The Emperor's Domineering Favor, the Evil Consort's Unparalleled Reign

After saying that, Li Xiyue smiled slightly, nodded to Ye Zhen, turned around, and walked step by step into the depths of the dense forest.

Her figure receded into the distance. Ye Zhen looked at Bing Yin, who was still the same as usual. However, for some reason, he could sense that Bing Yin was suppressing something, perhaps a deep anger.

Ye Zhen snorted coldly and said, "Nangong Lin, you're ruthless."

Bingyin smiled slightly, watching the figure disappear into the depths of the dense forest before turning around and saying, "I am ruthless like this, don't you know that? And Lianyi, doesn't she know that too?"

Bingyin reached out and patted Ye Zhen's shoulder heavily. Ye Zhen trembled and looked at Bingyin's profile, suddenly feeling a little embarrassed.

Ye Zhen said, "You know?"

Bingyin said, "I've known for a long time that there's always ripples wherever you are. Now that ripples see me like this, they should give up, right?!"

Bingyin gripped the long flute tightly, facing the opposite direction from Li Xiyue. He picked up the jade flute, lightly stepped on the ground with his right foot, and soared into the air. When he landed on the jade flute, Bingyin slightly turned his head and saw the deep purple hidden in the forest.

A slight smile played on her lips. Ripples, I've seen you all along.

Lianyi slowly emerged from the woods. She watched Bingyin's figure gradually disappear into the distance, then looked at Li Xiyue, who had long since vanished. A bitter smile appeared on her lips as she said, "I never imagined he would treat everyone this way."

Ye Zhen's expression changed slightly, and his eyes darkened. Watching Bing Yin's departing figure, he lowered his head and gave a bitter smile. This time, it might not be the case.

Bingyin took Li Xiyue away from the Shen family. They flew for a long time on a jade flute, but Li Xiyue didn't know where they landed. Because Ye Zhen had caused a scene, she left in a huff, and Bingyin didn't chase after her. Now she had no idea where she was.

The mountains surrounded a small town. After walking for a long time, she stumbled and fell, injuring her leg. She dragged her injured leg and slowly walked through the town.

The town was very small, and Li Xiyue walked slowly. She passed a wooden archway that read "Selling 'deer, chicken, rabbit and other wild game'," which turned out to be a butcher shop.

The boss was a slightly overweight, honest man. Li Xiyue watched as he wore an apron stained with oil and held a kitchen knife, chopping something with all his might.

Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be a pure white rabbit. The butcher had cut its neck with a cleaver, but it was still alive.

Li Xiyue's expression changed. The butcher put down his cleaver and began skinning a rabbit with his bare hands. Li Xiyue's forehead was covered in cold sweat. Her body trembled slightly, and her left eye gleamed faintly. Then she looked up and saw a cloud of black mist above the butcher's head! The black mist enveloped the middle-aged man in front of her. Li Xiyue took a few steps back and covered her left eye with her hand.

The butcher's hands were covered in blood. As he skinned the rabbit, its body trembled, proving it was still alive. Li Xiyue was frightened. She tried to close her eyes, but couldn't. Her left eye was glowing, while her right eye was fixed on the trembling rabbit.

"Hey, little girl, what's wrong?!" The butcher noticed a little girl standing in front of his shop and didn't leave, so he asked her out of the blue.

Li Xiyue was startled and her body trembled. After hearing what the butcher said, she said, "No, nothing. I was just curious, uncle, why are you skinning a live rabbit?"

The butcher stopped what he was doing, looked at the little girl in front of him, and said with a smile, "If we don't skin it now, it will die and the rabbit skin will rot."

Li Xiyue was startled. She looked at the little rabbit, whose red eyes gradually closed, and finally its body stopped trembling.

The butcher, intrigued, continued, "I've never seen a girl like you before. You don't seem to be from this town. What are you doing here?"

Li Xiyue shifted her gaze from the little rabbit and looked at the butcher, saying, "I want to go to Qingshi Mountain, but I don't know the way."

The butcher looked blankly at the mountains surrounding the town and said in a deep voice, "These mountains are Yinlan Mountain, and there is a Qingshi Mountain at the very end. But I see that you've gone out alone, young lady, without any help. There are many wild animals on the mountains, it's too dangerous. You should go home quickly!"

Li Xiyue's face lit up with joy. She turned and glanced at the towering mountains that pierced the sky, and said firmly, "Uncle, I must go to Qingshi Mountain. My family member is seriously ill and can't wait. So, no matter how many wild animals are up there, I have to go. Thank you, Uncle, thank you for reminding me."

After Li Xiyue finished speaking, she dragged her legs and walked towards the direction of the green stone mountain.

"Gu..."

Before she had taken two steps, Li Xiyue's stomach growled loudly. It turned out that before Bingyin discovered her, her body and spirit were trapped in the mirror, and she hadn't starved to death thanks to the spiritual energy of those disciples.

But she has been away from Bingyin for a day now, and she hasn't eaten anything all day.

The butcher naturally heard Li Xiyue's stomach growling. Seeing the white handkerchief tied around the girl's knees, which was already stained with blood, the butcher felt some sympathy for her and said, "Little girl, this is Sanxi Town. I think you must be starving. There's a tavern not far from here. You can go there and get something to eat. Tomorrow morning, some of the hunters in town will go hunting in Yinlan Mountain. You can go with them; you won't suffer too much."

