Mo Li

Upon descending the stairs in the morning after packing, Ye Li immediately spotted Han Mingxi sitting in the most conspicuous spot in the lobby, grinning at her with an annoyingly flirtatious expression. A headache involuntarily throbbed at her temples. Han Mingxi, seemingly oblivious to the fury in her eyes, cheerfully waved her over. "Jun Wei, come have breakfast!"

Ye Li walked over and raised an eyebrow at the lavish spread on the table. "Brother Han, your breakfast is unusually extravagant."

Han Mingxi waved a hand, utterly indifferent to the stares from the entire hall, and replied with a smile, "Jun Wei, you should eat more. Once we enter the Southern Border, it won’t be so easy to enjoy such a feast."

Ye Li didn’t stand on ceremony and gestured for An San, who had just come down behind her, to join them.

Han Mingxi studied the silent An San with a raised brow. "I haven’t had the pleasure of learning this brother’s name yet. The guards by Jun Wei’s side are truly extraordinary." Under normal circumstances, Han Mingxi had enough self-awareness—as the younger brother of the Lord of Tianyi Pavilion, his standards were naturally high. While his Light Body Skill could be considered top-tier, his martial skills were somewhat lacking. At the very least, the guard accompanying his new friend was clearly far superior to him in that regard.

Ye Li glanced at An San and said indifferently, "Zhuo Jing."

An San looked up in surprise. Zhuo Jing was his real name, one he hadn’t used since becoming the princess consort’s shadow guard. He hadn’t expected her to know it.

Han Mingxi grinned. "So it’s Brother Zhuo. I’ll be counting on you from now on."

An San replied coolly, "You flatter me, Young Master Han."

Just as the three of them finished their meal and An San went to settle the bill, the man who had approached them the day before sidled up again, accompanied by the middle-aged steward. "Young Master Chu, are you setting off today as well? Is this… gentleman the guide you hired?"

Ye Li gave a slight nod but remained silent. Neither of them showed any interest in conversation, yet the man didn’t seem the least bit embarrassed. He continued cheerfully, "Since your party is all here, are you departing today? If so, why don’t we travel together?"

Han Mingxi lazily picked at the remnants of breakfast on the table. "Why should we travel with you? Wouldn’t it be better for each of us to go our own way?"

The man chuckled. "Since we’re all heading to the Southern Border, wouldn’t it be safer to look out for each other along the way? From what I’ve heard… once we pass Snowbreak Pass, we’ll be entering Luo Yi Tribe territory. And after what happened yesterday with those two—"

Ye Li looked up, feigning confusion. "Since you’re aware we’ve offended the Luo Yi Tribe’s young master, why insist on traveling with us?"

The man scoffed. "What of the Luo Yi Tribe? Though the Nanzhao people are skilled in poison, that doesn’t mean we should fear them."Ye Li nodded inwardly. With the Sick Scholar, renowned for his poison skills, by your side, you naturally wouldn't fear the toxins of the Southern Border. After some thought, she nodded and said, "In that case, we'll trouble you. May I ask your name?"

The man laughed heartily, "I'm Zheng Kui, originally a head escort, now just a guard making ends meet. This is my steward, and over there is our master. And that one..." He glanced at the frail scholar leaning against the wall with his eyes closed, "I heard he's an expert our master hired at a high price. But... heh, I don't see what's so great about him. He looks rather weak to me."

Ye Li nodded, "I see. Greetings, Guard Zheng. Shall we set off now?"

Seeing Ye Li agree, Zheng Kui was visibly pleased and laughed boisterously, "I'll go inform my master." He turned and walked back with the steward to discuss with the wealthy merchant. The merchant seemed somewhat displeased but eventually agreed. The four of them then went to their rooms to pack.

Watching the four figures ascend the stairs, Ye Li cast a cool glance at Han Mingxi, who slumped over the table pitifully and looked at her. "Jun Wei, what did I do wrong this time?"

Ye Li snorted and gave him a sidelong glance. "Young Master Han, could you be any less conspicuous?"

"Inconspicuous?" Han Mingxi was puzzled. "Why should I be? I'm not some famous figure." Only a handful knew he was the Wind and Moon noble, or else they would have been hunted down by self-proclaimed righteous warriors long ago.

