Jinbao Marries a Wife

Jinbao clenched his fist behind his back, forcing himself to calm down, standing face-to-face with Yu Mingjing without a trace of emotion.wyCDMDxVoargmpihFKzwxOUGCoZhrt

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After several months of absence, Yu Mingjing hadn’t changed at all. He still had the same pale complexion, thin frame, and an ethereal air, as if he might ascend and vanish at any moment. Behind him, the masked man stood just as he had before—head held high, hands clasped behind his back, his gaze cold and indifferent, seeing the world as if nothing mattered.bvbIUjBIxMDbiIRVigBizvQMUdNerD

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Upon seeing the two of them, Yu Mingjing first nodded toward Lou Jingyu. “Your mission is complete. You can leave.”XXuVHIRPvacPzESsBZZKPwELYwJFKw

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Lou Jingyu crossed his arms, glanced around expressionlessly, and finally let his gaze rest on Jinbao. With a mocking smile, he said nothing, turned, and left.vtAZBpuVPumcEzTmvkqCdZtnUzsCcY

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Only then did Yu Mingjing turn to Jinbao with a calm smile. “I never would’ve thought—you’re that kid from back then.”KawZtCIOoayjsQxGClTUUoqhEIlSIY

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The words caught Jinbao completely off guard, and he looked at Yu with heightened suspicion. “You… what do you mean?”HkyDvNhoaTwoyKObJyfBTsHaRqsEgq

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“It’s been over ten years. Not only did you forget, I had long forgotten too. I didn’t expect you were still alive… Little Tiger.”NBjAeazhtxaaeHGCxYmJCoaAFfhEQT

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Jinbao stared at him in shock. “You—you know me?”mGAvIXeCAyomEyCXybMtzqulLyMBnW

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Yu Mingjing nodded lightly. “You’ve grown so much. Yue Siming was truly persistent to have found you. Unexpected, really.”ecpuyZBuurFMzjvvTivawIgBqxGgKM

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Jinbao frowned. “What exactly do you want? You sent this person to deceive me, dragged me here. No matter what, let me tell you, I will never hurt him. Don’t waste your time—”RarBFNmSjuKWDZQwxwbSXtWeubBdpk

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“It’s not about hurting him,” Yu Mingjing interrupted calmly. “I just need you to do me a favor. And it’s a favor you must do.”PsdbGxAdCFPuFoCpGkcwapIFEFIalr

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Jinbao cautiously took a step back. “What do you want me to do? There’s no way I’ll help you with anything.”SSjMApxHqaTuLWVMwNTjuoPqeMBFwS

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“You will help,” Yu Mingjing said with certainty. “As long as you do, you can save him.”NkiGpiuSmNEDsBuVDpDueemWVATgTb

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Jinbao froze. “Are you saying… you’re willing to lift the blood curse on him?”QrFcQFwADSchbyuaRJdbmtwlORTvWC

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“Exactly.”tTIofWmQNSYpOYJvrdakKbJqPAolFH

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Images of Que Siming’s eyes, marked with those strange, blood-red veins, flashed in Jinbao’s mind. That curse had always threatened him, ready to strip him of his sanity and reduce him to nothing. No matter how calm Que Siming appeared on the surface, Jinbao could feel his unease, his powerlessness when facing Yu Mingjing.GpgPhHjwVlCQuEauVgeSZwGTBUpBqs

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That curse had haunted him for thirteen years. As long as it remained, it was as if he was living in a nightmare. Just thinking about it filled Jinbao with anguish for him.FKjHEyoQSwjUilfaxAvMZtBRNLDeqK

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But the man standing before him would never simply remove the curse for Que Siming. Whatever condition he named was sure to be something Jinbao couldn’t afford to pay.MqUECvTgQxzsvZoalKuNNfaErqrcYl

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“What do you want me to do?”MpxtfJKmBQZpVeyRKXqualspYTCEDM

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“Hand over the Longevity Stone.”snRfMvuJlXQXqnIyHvtJuCaKGwHEZG

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Jinbao scoffed. “How could I possibly have the Longevity Stone?”tzcmlINYnlwMcxIOwpqLkESrkQeBAC

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Yu Mingjing’s clear eyes gazed at him silently. “You’re so close to Yue Siming. Have you never seen the Longevity Stone?”kslNWaYSomoSfwwEMgDHNLarfRCmpg

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Jinbao hesitated, suddenly recalling that not long ago, Que Siming had taken him to see that ordinary-looking stone.oFoCSkmDfdYcjHNhmAfcrhkwdGMMwi

