The Mountain Lord's Daughter

"Won't regret it?"

The soul energy from the jade bead on Zhan Yunwei's palace sash dispersed, spreading like smoke. It enveloped the entire pleasure boat, forming a barrier that blocked out external prying eyes.

Moonlight reflected on the lake's surface, the ripples radiating outward in circles with the pleasure boat at the center.

In a nearby boat, a courtesan was playing and singing, her mesmerizing melody lingering in the air. Inside the boat, the light silk curtains danced in harmony with the night breeze, adding a touch of enchantment.

When Yue Zhiheng set Zhan Yunwei down, she could barely recognize him. Out of sheer survival instinct, she clung tightly to his belt.

Yue Zhiheng lowered his gaze and frowned. "Miss Zhan, let go."

In response, her grip only tightened.

Yue Zhiheng had no choice but to grab her hand and forcibly pry his belt free from her grasp.

Not expecting such cold indifference, a mist of tears welled up in her hazy eyes.

Yue Zhiheng walked over, poured a cup of water, dissolved a spiritual talisman into it, and fed it to her.

Although her body remained uncomfortably hot, her spiritual consciousness finally began to clear.

"Master Yue."

Seeing that she could finally recognize him, Yue Zhiheng gave a faint acknowledgment.

Zhan Yunwei realized her clothes were in complete disarray, her outer garment practically choking her collar. Though she wasn't entirely sure what had transpired during her foggy state, the situation was too telling, and she could almost imagine Yue Zhiheng's reaction.

Hugging her knees, she leaned against the boat's window, a touch of embarrassment creeping in as her toes instinctively curled.

Her voice hoarse, Zhan Yunwei asked, "Where's Dongfang Che?"

"One arm severed. He escaped. Do you know him?"

Summoning her strength, Zhan Yunwei nodded. "Yes, my father once took him in at Changyan Mountain. He was an outer disciple there for two years."

Yue Zhiheng glanced at her.

Although his gaze was indifferent and devoid of reproach, Zhan Yunwei inexplicably felt the unspoken judgment: Changyan Mountain truly picks up any stray cat or dog.

Unwilling to be outdone, Zhan Yunwei retorted, "Dongfang Che is one of your Che Tianfu people. Changyan Mountain couldn't possibly raise someone so twisted."

When her father rescued people, he couldn't exactly cut them open to check if their hearts were black or red. Dongfang Che had been among the refugees; how could anyone have identified him? Besides, with so many lives saved, a few bad eggs in the bunch were inevitable.

Yue Zhiheng cast her a meaningful look. Miss Zhan's heart is truly broad.

Even under the effects of "Lovesick Tether," she still had the energy to argue with him.

"Since Dongfang Che could be considered your junior brother, Miss Zhan, why didn't you leave with him?"

As he spoke, he swirled the cup in his hand, observing her expression.

If Zhan Yunwei had torn off the palace sash and chosen to leave with Dongfang Che, Yue Zhiheng might not have been able to track them down.

But she had worn the palace sash the entire time.

Zhan Yunwei replied, "Do I look like a fool to Master Yue?"

If Dongfang Che truly cared for her and wanted to rescue her, he had plenty of ways to do so. Yet he deliberately allowed the Third Prince to succeed in drugging her. If he had truly wanted to give her the antidote, he should have carried it with him—not semi-coerced her with the promise of fetching it together.

Zhan Yunwei asked, "What's wrong? Is there an issue?"

"Nothing," Yue Zhiheng replied with a faint downward glance. "I merely assumed that, compared to me, Miss Zhan would at least trust him more."

"At least Master Yue is an upright gentleman," Zhan Yunwei said, "with no ulterior motives toward me." He also wouldn't drug her.

"…" Yue Zhiheng paused, set down the cup, and glanced at her. "You really are…"

Really what?

She wanted to ask, but the suppressed trembling in her body surged back. Zhan Yunwei bit her lip, clutching her knees tightly.

The Hua Si Festival was, after all, a day for expressing affection or indulging in pleasure.

As the silence grew, the lingering melodies from the nearby boats filtered in on the night breeze.

This was unbearable.

In a strained tone, Zhan Yunwei asked, "Master Yue, my… my condition hasn't been resolved?"

"No," Yue Zhiheng replied coldly.

