As soon as these words came out, Jiang Zhaoxue’s anger surged.

Without even a shred of evidence, he’d directly come to take her life?!

She was about to open her mouth to refute when images from the book immediately surfaced in her mind.

[“What basis do you have to say I poisoned her?”

“The Book of Fate has already determined your crime. You still dare to lie?”

“The Book of Fate? For the sake of a little disciple, you actually went to consult the Book of Fate?! Fine, fine, fine—so what if it was me? She’s just a little disciple. If I ruined her, then I ruined her. Could it be you’ll turn against me because of her? Shen Yuqing, you’d better think carefully—how did you get to where you are today? How did Lingjian Immortal Pavilion become Zhongzhou’s foremost sect? How many benefits have you taken from Penglai? You weigh it yourself!”

“Jiang Zhaoxue, how can you be so vicious?”

“I’m vicious? No matter how vicious I am, I’m still your wife! I’m the one you should be protecting! You actually drew your sword on me for some cheap woman?!” The Jiang Zhaoxue in the book moved forward, letting Shen Yuqing’s sword press against her throat. “Come! Come kill me!”]

Jiang Zhaoxue: “…”

Watching it once from an observer’s perspective, she suddenly became clearheaded, her anger instantly subsiding.

Now wasn’t the time to be angry.

Shen Yuqing truly would take her spiritual roots. This was her fate’s turning point. A’Nan wasn’t joking with her.

She had to calm down, first think of a way to protect herself. She absolutely couldn’t enter Tianming Hall, and even more so couldn’t let Shen Yuqing actually take her spiritual roots.

Taking the hard approach wouldn’t work. Setting aside that this was Lingjian Immortal Pavilion’s territory, Shen Yuqing was a sword cultivator an entire major realm higher than her. Even if her strength were greater, without anyone protecting her, she might not even have time to set up a formation before being slain on the spot by Shen Yuqing.

She had no martial force to suppress him with. She could only use strategy.

Having spent two hundred years with Shen Yuqing, although she hadn’t understood this person when it came to matters of the heart, she at least knew that Shen Yuqing wasn’t someone who couldn’t distinguish right from wrong.

In the book, she was too impulsive and blurted out a confession.

If she didn’t confess, Shen Yuqing would have no reason to take her spiritual roots and give them to Mu Jinyue.

She couldn’t take the blame for poisoning Mu Jinyue.

But according to the book’s content, the reason Shen Yuqing was so certain she poisoned Mu Jinyue was because he had consulted the Book of Fate.

The Book of Fate was Lingjian Immortal Pavilion’s supreme treasure, the place where all of Zhongzhou’s fates were recorded. No one would doubt what the Book of Fate said.

Although she didn’t know why this broken book said she was the poisoner—of course, the most reasonable explanation was that this was what the author wrote—but regardless, since Shen Yuqing had consulted the Book of Fate, he absolutely couldn’t believe her words anymore.

What could she do to make Shen Yuqing believe her after he’d already consulted the Book of Fate?

Jiang Zhaoxue stared at Shen Yuqing, thinking through escape plans one by one, her mind racing.

Proving her innocence was much more difficult than framing someone. With the Book of Fate’s backing, she had even less chance of proving herself innocent.

The only way she could clear herself of suspicion was if she was also a victim.

Ling Mi San was a drug from Penglai that would gradually devour the poisoned person’s spiritual roots over ten days. The process was unbearably painful. She couldn’t possibly ruin her own future just to poison Mu Jinyue.

But never mind that taking Ling Mi San on the spot was too late—even if there were time, she was originally trying to preserve her spiritual roots. What would be the point of taking this stuff?!

The only remaining option was… to fake it.

Ling Mi San came from Penglai. She understood its characteristics extremely well, so faking being poisoned wasn’t too difficult. As for after the act… she’d deal with later matters later.

In any case, she couldn’t stay here.

After brief consideration, Jiang Zhaoxue immediately made her decision. Her hand secretly pressed on her acupoint, instantly cutting off her spiritual energy circulation.

Seeing her prolonged silence, Shen Yuqing pressed his sword forward. Blood flowed down from Jiang Zhaoxue’s forehead as Shen Yuqing shouted sternly: “Speak!”

Just as his words fell, Jiang Zhaoxue spat out a mouthful of blood. Shen Yuqing hastily withdrew his sword. The maid beside them reacted, rushed forward, and caught Jiang Zhaoxue with quick hands and eyes, urgently saying: “My Lady!”

“It hurts…”

Jiang Zhaoxue’s face turned deathly pale as she spoke with difficulty.

