Lin Mu Ci let Ling Qian He consume the Jade Bone Lotus, and she would protect him.
The little system reminded her.
"Host, you've been coming and going these days, and it's already attracted the covetous eyes of some petty individuals..."
"The Jade Bone Lotus is so conspicuous, and you planted it in the large water vat in the courtyard. It's estimated that someone has already set their sights on it."
"This is the northern border of the imperial dynasty."
"There are many demons and monsters... just those murderers, villains, and criminals are all hiding here. They will come knocking sooner or later."
Lin Mu Ci listened to the little system's reminder. She thought for a moment, ran to the courtyard, and pulled out the Jade Bone Lotus.
Then she kicked open the door to Ling Qian He's room.
The young man was bathing in a wooden tub.
After consuming the beast's inner core, it was equivalent to cleansing the marrow and changing the tendons. Every time, his whole body would be soaked in sweat. Now, he was naked in the wooden tub. Seeing Lin Mu Ci rush in, his expression immediately changed.
"What are you doing?"
Lin Mu Ci glanced at him.
"I don't have time to dawdle with you. Eat the Jade Bone Lotus."
"I'll protect you outside."
"The process of regenerating your meridians is destined to be extremely painful, but you must endure it. You'll be fine once you get through it."
She thought for a moment, and it seemed there was nothing else to say—
She just glanced at the man opposite her, who looked as if his body had been seen and suffered some great humiliation.
Looking at his angry yet fragile expression.
It was quite interesting.
Although she knew that this guy was extreme and incredibly proud, she couldn't help but scoff.
"What are you afraid of?"
The young man gritted his teeth.
"You... get out!"
Lin Mu Ci looked again and made a tutting sound.
"It's not that great either, pale and thin, weak and boneless..."
The young man opposite her blushed—he, he wasn't a weak and boneless 'white cut chicken'!
It was because his spiritual meridians were destroyed and his spiritual bones were extracted that this body was so thin and weak.
When his spiritual meridians were reborn...
He would definitely, definitely make the damn woman opposite him stunned!
He bit his lip, his voice seemingly squeezed from between his teeth.
"Get... get out!"
"Get out!"
Lin Mu Ci gave him a huge eye roll.
"Fine, I'll get out."
But although she said she would get out, she actually looked him up and down again, a faint smile flashing in the depths of her eyes.
"Don't be shy, pale, young, and thin has its benefits."
"You look quite delicate, like a cute little brother."
Ling Qian He, with his eyes tightly closed, said in a voice that seemed to be squeezed from between his teeth.
"You woman, how can you be so shameless!"
"Get... out!"
...
Lin Mu Ci walked out, closed the door, and her expression immediately became serious.
The maiden's gentle face instantly turned cold and domineering. She looked up at the surroundings of the courtyard, her domineering aura as if it could tear through the sky.
"Get out!"
Sure enough, several figures emerged from the surroundings.
These demons and ghosts were all after the Jade Bone Lotus.
The maiden snapped a bamboo branch and turned it into a sword. She looked at the figures around her. The bamboo branches rustled, and with a cold gleam, she stood guard at Ling Qian He's door.
One man guarding the pass, ten thousand men cannot break through.
She thought in her heart.
This guy had the same face as Ling Qian He.
Moreover—he was currently unclothed. An unclothed Ling Qian He, that was her man's body!
How could these petty individuals see it?
Even if it wasn't the person himself, just someone who looked alike.
That wouldn't do!
The maiden stood alone guarding the door.
Although she was currently in a mortal body, according to the setting, her own combat power was quite impressive. After all, she was the daughter of the Demon Emperor and had cultivated in the demon realm for a thousand years, then went to the immortal realm to learn Daoist magic, integrating it all.
Even in the lower realm, she was not someone that ordinary demons and monsters could approach.
She exuded an ethereal aura.
She fought the opponents until they were in disarray!
Unfortunately, the northern border was full of extremely brutal villains. Wave after wave, they came one after another. The maiden protecting Ling Qian He's spiritual bone rebirth also attracted quite a few... powerhouses.
She repelled wave after wave, and it lasted for three days and three nights!
Ling Qian He, inside the room, was unaware of the earth-shattering commotion outside. He felt as if he had fallen into an endless abyss—fierce and malevolent energies continuously impacted his body. He even felt as if his soul was about to shatter into pieces.
In his mind, there seemed to be a voice, extremely sinister and cold.
Inciting him.
"Give up—give up this weak and pathetic body."
