Mo Li

Since their journey south was originally intended for leisure, Mo Xiuyao and his group were among the earliest arrivals from various countries attending the wedding. However, aside from the bustling interactions among different ethnic groups in the Nanzhao capital, there wasn’t much entertainment to be found. Seeing that Princess Anxi’s wedding was still days away, Mo Xiuyao took Ye Li to explore other parts of Nanzhao.

Mo Xiuyao had long harbored the desire to shake off the other bothersome individuals and wander freely with Ye Li alone. Thus, before the third watch of the night, he quietly left the inn with Ye Li and slipped out of the city. Given Mo Xiuyao’s martial prowess, no one could detect him if he wished to avoid notice. By morning, when the others in the inn realized both Wang Ye and Wang Fei were missing, all they found was a note on the table that read, “We’ll return in a few days. Do not worry.” Only then did they understand that Wang Ye had taken Wang Fei on an excursion. With no way to track them down, the group had no choice but to wait patiently in the city. After all, given Wang Ye and Wang Fei’s abilities, it was unlikely anyone in the Southern Border could pose a threat to them.

Meanwhile, Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li, having left the Nanzhao capital, wandered aimlessly, stopping wherever the scenery pleased them. It was a rare and leisurely respite from the busy years they had spent before.

One day, the two caught a pair of wild horses in a forest and, on a whim, decided to race. The newly captured horses were far from obedient, and the one Ye Li rode bolted wildly through the woods. Mo Xiuyao, being a more skilled rider, urged his own horse to follow closely. By the time the wild horse had exhausted its energy and finally slowed at Ye Li’s command, Mo Xiuyao had already caught up from behind. His sharp eyes glared at the horse as if he wished to tear it to pieces.

Though untamed, the horse was somewhat perceptive. Sensing Mo Xiuyao’s murderous intent, it pawed the ground nervously, no longer daring to run wild. Ye Li dismounted with a laugh. “There’s no need to be angry. This horse isn’t fully tamed yet—if it were too obedient, it wouldn’t be much of a steed.” Mo Xiuyao was well aware that fine horses often had unruly temperaments, but when it came to A Li’s safety, even the finest steed meant nothing. Had he not feared harming her, he would have sliced the runaway horse in half with his sword earlier.

Seeing Mo Xiuyao’s dark expression as he stared at the horse, Ye Li couldn’t help but smile. She tugged at his sleeve, pulling his attention away from the poor creature, which seemed torn between bolting again and staying put out of fear. Looking around, she took in the lush greenery of the forest and meadows, dotted with countless small wildflowers in shades of pink, pale blue, white, and soft yellow. The endless expanse resembled a vast, flower-strewn green carpet.

“How beautiful! Xiu Yao, where is this place?” Whether in the northwest or Chu Jing, Ye Li had never seen such fresh, natural beauty. Mo Xiuyao surveyed their surroundings and frowned slightly. “That wild horse ran wildly for nearly two hours, and we’ve been traveling for a while before that. We must be about five or six hundred li from the Nanzhao capital by now. This place… should be near the Southern Border Sacred Ground.”"Hmm?" Ye Li was somewhat surprised. The Southern Border Sacred Ground was a mysterious place even to many Southern Border natives. However, Prince Ding's Estate had long intended to pacify the Southern Border and naturally wouldn't have neglected to investigate it, so there was no need for excessive astonishment.

Mo Xiuyao pulled Ye Li forward as he said, "Since we're here, let's take a look." Ye Li frowned, "Wouldn't it be inappropriate to trespass into the Southern Border Sacred Ground?" If the Nanzhao people learned that Prince Ding and Princess Ding had privately entered the sacred ground, it wouldn't just reflect poorly on them—it would also embarrass Princess Anxi. Mo Xiuyao replied indifferently, "If we're not discovered, then it's not trespassing. I promised Shen Yang I'd bring back some Netherworld Dark Flowers for him."

Ye Li was deeply grateful to Shen Yang. Not only had he abandoned his reputation as a divine physician to labor over Mo Xiuyao's poison for over a decade at Prince Ding's Estate, but Mo Xiaobao had also been born somewhat frail. That he'd grown into such a lively child was largely thanks to Shen Yang. Hearing that these were things Shen Yang wanted, Ye Li naturally felt duty-bound to help. Besides, she was quite curious about the so-called Southern Border Sacred Ground herself.

