Your sister-in-law has not yet returned. If the poison flares up again—

Ji Ci gently patted the horse’s head, yearning intensely to fly back to the side of Dongfang Jibai.

She raised her gaze to the distance, watching the very last sliver of the setting sun sink into the sea of clouds.

The night wind ruffled her long hair, carrying the refreshing scent of pine.

That breeze swept all the way south, brushing past wheat fields and villages, and finally came to a halt before an open window—

Dongfang Jibai was bent over his desk, writing furiously. Suddenly, the wind flipped the manuscript paper, causing the ink to blur and bloom like a black flower.

He stood up, walked to the window, and gazed up at the full moon.

Leaning against the window frame, his knuckles tapping rhythmically—tonight was the full moon, and his little fox should be taking her human form.

And his poison was about to flare up as well.

He wondered if he could forcefully endure the torment of the Phoenix Guide.

A stream of fresh blood spilled from the corner of his mouth, and his eyes were terrifyingly red.

"Cousin."

Zhao Qiaofeng walked in holding a medicinal cup, the rim of the celadon bowl still wreathed in rising steam.

His body had largely recovered, but Zhao Qiaofeng kept a close watch on him to ensure he took his medicine on time.

Dongfang Jibai did not move, his eyes fixed on the scenery outside the window.

"Cousin?" Zhao Qiaofeng tugged at Dongfang Jibai's sleeve.

When she caught sight of the blood at the corner of his mouth, she gasped, "Cousin, what is wrong?"

He staggered and gripped the desk, leaving five deep gouges carved into the sandalwood surface.

"Your sister-in-law has not yet returned. If... if tonight..."

Before he could finish, fresh blood welled from the corners of his mouth, and his body swayed precariously.

The poison of the Phoenix Guide had struck.

"Cousin! Wang Feng, hurry and come here!"

Zhao Qiaofeng embraced Dongfang Jibai, shouting loudly for Wang Feng.

Wang Feng rushed in and instantly recognized that Dongfang Jibai's poison had flared up.

He pushed Zhao Qiaofeng out of the way, used silver needles to seal his acupoints, and Dongfang Jibai coughed up several more mouthfuls of dark blood.

"Jibai, where is the woman who can detoxify you?"

Wang Feng asked anxiously.

"A-Ci."

Dongfang Jibai's vision was already blurring beyond recognition. He muttered faintly, calling out Ji Ci's name.

In the distance, Ji Ci abruptly started awake from a nightmare.

A trace of warmth surged through her pulse—a lingering aftereffect from the first time she had neutralized the Phoenix Guide.

[Master, hurry back! Dongfang Jibai's poison has relapsed.]

Ji Ci's eyes darkened. She snatched Ah Qing and tossed him to Yan Xiaoqi. "You two take your time to Pingcheng, I am going ahead."

With a flick of her fingertips, she tore open the void, and a Northern Di sweat-bleeding steed stepped out into the moonlight, its mane still damp with the mist of the spiritual spring.

She galloped all the way, continuously changing horses.

Three fine steeds collapsed in exhaustion one after another, until finally, in the hour of Yin, the silhouette of Pingcheng came into view.

Back at the manor, Dongfang Jibai had vomited blood three times, driving Wang Feng to tear at his hair in despair.

When Chu Si saw Ji Ci return, he was so excited he was nearly moved to tears.

"Master, Lady Ji has returned."

Chu Si had never met Ji Ci before; this was his very first time laying eyes on the legendary Ji Ci.

Bai Yi had shown Ji Ci's portrait to all the secret guards, demanding that everyone memorize her appearance.

To the extent that even if Ji Ci were burned to ashes, they must still recognize her.

Before Ji Ci could fully collect her senses, she was swept straight to Dongfang Jibai's side.

"Xiao Bai."

The feather-light whisper caused the man on the bed to snap his eyes wide open.

Dongfang Jibai abruptly lunged forward, grabbing the back of her neck. A kiss tasting of blood ground across her lips and teeth, and Ji Ci tasted the residual bitterness of medicine lingering on the tip of his tongue.

Wang Feng pulled Chu Si out of the room, considerately closing the door behind them.

Inside the bedchamber, the sound of Ji Ci's suppressed and restrained voice drifted out.

Dongfang Jibai's relentless thrusts made her voice break into fragmented echoes in the night.

Ji Ci could no longer clearly see Dongfang Jibai's face. Clearly, it had been less than half a month since they last parted, yet why did he look so exceptionally exhausted?

Though his body did not feel the slightest bit exhausted.

This man was behaving like a wild hound, biting and gnawing at her all over.

If not for her aching heart over his toxic relapse, she would have certainly kicked him flying.

"Slow down~"

Ji Ci's body arched, her voice softening to an unbearable degree.

"A-Ci, I've missed you so much."

Dongfang Jibai did not cease his movements, pressing scattered kisses all over Ji Ci's body.

Outside the window, rain began to fall at some unknown point.

The night rain tapped against the windowpanes, and the copper bell beneath the eaves chimed softly in the wind, sound after sound... blending with her low, panting breaths.

The brocade quilt was tossed into disarray, revealing the twin-lotus-embroidered bedsheet beneath, where the overlapping lotus petals had already been rubbed into fine creases.

As the rain grew heavier, her fingernails dug deep into his shoulders, like a flexible vine clinging and entangling tightly, until the rain finally ceased and the clouds dispersed.

Morning light filtered through the carved window lattice, a stray thread of golden sunlight crawling diagonally across the messy brocade quilt.

The interlocking lotus pattern embroidered on the quilt surface was severely crumpled, with several threads even having frayed apart, exposing the plain white silk beneath.

A few scattered silver bells lay beside the pillow, having rolled all the way from the edge of the bed down to the footstool.

The bronze mirror was covered in a layer of mist, reflecting a corner of a scarlet-red bellyband hanging askew on the couch—one of its fastening strings had actually snapped, dangling softly against the gold-inlaid bedpost and swaying gently in the morning breeze.

Dongfang Jibai opened his eyes and gently pressed a kiss to Ji Ci's cheek.

His palm tenderly caressed the beloved face he had yearned for day and night.

Dried traces of sweat remained on her skin, and a tear droplet still hung at the corner of her eye.

Ji Ci frowned slightly, swatted his hand away, and rolled over to fall into a deep sleep.

Dongfang Jibai instructed Chu Si to prepare water, then cradled Ji Ci in his arms to gently cleanse her.

Zhao Qiaofeng had not slept soundly all night, wanting countless times to go and check on her cousin.

Wang Feng blocked her path, refusing to let her ruin Dongfang Jibai's good fortune.