Occasionally, a flash of lightning streaked across the sky, making the uneven mountains and fields alternately bright and dark.
In the mountain depression, under the cliff wall near the pond, a campfire was burning. True Person Xuanji was sitting cross-legged on a nearby stone. After taking the antidote, the poison in her body had been completely cured, but the effect of the Yinhuang Fragrance was gradually taking hold.
The Yinhuang Fragrance was a powerful medicine made from the Yinhuang snake. An ordinary martial artist definitely couldn't withstand it. With True Person Xuanji's martial arts skills, although she wouldn't be so tortured as to explode and die, at this moment, as the effect of the medicine came on, her face began to turn red, and her breath carried a hint of scorching heat.
The most effective solution at present was self-comfort. But as the imperial preceptor of the current dynasty and the most powerful woman in the martial arts world, it was ultimately a bit undignified to self-comfort after being poisoned.
Seeing that there was no one to disturb her in the deep mountains and old forests, True Person Xuanji sat cross-legged on the stone, calmed her mind, and slowly regulated her qi and blood, secretly pondering various arrangements for the future.
It would soon be July. Every year when autumn came, Yuhu would be weak for a while. She had to return to the capital city as soon as possible. She definitely couldn't continue chasing the Thief Saint of Beiliang...
She hadn't seen her disciple Liren for nearly a year. She didn't know if Liren's martial arts had improved. If she hadn't been lazy, she should at least be considered a second-rate master by now...
The Empress Dowager was probably going crazy from boredom. When she went back, she would probably have to bring some gifts... She should have caught that big white bird just now...
This medicine is really powerful...
True Person Xuanji frowned secretly. Her expression remained as calm as a mountain, but her breathing gradually became disordered. Her body felt indescribable, and she really wanted to rub against something.
Fortunately, the only thing around that she could rub against was the stone. Her body had a reaction, but her mind didn't get too chaotic, and she could still suppress these strange feelings.
After enduring for a while, True Person Xuanji felt extremely hot and uncomfortable. So she slowly lay down on her side. She propped up her face with her left hand, held the wine gourd in her right hand, stared at the campfire, took a big sip, and then her eyes showed a hint of confusion...
——
"Jiji-jiji..."
In the mountains and fields, a man and a bird were rushing through at high speed.
Ye Jingtang's night vision was far inferior to that of the bird. He could only determine the road conditions based on the sound of the rain hitting the rocks and leaves. But his speed was still not slow. Soon, he rushed dozens of li and came to a mountain ridge.
The bird's main goal was to follow Guan Yujia. After leading Ye Jingtang to the place where he could play the hero and save the beauty, it turned around and flew towards the cave where Guan Yujia was hiding.
Ye Jingtang looked around on the mountain ridge and could see a faint glimmer of fire in the mountain depression three li away, but he couldn't see many details clearly.
Seeing this, he quickened his pace and walked towards the mountain depression. In a short while, he came near a stream. From a distance, he could see that under the cliff wall near the pond, a campfire was burning.
Ye Jingtang knew that the bird had brought him here to save someone, but he didn't know the specific situation. He first quietly came near the cliff wall and peeked out from the bushes.
There was a grilled fish skewered on a wooden stick beside the campfire, but it had been there for too long, and one side of it was already burnt. Not far away, on the stone, there was a very familiar-looking sword inserted.
A woman in a snow-white long dress was lying on her side next to the sword. In her right hand, she held an empty wine gourd. She turned it upside down and shook it, then brought it to her mouth to catch the liquid. It took a long time for a single drop to fall.
Ye Jingtang was really surprised to see True Person Xuanji lying in the wilderness drinking heavily. After looking at her carefully for a few times, he felt that True Person Xuanji didn't seem to be in trouble, so he walked out of the bushes.
Tap-tap...
"Miss Shui'er..."
Ye Jingtang saw True Person Xuanji turn her head when she heard the sound. He originally wanted to cup his hands and greet her, but as soon as she turned around, he thought something was wrong.
By the light of the fire, True Person Xuanji, who was lying on the stone and turning her head, had a crimson face, beads of sweat on her forehead, and two buttons of her clothes undone...
!
Ye Jingtang's words stopped abruptly, and he quickly turned around:
"Miss Shui'er, you..."
There was a confused look in True Person Xuanji's eyes, as if she was half-drunk. When she saw the handsome Ye Jingtang, a hint of surprise appeared on her face. She probably wondered why she was lying here dreaming and imagining the appearance of this little arrestee...
"Master Ye..."
True Person Xuanji swayed to her feet and walked towards Ye Jingtang, who had his back to her. She said drunkenly:
"What a coincidence. We meet again."
Ye Jingtang felt that True Person Xuanji had drunk a lot. He tilted his head and asked:
"Are you poisoned again..."
Before he could finish his sentence, Ye Jingtang suddenly felt his waist tighten and was hugged by a slender arm.
