Qiao Mu remained behind. With the exception of those who had stayed, Jiu’er and the others set off under Mu Mu’s lead and walked into the dense forest of the back hills.
“Jiu’er, you were confined to Mingyue Courtyard — did they punish you?”
Xiao Yingtao’s resolve to keep her distance had, as expected, lasted no more than three seconds. It crumbled the moment they entered the forest.
“No. It was simply that something had happened and an explanation was owed to everyone, so they confined me for two days.”
Jiu’er walked behind Mu Mu. They moved quickly along the path, though as they were all trained fighters, no one found it particularly difficult.
Xing Zizhou and Shan Yidao walked at the rear, Mu Mu led the way, and Feng Jiu’er and Xiao Yingtao walked in the middle. The atmosphere within the group remained very congenial — the two young women chattering away the whole while, with the others listening and occasionally interjecting a few words.
“Has there been any news from the Ninth Prince’s side?” Xiao Yingtao asked again.
“The thunderbolt grenade was clearly thrown from your direction at the time, and even you did not know who threw it. How could the Ninth Prince possibly know?” Feng Jiu’er replied carelessly.
Blocked by her response, Xiao Yingtao was instantly left speechless.
True — the thunderbolt grenade had obviously been thrown from their side, but at the time there had still been quite a few people standing behind them, and who could say who had done it?
Those standing beside the bonfire had each sustained wounds. No one would wager their own life in jest, so whoever was more suspect ought to have been among those standing behind them.
“It was not me anyway — you are not allowed to suspect me.”
“If I suspected you, would I dare to train alongside you? Besides, we are not going back tonight — we have to camp in the wild, staying with the killer. Would my life not be at risk at every moment?”
“In any case, I could not possibly be the killer.” Xiao Yingtao pouted.
Mu Mu, who was walking ahead, suddenly halted. He turned and looked at Feng Jiu’er. “That night, the thunderbolt grenade was plainly heading in your direction. Watch yourself.”
Feng Jiu’er looked at him — so sure enough, even Mu Mu knew that the thunderbolt grenade had been intended to harm her. Then it was not merely her imagination.
Only, there were so many people who wanted to kill her that it was not easy to pinpoint who it was with any immediacy.
“I will be careful.” Feng Jiu’er nodded. “Let us move quickly. The destination today is far, and those medicinal herbs are easiest to find at night. We need to get there early and secure a good position first.”
“I have heard that the Imperial Guards Academy’s squad will also be conducting night training in the deep mountains tonight.” The small piece of inside information Xiao Yingtao had gathered.
“It does not matter. Everyone will be heading in different directions.” Mu Mu paid it no mind.
Feng Jiu’er’s mood, however, was a little complicated. The matter of the kill order still weighed on her heart, and the Imperial Guards Academy was Crown Prince Zhan Yuheng’s domain.
Even so, it was merely the Imperial Guards Academy students training — it had nothing in particular to do with Zhan Yuheng.
With the Ninth Imperial Uncle’s warning to go on, Zhan Yuheng should be taking care of his own safety as well. There was no need for her to worry.
She took a breath and suddenly tapped her foot lightly against the ground to catch up to Mu Mu, smiling as she said: “Since we need to cover distance anyway, why not practice our lightness technique? I will head on ahead first!”
Feng Jiu’er truly went on ahead. And indeed, her current lightness technique was incomparable to what it had been a month ago — a completely different world.
Xing Zizhou came up beside Xiao Yingtao, amusement kindling in his eyes: “Hurry along — you probably cannot catch up to her anymore!”
Shan Yidao watched the retreating slender figure of Feng Jiu’er moving northward and exhaled a quiet, voiceless sigh. Her lightness technique had truly improved by far too much — entirely beyond what one would have expected.
And that slender figure of hers, as it drifted and swayed lightly in the wind, was quite indescribably lovely to watch.
