“How did you get so badly injured?” Xue Zining looked at the shocking wounds on the black cat’s body, finding it hard to believe.
The black cat lay listlessly in her arms, motionless. Seeing this, Xue Zining placed it on the bed. It sprawled there, its little head drooping. Xue Zining took out a medicine bottle from her waist and said, “Bear with it, it will hurt.”
The black cat didn't cry. As Xue Zining sprinkled the powder onto its wounds, perhaps because it hurt terribly, it suddenly stood up, its fur bristling.
After applying the medicine, she took out a clean white cloth and bandaged its wounds.
Having done all this, she stroked the black cat’s head and whispered, “Sleep well, I’ll watch over you.”
The black cat glanced up at her before lying down and closing its eyes.
Xue Zining watched the black cat fall asleep, then stood up and walked to the window. Outside, it was pitch black.
A faint light appeared in the sky. She also heard a sound from behind her. Turning, she saw the black cat had gotten up and jumped into her arms.
“Are you telling me all this is true?” The black cat’s body suddenly stiffened.
As the light grew brighter, the black cat suddenly leaped out of her arms.
Not long after, Liu’er’s figure appeared below, calling out, “Miss Ning, it’s time for breakfast.”
Xue Zining walked down and extended her hand to Liu’er. Liu’er paused, “What? You don’t know how to serve?”
Liu’er took a step back, looking somewhat disheveled. Xue Zining stepped forward and sneered, “No manners at all. I am Princess Anning!”
With that, she walked forward.
Liu’er behind her looked somewhat bewildered.
Arriving at the designated spot, a young girl offered her a flower.
Xue Zining stood there. Instead of accepting the flower, she flicked it away with a wave of her hand, saying, “I never accept wild flowers.”
The young girl stood there, also looking bewildered.
Xue Zining walked on, arriving at the place for breakfast.
Han Xiwen made introductions: Elder Feng and Elder Yu.
Elder Yu stated that outsiders were not allowed to enter Miaojiang.
Xue Zining sneered, “If I’m not allowed, then I’ll leave!”
Saying that, she stood up and turned to go.
“Miss Ning, don’t be angry. Elder Yu is just a bit stubborn,” Han Xiwen suddenly spoke.
Xue Zining turned to look at Han Xiwen and said, “But they don’t welcome me.”
“Miss Ning, please bear with it a little longer. You can leave once the medicine is prepared,” Han Xiwen said.
Xue Zining nodded, “I’ll go back and rest.”
Leaving the bamboo house, she was certain that the three elders, like the people outside, likely appeared during the day and vanished at night. Of everyone here, only Han Xiwen could handle sudden changes.
Returning to the bamboo house, the black cat had not come back.
It wasn’t until nightfall that the black cat appeared. For some reason, Xue Zining felt a sense of unease.
She leaped out of the bamboo house and went to the dining area, where a dim light flickered.
She flew to a nearby tree. The inside was empty. She entered the bamboo house through the window. The furnishings had been restored to how they were when she first arrived.
Where was Han Xiwen?
Xue Zining looked around and noticed a painting hanging on the wall that hadn’t been there the first time she came.
She walked closer. It was a landscape painting, with a stone in the river. Instinctively, she reached out to touch the stone, and it turned out to be a hidden mechanism that could be pressed.
A crisp sound rang out, and the bamboo house shook violently. Immediately, her footing became unstable. She looked down and saw a hole in the tree. She leaped down.
It took quite some time before her feet touched the ground. Ahead, there was a faint light.
She walked towards the light. After about the time it takes an incense stick to burn, she reached the illuminated area. Suddenly, she saw a figure and quickly retreated behind something.
Peeking out again, she saw a person’s back. This back was very familiar – it was Han Xiwen’s.
In front of him sat three elders, bound by chains.
Elder Yu spat out a mouthful of blood and cursed, “You are utterly heartless! The Saintess is dead, she cannot be brought back to life.”
Han Xiwen chuckled softly upon hearing this, “Elder Xue, you are mistaken. Aren’t all the people in the valley alive again?”
Elder Yu said with grief, “Young Master, the dead cannot be brought back to life. Although I wish for the deceased to live again, she is already dead. Dead is dead.”
“No, my mother is not dead,” Han Xiwen said word by word.
Elder Feng lowered his gaze, “She is dead.”
Han Xiwen looked up, and as he slowly lowered his head, his voice turned cold, “Why did she die? Wasn’t it because you, a group trying to use the name of the Miao Jiang Saintess to have the Han Emperor protect Miao Jiang? Unfortunately, the Han Emperor didn’t cherish it…”
“I apologize, we didn’t expect the situation to turn out like this…”
“What’s the use of apologizing now? Mother is already dead…” Han Xiwen roared with a terrifying, distorted face.
“Big Brother, why apologize to him? We did nothing wrong. For Miao Jiang, and for the people living here, sacrificing the Saintess was unavoidable. Since she enjoyed the honor of the deceased, she should take risks for Miao Jiang…”
Elder Xue’s remaining words were cut short because Han Xiwen was fiercely gripping his neck, as if a little more force would strangle Elder Xue to death.
“Young Master, show mercy. Don’t you want to resurrect the Saintess?” Elder Yu blurted out.
Elder Feng turned to Elder Yu and stopped him, “Don’t tell him.”
Elder Yu looked at Elder Feng and asked, “Even if we don’t tell him, won’t he know? Big Brother, have you forgotten whose child he is?”
Elder Feng trembled, slowly turning his head to look at Han Xiwen. Suddenly, his gaze shifted elsewhere.
Han Xiwen released Elder Xue and stepped forward, confronting Elder Feng, “What is the method to resurrect Mother?”
Elder Feng looked at him, remaining silent.
Han Xiwen became furious and shouted, “If you don’t speak, I will kill one of them.”
Elder Feng still didn’t speak.
Han Xiwen produced a dagger and thrust it towards Elder Xue.
“Big Brother…” Elder Yu exclaimed.
“Give me some time. I need to think, as there are many things involved,” Elder Feng suddenly said.
Han Xiwen threw down the dagger and sneered, “Fine. I’ll give you all night. I’ll be back at dawn. You know that if I don’t get a satisfactory answer, I won’t let you go.”
With that, he flicked his sleeves and left.
“Big Brother, why bother? Even if we tell him, he won’t succeed,” Elder Yu said.
“Come out. You’ve been watching the show for so long?”
Elder Yu froze, “Big Brother, who are you talking to?”
The three elders looked up and saw someone slowly emerging from the darkness. It was a young girl.
“Who are you?” Elder Yu asked.
“Princess Anning of Anguo,” Xue Zining said.
Elder Feng glanced at her and said slowly, “The soul in your body is unstable.”
Xue Zining was stunned, “You can tell?”
“Big Brother is an expert in this regard,” Elder Yu said with considerable pride.
“Who is your other identity?” Elder Feng asked.