Inside the Phoenix Palace.
Lu Ning leaned back against the jade pillar, feeling the burning heat radiating from Ji Linglong’s body, momentarily stunned.
After regaining her senses, she realized that her earlier resistance hadn’t won her any initiative; instead, it only fueled Ji Linglong’s desire to conquer her.
This woman only responds to softness, not force.
“Your Highness…”
Lu Ning took a deep breath, her face adopting a look of weakness and helplessness once more.
“Even if you kill me, I can’t say anything.”
“Oh?”
Ji Linglong raised an eyebrow, clearly skeptical.
“That notebook was already damaged. I was lucky just to remember the words ‘Taiyin Divine Water.’”
Lu Ning lowered her gaze, her voice carrying just the right touch of self-mockery.
“My cultivation has dropped sharply, my soul is injured, and I can’t recall many things now. Your Highness, threats are useless.”
She attributed her condition to “amnesia” and “serious injury”—the most reasonable explanation for now.
Ji Linglong stared at her for a long while, as if trying to judge the truth of her words.
And Lu Ning’s acting was perfect—her beautiful eyes brimming with sincerity and innocence, leaving no cracks to be found.
“Can’t remember?”
Ji Linglong’s fingertip lightly traced Lu Ning’s lips, where traces of her previous torment still lingered, making them look especially alluring.
“No matter.”
“This princess has all the time in the world to help you.”
“From today onward, you’ll live here in the Phoenix Palace, and you’re not allowed to go anywhere else. This princess will personally ‘nurse’ you back to health—maybe one day, you’ll remember.”
With that, she released Lu Ning and walked to the main seat in the hall, taking her place.
“Come here.”
She crooked her finger at Lu Ning.
Lu Ning dawdled as she approached.
“Kneel.”
Those same two words.
Lu Ning’s fists clenched unconsciously beneath her wide sleeves, but in the end, she still knelt slowly before Ji Linglong.
“This princess is thirsty.”
Ji Linglong picked up the colored glass teacup from the table and held it out to Lu Ning.
Lu Ning froze, not quite understanding her intent.
“What? Do you need this princess to teach you?”
Ji Linglong’s tone turned a shade impatient.
Only then did Lu Ning realize that she was expected to feed her.
She reached out with shackled hands to take the cup.
Because of the shackles, her movements were clumsy.
The water inside the cup wobbled, nearly spilling.
Carefully, she brought the cup to Ji Linglong’s lips.
But Ji Linglong didn’t drink—instead, she lowered her head, watching Lu Ning with a teasing curve at the corner of her mouth.
“With your mouth.”
Lu Ning: “?????”
Lu Ning jerked her head up, staring at Ji Linglong in disbelief.
“Unwilling?”
Ji Linglong’s gaze chilled.
“It seems you still don’t recognize your place.”
“A’Ning, don’t test this princess’s patience.”
Looking into those golden phoenix eyes, Lu Ning felt a wave of powerlessness.
She knew that if she didn’t comply tonight, this madwoman would only find more humiliating ways to torment her.
[Damn it, this is even worse than that rebellious disciple Gu Qinghuan! At least she usually only groped me—this woman is…]
[Endure! I must endure! A gentleman takes his revenge even after ten years! Once I’ve fully recovered my cultivation, I’ll make her pay dearly for this.]
After giving herself a fierce round of mental pep talk, Lu Ning closed her eyes, as if resigning herself to fate.
She lifted the cup, took a small sip herself.
Warm tea, sweet with the scent of orchid, lingered in her mouth.
Then, under Ji Linglong’s expectant, playful gaze, she slowly leaned in.
Clumsily, she passed the tea from her mouth.
A flash of triumphant delight crossed Ji Linglong’s eyes.
This time, there was no plundering force—just an oddly tender warmth.
She looked at Lu Ning’s face, flushed crimson with shame, and felt a satisfaction beyond words.
“Not bad.”
She released Lu Ning, reclining lazily on her chair.
“The tea is good—so I’ll reward you by removing your shackles. But you may only move around in here.”
Lu Ning kept her head down, silent, wishing she could sink through the floor.
For the next two days, Lu Ning was reduced entirely to Ji Linglong’s personal “attendant.”
By day, she waited on Ji Linglong like a real maid—serving food and drink, changing clothes, combing hair, grinding ink, preparing paper.
At night, she endured all manner of humiliations that left her face burning red.
Warming feet and massages were just the basics.
Ji Linglong even invented new games.
Like making her wear that shameful servant’s outfit and dance in the empty great hall.
