Colin Gu Calls for Her

This Spirit Barrier is defined by the area enclosed by six Spirit Trees.

You can enter, but you can't leave.

Even the stone gate we just entered through is now sealed off.

No wonder Zhuo Guan'er was standing outside the stone gate and refused to come in...

The three of them explored the edge of the barrier, but in the end, there was no way out.

Finally, they had no choice but to enter the wooden cabin.

Inside, the cabin was furnished as lavishly as a palace residence—elegant and exquisite, with a main hall, dining room, and bathing chamber all included.

There were also three bedrooms.

All the daily necessities were provided.

So, the three of them settled in.

Just as expected, Colin Gu's personal head eunuch, Gao Zhao, delivered three meals a day to them.

The food was all imperial cuisine—pretty fancy for prisoners, honestly.

......

Inside the Qingluan Sanctum, there were all sorts of living creatures.

There were animals.

Fish in the lake, birds in the woods, and even ferocious beasts trapped in the formation behind the ancient tower—just to name a few.

But even more abundant were the plants.

When Grace first picked up the bracelet, there was already a whole forest inside.

Behind the forest and on the empty ground in front of the ancient tower, the previous owner had planted all sorts of bizarre things.

Honestly, Grace couldn't recognize a single one of them.

But she guessed they were probably medicinal herbs too.

After all, Senior Lu was the Medicine God!

It was probably just her own ignorance that kept her from recognizing them.

Of course, there were also weeds in the soil, water plants by the lake, and the medicinal herbs Grace planted later.

And then there was that little bean sprout that just ran in on its own.

Usually, the Sanctum was very quiet.

Even after arriving in the Spirit Tree Array, it was still peaceful.

But Beanie was going absolutely wild.

It was so happy, it was practically dancing—its little tendrils were almost flying!

Grace noticed Beanie acting strange and went inside to look for it.

As soon as Grace walked in, Beanie immediately behaved itself, looking all innocent.

"Beanie, what are you up to?" Grace asked.

Beanie lifted a leaf and waved it, as if saying: You must be mistaken, I wasn't doing anything.

"Did you think I couldn't see you just because I wasn't inside? I saw everything! If you had legs, you'd have jumped straight to the sky!"

Beanie froze, pretending to be dead.

"Quit playing dead!" Grace poked it.

It waved its leaf again, this time looking even more dignified than before.

Grace kept asking, but since Beanie didn't have a mouth, she couldn't get any answers—so she gave up.

......

A few days passed like this. Grace was meditating in the cabin when she suddenly heard Colin Gu calling her.

When Grace stepped outside, she saw Colin Gu standing just beyond the stone gate where Zhuo Guan'er had brought them in.

Grace walked over and bowed.

"Grace, is there anything inconvenient about living here?" Colin Gu asked.

"It's very nice here. Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty," Grace replied.

Colin Gu said, "Grace, this battle is a matter of life and death for the Blue Moon Kingdom. I can't afford any mistakes.

That's why I've brought the families of all the important generals into the palace—not only to protect them and ease the generals' worries,

but also, since we're up against the Vermilion Kingdom, if anyone tries to desert or waver, this will serve as a warning."

Grace lowered her eyes and said nothing.

Colin Gu added, "The Prime Minister is my father-in-law, so of course I trust him. But I have to treat everyone the same, or the other generals might get suspicious. Grace, do you understand?"

Grace replied, "I understand. My parents and grandmother understand too. Please rest assured, Your Majesty."

"That's good," Colin Gu smiled, pointing to the Spirit Trees. "This array is built upon the Spirit Trees—it's incredibly strong. Don't try to break out by force, or you'll get hurt."