WHOOSH—
The frigid wind outside swirled with snowflakes, rattling the wooden window until it creaked.
Pei Yuhang sat upright at the desk. Wisps of white smoke stead from his fingertips as he gathered scorching Pure Yang True Qi, dipped them in cinnabar, and drew complex patterns onto a sheet of yellow Talisman Paper.
A rustle ca from the corner of the bed.
Jiu was curled into a small ball under the silk quilt, wisps of extrely cold black qi rising from her body. It was so cold that a layer of white frost had ford on her mask.
Pei Yuhang glanced at her, frowning slightly.
Today was the third day since he had taken Jiu in. He had nearly cured the cold poison in her body on the first day, but unexpectedly, it had grown even more ferocious the previous night.
And that was why he was here today, to treat Jiu's ailnt.
"Take off your clothes."
Pei Yuhang said, turning to Jiu as he picked up the Yang Fire Talisman he had just finished drawing.
Hearing Pei Yuhang's words, Jiu flinched as if scalded. She shrank back, clutching her collar tightly. The quilt slipped, revealing the pale, taut arches of her feet, where every blue vein was clearly visible.
Her eyes misted over, and she bit her lip like a wounded animal. "Sword Immortal Pei... must you really use such a shaful thod of treatnt?"
Pei Yuhang detected her distrust and his patience wore thin.
'I was kind enough to take you in and heal you, do you really think I have ulterior motives?'
"Then we won't treat it."
Pei Yuhang's voice grew cold.
"The feeling of cold poison seeping into your marrow is surely more pleasant than taking off your clothes, Miss Jiu. I, Pei Yuhang, have no reason to beg you to accept treatnt."
'I could be spending this ti caring for my Dao Companion or my own disciples.'
'Even starting up a 'Transmission Token Pot' with Qianqian to ask how she's doing since returning to the Sect would be better than getting the cold shoulder for my troubles here.'
Seeing that Pei Yuhang seed genuinely angry and was about to turn and leave, Jiu quickly grabbed the hem of his robe.
"Wait... I'm sorry. I didn't an that I don't trust you."
"I... I'll take them off... right now."
A blush, visible where her mask didn't cover, spread from the tips of her ears to her collarbones. "You turn around first."
"Then be quick about it. I have to go back and make soup for my Dao Companion."
Pei Yuhang instinctively glanced at Jiu's eyes, which weren't hidden by the mask. They were now veiled with a layer of mist, stirring an irresistible urge within him to tease her.
'Ahem, I can't look for too long.'
Pei Yuhang turned away and heard a faint whimper mixed with the rustling of clothes.
Outside, the blizzard intensified, and the window rattled even louder.
After all, this wooden cabin on the back mountain was old and in disrepair, and drafts ca in from all sides.
A little cold wind was nothing to a Cultivator, but Jiu was a patient whose ailnt was related to cold poison. Perhaps the environnt was a reason her condition had worsened.
Thinking of this, Pei Yuhang ford several seals for a Technique, gathering Spiritual Qi in the air to form profound inscriptions that then rged with the entire cabin.
Instantly, the creaking windows and roof, which had been rattling from the drafts, fell silent.
The temperature inside the room also rose, quickly becoming warm.
"You're actually quite gentle..."
Jiu's voice ca from behind him.
"Since I decided to take you in, I naturally couldn't let any harm co to you here. This is the most basic responsibility of a Righteous Cultivator. It has nothing to do with being gentle."
Pei Yuhang closed his eyes and turned to face Jiu, who had already removed her outer garnts.
He directed the Yang Fire Talisman in his hand, sending it flying toward Jiu's body.
In an instant, the yellow Talisman Paper spontaneously ignited. Gushing streams of icy black qi were forced out of Jiu's body, turning into white steam that dissipated into the air.
Feeling her body improve significantly, Jiu beca more talkative.
"Does Sword Immortal Pei an to say he's very responsible?
But I heard from the Sain... from that woman, Shang Miaoyan, that you're a scumbag who betrayed his lover and never takes responsibility for won."
"You believe Shang Miaoyan's words? That woman is full of lies and can't be trusted. You did so much of her dirty work, and yet weren't you still cast out?"
"As for betraying her... I never had anything to do with her in the first place, so how could I have betrayed her?"
Pei Yuhang replied with his eyes closed, directing more Yang Fire Talismans toward Jiu's body.
As the Yang Fire Talismans ignited one after another, Jiu felt her frozen, stiff body grow warr and warr, as if she were soaking in a hot spring. She couldn't help but swallow and let out a soft, comfortable moan.
She looked at Pei Yuhang, who stood before her with his eyes shut tight, a perfect gentleman averting his gaze.
Thinking about how she was currently unclothed, she felt a strange, tingling numbness, a forbidden thrill.
'Does this count as... in front of him.'
'Being exposed?'
'I've heard that many won in the Sects enjoy this kind of thrill.'
'In full public view...'
'It's a bit perverted.'
Jiu lifted her mask, revealing a fair, delicate, and pretty face. If Fan Ya had been there, she would have discovered that this face looked eighty percent similar to her own.
If Pei Yuhang had opened his eyes at that mont,
he would have realized that the girl from his mories, the one he had been searching for so desperately, was right in front of him, and he had never noticed.
Jiu touched her burning cheeks, then took out a handkerchief to wipe away the beads of fragrant sweat that had ford on her forehead from the Yang Fire and her earlier shaful thoughts.
Once she was sure she had composed herself, she put her mask back on, hiding her face.
Before the mask obscured her vision, she glanced at the still-closed-eyed Pei Yuhang, thought for a mont, and then stuck her tongue out at him, making a face.
'Stupid Pei Yuhang! Still as prim and proper as ever!'
'Every day he orders to find "Fan Xuan," and even uses those wicked Magic spells on her that make one's whole body itch.'
'The person you're looking for is right in front of you, yet you don't even dare to open your eyes and look!'
'No wonder... you always miss your chance.'
'Hmph, you've lost your chance to find Fan Xuan. Go on and regret it!'
Fan Xuan grumbled inwardly. Though she was complaining about Pei Yuhang, her own eyes were the ones welling up with tears.
She finally put on her mask, losing her na once more, becoming the Red Lotus Guard known only by the number codena "Jiu."
A mont later, the treatnt session was over.
Hearing Jiu get dressed, Pei Yuhang finally opened his eyes.
He looked at Jiu, whose complexion had improved considerably, and said:
"Jiu, Shang Miaoyan has been searching for soone in the Dao Sect recently. It's most likely you, so you'd better be even more discreet for a while."
"I know."
Jiu nodded, her voice cold, as if she were completely indifferent to Pei Yuhang's concern.
Only when she saw Pei Yuhang about to turn away did she hesitate and ask:
"Are you leaving now?"
"I'm going back to be with my Dao Companion."
Pei Yuhang said as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
"...Oh."
He wasn't sure if it was his imagination, but Pei Yuhang thought her voice sounded exceptionally resentful.
But he didn't dwell on it and simply pushed the door open and left.
As the sound of the door closing echoed, Jiu sat dazedly on the edge of the bed like a puppet.
After waiting a long ti to be sure Pei Yuhang was truly gone, she finally moved.
She rose in silence and pulled a dark blue dagger from under the bed.
This was the dagger Shang Miaoyan had given her. It was steeped in cold poison, and as soon as it pierced the body, the poison would spread throughout.
From now on, she would have to stab herself with it every two days.
Only by doing this could she get Pei Yuhang to co and heal her... and deepen their bond.
Everything was going according to the Holy Daughter's plan.
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