In the early morning, Bing Lian had just finished dealing with the new child's affairs when she was hastily summoned to Qi Wan's presence.
Qi Wan instructed her to investigate a ledger entry from five years ago.
Ledgers from five years ago were already difficult to find, and with the accountant having been replaced three years ago, the task became even more challenging.
In the accounting office, several literate servants from the household were hastily gathered to help in the search.
A young maidservant rubbed her eyes, which were starting to blur from the strain, and muttered softly, "How long will this take? What if the mistress made a mistake and there isn't such an entry? Wouldn't we have wasted our time?"
Someone else chimed in, "Exactly! The mistress's temperament has become increasingly erratic this year, constantly making us run around for no reason!"
"Oh, you know about last month's incident, right? The mistress wanted to make a new dress, but it had to be pure black, yet different from ordinary black. But black is just black, what kind of black did she expect? It almost made Maid He cry out of frustration."
"Master isn't easy either. With the mistress in charge at home, Master can only write poetry and paint. He only attends important occasions with the mistress, pretending to be affectionate..."
"Enough." Bing Lian, who had been sent to instruct someone about collecting spirit roots, entered and reprimanded, "Focus on your ledgers and stop gossiping."
Everyone was startled and shrank their necks, responding with a murmur, after which they dared not utter another word and diligently continued their search through the ledgers.
Bing Lian withdrew her gaze, took an account book from the side, and sat in the corner, flipping through it while lost in thought.
Sixteen years ago, Qi Wan collected aphrodisiac incense solely to set up a formation.
The Jiang Family Old Mansion served as the outermost layer of the formation protecting the underground palace, with the aphrodisiac incense as the trigger. Anyone who entered would soon be immersed in illusions and turn into a puppet.
But in recent years, Qi Wan had started using it on herself.
As the master of the formation, the aphrodisiac incense was originally under her control and did not pose much harm to her, but it did affect her state.
This woman was becoming increasingly unreliable.
Every time Bing Lian saw her laughing maniacally, she feared Qi Wan would ruin everything.
Yet, the formation was designed by Qi Wan, and no one else understood the complex patterns of the formation lines.
She had to stay alive.
But if—
Bing Lian subconsciously touched the spot over her heart, thinking of the instructions given by the Master, feeling slightly reassured.
But before she could exhale that breath, Qing Bai suddenly rushed in: "Miss Bing Lian, something has gone wrong!"
...
In the lavishly decorated room, a mixture of sweet fragrance and alcohol filled the air, and heavy curtains blocked out the bright sunlight outside.
A graceful woman lay on the carpet.
Bing Lian kicked open the door, her usually kind face as dark as a pot, her eyes as black as if ink had been smeared over them: "Qi Wan! What have you done!"
Hearing the voice, Qi Wan slowly sat up from the ground, her hand propping her head, her seductive eyes hazy as they fell on Bing Lian's face, seemingly puzzled: "What? What have I done?"
Bing Lian was so angry her face contorted with rage: "Someone has intruded into the core of the formation!"
"Oh, is that so?" Qi Wan chuckled lightly, not particularly concerned, "Then just have someone capture them."
Bing Lian restrained her anger: "As soon as our people step into the underground palace, the skeleton guards swarm towards us..."
Qi Wan tilted her head and thought for a moment, answering, "That's natural. With someone trespassing into the core, the skeleton guards would certainly be on high alert."
Bing Lian closed her eyes and tried to calm herself: "Qi Wan, are you betraying us?"
At this, Qi Wan gave a disdainful smile, lying back on the carpet, her tone light: "You misunderstand, I was never one of you. I was... just cooperating with you."
Bing Lian restrained the urge to strike.
Qi Wan was extremely talented in the art of formations, and it was better not to lose her if possible.
Bing Lian took a deep breath, softened her expression, and reasoned with her: "Qi Wan, you know what's in the core. By letting someone in, what will happen to him?"
Qi Wan's smile suddenly faded slightly, and a strange emotion flashed in her eyes.
Jian Huan's pink dress was also slightly torn, revealing the white inner garment underneath.
She changed back into her original green dress but didn't throw away the torn pink one.
Unlike Shen Jizhi, whose clothes were completely torn off, hers were just a few rips. They could be mended and still be a beautiful dress.
Shen Jizhi didn't discard his either. The lower part was torn off by the skeleton guards, but most of the fabric remained.
It couldn't be mended, but it could be cut and used as boot material later.
There was still space in the mustard seed bag to stuff a torn piece of clothing.
After putting it away, Shen Jizhi and Jian Huan continued downward.
The center of the tree was hollowed out, presumably artificially modified for the formation.
Inside the tree, there was a passage leading downward.
Tree roots intertwined and extended downward, densely entangled like steps.
Earlier outside, Jian Huan had mistaken them for something else. Now, upon closer inspection, she realized they were roots.
Jian Huan cautiously crouched at the edge of the hole, peering down while saying, "If we can successfully get out of here, let's have a feast at the Gathering Spirit Tower, shall we?"
The Gathering Spirit Tower was one of the ten best gourmet restaurants on the Nine Provinces Continent, with prices starting at a thousand spirit stones per meal. Those who had dined there all praised it.
Jian Huan had seen it on the Xuantian Mirror and had been longing for it for a long time.
Splitting the cost would mean each paying five hundred, or even less with Baili Dao.
