Yélu Zhe had already retreated into the courtyard. In the distance, bells and chimes rang as a large group of Yélu family guards rushed into the yard. Yélu Zhe shouted loudly: “Quickly notify grandfather—the criminal who abducted Lin Province family offspring is here. Please advise how to handle this!” While speaking, he took a pill from his chest and swallowed it.

Jing Hengbo stared at the poison candle in his hand. Waving both hands, stone stools and water vats in the courtyard flew up and crashed down. While dodging, Yélu Zhe took a black iron cover from a guard’s hands. Braving the stones raining down on his head, he placed the candle inside the iron cover, leaving only a small hole for smoke to escape. Looking around, he crouched down. Suddenly Jing Hengbo couldn’t see him, only sensing he was doing something at the wall corner.

After a while, Yélu Zhe stood up, head bleeding as he retreated. The poison candle was gone from his hands, replaced by several bricks. He sneered at Jing Hengbo, waving the bricks with a malicious, triumphant expression.

Jing Hengbo’s heart sank. It seemed this room really was full of mechanisms. The bricks at the wall base could move. This fellow must have placed the candle in the iron cover, then pulled out wall bricks and wedged the cover inside. Even with her remote object control, she couldn’t smash into the wall, and couldn’t determine which section of wall base it was behind.

The wall bricks weren’t completely removed, so smoke would seep through brick crevices. In this dim room, it was impossible to tell which bricks hid the candle.

Jing Hengbo had slight doubts—did the Yélu family really have such complete mechanisms in every room? How much would that cost? According to Yélu Zhe, this courtyard was specially built to receive top-level guests, normally empty, and had only been used three times since construction. Twice by Yu Kingdom’s Grand Chancellor and Regent Yu Guangting, and the last time by Xu Pingran. Jing Hengbo recalled this legendarily iron-fisted Yu Kingdom ruler, then remembered the Yu Kingdom king had fallen seriously ill during a tour and remained bedridden ever since, leaving state affairs entirely in Yu Guangting’s hands. Considering the Yélu family’s status in Yu Kingdom and Yu Guangting staying in this courtyard twice, somehow she felt these matters were all connected.

These thoughts flashed by—she had no mind to ponder them now. The room’s windows and doors had already dropped iron plates, creating a sealed space. The air had become murky and unclear. It seemed Yélu Zhe hadn’t lied—the poison candle was indeed burning somewhere.

She could leave, but she couldn’t leave now. She had to dig beneath this chair to see.

Though she didn’t believe Yélu Qi would die in this place, what if some clue remained?

She raised her hand, fingertips trembling slightly. She exhaled, understanding that though she kept saying she didn’t believe it, she was still afraid.

Afraid that Yélu Qi really was buried underground here.

During Xu Pingran’s flight, pursued by Pei Shu across thousands of li with Yélu Qi in tow—if Yélu Qi could serve her purposes, perhaps she’d spare his life out of appreciation for talent. But from Yélu Zhe’s description, clearly she and Yélu Qi didn’t get along. In such circumstances, with the Snow Mountain Sect Leader’s wife’s proud and arrogant nature, how could she continue tolerating Yélu Qi?

But now wasn’t the time to think.

She looked around, seeing flower vases on the curio shelf with wilted flowers. She took one, smashed it, tore a strip from her hem to wet and cover her nose and mouth, then took a sharp porcelain shard and began digging.

The characters on the chair armrest were unclear—touching them, they didn’t feel like words but random scratches. Besides, she didn’t think these were necessarily messages left by Yélu Qi. If Yélu Qi left her information, he’d choose more clever methods.

Removing and discarding the armrests and chair legs, she pried up the surface bricks. Only after three layers of brick did she reach soil.

Jing Hengbo had expected tunnels or iron plates underneath, but it was actually earth—though with clear signs of excavation.

Outside, Yélu Zhe watched coldly, laughing gloomily: “Your Majesty, why not come out? Maybe I was lying just now? Maybe there’s a mechanism under this chair that you could discover but Yélu Qi couldn’t, right?”

A guard crouched at the wall corner working bellows, slowly dispersing poison smoke into the room. Yélu Zhe’s smile grew more satisfied—he knew the more he said this, the less likely Jing Hengbo would abandon the chair’s hidden mechanism to escape first.

