The sun tilted westward bit by bit. From noon to now, three whole hours had passed, and Cui Shao at the courtyard gate had sighed several times.
Ever since Miss Sang went in, the Soul Guard Formation of the main hall had been activated, and Su Xuan hadn’t moved since.
A strand of his silver hair hung loose, his side profile still strikingly handsome. His feathered eyelashes lowered slightly, concealing the emotions in his eyes. His entire demeanor exuded calmness, appearing exceedingly composed.
However, his hand resting on the stone table had never loosened. The veins on the back of his hand bulged visibly, making Cui Shao wonder if he might crush his own hand bones.
The setting sun cast a glow on Su Xuan’s face, outlining his statue-like features and projecting them onto the ground.
Cui Shao calculated the time and figured the tea she had just refreshed would probably turn cold again. She stepped forward to pour him a new cup.
Just as she had done several times in the past three hours, Cui Shao softly called, “Sovereign Lord, this servant is here to refill your tea.”
Su Xuan ignored her.
Cui Shao sighed inwardly. Just as she touched the cold teacup, a shadow flashed before her eyes.
The arc of silver hair spun elegantly in the air, stirring up a breeze carrying his faint, grassy, and woody scent.
Before Cui Shao could react, Su Xuan’s figure was no longer in front of her.
At that moment, a startled cry came from inside the hall: “Miss Sang!”
The doors of the main hall were slammed open, and Su Xuan nearly stumbled inside.
Cui Shao’s heart tightened, and the teacup slipped from her hands, crashing to the ground as she hurriedly followed.
Just as she reached the entrance of the main hall, she heard Su Xuan’s voice from within: “Dai Dai!”
Cui Shao was so frightened that her legs nearly gave out. She clung to the doorframe and peeked inside.
Su Xuan’s black robes dragged along the tiled floor, and the glow from outside swept across them. The complex golden patterns embroidered on his robes reflected an otherworldly light. His silver hair shone even more brilliantly. It was undeniably stunning, yet Cui Shao’s heart was in her throat.
In the center of the hall, on a prayer mat, knelt a figure clad in blue robes. Her hair was styled into a bun earlier that morning, with exquisite hair ornaments that their lord himself had delivered and instructed Cui Shao to adorn Miss Sang with.
But now, her eyes were tightly closed, her face pale as snow, her sweat-drenched hair sticking to her cheeks. She lay limp in Su Xuan’s arms, completely unconscious.
“Sang… Miss Sang…”
“Dai Dai!”
Su Xuan’s complexion turned even paler, and his trembling hands struggled to control themselves as he poured spiritual power desperately into Sang Dai’s meridians.
Cui Shao had heard that reconstructing one’s meridians carried a high risk of soul detachment. Anyone with slightly weaker willpower could easily face danger, a near-death experience. This was why Su Xuan had specially abandoned all his duties for the day to keep watch over Sang Dai, even arranging for Liu Lixue to heal her in advance to prepare for this meridian reconstruction.
Could it be… that none of it made a difference?
Su Xuan cried out in panic, “Dai Dai!”
He was so distraught that he didn’t notice the faint frown on the brows of the person in his arms.
“Um… Sovereign Lord…”
Liu Lixue cautiously stepped forward.
“Liu Lixue, quickly set up the Soul Stabilizing Formation!”
Su Xuan had no time to pay attention to him. His eyes were bloodshot, long lashes shimmering with moisture, as he used his spiritual power to desperately keep Sang Dai’s life hanging by a thread.
Liu Lixue suppressed a laugh and softly said, “Sovereign Lord, but Miss Sang hasn’t left her soul. She’s… still looking at you.”
For a moment, Su Xuan didn’t comprehend what Liu Lixue was saying. Seeing Liu Lixue remain unmoving and Sang Dai showing no reaction, his heart sank further into panic.
“Liu Lixue, this lord is telling you—”
Just as the words left his mouth, it was as if he suddenly processed Liu Lixue’s earlier comment. Su Xuan’s tightly furrowed brows eased slightly.
