Mo Li

The news of the Mo Family Army’s severance from Great Chu spread like wildfire across the nation and neighboring kingdoms in an astonishingly short time. The impact was far greater than Mo Jingqi had ever anticipated. Not only were the deceived commoners and scholars deeply dissatisfied with the imperial court, but even the regional princes began to stir restlessly. To say nothing of the increasingly frequent military movements of neighboring states—beyond the Northern Rong, even minor northern tribes began provoking skirmishes along the borders. While the emperor and his ministers in Chu Jing might still be cursing in fury, the people along Great Chu’s borders were already experiencing firsthand what the loss of the Mo Family Army truly meant for the nation.

"Mo Xiuyao! What a Mo Xiuyao… what a Prince Ding’s Estate! One day, I will have your entire family exterminated!" In the imperial study, Mo Jingqi raged, smashing everything within reach. This time, Mo Xiuyao had left him utterly defenseless. By dropping such a bombshell at his son’s full-moon banquet, Mo Xiuyao ensured that by the time the news reached Chu Jing, it had already spread across the land. There was no room for Mo Jingqi to refute or retaliate—every day in court, he faced a deluge of petitions from scholars and officials, less like memorials and more like outright accusations. The evidence presented by the northwest was irrefutable, meticulously organized without a single flaw. No matter how he tried to justify himself, his words rang hollow. Just glancing at the memorials now gave him a headache. In their fury at the emperor’s deceit and their fear over losing the Mo Family Army, the scholars and commoners had collectively overlooked the question of whether Prince Ding’s Estate had any moral justification for seceding from Great Chu.

"Attendants! Hear my decree—mobilize five hundred thousand troops at once to crush the traitor Mo Xiuyao!" Mo Jingqi roared, his rage blinding him. He no longer cared to think. All he wanted was to annihilate the Mo Family Army and slaughter every last member of Prince Ding’s Estate—only then could his hatred be quenched.

Prime Minister Liu, standing in the corner, frowned at the emperor’s frenzy. After a moment’s hesitation, he cautiously advised, "Your Majesty, the Bei Rong people are already eyeing our borders, and the southwest near Western Liang is far from peaceful. Moreover… Prince Ding—"

"Traitor Mo Xiuyao!" Mo Jingqi snapped.

Prime Minister Liu nodded. "Mo Xiuyao has stationed two hundred thousand Mo Family Army troops at Flying Goose Pass. If we attempt to… it won’t be easy. I implore Your Majesty to reconsider!" The northwest alone housed at least four hundred thousand Mo Family soldiers. Though Great Chu’s forces outnumbered them several times over, few could truly match the Mo Family Army in combat. To subdue the northwest, Great Chu would have to stake the entire nation—a gamble that was clearly not worth it.

Mo Jingqi knew this all too well. And it was precisely because he understood that his fury burned even hotter.

"Get out! All of you, get out!" Mo Jingqi bellowed, hurling whatever was at hand toward them. Though the inkstone missed Prime Minister Liu, the elderly minister still flinched. Glancing at Mo Jingqi—now leaning heavily on his desk, his face twisted with rage—Prime Minister Liu’s eyes darkened before he swiftly retreated.At Prince Ding's Estate, Ye Li raised an eyebrow as she accepted the letter handed to her by Zhuo Jing. The letter was sent by Tan Jizhi, naturally to remind Ye Li to release Shu Manlin, who had been imprisoned by them for quite some time. Although both Shen Yang and Doctor Lin had verified that the Underworld Flower brought back from Chu Jing was indeed genuine, Ye Li still carelessly detained Shu Manlin without releasing her until the medicine was developed.

Zhuo Jing asked, "Wang Fei, should we reply?"

Ye Li smiled, folded the letter neatly, and placed it back. "Tell Tan Jizhi it's not that I refuse to release her, but Princess Anxi of Nanzhao is currently a guest in Li Cheng. If she were to find out that the Holy Maiden of the Southern Border is here, it wouldn't be ideal. Ask him to wait a little longer—once Princess Anxi leaves the northwest, I will release her immediately. Assure him that we have treated Shu Manlin well these past months."

Zhuo Jing nodded, then after a moment of thought, asked, "Recently, various factions have been secretly stirring up trouble in the northwest, and even the estate hasn't been spared. Should we leak the news about the Imperial Jade Seal?"

Ye Li smiled approvingly. "Why else do you think I've kept Tan Jizhi tied up in the northwest? Spread the word—his identity, the whereabouts of the Imperial Jade Seal, and... that he came to the northwest precisely to retrieve the seal and the treasure. Since he was the one who originally spread this rumor, let him enjoy the consequences now."

Zhuo Jing grinned. "Wang Fei is wise." Just the thought of Tan Jizhi being pursued openly and covertly by various factions lifted his spirits—seeing others in trouble truly was a mood booster.