Yesterday’s unsightly Jiu’er had long since become a presence that shone with brilliance. Now, she was so dazzling it was almost difficult to look upon her directly.
This girl…
“Yidao, still standing there staring at Jiu’er in a daze? Has her beauty bewitched you?” Xing Zizhou turned and grinned at him. “We are heading off now. You stay and look to your heart’s content — just do not hold everyone back.”
Shan Yidao came to his senses then, his face immediately flushing red. He quickly reined himself in and hastened after the others.
Mu Mu had gone ahead as well, having long since closed the distance behind Feng Jiu’er — with Mu Mu at Jiu’er’s side, was there any opening for anyone else to insert himself?
Shan Yidao’s heart was somewhat unsettled, but he quickly suppressed those stirring feelings and fell in step behind everyone else.
……
Though Feng Jiu’er’s lightness technique had become quite accomplished, her internal energy was limited, and before long she was winded and gasping, slowing to a walk as she caught her breath.
“I thought you were truly extraordinary — and it turns out your burst of speed is formidable but your internal energy is simply this weak!” Xing Zizhou and Xiao Yingtao had caught up, looking at her with undisguised disdain. “Just a moment ago, I admired you for quite a while!”
“So what? You do not admire me anymore now?” Feng Jiu’er shot him a look, wholly unappeased. “Give me a little more time — my internal energy will definitely surpass yours!”
“Is that so? Then I will wait and see.” Xing Zizhou burst out laughing and paid her words no real mind at all.
Shan Yidao looked at Feng Jiu’er, his gaze a little complicated, and said in the end with mild plainness: “Why, after so long, has your internal energy still shown so little improvement?”
“Are you bullying me too?” Feng Jiu’er’s expression was entirely indignant. She grabbed Mu Mu by the sleeve. “You tell me — have I truly made no progress? I feel I have already become quite formidable.”
Mu Mu simply looked at her. There were things he would not say, but to go along with her, he chose to stay silent.
“Hmph — even you will not help me.” Feng Jiu’er huffed, let go of his sleeve, and continued walking ahead.
The others watched her retreating figure, each with their own thoughts.
Earlier, word had spread that Jiu’er had single-handedly defeated an enormous number of Imperial Fourth Army students and had even managed to hold her own against the Seventh Princess for several dozen rounds. Looking at her now, those accounts seemed a touch exaggerated.
Her lightness technique had improved — that much was true. But it was not quite the dramatic feat the stories had made it sound. Was it not?
No one knew what Mu Mu was thinking, but the moment Feng Jiu’er moved on, he too set off in her wake.
The three behind them immediately followed as well — no one dared to fall behind. Training records were being kept, after all, and none of it was to be taken lightly.
At midday they ate some dried rations within the dense forest, then continued on. By evening, they had at last found an area dense with night-blooming orchids.
“This medicinal herb blooms only at night. The blossoms must be picked at the moment they open and stored in a bottle for later use. Otherwise, once the flowers fade on their own, their medicinal potency will be reduced by half and they will be of very little use.”
Everyone committed every word Feng Jiu’er said to memory.
Mu Mu surveyed the surrounding terrain, Xing Zizhou and Shan Yidao set up camp, while Xiao Yingtao and Feng Jiu’er searched the vicinity for anything edible.
Catching a glimpse of Mu Mu’s agile figure flashing through the trees ahead, Feng Jiu’er said: “I will go with Mu Mu and bring back some game. You find more mountain mushrooms — but do not mix up the varieties. The wrong ones may be poisonous.”
“Understood. You and Mu Mu go quickly and come back soon.” Xiao Yingtao nodded.
With that, Feng Jiu’er lightly tapped the ground and went after Mu Mu.
Mu Mu walked ahead, moving without pause the entire way, until they were far enough away. Then he stopped and turned, watching the small young woman who had nearly crashed into him from behind in her inability to brake in time. His eyes held a somewhat deep expression. “What on earth are you planning?”