Luoshen bit into the flatbread when she heard a slight rustling sound from nearby.

She spun around sharply, looking toward that pile of dry grass.

During the day, not wanting to constantly see Murong Ti’s blood-stained death mask, she had cut grass to cover his head, face, and body for concealment.

The rustling sound just now seemed to come from the pile of grass covering his corpse.

Luoshen’s entire body tensed. Gripping the dagger in one hand and picking up a branch with the other, she carefully approached and used the branch to push aside the messy grass covering his head and face. She saw the dried blood congealed on his head and face, his complexion like golden paper, no different from a dead person, but at this moment, he was frowning with a pained expression, his eyelids also slightly twitching.

He still wasn’t completely dead!

Luoshen was greatly alarmed and quickly brushed away the miscellaneous grass on his body. Seeing his hands and feet were still properly bound, she breathed a slight sigh of relief.

She stared at the person on the ground, gripping the dagger tightly, agonizing in her heart whether to steel herself and stab him a few more times, when suddenly she heard him moan softly: “Mother… Ti’er is cold… please, don’t abandon me…”

Luoshen was startled. Seeing his eyes still tightly closed but his limbs slowly curling up, his body tightly curled into a ball, his expression pained, teeth chattering, as if placed in freezing ice and snow, his whole person enduring tremendous torment.

Luoshen’s heart pounded, and the hand holding the dagger couldn’t bring itself to stab down.

A moment later, Murong Ti on the ground seemed to finally fully awaken.

He slowly opened his eyes, struggling to turn his head covered in congealed dirty blood, looked around, withdrew his gaze from the fire pile still emitting residual smoke, and looked at Luoshen who was still holding the dagger pointed at him. After meeting her gaze for a moment, he moved his cracked lips and said in a hoarse voice: “You’re very clever, able to think of this method to tell your husband where you are…”

Having said just this one sentence, he seemed to have exhausted all his strength.

He panted, closed his eyes, rested for a moment, then opened them again.

“I know your husband will definitely see the smoke you set and come looking… When he arrives, he’ll kill me…”

“I’m not afraid of death… but I don’t want to die by others’ hands… Rather than die by others’ hands, I’d rather die by yours. Kill me now… I won’t blame you… I deserve this…”

He spoke intermittently.

Luoshen gritted her teeth, the hand holding the dagger trembling slightly.

“Really… I’ve lived until today with only one purpose – revenge, like a walking corpse, utterly without interest in life. If I could die by your hand like this, it would actually be a kind of liberation for me…”

Those purple eyes stared fixedly at Luoshen, and slowly, a smile appeared at the corners of his lips.

“My uncle is called the North’s greatest general, a peerless hero. I know that in his youth, he fell in love with your mother at first sight and still hasn’t forgotten her. I used to secretly laugh at such sentimentality. Only after seeing you did I understand that there truly are beautiful women in this world who make men willing to rush into flames like moths, dying nine times without regret…”

“Shut up!” Luoshen shouted at him.

“I’m about to die. Whether you listen or not, I might as well say what’s in my heart, otherwise there may never be another chance…”

He acted as if he hadn’t heard.

“Do you still remember that day at the winding water banquet when I killed Xu Yue and accidentally bumped into you, coercing you to keep my secret? I truly wasn’t human, always treating you that way…”

His face showed pain as he coughed several times.

“Later, though you left Jiankang, I kept worrying you would break your word and tell your parents my secret, bringing me trouble. Thinking that if this happened, I’d need to prepare in advance. One day, I borrowed an old friend’s name to visit your mother. After testing, I learned you truly kept your word. Even though you despised me, you still did what you promised, unlike me, always busy with schemes, petty and measuring others by myself…”

“From that day, I was very grateful to you… Moreover, now you’ve saved me again…”

“I envy Li Mu. He’s just a poor military man – how can he win your heart so completely…”

“Do you know why I didn’t secretly escape after my injuries healed? Because I couldn’t bear to leave you… Being able to stay by your side, even just fanning you daily, was happiness for me… As for dying by your hand, I’m completely willing, without complaint…”

“Shut up!”