Li Xiyue clutched her stomach and looked at the butcher gratefully, saying, "Thank you, uncle."

After saying that, Li Xiyue glanced at the rabbit on the cutting board out of the corner of her eye. Her expression changed slightly. After a while, she turned around, took a step forward with her left foot, and dragged her right foot along. Step by step, she finally found the tavern.

Sanxi Town is very small, with only one tavern and two teahouses in the entire town. Li Xiyue walked to the counter, intending to order some dishes to fill her stomach, but after feeling her entire cloth bag, she found it was practically cleaner than her face.

The proprietress patiently waited for Li Xiyue to search every pocket on her body. Finally, Li Xiyue said apologetically in a low voice, "Proprietress, I don't have any money on me. I'm sorry to have bothered you."

After saying that, he turned around and started to walk away, dragging his injured leg.

The proprietress glanced at her injured leg, then at her stubborn expression, and suddenly smiled, saying softly, "Young lady, it seems you've encountered some difficulties. How about this, there's another room in our shop, though it's quite basic. If you have nowhere else to go, feel free to stay. We'll have some simple food and drinks."

Li Xiyue felt a warmth in her heart and looked at the proprietress, speechless for a moment.

The proprietress had a kind face and nodded, then said, "Miss, you have an injury on your leg, you should go and rest."

After saying that, he waved his hand, and a kind-hearted old woman came over and led Li Xiyue upstairs.

Li Xiyue looked at the proprietress gratefully and said, "Thank you."

Although it was simple, Li Xiyue felt a sense of warmth when she saw the room. She sat down, leaning on the table, and the old woman soon brought out three steamed buns, a plate of side dishes, and a bowl of coarse rice porridge.

At this moment, Li Xiyue didn't care about anything else. Holding the steamed bun in both hands, she wolfed it down. In the blink of an eye, she had eaten one steamed bun. Before she had even finished chewing, Li Xiyue picked up a second steamed bun and took a bite.

The old woman stared in disbelief, repeatedly saying, "Young lady, eat slowly, there's more if you're not full."

But Li Xiyue wouldn't listen to any of that. Holding the third steamed bun in her hands, she ate it bite by bite. Whether she choked or was thirsty, she picked up the bowl of porridge and drank it down.

Glug, glug, drinking porridge is like drinking water.

The porridge and side dishes were devoured in a flash. The old woman stared blankly for a moment as Li Xiyue ate the porridge and side dishes that were completely gone before she finally cleared away the plate and took the bowl away.

Li Xiyue dragged her legs downstairs. The proprietress was at the counter keeping accounts. Seeing Li Xiyue come down, she smiled and said, "Have you finished eating, young lady? I was just saying you were starving. If you weren't full, I'll have her make you something. Sanxi Town is a small town, and you look like you're from a big city. It's normal for you not to be used to it. Grandma Li..."

When Li Xiyue saw the landlady calling for the old woman again, her expression changed slightly. She quickly said, "Landlady, no need. I'm full. I've already used the medicine for my injuries. Thank you very much. But I can't eat your food or stay here for free. I have a hairpin here. Please accept it. I will come back to repay you when I have the chance."

After speaking, Li Xiyue removed the hairpin from her head, which was inlaid with light blue stones and had a white beaded tassel. Then she placed it on the counter.

The proprietress glanced down at the hairpin and smiled slightly: "Miss, this hairpin looks rather valuable. You should keep it. Although Sanxi Town is small, the people are kind. We can afford to treat you to a meal."

"Besides..." The proprietress changed the subject, looking at Li Xiyue's slightly disappointed eyes, and said, "This hairpin is special to you, young lady, you should keep it safe."

Li Xiyue paused, looking at the hairpin lying flat on the counter. It was a gift from Bingyin, the only gift she had received in all these years.

"Boss lady, bring me two jars of liquor, undiluted baijiu, do you have any?!" A burly man slammed his fist on the table and shouted.

The proprietress exclaimed "Yes!" and came out from behind the counter to greet the burly man. "Sir, yes, we have it, our husband just brought it from the wine cellar yesterday. We guarantee you'll be satisfied."

The proprietress went to get busy, leaving Li Xiyue alone outside the counter, staring at the hairpin in a daze.

As night fell, she lay in bed, holding a bronze mirror in her arms, gently stroking the hairpin in her hand, and gave a bitter smile.

I remember the tavern owner saying that the hunters staying here would be going hunting in Yinlan Mountain tomorrow. Most of them came from other places, and because it was early summer, there were many wild animals. This time, they were determined to have a good hunt.

Li Xiyue had already arranged to travel with them.

So, she must get a good night's sleep that night, and tomorrow, she will go to Green Stone Mountain to ask about the Dry Bone Ring.

But how can I fall asleep?

Ying Li stood beside Li Xiyue's bed, looking at the vibrant Wood-type Shadow Guard, at her stubborn brows and eyes, and suddenly felt a pang of heartache. So, this was the location of the Ice Shadow Nightmare?! Such a heartbreaking woman, so unforgettable…