Su Nian silently mapped out her tactics in her mind, yet outwardly she remained that delicate, gentle girl searching for magic herbs.
She appeared to be wandering aimlessly between the rugged mountain walls, her lotus steps light and her skirt swaying.
But in reality, she was skillfully leading Chu Tian toward her pre-arranged battlefield.
From time to time, she would pause, her slender jade-like fingers pointing to spots where rare plants might be growing, always conveniently close to lairs of Magic Beasts.
“Master, look over there, in the shadow of that piece of Obsidian, I think I see the outline of a Youguang Orchid!” Her voice was tender, with a hint of uncertainty.
“Ah! That Rocky Giant Lizard looks so scary… Master, you’ll protect me, right?”
She would seize the perfect moment to act timid, shrinking behind him, her eyes swirling with dependence.
Naturally, Chu Tian would never allow those insignificant Magic Beasts to lay a finger on Su Nian.
With a casual wave of his hand, he would clear away the clueless creatures.
But he was no fool.
Once or twice could be chalked up to coincidence.
Yet the “observation points” Su Nian chose always, without fail, led him to spots where he had to clear out some minor obstacles.
And while these Magic Beasts posed no real threat, dealing with them still subtly drained some of his magic and stamina.
This little wildcat, who was always so meek and docile in front of him…
Was she intentionally exhausting him?
Chu Tian’s gaze sharpened, a surge of wariness rising within him.
He observed Su Nian without a change in his expression; the girl’s face still wore that timid, wholly reliant look, as if she truly just had bad luck and was beset by Magic Beasts at every turn.
However, the places she picked as “herb-growing sites” grew ever more remote, and the terrain more and more as if she were deliberately guiding him to a certain location.
At last, they arrived at a narrow valley shaped like the mouth of a gourd bottle.
The entrance allowed barely two or three people to walk abreast, but inside it opened up into a relatively broad basin.
On both sides were sheer cliffs that soared into the clouds, as smooth as a mirror, with almost nothing to climb or hide behind.
Overhead, a massive Rock Platform jutted out abruptly, like a natural watchtower overlooking the valley floor.
This place… it was a natural prison, a perfect trap—easy to defend, hard to assault, and once you were trapped, escape was impossible.
Chu Tian halted, a cold sense of foreboding creeping up his spine like a snake.
Something’s wrong.
Everything felt off.
Su Nian’s actions today—from volunteering to visit this treacherous Blackstone Gorge, to that mysterious, odd-aura purple kitten she held, to her seemingly casual yet carefully calculated guidance along the way—
All these strange details, like scattered puzzle pieces, rapidly assembled in his mind, pointing toward a possibility both alarming and almost laughable.
This little wildcat probably wasn’t here to gather herbs today.
Rather—
She’d come… to kill him!
Once that thought took root, it spread like wildfire.
Just in case—
Chu Tian’s awareness dove into the System.
[Current Annoyance Value: 4,180,000]
In recent days—especially these past three—he’d collected a torrent of Annoyance Value from Su Nian, plus what he’d stockpiled before, as well as what he’d squeezed from those clueless Evil Spirits in Monster Forest and Bai Shui Town.
Now, he possessed an unprecedented fortune.
This “fortune” was originally meant for a bigger crisis—say, a full-scale Demon Race invasion—so he could buy countermeasures.
But it seemed, the current crisis warranted spending it now.
“System, purchase Full Space Talent (S+)!”
“System, upgrade [Lover’s Prison Collar]!”
[Ding-dong! Confirming expenditure of 3,000,000 Annoyance Value. S+ Talent purchased successfully!]
[Congratulations, Master, you have obtained the basic ability: Void Walk.]
[Void Walk]: Passively boosts spatial awareness; when activated, allows for short-range spatial jumps, with extremely short cooldown.
[Ding-dong! Confirming expenditure of 1,000,000 Annoyance Value. [Lover’s Prison Collar] upgraded successfully! The collar now features: Spatial Imprisonment (small area), Enhanced Mental Interference! Magic Suppression (Upgraded).]
[Magic Suppression (Upgraded)]: Stronger magic suppression effect.
[Spatial Imprisonment]: Instantly generates a small spatial barrier around the collar’s wearer, restricting their movement, spellcasting, and all displacement.
[Mental Interference]: Stronger will-eroding effect from the collar, making the wearer easier to confuse or subdue.
[Current Annoyance Value: 180,000]
Four million Annoyance Value vanished in an instant, like running water.
Yet Chu Tian felt a sense of unprecedented peace of mind.
Not only did he get an S+ level space talent, but the System also gave him an active ability, [Void Walk], which would let him escape most dangers with ease.
And the upgraded [Lover’s Prison Collar] gave him a powerful new insurance policy.
The collar’s control over Su Nian would reach a whole new level.
‘Little wildcat, even if you have some astonishing hidden card, your master has prepared a new “surprise” for you!’
The corners of his mouth curled up in a meaningful arc as he looked at Su Nian with a cat-and-mouse playfulness in his eyes.
Su Nian had no idea about Chu Tian’s momentary shift in mood or his actions with the System.
She reconfirmed the terrain here.
The middle was wide open and low, nowhere good to hide.
