When Gu Qingyun and the others heard him mention the ancient poison formula, they couldn't help but feel a chill. Ye Hongyun asked, "Does Lord Zhan know which poison formula she wants?"
Zhan Hengye shook his head dejectedly. Zhan Ziyang said angrily from the side, "That witch tortured us in every way, only saying that she wanted my father to hand over the ancient poison formula. But where are we supposed to find that formula for her? After she realized she couldn't get anything out of him, she had us transported to this island, saying she would imprison us here for life."
Fu Chong then asked, "Why is it that we don't see Nephew Zichen locked up with you?"
With tears in his eyes, Zhan Ziyang said, "After that demoness captured us, she sent someone to take my brother away. I don't know if he has met with any misfortune."
Lu Zhan sighed, "It's a pity that the demoness was knocked off the cliff by my senior brother and died in the sea. Otherwise, we could have gotten information about the whereabouts of my nephew Zichen from her."
Fu Chong's eyes were filled with resentment as he said bitterly, "That vixen Ruan Ziya is so vicious and cruel, she deserves to die a thousand or ten thousand times!"
※ ※ ※ ※
Ruan Ziya was struck in the chest at the Tanzhong acupoint by Fu Chong's palm. Although her ribs were broken and she was in so much pain that she almost fainted, the two pent-up internal energies that had been lingering in her chest suddenly opened up. Then she felt a cool sensation running through her whole body, and she realized that she had sunk into the sea.
A giant wave crashed in, and Ruan Ziya felt the icy seawater rush into her face and into her mouth and nose. She could no longer hold her breath and could only close her eyes and await death.
Just then, she suddenly felt someone grab her arm and pull her into their arms, embracing her as they dived into the sea. Ruan Ziya felt a sharp pain in her chest wound, and then everything went black before her eyes, and she lost consciousness.
When she awoke, she found herself on a shallow beach, hearing thunder and hearing torrential rain. A person leaned down and looked at her with a smile; it was Murong Wuhen.
Ruan Ziya was startled to see that Murong Wuhen was completely soaked, his once snow-white robe now muddy and disheveled, yet he still maintained a carefree and nonchalant demeanor. He leaned close to her ear and chuckled, "Saintess Ruan, I just saved your life. You should think carefully about how to repay me." With that, he wrapped his arms around the back of her neck and waist, picked her up, and searched through the torrential rain until he finally found a dry cave. He went inside and laid Ruan Ziya on the ground.
Ruan Ziya was already injured by the palm strike, and the impact of the giant waves in the sea made her ribs so broken that she was in excruciating pain. When her body came into contact with the ground, the injury was aggravated, and she couldn't help but groan softly.
Murong Wuhen seemed to find it amusing, lowered his head and stared at her face for a long time, then suddenly smiled softly.
Feeling frustrated, Ruan Ziya simply closed her eyes and refused to look at him.
Suddenly, Murong Wuhen chuckled softly, "I've long heard that the 'Hundred Transformations Serpent' can change its appearance a thousand times, but I don't know what its true face looks like?"
Ruan Ziya opened her eyes and saw him reach out and gently touch her cheek, a sly smile on his face.
“I bet she’s an absolute beauty.” Murong Wuhen said with a smile, as he lightly peeled off the thin, cicada-wing-like human skin mask from Ruan Ziya’s face. He was taken aback to find that her features were plain and her complexion was dull. She was actually quite ordinary in appearance.
Ruan Ziya forced a smile and said softly, "I'm afraid I've disappointed Young Master Murong."
Murong Wuhen pondered for a moment, then suddenly laughed, reached out and tugged at her clothes, pulling open her bodice to reveal a large expanse of snow-white, bare skin.
Ruan Ziya was both shocked and angry. She glared at him coldly. Murong Wuhen's lips curled slightly as he looked her over with his eyes. He said with a smile, "I was almost fooled by Saintess Ruan. If you hadn't taken a disguise pill, how could the skin on your face be so different from the skin on your body?"
Ruan Ziya snorted and didn't reply.
Murong Wuhen leaned closer, his lips almost touching her cheek, his voice low and husky: "Saintess Ruan, who won our contest?"