Ye Jingtang's face changed suddenly. He quickly tried to break free from the hands around his waist. However, he found that True Person Xuanji indeed had profound martial arts skills, and her hands were clasped very tightly. He couldn't just forcefully break free with all his strength, so he could only raise his hands and say:
"Miss Shui'er, please respect yourself. I said last time that I'm not that kind of person..."
True Person Xuanji's eyes were blurred with drunkenness. She pressed her cheek against his shoulder and exhaled like an orchid:
"It's just a dream. What are you afraid of..."
Ye Jingtang felt that True Person Xuanji was completely drunk. He tried his best to look behind him and gently patted her blushing face with his hand:
"Miss Shui'er, wake up. You're drunk. This isn't a dream..."
Slap-slap-slap...
True Person Xuanji was patted on the face a few times and looked up at Ye Jingtang.
After their eyes met for a moment, her eyes became a bit clearer:
"It's not a dream... Then you must be the bird that transformed just now, coming to repay me, right..."
Ye Jingtang guessed that True Person Xuanji had been poisoned by a hallucinogenic drug and wasn't thinking clearly.
He took out a powerful refreshing pill from behind his waist and fed it to True Person Xuanji.
The pill melted as soon as it entered her mouth, and a sour and cool feeling first entered her lungs and abdomen.
True Person Xuanji frowned at the sour taste, and the dreamy scene in front of her returned to its original reality...
The night rain continued around them. The handsome young master's face was right in front of her eyes, and the warmth from the waist she was holding brought a feeling of physical and mental comfort.
"..."
True Person Xuanji blinked her eyes. Her already blushing face didn't change much, but a hint of embarrassment still flashed in her eyes, just like when someone who was drunk and acting crazy was suddenly encounter by an acquaintance.
After waiting for a moment, seeing that there was no movement behind him, Ye Jingtang raised his hand and waved it in front of True Person Xuanji: "Are you sober yet?"
True Person Xuanji's drunkenness subsided a bit, but the effect of the medicine hadn't been relieved. To prevent this handsome arrestee from noticing that she had been poisoned and taking advantage of the situation, she took the initiative. She first poked Ye Jingtang's chest twice:
Dong-dong~
Ye Jingtang's limbs immediately went limp, and he said in confusion:
"Miss Shui'er, what are you doing again?"
True Person Xuanji didn't really want to do anything. It was just that she had no choice but to endure the poison when there was no antidote before. Now that there was an antidote, even if she didn't use it for now, she had to keep it for future use.
True Person Xuanji hugged Ye Jingtang, who was a head taller than her, dragged him to the side of the boulder, and put him down. Then she sat in front of him drunkenly, with their backs against each other, and explained softly:
"I've been poisoned by the cold poison. I need to lean against you to drive out the cold. Please bear with it."
"Cold poison?"
Ye Jingtang thought for a moment and looked at the campfire not far away: "If you have cold poison, isn't it more direct to sit by the fire? Leaning against me..."
"Women are of yin nature, and men are of yang nature. You wouldn't understand these things. If you keep asking, I'll knock you out."
"I have the Baihuang Dan for detoxification on my waist. Why don't you take it and see the effect?"
True Person Xuanji raised her hand and touched it. She took the medicine bottle of Baihuang Dan from her waist, took one pill, and then leaned against Ye Jingtang's back, closed her eyes, and concentrated, trying to continue suppressing the effect of the Yinhuang Fragrance.
But the Yinhuang Fragrance wasn't a poison. Taking the Baihuang Dan might not make her qi and blood so chaotic as to endanger her life, but the evil fire it had stirred up wasn't so easy to extinguish.
After enduring for a while, True Person Xuanji began to be distracted. Her mind was filled with thoughts like "This arrestee has a good character, is handsome, and has high martial arts skills."
As a person who practiced cultivation, True Person Xuanji understood what she might do when her Dao heart was lost.
To prevent the situation from getting out of control, True Person Xuanji simply turned around and laid Ye Jingtang down, took out a white handkerchief, and covered Ye Jingtang's face.
In True Person Xuanji's view, her actions were very natural.
But in Ye Jingtang's eyes, it was like a drunk person who had drunk too much. After swaying behind him for a while, she slowly turned around and laid him down, obviously preparing to do something bad.
Ye Jingtang's hands and feet had mostly recovered. When he saw his face covered, he raised his hand and took the handkerchief off:
"Miss Shui'er, I think you're not thinking clearly now..."
When True Person Xuanji saw this, she raised her hand and drew the nearby sword. Her eyes turned slightly cold:
"You know I'm not thinking clearly, and you still dare to move!"
Ye Jingtang glanced at the gleaming sword and spread his hands helplessly:
"Miss Shui'er, we're not that familiar. I came here to save someone. I really didn't expect you to be here acting drunk. What exactly do you want to do? Can't you just tell me..."
"I'm not doing anything. I'm just a bit cold."
True Person Xuanji poked Ye Jingtang twice again, then covered her eyes with the handkerchief and fell down beside him drunkenly.
