Xiao Man lowered her eyelids, her fingernail digging fiercely into her finger, drawing blood. As the Saintess approached, Xiao Man flicked a drop of blood towards her. If her blood could suppress the蛊毒 in Nangong Yu's body, did it mean her blood would also have an effect on the蛊毒 within the Saintess of Wuyue Kingdom?
Every step the Saintess took seemed measured. Suddenly, she stopped, as if a switch had been turned off. A faint bewilderment flickered across her cold, indifferent face. She lowered her head and looked at the top of her foot, where a single red spot stood out starkly against her fair skin.
Abruptly, the small jar at the Saintess's waist began to shake violently. The Saintess frowned slightly and immediately pressed it with her hand, squatting down to wipe the blood from her foot.
The contents of the jar seemed to be stimulated by the smell of the blood, thrashing even more fiercely. The Saintess's brow furrowed. Blood, how could blood have fallen on her foot? Why was the Gu King rioting? Was it because of this blood?
The Saintess covered the jar with the bloodstained handkerchief. The previously trembling jar miraculously stilled. The Saintess's expression grew more bewildered. Was it afraid of this blood?
The Saintess picked up the handkerchief. A faint, ethereal fragrance entered her nostrils, not from the handkerchief itself, but from the blood. This scent...
The Saintess's hand trembled, and the cloth fell to the ground. She pressed her hand tightly against her chest. The生死蛊, which had been dormant, had actually stirred. What was happening?
Observing the Saintess's actions, a flicker of surprise flashed in Xiao Man's eyes. It seemed her blood had a considerable effect on this Saintess of Wuyue Kingdom!
Who, who exactly was it?
The Saintess of Wuyue Kingdom cast a sharp gaze across the crowd. With a swift movement, she vanished into the throng. Those who had been bowing their heads in greeting looked up in surprise when the Saintess suddenly disappeared, only to realize she was weaving through the crowd. This had never happened before.
The Saintess of Wuyue Kingdom, named Bai Ling, meant "sacred moon." She was meant to be admired from afar, never to be seen entering the crowd.
Bai Ling moved rapidly through the people, searching for someone with a similar scent. As a witch doctor, her sense of smell was keen. Soon, she found the person she was looking for. A pair of fair, slender feet stopped in front of Xiao Man.
"Who are you?" Bai Ling's voice was filled with doubt.
Xiao Man smiled friendly. "I am..."
"An envoy from Yusheng," Wen Mohan interjected, "Greetings, Saintess."
Bai Ling's gaze did not leave Xiao Man. Xiao Man exuded a faint fragrance, similar to the scent of the blood. This subtle aroma caused the Gu King on her person and the生死蛊 within her to become restless.
"Who are you?" Bai Ling insisted, staring intently at Xiao Man. She felt this person before her was truly special. To date, she had never encountered anyone who could restrain the Gu King, the king of all Gu, the ultimate poison of the world!
"Qin Man," Xiao Man stated with a smiling face, using the假名字 she had hastily concocted. In her moment of urgency, she had taken the 'Qin' from King Qin and added her name, thus creating 'Qin Man.'
"Extend your hand."
Xiao Man calmly extended her hand. Bai Ling glanced at Xiao Man, a silver needle appearing in her hand. She pricked Xiao Man's palm. Xiao Man felt a sharp pain, and blood began to well up.
"Saintess Bai Ling, what are you doing?" Wen Mohan, extremely angered by Bai Ling's action, immediately shielded Xiao Man behind him.
Bai Ling ignored Wen Mohan. Instead, she brought the silver needle to her nostrils. The same scent. It was indeed this person. But for some reason, this person's blood could actually suppress Gu poison!
"Are you interested in being a guest at the White Pagoda?"
The fortune arrived too suddenly, like a pie falling from the sky, making it impossible to discern if it was poisoned or not.
Saintess Bai Ling had actually invited her to the White Pagoda as a guest. This was a rare and golden opportunity!
"Not interested!"
"Interested!"
Wen Mohan and Xiao Man spoke in unison.
"I am interested!" Xiao Man stepped forward, looking at Bai Ling, and said with a smile, "But I've heard that the White Pagoda of Wuyue Kingdom is a sacred site, and ordinary people are not allowed to enter. Are you not afraid the King will blame you for inviting me as a guest?"
"You are an honored guest, unlike ordinary people, so of course, you may enter," Bai Ling said calmly. "If you are willing, after the banquet, will you accompany me to the White Pagoda?"
"It would be my honor."
At the banquet, envoys from various surrounding smaller nations presented their gifts. Wen Mohan wanted to escort Xiao Man to the envoy's seating area, but Xiao Man refused. She did not want her identity revealed, nor did she want to attract attention.
Ye Qing ambled over to Xiao Man. "What's going on with that Wen Mohan? Why is he sticking to you?"
Xiao Man shook her head. "How would I know? He's probably worried I'll encounter danger when I'm alone outside."
Ye Qing glanced at Wen Mohan, whose gaze was constantly following Xiao Man. He couldn't help but wonder, could Wen Mohan be in love with Xiao Man?
His attention returned to Xiao Man, only to see her staring fixedly at the Saintess, as if there were flowers on the Saintess's face. She paid no attention to Wen Mohan.
Ye Qing lowered his gaze, unable to suppress a smile. It seemed that not only Nangong Yu had hit a wall, but this Mr. Wen, the Prime Minister, had also hit a wall with Xiao Man. Xiao Man was that south wall; if you didn't knock it down, and instead ended up with a bloody head, Xiao Man would probably still not understand what they were trying to achieve!
No, even if the south wall were knocked down, Xiao Man probably wouldn't think of it in terms of romance. This girl only thought about what the other party wanted to gain from her, and what she could gain in return. She was so rational, so rational it was almost heartless. Ye Qing felt a pang of pity for Nangong Yu.
Nangong Yu sat in an inconspicuous corner, his gaze occasionally falling on Xiao Man. However, Xiao Man showed no reaction. Either she was looking at the Saintess, or she was battling the food on the table. Neither he nor Wen Mohan could compete with the delicious fare on her plate.
"Are you very hungry?" Ye Qing asked, watching Xiao Man devour more than half of the food in front of her with great speed.
"Once I get to the White Pagoda, I don't know if there will be anything to eat. It's best to eat my fill before entering, just in case."
"Then should you pack some pastries to carry with you? If there's no food in the White Pagoda, you can still use them to stave off hunger." Ye Qing's tone was clearly teasing. The White Pagoda was where the Saintess resided; how could there possibly be no food? Sudan Novel Network
"Good idea!" Xiao Man actually nodded in agreement, deeming it an excellent suggestion. She then took out her handkerchief and selected some of her favorite pastries, packing them into her embrace, leaving Ye Qing wide-eyed.
As the two were talking, they suddenly heard the kind voice of the King of Wuyue Kingdom: "Wulana, there are many eligible young men present who are outstanding. I see them all as dragons among men. How about it, are there any you fancy?"