"Wang Fei, there's one more thing... Sick Scholar of the King of Hell Pavilion has appeared in the northwest. He entered the city early this morning and is staying at an inn." After finishing the matter about Tan Jizhi, Zhuo Jing shifted the topic to another issue.

Sick Scholar was undoubtedly a key surveillance target for Prince Ding's Estate, given his temperament and his enmity with the estate. If not for Ling Tiehan's reputation and his friendship with Xu Qingchen, Ye Li would not have hesitated to strike first and eliminate him.

"Have him watched. Also, notify Ling Tiehan—if he dares to do anything inappropriate in Li Cheng, don't blame me for not giving the King of Hell Pavilion's leader any face."

Zhuo Jing acknowledged and withdrew.

Frowning, Ye Li thought about how it had already been over half a month since the Underworld Flower was brought back from Chu Jing. Shen Yang and Doctor Lin had been holed up researching day and night, but there was still no sign of progress. Though Mo Xiuyao showed no outward signs of discomfort, Ye Li knew that with such potent toxins and old injuries in his body, he couldn't possibly be at ease.

After a moment of consideration, she stood and headed toward the courtyard where Shen Yang and Doctor Lin resided.Upon entering, Ye Li heard Shen Yang and Doctor Lin arguing back and forth. Shen Yang usually carried himself with the demeanor of a distinguished scholar—even if occasionally sharp-tongued, he rarely engaged in such undignified quarrels. Doctor Lin had an eccentric personality, but after several months of interaction, Ye Li had never seen him so worked up that he seemed ready to roll up his sleeves and fight. Stepping into the courtyard, Ye Li smiled and asked, "Shen, Master, what's going on between you two?"

Shen Yang snorted, tilting his chin up arrogantly. "This divine physician refuses to stoop to the level of a country bumpkin."

Doctor Lin shot back without hesitation, his expression full of disdain. "It's the country bumpkin who doesn’t want to stoop to your level. Stubborn and inflexible, yet you dare call yourself a divine physician? How many people have you killed with your treatments over the years?"

Shen Yang immediately bristled, jumping up in fury. "Old Man Lin! Don’t think I won’t hit you just because you’re old! How dare you slander my medical ethics?"

Doctor Lin sneered. "You think I’m afraid of you? How was the stomachache yesterday?"

Ye Li couldn’t help but cover her face with a groan. As the saying goes, two tigers cannot share one mountain—and clearly, one courtyard couldn’t accommodate two divine physicians either. At first, the two had gotten along so well it seemed they regretted not meeting sooner. How had it escalated to poisoning each other in just a few months? She quickly stepped between them before they could come to blows. "Shen, dignity, dignity. Master… calm down, let’s talk this out properly."

Doctor Lin snorted again, glancing sideways at Shen Yang. "For the sake of Princess Ding, I won’t lower myself to your level."

Shen Yang snorted even louder, smoothing his sleeves and regaining his scholarly composure. "What brings Princess Ding here today?"

Ye Li sighed inwardly. If I hadn’t come, would you two have ended up killing each other?

In truth, Ye Li was worrying too much. Recently, the two had frequently disagreed, and the servants in the courtyard were already used to it. The moment they started arguing, everyone would scatter to avoid getting caught in the crossfire—yet no one had actually died from their disputes.

Once the three had settled down, Shen Yang looked at Ye Li and said, "I understand why Princess Ding has come."

Ye Li nodded with a faint smile. "Then I assume you and Master have made progress?"

Shen Yang and Doctor Lin exchanged glances and sighed. The reason they argued daily was precisely because they had made progress—but their opinions diverged, and neither could convince the other. The ancient formula for the Underworld Flower had been lost for nearly a thousand years, and the recipe was extremely complex, with many parts ambiguously recorded. A single mistake could lead to disastrous consequences.

After hearing Shen Yang’s words, Ye Li fell silent for a moment. She understood that nothing could be resolved so easily—let alone a millennium-old lost formula. Moreover, the Underworld Flower wasn’t some common herb; there was no room for trial and error.

Masking the flicker of disappointment in her heart, she asked, "What are your differing opinions, Shen and Master?"Shen Yang gave Ye Li an appreciative glance and said, "The more conservative approach would be to use the Underworld Flower to prepare a medicine that can temporarily suppress the Fire-Cold Dual Poison in Wang Ye's body, ensuring his safety for several years." Ye Li shook her head, rejecting Shen Yang's proposal. Anyone with clear eyes could see that the days ahead would not be peaceful. If Mo Xiuyao's health were to deteriorate at that time, it would be better for the Mo Family Army and Prince Ding's Estate to perish now rather than suffer later. Moreover, where in the world could they find a second Underworld Flower? After a long silence, Ye Li said, "Wang Ye's condition is stable for now. I’ll trouble the two of you to continue your research." In truth, neither of them had much faith in the conservative treatment either, but they simply didn’t dare gamble with Mo Xiuyao’s life. Hearing Ye Li’s words, they naturally agreed.