"Do you know that you possess far greater power than you imagine?"
"Give up this body, and you will be reborn—you will become the new ruler of heaven and earth..."
The young man was almost driven mad by the continuous pain, but the voice in his mind was still noisy—still trying to disturb him.
"What is this Jade Bone Lotus... even if new spiritual meridians grow, there will still be flaws."
"You should take another path... in heaven and earth, no one can block your sharpness..."
"You are destined to become the ruler of heaven and earth..."
"Humans, demons, immortals, ghosts—all will prostrate before you..."
"Aren't you tempted yet?"
This voice kept enticing him in his ear, while the young man's face was pale, and sweat dripped down drop by drop. He almost shouted with his soul.
"Shut... up!"
He didn't care what the voice said. He had taken that damned woman's Jade Bone Lotus.
He couldn't waste it!
Otherwise, that woman would definitely mock him triumphantly in front of him!
Wouldn't she just call him useless?
The thought of that damned maid's smiling eyes made him feel hot all over—his blood seemed to rush to his head. The young man gritted his teeth, his blood vessels seemed to be flowing backward!
Spiritual meridian rebirth was destined to be painful.
He thought that the woman was nearby, so he dared not let out overly painful screams. After all, he was just a young man, no matter how fierce, he still had dignity.
At his age, dignity was more important than the heavens.
He would absolutely not let that woman look down on him!
His whole body trembled.
Spiritual meridians grew inch by inch within his body, as if bone fragments were forcefully breaking out of his body. Blood spilled everywhere. His face was contorted from the excessive pain.
But even so, he still had to grit his teeth and endure.
That damn woman...
He would definitely grow the most powerful spiritual meridians to show her!
He was definitely not useless!
He was an unparalleled genius!
...
Lin Mu Ci actually didn't have the time to think about what the young man inside was thinking. She just felt a little tired.
There were too many opponents attacking this door repeatedly. When would this end?
She sighed helplessly.
Feeling that she had brought trouble upon herself.
If Ling Qian He became a demon, these people would all be snacks, easily devoured by him.
As for herself, breaking the seal and returning to the demon realm was also a way out. Guarding him here was simply too annoying.
The little system said.
"Stop him from becoming a demon... Host, don't forget your original intention."
Lin Mu Ci said irritably.
"I know!"
"It's just that I'm tired of fighting—and I can't take a break."
"How much longer until his spiritual meridians regenerate?"
"This is simply endless!"
The little system could only comfort her, saying that it would be soon, soon.
She complained while fighting, and her cheeks were soon soaked with sweat.
Her hair was all wet and stuck to her cheeks. A hint of exhaustion appeared on her face, yet she still forced herself to be energetic.
A demonic cultivator holding a large saber rushed forward.
She was momentarily dazed and couldn't dodge in time.
She was struck.
A searing wound on her left shoulder.
She gasped in pain, and blood instantly soaked through her clothes. She lowered her head, but ignored her wound, and struck out with her right hand.
The opponent was sent flying by her strike, landing in the courtyard, but still grinning menacingly.
"How long can you protect him?"
Lin Mu Ci answered without thinking.
"I'll protect him for as long as I can."
"Unless I die."
The opponent sneered, took out a hidden weapon from his embrace, and shot it towards her. Her legs were grabbed by another man. She kicked the opponent away, and the flying needles aimed directly at her face. They were about to injure her eyes.
She felt a headache.
What, did she blind Helian Lan Yan's green sparrow, and now retribution had come?
But—there was someone behind her holding her.
The flying needles hit something with a dull thud.
The young man looked at the wet-haired, fragile maiden. Her beautiful eyes were filled with fragility, yet also extreme stubbornness.
His heart skipped a beat. He heard the maiden whisper in his arms, urging him.
"What are you still staring at?"
"Are you stupid?"
"Hurry up and run!"
...
The flying needles did not hit Ling Qian He.
He was still quite clever. He found a wooden plank, kicked it away, and holding her, he leaped onto the eaves. He was as light as a swallow.
Having spiritual meridians is indeed different... running is faster.
Lin Mu Ci muttered in her heart, then guided him.
"The northern border is chaotic. If we escape, we can change places, and no one, not even the king of heaven, can find us."
"Let's develop stealthily. When your cultivation recovers, we'll fight back to the imperial city and reclaim your magic treasures. Even if your divine artifact was stolen, it already recognized you as its master."
"So, there won't be any problems. Find the divine artifact and strike back."
