Chu Qiao and Viper were given a special VIP room to stay in. Even though the room looked old and rundown, Chu Qiao felt comfortable and at home.
Earlier, some staff from the Xiuli military, who had cleaned the room, came by to deliver a brazier, incense, a burner, and tea candles to make the room cozier. Chu Qiao opened the door and said:
"This is a great welcome for a General like me, but please set it aside. Thank you for bringing items to keep us warm on the cold nights ahead."
Everyone bowed respectfully, said nothing, and then left the General Quarters.
As night fell, Ge Qi wrote a letter to General He Xiao, informing him that General Chu had finally arrived after a week of searching and waiting. They had reached Xiuli Mountain.
Ge Qi knew the Deputy General would be thrilled but wouldn't be able to visit immediately due to the current situation with the Xiuli army at the Meilin border pass.
Ge Qi noticed a shadowy figure, possibly an intruder, lurking near his quarters. When he looked out the window, he saw the shadowy figure jump out of the camp, climb a tree, and disappear.
Ge Qi hadn't had a chance to talk to General Chu yet; their last meeting was brief, and Chu had left again while Ge Qi was recovering from his wound.
Now, with this new threat, Ge Qi felt uneasy about his reunion with General Chu.
Meanwhile, Yan Xun waited patiently for dusk. Without Zhong Yu, he had sent a junior spy to keep watch on He Xiao's whereabouts and to look for a woman and another girl.
The spy returned just before twilight with both good and bad news for the Prince.
The spy reported: "The World, I cannot spot He Xiao, but I am confirming the whipping girl and another woman who looks like a general was inside the Xiuli headquarters camp. They have settled in the Xiuli General Quarters."
Yan Xun turned away and said, "Good!"
Yan Xun briefed his five royal escorts, including the junior spy, on the rules and protocols they needed to follow. He said,"I don't understand why I have to act like an intruder in my own territory and spy on my own army, but we have a mission to complete. That means no one will draw any swords; I will go to the Xiuli headquarters alone."
One of the concerned escorts said, "The World, we are with you, but your life will be put to danger."
Yan Xun responded calmly, "Are you suggesting I can't defend myself? Do you think the Xiuli army won't lower their weapons when they see me?"
The escort replied, "They will recognize you, Your Highness. My concern is for your safety, and I took an oath to protect your life."
"Very well," Yan Xun said. "You will escort me, just you. The rest will stay here and remain alert. Change your outfit—we'll enter disguised as common men."
After dismissing everyone, Yan Xun began his transformation. From his princely attire, he switched to the clothing of a poor man, and his horse was draped in black cloth to avoid recognition.
With this disguise, even if the guards noticed his black horse, they might underestimate them. If they bypassed the search or kept their faces hidden under their hoods, they could pass through without being identified as VIPs (Very Important Persons ).
After an hour of walking, Yan Xun and his royal escort arrived at the Xiuli gate just as it was about to close. The escort hurried to stop the gate from closing.
One of the guards, looking frustrated, said, "You're unidentified. The Xiuli headquarters camp is closing for the night,we cannot let you pass.
The royal escort replied, "Isn't it a bit early to close the gate? I have an urgent matter to discuss with Lieutenant Wu Danyu and deliver an important message."
The guard responded, "We had to close the gate early because we detected an intruder earlier. I'm sorry, but we can't let you in. Please come back tomorrow."
Ge Qi, observing from the watchtower, noticed the two unidentified individuals and sent someone to initiate an interrogation. A man with a long beard, a robust build, and a commanding presence approached the gate to question them.
The big military man asked, "Who are you looking for?"
The royal escort replied, "We need to see Lieutenant Wu Danyu to deliver this important letter. If you refuse us, we will have to report that the Xiuli headquarters turned away the envoy from the Prince of Yanbei. You know what that could mean."
The gatekeeper and the big military man exchanged looks, weighing their decision. Finally, the big man said, "Your identification, please."
The royal escort handed over a piece of jade bearing the black eagle sign of the Prince of Yanbei. Recognizing the symbol, they allowed them to pass without further suspicion of the man in poor clothing accompanying the royal escort.
Ge Qi reacted swiftly and said, "Why did they let them pass? Go find out!"
One of his uniformed soldiers ran toward the gatekeeper. The big military man explained, "Lieutenant Ge Qi wanted to know why we let them through."
"They showed us this," the guard said, handing over the piece of jade.
The soldier, understanding the situation, questioned further, "If they're truly from the Prince of Yanbei, they should be properly dressed and accompanied by the Prince's cavalry."
The three military men exchanged concerned looks, realizing the implication. However, it was too late to stop the envoy. They quickly headed to the command center to find Wu Danyu, who was on duty at the time.