"Huff~ Huff..."
Ye Jingtang felt like he was coaxing a drunk person.
Seeing that True Person Xuanji's breathing was unsteady and she seemed to be in pain, he didn't say anything more and just quietly waited for her to sober up.
As a result, before he had waited for a moment, a faint sound came from his side.
Swoosh-swoosh...
Then an arm was draped over his chest, gently rubbing against him...
Ye Jingtang frowned: "What... are you doing?"
There was no response beside him, only the soft breathing of a woman...
"Huff..."
After a moment, the woman beside him suddenly tensed up, grabbed his collar with her hand, and her body trembled slightly. She let out a sound:
"Mn..."
Then there was no more movement. Her cheek leaned against his shoulder, and her breathing gradually became even.
It was completely silent in the mountains and fields.
After waiting until his limbs regained their sensation again, Ye Jingtang pulled down the handkerchief on his face and tilted his head to look - True Person Xuanji had a blush on her face, fine beads of sweat on her forehead, and her breathing was even. She seemed to be asleep...
Ye Jingtang carefully moved the hands and feet of this drunk woman away, with a strange look in his eyes.
As someone who had experienced such things, he understood what had just happened - True Person Xuanji should have been poisoned by some kind of aphrodisiac, but she still retained some reason. So she just hugged him and rubbed against him without going further, and thus relieved the effect of the medicine...
Is this even possible...
She only rubbed a few times and it was over. She's as sensitive as Ning'er...
Ye Jingtang was silent for a long time, not knowing how to comment. Seeing that True Person Xuanji seemed to be okay, he stayed beside her, waiting for her to recover...
——
On the Grand Canal in Western Wu, a fleet composed of more than ten official boats was sailing in an orderly manner in the thunderstorm.
On the official boats, there were full of black-armored imperial guards wearing unicorn armor. In some of the boats, the ministers of the Six Ministries and the imperial clan members who were accompanying them were negotiating in the cabin. One could faintly hear the sound of clinking wine cups.
In the center of the fleet was a huge treasure ship three stories high. There were black and red dragon flags hanging on it. Among the windows and corridors of the cabin, one could see palace maids in colorful clothes coming and going from time to time.
The top floor of the cabin was brightly lit. The windows were closed, and the rain hit them, making a crackling sound. On the window paper were the silhouettes of two peerless beauties.
"Liren, have you touched enough..."
"Empress Dowager, don't be in a hurry. It'll be done soon. Hold it up..."
"Sigh..."
...
In the resplendent and magnificent room, the Empress Dowager, who had followed along to relax, was wearing a dark red nightgown. She sat gracefully on her side on the tea couch and raised her rather ample chest.
The handsome Princess in a silver python robe sat behind her, holding her mother's chest with both hands. Although her expression was extremely focused, to an outsider, it always seemed that the absurd princess was doing something immoral to the Empress Dowager.
The Empress Dowager heard two days ago that Dongfang Liren was going to be an imperial commissioner and come to Wu Prefecture. She tentatively asked if she could go with her to relax. Liren agreed, and she was quite happy at first.
But on the way, she found that this wasn't a sightseeing trip at all. She couldn't even show her face, for fear of stealing Liren's limelight. The only thing she could do every day was to stand in the room and serve as a practice dummy for Liren.
It had only been a few days since they set out, and the Empress Dowager already missed the empress dowager's dragon bed. Feeling bored, she asked:
"Autumn is coming soon. Why hasn't your master shown any signs? I thought that when we passed by Xiwang Town, we could just meet your master and have a companion on the way..."
Dongfang Liren knew her master's temperament very well. Her master was more flirtatious than her sister and loved to play even more. One could say that her master would do anything except important matters. The Empress Dowager had spent a year in the palace cultivating her demeanor as the mother of the country. Her master might turn her into a crazy girl in half a month.
However, Dongfang Liren didn't dislike her master. After all, her master was really capable. She was proficient in everything from the qin, chess, calligraphy, and painting to martial arts. Her talent in martial arts was even unparalleled among contemporary women. Even though she and her sister had learned from her master and improved, they had only learned half of her master's skills.
Having not seen her master for nearly a year, Dongfang Liren also missed her very much. After thinking for a moment:
"Master's whereabouts are erratic, but she will definitely come to the capital city in July. She's probably roaming around somewhere now..."
"I guess she's drunk somewhere and has forgotten the time..."
The Empress Dowager mumbled for a while. Suddenly, she remembered something and turned around:
"Liren, regarding the matter between you and Ye Jingtang, are you going to confess it to your master or let your master find out by herself?"
Dongfang Liren's focused expression froze slightly. She lowered her head and looked at the Empress Dowager, who was like a curious baby:
"What matter between me and Ye Jingtang..."
"..."
The Empress Dowager blinked her eyes. Seeing that Liren was pretending to be stupid, she didn't say anything more. Anyway, with Shui Shui's intelligence, she should have known that Liren had a sweetheart the first time she saw her...