The man’s searing-hot palm settled on Feng Jiu’er’s shoulder, and she immediately flinched slightly, as though scalded.

Di Wu Ya said nothing. He simply lowered his head, and his lips came to rest on the back of her shoulder.

Feng Jiu’er bit down hard on her lower lip. Whatever humiliation she suffered today, she would repay tenfold in the future. If he truly dared to ruin her virtue, she would absolutely not let him off the hook — even if he was the legendary Venerable Lord who possessed supreme and mysterious power, feared by all the people of the martial world.

But after Di Wu Ya pressed down on her, he did not touch her body.

He merely looked at the wound on her back shoulder, lost in some silent thought.

Feng Jiu’er was well aware that there was a set of teeth marks on her back shoulder — left behind by the Ninth Prince the previous night. The Ninth Prince had been drugged at the time, his mind completely lost, and had actually drawn blood from her.

Even now, Feng Jiu’er still could not be certain — had her blood truly been able to help the Ninth Prince purge the poison, or had he simply been addled by the effects of the drug, completely unaware of what he was doing?

“You—” Noticing that he was staring at her back shoulder, Feng Jiu’er bit her lip and then suddenly spoke: “I am no longer a pure and untouched woman. My body—”

She paused. Her face heated regardless of her efforts, yet she pressed on with a show of indifference: “I have been taken before anyway. Take what you want — I don’t mind.”

Men of ancient times were said to place tremendous importance on a woman’s chastity. If he learned her body had already been claimed by another man, would he not immediately feel repulsion toward her?

At this moment, Feng Jiu’er cared nothing for reputation — she only wanted him to find her repellent, so that she might protect her virtue.

But to her surprise, Di Wu Ya merely gave a detached smile. His long finger traced over the wound on her shoulder: “Very well then. I don’t mind either.”

“You—” A sharp sting flared suddenly at her back shoulder. Feng Jiu’er drew in a sharp breath, her wide eyes flying open.

He had actually — with his long finger, carved a small cut on her shoulder, then lowered his head and drew… her blood?

His hand was light. Feng Jiu’er did not feel much pain, but — drinking blood? What manner of thing was this?

Was there something extraordinary about her blood? Even she herself did not know.

The night before, the Ninth Prince had drunk her blood. Tonight, this strange Venerable Lord was doing the same?

“Does it hurt?” After some time had passed, Di Wu Ya’s lips lifted away from her back shoulder, and his long finger traced lightly over the small wound.

Truth be told, he had not intended to seek her out tonight. He had drawn her blood the previous night, and the Gu Poison had been suppressed for the time being — he had no need of it again tonight. Yet as he walked through the darkness, his feet had inexplicably carried him toward Feng Manor. And what he had not anticipated was seeing her being taken away by others.

Fate.

The aura of her body could bring stillness and calm to the Gu Poison that ran rampant within him. Her blood, moreover, could help pacify the surges of turbulent energy that periodically coursed through him. In short, Feng Jiu’er was of tremendous significance to him — significant enough that he had, all at once, found himself wanting to keep her by his side.

Feng Jiu’er bit her lip and said nothing. She simply gave a cold snort.

He waited until after drinking her blood to ask if she was in pain. This was nothing but a cat’s false show of pity over the mouse it had just caught.

At her back shoulder, a wave of cool, soothing energy suddenly spread.

Her long lashes stirred. Realizing he was applying medicine for her, she could not help but snort coldly: “Hollow compassion.”

Di Wu Ya said nothing. He set down the medicine jar and lay down beside her.

Just as Feng Jiu’er was about to climb up and away, he stretched out one long arm without warning and pulled her into his embrace.

Her unclad body slammed directly into that chest of his — as hard and unyielding as a wall of bronze and iron — and the impact sent an ache through her.