The Liè Chǐ Guǒ was completely unwilling, and the largest fruit at the tip of the vine drooped down, threateningly opening its jagged cracks towards Lán Luò Hǎi. 

Lán Luò Hǎi couldn’t be bothered with it and directly used his ability to pull a crystal from the nearby pharmacist’s pocket, casually stuffing it into the open crack. 

The Liè Chǐ Guǒ choked for a moment, seemingly a bit dissatisfied. But after all, it had just sprouted not long ago and couldn’t resist the temptation of energy. After being stuffed with the crystal, it couldn’t control itself and quickly retracted the fruit, clutching the crystal to gnaw on it. 

Shí Jīng Xián found it amusing and used energy to simply help the Liè Chǐ Guǒ comb through itself. After it felt comfortable, the Liè Chǐ Guǒ finally obediently left and reached out towards the crystals prepared by the pharmacist. 

The group entered the research institute, but Fēn Dé Lín was still busy making potions and hadn’t come out. Not long ago, Shí Jīng Xián had sent back the seeds of the Liè Chǐ Guǒ, and Fēn Dé Lín had used the seeds to create an antidote that cured his illness. Since then, without the worry of his body, he had become even more engrossed in his work, often forgetting to eat. 

High-level pharmacists all have this common problem; advising them is useless. 

With Fēn Dé Lín not coming out, the person who introduced the situation to Shí Jīng Xián and the others became a colleague from the research institute. When Shí Jīng Xián secretly sent the Liè Chǐ Guǒ over, he had told them to try not to leak any information about it to avoid alerting Yuán Xiāo. However, if the situation became truly urgent, survival was the priority, and as long as they communicated promptly afterward, it would be fine. 

Fortunately, the situation was much smoother than expected. 

“Yuán Xiāo did indeed come at night with people and tried to break into the research institute’s defenses,” the colleague said. “But the Liè Chǐ Guǒ held up the protective shield inside, and they couldn’t break through it. By the time morning came, they left. They didn’t discover anything about the Liè Chǐ Guǒ.” 

Shí Jīng Xián nodded and asked, “No one in the institute was injured, right?” 

“No, no.” 

The colleagues shook their heads, and someone sighed, “We were all quite afraid of the Liè Chǐ Guǒ before and worried about it. But unexpectedly, it really doesn’t harm people.” 

Someone next to them chimed in, “Yeah, and their intelligence is surprisingly high, it’s simply astonishing.” 

“Right, it can ask for crystals three meals a day just like a person, and it seems to understand our words, often giving responses.” 

Once the topic started, the colleagues immediately began to chatter away. 

“Just one thing, it seems like it finds it boring to always lie on the protective shield, and often stretches its vines to look inside from the windows of the research institute…” 

“Yes, yes, I’ve encountered that too. Once when I was making potions, I happened to look up and saw a Liè Chǐ Guǒ grinning at me from outside the window. It scared me so much that I almost dropped the crystal bottle!” 

The colleagues talked a lot about the Liè Chǐ Guǒ, and it seemed they were indeed very interested in this rare high-level plant. Shí Jīng Xián listened for a while, confirming that no accidents had occurred in the past few days, before preparing to leave with Lán Luò Hǎi. 

The colleagues originally wanted Shí Jīng Xián to stay a bit longer, but upon hearing that he had to deal with Yuán Xiāo’s matter, they gave up. 

As they exited the research institute, the person Shí Jīng Xián had contacted earlier happened to send over the news. 

“Jì Shén Yào Shī?” 

The call came from the major general who had previously traded with Shí Jīng Xián. After Yuán Xiāo’s incident, his faction quickly reaped the benefits of Yuán Xiāo’s original power, essentially getting a huge windfall. So when Shí Jīng Xián contacted him this time, he quickly organized the information. 

“I’ve found what you asked me to check, but…” 

The major general hesitated and said, “The situation that best matches your description is actually the missing royal pharmacists.” 

Royal? 

Shí Jīng Xián asked, “How many people are missing?” 

“About half, including Princess Lín Nà, nearly a dozen people are missing,” the major general said. “Moreover, these people are the main suppliers of potions for the royal family. This collective disappearance has caused quite a stir, and the royal family is under a lot of pressure.” 

Lín Nà has actually gone missing? Shí Jīng Xián raised an eyebrow, “So, are there any clues about this disappearance? No one has been found yet?” 

“No one has returned,” the major general said, “but there are clues. From the moment they went missing, some suspected it was Yuán Xiāo’s doing. However, the royal family has never admitted it, insisting on solving the case, but so far, there has been no progress.” 

Shí Jīng Xián asked a few more questions before hanging up the phone. 

Lán Luò Hǎi, who had been listening, asked, “So, Yuán Xiāo advanced using the royal pharmacists?” 

