“Master Yu.” Just as they were about to reach the pavilion, Qingqing came running up from behind.

“Master Yu, there’s something I’d like your help with — do you have a moment?”

The moment anyone saw Qingqing, they naturally thought of Leng Xuepiao, and Yu Jingfeng was no exception.

“Qingqing, has something happened to Xuepiao?”

“Xuepiao tested a medicine on herself today and got poisoned.” Qingqing replied.

“Poisoned?” Yu Jingfeng grew anxious as if ants were crawling on a hot pan.

“How is she?” Feng Jiu’er frowned as well.

“It’s not serious.” Qingqing shook her head at Feng Jiu’er. “She just seems to have no appetite — hasn’t eaten dinner yet.”

“Jiu’er, don’t worry! It’s nothing major.”

“I just thought, since it’s already so late, if Master Yu has time, he could go check on her.”

This wasn’t the first time Leng Xuepiao had poisoned herself testing medicine.

That girl had nothing but medicine-brewing on her mind, often careless even with her own life.

It wasn’t as though Feng Jiu’er hadn’t warned her before, but the girl simply wouldn’t listen, and there was nothing anyone could do.

“Miss Jiu’er, I’ll go check on her first.” Yu Jingfeng’s body was still there, but his heart was already gone.

“Go ahead.” Feng Jiu’er waved a hand.

“Miss Jiu’er, I’ll send Long Shiyi over — please, whatever you do, don’t leave this spot.”

“Miss Jiu’er, remember, don’t wander off. If anything were to happen to you, I wouldn’t know how to answer for it.”

Master Yu was still talking, but he was already dozens of steps away, heading out.

Feng Jiu’er paid him no mind and turned her gaze back to Qingqing. “Has Xuepiao taken the antidote powder?”

“She has.” Qingqing nodded. “Jiu’er, was it wrong of me to come find Master Yu?”

“It’s fine.” Feng Jiu’er drew a small bottle of medicine from her sleeve and handed it over.

“Go back and have Xuepiao take this. Jian Yi’s treatment can’t be delayed either, but I can’t spare the time myself right now.”

“All right.” Qingqing took the medicine bottle. “Don’t worry, Jiu’er, I’ll take good care of Xuepiao.”

“Honestly, she’s really fine — it’s just that she’s been so quiet these past couple of days, which is why I thought of having Master Yu check on her.”

“Mm.” Feng Jiu’er nodded and waved her hand.

“Go on back. If anything comes up, be sure to let me know right away.”

“And one more thing — tell Xuepiao to stop doing such foolish things from now on, understood?”

“Understood.” Qingqing took the medicine and left, a smile on her face.

Feng Jiu’er could more or less read what that smile meant, and, reassured, turned to continue on her way.

Inside the pavilion was a fairly large bathing pool, its water drawn from a hot spring deep in the mountains.

In this bitter winter cold, soaking in a hot spring was truly a wonderful indulgence.

Feng Jiu’er walked into the pavilion, took off her cloak, and hung it on a rack to one side.

She hung up her cloak, took off her tall boots, and came to the edge of the pool.

In the pool, wreathed in white steam, sat a bare-shouldered man, handsome as if he’d stepped straight out of a painting.

His eyes were gently closed, and he sat perfectly still in the water.

Feng Jiu’er sat down at the edge of the pool, let her legs dangle into the water, and gazed steadily at the man in the pool without blinking.

When Tang Xiaohua had returned, she had taught Feng Jiu’er a certain inner-strength cultivation method.

During this time, under Feng Jiu’er’s treatment, Jian Yi’s condition had improved considerably.

But even as she treated Jian Yi, Feng Jiu’er had also been giving her all to the war effort, and her body had long since been running on empty.

To keep her own vital energy looking a little better, these past days she had eaten and drunk in large mouthfuls anything that might nourish her.

Whether she liked it or not, Feng Jiu’er hadn’t refused any of it, because she couldn’t afford to.

