Golden Orchids

Chapter 9

The two girls made it back to their home unscathed. They landed on their front yard of the hut. A few years had passed since they left for the Ghost Realm. Right now, it was summer in Mount Junji. Yan Zhi cheered in delight but immediately changed when she saw Su Su sobbing in tear

Then she remembered why. Right, the snake. The celestial was most likely fine. It will take more than a stomp to kill that stubborn reptile. But Su Su didn't know that. 

All she knew that her beloved pet snake got hurt and left to die in the Ghost Realm. Alone and in pain. Yan Zhi wrapped her hands around Su Su and comforted her the whole day. 

Days passed by like this. Su Su was in a somber mood in the whole time. The celestial had never shown up in snake form again. Yan Zhi guessed that he probably got tired of Su Su and decided to leave her for good.

Good riddance! 

 How cruel. Couldn't he tell that Su Su was so distraught without him? If he's smart, he would never show his sorry face here again.

Now that Yan Zhi got the military seal, she would have to plan a trip to the Arctic Lands. This was an excursion that she definitely could not take Su Su along. They got lucky in the Ghost Realm, her second brother won't harm a single hair on them. But the soldiers in the Arctic Lands didn't care. They had permission to kill on sight. 

The Ghost Lord now would send soldiers searching for them.  They won't find her here, she didn't tell her brother the exact location of Su Su's hut. Yan Zhi had also put enough barriers around the hut to even fool the great *Erlang Shen and his Heavenly eye. 

For now, Yan Zhi needed to recuperate her energy and plan her next excursions. It didn't help that Su Su had gotten weaker since their trip to the Ghost Realm. She had gotten a lot more headaches and muscle cramps. Yan Zhi spent countless sleepless nights taking care of her. She guessed that her eldest brother had to wait.

That morning Yan Zhi went out to collect firewood while Su Su stayed at home to clean up. She had gathered enough bundles to last an entire week. She found an injured little bird in the forest just now. After double-checking that the bird was not an immortal in disguise, Yan Zhi decided to bring it home. Su Su liked caring for little animals. Maybe this bird will help take her mind off her snake.

There was a tugging sensation in her gut. The barrier, she immediately thought and jumped back in a cloud of smoke. She found the front steps were covered in blood. A broom left clattered on the floor. The color on her face drained completely.  Could it be bandits? Monsters? Her brother's soldiers? She dropped the firewood and picked up the broom and barged into the room.

What greeted her was the scene of Su Su sitting next to a shirtless man by the bed. 

SHIRTLESS! ON SU SU'S BED!

Yan Zhi let out a war cry and raised the broom high. She didn't care that he was the stupid Crown Prince. She rather risked war than have him lay his hands on her. 

Su Su stepped between them, shielding that scoundrel from her broom. "Jie Jie, This man here is injured. He meant no harm, "

"Injured?!" Yan Zhi looked him up and down. Sure the celestial was covered with blood, "but he didn't have a single starch on him!"

"He had just now. They were all across his shoulder, " Su Su affirmed.

"I have heard there's a miracle herb on this mountain, great for healing wounds, " he looked up with Su Su with great adorning eyes, "Had my lady applied them to me? "

Su Su blushed, "I picked these herbs randomly. I'm not sure if it a miracle herb,"

Miracle herb! What a load of bull.