Jing Hengbo stumbled forward and rushed into the long street.

“Help! The bandits from Seven Peaks Mountain are kidnapping people…” Her cries were pitiful.

Behind the doors on both sides of the street, countless pairs of eyes rolled around, staring at her.

She vaguely heard whispers behind the doors.

“Another one who escaped down the mountain?”

“Scared by the Seven Evil?”

“That’s not right, she seems like a commoner woman who was kidnapped up the mountain?”

“Strange, though the Seven Evil swindle and deceive, harming countless people, they never kill or kidnap women. How come this time…”

“Maybe it’s the Seven Evil’s subordinates? After a long time, there’s always someone who wants to break their vows…”

“This girl looks very pitiful…”

“Ah, and quite beautiful too, no wonder she was kidnapped…”

Jing Hengbo listened intermittently, feeling pleased—there was hope!

From the corner of her eye, she spotted a grain store ahead and immediately quickened her pace, rushing straight toward it. She stumbled at the shop’s entrance and fell down in front of the door.

She desperately pounded on the door: “Help! Help! Good sir, please let me in!” While giving Pei Shu a vicious glare from the corner of her eye—slow down!

Pei Shu had no choice but to run over slowly, floating like a ghost.

“Hey! That young lady! Why don’t you just submit to this master! When this master says he’ll marry you, he definitely will…”

Before he could finish his lines, a sudden powerful wind whooshed.

If it were anyone else, they wouldn’t have heard this sound at all, but for a master like Pei Shu, as soon as the sound reached his ears, all his body hair stood on end.

A master!

A master even above Ying Bai and the others!

Pei Shu couldn’t care about acting anymore. This force was so fierce that if it hit his back, it would leave a huge hole. He leaped forward with all his might, pouncing toward Jing Hengbo.

Jing Hengbo was pounding on the door when she turned back and saw him actually not following the script again, pouncing over so quickly. She couldn’t help but be furious.

Just as she was thinking whether to use telekinesis to teach this disobedient guy a harsh lesson, suddenly the door panel in front of her was pulled away, and a pair of hands reached out, quickly pulling her inside.

An elderly voice said: “Young lady, come in quickly!”

She was pulled through the door, delighted in her heart. The elder was hastily closing the door. In her haste, she only had time to glance back and saw Pei Shu jumping up from the ground in a most ungraceful posture, like a dog eating shit. He didn’t look at her but turned back with fury on his face, then his figure flashed and disappeared.

What was wrong with that guy now?

Jing Hengbo muttered to herself, instinctively feeling that Pei Shu’s pouncing posture had seemed a bit odd, but since the script was halfway through, she had to continue. She leaned against the door panel, gasping, while thanking the shopkeeper who had rescued her.

The shop owner was an elderly man with kind eyebrows and gentle eyes. He invited her to sit in the main hall, served her tea, and comforted her: “Young lady, rest and catch your breath. However, this old man can only give you temporary shelter. The Seven Evil act irregularly—their people might still break in. You’d better quickly leave through the back door and find another place to hide. I have several back doors here, and it’s convenient to exit from any of them.”

Jing Hengbo cursed the seven comedic characters in her heart for truly poisoning the region. Poor Seven Peaks Town’s people had to guard against fire, theft, and the Seven Kill—they even opened several back doors. She smiled and said: “Thank you, old sir. However, that villain can’t really be counted as one of the Seven Kill’s people. He’s just an odd-job worker from Seven Peaks Mountain without such high martial arts skills. I’m sure he wouldn’t dare break into people’s homes to cause trouble.” She smoothly changed the topic, asking the elder what business he was in. The elder replied that he dealt in grain and rice, and the front shop also sold dried fruits and vegetables. Jing Hengbo was waiting for exactly this answer. Rolling her eyes, she said: “Speaking of grain and rice, the uncle’s family where I’m staying is a wealthy household. Because this year’s rice sent up from the estate was poor quality, they’re planning to sell that batch and buy some good rice for the family to eat. I wonder how the quality of the grain and rice here is?”

Hearing there was business to be done, the elder beamed with joy and hurriedly took her to see the granary. Jing Hengbo didn’t understand these things but picked some of the better-looking rice and flour, along with a big pile of dried vegetables. She was eloquent and endearing, coaxing the elder until he was overjoyed and indeed gave her the lowest price. After finishing, Jing Hengbo smiled and said: “Naturally I don’t have silver on me, so let me reserve these on behalf of my uncle. Old sir, please keep them for me first. Tomorrow I’ll send word to my uncle to bring people and silver to buy them.”

