Just as Li Ye hesitated, Xu Ruan Yao, who remained standing on the rooftop, tossed a small porcelain bottle in his direction.
Without time to ask questions, Li Ye caught the bottle and immediately unleashed another Thousand Sword Phantom technique.
This time, the Devourer Beast did not confront it head-on. Instead, it relied on its exceptional speed to dodge left and right, maneuvering its body through the barrage of sword shadows.
Having witnessed the earlier scene, the beast grew wary. Though it didn't know what the small porcelain bottle contained, caution seemed the wiser choice.
"Sky-Splitting Slash!" While the Devourer Beast was busy dodging, Li Ye had already been quietly preparing his next move.
A gleaming silver immortal sword soared into the air, transforming into a colossal blade that spun rapidly before thrusting fiercely toward the beast.
Already overwhelmed by the sword phantoms, the Devourer Beast had not anticipated another lethal strike. In its panic, it failed to evade in time, allowing several sword shadows to pierce its body.
As the massive blade closed in, the beast had no choice but to endure the onslaught of sword shadows while accelerating the swirling energy around it. In a frenzied motion, a pitch-black vortex materialized within the room, emitting a powerful suction force.
Li Ye was horrified. The immense blade trembled under the pull, threatening to slip from his grasp as the conflicting forces caused the sword to emit a deafening roar.
He quickly intensified his immortal energy infusion, stabilizing the sword just in time.
Realizing Li Ye's intent, the Devourer Beast redoubled its efforts, accelerating the vortex's rotation until it triggered spatial tremors. Fissures crackled and spread throughout the black hole.
The intense suction traveled from the immortal sword to Li Ye's hands. Straining with effort, he directed the nearly uncontrollable blade toward the beast.
Whoosh!
A sharp whistling sound pierced the air as the immortal sword shot into the vortex with lightning speed.
The Devourer Beast watched triumphantly as Li Ye's attack was swallowed entirely by the black hole. It couldn't help but gloat, its gaseous form vibrating slightly with excitement.
But before it could revel in its victory, the sound of shattering porcelain abruptly rang out. A cloud of pure white powder scattered through the air, landing squarely on the beast's true form.
"Hiss!"
The moment the powder made contact, the Devourer Beast's form contorted horrifically, twisting into a grotesque shape as sharp, unsettling cries emanated from the writhing mass.
Li Ye had not anticipated the powder's potency. When Xu Ruan Yao threw him the bottle, he hadn't known its contents, but knowing her temperament, he trusted it would counter the Devourer Beast.
He had devised a strategy: use the Thousand Sword Phantom technique to distract the beast, then deploy the Sky-Splitting Slash to draw its full attention. Both were feints—his true aim was to shatter the porcelain bottle and deliver a fatal blow when the beast least expected it, leading to the current scene.
"Finish it. It can no longer resist," Xu Ruan Yao said softly, having leaped down from the roof unnoticed and now brushing the dust from her robes.
"Hmm." Li Ye nodded, silently reciting the incantation to summon the Spirit-Binding Net. A large net radiating golden light materialized out of thin air, hovered briefly in the air, then slowly descended, firmly enveloping the Devourer Beast. The creature struggled only symbolically a few times before falling completely still.
This Spirit-Binding Net was an exclusive immortal artifact used by the Shadow Blades of the Prudent Punishment Department. Woven from rare immortal silkworm threads, each strand was engraved with dense arrays of magical inscriptions. Once a demonic beast was caught in the net, the inscriptions would suppress it, rendering its demonic power inert and leaving it with no choice but to surrender.
"Retract!" Li Ye shouted. The net glowed with golden light once more, spinning the trapped Devourer Beast several times in the air before visibly shrinking and transforming into a streak of golden light that vanished into Li Ye's spatial storage ring.
"A spatial storage artifact?!" Xu Ruan-yao exclaimed in astonishment. Such artifacts were considered priceless treasures in the Mysterious Mechanism Continent. Those who possessed them were either individuals wielding immense authority or exceptionally talented disciples of immortal sects.
Most spatial storage artifacts took the form of storage pouches or alms bowls—bulky, inconvenient to carry, and often bearing distinctive markings that made them easy targets for those with ill intentions.
Even so, countless cultivators were willing to spend fortunes to acquire one.
But the ring Li Ye wore was even rarer—compact, exquisitely crafted, imbued with an ancient and majestic aura, and surrounded by a mysterious halo. It was clearly no ordinary object.
"Yeah, what's the matter? Jealous, little girl? Too bad you lack spiritual intelligence, or you could have joined the Celestial Master Manor. Who knows, maybe some master would have taken a liking to you and gifted you a spatial storage artifact on a whim," Li Ye teased, a smug grin on his face.
"Tch! As if I care!" Xu Ruan-yao rolled her eyes in annoyance.