Ye Li smirked at him. "You may be low-key, but you have a very high-profile face. Do you think the Sick Scholar has ever met Young Master Mingyue? Do you think he knows Young Master Mingyue is the Lord of Tianyi Pavilion?"

Han Mingxi blinked, then looked at her apologetically and whispered, "Well... my elder brother is friends with the King of Hell Pavilion's master. So... the Sick Scholar has probably seen me before. It seems he knows we recognized him."

"Clearly," Ye Li said expressionlessly.

"Why did they invite us to travel with them?" Han Mingxi murmured. "If it's because of my identity, he should have approached me directly. After all, my brother and the King of Hell Pavilion's master are on good terms."

Ye Li shook her head. "Probably not. They invited me once before you arrived, but I refused."

Han Mingxi stroked his chin. "The Sick Scholar wouldn't travel all the way to the Southern Border without a purpose, but why would he come with some wealthy merchant? Ordinary merchants couldn't possibly hire him. As for the medicinal herb trade... no one in that business would personally come to the Southern Border in the third or fourth month." The most frequent trade between Great Chu and the Southern Border was rare medicinal herbs, but the current desolation of Yonglin City made it clear this wasn't the season for it.

Ye Li rested her forehead on her hand. "Do you think someone who dares to travel with a notorious figure like the Sick Scholar could be just an ordinary merchant?"

Han Mingxi raised an eyebrow. "Any problems with that?"

Ye Li fell silent for a moment. "Not yet." But since they were entangled now, they had to figure out whether this was a coincidence or deliberate.The group quickly gathered at the inn's entrance before mounting their horses and heading toward Snowbreak Pass. To Ye Li's surprise, the wealthy merchant, who looked plump and well-fed, turned out to be a decent rider—though she couldn't help but worry for the horse beneath him. Sick Scholar coughed incessantly the entire journey, as if he might hack up his lungs at any moment. As they passed through Snowbreak Pass, Ye Li glanced back and saw Murong Ting standing atop the city walls, radiant and animatedly chatting with a middle-aged man beside her. Clearly, freed from the constraints of the capital, Murong Ting was thriving. Ye Li smiled faintly, happy for her friend, before turning back to follow the others.

"Have some water," she offered after they had ridden hard past Snowbreak Pass and finally stopped as dusk fell. They had clearly missed their lodging for the night. While the wilderness of the Southern Border was perilous, the homes or inns of its residents weren’t necessarily any safer for those from the Central Plains.

An San deftly disappeared into the woods and soon returned with an armful of firewood and a pheasant, promptly starting a fire and preparing the game. Zheng Kui, meanwhile, caught a few fish from a nearby river. Noticing Sick Scholar coughing violently under a tree, Ye Li frowned slightly and handed him some water. The man seemed momentarily stunned before accepting the flask with his right hand and murmuring, "Thank you." Ye Li nodded and returned to her spot. Though Sick Scholar appeared frail and half-dead, she knew better than to underestimate him. Such a man was best kept at a distance—especially since he bore a grudge against Mo Xiuyao.

Leaning idly against a tree, Han Mingxi watched as An San skewered the prepared game over the fire. "Jun Wei, Brother Zhuo is truly remarkable," he remarked with a grin. "I’ve never seen anyone handle these tasks so efficiently. Even seasoned wanderers who often camp in the wild probably can’t compare." Seated by the fire, An San arched a brow but said nothing. He wasn’t about to tell Han Mingxi about the grueling training he and his three brothers had endured for half a year at the base of Black Cloud Peak. To this day, none of them fully understood how their master had devised such peculiar training methods—especially the so-called "wilderness survival" drill. Each of them had been dumped into an endless forest teeming with poisonous insects and rodents, armed with nothing but a dagger and a crossbow with five arrows. At first, they couldn’t fathom the purpose of such training for martial artists skilled in Light Body Skill and inner energy. But when An Er emerged from the forest a month later, ragged and worn, he effortlessly defeated An Yi, An Si, and himself in succession. Previously, the four of them had been evenly matched, with any victories hard-won. Yet after that ordeal, An Er’s prowess left them both stunned and exhilarated—despite learning no new techniques or gaining any increase in inner energy.Only after An San entered himself did he realize what An Er had truly endured. Poisonous snakes, venomous insects, toxic herbs, swamps, wild beasts—at first, he didn’t even dare close his eyes at night, because sometimes he would wake up mid-sleep to find himself surrounded by a pack of wolves or a deadly viper glaring at him with flickering tongue. Every day, he had to forage for food while also gathering items specified by the Princess of the State. The worst was when he got stuck in a swamp for three hours, nearly convinced he was about to die. But by the last few days of the month, he found himself gradually adapting to that harsh environment. Even without using martial arts, he could survive effortlessly in the forest. He could even go a full day and night without eating or sleeping without feeling too distressed—things that pure martial arts could never achieve. It wasn’t until he emerged alive from the forest that he learned the Princess had secretly followed them all along. From that day on, An San wholeheartedly pledged his loyalty to this young princess. They all knew in their hearts that their mistress was undoubtedly the most remarkable among all the past Princesses of the State. The only regret for An San was that the Princess had originally planned to teach them many more things, but it was interrupted due to the King Ding’s illness.

