Nobody knew where Long Feiye went. Seeing the shadow guardsâ lost expressions, Chu Xifeng felt angry enough to kick them.
âWhereâs His Highness? Speak!â Chu Xifeng hollered. He had picked today of all days to get some tasks done in the army camp. Who expected this to happen as soon as he got back?
How did the princess find out about Gu Qishao? Why does His Highness just happen to be missing right now?
âHis Highness vanished last night, but Iâm not sure where,â a shadow guard said timidly.
Another, braver shadow guard complained, âChief, you know His Highnessâs temper. If he doesnât want anyone to follow him, we canât find him even if we try.â
Chu Xifeng gave a start before racing for the back mountains, leaving everyone else in the dark. He could slap himself for being so stupid! The princess was still in confinement, so His Highness would never leave Rear Camp unless there were mandatory military matters. Even if he did, at most heâd go to Yunningâs army camp. Having just come from there himself without seeing His Highness, Chu Xifeng knew he must have gone to the other place!
The back mountains!
His Highness must have gone there alone to find Gu Beiyue and Gu Qishao!
Chu Xifeng was in such a rush that he didnât even bring a torch. In the absolute darkness, he flew above the forest in hopes of finding His Highness as soon as possible. If the princess lost her temper and decided to run off to Medical City, no one would be able to stop her! As he ran up the hill, Han Yunxi returned to the large tent and sat spacing out. Her grief and impatience were all buried in her heart. Even though sheâd cried, she didnât feel any better.
Whatâs Gu Qishaoâs condition now?
JustâŚis he alive or not!?
According to Ning Jing, Mu Linger had left Medical City about a month ago. Gu Beiyueâs diagnosis then had stated that Qishao could only live two months maximum. So what about now?
If Gu Beiyue found Mu Linger, that means they hadnât found any of the necessary ingredients or poisonous medicines in the past few months. They were supposed to have pinpointed the prescription while I was still in Medical City and only needed to gather ingredients. They were supposed to move on to experimentation and testing. They shouldnât need Mu Lingerâs prescriptions at all.
Han Yunxi could clearly remember the prescription she read. The poisonous medicine from plague patients sheâd worried about over the last four monthsâGu Beiyue said theyâd found them all! The storehouse in the medical academy had them! The rest were easy enough to find with Gu Qishaoâs skills.
Han Yunxi could only sit blankly as she thought back to the details. All of the letters from Medical City passed through her mind, making her feel stifled. The people around her watched carefully, afraid that sheâd dash outside again.
But she wouldnât!
She would wait!
Wait for Long Feiye to see her and give an explanation! She also wanted to know the conclusion: how was Gu Qishao doing now? She couldnât even be bothered with asking why theyâd lied to her in the first place. She just wanted to know if Gu Qishao had any hope of living!
While Han Yunxi was waiting for Long Feiyeâs return, Chu Xifeng had finally found the little house by its lantern light in the darkness. He flew to the source and didnât even notice Gu Qishao sitting on the doorstepâs shadows. While he was still far away, he shouted, âYour Highness! Bad news, the princess knows about Gu Qishao!â
Long Feiye and Gu Beiyue stood up at the same time. Gu Beiyueâs voice was cold. âWho told her?â
Chu Xifeng froze. He never expected to see Gu Beiyue so cold and didnât know what to say. He only felt like the other man had suddenly turned into a stranger. Long Feiye walked out of the house without a word, aiming to get down the mountain. But heâd just reached the doo when a familiar voice spoke up beside him.
âLong Feiye, I donât want to see her.â
It was Gu Qishao speaking! Long Feiye looked down at the source of the icy voice that seemed to rise from the depths of Hell itself.
âAnd also,â Gu Qishao added, âHer confinement period hasnât ended yet. If you dare let her take half a step out the door, this old man wonât forgive you even if I die!â
Chu Xifeng finally noticed Gu Qishao there. He looked at the man and felt a weight on his chest. ThisâŚGu Qishao doesnât even look human anymore.
Long Feiye stopped, his voice equally frosty. âGu Qishao, since when have any of your threats succeeded against this crown prince?â
Gu Qishao slowly raised his head. His beautiful face were filled with fine lines that crisscrossed beneath the pale skin. They were none other than the tendrils of thorny thistle vines waiting to sprout and burst into life on his face. Currently, Gu Qishao looked hideous and even horrific! Still, none of the men present were frightened. Gu Beiyue, Long Feiye, and Chu Xifeng all looked at him, staring and staring untilâŚ
Gu Qishao chuckled and spoke. âWhat are you looking at? This old man knows Iâm ugly!â His voice was beautiful, his laugh mesmerizing. But his faceâŚ
Long Feiye knew without asking that Gu Qishao couldnât hold out more than past a few days. The thorny thistles had already taken over his entire body except for his brain. Once those vines sprouts, Gu Qishaoâs lifeâŚwould be over!
