What's going on here?
The Nanjiang man Amdo found it incomprehensible.
This was the first time his poisonous insects seemed to be afraid of something, not daring to bite people.
They didn't even dare to leave his side.
"?"
Amdo looked around but didn't notice anything amiss.
By the time the meat soup was ready, Amdo took a sip and found it quite fragrant, but he could never have dreamed that the soup had already been tampered with.
And Amdo and his people felt at ease, as they were in Nanjiang, their territory, where they had nothing to fear.
Only Yun Jinnian, leaning into Nanny Qian's embrace, hooked his lips into a cold smirk.
The soup was indeed delicious; with steamed buns, it was both warming and filling. Amdo drank two large bowls of soup, thanked Hu Lao San, and then the group nestled down to sleep together.
Waiting to act in the latter half of the night.
But then there came a noise from outside, and Hu Lao San went out again.
The newcomers were a party of fifteen, the leader was heavily clothed, only his eyes showing, and the men beside him each held a sword and carried something on their backs.
"Big brother, we came to the mountains looking for herbs and it's our first time here; we're not familiar with the terrain. Seeing the firelight here, we wondered if we could stay for the night!" Teng Fei asked.
He and Chu Yu had met once before, so seeing Chu Yu, he knew Yun Jinnian must be there too and quickly glanced at his own master.
Hu Lao San hurriedly said, "Please come in!"
It wasn't his cave; it was first come, first served. The newcomers were just being polite.
Zhou Yunshen and his people entered the cave.
They sat down separately.
Zhou Yunshen glanced towards Nanny Qian and saw that she was cradling someone in her arms, guessing it was Yun Jinnian, and he allowed a gentle smile to show.
After Teng Fei and Teng Mu helped him take off his cloak and found a place for him to sit, Teng Fei then approached Hu Lao San, "Big brother, do you mind if we start a fire to roast something to fill our stomachs? We caught a wild boar at the foot of the mountain, and it's already been cleaned!"
"Be my guest!"
Chu Yu was also sizing up Zhou Yunshen.
He wasn't as good-looking, as tall, as distinguished, nor as healthy as Chu Yu.
There was no need to consider him important, but there was one thing, Zhou Yunshen was the Crown Prince of the Great Zhou Kingdom, the future Emperor, which infuriated Chu Yu.
But seeing that Yun Jinnian had not spoken from beginning to end, seemingly unwilling to speak with Zhou Yunshen, Chu Yu was slightly relieved.
Zhou Yunshen also wasn't in a hurry, sizing up Chu Yu.
He glanced again in Yun Jinnian's direction and sat quietly, waiting for the roasted boar.
A pot of hot noodle soup, a roasted wild boar.
The roasted wild boar was especially fragrant; in an instant, the cave was filled with the smell of meat. Chu Yu's party had eaten earlier and seemed to be getting hungry again from the smell.
Teng Fei also roasted a few chickens and rabbits, tantalizingly sour to the senses.
But from beginning to end, Yun Jinnian didn't move at all, as if asleep.
Zhou Yunshen's smile deepened on his face.
A wild boar, along with roasted chicken and rabbit, was simply too much to eat. Teng Fei offered the leftovers to Hu Lao San and Amdo, and Hu Lao San graciously accepted.
Seeing Hu Lao San accept, Amdo followed suit and took some as well.
Hu Lao San didn't eat, instead, he stored the food away, planning to have it for breakfast the next morning. Amdo also kept the food for later.
For a time, in the cave, it was difficult to say who was friend or foe among the three parties; but there was one thing they all had in common: they were all there to seek the Tian Mountain Snow Lotus.
But with such a vast mountain range, where to search, and whether one could find it, was a matter of personal ability.
At midnight, everyone seemed to have fallen asleep.
Amdo opened another porcelain bottle, letting the insect inside come out. He had thought the insect would be afraid, but once it hit the ground, it changed color and quickly scurried in Yun Jinnian's direction…