"Han Gongzi is right. Brother Zhuo’s skills are so refined that even veteran escorts with decades of experience can’t compare," Zheng Kui remarked, eyeing his half-raw fish enviously before glancing at the perfectly roasted game in An San’s hands, its aroma rivaling that of a restaurant’s roasted chicken. While he had merely caught a few fish from the river, this unsmiling brother had already started a fire, hunted a pheasant, prepared it, and begun roasting it—even finding time to gather mushrooms from the woods for soup. His own master was glaring at the fish in his hands, his greasy face filled with disdain.

Ye Li smiled warmly at Han Mingxi. "Zhuo Jing has been taking care of me all along the way. He’s clever—of course he picks things up quickly."

Han Mingxi looked skeptical. He often camped outdoors too, yet his attempts at roasting still turned into charred lumps even he dared not eat.

An San calmly divided the roasted game into three portions, handing them to Ye Li and Han Mingxi as if oblivious to his mistress’s praise. He would never tell this Wind and Moon noble that his mistress could do even better. Watching the noble savor the roasted game with rapture, An San felt an odd sense of superiority.

"Gongzi Zhuo is skilled in poisons?" The Sick Scholar, who had been sitting quietly, took a few sips of water to suppress his cough and looked up at An San.

An San glanced back at him indifferently. "No."

The Sick Scholar raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. "The Southern Border teems with venomous creatures—even most fungi in the woods are highly toxic. Yet the ones you gathered seem harmless."

An San curled his lip slightly. "The more colorful the mushroom, the more poisonous it is. Even children know that."

The Sick Scholar smiled faintly. "Is that so? If that’s the case, Gongzi Zhuo should refrain from picking things at random to eat. Not all poisonous mushrooms are brightly colored."

"Thanks for the warning."

The wealthy merchant, clearly dissatisfied with his guard’s roasted fish, took a few bites before tossing it aside. He pointed at Zheng Kui and barked, "You! Go hunt some proper game!"Zheng Kui glanced at the darkening sky, hesitating slightly. They had chosen to camp at the edge of the forest precisely because venturing into the woods at night wasn’t particularly safe. The Sick Scholar sat up and cast a cool glance at the wealthy merchant, saying, "If you want him dead, then let him go in." The merchant, Master Liang, seemed rather intimidated by the Sick Scholar and, upon hearing this, could only sulkily fall silent.

After dinner, Han Mingxi appeared to have lost the energy he had during the day. He sat closest to the campfire, staring at a stone with his eyes closed, seemingly lost in thought. An San finished packing their belongings and leaped onto a nearby tree, perching silently on a branch as he listened to the sporadic conversation below. In contrast, Ye Li felt somewhat bored. Sitting by the fire, she chatted idly with Zheng Kui while occasionally tossing a piece of firewood into the flames. During their conversation, Zheng Kui revealed that the wealthy merchant, Master Liang, was a prominent medicinal trader from the northwest of Great Chu, with immense family wealth. He had come to the Southern Border after hearing rumors of a rare and precious herb appearing there, which would be publicly auctioned in the capital of Nanzhao in June. Of course, much of this was embellished by Master Liang’s own boastful tales. Zheng Kui told Ye Li that he hailed from a scholarly family in Yunzhou and had set out on this journey with his guards for leisure. As for Han Mingxi, he was a friend Zheng Kui had met in Guangling, who had enthusiastically agreed to accompany him to the Southern Border for fun. Since Zheng Kui already knew Han Mingxi’s identity, Ye Li saw no need to conceal it and simply mentioned that they had met at the Clear Breeze Bright Moon Pavilion in Guangling City. At the mention of the pavilion, Master Liang’s plump face lit up with excitement, and he eagerly pulled Ye Li into recounting his own experiences there.