Shen Yuqing looked up in surprise, watching as Jiang Zhaoxue’s eyes filled entirely with pain. She tremblingly reached out her hand toward him, calling for help: “Yuqing, my spiritual roots… they hurt so much… Quickly, quickly call a physician! My spiritual roots…”

Hearing the words “spiritual roots,” Shen Yuqing instantly reacted, frowning as he looked at Jiang Zhaoxue.

The maid beside them couldn’t help but lose her temper, angrily saying: “What is the Lord Consort still waiting for? Spiritual roots are of utmost importance—why hasn’t the Lord Consort called someone?!”

This maid was Qingye, who had followed Jiang Zhaoxue from Penglai to Lingjian Immortal Pavilion. She had served Jiang Zhaoxue since childhood.

Although Qingye was usually respectful and deferential toward Shen Yuqing, at critical moments, she was still ultimately someone from Penglai Island.

Hearing Qingye’s rebuke, Shen Yuqing didn’t take offense. He turned back and called loudly to the disciples outside: “Zilu, summon the Medicine Lord.”

Hearing him call for a physician, Qingye finally felt somewhat relieved. She glared hatefully at Shen Yuqing, helped Jiang Zhaoxue lie down on the bed, and said with reddened eyes: “My Lady, please endure for now. The physician will be here shortly. If anything happens to you today,” Qingye raised her voice, deliberately reminding Shen Yuqing nearby, “Penglai Island will never let this rest.”

Hearing Qingye’s hint, Shen Yuqing made no sound. He simply raised his hand to sheathe his sword, continuing to stare at Jiang Zhaoxue.

His gaze was too sharp, making Jiang Zhaoxue unable to help but want to tremble.

A’Nan was also somewhat afraid, carefully inquiring in her sea of consciousness: “Master, will he see through that you’re faking illness?”

“Don’t be afraid.”

Jiang Zhaoxue comforted A’Nan while also comforting herself: “He’s a sword cultivator. He has no education. He won’t be able to tell I’m faking illness.”

This statement from Jiang Zhaoxue wasn’t nonsense. Fate Masters belonged to the dharma cultivation category. Compared to sword cultivators like Shen Yuqing, they were indeed much more knowledgeable and well-informed.

She still had eighty percent confidence in deceiving Shen Yuqing. The only variable was that physician.

Fortunately, this physician had just examined Mu Jinyue, and Ling Mi San poison was so rare. The physician’s impression was too deep. Upon examining Jiang Zhaoxue’s symptoms, he immediately said with preconception: “Could it be Ling Mi San again?”

“Ling Mi San?”

Hearing this, Shen Yuqing’s eyes flickered slightly.

Qingye beside them showed alarm on her face. She immediately pulled up Jiang Zhaoxue’s sleeve to look at her Quchi acupoint.

People from Penglai Island understood Ling Mi San better, clearly knowing its characteristics. They knew that the biggest difference between Ling Mi San poison and other poisons was that spiritual power would accumulate much more severely at the Quchi acupoint.

But Jiang Zhaoxue had prepared early. When Qingye pulled up her sleeve and saw the spiritual power accumulation at the Quchi acupoint, her expression instantly changed. She said in panic: “It really is Ling Mi San! My Lady, please wait. I’ll immediately send word to the Island Master to have them search for Lingxiao Hua.”

“No need.” Seeing this, Shen Yuqing interrupted Qingye, his hand resting on his sword as he looked at Jiang Zhaoxue on the bed, saying calmly: “Lingxiao Hua grows at the Nine Nether Realm border. I’ve already sent someone to search for it.”

Hearing this, Qingye was stunned, not understanding why he had “already” sent someone to search.

Did Shen Yuqing know Jiang Zhaoxue would be poisoned?

She couldn’t figure it out, and Shen Yuqing didn’t plan to explain. He only turned to look at the physician currently examining the patient, continuing to press: “Zhao Lao, is she truly poisoned with Ling Mi San?”

“It’s almost certainly so.” The physician spoke truthfully.

Hearing this, Shen Yuqing made no sound.

Although still suspicious, he slowly came to believe it somewhat.

Not only because of the physician’s assertion, but also… Jiang Zhaoxue never lied to him.

Shen Yuqing secretly glanced at Jiang Zhaoxue.

Jiang Zhaoxue was a very strange person.

Clearly he had never given her a kind look, yet she always firmly believed he had feelings for her in his heart. She always relied on her status as Penglai’s Lady and what she considered to be his love to act willfully before him.

He had given her cold looks countless times, rejected her to her face, but she could interpret his rejection as words not matching his heart.

Later he became too lazy to bother, but it was precisely this self-assured attitude that made Jiang Zhaoxue perpetually genuine.

