He Lan Tianxia

Murong Junlan decided to take Lingyi to find the Black Overlord Wall. He initially planned to leave Jiang He to guard the Du Yan Kingdom, but considering Lingyi's diminished power and Yan'er's still superficial martial arts, he decided to ask Qin Nan and Luo Xie to help protect the Du Yan Kingdom. Luo Xie refused, insisting on going with Murong Junlan. Murong Junlan had no choice but to send the ten vanguard officers of the Du Yan Kingdom to join forces with Qin Nan to defend the two countries' territories. Meanwhile, Luo Rina stayed in the Wu Bei Kingdom with Xiong Bao to practice martial arts.

After bidding farewell to the Emperor and Empress Dowager, early that morning, Murong Junlan, Yan'er, Jiang He, Luo Xie, Ling Yi, Cangying, and their entourage had breakfast and set off in carriages on their fiery red rabbits. Following the clue provided by Ling Yi that the Black Overlord Wall was upstream, Murong Junlan decided to search for it first. After traveling for a day and a night, they finally reached the banks of the Yellow River. Gazing at the surging waters, they were momentarily at a loss as to where to begin their search. Murong Junlan instructed everyone to settle down and rest. Jiang He was in charge of building tents and gathering firewood, Luo Xie was responsible for hunting, Cangying remained focused on finding medicinal herbs for alchemy, and Ling Yi, wanting to help, was stopped by the Prince and instead stayed to fish with the young couple on the bank.

Seeing the young couple's affectionate display, Jiang He brought back firewood, and Ling Yi couldn't wait to start a fire. With help, Jiang He continued into the woods to find materials for setting up a tent. The group were all highly skilled, so in less than an hour, they all returned laden with supplies. Everyone pitched in to help, and soon several mountain rabbits, a few pheasants, and a bamboo pole full of fish were roasting. The fragrant aroma was mouthwatering. Finally, the meat was cooked, and the woman happily ran over to tear off a piece to try. Murong Junlan glanced at her, causing her to turn the chicken leg she was about to eat and offer it to him instead. The woman said awkwardly, "Your Highness, I just wanted to check if it was cooked."

"Then my beloved concubine, you should try it for me first," Murong Junlan said casually.

"It's better if His Highness comes in person; my sense of taste isn't good." Oh dear, even someone with a good sense of taste wouldn't dare to touch it with that sour tone.

“Feed me,” Murong Junlan said without any shame.

"Hey you?" The woman's eyes widened. Wasn't it inappropriate to show affection in front of so many people?

"My hands are tired from fishing, I can't lift them up," Murong Junlan added seriously.

"Pfft." The woman couldn't help but laugh. What a lame excuse! Where was the status and dignity of a prince? Seeing that the woman didn't move, Murong Junlan simply leaned on her shoulder and said weakly, "If you don't feed me soon, I'll faint from hunger."

Seeing this, the woman glared fiercely at the prince on her shoulder and shoved a chicken leg into his mouth. Jiang He picked up a piece of roast chicken and left under the pretext of finding firewood. Ling Yi said he would help and followed him. Only Luo Xie grabbed a chicken leg, glaring at the two of them, and ate heartily, saying, "Seeing my wife being affectionate with someone else, I can only turn my grief and indignation into appetite."

Upon hearing this, Murong Junlan, unusually, did not throw stones. Instead, he pulled the woman's head into his arms and kissed her lips. The woman tried to push him away but couldn't. Luo Xie couldn't bear to watch any longer, so he grabbed a chicken and a fish and angrily went into the grove.

The woman shoved Murong Junlan away and scolded, "You did this on purpose."

"Since they're so tactless and disturb our time together, I don't care if they watch." Murong Junlan slowly ate a piece of meat.

"Your Highness, what utterly shameless words! I never knew you were so cunning!" the woman thought to herself.

"What, are you cursing me in your heart?" Murong Junlan looked at the woman in front of him with a half-smile. "I can satisfy you even in broad daylight."

What kind of nonsense is this? The woman leaped up in a flash. This was a devil; running away was the best option. She took off running, but before she could get even a step, Murong Junlan grabbed her and pulled her into his arms, then maliciously pressed his lips against hers again.

The woman blocked her way with a chicken leg and said angrily, "It's so oily, I'm angry."

"I'm just hungry and want a roasted chicken leg, why are you being so uncooperative?" Murong Junlan said, opening his mouth and taking a bite of the chicken leg in front of him, eating it with relish.

"How could I, the king, have chosen such a rude person as my beloved concubine after all this searching? Oh well, I shall serve you myself." After saying this, he began to tear off pieces of meat and feed them to the woman in a proper manner, making her feel extremely apprehensive.

While they were eating, Murong Junlan suddenly shouted into the woods, "Come out, all of you! Why did I bring you bunch of bastards along?"

The woman was so engrossed in eating that she didn't notice her surroundings. Jiang He was the first to step forward, looking completely innocent. "Your Highness, we haven't finished eating yet. I came back to get it. You can continue."

