“Stretch out your wrist.” State Preceptor An spoke, glancing at Mu Yunjin.

Mu Yunjin nodded and obediently extended her wrist, her small face tense as she stared directly at State Preceptor An’s face, afraid of seeing any unfavorable expression.

State Preceptor An placed his hand on her wrist, tilted his head, and quietly listened to her pulse.

Seeing this, Mu Yunjin’s mind flashed back to when Qingmeng had repeatedly come to check her pulse recently. She couldn’t help but slightly furrow her brows. Qingmeng was Chu Li’s subordinate and skilled in medicine. She had said there was nothing wrong with her body, so what was State Preceptor An doing now?

Apart from having the Divine Decree in her body, was there something else wrong with her?

Unable to figure it out, Mu Yunjin decided to first hear what State Preceptor An had to say.

For a long while, State Preceptor An maintained his pulse-taking position, his expression concentrated, lips tightly pressed without uttering a word. The longer he took her pulse, the tighter his brows furrowed.

Mu Yunjin pouted. Seeing State Preceptor An’s serious expression, she suddenly felt as if she had been diagnosed with an incurable disease.

“Hey, you understand Chinese medicine too?” Mu Yunjin couldn’t help but break the silence, trying to lighten the atmosphere.

…

…

If this State Preceptor didn’t speak soon, her little heart wouldn’t be able to take it.

“A little,” State Preceptor An replied to Mu Yunjin with just two words.

“Wow, you’re something else! A physicist who crossed over to this world, became one of the three greatest masters in the world, both the State Preceptor of the Southern Court and the former abbot of Water Cloud Temple, and now you even know a bit of Chinese medicine. You’re practically defying the heavens, darling!” Mu Yunjin teased. When speaking with someone of a similar background, she always found it easier to be direct and casual.

State Preceptor An, however, was in no mood to joke or banter with her. He withdrew his hand, raised his eyes, and nodded slightly at Mu Yunjin. “Place your hand on your wrist and feel it.”

“What for?” Mu Yunjin felt her heart sink.

“Just try it,” State Preceptor An said again.

Mu Yunjin looked skeptically at State Preceptor An, then extended her other hand and placed it on her wrist.

Initially, she felt her pulse beating evenly and strongly, noticing nothing unusual. But just as she was about to withdraw her hand, she suddenly felt another force pulsing.

Mu Yunjin’s mind reeled, and she abruptly raised her head, her eyes filled with shock. “Why are there two pulses beating?!”

After speaking, Mu Yunjin clutched her chest. Whether it was psychological or something else, she heard the clear “thump-thump-thump” of her heartbeat in her ears, causing her chest to tighten and her heart to palpitate.

“Is it related to the Divine Decree?” Mu Yunjin asked.

State Preceptor An didn’t conceal anything. With a slight sigh, he nodded to Mu Yunjin and said, “The Divine Decree was originally hidden dormant in your body, in a state of deep sleep. But that day when you were trapped in the Ice Cave and your life was in danger, the Divine Decree within you, sensing no vital energy, awakened and used its power to save your life.”

“But once the Divine Decree awakens from its dormant state, it will not go back to sleep. It’s inside your body, unable to see the light of day, yet eager to manifest in the world. It’s gradually merging with your original heart meridian, developing a new heart meridian.”

“The extra heartbeat in your body now is the new heart meridian grown by the Divine Decree, and it’s rapidly consuming your vital blood and essence.”

Mu Yunjin listened with increasing alarm, instinctively clutching her chest and furrowing her brows. “But this thing is growing in my heart. Doesn’t it require cutting open my heart to remove it?”

“If I leave it alone, what impact will it have on me?”

State Preceptor An lowered his head, cast down his gaze, and sighed softly. “I fear it will completely merge with your body and devour your original heart meridian.”

“By then, you might lose all consciousness, forget yourself, and your mind would be completely controlled by this Divine Decree. You should know that legend says the Divine Decree can summon the dead and the undead. Over the years, legends have deified this object, but it should be considered an evil thing, and it also has its unique soul residing within it.”

“Child, do you understand what I’m saying?”

Mu Yunjin nodded woodenly. She needed some time to digest everything State Preceptor An had just told her.

The phrase “lose all consciousness, forget yourself” had genuinely frightened her.

“So what should I do? If my heart is cut open, won’t I die? But if it’s not, I’ll be mind-controlled…”

“Does this mean that either way, there’s no good outcome for me?”

Mu Yunjin’s eyes gradually turned cold. She crossed her arms, trying to remain calm, lowered her gaze, pressed her lips together, and said nothing.

“In this matter, I’m also powerless. I can only tell you what I know in advance,” State Preceptor An sighed, his tone full of helplessness.

Mu Yunjin gradually clenched her fists, her clear eyes filled with cold rigidity. She had just enjoyed a few days of peace and tranquility, and now these troubling matters had returned.

The Divine Decree that had been sleeping in her heart was truly disturbing her peace of mind.

On second thought, Mu Yunjin recalled the scenes of Qingmeng checking her pulse for several days in a row. Each time, Qingmeng had said her body was fine, yet she still came for several consecutive days.