The elder readily agreed. Jing Hengbo continued: “Trouble you, old sir—my uncle’s family recently needs to build a garden and is seeking capable craftsmen nearby. Are there such talented people in our town?”

“The best craftsman in town is Master Zhou, who is currently raising the roof beam for Landlord Liu’s new house,” the elder said. “It’s at the west end of town.”

Jing Hengbo immediately said: “Then I’ll go take a look.” She turned and left.

At this time, because Pei Shu had left, doors throughout the street opened one after another. When Jing Hengbo came out, she looked around in all directions and found no sign of Pei Shu, which puzzled her somewhat.

That guy disappeared halfway through the performance—what a diva!

She couldn’t worry about Pei Shu now. Without him causing trouble was actually better. She walked toward the west end of town, preparing to get something for nothing.

…

At the street entrance, that carriage remained quietly parked.

The attendants were ready to travel. They needed to hurry—time was already tight. Originally, they wouldn’t even have entered this town.

But the person in the carriage had not said to leave for a long time.

He was wiping his hands, using a snow-white cloth to repeatedly wipe his fingers. The cloth emitted a faint medicinal scent. The ice-crystal-like fingers that were wiped gradually warmed up.

By the time he finished wiping his hands, his decision was also made.

“Rest for one night.”

“Master…” The guard wanted to remind him that such a stop was inappropriate. Even disregarding the time pressure, Seven Peaks Mountain was too close to Blackwater Marsh, and this town itself was a gathering place for spies from various major forces from Tortoiseshell Blackwater. The master still had important matters to attend to, and his identity especially needed to be hidden. Staying here was too risky.

It was precisely because he recognized this that when the master passed by the foot of Seven Peaks Mountain, though his gaze had always lingered on the mountain peak, he hadn’t requested to stop and had already prepared himself to pass by heartlessly.

The guard sighed in his heart—he had planned not to meet, but unexpectedly they still encountered each other at this town entrance. Could this be called a cursed fate?

He remained silent as the curtain slowly dropped.

The guard didn’t dare say more, turned around and ordered: “Find lodging!”

…

Jing Hengbo stood at the west end of town, watching Landlord Liu’s family raising the roof beam.

Raising the roof beam was a major event. There were many neighbors watching and helping from all sides. Family relatives brought firecrackers and golden flowers that crackled and popped. A man with a towel draped over his shoulders, sweating profusely, directed several men carrying a large beam up onto the roof.

This must be that capable craftsman Master Zhou.

Jing Hengbo squeezed to the front of the crowd and watched as they hung various colored silk and quilt covers on the center beam. Several masters climbed onto the walls and slowly hoisted up the center beam. Master Zhou commanded and shouted from below: “Lift—lower—”

At the moment the word “lower” rang out, Jing Hengbo moved her finger.

A small stone rolled into the mortise and tenon joint on the beam post.

“Lower!”

The center beam came down. Immediately, the master made a surprised “eh” sound, and several people’s expressions changed.

The spectators below also noticed something was wrong—the beam wood seemed not to have locked into the mortise and tenon joint, with one end slightly tilted up.

There was an immediate commotion.

Raising the roof beam was a major event. The beam had to be set properly and correctly, otherwise it would be unfavorable for the family’s business and feng shui. This was a custom deeply rooted in people’s hearts for thousands of years. The saying “if the upper beam is not straight, the lower beam will be crooked” was ultimately an unlucky thing.

Master Zhou’s forehead broke out in sweat. He had been a craftsman for twenty years and had never encountered beam wood that didn’t fit into the mortise and tenon joint. What was happening?

Everyone had no choice but to lift the beam wood again and lower it once more. When it came down, Jing Hengbo waved her hand again and stuffed in another stone. Naturally, the beam wood didn’t lock in again.

After three attempts like this, the beam raising failed. The surrounding buzzing discussions continued endlessly. The master of the house looked pale, the craftsmen were sweating like rain, the festive atmosphere was completely gone, and people began to slowly retreat with taboo expressions.

It was at this moment that Jing Hengbo walked up with a smile.

“Oh my,” she glanced at the house and exclaimed, “The feng shui of this place is extraordinary!”