Jing Hengbo completely ignored his words—he was just trying to disturb her mind. She knelt beside the chair, hastily clearing away bricks and rapidly digging soil. Behind her, the air grew more chaotic. Though she held her breath, she couldn’t last much longer.

Fortunately, after just a few digs with the porcelain shard, she saw a ring. It looked very familiar—bronze band set with cat’s eye stone. After thinking a moment, Jing Hengbo remembered it resembled the ring Yélu Qi had once given her for protection, which Gong Yin had later bent into a collar flower. After becoming a collar flower, she’d stored it with her clothes and never used it again. Now she realized the ring was part of a pair.

Gripping the ring, her heart pounded. Yélu Qi had indeed left her a marker. He’d guessed she’d come looking for him, guessed he might be brought through Yu Kingdom. Leaving this ring—was it to tell her he was safe? No, there must be another meaning.

Jing Hengbo remembered this ring had three hidden mechanisms, including poison needles and barbs. She activated the mechanism and found the poison needles were gone. Touching the ring, she felt traces on its back.

She immediately understood the meaning of the chair’s scratches—the marks on the armrest and chair legs contained no information, only hinting she should overturn the chair and search beneath, while indicating the marks on the ring’s back buried under the chair were the real signs he’d left her.

Characters carved with a needle on the ring’s back were extremely small, nearly microscopic. She tucked the ring into her chest, shaking her head to clear the growing haziness in her mind, and continued digging downward. But the soil below had hardened, as if someone had once trampled it firmly underfoot. Her heart raced again.

“Crack”—the porcelain shard broke. She simply used her hands to dig. Her usually lustrous nails quickly became torn and ragged, hands covered in mud and blood, but she didn’t care. The mist behind her grew thicker while her movements grew faster, soil scattering behind her as she nearly buried herself in the pit.

This was racing death itself—poison smoke approached like evil spirits while she sought hope for life.

…

Yélu Zhe stood outside the courtyard, counting time, his smile growing wider—the time for holding breath to block poison smoke had passed. The Empress, more or less, would be poisoned and unable to escape the Yélu estate.

Capturing the Empress would turn passive to active, whatever happened. He could finally account for being captured.

Footsteps sounded behind him. He turned to see Yélu De accompanying a guest. Looking carefully at the guest, his eyes widened.

Why would the Regent suddenly appear here?

Beside Yélu De stood a tall man with a gloomy expression. His features were ordinary but well-maintained, skin lustrous, impossible to tell his true age. His clothing’s style and color were also ordinary, but only those born to wealth could see the extreme refinement. His eyebrows were extremely thick and black, seeming to carry three parts menace. When he looked at people, his gaze flashing from under dark brows was like a blue blade suddenly gleaming.

Everyone around became much quieter—this Yu Kingdom Regent was originally the Yu king’s beloved younger brother. Previously unremarkable, but two years ago when accompanying the Yu king’s southern tour, they encountered assassins near Lin Province. The king was severely wounded, and the then-prince nearly died saving him. After the royal procession returned, the Yu king’s severe injuries left him paralyzed and unable to govern. Yu Guangting gained great trust and gradually seized power, becoming Regent. He then used investigating the assassination to extensively eliminate dissidents and consolidate power. His iron-fisted style and decisive actions made him virtually Yu Kingdom’s new king.

The Yélu family had been recognized for merit in that escort duty and assassin investigation, maintaining close ties with this Regent.

But the Regent had recently been touring Feng Prefecture three hundred li away—why would he suddenly come to Lin Province? Though the young master beaten at the market for harassing women was his third son, from what Yélu Zhe knew of the Regent, this matter hardly seemed weighty enough to bring him personally.

He grew nervous—had last night’s mass abduction of Lin Province noble offspring already reached the Regent’s ears? But that seemed impossibly fast.

This foremost person of Yu Kingdom wasn’t looking at him, but staring straight at that courtyard. Yélu Zhe felt his expression was strange—seeming disgusted, angry, yet carrying three parts killing intent. But the look vanished instantly, showing only that calm face again.

He nervously approached to pay respects. Not daring mention the captives, he quietly reported the Empress trapped inside, expecting grandfather’s praise. But Yélu De’s expression didn’t improve, and though Yu Guangting’s face showed no emotion, his sweeping gaze made Yélu Zhe break into cold sweat.

He looked back uneasily at the courtyard, intuiting he’d made a fatal error but not understanding what. Was something wrong with this courtyard? But in the entire Yélu estate, only this courtyard had the most complete mechanisms. Without using this place, how could they detain the Empress?