"Young Master Chu is from Yunzhou?" The Sick Scholar suddenly spoke up from the side. "Does Young Master Chu know of the Xu family of Yunzhou?"

Ye Li raised an eyebrow and smiled. "Surely you jest, sir? As a citizen of Great Chu, who hasn’t heard of the Xu family of Yunzhou? Though I never had the fortune to study at Mount Li Academy, I’ve long admired the esteemed scholars of the Xu family."

"Is that so? Cough ... Speaking of which, since Young Master Chu admires the Xu family, you must have heard of Qingchen Gongzi?"

Ye Li turned her head slightly, her tone tinged with admiration. "Qingchen Gongzi... Young Master Xu became renowned across the land at a young age. It’s a shame that, though I’m half a year older than he was back then, I’ve yet to achieve anything noteworthy. Truly embarrassing." The Sick Scholar looked up at her, his gaze probing, and replied with a faint smile, "Is that so? Perhaps this trip to the Southern Border will grant you the chance to meet him."

Ye Li’s heart skipped a beat, but she maintained her composure, allowing a flicker of delight to surface. "Really? Qingchen Gongzi is currently in the Southern Border?"

The Sick Scholar sat up straighter. "Indeed. Qingchen Gongzi is indeed in the Southern Border at this moment.""That's wonderful. I hope to meet Qingchen Gongzi in the capital of Nanzhao and seek his advice." Ye Li murmured thoughtfully, lost in contemplation. Ignoring the scrutinizing gaze of the Sick Scholar, her mind raced with calculations. Xu Qingchen had traveled the world in his youth and was known for his elusive whereabouts. Ye Li didn’t believe he would fail to conceal his own movements. Yet, the Sick Scholar, who was in Western Liang, had obtained news of him in the Southern Border—and seemed to know exactly where he was. This gave Ye Li an uneasy premonition. What was the Sick Scholar’s purpose in coming to the Southern Border? Could it be related to Xu Qingchen?

Late at night, the flames burning in the wilderness gradually dimmed. The forest under the dark sky was silent except for the occasional chirping of insects and birds. An San, who had been sleeping on a tree branch, stirred slightly and coughed softly. Ye Li, who had been resting by the fire with her eyes closed, slowly opened them, her gaze sharp and devoid of any drowsiness. She turned casually to glance at the tree, where An San gave a slight nod. Ye Li closed her eyes again and drifted back into slumber.

A faint, fishy scent suddenly permeated the air, accompanied by an odd rustling sound and an indistinct melody. It was as if something was crawling across the grass in swarms. An San frowned, recalling something he particularly despised, and sat up before floating down to the ground. The moment his feet touched the earth, the Sick Scholar, who had appeared to be asleep, immediately opened his eyes. Seeing An San, he furrowed his brows in question, but An San ignored him and approached Ye Li, whispering, "Young Master, there’s movement."

As Ye Li opened her eyes, Han Mingxi and Zheng Kui also sat up abruptly. Han Mingxi yawned lazily and asked, "What’s going on?"

An San replied calmly, "Something is coming."

"Something? What is it?"

An San said grimly, "I suspect... snakes."

"Snakes."

"Snakes," Ye Li and the Sick Scholar echoed simultaneously. The Sick Scholar glanced at Ye Li, who stood up and said, "I smell the stench of snakes. A lot of them."

Han Mingxi chuckled in realization. "I forgot Jun Wei is skilled in blending fragrances, so naturally, your sense of smell is sharp."

Zheng Kui said anxiously, "Let’s not talk about that now—what should we do?" Han Mingxi shrugged nonchalantly. "What’s there to do? Just leave." The Wind and Moon noble, peerless in Light Body Skill, never worried about escaping any situation. An San frowned. "I’m afraid we can’t. Listen... the sounds are coming from all directions." Everyone present, except for Master Liang and his steward, was skilled in martial arts and could tell An San wasn’t lying. Han Mingxi snorted, swiftly leaping onto a tree branch and returning moments later. He cursed under his breath. "This damned Southern Border—every time I come here, it’s trouble. Where the hell did all these snakes come from?"