Luoshen still gripped the dagger in one hand while grabbing mud from the ground with the other to stuff in his mouth.

At this moment, Murong Ti’s legs, bound by rope, suddenly lifted and kicked toward Luoshen. His foot struck precisely at her wrist holding the dagger.

Luoshen’s wrist went numb and the dagger flew out.

Alarmed, she rushed to grab it, but quick as lightning, the previously dying Murong Ti rolled over and lunged forward, reaching the dagger first and pressing his body over it.

Once he got it, he quickly opened his mouth, bit the dagger handle, brought his wrists over, and in a few moves, cut through the binding rope.

The rope snapped and fell from his wrists to the ground.

Seeing him grab the dagger and start cutting the rope on his feet, Luoshen finally reacted. She spun around and ran wildly toward the horse tethered to the rock, reached it, untied the reins, stepped into the stirrup, and climbed onto the horse’s back.

As soon as she sat in the saddle, she gripped the reins tightly on both sides, clamped her legs around the horse’s belly, and the horse immediately moved forward.

Never in her life had her movements been as agile as at this moment.

Murong Ti had actually awakened long ago, but having lost too much blood and with his hands and feet bound extremely tightly, he had secretly tested and found he couldn’t break free, so he had been resting with closed eyes under the grass pile, waiting to slowly recover some energy before beginning to maneuver with her.

Finally succeeding and cutting the rope on his feet, he gave chase, but how could he catch up at that moment?

Never expecting that in the end she would escape him again this way, anger surged through his heart. Combined with physical exhaustion, after forcing himself to run just a few steps, he felt dizzy and lightheaded. Gritting his teeth, he chased a few more steps before his body swayed and he collapsed headfirst to the ground.

Luoshen had never specifically learned to ride horses, but having been carried by Murong Ti on horseback for many days, she had long grown accustomed to the bumping and jolting of galloping. Lowering her body and securing herself on the horse’s back, she finally managed to ride away successfully.

She heard Murong Ti’s angry shouts from behind but dared not look back. Fearing she might be thrown from the galloping horse, she gripped the reins tightly and ran several li in one breath before loosening her hold on the horse’s belly and slowing down.

The horse stopped. She turned back and saw only wilderness grass and evening mist behind her – Murong Ti’s figure was no longer visible. Her hands went limp and she collapsed onto the horse’s back, gasping heavily.

The sky began to darken.

Luoshen dismounted, suppressing her inner panic. Looking around for a suitable hiding place, she suddenly seemed to hear the faint sound of galloping hooves.

Her heart suddenly beat faster as she looked in the direction of the sound.

She hadn’t misheard.

In the distance, dozens of moving black dots gradually appeared – a group of several dozen riders approaching.

Luoshen’s first reaction was that Li Mu had seen the smoke she had burned all day and finally arrived at this moment.

In this instant, she was so wildly joyful she almost burst into tears. Just as she was about to run toward that group of people in the distance, she suddenly stopped dead in her tracks.

Today was a clear day. She remembered the setting sun was on her left.

Though Murong Ti had constantly changed directions and routes these past days, relative to Yi Cheng, he was definitely heading north – this was absolutely certain.

That meant if Li Mu was pursuing them, he should now be coming from the south or southwest behind her.

Not from directly ahead like these people.

With no time to think further, Luoshen quickly drove the horse away, turned around, and ran wildly toward a distant slope covered with wild grass behind her, climbed up, and dove into it.

That group of people swept past the grassland, galloping toward where the smoke had risen during the day. Gradually approaching the fire site, they seemed afraid to advance rashly and stopped at an arrow’s distance.

Someone dismounted and cautiously walked forward, finally reaching the stream where he discovered the unconscious Murong Ti. Greatly delighted, he called out loudly in Xianbei: “Princess! It’s the Prince of Lingzhi! We found the Prince of Lingzhi!”

A horse galloped over and a beautiful young woman dismounted – Murong Zhe, Murong Ti’s sister.

That day after releasing Murong Ti, she had also gotten off the carriage early, disguised herself, and secretly fled back to north of the river.

