That night, the group spent the night on a desolate beach. The next day, they traveled downstream, crossing ridges and rivers, and passing through the treacherous Litu Shoals. Beyond the shoals, a large ship was waiting for them—it belonged to Murong Jinghe’s people.
It turned out that when Murong Jinghe had previously used the excuse of being inseparable from Mei Lin to seclude himself in his room for over ten days, he had secretly left Jingbei. Firstly, he revisited Zhongshan Stone Forest, and secondly, he made some arrangements to deal with the situation. One of these arrangements was to have people wait day and night downstream of Litu Shoals with a ship, just in case. His foresight had been correct.
Sitting on the ship that could travel a thousand li in a day, Mu Ye Luomei felt for the first time that she should reassess Murong Jinghe, this man whom she had once thought was finished.
Since agreeing to let Mei Lin go the previous day, Murong Jinghe’s mood had seemed unstable, as if he was desperately suppressing something. This made those around him breathe carefully, afraid that any sudden movement might trigger something terrible.
Standing by the ship’s window, watching the beautiful mountains and clear waters that appeared after passing Litu Shoals, Murong Jinghe kept thinking about Qing Yan’s words “let her go,” about the experiences of the past few months, and the impending changes. Finally, he reluctantly and resignedly glanced at the clouds on the horizon, then resolutely turned his back.
So… let her go!
Walking in an unfamiliar town, Mei Lin felt lost. For the fifteen years she could remember, she had been controlled by others, striving for the goal of leaving the dark factory alive. When leaving Zhongshan, she had focused on caring for the completely paralyzed Murong Jinghe and fighting against the effects of poison, feeling that every day was not enough. During her first escape from Jingbei, she had traveled with the scabby-headed doctor, determined to nurture his jade. In all these situations, everything she did was out of necessity, never giving her enough room for choice. Now, alone and unencumbered, with no one forcing her to do anything, she found herself like a beggar faced with immense wealth, not knowing how to spend this sudden freedom placed before her.
She couldn’t go to Jingbei. Even in the warmest southern regions during this cold winter, there were no spring flowers as brilliant as the rosy clouds.
Unable to go to the place she most wanted to visit, unable to find the things she most wanted to see, she could only wander. She climbed mountains, crossed rivers, and passed through towns, like a wandering spirit with nowhere to settle.
Until one day, she suddenly found the surroundings familiar. After following the path for a while, she was shocked to discover that she had returned to Lao Wozi Village. She didn’t know how to feel at that moment, but her feet seemed to have a mind of their own, slowly walking towards the mud-brick houses where she had once lived for several days.
Occasionally encountering villagers on the way, faced with their surprised and concerned looks and inquiries, Mei Lin couldn’t answer, only responding with a smile.
She pushed open the half-closed gate, entered, and closed it behind her.
Everything was as it had been, even the window was still open as she had left it. The blanket on the kang bed was half-turned back messily as if the person sleeping there had only left for a moment and would soon return. The bedding on the half of the kang near the window had turned yellow from water damage, clearly having been rained on more than once during her absence.
In a daze, Mei Lin seemed to see that person half-leaning against the head of the kang, his gaze quietly looking outside, with a hint of gentleness and a smile.
At that moment, her body began to tremble uncontrollably. She slowly sat down, supporting herself on the edge of the kang, tears falling like strings of pearls, each word he had ever said to her ringing clearly in her ears.
“You are my woman. You are not allowed to marry anyone but me.”
“This king will not punish you. This king still wants to marry you.”
“You are the daughter of a brothel girl…”
“Today, I will officiate your wedding with Qing Yan.”
Mei Lin had never known the catharsis of sobbing loudly. She had endured all her life, and now even her tears could only fall silently.
Mei Lin settled down in Lao Wozi Village. She didn’t know where else she could go if she left this place.
She rewashed the rain-soaked bedding and hung it in the courtyard to dry on sunny days. She would heat the kang until it was warm, then crawl under the covers and lie awake until dawn. She took out her clothes from the box that still contained both of their clothes and placed them at the head of the kang, then locked the box with his worn clothes inside, never to open it again. She tore some blue cotton cloth and began learning to make winter clothes…
Villagers would come to visit, chatting idly and asking about her husband.
Mei Lin smiled and said he had found a great doctor who could cure his paralysis, and he was staying with the doctor. Once he recovered, he would return. Perhaps because she hadn’t eaten mandrake or ground ginseng for a long time, her voice could now produce a faint sound again. Although hoarse, her words were understandable.