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Yu Mingjing noticed the change in his expression, understanding immediately. “You’ve seen the Longevity Stone. You know where it is, don’t you?”hkVBFrgLHJhSvrQBBHwYYeMrauBULZ

bkdCKipjIJhoCNx

Jinbao glared at him. “I don’t know, and even if I did, I wouldn’t give it to you.” Whether he could even get his hands on the stone was beside the point. Even if Yu Mingjing got it, there was no guarantee he would keep his promise. And stealing the stone for Yu Mingjing—there was no way Que Siming would ever forgive him. Jinbao would rather return and figure it out with Que Siming, if he managed to survive today.ScAcjQNVdowOQcmNNffwpOfOePHSAY

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Yu Mingjing smiled faintly. “You’re the one closest to him. Only you can bring the Longevity Stone to me. All I want is a stone. Meanwhile, he wants my life. We’ve tangled with each other for years, causing each other endless harm. If I get the stone, he can be free from the curse, and then we can both go our separate ways, never to cross paths again. Wouldn’t that be the best outcome for everyone?”XwkWqzfpBeYENjcNHEbszjdvKCzYrs

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Jinbao snorted, “You’re dreaming. You ruined his family, left him with nothing. Even without that stone or the curse, he’ll hunt you to the ends of the earth to avenge his blood-soaked grudge.”AnFCGNJgDJePdkFAdulGNcAPaJRzGi

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Yu Mingjing chuckled as if he’d heard a joke. “Family destroyed? A blood-soaked grudge? Heh.”HSKruLQnnGRrjBEIsCmuawtWsccRwQ

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Jinbao said, “What are you laughing at? Let me tell you, today it’s my bad luck to fall into your hands. You can kill me or skin me, it’s up to you. But if you think you can make me steal the Longevity Stone for you, you’re dreaming.”jBXDrZSDDrBBdfcuFzKgUoNwQXkywJ

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“You don’t want to save Yue Siming?”UVYKZMbFtRkCAFWnDYIpLsEfUwHRYk

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“Of course I do, but I don’t trust you.”sbJAcxihlUCBbDXCWTgklFeuhRUVZW

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Yu Mingjing seemed amused by his righteous stance and chuckled twice, “Well, what if I told you, not only do I control Yue Siming’s life, but I also hold his father’s?”lkUrodztPqbqHzeGkEOzlKLlPUqJnm

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Jinbao froze and asked suspiciously, “What do you mean?”CRIXtePEQiFsuIpkAomrZiqtWwjhMR

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“Yue Yinggui is not dead. He’s alive and well, but I can kill him anytime.”gGXzwZaGHhmxemgpBeApANOjWUWKrx

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Jinbao was shocked, his large, expressive eyes widened in disbelief. He stared at Yu Mingjing, stunned for a while, then angrily said, “You—you must be talking nonsense.”PmBIKdiRqbdcVKpsxYpjYjSyOXCnLq

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Yu Mingjing calmly replied, “I’m not. He’s indeed alive, and he’s right in front of you.”VRTdrLOfTYetbFkDitEyBMtEzqHGNy

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Jinbao was so horrified that he took a step back, his mind flooded with a whirlwind of confusion. What Yu Mingjing said seemed so real, but… could it be true?iHtBkesqmBPTYtPQkbRAzcLQEYPAUR

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Jinbao raised his head, “You… you can’t trick me into submitting. You say he’s right in front of me. Where?” As he said this, his gaze involuntarily fell on the masked man.HAZbHahSLjXKyOenNCcQUccdkhEUAx

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It was him who let us go… Could it really be…?gGsACcudaiEMqyKtxMPpBLxiHWAjSW

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Yu Mingjing looked at the masked man and said, “Take off the cloth.”sNhvYquuXckFkdiigydxgtSYpaTOER

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The masked man didn’t hesitate. He swiftly removed the cloth from his face.DhAJjaJlQDiXKyWuozjGtmYniyhsft

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A tall and commanding figure, chiseled, stern features, exuding an aura of authority. His temples were streaked with gray, his gaze icy cold. The moment Jinbao saw him, a sense of familiarity surged through him. A tall figure emerged in his mind, like a mountain—solemn, steady, and awe-inspiring.BTHjQjbJRgiViCKCnyrZdcUZzkrevg

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Sweat began to bead on Jinbao’s forehead. Faint childhood memories, Yu Mingjing’s thunderous revelation, the fact that this man had deliberately spared their lives earlier, and the shocked expressions of Master Que and Chief Steward Xiao when sizing up this man’s martial prowess…cQDavsvVtwEfiBQyIdrPltPzxgkNQx

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Yu Mingjing probably wasn’t lying. The man before him was likely the general everyone believed to have died more than a decade ago—Yue Yinggui.NGCgdVoZbRFPqjjCNHjwrgGbnkDgNp

