The world was utterly silent.
Inside the tent, Wen Qiao meditated, allowing the dense spiritual energy of Lin Tai Hunting Valley to flow into her body. Intertwined with the spiritual energy was a subtle essence of vegetation, which entered her meridians at an exceedingly slow pace, nourishing her organs and stabilizing her fragile constitution.
The abundant spiritual energy and plentiful spiritual herbs of the valley allowed Wen Qiao to absorb pure vegetative essence without needing to actively stimulate it. This natural process gently sustained her without drawing attention.
Wen Qiao was cautious, refraining from absorbing too quickly. While the vegetative essence was difficult to distinguish from spiritual energy unless one possessed special perception, she avoided arousing suspicion by refraining from stimulating nearby plants unnaturally, as she sometimes did at home.
As the faint light of dawn crept over the horizon, Wen Qiao opened her eyes.
Though she hadn’t slept, she felt invigorated. For cultivators, meditation could substitute for sleep, and the process of absorbing spiritual energy was deeply restorative.
Last night’s bowl of Six Yang Seven Flavour Profound Yin Soup, coupled with the night spent immersed in the valley’s vegetative essence, left Wen Qiao feeling rejuvenated. Her usual fatigue and weakness had diminished significantly, and she even felt strong enough to climb mountains for an entire day.
In high spirits, Wen Qiao smiled as she noticed Ning Yuzhou sitting nearby, watching her. A faint dimple appeared at the corner of her lips as she greeted him. “Good morning.”
“Good morning,” Ning Yuzhou replied. “You meditated all night. It’s still early—do you want to rest a little longer?”
“No need. I feel great.”
Observing her energetic demeanour, Ning Yuzhou didn’t press the matter further.
But Wen Qiao noticed his slightly fatigued expression and asked, “You didn’t sleep last night?”
“I closed my eyes and rested a bit,” Ning Yuzhou replied with a smile, indirectly admitting that he had spent the night watching over her.
Wen Qiao frowned slightly and spoke sternly, “You’re a mortal; you need rest. You mustn’t neglect your health. It could harm your body in the long run.”
Taken aback by his wife’s scolding, Ning Yuzhou couldn’t help but chuckle. Yet her serious demeanour left him no choice but to promise, “I understand. I won’t do it again.”
Satisfied, Wen Qiao decided to keep a closer eye on him in the future. As a mortal with limited longevity, he couldn’t afford to be reckless with his health.
Ning Yuzhou easily discerned the change in her attitude. Being perceptive by nature, he quickly realized why she was so concerned. Pleased by this development, he thought to himself with amusement, Such a simple and caring girl. What would she do if someone tried to take advantage of her? Better to keep her close and safe.
After washing up, the two had breakfast and prepared to set off.
As they were still in the valley’s outer regions, the previous night had been uneventful, with no high-level beasts appearing. Today, as they continued their leisurely exploration, they collected spiritual herbs and hunted the occasional beast, maintaining a relaxed pace.
The Shadow Scaled Guards rarely intervened unless a beast wandered too close. When they did act, they focused on hunting beasts whose materials could be used to brew the Six Yang Seven Flavour Profound Yin Soup.
By evening, they had covered some distance but had yet to cross the mountain range. Setting up camp, they settled into another peaceful night. Ning Yuzhou resumed his now-familiar routine of using a cauldron to brew medicinal soup.
“First, we’ll treat the fire poison in your body,” Ning Yuzhou explained as he stirred the cauldron. “Once that’s resolved, we’ll address your fragile meridians. The fire poison has invaded your organs, and fully curing it will require high-grade spiritual pills that the current resources of Dongling Kingdom cannot provide. For now, we’ll rely on medicinal soups for gradual treatment.”
Wen Qiao stared at him in astonishment, listening intently.
She had already realized her husband was no ordinary mortal, but his precise diagnosis of her condition—something even Dongling’s renowned healers had deemed untreatable—left her speechless. His confidence suggested that, given the right materials, he might genuinely be able to cure her.
