If someone used illusionary Gu more than three times and then stopped for a while, they would feel extreme discomfort, as if millions of ants were gnawing at their flesh, making life unbearable.
Only by continuing to use illusionary Gu could they return to that ethereal, blissful state. Prolonged use would lead to noticeable physical changes: sallow skin, emaciation, and sluggish responses.
Most importantly, their lifespan would be reduced by a decade or so.
Shortened lifespan…
But those who sold these Gu wouldn’t destroy their own business. They would never reveal this fact.
Who could tell if the shortened lifespan was due to the Gu or just natural?
This aspect could be easily dismissed.
However, some people used illusionary Gu to alleviate pain. If used appropriately and not excessively, a person wouldn’t become dependent on them.
He Sui’an found illusionary Gu fascinating.
Unlike others, she had no interest in experiencing hallucinations that were drastically different from reality.
Nor did she have any desire to try the illusionary Gu.
She closed the box and put it back.
Qi Buyan knew He Sui’an didn’t like insects or snakes. Although she had gradually accepted the few snakes and worms that often stayed around him over time, golden worms were still worms.
But Qi Buyan, who liked insects, snakes, and any kind of Gu, found these golden-hued illusionary Gu quite amusing.
He Sui’an tugged at Qi Buyan’s wrist guard.
“Let’s go.”
She still suspected that the puddle of blood on the deck was somehow connected to these illusionary Gu, which were being bought and sold as cargo.
In the past, Qi Buyan had spent days and nights in the wooden house or cave on Gu Mountain, refining the most poisonous, darkest, and most difficult Gu recorded in books. The illusionary Gu seemed novel to him at first.
He reopened the small box that He Sui’an had just closed and took out five illusionary Gu.
She grabbed Qi Buyan’s wrist.
“Do you want the illusionary Gu?”
He put the five illusionary Gu into the jar he usually used for storing Gu and threw a silver ingot into the box that now had five fewer Gu: “Yes, they seem interesting. I bought them.”
He Sui’an was speechless.
He even paid for them, not taking them for free, which was his style—fair trade.
Although Qi Buyan could refine illusionary Gu himself, the current situation didn’t allow it. Refining Gu took a long time and couldn’t be interrupted.
He Sui’an still didn’t let go of him.
Qi Buyan knew she had something to say.
He Sui’an hesitated but finally spoke up: “I don’t want you to use the illusionary Gu.”
“Even if the hallucinations make you feel good temporarily, they’re fake.” She reasoned, “Returning to reality will be even harder, and it’s bad for your health.”
“The Yin Corpse Gu from Fengling Town didn’t affect me.” Qi Buyan smiled, “How could a little illusionary toxin affect me? Besides, they wouldn’t dare bite me.”
Despite his words, caution was always wise.
She acknowledged with a nod.
“What if someone finds out you took the illusionary Gu?” He Sui’an asked again.
Qi Buyan laughed: “Since they keep them in boxes and wrapped in cloth, they probably don’t open them casually.”
He had a point.
He Sui’an stopped worrying.
They retraced their steps and left the ship’s warehouse. Soon after they left, the Gu that had entered the sailors’ bodies also departed, leaving everyone unaware and continuing their guard duties.
As He Sui’an approached their room, she noticed her sachet hanging from her waist was missing.
“I lost my sachet.”
She touched her empty side.
Qi Buyan didn’t think it was a big problem that He Sui’an lost something. He calmly said, “Dropped it in the warehouse?”
“I don’t think so.” He Sui’an thought for a moment. “I remember adjusting my waist when we were outside the cabin. It must have fallen then. I’ll go look for it.”
“Alright.”
He followed her outside the cabin.
The sailors had cleaned up the blood and were no longer there. He Sui’an walked over and soon found her sachet nearby.
The sachet wasn’t dirty. She put it away and was about to return to the cabin when she saw a man staggering out of a corner, wearing only a white inner garment, his eyes unfocused, occasionally laughing.
He was muttering incoherently.
Seeing the man coming towards them, He Sui’an took a step back.
Qi Buyan watched with a calm demeanor.
“Young master!”
A few servants rushed over, grabbed the man, and started to take him back: “Young master, come back to your room and rest. It’s windy outside at night. Be careful not to catch a cold, or the lady will blame us.”
The man seemed weak, half-supported and half-dragged by the servants.
Suddenly, he struggled.
“What lady? I don’t have a lady!”
The servants were almost thrown off. They quickly grabbed him again: “Young master, how can you not have a lady? She was married to you through proper matchmakers and a formal ceremony.”
The man, looking deranged, seemed like he was drunk, repeatedly mumbling: “What lady? I don’t have a lady! You’ve all been deceived by her!”
“Young master, you’re drunk.”
The servants seemed helpless.
“I’m not drunk.” The man retorted, “If you don’t say I’m drunk, you’ll say I’m crazy, but I really don’t have a lady!”
“Young master, you are truly drunk.” The servants continued to hold him.
“Get lost!”
