The Journey of Immortal Cultivation-Chapter 874 - 481: Feelings and Conditions

The sculptor’s skill was excellent. With just a few strokes, he captured the cunning at the corner of her eyes, the smile on her lips. It was lively and stubborn, intelligent yet gentle, with a hint of allure flowing from her eyes. The white fox in her arms was unmistakable, with its lazy demeanor and squinting eyes—just like Miluo!

"Is this... me?" Had she ever been this beautiful, or was this how she appeared in Miluo’s heart? She reached out to touch the small jade carving, but suddenly withdrew her hand, shaking her head at herself.

Qiongqi, in the God Demon Prison, protested, "It’s just a little statue. Why is the mistress so moved? If you like, Lord Changtian could carve your likeness into the entire stone wall of Qihuang Mountain..." Qihuang Mountain is a peak in the Ba Snake Mountain Range. A harsh, grating sound followed as Changtian suddenly grabbed Qiongqi and hurled him against the Black Stone Wall. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

Changtian was clearly in a foul mood. She shivered and entered the God Demon Prison with Jiu Mo’s sympathetic gaze. It wasn’t that she didn’t want Jiu Mo to treat her, but instead, Changtian shared the same divine power with her, making healing twice as effective.

As her figure vanished, Jiu Mo set up a barrier around the vehicle and closed his eyes to rest. Yet, a detested face surfaced in his mind, causing him to furrow his brows and shake his head, trying to banish the image from his heart.

Ning Xiaoxian felt inexplicably fearful, but Changtian simply embraced her gently in silence. She had indeed broken two ribs, with the end of one piercing her lung. The strange evil power from the needle of the straw man exacerbated the wound, almost destroying half her lung. Fortunately, she barely needed to breathe; otherwise, the injury would be difficult to treat, and other organs also suffered varying degrees of shock. The fact that she pursued Qing Ji despite such injuries demonstrated her remarkable endurance.

"Bear with it, it’ll be over soon." Changtian croaked, spending considerable effort to guide her fractured bones back into place. The process was unpleasant for her, and as she lay in his warm embrace, she let out two soft moans of pain. These sounds, like a kitten’s meow, made his heart itch, and he couldn’t help but feel his anger dissipate significantly.

Healing was paramount, so he pressed her round shoulder to transfer divine power, slowly smoothing out her internal injuries. Ning Xiaoxian closed her eyes, yet she could still feel his gaze upon her, the air around them seemingly igniting.

After a long while, she couldn’t stand the gaze any longer. Just as she opened her eyes to speak, Changtian pressed his forehead against hers and whispered, "Don’t fall in love with someone else." There was a faint plea in his voice.

The sun must have risen in the west—he would actually speak in such a tone? She was stunned into silence, unable to respond for a long moment.

He had never begged anyone in his life; if not for realizing that Miluo was determined to pursue her, he would never stoop so low, but she was giving him no face! Changtian furrowed his brow, dissatisfied with her reaction, and sulkily repeated, "You’re not allowed to fall for someone else!"

The dominating, commanding tone—this was the Changtian she knew. She couldn’t help but laugh, seeing his usually stern face carry a hint of childlike grievance, as if his beloved toy were being stolen. The usually strong lines softened, even showing a bit of coquettishness. His beautiful eyes shimmered like morning sunlight scattered on the sea, making one intoxicated by his beauty.

Ah, this man always stirred her heartache to the core. Ning Xiaoxian lifted her wrist to encircle his neck, pulling him down, then bit his prominent nose and said, "That depends on whether the conditions you offer can attract me."

"You sly little merchant, now you’re negotiating with me." It was she who first provoked him. Immediately, Changtian bit her lips in retaliation, "What do you want?"

She panted a few times before saying, "The condition is that you won’t have anyone else in your heart but me in the future—no other women!"

He chuckled softly and said straightforwardly, "Alright!" Women were troublesome enough, requiring constant attention; having just one was enough.

She thought for a moment and added, "No other men, either!"

Changtian’s face darkened as he squeezed out words through his teeth, "Ning Xiaoxian!"

"I’m serious!" She came from a world filled with ambiguity and knew well that love could exist between men too. "I don’t want to compete unfairly with a man in the future. You have to answer me directly." Her Lord Changtian was so handsome and manly; who knows if some man might try to steal him away in the future, so she had to prepare in advance.