Or, as today, feeding her tea, feeding her fruit…
Meanwhile, Lu Ning noticed a strange thing.
Although Ji Linglong kept finding new ways to torment her, she never again tried to forcefully interrogate her about the “Divine Phoenix Nirvana Tribulation.”
She seemed very patient, like an experienced hunter waiting for her prey to tire itself out and beg for mercy.
Lu Ning was happy to play dumb.
Each day, she acted the part of a submissive, numb servant by day.
At night, once Ji Linglong left, she seized those precious moments to desperately use the Taiyin Source Gu Qinghuan had left in her body to keep repairing her meridians.
Very soon, during another meditation, she broke through the bottleneck at the peak of Qi Refining Level Nine.
Foundation Establishment!
As the first trace of Foundation Establishment true essence circulated in her dantian, Lu Ning was nearly moved to tears.
Though Foundation Establishment was still weak, it meant she could finally use some simple spells.
For instance, some basic illusion and concealment techniques that would help her hide her cultivation and movements.
She was one step closer to regaining her freedom.
That night, Ji Linglong seemed to be in a good mood.
She didn’t torment Lu Ning as usual—just had her gently knead her legs.
The sleeping hall was perfumed with calming incense, the atmosphere unusually peaceful.
“A’Ning.”
Ji Linglong suddenly spoke.
“Your servant is here,” Lu Ning replied softly.
“In two days, it will be this princess’s birthday.”
There was an almost undetectable note of anticipation in Ji Linglong’s voice.
“By then, Imperial Mother will throw a grand birthday feast for me, inviting guests from all around.”
Lu Ning’s heart stirred, but she said nothing.
“At that time, you must attend alongside me.”
“You’ll go as the Sect Master of the Heavenly Demon Sect—my personal bodyguard.”
Lu Ning’s movements paused.
In that kind of occasion, with only Foundation Establishment cultivation, what use could she possibly be?
“What, unwilling?” Sensing her hesitation, Ji Linglong’s tone grew cold.
“Your servant dares not.”
Lu Ning hurried to reply.
“Hmph.”
Ji Linglong snorted, seeming reasonably satisfied with the answer.
Then her tone shifted: “This princess has heard that you demon cultivators have a secret art called ‘Heart-Linking Gu,’ which can link two people’s minds—one’s thoughts are instantly known to the other. Is it true?”
Lu Ning’s mind flashed with alarm.
She knew Ji Linglong was probing her again.
“Replying to Your Highness, such an art does exist. But it was lost long ago, and the conditions for cultivation are extremely harsh—no one knows how to use it anymore.”
Lu Ning’s answer was flawless.
“Is that so?”
A trace of disappointment flickered in Ji Linglong’s eyes.
Just then, Ji Linglong’s body shuddered violently, and without warning, a mouthful of blood sprayed from her lips.
Her aura instantly became chaotic and wild!
A surge of golden flames burst uncontrollably from within her.
“Your Highness!”
Lu Ning cried out in shock.
She saw Ji Linglong’s eyes turn blood-red, her face contorted in agony as the golden fire raged wildly over her body, as if it would devour her whole.
Qi deviation!
The flaw in the “Nine Heavens Divine Phoenix Scripture” had erupted ahead of time!
Lu Ning looked at Ji Linglong, writhing in pain amid the flames, her mind racing through countless possibilities.
This was her best chance to escape!
But as she saw Ji Linglong’s peerlessly beautiful face twisted by pain, she felt a stab of pity—she couldn’t just leave her like this.
Besides, even if she escaped the imperial palace, she wouldn’t get out of the Great Wilderness Dynasty.
If Ji Linglong perished, the whole dynasty would be shaken—no matter where she fled, there would be no place to hide.
More importantly, Ji Linglong was her only “protective umbrella” right now.
If Ji Linglong fell, her fate as “spoils of war” would only be worse.
Weighing her options, Lu Ning made her decision in an instant.
“Your Highness! Hold onto your mind! Don’t resist!”
With a loud shout, Lu Ning ignored the scorching golden flames and rushed forward, embracing Ji Linglong from behind.
She circulated the newly acquired gray-white true essence of Foundation Establishment within herself, unhesitatingly injecting it into Ji Linglong.
She would use her unique true essence—fused with both demonic and Taiyin power—to forcibly harmonize the rampaging Divine Fire in Ji Linglong’s body!
It was an extremely risky move!
Her true essence was a mere drop in the bucket compared to Ji Linglong’s raging Divine Fire.
A single misstep, and she’d be reduced to ashes by that terrifying fire!
But she had no choice—she could only stake everything on this attempt.