Ruan Ziya said with difficulty, "If Young Master Murong still wants to determine a winner, why not wait until I recover from my injuries and then have a fair competition?"
Murong Wuhen shook his head and laughed, saying, "Saintess Ruan, you are mistaken. There are many ways to make a woman submit to you, but why don't I use the simplest one?" With that, he reached out and removed Ruan Ziya's inner garments and bodice one by one. He felt that the place his fingers touched was cold and soft, and his heart couldn't help but flutter slightly.
Ruan Ziya's face turned pale, and she said coldly, "Murong Wuhen, you're nothing special."
Murong Wuhen smiled without speaking, noticing a small crimson crescent pattern etched on her full chest, which stood out against her fair skin, appearing even more crimson like blood.
He lightly touched the pattern with his finger, then suddenly made a move, swiftly resetting Ruan Ziya's broken chest bones. He then took out a small gold box, picked out some ointment, and carefully applied it to her chest wound, teasingly saying in a low voice, "This ointment contains a deadly poison. From now on, you will only be able to obey me."
Ruan Ziya's face slowly flushed red, and she turned her head away with a cold expression.
Murong Wuhen got up and found some branches in the cave to use as splints. After fixing her wound, he started a fire, took off his wet clothes, and set them up next to the fire to dry them.
Seeing that he was shirtless and his strong chest was completely unmarked, Ruan Ziya couldn't help but ask, "You really aren't a member of my sect. Who are you, really?"
Murong Wuhen smiled slightly and said, "It's just that I haven't had anyone brand me with the crescent moon mark yet. And you? Who branded the red mark on your chest for you?"
Ruan Ziya's eyes darkened, and she suddenly felt a bone-chilling coldness creeping over her, gradually spreading to all parts of her body. Her whole body was instantly chilled and she began to tremble slightly.
Seeing that her expression was strange, Murong Wuhen walked over and touched her wrist. He felt that the touch was as cold as ice and frowned, asking, "You've been poisoned by cold poison?"
Both were skilled in using poisons, but after struggling in the raging waves at sea, all the antidotes they carried had been washed away by the seawater. Left with no other option, Murong Wuhen channeled his internal energy into Ruan Ziya's body to expel the cold from her. After more than half an hour, the cold poison in Ruan Ziya's body finally subsided slightly. Murong Wuhen withdrew his palm from her back and smiled, "Hold on for one more night, and a ship will come to pick us up tomorrow."
Ruan Ziya gave him a deep look, but didn't say a word. She just nodded slowly.
The two rested peacefully until midnight. Suddenly, Murong Wuhen heard the soft clicking of Ruan Ziya's teeth, knowing that her cold poison had flared up again. He quickly went over and poured his inner energy into her Xinlingtai acupoint on the back of her head. After a while, Ruan Ziya's cold poison subsided slightly, but her whole body was still ice-cold, and she kept shivering. Murong Wuhen knew that after being seriously injured and soaking in the sea for so long, her body would definitely not be able to withstand it, so he held her in his arms and whispered, "Sleep."
As Ruan Ziya's mind went blank, she felt herself sinking into a warm embrace. The chill gradually dissipated, and her body warmed up little by little. She gently pressed her cheek against Murong Wuhen's chest and murmured, "Mozhu." Then she fell into a deep sleep.
The next morning, when the two awoke, the outside world was calm. Murong Wuhen smiled and said, "I'll go out and take a look, I'll be right back." He got up, changed into dry clothes, and went out. Ruan Ziya watched him leave, her eyes seemingly filled with an unfathomable darkness.
Not long after, Murong Wuhen returned to the cave and said with a smile, "The sect's support ship has arrived. Once we're on board, I'll have someone fetch the antidote to cure your cold poison." With that, he bent down, picked up Ruan Ziya, and prepared to leave the cave.
Ruan Ziya suddenly spoke softly, calling out, "Murong Wuhen?"
Murong Wuhen lowered his head and asked with a smile, "What?"
Ruan Ziya struggled to sit up and kissed his lips. Murong Wuhen felt two warm, moist lips press against his. Startled, he was momentarily taken aback, but Ruan Ziya gently licked and swirled them with her tongue, and their lips and teeth became intertwined, inseparable. In the midst of their passionate embrace, Murong Wuhen suddenly felt a sharp pain on his tongue, and a salty liquid trickled down his chin. Startled, he saw Ruan Ziya lying back in his arms, a trace of blood on her lips, her smiling eyes meeting his.
