Mu Yunjin narrowed her eyes, silently staring at Hong Ling.

Hong Ling clenched her fist, her expression complex as she met Mu Yunjin’s gaze. “Consort Ning, I didn’t want to do this either, but His Highness told me not to disturb you, and said whether he gets the Star Grass or not is a matter of his life.”

“But having been by His Highness’s side for many years, how could I bear to watch him die from the poison? Today, you may hate me or tell His Highness about this, but I will never regret it.” Hong Ling’s tone was firm. After speaking, she shook off Mu Yunjin’s hand from her shoulder and flew away.

Mu Yunjin stood there, her eyes fixed on Hong Ling’s retreating figure.

What Chu Li had said earlier in the Gu Residence was like a sharp knife piercing her heart.

Now that he didn’t trust her and suspected she had leaked information leading to the loss of the Cliff Grass, it seemed she couldn’t even return to the City Lord’s Mansion.

At this moment, Chu Li walked out of the Gu Residence and saw Mu Yunjin standing alone outside, her gaze fixed blankly on an empty spot in front of her.

Chu Li frowned. After expressing his suspicion earlier, her reaction made him wonder if he had said something wrong.

But recalling how she had repeatedly asked about the quantity of Star Grass yesterday, Chu Li again felt that her suspicion was indeed very high.

…

…

But based on their interactions these past two days, she didn’t seem like that kind of person…

Mu Yunjin noticed Chu Li coming out from the corner of her eye. She glared at him, then without a word, continued walking on her path.

“Mu Yunjin,” Chu Li called from behind.

Mu Yunjin ignored him and continued on her way, a breath of resentment trapped in her chest with nowhere to vent.

As she walked, she grew increasingly displeased. Suddenly stopping in her tracks, she turned around and glared at the person who had followed her. “Chu Li, tell me, why exactly do you suspect I leaked the information? What grounds do you have to believe it was me?”

Caught off guard by her sudden question, Chu Li stopped in his tracks. Seeing the defiance and stubbornness in her eyes, his heart inexplicably ached. He opened his mouth but couldn’t speak.

“Hmph!” Seeing him silent, Mu Yunjin grew angrier. She immediately channeled her true energy and used her lightness skill to quickly depart.

…

Inside the City Lord’s Mansion.

“Why haven’t His Highness and the Consort returned yet?” It was near dusk, and everyone else had returned to the mansion, except for Mu Yunjin and Chu Li.

“Don’t worry. The young couple together—what could happen? This is a good opportunity for them to nurture their relationship,” Huang Yan said.

Just as he spoke, he caught sight of a figure entering the mansion from the corner of his eye.

“Your Highness, why are you alone? Where is the Consort?” Huang Yan approached and looked at Chu Li.

Chu Li paused, “She hasn’t returned yet?”

The others shook their heads, “Didn’t you go out together? Did you separate midway?”

Chu Li clenched his fist, lowered his eyes, his expression calm as he silently walked toward his room.

Behind him, the others exchanged glances. “What does this mean?”

“Did they fight?”

“Don’t know. His Highness has returned, but where has our master gone? It’s almost dark,” Qiqi said.

…

That night, at the dining table.

“Where is the Consort? His Highness is also staying in his room and not coming out. What’s happening?” Qingmeng, seeing that Mu Yunjin still hadn’t returned and mindful of her pregnancy, spoke with concern.

“This won’t do. I must go out and search,” Hua Ying stood up, ready to leave.

Qiqi, Lei Yan, and others also stood up, preparing to go out together.

All the people from Phoenix Pavilion left at once, leaving behind Huang Yan and a few others who looked at each other in confusion. “Maybe I should first ask His Highness about the situation…”

Just as Huang Yan finished speaking, a figure in light purple entered, accompanied by a chilling coldness.

“Your Highness, they’ve all gone out to look for the Consort,” Huang Yan said, looking at Chu Li.

Chu Li frowned, “She still hasn’t returned?”

“Yes, and the Consort hasn’t been feeling well these days. Being alone outside, could something have happened to her?” Qingmeng picked up the conversation, looking at Chu Li.

Hearing this, Chu Li felt a chill in his heart. He turned and headed straight for the door.

Huang Yan was startled and followed.

…

Mu Yunjin was searching everywhere for the Cliff Grass.

She couldn’t believe that in this whole world, there was only one Cliff Grass plant left, and it happened to be taken by Hong Ling.

Originally, she had thought of asking Hong Ling for it, but on second thought, what grounds did she have to ask? Hong Ling had obtained it before her, fair and square.

Now, under the night sky, she was alone on an abandoned hilltop, searching everywhere for Cliff Grass. Occasionally, she would encounter a few lonely graves buried on the hilltop, and each time her eyes fell upon one, it sent shivers down her spine.

“Awoooo—” Accompanied by several wolf howls, Mu Yunjin felt increasingly frightened.

Just as she was hesitating whether to go down the mountain, a pink light came directly toward her, and then Qiqi’s figure appeared, standing beside Mu Yunjin.

“Master, why did you come here?” Qiqi had used a tracking technique to find Mu Yunjin’s whereabouts.

Seeing Qiqi, Mu Yunjin felt as if she had suddenly found her organization. She stepped forward and hugged Qiqi, “I’m trying to see if I can find Cliff Grass here.”