This was clearly the most urgent matter in Ling Qian He's heart, but after a moment of silence, he suddenly lowered his head and looked at the wound on her shoulder.
"Does it hurt?"
Lin Mu Ci was startled.
"It... it's okay."
It didn't hurt originally, but being asked by him like this, it seemed to hurt a little.
Ling Qian He was silent for a moment, and he said.
"Let's find a place to get you some healing medicine."
Lin Mu Ci asked doubtfully.
"Exchange it with what? You're so poor right now..."
Ling Qian He raised an eyebrow. He had originally wanted to show off his newly regenerated spiritual meridians to this maid, but looking at the wound on her left shoulder, his desire to show off seemed to completely subside. He remained silent, then said.
"Beast inner cores. There are some left."
"To exchange for healing medicine. It should be enough."
Lin Mu Ci sighed. This was still the sheep's wool coming from the sheep! She couldn't be supported by a younger brother—the yandere abandoned prince she saved was a pauper!
However, these things, speaking of it, were killed by Helian Lan Yan in the Hongze Great Wilderness. She didn't have to do anything herself, it was equivalent to picking them up for free. Even if these beast inner cores were all spent, she wouldn't feel heartbroken.
So she nodded, feeling that this was excellent.
Ling Qian He still held her steadily. His words carried a hint of hesitation. After a while, he pursed his lips and asked Lin Mu Ci.
"You said you would protect me until you die. Was that the truth?"
Lin Mu Ci found his words very strange.
"Why would I lie?"
"If you die, I won't live either."
She had used a secret technique on him. If he died, she would probably die too.
However—it didn't matter if this human body died. If it died, she would return to her main body as the daughter of the Demon Emperor.
She had descended to this realm precisely to save Ling Qian He, the demon.
The young man behind her seemed to be thinking about something, his ears reddening slightly. He said.
"I... will be very powerful, and I won't need protection."
"Don't think I'm weak."
"You and I can both live for a long, long time."
Lin Mu Ci thought, she hoped so. However, this guy Ling Qian He, being unlucky and tragic, his path of revenge would not be smooth sailing. The young man still held her steadily. She thought for a moment and deliberately joked.
"Am I heavy?"
The young man was silent.
After a moment.
"A little heavy."
Lin Mu Ci: "..."
Did he have to be so honest? Couldn't he just tell a white lie and fool her?
Who says girls are heavy? It wasn't like she asked him to hold her!
But Ling Qian He immediately swayed her again. Then he said.
"But I can carry you."
"Even if it's from here all the way to the imperial city, I can carry you."
That was more like it.
The young man's expression was very cold. He didn't dare to look at her, only occasionally glancing at her wound, and then shifting his gaze away again, back and forth.
He didn't feel tired.
Lin Mu Ci felt a little awkward being held like this without speaking, so she continued to chat with him.
"After you consumed the Jade Bone Lotus, are the newly grown spiritual meridians useful?"
Ling Qian He hummed.
"Very useful."
"Even better than before."
The little system supplemented in Lin Mu Ci's ear.
"If he doesn't become a demon, he's a natural sword body, a good seedling for sword cultivation. The Jade Bone Lotus is also very suitable for him. He now has jade bones and ice skin. This body is equivalent to being reborn once, like Nirvana in Buddhism."
"He looks even better now. Look, you'll definitely be moved."
At this, Lin Mu Ci, as if mesmerized, raised her head to look at Ling Qian He's face. Even though she was being held by him, from this angle, his skin was indeed like jade, his eyelashes long and slender, his pupils like cold stars, and his lips like the most beautiful pink lotus petal.
Fortunately, this wasn't Qian He.
Otherwise.
She feared she would have uncontrollably kissed him.
He was too tempting.
Too enchanting.
The little system had previously complained that she was always mesmerized by Ling Qian He's beauty, which was why she indulged his impudence—this made sense. She dared not kiss him, nor look at him too much, so she could only lower her head.
And the young man asked her.
"You said you also want revenge. How did your enemy harm you?"
He was curious about the woman in front of him.
A stream of light flashed in Lin Mu Ci's eyes.
He felt something was wrong. As expected, the girl he was holding reached out and scratched his chin.
"Why are you so curious about me?"
"See, you're already tempted!"
Ling Qian He: "..."
Forget it, if he didn't ask, that would be fine. When the time came, she would identify her enemies, and he would kill them one by one with a sword.
If it was resolved, it was resolved.
What did her grudges have to do with him? He didn't want to know anything about it!
He... wouldn't be curious about her!