Such a mountain also made it easy for the Imperial Guards who were secretly following them to hide their whereabouts.

After confirming there was no danger, Qi Yuan sat on a large rock by the river and watched Li Chi set up a stove and boil water.

Murong Yue, meanwhile, was squatting by the river, spearing fish with a short arrow in her hand.

Ah-hao helped by holding the small basket.

This basket belonged to Xia Xiaowei yesterday.

Murong Yue's attacks were like magic, each spear hitting its mark perfectly.

"Master is amazing! This one is even fatter!"

"Okay, I'll bake some for you in a bit."

"Thank you, Master!"

Murong Yue was having a great time when she suddenly stopped and took a deep sniff.

"Master, what's wrong?"

Ah-hao immediately inquired with concern.

"It smells of blood."

Murong Yue stared at the water.

The taste of this blood isn't from fish; it's from humans.

She was absolutely certain.

It wasn't hers, it wasn't Ah Hao's, and it wasn't Qi Yuan's or Li Chi's.

The smell of blood came from the river.

Qi Yuan became serious, stood up, and gripped his knife tightly, becoming alert.

Your Majesty's sense of smell is as powerful as your martial prowess; if Your Majesty says there is a bloody smell, then it must be true.

He gestured towards the shadows, and immediately the Imperial Guards dispersed to investigate.

Soon, streams of bright red blood began to appear in the water coming from upstream.

Murong Yueyu stopped forking the fish and retreated with Ahao.

Something must have happened upstream.

Maybe they'll spearfish again, but they won't be able to spear the fish, though they might manage to spear the carcass.

Qi Yuan was like a tiger that was always on guard, with eyes and ears everywhere.

Suddenly, he sprang up and flew toward the water, grabbed something in the river, skimmed across the surface like a dragonfly, stepped on a rock in the middle of the river, and then returned to the bank.

His movements were so fluid and graceful that Li Chi was completely mesmerized.

Qi Yuan was holding a person covered in blood in his hand; judging from the clothes, it was a woman.