59: The sword's first cry! Xi Youqin...

The icy cold water soaked her coarse cloth dress, clinging tightly to Xi Youqin's skin. The chill seeped through her pores and straight into her bones. She curled up beside the wooden basin, mechanically wiping her body. The rough soap nut rubbed against her delicate skin, leaving streaks of faint red marks, yet it could not wash away the humiliation that had sunk deep into her marrow.

"Filthy..." Su Ningxue's calm yet ice-pick-like words echoed continuously in her mind. Every word was like a red-hot branding iron, searing her shattered self-esteem. She bit her lower lip hard until she tasted the thick scent of blood, barely managing to suppress the sob of collapse in her throat. Tears fell silently, mixing into the icy water and rippling with despair.

Washing away the filth, washing away the pride, washing away everything that belonged to her, Xi Youqin—leaving only the identity of a Bed-warming Maidservant.

"Are you finished?" Su Ningxue's cold voice sounded from behind, carrying a hint of imperceptible urgency.

Xi Youqin's whole body trembled like a frightened rabbit. She stopped her movements abruptly, hurriedly wiped the water and tears from her face, and stood up stiffly. The wet coarse cloth dress clung to her body, outlining her breathtaking curves, yet only making her look more wretched and pathetic. She lowered her head, not daring to look into Su Ningxue's eyes, and even less daring to look toward the main room of the Thatched Cottage.

"Follow me." Su Ningxue's voice was flat as she turned to walk toward the main room.

Xi Youqin followed like a marionette, stumbling along. Every step felt like treading on red-hot coals. Inside the main room of the Thatched Cottage, the hearth fire flickered, and the aroma of tea filled the air. Luo Yan sat quietly in a corner holding Star Universe, her beautiful eyes calmly sweeping over her. There was no mockery or pity in that gaze, only a detached indifference that seemed to see through everything. In the cradle, the pure infant opened his starry eyes and studied her curiously, yet that pure gaze felt like the sharpest of knives.

In the center of the main room, Jiang Linfeng sat cross-legged on a prayer mat, eyes closed as he regulated his breathing. The aura around him was deep and heavy like an abyss, as if he had merged with these Starlit Ruins. He did not open his eyes, but the moment Xi Youqin stepped into the main room, an invisible pressure, like an ancient divine mountain, crashed down. It firmly seized her Divine Soul, causing her to freeze instantly on the spot, unable to move, making even breathing incredibly difficult.

Fear, like a cold venomous snake, instantly coiled tightly around her heart.

"Sect... Sect Master..." Su Ningxue bowed respectfully, her voice soft. "The maidservant... Xi... has finished washing."

Jiang Linfeng slowly opened his eyes. His deep gaze was like a starry abyss, calm and rippleless as it fell upon Xi Youqin. That look was indifferent and cold, like he was inspecting a lifeless object.

Xi Youqin's delicate body shook violently. Under that gaze, she felt as if all her disguises had been stripped away, leaving her naked in the freezing snow. A massive sense of shame caused her pink cheeks to flush instantly. She gripped the hem of her wet dress tightly, her knuckles turning white, wishing she could die right then and there.

"Come here." Jiang Linfeng's voice was low and brooks no argument.

Xi Youqin froze, her legs feeling as heavy as lead. She wanted to flee, to scream, to resist, but that invisible pressure was like the sturdiest of shackles, pinning her to the spot. She couldn't even move a finger, only able to watch helplessly as she was drawn forward by an invisible rope, moving step by step toward that man who was like a demon god.

Every step was like walking on the edge of a blade; every step crushed what remained of her pride.

Finally, she stopped about ten feet in front of Jiang Linfeng. Unable to hold on any longer, her knees hit the cold bluestone floor with a heavy thud. The sharp pain from her knees caused her to let out a muffled groan, and tears welled up uncontrollably once more.

"Look up." Jiang Linfeng's voice was indifferent.

Xi Youqin struggled to lift her head. Tears blurred her vision, and she could only see a face that was hazy yet possessed the majesty of a god or demon. Fear, humiliation, and despair submerged her like a tide. She bit her lower lip hard to keep from crying out, but her trembling body and falling tears betrayed her internal collapse.

Jiang Linfeng's gaze calmly swept over her. The wet coarse dress clung to her exquisite curves, outlining breathtaking arcs. Her full chest heaved violently from fear, her slender waist was small enough to be held in one hand, and her rounded buttocks were taut in her kneeling posture, showing a supple curve. Her soaked silver hair clung to her pale cheeks, adding a touch of pitiful wretchedness. In those swollen almond eyes, only shattered fear and a hint of bewilderment—which she herself had not yet noticed—remained.

