The whole family was brutally murdered? The ruthless heiress's eldest daughter went berserk aft

“Alive.” Lan’er responded, struggling to her feet and looking around. “But…we’re trapped in the valley.”

Looking up, the towering snow-capped peaks were almost invisible, while their life-saving medicine remained in that remote cave.

The snowstorm gradually subsided, but Murong Xuewei's heart grew colder and colder...

"This is bad!" Zhang Jing checked Gu Ye's pulse and his expression changed drastically. "His heart meridian is almost broken; he won't last another hour!"

Murong Xuewei's heart trembled, and she hugged Gu Ye tightly: "No...no...you said he could hold on for a few more days..."

"The fall just now accelerated the spread of the poison," Zhang Jing said gravely. "If we can't find the snow lotus soon..."

Gu Ye's breathing grew weaker and weaker, his lips turning bluish-purple. Murong Xuewei trembled as she stroked his face, tears streaming down her face: "Gu Ye, you can't die, you promised to stay with me until we grow old..."

"My...wife..." Gu Ye struggled to open his eyes, his voice so weak it was almost inaudible, "I'm...sorry..."

"Don't speak, save your energy." Murong Xuewei wiped away her tears, forcing herself to calm down. "Dr. Zhang, is there any other way?"

Zhang Jing quickly rummaged through the medicine pouch: "My last life-extending pill might hold him up a little longer, but..."

"Give it to me!" Murong Xuewei almost shouted.

Zhang Jing took out a dark red pill and carefully fed it to Gu Ye. But Gu Ye was too weak to swallow, and the pill remained in his mouth for a long time without dissolving.

"I'll do it." Murong Xuewei crushed the pill and passed it to Gu Ye's lips.

Lan'er, observing their surroundings warily, said, "Your Highness, it's not safe here. We need to find shelter as soon as possible. It's getting dark."

Murong Xuewei looked up at the precipice, then at Gu Ye in her arms, and suddenly made up her mind: "Take Gu Ye and find a safe place. I need to go back and get the snow lotus."

"No way!" Zhang Jing refused flatly. "That cliff is at least a hundred feet high, and that snow bear is still up there!"

“But if I don’t go, Gu Ye will surely die!” Murong Xuewei said stubbornly. “I’ll go up alone; I’ll be faster and more agile.”

"Your Majesty, let me go on such a dangerous mission." Lan'er stepped forward.

Murong Xuewei shook her head: "You must stay and protect Gu Ye. In case..." She paused, "...in case I don't come back, take him back to the capital."

"Madam...don't go..." Gu Ye suddenly grabbed her sleeve, "It's too dangerous..."

"Don't worry," Murong Xuewei forced a smile, fighting back tears, "I will definitely come back safely. When I return, we'll go home."

After saying this, she handed Gu Ye to Lan'er and picked up a sturdy tree branch from the ground to use as a weapon. Seeing that he couldn't dissuade her, Zhang Jing sighed and took out a small bottle from his pocket: "This is my last bit of calming incense; perhaps it will be of some use against that snow bear."

Murong Xuewei took the small bottle and turned to leave. But Gu Ye suddenly coughed violently, spitting out a mouthful of blood, and then fainted.

"Gu Ye!" Murong Xuewei rushed back and hugged him, her fingers touching his nose to check his breath, finding it so faint it was almost imperceptible...

"Someone's coming." Lan'er suddenly looked up alertly, her gaze fixed on the snow slope not far away.

Sure enough, a dozen or so figures dressed in heavy animal hides with mysterious symbols painted on their faces gradually appeared. They held spears and warily surrounded Murong Xuewei and her group.

“The northern natives,” Zhang Jing said in a low voice. “They’ve lived on this snowy plain for generations.”

The leader, a burly middle-aged man, stepped forward and said in broken Central Plains dialect, "You shouldn't have come here; a blizzard is coming."

