The person occupying her boudoir bed was strikingly beautiful.
Yes, beautiful—so beautiful it blurred gender boundaries.
Yun Fu stared with round cat pupils, her gaze reflecting this person’s appearance.
Eyebrows like distant frost-kissed mountains, skin pale as cold snow, lips dotted with dried bloodstains—combined with this complexion, it created a beauty that seemed born of torment.
Moonlight spilled over the person’s shoulders, their jet-black hair unbound by any crown, cascading disorderly beside their face. Their frame was as slender as a crane’s, so close yet seemingly separated by mist-shrouded peaks.
Too dazzlingly handsome, like a celestial being descended from heaven.
Wei Rong only felt a scorching gaze fixed intently upon him. Under normal circumstances, the owner of such eyes would have already lost them to his hands.
But now, severely injured and poisoned, he couldn’t move a muscle. His vision was blurred crimson, leaving him no choice but to quietly await death’s approach.
Recalling how his enemies had dispatched so many death warriors and even gone through great pains to obtain the Thousand Thread Bone Serpent—all to ensure his certain demise—Wei Rong’s lips curled into a faint, mocking arc.
When Yun Fu snapped out of her admiration for his beauty, she caught sight of that subtle curve on his lips. She couldn’t imagine how breathtaking this face would be if he opened his eyes with a smile.
Such a beautiful person, dying here just like this… seemed somewhat a pity.
Yun Fu adored beautiful things, whether people or objects.
She would gaze longer at attractive people and strive to collect exquisite items.
Her master often teased that she was a lustful spirit reincarnated.
To this, Yun Fu maintained she simply appreciated beauty in its pure form.
Now, facing such a stunning individual and watching life slowly ebb from him, Yun Fu found it hard to remain indifferent.
With a light leap, she landed on his chest.
Before Yun Fu could make another move, the beautiful figure suddenly vomited a mouthful of blood.
Startled, Yun Fu immediately jumped down, dodging the bloody spray.
“Meow?” What happened?
Wei Rong only felt a sudden pain in his chest, as if struck by a stone, forcing out the congested blood in an instant.
Watching the beauty vomiting blood repeatedly, Yun Fu bristled from a distance.
Why did he suddenly start bleeding? Had his injuries worsened?
Surely it couldn’t be her weight that caused this? She was just a tiny, harmless kitten.
Expelling the congested blood provided Wei Rong slight relief. Using what little strength remained, he laboriously pressed his acupoints to contain the poison spreading through his meridians.
His vision gradually cleared from the bloody haze, allowing him to discern his surroundings.
A warm, yellowish little creature slowly came into Wei Rong’s view.
There, perched on a fallen beam directly ahead, a plump little kitten tilted its head, staring intently at him.
Moonlight draped over the small creature like a thin veil of white gauze, making its soft fur appear even fluffier.
“Meow?”
The little thing tilted its head, watching from afar, emitting a soft, gentle cry.
The sound enveloped Wei Rong like a handful of soft cotton, slightly alleviating the bone-deep agony tormenting his body.
Seeing the man regain consciousness, Yun Fu confirmed her expectations—such a beautiful person became even more captivating with open eyes.
Yet, those exquisite eyes seemed veiled by a blood-tinged haze, as if they might shed crimson tears at any moment.
“Co…come here…”
Wei Rong still lay on the dry straw mat, watching the little creature sitting not far away staring at him. He spoke, wanting to call it over.
His voice was rough and hoarse, unbearably unpleasant to hear.
Hearing this voice, Yun Fu realized that this beautiful person before her was actually a man.
At his call, Yun Fu didn’t move, continuing to watch him from a distance.
Though she liked beautiful things, Yun Fu deeply understood one truth: the more beautiful something appeared, the more dangerous it tended to be.
This was a lesson she’d learned through several painful experiences.
Seeing the little creature remain motionless, still watching him, Wei Rong thought of his current condition and understood it was afraid of him.
He stopped calling out, maintaining his previous position as he lifted his gaze to watch the little creature sitting nearby.
Its round body and face were clean, the entire cat plump and rolling—unlike a stray, more like those pampered pets kept by noble ladies in their chambers.
Yun Fu saw the beautiful man open his eyes, staring directly at her with such intensity it made her somewhat embarrassed.
The tips of her ears grew warm as she turned her head away, avoiding his gaze.
Wei Rong watched the kitten turn away, no longer looking at him, feeling a pang of regret in his heart.
He felt an impulse to turn this little creature’s face back toward him, to make it keep watching.
Neither human nor cat spoke, the dilapidated hut falling into silence.
Wei Rong remained silent because he no longer had any strength to speak. The sword wounds covering his body weren’t what frightened him—what hurt him most was the poison of the Thousand Thread Bone Serpent.
The toxin had already begun breaking through acupoints, rushing toward his heart meridian. Watching the moon grow stronger through the hole in the roof, he realized… he might not last until dawn.
A mocking curve lifted the corner of his lips. How perfect…
Seeing the man wake up, Yun Fu thought he must be fine now and prepared to go out for a stroll. Midnight was when kittens were most active.
Just as she stepped through the doorway, a suppressed groan came from behind, followed by the sound of something heavy hitting the ground.
Turning back, Yun Fu saw the man who had been lying on the straw mat now collapsed on the ground, vine-like patterns spreading across his neck and the back of his hands against his pale skin.
At this sight, Yun Fu was shocked—Thousand Thread Bone Serpent poison!!!!
…
Unlike the silent stillness of the western suburbs, Jing An Cheng was currently in chaos.
Imperial Guards clad in black armor surrounded every city gate.
Throughout the palace, candlelight blazed bright as daylight.
In the Imperial Study, the young emperor in bright yellow robes wore a face full of gloom, the anger in his eyes completely unconcealed.
“What do you mean you haven’t found him!!! So many people can’t locate one man?! Do I feed you all just to watch you eat?!!”
The shadow guard in black night clothes knelt on one knee, head bowed.
“Your Majesty, those who injured Wei Shizi acted ruthlessly. Those we captured were all death warriors—they took poison before we could interrogate them. I…”
“Keep searching!!! If anything happens to Wei Rong, all of you will present your heads to me!!!”
Ji Chenghe’s gaze was fierce as he watched the shadow guard depart silently, the tension in his heart growing stronger.
Ziyang, you must be safe…
Meanwhile, at Wei Guogong Manor.
In the ancestral hall, a woman knelt straight on the kneeling cushion, her hands observing the numerous tablets arranged on the spirit altar, her face full of piety as she murmured incessantly.
“May the Wei family ancestors bless and protect Ziyang, that he may once again turn calamity into fortune…”
As the woman finished speaking, the elderly maid beside her immediately stepped forward to help her rise.
Just as she was about to insert the three incense sticks in her hand into the burner, a gust of wind swept through the ancestral hall. With a sharp crack, one of the incense sticks snapped into two pieces.
The glowing ember from the incense fell onto the back of the woman’s hand, instantly reddening the skin.
“Madam! Your hand—” Jin Momo exclaimed in alarm at the sight.
Song Jinhe seemed not to hear, staring blankly at the broken incense stick in her hand. A chill ran through her heart, and her back was already soaked with cold sweat.
“Tell me,” she whispered, “will my Ziyang return home safe and sound?”