It wasn't that simple. His spiritual talisman had merely cleared her mind briefly—it had been prepared for himself, in case the pattern of the Compassionate Lotus stripped him of rationality. He had only one, effective for merely a quarter of an hour.

"Lovesick Tether" wasn't even a true spiritual artifact. The first Master Yue, infamous for his sinister temperament, had originally cultivated it to control his beloved.

Yue Zhiheng had no choice but to reveal the harsh truth: "Don't look at me—I don't have the antidote."

Zhan Yunwei, typically composed, felt her control slipping. "Then what should I do?"

Yue Zhiheng said, "Perhaps you can endure it."

However, according to Che Tianfu's records, no one had ever managed to do so.

Even with her formidable willpower, "Lovesick Tether" targeted the mind and spirit. Each month, its effects grew stronger. When it fully consumed her, she might not even remember who she was, let alone summon the will to resist.

The talisman's effect was wearing off.

Each time the light silk curtains brushed her hand, she couldn't suppress a faint shiver.

The boat lacked the luminous pearls of nobility, lit only by flower lamps and a delicate rabbit-shaped lantern hanging nearby.

The moonlight couldn't penetrate inside, and in the soft glow, Yue Zhiheng's aura of lethality seemed to dissipate.

Seeing the tears welling in her clear eyes, he sighed at how pitiable she looked. "I'll unlock the Spirit Confinement Bracelet. Try suppressing it with your spiritual power."

Kneeling before her, he said, "Give me your hand."

She was engulfed in a haze, and at his words, she weakly extended her right hand.

Had she already lost her clarity this much? Yue Zhiheng paused for a moment, then took her left hand, which was clutching the edge of her skirt and wearing the Spirit Confinement Bracelet, and removed it.

The light silk fluttered in the night breeze, brushing over her snow-white wrist, while the lanterns inside the boat swayed gently.

As soon as Yue Zhiheng removed the Spirit Confinement Bracelet, he felt her hand grip his wrist. Her face leaned against his chest, and he could feel her soft, warm body as she whispered softly, "The spiritual power can't suppress it, is it possible…"

No, it was not possible.

She wasn't clear-headed, but Yue Zhiheng was still in control of his faculties. The night breeze blew through the half-open window, carrying with it the restless heat of summer.

It was unclear whether the music on the pleasure boat had stopped, or if her voice, so close to his ear, had drowned out the sound.

Something brushed against his neck, a fleeting touch.

Yue Zhiheng gripped her shoulder, momentarily halting his hand as he felt the sensation—soft, wet. He immediately understood what she was doing.

The rabbit-shaped lantern on the boat shook, as if reminding him—hadn't the first lesson been enough?

Yue Zhiheng tightened his grip, his expression turning colder.

Under the control of the spiritual butterfly, Zhan Yunwei couldn't recognize the person in front of her. All she could sense was his coldness and his difficult nature. She felt like someone drowning, desperately reaching for anything to hold onto, but every time she tried, she only touched the cold, unforgiving whip. The enchantment on it burned her hand with searing pain.

"Zhan Yunwei!"

Yue Zhiheng didn't expect her to hurt herself. He grabbed her hand, lowering his gaze to see that her delicate palm had turned red, the pain causing her to almost cry out. "If you won't help me, then find someone who will…"

Yue Zhiheng removed the whip and set it aside. Without even lifting his head, he coldly sneered, "Who do you want?"

Her mind was blank, not a single name coming to mind. She thought only of someone who could save her from the pain.

But this person neither helped her nor followed her request. Instead, he grabbed her hand and examined the burn left by the Spirit Stone.

No, that wasn't what she meant.

Seeing that he refused to help, the spiritual butterfly inside her mind seemed to suffocate her. Zhan Yunwei pushed him away, staggering toward the exit.

If he wouldn't help her, she would go find the antidote herself.

Yue Zhiheng quickly realized that allowing her to regain her spiritual power was a grave mistake. She had no intention of controlling her spiritual energy, and her chaotic manipulation of the spiritual arts scattered stars that sealed his vital points, mercilessly targeting his life. One of them almost landed just inches below his navel.

In that moment, Yue Zhiheng realized that, just like Dongfang Che, he was being careless. He had left himself unguarded against her.

Yue Zhiheng dodged her spiritual energy, and when he looked up, he saw that she was almost out of the pleasure boat.

