Filled with a belly full of doubts, Feng Jiang followed Feng Jiu’er back to where everyone was resting.

Seeing Feng Li again, Feng Jiang would not deny that his admiration for Fourth Imperial Uncle had grown by several more degrees.

A dignified Phoenix Son — for what reason had he given up the throne and been content to serve as a subject?

Over the years, Feng Jiang had come to know well just how capable Feng Li was — otherwise, he would not have held his imperial uncle in such high regard.

If he thought about it, had Feng Li ever had his heart set on claiming the throne, it would not have been impossible in the earlier years.

Yet he had not done so.

Sitting down beside Feng Li, Feng Jiang looked at him and smiled faintly, then called out in a lowered voice, “Fourth Imperial Uncle.”

He made no attempt to conceal himself, because he knew he could not hide anything from Fourth Imperial Uncle.

The spot where Feng Li was seated was at a slight distance from the others.

The brothers stood guard all around — as a precaution, but also undisturbed by whatever the group inside might be discussing.

“Yes.” Feng Li gave only a nod and said nothing more.

Feng Jiu’er brought Mu Mu, Jian Yi, Xue Gu, Qiao Mu, Long Yi, and Long Eleven to present themselves before Feng Li and Feng Jiang.

She sat down casually, and Xue Gu, Qiao Mu, Long Yi, and Long Eleven each settled down nearby. Jian Yi and Mu Mu stood guard on the left and right.

“You surely didn’t come all this way just to check on me. Out with it — what exactly happened today?” Feng Jiu’er looked at Feng Jiang and asked in a low voice.

That they had passed through the breeding grounds so smoothly today left everyone feeling that something was off. And sure enough, someone had been working in the shadows.

Feng Jiang looked at Feng Jiu’er, then looked again at Feng Li. “Knowing you all would be leaving through this place, I rushed here two days ago.”

“The city of Yue has my people. The breeding grounds were not much of a problem. But are you certain you want to keep going forward?”

His gaze returned to Feng Jiu’er, and Feng Jiang’s expression had grown considerably graver.

“We have no chance of turning back.” Feng Jiu’er furrowed her brow and gave a solemn nod.

“Whatever lies inside — you have no idea of the actual situation either, do you?”

“I know a little — only a little.” Feng Jiang gave a slight shake of his head. “Several years ago, an accident occurred at the breeding grounds.”

“In a single night, every poisonous creature vanished without a trace. No matter how they searched, none could be found.”

“In order to recover their losses, even knowing how treacherous the Dark Lands region was, the city lord organized a team of over a hundred men and marched into the Dark Lands.”

“The Dark Lands you speak of — is that the place we’ll be passing through?” Long Eleven frowned and asked quietly.

“Yes.” Feng Jiang looked at him and nodded. “But unfortunately, the team of over a hundred men went in and never came back.”

“The city lord had people guard every entrance around the Dark Lands. They kept watch for three full months, and still there was no word at all.”

“Once it was certain that no one inside could possibly have survived, not a single person dared set foot in the Dark Lands again from that point on.”

“No one came out, and no one went in again.” Qiao Mu, seated to one side, murmured softly.

“In other words, no one knows what the situation is like in there. Whatever you said you ‘know a little’ about — surely it’s just something you heard in a rumor, isn’t it?”

Feng Jiang suddenly stood up, bowed his head, and reached for the drawstring on his garment.

“What are you doing? I didn’t say…”

Seeing Feng Jiang begin to lift his clothing, Qiao Mu turned her face aside.

“Two years ago, I went inside once.” Feng Jiang loosened the drawstring, exposing his lower back.

At his words, Qiao Mu also turned her gaze back, and along with everyone else looked toward his waist.

“What is this?” Feng Jiu’er made no move to look away. She stood up, walked forward, and approached Feng Jiang.

Mu Mu’s gaze had never left the little girl, but even so he only furrowed his brow slightly and said nothing.