The master of the house was feeling dejected and desperate. Hearing this was like encountering a lifeline, and he hurriedly stepped forward to ask: “Dare I ask why the young lady says this? My beam just won’t go up—is there something improper with the feng shui?”

“Improper? Where’s the impropriety?” Jing Hengbo waved her finger. “It’s very proper, too proper, so proper that your family can’t handle it—that’s why the beam won’t go up.”

“Please enlighten us, young lady!”

“Under your earth veins, there’s a golden dragon. Building a residence here, your descendants will soar to success in the future, with gold and silver filling the house.” Jing Hengbo’s words made the master of the house beam with joy, but then she suddenly frowned. “It’s just that when you laid the foundation, you used the wrong method and disturbed the dragon energy. Now not only will you not get rich, I’m afraid you’ll also worry about family ruin and death!”

“Ah! Please young lady, you must save our family! There will definitely be great rewards afterward!”

“This dragon is a golden dragon, so naturally it loves wealth most,” Jing Hengbo smiled and spoke complete nonsense. “Since you’ve disturbed it, naturally you need to offer it its favorite things to apologize. Your family should prepare some silver and valuable objects. After dark, walk westward, go three li outside the town, and bury these things in a place where there’s no moonlight. That’ll do it.”

“This will work? Then, exactly how much silver is needed?”

Jing Hengbo calculated the money needed to buy grain and vegetables and said: “No less than fifty taels will do.”

This amount wasn’t small, but this master of the house was also a local wealthy family and agreed without too much difficulty. However, someone whispered a reminder to the master: “This woman’s background is unknown—she might just be talking nonsense. Be careful not to be deceived…”

Jing Hengbo pretended not to hear and pointed at the large beam, saying to the doubtful master: “Your beam raising has an auspicious time that cannot be delayed. Very well, since I’ve taken action, I’ll help you to the end. I’ll offer incense to the earth dragon god later and have a word with it, letting your beam go up first. Remember to do as I said afterward. Otherwise, if the dragon god helps you but you renege, be careful of family ruin and death in minutes.”

The master of the house was half-believing and half-doubting as he ordered the craftsmen to climb the walls again and hoist up the large beam. Jing Hengbo set up an incense altar on the side, offered incense and bowed, pretending to pray for a few sentences, then waved her hand and said: “Go ahead!”

Everyone held their breath and tremblingly hoisted the beam up. “Lift—lower—”

“Click.” With one sound, the beam locked in firmly.

The master of the house joyfully wiped his sweat and hurried forward to thank her. Jing Hengbo smiled with the serene air of a worldly master: “Ah, the dragon god listened to my prayers and gave me face. You must remember to fulfill your promise, or if something happens, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

The master of the house repeatedly agreed and invited Jing Hengbo inside for dinner. The craftsmen sprinkled candy, coins, steamed buns, and pastries down from the beam. Jing Hengbo shamelessly squeezed together with the children, grabbed a pile of coins and candy, then beautifully ate the dinner that the master of the house attentively provided. She took the reward money and used it to stay at the town’s only inn.

Now, she just had to wait until midnight to collect the money, then buy rice afterward, and the task would be complete.

With everything going smoothly, Jing Hengbo was in high spirits. She entered the inn with spring in her step. Just as she was entering the inn, there was suddenly rapid horse hoofbeats behind her. Before she could turn around to look, she was knocked off balance by the wind stirred up by a galloping horse and nearly fell on the threshold.

The waiter helped steady her. She turned back to look and saw more than ten riders flash by like lightning on the narrow street, charging through recklessly as if in an uninhabited land. This time the townspeople didn’t even shout—they directly closed their doors.

“Who are all these people?” Jing Hengbo poked her head out to look at the backs of the mounted riders, thinking these people were truly tyrannical. From the people’s expressions, they seemed much more feared than the Seven Kill.

“Don’t know which of the Thirteen Protectors it is… Recently with the Seven Evil away, they come often, and everyone suffers. Sigh, we should spread word that the Seven Evil have returned…” The waiter shook his head and muttered.

“Aren’t the Seven Evil supposed to bring disaster to the country and people? Don’t you flee and close doors as soon as you hear their names? How come it sounds like you’re actually counting on them for protection?”