A flash of anger crossed Murong Wuhen's eyes as he said, "You!"
Ruan Ziya gently spat out the half-dissolved pill and chuckled, "Only I can cure this poison. Please ask Young Master Murong to take me to the east of Wuyai Island. Once I have left safely, someone will bring me the antidote. I will repay Young Master Murong's kindness in saving me in the future."
Author's Note: Finally finished three chapters! *cough cough* I'm exhausted... *looks up at the sky*
Seriously, why is writing flirting scenes so difficult? I'm going to sit in the corner and draw circles...
Difficult to understand
After returning from the trip to Wuyai Island, Gu Qingyun sensed that something was wrong with Li Feiqing.
On the way back, he often hid in the cabin and avoided coming out. When the two met, his eyes always seemed to flicker and wander, as if he had something on his mind.
Gu Qingyun stood in the courtyard of the inn, her eyes lowered in thought. Several days ago, right here, she had mentioned that she would leave after finding the Demonic Sect's headquarters. Could it be…
"Master Gu, so you've been here all along."
A soft call startled Gu Qingyun from her thoughts. Turning around, she saw Li Feiqing, dressed in a red dress with flushed cheeks, standing at the courtyard gate, looking at her anxiously.
Gu Qingyun's heart tightened, and she responded faintly.
Li Feiqing's expression grew increasingly uneasy as she slowly approached, hesitatingly saying, "Master Gu, um... I want to..."
Gu Qingyun smiled slightly, interrupting her, and said, "What a coincidence, I was just about to tell you that Valley Master Ye has invited us to visit Fuliu Valley. Go and pack your things, we need to leave immediately."
Li Feiqing was stunned for a moment, then blurted out, "So fast?"
Gu Qingyun nodded and said, "I'll go see how the others are doing with their preparations." With that, she turned and walked towards the guest room.
Li Feiqing opened her mouth behind him, but then seemed to remember something and finally held back from speaking, dejectedly lowering her head.
Gu Qingyun suddenly stopped, turned her back to her, and said softly, "I'm sorry about that morning on the deck..."
Li Feiqing blushed slightly and gave a soft "Mmm." Gu Qingyun's voice sounded hesitant: "If you're unhappy because of this, just pretend... nothing happened. I won't..."
Li Feiqing was stunned for a moment, but then saw that Gu Qingyun had already left in a hurry.
After a moment, Zhang Datou peeked out from outside the courtyard gate furtively. Seeing Li Feiqing standing under an osmanthus tree in the courtyard with her head down, lost in thought, he quickly slipped into the courtyard and asked in a low voice, "Why didn't you say anything?"
Li Feiqing felt a pang of disappointment and complained in a low voice, "He's in a hurry to set off for Fuliu Valley to find Valley Master Ye. How can I bring up the idea of going to the market together again?"
Zhang Datou scratched the back of his head, doubting, "Really? This red dress makes you even more beautiful. In terms of looks, you're no less stunning than Valley Master Ye! Does the Master really want to see her again?" He pondered for a while, then suddenly glanced at Li Feiqing's chest and muttered to himself, "Could it be that the Master values figure more?... Cough, Miss Li, you don't usually dress as a man, so you... you don't need to bind your chest anymore!"
Li Feiqing blushed upon hearing this, a hint of anger flashing in her eyes. Zhang Datou gave an awkward smile, then suddenly looked at her strangely and shamelessly leaned over to ask, "By the way, what exactly happened on the deck that morning that the Master mentioned earlier?"
Li Feiqing remained silent for a moment, then suddenly thrust out a palm, striking Zhang Datou in the stomach and sending him flying out of the courtyard. She then clapped her hands and turned back to her room.
As its name suggests, Fuliu Valley is filled with weeping willows at its entrance, their green branches hanging down like a natural curtain, concealing the entrance.
Ye Hongyun, accompanied by two beautiful young women, was already waiting at the valley entrance to welcome the people from Feihua Manor into the valley.
