The thing that disappointed Qishao

As soon as the flesh-eating rats had dispersed in the Sky Pit, Gu Qishao had rushed right out, putting Mu Linger to the back of his mind. He searched all over the mountain without finding Han Yunxi, before running by chance into the white-robed man leaving the medical academy. Naturally, he wasn't about to let him escape, so he'd been chasing after him since last night. In order to shield Xi Yubo, the wounded white-robed man allowed Gu Qishao to catch up again.

"Serious injuries? Do you have the poison beast?" Gu Qishao asked as he arched a brow. He didn't know the current situation with Han Yunxi, but he did see that this bloodstained man had a face as pale as paper. It was obvious that he'd been severely injured. More than that, he'd vanished after the Xuan gold doors were opened. Did them missing poison beast have anything to do with him?

"If I did, do you think you'd still be alive now?" the white-robed man smiled. Because of his inherently gentle nature, he didn't look nervous even after Gu Qishao had caught up.

"Then how did you get injured?" Gu Qishao was extremely curious. It wasn't just anyone who could hurt a member of the Shadow Clan. He and Long Feiye had both tried, while the injured Jun Yixie would have found it impossible.

"You and I have no enmity between us. Why pester me?" the white-robed man asked mildly.

Gu Qishao laughed coldly at these words. "Heheh, who says we have no enmity?" If he hadn't picked up a fake map, he and Mu Linger would've long arrived at the secret underground chambers instead of falling into the king cobra den. He wasn't affected by poisons or snake bites, but he had to pretend when Mu Linger was around. "Did you steal the map to the Sky Pit?" he asked coldly.

The white-robed man calmly shook his head. "I didn't steal it."

"It had to be you!" Gu Qishao was convinced. How else could he have led the way so smoothly without a map?

The white-robed man shook his head again. "I only gave it a glance before I burned it. Truly, I didn't steal it."

Gu Qishao gave a start before his temper exploded. "You!" Though he was used to using swords, this time he launched a seed at the white-robed man instead. "You're seeking death!"

Aside from Han Yunxi, no one else had ever played tricks on him in terms of language technicalities. This man was actually fooling around with him, how despicable! Because the white-robed man hadn't expect Gu Qishao to attack with such a weapon, he didn't dodge in time. The seed ended up hitting his shoulder. Immediately, pain spread from the location as it felt like something was burrowing into his skin.

Could it be that the seed was poisoned? He might have possessed a manual on the Gu arts, but he knew nothing of Gu or poisons. Very quickly, he released his assumption was wrong. This thing had no poison, but used his blood and flesh as soil to grow into a mysterious sprout.

"Rooting Flower Arts!" the white-robed man was astonished, never expecting this kind of strange arts.

No wonder he was in so much pain; the shoot was extending its roots into his body! Even though it looked like a little plant, it would quickly absorb all the essence and blood from his body to rapidly grow. Once it took hold of his entire body and bloomed, then he'd end up as nothing but fertilizer for the plant. Without the slightest hesitation, the white-robed man took out a small knife and dug into his shoulder to rip out the plant, roots and all, leaving the wound to pour blood. Though this method was ruthless, it was the only way to deal with the Rooting Flower Arts.

"Your knowledge isn't bad!" Gu Qishao said in a rather admiring tone. Still, he was quick to toss out a second seed at him, which the white-robed man evaded post-haste.

"Unexpectedly, you have many hidden depths," the white-robed man had turned serious.

"Knowing that won't help you any! "Gu Qishao stood on a tree, his flippant and bewitching nature intensified by the wind billowing through his red robes. Indeed, he had deeply concealed secrets. If not for his rage and extenuating circumstances, he would rarely expose such techniques.

The white-robed man didn't understand. How was Gu Qishao capable of hiding so many things with his unscrupulous, lawless personality? But instead of getting mixed up with the man, he turned to flee. There was no way he could defeat Gu Qishao with his heavy injuries, but he had a good foundation in lightness techniques, enough to escape him.

"If you have any guts, stay here!" Gu Qishao immediately gave chase.

But the white-robed man stopped him with a single sentence. "Instead of chasing after me, why not go back to the consultation hall and show some solicitude for Miss Yunxi's plight?"

Gu Qishao gave a start in the midst of his anger. Even his tone of speaking change to reveal his poorly hidden delight. "Han Yunxi…she's gone back?"

The white-robed man only smiled wordlessly before taking the chance to run far away. When someone liked someone else, their cloudy skies could change to sunny ones in an instant. Gu Qishao stopped his chase to turn back and fly towards the medical academy. If Han Yunxi was at the medical academy, did this mean she'd escaped from Jun Yixie? Or had someone saved her? She'd definitely get bullied at the consultation hall if she didn't have the poison beast's blood on hand. He definitely wouldn't let that happen.

In actuality, the white-robed man hadn't ran far at all. He waited until Gu Qishao's form disappeared into the distance before appearing below the trees to mumble to himself. "Gu Qishao? Heheh…so it was you after all!"

By the time Gu Qishao made it back to the consultation hall, everyone had long dispersed. He immediately headed towards Han Yunxi's rooms, only to find them empty. Instead, he found Luo Zuishan sitting inside to wait for him.

"Where is she?" Gu Qishao asked in a rush.

Luo Zuishan had chosen to wait there because he was sure Gu Qishao would show up sooner or later. He explained everything that had happened at the consultation hall to Gu Qishao before the latter interrupted curiously, "How did she treat the poison?"