After this demon-capturing incident, the two, who had previously been mere acquaintances, gradually grew closer and soon became quite familiar with each other.
"Hey, didn't your dad say that Shadow Blades aren't supposed to reveal their cultivator identities unless absolutely necessary when working on cases? You made such a spectacle capturing the Devourer Beast and caused such a commotion here. Won't you have a hard time explaining it when you get back? Do you want me to put in a good word for you?" Xu Ruan-yao paced leisurely around the room, secretly hoping Li Ye would beg for her help. The mere thought of that scenario made her chuckle.
"Do you think I'm as careless as you? Rest assured, I already set up a barrier outside. No matter how much of a ruckus you make in here, people outside won't hear a thing," Li Ye replied, shaking his head with a mix of amusement and exasperation.
Always cautious, how could Li Ye have overlooked such a detail? Before taking action, he had already cast a soundproof barrier around the room. The outside world remained completely unaware of the events inside, allowing them to confront the Devourer Beast without worrying about being discovered by ordinary civilians.
Frustrated, Xu Ruan-yao shot him a glare and fell silent.
Once the aftermath was dealt with, the two hurried back to Yuan'er's room, woke her up, and took their leave.
Bewildered, Yuan'er stared at her disheveled reflection in the mirror, racking her brains but unable to recall what had just happened.
"By the way, what exactly is in that small porcelain bottle? It's incredibly potent," Li Ye asked, munching on a flatbread he had bought from a roadside stall.
"I'm not telling you, nyeh nyeh nyeh," Xu Yuan Yao turned and stuck out her tongue at him playfully before skipping away with a light laugh.
Unbeknownst to her, that fleeting glance and smile sent a sudden tremor through Li Ye's heart, like a stone tossed into a lake, sending ripples across its surface.
While Li Ye was busy hunting demons and investigating cases, a scene of harmonious warmth unfolded between mother and son in the old Li residence in the eastern part of the city.
That night, their interactions—natural yet tinged with a subtle ambiguity—had unknowingly drawn them closer. Chu Qingyi's impression of Li Xuan had shifted; aside from occasionally seeking his advice on herb cultivation, she was also deeply impressed by his culinary skills. Secretly admiring his abilities, she had recently begun contemplating learning to cook, hoping that once she had made some progress, she could prepare a meal herself for Li Ye, who had been toiling tirelessly for days.
He would surely be delighted.
Lost in these thoughts, a blissful smile graced Chu Qingyi's ethereal face, like a white lotus blooming among the clouds—so breathtakingly beautiful it could captivate any man in the world.
Standing across from her, Li Xuan was rooted to the spot. It was the first time he had seen such a heart-stirring smile on her face, and he was so mesmerized he even forgot to breathe.
Between them lay a table with dough and meat filling for making dumplings. Beside them, on the board, sat several peculiarly shaped dumplings—crooked and lopsided, like mischievous children unable to stand straight.
A few had even split open, their vibrant green filling mixed with glistening oil slowly oozing out.
"Mother, your dumpling wrappers are rolled too thick, and you've stuffed too much filling inside. They'll burst before they even hit the boiling water," Li Xuan remarked, both amused and exasperated by the misshapen dumplings, unable to resist interrupting her efforts.
Across from him, Chu Qingyi was clumsily pinching a dumpling shut. Hearing his words, she glanced at the dumplings in his hands, then at the ones she had made, and immediately felt a flush of embarrassment.
Truly, without comparison, there is no sense of disparity. The dumplings in Li Xuan's hands were delicate and elegant, their wrappers so translucent one could faintly see the vibrant green chive and meat filling inside.
Looking back at the dumplings she had painstakingly crafted, she suddenly found them utterly absurd.
"Let me teach you how to wrap them," Li Xuan said, finding Chu Qingyi utterly adorable in that moment, so much so that he felt an urge to kiss her flawless cheek.
With that, he moved to her side, picked up a rolling pin, and with a few swift motions of his palm, produced a perfectly even dumpling wrapper on the board.
Chu Qingyi watched, her eyes dazzled, her small hands mimicking his movements behind her back.
"Here, place the wrapper in your palm, then like this..."
Li Xuan naturally took her small hand, placed the wrapper in her palm, and then, feigning intense concentration, began teaching her how to wrap the dumpling step by step.
Their hands pressed closely together, his youthful hand enveloping her slender, pale fingers—the contrast between dark and light strikingly evident.
The moment their hands touched, Chu Qingyi's delicate frame stiffened abruptly. Her heart quivered, her entire body grew tense, and even her movements became rigid.
After her marriage, no one but her husband Li Ye had ever touched her delicate hands. Now, watching Li Xuan cradle them in his palms, an indescribable feeling spread through her heart. Moments later, two blushes flew onto her cheeks.
Li Xuan noticed her change and rejoiced inwardly.