Mo Xiuyao clearly had the makings of a special forces soldier—his sense of direction was so good it almost made Ye Li jealous. Pulling her along without hesitation as they weaved through the mountain forests, they reached the outskirts of the sacred ground in less than two hours. Nimbly avoiding the perimeter guards, they soon arrived at the entrance. Perhaps because no outsiders had intruded for centuries, the security within the sacred ground was rather lax, and the two slipped in with minimal effort.

Upon entering, they were greeted by a vast sea of blood-red flowers. The pure, unblemished crimson dyed the entire valley in vivid red, creating an eerie and bloody atmosphere.

"This is..." Ye Li frowned at the fiery expanse before her. Mo Xiuyao's expression remained calm as he said solemnly, "These are the Netherworld Dark Flowers." Ye Li sighed softly, "When I first heard the Netherworld Dark Flowers were a sacred relic of the Southern Border, I considered bringing some back to see if they could help you. Good thing I didn't waste my time."

"Hmm?" Mo Xiuyao was puzzled. "A Li, you recognize these flowers?"

Ye Li replied, "This huge expanse doesn't look like a rare sacred relic at all. I do know these flowers have another name—Manjusaka, or the Underworld Flower." They were also called red spider lilies. If not for the Underworld Flower diverting her attention back then, Ye Li might have actually ventured into the Southern Border Sacred Ground in search of the Netherworld Dark Flowers. Had she discovered then that the so-called sacred flowers were just unremarkable red spider lilies, she would have wanted to cry.

"Manjusaka—a Buddhist name, one of the Four Heavenly Flowers," Mo Xiuyao remarked. Ye Li sat down beside him comfortably. Once her eyes adjusted to the overwhelming crimson, the sight became rather beautiful. She chuckled softly, "Indeed, it's a Buddhist name. Legend says Manjusaka grows by the River of Forgetfulness—the Underworld Flower, the sole scenery along the path to the underworld." Mo Xiuyao wasn't well-versed in Buddhist scriptures and asked curiously, "Then why is it also called the Underworld Flower?" Ye Li murmured softly, "Flowers bloom without leaves, leaves grow without flowers. The Underworld Flower blooms for a thousand years, withers for a thousand years—flowers and leaves shall never meet. Love transcends cause and effect, fate determines life and death..."Mo Xiuyao frowned upon hearing this and said in a deep voice, "I don't like this kind of talk."

Ye Li pressed her lips together and smiled faintly at him. "Neither do I. This flower does have some detoxifying properties, but it's also poisonous itself. However, it's not particularly rare. It's just that apart from here, no one cultivates it on a large scale anymore. Even in the Jiangnan region, though not abundant, you could find quite a few if you search carefully. Should we gather some here to take back for Shen?" Mo Xiuyao glanced at the vast expanse of blood-red below and said, "Since we're here, we might as well take some back. Later, we can have someone collect more from Jiangnan to see if there are any differences." Ye Li nodded indifferently. There were so many in the Southern Border Sacred Ground—even if they took a few plants or even a whole sackful, no one would likely notice.

After gathering a few of the flowers and storing them away, the two continued deeper into the area. Strangely, the further they went, the fewer guards they encountered.

As they ventured inward, the overwhelming sea of red flowers gradually thinned, replaced by another variety—ornate, spherical blooms in red, pink, white, blue, and yellow, dazzlingly vibrant and capable of lifting one's spirits. Yet Ye Li tensed, her gaze fixed intently on the floral expanse before her. Mo Xiuyao leaned closer and asked softly, "A Li, what's wrong?" Ye Li looked up, retrieved the flowers they had just collected, and pointed at the blossoms ahead. "Xiu Yao, I think we made a mistake. That should be the Netherworld Dark Flower."

Mo Xiuyao was taken aback. "How so?" Ye Li replied gravely, "I hope I'm wrong. If the Nanzhao people are growing these flowers purely for ornamental purposes, that's one thing. But if they have other uses..."

Mo Xiuyao asked, "Is there something wrong with this flower?" Ye Li murmured, "These flowers look incredibly beautiful, but if used for sinister purposes, the consequences would be unbearable. They can be made into the most potent painkiller." Mo Xiuyao was puzzled. "Isn't that a good thing?" At present, the painkillers used across various nations were limited to mafeisan, a concoction not only complicated to prepare but also requiring uncommon ingredients. On the battlefield, only high-ranking officers had access to it, while ordinary soldiers had to endure the agony—some even dying from the pain.