Leaving Shen Yang’s courtyard, Ye Li felt somewhat somber. As she strolled along the corridor, she suddenly paused and said in a low voice, "Qin Feng, go and invite Sick Scholar here. I wish to see him."

"Yes, this subordinate obeys."

Sick Scholar was unparalleled in the art of poisons, but his martial skills were lacking due to his frail health. Knowing his peculiarities and weaknesses, Qin Feng, as a Qilin, had no difficulty bringing someone as a guest.

"Third Pavilion Master, it’s been a long time. How have you been?" Ye Li walked into the flower hall with her entourage, smiling at the sallow-faced, sinister-looking young man seated inside. Sick Scholar turned his head at her words, narrowing his eyes as he studied the composed woman in green before him, a malicious glint flashing in his gaze. "Cough... Princess Ding? Indeed, it has been a while. What? Has Mo Xiuyao not died yet?" Ye Li remained unruffled, replying with a light laugh, "Thank you for your concern, Third Pavilion Master. Wang Ye is doing well. Otherwise, why would you have gone to the trouble of traveling all the way from Western Liang to Li Cheng?" Sick Scholar glared at her coldly. "The Underworld Flower is in your hands?" Back then, he and Ye Li’s people had engaged in countless battles of wits over the whereabouts of the Underworld Flower, yet in the end, it had still fallen into her hands first. Ye Li lowered her gaze and said calmly, "Did Mo Jingqi or Tan Jizhi tell you?"

Sick Scholar raised an eyebrow. Ye Li smiled faintly. "When Feng San returned from the capital, he mentioned being pursued by people suspected to be from the King of Hell Pavilion. I guessed it wouldn’t be long before I met with the Third Pavilion Master. However..." Her tone shifted, and her serene eyes took on a hint of frost. "Daring to enter Li Cheng alone, do you disregard me and Prince Ding's Estate, or do you believe I wouldn’t dare touch you out of respect for Ling Gezhu?"

At the mention of Ling Tiehan, Sick Scholar’s expression darkened. He sneered, "This young master doesn’t need you to spare me for my elder brother’s sake! Did Princess Ding invite me here because you need my help? I’ve heard the divine physician Shen Yang has been residing in Prince Ding's Estate for years. Has he managed to decipher the prescription for the Underworld Flower yet?" A faint smile curled at the corners of Ye Li’s lips as she nodded in acknowledgment. "You’re right, Third Pavilion Master. I did invite you here for the prescription of the Underworld Flower." A venomous grin twisted Sick Scholar’s sinister face. "You can forget about it. Don’t even dream of me saving Mo Xiuyao. Once I’ve mastered the Nether Springs, I’ll make sure Mo Xiuyao gets a taste of it!"Ye Li sat calmly in her chair, her gaze steady and unflinching as she regarded him. The Sick Scholar looked at her curiously and asked, "You're a strange woman. Are you really Mo Xiuyao's woman?"

Ye Li arched her delicate brows slightly, eyeing him with puzzlement. The Sick Scholar studied her for a long moment before asking, "Without the ancient prescription for the Underworld Flower, Mo Xiuyao is doomed to die. Aren’t you the least bit worried? You don’t even seem angry hearing me say this? Ah… I remember now—you heard me say the same thing back in the Southern Border. You didn’t show a single trace of reaction then. Even Mo Xiuyao himself probably isn’t as composed as you." Hearing this, Ye Li inwardly smiled bitterly. It wasn’t that she was composed—she was forcing herself to appear so. In truth, she wanted nothing more than to give this man a thorough beating. Unfortunately, she couldn’t.

The Sick Scholar scrutinized Ye Li up and down before suddenly laughing. "I’ve got it. If you truly want to save Mo Xiuyao, it’s not impossible. From now on, follow me. If you do, this young master might be generous enough to spare Mo Xiuyao’s life." Ye Li blinked and asked calmly, "Follow you? What does the Third Pavilion Master want me to do?" The Sick Scholar gave her a disdainful look and sneered, "Don’t tell me you think this young master has taken a fancy to you? At best, you’d make a decent maid to serve tea and water. What do you think?"

Qin Feng, standing behind Ye Li, had long since darkened in expression and stepped forward, ready to act. Ye Li raised a hand to stop him, her gaze steady as she addressed the Sick Scholar. "Third Pavilion Master, I have a rather unfortunate habit. If I’m unhappy, I make sure others are even unhappier than me. So… if my husband dies…" The Sick Scholar scoffed mockingly. "The Wang Fei isn’t about to say you’ll kill my wife, is she? Too bad—this young master hasn’t married yet." Ye Li smiled faintly and continued where she’d been interrupted, "Then I’ll make sure others lose their entire family. Not just your relatives—even those you know, this consort can wipe them all out."

