The room fell silent, both of them saying nothing, yet both understanding perfectly well what had just passed between them unspoken.

Ziqing refused to dwell on the process, didn’t even dare think about… that night of overwhelming beauty, the man’s dominant, even fierce nature.

She only thought, once that happened, the seductive fragrance would surely pass into his body—that would undoubtedly harm him. Or else, he might have to return the fragrance to her somehow!

Wouldn’t that mean…

At this thought, Ziqing’s face immediately burned, as if suddenly set ablaze. Fortunately, her back was to him, or she would surely have gone blank with embarrassment again.

The fragrance within her body had surely undergone some transformation by now. Once… once that happened, neither of them knew what might result—neither dared easily go… go that far!

That thing!

Ziqing could only refer to it this way, admitting to herself that in certain matters, she was even more conservative than people of ancient times.

Who knew what Jun Beiyue was thinking at this moment—his hand’s pressure was utterly uneven, now heavy, now light. Ziqing alternated between pain and ticklishness, gritting her teeth, not daring to say a word.

This was sheer torment!

She resolved that from now on, aside from important matters she needed to discuss with this man, she would absolutely never be alone with him again for anything else!

After a good while, Jun Beiyue finally finished applying the medicine, saying quietly, “Does it hurt?”

He had been controlling his strength the entire time—who knew how much effort it had taken him to hold back!

“It doesn’t hurt,” Ziqing answered quickly.

Only then did Jun Beiyue carefully wrap the bandage around her, his deep gaze lowered throughout, not looking at her again, saying only flatly, “Get dressed.”

Somewhat flustered, Ziqing hurriedly dressed herself before daring to turn back around, her first words her usual trick—immediately changing the subject. “Why did you join the bidding?”

Yet Jun Beiyue showed none of the embarrassment she’d expected, instead looking at her seriously. “Han Ziqing… until your seductive fragrance is cured, don’t look at me the way you just did! Otherwise…”

He paused, and Ziqing tensed, only for him to suddenly lean down and press a firm kiss upon her lips, a stolen kiss lingering long before he finally released her.

“Understand?”

How exactly had she just looked at him? Ziqing didn’t quite know, but the consequences, she understood all too well—given this man’s domineering, unrestrained nature, he’d surely have no reservations whatsoever about having his way with her, over and over, day and night!

“Understood,” she nodded immediately, not daring to meet his eyes, hurriedly adding, “Why did you join the bidding! Did you want the Fusang tree seed?”

“A useless thing, no matter how precious, remains useless. I was merely driving up the price,” Jun Beiyue said flatly.

This fellow had ulterior motives after all.

“I want to see the sea valley of Qinse Valley. That place is Qinse Valley’s pride, yet few have ever laid eyes on it. Given the two elders’ temperament, if the funds are sufficient, they’ll surely bring everyone along,” Jun Beiyue explained.

“So you set your sights on Xuanyuan Lige?” Ziqing couldn’t help but laugh. Hadn’t that Baili Weisheng fellow ended up as the fool who overpaid, then?

“That scholar—do you know him?” Jun Beiyue asked.

“Mm, when I sought out Prince Baxian earlier, I used his connections to arrange it. He’s a remarkable man, knowledgeable in all things heaven and earth. He was also the one who told me the antidote for the drug you were poisoned with,” Ziqing said, not concealing anything.

“What’s his background?” Jun Beiyue asked, suspicious.

“I don’t know either. I ran into him by chance on the way to see Prince Baxian—I suppose we’re friends,” Ziqing said.

“I should meet him sometime, to thank him for saving my life,” Jun Beiyue said with a smile, not stingy about it at all.

“Once we’ve dealt with Jiang Chen and Gu Suying, Bai Feiyao will surely be unable to hold back,” Ziqing said seriously.

Gu Suying had volunteered to come to this gathering—surely she had some plan in mind. That day, she’d also deliberately spread word that they intended to bring Jun Beiyue along.

Now that Jun Beiyue had come this time, he clearly no longer intended to return to the Gu family lying low.