The villagers thought she was ill, so they didn’t take it to heart. They saw the joy and anticipation on her face when she spoke of him, and they felt happy for her too.
He would come back. Whether it was because she had said the same words too many times, to the point where even she almost believed it was true, she would involuntarily look towards the mountain path outside the courtyard. She imagined that if he were to come from there, he would surely be bathed in the evening glow of the mountains, with wildflowers adorning his sleeves.
When spring came, if she could still move, she would go to Jingbei again. That morning, as she wiped the frost from the edge of the well and saw her increasingly gaunt face reflected in the water, she made a silent decision. But deep down, she knew that what she most wanted to see was no longer the spring flowers covering the mountains and fields.
Perhaps if you dream the same dream often enough, it can become a reality, although there might be some differences.
It was the twenty-ninth day of the twelfth lunar month. The sun hadn’t come out that day, and as dusk fell, the remote mountain village seemed to be covered in a thin layer of mist.
Mei Lin was sitting in the kitchen, cooking. As the oil from the fried wild boar meat melted and heated up in the wok, a rich aroma wafted out of the kitchen.
At that moment, the sound of urgent hoofbeats suddenly pierced through the still twilight, growing closer, each beat seeming to trample on one’s heart, bringing a shuddering heaviness.
Mei Lin initially didn’t want to pay attention. She had just poured the washed vegetables into the wok and stirred them a couple of times. But ultimately, she couldn’t resist. She quickly removed the wok from the roaring fire, wiped her hands, and walked out.
A lone rider appeared on the mountain path shrouded in the blue twilight, his cloak billowing behind him in the cold wind like surging dark clouds.
Mei Lin stood under the eaves, watching the newcomer stop outside the courtyard. Her heart was surprisingly calm. She thought she knew he would come. But this time, for what purpose?
The wooden gate was pushed open, and the man strode in as if he were in his own home. His hawk-like eyes locked onto her, his handsome face covered in dust from travel.
In just over a month of separation, Murong Jinghe had acquired an aura of ruthlessness.
Mei Lin’s hands trembled slightly. Suddenly, her eyes curved into a smile, and she hurriedly took two steps forward to meet him, only to be pulled into his embrace. When his burning lips urgently pressed against hers, for a moment, she felt as if she were a soldier’s wife welcoming her beloved home.
His cloak, carrying the scent of dust and winter grass, wrapped tightly around her. With a “bang,” the door slammed against the frame. Rolling on the already warm kang, he urgently entered her body, as if wanting to knead her fiercely into his very soul.
The sky had completely darkened, the room pitch black. The heavy breathing gradually subsided.
After a long while, the sound of striking flint was heard, and a dim yellow light appeared, quickly filling the entire room. The slender figure that had lit the fire turned and slipped back under the covers, embracing the woman who had sat up intending to get off the kang, pulling her back down. Then he kissed her eyebrows lingeringly.
“You’ve gotten too thin, it’s all bones. Haven’t you been eating?” His brows furrowed involuntarily. Despite saying this, he still held her in his arms, his fingers slowly tracing her visible ribs.
Mei Lin grabbed his hand, her gaze fixed on the flickering candlelight that danced in the draft from the window. Her lips held a faint smile, but she didn’t respond. She felt that this scene was so much like a dream, where he seemed to truly care for her.
The man clearly couldn’t tolerate being ignored and shook her gently. She came back to her senses, her smile widening, then turned and actively kissed him, leading them into a new wave of passionate lovemaking.
Deep into the night, she opened her eyes to look at the man’s exhausted sleeping face. Her hand wanted to touch him, but she feared waking him from his rare slumber. She smelled the austerity and bloodiness of the battlefield on him. What matter required him to come find her so urgently?
It certainly couldn’t be… that he missed her. Her eyes gradually dimmed.
Murong Jinghe was awakened by the aroma of cooking cured meat. He lazily opened his eyes to find the room filled with daylight. It had been a long time since he had slept so comfortably. He yawned, not wanting to move.
The sound of people talking softly came from outside the window. He half-raised himself and pushed open the window to see several familiar villagers standing in the courtyard, talking with Mei Lin. Mei Lin’s face bore a joyful smile as she patiently responded.
Responded… He was startled and sat up straight, the blanket sliding down to reveal his bare, muscular chest.
The people outside heard the sound of the window opening and all looked over, catching this scene in full view. They were all women, except for one old lady in her fifties or sixties. The rest blushed.
