Chapter 23: In the Fog

Outside the inn in Qingzhou City, the shopkeeper directed his staff to take down the door boards. He was just scolding them not to slack off when he saw two people walking down the street.

The shopkeeper entertained guests from all corners of the world daily, so naturally, he recognized the prominent local families of Qingzhou City. Although the Shen Family was not what it used to be, a starved camel was still bigger than a horse. Elder Shen was still a prominent figure in the city.

He hurried forward to greet them, cupping his hands in a respectful bow. "Mr. Shen, what brings you here in person?"

Mr. Shen's gaze bypassed him and landed on the inn's lobby. "Is Mr. Lin still inside?"

The shopkeeper's smile stiffened slightly, but he quickly recovered. "To answer your question, Mr. Shen, Mr. Lin... checked out and left before dawn."

Shen Qingci stood behind her father, holding her child. Hearing this, she swayed slightly. She wondered if he had left.

Mr. Shen fell silent for a moment. He nodded slowly, turned around, and walked back the way they came.

Shen Qingci followed behind him, her footsteps heavy. The swaddled baby let out a soft "YAH." She looked down and tried to force a smile, but she simply couldn't.

Once they were far from the inn, Mr. Shen suddenly turned around to look at his daughter. "Qingci, if he's gone, he's gone. You should return to the Liu Family. They need someone to take charge of the situation; you can't waste any more time here."

"Father, I don't want to go back just yet," Shen Qingci said, abruptly lifting her head.

Mr. Shen frowned slightly. "What kind of nonsense is that? You are a daughter-in-law of the Liu Family, after all..."

"Mother told me everything, Father. You..."

"Silence!" Mr. Shen barked sternly. "I have my own plans regarding this matter. I don't need you two women worrying about it. Listen to me and go back to the Liu Family as soon as possible!"

Shen Qingci lowered her head. Though she didn't argue further, her stubborn stance was evident. Mr. Shen glanced at her. As if too tired to say anything more, he turned and walked forward with his hands clasped behind his back.

Shen Qingci stood rooted to the spot with the baby in her arms, staring at her father's retreating back with unwavering determination in her eyes. She would not go back! Until the matter was resolved, she would never return to the Liu Family. With this thought, she gently pinched her son's little cheek.

"Maybe that blockhead only checked out of the inn and is still in Qingzhou City. Besides, even if he were leaving, he should have at least come to say goodbye to me, right?"

"YAH..."

"You think so too? You little rascal, I haven't loved you for nothing!"

Yes, he definitely hadn't left yet! Comforted by this thought, her steps became a bit lighter.

In Poisonous Snake Ridge, the fog continued to churn endlessly.

Lin Yan brought up the rear. The soil beneath his feet was soft and damp. It made no sound when stepped on, but left a shallow footprint. These footprints wouldn't disappear for a while; instead, muddy, yellowish water seeped out of them, giving off a terribly foul stench.

Zhou Wanqing walked in the middle, gripping the Black Bamboo Flute as she kept her eyes fixed straight ahead. Occasionally, she would stop, bend down to pluck an inconspicuous weed from a pile of rotting leaves by the roadside, and carefully store it in the medicinal basket on her back. These herbs grew crookedly with purplish leaves and blackened stems. At first glance, they hardly looked like proper medicinal ingredients; even if given away for free in the outside world, no one would likely want them. But in the hands of someone who knew how to use them, they were invaluable treasures.

Mei led the way. She scanned the surroundings with vigilant eyes, ready to immediately warn the two behind her at the slightest rustle of grass or gust of wind.

Just then, a RUSTLING sound came from the left. Mei halted instantly.

Beneath a withered old tree coiled a centipede. It was as thick as a baby's arm, entirely crimson, with a layer of dark brown carapace covering its back. Its thousands of legs wriggled simultaneously, scraping shallow grooves into the dry bark. The sound resembled nails dragging across a slate, setting one's teeth on edge.

Mei didn't act rashly because Zhou Wanqing would handle it. Her own task was to guard against the Gu People. True to form, Zhou Wanqing took out a sachet and stepped into the path of the wind.

The sachet swayed gently in the fog, emitting a very faint medicinal fragrance. The centipede reacted as if scalded by something; it abruptly curled up, then swiftly scurried into a hole in the tree and disappeared.

"This is a Money Centipede," Zhou Wanqing explained. "Its venom can paralyze a person's entire body within the time it takes to drink a cup of tea. Three incense sticks later, the poison will reach the heart, and even an immortal wouldn't be able to save them. However, its carapace makes for excellent medicine. It's a pity now isn't the right time for it."

Lin Yan said nothing. The physical danger these things posed was far less intense than the visceral disgust they evoked.

The three continued forward. The path grew narrower, and the trees on both sides became increasingly dense. Moreover, the leaves of these trees were not green but a deep purple, dotted with black spots as if corroded by something. A highly pungent odor lingered around them; inhaling it for too long would induce dizziness. Thick layers of rotting leaves piled up at the roots of the trees, occasionally revealing a piece of stark white bone—whether animal or human, it was impossible to tell.

After walking for a while longer, Zhou Wanqing suddenly stopped. She crouched down, drew a small silver knife from her waist, and carefully dug out a low-lying purple plant by its roots. The plant's leaves were only the size of a fingernail, but its roots were extremely long, burying deep into the soil like a thin wire.

"Found it." A hint of relieved joy laced her voice. "Purple Thread Grass. With this, the plague can be cured!"

Zhou Wanqing carefully excavated the Purple Thread Grass and stored it in her medicinal basket. Having done this, she stood up and brushed the dirt off her hands, just about to say something, when urgent cries for help rang out.

"Help... Save me... Is anyone there!"

The voice echoed through the fog, sounding distant one moment and near the next. Mei's hand tightened on the hilt of her sword.

"Someone's out there," she said.

"I heard it," Zhou Wanqing replied, her brow furrowed tightly. "It should be another Medicine Gatherer. I wonder what injured them."

Hearing this, Mei instantly grew anxious. "I'll go save her!"

"Wait, it could be a trap!" Lin Yan warned.

"I know, but it could also be a human life. As martial artists, we cannot stand by and watch someone die." Mei turned her head and flashed him a somewhat stiff smile. "I'll leave Doctor Zhou in your care for now. I'll be right back."

"Be careful!" Zhou Wanqing handed over a whistle. "If things take a turn for the worse, blow this. We will rush over immediately."

"Understood!"

Mei didn't ask them to go with her; since this was something she wanted to do herself, dragging others along was clearly inappropriate. Gripping her sword, she headed in the direction the voice had come from.

Zhou Wanqing watched Mei's figure disappear into the fog. Only after a long while did she let out a deep breath. "I fall far short of Mei."

"Actually, if you had gone, I would have followed," Lin Yan said softly.

"No, if something went wrong that way, Mei would feel guilty." Zhou Wanqing smiled and shook her head. "We can just wait for her right here."