Ao’ye took the hint and pulled down the black hood from Sir Black Cat’s head.

  He had also clutched Sir Black Cat’s hair in passing, successfully lifting his face up.

  Mo Lian examined that face with flickering eyes before finally revealing a detached smile. “No wonder you look so familiar. You are the snake-charming pygmy’s brother, right.”


  That’s right, if Qiao Mu were present, she would discover that this Sir Black Cat’s face was identical to the two pygmies that had attacked her before.

  The pygmy triplet’s Eldest Brother was this Sir Black Cat that was adept at curses.

  He was one of Shuntian Prefecture’s Liu Yizhi’s henchmen!

  As he narrowed his eyes, Mo Lian lightly nodded at Ao’ye.

  Ao’ye followed up by promptly knocking out that Sir Black Cat with a clean knife-hand strike.

  “Interrogate him well. This time, you must acquire Liu Yizhi’s whereabouts.” Mo Lian curved his lips as he snorted, “We are no longer interested in playing a game of cat and mouse with him anymore.”


  “Yes, Your Highness.” Ao’ye was clearly aware that His Highness the Crown Prince was in a very bad mood right now, so he shrunk his neck as he received his order.

  “Repair this wall later.” Mo Lian turned around and strode quickly into the courtyard.

  Early the next day.

  As Qiao Mu laid askew on the bed, she felt not much different from a paralyzed patient. She could wiggle her hands and feet somewhat, but she still didn’t have the strength to get up from bed.

  Wei Ziqin, Qiao Zhongbang, Qiao Lin, and the others visited her in worry. It was only after she placated them that they left Nanzhu Garden slightly more at ease.

  She finally felt hungry at noontime, so the crown prince lifted her up and fed her half a bowl of porridge.

  “How is it.” Mo Lian caressed her forehead, looking at her as he softly asked, “Do you feel a bit better?”


  “I can’t muster up any strength at all.” Our dear Qiao Mu tilted her small head dejectedly. “Will I stay a cripple like this?”


  Mo Lian couldn’t help chuckling as he reassured, “How can that be. It’s your soul that got shaken up, so it definitely won’t affect your body. Your situation will definitely slowly improve after recuperating for two days.”


  “Even though you say that, don’t we have to set out for the Mystic Beast Forest secret realm soon?”


  “There’s ten more days, so it’s still early. It won’t be too late if you set out then.” While speaking of this, Mo Lian couldn’t help but look at her worriedly. “Qiaoqiao, on this journey to the Mystic Beast Forest secret realm, I can only escort you to the entrance, since I can’t enter it together with you.”


  “But of course,” Qiao Mu replied with a nod. Qiao Dongbo had previously said that people who were 20 years old and older would be mercilessly annihilated at the entrance should they attempt to force their way into the Mystic Beast Forest secret realm.

  That was to say, this secret realm had an age restriction. Although she didn’t know how it determined their ages, she of course didn’t wish for Mo Lian to take this risk.

  “Then I won’t be seeing you for a month,” Mo Lian grumbled sulkily.

  The secret realm only opened once every ten years, and it would stay open for a month. The secret realm wasn’t going to open up again until a month had passed.

  Of course, if they weren’t able to leave from the secret realm after a month had passed, then it was possible that they would remain inside forever.

  “You must remember to come out once the one-month time limit is up! You must not be greedy and advance rashly, okay?” Mo Lian quickly reminded her upon recalling this point.

  “Don’t worry, it’s not like I’m dumb.” Qiao Mu puffed out her cheeks, musing that she was only going inside to take a stroll and check it out.

  Most importantly, she wanted to seize this opportunity and make a trip to the Mystic Beast Forest, so that she could collect some mystic beast cores to nourish the little white squirrel’s body.