"Is there any danger for Ani and Yu Qingyun at the Shiwu location?" Ouyang Tianyun asked with concern.
"No. Ani’s skills are unmatched. Even if it were the world’s greatest Gu master, they could not harm her."
Yan Aohan held a blind trust in Zhu Yanyi. This trust came from the very core of his heart. It was built on absolute faith in her.
While Yan Aohan and others spoke of Zhu Yanyi, she was quietly communicating with a persimmon tree nearby. Its leaves had all fallen off.
"Persimmon tree, do you know the people in this village?"
"I have been here for nine years. I know what happened within those nine years."
"Do you know which plant understands this village best?"
"If you want the deepest knowledge, it is the willow tree by the Tianhe River above. It is over a hundred years old. There are many stones here too. If you could talk to stones, they might know more."
"Thank you. I will go find the willow tree." Zhu Yanyi felt lucky she could talk to plants. She never dreamed she could talk to stones. Besides, her body constitution was Wood-based. She had no Earth element. Talking to stones was impossible.
Zhu Yanyi called out to Yu Qingyun and left Old She’s house.
Because of the snow disaster, everyone in Hejia Village was helping out. Old She and the old lady were also busy. Zhu Yanyi and Yu Qingyun helped too, but only when they found sick or injured people.
Perhaps because Zhu Yanyi had scattered preventive medicine earlier, no one got seriously ill despite the bad snow. Only one or two people had colds. A bowl of ginger soup cured them quickly.
Zhu Yanyi and Yu Qingyun used the excuse of looking for herbs to explore the surroundings. So, when they left this time, the villagers just told them to be careful. They were too busy to ask questions.
"Junior Sister, where are you taking me?" Yu Qingyun asked curiously.
"Up there." Zhu Yanyi pointed toward the river upstream.
From the riverbank above, one could see the entire village below clearly.
"Senior Brother Qingyun, come look. What does the layout look like?" Zhu Yanyi looked down, slightly surprised.
Yu Qingyun steadied himself and looked down. He froze. "Is that a Bagua?"
Yes, it was a Bagua. Specifically, an inverted Bagua. People who did not understand formations would not notice the inversion, as the shapes looked similar.
"What a unique place. Now I understand why the ancestor of Hejia Village chose this spot. He must have seen this natural formation. He built the village here to protect his family."
With the Bagua formation, they did not need to worry about danger. This was likely the ancestor’s wish.
"It seems the ancestor of Hejia Village was very powerful," Yu Qingyun agreed, nodding.
Zhu Yanyi smiled, agreeing with her in her heart. She observed the area.
Due to the snow, the flowing river had frozen. The ice was not thick enough to support a person’s weight, but it was clearly frozen.
Thick snow covered the riverbanks like a quilt. Because it was cold, no one had come here. The snow remained pristine and undisturbed. Zhu Yanyi and Yu Qingyun walked safely on the snow without slipping.
"That willow tree is huge. It looks over a hundred years old," Zhu Yanyi said, finding the tree the persimmon tree mentioned.
Yu Qingyun nodded slightly. "Yes. The bark and roots of a century-old willow are good medicinal materials."
Zhu Yanyi glared at her. "Willow bark and roots only relieve pain and reduce inflammation. Why use them? Other herbs work just as well. Even new willow branches work. Using a century-old tree’s bark and roots is a waste. Don’t say this effect to others. Trees over ten years old have spirits. You don’t want to anger heaven and earth."
Yu Qingyun was speechless. "I just said one sentence, and you lectured me. I didn’t say we must use this tree. I was just joking."
Zhu Yanyi sighed. "All things have spirits. If it were a new willow, I wouldn’t say this. It is hard for a tree to survive a hundred years."
Yu Qingyun agreed. "I was just speaking casually."
Zhu Yanyi smiled. "Besides, I didn’t bring you here to harm the willow. I brought you to look for something."
She walked to the old willow tree, placed her hand on the trunk, and closed her eyes to communicate.
Zhu Yanyi’s Wood constitution made plants naturally friendly to her. The old willow did not hide anything from her.
After getting the information she needed, Zhu Yanyi looked down with a sense of helplessness.
"Junior Sister, what exactly are we looking for here?" Yu Qingyun asked, watching her.
Zhu Yanyi raised an eyebrow and tilted her head. "Guess. What do you think I brought you here to find?"
"Probably not something good," Yu Qingyun thought for a moment. "Are you looking for clues about the Gu poison?"
Zhu Yanyi’s eyes showed surprise. She smiled lightly. "Senior Brother Qingyun, you really know me well."
"It is not about knowing you. It is about your character. The Gu poison was cured, but we know it is abnormal for two out of three family members to be poisoned. Even if someone else cast the Gu, having two types of Gu worms suggests this place is close to a Gu breeder."
Yu Qingyun spoke seriously. She could guess this easily. Given Zhu Yanyi’s personality, it would be strange if she did not investigate everything related to poison thoroughly.