“Good, good, good.”
Ling Ze, in his rage, let out a chilling laugh, his voice sending shivers down everyone’s spine.
He was the first to speak, “Men, take the Eldest Princess away, lock her up tightly, and keep a close watch until further orders.”
“As for this one…” He pointed at Mu Feng. “Drag him down and execute him at once—behead him on the spot.”
“Wait!”
A voice cold as an icy spring, yet carrying endless chill, rang through the grand hall.
Xun Xue stepped forward.
“Hm?” Ling Ze frowned in annoyance. “Xun Xue, do you still have something to say?”
“This man injured my child, cruel and venomous.”
Xun Xue’s voice was chillingly calm, freezing to the marrow. “Just killing him with a single stroke… isn’t that letting him off too easily?”
“… Do as you wish, I’m a bit tired.”
Ling Ze closed his eyes in exhaustion, sighed, and waved his hand.
His voice was heavy with fatigue and disappointment. “Court dismissed.”
With that, Ling Ze leaned back on the dragon throne, closing his eyes in thought. Xun Xue, her face cold as frost, led Mu Feng away.
***
Deep in the dank, shadowy death cell.
The thick stench of blood mingled with rust and mold, nauseating to the senses.
Mu Feng was shackled to the cold stone wall by heavy Blacksteel Chains, yet a twisted, cold smile still lingered on his face as he looked out the cell door at Lu Qiancha.
“Tsk, I really didn’t expect you could return from the other side without the Frostmoon Wheel. I thought you’d rot away in that Deep Dream Domain, hahahaha!”
Lu Qiancha’s face was expressionless. In answer, she delivered a harsh, ice-laden punch, imbued with spiritual power, simple but filled with burning rage.
“Bang!”
The blow landed solidly on his abdomen.
“Ugh—!”
Mu Feng’s eyes bulged, his body arching in agony like a shrimp. With his spiritual power sealed, he was no different from a mortal at this moment.
“Qiancha…” Xun Xue’s fingertips had already formed several ice needles radiating deadly, freezing aura.
Her voice was unusually gentle. “Tell Mother, which hand did this beast hurt?”
At those words, Lu Qiancha shook her head lightly, then spoke coldly, “Mother, just cripple both hands.”
“Alright.”
Xun Xue agreed without hesitation, flicking her fingers.
“Shh! Shh! Shh—!”
Several thin but deadly blue ice rays instantly sank into both of Mu Feng’s arms.
“AAHHHHH—!”
Mu Feng screamed in agony, a beastly, desperate howl as his arms burst from within.
Countless sharp ice crystals, like savage thorns, pierced flesh, tore tendons, and penetrated bone.
Before blood could even flow, it was instantly frozen by the extreme cold.
Both arms, crushed like broken lotus roots, hung limp and useless.
The pain had only just begun.
A dark light swirled in Lu Qiancha’s claw, morphing instantly into a spiraled spear, half red and half yellow.
Her gaze icy, she aimed the spearhead at Mu Feng’s legs and drove it down with force.
“Puff! Puff!”
Two dull, tearing sounds as the spearhead precisely pierced through his ankles.
The tendons snapped with a sickening sound.
“AAAH—!”
Mu Feng’s screams were now beyond recognition.
But it was not over yet.
Lu Qiancha pressed forward, one claw shrouded in spiritual power, slammed down hard on his dantian.
“Break!”
With a soft shout, spiritual power thundered in like a raging storm, violently shaking his core.
“Ugh—! Pu!”
Mu Feng’s body jolted as if struck by lightning, spasming before spewing a mouthful of foul blood mixed with organ fragments.
His eyes rolled back white, his body limp as if his bones had been sucked away, his cultivation ruined.
Afterward, Lu Qiancha, still expressionless, pulled out a bottle of thick, milky-white potion and pried open his tightly clenched jaw, forcing it all down his throat.
“Cough, cough, cough! Ugh…”
Mu Feng was forced awake by the choking, barely able to focus his bleary eyes as he glared with deep hatred at the handsome face before him.
His voice was hoarse, shattered, and filled with bitter venom: “Bastard, isn’t ruining me like this enough for you?!”
“Pa!”
Xun Xue slapped him hard with a backhand.