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Yu Mingjing asked, “So? Do you believe me now?”TjdBzgcyCJrcOqAbZjkJnZfCXRYrEg

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Jinbao clenched his fists and gritted his teeth, “You… if he really is General Yue, why would he be following you?”keVTdFBQVzsBQHwYSRKFIumlRvJwNE

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A fleeting trace of sorrow flashed across Yu Mingjing’s face, quickly replaced by indifference. He replied, “I have my ways of controlling him.”oNwLJLbkwwKTPHHVnazqLEKezVpAdA

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But little did he know that Jinbao’s thoughts were on something entirely different at that moment.VkijZeTBTmJAmyWGDlfqdmjFmSzhtG

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On the surface, General Yue appeared to be completely controlled by Yu Mingjing, obeying his every command like a puppet. However, in places where Yu Mingjing couldn’t see, General Yue had once spared them, and it was clear that he remembered his son. Perhaps he was only pretending to submit, waiting for the right moment to take revenge. Maybe he had some unspeakable reasons for staying, hoping that his son would eventually save him. No matter the case, he was undoubtedly staying by Yu Mingjing’s side for some purpose. And if Yu Mingjing were to die, father and son could be reunited.KMWmiazUGGULsAYwkhRibObDMfxSHA

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Thinking this, Jinbao glanced at Yue Yinggui, hoping to discern something from his expression. But to his disappointment, Yue Yinggui’s face remained emotionless, standing tall and rigid like a statue.HHcHPevOqItlkSKjgUaUoCZYTxnLBY

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Yu Mingjing seemed to dislike others looking at him and ordered, “Cover your face.”VrqMhswNUsBecTMVjHDQJZGvZRZcdF

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Yue Yinggui obediently wrapped the cloth back around his face, once again becoming the masked man at Yu Mingjing’s side.XneWuCHkSdZBUELyOlWBpFOAsWKaKM

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Yu Mingjing coldly said, “You’ve seen it for yourself. He now obeys my every word. If I want him dead, I wouldn’t even need to lift a finger. I’m giving you two choices: one, bring me the Longevity Stone, and I’ll give you my blood so you can save Que Siming. Or two, I’ll kill Yue Yinggui, cripple you, and tell Que Siming that you were the one who got his father killed.”bTdvWcKpeULKDmyEJkLQdAIzUtoREY

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Jinbao snapped angrily, “You vile scoundrel!”RAHaAoxVAzsiqZuzvOemBXyouXfsQS

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Yu Mingjing remained indifferent. “I’ve wasted years of effort, suffered countless losses, and you’ve managed to slip away from me several times. I have no more patience. I want the Longevity Stone. If you can give it to me, everyone’s happy. If not…” Yu Mingjing gave Jinbao a warning glance.gvFXcqalAalODGRNwJZKbtjiyLascp

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Jinbao’s mind was in turmoil, unable to fully grasp the situation. He didn’t know whether to agree or not. From his perspective, Que Siming didn’t care much about that stone. If it could be traded for the removal of the blood curse and for his father, even if they couldn’t kill Yu Mingjing, it would still be a huge victory.KkSTDXqtNChEQTWeULVWKNIyFCOAmR

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So Jinbao asked, “If I bring you the Longevity Stone, will you return General Yue to us?”JnpdYuAynqADWcFtgOmXVWkgkONcuF

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Yu Mingjing’s face darkened, and he sneered, “Absolutely not. If I get the Longevity Stone, I’ll only promise not to kill him. Yue Yinggui will either die or stay by my side forever.”OxOBJLrJOINdgsuUyqZHVXdgmGoxqS

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Jinbao finally realized the deal wasn’t worth it. He shouted, “You’ve really thought this through, haven’t you? Just a bit of blood and you get everything you want. If you don’t return the general to us, how am I supposed to explain this to Que Siming?”dRYPYmVTIecLcqmfzvubQnOsPtkKUQ

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“How you explain it to him is none of my concern. But before the task is done, you must not let him know. If you ruin my plans, I’ll make sure you join Yue Yinggui in the grave.”RVRgQsrAikrTiMIFIrEiJlMiQjFSoE

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Jinbao was puzzled. “What do you mean?”KKjeEDHMARITYncWnlKnKLfXedeFHG

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“No matter what method you use, bring me the Longevity Stone. But until it’s in my hands, our deal and the fact that Yue Yinggui is alive must remain a secret from Yue Siming and everyone else.”aXhCYIHhvzxyIRkpdEMzEjNGUdHyLp

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“Why?”ezSqVScWtEtyUWEHWwtxXzlgLYzetL

