it’s truly Death Valley.”
“The wilderness has many mysterious places. Each tribe and kingdom actually has its own forbidden grounds—all proven terrifying over the years through countless deaths…” Fei Luo said. “Ash Gray Valley is just one of them.”
“Since it’s a place of death, how did the Huangjin chief change his mind?”
“Because he vaguely heard some news,” Fei Luo said. “Just recently, someone accidentally entered Ash Gray Valley. This person was a master who eventually escaped, though he ultimately died a few days later. But before dying, he said he saw people in the valley.”
“Oh?” Yélu Qi raised an eyebrow, seemingly interested.
“Perhaps also temporarily entered?”
“No, people living in the valley,” Fei Luo said. “This master had a brief conversation with them. The other party’s mind wasn’t very clear. When attacking him, they kept telling him to go back and tell the little bitch of Ming City and that tyrant Gong Yin that blood debts would eventually be repaid…”
Both Jing Hengbo and Yélu Qi’s expressions shook.
They never expected to hear such words.
Ming City? Wasn’t that from several years ago?
Jing Hengbo also found it strange—in a place where so many masters couldn’t survive three days, how could someone stay for several years?
“When the Huangjin Tribe rebelled years ago, after being suppressed, the original chief committed suicide. The current chief was supported by Gong Yin to take power, offering almost half of their gold mines as atonement. As for all the generals who participated in the rebellion, Gong Yin demanded the chief handle them personally. This so-called personal handling naturally couldn’t be casual, so they were all thrown into Ash Gray Valley. At that time, the chief sealed Ash Gray Valley for a month to ensure no one could escape—only reopening it after they all died inside.”
Speaking of this, even Fei Luo shook her head and sighed, “Those were mostly famous generals of the world… The Huangjin Tribe’s natural rebelliousness comes from their natural bravery in battle and indomitable spirit. Especially among those people, there was Pei Shu… such a young talent, a future peerless war god, who fell like that…”
Jing Hengbo suddenly felt a chill in her heart, thinking of those people driven into the valley with nowhere to escape, under the cold gray sky overhead, poisonous mist slowly approaching…
This fate was worse than death.
Looking at Fei Luo’s expression, she seemed to feel great pity for this Pei Shu. Fei Luo was always only interested in excellent, handsome men. This person was probably also an outstanding figure, but unfortunately died early. No matter how handsome, people look terrible when they die.
“Pei Shu. An early-rising young famous general of the Huangjin Tribe who rose from commoner to young commander in just three years, as famous as Jade Photo Grand Commander Ying Bai, called Jade White Golden Pivot.” Even Yélu Qi introduced him to her, his expression also showing pity. “Legend says he obtained a strange military manual and was skilled in military strategy, using troops in cunning and ruthless ways. Now that he’s dead, who knows if that military manual is in Ash Gray Valley.”
Jing Hengbo kept this information in mind.
“Some say that master was delirious before death and had hallucinations, or what he saw were directly ghosts…” Fei Luo said. “Regardless, this news made the Huangjin chief interested. The Huangjin Tribe’s output has decreased in recent years and their strength has declined. For the chief to sit firmly in his position, he urgently needs a war to consolidate his status. To wage war, he needs people, money, and grain. Hearing this news, he felt Ash Gray Valley might be worth trying and is working on this matter.”
“The forced tribute of gold-seeking beasts from nearby villages—is it because of this?”
“Yes. Gold-seeking beasts can survive longer in the valley, and they’re good at walking on swamps and finding various hidden ores. Having gold-seeking beasts would be twice as effective with half the effort. So the chief now needs large numbers of gold-seeking beasts.”
“Then what makes you able to reach an agreement with the Huangjin chief? Why does the Yélu clan want to get involved?”
“My second husband was from a Huangjin Tribe priest family and was skilled in beast control. I also learned some skills from him and can control various fierce beasts in swamps, which is also very important when entering the valley… As for the Yélu family, you’d have to ask Yélu Qi about that.”
“The Yélu clan members in Imperial Song were all imprisoned by Gong Yin, greatly reducing their strength. They must also be seeking new allies to maintain their position as an old noble family.” Yélu Qi met Jing Hengbo’s gaze and said, “The Yélu clan has some masters with exceptional lightness skills, which the Huangjin chief needs. Presumably after success, they would give the Yélu clan a share.”
“After hearing so much,” Jing Hengbo patted Fei Luo’s face, “it seems to have nothing to do with me. So why did that Yélu clan Grand Scholar insist on forcing Yélu Qi to kill me?”
“That… that…” Fei Luo hesitated for a long time before helplessly saying, “I was worried about you and asked him to help me eliminate you first…”
“Hehe, such love. Even in this situation, you don’t forget to fish in troubled waters,” Jing Hengbo laughingly pinched her face. “But now you have no money, no people, no status—what did you use to make this request? It wasn’t your body, was it?”
Fei Luo didn’t answer, her face slowly turning red. After a long while, she gritted her teeth and said, “I’ve given everything I should give and said everything I should say… You… let me go… As you said, I already have nothing—no money, no people, no status. I can no longer pose a threat to you… Let me go… I can swear a poisonous oath to never oppose you again. I can also give you all my private assets hidden in Zhan Yu Tribe…”
Jing Hengbo smiled without answering, her fingers touching around Fei Luo’s neck, enjoying watching her tremble with terror, shaking like someone with epilepsy.
After playing enough, she finally spoke.
“Sure,” she smiled.
Fei Luo’s heart had just relaxed when she heard her continue with a smile.
“However, I suddenly remembered something someone once taught me,” when saying this, Jing Hengbo felt a slight pain in her heart, then covered it with a casual smile. “Compared to enemies who face death fearlessly and curse loudly, those flexible enemies who can bend their knees and beg for mercy are the most terrifying and cannot be spared. Because they endure this moment, they will definitely get back double in the future.” She smiled as she looked at Fei Luo’s face flushed red with humiliation. “Oh, your face has such heavy blood color. Should I help you release some?”
Before her words finished, she raised her finger. A dagger had already appeared in her hand. Cold light flashed as she viciously slashed across the throat!