Inside the private room, Ling Xi tied the last knot of the Immortal Binding Rope around Ye Ziling’s wrists, ensuring she was securely bound. He then instructed a disciple to fetch medicine.
At this moment, Ye Ziling’s hands and feet were fastened to the couch with the Immortal Binding Rope, leaving her completely immobile, like a lamb awaiting slaughter.
Her anger simmered, but her face remained calm. She merely cast a glance at Ling Xi, letting out a cold laugh, "Lord Ling, there’s no need for all this. I’m acupoint sealed and bound by the Immortal Binding Rope. Even with wings, I couldn’t escape."
In her previous life in the heavenly realm, who had ever dared to bind her like this?
Ling Xi, however, dared not be careless. With her exceptional abilities, she could likely have already dispelled the acupoint seal with celestial magic. Without a few coils of the Immortal Binding Rope, he feared he would meet his demise shortly.
"Miss Ye should worry about herself first," Ling Xi said, his sword-like eyebrows slightly raised, his handsome face radiating smug satisfaction.
He had to be cautious, flirting with her with his life on the line.
Ye Ziling chuckled.
Were there no others in the Shaolin Sect?
Not a single woman?
Did it have to be a man like him to administer medicine to her?
"Lord Ling, you personally released the Qu Ru bird. Yet, you're not rushing to kill me and are instead applying medicine. Isn't that redundant?" Ye Ziling looked at Ling Xi, who was seated on the edge of the bed, her eyes glinting with coldness, wishing she could gnaw him to the bone.
She couldn't understand.
If this man was merely an annoying entanglement in her life, why had he tried to kill her repeatedly, only to save her at critical moments?
She had previously believed his sole motive was the Sun and Moon Divine Lamp in her possession. Now that the treasure was in his hands, why was he still fixated on her?
"Because, I have taken a liking to you," the man declared, his gaze fixed on her, yet his eyes devoid of any genuine emotion.
Nonsense, just like Qing Bai!
Ye Ziling’s expression darkened as she recalled Qing Bai’s words from years ago.
He had said—his Empress would belong only to her.
He had said—he would spend his life with her, never betraying her.
In the end, she was served a cup of poisoned wine, leading to her complete annihilation and the massacre of her entire clan.
Indeed, the more handsome a man, the less trustworthy he was.
Seeing the beauty smile with amusement, Ling Xi probed her expression, his eyes instantly dimming.
He could discern the mockery and contempt hidden within her laughter.
"What is Miss Ye smiling about?" Ling Xi looked at her, his eyes dark and unreadable.
"Does Lord Ling think this reason is plausible?" Ye Ziling flashed another captivating smile, momentarily stunning Ling Xi.
"I’ll say it again, Miss Ye, your heart is mine," he stated, his brow unfurrowed, a slight upward curve on his lips, his voice laced with playfulness.
As they spoke, the disciple in black had already presented the ointment. After placing it down gently, he closed the door.
Ling Xi leaned down, his gaze fixed on the wound on her left shoulder. His eyes were dark as he fiddled with the white porcelain medicine bottle, his expression remarkably focused.
Her left shoulder bore a gash from sword energy, blood staining half her sleeve. If the bleeding wasn't stopped promptly, the wound might become infected.
As the wound had gone untreated for some time, blood had already congealed with her white gauze sleeve. Ling Xi had to use scissors to cut open her sleeve before applying the medicine.
Ye Ziling felt a wave of nausea seeing his seemingly concerned demeanor. She wondered who had injured her so gravely, and yet was now feigning solicitude.
She swore that once she escaped, she would make Ling Xi wish he had never been born.
"Does it hurt?"
Seeing her fists clenched, her fingertips digging into her palm in apparent pain, Ling Xi frowned. His voice, though devoid of warmth, sounded more serious than usual, and even he felt he was mistaken.
When Ye Ziling didn't respond, Ling Xi leaned closer.
The exceptional beauty’s complexion was a little pale. A few strands of hair fell from her full, fair forehead, lending her a hint of vulnerable allure, a departure from her usual fierce demeanor.
A perverse thought suddenly arose in him.
He rather liked her in this weakened state.
Seeing the shameless man press himself against her, Ye Ziling could no longer tolerate it.
The moment Ling Xi’s eyes met hers, he saw a bloodthirsty ferocity flare up in her eyes. She appeared like a ravishing ghost risen from hell, both alluring and dangerous.
