Xiao Lan peeked through the door, which was left slightly open. After making sure it was safe, she rushed out of the room, not wanting to be seen.
In her hurry, she bumped straight into Wu Ming and Qiu Yue in the corridor.
"Xiao Lan, why are you running?" Qiu Yue asked with a confused look.
"I… I…" Xiao Lan stammered, her face pale. "My stomach hurts."
"Is it serious?" Qiu Yue asked quickly.
Xiao Lan shook her head fast. "No, no. Just a little pain. Maybe from bad food… or the cold wind."
Qiu Yue's eyes narrowed slightly. "If it still hurts, tell me. I found many medicines in Old Bai's room. Some herbs can cure a stomach ache."
Wu Ming looked worried. "Are you sure his herbs can be used? Be careful—he hides so many poisons as well."
"No need. Really, I'm fine now. Look, it doesn't hurt anymore. Sister… I just want to return to my room to rest," Xiao Lan said nervously.
"Okay," Qiu Yue replied, shaking her head. She gently brushed Xiao Lan's hair.
The girl smiled, then walked away from them. At the end of the corridor, she stopped, turned her head, and saw Wu Ming and Qiu Yue had already gone. Quietly, she turned in the opposite direction, toward Bai Han's room.
The door creaked softly as she pushed it open. Darkness shrouded the room, and a cold, strange smell drifted out. Xiao Lan stepped inside carefully.
Her eyes widened in shock. Human bones lay scattered across the floor. On the shelves stood glass jars filled with deadly creatures: centipedes, scorpions, and other venomous insects crawling restlessly inside.
Xiao Lan covered her mouth quickly to stop a scream from escaping.
"Ha… ha… ha…" A laugh echoed from the gold bangle on her wrist. "Xiao Lan, you're a clever little girl. I believe Lang Huan will be yours."
Ignoring the voice, she forced her shaking hands to move. While searching among the shelves of poison vials, a stack of old books caught her eye. Dust rose as she opened them one after another.
Inside were strange writings: prophecies, curses, forbidden spells. She could not understand most of them, and her heart beat faster as she turned the pages. Then her eyes stopped at one phrase: Blood Oath of Love.
A cold smile curved her lips. "Maybe… this is what I need. I don't want to be the same village girl who is always bullied," she whispered to herself.
Xiao Lan pulled down the curtain from the window. One by one, she carefully collected all the poison vials, along with the old spellbook.
She stacked them together, wrapping them tightly in the cloth, tying it into a small bundle. Her ears strained for footsteps outside, and she felt relief when the corridor remained silent. The only sound was the faint scratching of the scorpions inside their jars.
Xiao Lan's grip on the heavy bundle tightened. Without looking back at the bones and jars of venomous creatures, she slipped out of the room.
---
Lang Ruhua returned from her meditation.
When she entered Lang Huan's room, the air was filled with a faint fragrance of sandalwood. Inside, Feng Yao was sitting by the bedside, gently washing Lang Huan's face as the little monkey slept peacefully. The scene was quiet and tender, enough to make Ruhua pause her steps toward the inner room.
Her eyes softened for a moment, then she turned away silently and walked back out.
As she passed the small table, something caught her attention. She stopped. Only Lang Huan's sword lay there—the gold bangle was gone.
Her brows drew together, eyes narrowing with sharp suspicion. The Eldest Princess would never take it. I clearly remember placing it here myself. Then… who entered this room besides her highness?
Pushing down her unease, Lang Ruhua stepped into the courtyard. Several maids hurried back and forth, busy with their daily tasks. None of them seemed out of place.
Yet a new weight pressed on her chest. Not only did she have to worry about Lang Huan's condition… now the missing bangle troubled her heart even more.
"Miss Lang…" a soft voice called. Wu Ming was walking toward her.
The sound pulled Ruhua from her silent observations of the maids.
"Miss Lang, dinner will soon be ready. Master Xuankai invites you to join us. Don't worry, tonight it will be vegetarian." Wu Ming had heard that Miss Lang was a cultivator, so she guessed Lang Ruhua must eat only light food.
"Thank you. I have something to do. Just leave me a little vegetarian soup, that will be enough," she replied gently. She had always been selective, eating only certain fruits and vegetables.
Wu Ming had admired this woman since the first moment she saw her. She fell silent, then nodded in understanding. With a graceful leap, Ruhua soared into the air and vanished into the distance, her robes fluttering like drifting clouds. Even after Lang Ruhua disappeared from sight, the elegance of her movements lingered in her eyes.
A quiet breath escaped her, half sigh, half whisper. "What a carefree and beautiful woman…"
---
Xiao Lan knew very well, she could never defeat Lang Ruhua or Feng Yao. The eldest princess was heavily guarded, and Lang Ruhua's martial skill was unmatched. That was why she needed another path. A darker path.
Her fingers brushed the small bundle hidden beneath her robe. Inside were the things she had stolen from Bai Han's room.
That night, she sat alone in her room, carefully opening one of the vials. The liquid shimmered faintly in the lamplight, its color too strange, too dark to be natural. Even the smell made her nose sting.
The bangle on her wrist laughed softly."Weak hands cannot fight warriors. But poison, poison does not care how strong the body is. Even the mightiest fall when it enters their blood. What a cruel little girl."
Xiao Lan moved silently through the corridors. The lamps had already been put out, and only the faint glow of the moon guided her steps.Clutching the small vial tightly in her sleeve, she made her way toward the kitchen. Every creak of the wooden floor made her heart jump.
When she reached the kitchen, the room was quiet except for two servants busy with their work. They were chatting endlessly, complaining about how much there was to do. The faint smell of cooked rice and broth filled the air, warm and heavy.
Xiao Lan stepped inside, her expression calm and polite."Do you need some help?" she asked softly.
The two servants looked up in surprise. "Miss Xiao Lan, really? That would be wonderful! There's so much left to prepare," one of them said, handing her a ladle.
She took the ladle and moved among the pots, pouring broth into bowls, stirring rice, arranging dishes. Hidden in her sleeve, the small vial of poison pressed against her skin. She waited for the the perfect moment to release its deadly contents into the food.
Her hand trembled as she uncorked the vial. A strange, bitter scent escaped, making her throat tighten. For a moment she hesitated, staring at the dark liquid.
Her inner voice kept urging her: Do it. One drop, and no strength under heaven could save them.
Xiao Lan's eyes hardened. Slowly, she tipped the vial. A few drops of the deadly poison fell into the soup, sinking into the broth without a trace. She stirred it gently with a ladle, making sure it mixed well, then covered the pot again as if nothing had happened. No one would suspect her.