Yu Guangting’s gaze swept coldly over Yélu Zhe again—like looking at a dead man.

When he looked at that room again, his face showed traces of anger.

After hearing of Di Ge’s escort convoy passing through Yu Kingdom’s Lin Province, he’d rushed from Feng Prefecture, originally to discuss with the Yélu family about stopping their rescue operation for Yélu Min. Who knew that upon reaching Lin Province, he’d hear the eldest son was rescued but Lin Province noble offspring were all captured. Knowing this was bad, he’d hurried desperately but still saw what he least wanted to see.

That fool Yélu Zhe—of all places to lure the Empress to her death, why did he bring her here!

He exchanged a glance with Yélu De. Yélu De showed some hesitation and unease, but Yu Guangting’s gaze was firm and cold.

Things had reached this point—they could only silence her!

…

Smoke swirled and twisted in the dim room, coiling like poison dragons devouring life.

Countless small insects and flies fell dead in wall corners, all turned pitch black.

A deep pit had been dug in the ground. Jing Hengbo’s movements had slowed—she felt dizzy and nauseous, knowing she was already poisoned.

Her Bright Moon mental cultivation method supposedly could cleanse the heart’s dust—meaning it could dispel poisons—but she hadn’t mastered it fully and had been in this environment too long.

Two fingernails had already fallen off, the rest bloody and ragged, sand and mud embedded in wounds with burning pain.

She gritted her teeth and continued digging. Blood dripped down, falling into the soil and washing away some black earth, vaguely revealing a trace of white.

She suddenly stopped, stunned for a moment, then lunged forward, palms brushing continuously.

Then she stopped.

The earth here might be rather moist, the soil black and gleaming with water. The exposed section of white bone appeared starkly pale and ghastly, stabbing into her eyes like a knife.

Jing Hengbo’s vision suddenly blurred. Those snow-white strips wavered, connecting into a stretch of illusory white radiance. She swayed, bracing her hand in the muddy earth. The sharp bone tip pierced her palm, bright red blood seeping into white bone—black, red, and white, three colors shockingly vivid.

Smoke drifted heavily as her silhouette swayed slightly.

…

In the courtyard, Yélu De repeatedly looked toward Yu Guangting, deterred each time by his gloomy but determined expression.

Yélu De’s hands clenched into fists in his sleeves, palms slightly sweating.

The person in that room held extraordinary status. They were just one branch of the Yélu family—did they really dare commit such a shocking crime?

He understood Yu Guangting’s meaning. Deep underground lay Yu Guangting’s secrets, which couldn’t be discovered by anyone. Now Yélu Zhe had foolishly, accidentally brought the Empress here. Having stayed so long in the room, she’d clearly discovered what lay underground. So Yu Guangting wanted to kill and silence her.

He knew Yu Guangting’s plan. The Empress had come to Yu Kingdom secretly—Di Ge hadn’t announced the Empress leaving the capital for inspection, meaning she’d concealed her identity. Yu Guangting wanted to use this opportunity to eliminate the Empress here without anyone knowing.

But he didn’t dare be optimistic. Killing the Empress here—the Regent could just leave, but what about the Yélu family? Had the Empress really brought only that two-thousand-man escort convoy when leaving the capital? Never mind the Kanglong Army and Jade-Reflected Dragon Cavalry being the Empress’s loyal forces—at minimum, Pei Shu’s Horizontal Halberd Army wouldn’t remain inactive. Rumor had it Young Marshal Pei was completely devoted to the Empress.

From the corner of his eye, he saw Yu Guangting make a gesture, his heart sinking.

…

White bones buried deep underground—due to moist earth qi, it was impossible to tell how long they’d been dead.

Jing Hengbo gritted her teeth and unearthed the white bones, her body flashing as she appeared in the courtyard.

Upon landing, she staggered, the world spinning. She knew the poison smoke and her current mental state had affected her physical condition. She should have been able to teleport much farther, but now, raising her head, she saw the entire courtyard full of people, densely packed troops, black arrowheads, and great nets cast from the sky.

Opposite stood a tall man staring at the white bones in her hands with eagle-like eyes.

His gaze at the white bones was too vicious, making her suspicious. Then she recalled who this person was.

Yu Kingdom Regent Yu Guangting. Before leaving the capital, she’d already studied portraits of rulers of various kingdoms and tribes.

