Poison Genius Consort

n the thick book.
But after a while, Gu Qishao looked up at him and asked, “You need something?”

What’s he doing sitting out here in the middle of the night?

Long Feiye only remained silent, staring at the pill furnace where Xu Donglin was still giving it his all. 

What’s he doing sitting next to me if he’s got nothing else to do? Gu Qishao only felt suspicious and even a little guarded.
Still, he didn’t ask and returned to studying the book of poisons.
When it came to one thing Long Feiye and Gu Qishao had in common, it was their ability to keep quiet and not talk to anyone for days and nights on end.
Still, it was impossible for Gu Qishao to concentrate with someone next to him, especially when that man was Long Feiye.

Very soon, he spoke up again.
“Long Feiye…”

Long Feiye ignored him.
Gu Qishao waited a while, then tried again.
“Long Feiye, there’s something…”

Still, Long Feiye ignored him.

Meanwhile, Han Yunxi was sitting with her back against the door.
She could heard everything outside as clear as day.
As soon as Long Feiye’s arm left her waist, she knew he had gotten off the bed.
At first, she was worried he’d go off and try to help Xu Donglin with the furnace again, so she’d gone to eavesdrop on the outside.
Instead, he ended up sitting with Gu Qishao, so she didn’t make a peep.
Although Han Yunxi didn’t like listening in on other people’s conversations, she comforted herself with the thought that this was simply by chance.
Thus, she ended up sitting against the door with no qualms.

In truth, Gu Qishao didn’t know what he wanted to tell Long Feiye, either.
Frankly speaking, he rather liked talking with Long Feiye, but now that they had a chance to chat, he grew tongue-tied. 

Meanwhile, Long Feiye’s sole motive for coming out was just to wait for a secret missive expected for delivery tonight.
The reason he sat down by the entrance was because he didn’t want the shadow guards to knock on the door and wake up Han Yunxi.
He had long treated Gu Qishao as air in his mind.

When Gu Qishao still failed to elicit any response from Long Feiye, his beautiful eyes narrowed into slits.
With a chuckle, he said, “Long Feiye, there’s something I won’t tell Poison lass but just you.
I’ll only say it once, so listen up.
Actually…”

When he reached this point, Gu Qishao trailed off again.
As expected, Long Feiye was now looking at him, while Han Yunxi had grown tense inside the room as her ears perked up. What’s something about me that Gu Qishao knows and Long Feiye doesn’t? Why don’t I have any idea?

If it was anything Gu Qishao knew but not Long Feiye, it couldn’t be anything good. Is he tattling on me behind my back? So dishonest!

When Gu Qishao saw that Long Feiye was finally paying him some attention, he gave him a satisfied grin and buried his head into his book again without a word.
Long Feiye’s lips quirked into a cold smile before he said icily, “There’s something I know and you know, but Han Yunxi doesn’t.”

Immediately, Gu Qishao’s head whipped up as warning shone in his eyes.
Long Feiye gave a snort of contempt and prepared to rise when Gu Qishao hastily cried, “I’ll talk!”

By this time, the shadow guard had arrived.
Long Feiye gestured to him to wait on standby.
Gu Qishao saw the letter in the shadow guard’s hands and finally realized why Long Feiye was sitting in front of the door.
He rose to his feet as well and remarked, “You better remember this well.
I’m only saying it once.”

Long Feiye thought Gu Qishao was just fooling around, but never expected the fellow to actually say something.
Inside the rooms, Han Yunxi had rose to her feet as well, her heart hanging in the air.

But Gu Qishao didn’t tattle about anything.
Instead, he grew serious and said, “Long Feiye, I hope you’ll keep a better eye on Han Yunxi in the future.
Don’t let her do so many stupid things!”

Instead of “Poison lass,” Gu Qishao had said “Han Yunxi.” He really was dead serious! 

If Long Feiye had kept a better eye on Han Yunxi, she wouldn’t have flown to the top of the furnace or had all this other chaos happening.
Although she gained the Phoenix energy, Gu Qishao would rather suffer by himself then have her take such huge risks! 

Long Feiye’s gaze grew complicated.
Before he could reply, Gu Qishao cut in again.

“Don’t make this old man remind you thrice!” So speaking, Gu Qishao stalked off into his own rooms.

Han Yunxi was surprised as she broke into a helpless smile.
She was looking forward to the day she completed dual cultivation with Long Feiye and assumed control over the Phoenix energy.
Perhaps then, they wouldn’t worry about her so much. 

Of course, Han Yunxi was having an idiotic moment again.
She forgot the fact that she still worried and fretted over Long Feiye despite the fact that he was many times stronger than herself.
Even not seeing him for a day made her uneasy.
Things like worrying about the other had nothing to do with their individual strength, but only whether they were on one’s heart.

Long Feiye stared at Gu Qishao’s shut doors with knitted brows for a long time.
It was unclear what he was thinking.
Finally, he turned to receive the secret missive, which was supposed to come from Chu Tianyin.
This was the only reason he’d stayed up so late to wait for it.
Back at Hundred Poisons Sect, Western Zhou’s Emperor Kangcheng had behaved strangely, but he still didn’t know the cause.
Thus, he asked Chu Tianyin to investigate.
Like Tianan, Western Zhou had grown weary of the constant battling in the past few years.
Its nation was weakened and its finances critical, so it wouldn’t withstand another blow.
At least Tianan still had the Mu Clan troops to protect them.
Western Zhou’s Chu Clan troops had long changed masters.

If Emperor Kangcheng’s activities at Hundred Poisons Sect hadn’t propelled him to attention, Long Feiye wouldn’t be bothering with the man at all.
As he opened up Chu Tianyin’s letter, he realized it didn’t mention the incident at Hundred Poisons Sect, but another strange affair…