“Very likely,” Shí Jīng Xián said. “Besides supplying the royal family, the potions made by these pharmacists are also distributed to the military. Sometimes, rewards given are also potions. Especially Lín Nà, she was raised with the best resources since childhood, and the materials used for making potions were also the best. The potions she produced were often used by the royal family to reward generals like Yuán Xiāo.” 

He explained, “Yuán Xiāo’s advancement requires the blood of a pharmacist. To successfully merge, the more familiar he is with the energy of the pharmacists, the better. The energy of the pharmacists will remain in the potions they make, and since Yuán Xiāo has used so many potions given by the royal family, it wouldn’t be surprising if he set his sights on the royal pharmacists.” 

Lán Luò Hǎi frowned at this. 

“Since it’s about familiar energy, then for Yuán Xiāo, the most suitable candidate…” 

Shí Jīng Xián nodded, “Right, it’s me.” 

Jì Xuān Rán’s blood alone could allow Yuán Xiāo to advance. Now that he was gone, Yuán Xiāo had no choice but to abduct a dozen or so pharmacists for repeated experiments. 

Lán Luò Hǎi’s thin lips pressed tightly together, and a few veins bulged faintly on his forehead. 

Shí Jīng Xián noticed his unusual demeanor, “Your Highness? Are you okay?” 

“I’m fine.” 

Lán Luò Hǎi’s voice lowered. 

“I just feel that Yuán Xiāo died too easily.” 

Shí Jīng Xián chuckled. Back then, Jì Xuān Rán was thrown into the Liè Chǐ Guǒ thicket, and now Yuán Xiāo was bitten to death by the Liè Chǐ Guǒ. It was a fitting retribution. 

He said, “It’s worth it, using Yuán Xiāo as fertilizer for the Liè Chǐ Guǒ.” 

Lán Luò Hǎi remained noncommittal. 

Seeing that he still hadn’t let go, Shí Jīng Xián reached out and patted his arm, comforting him, “Thank you for your concern, Your Highness. Yuán Xiāo owes me, and I will collect it myself. Besides, I’m doing just fine now, right?” 

Lán Luò Hǎi’s gaze shifted down, fixating on the back of Shí Jīng Xián’s hand resting on his. 

Then, he raised his other hand, mimicking Shí Jīng Xián’s action, and lightly tapped Shí Jīng Xián’s forearm. 

“Good.” 

The prince’s expression and tone were too flat, and Shí Jīng Xián didn’t realize how intimate this action was. Lán Luò Hǎi’s hand slid down his left arm and quickly retracted. 

However, the sensation of Lán Luò Hǎi brushing against his left wrist made Shí Jīng Xián pause for a moment. 

Shí Jīng Xián had a habit of unconsciously reaching for his left wrist during tense moments or critical times, as if there was something there that could give him peace of mind. 

But in Shí Jīng Xián’s limited memory, he had never worn anything on his left wrist, and he couldn’t remember when this habit had formed. 

Just now, when Lán Luò Hǎi had lightly circled his left wrist, Shí Jīng Xián suddenly felt an extremely familiar sensation surge up. 

This feeling had nothing to do with Jì Xuān Rán or the body that had been taken over; it was purely Shí Jīng Xián’s own reaction. 

He hurriedly looked up at the man in front of him—his features were handsome, his expression calm, with no signs of anything unusual. Those deep blue eyes were like a basin of clear water, extinguishing all of Shí Jīng Xián’s fluctuations. 

It was different… this was not what he wanted to recall. 

The fleeting sense of familiarity slipped away like a slender fish through the gaps of Shí Jīng Xián’s tightly clenched fingers. 

The fish entered the sea, never to be found again. 

What exactly had he forgotten? 

Due to this sudden interruption, Shí Jīng Xián was somewhat distracted until Lán Luò Hǎi called him a few times, bringing him back to reality. 

“What…?” Shí Jīng Xián caught a word, “Location?” 

“The location where those pharmacists are being held,” Lán Luò Hǎi repeated, “Do you have any ideas?” 

“Oh, right, I do.” 

Shí Jīng Xián forced himself to concentrate and continued to explain, “Yuán Xiāo needs the dú sù of the Liè Chǐ Guǒ for his advancement, so there must be living Liè Chǐ Guǒ nearby where he is keeping those pharmacists. Intelligent plants can sense their kind, and by asking other Liè Chǐ Guǒ, we can find the location.” 

He took out a map, “Just now at the research institute in the east of the city, I already asked the Liè Chǐ Guǒ, and it helped me find the location. The only one it can sense in the royal city is one plant, which should be where Yuán Xiāo is holding the pharmacists.” 

The group followed the map’s direction and quickly found a Liè Chǐ Guǒ nearby. Under Lán Luò Hǎi’s protection, Shí Jīng Xián quickly used energy to calm the wild Liè Chǐ Guǒ and successfully resolved its hostility. 

