The youth in white robes spoke expressionlessly, his tone devoid of any fluctuation, showing no regard for her face: "This medicine seems a bit suspicious to me. But as for the specifics, further verification is needed."
Ling Chongxiao, a man who could be said to be well-versed in both the heavens and the earth, knowledgeable in medicine, divination, astrology, and geomancy, could tell at a glance that this medicinal soup was not simple.
Bai Ji'an, a wolf in sheep's clothing, smiled and said, "So that's how it is. However, this medicinal salve was sent over by Fellow Daoist Xia. Your words might inadvertently hurt Fellow Daoist Xia's feelings."
As for Bai Ji'an using her as a scapegoat, Ling Chongxiao had said his piece and remained unmoved.
Xia Lianqiao: "...Do you think Ling Chongxiao cares whether she's hurt or not?"
Bai Ji'an chuckled lightly, "In that case, I have a set of medicinal testing silver needles here, which will surely clear Fellow Daoist Xia's name. I presume you don't mind, do you?"
Xia Lianqiao: "...Thank you for your kindness, but she really does mind."
Li Langhuan, holding the medicine bowl, was at a loss, unable to comprehend why Bai Ji'an was being so rude today. She quickly stepped forward, offering both sides a way out: "Fellow Daoist Xia meant well. Young Master Bai, why must you frighten her like this?"
Was it just a scare? Bai Ji'an's expression was indifferent, a faint sneer on his lips. Though he understood Li Langhuan's attempt to mediate, he didn't expose it.
Although he was the male lead, Bai Ji'an's actions carried a certain deviousness. He wasn't the type to blindly protect those close to him without considering right and wrong.
Initially, he had been exceedingly patient with the daughter of his old friend, but as time went on, he realized that rotten wood could not be carved. While he wouldn't go so far as to clean up his old friend's mess, he did intend to let Xia Lianqiao suffer a bit, to teach her a lesson.
"This, that!" Before Li Langhuan could take the poison, Xia Lianqiao, mustering her courage, rushed forward, laughing awkwardly and forcing a smile, "This medicine does have a bit of a problem. It's actually a tonic I usually take, not a salve. Lichun must have made a mistake when delivering it."
With that, she picked up the medicine bowl, attempting to destroy the evidence.
Joking aside, her daughter had finally trusted her and given her a chance. If it was discovered that she had secretly poisoned her daughter, she could forget about ever redeeming herself as a cannon fodder supporting character.
Even if her daughter let her off this time, the two people in front of her, especially Ling Chongxiao, the ultimate weapon, probably wouldn't let her walk out of that door.
Bai Ji'an had been suspicious of her from the start. Now that he had caught a clue, how could he let her off? With a light smile, he gently placed his fingertips on her wrist, saying leisurely, "Fellow Daoist, hold on—"
Seeing that Bai Ji'an was about to take the medicine bowl, Xia Lianqiao panicked. In a moment of desperation, she decided to go all out, picking up the bowl and downing its contents in front of Bai Ji'an.
Bai Ji'an: "..."
Ling Chongxiao: "..."
This move completely stunned the three people in the room. Li Langhuan stared at her, dumbfounded.
Xia Lianqiao managed a stiff smile: "...Uh, it's a bit bitter?"
"..." The response was a deathly silence.
The joke might not have landed well, and to make matters worse, Xia Lianqiao suddenly felt a sharp pain in her stomach.
As the waves of pain grew more intense, Xia Lianqiao's face turned pale, cold sweat dripping down her forehead. She was in bad shape: "...Shouldn't this take effect months later? Does poison discriminate based on who's drinking it?!"
She had dared to drink the medicine because the original work seemed to mention that the main character had an antidote on hand. But Xia Lianqiao hadn't expected the poison to act so quickly.
In fact, what she didn't know was that the poison's incubation period depended entirely on the cultivator's level of cultivation. For someone as weak as Xia Lianqiao, the poison naturally took effect immediately.
"But, Fellow Daoist Xia," Li Langhuan exclaimed in shock, "you seem to be bleeding."