“Puh!” A few bloodied teeth flew out.
His right cheek immediately swelled high, turning blue and purple.
Lu Qiancha wore a faint smile, her crimson lips parting, her voice as soft as a whisper, “Not enough.”
Composed and methodical, Lu Qiancha took out dozens of bottles and jars from her storage pouch, filled with potions of various colors and bizarre forms—her long-stored, untested masterpieces.
Her movements graceful, she forced one bottle after another into Mu Feng’s mouth.
Then Lu Qiancha stepped back, took out a White Jade Slip, and focused, observing and recording every minute change, every spasm of agony, every desperate wail—precious experimental data.
***
An hour later, Lu Qiancha closed the thoroughly annotated White Jade Slip, a hint of satisfaction on her face.
A perfect experimental subject: strong regenerative power, and heightened sensitivity to pain.
“Mother, let’s go.”
Lu Qiancha turned to Xun Xue, her tone resuming its usual coolness.
“We’re leaving the Northern Territory?”
Xun Xue gazed at her gently.
Lu Qiancha shook her head lightly and replied, “Let’s stay a few more days.”
She still had many new ideas left untried.
“Alright.”
Xun Xue nodded knowingly, eyes full of fondness. “We’ll do as little Qiancha says.”
That night, back at the palace, Lu Qiancha shed her disguise.
“Hug.”
Lu Qiancha stretched out her arms, speaking softly to Xun Xue.
“Alright.”
Xun Xue chuckled, pulling Lu Qiancha into her embrace, savoring her familiar vanilla scent…
… and faintly catching a trace of creamy milk aroma.
Nearby, Ling Wanbai came running over with tiny steps, expressionless as she spoke, “Welcome home. Do you want to eat first, bathe first, or eat me first?”
Lu Qiancha: “?”
Xun Xue: “?”
Lu Qiancha hopped out of Xun Xue’s arms, stood on tiptoe, and poked at Ling Wanbai’s face with a paw, speaking in exasperation, “Where’d you learn that weird line?”
“The Grand Spirit Venerable taught me. She said it could increase Lady Qiancha’s willingness to pay.”
Ling Wanbai pushed Lu Qiancha’s restless little paw away and replied, still expressionless.
“Alright, alright, stop bickering, you two. Want some candy?”
As she spoke, Xun Xue took out a string of sugar sculptures and a stick of candied hawthorn from her storage pouch.
“I want it!”
Lu Qiancha raised her paw and scampered to Xun Xue’s side.
Lu Qiancha chose the candied hawthorn, hugging it in her little paws, then nudged her head against Xun Xue and said, “You can touch my ears.”
“Okay~”
Xun Xue reached out to tease Lu Qiancha’s little ears, then rubbed between both of them.
“Rrrrumble~”
Lu Qiancha held her candied hawthorn, eyes narrowed in bliss, purring contentedly.
She looked thoroughly pleased.
Xun Xue let go, gazing curiously at Lu Qiancha. She sensed her little one had changed in ways she couldn’t quite name.
Her temperament seemed much softer, but…
Xun Xue recalled Lu Qiancha’s ruthless treatment of Mu Feng earlier.
She pursed her lips, a vague suspicion rising in her heart.
She reached out and snatched the candied hawthorn from Lu Qiancha’s grasp.
“Hmm?”
Lu Qiancha’s ears drooped, and she tugged at Xun Xue’s sleeve, speaking in a soft voice, “You can touch my tail too, just don’t steal my candy…”
Xun Xue returned the candy, then sent a sound transmission to Ling Wanbai, telling her to take Lu Qiancha’s candy away.
“?”
Though Ling Wanbai was puzzled, she still did as instructed.
“… My candy!”
Lu Qiancha puffed up her cheeks and hurled a bottle of gray potion at Ling Wanbai.
In an instant, Ling Wanbai’s movements slowed to a snail’s pace. Lu Qiancha reached out and snatched both the candied hawthorn and sugar sculptures from her hands.
Lu Qiancha beamed sweetly, handing the candied hawthorn to Xun Xue. “Did Mother want some candy just now? Here you go.”
Xun Xue looked at the little wolf before her, who appeared utterly harmless, then glanced at the immobilized Ling Wanbai beside her.
She leaned back ever so slightly.