Fairy, you call this repaying a debt of gratitude?

"Turn around!"

Ji Lingyuan's tone carried a hint of embarrassment and anger.

She didn't want anyone other than Shen Wei to see her in such a vulnerable state.

Ye Qingci understood immediately, and wisely turned around, closed her eyes, and pretended that she hadn't seen or heard anything.

Moonlight streamed through the carved wooden window, casting dappled shadows on the two people's faces, creating a slightly awkward atmosphere in the room.

Shen Wei and Ji Lingyuan exchanged a glance, both looking somewhat embarrassed, but neither of them let go of each other's hands first, and they simply embraced quietly like that.

After a long while, the two slowly released each other, and in the large room, only their soft breathing could be heard.

Shen Wei gazed at her reddened eyes, his tone softening as he raised his hand to brush her soft white hair:

"You're right. I was too presumptuous. I always thought I could decide everything for you, but I never asked you what you really wanted."

Ji Lingyuan looked up at him, perhaps touched by his sincere apology, her voice trembling almost imperceptibly:

"Then will you still abandon me?"

"If you don't want to, you won't."

"But I still feel that only a contract is enough to ensure our relationship is secure..." Ji Lingyuan's voice was soft.

She was terrified of being abandoned again, and only a contract, something that brought certainty, could give her some peace of mind.

Shen Wei's heart skipped a beat; he knew her stubbornness had resurfaced, but he could only continue to soothe her.

"I think the feelings between us should have been pure, right?"

"But, but..."

"You're hesitating, aren't you? That proves that what I feel for you is just an unattainable obsession, not love."

"No...that's not it!" Ji Lingyuan quickly retorted, "I really like you, it's not just an obsession, I really want to be with you!"

"Then why did you sign that contract in the first place?"

"Because I'm not sure... whether you like me or not..."

"Of course I like you..."

Shen Wei's tone was gentle yet earnest.

"Didn't we just say that...? I was too presumptuous..."

"I now realize I was wrong. Are you willing to believe me?"

In fact, Shen Wei is indeed thinking this way right now. He did make a mistake in this regard, but Ji Lingyuan is even more wrong than him.

"I trust you."

Ji Lingyuan thought for a moment and then added, "However, you can't go anywhere these days. You can only stay here obediently, and I will protect you."

"Stay here obediently" was not the answer Shen Wei wanted to hear.

Why?

Ji Lingyuan shook her head. "Your cultivation level is too high. Master has made a lot of preparations for this plan..."

"What plan?"

"This...I can't say."

"Even to me, you can't tell?"

A conflicted expression appeared on Ji Lingyuan's face.

"No...actually, I didn't want to hide it from you, but it's just..."

Seeing this, Shen Wei stopped pressing the matter, but he keenly caught the two key words in her mouth—Master.

"You... now belong to a sect?"

"Um."

"Are they the Five Great Immortal Sects?"

This world is not limited to just the five major immortal sects; it can be further subdivided into several layers, each containing a vast number of sects.

But the reason he immediately mentioned the five great immortal sects was that, given her talent, the five great immortal sects were even a waste of her abilities.

"No, as you know, I've never liked those hypocritical and pretentious immortal sects."

"So that's... the Demonic Sect?"

"According to them, it is indeed the Demonic Sect."

As Ji Lingyuan spoke, she pointed to Ye Qingci standing to the side, then quickly added,

"Don't think the Demonic Sect is bad. I actually think it's much better than those hypocritical Immortal Sects. Besides, there's that evil dragon inside you..."

Just as Ji Lingyuan was about to utter those three words, Shen Wei was finally able to draw spiritual energy from the Evil Dragon.

In the blink of an eye, he flashed behind Ji Lingyuan and firmly restrained her.

"Ye Qingci! Help me, take that bundle of spirit rope from my storage ring."

Ye Qingci, who was playing the role of a sleeping wife, was startled by his sudden call of her name, but quickly recovered.

"Okay."

The moment he said this, Shen Wei loosened his right hand for a second and tossed the storage ring to Ye Qingci.

At the same time, with a slight movement of her divine sense, Ye Qingci gained the authority to open his storage ring.

"Shen Wei...you...bastard!"

Ji Lingyuan stammered as she accused Shen Wei, her eyes filled with disbelief.

The effect could clearly last for a long time, so how could he use spiritual power?

Shen Wei was able to use spiritual power mainly because of the Evil Dragon Fiend. Although the Soul-Locking Powder temporarily suppressed it, he had his own way of dealing with it.

Besides external things like demonic energy, resentment, and human essence and blood that can arouse it, its own desires are also key.

As the saying goes, dragons are inherently lewd.

......

Ye Qingci deftly took out the Spirit Binding Rope and, under Shen Wei's instructions, bound Ji Lingyuan tightly.

This bundle of spirit rope was originally obtained from an evil cultivator, but I never expected it would be useful to Ji Lingyuan.

Shen Wei sighed softly, looking at Ji Lingyuan who was tied up, a trace of reluctance flashed in his eyes, but given the current situation, this was the only thing he could do.

"Ji Lingyuan, now you answer whatever I say, understand?"

Ye Qingci's technique was swift and skillful; the bundle of spirit ropes seemed to falter slightly when it landed on Ji Lingyuan.

At this moment, Ji Lingyuan's mouth was covered by the handkerchief that Ye Qingci was carrying. Her clear almond eyes were fixed on him, full of grievance and resentment, but she could only nod cautiously.

Seeing this, Shen Wei slowly untied the handkerchief.

"Shen Wei..."

"You big bastard!"

Shen Wei's eyes darkened, and he immediately stuffed the handkerchief back into his hand.

"This is your last chance. If you do this again, I'll leave you here alone. Of course, this rope will eventually break, but by then, you may never see me again."

"Have you thought it through? If you have, then nod."

The anger in Ji Lingyuan's eyes gradually faded, replaced by a trace of fear. Finally, she nodded obediently and meekly.

Shen Wei then released his grip again.

Ye Qingci stood aside, completely bewildered. Even now, she still couldn't figure out what the relationship between the two was. She only vaguely felt that there must be a deeply intertwined past between them.

"Should I avoid this?"

Ye Qingci felt that she was not quite right for herself to stay here.

"No need, you can just stay here."

Shen Wei answered in a deep voice, his gaze never leaving Ji Lingyuan.

"How did you find me?"

"I didn't expect to run into you here..." Ji Lingyuan lowered her eyes and explained in a low voice.

"One of my men reported that there's a disciple of the Shangqing Sect in this city. This is a major variable that could affect our plans, so I had to come and investigate personally. I just didn't expect to run into you here."

Shen Wei lowered his eyes and pondered for a moment, slowly sorting out his thoughts: First, she hadn't been eyeing him all along, but rather Ye Qingci's identity as a member of the Shangqing Sect had attracted their attention, and then they happened to see him in the same room as Ye Qingci.

Second, what exactly is this so-called plan she's talking about?

This was exactly what I had predicted, except that I hadn't realized that the faint fragrance was the scent of the Soul-Locking Powder.

He thought for a moment, then slowly asked the next question.

"What exactly is this so-called plan you're talking about?"

Ji Lingyuan raised her eyes, her tone firm:

"I've said before that it's impossible for me to tell you this."

It seems Ji Lingyuan is determined to play the role of the riddle solver to the end.

Just as Shen Wei was about to ask more questions, a strange noise suddenly came from above the roof.