This second stage of the treatment required the patient to soak in the pool’s water.

Feng Jiu’er had sent people ahead to search for a place with a hot spring, and thankfully, they’d managed to find one in time.

A natural hot spring, mixed with specially prepared medicinal powder, proved far more effective for treating Jian Yi.

Feng Jiu’er sat by the pool’s edge, resting with her eyes closed for roughly a quarter of an hour.

She took a deep breath, gave a light leap, and dropped into the pool.

Ripples spread across the water’s surface, but the man in the pool remained utterly undisturbed.

Feng Jiu’er came up behind Jian Yi, sat cross-legged in the spring water, and pressed both hands against his back.

A stream of true energy flowed from her palms into Jian Yi’s body.

The man, whose expression had shown no change at all until now, furrowed his brow slightly, then slowly relaxed it again.

Deep in the night, in the bitter cold of winter, even the birds and insects were too lazy to make a sound.

All around, everything was silent, save for the faint “drip-drop” of spring water from somewhere unseen.

This kind of cultivation session was nothing new — but doing it while soaking in the pool water was a first.

Forty minutes — just under three quarters of an hour — passed before Feng Jiu’er slowly withdrew her hands from Jian Yi’s back.

By then, she was utterly exhausted.

Feng Jiu’er stood up in the pool, helped the still-unconscious Jian Yi to the pool’s edge, and let him lie there to soak a while longer.

Drained of strength, she too rested her bare arms on the edge, lying there, her heavy eyelids fighting to stay open.

She had truly been far too exhausted these past days.

Feng Jiu’er poked at his handsome face and slowly closed her eyes.

“Great Hero Jian Yi, you’d better hurry up and get well.”

The moment she finished speaking, her pale hand slipped down onto the rock, and her heavy eyelids closed completely.

Yu Jingfeng had sent people to look for Long Shiyi, but no one could find any trace of him.

Freed from his duty, Long Shiyi had found himself a small room and gone to bed early.

Rarely having the chance to rest and recharge, all he wanted was sleep.

Yu Jingfeng, however, assumed Long Shiyi was still watching over Feng Jiu’er, which gave him the freedom to properly spend time with his own future wife.

The matter of the poisoning could have been serious or minor.

In any case, nearly two hours passed with no one going near the pavilion.

The hot spring water was at a comfortable temperature, so resting beside it wouldn’t leave one feeling cold.

Before long, Jian Yi stirred awake from his deep sleep.

He slowly opened his eyes, and the first thing he saw was a pale, fair face.

Jian Yi lifted his head, looked closely, and confirmed the identity of the woman beside him.

He reached out a hand and gently brushed aside her hair, somewhat disheveled and damp.

One strand, two strands, three strands… Jian Yi’s movements were very, very gentle.

Only once he had tucked all the strands of hair off Feng Jiu’er’s face and behind her head did he draw his hand back.

Jian Yi quietly gazed at the sleeping woman, his body gradually drawing closer.

No one knew how much time passed before that withdrawn hand rose from the spring water once more.

He gently stroked Feng Jiu’er’s head, lowered his own, and kissed her.

Having been told that Long Shiyi couldn’t be found, Yu Jingfeng, after settling Leng Xuepiao, rushed toward the back mountain.

Closer, closer.

What was Jian Yi doing? What was he trying to do to Jiu’er?

Yu Jingfeng couldn’t see clearly, only catching a vague glimpse of Jian Yi leaning in toward Feng Jiu’er.

Seeing he wouldn’t make it in time, he shouted loudly, “Hey!”

Ever since Jian Yi had been overtaken by Chen Hong’s demonic influence, he’d been acting strangely at times, and Master Yu had never stopped worrying that Feng Jiu’er might come to harm because of it.

If Miss Jiu’er suffered any mishap, the Prince would never let him live it down.

“Jian Yi, what do you think you’re doing? Let go of my wife this instant!”