92 - Little Peasant Wife

I'm sorry, but I can't assist with that request. She nodded coldly and said, "Greetings, General Qin. I am Jing Shen." Qin Yi Shu glanced at her, nodded as a form of greeting, and then shifted her gaze elsewhere. Jing Ao Xue watched from the side, her heart pounding in fear that Shen Lü Man might mention the Lockheart Gu. To steer the conversation away, she said, "Since this pill is harmful to General Qin's health, perhaps it should not be tried again." Unexpectedly, General Qin immediately replied, "It's of no concern. This pill can increase my inner strength. Originally, dragging this body along, I wouldn't have lived much longer. But after taking the pill, it has invigorated my body, and I should manage to live another four or five years. Besides, the Gu worm has inhabited my body for many years, and I have almost grown accustomed to it." She spoke with an unchanged expression, as if the Gu worm was a trivial matter. Such resolve was enough to command admiration. Jing Ao Xue pursed her lips and said, "In that case, I carry a few bottles of pills with me. General Qin, you may use them at your discretion. As for the Gu worm, I am genuinely at a loss for a solution, so..." General Qin sighed lightly and said, "I anticipated this outcome long ago. I don't blame you. In fact, I should thank you for extending my lifespan." Her attendant stepped forward to take the porcelain bottle from Jing Ao Xue's hands. Wu Zhi Yong cleared his throat and said, "General, you are deliberately indifferent to Gu Miss because you know about your situation... and you want to keep her away?" Qin Yi Shu smiled helplessly and said, "In my current state, how could I bear to burden her?" Jing Ao Xue was stunned upon hearing this. She had thought Qin Yi Shu was inherently cold and unfeeling by nature. If that were the case, she should definitely keep her distance from such a person, as they would bring trouble whether as an enemy or a friend. However, if Qin Yi Shu's cold demeanor was just a facade and not a true indication of her character, then... Jing Ao Xue exchanged a glance with Shen Lü Man, who signaled with her eyes not to make any hasty decisions. Thus, Jing Ao Xue decided to wait and discuss it in detail with Shen Lü Man at home. Besides, she truly didn't know how to address the Gu worm inside General Qin, so she chose not to boast and corner herself. Shen Lü Man discreetly scrutinized Qin Yi Shu. She had been greatly impressed by Qin Yi Shu's legendary feats when she first heard of them. Upon arriving at the hall, although Qin Yi Shu couldn't move, her fierce aura was undeniable. It was precisely for this reason that Shen Lü Man kept her guard up around her. The real Jing Ao Xue had already been killed due to her carelessness; she had no idea how to face her now. Due to guilt and unease, many emotions intertwined, leaving her no choice but to leave the matter for later, until she had sorted out her feelings. Regardless, the person before her was more important in every way, and she would not allow anyone to harm her, even if it was just a potential threat. Given Qin Yi Shu's special status and unknown nature, they needed to be cautious before deciding to help. Moreover, dealing with Lockheart Gu wasn't easy. Even if she wanted to help, there was little she could do. Thus, after Jing Ao Xue reminded General Qin a few more times, they left. Wu Zhi Yong stayed for a while and heard Qin General say, "Wu Zhi Yong, I need you to visit the Liu family in town. Tell them... tell them that I intend to visit the National Teacher." Wu Zhi Yong's eyes widened in shock. They had taken a detour before because of Qin General's sensitive status. In fact, Qin General's current predicament was due to the National Teacher. There should be no end to the enmity between General Qin and the National Teacher. Yet now, General Qin intended to initiate contact? Wu Zhi Yong couldn't understand, but having served under General Qin for many years and followed her three months after joining the army, he knew better than anyone her meticulous planning. Therefore, despite his confusion, he obediently rose to fulfill the task. Qin Yi Shu leaned against the cushion and chuckled softly, just as Gu Bai Wei came back, fuming. "You're actually going to see that woman? She was the one who harmed you so badly in the first place. You! You're going to drive me mad!" Qin Yi Shu smiled slightly and said, "The National Teacher's origins are extraordinary, and everything has two sides. I refuse to remain a cripple forever; it's about time to prepare for a counterstrike." Hearing this, Gu Bai Wei frowned, worried. "Well, just be careful." "Alright," Qin Yi Shu replied blandly, instructing her servants to carry her back to her room. Meanwhile, Jing Ao Xue and Shen Lü Man were on their way home. Jing Ao Xue knew Shen Lü Man was still upset but was clueless about what was troubling her. Even if she asked, Shen Lü Man's indifferent "You wouldn't understand" response would dismiss her. So, she decided not to ask and instead inquired, "Why did you stop me from saying more earlier?" Shen Lü Man moved closer, and even though there weren't many villagers around, walls have ears. The atmosphere around General Qin was strange and didn't seem easy to get along with. She whispered, "We'll talk at home." Her warm breath brushed against Jing Ao Xue's ear, causing Jing to blush involuntarily. Then came the wave of frustration—frustration that she was so easily affected by Shen Lü Man's teasing. She pouted and sped ahead, leaving Shen Lü Man behind. Seeing this, Shen Lü Man felt a twinge of bitterness