The Northern Xia emperor was furious about the assassination and mass defection by the Murong clan. Almost every city was covered with wanted posters offering large rewards. Knowing the Murong people could disguise themselves, guards would examine the faces of anyone whose build matched or who had unusual eye color like Murong Ti’s before allowing passage.

Murong Zhe dared not risk this. Finally, she thought of a plan – disguising herself and mixing into the military courtesan camp, following Northern Xia troops sent to Chang’an to prepare for war with Western Jin, successfully reaching Longxi before escaping. Worried about Murong Ti’s injuries affecting his escape, she gathered these dozens of former subordinates and turned back to search for his traces along routes he might take, gradually reaching this area.

Finally today, she saw smoke rising from this direction in the distance and led her team to investigate.

She hadn’t dared hold much hope originally. Unexpectedly, having searched everywhere to no avail, she found him here.

She hurried forward and saw her brother lying on the ground, dried blood congealed on his head and face, his complexion like golden paper, slowly opening his eyes as if just awakening. Unable to contain her fury, she helped him sit up, hastily giving him water and treatment while asking: “Brother, who injured you so badly? Tell me, I’ll tear them to pieces!”

Murong Ti closed his eyes for a moment before opening them, his face grim. He stood up and said: “Follow me to catch someone.”

As the sun set, the light in the wilderness grew increasingly dim.

Wild wind picked up, swaying the grassland left and right, creating waves of rustling sounds.

Luoshen hid in the grassland, peering through gaps in the wild grass. In the distance, she saw the group’s figures appear in her field of vision, slowly surrounding her direction.

The person in front, though still indistinct and unclear, felt like Murong Ti based on instinct – there was no mistake.

At this moment, she regretted everything.

She had only thought that Li Mu might be on the road searching for her, so she lit the beacon fire to guide his direction.

She hadn’t thought that if Li Mu might see it, others could see it too.

She shouldn’t have been soft-hearted. In her situation, still harboring false hope, unable to bring herself to kill.

Yesterday she should have stabbed him a few more times while this Xianbei was unconscious. Not to mention missing the opportunity just now.

But regret was too late.

Murong Ti and his group of accomplices drawn by the smoke were getting closer.

Luoshen could already hear their shouting in Xianbei and see Murong Ti’s blood-stained, grim face.

She suppressed her inner anguish and turned to flee deeper into the grassland when suddenly, the sound of horses neighing came on the wind.

This neighing sound…

It seemed familiar to her.

Her heartbeat accelerated again, like a small drum beating – thump, thump, thump – almost bursting through her chest.

She spun around, pushed apart the grass, opened her eyes wide, and stared unblinkingly in the direction of the sound.

It was real. Not her hallucination.

Not far away, on the horizon at the crest of that slope, in the last glimmer of twilight at the sky’s edge, without warning, the silhouettes of dozens of people suddenly appeared.

They rode horses, galloping toward this direction.

Gradually drawing closer, Luoshen could see the appearance of the leading rider.

The horse was a black stallion.

The rider was Li Mu.

Her husband had finally arrived at this moment.

The instant she recognized his face, her emotions collapsed. Tears poured from her eyes like a suddenly burst dam.

She raised her hand, constantly wiping away tears, afraid that tear-blurred vision would make her lose sight of her approaching husband.

She crawled up from the ground, about to burst from the grassland and run to him, when suddenly her body stiffened and she froze in place, motionless.

…

Li Mu had been searching desperately in this wilderness for many days.

He had borrowed several hunting dogs from Hou Li and, accompanied personally by Hou Li who understood canine nature, carried clothing with her scent and embarked on the long road of pursuit.

Whenever he found traces of someone having stopped, the next moment these traces would disappear without a trace.

Progress was extremely poor. Even Hou Li’s pride – this group of hunting dogs – made little headway and made several errors.

Li Mu had to divide his forces again and again into multiple groups, spreading out in the general northern direction along all places Murong Ti might pass, conducting carpet searches and agreeing that if anyone found anything, they would simultaneously light three columns of beacon smoke for others to see and relay the message.

Many days passed without him seeing any beacon smoke, and his own group made no major progress.