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Yu Mingjing snorted coldly, “Because not only will Yue Siming refuse to hand over the stone to me, but he will also bring a large force to rescue Yue Yinggui. So if I don’t see the stone, and instead Qu Siming comes here with his men to wipe me out, I’ll kill Yue Yinggui first.”ZbolhkewDwjUKHUBmRIMzTsYYNbytn

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Jin Bao, in that moment, was filled with such hatred that he wanted to bite Yu Mingjing to death.QteYSxwhMQtSkTPmfJFiltwAyRjmyZ

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This move of Yu Mingjing’s had pushed him into a quagmire. He couldn’t move forward, nor could he retreat.ywuLYQOqceKHoGShhvDuUrSOxZtsBU

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If he went to steal the stone and was discovered by the people of the Medicine Valley, how would he explain himself? He couldn’t reveal his meeting with Yu Mingjing; if he did, it would be impossible to clear his name.ABHEzmBmPLFWJlTEpFskzaVrDcOYCG

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Even if he somehow managed to steal the Longevity Stone and bring it back, how could he convince Qu Siming that it was all for saving his father? Would Qu Siming even believe him? How could he prove that Yue Yinggui, whom everyone thought had been dead for over a decade, was actually still alive? The recent events had already created a rift between them. If Qu Siming believed this time that Jin Bao had colluded with Yu Mingjing, how could he prove his innocence?FLBPJCJFzkMYLwgFpVhxkdRpzbEGXs

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But could he refuse?okFOkFlWxwNTxhYptudMyJomSttXko

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Not to mention, if he did refuse, there was no guarantee he’d even make it out alive today.aEofUOxLNVItWiyFqHPgTmVAxwJgqd

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First of all, getting Yu Mingjing’s blood to save Qu Siming was already a huge temptation for him.hyvjDqYixlsbLItYvbVKaytJfnOuuU

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Secondly, he couldn’t just abandon Qu Siming’s father. Jin Bao knew better than anyone how much pain Qu Siming had endured because of the destruction of his family. Even if Yu Mingjing took the Longevity Stone and left, there would still be opportunities in the future to save his father, as long as Qu Siming stayed alive. And since his father still remembered him, their eventual reunion would truly bring joy. But if Qu Siming found out that Jin Bao had stood by and done nothing, he would surely hate him forever.MBrNtwOfVwVSFFyAsNEBKirLvhvJAr

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So what was he supposed to do?eRhCIaronAMOLTbksifMCoOVfmfRNc

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Jin Bao, unwilling to give up, asked, “How much time… are you giving me?”XlDHMojySjfyDZZzYghhrgnuHIxNfM

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“Before dawn.”FdySjLlqTcDAehqlMKXRbAzQWiOWeh

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Jin Bao angrily replied, “You think Medicine Valley is just an open garden? How am I supposed to steal the Longevity Stone in such a short time?”CDhleXNPQQRJNuGVWQyRmBMfEQtCPl

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“That’s your problem now. Lou Jingyu has killed the people stationed around the inn to protect you. By dawn, their bodies will be discovered, so you must act tonight. There are only four hours left until daybreak.”UtBvKlBSKCaLUPYjQVPiRbwgTJlTIs

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Jin Bao’s heart sank completely. He had hoped Yu Mingjing would give him a few days, allowing him time to think of a plan. He wasn’t smart to begin with, let alone cunning. When things went wrong, he’d panic, unable to think clearly.JqwTBEljdfKWsUtAWwlQoPLvljCENH

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Now Yu Mingjing wasn’t giving him any time at all. From Jin Bao’s perspective, he only saw two options: do it or don’t.fKSHpAwlMCrVFTFeJSuUsQTgPicBYK

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Forced into this dilemma, he found that he had no choice left.EERaYtzYYaaYfSerWYVGsdKkSbIpms

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He could only gamble—gamble that he could secretly and without a trace steal the Longevity Stone from Medicine Valley.AbDdgxmqsjmvoFixvVerMfkHOqwaTO

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Gamble on Qu Siming’s trust, hoping that after it all, Qu Siming would believe his explanation.WevucnqwjxUqXIAmIEegDdLONwrTuo

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Yu Mingjing gave him no more time to hesitate, commanding him to immediately return to Medicine Valley and steal the Longevity Stone.eLdkGAHEGMuNGeIARHrxkaJTkelsmJ

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On the way back, Jin Bao couldn’t stop thinking. How, in just one night, had he been pushed into this dead end, with no way to turn back?udvOOretlnMjbfsjHHLBPkbOhjwMmk

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This trip to Medicine Valley was bound to be fraught with danger. What would become of him and Qu Siming afterward? He didn’t even dare to imagine.eklJNOLkHyMEwLMrILwnGHEMqAkPSz

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