“Little girl, if you don’t wake up soon, I’ll have your brother braised for dinner.” Leaning close to her ear, his sensual lips parted slightly as he whispered in a tone that was both threatening and doting.
Her eyelashes trembled faintly, and in her blurred vision, a pair of deep, mysterious purple eyes came into focus.
“Awake at last.” A voice as melodious as heavenly music carried a hint of alluring laziness, as if capable of captivating one’s very soul.
She blinked, her mind still somewhat hazy, and pressed her lips together, seemingly unable to believe what she was seeing.
Xuanyuan Mei reached out to help her sit up. It took a long while before she slowly lifted her head, her expression dark and inscrutable. In a daze, she suddenly remembered her brother and father—how could those people possibly let them off easily?
“Where are my brother and father?”
“Your brother is outside. Your father went to find a doctor for you.” Seemingly displeased that her first concern upon waking was for them, his tone was cool and tinged with annoyance.
Yan Wuxin fell silent. Her father had no Jingshi on him, and since he couldn’t cultivate, finding a doctor to treat her would be no easy task. Those people would never allow him to get his way.
“Don’t worry, I’ve already sent someone to call your father back.”
“Thank you.” In two lifetimes, this was only the second time she had ever thanked someone.
His violet eyes gazed at her, his silver hair particularly striking. “And how will you thank me?”
Huh?
How to thank him? She truly had no idea!
“What do you want? As long as it’s within my power, you can ask.”
Xuanyuan Mei curved his lips, leaning closer until his warm breath brushed against her cheek. His magnetic voice murmured, “Any request at all?”
She froze for a moment, then nodded firmly. “Yes.”
“Good.”
A flicker of mischief flashed in his violet eyes as he leaned in, his soft lips gently touching her pale ones. In her heart, it felt like a light drizzle rippling across a lake’s surface, stirring faint, fleeting waves.
“…” Yan Wuxin’s mind exploded in an instant. In two lifetimes, her first kiss had just been taken by a stranger she had met only once.
“I’ve arranged a place for you to stay. Focus on recovering.” He reached out and patted her head before vanishing in the blink of an eye.
Leaving Yan Wuxin, still stunned, alone in the temple.
By the time she regained her senses, there was no trace of Xuanyuan Mei anywhere. Just then, a shadowy figure flashed past with such speed it sent chills down her spine. Yan Wuxin’s gaze sharpened, her dagger gripped tightly in hand.
Seeing her so guarded, the shadowy figure immediately appeared. “Miss Yan, this servant is Qiuxue, sent by my master to protect you. From today onward, I will be your maid, obeying only your commands.”
Yan Wuxin studied her, narrowing her eyes. Now that she and her family were like stray dogs, with everyone eager to bully them, how could she trust this?
Qiuxue parted her lips slightly, then produced a unique jade pendant belonging to Xuanyuan Mei. It was a dragon-phoenix pendant, which Yan Wuxin had glimpsed on Xuanyuan Mei before. Its design was so distinctive that she had taken an extra glance.
Yan Wuxin sheathed her dagger, her murderous aura receding entirely.
“This is from the esteemed one, who insisted you keep it safe and never let anyone know of it. And this Danyao—the esteemed one instructed you to take it without fail. It will aid your recovery.”
Yan Wuxin looked at the Danyao and the jade pendant, finally reaching out to take the Danyao. “I’ll keep the Danyao. As for the pendant, take it back to him.”
Qiuxue knelt on one knee. “The esteemed one said that if you refuse the pendant, both this servant and the pendant will be destroyed.”
Yan Wuxin frowned slightly. Although she had only met Xuanyuan Mei twice, someone so unrestrained and unconventional would truly do anything if they spoke such words.
“I’ll return it to him next time.”
“Young Miss, the Venerable One has already arranged everything. This subordinate will take you to your new residence.”
“Mm.” She pursed her lips, thinking that her space crystal must not be exposed to her father and the others for now. After a moment of hesitation, she nodded. “Thank you, I’ve troubled you.”
“Not at all, not at all. This was all arranged by the Venerable One, and this subordinate is your maid. You speaking like this truly humbles me.”
She was originally from the Demon Realm, a lamplighter in Xuanyuan Mei’s palace. Though it sounded like she saw the Venerable One every day, in reality, over countless millennia, she had never laid eyes on him.
The Demon Realm had been sealed for tens of thousands of years. This time, its unsealing, according to the Venerable One, was all because of the Young Miss. Though they didn’t know the reason, the Demon Realm’s return to the mortal world was no easy feat. This time, the Venerable One had found her again, ordering her to protect Yan Wuxin, a mere human. Though unwilling, she dared not disobey Xuanyuan Mei’s will.
The Venerable One had given strict orders: no use of magic. Therefore, she had to cultivate Huanli just like a human.
Yan Wuxin said nothing more. At that moment, Yan Nantian pushed Yan Wuhan into the room.
“Xin’er, are you alright!” Seeing his daughter safe and sound, Yan Nantian heaved a huge sigh of relief.
“Father, I’m fine.”
He had been desperately seeking physicians everywhere, hoping someone could come examine his daughter. Unexpectedly, a black-clad man on the street had taken him away. Powerless to resist, he was fortunate to be brought back to the ruined temple. His son told him everything, and only then did he understand what had happened.
It seemed his daughter’s ability to cultivate again was related to that man.
Just who was that man?
Yan Jia…
Bang!
“Worthless, a bunch of worthless trash.” Second Madam of Yan Jia glared viciously at the guards kneeling on the floor. At her feet lay a mess of shattered items.
Her fists were clenched so tightly her knuckles had turned white.
Several guards stood to the side, heads bowed in silence. A few maids knelt on the floor, not even daring to breathe too loudly, afraid of provoking her anger and another round of brutal beatings.
“Go buy more Danyao for the Young Master. Go, hurry!” The words of the alchemist flashed in her mind, making it hard for her to control her emotions.
Her proud and accomplished son, ruined just like that—how could she possibly remain calm?
“M-Madam, Young Master… Young Master’s Linggen is destroyed. He, he…” Chunxiang was Second Madam’s most favored maid, so she had to steel herself and remind her mistress.
Slap! A stinging pain spread across her cheek. A palm strike to her chest made her spit out a mouthful of fresh blood.
“Nonsense! I don’t care. If the Young Master cannot cultivate again, you will all die.” Kicking another maid beside her flying, Second Madam’s face was twisted with terrifying rage.
“Qing’er.” Yan Beifeng and Yan Heng walked in. Seeing the maids and guards kneeling on the floor, Yan Heng waved his hand, dismissing them.
At the sight of Yan Heng, Second Madam could no longer hold back. “Father, I have been married into Yan Jia for over twenty years. Though I may not have made great contributions, I have brought much honor to the family. That bitch Yan Wuxin destroyed Xun’er’s Linggen. Unable to cultivate, he’ll become a cripple. How will Xun’er live from now on!”
“Now that she’s just begun cultivating, she’s already destroyed Xun’er’s Linggen for revenge. In the future, won’t she settle accounts with the entire Yan Jia!”
“That’s right, Father. Do you remember what Third Sister-in-law said before she passed?” Yan Beifeng chimed in.
Third Sister-in-law?
Yan Heng’s face darkened, as that stunningly beautiful visage once again surfaced in his mind.