After using the prepared crystals to buy off the Liè Chǐ Guǒ, the team began searching for signs of human activity in the surrounding area. However, this time Yuán Xiāo was very cautious in hiding, and the team searched a two-kilometer radius but couldn’t find any place to hide. 

In the end, it was the wild Liè Chǐ Guǒ that helped. It poked Shí Jīng Xián, who was in distress, a few times, and when Shí Jīng Xián turned around, it suddenly smashed its vines against a nearby dead tree. 

The sound of the dead tree being smashed startled the team, and Lán Luò Hǎi immediately pulled Shí Jīng Xián behind him. However, the Liè Chǐ Guǒ was also quick; it smashed a couple more times and broke open a dark hole at the base of the cracked dead tree. 

A faint breeze blew from the depths of the hole, indicating that the air inside was circulating. 

The group was just about to send someone down through the hole when they were stopped by the Liè Chǐ Guǒ that had just helped them. 

It stretched out a fruit, opening its cracks wide in front of Shí Jīng Xián. 

Shí Jīng Xián thought for a moment, asked Lán Luò Hǎi for a few crystals, and placed them one by one into the pocket-like fruit. 

Having received its reward, the Liè Chǐ Guǒ lazily moved aside. 

Someone in the team couldn’t help but mutter, doubting whether these high-level plants had become sentient. 

They had only known them to be fierce before, but never realized they could be so smart. 

As they expected, going down through the hole, the space inside was indeed very ample. Not long after, the person responsible for scouting returned to report that they had discovered an underground research lab below, and upon entering, they found some unconscious pharmacists inside. 

However, the number they counted was one less than what Shí Jīng Xián had learned from the major general. There were also some disordered, unknown traces inside. 

Once the main group entered the underground research institute, Shí Jīng Xián finally recognized who the missing person was among those familiar and unfamiliar faces. 

It turned out that Lín Nà was missing. 

Yuán Xiāo had set up restrictions here; unauthorized entry would result in a powerful electric shock punishment. After the restrictions were broken, the group was able to approach the imprisoned pharmacists. Although these pharmacists were weak and unconscious, they were still alive. 

Under the effect of the healing potion, it wasn’t long before a few of them woke up first. 

Suddenly encountering outsiders after a long period of almost hopeless imprisonment, several pharmacists regarded them as saviors. Upon recognizing Shí Jīng Xián, they became even more excited, pleading with him to take them out. 

“Jì Shén Yào Shī, please save us!” 

Some looked nervously towards the exit of the underground research lab, seemingly afraid that someone would suddenly appear from there, “Hurry… take us away! Quickly… if we wait any longer, it will be too late; he will kill us!!” 

Shí Jīng Xián frowned. Clearly, Yuán Xiāo had caused these people a great psychological shadow. 

“Yuán Xiāo is already dead; he was eaten by the Liè Chǐ Guǒ.” 

This sentence was like bait thrown into a pond, finally casting comfort among the frightened fish. 

“Dead, dead…?” 

“Yes.” 

“What about the Liè Chǐ Guǒ… will it come in? Will it?!” 

Shí Jīng Xián hadn’t expected the mental state of this group to be so poor, but thinking about how Yuán Xiāo must have forced them to conduct many experiments using thedú sù of the Liè Chǐ Guǒ in recent days, it was understandable that they were terrified of the Liè Chǐ Guǒ. 

“The Liè Chǐ Guǒ has been subdued,” Shí Jīng Xián said, “Otherwise, how could we have come in safely?” 

Upon hearing this, the pharmacists barely stopped their trembling in fear. However, when Shí Jīng Xián asked about Lín Nà, they seemed to be triggered again, starting to panic and cry once more. 

This group was even harder to communicate with than the Liè Chǐ Guǒ. Shí Jīng Xián felt helpless. He put in a lot of effort to find one person who was barely coherent to ask separately. 

“Where did Lín Nà go?” 

The person trembled for a long time before stammering to clarify. 

“The princess, she took away all our defensive gear. Then she made us use our bodies to divert the electric shocks from the restrictions, while she wore the gear and drilled out to escape…” 

Shí Jīng Xián frowned. He had originally planned to settle accounts with both Jì Xuān Rán and Lín Nà here, but unexpectedly, Lín Nà had managed to escape. 

Just as he was about to ask when Lín Nà had escaped, he heard the person continue in a trembling voice— 

“When she escaped, she encountered the Liè Chǐ Guǒ guarding outside, and the Liè Chǐ Guǒ tore her apart… When the princess died, she even wanted to crawl back into the confinement shield, but her hands were burned black by the electric current…” 

He recalled painfully, “That charred hand… in the end, it was also taken away and eaten by the Liè Chǐ Guǒ…” 

Shí Jīng Xián: “…” 

He could confirm that Lín Nà was indeed dead, because just after this person finished explaining, the system’s prompt sound rang out. 

【Dī—— Task repair progress, 90%】