They were getting farther from Yi Cheng. Ahead lay Longxi territory.

Once Murong Ti entered Longxi with its dense population, his tracks would be even harder to find.

He knew Murong Ti wouldn’t easily harm her life. But just thinking that these days she might be experiencing tremendous fear, despair, and helplessness made Li Mu’s anger, fear, and self-blame grow by the day.

As long as she didn’t return, he would continue pursuing. Even if he had to chase to the Murong clan’s stronghold in Dragon City, he wouldn’t stop.

Just two days ago, finally, the hunting dogs followed traces of horse droppings left on the road and led him to this area.

But after brief excitement, the dogs soon stopped at a stream and lost direction.

But Li Mu knew that not long ago, she had very likely appeared here.

With just this thought, these past two days he had searched tirelessly without sleep, until today, as daylight was about to fade again, in endless circling and winding, alternately tortured by hope and disappointment, he suddenly saw what seemed to be a column of smoke rising in the distant sky at the edge of the wilderness.

It wasn’t the signal he had arranged with his subordinates.

At that moment, he hadn’t thought it was a message she was sending him.

But how could he not investigate?

Thus he led these dozens of followers and arrived here just as that smoke column completely dissipated.

He immediately saw Murong Ti and the group of Xianbei warriors beside him.

And the other side was clearly caught off guard by his sudden appearance.

After a brief moment of eye contact, accompanied by an order from Murong Zhe, the Xianbei warriors quickly regrouped, shielding Murong Ti in their midst.

Days and nights of worry and pitifully little sleep had already filled Li Mu’s eyes with blood.

At this moment, his eyes bulged even more, vicious as a fierce beast.

Without half a word of excess, his eyes shot out cruel light. He drew the blood-stained sword from his waist that still bore unwashed enemy blood, spurred his horse, and like a sharp blade, instantly tore through the human wall blocking Murong Ti, charging toward Murong Ti in the center.

Murong Zhe was shocked by what she witnessed.

She had never seen such fierce martial power and terrifying killing aura in one person.

She knew her brother, though feminine in appearance, had considerable martial skill. At just ten years old, he had begun commanding troops, conquering cities for Great Yan – he was a warrior among warriors.

But with just one glance, she understood.

Not to mention her brother was currently injured – even uninjured, he would be no match for this man.

“Brother! Go!”

She whistled sharply, again summoning these Murong clan death warriors to surround and trap the approaching enemy with their lives. She mounted her horse, drove another over, flashed to Murong Ti’s side like lightning, pulled him onto the horse’s back, and tried to flee into the wilderness.

Li Mu cut down the obstacles before him with one stroke, stood up from his saddle, roared, kicked off with both feet, and like an eagle, flew from the black stallion’s back toward Murong Ti ahead.

The two tumbled from horseback to the ground.

Murong Zhe turned back in shock, watching helplessly as Li Mu grabbed her brother from the ground and held him captive.

“Where is my wife?” he stared at Murong Ti, asking word by word.

Murong Ti’s long hair was disheveled, his forehead and face covered in dried streaks of blood, in complete disarray.

He looked at Li Mu but said nothing.

“Li Mu! Your woman is in our hands! Hidden where no one can find her! If you dare harm one hair on my brother’s head, you’ll never see her again!”

Murong Zhe stopped her horse, turned around, and shouted sternly at that figure ahead.

Li Mu’s eye corner twitched slightly.

“Crack.”

Accompanied by a crisp sound of breaking bone, he snapped one of Murong Ti’s arms.

Murong Zhe was horrified, cried out, and opened her eyes wide.

Murong Ti’s shoulder lurched up sharply, that completely disabled arm hanging powerlessly like a broken branch that might fall off at any moment.

“I’ll ask you once more – where is my wife?”

Li Mu’s steel-like fingers gripped his other arm, looking at him grimly.

Murong Ti’s face was deathly pale, cold sweat instantly rolling down from his forehead, but he kept his lips tightly sealed, still saying nothing.

Li Mu slowly tightened his fingers.

The veins on the back of his hand suddenly bulged.