"A Bed-warming Maidservant..." The corner of Jiang Linfeng's mouth curled into a cold arc. "Do you know... what you should do?"

"I... I..." Xi Youqin's voice trembled with a sob. "I don't... don't know..."

"You don't know?" Jiang Linfeng's eyes turned slightly cold. "Then... learn."

He slowly raised his right hand. At his fingertip, a wisp of Chaos Star Fire flickered quietly, emitting a terrifying aura capable of incinerating all things.

"No! Don't!" Xi Youqin's pupils shrank as she let out a terrified scream! She thought he was going to use that terrifying astral fire to whip or burn her again! She instinctively wanted to curl up and retreat, but her body remained unable to move!

However, that wisp of Chaos Star Fire did not strike her. Instead, it vanished silently into the Void Realm in front of her.

Hum—!!!

An invisible barrier rose instantly, completely isolating Luo Yan, Su Ningxue, and Star Universe in the corner of the room, forming an independent space. Within the barrier, only Jiang Linfeng and Xi Youqin, who was kneeling at his feet, remained.

"Now..." Jiang Linfeng's voice was low, carrying a hint of playful coldness. "Go and arrange the bedding. Prepare to warm the bed."

"Warm the bed..." Xi Youqin dazed for a moment. She had expected a more terrifying demand, and the fear in her heart eased slightly. She stood up with trembling legs, walked to the bedside, and began to arrange the bedding with shaking hands.

After arranging the bed, she stood by the side, at a total loss for what to do, her eyes filled with helplessness.

"Lie inside and warm the quilt."

Xi Youqin bit her lower lip, feeling immense humiliation, but she dared not disobey. She could only slowly climb onto the bed and crawl into the cold quilt. She curled her body, trying to use her own body heat to warm the quilt. Tears fell silently from the corners of her eyes, dampening the pillow.

After a good while, the quilt gradually gained some warmth.

"Is it ready?" Jiang Linfeng asked.

"In... in reply to the Sect Master, it is warmed."

Jiang Linfeng stood up and walked to the bedside. Seeing this, Xi Youqin instinctively shrank further into the bed, her eyes full of fear.

Jiang Linfeng lay down on the bed, covered himself with the quilt, and said, "It shall be so tonight. If you dare move recklessly, you will bear the consequences."

Xi Youqin nodded stiffly, not daring to move an inch, silently praying in her heart for this long night to pass quickly.

Just then, Xi Youqin suddenly felt a strange movement within her body. A powerful force was rampaging through her. Her face instantly turned deathly pale, and she couldn't help but let out a pained groan.

[Ding! Xi Youqin (Bed-warming Maidservant) Humiliation +50%! Fear +100%!]

[Detected violent fluctuations in the target's Innate Sword Spirit Body Origin! First resonance of the Sword Bone!]

[Special Status: Sword Body Backlash (Extremely Dangerous)!]

[Warning: Target has self-destructive tendencies! Host, please handle with caution!]

Jiang Linfeng noticed her abnormality. He turned to look at her, his brow furrowing slightly. "What's happening?"

Xi Youqin shook her head in agony, unable to speak. Just as she felt she was about to be torn apart by this force, a vast and pure Chaos Life Origin, containing endless vitality, suddenly surged into her from behind like nectar from the Nine Heavens.

"Uh... ah—!!!" Xi Youqin let out a suppressed moan, her delicate body jolting. That violent, out-of-control Sword Spirit Origin was instantly smoothed over as if by an invisible hand. A warm, vast torrent of life swept through her entire body, dispelling the bone-chilling cold, smoothing the tearing pain, and nourishing her damaged Meridians. Even her Divine Soul, which had been on the verge of collapse from fear and humiliation, received a strange sense of comfort within that vast aura of life.

She froze in shock, feeling the incredible changes within her body. That... what kind of power was that? To be able to so easily calm her rampaging Sword Body?

"The first resonance of the Sword Bone..." Jiang Linfeng's low voice sounded behind her, carrying a hint of playful coldness. "Rather... interesting." He then returned to his calm state, saying no more, as if everything that just happened had never occurred. He left Xi Youqin filled with doubt and the complex emotions of a survivor, waiting uneasily for dawn in this silent night filled with unknown dangers.