At that moment, a faint sound came from his arms: “Su Xuan, I want to sleep… but I can’t breathe with you holding me so tightly…”
Su Xuan lowered his head and saw that the person who had previously kept her eyes shut had somehow opened them slightly, her gaze somewhat unfocused.
Instinctively, he called out, “Dai Dai…”
“Su Xuan…” Sang Dai felt short of breath, but the overwhelming fatigue dragged her consciousness down. With the last bit of strength she had, she instructed him:
“Don’t… strangle me…”
And then she drifted off to sleep.
Cui Shao, who had been on the verge of tears, forced them back with an abrupt, “Huh?”
Su Xuan loosened his arms slightly. Her head slumped against his chest, her cheek pressing against his collarbone.
Liu Lixue nearly failed to stifle his laughter, his voice tinged with teasing: “Sovereign Lord, Miss Sang is just too exhausted. Her soul is still intact. She was weak just now and happened to fall toward me. How could I dare hold Miss Sang? I was startled and reflexively called out.”
Su Xuan paused for a moment, his hand still clasping Sang Dai’s wrist. Then he turned it over and checked her meridians. Her soul was completely intact, and there was a faint flow of spiritual energy within her newly reconstructed meridians.
She hadn’t lost her soul. She was simply too tired.
Su Xuan’s first reaction wasn’t anger at Liu Lixue for shouting and making him misunderstand, nor at the fact that Liu Lixue didn’t clarify immediately and instead stood by to watch the scene unfold.
It wasn’t even embarrassment at the unseemly display Sang Dai had just witnessed.
Instead, he gently hugged Sang Dai closer, his face lightly brushing her forehead. The single tear clinging to the corner of his eye finally fell, landing on Sang Dai’s face.
Liu Lixue was momentarily stunned, realizing the joke might have gone too far. “Sovereign Lord…”
“Dai Dai.”
Su Xuan held her tighter.
Thank goodness. Thank goodness.
Once again, he had managed to keep her.
The main hall fell silent for a long time. So long that the Soul Stabilizing Formation quietly deactivated, the tools for meridian reconstruction shut themselves off, and the incense in the burner, meant to last an entire day, had burned down to more than half.
Finally, Su Xuan moved. He carefully checked Sang Dai’s meridians again, confirming that she was only in a deep sleep and that her breathing was stable. Only then did the tension in his heart finally ease.
Su Xuan rose to his feet, carrying Sang Dai in his arms, and turned toward the inner chamber.
“Cui Shao, come here and help clean her up and change her clothes.”
Cui Shao, who had been waiting outside the main hall for a long time, curtsied. “Yes, Sovereign Lord.”
This time, Liu Lixue didn’t follow them. He wiped the sweat off his own face.
Fortunately, fortunately, his own little life was spared once again.
If Sang Dai had really lost her soul, Su Xuan would undoubtedly have plucked out his peacock feathers, skinned him alive, and broken his bones. Yet, Su Xuan didn’t seem angry about the small joke he had just played.
It seemed that ever since Miss Sang arrived, his temper had significantly improved.
Su Xuan emerged from the inner hall quickly, alone.
The sound of his black robe rustling echoed as he moved, the wide hem dragging across the ground. The feather patterns embroidered in gold thread seemed to flutter to life as he strode forward.
Liu Lixue smiled at his lord. “Sovereign Lord.”
Su Xuan ignored him, striding quickly toward the exit.
Seeing his lord’s hurried steps, Liu Lixue assumed he had something urgent to attend to and hurried after him out of the main hall.
Just as they stepped outside, he asked, “Sovereign Lord, do you have urgent matters—”
Before he could finish, the person walking ahead of him suddenly turned around, smiling as he asked, “You seemed to be laughing quite joyfully earlier, didn’t you?”