Ye Li shook her head. "Because it's highly addictive, and breaking the addiction is nearly impossible. Prolonged use leaves a person weak and withered, and withdrawal drives them to madness. It's the perfect tool for creating puppets—more effective than any poison. If this spreads, it could easily destroy an entire nation."

Mo Xiuyao stared thoughtfully at the floral sea before them. After a long silence, he looked up at Ye Li with a faint smile. "Though I don't know how A Li came to know these things, I always trust her. Let's go further in and see." Watching the silver-haired man leading her forward by the hand, Ye Li's heart skipped a beat. She had always been unguarded around Mo Xiuyao. If it had started as a test, over time, it had become habit—a habit of his seemingly boundless tolerance. She had revealed many things she shouldn't have known, yet Mo Xiuyao had never questioned her. At times, he had even helped cover for her. Perhaps... she was beginning to understand the source of his lingering unease.Turning past the valley, what came into view was still an endless sea of flowers. After walking for a long time, they finally saw a magnificent palace at the end of the valley.

"Someone's here," Mo Xiuyao swiftly pulled Ye Li into his arms and hid behind a pile of rocks. Sure enough, the sound of approaching conversation soon reached their ears. The voices were all too familiar to both Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li.

"Have you prepared what this prince asked for?"

A cold male voice came from nearby. Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li exchanged a glance before turning their attention to the man strolling leisurely toward them, accompanied by several women dressed in Southern Xinjiang clothing—Mo Jingli. Standing beside him was the stunningly beautiful Qixia Princess of Nanzhao. Over the years, Mo Jingli had clearly treated her well. Though she was several years older than Ye Ying, she still looked radiant and alluring.

Opposite them stood an elderly woman in her fifties, leaning on a sinister-looking snake-headed cane. She smiled at Mo Jingli and said, "Prince Li need not worry. After years of research by all the healers in our sacred land, we have finally developed the divine medicine you desire. I assure you, its effects will exceed your expectations."

Mo Jingli replied indifferently, "Is that so? Then this prince will wait and see. I hope the elder does not disappoint me."

The elder smiled confidently. "Naturally. Since this is a collaboration, both parties must be satisfied. As long as Prince Li keeps his promise, all will be well. Bring the test subjects forward."

Soon, several disheveled individuals were dragged into view. From Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li's position, they couldn't see clearly, but one of them appeared to be from the Central Plains. His eyes were dull and unfocused, his face sallow and emaciated, as if he had no strength left. His expression was vacant, and drool trickled from the corners of his mouth, making him resemble a born imbecile.

The elder chuckled. "What does Prince Li think? To ensure the efficacy of the medicine, we even went out of our way to find several people from your Great Chu as test subjects."

Mo Jingli examined the subjects carefully and seemed quite satisfied. "Good. How long have these people been fed the medicine?"

The elder replied, "Less than a month."

Mo Jingli grew even more pleased. "Excellent. This prince agrees to your terms."

The elder beamed. "Prince Li is indeed decisive. The Holy Maiden will be most grateful to Your Highness."

Mo Jingli gave a faint hum. "This is merely a mutual exchange. Hand over the medicine. This prince must hurry to the capital of Nanzhao."

Without hesitation, the elder retrieved two porcelain bottles and handed them to Mo Jingli. "This is a three-month supply, enough for Your Highness to proceed. The medicine is extremely difficult to refine. Our healers have only managed to produce this much after all this time."

Mo Jingli accepted them. "My thanks, elder. This prince takes his leave."

The elder smiled. "I will have someone escort Prince Li out of the valley."

After Mo Jingli and Qixia Princess had departed, one of the women following the elder asked, "Elder, who does Prince Li intend to use this medicine on?"The elder sneered, "Who else could it be for? These Central Plains people have always been vicious to the core, not even sparing their own blood relatives. Who knows what deep hatred the Emperor of Chu and Prince Li harbor that he would torment his own elder brother so cruelly. You girls mustn’t get too involved with those Central Plains people, or you might end up harmed without even a chance to cry for help."

The young women giggled, "We’re not afraid of those Central Plains people. We can just have our venomous snakes bite them to death, or follow Prince Li’s example and feed them some Forget-Me-Not Powder. Let’s see if they’ll still dare disobey." The elder scolded them half-heartedly with a smile as she led the group into the palace.