“Me too,” Lingyi chimed in.

"I'm full and have nothing to do, so I came back to see if you guys are done with your work?" Luo Xie said deliberately.

*Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh.* Murong Junlan threw several chickens at the group of people, saying with obvious displeasure, "Get lost!"

After Jiang He said "Thank you, Your Highness," everyone smiled and dispersed.

The carriage was left for the prince and the woman, while the others, including Jiang He, slept in a simple tent. The moon was bright and the stars were few, the Yellow River flowing swiftly beside them. Murong Junlan's sharp eyes, however, pierced through the curtains and fell upon an old pine tree on the opposite bank. The pine tree's trunk was thick, requiring three people to encircle it, its roots intertwined and even extending into the Yellow River. It was summer, and the needles were lush, showing no apparent difference from ordinary pine trees. But Murong Junlan was no ordinary man; he had sensed the tree's movement earlier that day while fishing. He had chosen to fish precisely to secretly observe the tree's strangeness. Unfortunately, until now, the tree hadn't revealed any significant flaws; he had even deliberately distracted them, yet the tree hadn't attacked.

The woman beside him was already sound asleep, her soft breathing as sweet as orchids. He couldn't help but lower his head and kiss her forehead. It was all his fault. If he hadn't impulsively destroyed Lingyi's thousand-year-old cultivation, his Yan'er wouldn't have had to suffer with him.

The night passed uneventfully. The next day, Murong Junlan instructed everyone to continue cooking. The others found it strange; weren't they supposed to be searching for the Black Overlord Wall? Why were they stuck here? But since the prince didn't want to leave, they had no choice but to get back to work. The day's harvest was good; Jiang He caught two wild rabbits, and roasted rabbit meat was far more delicious than pheasant. The second day passed uneventfully as well. On the third day, when Murong Junlan instructed everyone to cook, a woman couldn't help but ask, "Your Highness, weren't we here to find the Overlord Wall? Why are we just eating and drinking here?"

"So he forgot about it." Luo Xie said indignantly on Ling Yi's behalf.

"Oh dear, I really forgot. Let's pack our things and set off then." Seeing that Murong Junlan was so easy to talk to, the group thought they had misheard. They looked at each other, unsure of what to do.

"What, you don't want to leave again?" Murong Junlan seemed indifferent.

"Your Highness, shall we really set off?" Jiang He was also unsure of Murong Junlan's true intentions.

"Whatever, you decide. I have no objection." Murong Junlan glanced at the surging Yellow River, his brow furrowing slightly. This gesture caught Jiang He's attention. As expected of Murong Junlan's trusted confidant for many years, Jiang He stepped forward and asked in a low voice, "Your Highness, how many li ahead?"

"About a mile." Murong Junlan glanced at the tree again, seemingly unintentionally.

"Yes." Jiang He started packing his things, and everyone helped out. The tent was quickly moved forward another mile.

"Your Highness, is this the speed at which you search for something?" The woman felt that Murong Junlan was wasting time.

"My beloved concubine, what speed do you think is appropriate?" Murong Junlan asked unhurriedly.

"At least you should be able to travel a hundred miles a day, if not a thousand miles a day?" Although the woman knew that Murong Junlan was a man of principle, she really couldn't agree with his behavior a few days ago.

"I don't want to waste the beautiful scenery along the Yellow River. Doesn't my beloved consort want to have some romance with me by the Yellow River?"

"A honeymoon trip?"

"Since I owe you a grand wedding banquet, let me first show you around this beautiful land."

The couple's oblivious conversation went unnoticed by Luo Xie and the others, but it was overheard by the old pine tree opposite them, because Murong Junlan was speaking as loudly as possible towards the tree. At that moment, Murong Junlan clearly felt the taut leaves of the old pine tree relax for a moment, then silently retract.

After speaking, Murong Junlan actually took Yan'er for a stroll along the Yellow River. At a drop in elevation, the whistling wind carried the scent of the river water, creating a uniquely exciting experience. When the couple returned, the others had already roasted the wild rabbit, so everyone sat together to enjoy a sumptuous dinner.

That night, Murong Junlan clearly felt the old pine tree on the opposite bank rustling for a while, then falling silent. Two more days passed like this, but the old pine tree remained completely still. Murong then ordered Jiang He to advance another mile. Just as they settled down, Murong Junlan suddenly began vomiting uncontrollably, leaving the woman and Jiang He at a loss, unsure what to do. Murong Junlan asked the woman to summon the eagle back to brew medicine to cure his illness. Only then did everyone remember the eagle, who often disappeared without a trace.

The woman, worthy of being the eagle's master, whistled at the sky with a leaf, and the eagle actually came. Seeing the colorful vomit of Murong Junlan, the eagle immediately gathered some spiritual herbs and began making pills on the spot. To avoid external interference, Jiang He temporarily set up a small tent for the eagle, but even so, the aroma of the pills still wafted out continuously. The eagle worked day and night for two days and two nights, finally producing five pills. It asked Jiang He to deliver the pills and then fell asleep in the small tent.

