I let you tame beasts, and you've already formed a contract with your stunningly beautiful mast

"No! There's still a chance!"

She looked at Cao Kun, who was lying weakly beside the cloud bed.

After a moment of panic, his eyes suddenly became incredibly firm.

"That was merely a chilling poison formed from my life essence, not a true deadly poison! As long as... as long as I can recall it, everything can still be salvaged!"

With this thought in mind, Leng Qingyue no longer hesitated.

Without a second thought, she rushed to the bedside, placed Cao Kun on her fragrant shoulder, and sat cross-legged.

With one hand pressed against Cao Kun's back, the other hand rapidly made hand seals.

"receive!"

Leng Qingyue let out a soft shout, and her ice spirit root began to operate at full power.

An invisible force enveloped Cao Kun's entire body.

He attempted to forcibly recall the drop of vital essence that had already merged into his dantian.

However, a breath passed.

Two breaths passed.

Ten breaths passed...

Cao Kun's body remained completely still, showing no reaction whatsoever.

Fine beads of fragrant sweat appeared on Leng Qingyue's forehead.

She could feel that the connection between herself and that drop of her life essence was extremely weak.

"How could this be... how could this happen?!"

She refused to believe it, gritted her teeth, and activated her technique once more.

This time, she even went so far as to expend a wisp of her own essence to intensify the recall efforts!

But the result remained the same.

That drop of her life essence, like a drop of water falling into the ocean, completely disappeared and severed all ties with her.

Just as she was giving it her all, Cao Kun's body suddenly shuddered.

This completely shattered Leng Qingyue's illusions.

It's irreversible!

She caused irreversible damage with her own hands!

This realization made her feel dizzy and disoriented.

He... destroyed his only hope with his own hands!

Just as Leng Qingyue was overwhelmed with self-blame and fear, a faint groan rang in her ears.

"Junior sister..."

Cao Kun, nestled in her arms, trembled with eyelashes and slowly opened his eyes.

His eyes were unfocused, his lips were bluish, and his face showed a hint of confusion.

"What...what did you do to me? It's so cold...my spiritual power...it feels...it feels like it's frozen..."

This weak and innocent question became the final straw that broke Leng Qingyue's psychological defenses.

She couldn't hold back any longer.

Those clear, cold phoenix eyes instantly filled with moisture, and two lines of tears uncontrollably streamed down her fair cheeks.

"I'm sorry...I'm so sorry!"

Overwhelmed with panic and guilt, she tearfully confessed everything.

"The wine... the wine contained my life essence... I thought... I thought you were using evil magic to control my master... I just wanted to subdue you and find out the truth... I... I really didn't mean to kill you! I really didn't!"

Crystalline tears fell onto Cao Kun's face.

[Tsk, my acting skills, that innocent little look, that perfectly timed weakness, those heart-wrenching lines... Junior sister, can you handle it?]

Cao Kun mentally gave himself a thumbs up. Instead of showing any anger on his face, he forced out a bitter smile that was even more hideous than crying.

"So...that's how it is..."

He struggled to raise his hand, trying to wipe away Leng Qingyue's tears, but then let it fall limply.

"For the sake of Master... I don't blame you..."

This……

This kind of magnanimity shown on the verge of death is more lethal than any harsh accusation.

Leng Qingyue's heart felt like it was being clenched tightly, the pain making it hard for her to breathe.

She felt utterly deserving of death! Worse than a pig or a dog!

"Hold on! I'll go beg Master! She definitely has a way to save you!"

Leng Qingyue tried to stand up in a flustered manner, but Cao Kun grabbed her.

"No...don't go!"

"Cough cough..."

"My master exhausted his own life force today to help me cultivate... and is currently in seclusion to recuperate... If I am disturbed now, I fear... I might suffer a qi deviation!"

"And...it's too late..."

Leng Qingyue had only stood up halfway when she slumped back down weakly.

Yes, Master was severely injured; I saw it with my own eyes.

Is there really no other way?

Are we just supposed to watch him die?

Looking into Leng Qingyue's eyes, which were gradually filled with despair, Cao Kun knew it was time to close the net.

His breathing became rapid and erratic, and he spoke intermittently.

"The only way... is to activate the Fiery Sun Spiritual Root within me... to fight against the Cold Poison..."

"But... but my meridians are frozen, and my spiritual energy cannot circulate. I need... I need to rely on external force..."

A look of extreme struggle and shame appeared on Cao Kun's face.

"By...by using the interaction of Yin and Yang, forcibly...stimulating the fundamental spiritual source..."

Yin...the union of Yin and Yang?

Leng Qingyue was completely stunned.

These four words echoed in her ears again and again.

Although she was focused on cultivation and naive about worldly affairs, as a disciple of the Hehuan Sect, how could she not understand the true meaning of those four words?

Let her...let her be with a man she's only known for less than a day...

Doing such...doing such despicable things?

How could we be so hasty...

Cao Kun keenly caught the resistance and struggle in her eyes, and sneered inwardly.

Little brat, that's the reaction I've been waiting for.

Cao Kun chuckled self-deprecatingly and released his grip on Leng Qingyue's hand.

"That's enough...that's enough..."

"It was my...rudeness..."

He leaned weakly back into Leng Qingyue's soft embrace, his eyes beginning to glaze over, as if the flame of his life might be extinguished at any moment.

"Junior sister is pure and virtuous, like a celestial maiden... How could I... how could I let you make such a... sacrifice for me, a dying man..."

"To... to die in the arms of such a stunning beauty as my junior sister... that's... that's a worthy death..."

"In the next life... if fate allows... cough cough..."

This move, a strategic retreat, was like a precise and deadly strike, completely shattering Leng Qingyue's last line of defense.

sacrifice?

Yes, sacrifice.

My master is a Golden Core cultivator and the master of Lianxiang Peak. For my sake, he was willing to sacrifice his own essence and submit himself to him...

What does my little bit of innocence even matter?

Saving him is saving our Master!

Saving him is saving your own future path!

If he dies, everything Master has done will be in vain.

He himself would be forever trapped in the torment of the cold poison, eventually turning into a cold statue!

I've figured it all out.

In Leng Qingyue's beautiful, tearful eyes, the last hesitation was replaced by a resolute determination!

She looked at Cao Kun, who was beginning to "lose consciousness" in her arms, and bit her lower lip hard with her pearly teeth.

"You will not be allowed to die, Cao Guan!"

next second.

She made a decision that went against the wishes of her ancestors.

Leng Qingyue's pretty face flushed red, but her gaze remained firm.

"Excuse me, senior brother!"