The cliffs on either side were tall and sheer, slick as glass—it would be harder to climb them than to ascend to the heavens.
Only the protruding Rock Platform overhead was left—it was practically custom-made for her Little Green to serve as an aerial artillery spot!
This was it—she was sure!
Should she strike now?
She sneaked a glance at the man beside her.
He stood with his hands behind his back, tall and straight.
Even standing there casually, he radiated a deep, mountain-like presence.
Or should she—
Wait a bit longer?
Su Nian shook her head inwardly, ‘Not yet.’
As the old saying went: Even a lion uses its full strength when hunting a rabbit.
She’d wait until this bastard horned demon was at his most relaxed and unguarded—best, after he stripped down thinking he was about to enjoy a “feast”—
Then she’d hit him with a thunderous, fatal blow!
Let him die with clarity, under her meticulously prepared “surprise!”
At some point, Su Nian quietly accepted a neatly folded bundle from Da Hei, who stood silently behind her.
She unfolded it—it was a portable magic tent made of special waterproof cloth.
“Master, it’s getting late. Nights in Blackstone Gorge can’t be very safe. Why don’t we… rest here tonight?”
As she spoke, she deftly set up the tent.
Her practiced movements clearly showed she’d drilled this in private many times.
The tent was neither too big nor too small—more than enough for two, and even carried a touch of cozy warmth.
“This place seems… a little safer, and quieter.”
She crawled into the tent first, spread out a soft beast hide mat, then stuck out half of her fair, fragrant shoulder.
The girl’s cheeks carried a tempting blush, her large dewy eyes gazed tenderly out at Chu Tian from the tent, her hand beckoning as her voice turned sweet and coy.
“Master~… The wind’s strong outside, and it gets chilly at night. Come inside and rest for a while…”
Her voice was soft and sticky-sweet, carrying open hints and invitations, every syllable like a little hook tugging at the heart.
Chu Tian hesitated, but entered the tent.
“I’ll… I’ll go prepare dinner for Master.”
“Guess what we’re having?”
“Hehe, it’s… it’s a secret recipe among female magicians—an extra special love soup! It’s called ‘Witch’s Dearest Broth!’ Only when a woman wants to confess her feelings to the one she most loves and trusts for life, will she make it by hand…”
She blinked her big, watery eyes, brimming with “sincere” love and expectation, as if being able to make soup for her beloved was the happiest thing in the world.
“Master, just wait here in the tent, I’ll be right back to feed you~”
“Oh, and I like you best… when you’re not wearing anything.” Su Nian blushed as she said this, then covered her little face with a showy gesture and scampered off.
Su Nian’s swaying figure was the picture of someone going to make a soup full of love for her dearest master.
As for liking him naked?
That was just to trick the horned bastard into shedding his armor first.
That way, when she showed up in her Knight Armor and he was unarmored—
Armor against no armor, the advantage was hers!
‘Wants to drink my witch soup, does he?’ Su Nian sneered coldly inside.
Since it was revenge, every method would be used.
Seduction, deception, ambush—not a single one would be left out!
That’s right, she could be ruthless.
Stay in the tent and await your doom!
All the humiliation and pain that had been forced upon her—tonight, she, Su Nian, would repay a thousandfold, ten thousandfold!
Let the horned bastard taste true despair!
Su Nian forcibly suppressed the tidal surge of killing intent in her heart and turned away.
Her footsteps grew lighter, and she hummed a little off-key tune, as if she truly was off to cook a soup brimming with love for her dearest master.
Outside the tent, night deepened.
In the gorge, only faint, pale moonlight struggled through the mist, casting dappled shadows among the jagged rocks.
Su Nian walked to a clearing she deemed a safe distance from the tent, stopped, drew a deep breath, and slowly exhaled.
When she opened her eyes again, the blue depths were devoid of all gentleness and dependence; only a knife-sharp, ice-cold killing intent remained.
The hour of vengeance had come!
She roared in her heart, ‘Come forth! My companions!!’
At the beautiful girl’s command, Little Violet immediately used a space-teleportation spell.
In that instant—
A massive sky-blue form erupted atop the Rock Platform.
The mighty dragon spreading its vast wings was her first contract companion, the Wind Elemental Holy Dragon, Little Green!
Its elegant, powerful body shimmered with a jade-like radiance in the moonlight, but in its black slit pupils burned the flames of destruction!
Meanwhile, Little Violet, who had always nestled obediently in Su Nian’s arms, flashed into a bolt of dazzling violet lightning and shot into the sky!
In midair, its form swelled with the wind, in an instant resuming its agile shape as an elegant Ling Cat, its fur sparking with fine arcs of purple lightning!
Around it coiled countless crackling, violet thunders, radiating a terrifying aura of destruction!
A deep, unshakeable force surged from Su Nian herself!
Behind her, a vast, indistinct phantom of an ancient tortoise shell flickered—the Sea Island Giant Spirit Turtle, Big Mountain, had possessed her!
At the same time, Su Nian summoned the [Saint Radiance Knight Armor (Female)], instantly swapping her skirt for it.
Now she was the picture of a valiant young female holy knight.
“Attack—avenge me!”