No one paid attention to his complaints. An San had already swiftly retrieved the various anti-poisonous insect and snake repellents they had prepared in advance. The Sick Scholar shook his head. "There are too many. It probably won’t work."

Those who had never witnessed such a scene could never imagine how terrifying it was. Under the cover of night, a dark tide of snakes surged toward them from every direction. "What’s happening?!" Master Liang shrieked, his voice breaking. His steward had already collapsed to the ground, pale with terror."Shut up!" Sick Scholar snapped, frowning at An San. "There are too many snakes. Using repellent will only make them more frenzied."

Han Mingxi said with disgust, "Jun Wei, I can probably get you out of here. Brother Zhuo should be able to escape on his own, right?" An San nodded silently. Sick Scholar said indifferently, "In that case, Brother Han can take Young Master Chu and leave first." Han Mingxi didn't actually leave immediately, because he clearly detected the threat in Sick Scholar's words. If they really left first, Sick Scholar would undoubtedly shoot them in the back. No matter how skilled Han Mingxi's Light Body Skill was, carrying someone while airborne would make it difficult to evade the poison of the third-ranked expert of the King of Hell Pavilion. As for Sick Scholar's side, apart from himself, none of the other three seemed capable of escaping on their own.

As the snakes closed in, Ye Li frowned and said, "How can you still find time to argue at a time like this? Or do you plan to stay here and feed the snakes?"

The snakes didn't attack immediately after surrounding them. Soon, several men dressed in black and playing short flutes could be seen approaching from different directions, standing far behind the snake horde. It was clear these snakes hadn't gathered here by chance but were being controlled. Zheng Kui cursed under his breath and growled, "These are Snake Charmers from the Southern Border!"

Ye Li and An San exchanged glances. If the snakes really attacked, they could probably escape immediately, but that excessively fat merchant lord would undoubtedly be left behind.

A group of Snake Charmers turned and made way as a somewhat familiar figure swaggered forward, grinning maliciously at Ye Li and the others. "Hehe... This young master said you'd fall into my hands one day. And here we are, barely a day later. How does it feel?"

Han Mingxi raised an eyebrow and laughed, "Isn't this the fool who claimed to be the young chief of the Luo Yi Tribe?"

The same sleazy youth who had left the inn in a huff yesterday was now dressed in extravagant silver-adorned robes that shimmered under the moonlight. Stunned by Han Mingxi's ethereal, languid beauty under the moon, he stammered, "Pretty one, come over here. This young master will spare you. No need to die alongside these ugly wretches." Han Mingxi's face stiffened, his eye twitching. "You dare call others ugly?" Indeed, everyone present—even the Snake Charmers standing far off—looked far more appealing than the youth. Even the portly merchant at least lacked his repulsive aura.

Enraged, the youth glared at Han Mingxi with twisted fury. Ye Li coughed lightly and chuckled, "Brother Han, though that young master over there is neither fragrant nor jade-like, you could at least spare his feelings. How can you dismiss his admiration so cruelly?" Han Mingxi scoffed. "Admiration? More like envy. He’d love to slash my face to ribbons. Hmph! How could a vulgar creature like him ever dream of possessing this young master’s peerless beauty?" As if his years of dalliances hadn’t taught him the difference between admiration and bitter resentment.

"Exactly," the youth sneered. "Once I catch you, I’ll peel that pretty face right off your skull. Hehe... Your face belongs to me now, so walk over quietly before my darlings ruin it." A heavy silence fell until Han Mingxi finally stroked his cheek protectively and asked, "You’re not planning to... wear my face, are you?"

The youth grinned triumphantly. "Precisely! It took me ages to devise this method. Pity I never found a suitable face—that pretty boy over there almost worked, but yours is far better." Under the moonlight, Han Mingxi’s handsome features twisted into something monstrous. To covet the face of the Wind and Moon noble? Unforgivable!

"Won’t there be... a size mismatch?" Ye Li frowned, comparing the youth’s pinched, narrow face to Han Mingxi’s flawless proportions—his face was easily a third larger.

"Jun Wei!" Han Mingxi’s eyebrow twitched as he shot Ye Li a wounded glare.