“The Seven Evil love to play and make noise—they’re quite annoying, and their actions don’t follow normal patterns, so everyone’s headaches are real headaches,” the waiter said. “But no matter what, the Seven Evil don’t kill people, don’t rob, don’t touch women, and don’t really take people’s property. Sometimes when others bully us, if they’re in a good mood they’ll lend a hand. Compared to that group who rob money like madmen and collect territory fees all the way to Seven Peaks Town—the Thirteen Protectors—they’re much better…”

“Little De!” The innkeeper shouted from behind the counter. “Don’t talk nonsense!”

The waiter reluctantly closed his mouth. Jing Hengbo sneered and pointed at them: “You people are really thick-skinned. You clearly rely on the Seven Kill for protection, you clearly know in your hearts they’re not bad people, yet you still put on that act. Do you dare throw eggs at the Thirteen Protectors? In the end, you’re just afraid that evil people bully good people!”

Everyone in the hall looked embarrassed at her words, and no one responded. Jing Hengbo snorted coldly, thinking on one hand that these Thirteen Protectors were too vicious—Seven Peaks Town was quite far from Tortoiseshell, yet they could collect protection fees all the way here. On the other hand, she thought the people of Seven Peaks Town were shameless enough—someday when this whole bunch suffered together, they’d deserve it.

The more she thought about it, the more indignant she became. She slammed the table: “Give me a superior room!”

It happened that there was only one superior room left. When Jing Hengbo paid, she felt somewhat strange—in this small town’s inn, with limited guest flow, how could there be only one superior room left? Who else was staying here?

When entering the courtyard, she saw some dusty carriages and horses parked in the yard, but they looked quite ordinary—probably passing merchants. However, it was rare for merchants to be so generous as to book so many rooms.

When the waiter led her to her room, she frowned slightly. This only superior room was actually in the middle of the floor, with people living on both left and right sides, feeling like being surrounded.

This feeling wasn’t very comfortable, but she couldn’t drive out the people who had arrived first. She looked at both sides—all doors were tightly closed without any sound.

She entered the room and had just thought to lie down when someone nimbly jumped into the room and sprawled next to her without ceremony.

Seeing him, Jing Hengbo’s anger rose from the bottom of her heart. She viciously kicked him and said: “You have the nerve to sleep? Where did you run off to just now?”

Pei Shu suddenly flipped over and sat up, angrily saying: “I haven’t asked you yet—did you arrange other helpers? Just now I was almost shot through with a big hole from behind! That bastard’s strike was really vicious, as if he had a deep hatred for me. I chased him around the town for a big circle—that bastard ran really fast! You didn’t arrange for Tian Qi to get revenge on me, did you?”

“I wish Tian Qi had come. If not Tian Qi, then Ying Bai would be fine—anyone but you.” Jing Hengbo rolled her eyes, then became curious. Even this tyrant could suffer losses. “Who shot at you for no reason? Was it during that last time you pounced on me? No wonder I thought your posture looked wrong—like a dog eating shit.”

“Outrageous!” Pei Shu’s sword-like eyebrows stood up. “You woman are getting more and more outrageous! Come over! Give me a back massage!”

“Massage your sister.” Jing Hengbo lay down, hands behind her head. “This is the room I opened, my bed. You’re not allowed to sleep here. If you want to stay, go open your own room.”

“You think I want to sleep with you? You don’t even know to put on some fragrant powder! Don’t even know to change into more romantic clothes.” Pei Shu spread his hands. “Hey, give me money.”

“Huh?” Jing Hengbo almost reached to clean her ears—was her hearing having problems?

“I don’t have money on me,” Pei Shu said righteously. “Give me money so I can go open a room.”

Jing Hengbo felt this conversation was too awkward…

So much information.

It felt like an adulterous couple with a kept man and a rich woman asking for money…

“Where would I get money? Go earn it yourself! A grand young commander asking a woman for money—do you have any shame?”

“A grand young commander doing those merchants’ profit-seeking business—that would be truly shameful. I’ve only known how to fight wars my whole life, and I only like fighting wars. Other things? No discussion!”

“Why don’t you have someone else help you make babies too!” Jing Hengbo grumbled, counted the money in her pocket—not enough to open another room—and had to say: “You sleep on the floor!”

“How can a grand young commander sleep on the floor?” Pei Shu was even angrier. “You sleep on it.”

“I will!” Jing Hengbo kicked his leg. “I’m still a queen!”

