Qin Zhaoyue rolled her eyes in annoyance, her tone full of disdain.
"What are you yelling about, you useless second brother?"
Qin Jingheng was so choked by her words that he almost passed out. He felt a lump in his throat, unable to breathe.
However, immediately afterward, the immense shock of surviving the ordeal and the complex emotions of suddenly seeing loved ones overwhelmed her, and tears welled up uncontrollably.
They were already in despair, reduced to fish on a chopping block, at the mercy of others.
At this moment of escape from a desperate situation, seeing his blood-related sister again, the emotional impact is beyond words.
"Ugh... Zhaoyue... Second brother, I... ugh..."
He sobbed uncontrollably, as if all his past scheming, ambition, grievances, and fears were surging forth in his tears, making him cry like a child weighing over 200 pounds.
Qin Jingheng's crying stopped abruptly, as if an invisible hand had choked him.
He suddenly realized that he was far from out of danger and was still in a den of wolves; any emotional release was a luxury.
"Sixth Sister, I've been drugged by her, and I can't move at all."
"I know, I know." Qin Zhaoyue said calmly, standing still.
She was carrying the Empress on her back, so naturally she wouldn't go forward herself.
Chu Xinglan stepped forward silently, her fingertips twitching slightly, and a pill emitting a clear medicinal fragrance was placed into Qin Jingheng's mouth.
Yin Zhe was well prepared, with all sorts of elixirs secretly made by the Xuanji Guard ready.
The medicine was extremely effective; in just a short while, Qin Jingheng felt a warm current rising from his dantian.
It quickly dispelled the weakness and limpness in my limbs and bones, and the long-lost sense of strength was gradually returning.
Having regained some strength, he couldn't wait to try to sit up.
"Sixth Sister, I still have Gu worms inside me!"
The memory of that excruciating, bone-chilling terror made him tremble uncontrollably.
"I know," Qin Zhaoyue's voice came from afar, filled with undisguised disdain.
"So, can you stay away from me? I find it disgusting."
Qin Jingheng: "..."
The foot that had just been lifted came to an abrupt halt in place.
Watching Xiao Liu silently retreat to a further corner, the undisguised disgust on his face felt like a cold needle piercing his heart with sharp, stabbing pain.
His heart ached terribly...
Jiang Wuyai and Chu Xinglan had already walked to the black cage and stopped two steps away.
Qin Zhaoyue's mind stirred slightly, and she canceled the "punishment" technique.
Faced with the oppressive aura of two second-grade Grandmasters, Ayaduo's mind was in turmoil, and she felt a sweet taste in her throat, causing another mouthful of blood to well up.
However, the blood did not fall to the ground; instead, it mysteriously remained suspended in mid-air.
Not only that, even the first splatter of blood she had left on the floor tiles seemed to have been seized by an invisible force.
All the blood belonging to her was extracted and gathered in one place.
As if an invisible hand was precisely controlling the process, the blood was rapidly condensed, eventually transforming into a dark red blood bead, removing all impurities.
Then, as if it had a life of its own, the blood droplet nimbly squeezed out through the crack in the broken window.
In an instant, it flew towards the dark flowerbed in the distance and disappeared.
Aya witnessed all of this, and her previously violently heaving chest gradually calmed down, and the last bit of resentment and hope in her eyes was completely extinguished.
The last glimmer of hope for performing secret arts using blood was also completely extinguished.
It was Chu Xinglan who made the move.
She guarded the royal armory for many years, and had read all the martial arts manuals and even many unorthodox biographies and anecdotes. She also had some knowledge of the strange and insidious witchcraft of the Southern Frontier.
Among them are secret techniques that use one's own essence and blood as a catalyst to perform mutual destruction or to transmit messages.
Moreover, the other party was a saintess of noble status, and she had already been secretly on guard.
At this moment, the long sword in her hand was silently extended, its cold and sharp tip firmly resting on Ayado's slender neck.
One more point and blood will be spilled five steps away.
"Spare his life!"
Qin Jingheng dared not approach, so he could only shout from afar.
Ayado laughed upon hearing this, her smile as beautiful as a flower, her lips, stained even redder by the blood, curving into an eerie arc.
She tilted her head, her gaze sweeping over the sword blade at her neck, and looked at the two second-grade realm experts before her, her tone carrying a strange mockery:
"Are you... really capable of removing the Gu worms from his body?"
The art of witchcraft is quite different from the martial arts of the Central Plains and is deeply rooted in the clan traditions of the dense forests of the southern border.
Even with the vastness of the royal arsenal, the records about it are mostly superficial.
Completely removing the poison planted by the saintess will likely be no easy task.
Qin Zhaoyue pondered to herself that her special true energy, combined with merit points, might be able to succeed, but even if it were feasible, she had no intention of trying it.
Merit points are valuable, but she and her second brother didn't have much of a sibling relationship to begin with, and besides...
Eek~~~
The thought of those wriggling worms made Qin Zhaoyue feel physically uncomfortable.
Clearly, her second brother had already been "contaminated," and she couldn't be bothered to touch him.
Jiang Wuyai and Chu Xinglan did not reply, because in this place, they were not the ones who could make the decision.
Qin Zhaoyue's cold voice came from afar, devoid of any emotion:
"If we can't get rid of them, then we won't. There are nine of us siblings, and it doesn't matter if one is missing."
Then we could say that the Holy Maiden of the Southern Frontier murdered the Second Prince, and that we, in the name of righteousness, would march south to quell the rebellion and avenge her—wouldn't that be perfect?"
No! It's not perfect at all!
Qin Jingheng has been suffering physically and mentally during this period, and his heart is very fragile.
Knowing that this was most likely a negotiation tactic and that he couldn't show weakness, his cheek muscles still twitched uncontrollably a few times.
But... is this really just a negotiation?
Xiao Liu... she probably doesn't really intend to give up on herself, right?
Hiss... With his limited understanding of this imperial sister, he was completely unable to be certain!
Ayado clearly also saw this as a bargaining chip, and sneered:
"If that's the case, why haven't you made a move yet?"
"I'll give you a chance." Qin Zhaoyue's voice remained calm and even.
"Immediately remove the Gu worms from Second Brother's body, truthfully inform us of all the arrangements our clan has made here, and persuade the various tribes of Southern Xinjiang to submit and join the territory of Daqian."
Aya was utterly stunned. Was this a chance for her? She was so angry she laughed out loud:
"Hahaha...and then what? After doing all this, you'll kill me without any mercy?"
Qin Zhaoyue shook her head: "If I don't do it, I'll die right now."
Before Aya could speak again, Qin Zhaoyue showed her impatience, her tone resolute and leaving no room for negotiation:
"If you don't agree, we will destroy all your cultivation, but we will spare your life so you can see the consequences of refusing."
Starting tomorrow, my two fellow students and I will be venturing deep into southern Xinjiang.
Regardless of the size of the village, or whether they were old, weak, women, or children, they killed everyone they met, burned every forest they encountered, and left no chickens or dogs unharmed.
Since they are unwilling to submit, the Southern Frontier... has no reason to continue existing.
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