Could it be that Chu Li already knew about her additional heart meridian?

“Little girl, are you speechless?” State Preceptor An saw that she hadn’t spoken for a long time, her expression serious, her entire body tense, and he spoke with some concern.

Hearing his voice, Mu Yunjin slightly came back to her senses and forced a carefree smile. “Life and death are predetermined by heaven. Besides, I’ve already died twice, so what is there to fear?”

The first time she died was in a plane crash explosion, and by a twist of fate, she came to this different world.

The second time she died was in that Ice Cave, where she was frozen to death.

The third time…

If there was no other solution in the end, perhaps she would choose to cut out her own heart and commit suicide before she completely lost her mind.

“Alright, I’ll be going now. Remember to discuss this matter with Chu Li; perhaps he’ll have a solution. Don’t keep it to yourself,” State Preceptor An rose and advised Mu Yunjin before leaving.

Mu Yunjin sat in the pavilion, maintaining her downcast gaze and clenched fists. The cold wind blew in gusts, but she felt nothing, sitting motionless.

……

When Chu Li returned to the mansion, the first thing he did was look for Mu Yunjin.

“The Consort and the Ninth Princess are chatting in the side hall,” Nanny Shen reported Mu Yunjin’s whereabouts to Chu Li.

Chu Li nodded and walked toward the back garden.

When he arrived at the side hall, only Chu Qingyuan was inside. Whether from being alone for too long or something else, Chu Qingyuan was now dozing off with her head tilted, and charcoal was still burning in the room’s brazier.

Seeing that Mu Yunjin wasn’t there, and not wanting to wake Chu Qingyuan, Chu Li turned and left.

Huang Yan had been wandering around and, noticing Chu Li, flashed to his side. “Master…”

“Have you seen the Consort?” Chu Li asked.

“State Preceptor An came to the mansion this afternoon to see the Consort. She should be at the garden pavilion now…” Before Huang Yan could finish, Chu Li had already gone.

……

When Chu Li arrived at the pavilion, he indeed found Mu Yunjin.

Mu Yunjin usually had very high vigilance, but Chu Li had been standing there for a long time, and she hadn’t moved at all, seemingly unaware of his presence.

Chu Li slowly approached her and, seeing her gripping her fists tightly with her entire body trembling slightly, bent down and embraced her.

Mu Yunjin’s body noticeably stiffened in his arms. After turning to see who it was, she forced a smile. “Oh, you’re back…”

Chu Li answered with a soft sound, then bent down and picked her up in his arms, carrying her toward Liquan Pavilion.

How long had she been sitting there? Her body was completely cold…

Mu Yunjin allowed Chu Li to carry her, resting her head against his chest, lazily closing her eyes, listening to his heartbeat.

Back in the room, Chu Li placed her on the bed, removed her shoes, and covered her with a blanket. “Rest if you’re tired.”

“Chu Li…”

Mu Yunjin leaned against the headboard, clearly without any intention to sleep. As she stared at the person before her, remembering what State Preceptor An had told her, tears gradually welled up in her eyes. She bit her lip, trying to hold back her tears, but they came rushing forth, beyond her control, falling one by one.

Perhaps feeling embarrassed to cry like this in front of Chu Li, Mu Yunjin wiped her tears with her hand, then leaned forward toward Chu Li, grabbed the hem of his clothes, and used it to wipe her tears.

Chu Li was startled by her sudden tears. When he regained his composure, he saw her burying her head and using his clothes to wipe her tears. She must have been truly heartbroken, as her shoulders were still trembling.

Chu Li’s heart ached immediately. He reached out to embrace her, wiping her tears with one hand, and speaking softly in her ear, “Don’t cry anymore, alright?”

“You… did you already know?” Mu Yunjin sniffled, her tears still flowing, as she spoke between sobs.

“Yes,” Chu Li responded faintly, without elaborating. He held her tighter, gently patting her back, soothing her emotions.

Mu Yunjin bit her lip, closed her eyes, and didn’t continue asking.

Since Chu Li already knew, he must have thought about how to deal with it, but since he hadn’t told her, he probably hadn’t found a good solution yet.

If she brought it up now, it would only add to both their sorrows.

“I’m tired, I’ll sleep for a while.” Mu Yunjin steadied her emotions, broke free from Chu Li’s embrace, and lay down with her back to him.

Chu Li looked at her back, then at the tear marks still on his palm, slowly withdrew his gaze, and spoke in a gentle tone, “It’s not that there’s no solution.”

Mu Yunjin’s form stiffened on the bed. She opened her eyes but didn’t turn around.

Chu Li’s expression was clear, his cold eyes hiding a deep, dark gleam. “There is one thing that might counter the Divine Decree and draw it out of your body.”

“What is it?!” Mu Yunjin immediately became agitated, sitting up on the bed and turning to look at Chu Li.

Perhaps because she had just been crying, her voice still carried a thick nasal tone, and she had to sniff occasionally.

“The Crocodile Pearl.”

Mu Yunjin frowned, clearly having never heard of this object, and looked at Chu Li with confusion in her eyes.

“Ping Feng Cliff, Ghost Valley Cave, the Crocodile Pearl counters evil spirits!”