A trickle of blood slowly dripped from the corner of Xia Lianqiao's mouth: "..."
Just as she was about to emulate the tragic heroines of domestic dramas, maintaining her composure while bleeding from the mouth, the next moment, her lower dantian felt as if it had been punched.
Her qi reversed, coursing through her meridians, and her energy sea churned. Xia Lianqiao felt a surge of blood and qi in her chest, realizing something was terribly wrong. Although she frantically tried to suppress it, she ended up coughing up several mouthfuls of blood.
As she collapsed, the young man's eyelashes flickered, and he swiftly pulled aside the hem of his robe, avoiding the splatter of blood on his pristine white garment.
Xia Lianqiao gasped in pain, finally regaining her senses. The first thing she saw was a pair of long, white boots.
Following the boots upward, she saw the handsome young Daoist, his brows slightly furrowed, his eyes cold and disapproving as he looked down at her from above.
Xia Lianqiao: "..."
Are you a dog with that level of cleanliness?
Even so, she didn't forget to smooth things over. Trembling, she supported herself on the table and stood up, forcing herself to look up.
While blood dripped from her mouth, she bravely continued her awkward performance: "It seems I injured my lungs while exorcising demons earlier, hence the blood. But it should be nothing serious."
At this point, even Li Langhuan sensed something was wrong and asked worriedly, "Fellow Daoist Xia, are you really alright?"
Bai Ji'an, who hadn't expected this turn of events: "..."
Even though he knew the medicine was problematic, Xia Lianqiao's bloody state did confirm the issue. But her blatant lying left him at a loss for words.
"..."
Her vision was starting to blur. To prevent herself from fainting in front of them, Xia Lianqiao decisively said, "I just remembered I have something to attend to. I won't disturb you all any further."
With that, without waiting for a response, she quickly exited the Deer Cry Pavilion, clutching her skirt as she stumbled back to her quarters.
The entire way, it felt as if a steel blade had been thrust into her dantian, twisting and turning, causing unbearable pain.
By the time she finally returned to the Lotus Breeze Courtyard, her pitiful state immediately startled Lichun, who was cleaning inside. Dropping the cloth in her hand, Lichun rushed over, "Madam, what happened?!"
Xia Lianqiao didn't even have the strength to speak, "Forget the 'Madam' for now. Do you have the antidote? The one sent to Li Langhuan..."
Before she could finish, Lichun was stunned: "...Madam, did you...?"
Xia Lianqiao: "..."
"Yes, your Madam drank that stuff."
Though it made her seem rather foolish, she didn't have time to dwell on Lichun's complicated expression, half wanting to speak, half hesitating, as if looking at an idiot. After taking the antidote, Xia Lianqiao finally felt a bit better. Her stomach still hurt as if she'd been punched twice, but at least it wasn't as excruciating as before.
Whether it helped or not, drinking more water couldn't hurt. After downing several cups, Xia Lianqiao hesitantly asked, "Did I ask you to do anything else before this?"
...To be honest, after this ordeal, she had little faith in the original owner's morals.
Lichun stammered, "There was... Madam, you instructed me to light the Immortal's Allure in Young Master Bai's room..."
"What allure?" Holding her teacup, Xia Lianqiao was stunned, "Immortal's Allure??"
Why did that name sound so familiar?
Wasn't that the aphrodisiac Xia Lianqiao had used on Bai Ji'an in the original story?
She remembered the name so clearly because it was a staple in every fanfiction writer's arsenal. Relying on this, she had written several steamy scenes between Bai Ji'an and Li Langhuan.
Realizing the dire possibility, Xia Lianqiao was petrified, her expression as if she had just lost both parents: "Did you light it?"
Lichun hesitated, "Before leaving, Madam instructed that once you and the others were gone, Young Master Bai's room would be unguarded, making it the perfect time to act. I did sneak into his room during the day..."
Xia Lianqiao: "..."
Could someone just give her a quick death already?
That night.
A crescent moon hung from the branches.