Women, indeed, are troublesome. He took a deep breath to suppress his anger and choked out, "Alright, I promise you." His reputation in life’s glory...

"And no keeping secrets from me anymore!" She wasn’t senseless; she always felt he hid many big secrets without telling her. For instance, about Yin Jiu You’s past—every time she asked, he would reveal just a little, like squeezing toothpaste. This person was his enemy, after all, so why hide things for them?

"...Alright."

"Also, stop forcing me all the time!"

He was puzzled, "Forcing you to do what?"

She blushed immediately, "Just... just... when being intimate..."

"That’s not possible! Besides, we weren’t intimate all the time." He flatly refused. What a joke—this was his source of joy, a privilege he deserved, and he would not give up.

As a result, by the time she emerged from the God Demon Prison, her face was as red as a peach blossom. Changtian had spared her from seeing others, or he would have left more marks. Jiu Mo struggled to stifle a laugh; looking like this while going outside, everyone would suspect he did something to the mistress, when in fact, he was taking the blame for Lord Divine Monarch.

Ning Xiaoxian was also aware that her appearance invited speculation, so she activated a spell to complete a few circulations, thereby reducing the flush on her face by half. Such severe bone and internal injuries couldn’t heal immediately; even with her robust constitution, she needed three to four days of recuperation. Jiu Mo helped her settle into the soft couch in the vehicle and then moved to the front to drive, slowly joining the crowd.

When the car door opened, many eyes turned toward her. Miluo first glanced at her current posture, then at the small jade carving on the table, smiling silently. The jade carving had been turned around, back facing the outside, indicating she had seen it.

Feeling slightly embarrassed, she was the first to speak, "What brings the two of you here?"

Miluo said, "Qing Ji killed several of my men and intercepted important information, so I had to come and deal with it. I followed him all the way, not expecting to meet you here." His words reminded her that when the Beauty Collection Team encountered Qing Ji and his group, they had just killed someone, with blood still hot on their swords.

Solemnly, he said, "Ning Xiaoxian, you’ve removed a major threat for me; there’s no way I can repay you. In the future, when I command Fengtian Prefecture, should you ask, I will mobilize forces three times in your service."

He sighed lightly and continued, "I know you’re returning to the Great Snow Mountain and wish to accompany you. But having captured Qing Ji, I must depart immediately." There’s always time to pursue a girl, but capturing a nemesis requires swift action to prevent prolonging dreams. Though he liked Ning Xiaoxian, he clearly distinguished priorities.

Upon hearing this, she exhaled in relief. Partially because it seemed that in this man’s mind, power still ranked above sentiment, lessening her guilt slightly, and partially due to the increasing pressure Miluo placed on her. This expression was perhaps too obvious, as Miluo squinted with a semi-smile and asked, "Do you dislike me so much?" He felt a bit displeased but then reassured himself that her having any reaction was better than none at all.

The best response was no response. She cleared her throat softly and turned to Gongshu Zhao, "What about you?"

"I’m here specifically to find you," Gongshu Zhao replied with a wry smile. "You’re heading to the Great Snow Mountain; I’ll accompany you, and we can talk along the way."

She nodded, letting Jiu Mo help her out of the vehicle. But Miluo raised a hand to stop her: "Keep this carriage for your recovery. I have alternative transportation." Given Ning Xiaoxian’s current wealth, she felt no qualms accepting such a gift, so she made no further insistence.

Miluo summoned the giant eagle with a wave, ordered his men to secure Qing Ji on it, then turned to her, "Once I’ve handled my affairs, I’ll come find you." As he spoke, the habitual smile faded from his face, and his tone was unusually firm.

The intent of his pursuit was unmistakable, causing Gongshu Zhao to regard him thoughtfully. Ning Xiaoxian opened her mouth but instead conveyed through transmission to Miluo, "Give up; there’s no chance for us... I’ve already chosen someone." The words sounded somewhat presumptuous, as if Miluo must have her, which was unlike her usual tactful rejections. But now that she had promised Changtian, she could not let her heart sway for any other man.

From now on, clear boundaries must be drawn. This charming man should belong to Miss Jin Manyi, not her. (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, you’re welcome to visit Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendations and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please read on m.qidian.com.)