Mei Lin’s face darkened slightly. She walked over and “bang” closed the window from the outside. When she turned back, she saw the regret in the woman’s eyes and didn’t know whether to laugh or be annoyed.
These people had heard the sound of hoofbeats yesterday and had come especially to inquire about the situation. Seeing that her man had indeed returned and could move, they couldn’t help but marvel secretly.
After chatting idly for a while longer, Murong Jinghe, now dressed, walked out of the room. He showed no concern for his previous indiscretion and nodded calmly to greet the group. His long hair was still uncombed, falling loosely over his shoulders and back, but he stood tall and straight, truly captivating.
Seeing him so different from before, the villagers became flustered. They quickly offered their congratulations and hurriedly left.
Mei Lin saw them off, closed the courtyard gate, and turned to see Murong Jinghe staring intently at her. She felt inexplicably uneasy but didn’t ask why. She simply went to the kitchen to get a basin, scooped some hot water, and helped him wash his face.
“You can speak now?” Murong Jinghe suddenly asked while Mei Lin was combing his hair after he had washed his face.
Mei Lin’s hands paused. Because there was no mirror, he couldn’t see her reaction, which made him feel somewhat irritated. Just as he was about to turn around, her hands started moving again. But she still didn’t answer his question.
Murong Jinghe suppressed his rising frustration. After his hair was combed and tied, he grabbed her wrist, which had become skin and bones, pulled her into his arms, and fixed his dark eyes on her calm ones.
“Why won’t you answer me? I heard you talking to those people…” he questioned sternly. The joy he had initially felt at hearing her speak gradually faded and disappeared due to her unwillingness to speak to him.
Mei Lin quietly looked at the urgency and agitation in his eyes. She felt momentarily confused but not afraid. She tentatively raised her hand and covered his eyes. Seeing his startled reaction, she couldn’t help but smile.
She was no longer his slave and didn’t have to be subservient to him anymore… It felt good.
Mei Lin never spoke to Murong Jinghe, nor did she give him a chance to explain why he had come to find her. Murong Jinghe had woken up close to noon. She prepared a table full of delicious dishes, and they sat face to face to eat. Later, Murong Jinghe also fell silent, no longer forcing her to speak. She served him food, and no matter what or how much she served, he ate it all. Then, her smile grew wider and wider, even reaching her eyes, dispelling the melancholy that had accumulated there.
This was the first New Year’s Eve she had ever celebrated in her life, and probably the last one. Having him by her side made it feel complete.
After eating, Mei Lin cleared the dishes and began folding the bedding.
“The antidote has been made,” Murong Jinghe said in a deep voice, standing behind her.
Mei Lin nodded slightly. Seeing the traces of last night’s lovemaking on the bedding, her face reddened slightly. She hesitated for a moment before continuing to fold it. If there was a chance… she would wash it later.
She turned and took out a cloth wrapper from the box, spread it out, and folded a few pieces of clothing to place on it.
Watching her actions, Murong Jinghe’s hand at his side slowly clenched. He felt as if there was a large stone pressing on his chest, making it hard to breathe. Even after he had her ride with him on horseback, leaving that courtyard and village behind in the mist, he still couldn’t catch his breath properly.
They arrived at the Jingbei Prince’s Mansion in Zhaojing two days later.
Mei Lin didn’t see Qing Yan or Shigui, but Yue Qin was there. When Yue Qin first saw her, he was surprised and disbelieving, and then his eyes suddenly reddened. He rushed forward, trying to push her out.
“Why did you come back? If you wanted to leave, why didn’t you go far away? Go, leave quickly, I hate seeing you…” He looked very angry, like a little lion with its tail on fire.
Mei Lin stumbled from the push, almost falling, but fortunately, Murong Jinghe caught her. Murong Jinghe grabbed Yue Qin’s collar and threw him aside. Then someone came forward and carried him away like a chicken.
Murong Jinghe wasn’t angry at Yue Qin’s rudeness. He just looked at her with deep eyes and said slowly, “He’s worried about you. But, he saved me, and I can’t watch her die before my eyes.”
He finally said it. Mei Lin sighed helplessly in her heart, but her expression remained unchanged as she quietly waited for his next words.
However, Murong Jinghe didn’t continue. He raised his hand, wanting to touch her face.
Mei Lin turned her head to avoid it, stepping back, a smile appearing on her face. This was the Jingbei Prince’s Mansion, not her home. She didn’t want to accept any of his tenderness here.
