In the water mirror, the scene unfolding was precisely that “harmonious” moment in the back mountain of Yunmiao Peak.
The woman followed beside the white-robed Immortal Venerable, smiling brightly, seemingly saying something animated.
And that Immortal Venerable, usually so cold and Aloof, though expressionless, was clearly listening with patience.
Crack.
The blood-colored jade pendant Jin Chuan had been idly playing with between his fingers instantly crumbled into dust.
On his bewitchingly handsome face, the usual careless smile vanished.
In his deep violet eyes surged icy fury, Along with a trace of restlessness that even he himself had not noticed.
“Little Yao’er…”
He murmured the name softly, his voice dangerous yet lingering.
“It seems you truly… have forgotten your way home.”
He had originally thought she was merely having trouble carrying out her task.
But now it seemed she was indulging herself in this false marriage.
She had even developed feelings she should not have for that Song Qingzhi.
How could that be allowed?
The chess piece he had carefully cultivated, the person he had chosen how could she show such vivid, dependent smiles to someone else?
Jin Chuan slowly curved his lips, forming a smile once more, colder than frost.
“It seems it’s time to remind you who your true master is.”
He needed to apply some pressure, a little… minor punishment.
To make her understand where her joy, where her gaze, truly belonged.
The water mirror rippled, the image shifting.
It now showed Su Tiantian in the Jingxin Courtyard, earnestly writing “Relationship Cultivation Plan V1.0” in her notebook, her focused profile reflected clearly.
Jin Chuan’s gaze lingered for a long time on the unconsciously upturned corners of her lips.
Su Tiantian was jolted awake in the middle of the night by a violent bout of heart palpitations.
It felt as though an invisible hand had seized her heart stifling and painful, leaving her unable to breathe.
She shot upright in bed, cold sweat breaking out instantly, her back drenched in icy chill.
This time it wasn’t fake really not!
“System! System, what’s wrong with me?! Am I about to die from poison?!”
She shouted frantically in her mind.
(System: Alert! Abnormal fluctuation detected in host’s spiritual energy. Source identified as ‘Demonic Contract Backlash.’ Executor: Demon Lord Jin Chuan. Associated event analysis: 89% correlation with daytime ‘melon patch interaction.’)
Demonic contract backlash?! Jin Chuan?!
Just because she had helped straighten a melon with Song Qingzhi during the day?!
Su Tiantian’s vision went dark; she was so angry she almost actually fainted.
That damn pervert!
Control freak! Petty tyrant!
She cursed Jin Chuan ten thousand times in her heart, but fear wrapped tightly around her.
She could clearly feel it this was a warning.
If she didn’t obtain valuable intelligence soon, next time it wouldn’t be just palpitations.
That bastard could monitor her remotely and punish her?!
“Had a nightmare?”
A cool voice sounded in the darkness, carrying a little less chill than usual.
Su Tiantian followed the sound, using the faint moonlight filtering through the window.
She saw that Song Qingzhi had somehow already risen and was standing by her bed, looking at her.
His brows were slightly knit, his gaze resting on her pale, sweat-soaked face.
At that moment, Su Tiantian’s grievance and fear completely overflowed.
Her nose stung, and tears came instantly, utterly real.
She couldn’t tell whether it was from the physical pain, the terror of Jin Chuan’s omnipresent control, or… from this rare question of concern.
She couldn’t speak. She simply curled up, burying her face in her knees, her shoulders trembling uncontrollably.
Tears fell silently, quickly soaking a small patch of her nightclothes.
The next second, she felt her body lighten.
She was lifted by a gentle yet irresistible force of spiritual energy and placed steadily, carefully, deeper onto the bed.
“Sleep.”
His voice was very close.
Through her tear-blurred vision, Su Tiantian saw that he hadn’t left at all, but had sat down directly on the edge of the bed.
Moonlight outlined his upright profile, like a silent, reliable guardian.
This was the chance!
She had to seize this lifeline!
Almost by instinct, the moment she lay back down, she reached out and precisely grabbed the edge of his snow-white sleeve hanging beside the bed.
Her fingertips turned slightly pale from the force.
“Don’t go… Brother Qingzhi… I’m so scared…”
Her voice was thick with sobs and hoarse with fear, like a startled little beast clinging desperately to its last straw.
“My chest hurts so much…”
This time, he didn’t immediately pull his sleeve away, nor did he use spiritual energy.
Su Tiantian was overjoyed inside she even felt the deadly palpitations ease quite a bit!
The frail buff really didn’t lie!
She pushed her luck, tightening her grip slightly and tugging his sleeve a bit closer to herself, as if that Alone could give her more reassurance.
Then, as though she had exhausted all her strength, she closed her eyes, though her lashes still trembled uneasily.
Song Qingzhi lowered his gaze, looking at the small hand clutching his sleeve.
His eyes lingered for a moment on her tear-streaked, still pale face.
In the end, he said nothing simply allowing her to hold on as he closed his eyes again.
(System: Target has tacitly permitted host’s physical contact! Protective intent significantly increased! Analysis… ‘Responsibility’ category mixed with ‘unplanned attention’!)
Su Tiantian flashed a victory sign in her mind.
Even though she hadn’t managed to pull him into bed to sleep with her, being able to make him sit by her bedside and let her hold his sleeve this was already a milestone-level breakthrough!
She even had to “thank” that perverted Jin Chuan for the assist!
She had originally planned to pretend to sleep for a bit, then “drowsily” roll into his arms.
But perhaps holding onto his sleeve truly gave her a strange sense of safety…
Clutching that slightly cool fabric, breathing in the crisp, clean scent he carried, she found herself genuinely unable to resist the exhaustion and fell deeply asleep, her breathing evening out.
Once he was sure she was truly asleep, Song Qingzhi slowly opened his eyes.
His gaze returned to her face, this time with deeper scrutiny.
He raised his free hand, his fingertip hovering lightly over her brow.
A thread of extremely subtle, gentle spiritual energy probed inward.
Sure enough, the spiritual energy within her body was in chaotic disarray but unlike the previous “severe injury congestion” he had detected.
This time, it was more like an external force, carrying a cold, sinister aura, interfering within.
This was absolutely not something a mere nightmare or old injury could cause.
His eyes darkened as he withdrew his hand.
Looking at the sleeve tightly gripped in her sleep, and at her faintly furrowed brow even in slumber, he fell silent for a moment.
Far away in the Demon Realm, Jin Chuan watched through the water mirror as Su Tiantian finally fell asleep peacefully, clutching Song Qingzhi’s sleeve and as that Immortal Venerable silently allowed it.
The storm in Jin Chuan’s eyes nearly solidified.
“Very well…”
He let out a low laugh, tapping his fingers lightly against the armrest of his throne. The sound echoed eerily through the vast hall.
“It seems this lord has been far too gentle.”