In the past, Lu Chengsha’s body temperature was always cool, but now he was hot like a cluster of fire. Hua Yan was close to him and could clearly feel the heat, as if the places he touched would ignite at any moment.
Logically, after she fed him the medicine, the heat in his body should have subsided after a while.
It shouldn’t be like this!
Lu Chengsha still held her hand, his burning fingers caressing her wrist back and forth, seemingly trying to relieve the heat. However, Hua Yan, kissed by him, became even more sensitive, feeling a slight shiver where his calloused fingers brushed, raising goosebumps. His lips were pressing down on hers without restraint, even though he had tasted her thoroughly, he seemed still unsatisfied.
It was as if he wanted to make up for three months of longing with interest, regardless of anything else.
Hua Yan sensed something was wrong. She struggled to gather a sliver of clarity, twisting in Lu Chengsha’s arms, lifting her knee to nudge him to stop for a moment. Unexpectedly, she touched a place she shouldn’t have, her knee bending right against him. Lu Chengsha’s breathing suddenly became rapid, and Hua Yan’s body stiffened, hastily withdrawing her leg, feeling her heartbeat quicken.
This disturbance finally made Lu Chengsha realize he should stop. Even so, he continued kissing her for a while longer, until Hua Yan’s eyes were misty with tears.
Hua Yan tried to steady her breathing, panting slightly as she said, “You… you’ve been poisoned by the Yin Xiangsi toxin. I should have given you the medicine to clear your mind earlier, but… why hasn’t it worked… how do you feel now?”
Lu Chengsha shook his head, pursing his lips, seemingly trying to regain some sanity.
He finally let go of her hand, but as he was about to cut his arm again, Hua Yan quickly stopped him, rolling up his sleeve. She saw the previous cut, the wound had clotted, but the blood trail was still vividly visible. Feeling a pang of heartache, she said, “Hurting yourself only clears your mind temporarily, it’s not a cure…”
Lu Chengsha took a moment to understand her words. However, the next moment, he bowed his head as if to kiss her again, but then abruptly raised it, clenching his fists, as if trying hard to endure.
His voice was hoarse and strained, “You… stay away from me.”
If she wasn’t there, he might be able to endure. But with her so close, seemingly within reach, how could he resist?
“Wait a moment.”
Hua Yan took out some healing ointment, intending to apply it to Lu Chengsha’s arm, but he urgently said, “No need.”
Lu Chengsha stepped back a few paces, his face still flushed, his long eyelashes fluttering rapidly as he tried to clear his mind.
The next moment, he turned and leapt away in another direction.
Hua Yan was startled and followed him at a distance, watching as Lu Chengsha found a stream and stepped into it without hesitation, allowing the water to immerse him.
It was still before spring, and the weather was freezing. The stream, unused by anyone, remained clean but covered with a layer of ice, indicating extreme cold.
Since he was using the water to cool down, he wouldn’t use his inner force to ward off the cold. His black clothes were instantly soaked, and a bit of frost formed on them. The redness on his face quickly faded, leaving a pale blue hue.
Hua Yan was even more alarmed, her heart aching as she was reminded of the young man freezing by the meditation cave, his shoulders and hair tips covered in snow.
“Great Hero Lu, are you feeling better… If you’re no longer hot, please come out first!”
She walked to the stream’s edge, reaching out to pull him, but Lu Chengsha abruptly moved away. His lips were slightly blue, his face looking unwell, but his expression had become somewhat normal. He whispered, “Still hot.”
Just looking at her made him feel burning hot, making him wish…
Lu Chengsha closed his eyes briefly and moved even farther away.
Hua Yan, by the stream, stamped her feet anxiously, cursing the Yin Xiangsi poison repeatedly in her heart.
She wondered how much longer Great Hero Lu would have to stay in the water…
As she pondered this, she suddenly sensed someone approaching. Hua Yan immediately drew her sword, the blade pointed at the newcomer. The person raised both hands in a gesture of surrender, a smile on his lips. “Don’t worry, I mean no harm.”
