The table was set with fresh, steaming tea.
Dai Zhiqi pointed to a chair, but Nan Shiying waved her away. "No tea this late at night."
Noticing the other's clear reluctance to discuss further, Dai Zhiqi swallowed the words that had reached her lips. As she carefully chose her next words, Nan Shiying said nothing more, only beckoning her to join her on the bed. As she lifted the covers, Nan Shiying spoke, "The incense I gave you does have a sleep-inducing effect. As for its purpose... look!"
As Nan Shiying spoke, she had already lifted the bed board. A dense cluster of蛊worms (gu worms) immediately met Dai Zhiqi's eyes. Dai Zhiqi gasped, a chilling sensation shooting up her spine and straight to the crown of her head. Thinking of how she had lain on this very bed today, Dai Zhiqi's face turned visibly pale.
"What are these things?"
"Gu!"
"Gu?" Dai Zhiqi repeated, still bewildered.
"They're from the Miao疆 (Miao territory). You can think of them as a type of poison that can control others."
Nan Shiying offered a brief explanation. This time, she didn't take out a wooden box, but asked Dai Zhiqi for one suitable for sealing these gu worms. Dai Zhiqi handed her the box and watched as she cleaned up the gu worms.
"All done!"
Closing the box, Nan Shiying said to Dai Zhiqi, "You can sleep now!"
Dai Zhiqi's gaze fell on the box. If these gu worms could be considered poison, then so many poisons had been placed even where they slept. What about the food prepared for them by Wan Ku Lou? The thought of today's dinner sent a surge of stomach acid churning.
She covered her mouth, suppressing it with all her might, before she could throw up on the spot.
Nan Shiying patted her shoulder and comforted her, "Don't worry, Wan Ku Lou wouldn't be so 'bold and wealthy'!"
Dai Zhiqi: "..."
What a ridiculous notion of being bold and wealthy!
"So, there's nothing in the food?"
Nan Shiying nodded. "No!"
Since each room had a child worm, why would Wan Ku Lou bother with extra effort? Even if they were mass-produced, child worms wouldn't be as common as cabbage.
After leaving Dai Zhiqi's room, Nan Shiying paid a visit to Huang Yuyao.
Collecting the removed child worms and feeding them, she watched the mother worm grow larger. Nan Shiying glanced at the azure snake coiled around her wrist.
Azure Snake: (⊙ˍ⊙)
Do I feel a cold wind?
The gu worms from Miao疆 are not limited to parasitizing humans. As long as they can absorb the host's nutrients, they can theoretically survive. However, the azure snake was not yet an adult, and compared to the growing gu worms, it was somewhat smaller. Its body's nutrients were insufficient to nourish this 'blood-sucking worm'. Nan Shiying shifted her gaze and wrapped the box with cloth several more times before placing it in the cabinet beside the foot of the bed.
The night passed without incident.
Lu Yi woke up. The dim room and the unfamiliar ceiling caused a moment of confusion in her mind—where was she?
Only then did she regain her senses.
After regaining her senses, she had another question—what time was it?
As she pondered this, a knock came from the door. Wei Ruyun was calling her for breakfast.
Was it already the hour of巳 (si)?
She rubbed her temples and used her hands to push aside the tangled hair from her sleep. Weakly, she shouted to the outside, "Got it, I'll be there soon!!!"
The incense in the room had already extinguished. After getting up and tidying herself, she swept the incense ash from the table into her palm and then poured it into the teacup that still contained some leftover tea from last night. She watched coldly as the ash dissolved into a pool of murky water before picking up the teacup again and splashing the murky water out.
After washing the teapot with the cooled tea from the kettle, Lu Yi then pushed open the door, her expressionless face regaining its smile.
...
The banquet notice from Wan Ku Lou was given very suddenly, as if it were a last-minute decision. The heroes of the martial arts world rushed to arrive, travel-worn and without much rest, only to be pushed towards the day of the grand feast.
The seventeenth of June arrived as scheduled.
The old楼主 (owner), who had not appeared, finally showed his face.
In a spacious and bright room with intricately carved beams and painted walls in the center of the third floor, the most eye-catching item was a gilded grand chair placed between two dragon-shaped stone pillars. To the left and right of the grand chair, long tables and matching cushions were arranged. Although guests were meant to follow the host's seating arrangement, the seat left by the old楼主 of Wan Ku Lou for the current martial arts alliance leader was positioned to the left, on the right side.
A full head shorter than him.
The crowd exchanged glances, their eyes meeting, all displaying astonishment. What did that mean? Was it a way to intimidate the new alliance leader?
Nan Shiying did not take her seat. She stood on the reserved aisle in the middle, ignoring the gazes falling upon her, and looked at the person brazenly seated in the grand chair—was this the father of Gongzi Xun, that useless piece of trash?
As expected, the offspring of a good-for-nothing is also a good-for-nothing!
He was so impatient!
The two locked eyes, and a silent current flowed between them, the atmosphere beginning to feel oppressive. Yet, a spark of excitement flickered in the hearts of the crowd—were they about to witness a legendary battle between the old楼主 of Wan Ku Lou and the new alliance leader?
"Young lady, why do you not take your seat?"
The hoarse voice sounded as if gravel had rolled through his throat. Nan Shiying frowned slightly, feeling a disgust and annoyance as if her ears had been 'insulted'. Xuan Xiao stood beside the old楼主. Could anyone believe that the former楼主 of Wan Ku Lou did not know the identity of the person before him?
Was this not akin to slapping someone in the face?
"Old楼主, she is..."
The old楼主 raised his hand, interrupting Xuan Xiao's introduction.
Xuan Xiao's brows furrowed slightly, a peculiar emotion flashing in his eyes. He carefully observed the expression of the old man before him, but could not discern any clues.
"I had heard that the old楼主 of Wan Ku Lou was peerless in martial arts and brilliant in strategy. Now that I see you, I find it somewhat exaggerated. Are you truly old? Have you become so visually impaired? I would say it's good that Gongzi Xun, that useless one, is dead. If he hadn't died, I wouldn't have been able to witness the old楼主's current 'grace.' When it comes to nepotism and abuse of power, if you rank second, no one can be first." m..oΓg
Lu Yi shook off Wei Ruyun's hand, a sarcastic smile on her face as she addressed the old楼主. Her words were like a direct stab into someone's lungs; this girl was truly sharp-tongued.
With a "whoosh," everyone heard the sound of air being broken. The surging air current the next moment exploded outward in a circle with Lu Yi at its center. The powerful wind lifted the corners of everyone's clothes, and the exposed skin felt as if it were being sliced by blades. Everyone raised their arms to shield their vulnerable eyes.
Nan Shiying grabbed the old楼主's dry, withered wrist. Something seemed to writhe and crawl within the bulging veins of his wrist. Nan Shiying drew her dagger and lunged towards his artery.
"Clang~"
The dagger was blocked and sent back by an iron fist.