Murong Jinghe’s hand fell empty, his expression freezing for a moment before he suddenly withdrew his hand and left with a swish of his sleeve.
The smile faded from Mei Lin’s lips. She slowly walked to a chair in the hall, reaching out with a trembling hand to support herself on the armrest as she sat down.
She was no longer his slave. She had left Qing Yan, so she was no longer a family member of his slave either. She knew her life was short, but if she threw caution to the wind, even with all his power, what could he do to someone with nothing to lose and no life left? She just didn’t want to be bullied by his power in her final days, didn’t want to be forced into an awkward position. At least this time, it was her own choice.
Mei Lin was arranged to stay in the guest quarters, with two maids attending to her. She didn’t see Daitang. She remembered Daitang had stayed in Jingbei. She didn’t speak to anyone, just sat quietly in the room, occasionally opening the window to look at the desolate courtyard. There were no plum blossoms in the yard, nor any snow. She thought it was fine.
Yue Qin came to deliver the antidote. The little fellow had swollen eyes and looked very unhappy. He threw the antidote at Mei Lin and was about to turn and leave without saying a word.
“Yue Qin, have you been crying again?” Mei Lin spoke, her voice hoarse and weak.
Yue Qin’s body shook. He turned stiffly and saw her smiling face. Tears suddenly burst from his eyes, and he rushed into her arms, crying out loud.
Mei Lin’s tears almost fell too. She tilted her head back, forcing back the tears in her eyes, then looked down with a gentle smile, stroking Yue Qin’s messy black hair.
“Crying like this, aren’t you happy to see Sister?”
Yue Qin nodded, then quickly shook his head. After a while, he looked up, sniffling, “Sister, how did you get so thin?” It had only been a month since they last met, but he could barely recognize her.
Mei Lin pulled him to sit beside her, took out a handkerchief to wipe the tears from his little face, and smiled, “Yue Qin, is the Prince treating you well?” The scabby-headed doctor had said that the Gentleman’s Worm could stimulate the pulse, but it fed on human vitality. Even if she was the first known living person to carry the worm, she couldn’t withstand the worm’s strong demand for vitality. He was unable to remove the worm, so he had predicted her death when he first saw her. She thought it was better not to let Yue Qin know this, lest he cry endlessly.
Yue Qin was simple-minded and easily distracted. He nodded, his eyes filling with reverence, but then dimmed again.
“Sister…” he called out but said nothing more.
Mei Lin made a sound of acknowledgment, noticing that his sleeve was torn, probably from his earlier struggle. She turned to take out a needle and thread from her bundle by the couch and began to mend it.
Yue Qin looked at her hair, which was drier than before, and her calm, peaceful face with that faint smile at the corner of her lips. He felt his eyes stinging again and quickly turned away, using his other sleeve to wipe them hard before slowly telling her what had happened.
It turned out that as soon as Murong Jinghe arrived in the capital, he immediately received an imperial edict to take command of the Southwestern Army and shoulder the heavy responsibility of expelling the foreign invaders. His wedding to Mu Ye Luomei was postponed again. What surprised everyone was that after Murong Jinghe arrived in Qingcheng, he not only took control of the Southwestern Army but also took over the Tibetan Army led by Yang Zexing.
Tibet had always been xenophobic, and even though they were reactivated this time, the situation hadn’t improved. They remained separate from the original Southwestern garrison, causing delays in the war effort. However, Murong Jinghe not only took control of the Tibetan Army but successfully integrated the two armies, commanding them as if they were extensions of his own body. With thorough preparations made in advance, they achieved overwhelming victories against the enemy, creating a series of morale-boosting battle results. The Southern Yue people were terrified and retreated repeatedly.
In less than a month, the Southern Yue army hastily retreated across the Black Horse River, losing their border defenses. There was a real possibility of the unstoppable Yan army striking at their heart. The King of Southern Yue, in a desperate move, sent out the National Guardian Shaman to set up a human-insect formation that would perish with the enemy, trapping the main army. Murong Jinghe led the Tiger Wing Seventeen Riders to personally break through the formation, with Mu Ye Luomei secretly following. No one knew exactly what happened inside, only that Mu Ye Luomei had shielded Murong Jinghe from the insects with her own body, allowing him to successfully break the formation.