The soldier returned to Ge Qi, who was in his officer's quarters, and reported, "Sir, the individuals carrying the black eagle jade stone are indeed from the Prince of Yanbei. However, they were not properly dressed in uniform, which led us to question their authenticity. Initially, we didn't suspect them, but now, considering their attire, we're not so sure."
Ge Qi wants to hit the standby military man, but he suddenly felt some sharp pain from his back…
"Sir, can I help you? What is wrong?"
"Nothing," Ge Qi replied, "You're both dumb and smart. It means you should be promoted, but after a minute, I'll make sure you're demoted! Go find them!"
The standby military man hurried off to search for the suspected intruders.
Meanwhile, Yan Xun and his royal escort had only minutes before their presence inside the Xiuli camp would be detected. Yan Xun looked down at the ground, occasionally shaking his head and smirking as he marveled at himself for going to such lengths just to find some peace of mind.
Will, it really be peace after all of this is done?
Or more chaos and like he thought before, is he ready to lose than to win at this time?
If He Xiao knows, he took his woman tonight, then Yan Xun will know if He Xiao was just using her maybe to press more concerns about the Xiuli Yan Xun intentionally put into oversight.
But if He Xiao loves the woman and cares for her deeply, then he will be in trouble and become a wrecker, pillage of a lover.
Yan Xun knew one critical rule: he must not be caught taking the woman, and if necessary, he could use his position to enforce his royal orders to ensure compliance.
Determined, he declared, "Whatever! I must win tonight! I don't owe anyone an explanation!"
With that, he pushed aside his doubts and focused on his mission.
Chu Qiao was engrossed in reading her chronicles, trying to catch up with the mortal realms and prepare for her departure from the underworld. Over time, her powers grew stronger each day.
After an exhaustive search through the thousand deserts and sand dunes, she suddenly awoke to find herself in the world of mortals. The transition did not bring the improvement she had hoped for; her memories were still missing.
Viper, however, remained patient with her. She handed Chu Qiao the chronicles of the Mimi Gongzhu, which Chu Qiao had drawn to help herself remember everything that had happened since the icy lake up to the present.
Inside the chronicles, there were no written words, only drawings, objects, and symbols designed to trigger Chu Qiao's memories and awareness.
Viper had diligently recorded every detail, bridging the gap between Earth and the underworld. This way, whenever the Mimi Gongzhu descended to the underworld, Chu Qiao would be able to quickly reconnect with her past experiences upon regaining her consciousness.
When Chu Qiao approached the door, Viper stood by her side. Chu Qiao said, "I need some time alone." Understanding and respecting her need for solitude, Viper agreed.
"If you need anything, just call me," Viper said as Chu Qiao slipped out of sight.
As Chu Qiao walked outside the VIP General Quarters, she noticed a shadow passing by. Her keen senses told her that the shadow was a familiar presence.
Observing the shadows moving, she saw another one cross her path. Though unarmed, Chu Qiao felt no immediate threat from these figures. Deciding to have a bit of fun, she picked up a stone and used her bracelet to transform it into a slingshot.
Emerging from her hiding place, Chu Qiao aimed and fired the stone, hitting the head of one of the figures. The royal escort fell instantly, unconscious.
Yan Xun, witnessing the unexpected turn of events, looked surprised but remained unfazed. He calmly pulled his bodyguard, who had fallen asleep like a baby, out of the way.
Yan Xun smiled and murmured to himself, "This isn't as easy as it seems. The woman is skilled—she's not He Xiao's type. He Xiao would fall for someone who knows nothing about little killer weapons like this."
As the two of them moved away, Yan Xun decided to engage in a game of hide and seek with the woman. Sensing that she was following him, he threw three smoke balls onto the ground where she was approaching. The area was quickly engulfed in thick smoke.
While the smoke disoriented her, Yan Xun triggered a mechanism on his weapon. A rope flew up and attached itself to a branch of a tree. He was swiftly pulled up into the air and swung toward the woman, grabbing her just before she could fall.
Yan Xun looked at her face beneath the indigo scarf, noting her mysterious expression. Her simple Hanfu dress floated gently in the air as she struggled to regain her composure. With half of her eyes closed, he said, "I know I cheated, but this is the only way I could win tonight against a hauntingly beautiful girl. I won't apologize."
Chu Qiao, feeling disoriented and light-headed from the smoke, whispered softly, "You will pay for this…"
Yan Xun laughed and replied, "You can charge me whatever you like, and you're lucky to have found someone who can pay you back."
