The bedchamber was a complete mess.
The air still lingered with the earth-shattering aura of Grand Ascension Perfection, along with a faint scent of blood.
Lu Ning felt an endless weakness and exhaustion swallow her whole.
The aftereffects of the trial card were even more severe than she had imagined.
In the last moment before she lost consciousness, she only felt herself falling into a warm, soft embrace.
…
She didn’t know how much time had passed.
Lu Ning’s consciousness slowly awakened from boundless darkness.
She struggled to open her eyes, and what greeted her sight was a golden bed canopy draping down.
A trace of doubt flashed through Lu Ning’s mind. She tried to sit up, but found she didn’t have an ounce of strength in her body.
She lowered her head and, in the next instant, her pupils contracted sharply.
Both her wrists and ankles had been fitted with dark-golden shackles.
These shackles looked exactly like the previous ones, but the runes engraved on them were even more intricate and profound, the binding force they exuded several times stronger.
What unsettled Lu Ning even more were the four chains extending from her shackled wrists and ankles, securely locking onto the four corners of this massive warm jade bed.
Her entire body was imprisoned in the shape of the character “大,” completely confined on the bed.
“You’re awake?”
A cool, clear voice sounded beside her.
Lu Ning turned her head with difficulty and saw Ji Linglong sitting at the bedside.
The Princess Royal had already changed into a clean, black palace gown.
Her dazzling golden hair draped casually over her shoulders.
Her face was still somewhat pale, clearly her injuries had not yet healed.
She simply sat there, quietly gazing at Lu Ning, her eyes brimming with the ecstatic joy of regaining something lost, and a sickly possessiveness.
“You…”
Lu Ning tried to speak, but found her throat so parched she couldn’t utter a single word.
“Don’t speak.”
Ji Linglong reached out, gently pressing her lips, her gesture unexpectedly tender.
She picked up a cup of spiritual spring water prepared earlier, filled a jade cup halfway, and then, as before, leaned down and slowly fed it to Lu Ning.
Lu Ning, now too weak to resist, could only passively accept.
The cool spring water moistened her parched throat, bringing her considerable relief.
“A-Ning.”
Ji Linglong straightened, gently caressing Lu Ning’s cheek, her voice soft.
“You really… gave me a colossal surprise.”
Her tone betrayed no joy or anger, but Lu Ning saw a dangerous glint flickering in her eyes.
“Grand Ascension Perfection…”
Ji Linglong’s fingertips slid from Lu Ning’s brow to her nose, then to her lips, finally pausing at her neck.
“So this is your true, hidden strength.”
“You’ve been deceiving me all along…”
“You watched as I strutted around like a fool in front of you, using those ridiculous tricks to humiliate you—surely you felt quite pleased, didn’t you?”
“You must have thought I… was laughable, right?”
At the end, her voice trembled with grievance.
Lu Ning’s heart tightened, and she hurried to explain.
But Ji Linglong didn’t seem to want her explanation.
She leaned down, burying her face in Lu Ning’s neck, breathing in deeply.
“But, it doesn’t matter anymore.”
Her muffled voice came, tinged with a dreamy obsession.
“None of that’s important now.”
“Do you know, A-Ning?”
“When you unleashed your full power and killed that assassin with a single finger, I thought…”
“This is the real you.”
“This is the Sect Master of the Heavenly Demon Sect who made me resentful for so many years atop Tianshan.”
“Proud, powerful, ruthless, seeing all beings as mere ants.”
“Compared to that submissive ‘maid’ who let me bully her, I realize…”
“I much prefer seeing the lofty you fall into the mortal world.”
Listening to her insane ramblings, Lu Ning’s scalp tingled.
“So, A-Ning…”
Ji Linglong slowly raised her head, the golden phoenix eyes blazing with the fire of obsession.
“I will never let you leave again.”
She gently stroked the shackles locking Lu Ning’s wrists, her gaze burning with sickly light.