Outside the palace gates, the voices gradually faded. Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li, hidden behind a pile of rocks, turned their gaze toward the sea of beautiful flowers. "Forget-Me-Not Powder? Mo Jingli used it on Mo Jingqi?"

Ye Li sighed softly, "Mo Jingli’s move is truly ruthless. If Mo Jingqi really falls for it, his life would be ruined. Look at those people earlier—just a month ago, they were all perfectly healthy and normal."

"What’s your plan, A Li?" Mo Xiuyao asked quietly. Ye Li glanced at the grand palace before them and whispered, "Let’s go in and take a look." Mo Xiuyao nodded, picked her up, and with a light step, soared onto the palace roof. They landed without a sound, not even alerting the guards outside. As they touched down silently, Ye Li frowned in confusion. "The Southern Border Sacred Ground should be heavily guarded. Why have the defenses been so lax along our way?" Mo Xiuyao thought for a moment. "The experts here are probably all out right now."

Ye Li’s eyes flashed with realization. "You mean they’re in the Nanzhao royal city?"

Mo Xiuyao nodded. "If the so-called secret of the Southern Border Sacred Ground is the Netherworld Dark Flower, then having elite guards isn’t all that crucial. Even if someone breaks into the valley, they might not be able to identify which flower it is." The Netherworld Dark Flower—the legendary sacred relic of the Southern Border. No one would expect the sacred relic to be something that grew abundantly across the fields. And even if a few were plucked, it wouldn’t significantly impact the Southern Border Sacred Ground.

"It seems Shu Manlin and Tan Jizhi have grand schemes in the Nanzhao royal city. We should head back soon so Qingchen Gongzi and the others won’t worry," Ye Li murmured, leaning against Mo Xiuyao as they waited for a patrol of guards to pass.

Hearing his beloved wife’s concern for Xu Qingchen, even knowing it was purely sibling affection, Mo Xiuyao couldn’t help feeling a twinge of jealousy. He pouted, "Qingchen Gongzi is peerlessly brilliant—what’s there to worry about?"

Ye Li pinched him lightly and sighed. "What has my elder brother ever done to you? Don’t think I don’t know you deliberately misled him into thinking he fancied men." Mo Xiuyao huffed and muttered under his breath, "I was just stating facts. Even this, you blame me for. A Li, you’re clearly biased..."

When a man acts childish, there are no limits—this was a lesson Mo Xiuyao had taught her over the years. Ye Li rolled her eyes and decided to ignore him, carefully moving forward instead."Who goes there? Since you've come, why not show yourself?!" Suddenly, an aged voice echoed through the palace. Ye Li inwardly cursed but remained perfectly still, even slowing her breathing to near imperceptibility. Mo Xiuyao silently moved beside her and shook his head. Ye Li raised an eyebrow, glancing around—they had concealed themselves well along the way. Logically, even if someone was inside the hall, they shouldn't have been able to detect their presence.

The great hall fell silent for a moment before the aged voice spoke again, now tinged with anger, "You dare trespass upon our Southern Border Sacred Ground and still refuse to show yourself? Must I personally invite you out?"

From the rooftop opposite, a dark figure leaped down and declared with a clear laugh, "I am Lei Tengfeng of Western Liang. My intrusion was presumptuous—I beg your forgiveness, Elder."

The voice inside the hall snorted coldly. "So it's Zhennan Wang Shizi. I wondered who would have the audacity to trespass upon our Southern Border Sacred Ground."

Lei Tengfeng replied with a smile, "My intrusion was truly unavoidable. I humbly ask for your pardon, Elder. I have a matter to discuss and request an audience." After several years, Lei Tengfeng had grown far more composed and steady than he had been five years prior. His words noticeably softened the elder's anger. "Zhennan Wang Shizi seeking my help? How rare indeed. Enter, then. Let me hear what you have to say..."

Lei Tengfeng chuckled. "Naturally, it would be a mutually beneficial arrangement. I would never dare to disadvantage you, Elder."

Ye Li leaned against Mo Xiuyao's chest and subtly gestured toward the opposite palace and Lei Tengfeng in the courtyard. Mo Xiuyao nodded. Once Lei Tengfeng had entered, he released Ye Li and, with a light step, soared like a silent swan onto the rooftop of the main hall.