"You're threatening me!" Gao Dazhuang's expression darkened.
An Jiu swallowed the pastry in her mouth and replied calmly, "Wasn't this matter unrelated to you, Lord Gao? How could it possibly be a threat?"
"Arrogant." Gao Dazhuang snorted, pulling a pouch from his robe and tossing it to her. "Consider yourself lucky. I haven't had time to destroy these yet."
An Jiu opened the pouch, confirming the medicinal pills matched Mei Yanran's description in shape and scent. "Thank you."
"Hmph!" Gao Dazhuang collapsed onto his bed, waving weakly. "Get lost."
An Jiu concealed the pouch in a hidden pocket on her inner thigh. As she stood, she hesitated before asking, "Why did you withhold the Poison Pill?"
Gao Dazhuang grunted twice but offered no answer.
After waiting briefly and seeing no intention to respond, An Jiu knew further questioning would be futile. She quietly slipped away from Guye Palace.
By the time she left the palace grounds, it was noon—the sky overcast with a fine drizzle.
An Jiu sensed four eighth-level martial arts masters following at a variable distance behind her. Without pausing, she suppressed her aura and moved westward through the city, avoiding pedestrians.
When she entered a narrow alley, the four suddenly accelerated, surrounding her from all directions.
Realizing her cover was blown, An Jiu abandoned stealth and sprinted toward more favorable terrain. With visibility poor in such confined spaces, she'd be at a disadvantage against unknown foes.
Reaching the riverbank, four figures materialized, blocking her retreat.
An Jiu turned to face them, her back to the wide river.
Their positioning confirmed hostile intent. She assumed a defensive stance, ready to counterattack.
"No need for tension," one said. "Our master invites you as a guest."
An Jiu detected over a dozen martial artists closing in. At their approach speed, escape past these four would be impossible—her only option was to swim across.
She'd once swum over twenty kilometers weighted down in winter's chill. This mere thirty-meter span meant nothing. But entering the water risked ruining the Gu poison obtained from Gao Dazhuang.
Which path to take?
The dilemma flashed through her mind, yet her feet remained rooted, unmoving.
"How did you find me?" An Jiu asked. None among them surpassed her mental strength. If she wasn't fleeing, she needed to identify her weakness.
The four blinked in surprise at her untimely question.
"Our master will explain," one replied.
"Lead on." An Jiu stepped forward, causing the four to nervously retreat half a step.
Reinforcements arrived. The original four hurriedly produced ropes. "For security, we must bind you."
An Jiu extended her wrists, negotiating terms. "Moving restrained through daylight is inconvenient. I demand a carriage."
"Granted," said an apparent leader among the newcomers, signaling a subordinate to search her.
A young man patted her down, swiftly retrieving six concealed blades and various poisons from her pockets.
The group retraced their route. A carriage soon arrived—clearly prearranged.
An Jiu boarded without resistance.The search results satisfied An Jiu—at least the specially crafted umbrella on her hadn’t been confiscated as a weapon, and the medicine inside remained untouched. The most crucial item she wanted to keep was still with her.
An Jiu folded her hands on her lap, relieved that she had hidden the Gu poison well earlier.
She waited patiently for a long while, seizing the moment when a wheel sank into a muddy pit to retrieve a pellet of Gu poison and crush it. Inside was a grain-sized object. She tucked it into the collar of her inner garment and smeared a tiny bit of the outer fragments onto the sleeve of her inner robe.
After all, Mo Sigui only needed to study its components and didn’t require the intact item to cast the Gu.
Besides, Gao Dazhuang had given her four pellets of Gu poison. This was merely a precaution—if luck was on her side, she could still preserve three whole medicinal pills.
She was determined to protect this medicine at all costs—partly for Mei Yanran’s sake, and partly due to her own nature and habits. This journey was solely for this medicine; it was the mission’s objective, and she would see it through no matter what!
Judging by the sound of the wheels, they had left the city. An Jiu’s keen sense of direction confirmed they were heading north of the city.
The carriage slowed on the muddy country road, taking nearly two hours before finally stopping.
"Young lady, please alight," someone outside said.
An Jiu jumped down.
Before her stretched a lush expanse of thriving trees, with a small farmhouse nestled among them. A fine misty rain draped over the scene like a veil, lending it an ethereal air.
Following them through the woods, An Jiu entered the courtyard.
The ground was paved with pebbles arranged in the shape of crabapple flowers. The farmhouse was quite spacious, with well-tended plants and even a wooden pavilion. Inside, a slender man in a blue robe was brewing tea.
"Master, we’ve brought her," the guide said, kneeling on one knee below the pavilion.
"Come in," the man replied, his voice clear and refined.
An Jiu recognized him—Wei Yuzhi.
She was led into the pavilion and seated opposite him.
Wei Yuzhi lifted his gaze to her, offering a faint smile through the curling steam. His expression was calm yet indistinct. "Long time no see."
An Jiu didn’t respond, her eyes settling on the table before him. Among an array of unfamiliar tea utensils lay the bottles and jars confiscated from her—someone must have delivered them ahead of time.
She understood almost instantly what Wei Yuzhi was after—Gu Jinghong’s blood!
As An Jiu observed, Wei Yuzhi subtly studied her in return. "I didn’t expect you to surrender so easily. Could it be you’re hiding something…"
"Cut the nonsense!" An Jiu interrupted.
Wei Yuzhi chuckled, placing a freshly brewed cup of tea before her, his smile unwavering. "This season’s new tea—worth a thousand gold per ounce. Dare to try it?"
"Don’t bother provoking me. Even if it were ambrosia, I wouldn’t drink it," An Jiu retorted.
Wei Yuzhi picked up the cup and took a small sip. "This tea nourishes the spirit—it’s the secret to controlling external objects with mental strength."
For a fleeting moment, An Jiu was tempted, but she quickly dismissed the thought.
Seeing her remain unmoved, Wei Yuzhi gestured for the tea to be brought back and drank it himself. Glancing at An Jiu again, he found no trace of regret in her expression.
"You truly are worth my effort," Wei Yuzhi remarked cryptically, dropping the subject. "I suppose you’ve guessed my purpose. Why not say it outright?"Wei Yuzhi leaned forward slightly, his slender fingers reaching out to touch An Jiu's face, but she dodged his hand.
"After all, I once had feelings for you. Don't make this difficult for me." His words were gentle, his expression mild. Were it not for the subject of their conversation, were it not for the dozens of murderous martial arts masters standing outside the pavilion, An Jiu might have mistaken him for nothing more than a frail scholar. (To be continued...)
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