The serpent bone came to an abrupt halt, yet the crowd wasn’t particularly surprised — stopping and starting was simply part of this eerie ritual. Everyone’s hearts hung in suspense, uncertain whether the serpent bone would resume moving, continue toward the Merfolk Clan’s direction, or possibly shift course entirely!

Present were not only the three great clans, but many chiefs of smaller tribes as well, all craning their necks in anticipation, silently praying, silently chanting, wishing they could tell the serpent bone directly — come to our tribe!

At this moment, none was more tense than the chief of the Merfolk Clan. While everyone else stared at the serpent bone, he alone kept his eyes fixed on the High Priest — he had privately petitioned the High Priest several times, begging him to pray on behalf of the Merfolk Clan!

Of course, he had no idea of the secret behind it all. He devoutly believed in the earth god’s temple and in the High Priest. He had asked the High Priest to pray for the Merfolk Clan’s fortune this year, hoping the sacred water would appear within Merfolk territorial waters!

And the High Priest had agreed!

But now, the serpent bone had actually stopped moving! Was this whole thing about to fall through?

Anxious, he failed to notice the terrifyingly sharp look that flashed across the High Priest’s eyes as he stared at the person standing across from him.

Ziqing kept her head lowered, catching the scrutinizing gaze directed at her from the corner of her eye — and she wasn’t the only one under suspicion. She remained perfectly composed, her attention seemingly fixed entirely on the serpent bone, just like everyone else!

A single magnet had been enough to stop the serpent bone’s movement — which meant the magnetic force in the High Priest’s own hidden magnet was no stronger than that of one magnet. He was exploiting the principle of repulsion between like poles!

Which meant, of course, that Ziqing would use the opposite principle — attraction between opposite poles.

The corner of her mouth curved slightly. She wouldn’t give the High Priest any extra time to react. With her hands hidden behind her back, she drew out every single magnet concealed in the porcelain vial in her sleeve, all at once!

In that instant, the serpent bone indeed began to move — with astonishing speed, shooting straight, in the blink of an eye, toward the Medicine Clan’s Poison Water!

Ziqing stared without blinking. Of everyone present in shock, not even the Medicine Clan’s own chief could have matched her level of focus in that moment.

Her breathing had grown a little ragged — she hadn’t expected the pull to be this strong. That had been close, far too close!

She had to control the magnetic pull with precision — the Medicine Clan’s Poison Water lay right at the edge of the stone disk. If the bone fell off entirely, the High Priest would have his chance to expose the trick!

Just then, the Prince of Nanzhao spoke up. “The Poison Water? How could that be? High Priest, is this truly the final result?”

“No, no! Your Highness, this humble servant must repeat the—”

But before the High Priest could finish his sentence, the serpent bone suddenly lurched forward again — a short, urgent movement — landing precisely at the source of the Medicine Clan’s Poison Water!

Only then did Ziqing quietly let out a long breath of relief. That had been far too close — she had no idea just how strong the magnet inside the serpent bone actually was; controlling that force had been genuinely difficult!

Only then did she look up, and saw the High Priest staring in her direction, visibly startled, visibly alarmed!

“This is the source of the Medicine Clan’s Poison Water. Ha, last year’s sacred water also appeared within my clan’s territory — and here it is again this year!”

Before the Prince of Nanzhao could speak, before the High Priest had even confirmed the result, the chief of the Medicine Clan couldn’t wait and announced the outcome himself!

It was worth noting that, throughout every past ceremony of seeking divine guidance, the result had always come in a single attempt — once the bone settled on a waterway, that was the final answer. The moment it landed briefly on the Poison Water proper had merely been an exception.

The Medicine Clan’s Poison Water was an extraordinarily unusual waterway. Its source was an exceptionally clear mountain lake, not deep — barely more than waist-height — yet remarkably clear and sweet-tasting. Nanzhao’s Water-Splashing Festival had been held near this very lake more than once!

Yet while the source was so clear and sweet, the entire river downstream was lethally poisonous. Even without any hostile intent, if a person fell in, without an antidote within the time it took to drink a cup of tea, death was certain.

Many legends surrounded this river of poison, the most widespread being its connection to the Medicine Clan’s Poison Den. The Poison Den, where the clan’s poison-masters gathered, lay just downstream from the river’s source — to reach the Poison Den, one had to pass through the poisoned river, and thus, legend held, it was the Poison Den’s toxins that had contaminated the river in the first place!