When the medicinal soup was ready, Ning Yuzhou handed her a bowl and urged her to drink it quickly, noting that it wouldn’t taste as good if it cooled. Wen Qiao, having grown accustomed to his perfectionist tendencies, obediently drank.
Just as she was finishing, a distant rumbling sound broke the tranquillity, causing the small table to tremble. Ning Yuzhou steadied the bowl and glanced outside.
The shadows cast by the surrounding forest deepened under the dimming light of dusk. A moment later, a Shadow Scaled Guard returned to report, “Your Highness, there’s a Tier 3 Ironclad Beast up ahead.”
Tier 3 beasts were equivalent in strength to cultivators at the Yuan Feather Realm, and their physical resilience often surpassed that of human cultivators. With their iron-like scales impervious to most weapons, Ironclad Beasts were formidable opponents, especially for those below the Yuan Bright Realm.
The rumbling persisted for a while before subsiding. Soon after, two guards returned, carrying the corpse of the Ironclad Beast. They expertly dismembered it, sorting its hide, blood, and bones into storage bags.
The leader of the guards, Qian Shou, surveyed the area and concluded, “The beast was likely driven here by cultivators ahead, fleeing into this territory.”
Beasts rarely left their territory unless provoked or displaced by natural disasters. This case was clearly the result of human interference.
Ning Yuzhou nodded. “Understood.”
However, the following days brought increasingly frequent encounters with beasts of varying tiers, including a Tier 5 beast—a level equivalent to a cultivator at the Yuan Martial Realm, as powerful as the Third Prince, Ning Zhezou.
When a Tier 5 beast charged out of the dense forest, Qian Shou immediately rallied his men. “Your Highness, Lady Wen, stay back! Shadow Scaled Guards, form up!”
The guards seamlessly formed battle formations, combining defensive and offensive techniques to neutralize the threat. Though the beast’s sheer strength posed a challenge, their discipline and coordination ensured swift victory.
Wen Qiao watched in awe as the guards dispatched the beast with precision. She finally understood why Emperor Chenghao trusted them to protect Ning Yuzhou in the valley.
After examining the beast, Qian Shou reported, “Your Highness, this beast has traces of spiritual herb energy in its blood.”
Ning Yuzhou narrowed his eyes. “Do you think these beasts are being intentionally driven toward us?”
“It’s possible,” Qian Shou replied. “It’s unclear whether the intent is to target all cultivators in the valley or just us.”
Ning Yuzhou smiled faintly. “We’ll know soon enough. Proceed.”
Though the valley had grown more perilous, the guards remained steadfast, following Ning Yuzhou’s commands without hesitation.
Wen Qiao, meanwhile, continued to make subtle progress in her cultivation. Each night, she drank her medicinal soup and meditated, absorbing the valley’s rich vegetative essence. Her energy levels improved significantly, and she felt on the verge of a breakthrough.
When another beast attacked, Wen Qiao instinctively pulled Ning Yuzhou to safety, shielding him with her petite frame. Ning Yuzhou allowed her to take charge, his gaze filled with gentle amusement at her protective instincts.
—
After five days of travel, they finally crossed the mountain and descended into a vast plain. At the edge of the plain, white mist obscured the horizon, hiding whatever lay beyond.
In the dense grass, they discovered a corpse.
The guards examined it and identified the deceased as a disciple of a minor family. The cause of death was a single, clean blow to the crown of the head, delivered with lethal precision.
Wen Qiao’s face paled. This was her first encounter with death. Though she had always known the path of cultivation was fraught with peril, seeing it first-hand made the reality of life and death starkly clear.
Ning Yuzhou glanced at the body and ordered, “Check the storage bag.”
The guards quickly found the storage bag, its protective seal gone with the disciple’s death. Inside were a few low-tier talismans, a small bottle of Qi-gathering pills, some yuan crystals, and two iron swords—simple possessions indicative of the deceased’s modest background.
After examining the contents, Ning Yuzhou seemed lost in thought. He instructed the guards to deal with the body and continued forward. Wen Qiao stole a glance at him, her curiosity growing. She couldn’t shake the feeling that her husband had pieced together something important.
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