Suddenly, the world spun. He was flipped and pinned beneath her. The person above him swiftly seized his hands, and then the Immortal Binding Rope was transferred to his own wrists.
Ling Xi: "..."
He had been too hasty.
Before he could recover, he saw the extraordinary beauty lean over him. A few strands of hair carrying the scent of bellflowers softly brushed his face. What then met his eyes was that peerlessly beautiful, enchanting face.
Ye Ziling drew a dagger from her waist. The cold blade traced his face, moving from his chin downwards to the area between his legs.
Abruptly, a wild idea bloomed within her, spreading like untamed vines. Her lips curved into a faint smile.
"Lord Ling wouldn't want to be a closeted homosexual his entire life, would he?" she asked, her smile bewitching, her eyes flashing with malice, a stark contrast to her earlier captivating appearance.
"Miss Ye has remarkable skills," Ling Xi said, his gaze absorbing her malevolence. A half-smile played on his lips.
Even the gods in the heavens couldn't untie the Immortal Binding Rope. Yet, she, a mortal cultivator, had managed to undo it so seamlessly. He had been too hasty.
"As I said before, hand over the Sun and Moon Divine Lamp, and I'll leave half of your corpse intact." The remaining half, she intended to mince, steam, then fry, and feed to the dogs.
Ling Xi brazenly stared at her face, so close to his. He provocatively met her cold, beautiful eyes, his lips curling into a myriad of mocking smiles. "Miss Ye might as well worry about your own injuries."
With that, he glanced meaningfully at the ointment on the table, his smile growing wider.
"It's Bone-Eroding Ointment, isn't it?" Ye Ziling stood up, picking up the medicine jar and examining it carefully, as casually as if she were inspecting a plaything.
Bone-Eroding Ointment, a type of poison. Once applied to a wound, it would corrode it until it reached the bone.
Ye Ziling looked at the wound on her shoulder. The dark red blood had stained the upper half of her white clothing. Due to excessive blood loss, her lips had turned pale. Coupled with her enchanting face, she resembled a poppy blooming in a storm.
That kind of fragmented beauty was frightening, intoxicating, and terrifying.
Ling Xi’s heart lurched in surprise. He hadn't expected her to recognize the substance.
Bone-Eroding Ointment was a forbidden item of the Sacred Healers Clan. Unfortunately, the clan had long been annihilated, and few people knew of this medicine.
When he had prepared to apply the medicine to her earlier, he had, for some reason, sensed a powerful energy accumulating within her. Thus, he had deliberately switched the ointment to Bone-Eroding Ointment, though he hadn't intended to kill her.
In the next moment, Ling Xi was even more astonished.
She had torn the congealed sleeve from her wound with her bare hands right in front of him. Unhurriedly, she pulled back the blood-soaked sleeve, her eyes showing a hint of contemptuous amusement as she looked at the bloody, mangled wound.
Ye Ziling’s expression was serene. She didn't even frown.
After she had been poisoned to death that day, Qing Bai had sealed her consciousness within her body, thrown her into an alchemy furnace, and burned her with Samadhi True Fire for forty-nine days. The sharp, piercing pain from that experience was something she would never forget. This minor injury was nothing in comparison.
Ye Ziling quickly sealed her blood vessels, wiped away the blood, and then produced a bottle of antidote, applying it to the wound.
She recalled how her brother had praised her intelligence when she had first concocted the Bone-Eroding Ointment. However, her father had reprimanded her, saying the Sacred Healer Valley was only meant to practice healing medicine. Thus, the Bone-Eroding Ointment became a forbidden item. Fortunately, she still had the antidote.
Before Ling Xi could express his astonishment, her dagger moved again, this time pointed at him. A terrifying chill emanated from his neck.
"I'll ask one last time, where is the Sun and Moon Divine Lamp?"
The extraordinary beauty before him smiled, each word laced with madness, exuding an invisible pressure.
Ling Xi remained nonchalant, pointing to his chest with his chin. "Here."
Ye Ziling fumbled around his chest for a long time, but couldn't find anything.
"At your waist," he added.
She reached for his waist, but it was still empty.
Watching the man lie there with an expression of enjoyment, Ye Ziling realized she had been tricked. The cold blade severed his belt, and layer by layer, she opened his clothing.
Her hand hovered over his chest, and she threatened with a smile, "If I don't find the treasure, you die." Even if she did find it, he would still die.
As soon as she spoke, a knock sounded from outside the door.