Before Mei Yanran could speak, Mo Sigui reached out and pulled down the lower eyelid of her right eye.
On the white part beneath her eye was a thin red line the length of a grain of rice. At first glance, it looked like a blood vessel, but its unnaturally straight appearance made it seem slightly eerie.
"Miao Gu," Mo Sigui sighed.
He released his grip, leaving two red fingerprints on Mei Yanran's fair skin.
An Jiu asked, "What is Miao Gu?"
"Idiot," Mo Sigui couldn't be bothered to explain.
Mei Yanran's voice was gentle as she said, "Take a hundred insects and place them in a jar. After a year, open it—the one insect that has devoured all the others is called Gu."
In truth, the scope of Gu poison extends beyond this. Medicinal herbs and minerals can also be used to create Gu. There are thousands of ways to concoct Gu poison, and some of the more complex ones can only be undone by finding the person who cast the Gu.
"Living things entering the body?" An Jiu recalled something. "When we attacked Misty Villa, there was a person whose insects burrowed into my body. The snake raised by Qiu Yunxiao detected it and kept following the insect's movement, so I used a dagger to cut it out."
An Jiu rolled up her sleeve, revealing her pale arm, where a long bruise from the insect's damage had not yet fully faded.
"This is one type of Gu—extremely potent and designed to kill quickly. Many who dabble in poisons raise venomous pets that feed on such things. However, slow-acting Gu that can be suppressed with medicine are usually not to their liking." Mo Sigui's expression turned grave. "Aunt, please describe in detail the shape, color, smell, and size of the medicinal pill you took at the time."
Those skilled in Gu poison can dominate the martial world with their techniques, showing just how profound this art is. Mo Sigui only had a basic understanding and had never studied Gu in depth—it was, in fact, his weak point.
Mei Yanran said, "It was a red, oval medicinal pill, about the size of a thumbnail. The taste was strange. I couldn't identify the herbs, but there was a strong fishy smell."
Mo Sigui glanced at Mei Yanran's thumb—her nail was small and well-shaped. "At that size, it was likely insect eggs. Did you feel any pain after taking it?"
The pill would have encased the eggs, and as it traveled down the esophagus, the outer layer would dissolve quickly. The body's warmth serves as an incubator for Gu poison, and with the aid of the medicine, the eggs would hatch swiftly. They wouldn't stay in the stomach but would seek out the bloodstream on their own.
Mei Yanran nodded. "About the time it takes to drink two cups of tea after taking the pill, I felt severe pain in my abdomen. The pain spread to my left rib and then stopped, lasting only about the time it takes to drink one cup of tea."
Mo Sigui frowned deeply and reached out to check her pulse, falling silent for a moment.
Using True Energy pulse diagnosis, he searched through Mei Yanran's meridians and blood vessels, locating the foreign object. His heart leapt with joy—but the object was cunning and actually evaded Mo Sigui's True Energy detection, disappearing in an instant!
Mo Sigui's face darkened immediately.
The human body's eight extraordinary meridians are incredibly complex. A tiny Gu worm could easily find a place to hide, forcing him to exhaust his True Energy searching for it.
Only when he withdrew his hand did An Jiu speak. "If we can find this pill, do you have a way to cure it?"
"You can find it?" Mo Sigui's gloomy expression brightened slightly.
"Our team didn't take the poison. We all suspected Gao Dazhuang secretly withheld the Poison Pill—he wouldn't have returned it, would he?" An Jiu said.
Mo Sigui's eyes gleamed, like sunlight breaking through dark clouds. "Then go find it quickly.""Alright." Though An Jiu didn't know much about Gu poison, she had never seen Mo Sigui with such an expression before and understood the situation must be extremely serious. The sooner, the better. She hastily finished a bowl of rice, prepared herself, and set off immediately.
"I'll go with you." Mei Yanran caught up with her at the ferry.
An Jiu stood on the boat, her petite figure outlined by a black close-fitting outfit. Her brows and eyes were still the familiar features Mei Yanran knew, but the steady, cold depth in her gaze stung her eyes.
Mei Yanran's emotions were complicated. She instinctively rejected this person who had taken over her daughter's body. According to Mei Jiu, they had once coexisted harmoniously in the same body and even shared hardships. But Mei Yanran knew her daughter's nature all too well—she might have been tricked into being sold and still gratefully helped count the money.
Yet, faced with that familiar face, Mei Yanran found it impossible to fully hate her.
"No need." An Jiu lowered her head to untie the ropes. "It's more convenient for me to go alone."
She pushed the boat away from the pier with an oar, and the vessel swiftly drifted far out onto the water.
Mei Yanran watched the lone boat float across the mist-covered lake. The slender figure turned away, leaving only a desolate feeling in her heart.
"She belongs to the night. If she hides, few in this world could find her."
Hearing the voice, Mei Yanran turned to see a figure emerging from a bamboo-lined path. Dressed in white amidst the verdant bamboo, he seemed ethereal, yet his captivating peach-blossom eyes held a worldly charm as he smiled.
"Aunt." Mo Sigui greeted her.
"Si Gui, did you notice Jiu'er's anomaly long ago?" Mei Yanran reflected on the past, realizing what a failure of a mother she had been.
"Yes, but the truth was beyond my expectations." Mo Sigui gazed at the vast water. "Isn't this outcome good? Cousin wasn't suited for a life of darkness, so fate arranged something else for her."
Mei Yanran worried, "But Jiu'er—"
"Cousin is clever. After experiencing life and death, she will grow. If you interfere too much, she'll remain the woman who can only live under others' protection." Mo Sigui turned to her. "She is no longer your daughter now. This is fate's arrangement."
Mei Yanran lowered her eyes and sighed. "Indeed."
But how could she not worry? Mei Jiu's current situation was even worse than in Plum Blossom Village. As someone sent by the emperor, the Hua Clan wouldn't treat her as an ordinary daughter-in-law but would guard against and harm her. And if the Hua Clan truly fell, Mei Jiu—if she was lucky enough to survive—would still be recalled to the Crane Control Army.
"Meeting her this time, I could sense her maturity and the bearing of a great family's matriarch." Mei Yanran smiled faintly.
"Everyone should live for themselves at least once." Mo Sigui murmured.
The gloomy sky and lake merged into a gray expanse, connected by mist, creating a hazy view.
The oppressive, humid air foretold an approaching storm.
Not long after leaving Plum Blossom Village, raindrops began to patter down. An Jiu entered a village, bought a straw raincoat, and opened an umbrella to shield her clothes and face before heading straight into the city.
Many entering the city wore both raincoats and umbrellas like her, so she didn't stand out.
A jagged bolt of lightning streaked across the sky, splitting the thick clouds like a serpent. The world flashed white for an instant, followed by the rumble of thunder.The streets emptied quickly, the daylight dim as night, with only the occasional flash of lightning illuminating the sky.
An Jiu rushed to the imperial palace, closed her umbrella, and concealed her presence before scaling a corner of the palace wall. (To be continued...)
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