“Stop arguing!” Pei Shu suddenly reached out his arm and pulled her close. “Neither of us will sleep on the floor. This bed is so big—let’s sleep together. Hey, don’t make a fuss. I chased that assassin for a big circle and I’m really tired. Let me get some sleep.”

After speaking, he had already closed his eyes.

Jing Hengbo stared at him—was this kid doing it intentionally or unintentionally? Was he naturally dense or naturally shameless? How was every sentence full of double meanings? If you said he was being ambiguous, his eyes were clear and his expression candid. If you said he wasn’t being ambiguous, were his words even fit to be heard? If there were people next door, wouldn’t they think the two people in this room were having a passionate affair?

Thinking of next door, her heart stirred. Next door was so quiet.

Somehow, that quietness made her uneasy, as if someone was silently watching her.

She had been bustling around all day and was indeed tired. Too lazy to kick Pei Shu off the bed and cause an argument, and too lazy to get off the bed herself to sleep on the floor, she thought it would be good to rest for a while first. Beside her, Pei Shu had already fallen asleep, his breathing peaceful, which induced her own sleepiness.

But as soon as she closed her eyes, she suddenly opened them wide.

Something was wrong.

That feeling of being watched became even more obvious.

…

In the adjacent room.

He sat facing the wall, eyes slightly closed, holding a cup of tea in his hands.

The tea had already gone cold, as there wasn’t a wisp of steam visible, but he still held it.

The direction he faced, separated by a wall, should be where Jing Hengbo and Pei Shu were now sleeping.

He closed his eyes, and through the wall, seemed to be able to “see” Jing Hengbo and Pei Shu sleeping in the same bed across from him, “see” the two of them “flirting and bantering.”

His face showed no expression, but on the white porcelain teacup, radiating cracks faintly appeared—one thread, another thread, and yet another…

Strangely, though the cracks bloomed like scattered starflowers, not a drop of tea spilled out.

The guard stood beside him, not daring to breathe loudly.

He slowly opened his eyes. The guard immediately stepped forward and bowed, awaiting orders.

He said: “The inn’s kitchen should be preparing dinner soon, shouldn’t it?”

“Yes.”

“Handle it,” he raised his hand, pointing next door, “just ensure she comes to no harm.”

“Yes.”

He suddenly moved his brows and waved his hand to signal the guard to leave immediately, then rose himself.

As he stood up, the teacup in his hand suddenly shattered piece by piece. His robes swirled, and the broken white porcelain fragments flew up around him, turning into white powder and disappearing.

His figure also disappeared.

The next instant, Jing Hengbo appeared in the room.

She looked left and right, amazed to discover the room was empty.

Earlier she had felt someone watching from next door. After thinking it over, she decided to come take a look. She had already planned—if there really was an assassin, she’d give them a surprise attack. If she encountered someone sleeping, she’d cover them with a blanket. Either way, with her coming and going so suddenly, people would think it was just a dream.

But with no one in the room, she was puzzled. She trusted her intuition—at the very least, just moments ago, there had been someone in this room.

From the corner of her eye, she suddenly noticed what seemed like a reflection on the table. Taking a few steps forward, she touched the table surface with her finger and vaguely felt some moisture.

The moisture was very cold.

Looking at the table again, there was a tray and a teacup lid.

Something seemed to be missing.

She smiled, shook her head, and vanished from the room.

Someone had been here just now, drinking tea. Strangely, they had been drinking cold tea.

One person, in an empty and silent room, facing the wall, drinking cold tea while listening to the sounds from next door of her and Pei Shu?

How did that feel weird?

But since the person had already disappeared, it meant they didn’t want her to know, and they were a master. With her instant teleportation coming and going, only an absolute master could foresee and avoid it.

The master seemed to harbor no great hostility, so she didn’t want to provoke them either.

She returned to her room. Pei Shu had already awakened and was sitting on the bed stroking his stomach. Seeing her, he said: “Call for food.”

Jing Hengbo rolled her eyes, too lazy to argue with his tone like a husband ordering around a concubine. She called for the waiter to bring some food. After a while, the waiter brought three dishes and one soup—side dishes specially prepared by the kitchen for guests. Jing Hengbo and Pei Shu didn’t mind and picked up their bowls to eat.

Jing Hengbo had just taken out her silver needle to test the food when Pei Shu had already wolfed down a bowl like a whirlwind. Jing Hengbo snorted with laughter: “Still the Ever-Victorious General? Made up, right? With your level of vigilance, you should have died a thousand times already. Aren’t you afraid there are enemies nearby who might poison the food?”

