Chapter 2249: The Miao Border Youth Fiercely Loves 12

Night fell again, Jin Chen found a spot and tidied it into a very clean cave, having the Red Snake drive out the native wild wolves.

The cave's fire gradually weakened; Nan Yixing, taking advantage of the rustle of adding firewood, ground the Tranquil Spirit Pill with their fingertips and mixed it into the tea.

Jin Chen leaned against the stone wall, playing with the gu pouch containing the Red Ground Blind Spider, pondering what kind of gu insect to refine, their purple pupils flickering in the firelight.

"Have a sip of tea."

Nan Yixing handed over a rough bowl; the medicine scent concealed the hint of bitterness at the tea's bottom.

Jin Chen drank from their wrist, suddenly they pressed up from behind, chin rubbing against the shoulder blade, then they poked and said, "It's time to sleep."

Fireflies cast swaying shadows on the stone wall.

Nan Yixing waited until the person in their arms breathed steadily, then gently freed their numb arm.

Jin Chen frowned in their sleep, the Red Snake Gu curled listlessly in their wrist.

Nan Yixing gazed at them for a long time, then left the cave alone.

Nan Yixing reached for the wooden box at their waist; inside, the gu worms curled listlessly, their feelers occasionally twitching.

Compared to their activity last night at the edge of the Forbidden Land, it was far weaker; presumably they were too far from the mother gu.

They frowned, gazing at the dark mountain path outside the cave, their fingertip rubbing the dark pattern on the box.

It seems what they seek must indeed be found deeper in the Forbidden Land.

"We must think of a way tomorrow..."

We cannot let Jin Chen wander aimlessly through this forest.

They muttered silently, then headed toward the direction where the child gu's feelers twitched, leaving many markers along the way; mountain paths are hard to follow, and there's no guarantee they won't lose their way tomorrow.

Soon after, Nan Yixing stopped and put the wooden box back at their waist.

Night wind swept through the trees; just as they turned, they suddenly heard a faint chime of a silver bell.

Nan Yixing whipped their head around—only swaying tree shadows, no trace of a person.

"Jin Chen?" Nan Yixing called out tentatively, eyes wary.

No one answered.

Nan Yixing hurried back to the cave.

Inside the stone cave, the fire was about to die; Jin Chen curled up, wrapped in their red gauze outer robe.

Nan Yixing held a silver needle between their fingertips, approaching slowly.

The silver needle lightly touched the point behind their ear, the tip pressing a shallow vortex into the delicate flesh.

Jin Chen's eyelids did not twitch, their breathing still steady.

The Red Snake Gu's tail tip twitched suddenly, startling Nan Yixing into stepping back half a pace—but they saw the venomous creature merely brush against their master's wrist bone before sinking back into stillness.

Nan Yixing slipped the needle into their sleeve, tidied the scattered lapels of their clothes, and lay down beside them.

The fire crackled, casting the two shadows onto the stone wall, intertwined as one.

After a long while.

Jin Chen exhaled a long breath.

Scared the living daylights out of someone.

They turned over, boldly pulling Nan Yixing into their embrace to comfort their own frightened little spirit.

——

The second day.

In the forest at the base of Broken Dragon Cliff, dark clouds suddenly gathered—a sign of imminent rain.

Nan Yixing suggested they lead the way; Jin Chen, without asking further, followed wherever pointed, along the way also catching a few highly poisonous creatures, yet they had not encountered the other three squads again.

Soon Jin Chen realized that Nan Yixing was, without much thought, circling the edge of the Forbidden Land.

Jin Chen observed the surrounding terrain and the poisonous creatures crawling on the ground, then called out to Nan Yixing.

"Older Brother."

"I want to catch a few special insects here, and I still need Older Brother's help."

They patted the Red Snake Gu's head; the red snake, as thick as a bamboo whip, darted into the grass and soon returned with a strangled wild rabbit—dead beyond any doubt.

"Older Brother, give me some bone-dissolving powder."

Jin Chen flicked the wet rabbit ears in their hand, saying, "The fast-acting kind."

Nan Yixing took a small porcelain bottle from their medicine pouch; the wax seal bore the Southern Gate marking.

"It dissolves on contact with blood—within half an hour not even bone remains." Nan Yixing said lightly, gazing at the dead rabbit.

Jin Chen crushed the wax seal, scattering the powder over the rabbit carcass; instantly it hissed, the fur curling and vanishing as if burned, revealing the reddish flesh underneath.

After just a few breaths, the whole rabbit turned into a pool of blood, even the bones softened into dregs.

"Really impressive."

Jin Chen squatted nearby, stirring the blood with a branch, saying, "Much faster than last time I used it, Older Brother… you're skilled with poison."

The Red Snake Gu crawled over lazily, coiling around the blood.

Soon, several poisonous butterflies were drawn by the bloody scent; the phosphorus powder on their wings fell into the blood, producing a sizzling sound.

Jin Chen propped their chin, watching them flutter; their purple pupils reflected the morning light, saying, "We still need to wait for the insects—just a bit longer and we can cast the net."

Jin Chen suddenly turned their head; the ear pendant snake chain swayed slightly with the motion, somewhat dazzling.

"Older Brother, you keep heading east today—what are you looking for?"

Dark clouds pressed down; for a moment only insect chirping could be heard.

Nan Yixing slowly closed their medicine box, lifted their eyes to meet Jin Chen's probing gaze, saying, "Herbalists naturally seek medicinal herbs."

"Really?"

Jin Chen stood, stepping over the damp, blood-soaked soil, drawing closer step by step.

He still carried a faint bitter taste of Bone-Dissolving Powder on his body, mixed with the rich fragrance of agarwood.

I thought...

Nan Yixing stepped back half a step, his back against the tree trunk, "What did you think?"

Jin Chen suddenly reached out, his fingertips lightly brushing Nan Yixing's collar, plucking off a dried leaf that had stuck there at some point.

I thought you were also interested in these poisonous insects.

He moved even closer, his breath almost brushing Nan Yixing's cheek, "After all, big brother's poison technique is so good."

The distance between them was close enough to hear each other's heartbeat, their breaths mingling.

But between them it felt more like a standoff.

Nan Yixing lowered his gaze to look at the face before him, wearing a playful smile, then suddenly raised his hand and pinched Jin Chen's chin.

Young Master, you're talking a lot today.

Jin Chen didn't dodge or avoid; instead, he leaned forward even more in that posture.

What's wrong? Big brother doesn't like it?

Jin Chen raised his hand, his fingertip lightly touching the red mole at Nan Yixing's brow, the tip of his nose lightly pressing against Nan Yixing's cheek, disturbing his restrained breath.

Like an enchanting demon deliberately tempting a Bodhisattva to break his vows.

Do you know, big brother, not all Gu need to rely on a worm's body to be cast.

Hearing Jin Chen's nonsense, Nan Yixing actually felt as if his heart had been gently nibbled, a tingling numbness spreading throughout his body.