“Bang—” came the sound of Mu Yunjin slamming the door as she left.

Consort Qin collapsed on the couch, staring blankly at the ceiling as a tear streamed down her face. “What karma…”

Then, Consort Qin supported her ailing body as she got off the couch, put on her shoes, and slowly walked to a shelf holding antiques. From a white porcelain vase, she took out an old, yellowed piece of paper.

Opening the paper, there was a line written in bold, powerful calligraphy—

Mu family’s Yunjin is not of the true Mu bloodline. May be utilized.”

Mu Yunjin left Plum Garden with a cold expression, her entire body radiating an icy aura. Her clear eyes concealed dark whirlpools that sent chills down one’s spine.

Zixiang followed beside her, having never seen Mu Yunjin display such an expression before. She could only watch from the side, not daring to speak.

Mu Yunjin pressed her lips tightly together, her peerless face frozen in ice as her mind flashed with scenes of everything that had happened since she first arrived in this strange world.

It turned out that those she thought genuinely cared for her had only used her as a pawn.

Heh…

How utterly ridiculous.

Exiting the palace gate, Mu Yunjin once again encountered Prince Rong’s Consort, who saw Mu Yunjin’s gloomy face and covered her mouth with a smile. “My, has my little niece-in-law been wronged?”

Mu Yunjin acted as if she hadn’t heard, turned away with a sweep of her sleeve, and boarded the mansion’s carriage.

Watching this scene, Prince Rong’s Consort sighed languidly, “Consort Qin, that old woman won’t live much longer. Perhaps she has already told Mu Yunjin about that matter…”

In the carriage, Mu Yunjin lowered her eyes, her heart seemingly unable to calm down. Looking at the still early hour outside, she silently made a decision.

If it was a mistake from the beginning, then it was better to end it early.

Returning to the mansion, Mu Yunjin went to her room to pack a few clothes, prepared some silver to take with her, and then headed out.

“Miss, where are you going?” Zixiang looked at Mu Yunjin with surprise.

Mu Yunjin pinched Zixiang’s face and managed a faint smile. “I’m going to Heyue City to find Chu Li. Wait for me to return.”

Hearing that Mu Yunjin was going to find Chu Li, Zixiang nodded. “Then this servant will wait for Miss at the mansion.”

“Mm.”

Mu Yunjin went to the mansion’s stable, led out the Chifeng horse she had ridden before, and after leaving through the back door, headed toward Heyue City.

Mu Yunjin rode at full speed and finally reached Heyue City before nightfall. Following her memory, she passed through that small alley and arrived at Chu Li’s private residence.

At this time, the main gate of the residence was tightly closed, and no candles were lit inside.

“Is he not here?” Mu Yunjin frowned slightly, pursed her lips, then changed direction and headed toward the mountain where Chu Li had taken her before.

By the time Mu Yunjin reached the foot of the mountain, the sky had completely darkened.

Mu Yunjin looked at the pitch-black outskirts where one could barely see their fingers before them, and strangely thought of Chu Li’s blindfolded eyes. He had once said that only she and Ding Xian knew about this matter—what about Qin Muyue?

After thinking, Mu Yunjin took a deep breath, walked a few steps forward, and remembered that this mountain had been sealed by Chu Li. Now standing at the entrance, Mu Yunjin reached out and lightly touched forward.

Originally thinking there would be a barrier keeping her out, she only felt a current of air. Mu Yunjin’s eyes showed surprise as she walked in a few steps.

Seeing that she had easily passed through the barrier, Mu Yunjin was delighted and headed toward the cave halfway up the mountain.

Mu Yunjin walked with extreme caution, deliberately lightening her steps and moving forward silently, inexplicably feeling a twinge of guilt.

Then she thought, she was coming to talk to Chu Li about something; why was she being so secretive?

She sighed helplessly.

At night, cool breezes swept across the mountain. It was summer, and the entire mountain was filled with the sound of cicadas. Mu Yunjin made her way to the middle of the mountain in the dark, pushed aside the weeds at the cave entrance, and saw faint candlelight inside the cave.

Just as she was about to enter, an exclamation came from inside—

“Brother Li, look, the black lotus has bloomed!”

Hearing Qin Muyue’s voice, Mu Yunjin’s heart sank, and her feet stopped in place. She then retreated a few steps, standing at the cave entrance, listening quietly to the activity inside.

“Your Highness, the black lotus bloomed early. We can try now. If successful, breaking the formation and rescuing Consort Rong will be within reach,” Ding Xian spoke excitedly from the side.

Mu Yunjin frowned slightly, carefully processing what Ding Xian had said. The black lotus that Chu Li had prepared for three years was meant to rescue Consort Rong?

“Let’s draw blood,” Chu Li’s calm voice came from inside the cave.

“Wait,” came Qin Muyue’s voice.

Then, after a pause, Qin Muyue continued, “Brother Li, if my blood dripped into the black lotus, can it break the formation imprisoning Consort Rong? Then, what can you promise me?”

A silence fell inside the cave.

Mu Yunjin leaned against the rock outside, hearing Qin Muyue’s question, pressed her lips together, and quietly waited for Chu Li’s answer.

“Brother Li? Why aren’t you speaking? Do you remember you once promised to fulfill one of my wishes?”

“Mm.”

Qin Muyue laughed softly. “Then now, I will make my wish.”

