Hong Ning did not bother to look up. “I was tired from walking, so I sat down to rest.”
The man in white showed no hesitation, leisurely taking the branch of blossoms from her hand. His actions held a hint of frivolity, yet his tone remained refined and gentle. “I would also like to rest here for a while. I wonder if that would displease the young lady.”
Hong Ning bit her lip as she glanced at the flower in his hand. “Of course not,” she replied, shifting slightly to the side.
The man in white indeed sat down beside her, his voice growing even softer. “May I ask the young lady’s name? Where is your home? Why would you wander out alone?”
“I…” Hong Ning had just opened her mouth to respond when she suddenly paused, as if recalling something. With a swift motion, she tossed something toward him. “Young master, could you take a look at this for me? What is it?”
Instinctively, the man in white caught the object in his hands. The moment he saw it clearly, his expression changed dramatically.
Only then did Hong Ning dare to meet his gaze, sneering coldly. “A demon fox—so you were trying to ensnare me!”
The moment he had first looked at her, she had felt something amiss—her mind had wavered, her thoughts turning hazy, as though she were no longer in control. She immediately recognized it as a form of enchantment. Secretly, she had reached into her robe and grasped a peachwood bead, then, taking advantage of his distraction, she had thrown it at him.
Peachwood naturally held the power to ward off evil, and this bead had been crafted by Wen Xin specifically for her protection. After undergoing several rounds of refinement, it was potent enough to neutralize any ordinary demon’s magic.
The sun overhead was blazing bright, allowing her to borrow its celestial power. With a whispered incantation, a faint glow emerged from her palm. She struck forward with a sharp cry—“Begone!”—aiming her attack directly at him.
The man groaned as her blow landed squarely on his chest.
Hong Ning stood up, her gaze icy. “Wicked beast, how dare you use enchantment to deceive others? Do you realize your crime?”
These were the exact words Wen Xin often used, and now that she repeated them, they carried an undeniable weight of authority.
The man’s shoulders trembled slightly.
Thinking he was afraid, Hong Ning softened her tone. “Considering how difficult cultivation is, I am willing to spare you. That young woman has fallen under your enchantment, and most of her primordial yin [a vital energy in Daoist and spiritual traditions, often associated with a woman’s innate essence] has been drained. Her body must be severely weakened. If you return the energy you took from her immediately, I will not pursue this matter further.”
“Oh?” The man slowly lifted his face, a mesmerizing smile flickering in his peach blossom eyes.
Hong Ning froze.
The man chuckled softly and exhaled a light breath. Instantly, the peachwood bead in his palm disintegrated into fine ash, scattering into the wind without a trace.
Hong Ning was utterly shocked.
The man himself seemed mildly surprised. Raising an eyebrow, he studied her. “I didn’t expect you to be a cultivator. A little girl daring to play tricks—do you think a mere peachwood bead can stand against Samadhi True Fire?”
Samadhi True Fire! Hong Ning instinctively stepped back. “You are a descendant of the Nine-Tailed Fox?”
The man’s gaze deepened, his eyes shifting like flowing water. “What is your name?”
Caught off guard, she failed to guard herself and accidentally met his eyes. In an instant, her mind grew hazy, an overwhelming drowsiness washing over her. She responded dreamily, following his words without resistance, “Hong Ning.”
The man’s voice was gentle, almost hypnotic. “Come, let me take you somewhere fun.”
His words carried an irresistible allure. At this moment, Hong Ning had completely lost control over herself. She moved forward, stepping up to him, her eyes blank as she gazed at him in a daze.
The man reached out and pulled her into his embrace, lifting her chin to examine her closely. After a brief moment, a satisfied smile spread across his lips. “Trying to subdue me with such meager abilities—how amusing. Why not stay with me for a few days and keep me company?”
Hong Ning mindlessly nodded.
The man laughed, lowering his head as he leaned in to kiss her.
Just then, a fierce gust of wind swept past. Above them, countless flower petals rained down like a sudden storm.
The petals seemed light and delicate, yet the moment they struck his body, an unbearable pain shot through him.
“Who’s there?!” The man instinctively tightened his hold on Hong Ning, preparing to unleash his fury. But suddenly, as if realizing something, his expression changed drastically. Without another word, he released Hong Ning and, in the blink of an eye, transformed into a five-tailed white fox, fleeing into the distance.
Hong Ning jolted awake.
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