At first, it felt light and airy, as if lying on a cloud, her whole body wrapped in softness.
But then, with a sharp sound like a blade slicing through something, she suddenly plummeted.
Falling rapidly from the high sky above, it was as if an invisible hand had yanked her downward.
“Splash!”
She plunged into an ice hole, the frigid, bone-chilling lake water seeping into every pore.
The cold and suffocating sensation forced Lin Qiyou’s eyes open, and she struggled helplessly in the icy water.
She tried desperately to swim toward the hole in the ice above, but her body was utterly powerless.
“Stabilize Lin Qiyou with Spiritual Power quickly! She’s about to break!”
“I’m working on it!”
Faint concerned voices echoed in her ears.
Then Lin Qiyou felt a warm current spread through her chest, driving away the biting cold.
Even underwater, the suffocating feeling vanished.
“Phew, Lin Qiyou is already like this, yet I didn’t expect him to have such endurance.”
“Yeah, even a descending Daluo Golden Immortal couldn’t withstand this kind of pain. This kid’s soul power is truly unparalleled. It’s a pity he’s been treated as a talent.”
“It’s thanks to his powerful soul ability that he can divert excess spiritual power to ease Lin Qiyou’s pain.”
“…”
What? What are they saying?
Lin Qiyou thought weakly, then lost consciousness.
How long passed, she didn’t know, before she slowly woke up.
The room was filled with runes and medicinal herbs, alongside many surgical instruments that made her shudder—tools necessary for spiritual vein treatment.
According to the female physician, every time they performed the procedure, they transplanted spiritual veins from Ling Beasts to Lin Qiyou, which explained the need for these sharp instruments—and why it was so agonizing.
“Haah… this time really hurt.”
Lin Qiyou’s face was pale, her lips trembling as she recalled the excruciating pain from the treatment.
The next time would be even worse.
However, she was already seventeen.
With only a year left—and at most one or two more spiritual vein treatments—this torment would soon come to an end.
“Qingmu… I will definitely, absolutely defeat you!”
Now, Lin Qiyou could openly admit that she had once liked Qingmu, but that was only in the past.
Though he still occupied her thoughts day and night, even haunting her dreams, this time it was a fierce desire to defeat Qingmu!
Though she hadn’t won yet and had lost to Qingmu many times, this time she was really close!
Next time—no, this time—she would definitely win!
After every treatment, the image of Qingmu seemed to grow clearer in her mind…
Enduring years of pain from the spiritual vein treatments, how could someone as gifted as him ever understand?
Qingmu! I’m going to win against you!
Just thinking about Qingmu being cozy with that Qin Shuang right now made Lin Qiyou’s anger flare up.
Her fighting spirit burned so fiercely it seemed it could set the room ablaze.
“Phew…”
Feeling her spirit recovering, Lin Qiyou, still lying on the operating table, turned her head and suddenly spotted a diary on the cabinet.
She picked it up and glanced at it—it was a treatment log.
She vaguely recalled seeing this before; one of the two physicians used it to record treatments.
So why was the pain so intense?
Curious, she was about to open the book when a hand suddenly snatched it away.
“You’re awake?”
The physician quickly hid the book in her bosom, surprised to see Lin Qiyou conscious again.
“Can I see it?”
Lin Qiyou looked at the physician’s chest.
The physician shook her head and took out a bowl of medicine, smiling: “Trust me, if you read what’s written there, you’ll only feel worse.”
Worse?
Lin Qiyou glanced at the bowl; it was filled with the remnants of many insects.
She grimaced but swallowed the medicine in one gulp.
A soothing warmth immediately spread through her body.
…
……
“Ah…”
In a secret chamber within the sect, Qingmu, disheveled and drenched in blood, tumbled off the bed.
The excruciating pain of being flayed alive forced him to crawl across the floor, screaming in agony.
The Lin family patriarch watched expressionlessly as the boy, about the same age as his daughter, writhed in pain with no trace of pity in his heart.
He could have given Qingmu some pain relief medicine to spare him from such heart-wrenching suffering, but according to the physician, the pain stimulated Qingmu’s remaining spiritual roots to trigger a near-death regenerative mechanism.
The stronger those roots grew, the more powerful the transplant would be for Lin Qiyou.
Thus, Qingmu’s agony was by design.
Once the patriarch confirmed that Qingmu was bleeding from his seven orifices, convulsing, and fainting—but still alive—he turned and left the chamber.
No one knew how long passed before Qingmu regained consciousness.
He remembered how, right after returning to awareness, unbearable pain caused him to convulse and fall off the bed.
But then, he found himself back on the bed.
Had someone helped him up?
The sharp pain was gone, replaced by a weak numbness like ants crawling on his skin.
Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a white figure in the chamber.
Wide-eyed, he recognized Qin Shuang.
“What are you doing here?”
By rights, Qin Shuang shouldn’t have known about this place—much less come here.
“Senior Brother Qingmu, I found this place myself.
I actually suspected it a year ago—they’ve been doing something to your body.
Every so often, you become weaker, while Lin Qiyou grows stronger.”
“Don’t forget our agreement—you can’t tell Lin Qiyou about this.”
Qingmu stared seriously at Qin Shuang.
Lin Qiyou must never find out, or all these years of effort would be for nothing.
“Don’t worry, I don’t break my word.
I just feel sorry for you, Senior Brother Qingmu.”
Qin Shuang sighed.
Having pretended to be a loving couple for so long, she deeply understood Qingmu was a good person.
She truly regarded him as a senior brother and a friend.
Seeing what he was going through, she felt helpless and regretful, but this was ultimately none of her business.
“This has nothing to do with you.
I’ll pay you your reward on time next time.”
Qingmu said.
“Ah, never mind.”
Qin Shuang felt like a doormat being stepped on, but as she rose, the pity in Qingmu’s expression made her hesitate.
Then she suddenly said, “Senior Brother Qingmu, since we’re nominally a couple, there’s something I want to tell you.”
“What is it?”
Qingmu licked his pale lips.
“Hmm, I have someone I like.
He doesn’t mind that we’re only pretending to be a couple.
I remember you said you wouldn’t interfere with my private affairs, since it’s fake, right?”
Qin Shuang smiled.
“This… why have you never mentioned this before?
Didn’t you say you liked girls?”
Qingmu hesitated.
“Uh, it’s complicated.
But please rest assured, Senior Brother, he and I won’t make a scene!”
Qin Shuang quickly added.
“Alright then, congratulations.”
Qingmu nodded and weakly closed his eyes.
Watching him, Qin Shuang felt as if his days were numbered.
“Well, Senior Brother, get some rest.”
Qin Shuang stood and turned to leave.
Before stepping out of the room, she stole a glance at Qingmu.
Her little plan was already taking shape in her mind.
If you won’t take the initiative, then being passively informed should be fine, right?