Without thinking, Murong Xuewei knelt down in the snow: "Please, please save him! He's been poisoned and his condition is critical!"

An elderly witch emerged from the crowd, holding a staff adorned with animal bones. She bent down to carefully examine Gu Ye's condition. After her examination, the old witch doctor spoke a few words to the tribe's leader in the tribe's language.

The leader's expression was grave: "The shaman said he won't last much longer." He glanced at the darkening sky. "Come with us first; there are sheltered places in the tribe. This place will soon be swallowed up by the blizzard."

Zhang Jing and Murong Xuewei exchanged a glance, knowing this was the best option at the moment. The natives skillfully constructed a makeshift stretcher using animal hides and wooden poles, and carefully lifted Gu Ye onto it.

"Stay close to us," the leader said, leading everyone deeper into the snow valley.

The group trudged through the wind and snow, and gradually, several tents made of animal hides and wood came into view. Campfires were lit around the tents, and wisps of smoke rose from them.

“Our tribe,” the leader said, pointing to the tent, “you are safe here for now.”

The old witch doctor led them into a large tent. Inside, a brazier burned, making it warm and dry. In one corner, various herbs and animal bones were piled up, emitting a unique medicinal aroma.

"Put him here," the old witch doctor said in broken Central Plains dialect, pointing to a wooden bed covered with thick animal hides.

Murong Xuewei held Gu Ye's cold hand and asked anxiously, "Can you save him?"

The old witch doctor was silent for a moment, then shook her head: "I can only temporarily alleviate his pain. To save him..." She pointed towards the mountaintop, "he needs the blessing of the Snow God."

"You mean...that snow bear?" Murong Xuewei asked eagerly.

The old witch doctor nodded. "The snow bear is the embodiment of the snow god, guarding the sacred snow lotus. But now..." She looked out at the howling snowstorm, "a blizzard is coming; no one will make it to the summit alive."

Gu Ye suddenly coughed violently, spitting out another mouthful of blood. Murong Xuewei felt as if her heart was being torn apart, and looked helplessly at Zhang Jing.

Zhang Jing was examining the old witch doctor's herbs, his brow furrowed: "These herbs may not be an antidote, but they might help him hold on for a little longer."

"Please, you must save him," Murong Xuewei pleaded with the old witch doctor. "He is my whole world."

The old witch doctor, seeing the sincerity in Murong Xuewei's eyes, seemed moved. She sighed and turned to rummage through the medicine shelf...

The old shaman found several medicinal herbs and began pounding them by the fire pit. The rich aroma of the herbs gradually filled the tent, mixed with the unique bitter scent of the herbs.

“I’ll go get the snow lotus,” Murong Xuewei suddenly said, her voice firm.

"No way!" Zhang Jing refused flatly. "The blizzard outside is getting worse; going up the mountain now would be tantamount to suicide!"

The old witch doctor also spoke in slightly broken Central Plains dialect: "The Snow God is enraged; this is the most dangerous time."

Murong Xuewei looked at the unconscious Gu Ye, tears silently streaming down her face: "But if I don't go, he'll surely die. I'd rather risk my life than watch him leave here."

"Your Majesty, let me go." Lan'er stepped forward.

Murong Xuewei shook her head, wiped away her tears, and turned to Zhang Jing: "Doctor Zhang, please save him. You are the best doctor; you must have a way to make him hold on a little longer. Once the blizzard subsides, I can bring Xue Lian back..."

Zhang Jing sighed: "I will do my best. But you were too reckless, with such a blizzard..."

“I know this is dangerous,” Murong Xuewei interrupted him, kneeling before the old witch doctor. “Please, save him. You must know every medicinal herb on this snow mountain, you must have a way…”

The old witch doctor looked at Murong Xuewei, a flicker of pity in her aged eyes. She spoke something in the tribe's language, and the chief translated: "The witch doctor said she would use a secret method to prolong his life, but at most he can only last until sunrise tomorrow."