The barbed whip, each lash tearing large chunks of flesh from her body, made Bai Ling grit her teeth, refusing to cry out. She didn't know if she would survive, but she had no regrets about her decision today.
"Great Elder, that man escaped."
"Escaped!" The Great Elder stopped wielding the whip. "Search for him! Dig three feet into the ground to find him. He defiled the White Pagoda and misled the Saintess, a crime punishable by death. He must not be allowed to escape!"
"Yes."
"Great Elder, since the man has already fled, why not let him go?" Bai Ling spoke weakly, but her words only earned her more ferocious whipping.
"Do you fancy that man, Bai Ling? I tell you, not only will I not let him go, but I will capture him, slice him into a thousand pieces, and make him fertilizer for nurturing蛊 worms!"
The Third Elder sighed, "Bai Ling, what did you do after leaving the White Pagoda?"
A glint flashed in Bai Ling's eyes. "I just went for a stroll in the streets, ate some things I'd never tasted before, listened to a storyteller tell a play, visited the night market, and drank a pot of wine."
"Shameless!" The whip lashed onto Bai Ling's back again and again. Her back was a bloody mess, with the bare bones almost visible.
The Third Elder looked at Bai Ling's stubborn face with pity. After all, Bai Ling was the most outstanding among the current generation, a master of raising and controlling蛊 worms. She didn't want Bai Ling to be ruined like this.
"Who instigated you to leave the White Pagoda? Hand over this person, and you can avoid the suffering of ten thousand蛊 devouring your body."
"No one instigated me, I wanted to go out and see for myself." Bai Ling said without hesitation. Whether it was the sacred land or the White Pagoda, it was hell, filled with only coldness. But that person had made her feel warmth. Despite being a stranger she had met only once, he gave her unprecedented warmth.
"Even now, you don't admit your mistake. Is this how you repay the elders who poured all their effort into nurturing you?" The Second Elder rebuked sternly. "Do you also intend to defect?"
After enduring thirty lashes, Bai Ling lay on the ground, too weak to even sit up. She looked at the three elders with cold faces and smiled, "I never thought of defecting. I just wanted to know how ordinary people live, to taste if the outside food is as bland as ours. Outside food has many flavors; candied hawthorn is sour and sweet, sugar cakes are sweet and sticky, and grilled meat dipped in chili has a unique taste. Great Elder, have you ever tasted it?"
"Silence, you rebellious thing!"
"Great Elder, I am a person, not a thing!" Bai Ling took a breath. "Is it wrong to like delicious food and beautiful scenery?"
"As the Saintess, you should sever all desires and emotions. Yet, for the gratification of your palate, you broke the taboos. Are you worthy of the elders' meticulous teachings?"
"The three elders taught me蛊 arts, and I am grateful. But haven't you also acted for your own selfish interests?"
"What did you say?"
"You raised us merely to become hosts for the蛊 King, and even to control us, you fed us life-and-death蛊. You never treated us as living beings, only as tools!"
"Bai Ling, do not speak nonsense!" The Third Elder was anxious. Angering the Great Elder at this moment was not wise.
"From childhood to adulthood, did you ever care if we had enough to eat or wear? No, you only cared about raising蛊 worms." Bai Ling struggled to get up. "But a stranger I met for the first time cared that I wasn't wearing shoes and might hurt my feet."
"Stubborn and unrepentant, push her into the Ten Thousand蛊 Pit!" The Great Elder roared, and immediately, someone took Bai Ling away and pushed her into the Ten Thousand蛊 Pit.
Nangong Yu, carrying a severely injured Ye Qing, cautiously infiltrated the White Pagoda. He had originally intended to sneak in to find a way to detoxify and rendezvous with Xiao Man. He hadn't expected Xiao Man to abduct the Saintess of Wuyue Kingdom and leave the White Pagoda, leaving Ye Qing to impersonate the Saintess within the pagoda.
"It's a good thing you came in time. Otherwise, I, the dignified King of Medicine, would have died in the hands of a bunch of insects."
"Where is Xiao Man?"
"No idea, playing around somewhere. She took the Saintess out. I hope they don't come back, or those old nuns will kill them."
Nangong Yu, carrying Ye Qing, hid in the darkness, evading another wave of searchers. "Did you find a way to remove the蛊?"
"There are two ways, but both are life-for-life methods." Ye Qing gasped. "Can't you carry me? It's very uncomfortable to be carried by you."
"Then walk yourself."
"You'd better carry me." Ye Qing immediately chickened out. He was injured and his legs were weak. At this moment, he couldn't act tough. Otherwise, if Nangong Yu was in a bad mood and left him to those ruthless old nuns, he would be dead for sure.
Xiao Man, still worried, sneaked back into the White Pagoda. She had some understanding of the Saintess tribe's people. She wondered if Bai Ling would be punished and if Ye Qing was alright.
Upon infiltrating the White Pagoda, Xiao Man discovered that many people were searching everywhere, seemingly looking for someone.
"That person might have already escaped the White Pagoda. Is this search useful?"
"The Elder said that person absolutely could not have escaped. He was injured, so even if he got away, he's still within the White Pagoda." Another person replied. "Damn it, this man is so despicable, he actually tricked the Saintess into leaving the White Pagoda. Now the Saintess's life is probably in danger."
Then silence followed. Xiao Man, however, felt shocked. Bai Ling's life was in danger? How could that be? Just going out to play would lead to her life being in danger?
Xiao Man intended to catch someone and ask what was going on. However, as soon as she stepped out, her mouth was covered, and she was dragged into the darkness.
"It's me." Just as Xiao Man was about to use her hidden weapon, the person covering her mouth spoke from behind. It was Nangong Yu.
"Your Highness, why are you here?"
"Came to find you two." Nangong Yu said while observing the situation outside.
Xiao Man turned around and saw Ye Qing leaning against the wall, looking disheveled and seriously injured. "I'm sorry, brother. It was my oversight. I should have taken you with me."
Ye Qing glared resentfully at Xiao Man. "Where did you two go?"
"Went shopping and listened to a play."
"That's it?"
"What else?"
"Did she tell you the detoxification method?"
"The detoxification method, didn't she tell me from the beginning?" Xiao Man asked seriously.
Ye Qing rubbed his temples and looked at Nangong Yu, lowering his voice. "You should keep a closer eye on her from now on. She's so naive, be careful she doesn't get scammed."
Nangong Yu looked at Xiao Man, a faint smile on his lips. Scam Xiao Man? He was overthinking. She was more likely to scam others!