“I'll go and prepare some hot water,” Qing Mama announced. Then, she turned and

left. She felt incompetent because she hadn't realized that Eldest Miss's head was

unbearably itchy.

“You really can't bear the itch?” Zi Shang whispered softly into Ye Jiuge's ear. His

wicked hands began to move.

“Zi Shang, d*mn you, can't you warn me before you're in heat?” If Ye Jiuge had

known that her unwashed hair would compel Zi Shang to touch her in such a way,

she would have shaved it all off.

“My estrous cycle is coming soon, you'll need to adapt,” Zi Shang said earnestly.

This girl's development is too slow, when will he be able to taste her? The wait is

unbearable!

“You have an estrous cycle?” Ye Jiuge's skin crawled.

Was her tiny figure st.u.r.dy enough for Zi Shang to trample on even once?

“You'll know when it comes.” Zi Shang was reluctant to part and he rubbed Ye

Jiuge's head before returning into her mark.

Just then, Qing Mama and Zhen Zhu brought the hot water. Qing Mama knocked,

saying, “Eldest Miss, the hot water has been prepared.”

“Come in!” Ye Jiuge did not feel like moving.

When Qing Mama entered and saw Ye Jiuge's scattered hair and messy clothes,

she did not overthink it. After all, who dressed perfectly in the bathroom? With Qing

Mama and Zhen Zhu's help, Ye Jiuge finished her bath. Then, she collapsed onto

her bed, unable to move.

When she woke, it was daybreak. Ye Jiuge was stretching herself on her bed when

she suddenly remembered the Spiritual Beast Pill, which she'd produced halfway last

night. Speedily, she sprung out of bed.

Oh no, oh no! After this long, it must be destroyed.

Ye Jiuge rushed fretting into the Pill Production Room and opened the small bronze

cauldron. Nine round Spiritual Beast Pills waited inside. To her surprise, they emitted

a faint glow. They were second grade Spiritual Beast Pills.

“Pipi!” The Black Fat Rat jumped onto the small bronze cauldron. It pushed out its

chubby chest to express that this result had occurred because of its contribution.

“Well done. I shall increase your wages.” Ye Jiuge gave the Black Fat Rat a thumbs-

up.

“Pipi Jam!” The Black Fat Rat wasn't interested in wages, it just wanted to please

King Zi Shang.

“No problem,” rea.s.sured Ye Jiuge, “I'll put in a good word for you.”

Feeling pleased, Ye Jiuge stashed the Spiritual Beast Pills in a bag together with the

Poison Detection Pill, which she had produced last night. After breakfast, she went to

find Bai Songling.

When Bai Songling saw Ye Jiuge, he expressed his relief, “You're just in time.”

“What's wrong?” Ye Jiuge asked Bai Songling curiously.

“The Little Mute locked himself in his room last night and has yet to come out. He

hasn't eaten dinner, and I have no idea what's going on,” he replied.

Bai Songling worried that the Little Mute was employing Ye Jiuge's secret technique

for producing Poison Earthworms; he wouldn't dare act blindly. Ye Jiuge's eyebrow

arched. Is the Little Mute really developing evolved Poison Earthworms?

“If you can, please take a look. I need to head over to the Dongling Prince Mansion,

so I can't accompany you.” Bai Songling had something urgent to attend to.

“I'll head there now. Go ahead and do what you need to!”

After bidding farewell to Bai Songling, Ye Jiuge reached the house where the Little

Mute was staying. Inside, it was quiet. On the table outside the house sat two large

red wooden food boxes. Ye Jiuge opened them; the dishes inside were nutritious.

The main breakfast dish consisted of thin porridge and steamed buns, some

vegetables, corn, sweet potato, and other coa.r.s.e grains. The two meat patties also

smelled delicious. Bai Songling had certainly been considerate of the creature.

Ye Jiuge closed the food boxes then faked a cough. “Little Mute, what are you doing

inside?”

The wooden door creaked open. The Little Mute's snow-white face appeared behind

the door. His red lips and his large black eyes gave him a frightening appearance.

Why did her skin crawl every time she saw him?

She pointed to the food on the table and said, “You must be hungry. Eat something

first.”

The Little Mute did not look at the food. Instead, he gestured for Ye Jiuge to follow

him inside, so she grudgingly went into the dark house with sealed windows and

doors. The further she went, the more she felt that something was wrong. A strange

odor reached the tip of her nose. It smelled a little like blood, but different.

She looked carefully and observed a jug in the corner of the dark house—the source

of the strange smell. The Little Mute stood beside the jug and pointed to it, indicating

for her to take a look. Curious, Ye Jiuge lowered her head. Suddenly, a tiny black

shadow shot out of the jug and attacked her face.

Just as Ye Jiuge was about to retaliate, two of the Little Mute's fingers clasped the

black shadow. Immediately, it went limp, like a strand of noodles. The black shadow

was a black Poison Earthworm, which was larger than an ordinary Poison

Earthworm. Its entire body was pitch black, and it emanated vigorous vitality. It was

easy to see that this was no ordinary creature, but it also differed from a normal

evolved Poison Earthworm.

The Little Mute's right hand gripped the black Poison Earthworm and offered it to Ye

Jiuge. His left hand unfolded—a clear sign that he wanted to make a trade. She took

out the Spiritual Beast Pill and handed it to him, then asked, “How did you develop

this Poison Earthworm?”

The Little Mute received the Spiritual Beast Pill and sniffed. His eyes immediately lit

up with pleasant surprise. He seemed satisfied with the Spiritual Beast Pill that Ye

Jiuge had given him. Carefully, he stashed it away. Next, he drew a circle in front of

his chest and explained that the circle represented a bamboo winnowing basket. He

pretended to pour the contents of the bamboo winnowing basket into the jug. Ye

Jiuge understood at once.

“You poured the Poison Earthworms from the winnowing basket into the jug so that

they'd ma.s.sacre each other, and this is the only one left?” she asked.

Since such a b.l.o.o.d.y and cruel method had developed the Poison Earthworm, it was

no surprise that the thing looked unnatural. The small mute nodded and turned to

leave. Outside, he opened the food boxes and began to eat. Seeing how he wolfed

down his meal, the question arose in Ye Jiuge's mind: Where did this Little Mute

come from?

The method he'd detailed resembled the way the Miao people had once raised their

legendary venomous insects. It could only be done using a unique secret technique.

Furthermore, he'd caught the Poison Earthworm with his bare hands; this child was

no ordinary orphan.

The Little Mute ignored Ye Jiuge's inquisitive gaze. After he devoured all his food, he

wiped his mouth using his sleeves and returned to the dark house to rest.

“Wait!” Ye Jiuge called out. “Can you continue developing this kind of Poison

Earthworm?”

The Little Mute raised his skinny fingers and showed her the pill. His meaning was

clear: as long as Ye Jiuge had Spiritual Beasts Pills, she could trade for Poison

Earthworms anytime.