“Ninth Imperial Uncle!” Feng Jiu’er bolted upright.

She opened her eyes to find herself in a room — unfamiliar, yet carrying with it some indistinct feeling of familiarity.

Even without stepping outside to look, she could reason that she had to be back at the Longwu Academy.

“Ninth Imperial Uncle!” Where was Ninth Imperial Uncle? Why was he not at her side?

The words she had heard before losing consciousness made her heart seize up and constrict — a pain. A pain like being carved apart by a blade.

She threw back the covers and moved to get out of bed, but as she shifted, she noticed something clutched in her hand.

Whatever it was, she had apparently held it throughout her unconsciousness, never releasing her grip even once.

She lowered her eyes to look — and found a golden command token engraved with the character for “Nine.”

Ninth Imperial Uncle’s token!

His words rose immediately in her mind.

“With this, you can command all the Longwu Army students of the military academy. When this Prince is no longer at your side — learn to protect yourself.”

In an instant, the ache flooded through her — a sour, wrenching pain so acute that even her stomach trembled.

Feng Jiu’er closed her hand around the token and moved to get out of bed, but a pair of large hands caught her by both arms and pressed her firmly back down.

She had not noticed that someone else was in the room.

“Mu Mu…”

“He has already gone.”

“Ninth Imperial Uncle!”

“No — please do not misunderstand. I only meant that the Ninth Prince has set out for the border city. He departed three days ago. Gone — not gone in that sense.”

“I have been unconscious for three full days and nights?” Feng Jiu’er’s hand clenched into a fist. Damn it. At the most critical moment for Ninth Imperial Uncle, she had been senseless for three full days and nights.

Yet Ninth Imperial Uncle had spent nearly all of his true qi to save her. There was absolutely no way, in his current state, that he could be heading to the border city.

If he insisted on going there, then there was only one possibility… he was going to the Southern Wilds.

Right now, aside from the Southern Wilds, there was no other path that could keep him alive.

But news of Ninth Imperial Uncle’s injury would almost certainly be spreading by those people. Right now, there would be no shortage of those who wanted to take his life.

For Ninth Imperial Uncle to rush to the Southern Wilds in this condition was far too dangerous.

“Mu Mu, I need to go out. I…”

“Your body is still very weak. Your meridians have only just begun to mend. You should not exert yourself right now.” Mu Mu pressed her back down once more.

She had barely clawed her way back from the gates of death. She needed to learn to cherish the life she had reclaimed.

This life had very possibly been bought with the Ninth Prince’s own.

What condition the Ninth Prince was in now, no one knew. All anyone could say was that when Yu Jingfeng had taken him away, he had been coughing blood, his face completely without color — and from the look of things, he had been close to the end.

Everyone understood, in their hearts, that even if something truly happened to the Ninth Prince, the Longqi Army would not allow that news to spread. If it did, the border city would fall into chaos.

And so, for now, aside from those who had traveled with him, no one truly knew the Ninth Prince’s condition.

“I am fine. I need to go out. There is something important I must do.”

Feng Jiu’er ultimately pushed Mu Mu’s hand away and climbed out of bed.

The moment her feet touched the floor, a wave of dizziness crashed over her so violently she could barely stand.

Yet just as Mu Mu moved to steady her, she forced herself to hold her ground.

She raised her head to meet Mu Mu’s gaze — full of quiet concern — and drew a deep breath before speaking.

“Mu Mu, I am very hungry right now. I need a full meal to restore my strength. Could you help me arrange that?”

“Of course.” Mu Mu inclined his head immediately.

“And one more thing.” Feng Jiu’er drew another slow breath to steady herself before continuing: “I need to bathe and change my clothes.”