Chapter 157 Healing in the Secret Realm, Honesty and Forgiveness
The gray barriers of the Hongmeng Space were still vibrating slightly from the previous battle. Residual lightning-attribute Spiritual Qi in the air intertwined with the lingering scent of hehuan powder, creating a strange sense of sluggishness wrapped in a faint, ethereal fragrance that made one's breathing tighten.
Lin Yue sat cross-legged by the spiritual spring in the center of the space. Spiritual light flickered chaotically around him, and the burn on his shoulder from the Soul-Devouring Thunder Art was still emitting black smoke. Beneath the charred skin, his Meridians glowed with a faint dark red—a sign that the toxins from the hehuan powder had not been completely cleared.
The toxins surged through his body, stirring up waves of heat that caused him to subconsciously clench his fists until his knuckles turned white.
Not far away, Ye Qingcheng was looking down, sorting through the remains of the Silver-Armored Puppet. Her brocade dress had been torn somewhat messily earlier, and the collar had slipped loosely off one side, revealing a snowy-white, delicate shoulder. Her skin, set against the shimmering light of the spiritual spring, possessed a warm luster like the finest mutton-fat jade.
The sash at her waist was half-loosed, outlining her slender and soft waist. As she raised her hand to repair the Puppet's core, the hem of her skirt swayed gently, revealing a section of her fair, long calf. Her slender ankles stepped on the damp earth by the spiritual spring, stained with tiny droplets of water, making her appear all the more delicate and moving.
Lin Yue's gaze lingered uncontrollably on her, and his Adam's apple bobbed unconsciously. The hehuan powder toxins hadn't been fully purged yet, and now, triggered by this erotic scene, the heat within him surged even more violently. The dark red patterns in his Meridians seemed to become more active, scorching his reason.
He hurriedly looked away, forcing himself to stare at the rippling surface of the spiritual spring. Yet, the refreshing fragrance lingering at the tip of his nose and the swaying silhouette in his peripheral vision clung to his mind like vines.
Faint blue spiritual light condensed on Ye Qingcheng's fingertips as she carefully nourished the cracks on the Puppet's core, and the glow of the blue spirit crystal gradually stabilized. Her gaze drifted toward Lin Yue from time to time. Most of her previous anger and resentment had faded, replaced by a complex internal conflict—it was a fact that her Dao foundation was intact, and she had seen with her own eyes how Lin Yue had risked his life to block Lei Qianjun's fatal blow and then drawn all the toxins from her body into his own.
But at the thought of the two of them being alone in a room earlier, and the image of herself leaning into his embrace with her clothes in disarray, her cheeks burned. It felt like a small pebble was lodged in her heart; it didn't hurt, but it was awkward.
"You..." Ye Qingcheng hesitated for a moment, but eventually couldn't help but speak. Her voice carried an undetectable dryness and a hint of deliberately suppressed softness. "The toxins in your body... haven't they been cleared yet?"
Lin Yue opened his eyes at her words, raised a hand to wipe the cold sweat from his forehead, and gave a bitter smile.
Just as he looked up, he happened to catch Ye Qingcheng turning to look at him. His gaze inadvertently swept over the skin beneath her loose collar, and he felt a rush of heat surge to his head. He quickly steadied his mind and rolled up his sleeve to reveal his forearm. "The hehuan powder is too overbearing. Although I have a special Physique that can resist deadly poisons, it will still take some time to refine this."
On his forearm, the dark red toxic patterns squirmed like tiny snakes, emitting a faint, sinister aura. Ye Qingcheng's eyes fell upon it, and her pupils constricted slightly—this aura was exactly the same as the toxins that had been in her body earlier, perhaps even a bit more concentrated.
The last trace of suspicion in her heart quietly dissipated, replaced by guilt and an indefinable sense of panic.
She subconsciously pulled at her collar, but her fingertip accidentally caught on the damaged fabric. With a "rip," the tear in her brocade dress widened further, exposing more skin.
Ye Qingcheng's cheeks instantly turned bright red, like a ripe cherry. She hurriedly looked down and pressed her hand over it, her earlobes flushed pink, and even the rhythm of her breathing became erratic.
