With her mind racing, Zi Linling's hand unconsciously reached out to pull off the black cloth covering the man's face.
"Take it off! Take it off!" a voice in her heart kept screaming.
Soon, her hand touched the black cloth, and a cold sensation transmitted to her brain along her fingers, jolting her into full consciousness.
She paused, then abruptly withdrew her hand. However, her movement was too violent, and the black cloth was pulled down with it.
A face of unparalleled beauty appeared before Zi Linling, and her eyes became fixated.
She had seen many handsome men and had developed a strong resistance to them. She had always believed that no matter how stunning a man was, she could remain calm.
But the man before her sent her proud resistance to the highest heavens.
"He's too devilishly handsome!"
His chiseled features were as if sculpted by a divine hand, possessing an indescribable grace and elegance that did not detract from his kingly aura.
"Is he heaven's illegitimate son? Otherwise, why would heaven favor him so much as to bestow such a peerless face?"
Zi Linling failed to notice that her fingers were slowly approaching the man's slightly pale, thin lips.
Closer! Closer! She seemed to already feel the warmth of his lips.
Just as she was about to touch him, the man's eyes suddenly opened, a sharp glint flashing in their depths.
He frowned, looking at Zi Linling, a trace of disgust in his dark eyes, and said coldly, "Presumptuous!"
Zi Linling was startled. Her fingertip inadvertently brushed against the man's thin lips, and a tingling sensation instantly coursed through her body.
Her already flushed cheeks immediately turned into red apples.
The man's body also visibly stiffened. His face, pale from significant blood loss, suddenly showed a suspicious blush.
A sense of being violated surged through the man. His body temperature plummeted, and a palpable pressure filled the room.
Zi Linling bore the brunt of it and was flung backward. She struggled to get up, stumbled, and finally stood firm. Flustered, she began to explain, "Don't misunderstand! I just..."
"Get out!"
A sharp, murderous aura emanated from the man.
Elder Du, within the Nine Spirit Ring, was also alarmed and hurriedly sent a spiritual message, "Girl, are you alright? What happened?"
"I'm fine!"
Zi Linling was surprised that Elder Du cared about her. Her heart warmed, and she softly replied to him.
"It's good that you're fine! It's good that you're fine!"
Elder Du wore a knowing smile.
"This man is a peak Huayuan Realm expert, just one step away from the Saint King Realm. Be careful!"
After giving his warning, Elder Du disconnected from the Nine Spirit Ring, thinking, "It's best for me to stay out of the way when a couple is arguing."
If Zi Linling knew Elder Du's thoughts, she would have been so frustrated she might have spat blood. However, at that moment, she was busy processing the information about cultivators in her memory and paid Elder Du no mind.
She learned that cultivators in this world, from low to high, were: Body Tempering Realm, Qi Induction Realm, Spirit Gathering Realm, Huayuan Realm, and Saint King Realm.
The Body Tempering Realm was divided into nine layers: skin, flesh, sinew, bone, membrane, marrow, blood, organs, and viscera. The remaining four realms were divided into early, middle, late, and peak stages.
Her current level was equivalent to the early stage of the Qi Induction Realm in this world, of course, this was before she cultivated spiritual energy.
The Zi Jinling she had dealt with that afternoon was only at the third level of Body Tempering. Even the Crown Prince, hailed as a genius, was only at the advanced stage of the Qi Induction Realm. Yet, this man was only sixteen or seventeen years old and was one step away from the Saint King Realm.
Zi Linling inwardly lamented. Even with all her skills, she couldn't defeat him.
"Damn it! I still need to find a way to reconstruct my meridians and cleanse my body. That's the right path."
Zi Linling looked at the man before her. Although she felt intimidated, her expression turned cold.
Even a clay figurine has some spirit! Such insulting words were not for her to accept!
She would rather die standing than live on her knees. Even if she couldn't defeat him, it didn't mean she would let him walk all over her. If pushed too far, she would fight back with her life, taking a piece of him with her.
The corners of her mouth curved into a cold smile, and she said, "Get out? Look where you are! If anyone's getting out, it's you!"
The expression on the man's face froze. He then realized that this was clearly a woman's boudoir, not his sleeping quarters.
What happened? Images slowly surfaced in his mind.
He was attacked and severely injured, then stumbled into this room. And the woman before him had treated his wounds and moved him to the bed.
Cultivators who reached the Saint King Realm could cultivate a consciousness domain. If their bodies fell into a coma, they could still perceive what was happening outside.
Although the man had not fully entered the Saint King Realm, his consciousness domain had already begun to form, and he had some vague impressions.
The coldness on his face slowly dissipated. He got out of bed, looked at Zi Linling, and his voice softened slightly, "You saved this king?"
"An ungrateful wretch. Didn't know good intentions." Zi Linling glared at him indignantly. "I shouldn't have saved you then. I should have thrown you out to fend for yourself!"
If she hadn't been weaker than this man, she wouldn't have wasted her breath on him; she would have simply thrown him out.
The man frowned. He, Ye Lingyuan, the dignified God of War of Tianqi, who wouldn't greet him with respect and caution?
Only the woman before him dared to defy his anger, dare to roll her eyes at him, dare to curse him.
But, who had she saved him to be? Fine, considering she had saved him, he wouldn't dwell on it.
Ye Lingyuan casually took off the jade pendant at his waist and said with a commanding tone, "Tomorrow, take this to the Underworld King's Manor to claim your reward!"
He was accustomed to this tone and didn't think anything was amiss, but Zi Linling found it difficult to accept.
"No need!" Her icy gaze swept over Ye Lingyuan. "Since you're awake, please leave immediately!"
What was the use of a pleasing appearance! What was the use of unparalleled beauty! She, the Ghost Hand Poison Doctor, would not be appeased by anything!
And a reward? Hmph! A joke! She had her pride. Dare to use the word "reward"? Wasn't that an insult to her?
It was precisely for this reason that she unconsciously ignored the words "Underworld King's Manor" and naturally didn't notice that Ye Lingyuan had been referring to himself as "this king" all along.
Ye Lingyuan was stunned. This was the first time someone had said "no" to him. He couldn't help but examine the person before him closely.
Two willow-leaf eyebrows, a pair of almond eyes, a delicate nose and cherry lips, pearly teeth and bright eyes, long hair cascading over her shoulders, and an otherworldly, elegant demeanor.
"So beautiful!"