But if Jiang Zhaoxue wasn’t lying, and she truly was poisoned with Ling Mi San, then she couldn’t possibly be the culprit.

No one would gamble their own spiritual roots to frame someone else.

Moreover, Mu Jinyue was just a little disciple. Jiang Zhaoxue had ten thousand ways to kill her—she didn’t need this method.

But if Jiang Zhaoxue wasn’t the culprit, why did the Book of Fate say she was?

The Book of Fate wouldn’t lie.

Shen Yuqing couldn’t understand the current situation.

He stared at Jiang Zhaoxue, only able to half-believe, half-doubt as he watched the physician administer needles. After Jiang Zhaoxue’s condition gradually stabilized and hearing the physician say there was nothing wrong, he directly stood up and said coldly: “Since you’re poisoned, rest and recuperate properly.”

“Yuqing!”

Hearing this, Jiang Zhaoxue urgently called out to stop him. Shen Yuqing looked back with cold eyes, watching Jiang Zhaoxue prop herself up weakly.

She was born very beautiful.

Back when she used to travel the world frequently, countless people had praised her as the True Immortal Realm’s foremost beauty. But later she rarely went out, and people gradually forgot her elegance.

When someone was born too beautiful, they easily disturbed others’ minds. He didn’t like these things that easily disturbed the heart, so he averted his gaze: “What is it?”

“The fire poison…”

Jiang Zhaoxue raised her hand, reminding him: “You haven’t given me your spiritual power yet. I won’t be able to endure today.”

Hearing this, Shen Yuqing scrutinized her as he looked up.

He still felt something was wrong, but he couldn’t say what.

After thinking for a moment, he suddenly brought up Mu Jinyue: “Jinyue was poisoned with Ling Mi San. Right now her spiritual roots are dissolving.”

Hearing this, Jiang Zhaoxue showed a look of shock, as if completely unaware of everything.

Shen Yuqing stared at her eyes, not letting any emotional change escape, continuing to probe: “She’s not like you. You’re a Unity stage cultivator—with needle treatment and medicine, having already been tempered by heavenly tribulation lightning, you won’t suffer as much. Right now she’s still in bed, in so much pain she can’t even make a sound.”

“It’s that serious?” Listening, Jiang Zhaoxue frowned slightly, then asked in confusion: “But what does this have to do with me?”

“The Book of Fate says the culprit is you. A disciple identified you as putting poison in the water she drank. Ling Mi San is specially made by Penglai.” Shen Yuqing laid it all out one by one. Jiang Zhaoxue slowly remembered.

Yesterday she had indeed fed Mu Jinyue a little… laxative.

Thinking of such a childish action, she felt somewhat embarrassed. She feigned composure as she listened to Shen Yuqing state: “Yesterday you deliberately made things difficult for her, punishing her to kneel on Yunfu Mountain for half a shichen. After she returned, she was poisoned with Ling Mi San. You can’t escape involvement in this matter.”

“So you want to punish me?”

Jiang Zhaoxue understood his meaning. Her eyes filled with desolate despair as she laughed: “You want to avenge your disciple. Even though I’ve been poisoned with Ling Mi San, you still won’t believe me?”

“Even if this matter has nothing to do with you, as a master’s wife who’s jealous by nature with improper character, you should still be punished.”

As Shen Yuqing spoke, his thoughts gradually became clear, reaching a decision: “From today onward, you will cultivate your character on Yunfu Mountain. Once it’s confirmed that Jinyue’s poisoning has nothing to do with you, further decisions will be made. As for the fire poison—”

Shen Yuqing’s gaze swept toward her arm. After hesitating for a moment, he still raised his eyes to stare at Jiang Zhaoxue, saying seriously: “I won’t suppress it for you today. But if you can produce the antidote and sincerely apologize, I can act as if none of this happened. The fire poison is hard to endure. Think it over yourself.”

Having finished speaking, Shen Yuqing turned to leave. Jiang Zhaoxue laughed self-mockingly, saying somewhat miserably: “You still think it was me.”

Shen Yuqing stopped in his tracks, his back to her, only saying: “The Book of Fate won’t be wrong. If it says it was you, it must be you.”

“The Book of Fate is Lingjian Immortal Pavilion’s supreme treasure. As Pavilion Master, you only have the opportunity to consult it once every five years. Otherwise you must expend ten percent of your cultivation…”

Jiang Zhaoxue laughed as she raised her head, staring at Shen Yuqing’s back: “Pavilion Master Shen truly is a good master. I wonder if you protect your other disciples the same way?”

Shen Yuqing, his back to her, made no sound.

Jiang Zhaoxue continued her mockery: “Such deep affection—if you and Mu Jinyue weren’t master and disciple, I’d almost think Pavilion Master Shen liked her.”