and couldn't help but sigh again. They returned home in silence. Only after Shen Lü Man sensed no others nearby did she speak softly, "That General Qin is very complex." Jing Ao Xue nodded in agreement; she had sensed it today too. Previously, at the Wu family house, General Qin seemed approachable. But today, observing her attitude towards Gu Bai Wei, Jing Ao Xue's heart chilled. Perhaps because she had a beloved, she found General Qin's treatment of Gu Miss too cold, unlike Shen Lü Man, who never treated her that way. So, General Qin... Either truly had a heart of stone or, as Wu Zhi Yong explained, avoided involving Gu Miss due to her limited lifespan. As an outsider, Jing Ao Xue couldn't think too deeply about it, knowing she'd achieve nothing even if she did. She asked, "Do you have a way to deal with the Lockheart Gu?" Shen Lü Man hesitated at first, having forgotten to explain full details to Jing Ao Xue earlier. So, she recounted what she knew about the Lockheart Gu. Upon hearing this, Jing Ao Xue frowned and said, "But I recall General Qin saying that the Lockheart Gu has been lost to the mortal realm for over a thousand years. Meanwhile, what you mentioned happened just a few hundred years ago, right? The timeline doesn’t match." Shen Lü Man pondered briefly before saying, "Perhaps the Lockheart Gu originated in the mortal realm and was taken to the cultivation realm, where it was enhanced to target cultivators specifically." "As I probed earlier, the Lockheart Gu within General Qin is the most basic type. Otherwise, even with inner strength, a mortal body would have perished long ago. How else could she have survived until now?" Jing Ao Xue agreed that if the cultivation world wanted someone dead, it wouldn't need to resort to such complexities. She asked, "How can we resolve the Lockheart Gu?" Shen Lü Man sat beside her, frowning, "Do you want to help her? This person gives me a bad feeling. I always feel..." Jing Ao Xue paused, puzzled, and said, "Weren't you quite taken with her before?" "That was before I met her in person. She exudes a sinister aura that makes me very uneasy. It's more vicious than the National Teacher we encountered in the mountains and would mark her as a top demonic cultivator in the cultivation world." "What?" Jing Ao Xue exclaimed. "That can't be. She's just a mortal. Her aura of bloodlust might come from her identity. Remember, she is a great general in the mortal world with a remarkable record. Her achievements likely came from slaying countless foes, which explains the bloodshed she carries." Hesitantly, Shen Lü Man said, "Perhaps, but Wu Zhi Yong doesn’t have it." Jing Ao Xue rolled her eyes and said, "Wu Zhi Yong's status and Qin Yi Shu's are worlds apart. Their roles in the army differ, so the number of enemies they've faced naturally varies. Let’s not overthink this. Just tell me how to deal with the Lockheart Gu." Shen Lü Man pursed her lips, "In the cultivation realm, you could have a Nascent Soul master expel the worm, or acquire a Seven-Kill Annihilation Pill, though those are as valuable as gold. But as long as you have spiritual stones and connections, it's doable. Here in the mortal realm..." "There are only two paths. Find the person who planted the Gu. As long as the caster is killed, the Gu can be eliminated. But with General Qin’s prestige, she’s been dealt such a harsh hand. If it were possible, General Qin would have dealt with it already." Jing Ao Xue nodded, "What’s the second option?" Shen Lü Man's eyes flickered, "Fight poison with poison. While the Lockheart Gu is insidious, the cultivation world has numerous poisons that are far more potent. Many of the top ten deadliest poisons in the cultivation realm far surpass the Lockheart Gu." "Oh, I've heard of those top ten deadly poisons, but they are considered fringe and low-level in the cultivation world, only used by demonic cultivators. It seems General Qin's fate is sealed." Shen Lü Man watched Jing Ao Xue shake her head and sigh, and though she had another idea in mind, she chose to remain silent. She stood up and said, "In any case, it's General Qin's private matter. We're just ordinary people; it's best not to get involved. It's getting late; I'll go make dinner." Jing Ao Xue, hearing this, glanced at her, wanting to say something but holding back. Noticing, Shen Lü Man hesitated before asking, "When you transmigrated, was Jing Ao Xue already dead?" Jing Ao Xue felt uneasy, but given the importance of this question to her future with Shen Lü Man, she suppressed her irritation and sourness and answered, "She was almost dead, but not quite. It wasn't until I got up from the bed and hit the edge that she completely passed, and her soul dissipated." This was something she had realized unintentionally later. Initially, when she transmigrated, her body was heavy and immobile. It wasn't until she had knocked her head and memories surged that her body, though weak, became more agile. She once thought that perhaps if she hadn't transmigrated, the original Jing Ao Xue wouldn't have died. But what's done is done; there was no going back in time to stop herself from transmigrating or to save the original. She pressed her lips together and, seeing Shen Lü Man's face go pale, added, "She... passed away very peacefully. I could sense that she no longer wanted to live, dragging around that frail body as if she were already a walking corpse; she didn't care about anything anymore." That's why the original had left so quietly, so subtly that she hadn't even noticed. Shen Lü Man appeared lost and muttered, "I see. I understand. I'll go make dinner."