The spirit soul had just awakened, still in a childish state, and was curiously observing the disheveled girl, determined to find the antidote.

Outside, there were countless pleasure boats, and in the imperial city, many powerful officials were taking pleasure in the scene.

Hearing the noise, someone opened a window to look.

Yue Zhiheng's face darkened. He quickly stepped forward, seized her by the waist, and carried her back into the boat.

She recognized from her breath that this was the person who had refused to save her, and she tried to struggle free.

"Stop making a scene. You wanted someone to save you, didn't you? I'm here."

Feeling the presence of the white spiritual butterfly and hearing his compromising tone, the red spiritual butterfly inside her seemed to finally calm.

Yue Zhiheng carried her back, and Zhan Yunwei knelt on the bed. This time, she cautiously leaned toward him, and she realized that he didn't pull away.

Yue Zhiheng took the removed bracelet and placed it back on her wrist. At the same time, she managed to open her misty, clear eyes and pushed him down onto the bed.

She leaned over him.

Sensing her desperate, yet awkward touch on his neck, Yue Zhiheng looked at her and calmly asked, "Won't regret it?"

She shook her head, vaguely hearing what he said and nodding in confusion.

The moonlight was soft like satin, and there were no stars in the sky that night, only her eyes, which seemed like the entire galaxy.

Seeing his reflection in her eyes, Yue Zhiheng said, "Good."

The next moment, Zhan Yunwei felt a force around her waist, and their positions shifted.

He gripped her uninjured hand and led it to the clothing belt she had been thinking about all night. Unlike before, when she couldn't undo it, this time, under his guidance, it came loose with a gentle pull and fell apart.

Her vision was blocked, her eyes catching sight of his broad shoulders, his Adam's apple, and his well-defined jaw.

The moonlight was hidden behind clouds.

The outer garment, which had been pulled tight at her collar, was now undone by the same hands that had fastened it.

The pleasure boat swayed gently, and the night was clear.

The hibiscus flower inside the boat bloomed with each breath she took, its petals opening delicately and beautifully.

"Don't be too hasty, wait a little longer," his voice finally broke from its calmness, taking on a slight huskiness. "You'll hurt yourself."

She pressed her face against his cool neck, trying to cool down.

He lowered his head in response to her touch, his hand gently cradling her head.

The white jade butterfly, controlled by his spiritual energy, flew out of the jade box. Under the influence of the red butterfly in her sea of consciousness, her gaze instinctively followed it, never once looking at him.

Yue Zhiheng turned her face toward him, intending to confirm one last time. "Look at me."

"Do you still remember who I am, Miss Zhan?"

She no longer knew what time it was, trying to deny the past, but he wouldn't let her escape.

At this point, the person in front of her, who had initially seemed to align with her intentions, stubbornly insisted on an answer, no matter what.

But who was he? Everything in front of her was blurry, and her mind was in chaos.

She tried to rid herself of the red butterfly's influence and began to recollect. Memories surged; she thought back to her youth. It wasn't Senior Zhao, nor Senior Wang, and it definitely wasn't Zhan Shujing, who would always find ways to trouble her when he had the chance.

She went through the names of all the men she had known, one by one in her mind.

Her hand brushed against something.

The person beside her took a deep breath. A flash of clarity hit Zhan Yunwei—could it be… the Liuli Sword?

So he was...

"Senior Pei?"

Cold wind rushed into the boat from outside, and someone gripped the acupoint on her wrist. There seemed to be a cold laugh, and three "good" words were spoken in succession.

Before Zhan Yunwei could even feel relieved for having guessed right, the person withdrew and sealed the white spiritual butterfly back into its jade box, roughly bundling her up again.

Before she could question why he had changed his mind, he held her and leaped off the boat into the lake.

The summer night wasn't cold, but the sudden plunge into the water still made Zhan Yunwei shudder.

The moonlight on the surface of the lake was shattered.

The soul spirit, which Yue Zhiheng had originally used to form a barrier, peered out to assess the situation and attempted to save its master. Upon seeing Yue Zhiheng's expression, it realized the situation was dire and quietly retreated.

Zhan Yunwei still didn't understand how things had escalated this far when she heard the cold voice of the man above her.

"Yue will accompany Miss Zhan. Stay awake."

She shuddered at hearing his self-reference, her body trembling in the water.