“I want…”

Before Qin Muyue could finish, Chu Li interrupted, “Let’s try the blood first.”

For the time that followed, Mu Yunjin sat cross-legged outside the cave, her thoughts entirely on what was happening inside. Her mind was filled with countless threads, now tangled densely.

Those black lotuses needed to be combined with Qin Muyue’s blood to break the formation.

Could it be related to Qin Muyue’s identity as the Phoenix Woman?

Mu Yunjin bit her lip, inexplicably feeling irritated. She plucked a weed and broke it into several pieces.

After a while, Qin Muyue’s surprised cry came from the cave, “Why didn’t it work?!”

“How strange. That old Taoist clearly said this black lotus was a divine item. On the day it blooms, when mixed with the Phoenix Woman’s blood, it would easily break the formation set by Kong Shi. Why can’t Miss Qin’s blood merge with this black lotus?” Ding Xian said.

“Brother Li, could it be that the old Taoist was deceiving you? Is this black lotus just ordinary?” Qin Muyue spoke dejectedly.

Hearing this, Mu Yunjin knew she had heard enough and that it wasn’t wise to linger. So, with a light step, she used her qinggong to fly swiftly down the mountain.

At this moment, inside the cave, Chu Li heard something unusual outside, frowned, and flashed out of the cave.

“Brother Li…”

“Your Highness…”

Chu Li had just left the cave and looked at the pitch-black surroundings, stopped his steps, and glanced at Qin Muyue, who had followed behind him.

“You go back first.”

“Brother Li…” Qin Muyue looked at Chu Li, hesitated, then nodded and went down the mountain alone.

At the cave entrance, Ding Xian looked at Chu Li. “Your Highness, if the Phoenix Woman’s blood cannot merge with the black lotus and the formation cannot be broken, what should we do next?”

“Do we need to find that old Taoist?” Ding Xian asked.

Chu Li shook his head gently, his body permeated with a cool air as he looked at the bright half-moon in the night sky. “Let’s wait a bit longer.”

When Mu Yunjin reached the foot of the mountain, she sensed a presence rapidly approaching from behind. She changed direction and hid herself behind a large rock.

Shortly after, she saw Qin Muyue using qinggong, leaving the mountain alone.

After stopping, Qin Muyue looked back toward the middle of the mountain, seemingly annoyed. She stamped her foot slightly, clenched her fists, and walked in one direction.

Seeing Qin Muyue leave alone, Mu Yunjin looked at the entrance again, observed for a moment, and did not see Chu Li or Ding Xian.

Although she had some doubts, Mu Yunjin quickly moved away from the mountain and headed toward the market.

Arriving at the street, the entrance was now hung with lanterns, and there were still some people strolling around the night market, so it didn’t appear desolate.

Mu Yunjin found an inn and walked to the reception desk. Before she could speak, a voice came from behind, “Hey, that Miss Qin on the third floor ordered a late-night snack. Prepare it quickly.”

“Yes, yes, right away.”

Hearing the words “Miss Qin,” Mu Yunjin frowned, then, after arranging her accommodation, she went upstairs.

Miss Qin—was it Qin Muyue?

She wasn’t staying at Chu Li’s residence?

Thinking of this, Mu Yunjin was suddenly annoyed with herself. Was she going crazy these past few days? There were so many people with the surname Qin in the world; how could she chase shadows like this?

Arriving on the third floor, Mu Yunjin walked toward her room. As she passed a tightly closed door, she heard a familiar voice—

“I’m so angry! I went to great lengths to make that black lotus bloom early, but it turns out it couldn’t merge with my blood.”

Hearing this voice, Mu Yunjin’s footsteps paused. Was it Qin Muyue?

Mu Yunjin looked at her room number again and realized it was right next to Qin Muyue’s room.

After Qin Muyue finished speaking, another voice, kept extremely low, came from inside, “You hastened the black lotus to bloom early, and it couldn’t merge with your blood. Chu Li will only think it’s because the early blooming affected the black lotus’s growth. He won’t have any other thoughts.”

“Mm, that’s best…”

When Mu Yunjin returned to her room, she leaned quietly against the door. The events of this day, one after another, were almost too much for her to process.

What was Qin Muyue’s previous statement confirming?

Mu Yunjin had a bit of a headache. She tossed her bundle aside and lay heavily on the bed, not wanting to move at all.

Each person carried who knew how many secrets, involving how many people and matters—it was beyond her ability to calculate.

For now, the best plan was to leave early and live her own carefree life.

The next day, Mu Yunjin woke up early at the fourth watch. After washing and dressing, she quietly went downstairs.

After settling the bill, Mu Yunjin led the Chifeng horse from the backyard and headed toward Chu Li’s residence.

A moment later, Mu Yunjin stood in front of the residence. She had intended to use qinggong to fly into the courtyard but was blocked by an invisible barrier, causing her to fall to the ground before she could react.

“Ouch—” Mu Yunjin cried out as she fell to the ground.

“Who goes there?!” The main gate of the residence was suddenly swept open by a gust of palm wind, followed by a black shadow flying out, raising a palm strike directly at Mu Yunjin.

Seeing the fierce palm wind coming her way, Mu Yunjin immediately rolled over, avoiding the incoming strike, and shouted, “Ding Xian, it’s me!”