“I’ve already paid the craftsmen in Miao Village with silver to fix it.”
Chen Qing had spent most of the morning out using silver to repay the things they had taken from Miao Village.
Although Miao Village was secluded, silver was just as useful there as it was outside.
She had also destroyed the bedding they had used during their intimate moments with Shizun.
Even though it had been washed clean, she wouldn’t allow anyone else to use it.
This was probably one of the perks of having money.
Su Mu curiously glanced at Chen Qing. She had been by her side almost the entire time, so how had she suddenly come up with so much silver?
Still, Su Mu knew better than to ask about things she shouldn’t.
After breakfast, Chen Qing and Su Mu tidied up the room they had stayed in for just two days.
This trip to Miao Village had truly been a hasty visit—coming and going in a rush.
Su Mu didn’t feel much attachment to the place. She would just miss Xiao Meng, her lifesaver.
But with Chen Qing right there, even if Su Mu had ten times the courage, she wouldn’t dare go say goodbye to Xiao Meng.
Chen Qing and Su Mu left quietly without drawing much attention. However, Miao Qing, who had anticipated their departure for today, hid on a small hill and watched them disappear into the woods.
She had finally sent this ticking time bomb away. But if the rigid Clan Leader found out she had given away the Gu Technique just like that, she would probably chase her down for a beating.
That said, it was only a matter of time before this Grandmaster learned the Gu Technique. Letting her leave early could even be considered a good deed for the village.
Xiao Meng would throw a tantrum if she found out her beloved Pretty Sister had left.
Sigh. Being a mother for even a day was a real headache.
Su Mu had no idea that Miao Qing was dealing with all this mess. She stuck closely behind Chen Qing as they made their way through the woods.
The thick fog around them made it impossible to see more than two or three meters ahead.
As Chen Qing’s dedicated sword sheath for the journey, Su Mu also had to carry a sword.
But after nearly becoming a beast’s meal last time, she didn’t dare stray even a step from Chen Qing.
“Careful. There’s a snake ahead.”
“There’s a snake?!”
The moment she heard about that cold, slimy creature nearby, Su Mu nearly jumped three feet into the air.
“It’s on the tree above your head.”
Su Mu looked up and saw a shiny green snake staring right at her with its eyes.
She nearly fainted on the spot and hurriedly shielded Chen Qing behind her, making her face the terrifying creature instead.
“Don’t worry. This snake isn’t venomous. It’s very docile around people.”
Seeing how scared Su Mu was, Chen Qing took the initiative to hold her hand.
Normally, if Chen Qing held her hand, Su Mu’s mind would race with a hundred and eighty ways she might bully her.
But in these woods, Chen Qing was the only source of safety for Su Mu.
So Su Mu gripped her hand tightly. Chen Qing took a step, and Su Mu followed right after.
She had completely turned into a devoted little tagalong.
Seeing her Silly Shizun acting so obedient, Chen Qing realized that making her Silly Shizun behave was as simple as ensuring she could only rely on her.
A dark thought flashed through Chen Qing’s mind, but she quickly suppressed it.
Still, those repressed emotions would eventually erupt one day. If Su Mu unwittingly ignited her crazy, twisted ideas on that day…
Then Su Mu would have to face a paranoid maniac.
Su Mu had no idea about the future—and she didn’t want to. Right now, she just wanted to get out of these woods as quickly as possible, far away from snakes, centipedes, wild beasts, and the like.
She vowed never to come back. This place was too terrifying.
Following the map she had memorized from Miao Village, Chen Qing trudged on for who knows how long until the fog around them finally began to thin.
The dense canopy overhead started letting patches of sunlight through now and then.
After navigating this stretch of road, Chen Qing finally understood why the Ancient Miao Tribe could hide so effectively.
This foggy, dense forest would confound anyone without a Grandmaster’s cultivation and powerful divine sense—not to mention the map she had specifically memorized from Miao Village. She might have wandered lost in here for half a month otherwise.
To ordinary people, these woods were no different from a deadly formation array.
“Are we out?”
With the sunlight growing brighter, Su Mu’s face lit up with joy.
She even loosened her tight grip on Chen Qing’s hand.
Staring at her now-empty hand, Chen Qing felt a twinge of discomfort.
Looking at her blissfully happy Silly Shizun, Chen Qing said flatly, “Not yet. The fog’s just thinner here. There are still plenty of snakes, bugs, rats, and ants around.”
The moment Su Mu heard they weren’t out yet, her brief relaxation vanished. She hurriedly grabbed Chen Qing’s hand again and resumed her role as the loyal little tagalong.
In less than half an hour, the dense woods completely gave way to ordinary forest, and the thick fog was gone.
Spotting the official road in the distance, Su Mu’s heart leaped with excitement.
Without waiting for Chen Qing, she dashed out of the woods first.
“Whew! We’re finally out!”
But her joy didn’t last. She soon noticed a group of people staring at her wide-eyed.
While Su Mu was still dazed, the guards opposite her tensely raised their crossbows and aimed them right at her.
“Who are you? How dare you charge at Miss’s carriage!”
The guards looked extremely on edge, their fingers hovering over the triggers.
Any suspicious move from Su Mu, and they would turn her into a pincushion.
“I was just gathering herbs in the woods and came out now. I mean no harm.”
Su Mu waved her hands frantically, throwing out a random excuse in a panic, terrified they might fire by accident.
“A herb gatherer dressed like that? Tell us who you really are! How dare you block our Miss’s path on purpose!”
Far from clearing up the misunderstanding, Su Mu’s explanation only made the guards more tense.
“Why can’t a herb gatherer dress like this?”
Chen Qing, following behind Su Mu, saw her Silly Shizun being targeted by a bunch of crossbows. Naturally, she wasn’t about to be polite with these guards and shot back bluntly.
The appearance of another person made some guards’ hands sweat with nerves.
If the Imperial Princess died in these wild mountains due to their failure to protect her, not even executing their entire families could atone for such a sin.
The tension between both sides grew thicker by the second.