“Here?” Qiqi looked around, pouting. “This is a burial mountain. It’s so eerie at night, aren’t you scared?”

“I am, but I still need to look,” Mu Yunjin sighed slightly, still upset about what had happened during the day.

Upon reflection, Mu Yunjin looked at Qiqi, “After Chu Li returned in the afternoon, did he say anything to you all?”

“No, Prince Ning didn’t say anything,” Qiqi answered.

Mu Yunjin nodded, “Thankfully, he didn’t talk nonsense when he went back.”

“Prince Ning doesn’t seem like someone who would talk nonsense. What exactly happened between you two?” Even though Qiqi appeared innocent, she could now sense that something was amiss.

“Nothing. Let’s focus on finding the Cliff Grass first,” Mu Yunjin said, then turned back to continue her search.

Qiqi followed beside her, keeping her company as they searched, though she occasionally exclaimed, “Listen, listen, there are wolf howls here.”

“Don’t talk. Let’s quickly search this area and see,” Mu Yunjin hadn’t been this afraid before, but with Qiqi repeatedly startling her, she kept feeling as if a wolf might jump out from somewhere.

After searching for a long time, they still found nothing.

“Master, it’s getting late. Let’s head back first and think of a way to search in other cities tomorrow,” Qiqi hugged her arms and spoke to Mu Yunjin.

Mu Yunjin nodded. At this point, there was nothing more they could do.

Just as the two were about to step down the mountain, a golden light suddenly flashed in front of Mu Yunjin’s chest, shining through from inside her clothes.

Seeing this familiar golden light, Mu Yunjin paused and reached into her bosom to take out the Heavenly God Token…

At this moment, the small, delicate Heavenly God Token lay in her palm, emitting a blazing golden light that shot upward, enveloping the entire hilltop.

“Why did it suddenly become so bright? Did something happen?” Mu Yunjin closed her palm, clutching the Heavenly God Token tightly, but the light still seeped through her fingers.

In the past, when the Heavenly God Token lit up, it was usually to heal her wounds or extend her life. This time, what did it signify?

“Master, look!”

Qiqi suddenly exclaimed in shock and excitement.

Mu Yunjin was startled and followed Qiqi’s gaze. Under the golden light’s covering, emerald green objects were rapidly growing next to several lonely graves, one plant after another.

Mu Yunjin’s eyes brightened. Wasn’t this the Cliff Grass depicted in the diagram?

At this rate of growth, forget one plant—there could be a hundred…

How extraordinary was this?

Mu Yunjin approached, bent down to pick a Cliff Grass plant, sniffed it gently, and then looked at Qiqi beside her, “Do you think this is the Cliff Grass?”

“It seems like it,” Qiqi wasn’t entirely sure either.

At this moment, several more people arrived at the edge of the cliff.

Mu Yunjin heard footsteps and looked over. Her eyes lit up when she saw Hua Ying, but upon noticing another figure, her expression immediately darkened.

“Hua Ying, come look, is this the Cliff Grass?” Mu Yunjin handed the grass in her hand to Hua Ying.

Hua Ying took it, examined it carefully, and nodded with certainty. Then, looking to the side, she expressed surprise, “How could there be so much Cliff Grass here?”

“There wasn’t any just now. After the Heavenly God Token lit up, they grew,” Qiqi added, still finding it incredible.

Mentioning the Heavenly God Token, Mu Yunjin, mindful of Chu Li’s presence, immediately put it away.

Noticing this action, Chu Li’s eyes darkened, and he remained silent with pursed lips.

“I understand. It’s probably because of the cold weather that Cliff Grass is rarely seen. Just now, the Heavenly God Token appeared and revived the life of the Cliff Grass that had withered for winter here,” Hua Ying thought for a moment and explained.

“So powerful! Truly deserving of being called a divine tool,” Qiqi praised.

Mu Yunjin bit her lip, lowered her eyes, and plucked a few more Cliff Grass plants, “Now all three rare medicinal herbs have been found. City Lord Xu can be saved.”

“Yes, that’s right!”

“Let’s go down the mountain first. It’s a bit cold here,” Mu Yunjin felt cold after standing for so long and headed toward the path down the mountain.

As she passed by Chu Li, she acted as if she hadn’t seen him, not even glancing at him once, continuing on her way.

Chu Li, in the dim light, turned to look at her retreating figure, furrowing his brow.

“Your Highness, let’s go down the mountain too,” Huang Yan, seeing Chu Li standing motionless, had long realized there was some conflict between the two.

…

Returning from the outskirts to the market street, Mu Yunjin paused for a moment when passing by the inn where Rong Jiu was staying.

“You go back first. I need to see someone,” Mu Yunjin said to Qiqi and Hua Ying.

They nodded.

Just as Mu Yunjin was about to step into the inn’s main entrance, a hand grabbed her arm, accompanied by a cold tone, “Who are you going to see?”

“Now that all three medicinal herbs have been found, is Prince Ning still worried I might leak something?” Mu Yunjin shook off Chu Li’s hand, feeling the anger from earlier reaching its limit, ready to explode at any moment.

Chu Li was slightly taken aback. He gazed at her, wanting to apologize but feeling as if he couldn’t back down. The words reached his lips, but all he could force out was, “I will go with you to see Rong Jiu.”