Wang Hai, Xiao Si, Mei Qinghe, and Gao Ling, the four of them, followed the butterfly, pursuing it all the way.
They arrived at the city wall.
It was already deep into the night, and the city gates had long been closed. However, after Wang Hai presented his Jinyiwei (Imperial Guards) waist token, the soldiers guarding the gate naturally opened it and let them pass.
The four left the city and continued their pursuit, but the more they chased, the more they felt something was amiss.
Xiao Si, who couldn't use martial arts, couldn't keep up with the other three and was carried on Wang Hai's back. At this moment, she softly said,
"Have we gone too far out of the city?"
Gao Ling turned her head and looked behind her.
On the horizon behind the four, there was a faint, indistinct light. Beneath their feet, however, was a desolate wilderness, and in the distance, some scattered farmland could be vaguely seen.
This place was already far beyond the residential areas surrounding the capital, a full thirty li from the city wall. Yet, the butterfly showed no signs of stopping, still flying forward on its own accord.
No matter how cautious the Ming Cult members were, they shouldn't hide in such a distant place. It would take half a day just to reach the city gate, so how could they plot against the Emperor? Moreover, there were only five days left until New Year's Eve; no matter how careful they were, they should have disguised themselves and entered the city by now.
Gao Ling asked,
"Miss Xiao Si, is this Gu worm reliable? Could it be sensing incorrectly?"
Xiao Si shook her head.
"I don't know either."
"It was a defective product forcibly refined in the first place, so perhaps it really did make a mistake."
"But, this is our only method. Even if it's wrong, we should still go and see."
Everyone nodded and continued to follow the butterfly forward.
The four pursued from You Shi (5-7 PM) until Chou Shi (1-3 AM).
It was already the latter half of the night; in another hour, dawn would break.
And that butterfly no longer flew as fast as before, occasionally rising and falling, its wings flapping more slowly.
Finally, during one descent, the butterfly failed to rise again and fell straight to the ground.
After struggling a few times, it became silent.
The four stopped around the butterfly's corpse, their expressions not looking good.
Surrounded by intertwined branches and leaves, and overgrown with wild grass, it was a mountain forest.
After pursuing for a whole night, they had fully expected a result, but instead, they had chased into a mountain forest. The four couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
"How far out of the city are we?"
Wang Hai asked.
"More than eighty li."
Mei Qinghe said.
Gao Ling let out a long sigh.
"I'm afraid it really was a mistake."
"Eighty li, the Ming Cult shouldn't be hiding this far, no matter what."
"Let's go back. It seems this path is not viable. We still have to rely on searching for a needle in a haystack, to see if we can find a few high-ranking Ming Cult members."
With that, Gao Ling was about to turn and leave.
After taking a few steps, she suddenly turned her head sharply.
Because besides her, Wang Hai, Xiao Si, and Mei Qinghe were all standing still, not moving.
Wang Hai frowned tightly, deep in thought. Xiao Si and Mei Qinghe exchanged glances, immediately understanding each other's thoughts.
Wang Hai slowly spoke.
"No, it might not be a mistake."
"There's not nothing around here."
Xiao Si nodded, looking at Mei Qinghe.
"Sister Mei, you've thought of it too, haven't you?"
Mei Qinghe nodded.
"There's a tavern I often go to after I came to Shuntian Prefecture; their fish is excellent."
"Last time, I heard him say that the Emperor had conscripted soldiers to build the imperial mausoleum, and his son happened to be among them. After the mausoleum was built, he hadn't returned for a long time."
"I heard him say a few words."
"The direction he pointed out to me at the time was precisely this direction."
The three spoke in unison.
"The Imperial Mausoleum!"
As soon as the words left their mouths, the three suddenly fell silent. And Gao Ling, who was standing by and listening, also suddenly changed her expression.
"No way..."
She slowly said.
"The Ming Cult isn't after wealth, so why would they go to the Imperial Mausoleum? Besides, the Imperial Mausoleum is guarded by the Imperial Forest Army. If she stirs up trouble there, isn't she afraid of not being able to leave? That butterfly really must have made a mistake..."
Gao Ling said, as if trying to convince the three, and also as if trying to convince herself.
Before she finished speaking, she herself sighed.
"The three of you, it's not that I'm timid. The disciples of my Mount Tai Sect are alive entirely thanks to Lord Li."
"For him, I can risk my life."
"But, offending the Imperial Mausoleum means extermination of the nine generations of one's family... At that time, none of our relatives and old friends will escape. Even Lord Li will be implicated by us. How about we just go back!"
No one answered.
Gao Ling stamped her foot.
"Fine, fine. There are only four of us here, let's see the numbers!"
"Whoever wants to go to the Imperial Mausoleum, speak up! If all of you want to go, I'll go with you too!"
Wang Hai and Xiao Si chuckled.
"Elder Gao, why don't you just ask Miss Mei if she wants to go."
"No matter if you two go or not, we two are definitely going."
Wang Hai said.
Gao Ling turned to look at Mei Qinghe.
"Niece Mei, you must think clearly!"
"You have a master and a sect; don't act impulsively and bury the entire Mount Hua Sect!"
"Besides, that butterfly might not even be right!"
Mei Qinghe remained silent.
Gao Ling was about to try to persuade her further when suddenly, Mei Qinghe raised a hand, stopping her.
"Elder Gao, I've thought it through."
"I want to go."
Mei Qinghe slowly drew her long sword.
Gao Ling looked at her, puzzled.
Suddenly, Mei Qinghe raised her sword and actually slashed directly at her own face!
Splash!
Blood flowed profusely; this single sword stroke had cut off half her face. But Mei Qinghe still didn't stop, striking again with another sword.
In an instant, her once beautiful and heroic face was completely disfigured.
"Niece Mei! What are you doing!?"
Gao Ling quickly stepped forward, wanting to stop her, but it was already too late.
Mei Qinghe raised her hand to press her acupoints and stop the bleeding, then tore off a piece of her clothing and slowly wrapped it around her face.
Only a pair of unwavering eyes were revealed.
"Lord Li has shown me the grace of rebirth. I told him long ago that I would follow his command, never turning back even in death."
"But, I also won't leave trouble for my sect."
"If we can leave here alive, Lord Li will naturally be able to heal my face. But if I die here, I won't leave behind a corpse that can be traced back to my sect."
"That's all."
Gao Ling took a few steps back, silent for a moment, then let out a long sigh.
"Alright, alright. I really am old, without the youthful spirit, looking before and after, it seems I've been acting like a petty person."
"However, my Mount Tai Sect is not one to forget kindness!"
With that, she drew her sword from its scabbard and immediately disfigured her own face as well.
Wang Hai and Xiao Si smiled.
A Gu worm crawled out from Xiao Si's embrace and bit both of their necks.
Pus immediately oozed from their faces, their flesh rotting, similarly making them look miserable and unrecognizable.
The four looked at each other's ugly faces, but they all laughed.
"Let's go."
Wang Hai said.
"Let's act under the cover of night!"