Old Liu lowered his head, looking at the woman's fragile face as he kindly advised, "To spare yourself some pain, you must tell them something, even if it's a lie."

"Hey, Old Liu! What nonsense are you spouting to her?" The short man shuffled closer, trying to pinch the woman's cheek. "Don't hog it all, buddy. The rest of us are waiting, you know."

"There's a path up the mountain past the waterfall behind the village." At this moment, the woman suddenly stood up with surprising stubbornness. Perhaps due to being bound for too long, her legs gave out almost immediately, unable to support her weight. "I've seen the villagers fetch water from that direction; the Jade Blood Palace must be over there."

"In that case, you're useless now." Big Beard snatched up his broad saber and brought it down toward the woman.

"Hey! Hey!" Old Liu made a move to protect her, pulling her into an embrace. "Big Beard, are you an idiot? Isn't it too early to kill her now? What if she’s lying to us?"

"Hmph..." Big Beard grinned, pulling back his saber. "You have a point. It’s not too late to kill her after we find the Jade Blood Palace. Brothers, let's head up the mountain."

The dozen or so ruffians grumbled as they made their way toward the rear of the village. Considering this settlement was already near the peak of Changbai Mountain, they couldn't fathom how the mountain paths were engineered—even this high up, there was a small waterfall.

"Looks like she can’t walk. Since you’re taking such good care of her, you get the pleasure of carrying her!" Pretty Boy chuckled slyly and followed the main group.

This was the first time Old Liu had been this close to the woman. Even though he knew this wasn't his true self, this woman gave him a good feeling—the kind of person who remained incredibly strong even in dire straits. He crouched down, shook his shoulders slightly, and said, "Come on, I'll carry you!"

The woman didn't refuse much. She instantly hopped onto Old Liu's back, her scarred arms tightly encircling his neck. "You're a good person. Why are you running with these sorts?"

Old Liu placed his hands beneath the woman's smooth thighs, lifting her entire body. He shook his head. "I don't even know why I'm mixed up with these fellows. If I told you I wasn't even from this world, would you believe me?"

"I believe you!" The woman answered with certainty. Deep down, she felt no hostility from Old Liu. "My name is E Qian. They all call you Old Liu; can I call you that too?"

"E Qian, that name doesn't quite fit with this tribe's style, does it?" Old Liu walked slowly to the rear of the group with E Qian on his back. He couldn't fathom why he felt such a connection to this woman. "Don't worry, I won't let them hurt you. Once we find the Jade Blood Palace, I’ll sneak you away."

E Qian glared venomously at the bandits ahead. "I'm not leaving. They killed my people; I want blood for blood!"

Old Liu didn't belong here anyway, and he felt utterly indifferent to these so-called bandit friends. Right now, he had plenty of questions. "Your tribe left you here as a sacrifice, waiting for Empress Bu Xian's return. Is she going to eat you?"

E Qian had never seen Empress Wu, and she was completely ignorant of this sort of sacrifice. "I don't know either. Legend says Empress Wu is immortal, returning to the Jade Blood Palace every hundred years. The tribe sacrifices a young girl for her, and after the ceremony when the girl is sent into the Palace, Empress Wu’s lifespan is extended by another century."

"Using one person's life to extend another's?" Old Liu felt an instant surge of displeasure upon hearing this. He pressed on, "What kind of person is your Empress Wu? By what right does she use another's life for her own eternal existence?"

E Qian clung tighter to Old Liu, shaking slightly. The women of this Changbai Mountain clan only knew farming and childbearing. Although they obeyed Empress Bu Xian, to ordinary people, she was virtually an empress, rarely seen. As for the Empress wanting her life, that was considered an honor for every member of the tribe.

"Wow, looks like this path is right! There really is a waterfall!" By this time, Big Beard and his group were traversing the narrow, winding path. Above them, a stream of spring water flowed, clear as crystal as it tumbled down. Perhaps due to the high altitude, the water that hit their bodies was piercingly cold.

"Keep pushing, brothers! Treasure is just ahead!" Pretty Boy waved to those behind him. He shot a jealous look at Old Liu and the woman chatting pleasantly at the rear. "Old Liu, you bastard, hurry up! Are you planning to run off with that woman?"

"If you think I'm slow, you carry her!" Old Liu roared back in anger. He knew Pretty Boy was physically weak and couldn't manage this mountain climb, let alone carry someone. He turned back to E Qian with a smile. "I thought you were tricking them; how come you pointed them toward the correct path?"

With Old Liu protecting her, E Qian's anxiety had eased considerably. She turned her head to tell him, "My kin say the Jade Blood Palace is a terrifying place. If they truly dare to offend Empress Bu Xian, it will surely be their tomb."

Old Liu sucked in a breath, pulling a funny face at E Qian. "So, if I go there like this, I’m bound to die too?"

E Qian was amused by Old Liu's comical expression, resting her head on his shoulder. She whispered softly, "Don't worry. They say the Empress can see the good and evil in people with a single glance. If you are a good person, I believe she won't kill you."

Hearing this, Old Liu felt another wave of internal conflict. By rights, he wasn't exactly a good person. Back then, to break the Nine Poisonous Fiend Array, he had tricked a Grim Reaper into coming. To enter the formation, he had used talismans to cheat an entire village of common folk. Now, on top of that, he had occupied the body of someone named Liu Yunzong and helped kill a whole tribe.

"Careful, the waterfall water is very cold!" The two jostled their way past the narrow path, which was typical mud—narrow and slippery. Above them, the waterfall mercilessly lashed the rocks, sending icy spray everywhere. E Qian, on Old Liu's back, instinctively reached out to shield his head.

Old Liu passed beneath the waterfall completely untouched by the cold spray, but when he turned, he saw E Qian was already drenched. "I must have been walking too slowly. You mustn't catch a chill."

"You’ve carried me for so long; this is already wonderful," E Qian replied, shaking the water from her hair. Her long locks flowed beautifully, and her damp clothes clung tightly to her back, accentuating a raw, wild line. "Don't worry, our tribe has lived here for so long; we're used to this biting cold."