Ning Chen left the Wu Kingdom's capital with Mu Zhaozhao.

Feng Qizheng, Xiao Yanxi and Wu Tiezhu went with him, at the head of a hundred men of the Ning'an Army, to protect him.

Two days later, they reached the Yuliu clan.

The Yuliu clan lived in a village—really a mountain stockade—hemmed in by hills on three sides, green from top to bottom, lovely country.

The Yuliu clan had very little contact with the outside world.

So the Ning'an Army made camp outside the stockade.

Feng Qizheng and Xiao Yanxi went in with Ning Chen.

The carriage rolled into the Yuliu clan's stockade.

Ning Chen's condition was getting worse so fast he could no longer ride a horse.

All along the way, he'd spent most of his time asleep.

Mu Zhaozhao brought them to the only two-story building in the stockade.

Only the Yuliu clan's old clan head, the previous High Priestess, had the right to live there.

The old clan head was an old woman with graying hair, a face full of wrinkles and a sour, gloomy look. She didn't seem easy to get along with.

"Master!"

Mu Zhaozhao saw the old woman come out leaning on her staff and bowed respectfully.

Xiao Yanxi gave a slight bow. "Greetings, Elder!"

Feng Qizheng didn't bow, because he was carrying Ning Chen... who was still unconscious.

The old woman's gaze settled on Ning Chen. Her brows furrowed into deep ruts, and she kept shaking her head.

Xiao Yanxi's heart sank. She asked urgently, "Elder, what is it?"

"This is the Prince Regent of the Great Xuan?"

The old woman's voice was low and rasping.

Mu Zhaozhao nodded. "Master, this is the illustrious Prince Regent of the Great Xuan."

The old woman snorted coldly. "Illustrious? Notorious is more like it... He reeks of slaughter and he's tangled in karma. I doubt he'll come to a good end."

Feng Qizheng was furious. "Hey, can't you talk like a person, you old hag?"

The old clan head looked at Feng Qizheng and said flatly, "Knife brows and tiger eyes—the face of a tiger or…