“I haven’t had poison in a long time—I was just thinking about it.” Pei Shu didn’t even look up. “I’d like to see what poisons exist in the outside world that are more toxic than those in Tianhui Valley.”

Only then did Jing Hengbo remember this guy had spent several years in Tianhui Valley. Though he had been poisoned throughout his body—his gray rat skin still hadn’t completely shed—he should have developed immunity to many common poisons by now, right? No wonder he was so fearless.

With Pei Shu serving as an automatic poison detector, she could eat with peace of mind. Having eaten some pastries earlier, she wasn’t very hungry and only ate a bowl perfunctorily. Seeing Pei Shu eating too quickly, worried he might choke to death, she couldn’t help but warn him: “Slow down, no one’s fighting you for it.”

“Are you caring about me?” Pei Shu smiled at her while busy eating, truly beautiful as spring dawn flowers.

Jing Hengbo immediately felt that sensation of being watched from next door again!

She suppressed the urge to flash next door for another look. Even if she looked, she wouldn’t see anything. By the time she got there, it would definitely be empty again.

After finishing their meal, they had the waiter come in to clean up. Seeing it was already late, she was about to call Pei Shu to accompany her to collect the silver. Going west for three li was her requirement—she remembered that place was particularly desolate. But when she turned around, that guy had actually lain down on the bed and fallen asleep again.

“Eat then sleep, sleep then eat—you’ll turn into a pig sooner or later!” Jing Hengbo cursed, thinking it didn’t matter if she went alone anyway.

Just as she left, Pei Shu on the bed suddenly opened his eyes with some difficulty.

“Not right…” he murmured. “How could I fall asleep… not right!”

He suddenly sat up, looked left and right, and called out in alarm: “Da Bo! Da Bo, where did you go?” After calling for a long time with no response, he stamped his feet and leaped out through the window.

…

In the adjacent room.

The seated person looked sideways at the guard beside him.

The guard’s face showed shame and some surprise. He lowered his head and said: “Master, we administered the drug very carefully with ample dosage, ensuring it wouldn’t be detected and that the young lady wouldn’t be affected. By all accounts, even a first-rate master should have been unconscious for over three hours… we just didn’t expect Pei Shu to be so formidable. The drug only made him close his eyes for a moment…”

He raised his hand, and the guard immediately fell silent.

“Pei Shu spent many years in Tianhui Valley and should have developed poison resistance. I forgot this point. That you could make him drowsy for even a moment was already quite good.”

That moment was enough.

At the very least, he could no longer catch up to Jing Hengbo.

…

Horse hooves clattered. A large group of riders crossed the cold, quiet long street. The leader wore a deep red cloak with black satin lining, embroidered with baring fangs and claws scorpions—fierce and wild.

His wild laughter also echoed through the silent long street.

“These turtles of Seven Peaks Town have tucked their heads in again! What’s the use of tucking in? When the Thirteen Protectors demand territory fees from you, do you dare not pay?”

“Twelfth Protector,” a follower said, “it’s late today. Why don’t we rest at the inn for the night and collect territory fees tomorrow?”

“Pity this Seven Peaks Town is too small—doesn’t even have a brothel…” The Twelfth Protector’s eyes rolled around. “This long night will be hard to endure…”

Suddenly the horse in front whinnied low, as if someone had bumped into it. Someone shouted: “Who’s walking around carelessly and bumping into things!” He dismounted and grabbed a figure.

The person looked up with a dazed expression—it was the famous tile mason Master Zhou from earlier.

He was a local renowned craftsman, but during the earlier beam-raising, he had failed several times to get the beam up, nearly ruining the master’s important event. Though the master hadn’t made things difficult for him afterward, his attitude was inevitably somewhat cold, and the promised payment wasn’t given. Master Zhou felt his reputation was ruined and was too ashamed to ask for it, so he left in disappointment. All along the way, he resented his bad luck and hated that inexplicable woman who had appeared and stolen his thunder. He suspected she might have been behind it all. Depressed and not watching where he was going, he bumped into this group’s horses.

Now looking up, he couldn’t help but cry out inwardly—this group of Thirteen Protectors who had been endlessly harassing Seven Peaks Town recently, making the townspeople suffer enough. Everyone recognized them.

