Ji Qinglin was completely stunned by Xia Wanning's sudden tenderness and couldn't utter a single word.
When Xia Wanning's lips landed on his, Ji Qinglin felt a jolt run through his body. There was an indescribable look of confusion in his eyes.
The heart in his chest was pounding wildly, as if it was about to burst out of his chest.
It wasn't until Xia Wanning's lips left his that Ji Qinglin's mind was still a complete blank.
"Qinglin, you're so cute," Xia Wanning murmured softly.
Ji Qinglin's body involuntarily trembled again.
Was this the girl he had a crush on? His body told him that he enjoyed Xia Wanning's touch, but the last bit of sanity in his mind reminded him that all this was too strange and abnormal.
It took Ji Qinglin a long time to calm himself down.
He took Xia Wanning's hand and asked seriously, "Are you telling the truth?"
Xia Wanning lowered her head and replied indifferently, "Yes."
"You won't lie to me, right?"
"Yes."
Ji Qinglin smiled. He was already very good-looking, and with this smile, his little tiger tooth showed, making him look as innocent as a child.
"I believe you."
Xia Wanning let out a sigh of relief.
She knew that among the five of them, Ji Qinglin was the least likely to lie. If he really found out something, he would surely report it to the Emperor. Even if he didn't say anything, the Emperor would be able to tell at a glance.
So what Xia Wanning needed to do now was to stabilize Ji Qinglin and make him believe her.
"Then where shall we go next? To meet the person you mentioned?"
Xia Wanning forced a smile.
She said softly, "Three days later. We'll meet him three days later."
"Okay. I'll do whatever you say."
Ji Qinglin never thought that Xia Wanning would like him.
He used to think that the person in Xia Wanning's heart was the Emperor, because the way she looked at the Emperor was so cautious and full of secret joy.
Now that he thought about it, those were probably just his illusions.
Wanning said she liked him, so she must not be lying to him.
Ji Qinglin naturally took Xia Wanning's hand and walked in front.
He didn't notice that at this moment, there was nothing but disgust on Xia Wanning's face.
Ji Qinglin walked Xia Wanning to her room. At this moment, he still didn't want to leave.
"Come in and sit for a while."
"Is that okay?"
Ji Qinglin was both surprised and delighted by Xia Wanning's invitation.
Seeing Xia Wanning nod, Ji Qinglin dared to step into Xia Wanning's yard.
Once inside the room, Xia Wanning made some tea for Ji Qinglin. Then she sat down opposite him, looking worried.
"What's wrong?"
"My spiritual power has been resisting these days. I just can't break through to a higher level."
"Let me take a look."
Ji Qinglin placed his hand on Xia Wanning's right wrist. Then he felt that her qi was indeed a bit chaotic.
"Okay. I'll help you circulate your true qi. Don't move. If it doesn't work, I'll transfer some of my cultivation to you."
"You're willing to transfer some of your true qi to me?"
Xia Wanning was quite surprised by this. She hadn't even opened her mouth, yet Ji Qinglin had offered it on his own initiative.
"We don't need to be so formal with each other."
A flicker of reluctance flashed across Xia Wanning's eyes.
But when she saw the jade flute on the bedside that she was going to give to the Emperor, her resolve strengthened.
The person in her heart was that peerlessly handsome man in green clothes.
"Then I'll have to trouble you, Qinglin."
"It's no trouble."
True qi can be transferred between alchemists, but only with the alchemist's consent.
When Xia Wanning had previously offered alchemists to the Ghost Domain, the fierce beasts there had obtained power by sucking the alchemists' blood and converting the true qi in their bodies.
That was a cruel and slow method.
But for Ji Qinglin, an eighth-rank alchemist, such a situation wouldn't occur. As long as he was willing, his true qi could be transferred into Xia Wanning's body.
At night, after Ji Qinglin transferred some of his true qi into Xia Wanning's body and made sure several times that her qi was much more stable, he left her yard.
Although Ji Qinglin had entered Xia Wanning's room, he was very well-behaved and didn't touch her.
He thought that a girl as wonderful as Wanning deserved to be treated with respect. If they weren't married, he had no right to touch her.
Ji Qinglin turned around. Xia Wanning was leaning on the railing in front of the yard and nodded at him.
A surge of joy welled up in his heart. Then he lightly tapped his feet and left.
Looking at the empty courtyard, Xia Wanning felt a bit lost.
Perhaps Ji Qinglin was one of the few men who had wholeheartedly treated her well.
After getting along for so many years, she really didn't want to ruin him just like that.
But if she didn't ruin him, and if he continued to investigate, he would ruin her. All the fame she had gained over the years would be in vain, and she would lose everything.
"So? Are you starting to regret it?"
Suddenly, a black-clothed man appeared behind Xia Wanning.
"No."
"This Elder Ji is really good to you. He gave you the true qi of an eighth-rank alchemist just like that. He probably doesn't know that this one action of his will bring him disaster."
"He's just being wishful."
Xia Wanning walked back into the room, and the black-clothed man followed her in.
"Have you thought it through?"
"Yes."
The black-clothed man let out a disdainful snort and said, "Women in this world are all so cold-hearted. In order to get what they want, they'll stop at nothing. They won't hesitate to push their lovers into the fire pit."
Xia Wanning's face darkened. "I have nothing to do with him."
"I don't know whether there's any relationship between Elder Xia and Elder Ji, and I'm not qualified to discuss your affairs. But Elder Xia had better think it through. Once the arrow is shot, there's no turning back."
Xia Wanning put down the teacup in her hand.
Feeling the warmth of the teacup, she lowered her head and only then realized that the teacup she was holding was the one Ji Qinglin had just drunk from.
For a moment, she was in a complete mess.
"The plan remains unchanged. Three days later, I'll take him to the riverside to meet you."
"Okay. I'll be waiting for your arrival, Elder Xia."
The black-clothed man smiled maliciously and then disappeared from Xia Wanning's room.
Xia Wanning played with the cup in her hand. Distracted, she exerted a little force, and the cup shattered into many pieces. The fragments pierced into her hand, and in an instant, her hand was covered in blood.
But she didn't even frown.
"Ji Qinglin, I'm sorry."