Why would a grand Regent suddenly come here instead of staying in the capital? And he seemed very interested in the white bones in her hands.

Jing Hengbo didn’t think Yélu Qi would have any connection to Yu Guangting. Yélu Qi had left Yu Kingdom early for Di Ge, and back then Yu Guangting was still a low-profile prince. With Yélu Qi’s status in the Yélu family, he wouldn’t have dealings with Yu Guangting.

Then why did Yu Guangting look so terrible? As if she’d dug up his father’s bones.

Jing Hengbo’s chaotic thoughts suddenly cleared somewhat as she began considering another possibility.

Opposite, Yu Guangting slowly raised his hand. It seemed he had no intention of giving her a chance to reveal her identity, directly planning to eliminate her in this courtyard.

Jing Hengbo hugged the white bones to her chest. Her figure flashed, already passing through the great net covering the entire courtyard.

Soldiers throughout the courtyard stared up in shock—was this woman a ghost? The overhead net was woven with gold thread, completely undamaged. How did she get out?

She did indeed resemble a ghost—disheveled hair, pale face, covered in mud and bloodstains.

Everyone shivered. Yu Guangting’s expression grew uglier—he hadn’t expected Jing Hengbo to flee without a word, and hadn’t anticipated the Empress’s legendary lightness skills being so eerily supernatural.

“Pursue her!”

Having gone this far, hesitation would be foolish. This time even Yélu De sighed and ordered all family members to join the pursuit.

Yu Guangting wasn’t anxious. He knew the poison candle’s smoke was powerful, and he’d laid nets throughout this estate. No matter how capable the Empress was, she couldn’t escape the estate.

He gestured for his experts to pursue while he stood with hands behind his back, watching that courtyard, saying to Yélu De: “Old master, when this prince told you to seal this courtyard, why didn’t you?”

Yélu De’s expression grew slightly embarrassed as he bowed: “Replying to Your Highness, it was sealed originally. Last year an honored guest came with many followers and demanding requirements. Looking throughout the entire estate, she would only stay in this courtyard. This minister had no choice but to temporarily open it. But that guest only stayed one night and discovered nothing…”

“Your guest discovered nothing, but your good grandson did.” Yu Guangting’s smile was ice-cold.

Yélu De lowered his head, not daring to answer. Yélu Zhe watched everything before him in terror. Seeing all the guards had withdrawn from the courtyard, he suddenly felt great danger.

The next moment he heard Yu Guangting say: “This good grandson of yours led a group of important offspring from Lin Province and even the capital into captivity, while he ran back alone. Such desertion in the face of danger, disregarding the big picture, missing opportunities through self-importance—how do you think such a person should be handled?”

Yélu Zhe’s whole body shook as he stepped back in alarm: “Your Highness! Though I was careless and captured, I… I lured and captured the Empress…”

“You still think luring the Empress was meritorious?” Yu Guangting’s smile was gentle, but the killing intent in his eyes pressed like sword qi. Suddenly he roared: “You fool! Even without this matter, luring the Empress only puts us in an impossible position! Yélu De! Do you want this fool to continue offending my eyes? You decide!”

Yélu De still kept his head down, but the veins on his tightly clenched jaw stood out as he said heavily: “This minister… understands!” He stepped back, sleeve sweeping out with a thunderous sound, striking Yélu Zhe’s head.

Yélu Zhe was lunging toward him, hoping his always-doting grandfather would plead for him, never expecting this killing blow from his own grandfather. His eyes instantly widened.

Faint bloody scent filled the air. Yélu Zhe’s half-bent body stiffened for a long moment. Yélu De turned away, showing reluctance, and gently pushed.

Yélu Zhe crashed down. Even in death, his eyes stared wide open at the pale-washed sky.

Questions or unwillingness—before the ruthlessness of those in power, there were never answers.

Yélu De wrinkled his aged face, gesturing for guards to clean up his grandson’s corpse: “Seventh Young Master was killed by assassins. Arrange the funeral.”

Guards shocked, carried away the body. Yu Guangting never glanced at it from beginning to end. His anger unabated, blue veins flashing across his brow, he suddenly frowned slightly and pressed his hand to his heart.

A young woman entered the courtyard at that moment. She appeared so suddenly, footsteps light as a ghost. Not until she reached Yu Guangting’s side did Yélu De notice her.