Long Feiye turned away in silence. Gu Qishao quickly shouted after him, âLong Feiye, canât you take it as this old man begging you?â
âI canât!â Long Feiye said without looking back. âHan Yunxi will choose herself! You donât have the right to pick for her!â
âThese are this old manâs personal matters!â Gu Qishao shouted.
But Long Feiye ignored him. It wasnât until his figure disappeared into the night with Chu Xifeng that Gu Qishao turned to grin at Gu Beiyue. His slender eyes had curved into a pleasant arc like the crescent moon, charming and radiant like an innocent child.
âGu Beiyue,â he said, âSee this? This old man finally beat Long Feiye once before I died! Heheh! It was worth it!â
Actually, Gu Beiyue hadnât been telling Long Feiye the whole truth, either. At most, Gu Qishao could live for less than an hour. By the time Long Feiye came back with Han Yunxi, it would already be too late. Even if Chu Xifeng hadnât come with his report, Gu Beiyue had already planned to make Long Feiye leave with a made-up excuse.
Long Feiye had never been softhearted when it came to Gu Qishaoâs demands, but Gu Beiyue would always give in. He wanted to smile back at Little Qi, but his face finally failed him. Creasing his brows, he looked at Gu Qishao with unspoken grief. âQishaoâŚdoes it hurt you?â
How much agony did he feel, having thorny thistles eat away at his flesh and blood? How long had Gu Qishao been suffering since they left Clearbreeze Peak?
How can he still smile at a time like this?!
âQishao, doesnât it hurt?â Gu Beiyue knitted his brows while shaking his head.
âNo pain!â Gu Qishao replied instantly. Abruptly, a vine suddenly sprouted from his neck, breaking through skin and blood vessels. Gu Qishaoâs smile stiffened on his face before he squeezed his eyes shut with gritted teeth.
It hurt! He was in a ton of pain! How could it not hurt?
He feared pain most of all!
Very soon, another vine pierced through the back of his ear, causing Gu Qishao to shrink back involuntarily from the shock. But that did nothing. After the first two vines came out, multiple others joined them. A tender sprout even burst out of one cheek.
Gu Beiyueâs eyes were damp. He was waiting for Gu Qishao to open his eyes again, but the man never did. He allowed the vines to thrash about wildly and entangle with each other.
âLittle Qi, no!â Gu Beiyue finally broke and dashed over to hold Gu Qishao tight.
âLittle Qi, the princess will come to see you. She definitely will, you have to wait for her!â
âLittle QiâŚâ
âBeiyueâŚâ Gu Qishao mumbled hoarsely and Gu Beiyue stopped to hold his breath, afraid to make a peep.
âBeiyue, itâs soâŚâ Gu Qishao was all out of strength. He couldnât even voice a single sentence. Gu Beiyue stayed silent, scared of missing anything. He listened for a long time before he finally caught the words.
Gu Qishao was crying out in pain!
He was trying to say, âBeiyue, it hurts so muchâŚso muchâŚâ
Tears trickled slowly down Gu Beiyueâs face. He hugged Gu Qishao tight, completely at a loss for what to do next. All he could do was hold him and listen to his cries. Very soon, he felt all of the vines in Gu Qishaoâs body begin to move. They were like countless tendrils seething to break through the surface. Gu Beiyue didnât dare to meet Gu Qishaoâs eyes, but he knew this was the end. The most agonizing and tortuous moment had come.
âBeiyue, it hurts so muchâŚâ
âIt hurtsâŚâ
Gu Qishaoâs voice was deathly soft, but Gu Beiyue heard every word crystal clear. He couldnât tell whether this was really Qishaoâs voice or his own hallucination. The sound tormented his heart.
At last, Gu Beiyue got up and ran into the house to grab Han Yunxiâs leftover Perplexing Butterfly Illusion. Even though it couldnât melt Poison Gu humans like Bai Yanqing, perhaps it could eat away Gu Qishao? The two men had different constitutions, after all.
Gu Beiyue didnât want Little Qi to suffer until he died! He couldnât bear it! He would rather use Perplexing Butterfly Illusion to cut Little Qiâs pain short once and for all!
By the time he came out of the house, he couldnât even see Gu Qishao anymore. There were only countless thorny thistles growing from the depths of the black robes, thrashing crazily in the air! Gu Beiyueâs heart seized. He had no idea whether Gu Qishao was still alive and conscious. He loathed those vines to his very core and went to pour the Perplexing Butterfly Illusion on the teeming massâŚ
â
Meanwhile, Long Feiye had just arrived in the tent to stand in front of Han Yunxi. Everyone else had withdrawn, leaving just the two of them inside. Han Yunxiâs eyes were red and puffy from crying, making Long Feiyeâs heart ache. She wasnât sobbing now, but she didnât interrogate or blame him either.
âLong Feiye, I want to see Gu Qishao.â These were her only words.
âAlright!â Long Feiye agreed without hesitation. He crouched down on one knee to help her put on cotton boots, then grabbed a fox fur cloak to wrap her up tight.
âLetâs go,â he said, âIâll carry you there on my back.â
The duo had just reached the entrance when they ran into Mu LingerâŚ