The group found the Willow Valley to be a tranquil place, with weeping willows everywhere, lush trees, and colorful exotic flowers and plants all around, making it a sight to behold.
Ye Hongyun smiled and said, "Most of these flowers and plants contain deadly poisons, so please be careful when you walk around in the valley."
She turned and ordered two maids to arrange accommodations for everyone from Feihua Manor, then smiled at Li Feiqing and said, "Miss Li, you will stay with me." As she spoke, she reached out her hand and pulled Li Feiqing into the valley.
Li Feiqing followed Ye Hongyun, her hand held as they walked towards their residence, her heart filled with mixed emotions. Glancing sideways, she saw Ye Hongyun's bright eyes, her pearly teeth smiling, and two small dimples appearing on her cheeks. Every gesture she made exuded charm, and Li Feiqing couldn't help but feel a sense of comparison.
Ye Hongyun suddenly chuckled and turned to her, saying, "Miss Li, there's something I've wanted to ask you for a long time, but I haven't had the chance. Now that it's just the two of us, please don't blame me for being abrupt..." Seeing Li Feiqing looking at her with a puzzled expression, she smiled again and asked, "What exactly is going on between you and Master Gu?"
Li Feiqing felt guilty for having her thoughts discovered and stammered, unable to speak.
Ye Hongyun asked with a smile, "You two have been engaged for a while now, haven't you? Why haven't we heard when you'll get married? Could it be... that the engagement announcement on Shadow Mountain was just a temporary measure?"
Li Feiqing's expression changed slightly, and she whispered, "How do you know? Did...he tell you?"
Ye Hongyun shook her head and smiled, "I found it strange when Master Gu publicly declared that you two were in love. After he came up the mountain, there was no eye contact between you. How could you be like a couple who had secretly pledged their lives to each other?"
Li Feiqing said softly, "Since you had suspicions back then, why didn't you expose us?"
Ye Hongyun smiled and said, "Although I have my doubts, my intuition is that the Demonic Sect Leader Murong Wuhen is plotting to frame you. Since Master Gu is so certain and has even produced the token of your love between the two of you, why should I insist on being the villain?"
Li Feiqing lowered her head and remained silent.
Ye Hongyun smiled and glanced at her, saying, "Seeing that you two haven't announced your marriage yet only confirms my suspicions. But Miss Li, this dragging on isn't a long-term solution. Has Master Gu said what his plans are for the future?"
Li Feiqing felt a pang of sadness and said in a low voice, "He said... once things have calmed down, he will find a way to break off the engagement."
Ye Hongyun smiled upon hearing this and muttered to herself, "That's fine too. Since your engagement is fake, I have nothing to worry about anymore."
Li Feiqing couldn't help but raise her head and ask, "What about him...?"
A blush appeared on Ye Hongyun's face, but she did not avoid her gaze, meeting her eyes frankly: "With Master Gu's talent, looks, and martial arts skills, if I said I wasn't attracted to him, I'm afraid even I wouldn't believe it. Miss Li, since you have no interest in Master Gu, how about you give him to me?"
That night, Li Feiqing tossed and turned, unable to sleep, her mind constantly replaying the words Ye Hongyun had spoken during the day.
This woman made no attempt to hide her feelings for Gu Qingyun in front of him, and her personality was quite straightforward and endearing. But... should he give Gu Qingyun to her?
Li Feiqing sighed, turned over again, and covered her head with the blanket.
She had clearly decided that she would leave on her own after finding the Demonic Sect's headquarters, but when she watched Gu Qingyun's departing figure that day, she felt a sense of loss for some reason.
Ye Hongyun is right. With Gu Qingyun's talent, looks, and martial arts skills, what woman wouldn't be moved by him every day, especially since he has always been so caring and protective of her?
On that day on Dragon Hidden Mountain, when she saw him standing at the door, smiling at her, her heart pounded like a deer. What was it about?
Forced by Rouxi and Yaxi to ask him those questions, why did she inexplicably smile at the wall when she returned to her room?
And then there was that sunrise at sea, on the deck, his gentle eyes and the way he leaned down so softly…
Li Feiqing blushed and her heart pounded. She suddenly threw off the covers and sat up, covering her cheeks with her hands.
Could it be that I've unknowingly fallen for him?