With the several thousand reward she would receive upon leaving, Jian Huan felt it was worth indulging.
A meal costing three hundred spirit stones didn't bother Jian Huan as much as a three hundred spirit stone dress or other items.
To this, Shen Jizhi simply replied with one word: "No."
Jian Huan: "……"
The roots below made it impossible to fly.
In those years, to make some money and upgrade, Shen Jizhi had practiced various light footwork techniques, which were quite practical.
Now, with his foundation-building stage strength, these footwork techniques had become even more proficient and swift.
He crouched at the edge of the hole, and Jian Huan climbed onto his back.
Shen Jizhi jumped into the hole, swinging down along the roots with his arms.
Like a very agile monkey, Jian Huan thought.
Just as Jian Huan was being swung to the point of drowsiness, Shen Jizhi landed lightly, setting her down.
This place was much smaller than the upper palace, with roots densely covering every corner.
The roots converged towards the center, and Jian Huan and Shen Jizhi exchanged a glance, then applied invisibility charms and moved towards the central area.
Soon, they arrived.
The roots resembled silk threads, wrapping a person in the center into a cocoon.
The cocoon was filled with light green liquid, which the tree's branches had absorbed from the pool and transported down through the roots.
Ordinary plants absorb water and nutrients from the soil through their roots and transport them upward to the branches and leaves. But this strange tree was the opposite.
And within...
this light green liquid, resembling amniotic fluid, floated a handsome man.
Opposite him, a classical and petite beauty couch was placed.
On it, a seductive woman lay slanted, clearly Qi Wan.
She was staring unblinkingly at the man in the cocoon.
Jian Huan couldn't help but be startled.
In her guess, encountering 'Qi Wan' here wasn't surprising.
With 'Qi Wan' missing from the old mansion and the palace, she could only be here.
But Jian Huan didn't expect that this 'Qi Wan' looked exactly like the real Qi Wan, making one wonder if she was a puppet or the real person.
If the real Qi Wan was here, their chances of success would be slim.
Able to conceive such an extraordinary formation, Qi Wan was no easy opponent.
This thought was further confirmed when Jian Huan and Shen Jizhi took a step forward.
The invisibility charm suddenly failed, and their figures became visible!
Instantly, 'Qi Wan's eyes shifted towards the two.
Jian Huan just happened to look up, meeting 'Qi Wan's gaze head-on.
Her eyes were unusually empty, the pupils seemingly just mechanical devices, exuding an eerie feeling.
Jian Huan immediately recalled the talisman books she had read, her figure agilely retreating, and she quickly told Shen Jizhi in front, "This is a paper doll talisman. Being so similar to Qi Wan, it must contain her heart's blood. Be careful!"
Shen Jizhi didn't have time to respond.
'Qi Wan' had already approached, striking a palm towards Shen Jizhi.
Shen Jizhi raised his Snow Sword to block, his body, along with Jian Huan behind him, forced back by five or six steps.
The Snow Sword's blade trembled incessantly, emitting a precarious hum.
Shen Jizhi's eyelids twitched, and he quickly swapped to a sword he had 'picked up' from the old mansion.
The consequences of the Snow Sword's breaking were more than his heart could bear.
But just as he switched to another sword, 'Qi Wan' suddenly stopped her attack.
Her gaze, unwavering, fell upon the sword Shen Jizhi was holding.
Jian Huan watched all this, and suddenly an idea flashed through her mind.
She quickly said, "Shen Jizhi! Try using this sword to perform the Jade Clarity Sect's sword technique!"
Shen Jizhi reacted swiftly, gripping the sword and charging towards 'Qi Wan', using the sword technique that all Jade Clarity Sect disciples must learn.
'Qi Wan' hesitated for a moment, dodging quickly but not retaliating.
Seeing the potential, Jian Huan did not waste any time and ran towards the cocoon.
This was the true core of the formation. If they could break open this cocoon, they could see the sky again and escape from this ghastly place!
'Qi Wan' also knew the importance of this cocoon. As soon as Jian Huan approached, she no longer played the game of cat and mouse with Shen Jizhi, sending him flying with a palm strike. Her fiery red skirt fluttered, and she was about to come over.
Jian Huan, keeping an eye on 'Qi Wan' with her peripheral vision, felt her heart skip a beat and dared not move forward, quickly retreating in the opposite direction from the cocoon.
With the threat gone, 'Qi Wan' no longer paid attention to her, turning her gaze to Shen Jizhi.
Shen Jizhi was deeply embedded in the mud, struggling to get out.
His eyes were cold. Seeing 'Qi Wan' approaching, he threw the sword far away.
'Qi Wan' instantly flew out to catch the sword in mid-air.
Taking advantage of this moment, Shen Jizhi quickly retreated, joining Jian Huan in leaving this realm and returning to the original point...
They cautiously waited for a moment, but no one came.
Jian Huan let out a sigh of relief, her body going limp as she fell back onto the ground.
The skeleton army above was also terrifying, but it was the sheer number that made it so, not the individual strength.
And this 'Qi Wan', though only one, made Jian Huan feel the call of death in that instant.
But fortunately, it seemed that only when approaching the cocoon, posing a threat to it, would 'Qi Wan' act.
The cocoon, or rather the person inside it, was Qi Wan's Achilles' heel.