The truth would be revealed here.

They wouldn’t wait until the end of the year either—after all, Da Zhou still needed them.

Jun Beiyue frowned in thought, leaning back lazily. Just as Ziqing was about to ask about the situation in Da Zhou, he suddenly said seriously, “Ziqing, have you planted poison in yourself?”

At these words, Ziqing was clearly caught off guard.

“Hm?” Jun Beiyue pressed, his voice deep.

“Yes,” Ziqing admitted, not concealing it. With this man, she couldn’t hide it anyway.

Everyone had been puzzled over exactly how she’d poisoned Bai Feiyao’s vines to death, but Jun Beiyue had seen through it—poison hidden in her fingernails, poison planted within her very flesh and blood.

Such a state could only arise from deliberately cultivating poison within oneself.

Normally, only those raising death agents did such things—having the agent first take an antidote, plant whatever poison was needed, and once the mission was complete, withhold the antidote so the agent would simply die, silencing them permanently.

Yet this woman, relying on her immunity to all poisons, had gone and deliberately cultivated poison within herself!

No matter how powerful the Bai family’s vines or seeds might be, once they drew from her flesh and blood, they would inevitably be poisoned to death!

He had just finished applying medicine to her—had there been any wound on his own hands, he too would have been infected and poisoned.

“Before coming to Liuxian Island, since I couldn’t bear to waste this bloodline of mine, since I’m immune to all poisons anyway, why not put it to good use?” Ziqing countered.

Unexpectedly, Jun Beiyue flew into a rage. “What do you think your body is for!”

“The amount of poison I’ve planted isn’t much, and I’m still in the adjustment period. I know my limits,” Ziqing said, lowering her head, explaining flatly.

“Have it removed,” Jun Beiyue said coldly, leaving no room for negotiation. The seductive fragrance was still in her body, and now she’d planted poison as well—didn’t this woman worry things could go wrong?

“I know my own limits,” Ziqing said flatly.

“The moment we return to Da Zhou, you’re having it removed,” Jun Beiyue insisted, not budging an inch.

“It’s my own body—I get to decide,” Ziqing suddenly said coldly.

“What you’re doing is dangerous,” Jun Beiyue said, holding his composure, speaking seriously.

But Ziqing simply ignored him, rising to leave. When she’d first heard Situ Haonan speak of the Bai family’s vine arts, the idea of cultivating poison had come to her—but once the poison had been introduced into her blood through the silver needle, she’d found she couldn’t bring herself to part with it!

Regardless of anything else, she absolutely did not want to have it removed!

This was a skill that was truly, genuinely her own, something she couldn’t bear to give up.

She didn’t like this domineering side of Jun Beiyue! At the very least, her own body was hers alone to decide about.

“Stop right there!” Jun Beiyue said coldly.

Ziqing ignored him, opening the door to leave. Jun Beiyue was about to chase after her, but hearing Master Situ and his wife’s voices outside the door, he had no choice but to hold back, lying back down on the couch instead.

Outside the door, Ziqing found herself face to face with the Situ family, who had come to visit.

It was Patriarch Gu who had brought them over. Situ Cheng’s relationship with Jun Beiyue ran deep, and he was well aware of the Gu family’s affairs.

Moreover, the two families—one the foremost martial power of the Longyuan continent, the other the premier clan of Liuxian Island—shared a relationship of considerable significance.

“Qing’er, Master Situ has come specifically to see Beiyue,” Patriarch Gu said quickly.

Ziqing gave him a glance, ignoring him entirely, and moved to walk past.

“Han Ziqing, what kind of attitude is this! Just because you beat Bai Feiyao, you’re getting all high and mighty? What are you being so arrogant about!” Situ Xin’er immediately shouted angrily, reaching out to block her path.

Ziqing was about to snap back, but on second thought, said instead, “Patriarch Gu, please bring them inside. I have something to attend to—I’ll be going now.”

With that, she turned and left. Let that domineering fellow lie obediently in bed and deal with them himself!