After provoking the holy maiden of Miao territory, she was infected with a love curse.

Sang Che was awakened by the sound of the Gu worms, perhaps because she had been exhausted and hadn't fed them blood in time.

That's when it starts causing trouble.

However, this small amount of hunger prevented the Gu worms from acting too violently and affecting Yin Huaixi.

It would only plead with its owner when Yin Huaixi was fast asleep.

Sang Che clutched his chest.

We really can't delay tonight.

We need to feed the Gu worms blood.

As Sang Che was about to get up, supporting himself on the soft couch, Yin Huaixi pulled him into her arms.

She let out a muffled groan, clinging tightly to Sang Che's waist, refusing to let go.

With her nose touching Sang Che's slender neck, Yin Huaixi's voice softened, and she softly called out, still drowsy, "A-Che... stay with me a little longer."

Sang Che lowered his eyes, unable to tell how long it had been since he had heard Yin Huaixi act so coquettishly.

Just as she expected.

Her vision cleared again, and she could almost see Yin Huaixi's face clearly.

"Huaixi, I'm getting up."

"The high priest summoned me today to discuss something."

Sang Che also wanted to spend some time with Yin Huaixi, but she did have important business to attend to today.

"Can't I even sleep a little longer?"

With her fingers hooked around the hem of Sang Che's clothes, Yin Huaixi, half-asleep, revealed almost all the dependence and trust she had never shown before.

Sang Che, who had originally resolved to leave, was completely unable to move. She loosened her grip on the blanket and lay back down.

"Since you put it that way... then I'll stay with you a little longer."

"Just a little while."

Yin Huaixi, who was still half asleep, leaned over and pressed her chin against Sang Che's chest, nodding slightly.

...

The window bells jingled.

The high priest, covered in dust from his journey, sat cross-legged on the ground. He had traveled day and night to get here, but he never expected that he would still not see Sang Che at this hour.

"Is the Holy Maiden unwell?"

The high priest fiddled with his magical implements, his heart filled with worry. He had come here to advise Sang Che not to stay at Phoenix Cry Mountain for too long.

This place has been discovered by the imperial court.

It's not a place to stay.

Lu Lin had previously told him that the Lingshui City government had noticed the situation on the Silver Moon River and had deployed a lot of people to investigate merchants for smuggling.

The bandit stronghold has recently lost more than half of its loot.

If the imperial court truly wanted to find a reason to offend the Miao region, it could easily have those verbally adept civil officials accuse the king of a crime, and then launch a major military campaign.

But the emperor did not do so.

The reason isn't too hard to guess.

The emperor wanted fame, he wanted the people to praise his benevolence, and he also wanted the Miao region.

It should be noted that Miao territory was not the only foreign land under heaven. The snowy regions, the Western Regions, the desert, the ancient Dian Kingdom, Ryukyu, the peninsula cities, and many other places that had submitted to the Central Plains dynasties had all taken note of the emperor's actions.

Killing a donkey after it has served its purpose, or the saying "if the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold," is a major taboo.

The emperor sent people to search the Miao region time and again, all for the "Gu King" left behind by the great god Chiyou.

This is used to manipulate people's hearts.

The high priest saw through all of this and knew the dangers involved.

The maid was trembling with fear.

"High Priest, the Holy Maiden's health, which had been improving these past few days, has inexplicably... worsened again."

"We... really have no other choice."

Hearing a definite answer.

The high priest closed his eyes.

Sigh.

"Very well, we'll wait then."

"Go out and tell the men who came with me that they need to keep watch on the mountain tonight. Tell them to keep their eyes open and report any disturbances immediately."

Maidservant: "Yes, High Priest."

"I'll take my leave now."

The high priest sat cross-legged in meditation and closed his eyes.

He didn't know how long he waited.

A blue butterfly fluttered down and landed quietly on his shoulder. Before he could even open his eyes, the familiar, crisp sound of silver bells filled his ears.

"Saintess".

The high priest gave a slight bow.

"You've come all this way to find me, are you here to tell me to stop meddling in the shameful affairs of the one sitting on the dragon throne, or are you here to tell me to leave Phoenix Cry Mountain?"

Leaning back in the bamboo chair, Sang Che crossed her legs, her long braid draped over her chest, smiling sweetly, making it impossible to discern the true meaning of her words.

He stood up and respectfully answered Sang Che, saying, "Both."

Immediately, the High Priest saw Sang Che raise her wrist, her fingertips gently stroking the head of the small crimson snake. She smiled sweetly at the snake, a smile that could launch a thousand ships.

It's so captivating that you can't take your eyes off it.

The high priest was overjoyed to see that her eyes were unharmed, and this joy was evident on his face.

His voice trembled.

"Holy Maiden...did you plant a love potion on that person?"

This was something he had been hoping for all along. As long as Sang Che planted the love potion in that Han woman, her eyes would be restored to normal.

The symptoms of the cold poison will gradually subside, and Sang Che will become a flawless descendant of Chi You!

Lead the Miao tribes back to the glory of the great god Chiyou!

Upon hearing this, Sang Che immediately averted his gaze, his fingertips, which had been teasing Xiao Ya'er, froze in mid-air.

The smile on her face vanished completely, and she turned her gaze to the high priest.

His tone was morbid, yet accusatory.

"So what if it is, and so what if it isn't?"

The high priest knew that Sang Che had feelings for the Han woman. He lowered his eyes and said with a clear conscience, "Holy Maiden, I think I have already made it very clear that you and that Han woman had a karmic entanglement in your past life. In this life... she is the one who needs to repay your debt."

The silver bell hanging by the window jingled loudly in the strong wind, its body swaying aimlessly, with nowhere to rest, only the thin string hanging down to keep it alive.

"Previously, I was unable to use sorcery to divine the latter part of your relationship with her, but now, I can tell you, Holy Maiden."

Her fingers quietly retracted, and Xiao Ya'er, quite perceptive, wrapped her arms around Sang Che's wrist, not daring to utter a sound, not even daring to spit out her tongue.

"Her heart is not with you, Holy Maiden. Turning her into a puppet as soon as possible is the safest and most useful decision for you."

Upon hearing this, Sang Che's face darkened. She braced her fingers on the wooden table, stood up abruptly, and her silver ornaments jingled all over her body.

"So what if her heart isn't with me? I've already given her a love potion. All I need to do is nourish her with my own blood and essence, and she will love me deeply and never leave me."

"How could it be that your heart isn't with me?"

Upon hearing this, the high priest's eyes trembled slightly, finally understanding why Sang Che, despite having recovered from his injuries, was even weaker than before.

It turns out they were losing a lot of blood every day!

Used to feed love potions!

"Holy Maiden, how can you joke with your life... She was merely fortunate enough to be connected with you in your past life. You only need to use her... and the suffering in this life will be relieved. Why keep her alive?"

"According to the revelation from the gods, you and she have an unresolved debt from a past life. Even if you kill her in this life, it will only be her paying off that debt..."

Listening to the high priest's incessant rambling, Sang Che interrupted directly, "What if I insist on forcing him?"

Her eyes were filled with hatred, bloodshot, as she glared at the white-haired high priest, panting.

"If she has to repay a debt from my past life, how can she simply die and be done with it?"

"I want her to stay by my side for all eternity, in this lifetime and all eternity."

The high priest was genuinely startled to see Sang Che like this for the first time, and he unconsciously took a few steps back.

Sang Che, however, remained relentless.

"My mind is made up, and no one in the world can change it."

"Did you hear me clearly?"

"I want her to live... to stay by my side, to stay by my side for the rest of her life."