Although Shigui also understood shamanic insect techniques, he was helpless against this particular insect. He only knew that it fed on human flesh and blood, and if not controlled, once activated, it could devour a person into an empty shell in an instant. With no other choice, Murong Jinghe had to use his internal energy to freeze water, encasing Mu Ye Luomei’s entire body in ice, simultaneously sealing the insects within her body.
In his fury, Murong Jinghe actively sought someone who could remove the insects while leading his army to conquer the Southern Yue capital. He knew the Southern Yue terrain like the back of his hand, and with people he had planted there in advance to assist, this attack was accomplished with little effort. However, even after capturing the King of Southern Yue and the Great Shaman, he couldn’t save Mu Ye Luomei. For the Southern Yue people, this human-insect formation and blood insects were ancient arts passed down from antiquity, with no known method of removal. This was why they rarely used this formation.
Just when everyone had given up hope, a stranger arrived, claiming he could remove the insects but needed a body hosting the Gentleman’s Worm as a conduit. So Murong Jinghe personally brought Mu Ye Luomei back to the capital, leaving Qing Yan in Southern Yue to clean up the mess.
As Yue Qin recounted this experience, Mei Lin had finished mending his torn sleeve. She felt the uneven stitches and smiled, “So Prince Murong rushed to find me?”
Yue Qin nodded, looking at his sleeve and smiling foolishly along with her. With tear stains still on his face, his smile now looked particularly pitiful.
Mei Lin reached out to ruffle his hair, saying softly, “Yue Qin, you should stay with Prince Murong and not make him angry, alright?” She could see that Murong Jinghe was particularly indulgent towards Yue Qin. Although she didn’t know the reason, it would be beneficial for the orphaned Yue Qin to stay with him.
Yue Qin nodded, his eyes suddenly reddening again, “Sister, you… you…” He originally wanted to ask why she had let Murong find her, but then remembered Murong Jinghe’s capable subordinates who could enter even the troublesome Southern Yue heartland as if it were uninhabited, let alone find a single person. So he closed his mouth again.
Mei Lin smiled, “Is it a matter of life and death? You seem so reluctant to see me.” Yue Qin’s earlier reaction made her think this way, and her already cold heart seemed to freeze over even more.
Yue Qin was stunned for a moment, then shook his head, but fear appeared in his eyes, “The… the lord said it wouldn’t be. But… but… General Mu Ye looks so scary…” As he said this, he couldn’t help but shudder.
Mei Lin’s lips trembled slightly. She didn’t speak, her gaze falling to the window outside.
The courtyard where she was staying was built by the lake. Through the window, she could see Murong Jinghe’s Danyue Pavilion, where plays could be watched. At that moment, a figure stood on the third floor, seemingly admiring the lake and mountain scenery.
Mei Lin lowered her eyes, leaned forward slightly, and closed the window.
Murong Jinghe truly wanted to let Mei Lin go. He knew that he and she were impossible, so even though he was reluctant, he had let her go. But he hadn’t expected the Gentleman’s Worm to be involved.
When that person mentioned needing the Gentleman’s Worm, his first thought was what he would do if he had to choose between Mu Ye Luomei and Mei Lin’s lives. The answer should have been obvious, but at that moment, a murderous intent rose in his heart. That intent shocked him into a cold sweat, instinctively feeling that he had gone mad. Fortunately, the person said it was just a catalyst and wouldn’t cost a life.
He sent his subordinates to find Mei Lin while bringing Mu Ye Luomei and the stranger back to the capital. As soon as they arrived in Zhaojing, he received definite news of Mei Lin’s whereabouts and rushed to Lao Wozi Village without stopping. He didn’t dare to delve too deeply into whether his urgent desire to go was because he wanted to see Mei Lin or because he was worried about Luomei’s condition. However, when he entered that familiar small courtyard and saw the woman smiling and coming to greet him, all reason and concerns vanished in an instant. At that moment, he only wanted to hold that woman, who had become so thin he could barely recognize her, tightly in his arms and never let go.
It was laughable. He had endured silently and planned for years, and now he had regained military power. He had even unexpectedly obtained the military tally of the Tibetan King, bringing the Tibetan Army and the descendants of the original Military Path hidden in various armies under his command. He had also conquered Southern Yue. He could be said to be at the height of success. Yet, such a man could only find a good night’s sleep in this remote mountain village, by her side. It was truly ironic to the extreme.
But now that great things were about to be accomplished, he couldn’t possibly stop here. He no longer had a way back.