The surroundings were silent, save for the silk lanterns hanging in the corridors of the Chen residence, swaying in the wind, illuminating the ink-like darkness.
Under the scattered shadows of the lantern light, a figure in green quietly slipped into the Pine Waves Pavilion under the cover of darkness. It was a young maiden dressed in a green silk skirt.
Her skin was fair and delicate, her features soft and evenly proportioned. Her almond-shaped eyes, clear and bright, sparkled under the lantern's glow. The green of her skirt resembled willow branches, and her feet were clad in cloud-patterned shoes. Her hair was tied in two buns, dark as a crow's feathers, and her face was as charming as jade.
Anyone who saw her would surely exclaim, "What a lovely young lady from a modest family!"
Yet, the expression on her face was one of utter despair, far from dignified.
This maiden, of course, was none other than Xia Lianqiao, who had just transmigrated into this world and found herself rushing to the scene of a disaster.
Even with her usually good temper, Xia Lianqiao couldn't help but curse the original owner of this body hundreds of times in her heart.
In the original story, the owner of this body had a decent family background and personal qualities. Unfortunately, she was a hopeless romantic who had devoted herself entirely to pursuing Bai Ji'an, going to extreme lengths to win his affection, even to the point of shamelessness.
Before she could even catch her breath, Xia Lianqiao, still weak from illness, reluctantly sneaked toward Bai Ji'an's residence in the Pine Waves Pavilion.
The night was dark, and the wind howled—a perfect time for mischief or worse.
Just as she reached the doorway, Xia Lianqiao abruptly halted, a flicker of hesitation crossing her face as fragmented memories from the original story flashed through her mind.
She suddenly recalled the scene from the original novel, *The Path of Cultivation*. From the perspective of the straight male author, this scene was undoubtedly intended to be tantalizing.
The orphaned daughter of an old friend, in the bloom of youth, vulnerable and alone, throwing herself into the arms of the male lead.
The original description depicted Xia Lianqiao as having cherry lips slightly parted, taking delicate steps, extending her snow-white wrist, and gazing at Bai Ji'an with tearful, starry eyes, her soft chest almost pressed against him.
And Bai Ji'an, the male lead, of course, remained unmoved.
Even as he sweated profusely, he maintained a composed demeanor, skillfully deflecting her advances, using her shameless behavior to highlight his own noble character.
Thinking of this, Xia Lianqiao felt utterly mortified. No matter what, she didn't want to become a mere tool to showcase the male lead's virtue.
The room was unlit, and Bai Ji'an likely hadn't returned yet.
If she could extinguish the incense in time, she might avoid facing Bai Ji'an and experiencing the ultimate embarrassment.
Taking a deep breath, Xia Lianqiao finally mustered the courage to push the door open.
But before she could step inside, her wrist was suddenly seized, and she stumbled as someone yanked her into the room.
Was it Bai Ji'an?
Xia Lianqiao froze.
No, that couldn't be.
In the original story, Bai Ji'an had been sitting slumped by the bed when the original owner entered.
Before she could gather her thoughts, a faint, cool fragrance of sandalwood filled her nostrils.
At the same time, a familiar, icy voice rang out.
"Who's there?"
A talisman was flung into the air, igniting without wind. The flickering flame illuminated Xia Lianqiao and also revealed the face of the person before her.
The young man had skin as pale as jade, eyebrows like ink paintings, and a crimson mark between his brows like a drop of blood. His jawline was sharp and cold.
That crimson mark—it could only belong to Ling Chongxiao!
A slight pain shot through her wrist, but Xia Lianqiao was too stunned to care. Her soul seemed to have left her body as she stared blankly at the scene before her.
Ling Chongxiao? Why was he here?
The ashes of the talisman drifted down between them, and the faint moonlight shimmered in Ling Chongxiao's pale eyes.
The girl before him widened her eyes, almost speechless.
She seemed dazed, her gaze fixed on where he still held her wrist.
Following her gaze, the young man frowned slightly, then abruptly released her and took a step back, his expression cold and displeased.