Seeing these people with fierce expressions clearly looking for trouble, he suddenly remembered vaguely hearing their earlier words and quickly said: “The Protectors want to find women? This humble one saw an absolutely beautiful woman earlier! If the Protectors make a move, you’ll definitely succeed!”

…

Jing Hengbo carried Er Gouzi on her left shoulder and had Feifei perched on her right shoulder as she headed toward the place three li west of the small town.

The sky had completely darkened. In the wild fields, some white lights faintly floated. Wind swept across the withered treetops with a whimpering sound.

Only now did Jing Hengbo realize that the place she had pointed to seemed too desolate. And what were those mounded earth piles ahead? Could they be graves?

Had she pointed to a graveyard? How unlucky.

Er Gouzi trembled on her shoulder, chanting in a long voice: “Ten years of life and death, two boundless realms, without thinking, hard to forget, three comedic characters heading to the crematorium.”

Before Jing Hengbo could act, Feifei kicked it three zhang away.

Er Gouzi flapped its wings and grabbed onto something to steady itself, cackling: “Let the winds blow from east, west, south, and north, I remain unmoved… gah—”

It suddenly saw clearly what was under its claws and let out a horrible scream, rolled its eyes, and fainted.

Jing Hengbo looked and saw it had grabbed a section of pale white bone.

Without examination, she could tell it was human bone.

All around, ghostly fires floated, wild grass and weeds grew everywhere, broken graves and toppled tombstones, scattered white bones—not only was this a graveyard, it was a mass burial ground.

Er Gouzi trembled with fear. As a woman, Jing Hengbo also felt somewhat creeped out by such a place. But Feifei seemed to quite like this environment—with a whoosh, it ran into the chaotic graves to play with bones.

Jing Hengbo wanted to call out, but turning her head she saw lights flickering in the distance. Presumably the master of the house had come to bury the silver. She quickly grabbed Er Gouzi’s beak and hid behind a grave.

While hiding behind the grave, a strange emotion flashed through her heart. She felt something was wrong, but couldn’t think of what for the moment.

Lanterns swayed as that group gradually approached. Indeed it was the wealthy household building the house. Perhaps to bolster their courage, many people had come, yet they still looked fearful as they quickly walked into the graveyard.

The so-called places where moonlight couldn’t reach were generally only the sides of tombs. This was a mass burial ground with few proper-looking graves. The master of the house randomly dug a pit beside one grave, put the silver in, hastily prayed a few sentences, then hurriedly left.

As they departed, they passed directly in front of Jing Hengbo. Fragments of conversation drifted over.

“Let’s go quickly. We can’t stay here long.”

“Last time Old Niu’s second son from town came here to play. He didn’t return the next day, and later they found his body here—disemboweled, so horrible!”

“In the middle of the night, and in this place, stop talking about it and let’s hurry away!”

Footsteps departed in panic. Jing Hengbo frowned. Were there fierce beasts here? How could someone die here properly, disemboweled?

Tonight’s wind was particularly cold, the moonlight dim and obscure. The sky reflected ominous cloud colors. Jing Hengbo decided to take the silver and leave immediately, definitely not staying longer.

She had just dug up the hole and tucked the silver into her clothes when she heard horse hoofbeats.

In the middle of the night at a mass burial ground, how could there still be people coming? From the sound of hoofbeats, there was more than one person.

Going out now would mean being discovered. Jing Hengbo had no choice but to find another place to hide. Feifei suddenly came carrying something in its mouth, wagging its tail at her from atop a grave mound. Jing Hengbo saw that the grave was quite large and followed Feifei to hide behind it. This grave was quite large and complete, with smooth slopes on all four sides of the mound.

The wind carried conversation over again.

“That bastard actually dared to deceive me! Next time I meet him, he’ll get what’s coming to him!”

“Master, don’t be angry. From what I could see, it didn’t seem like he was deceiving you. Didn’t the innkeeper say there was indeed a quite beautiful girl who came to stay?”

“Where is she then? Where did she go?”

“…Perhaps she temporarily went out on business… Master, don’t be angry. She wasn’t fortunate enough to receive your favor. Later I’ll find you someone even better.”

“Forget it, forget it. She stirred up my desires but can’t be found—really unsatisfying… Since I can’t sleep anyway, might as well come over and take a look.”