"Bragging nonsense!" The Sick Scholar’s eye twitched slightly as he spoke coldly. Did this woman think the King of Hell Pavilion, renowned as the top assassin organization in the world—one that even the Xiling Emperor’s court dared not provoke—could be moved by her mere words? Or did she think he, the Third Pavilion Master, was some naive child who could be frightened into submission with a few threats? Ye Li chuckled lightly. "Even if the Third Pavilion Master doubts my abilities, he shouldn’t doubt those of the Black Cloud Cavalry and the Qilin. Or has the Third Pavilion Master, after opposing Prince Ding’s Estate for so many years, still failed to grasp the strength of his adversary? I don’t understand what deep-seated grudge you hold against our Wang Ye that drives you to such desperate measures. But leaving that aside—without the Underworld Flower, given your current condition, where death could claim you at any moment, how exactly do you plan to take revenge? From what I see, the Third Pavilion Master’s complexion and health seem far worse than when we met in the Southern Border. Who knows—will our Wang Ye succumb to poison first, or will the Third Pavilion Master succumb to illness?"Sick Scholar's face twisted with venomous hatred as he glared at Ye Li. His misfortunes since childhood had warped his personality, making him vengeful to the extreme. In truth, he had no deep-seated grudge against Mo Xiuyao, yet he ranked among the top three people in the world who loathed Mo Xiuyao the most. It all stemmed from the fact that Mo Xiuyao had once struck him with a palm strike, crippling most of his martial arts, damaging his heart meridian, and leaving him with severe internal injuries that prevented any further progress in his skills. His body had since deteriorated into its current sickly state. However, when traced to its root, it was the King of Hell Pavilion that had first attempted to assassinate Mo Xiuyao, leading to this outcome. Yet, Sick Scholar had harbored an undying, bone-deep hatred for Mo Xiuyao ever since—a hatred as irrational as Han Mingyue's love for Su Zuidie.

After a long silence, Sick Scholar suddenly let out a sinister chuckle. It took him a while to stop laughing before he lifted his chin and sneered at Ye Li, "Princess Ding, your words mean nothing. Even if I die, I'll drag Mo Xiuyao down with me. As for the ancient formula of the Underworld Flower, don’t waste your efforts—no one in this world can decipher it. If you accidentally turn a life-saving antidote into a deadly poison, don’t blame me for not warning you." Ye Li watched him quietly for a moment before slowly smiling as well. "In that case, Third Pavilion Master, you may stay at Prince Ding's Estate for now. You might as well see who lives longer—the Prince or you. Even without the antidote, as long as the Prince lives, he will remain lofty and invincible, while you... spend half the year bedridden, capable only of concocting useless poisons, nothing more than a worthless waste hiding under Ling Gezhu's protection." Her voice was soft and unhurried, her expression gentle and serene, yet the words that left her lips were like sharp blades mercilessly piercing Sick Scholar's heart and lungs.

Sick Scholar's eyes widened abruptly, his gaze terrifyingly twisted as he stared at Ye Li. He suddenly lunged at her, shouting, "You bitch! How dare you spout such nonsense!"

But he never even got the chance to touch her. A fierce gust of palm wind sent him crashing sideways into a chair. Before he could recover, a cold, murderous voice rang out from the doorway, "Sick Scholar? It seems you don’t want to be Sick Scholar—you want to be Dead Scholar!"

Standing at the entrance was a tall, imposing man dressed in a deep purple robe with cloud-patterned trim, his snow-white hair loosely tied. Even his slightest movement exuded an aura of supremacy and majesty. Who else could it be but Mo Xiuyao?

Extra: Little Theater – Xiao Bao’s Growth Diary

At nine months old, Mo Xiaobao could call for his mother.

At one year old, Mo Xiaobao could clearly say "uncle."

At one and a half, he flawlessly distinguished between "First Uncle" to "Fifth Uncle," "Uncle Grandpa," "Uncle Grandma," and "Grand Tutor" without hesitation.

At two years old, Mo Xiaobao still couldn’t say "father." Prince Ding was furious.

"Say 'father,'" Prince Ding ordered, hooking a finger under Mo Xiaobao’s collar.

Mo Xiaobao blinked. What was "father"? Could he eat it?

"Say 'Royal Father,'" Prince Ding shook his hand slightly.

Mo Xiaobao dangled mid-air, smacking his lips. Could "Royal Father" be eaten?

"Still won’t say it?" Prince Ding narrowed his eyes, lifting the little bun to eye level threateningly.

Mo Xiaobao held his breath, his little face turning red.

"Whoosh—"

Prince Ding’s magnificent royal robes were instantly drenched...

......