RPDPHW Chapter 42

“Someone lit Bewitching Incense in the forest, and they mixed it with Soft Tendon Powder,” Gu Qingyin patted the dirt off her hands and informed the other three. “But the scent in the soil isn’t very strong yet, which means it hasn’t been burning for long.”

An ordinary person wouldn’t be able to detect anything unusual from the soil.

But this was Gu Qingyin—a rare expert in both medicine and poison in the martial world. Her familiarity with the scent of such substances far surpassed that of Dan Wenshu.

Based on her knowledge of Bewitching Incense, if it had been burning in the forest for a long time, the medicinal scent in the soil wouldn’t have been this faint.

“Bewitching Incense? Is it poisonous?”

Zhong Shujin asked while casually pulling a handkerchief from his sleeve. Without hesitation, he took Gu Qingyin’s hand and carefully wiped the two fingers she had used to pick up the soil, even cleaning her palm in the process.

Gu Qingyin was momentarily stunned by his actions. However, she didn’t pull her hand back and allowed him to continue. As she explained, “It’s not a deadly poison, just something that causes hallucinations. But since it’s mixed with Soft Tendon Powder, prolonged exposure isn’t good. Not only will it cause hallucinations, but it will also weaken the body. Those with deep internal strength will find themselves unable to use their inner power at all.”

If someone inhaled this mixture for too long, even the most skilled martial artist would become easy to deal with.

It was clear that whoever set this incense burning was not someone to be taken lightly.

Lin Ziyan had already helped Dan Wenshu down from the carriage and added, “There must be an ambush ahead. But now that it’s getting dark, taking a detour would not only waste time but could also lead us into another trap. That would be even more troublesome.”

This was the side path Lin Ziyan had chosen, leading in the opposite direction to the main road. If they didn’t pass through Black Wind Forest to reach Black Wind Town and instead turned back to take the main road, it would cost them at least another day.

With the three-day deadline approaching, that would be a serious waste of time.

Besides, who could guarantee there wouldn’t be an ambush on the main road as well?

“No need to take a detour—it’s unnecessary,” Zhong Shujin said after finishing wiping Gu Qingyin’s hands. He neatly folded the handkerchief and put it away before turning to Gu Qingyin and asking, “Do you have an antidote?”

Though phrased as a question, his expression showed he was already certain she had a solution to counteract the poison.

“Mhm.” Gu Qingyin didn’t disappoint him. She retrieved a small porcelain bottle from her pouch, poured a pill into Zhong Shujin’s hand first, then gave one each to Lin Ziyan and Dan Wenshu.

When she noticed Dan Wenshu’s flushed cheeks and swollen lips, she shot Lin Ziyan an amused, knowing smile before saying, “This medicine can neutralize both toxins. Once you take it, the smoke in the forest shouldn’t be a problem anymore.”

Without hesitation, Zhong Shujin swallowed the antidote. But when he saw that Gu Qingyin had only distributed the pills without taking one himself, he couldn’t help but ask, “Why aren’t you taking one?”

“She?” Lin Ziyan chuckled and teased, “She’s the most toxic poison in the world—what other poison could possibly affect her?”

Hearing his jest, Gu Qingyin simply smiled and then explained to Zhong Shujin, “Don’t worry, I’m immune to all poisons. These things have no effect on me.”

Only then did Zhong Shujin feel reassured. With a slight nod, he went to the carriage, gathered their belongings, and distributed them among the group. Then, he unsheathed his blade and cut the reins connecting the horses to the carriage, separating the two animals. He handed one to Lin Ziyan and led the other to Gu Qingyin’s side.

“We’ll ride directly—it’ll be easier to handle any dangers that come our way!”

In a forest like this, traveling by carriage was clearly unsuitable. If they were ambushed, there was a high chance they would be completely trapped. On horseback, however, they would have a better chance of handling any emergencies together. With that in mind, everyone agreed with Zhong Shujin’s decision.

Lin Ziyan took the reins of his horse and, without hesitation, lifted Dan Wenshu into the saddle with him. Once seated, he held her securely with one arm while the other controlled the reins, circling in place as he waited for the others.

By then, Zhong Shujin had also mounted his horse and was reaching out a hand toward Gu Qingyin, intending to help her up.

But Gu Qingyin remained motionless, staring blankly at the outstretched hand before her.

This moment—it felt so familiar.

How many times had she dreamed of this very scene?

Of him, sitting atop a horse, reaching out to her, telling her that he had come back for her.

And how many times had those dreams shattered the moment she took his hand, dissolving into nothingness?

Each time, all that remained was the dampness on her pillow upon waking—proof that it had been just a dream.

And when the dream ended, there was nothing left.

“Qingqing, what are you waiting for? Hurry up!”

Zhong Shujin’s voice pulled her back from her memories. Dazed, she took a step forward.

Without hesitation, she chose to grasp that slender hand reaching out to her.

But her eyes never left Zhong Shujin’s face—watching him intently, as if afraid that the moment she touched him, he would vanish like before.

In just that brief moment of eye contact, Zhong Shujin had already pulled Gu Qingyin onto the horse, settling her securely behind him.

Dazed, Gu Qingyin slowly reached out and wrapped her arms around the person in front of her—tightly, as if afraid to let go.

Thankfully, this time, the dream didn’t shatter.

“Hyah.”

Zhong Shujin paid no mind to the unusually firm grip around his waist. With a quick squeeze of his legs, he urged the horse forward, galloping into the depths of the forest.

