Feng Jiu’er felt as though she had narrowly escaped death. She scrambled urgently to get up and put as much distance as possible between herself and this bed and this man.

But the moment she rose, her wrist was caught in his grip.

Di Wu Ya gave a gentle tug, and Jiu’er lost her balance entirely, landing with a thud flat against his chest.

“Ow…” The fully grown little maidservant scrunched up her brow, her face draining of color.

It hurt!

Di Wu Ya, however, felt no pain whatsoever. On the contrary, her body was soft and yielding, and the collision between them felt rather comfortable.

“Where does it hurt? This Seat will rub it better for you.” His predatory hand reached out.

Feng Jiu’er’s heart gave a jolt of alarm. She quickly slapped his hand away.

“It doesn’t hurt anymore!”

“Then stay and sleep with this Seat for a while,” Di Wu Ya pulled her into his embrace and, with a single roll, wrapped his arms around her.

Feng Jiu’er dared not speak, nor did she dare to move. He seemed particularly fond of holding her as he slept — fond of pressing his nose close to her and breathing in her scent.

Was there something about the way she smelled? She had already bathed, so there should be no trace of perspiration.

Feng Jiu’er instinctively lowered her head and sniffed herself. There was truly no discernible scent at all — and yet he…

Di Wu Ya did indeed enjoy breathing in her scent. That faint, subtle fragrance filtering into his senses could settle the surging turbulence of his blood and qi, allowing him to drift peacefully into slumber.

Tonight, he had activated his true qi, and his energy had begun to churn and roll again.

Breathing her in was not merely for amusement — it also allowed his blood and qi to flow freely, leaving his entire being in a state of profound ease.

Yet for reasons he could not quite explain, the longer he breathed her in, the more his blood and qi began to churn anew — but this particular churning was different from the kind that came when his poison flared. This churning was as though his blood had boiled into a full, roiling simmer, filling him with an impulse to devour her whole!

As for precisely how he intended to devour her — he had not yet settled on the method. But perhaps, once he had, he truly would.

Those silent, unfathomably deep eyes opened once more, gazing at the tranquil face of the little maidservant nestled in his arms.

Within those cold, still depths, a sudden gleam of bloodthirst and savage ferocity blazed through — like a wild beast prowling through the dark of night!

She was his prey. A quarry he could swallow whole at any moment!

That flash of brutality passed in an instant, and calm returned to his eyes. He held her close, buried his face in her hair, and the bestial nature surging within his chest gradually quieted.

The small wild creature that had taken up residence in his heart at some unknown moment had finally fallen back into slumber.

How much time passed, no one knew — but the man’s breathing grew long and steady, even and unhurried.

He had finally fallen asleep. At the corner of his lips, there seemed to linger the faintest trace of a sated and contented smile…

Yet for Feng Jiu’er, held in his arms, there was not the slightest ease, not the slightest contentment.

Could she say that she had just sensed an overwhelmingly dangerous aura — as if she might be devoured whole by him at any moment?

That dangerous aura had caused her entire heart to seize up completely, contracting in a sudden clench.

How terrifying. The man behind her was like a slumbering wild beast, liable to rouse at any moment, capable of tearing her apart bone by bone and consuming her entirely.

Even without turning to look at him, it was as though she could see him opening his mouth just a moment ago, baring sharp and fearsome fangs, intent on eating her alive!

Feng Jiu’er could not help but shudder. Hmph — why was she imagining the Ninth Imperial Uncle as something so frightening?

And yet… he truly was frightening…

Mercifully, this terrifying beast had finally fallen back asleep.

Jiu’er raised her hand and wiped the beads of sweat from her temple, then could not resist quietly turning her head to sneak a glance at his profile.

He still wore that mask. She really wanted to take it off!

But on second thought, she let the impulse go. Her little life was more important than her curiosity — best to keep that in check. She wondered how Mu Mu was faring right now.