Liu Lixue forced an awkward smile. “Ah, Sovereign Lord… I was just joking with you…”
Su Xuan maintained his smile. “As a steward of the Spirit Beast Hall, it seems you’re far too idle.”
Liu Lixue’s back stiffened as he caught the underlying meaning in Su Xuan’s words.
Earlier, Liu Lixue had deliberately wanted to tease his lord. Even though he knew Sang Dai was awake, he hadn’t informed Su Xuan immediately. But what he hadn’t anticipated was that Su Xuan would panic so much that he shed tears.
Sensing his own survival instincts kick in, Liu Lixue quickly tried to remedy the situation. “Sovereign Lord, I was wrong—”
“The Blood Demon Tower has been restless again lately. Since you seem so free, why not go check it out?”
Liu Lixue’s face turned pale with alarm. “Sovereign Lord, no, I’m not going!”
But it was already too late.
Su Xuan’s smile vanished, his jaw tightening, and his eyes filled with a menacing fury. “Useless thing! Dai Dai was fine, so what were you shouting for?”
Liu Lixue’s vision blurred as a gust of violent wind surged past him. Su Xuan’s face became indistinct. When he blinked again, the Spirit Beast Hall was gone, replaced by the towering Blood Demon Tower.
Around him, a thick, blood-red mist swirled heavily in the air, exuding a sinister and terrifying aura. Listening closely, he could hear roars that grew louder and louder.
Clenching his fists, Liu Lixue gritted his teeth. “Sovereign Lord!”
He despised places like this. The Blood Demon Tower was filled with feral demons and those who had committed crimes. Every so often, chaos would break out, and Su Xuan would personally handle the situation. Liu Lixue would usually wait outside while his lord fought because the demons inside the Blood Demon Tower were simply too savage!
They were terrifyingly savage. And they looked savage, too. He was genuinely afraid!
In his ear, Su Xuan’s voice transmitted faintly: “Since you’re so easily startled, prone to fear, you should train your courage. This time, you will subdue the Blood Demon Tower yourself. If even one demon dares to misbehave or attempts to escape, you won’t be coming out either.”
The voice transmission cut off.
Liu Lixue’s fists tightened even further.
Was it necessary? All because Sang Dai had seen him in such a state?
He was Su Xuan’s childhood companion, his sworn brother!
Liu Lixue glared up at the towering Blood Demon Tower, cursing a certain fox who valued beauty over brotherhood. He cursed him several times over, then summoned his folding fan with a flick of his wrist.
The edges of the fan hid secret mechanisms, and its entire frame was composed of sharp blades. When not in use, it was a folding fan; but when activated, it became a high-tier spiritual artifact.
After cursing the certain beauty-over-brotherhood fox again, Liu Lixue felt a little less aggrieved. He took several deep breaths in succession, trying his best to calm himself.
Dragging his feet with every step, he shuffled toward the Blood Demon Tower. All he could do was pray that the demons this time wouldn’t be too terrifying. He truly couldn’t handle it—he’d have nightmares!
—
That night, the sky was adorned with countless stars. The windows of the main hall were not fully shut. In the courtyard, a few osmanthus trees stood, and it was their blooming season. The evening breeze carried the faint scent of osmanthus flowers into the room.
When Sang Dai woke up, she felt enveloped in a comforting warmth.
Previously, her meridians had always been weary and aching, but now the lingering pain seemed to have been cleansed away by something.
Sang Dai turned her wrist and circulated her spiritual power. Her meridians had just been fully reconstructed, and her shattered golden core had been hanging on solely due to the spiritual power Su Xuan had left behind. She hadn’t been able to use any spiritual power at all before.
But now, though her golden core was still partially shattered, there was a faint current of spiritual power flowing through her meridians.
Even though it was weak, it was still spiritual power. Unlike before, when her meridians were completely severed, her golden core half-broken, and she was no better than a cripple.
Sang Dai curled her lips into a soft smile. Her current strength might not compare to what it once was, but as long as she had spiritual power, there was hope.