"What?" Luo Zuishan didn't understand. As he saw it, all Han Yunxi did was re-examine the patient. Hadn't she cured the poison already?

Gu Qishao decided to change the topic. Although they'd failed to find the poison beast in the Sky Pit this time, he managed to discover that Han Yunxi and the Tang Clan had no relation at all. He wasn't interested in Long Feiye's connection to that same clan at all since it had nothing to do with him. Now he was only concerned about Han Yunxi. It had to be said that this time's results had truly disappointed him. If Han Yunxi was from the Tang Clan, then she might be the poisons woman he was looking for all this time. That would set his heart at rest. But now that the possiblity had been eliminated, Poison lass's origins had become a mystery all over again. The only clue he had was Lady Tianxin.

"So, she left with Long Feiye?" Gu Qishao asked.

"I reckon so." How would Luo Zuishan know? When he came over, Han Yunxi and Long Feiye were both gone. Since everything was over now, that husband and wife pair would naturally leave.

"You're certain that she's all right?" Gu Qishao asked again. Luo Zuishan was very certain. Judging by how Han Yunxi had schooled Duanmu Yao at the consultation hall, that girl was doing excellently both mentally and physically. Only then did Gu Qishao stop worrying and broke into a grin more brilliant than the sun. "Then that's good, that's good!"

Heaven knows how worried he'd been. Although he never acted respectable or serious around Han Yunxi, he wouldn't be able to laugh or fool around if she was really in trouble. Gu Qishao was about to leave when Luo Zuishan pulled him back. "Qishao, where did that Xi Yubo fellow learn his Gu arts?"

He'd wanted to ask long before, but Gu Qishao was a fellow who came and went like a shadow. It was hard to get in a proper conversation with him even once. Indeed, Xi Yubo was a suspicious man, just as how Jun Yixie's knowledge of Gu arts was a curious thing. Still, Gu Qishao didn't pay either of these things any mind. He had a deepset grudge against the medical academy and only regretted that the consultation this time didn't expose the existence of the Gu arts.

"Qi'er, the Gu arts have been lost for so many years already…" Before Luo Zuishan could finish, Gu Qishao shook him off and took large strides out the door. Luo Zuishan was both agitated and angry as he chased after him. Couldn't this brat stop and talk with him properly once in a while? He'd sat here just to wait for him because there was another issue at stake!

"Qi'er, I just came from the Council of Elders and heard that the young Miss of the Mu family is missing. It seemed that they just got the news yesterday, but there's still been no news as of today!"

If Luo Zuishan hadn't brought it up, Gu Qishao really would've forgotten about that girl. But once he recalled her, he slowly narrowed his eyes and asked in a dangerous tone, "Where is she?"

That damned girl had actually repaid kindness with enmity and pushed out Poison lass to be devoured by the flesh-eating rats. Tsk tsk, he really had underestimated her.

"How should I know?" Luo Zuishan couldn't help but roll his eyes. Shouldn't he be asking Gu Qishao's question?

Where is she?

Hadn't she been following behind him the entire time?

"Search!" Gu Qishao said decisively. Luo Zuishan thought that he had finally figured out how to properly care for a young girl's safety and welfare, but Gu Qishao's next words were, "Damned lass, she better hope I don't find her!"

Anyone who dared to hurt his Poison lass, even if they were from the Mu family, wouldn't be easily forgiven! Gu Qishao shot out the door, leaving a befuddled Luo Zuishan behind. Had Mu Linger provoked Gu Qishao somehow?

Mu Linger liked him so much and always went along with him. How could she have set him off?

—

Long Feiye and Tang Li had already left, while Long Tianmo and Qinwang Rong were preparing to start on their journey back to Tianning. Everyone assumed that Han Yunxi was gone as well, but she was still spacing out in Gu Beiyue's room.

"Esteemed wangfei, His Highness has orders for this subordinate to escort you safely back to Tianning."

The guard knocking on the door broke Han Yunxi's thoughts. She listlessly replied, "Withdraw, I'll go back my myself."

"Esteemed wangfei, these are His Highness's orders," the guard didn't dare retreat. But Han Yunxi suddenly lost her temper.

"What, so his words are orders, but this wangfei's words aren't?"

The guard was scared to death, his complexion unsightly. Although he was hesitant, he didn't dare reply. Instead, Han Yunxi actually opened the door and came out, staring at him icily. "His Highness isn't going back?"

"His Highness and young master Tang Li left first," the guard replied, a little dazed.

"Oh." Han Yunxi said. She didn't ask for any further details.

"Esteemed wangfei, you should just go back with this subordinate. Don't make this subordinate…" Before he could finish, Han Yunxi flipped out.

"Get lost!"

"Yes yes, this subordinate obeys." The guard was sent rolling and crawling away. Everyone had said their mistress had a good temper, but why didn't he think so? It's better to report this to His Highness poste-haste, he decided instead.

Han Yunxi returned to the room and slammed the door shut. She really hated lookouts like him. She didn't want to go back to Tianning, but she didn't know where to go instead. Originally, she wanted to leave the medical academy as well, but with Third Elder vouching for her, she felt like staying a few more days instead. Han Yunxi was still spacing out when a chittering noise came from her medical pouch. She quickly opened it up to reveal the little squirrel, who had already opened up a rosemary box and was preparing to dump the contents into its mouth!