As Chu Qiao's dizziness overcame her, she drifted off to sleep in his arms. Yan Xun, calculating the distance, prepared to land on his horse with her securely cradled.
Just as he was about to take off her scarf, a voice from the darkness interrupted. "No!"
Yan Xun, realizing someone was pursuing them, called out, "Show yourself and dare if you must!"
From the shadows, Viper emerged into the dim light of the forest path. Stepping slowly from the darkness, she revealed herself. Yan Xun recognized her as the barbaric whip girl, confirming his suspicion.
Viper appeared with a fierce demeanor, her eyes and lips exuding a menacing intensity. Clad in a fitted outfit adorned with shackles and sporting glowing whip that shimmered in the dark, she resembled a hungry wolf ready to devour its prey.
Yan Xun swallowed hard, clearly unprepared for this intense confrontation. Just then, his escort emerged from the shadows, drawing his sword in readiness to confront Viper. Yan Xun, unfazed, smiled and said to his guard, "You know what to do!"
With a swift motion, Yan Xun activated his Blast and, carrying the sleeping Chu Qiao in his arms, swiftly rode away into the night, leaving Viper and his guard behind.
The remaining four royal escorts arrived but found no sign of Yan Xun or his horse. Suddenly, Viper confronted them in the woods. She said menacingly, "If you tell me where your boss is, you might still see tomorrow with your heads intact," before whipping them three times.
The escorts, writhing in pain, surrendered. They said almost in unison, "We honestly don't know where our boss is. We were just waiting for him when you appeared."
Seeing their genuine distress, Viper brought another man out of the darkness and pushed him towards the four escorts. "You will help me find my Mimi Gongzhu," she warned, "or I will send all your souls to the underworld."
The five escorts laughed at Viper's threat. "Really? Is the underworld still operating?" they mocked.
Viper, initially amused, shifted to a fierce, formal expression. "Do you want me to demonstrate?" she challenged.
The cold wind howled, as if heralding an approaching storm. Viper's anger intensified, her eyes glowing with a blood-red hue, reminiscent of a vampire. "My powers are uncontrollable at night. Now tell me again what you were saying earlier."
One of the escorts, attempting to save their lives in the face of Viper's menacing presence, stammered, "We didn't say anything earlier. We were just… amazed by you."
"Now, do we have a deal?" Viper asked. "Will you help me find the Mimi Gongzhu, and let you live one more day?"
In unison, the five escorts replied, "We do, we do." They were soon hypnotized by Viper, who shackled their hands and necks together with chains, connecting them to each other.
A few hours later, Ge Qi and Wu Danyu arrived in the forest, which was now illuminated by torches held by nearly half of the Xiuli army. Viper, shrouded in her black hood, remained elusive; no one could see her eyes or lips clearly, except for the five escorts, who remained silent after their earlier bravado.
Viper, frustrated by the escape of Chu Qiao and her sudden recollection of He Xiao, was visibly agitated. Ge Qi approached her and inquired, "What happened?"
Viper, still fuming, replied, "That's exactly what I'm asking you. What happened?"
Ge Qi responded, "We chased the intruders, but they left the camp."
Wu Danyu then stepped forward and asked, "Who are you? Are you the whipping girl?"
As Viper raised her hand to whip Wu Danyu, Ge Qi intervened, saying, "I apologize. I didn't formally introduce Viper. This is Lieutenant Wu Danyu, Du Wei's right-hand man in the Xiuli army."
Wu Danyu attempted to make amends, "Nice to meet you, Viper," but Viper barely acknowledged him. She turned to Ge Qi and demanded, "Call He Xiao. I need to speak with him and hold him accountable for what's happened. These five escorts won't reveal the identity of the man who took the Mimi Gongzhu."
Ge Qi was taken aback. "What? Are you referring to General Chu?"
"Yes!" Viper snapped, her frustration evident. She was tempted to whip Ge Qi but restrained herself, mindful of his recent injuries.
Ge Qi, alarmed, said, "General Chu is gone again? She just arrived and now she's disappeared? Who took her? The intruders?"
"Shut your mouth!" Viper retorted. "If you're just going to ask more questions rather than finding answers, then be quiet!" She walked away, the five royal escorts trailing behind her like a personal cavalry.
Ge Qi, feeling the weight of the situation, admitted, "My apologies if I'm not at my best today. I've already sent a letter to He Xiao and am expecting him to arrive at Xiuli Mountain tomorrow."
The moon is shining so bright, partly dark clouds covering its light and the passing wind making them shiver in coldness answered all their questions that night General Chu is missing and a mysterious entity took her according to the descriptions…
… a man with a handsome appearance in an old fashioned in black hood captured the beauty of Xiuli.