You Weitian seemed to have reverted to his usual self, his eyebrows raised, full of spirit. “The poison Lu Chengsha is afflicted with is called Xiangsi Wujie, Yin Xiangsi’s painstaking masterpiece, designed to target the stubborn young heroes of the righteous path. Except…” He made a gesture, forming a circle with his thumb and index finger while raising the index finger of his other hand, “Doing this, there’s no cure.”
Hua Yan didn’t lower her sword, still vigilant. “Why should I believe you? You and Yin Xiangsi are in cahoots.”
A flash of cold and pain passed through You Weitian’s eyes before he smiled again. “What’s truly being in cahoots? Your Sect Leader Xie and Young Master Yu were once on the same side. Believe it or not, when Lu Chengsha can no longer bear it and dies from a ruptured blood vessel, don’t blame me for not warning you.”
Hua Yan was stunned. Is the poison really that potent?
Still cautious, she said, “Then why did you come to find me? Do you have an antidote? But you just said there’s no cure.”
You Weitian replied, “Who said there’s no antidote?” He lifted his chin, indicating Hua Yan with a playful smile on his lips. “You are the antidote.”
Hua Yan: “!!!”
Her face immediately turned red with embarrassment.
You Weitian became increasingly amused and said, “Could it be that you are unwilling to help him? If that’s the case, there are female disciples in the valley. I can arrange for one to come here.”
Hua Yan immediately rejected the idea. “No! Don’t even think about it!”
You Weitian was momentarily taken aback, then burst into laughter, laughing so heartily that he wiped away tears. After a while, he managed to speak while still chuckling, “Since you don’t want other women to touch him, then you should help him yourself. This place is obviously inconvenient. I can provide a suitable place for you. Believe it or not, I really mean no harm to you. See, I didn’t expose your identity and even let you two have your moment together.”
Hua Yan’s face grew even redder from his laughter.
Gripping her sword, she had a fleeting desire to thrust it at him but restrained herself.
“Wasn’t it you who told Yin Xiangsi about him?”
You Weitian looked slightly surprised, then smiled. “She asked, and I couldn’t say nothing. I tried to stick to what everyone already knew. Besides,” he paused, “if it weren’t for me, do you think you could have found her and Lu Chengsha so easily? Yin Xiangsi has guards everywhere. I helped divert one of them. If I had confronted her directly, she would have been on guard and would have moved Lu Chengsha to another location.”
Hua Yan finally felt a bit swayed. She also thought it was quite lucky to find them so easily on Yin Xiangsi’s turf.
She pondered and asked, “Why are you helping me?”
“Would you believe me if I said it was out of sympathy for a fellow sufferer?” Hua Yan clearly didn’t believe him. You Weitian shifted gears, “Holy Maiden, you secluded yourself for three months and your martial arts improved at an astonishing speed. Could you tell me how you achieved that?”
Only she and Xie Yingxian knew that the Tiancan Sword Technique had been retrieved. Naturally, she couldn’t reveal this.
Hua Yan immediately replied, “No comment.”
You Weitian didn’t seem surprised, shrugging. “I figured as much. I never have such good luck.”
His remark puzzled Hua Yan. “Why are you so obsessed with improving your martial arts? You even dare to use the Gu from Fengrao Tian, and your techniques have issues too.”
You Weitian smiled. “Not everyone is as naturally gifted as you. For most people, there’s no easy path to becoming strong without paying a price.”
Hua Yan knew she shouldn’t waste time talking to him but couldn’t help asking, “Is it because of Zuo Jingshuang?”
You Weitian raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised. “Why do you think that? Though, in a way, you’re right… Ah, just in time, there’s something I’m investigating. If the Holy Maiden could get some information from Sect Leader Xie for me, it would be much appreciated.”
Hua Yan knew he wouldn’t help for free. “What is it?”