With the Medicine Clan’s chief having declared it so, what could the High Priest do? He had a guilty conscience of his own, after all, and felt uneasy. He quickly dropped his theatrical ritual gestures and reported to the Prince of Nanzhao, “Your Highness, the earth god’s spirit has spoken — the sacred water this year again appears at the source of the Medicine Clan’s Poison Water, at Mingjing Lake!”

At this announcement, the Medicine Clan’s chief beamed with unrestrained joy, and the crowd offered their congratulations one after another.

A calculating gleam flickered in Ziqing’s eyes as she stepped back into the crowd. If not for Guxi’s message that day about needing to pass through the Poison Water to reach the Poison Den, she never would have noticed this opportunity.

After another round of ceremonial worship, the opening celebration finally came to a close.

On the way down the mountain, Ziqing kept close to Lord Changming the whole way, and he was noticeably less talkative than usual — it seemed her earlier probing had unnerved him.

Still, Ziqing didn’t give up. “Lord Changming, tomorrow we set out for the Medicine Clan’s territory — might Ziqing bring all of her attendants along?”

At this, Lord Changming was immediately alarmed. “Princess Yao, that’s simply not the custom. It’s already generous that Young Master Situ is allowed to accompany you — the rest should remain at the envoy’s residence. Your retinue is already the largest among the four delegations!”

In a place like Nanzhao, how could a foreign envoy possibly be allowed to bring an entire armed escort wandering about freely? Unthinkable!

“Princess Yao, you needn’t worry about your safety — Nanzhao will take full responsibility for your protection!” Lord Changming added earnestly.

“Lord Changming, don’t misunderstand — this is simply a personal habit of mine. I understand I can’t bring everyone. What if I brought half?” Ziqing requested.

Lord Changming still looked troubled. “Princess Yao, that… that won’t do either.”

“Then a third — twenty people. Would that work?” Ziqing pressed further, refusing to give up.

Lord Changming remained troubled and shook his head. “Princess Yao, it’s not that I don’t wish to help you — it’s simply against protocol.”

“Lord Changming, how about this — I’ll bring just ten people, and I promise not to cause you any trouble!” Ziqing conceded again.

With each concession, Lord Changming found himself refusing again and again, growing more embarrassed each time, hesitating, but still shaking his head.

“Five, then. Just five people — two maids, three attendants.” Ziqing said earnestly, her patience seemingly endless.

Lord Changming stopped, a flicker of complicated emotion in his eyes. He hesitated even longer this time — but still refused!

Ziqing looked crestfallen. “Lord Changming, then… just two, perhaps?”

Lord Changming’s brow furrowed tightly, clearly embarrassed by how far Ziqing had pushed him. To refuse yet again would have felt shameful even to himself. After a long moment’s hesitation, he finally relented. “Princess Yao, very well then — I’ll allow you to bring two people, dressed as our own Nanzhao attendants. But please, don’t speak of this to anyone.”

Delighted, Ziqing nodded quickly, and only then did she let Lord Changming take his leave.

Once he was gone, Shiliang immediately spoke up. “Mistress, weren’t you only planning to bring myself and Guxi from the start? Why did you—”

“Silly girl. If I’d asked to bring just two from the very beginning, he’d have refused outright in an instant — would we have stood a chance then?” Ziqing said flatly.

Shiliang stared, stunned — her mistress was truly cunning! She had deliberately inflated her demand so that Lord Changming would keep refusing, refusing, until he felt too guilty to keep saying no — forcing him to finally agree!

Asking to take everyone versus asking to take just two — the difference was enormous.

Compared to bringing the whole retinue, taking just two people would seem like such a small request by comparison — Lord Changming would hardly need to think twice before agreeing to it.

“Shiliang, you and Guxi get ready. Take the sealed letter and go on ahead to pave the way — try your best to bring the elder from the Poison Den along,” Ziqing said quietly.

“Yes! Rest assured, Mistress — we’ve already mapped out the terrain and route. Once we reach the source, we’ll slip away,” Shiliang answered earnestly.

The tension Ziqing had been holding onto finally eased somewhat. She hadn’t managed to win Lord Changming over completely, but at least now there was a chance.

What she didn’t know was that the moment Lord Changming left, Chu Feiyan summoned him to her side.