“You’re awake?”
A calm voice echoed in the hall.
Sang Dai followed the voice and realized it came from the soft couch nearby.
Lying on the modest couch was a man clad in a wide black robe, the hem trailing onto the floor tiles. His tall frame appeared awkwardly constrained by the small couch, forcing his legs to dangle over the armrest in a crossed position.
Sang Dai’s gaze met his pair of glazed eyes.
Earlier, she had been too overwhelmed with excitement to notice his presence in the room.
Sitting up, Sang Dai gave Su Xuan a warm smile. “Yes, I’m awake.”
Her voice was crisp and lively. Su Xuan wasn’t sure if it was just his imagination, but Sang Dai seemed to exude far more vitality now.
She looked more vibrant than she had in the past century, with a light in her eyes he had never seen before.
Though she was the eldest daughter of the Sword Sect, possessing a rare Heaven-grade spiritual root and unparalleled mastery in swordsmanship, every time he had seen her in the past, she had been cold and detached. Despite her youth, she seemed as though she had lived a thousand lifetimes, worn and numb.
Su Xuan’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed. He knew it was inappropriate, but he couldn’t bring himself to look away.
[Dai Dai…]
Sang Dai smiled and nodded. “Su Xuan, thank you.”
It was the first time she had ever thanked him.
It was something she should have said long ago.
Su Xuan sat up, his hands resting on his knees clenching abruptly, though his expression remained indifferent. “This lord didn’t save you out of kindness. Don’t overthink it.”
Sang Dai knew he was being stubborn and unyielding, so she smiled and played along. “Right, the great Beast King only saved me to trade for spiritual veins. But still, you saved me, and I’ll repay this kindness.”
Her smile was so dazzling that Su Xuan’s heart pounded wildly, and the corners of his lips involuntarily lifted.
But Sang Dai caught the faint muttering under his breath:
[Damn it…]
Sang Dai froze.
What was going on? Did she just say something wrong?
“Su Xuan, I just—”
[How is she so beautiful.]
Sang Dai: “……”
[I want to kiss her.]
Sang Dai: “…………”
[Don’t humans say that saving a life should be repaid with lifelong devotion? This lord has saved Dai Dai so many times already, why isn’t she mine yet?]
Sang Dai: “………………”
[No, this lord cannot sit idly by.]
Su Xuan suddenly stood up and walked toward her, dropping to one knee by the edge of the bed, his broad figure pressing down the quilt.
His towering form blocked the light from the luminous pearl, shrouding Sang Dai in shadow.
“Su Xuan?”
“You want to repay this lord’s kindness, don’t you?”
He leaned forward, bracing himself on either side of her.
Sang Dai gripped the quilt tightly, blinking in confusion. Her dark eyes darted up at him, unsure of what to do. “I do, but…”
“Then, does Miss Sang know what this lord wants?”
Sang Dai’s throat went dry.
Of course, she knew—her mind was filled with Su Xuan’s thoughts.
[So beautiful, so close, why do I want to kiss her so badly?]
[Her eyes are gorgeous too, those curled lashes, and her skin is so fair!]
[Damn it, damn it, I really want to kiss her! I’ve never kissed anyone before!]
Sang Dai was stunned. What on earth was he thinking about all the time?
“Miss Sang, do you know what this lord wants?”
When she didn’t respond, Su Xuan couldn’t hold back anymore and leaned in even closer.
[So close… Dai Dai smells so good. Her lips are so red…]
His gaze dropped to her lips.
Sang Dai’s slightly parted lips revealed a faint glimpse of her pearly teeth.
Su Xuan’s Adam’s apple bobbed furiously, his eyes growing darker and darker.
“Miss Sang, do you truly know what this lord desires?”
A warm hand tilted her chin, his thumb brushing the corner of her lips. The mingling scent of their bodies filled the air between them.
Su Xuan stared into her eyes and asked her softly:
“Miss Sang, this lord wants this. Will you give it to me?”