In the Boundless Realm beyond the Heavens, the sea of clouds churned.
Lingxuzi watched Zhang Mingyuan's figure turn into a beam of light and disappear, his expression gradually shifting into the wretched, excited grin of a scheming sidekick.
“This kid... is he really going to sleep in that Red Dust Immortal's bed?”
He stroked his chin and pinched his fingers to divine the future, but could only calculate a chaotic mist of obscured heavenly secrets.
“Tsk, a lunatic and a madwoman. A match made in heaven.”
He shook his head, picked up the Enlightenment Tea on the stone table, and downed it in one gulp.
...
In the Spring-Return Valley, upon the pavilion.
Bai Lumian stuffed an exquisite little white jade bottle into Su Jinxue's hand.
“Remember, Little Xue, this drug is colorless and odorless. It dissolves instantly in water and won't harm his foundation. As for its potency...
“Hehehe, even a Mahayana Stage cultivator will turn into a gentle, obedient puppy.”
She winked, grinning like a fox that had just stolen a chicken.
Su Jinxue gripped the cold jade bottle, her knuckles turning slightly white as if she wanted to crush it.
She said nothing, but her red eyes seemed to freeze over with shards of ice.
In the next instant, her figure vanished from the pavilion along with the swirling snow.
“Hey, wait! I haven't told you the dosage yet...”
Before Bai Lumian could finish her sentence, there was no one left in front of her.
She stood frozen in place, then suddenly slapped her forehead.
“Oh no, I forgot to tell her that the drug... is extremely potent.”
Bai Lumian stared in the direction where Su Jinxue had disappeared, her expression a mix of excitement and anxiety.
...
In the Eastern Territory, inside the Myriad Snow Palace.
When Zhang Mingyuan's figure appeared once again in front of the familiar side courtyard, his state of mind had undergone a complete transformation.
He was no longer that "captive," nor was he the bewildered man whose worldview had shattered.
Lingxuzi's deafening, devilish whisper echoed repeatedly in his mind:
“Do you think a woman like Su Jinxue will let you off once she recovers?
“She just hasn't figured out how to deal with you yet!
“Your only way out right now is to strike while her Dao Heart is unstable and completely take control of her!
“You've already kissed her, so why care about holding hands? Or rolling in the sheets... cough, anyway, you must take the initiative!”
Take the initiative?
Zhang Mingyuan looked up at the main bedchamber, which was shrouded in wind and snow.
In the courtyard, the parasol tree, which had lived for an unknown number of years, was still lush and leafy despite the perpetual snow. Every leaf was adorned with translucent icicles, reflecting a faint, cold glow under the cool moonlight.
Everything was dead silent, save for the soft rustle of falling snow.
He took a deep breath, suppressing the flutter in his heart caused by the crazy plan, and stepped toward the main hall.
However, the moment he was about to step into the courtyard, his footsteps suddenly halted.
In the courtyard, beneath the parasol tree, a figure had appeared at some point.
It was a solitary, snow-white, and breathtakingly beautiful figure.
Su Jinxue stood there quietly.
Her simple white gown fluttered gently in the night wind, and her long black hair cascaded down her back like a waterfall.
She did not look at him, but merely kept her head tilted up, gazing at the icicles covering the tree.
The cool moonlight and the swirling snow seemed to serve as her backdrop, outlining her flawless, otherworldly profile.
Her nose was delicate and upturned, her lips naturally crimson without makeup, and her skin, set against the snow, was almost translucent, glowing with a faint, sacred aura.
Over the past five thousand years, Zhang Mingyuan had seen this face countless times, from an innocent young girl to the peerless Immortal Lord.
Every single time was breathtaking, yet every single time was also accompanied by the clash of swords and blades.
But today, looking at this face made his heart skip a beat for some reason.
Su Jinxue slowly turned around. Those red eyes that had once eclipsed the heavens and earth fell upon him, completely devoid of emotion.
There was no killing intent, no anger, and no grievance.
There was only a fathomless, eerie silence that sent a shiver down Zhang Mingyuan's spine.
“Come here.”
She spoke, her voice clear and cold, carrying the slight chill of melting snow.
Zhang Mingyuan's Adam's apple bobbed.
Step by step, his boots crunched against the snow as he walked up to her.
They were less than three feet apart.
He could even smell the familiar, cold yet sweet fragrance drifting from her body, more intense than ever before.
Su Jinxue raised her hand.
Zhang Mingyuan's muscles tensed instantly, and the spiritual energy in his body flared in warning, readying him to flee into the void at any second.
However, she merely picked up a cup of tea that had already been prepared on the stone table beside her.
The tea wafted steam, looking exceptionally out of place in this world of ice and snow.
“Drink it.”
She handed the teacup to him, her tone still commanding.
Zhang Mingyuan stared intently at the tea.
The liquid was clear, with a few green tea leaves floating on top. It looked like an ordinary spiritual tea.
But...
Abnormal circumstances always meant trouble!
Since when would a woman like Su Jinxue be kind enough to serve him tea?
The only explanation was that woman, Bai Lumian!
What was the Spring-Return Valley best at? Saving lives? Bullshit!
They were best at creating poisons and refining all kinds of bizarre pills!
There was definitely something in this tea!
Did she want to poison him to death? Unlikely. If she wanted to kill him, a single finger would suffice.
Then...
Bai Lumian's mischievous face, which always thrived on chaos, flashed through Zhang Mingyuan's mind.
An absurd yet highly probable thought exploded in his mind!
She had drugged him!
She was going to give him a taste of his own medicine!
While he was lost in passion and making a fool of himself, she would record it with a Projection Stone and let him experience "social death"!
What a vicious scheme!
Zhang Mingyuan's heart sank, but immediately after, an even crazier idea welled up.
Lingxuzi's words echoed in his mind again—take the initiative!
Wasn't this the perfect opportunity?
He slowly raised his head, meeting Su Jinxue's deep red eyes, and a brilliant smile suddenly blossomed on his face.
Under Su Jinxue's slightly startled gaze, he reached out and took the teacup.
Then, just as Su Jinxue expected him to question her, refuse, or test the tea,
Zhang Mingyuan made a move that shook her very Dao Heart—
He downed the drugged tea in a single gulp.
Gulp.
The crisp sound of swallowing was as clear as thunder in the dead, snowy night.
Su Jinxue's pupils contracted sharply at that moment!
How... how did he dare?! Did he not realize? No, his expression just now clearly showed he had seen through everything!
Zhang Mingyuan casually placed the empty teacup back on the stone table with a soft clack.
He took a step forward, instantly closing the distance between them until their noses were almost touching.
His face still wore that wicked, knowing smile.
He didn't touch her at all, but his scorching breath completely enveloped her.
Staring into her shocked red eyes, his voice was low and husky, carrying a trace of playfulness as if savoring his prey:
“I drank the medicine.”
“Now, how do you want to humiliate me, Little Xuexue?”
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