The youth, equally provoked, roared in outrage, "Shut your mouth! I’ll turn every last one of you into human-skin masks! Seize them—alive! Except... the fat one can die!" The Snake Charmers exchanged uneasy looks. Killing this group would be easy—just unleash the snakes. But capturing them alive? Far harder, given their obvious skill. Still, they couldn’t ignore their master’s orders. Reluctantly, they raised their short flutes to command the serpents.

Boom! Boom! Several flames suddenly flared up, and amidst the sharp, hurried notes of the short flutes, the swarm of snakes did not rush forward all at once. Instead, they halted about four or five zhang away, hesitating. Earlier, while Ye Li and Han Mingxi were speaking with the young master of the Luo Yi Tribe, An San had secretly scattered all the snake-repelling medicine they carried around their perimeter. Seeing the snakes disobeying commands, the Snake Charmers' flute notes grew even more urgent and shrill. The snakes became increasingly agitated. Ye Li raised an eyebrow and asked Han Mingxi, "Brother Han, can you play a tune?" Han Mingxi smiled wryly. "I don’t know how to charm snakes."

Ye Li shook her head. "No need for that. Just play a tune—any tune will do. Preferably with inner energy. Go over there and play." She pointed to the woods behind them. "And it’d be best if you could move around while doing so."

Though puzzled by Ye Li’s request, Han Mingxi shrugged. "Alright, as Jun Wei wishes." Drawing the xiao flute he always carried, he leaped onto a nearby treetop and began to play. The melody, infused with inner energy, wasn’t particularly pleasant to the ears—at least not for Ye Li, whose inner energy wasn’t profound. Han Mingxi moved effortlessly from branch to branch as he played, as if walking on flat ground, a sight that filled Ye Li with envy.

Gradually, the Snake Charmers realized with horror that the snakes were no longer obeying their commands. Some of the snakes at the front even began slithering backward. The Snake Charmers redoubled their efforts, blowing their flutes frantically, but their mastery of martial arts was mediocre, and their inner energy was weak. Their flutes were no match for Han Mingxi’s xiao. His music slowly overpowered the shrill, hurried flute notes. Nearby, the Sick Scholar seemed to grasp the situation. He too leaped onto a branch, plucked a leaf, and began playing it like a whistle. The snakes finally seemed unable to endure it—those closest to Ye Li and the others began retreating, while others scattered in all directions, but none approached the group.

"What’s happening?!" the young man shrieked. The Snake Charmers paled, stepping back nervously, though they dared not stop playing their flutes. Yet more and more snakes slithered away. Standing by the fire, Ye Li smirked coldly. Snakes feared realgar, disliked snake-repelling medicine, and were naturally averse to anything pungent or fiery. As for snake charming—snakes had almost no hearing; they relied on vibrations in the air to sense their surroundings. The so-called snake-charming flute music was merely a way to train snakes to respond to a specific vibration. Once that vibration was disrupted, the snakes would no longer obey. Faced with the repellents and flames they despised, they naturally preferred to slither away.

"Ahh—no!" Some of the snakes turned back, quickly reaching the young man’s feet. Though he was covered in snake-repelling medicine and the snakes didn’t bite him, he was still terrified. An San asked in confusion, "People from the Southern Border are afraid of snakes?" Ye Li shrugged. "There are always exceptions, aren’t there?"

Master Liang wiped the sweat from his brow and chuckled. "We owe it all to Young Master Chu’s clever idea. Who’d have thought the snakes would retreat just like that?"Ye Li slightly furrowed her brows, still feeling somewhat anxious. While the fleeing snakes might provide a temporary solution to their immediate problem, if so many venomous serpents truly escaped, they would pose a serious threat to passing travelers. Glancing at the panicked young man across from her, a cold glint flashed in Ye Li's clear eyes as she commanded An San, "Kill him!"

An San never questioned Ye Li's orders when she spoke with such deadly seriousness. Before her words had even fully left her lips, An San's sword flashed as he launched himself into the air like an arrow, streaking toward the young man. Already terrified out of his wits, the youth froze completely at the sight of the blade coming straight for him, too petrified to even attempt dodging, and could only stare blankly as the sword tip raced toward him—

"Hold your hand!" A booming voice urgently called out from the edge of the woods.

[Author's Note: This chapter contains no scientific basis whatsoever, whether in theory or practice. Do not attempt to replicate anything described herein.]