Murong Zhe knew he was about to disable Murong Ti’s other arm. Terrified, she shouted “Stop!” and practically rolled off her horse, crawling to this man’s feet and grabbing one of his legs.

“Please, spare my brother! We don’t know where your wife is either! She’s the one who beat my brother like this and escaped! Just before you came, we were looking for her! She shouldn’t have gone far! She’s nearby!”

“I’m telling the truth! You’ve already disabled my brother’s hand – please spare him! He didn’t harm a hair on your wife’s head!”

Murong Zhe clung tightly to his leg, looking up at him with tears in her eyes.

Li Mu shifted his gaze from the tear-filled, upturned flower-like face at his feet, his blood-red eyes surveying the wilderness, and suddenly roared: “A’Mi, where are you? Can you hear me?”

“I am your husband Li Mu!”

His calls echoed through the wilderness with the evening wind.

Though Luoshen was clearly in the grassland and had long since seen Li Mu, she could only watch helplessly. At this moment, let alone running out, she didn’t even dare breathe.

A moment before, just as she was about to run toward Li Mu, she suddenly saw that in a grass pile just a few zhang away from her, a white tiger was lying.

This appeared to be a young white tiger, pure white all over except for a ring of black fur around its neck like a necklace.

Though not as large as an adult tiger, it was already substantial. Standing up, it would probably reach at least Luoshen’s waist height, and moreover, its claws were sharp and teeth fierce.

It seemed to have noticed Luoshen long ago but perhaps because it was well-fed, it didn’t immediately pounce. Instead, it lay there, tilting its head, extending its pink tongue with barbs to lazily lick its paws while watching Luoshen with its round tiger eyes.

Just now, when she got up from the ground to come out, this white tiger seemed to sense her intention and also supported itself on its front paws, raised its upper body, bared its teeth as if about to pounce on her.

Seeing Luoshen freeze motionless, it seemed to relax, slowly lay back down, and continued tilting its neck, licking its paws while staring at her.

The air in the grassland was already stuffy. As Luoshen faced off with this white tiger, hot and frightened, drenched in sweat with trembling legs, just as she felt she could no longer support herself and was about to faint, she suddenly heard Li Mu calling her name carried by the wild wind mixed with the rustling sound of swaying grass leaves, echoing deep in the grassland.

“Husband, I’m here—”

In her heart, Luoshen had called out countless times but dared not make a sound or move.

A drop of hot sweat fell from her flushed, delicate nose tip.

But the little white tiger seemed angered by this sound. It suddenly stood up from the grass pile, raised its tiger neck, and let out a deep, majestic roar, seemingly responding to what it perceived as a challenge, then stepped toward Luoshen.

Luoshen’s scalp instantly went numb. She burst from the grassland and used all her strength to scream shrilly: “Husband, I’m here! Save me—”

She spread her legs and ran wildly forward regardless of everything. Tripping, she fell to the ground but couldn’t stop her momentum, rolling down the grassy slope like a ball.

Li Mu turned, his eyes suddenly shooting out a strange light. With a flying leap, he mounted the black stallion’s back, and the horse shot forward like lightning.

In the distance, he saw a female figure rolling down from the slope in front of the grassland.

Behind her, a white tiger was in pursuit.

He roared, quickly bent down, and drew bow and arrows from a pouch hanging at the black stallion’s side.

The black stallion continued at full speed while he nocked an arrow and was about to release his thunderous shot when the white tiger suddenly stopped pursuing. It stood on the slope top, staring at Luoshen who kept screaming as she rolled down, tilting its head with what seemed like curiosity and puzzlement in its eyes.

“Governor Li, show mercy! It means no harm – I can tell—”

Hou Li, who had been drawn by the tiger’s roar, saw this with bright eyes, desperately chasing to catch up and shouting loudly.

The little white tiger raised its head at the sound, stared at Hou Li galloping toward it, its expression instantly turning fierce. It growled threateningly a few times, then turned and with several agile leaps, disappeared into the grassland.

Li Mu breathed a sigh of relief, spurred his horse to the foot of the slope, leaped down, and pounced toward the still-rolling woman, extending his arms to catch her in his embrace.