A large crowd gathered in front of an unassuming stall, where the stall owner wore clothing adorned with silver ornaments.
Looking at so many customers before him, his expression was somewhat shy and timid.
By the time Chen Qing arrived, the deal had already been made.
The herb hunter, who had spent quite a bit of silver, tucked the medicinal herbs into his pocket like treasures while vigilantly scanning his surroundings.
Chen Qing had no interest in the herbs in the herb hunter’s hand. What intrigued her was the identity of that stall owner.
She casually found one of the herb hunters who had been gathered there earlier and inquired carefully.
Chen Qing was now basically certain that the stall owner was very likely one of the Ancient Miao People she was searching for.
However, finding them so easily left Chen Qing somewhat puzzled.
Weren’t the Ancient Miao People supposed to be deeply hidden? How could someone appear so boldly to sell medicine?
Even if it was an imposter, they couldn’t have consistently provided high-year herbs from the depths of the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains.
Moreover, according to that herb hunter, Ancient Miao People appeared in the Flower and Bird Market fairly frequently, and it was never the same person each time.
Once confirmed, Chen Qing took Su Mu’s hand and quietly followed behind that stall owner from the Ancient Miao Tribe.
As a Grandmaster, Chen Qing’s tracking could only be detected by a handful of people in the world—and only if she made a glaring mistake.
The stall owner from the Ancient Miao Tribe walked unguarded into a mountain path, carrying a small backpack.
The rugged mountain road appeared utterly ordinary, yet it gave Chen Qing a faint sense of danger.
Chen Qing hesitated for a moment before releasing Su Mu’s hand.
“You wait here for me. I’ll be right back.”
With that, Chen Qing stepped onto the path.
Watching Chen Qing’s figure recede into the distance, Su Mu felt a faint panic stir in her heart.
When Chen Qing was by her side, Chen Qing herself was the greatest danger.
But now that Chen Qing had left her, Su Mu’s heart began to thump uneasily.
The silent air around her and the tranquil woods made the back of Su Mu’s neck prickle with chill.
Unbeknownst to her, a white mist gradually enveloped her surroundings, visibility dropping lower and lower.
“Hey! Are you back?”
Su Mu mustered her courage and shouted toward the path where Chen Qing had gone.
But the only response was the still air and the thickening mist.
Su Mu swallowed nervously. She had the distinct feeling that something terrifying nearby was staring at her.
Subconsciously, she glanced back—and a pair of eerily glowing eyes peered from a nearby bush, fixed intently on her.
A bead of cold sweat trickled down Su Mu’s forehead as her feet inched backward.
Then she whipped around and bolted.
She no longer cared about Chen Qing’s instruction to wait here.
Eyes that big clearly belonged to one of the terrifying mountain beasts.
If she didn’t run now, she’d end up as its meal.
In blind panic, Su Mu plunged into the woods without regard for direction.
Thin, sharp branches slashed across her face and arms, drawing fine wounds from which fresh blood seeped.
But with adrenaline surging, Su Mu felt no pain and kept charging ahead madly.
Panting heavily, Su Mu thought she’d finally shaken off the beast behind her.
Then she slammed headfirst into a wall of flesh. Staring up at the enormous figure and its long, razor-sharp claws, Su Mu drew in a sharp gasp and collapsed to the ground.
“Ah Meng, why’d you scare someone unconscious again?”
The ferocious beast instantly turned docile at the sound of that voice.
Its big eyes ringed with dark circles stared innocently at the girl who had spoken.
The beast that had scared Su Mu senseless turned out to be Blue Star’s national treasure from a certain peace-loving great nation—a giant panda.
This one was far larger than most pandas, looking even more intimidating.
Yet before the girl who had just spoken, it remained its usual dumb and innocent self.
The girl was Miao Meng. She had only been out on her routine patrol with Ah Meng when Ah Meng spotted someone tailing the uncle who had gone to the Flower and Bird Market for medicine.
She had already reported the other tracker’s whereabouts to the Clan Leader; this frail-looking one, she decided to handle on her own.
Miao Meng helped the prone Su Mu to her feet.
“Ah Meng, come here.”
She prepared to toss her onto Ah Meng’s back for the carry home.
But at close range, she noticed Su Mu’s formerly calm little face now tinged with a faint blush.
The mountain mist had obscured her view earlier; she hadn’t realized this sister was so stunningly beautiful.
Even with eyes closed, that peerlessly gorgeous face promised eyes as enchanting as her mother’s—peach blossom eyes.
The giant panda Ah Meng, oblivious to its owner’s odd mood, shuffled over to her side.
It extended a paw, hoping to appease its upset owner.
But Miao Meng swatted its paw away.
“Ah Meng, with your clumsy paws, what if you hurt this pretty sister? I’ll carry her.”
Miao Meng slipped her hands under Su Mu’s thighs and scooped her up in a princess carry.
Ah Meng gazed at Miao Meng with big, aggrieved eyes.
Its owner was acting weird today. Normally, Ah Meng handled all the carrying, but now she was doing it herself—and she’d even smacked it.
Was its owner really mad? The thought left Ah Meng even more downcast.
Oblivious to Ah Meng’s swirling emotions, Miao Meng savored the softness at Su Mu’s thigh roots, lost in a daze.
She glanced down at the unconscious Su Mu. Were it not for Ah Meng lumbering behind her,
She’d be tempted to sink her teeth into this pretty sister’s plump, glossy red lips and find out how they tasted.
Right—Mom had said that after marriage, you could do naughty things with your husband.
So if she made this pretty sister her wife, she could turn all those improper thoughts into reality, couldn’t she?
Heavy face-connoisseur Miao Meng, cradling Su Mu, suddenly brimmed with motivation. Her pace back to the village quickened noticeably.
Su Mu’s head throbbed with pain. She hazily opened her eyes—and spotted a massive figure and a petite one standing by the bedside, staring at her.
Once she made out the massive one’s features, Su Mu’s mind blanked.
“Ah Meng, I told you not to come in! Look—you scared the pretty sister again!”
The giant panda, seeing its owner upset, could only shoot Su Mu a pitiful glance before slinking out of the room.
Watching the giant panda exit, Su Mu’s brain flatlined.
Had the zoo let out their star attraction? And this girl could command it?
As Su Mu turned to her, Miao Meng grew instantly nervous.
“Hello, Pretty Sister. I’m Miao Meng. Today while patrolling the mountains, I found you passed out in the woods. For your safety, I took the liberty of bringing you back.”
Miao Meng gave the facts a slight tweak.