“What nonsense are you spouting?” Shen Yuqing finally reacted, looking back with cold eyes.

Seeing this, Jiang Zhaoxue laughed lightly: “My apologies. I misspoke.”

As she spoke, she lowered her head to arrange her robes, changing to a lighter tone that made her sarcasm even more biting: “Lingjian Immortal Pavilion’s immortal rules are strict, placing utmost importance on propriety and education. You are Zhongzhou’s foremost righteous sect. Pavilion Master Shen’s virtue and prestige are lofty—surely you wouldn’t do such sordid things. You must treat all disciples equally. Whether it’s Mu Jinyue or Pei Zichen, you must love them the same,” Jiang Zhaoxue raised her eyes to look at him, showing a bright smile, “right?”

Listening to her words, Shen Yuqing made no sound. Jiang Zhaoxue confronted him, yielding not an inch.

After a long while, voices came from outside, urgently saying: “Master, Junior Martial Sister’s pain has flared up again. Please go quickly to check on her!”

Upon hearing this, Shen Yuqing’s expression changed immediately. He only left one sentence: “In the future, refrain from such wild talk,” then turned and left.

Seeing this, Jiang Zhaoxue thought of something and immediately got out of bed, staggering after him. As if attacking in desperate fury, completely without decorum, she chased after him, cursing: “Shen Yuqing, you stop right there! Don’t you leave! How dare you treat me like this? I’ve now been poisoned with Ling Mi San. If you still won’t help me suppress the fire poison, do you know how much pain I’ll be in tonight?! You want to see me unable to even crawl, in so much pain I can’t even cry out—would that satisfy you?!”

“My Lady, stop chasing.” Qingye chased after Jiang Zhaoxue from behind, pulling her back with a pained heart, hurriedly saying: “It’s windy outside. Your body is already in this condition—don’t torment yourself!”

“Let go of me!”

Jiang Zhaoxue weakly pushed Qingye away, clinging to the doorway, stretching her neck to watch Shen Yuqing, shrieking miserably: “Let me die! Let me die tonight in painful suffering right here! Shen Yuqing! Shen Zeyu! If you’re a man, don’t look at me even once tonight! Don’t think of me! Don’t even remember me! Otherwise, you love—me!”

Jiang Zhaoxue’s voice was both weak and resounding, echoing throughout all of Yunfu Mountain.

Shen Yuqing walked out with extremely quick steps. His disciples followed behind him. After they’d walked far from Jiang Zhaoxue’s residence, Zilu, the disciple closest to Shen Yuqing, quickly stepped forward, saying anxiously: “Master, did you obtain the antidote?”

“The Lady has also been poisoned with Ling Mi San. Let’s observe the situation first.”

Shen Yuqing spoke indifferently.

Zilu was stunned, then hurriedly said: “Master, the Book of Fate wouldn’t be wrong. You saw how she treated Junior Martial Sister—she must be faking…”

Before he finished speaking, he felt a gaze like frost pressing down from above, as if freezing his entire person in place.

Zilu’s body stiffened as he heard Shen Yuqing calmly ask in return: “Is she someone you can discuss?”

Zilu immediately reacted, hastily kneeling: “This disciple knows his crime!”

Seeing him plead guilty, Shen Yuqing finally withdrew his gaze, turned to leave, and continued: “Send people to guard Yunfu Mountain. Until Jinyue’s matter has a conclusion, no one from Yunfu Mountain may leave. If the Lady shows any abnormality, report immediately.”

“Yes.”

“Also…”

Shen Yuqing called out to stop Zilu. Just as he was about to speak, for some reason, he suddenly recalled Jiang Zhaoxue’s earlier words: “You must treat all disciples equally. Whether it’s Mu Jinyue or Pei Zichen, you must love them the same, right?”

At this moment, he suddenly became somewhat overly keenly aware that this was the first time in all these years he had heard another man’s name from Jiang Zhaoxue’s mouth.

He remained silent for too long. Zilu felt somewhat puzzled and probed: “Master?”

The inquiry brought Shen Yuqing’s consciousness back. He came to his senses, suppressed his aversion to that name, and calmly continued: “Inquire about Zichen’s situation. Tell him that if more manpower is needed, he can have all disciples on Grade C and below external missions recalled and assigned to him. The longer Ling Mi San poisoning lasts, the greater the effect on Jinyue’s spiritual roots. Right now I’m using spiritual power to stabilize her spiritual roots, but at most by the day after tomorrow, her spiritual roots will begin to dissolve.”

As he spoke, cold light appeared in Shen Yuqing’s eyes: “He must find Lingxiao Hua quickly.”