Jian Yi had witnessed Feng Jiu’er examine patients before — even if she looked at a man’s body as openly as this, he would no longer think anything of it.

In an instant, everyone’s eyes except Mu Mu’s were fixed on Feng Jiang’s waist.

“This is an injury I took inside the Dark Lands. Whatever it was, it was ferocious — not quite like a tiger, not quite like a bear.”

“I don’t know what manner of creature it was. I only know it had a pair of extremely sharp claws, and this wound was left by them.”

“At the time, I had also been poisoned. It took a full month of recuperation before I recovered.”

Feng Jiu’er reached out and ran her fingers over the scar on Feng Jiang’s waist. Feng Jiang shifted aside with a touch of embarrassment, and she pulled her hand back.

“Judging by the spacing between the wounds, it really isn’t consistent with an ordinary predator — they’re too wide apart.”

“So just what is it?” Qiao Mu asked in a low voice.

Feng Jiang shook his head and pulled his clothing back into place.

“There are many legends among the common folk. I’d wager everyone heard a few before coming here.”

“At the time, I was wondering whether someone might be secretly breeding poisonous creatures inside the Dark Lands. I was worried things could spiral out of control, so I wanted to go in and have a look.”

“But as it turned out, after nightfall, I was injured by the monster and had no choice but to leave.”

Feng Jiu’er nodded thoughtfully, and returned to where she had been sitting before.

“Do you still remember what poison you were hit with at the time?”

“I don’t.” Feng Jiang fastened the drawstring and took his seat. “The situation was somewhat dire at the time, and I was quite ill.”

“All I know is that the physician said the potency of the poison was unlike anything he had ever seen. I don’t know anything beyond that. Afterward, I was sent out on a campaign and hadn’t returned to the city of Yue in the past two years.”

“Could it be something like Xue Gu’s Snow Lotus Beast — a creature of enormous size, and venomous on top of that?” Qiao Mu’s voice came through.

“Though with so many of us going in, we shouldn’t be unable to handle even one beast.”

Xue Gu glanced at Qiao Mu and gave a slight nod.

“For now, whether we can handle it or not, we have no choice but to push through. Whatever’s inside, no matter how ferocious, it can’t be worse than facing ten thousand soldiers outside.”

Her gaze settled on Feng Jiang as Xue Gu called out quietly.

“Third Prince, when you entered the Dark Lands two years ago, roughly how far in did you manage to get? Can you still recall?”

“I set out at dawn that day and walked for about seven or eight hours. If I’m guessing correctly, I’d say I covered about one-third of the distance.” Feng Jiang answered.

“But then, as I was passing through a strange forest, I had just reached the foot of a certain mountain when the beast came lunging at me.”

“Caught off guard by its claws, I knew at once I had been poisoned, and had no choice but to turn back immediately.”

“Jiu’er, if you are all truly set on this, I am willing to lead the way.”

Feng Jiang glanced at Feng Jiu’er, who was not far from him, then turned to look out toward the wide grasslands beyond the edge of the forest.

“Past this stretch of grassland lies a mountain path. The path winds and twists — no horses can enter. Everyone goes on foot.”

Seeing no response from Feng Jiu’er, Feng Jiang added another word. “Now that I’m here, I won’t leave easily. Jiu’er, you…”

“What do you plan to tell Feng Qiongcang?” Feng Jiu’er looked at his earnest face and cut across his words in a calm, measured tone.

Feng Qiongcang had raised him for over twenty years — this loyal and sentimental elder brother of hers would surely not abandon everything to leave with her.

But having helped her, what would become of him?

“Jiu’er, there’s no need to worry about that.” Qiao Mu flicked her sleeve and stood up.

“Even a vicious tiger will not devour its own cubs. Feng Qiongcang won’t do anything to him. Getting ourselves safely back is what matters. Let’s move.”

“If we don’t go now, it’ll be completely dark. And personally, I can’t wait to go and meet whatever that nameless venomous beast is.”