You Weitian said, “You must have heard about the Miyin Dragon Cave incident. We were originally disciples of the Shishan Sect, following a rather carefree master. There were only four of us in the entire sect. Unfortunately, our master and his senior brother went to the Miyin Dragon Cave to check things out years ago and met their end there. As unworthy disciples, even if we scatter across the world, we still need to find the true culprit and avenge our master.”
Hua Yan was taken aback. Xie Yingxian was indeed investigating this old case.
A few days ago, the trap set during the sect battle that killed many young disciples had already spread widely in the martial world. However, those were just obscure young disciples. In contrast, the Miyin Dragon Cave massacre resulted in the deaths and injuries of many renowned martial heroes, including the peak master of Baiya Peak and the sect leader of Qingcheng Sect. The Qingcheng Sect was hit the hardest. The sect leader of Qingcheng Sect had a close relationship with the sword-casting master Duan Yan, which led him to bring many peers to the Miyin Dragon Cave. The result was a catastrophic decline of the Qingcheng Sect overnight, forcing the youngest junior disciple to assume the position of sect leader. This led to the unique situation where their senior brother, Mu Xuelang, had to act as both father and mother, raising his junior brothers and sisters from a young age.
Xie Yingxian had once told her that his infiltration of the mountain prison was not just a ruse. One reason was to investigate this biggest scandal of the demonic cult in the past century.
Hua Yan immediately nodded and said, “Alright, I agree. If there are any developments, I will inform you.”
“Thank you.” You Weitian pinched the tip of her sword and said, “Can you put your sword down now, Holy Maiden?”
Hua Yan finally slowly sheathed her sword.
If he were really acting on Yin Xiangsi’s behalf, he wouldn’t need to be so roundabout and even share details about their sect.
“Of course, you still owe me a favor, and it must be repaid,” You Weitian continued, taking out a pill. “This will only suppress the effects temporarily. Give it to Lu Chengsha; it will clear his mind for a while. Once the effect wears off, it won’t suppress anything… Just make sure he doesn’t draw his sword against me later. I’ll take you both to the place.”
Hua Yan held the pill, skeptical. She carefully sniffed it and pinched off a small bit to ensure it was harmless before saying, “Wait here…”
She turned to find Lu Chengsha.
Lu Chengsha had been soaking in the icy water for a long time, his body emitting a cold aura, looking as if he might freeze into an ice sculpture.
Hua Yan quickly walked over. Her footsteps awakened Lu Chengsha, who looked up. His dark eyes, tortured and somewhat unfocused, seemed to regain clarity upon seeing her. Just as he was about to retreat, Hua Yan said, “Great Hero Lu, take this first. It should make you feel better. Someone will take us to… cure the poison. Remember not to attack him.”
Lu Chengsha swallowed the pill from her hand, his lips brushing against her palm, which even in such a state, stirred a surge of heat within him.
But the medicine was effective. In no time, the heat within him seemed to dissipate, his consciousness returning to normal. He climbed out of the stream.
Hua Yan breathed a sigh of relief.
However, upon seeing You Weitian again, Lu Chengsha instinctively drew his sword, still remembering that this man had once drugged him, with unknown intentions.
Hua Yan quickly held onto Lu Chengsha and said, “He… doesn’t seem to have any ill intentions this time.”
Lu Chengsha’s gaze remained icy.
You Weitian, however, shrugged and smiled. “I’ll take you there now, no need for such hostility.”
He moved effortlessly through the mist, clearly familiar with the terrain. He led them to a hidden small stone hill, surrounded by grass, blending in with the surroundings. He gently tapped the stone hill with his palm, revealing a passageway, reminiscent of the one Hua Yan had seen in the abandoned temple.
You Weitian said, “This is her backup resting place. She won’t come here unless something happens over there. Now, you two…” Seeing their guarded expressions, he smiled. “Alright, I’ll lead you down.”
Inside, it was much smaller than the underground palace Hua Yan had seen before, resembling a large boudoir. The most prominent feature was a large sandalwood bed draped with thin, crimson gauze curtains, creating a hazy, ambiguous atmosphere.
