Feng Bailing was muttering to herself when the lazy voice of a man floated over from behind.
"What have you hidden from me again?"
She jolted, blinking her eyes.
"I mean, how come these crops are just like those withered vines at the Crown Prince Mansion, completely lifeless?"
Feng Bailing dared not speak much about the matter of the Wooden Holy Seal.
Otherwise, Dugu Wu might guess that the Water Holy Seal was on her.
Dugu Wu looked at Feng Bailing with a meaningful gaze.
Feng Bailing had a keen observation, indeed the crops here looked just like those murdering vines at the Crown Prince Mansion after they withered.
That’s why Dugu Wu suspected that the death of the crops in several villages was related to the Spirit Array at the Crown Prince Mansion.
Feng Bailing was the only person who could see the Spirit Array, and he needed her help.
"Tonight, you and the children will stay here."
Upon hearing this, Dugu Xiaojin and Feng Xiaoli were very pleased, but Feng Bailing was stunned.
Village residences could hardly be compared to Prince Shun’s Mansion, there were only a few houses; besides the attendants, wouldn’t she and the children have to live together with Dugu Wu?
Ever since the last time, Feng Bailing felt somewhat uncomfortable when she saw Dugu Wu.
However, for the children’s good mood, Feng Bailing could only reluctantly agree.
At night, in the large bed of the house, Feng Bailing was coaxing the children to sleep.
"After the master and disciples arrived in Women Country..."
Feng Bailing was telling a story, and the two little ones, tired from playing all day, soon fell asleep.
Dugu Wu was sitting at a table to the side, piled with various official documents–wherever he went, the documents from the Ministry of Revenue followed.
The oil lamp sporadically spat out a few sparks, casting a perfect silhouette of Dugu Wu’s profile.
Dugu Wu said softly, a different kind of gleam flashing in his heterochromic eyes.
He walked towards the bed with the support of his cane.
Feng Bailing tensed up.
The large shared bed in the villager’s home wasn’t big, once both the adults and children lay down, they were essentially squeezed together.
Dugu Wu’s breath grew gradually closer, Feng Bailing closed her eyes, started counting sheep, trying to fall asleep as quickly as possible.
Just as Dugu Wu approached, outside, someone gently pushed open the door.
Lady Nan Shiu slipped in.
Lady Nan Shiu, carrying the darkness of the night with her, pushed Feng Bailing slightly.
Feng Bailing, seeing Lady Nan Shiu, then realized the meaning behind Dugu Wu’s previous words about it being ’about time’.
"Director, what brings you here?"
Feng Bailing was somewhat surprised.
"Dugu asked me to help investigate the matter between the Crown Prince Mansion and the villages, I have been investigating for several days, and finally, there seems to be a lead."
Lady Nan Shiu unfolded a map, spreading it out in front of the two.
"Bailing, I heard you saw the Spirit Array above the Crown Prince Mansion, take a look, is the array this swirl shape?"
Feng Bailing looked at the map, there was an array similar to a vortex, almost the same as what she saw above the Crown Prince Mansion that day.
"Pretty much, vortex-shaped."
"That’s right, this is the Wood Concealing Array within the Holy Seal Spiritual Array. Only those who possess the Five Holy Seals can see it. The so-called Five Holy Seals are the five elements: Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth. But, how can you see the Wood Concealing Array?"
Lady Nan Xiu wondered.
Even for her and Dugu Wu, the bearers of the Wuji Fire Seal, the Holy Seal Spiritual Array was invisible.
"I’m not sure either, I just sort of saw it inexplicably."
Feng Bailing chuckled dryly.
"Let’s not talk about that. Since we’ve verified that it’s the Wood Concealing Array, then it’s certain that the matter at the Crown Prince Mansion is related to the Wooden Holy Seal. Only those who possess the Wooden Holy Seal can set up the Wood Concealing Array. The dead crops in several villages can thus be explained."
"This Wood Concealing Array, when inside the Crown Prince Mansion, released Wood Spirit Energy and nurtured the murdering vine to besiege us. At the same time, it also tried to absorb the Gang Qi from our bodies."
It’s the Emperor’s aura from your body, Feng Bailing silently added in her mind.
"Unfortunately, it failed. It consumed a massive amount of Wood Spirit, but failed to seize your Gang Qi. Consequently, the Wooden Holy Seal, which forms the foundation of the Wood Concealing Array, was overly depleted. Like people, the Five Holy Seals must timely replenish the corresponding Spiritual Energy after daily use; if they cannot replenish, the Holy Seals will become dim and might even disperse. Thus, the person bearing the Wooden Holy Seal had no choice but to release the Wooden Holy Seal to absorb the Spiritual Energy from the crops in several villages to recover itself."
Feng Bailing understood in her heart.
It’s the same with the Water Holy Seal; she normally uses the Water Holy Seal to generate Spiritual Spring, then places the Water Holy Seal in various water sources to gradually recover.
Because the consumption isn’t as great as with the Wooden Holy Seal, the state of the Water Holy Seal only gets better.
However, it’s not the same for the owner of the Wooden Holy Seal; the person used the Wooden Holy Seal as a tool for murder, causing the Wooden Holy Seal to become increasingly violent and bloody, losing its nature.
"Unfortunately, we do not know who the person bearing the Wooden Holy Seal is. In the Crown Prince Mansion, the person did not show up. In the villages, we were also a step behind."
Dugu Wu furrowed his brows.
The person was very careful and chose remote villages in the suburbs of Chu City, escaping long before the court discovered it.
"Not necessarily, we still have a chance to catch that person."
Lady Nan Xiu said with a smiling tone.
She had come tonight specifically to inform Dugu Wu of this matter.
"Although the crops in several villages were all drained of Wood Spirit, this bit of energy is not enough to replenish what was consumed that night at the Crown Prince Mansion. The Wooden Holy Seal is still very weak; to recover, it needs to absorb more Spiritual Energy. Wood is yin, and to sufficiently replenish Spiritual Energy in one go, it must find a person born in a yin year, yin month, yin day, yin hour with an Extreme Yin Fate. Among them, an extremely yin girl is fitting."
As she spoke, Lady Nan Xiu took out a register.
"Dugu, this is forwarded from your Ministry of Revenue, listing people born with extreme yin in Chu City within a twenty-mile radius. Order your men to guard these people distinctly; in a few days, we should definitely be able to draw out that mastermind behind the scenes."
Dugu Wu took the register.
He glanced through the list, pausing his eyes.
"Are you also born with an extreme yin birth date?"
The people with an extreme yin birth date were not many; the first person Dugu Wu saw was Feng Bailing.
"My mother mentioned it. But I’m older, they probably wouldn’t be interested in me. It’s better to look for girls under ten."
The list had, in fact, just about a dozen people; excluding those who were married, there were only eight or nine left.
Feng Bailing also glanced at the list, and upon a closer look, she saw a familiar name.
"Mu Ningning, isn’t that Ah Ning?"
Dugu Wu’s eyes deepened.
"Has Feng Zao returned yet?"
Feng Zao was escorting Princess Mingyue and Ah Ning back to Prince Mu’s Mansion, and by this time should have already returned, counting the hours.