The clan leader's face was as dark as if it could wring out water.
This was the first time Wu Li had openly defied him.
In this moment, he seemed to see, deep within the youth's deliberately obedient eyes, his own stubborn daughter.
The same kind of single-mindedness, walking a path to its very end without ever looking back.
Even when she was spurned by the whole clan and betrayed by her lover, she could still go so mad as to abandon everything, letting herself be nailed to the Sacred Tree and burned alive.
Flames licked her stunningly beautiful face, yet she was still laughing, laughing with wild abandon.
"Witnessed by the Sacred Tree, I swear with my life, to transform my Saintess blood into the purest blood, bestowing it upon the child in my womb. He shall bear my surname and be named—Li."
"He will live bearing my hatred and my curse, until the one who betrayed me meets his destined death by his hand, doomed for all eternity!"
"Father, you simply cannot kill him! Hahahaha..."
Her beautiful form turned to ash within the flames, yet the infant in her womb remained completely unharmed.
When the clansmen tremblingly pushed aside the ashes with a branch, a monstrous creature covered in baleful black blood let out a sudden cry that tore through the deathly silence.
The clan leader snapped back to the present, pulling his staff back from Wu Li's hand.
This child was so very like her.
"Clan Leader," someone spoke up as a reminder.
"The carriage to be sent to Yuebai today is ready and about to depart, but we are still missing one item for the congratulatory gifts."
The marriage alliance between Yuebai and Liangya Prefecture was a matter of utmost importance. Today was the day that princess would arrive.
The wedding ceremony would be held in three days.
All regions of Miaojiang would present lavish gifts; negligence was not an option.
But the Wugu clan lived in seclusion, never engaging in external trade, so they didn't have many presentable items.
Aside from rare spirit ginseng, lingzhi mushrooms, tonic herbs, and raw jadeite, according to custom, they should also have hunted a wild boar to display on the lead carriage.
But it was too late to go hunting now.
The clan leader swept a glance over Wu Li and had an idea.
He closed his eyes in pain and commanded Wu Li, "You will depart immediately with the caravan. Once there, present a Crimson Blood Silkworm to the clan leader of Yuebai."
A Crimson Blood Silkworm could save a life at a critical moment, making it thousands of times more precious than a wild boar.
"After the Yuebai wedding concludes in three days, return and then go to the mountain to search for Chih Lie's remains."
Upon hearing the clan leader still hadn't forgotten this matter, Chai Xiaomi felt he must have a screw loose.
For a piece of dried human skin, he would still have Wu Li risk his life, especially when he was still injured.
Wu Li, however, voiced no objection, giving a slight nod. "Understood."
After a pause, he spoke again, "I must take this medicine person to Yuebai with me. She will die without me."
Chai Xiaomi: Huh?
She had been thinking of using tearful pleas later to force Wu Li to take her along, never expecting he would ask himself.
All because of that nonsense line about dying together she had spouted.
He actually believed she couldn't survive without him.
Young people, really so naive.
In this world, anyone can live without anyone else; the earth still turns. Dying for love is just an ancient legend.
Some Gu insect larvae do indeed die if separated from their Gu master, just like Crimson Blood Silkworm larvae must be nurtured within a human body before the adult insect can be extracted.
The clan leader didn't doubt it, snorting coldly. "Just make sure she doesn't break any rules outside, or you'll bear the consequences."
Chai Xiaomi finally settled into the journey to Yuebai as she wished.
Facing the upcoming main storyline, she felt apprehensive but also a flicker of excitement.
She had already met the villain in advance; she wondered what the female and male leads looked like?
The male lead might be even more handsome than Wu Li.
Otherwise, why would the female lead be so fixated on choosing him?
After all, what girl wouldn't be dazzled seeing a face as outrageously handsome as Wu Li's?
Youtiao, hearing her internal thoughts, jumped out: Hmph, host, see, see! You're just swayed by his looks!
Chai Xiaomi jabbed back: Why is it still you? Where's Doujiang?
Youtiao immediately muted and vanished.
A hand suddenly appeared in front of Chai Xiaomi, its bones and tendons distinct, pale and slender.
Only the nails were ink-black, their edges sharp, exuding an eerie aura.
That hand held a lidded bamboo tube.
"Here." Wu Li's tone was cold.
"What is this?"
"Water."
"Water from a stinky ditch?"
Wu Li offered no explanation, making a move to take it back. "Forget it if you don't want it."
Chai Xiaomi quickly pressed down on the bamboo tube. "I didn't say I wouldn't drink it!"
Why would water from a stinky ditch be carried in such a clean bamboo tube? She unscrewed the lid; inside was indeed clear, bright liquid.
She tilted her head back and gulped down several large mouthfuls. It was refreshing with a hint of sweetness.
The caravan had limited horses.
The two of them shared a ride.
Wu Li was much taller than her, holding the reins and sitting behind her, his long lashes lowered slightly.
From this angle, he could clearly see the subtle movement of her pale throat as she drank.
That cool, sweet mountain spring slid down her esophagus, downward, further down...
His hand gripping the reins suddenly tightened, veins bulging, as he sharply turned his head away.
He suddenly felt thirsty.
After drinking, Chai Xiaomi didn't rush to replace the lid, offering the bamboo tube to him. "Do you want some?"
Wu Li's gaze swept over the mouth of the tube, the spot her lips had touched, still glistening with a trace of moisture.
He took it with one hand but held the tube suspended in mid-air, tilting his head back to drain the remaining water without touching it.
Then he casually wiped the water from the corner of his mouth with a knuckle.
Chai Xiaomi frowned.
This display of disdain... was way too obvious.
She held back and asked, "Is your injury any better? Do your bones still hurt?"
Before setting off, she had already asked Wu Li and learned that the Crimson Blood Silkworm parasitizing his body had miraculous effects. While it fed on his blood, it also helped accelerate the healing of all wounds.
Otherwise, Wu Li wouldn't have been able to ride with her.
And lift her onto the horse like a chick.
Faced with her chattering, Wu Li shot her a chilly glance.
"Shut your mouth. Don't bother me."
His nasty streak was showing again. One moment he was considerately giving her water, the next he was icy and aloof, acting cocky as if she owed him five million.
Chai Xiaomi cursed inwardly but couldn't help turning her head to look at him.
She sat in the front part of the saddle, almost enveloped by his arms.
When she turned, her forehead nearly brushed against his chin, forcing her to tilt her face upward.
This upward tilt plunged her into a vision of beauty woven from silver radiance and dawn light.
Wu Li's eyelids were lowered, a few strands of dark hair slipping from his forehead, entwined with the silver-threaded braids woven into his hair.
The ends of those delicate silver chains were adorned with tiny bells and ancient totem pendants, swaying gently with the horse's gait, producing crisp, tinkling sounds.
Those heterochromatic eyes were now gazing down at her with little emotion.
Closest to her was the silver ornament dangling from his left earlobe.
The fan-shaped piece was engraved with an exquisite silver fish, its tassels reaching his shoulder line, swaying ever so lightly in the air with his subtle movements, as if that fish might swim into the depths of her eyes and heart the next second.
"What are you looking at?"
The shimmering silver light added a touch of both demonic and pure beauty to the youth.
Chai Xiaomi forgot to reply for a moment.
After a long pause, she murmured, "Your earring is really beautiful."
