"Enough," the Orange-clothed disciple said angrily. "If the Saintess wishes to return to the Hall of Reincarnation, we will personally escort her. There's no need for you to lead the way!"
"Liu Ruyan, you clearly recognized the Saintess but deliberately concealed it, nearly causing the Hall Master and the Saintess to miss each other again. I am ordered by the Hall Master to take you back for punishment!"
Liu Ruyan's eyes widened in shock. "Saintess! Has the Hall Master recognized her?"
The Orange-clothed disciple shot her a cold glance. "You are not qualified to inquire about the Saintess's affairs!"
With that, the Orange-clothed disciple waved her hand. "Guards, apprehend Liu Ruyan and escort her to the Hall of Discipline for punishment!"
Li Yang was stunned by the sudden turn of events. Seeing that the Orange-clothed disciple was about to drag Liu Ruyan away, he hurriedly said, "Wait, many of our brothers are poisoned. Make her hand over the antidote!"
Lu Qingwan had already examined several nearby guards. Hearing this, she said to the Orange-clothed disciple, "There's no need for the antidote. I don't trust the medicine she gave. Sever her tendons, both hands and feet, and let her taste the suffering my brothers endured!"
The Orange-clothed disciple looked at her for a moment, then nodded. "Very well!"
With a flick of her wrist, she drew her blood-dripping saber and severed Liu Ruyan's hand and foot tendons.
Amidst piercing cries of pain, Lu Qingwan casually distributed detoxification pills to her brothers.
The Orange-clothed disciple walked over, her saber still dripping blood. She sniffed and said, "Your detoxification pills are quite potent. Give me one so I can take it back and study it."
Lu Qingwan gave a noncommittal smile. "One detoxification pill is no problem. But, young lady, could you explain the situation here?"
She had clearly hypnotized the Orange-clothed disciple to deliver a message of peace to Li Yang and the others. At the time, the Orange-clothed disciple was indeed under hypnosis. However, it was obvious that Li Yang and the others had not received any news from her. Even the little bird she had sent to gather information had disappeared. If this wasn't the work of the Hall of Reincarnation, Lu Qingwan would perform a public act of righteousness right then and there!
The Orange-clothed disciple heard this and her sweet face suddenly looked embarrassed. "I told you, Saintess, please don't be angry."
Lu Qingwan raised an eyebrow. "You tell me." The implication was, you speak first, and whether I get angry or not depends on my mood.
The Orange-clothed disciple stopped playing coy. "Your hypnotic technique is indeed powerful, Saintess. However, you probably don't know how heavily the Hall of Reincarnation guards against outsiders. After you hypnotized me, I intended to go down the mountain. But before I could even reach the mountain gate, my master discovered me. Your hypnotic technique, though powerful, is still no match for my master."
Since she had come this far, the Orange-clothed disciple became even more candid. "As for the kingfisher you used to send messages, it was caught by Junior Brother Qingyi as soon as it flew out of Guiyun Residence."
Lu Qingwan's heart tightened. "You even caught it?"
The Orange-clothed disciple smiled. "Naturally. Although we don't know how you managed to bring that kingfisher into the mountain. However, anyone who has come into contact with you, whether person or object, will not have the chance to step out of the Hall of Reincarnation, as long as they are not confirmed to pose a threat to the Hall of Reincarnation."
So, they had mistaken the kingfisher as something belonging to her? Lu Qingwan breathed a sigh of relief. "No wonder the old man wanted to kill us the moment he saw me and the Prince. You guard against outsiders as if you're warding off fire, thieves, and floods. Just how secretive is your Hall of Reincarnation?"
"It's not that the Hall of Reincarnation is secretive, but that the world cannot bear to see the Hall of Reincarnation." The Orange-clothed disciple said calmly, "The reason the Hall of Reincarnation holds a status superior to all countries and martial arts factions is because we are brimming with talent, a hidden gathering of dragons and crouching tigers. But if the world were to unite against us, how many dragons and tigers could carve a path to survival against such a united assault?"
Lu Qingwan understood their caution. She simply felt that they should at least differentiate situations. However, her heart was not with the Hall of Reincarnation, and she didn't want to waste more words with the Orange-clothed disciple over this. She gave a noncommittal smile and turned to examine the poisoned guards of the Prince's manor.
Li Yang's eyes darted curiously at Lu Qingwan. He couldn't understand how his Princess Consort had disappeared for a while and then suddenly reappeared as the Saintess of the Hall of Reincarnation. Lu Qingwan deliberately pretended not to notice Li Yang's curious gaze and earnestly instructed him, "The Tendon-Dislocating Pill does immense damage to the meridians and internal organs. Although you have taken the antidote, you must not be careless. Tell them that they must not use their internal energy for the next half month. If anyone feels unwell, do not hold back. Seek me out immediately."
"Your subordinate understands, Princess Consort!" Li Yang replied respectfully. Lu Qingwan was still uneasy. She surveyed the surroundings and found Li Su. "You will accompany me up the mountain. I will prepare some medicine, and you can bring it down for them as a precaution."
Li Su naturally agreed readily. "Princess Consort, you are too kind. Your subordinate thanks you on behalf of our brothers."
"Don't mention it, Li Su. We're right here, so you don't need to thank us on our behalf!" The guards standing close to Li Su joined in the teasing. "Thank the Princess Consort for saving our lives! Please accept our bow!"
Saying this, a group of them bowed towards Lu Qingwan. However, before the antidote had fully taken effect, one of the guards' vision went black, and he collapsed in front of Lu Qingwan.
Lu Qingwan blinked, took out a copper coin, and handed it to the guard after he got up. The guard instinctively reached out when he saw Lu Qingwan handing him something, then stared blankly at the copper coin in his hand. "Princess Consort, this is..."
"New Year's money." Lu Qingwan said seriously. "Although it's a bit early for greetings, since you've bowed, it wouldn't be appropriate for me not to give you some New Year's money."
The surrounding guards and the disciples of the Hall of Reincarnation burst into earth-shattering laughter. The guard's face turned red from his forehead to places hidden by his clothes. He didn't even notice when his own Prince and Princess Consort left.
In the Hall of Reincarnation, Liu Xunran raised his eyebrows repeatedly as he listened to Orange-clothed disciple's report. "Just a dozen or so guards managed to turn the Medicine King Valley upside down and even took Liu Ruyan hostage?"
The Orange-clothed disciple nodded with a solemn expression. "They only did so to interrogate them about the whereabouts of the Saintess and Feng Xiwu. Otherwise, Liu Ruyan would have been dead long ago, and they wouldn't have had to wait for disciples to apprehend her."
Liu Xunran exclaimed instinctively, "That brat has some skill!"
The Orange-clothed disciple chimed in, "The Saintess is the one with skill. Feng Xiwu and his subordinates are all obedient to the Saintess. It's clear that the Saintess has high prestige among Feng Xiwu's subordinates."
"How dare he not!" Liu Xunran slammed the table. "A mere Regent of Daqian dares to abduct my granddaughter. If he dares to mistreat Wan girl, I will immediately find her a new husband!"
Orange-clothed disciple: ... At this moment, he calls her "Wan girl" incessantly. Why wasn't he as affectionate towards her in front of the Saintess? He's just putting on a tough act!
Guiyun Residence.
Feng Xiwu was still reluctantly pinned to the warm kang by Lu Qingwan. WhileNeedling Feng Xiwu, she muttered, "Liu Ruyan is the Valley Master of Medicine King Valley, after all. How could she be so easily taken hostage by Li Yang? When Orange-clothed disciple sent people to apprehend her, she didn't resist. Is the Valley Master of Medicine King Valley really that cowardly?"