Feng Jiu’er tossed out those words and let the curtain fall.

“Young Miss Jiu’er.” Yu Jingfeng called out loudly.

Zhao Yusheng, who was riding ahead leading the way, heard the commotion and turned his horse back.

Just as Feng Jiu’er, with the carriage curtain lifted, was about to climb down from the carriage, Zhao Yusheng arrived before her.

“Jiu’er, Jian Yi said he wanted to go back to the camp. He said he was worried that if he ran into Chen Hong, he might end up harming everyone — it would be better for him to stay at the camp.”

“Jian Yi was worried you wouldn’t let him go back, so he asked me to wait until an hour after he’d left before telling you.”

Feng Jiu’er looked at Zhao Yusheng and drew back the foot she had just begun to extend.

“Jian Yi really said that?”

“Yes.” Zhao Yusheng nodded in reply.

“Jiu’er, Chen Hong appears and vanishes without a trace — Jian Yi is worried too. Just let him be. As long as he stays at the camp, you can rest easy too.”

Feng Jiu’er lowered the curtain and sat back down in the carriage.

If he really had gone back to camp, that wasn’t a bad thing either — but had Jian Yi really gone back?

At this point, going back herself wasn’t realistic.

Feng Jiu’er didn’t say anything about going to find Jian Yi, and Yu Jingfeng and Zhao Yusheng both breathed a sigh of relief.

The group continued onward.

After a little over an hour, the carriage entered a mountain ravine, and the people riding on horseback all around grew more alert.

Feng Jiu’er got down from the carriage and leapt onto her own white steed.

The valley wasn’t large; not long after entering, they spotted a large tent.

Aside from a few dozen guards stationed around the tent, there was no one else in sight at first glance.

However, the area was surrounded by wild forest, at some distance — no one knew how many of Lei Shenbao’s men might be hidden within.

The group continued onward a while longer, until three men on horseback came out to meet them.

Feng Jiu’er rode in front, with Yu Jingfeng and Zhao Yusheng flanking her on either side.

“Jiu’er.” Lei Shenbao began losing his composure while still some distance away.

Feng Jiu’er, by contrast, remained perfectly composed.

The two groups converged in front of Lei Shenbao’s several dozen guards.

“Jiu’er, you’ve finally come. Let’s not fight anymore, shall we? I just want to have a good talk with you.” Lei Shenbao smiled so broadly his eyes nearly disappeared into slits.

“I’ve come today only to find out how to undo the demonic affliction,” Feng Jiu’er said bluntly.

“Of course I know how to undo it.” Lei Shenbao replied with a smile. “But it’s a bit complicated. Jiu’er, why don’t we go inside and talk, hm?”

Lei Shenbao turned his horse and waved a hand.

Feng Jiu’er narrowed her eyes slightly and urged her horse forward to follow.

“I hope Master Lei won’t disappoint me.”

Feng Jiu’er went in, with Yu Jingfeng following, along with five elite warriors from the Longwu Army.

The dozen or so soldiers who had come along today were all from the Longwu Army.

Their martial skill was second only to Yu Jingfeng’s — each a top-tier expert in his own right.

Zhao Yusheng did not go in; behind him remained several highly skilled Longwu Army soldiers, as well as Qiao Mu, who had stayed in the carriage the whole time.

Lei Shenbao headed back, his several dozen guards following, leaving only four men behind.

Feng Jiu’er walked boldly at the front; though she appeared unconcerned, she was in fact observing everything around her.

That Lei Shenbao and Chen Hong could be on such good terms suggested the two were evenly matched in their methods — no one dared be careless.

Once everyone who needed to leave had left, Qiao Mu climbed down from the carriage.

She mounted a nearby horse and rode up to Zhao Yusheng.

“What do you think you’re doing?” The two guards in front blocked Qiao Mu’s path.

Qiao Mu curled her lips slightly. “Didn’t Master Lei invite Jiu’er inside? I was just… I was just asleep in the carriage a moment ago.”

“Could you make an exception? I’d like to go in too.”

“Not allowed,” the two guards said in unison.

Qiao Mu kept smiling, drew her gaze back, and pulled a gold token from her sleeve.

The token had a small hole in it, threaded with a red cord.

Qiao Mu picked up the cord and dangled the gold piece.

“Gentlemen, this is the most valuable thing I looted back when I was a bandit.”

“Come take a look, all of you — this isn’t just gold, it’s a palace artifact.”

“I’m just worried about my mistress and wanted to go in and check on her — can’t you make an exception?”

“If not, it’s fine too — but come take a look anyway.”

“Honestly, I don’t even know what this token is worth, but a couple of years back, someone actually offered ten thousand taels of silver for it.”

“I had plenty of money at the time, so I never sold it.”

“You’ve all followed Master Lei for so many years — surely you’ve seen all sorts of things. Could you help me figure out what kind of treasure this really is?”

“Oh, and — look only, no touching.”

As Qiao Mu spoke, she swung the gold token back and forth in her hand.

The two guards in front stared unblinkingly at the swinging token, and even the two behind them leaned in closer.

“There’s a line of script on it, doesn’t look like modern characters — gentlemen, can any of you make out this script? I certainly can’t.”

Qiao Mu kept swinging the token at the same steady pace — once, twice, three times…

Only once the guard who’d been staring fixedly had gone glassy-eyed did she draw the token back.

All four guards straightened up at once, eyes wide, staring blankly ahead.

They didn’t move, didn’t speak, like statues.

Qiao Mu put the token away and approached one of the guards.

By now, her face had already gone several shades paler than before.

“Tell me — what exactly does your master want with our Miss Long?” Qiao Mu asked in a low voice.

“Master wants to marry Miss Long,” the questioned guard answered in a daze.

“How many men did you bring here?” Qiao Mu continued.

She couldn’t afford to waste time — every moment wasted cost her some of her internal energy.

“There are fifty men here. There are a thousand more in the forest,” the guard replied.

“What other methods does your master have?” Qiao Mu asked.

“There’s poison gas at the top of the tent. Once the time comes, it’ll release automatically,” the guard answered.

“There’s also poison in the wine — colorless, odorless poison.”

“And — there’s poison fog planned for the mountains. Master wants the enemy troops on the mountain wiped out entirely.”

Qiao Mu’s crescent brows knit together as she turned to look at Zhao Yusheng.

Zhao Yusheng said quietly, “I’ll go deal with the situation in the mountains right away.”

“Good. I’ll handle things here.” Qiao Mu turned back to the guard. “Take me inside.”

“Yes,” the guard nodded and turned his horse around.

Feng Jiu’er and the others followed Lei Shenbao into the tent.

Lei Shenbao took his seat at the head of the tent and turned to wave at Feng Jiu’er.

“Jiu’er, sit, sit — no need to be so formal. Make yourself at home.”

The tent was spacious, with low tables and chairs set around the sides.

Feng Jiu’er found a spot at random and sat down.

“All of you sit too — Jiu’er and I have a lot to discuss; it’s no good standing the whole time.”

“Someone, bring out pastries and wine for everyone, whatever we have.”

Lei Shenbao was the picture of hospitality, as though the people present weren’t the enemy he was at war with at all.

—