Yu Guangting’s expression was quite natural. Glancing at the silver cup in her hands, he smiled: “Has the master arrived?”

The girl nodded lightly, then indicated the cup, signaling him to drink it. Her expression held no respect, but Yu Guangting took no offense, laughing heartily as he accepted and drained it.

Yélu De watched somewhat shocked. As far as he knew, Yu Guangting was cautious and suspicious by nature. Only those of great favor who’d followed him for years and were absolutely trusted could approach him, let alone have someone serve him drinks without arranging poison-tasters first.

Yu Guangting returned the cup to the girl: “Please tell the master to rest well. This prince will come pay respects later.” The girl nodded woodenly, performed no courtesy, and simply turned to leave. Yélu De watched her footsteps but saw no footprints in the muddy ground, finding it even more incredible—how could Yu Guangting let someone with such high martial arts approach him?

Yu Guangting saw his confusion and smiled: “This is my lifesaver. You know I have chronic ailments. When rushing here from Feng Prefecture, traveling too urgently triggered old illness. The medical officer I brought accidentally fell from a cliff. Fortunately she and her master saved me. This girl is acceptable, but her master—I was immediately enamored upon meeting. Though unable to walk, his knowledge is unparalleled. Not only treating illness, but if I could gain such a person as counselor, those difficult court matters would never trouble me again.”

Yélu De naturally knew that though Yu Guangting held great power, his position wasn’t entirely stable. The Yu king’s several princes had come of age, gained fiefdoms, commanded armies, and cultivated powerful connections. They’d always been dissatisfied with this uncle controlling court affairs. Yu Guangting had always used balancing and dividing tactics, maneuvering among them with great effort.

Yélu De rarely heard Yu Guangting praise anyone so highly. Just as he grew curious and prepared to ask, sudden commotion erupted from the estate’s northwest corner. Yu Guangting’s expression shifted as he hurried over.

…

At this time, Jing Hengbo was in the estate’s northwest corner.

This position was near the estate’s continuous walls. Currently dizzy and nauseous, after several teleportations she felt all her strength had been drained away, realizing this poison smoke was more powerful than she’d imagined.

She didn’t know how many people Yu Guangting had brought, but the entire estate was packed full with almost no blind spots. Many had superior lightness skills, wielding long chains, following closely behind her, constantly throwing chains or roped projectiles. It seemed Yu Guangting had guessed she might appear in Lin Province before coming, and had found countermeasures for her teleportation. If she hadn’t moved quickly, several times those chains and ropes would have caught her ankles.

A cold smile appeared at Jing Hengbo’s lips—using such elaborate schemes to eliminate her here silently? But actually, she didn’t particularly want to leave either!

She ran to the perimeter wall, pausing briefly. From the corner of her eye, she saw pursuing troops surging forward. Raising her hand, she threw something and called loudly toward outside the wall: “These bones are problematic—examine them carefully later!”

A white flash—something was thrown over the wall. The guards behind watched in bewilderment, but Yu Guangting arriving from the distance changed expression.

She actually had backup! She actually threw the bones out!

Jing Hengbo chuckled. Suddenly she felt much more at ease. She’d fled all along just to observe Yu Guangting’s reaction. The more urgently and fiercely Yu Guangting pursued, the more important these bones were to him, making it less likely they belonged to Yélu Qi.

Now she’d “thrown” these bones Yu Guangting valued so highly over the wall, creating the appearance of backup. Even if she was poisoned and captured by Yu Guangting, his fear of complications would prevent him from killing her as before.

Of course she still didn’t want to fall into Yu Guangting’s hands. Forcing her body to flash, she ducked behind bamboo groves under the compound wall—a blind spot she’d noted earlier. She would do the opposite of what was expected: while everyone thought she’d escaped over the wall, she’d remain in the estate. The most dangerous place was often the safest.

The bamboo forest was dense with countless shadows. Pale green leaves carried gentle breezes, sunlight occasionally appeared from deep within the grove, shooting golden rays.

Underfoot lay thick layers of bamboo leaves. Some new shoots broke through earth, slightly pressing against her soles with rustling sounds.

She had just steadied herself, supporting against an old bamboo and preparing to look up, when her heart suddenly pounded and she whirled around.

But she couldn’t turn around in time.

Her neck suddenly went numb and her vision darkened.

In that final moment, she only saw a pair of delicate, pointed shoe tips.