“Master, the Grand Protector instructed that this place isn’t completely built yet, and we should try to avoid leaking information…”

“Enough, enough, do you need to tell me that? I’m just worried and came to inspect, didn’t I? This mass burial ground—the people are all our own. What’s to leak? Unless you’re a traitor and you’ll leak it out?”

“I wouldn’t dare!”

“Then perfect. Let’s come take a look, supervise the work. The Grand Protector will praise me for being dedicated—still thinking about gang business in the middle of the night, right?”

“Yes, yes.”

Jing Hengbo pressed her palm against the grave’s cold earth, thinking so that was it.

She had been suspicious about the Thirteen Protectors collecting protection fees earlier. Though she didn’t know where the Thirteen Protectors’ main base was, this place was three or four days’ fast ride from Tortoiseshell’s capital Shangyuan City. The Thirteen Protectors’ main base should be near Shangyuan City too. Collecting protection fees hundreds of li away was stretching their reach too far.

Presumably collecting protection fees was false, while establishing a secret base here and using protection fee collection as a cover for irregular inspections was true. In Tortoiseshell, with its numerous competing forces, almost every town and city was covered by a major power. For the Thirteen Protectors to establish a secret base anywhere far from Shangyuan City would risk discovery by local major powers. Only Seven Peaks Town, under the protection of Purple Micro and the Seven Kill, was different. But Purple Micro and the Seven Kill were a bunch of carefree comedic characters who wouldn’t really manage affairs below. So Seven Peaks Town became both a safe and suitable place, while this mass burial ground three li outside Seven Peaks Town, rarely visited by people, was naturally even safer.

But where was the entrance?

She looked at Feifei beside her. It was spitting out something black and round to play with. Jing Hengbo looked and her heart tightened—it looked like a fire pellet!

This era already had gunpowder, but it was extremely rare and strictly controlled contraband. How could it appear here?

Jing Hengbo quickly slapped the thing away, breaking out in cold sweat.

At this time, that group dismounted and was approaching on foot, in this direction…

She stared at the grave in front of her, her whole body turning cold.

Finally she understood what was wrong!

It was this grave that was wrong!

This was a mass burial ground—in other words, a place for casually dumping corpses. There shouldn’t be proper graves at all. What decent family would solemnly bury their dead here among a bunch of lonely ghosts? Even if there were graves, they should be old ownerless graves that had collapsed and deteriorated over the years without care. How could there be such an elaborate one without even a single blade of grass growing on it?

The entrance was here!

This thought flashed through her mind like lightning. Her first reaction was to teleport away, but looking around in all directions, it was open countryside in every direction. With her teleportation ability, such a flash would still put her within the wilderness range where she’d be discovered. Being discovered didn’t matter for her safety—she could leave without problem. But then this Protector would know the base’s secret was leaked, and the base would be immediately relocated.

But she still wanted to know what secrets the base held. The Thirteen Protectors were also a rather famous organization in Blackwater Marsh. Though they ranked among the weakest of the major forces, they were sizeable and never stopped competing for position. For such an organization to spare no effort in manpower and resources to carefully select and build an underground secret base hundreds of li away, they must be conducting extremely important projects—either greatly beneficial to themselves or greatly threatening to others—to make it so secretive. In either case, from her experience of treasure-hunting along the way, it absolutely couldn’t be missed.

Maybe it would benefit her future path to becoming Queen of Blackwater? Maybe she could even earn points from that old immortal Purple Micro?

Jing Hengbo had already entered Tortoiseshell territory. According to protocol, Tortoiseshell’s capital should have sent people to welcome her by now. In reality, no one paid her any attention. She had long known what kind of “reception” awaited her in the future, which was why she had been busy expanding her strength all along.

That group was indeed heading straight for this grave. As soon as they got close, they would discover her. She didn’t want to leave, but didn’t want to be discovered either. What to do?

While thinking of countermeasures, her back suddenly turned cold. All her body hair seemed to stand on end!

Someone was behind her!

But she clearly remembered there was only a grave behind her, broken and half-collapsed!

Instinct flashed past. She couldn’t think much and was about to teleport when a hand had already wrapped around her waist!

An ice-cold, hard hand, reaching out from the broken grave…

Ghost claw…

This thought flashed through her mind. She reached to draw her blade, but that hand lightly touched her, and she immediately couldn’t speak or move, softly collapsing into that “person’s” embrace.