This scene happened to fall into Lin Yue's eyes, and he felt the heat within him nearly burst through his chest.
When the woman before him was cold, she was like a snow lotus on an icy mountain; but her current distressed and shy appearance added a touch of alluring charm. Those eyes, filled with panic, were like obsidian soaked in water, dazzlingly bright. His Adam's apple bobbed again, and he quickly lowered his eyes, his voice carrying an undetectable rasp. "It is no matter. I can refine it completely in a few days."
Ye Qingcheng steadied herself. After a moment of silence, she said softly, "Earlier... I misunderstood you." Her voice was very quiet, carrying an apology and a bit of embarrassment. "I shouldn't have attacked you without knowing the truth."
"Any Fairy would feel resentment if they encountered such a situation," Lin Yue said in a flat tone, though the heat in his heart hadn't diminished at all, and the images he had just seen replayed in his mind over and over. "Lei Qianjun acted despicably; you were a victim as well."
"I was searching for star iron to refine my natal Puppet, 'Silver Moon'," Ye Qingcheng said, taking a deep breath. Her voice softened significantly, and she deliberately moved a bit further away to avoid a repeat of the earlier embarrassment. "It is about to advance to the Golden Core Grade, and only star iron can withstand the spiritual energy impact of the breakthrough. But Lei Qianjun has been pestering me relentlessly. This time, he even conspired with three Lei Family Elders to set a trap, pretending to trade star iron while actually intending to kidnap me by force and use me to exchange for benefits with the Mechanism Sect."
Her fingertips trembled slightly, clearly showing her extreme disgust for Lei Qianjun's harassment. As she spoke, her brows knitted slightly, adding a touch of charming vulnerability. "I fled all the way, but I still fell into their trap and was drugged with hehuan powder. If you hadn't appeared when you did, the consequences would have been unthinkable."
Lin Yue looked up at her, meeting the gaze she sent his way.
Her eyes were clear, filled with gratitude and a hint of lingering fear. Her long eyelashes fluttered like butterfly wings, her nose was small and upturned, and her full lips were a natural pink.
The mist from the spiritual spring surrounded her, making her appear as if shrouded in a thin veil. Her graceful figure was faintly visible, making her even more seductive.
He abruptly withdrew his gaze, inwardly cursing his luck.
This woman's charm was truly staggering. Even with his firm willpower, under the dual temptation of the toxins and her beauty, he was finding it difficult to maintain control.
He could clearly feel the blood surging within him, and the toxins in his Meridians seemed to use this heat to become even more active.
"The Lei Family has always acted overbearingly. Since we have formed a blood feud this time, they will certainly not let it go," Lin Yue said, forcing a change of subject, his voice deepening. "We must recover our strength as soon as possible to deal with the subsequent search."
Ye Qingcheng nodded, the conflict in her eyes completely gone, replaced by determination and gratitude.
She turned and took a jade bottle from her Storage Pouch, handing it over. Her fingertips inadvertently brushed against Lin Yue's palm, a cool sensation that made his whole body stiffen. "This is a Clear-Poison Pill I refined. It can help you refine the residual toxins in your body. Take it."
The Medicinal Pill inside the jade bottle shimmered with a faint blue spiritual light. Its Spiritual Qi was pure, and it carried a hint of her fragrance.
Lin Yue took the jade bottle, the sensation of her touch lingering on his fingertips, adding to the heat in his heart. He poured out a pill and swallowed it. The cool spiritual energy slid down his throat and instantly spread through his Meridians. Those wandering dark red toxins seemed to subside significantly, but the palpitations in his heart did not diminish in the slightest.
He watched Ye Qingcheng's back as she turned to continue repairing the Puppet's core. Her graceful figure traced an alluring curve in the shimmering light of the spiritual spring, every movement carrying an indescribable charm.
Lin Yue took a deep breath and sat cross-legged with his eyes closed again, but her silhouette in his mind refused to fade.
This woman before him not only possessed extraordinary arts but also a soul-stirring charm. The path to conquering her might be more "agonizing" than imagined, yet all the more rewarding.
This entanglement born of a misunderstanding had quietly shifted amidst beauty and testing, and the bond between him and Ye Qingcheng had only just truly begun.