The man tried to break free again: “No, why don’t you believe me?” His voice grew fainter as he was taken away by the servants.
On the distant deck.
A graceful woman stood there, followed by two maidservants, appearing to be from a wealthy family.
The servants brought the man before the woman. She wore a thin purple veil, obscuring her face, and her beautiful eyebrows were slightly furrowed, giving the impression of a wife displeased with her husband’s drunkenness.
The woman ordered someone to prepare a sobering soup.
She personally went to support the man, who continued to shout, “Get away from me!”
He Sui’an inadvertently witnessed this farce.
She didn’t pay much attention to it and returned to her room. She took out a set of crescent-white ruqun from her bundle. Earlier, blood had dripped along the collar, and He Sui’an wanted to bathe and wash it off.
Simply wiping with a damp cloth never felt like it thoroughly cleaned what could be human blood. Some areas needed to be examined by undressing.
In any case, a bath was better.
Water would wash everything away.
Qi Buyan only had blood on his face and hands, which he could easily wipe clean with a cloth. He Sui’an, however, had more to deal with.
But she didn’t want to bathe alone.
If He Sui’an hadn’t experienced the blood dripping through the deck, she might have gone to bathe alone. But after that incident… just in case, it was better to go together.
So, He Sui’an asked Qi Buyan if he could accompany her to the bathing area on the ship.
And wait for her.
She would be quick and wouldn’t make him wait long.
The cabin room was cramped for two people, unlike an inn where they could freely place a tub and bathe. They had to use the designated bathing area on the ship.
Qi Buyan agreed.
“Thank you.” Her tone was quick, filled with grateful excitement.
He glanced at He Sui’an’s face.
She was always easily satisfied, desiring very simple things, Qi Buyan thought.
He Sui’an quickly gathered her clothes and headed out. The bathing area for passengers was near the cabin, not outside, but still a bit of a walk from their room. It took a few moments to reach.
It was late, and no one was bathing there. Occasionally, passengers passed by, but He Sui’an didn’t have to wait. She could start bathing immediately.
“Do you need my help again this time?”
As He Sui’an stepped inside, Qi Buyan asked.
Two other passengers walked by and overheard the conversation, casting odd glances at them. Qi Buyan remained unfazed.
He Sui’an spun around to look at him abruptly.
His expression was natural.
She knew Qi Buyan meant nothing by it, but her face felt very hot, and she stammered, “I-I don’t need your help.”
After responding to Qi Buyan, He Sui’an slammed the door shut, fumbling to untie her skirt belt and remove her outer garments. She used the soapberries she brought to wash away the smell of blood.
He Sui’an finally felt comfortable.
She hoped the blood was indeed just pig’s blood.
The sound of water splashing and the rising steam seeped through the door cracks, carrying the faint scent of soapberries to Qi Buyan outside.
He Sui’an loved using soapberries for bathing.
He had known this for a long time.
Whenever He Sui’an got close, Qi Buyan could immediately smell the soapberry scent on her, mingled with her natural fragrance, which was particularly pleasant.
This scent seemed to have seeped into He Sui’an’s very bones, which was why Qi Buyan had once thought of turning her into Gu incense.
She didn’t take long. He Sui’an came out soon after.
The steam had made her head feel heavy, and as she stepped over the threshold, she almost fell onto him, but she managed to steady herself in time.
Usually, she took a long time to bathe.
But this time, He Sui’an sped up, cutting her usual time in half.
The haste made her sweat again after the bath, but she didn’t mind. A bit of sweat was better than having blood on her. She figured resting in their room would cool her down.
However, He Sui’an soon realized she was wrong. The cabin room was small, with thin air, and the lit candles made it hotter than outside.
She hadn’t noticed this before.
Now, she felt the stifling heat.
After returning, she put away her changed clothes and sat on the bed, fanning herself with her hand.
He Sui’an also held up her long hair with her other hand to keep it from falling down. If her hair covered her back, she would sweat even more.
Her arm grew tired from holding it up too long.
It went numb.
Qi Buyan also sat down and took He Sui’an’s long, thick, jet-black hair, as if he wanted to play with it in his palm, indirectly easing her burden.
“Thank you.”
He Sui’an wiped a drop of sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand.
The young man seemed to have found something he liked, his distinct, slender fingers slowly weaving through her silky hair, faintly smelling the fragrance of her hair and feeling the lingering dampness from her bath.
He Sui’an sat with her back to him.
She was deep in thought.
A bead of sweat trickled down the back of her neck. Qi Buyan watched it slide down, traversing her delicate, poreless, and very soft skin. He watched as it was about to disappear into her spine.
Still holding her hair, the young man leaned in impulsively, his thin lips pressing against that spot on her skin. His tongue touched and licked away the bead of sweat.
He Sui’an’s shoulders trembled slightly.
In an instant, her mind went blank, unable to think of anything. For a moment, she didn’t dare to look back to see what was happening.
The tip of his tongue was very warm.
It felt as if it would melt her into water.
