The flames licked at her, quickly drying the wet garment and scorching it black. Some areas even caught fire, forcing An Jiu to discard the robe entirely.
Barely escaping the courtyard, she collided with someone crouching by the water vat.
Hearing the commotion, the person whirled around, swiftly opening and throwing a folding fan.
An Jiu’s eyes flashed as she spun to dodge, but she was a fraction too slow. The fan sliced off a corner of her clothing.
Catching a glimpse of a red apricot blossom on the fan, she called out, “Mo Si Gui! It’s me.”
The fan curved back, and Mo Si Gui stood up to catch it. “Mei Fourteen?” he called.
An Jiu knew Mo Si Gui’s reaction was normal, but she couldn’t help cursing, “Bastard! Doctors do have violent tendencies!”
“Mei Fourteen!” Mo Si Gui leaped over, his peach blossom eyes gleaming with a disconcerting smile. “You came back for me?”
An Jiu replied coldly, “Why would I come for you?”
Assuming she was being stubborn, Mo Si Gui ignored her words and praised her, “I knew you were righteous!”
An Jiu didn’t bother explaining, instead asking, “Weren’t you captured by the Old Madam? Why are you here?”
“After the Old Madam brought me here, she handed me over to a guard,” Mo Si Gui said with a pout. “I just didn’t dare harm the Old Madam herself. But a mere guard? How could he contain me?”
As a doctor skilled in poisons, Mo Si Gui recognized that someone like the Old Madam wouldn’t show mercy. He couldn’t use potent poisons on her, but with a simple guard, he had more freedom.
An Jiu asked, “What were you doing by the water vat?”
Mo Si Gui detached a thumb-sized jade gourd from his waist. In the firelight, it was visible that the hollow gourd contained water.
He shook the small gourd and removed the stopper. A faint mist rose from the opening, behaving strangely. Instead of dissipating in the open courtyard, it clung entirely to their clothes. “This is a new poison I’ve created, called ‘The World’s Heartbreak,'” Mo Si Gui explained.
An Jiu was speechless. Mo Si Gui’s choice of names for his concoctions was truly appalling. However, judging by the name, it must be an extremely potent poison.
Mo Si Gui handed An Jiu a pill. “The antidote.”
Already feeling her vision blur, An Jiu swallowed the pill without hesitation.
Soon, her body began to return to normal.
Mo Si Gui produced a fist-sized jade bottle from his sleeve, poured in a packet of medicine, and returned to the water vat to fill it. “This poison has another name. Because it’s primarily made from mineral medicines and can only be contained in jade vessels, Elder Qi calls it ‘Jade-Stained Clothes.'”
Indeed, Elder Qi’s naming was more reliable!
Realizing his reason for preparing this poison, An Jiu asked, “Are you going to rescue Elder Qi?”
“Yes. Those people have gathered to surround him, and he doesn’t have many poisons left. He’ll be captured sooner or later at this rate,” Mo Si Gui replied, his voice noticeably heavier.
Elder Qi’s martial arts were at the ninth level, but the enemy seemed well-prepared. Those surrounding him had at least seventh-level true strength. In this situation, relying on martial arts alone was unlikely to ensure escape; poison was necessary.
“Let’s go then,” An Jiu said.
Mo Si Gui was surprised. “You’re coming with me?”
“My meridians aren’t fully healed yet. I can’t let you die here,” An Jiu stated frankly.
Mo Si Gui again mistook her bluntness for stubbornness. “How righteous!” he exclaimed.
An Jiu: “…”
After filling the container with water, the two left through the back door and sneaked to the front courtyard.
Outside, the battle continued. They crouched in a cave within a rockery, immediately spotting Elder Qi. While others fought one-on-one, he alone was surrounded by nine people. The nine formed a circle with remarkable coordination, holding iron chains that crisscrossed, trapping Elder Qi in the center.
An Jiu’s gaze shifted, noticing another conspicuous figure in the crowd. A man in white robes with jet-black hair, untouched by the chaos, stood protecting a young woman in a rouge-colored dress—none other than Mei Ru Yan.