Da Jiu happily bounded on its four chubby paws towards the big tree where An Jiu was.
An Jiu jumped down from the tree and took out three Dream Flower seeds from her pocket. Da Jiu’s eyes lit up at the sight.
Because of these three Dream Flower seeds, the human and tiger formed a friendship beyond the tracking powder.
An Jiu noticed what looked like boats on the water surface in the night. She sent out her spiritual power to investigate and felt something familiar.
As the boat drew near, An Jiu saw two people sitting in it: Li Qingzhi and Sui Yunzhu.
Sui Yunzhu smiled as she moored the boat.
Li Qingzhi eagerly jumped onto the dock. “Fourteen!”
“You’re here!” An Jiu went to greet them.
Da Jiu lay under the tree, eyes half-closed, happily savoring the taste of the Dream Flower seeds. It ignored the strangers, allowing them to come ashore unhindered.
“Yes, Master Chu told us about this place,” Li Qingzhi said, noticing Da Jiu. “Is that Divine Doctor Mo’s tiger? Why does it only grow fat but not tall?”
“A tiger raised on poison naturally differs,” Sui Yunzhu asked An Jiu, “Should we first pay our respects to Divine Doctor Mo?”
“No need, he’s sleeping,” An Jiu led them to choose their lodgings and asked Mei Yanran to prepare two extra portions for dinner.
Dinner on the island was late. Mo Sigui woke from his nap refreshed, smelling food with delight. “Stewed chicken soup!”
Mo Sigui walked into the dining room and was startled to see two familiar faces.
Sui Yunzhu pulled the eating Li Qingzhi to bow. “Divine Doctor Mo.”
“Why are you here?” Mo Sigui’s face darkened. “Chu Dingjiang dared to ignore my words!”
The atmosphere in the room instantly became tense. Sheng Changying gently set down her bowl, wondering how to smooth things over.
Zhu Pianzhan acted as if nothing had happened, busily putting food in his bowl. “Eat quickly, you look so thin.”
Lou Xiaowu wandered in with a dazed expression. Mei Yanran put a bowl in her hands, and she sat down to eat wherever not even picking up dishes. Mei Yanran took care of her like a daughter.
An Jiu was teasing Da Jiu with a chicken leg.
Sui Yunzhu coughed awkwardly a few times and turned to An Jiu. “Should we…”
“You two are like Da Jiu, forgetting to eat when you see something interesting,” An Jiu said without turning her head. “Eat quickly.”
Sui Yunzhu stopped looking at Mo Sigui and smiled at Mei Yanran. “Madam’s cooking is truly delicious. I haven’t eaten such good food in many years.”
Li Qingzhi picked up his bowl and agreed, “That’s right, that’s right.”
The atmosphere in the room instantly returned to normal.
After eating, Lou Xiaowu “floated” out again. Ever since seeing An Jiu’s bullet diagram, she had been completely immersed in the world of firearms. The principle wasn’t difficult to explain, and with Lou Xiaowu’s talent, understanding wasn’t a problem. But things that seemed simple in theory were extremely difficult to make. Even the tiniest deviation could lead to failure.
An Jiu knew clearly that even if Lou Xiaowu succeeded in developing firearms, they would be rare items. Without modern precision industrial production, guns couldn’t be mass-produced. But she didn’t stop Lou Xiaowu.
In this world, perhaps firearms couldn’t be invincible, but holding a gun gave An Jiu inner peace and tranquility, like a Christian holding a crucifix.
Mo Sigui had been in a sullen mood, but before he could vent his anger and drive people away, he fell into another predicament.
After sleeping soundly, he found himself suffering from even more severe insomnia.
Soon, he discovered the benefits of having Sui Yunzhu and Li Qingzhi around. Sui Yunzhu loved planting flowers, grass, and vegetables and even knew a bit about herbs, able to grow many medicinal plants. Li Qingzhi was strong and could do the work of five or six people. Both were elites trained by Konghejun, working quickly and well. Mo Sigui found them handy, and his young apprentice was relegated to tending the fire and assisting Mei Yanran.
Thus, he reluctantly accepted the two.
Life on the island was peaceful and harmonious. Everyone’s faces were relaxed and content. An Jiu even started planting pear trees.
Six days passed in a flash. Mei Yanran had been in a coma for half an hour.
Mo Sigui had long prepared everything, just waiting to remove the Gu.
In Chinese folklore and traditional medicine, “gu” (蛊) refers to a type of poisonous or magical substance often associated with malevolent practices. It is usually depicted as a type of insect or creature that is used in dark rituals or to harm others. The concept of “gu” involves various myths and legends where it is used for curses, control, or other supernatural effects. In a broader sense, it symbolizes a hidden, dangerous force or influence.