Murong Junlan ate one pill, then had the woman place the remaining pills in a bowl on the wooden table in the carriage before lying down to rest. Around midnight, the soil under Murong Junlan's carriage suddenly shifted. Jiang He sensed it but didn't move, while Murong Junlan, having been ill for the past few days, had lowered his aura to its lowest level. The woman beside him, whom Murong Junlan had secretly acupunctured under the guise of a kiss, was now fast asleep.

One, two… a section of tree root slowly emerged from under the carriage. Seeing no reaction, the root stretched out further, reaching towards the table like a hand. Just as it reached for a pill, Luo Xie's sleep-talking voice suddenly came from the other side, startling the root so much that it fled back into the soil. After waiting for the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the root cautiously climbed back up. When it was sure there was no danger, it quickly snatched away a pill. Just as it was about to snatch a second one, Murong Junlan stretched out her long arm and embraced the woman, startling the root so much that it ran away again. Murong Junlan didn't bother with it and continued to hold the woman, truly falling asleep. When she woke up, there were indeed two pills left in the bowl.

"Your Highness, why didn't you catch it?" Jiang He felt that last night was a rare opportunity, and Ling Yi and Luo Xie both thought so.

“No rush, it will come again.” Murong Junlan looked at Ling Yi. “Tell Cangying to continue refining the pills, slowly, no rush, and add something addictive.”

"Isn't this a bit much?" Ling Yi thought to herself. Murong Junlan saw through Ling Yi's thoughts and smiled, saying that they could just have Cangying practice some remedies to relieve his addiction. Ling Yi had no choice but to convey Murong Junlan's meaning. Surprisingly, Cangying didn't utter a single complaint after hearing it, which was quite strange. Seeing the doubtful expression on Cangying's face, he shook his head and said, "Isn't Your Highness doing this for your sake?" Ling Yi was speechless for a moment after hearing this.

As expected, the old pine root came for several days in a row, stealing the remaining two pills and then stealing the five pills that the eagle had laced with its own medicine. That night, Murong Junlan told everyone to go to bed early. At the stroke of midnight, the root climbed onto Murong Junlan's carriage again. Just as it was grabbing at the two pills the eagle had just refined, Murong Junlan moved his hand, and a thin rope shot out, immediately wrapping around the rough old root. Murong Junlan was about to seize it when he heard the root snap in half with a crack, and it quickly escaped. Murong Junlan had never imagined such an escape method. He tried to pull out the rope to chase after the remaining root, but it stubbornly clung to the rope. Interestingly, both pieces were alive.

Murong Junlan then pulled out a hidden arrow, pinning the severed tree root to the ground. He chased after the other section with his sword, but with a "bang," the fleeing section exploded and shattered. Good heavens, what kind of fighting style is this? Self-destruction?

"Your Highness, this is the Shattered Body Technique; the true soul has escaped." Lingyi gave a quick explanation of the tree root spirit's demonic magic.

Murong Junlan didn't intend to give chase, because he knew the tree root spirit was already addicted to the pills. Therefore, Murong Junlan wasn't in a hurry; he simply ordered Jiang He to advance three miles before settling down.

"Your Highness, are you afraid of being hunted down by the tree spirit?" the woman asked.

"I was just afraid it wouldn't come." Murong Junlan instructed everyone to rearrange their lodgings. This place was better; there was a stone cave near the mountain. The cave was clean and empty, so they decided to stay there. Staying in the cave saved them the trouble of setting up tents, and since it was convenient to talk inside, they started chatting.

"Your Highness, I feel like that old tree is following us." The woman finally made a discovery.

"It seems my beloved consort's observation skills have improved. I'll give her a compliment." After saying that, Murong Junlan kissed the woman on the forehead.

"Can you two be serious when you're talking about serious matters?" Luo Xie glared at the two of them.

“Who says a kiss isn’t a proper thing? It seems some people are just jealous of us.” Prince Murong said shamelessly, his attitude enough to make anyone want to vomit blood. He then added unhurriedly, “Does a kiss have to be done secretly to be exciting?”

What kind of talk is this? Does this sound like something a prince would say? The woman tugged at Murong Junlan's sleeve, but he pretended not to see anything and continued to show off, "I say, Chanyu, you secretly liked my beloved concubine, didn't you feel a little jealous seeing us being so affectionate?"

"Pfft." Jiang He couldn't help but laugh. Murong Junlan glanced at him coldly, and Jiang He immediately stopped.

Ling Yi had intended to laugh as well, but the eagle reacted faster than him. The eagle stood there, flapping its wings vigorously and chirping happily. Upon hearing this, Murong Junlan, for the first time ever, gave the eagle a thumbs-up. Enraged, Luo Xie chased after the eagle, the two of them fleeing the cave.