He had no real intention of teaching her how to make dumplings—this was merely an excuse to take advantage of the situation.
That morning, when he heard Chu Qingyi express a desire to learn cooking, he was ecstatic. He had been worrying about how to bring them closer, and it seemed heaven was on his side, inspiring the aloof and noble fairy to whimsically try her hand at mortal chores!
Struggling to contain his delight, he feigned hesitation and reluctance, employing a strategy of retreat to advance. He eloquently elaborated on the difficulties of cooking, emphasizing the need for hard work, time, and patience.
After speaking, he cautiously observed Chu Qingyi's expression. Her reaction was just as he had hoped: after a moment of thought, she firmly nodded.
Innocent as a blank sheet, she had no idea that from the moment she agreed, she had fallen into the trap Li Xuan had meticulously prepared.
Holding her soft hands in his, Li Xuan guided her movements with apparent seriousness, though his mind was wandering.
Their posture was somewhat intimate, with less than three inches between them. The faint scent of her body lingered around him, and his breathing involuntarily quickened, a greedy desire rising within him to draw Chu Qingyi into his very bones.
Out of the corner of his eye, his gaze lingered on the enchanting figure beside him. Her hair, like black jade, shimmered under the gentle sunlight, and her skin was as fine and delicate as porcelain. The profile of her face was exquisitely shaped, with long, thick eyelashes beneath her delicate brows fluttering like small palm-leaf fans, lending an extraordinary elegance. Her clear, bright eyes resembled a dazzling galaxy, captivating anyone who looked into them.
Her perfectly sculpted nose was like a masterpiece of divine craftsmanship, and below it, her tender, bud-like lips were lightly pressed together, utterly enticing.
Unconsciously, he leaned closer, his breath brushing against her neck as he spoke.
A foul odor suddenly pervaded the unsettled Chu Qingyi's senses. She instinctively furrowed her brows and turned her head to the side, only to see Li Xuan's mouth moving, emitting an unpleasant smell with each word.
Her earlier shyness vanished without a trace, replaced by her usual aloofness and detachment. She shoved the dumpling in her hand into Li Xuan's grasp, deliberately stepped back to create distance, and turned to leave.
"I'm not hungry. You have it."
Perhaps feeling that a sudden departure was impolite, she paused at the door, uttered a brief remark, and then left.
Li Xuan stood there bewildered, scratching his head, unable to comprehend why she had suddenly changed so drastically.
Returning to her room, Chu Qingyi's mind was in turmoil. She simply sat cross-legged on the bed, formed a few hand seals, and entered a state of cultivation.
In truth, her injuries were nearly healed, but the foundational immortal energy within her remained stagnant. Ever since it had been reawakened, it seemed to have fallen into a state of lethargy. No matter how she guided or refined additional immortal energy to replenish it, it was like throwing stones into the sea—there was no reaction at all. It felt like a cold, aloof beauty who remained unmoved even when presented with the world's most precious treasures.
Sigh...
After guiding the immortal energy through the fixed meridians of the "Great Dao of Heartlessness Art" for several cycles, she exhaled a turbid breath. Her delicate face, with its bright eyes and pearly teeth, was filled with worry.
Somehow, Li Xuan's figure suddenly surfaced in her mind, along with fragments of their time together—especially the recent memory of her hands being held in his.
Though his hands were youthful, they were exceptionally warm, cradling hers as if they were priceless treasures. The intense warmth started from her fingertips and climbed all the way to the depths of her heart.
Even now, she could vividly recall the sensation, even the friction of his youthful palms against her skin.
This feeling was strangely profound, and she herself couldn't understand why.
Perhaps it was a case of loving the crow for the sake of its nest...
The image of Li Ye surfaced in her mind. Yes, she was certain that her feelings for Li Ye were those of romantic love—a desire to stay by his side for a lifetime. But her feelings for Li Xuan could never compare to those for Li Ye. The only explanation was that because he was Li Ye's son, she felt this way.
A sudden wave of irritation washed over her. Chu Qingyi's expression grew complex as she stared blankly out the window.
In stark contrast to her troubled thoughts, Li Xuan was overjoyed.
He gazed dreamily at his own hands, as if the warmth of Chu Qingyi still lingered in his palms. Then, greedily, he brought them to his nose and inhaled deeply, catching a faint, delicate fragrance.
Li Xuan was utterly intoxicated. He caressed his face with his hands, the unique scent making him imagine that Chu Qingyi's delicate hands were tenderly stroking him at that very moment.
"Ah... Mother... you smell so divine..." Li Xuan closed his eyes tightly, his expression one of pure ecstasy, lost in his own fantasy.
His body lay sprawled in the center of the small bed, enveloped in loose, coarse linen robes that made him appear even more frail. However, the area around his crotch was prominently raised, the rounded glans straining fiercely against the fabric, its size surprisingly impressive.
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