The bed was neatly made, seemingly untouched.
Hua Yan’s chest heaved involuntarily, swallowing nervously and avoiding further glances. Lu Chengsha, unaware of the situation, remained indifferent, still coldly watching You Weitian.
You Weitian escorted them and then said, “I’ll be going now.”
Hua Yan quickly interjected, “Wait, what if…”
You Weitian seemed to guess what she was about to say and smiled, “Don’t worry, I’ve seen more of this kind of thing than you might think. I have no interest in peeking.” He pointed to a peony-like decoration on the wall and said, “Inside the flower, there’s a mechanism. Press it and the room will lock from the inside; it can’t be opened from the outside.”
Hua Yan started to feel inexplicably nervous, her face flushed with embarrassment, even showing a hint of hesitation. “Um…”
You Weitian could barely suppress his laughter.
Hua Yan quickly snapped, “Don’t laugh!”
You Weitian tried to hold back his laughter, his shoulders shaking. “Alright, I won’t laugh. Everything you need is inside. Just manage as you see fit.” With that, he walked out with large strides.
In the enclosed underground space, only Hua Yan and Lu Chengsha remained.
Hua Yan tried pressing the mechanism You Weitian had mentioned. The mechanism was exceptionally delicate, and the crimson peony flower was vividly lifelike. However, the mechanism’s position was a bit deep. As Hua Yan extended her finger to press it, she suddenly felt a subtle sensation, her cheeks turning red.
With a “click,” the room seemed even quieter.
Lu Chengsha had dried himself off. Though his face was still a bit pale, he appeared mostly fine. He stood cautiously at a distance. Hua Yan realized that from the moment he regained consciousness until now, he had been unusually silent.
When he saw her looking at him, he finally spoke, “Where is this place?”
His tone was not as cold as when he mistook her for a stranger yesterday, nor as warm and affectionate as when they were close. It was at a delicate point, as if he wasn’t sure how to define their relationship.
Hua Yan didn’t expect him to become indifferent once the effects of the aphrodisiac wore off!
For a moment, she didn’t know what to say. The room was eerily quiet without a third person present. She paced back and forth a couple of times and then said, “Have you regretted it since you sobered up? Regretted kissing me?”
Lu Chengsha remained silent for a long time before he finally said, “You are a person of the demonic sect.”
Hua Yan didn’t expect him to say that after all this time. She felt both angry and aggrieved. “It’s not like I could choose where I was born.”
She was so angry!
Unable to hold back, Hua Yan grabbed a soft pillow and threw it at him!
Lu Chengsha caught it with one hand, looking somewhat at a loss.
Hua Yan asked, “Have you thought about me at all these past three months?”
Lu Chengsha remained silent.
Hua Yan picked up another soft pillow, looking eager to throw it. “Speak up, quickly!”
How could he not have thought about her? He thought of her every moment.
Lu Chengsha’s Adam’s apple bobbed, his lips moved, and in the end, he couldn’t deceive himself. He finally spoke in a deep voice, “…Yes.”
Hua Yan finally felt a bit relieved.
“Then, did you regret kissing me just now?” She hugged the pillow, squeezing it, and pouted. “After all, I’m a demoness from the demonic sect. A righteous hero can’t kiss a demoness, right?”
Lu Chengsha found it even harder to respond.
This went against everything he had been taught, especially by his grandfather. For him, merely coexisting peacefully with someone from the demonic sect was already unfathomable.
Moreover, not only did he not regret it, but he also wanted to kiss her again.
Seeing his lack of response, Hua Yan raised her eyebrows, her bright eyes fixed on him. The bright red silk flower by her temple looked stunning, but it only made her appear more beautiful.
The hairpin did indeed suit her well.
After thinking this, Lu Chengsha felt it was inappropriate and turned his face away, changing the subject. “You said we need to detoxify here. How?”
When Hua Yan remembered the matter, her cheeks uncontrollably turned red. She stammered, nearly biting her tongue, “Do you… do you really want to know?”