Feng Jiu didn't want to help at first, but after seeing the pleading look from Song Yiping, she sighed softly and said, "For Song Yiping's sake, give me three medicinal herbs aged a thousand years old from each of your families!"
When several Patriarchs heard this, they looked at each other. Even though it wasn't difficult for them to get three medicinal herbs aged a thousand years old, these herbs were extremely valuable. Hesitant, one of them started to ask, "Could we give fewer..."
Feng Jiu interrupted, "Four herbs."
When those Patriarchs heard that, they were shocked. "Why four right now? You just said three, right?"
"That was before you hesitated," Feng Jiu sneered. "If you are not willing to do it, don't worry; I don't lack your thousand-year-old herbs."
Worried that any more hesitation would increase the number, they gritted their teeth and replied, "Fine, four it is. But you must resolve this matter for us."
"Bring the items for me to examine first," Feng Jiu replied, signalling for Song Yiping to take Ye Ling aside to rest.
Song Yiping glanced at them and then took Ye Ling to a large tree. Using the tree as cover, he set Ye Ling down and placed a hood on her. Her face remained hidden beneath her black cloak.
Several patriarchs consulted among themselves and each sent an elder from their family to retrieve the thousand-year-old herbs. At this point, one of the patriarchs stepped forward and asked, "Madam Ling, is there a way to help them recover first?"
How embarra.s.sing for them, as patriarchs, to be helpless in this situation.
Feng Jiu took a glance at those few people and then walked forward. With a point of her finger, a flow of spirit energy went into their glabellas. Wisps of smoke rose from their heads, and they all jolted back to their senses.
"Hiss! Why am I covered in wounds? So painful!"
"Who did this to me? Who was it?"
"Why are we tied up here? Patriarchs? Why are you all here?"
They couldn't help but cry out in pain as they recovered from their wounds. They were stunned to see their own patriarchs here, to see themselves still bound, and to see the bodies on the ground.
"What, what happened? Who killed all these people?"
Those Patriarchs kept silent. Among the bodies on the ground were members of their own clans, killed by their own hands. What could they say?
Feng Jiu glanced at them and casually said, "You killed them."
"Nonsense! How could we attack our own people?" Their faces turned pale in an instant. Even as they vehemently denied it, they could tell from the expressions of their patriarchs and clan members that it must be true.
"How could this have happened?" How?" Some mumbled, unwilling to accept the possibility that they had killed their own friends.
One of the Patriarchs sighed, "You were possessed by evil spirits and lost your sanity. So..."
Another interrupted, "Weren't you supposed to patrol? How could you have been possessed by evil spirits for no apparent reason?"