“By the way, that Grand Ascension Perfection power of yours comes with hidden restrictions, doesn’t it?”
“I’ve checked you thoroughly. Right now, A-Ning, you’re just an ‘ordinary person’.”
“But just in case, I still used these shackles to confine you. After all, not long ago, you tried to leave me.”
“I will never allow that to happen. I want you to stay by my side.”
“I want you to become this princess’s songbird—a phoenix caged in a gilded prison.”
“I’ll break your wings, so you’ll never fly away again.”
“You will belong to me, completely and utterly.”
“We… will always be together.”
With that, she lowered her head again, approaching those lips she’d grown addicted to.
This time, it was no longer humiliation and plunder.
It was a near-reverent possession.
…
At the same time.
Outside the imperial city of the Great Wilderness Dynasty.
Two breathtakingly beautiful figures stood side by side.
One wore a fitted black dress embroidered with gold, her long hair flowing like a waterfall, her face peerlessly lovely—none other than the Heavenly Demon Sect’s Saintess, Gu Qinghuan, who had rushed here from Hundred Flowers Valley.
Standing beside her was another woman.
She wore a light blue silk dress, her brows and eyes elegant as a painting, her aura gentle as water, yet carrying an aloofness that kept others at a distance.
She was Su Yuexi, the master of Hundred Flowers Valley.
“Qinghuan, that ahead is the imperial city of the Great Wilderness Dynasty—‘Tiandu’.”
Su Yuexi’s voice was like a mountain spring, clear and melodious.
“The birthday banquet for Princess Royal Ji Linglong is tomorrow. We’re entering the city at just the right time.”
Gu Qinghuan gazed quietly at the distant city.
In her once-cold eyes now burned murderous intent.
Not long ago, she had received news from Shadow One while “persuading” the elders of Hundred Flowers Valley to “voluntarily” hand over the Nine Yang Blood-Melting Flower.
When she learned that her Master had been taken away as a spoil of war by Ji Linglong, she nearly lost her mind and stormed Tiandu on the spot.
But she ultimately held back.
She knew barging into the imperial city was the worst move.
The Great Wilderness Dynasty possessed deep foundations, countless experts, and was protected by the Guardian Array.
Even for her, there was no certainty of escaping safely with Lu Ning.
So, she changed her plan.
She sought out Hundred Flowers Valley’s master, Su Yuexi.
In exchange for helping Su Yuexi resolve the “Hundred Flowers Heart-Corroding Curse” in her body, she gained Hundred Flowers Valley’s cooperation in this endeavor.
Though Hundred Flowers Valley was only a second-rate sect, Su Yuexi had vast connections and great prestige.
With her taking the lead, they could enter Tiandu under the guise of attending the Princess Royal’s birthday banquet.
Then, they could find a way to rescue their target—undoubtedly the best choice.
“Yuexi.”
Gu Qinghuan finally spoke.
“If I were to raze the entire imperial city, do you think I could find Master?”
At these words, a bitter smile appeared on Su Yuexi’s gentle face.
“Qinghuan, I know you’re anxious, but please think twice.”
“Let’s enter the city first, scout things out, and then decide our next move.”
Gu Qinghuan was silent for a moment before finally nodding.
“Alright.”
She took a jade slip from her storage ring and handed it to Su Yuexi.
“This is the second half of the method to dispel the ‘Hundred Flowers Heart-Corroding Curse’ in your body.”
“I’ve already suppressed the curse in you. If you follow the method here, it can be completely eradicated within three months.”
“But if you dare betray me, the contingency I left will erupt within those same three months.”
Su Yuexi accepted the jade slip, a trace of surprise flickering in her eyes.
“Thank you, Qinghuan.”
Gu Qinghuan looked toward the distant city, a hint of madness glinting in her eyes.
“Just remember, once we’re inside, everything must be done according to my plan.”
“If my Master loses even a single strand of hair… I will annihilate this Great Wilderness Dynasty!”