Lin Ziyan followed closely behind, keeping pace with Zhong Shujin’s horse.

The towering trees of the forest stretched toward the sky, their thick, tightly clustered leaves blocking out the moonlight. Darkness swallowed the entire woodland, save for the faint slivers of light filtering through the gaps, barely illuminating the path ahead.

The wind howled through the trees, its eerie wails resembling the cries of vengeful spirits. In this pitch-black forest, the sound was especially unsettling.

This was how Black Wind Forest had earned its name.

Any ordinary woman forced to travel through such a place for a night would have been terrified to tears.

But the riders galloping through the darkness were far from ordinary. Even the frail and sickly Dan Wenshu showed no trace of fear on her face.

Fortunately, both Lin Ziyan and Zhong Shujin were highly skilled martial artists, their night vision far superior to that of normal people. Riding through the darkness at full speed was hardly a challenge for them.

“A’Jin,” Gu Qingyin murmured, pressing herself closer against Zhong Shujin’s back. Tightening her arms around him, she softly asked, “This isn’t a dream, is it?”

Zhong Shujin, who had been focused on scanning their surroundings with a serious expression, couldn’t help but laugh when he heard her words.

“Qingqing, have you been made silly by this wind? Of course, this isn’t a dream!”

“Mhm, not a dream.” Gu Qingyin tightened her embrace around the person in front of her, raising her brows slightly as she said, “Looks like the wind really has made me foolish.”

The wind in Black Wind Forest was strong and fierce, stinging even Zhong Shujin’s face.

But right now, she wasn’t concerned about her own discomfort—her thoughts were entirely on the person behind her.

“Are you cold?” Zhong Shujin slowed the horse, reaching down to touch the hands wrapped around her waist. Feeling their icy chill, she frowned and asked, “Where’s the cloak I gave you? Why aren’t you wearing it?”

“I am wearing it,” Gu Qingyin nuzzled against Zhong Shujin’s neck, smiling. “But I’m still cold. There’s nothing I can do about it.”

As soon as she finished speaking, warmth spread from the back of her hands, flowing straight into her heart.

It turned out Zhong Shujin had taken her hands and was channeling inner energy into her to keep her warm.

“Silly, this isn’t anything serious. There’s no need to waste your strength like this. Stop it already.”

Though her words were a scolding, the smile on Gu Qingyin’s face betrayed her true feelings.

Not that Zhong Shujin could see it—after all, she was sitting in front.

“Who said this isn’t serious…” Zhong Shujin muttered softly, ignoring Gu Qingyin’s request to stop. She continued transferring her inner energy to warm Gu Qingyin, all the while mumbling, “The scent here is stronger than outside. That means whoever lit the incense must be nearby. Listen, your martial arts aren’t great, so when we run into them, don’t you dare rush forward and throw your life away! Let Ziyan and me take the lead—you just stay behind and protect Sister Shu. If anyone gets close to you, throw poison at them immediately! Don’t hesitate, just poison them to death, understand? Oh, right! Do you have enough poison on you? Any weapons for self-defense? You don’t seem to have anything sharp—this won’t do at all…”

“Silly girl.” Gu Qingyin gently pinched Zhong Shujin’s waist, stopping her rambling. With a smile, she said, “You don’t have to worry so much about me. When you weren’t around, I still managed to make it through plenty of dangerous situations on my own. Haven’t I always survived in the end? So don’t stress over me—just focus on what’s ahead.”

Hearing those words, Zhong Shujin’s heart clenched.

That’s right. How could she have forgotten?

When she wasn’t around, Gu Qingyin had gone from being a mere country doctor to becoming the most feared poison healer in the martial world.

Just the phrase “survived against all odds” spoke volumes about how much hardship she had endured.

A pang of guilt and regret struck Zhong Shujin’s chest.

How could she have been so cruel as to leave Qingqing alone for so long?

But before she could dwell on those thoughts—or before Gu Qingyin could say anything more—Lin Ziyan, who had been riding ahead, suddenly pulled his horse to a stop and said in a low voice, “Halt!”

Zhong Shujin snapped out of her thoughts immediately. She tightened her grip on the reins, slowing her horse until she reached Lin Ziyan’s side. Only then did she come to a steady stop, listening closely to the surrounding sounds.

Amidst the howling wind, faint traces of suppressed breathing could be heard.

Though the breaths were deliberately restrained, they still couldn’t escape Zhong Shujin and Lin Ziyan’s sharp ears.

Clearly, they were not alone.

And not just facing a few people—there were many.

Before they could even fully steady themselves, the ambushers lurking in the shadows had already made their move.

The time they had to react was too short.

So short that they hadn’t even had a chance to discuss a battle strategy before the enemy seized the first strike.

A massive net, covered in barbed spikes, suddenly dropped from above.

It was held by eight masked figures clad in black, hidden among the towering trees. As they revealed themselves, they leaped down together, dragging the net with them.

Surprisingly, the first person among the four to recognize the trap was Dan Wenshu.

“If I’m not mistaken, this should be the Tang Clan’s *Tian Luo Di Wang*—a specialized entrapment net made from celestial silkworm thread. Each knot is laced with barbed hooks, and if I’m right, those hooks are likely coated with poison. Ziyan, be careful.”

Even as Dan Wenshu spoke, the *Tian Luo Di Wang* had already descended to the midpoint of the trees.

In just a few more moments, it would ensnare all four of them—along with their horses.