Murong Jinghe watched the half-grown child nestling against her side, watched her lower her head to mend the child’s clothes, watched her notice his gaze, and got up to close the window. His hand on the window tightened slightly, but in the end, he did nothing.
Mei Lin didn’t take the antidote. The scabby-headed doctor had warned her that for someone carrying the Gentleman’s Worm like her, that antidote was no different from a death warrant. The reason she had asked for it in the first place was partly because she still held a glimmer of hope, and also to show that she was no longer his dead soldier. She thought that maybe one day, she would take this medicine.
The day after arriving at the prince’s mansion, she saw the stranger Yue Qin had mentioned. When she saw him, she was stunned. She felt this was absurd, incomparably absurd – the stranger looked exactly like the one they had seen in the jade coffin underground.
“I am a shaman,” the man introduced himself, using a language with obscure pronunciation. But he was truly handsome. Even dressed in coarse linen clothes and shoes, speaking words that were hard to understand, he was still the most beautiful person Mei Lin had ever seen.
The shaman said his people called him the Great Shaman. However, his people were neither Southern Yue nor any known tribe today. He didn’t speak much, and Mei Lin couldn’t understand, so he spoke even less. Only when necessary did he patiently repeat one or two simple sentences, making sure she understood.
Upon seeing Mei Lin, he looked very happy, not minding her shock at all. His eyes, full of wisdom, smiled as if carrying the spirit of green bamboo, calming one’s mind. He listened attentively when Mei Lin spoke, then suddenly reached out to touch her neck, feeling between her jaw and Adam’s apple.
Mei Lin was startled at first but then felt as if a warm current was slowly penetrating her skin, enveloping her throat. A moment later, that current seeped back out like water.
The shaman released his hand and held his palm out in front of her. She saw that his palm, which should have been as white as jade, was now covered with a layer of ink-black substance.
Mei Lin touched her throat, which felt incredibly comfortable for a moment, staring blankly at his hand until he smiled and withdrew it. Only then did she react.
“You…” Her long-lost clear voice startled even herself. She couldn’t come to her senses for a long time, feeling as if all this was just a dream.
The shaman smiled, took a coarse linen handkerchief to wipe his palm clean, and gestured for Mei Lin to follow him as he walked out with his hands behind his back.
Mei Lin unconsciously touched her throat again, her heart suddenly pounding. The previously dark path ahead seemed to have a glimmer of light shining through.
Following behind the shaman, she saw Mu Ye Luomei in the prince’s mansion’s ice cellar. She didn’t feel the cold air that assaulted her body when entering the ice cellar, but when she saw Mu Ye Luomei encased in ice, she couldn’t help but shudder. She hurriedly turned her face away, focusing her gaze on the shaman. Only then did the chilling feeling slightly subside.
Although Mu Ye Luomei was covered with a thin veil, one could still see her beautiful body beneath it and the dense tiny holes on her icy skin, not even sparing her face.
Mei Lin dared not continue to recall the scene. She could only fix her gaze on the shaman’s otherworldly face until the tension in her chest caused by the previous scene completely relaxed. Only then did she notice that Murong Jinghe was standing behind her at some point. The words she had wanted to say to the shaman were immediately swallowed back. She lowered her eyes, pretending she hadn’t seen anything.
The Shaman seemed not to notice Murong Jing and his arrival or perhaps had already anticipated that he was following the two, as there was no reaction from her. She spoke slowly, “The Blood Gu fears the Junzi Gu, so only by breaking the ice seal in the presence of the Junzi Gu will it prevent this young lady from being consumed. However, drawing out all the Gu from her will require time; it cannot be accomplished in a single day.”
Hearing about drawing out the Gu, Mei Lin couldn’t help but think of herself in the same dire situation as Muye Luomei and her face turned a shade paler.
A hand suddenly reached over, resting on her waist and pulling her into an embrace. Mei Lin frowned, intending to pull away, but the witch began speaking again, causing her to stop and listen intently. Though she didn’t want to admit it, the warmth behind her and the loose hold on her waist distracted her from the horrifying thoughts she had been mulling over.
“You have the aura of the Junzi Gu on you, which is very beneficial for suppressing the Blood Gu during the ice dissolution process.”
At first, Mei Lin thought the witch was speaking directly to her, but she soon realized that the witch’s gaze was directed at the person behind her—Murong Jing. How could Murong Jing have the aura of the Junzi Gu? Her brow furrowed slightly, and an unrecognized worry appeared in her eyes.
(End of Chun Hua Yan – Chapter)