The first thing that caught her eye was a handsome, clean, smiling face.
“You’re awake.” When Jin Lin smiled, a small dimple appeared on his cheek, making him utterly charming.
But Yun Qingxue hadn’t forgotten what had woken her up. She lowered her head and looked at her left arm.
A translucent, faintly purple little snake was coiled there.
As if sensing Yun Qingxue’s gaze, the snake flicked its tongue.
Yun Qingxue swallowed hard and stared blankly at Jin Lin, gulping again.
“I-Is it… poisonous?”
“Huh? What?” Jin Lin widened his eyes innocently.
But Yun Qingxue squeezed her eyes shut, her entire body stiff and unmoving.
“A s-snake!”
“Oh!”
Jin Lin grinned brightly. “You mean A-Dai? It’s poisonous! Deadly poisonous! Let me tell you, A-Dai’s venom is so potent that even the legendary poisoned birds of the Feather Clan can’t compare… Just one tiny bite, and even the most powerful immortals would struggle to survive. Even if they somehow did, they’d be lucky to escape with their lives intact!”
Finally, Jin Lin couldn’t resist adding proudly, “Don’t you think A-Dai is amazing?”
“Yeah, amazing… But could you please get it off me first?!”
A venomous snake was coiled blatantly around her arm—no matter how brave Yun Qingxue was, she was terrified! Qian Dai had risked her life to rescue her from the “wolf’s den,” and she still had so much left to do. What if this snake suddenly went berserk? Wouldn’t that be the end of her?!
She looked at Jin Lin pleadingly. *Weren’t you just bragging yesterday about wanting to pursue me? What good would it do you if I got bitten to death?!*
Jin Lin’s smile only grew brighter.
“No can do. A-Dai really likes you.”
“I don’t like it!” Yun Qingxue was on the verge of tears.
*Hiss~ hiss~*
As if understanding her words, A-Dai flicked its tongue in displeasure, its round black eyes staring at Yun Qingxue with a pitiful expression.
“Uh, big guy, I wasn’t talking about you,” Yun Qingxue quickly lied to the snake.
*Hiss~ hiss~* A-Dai raised its head, watching her.
“What does it want?” Yun Qingxue looked at Jin Lin for help.
“It’s asking if you really don’t hate it.”
Yun Qingxue shook her head frantically. “No, no, I don’t hate it!”
*Good grief, you’re so venomous—do I even dare to hate you? It’s not like I have a death wish!*
*Hiss~ hiss~* A-Dai actually nuzzled its head against Yun Qingxue.
“Um… could you maybe get off my arm first?”
From A-Dai’s behavior so far, Yun Qingxue suspected this translucent purple snake could understand her. So, gathering her courage, she tried negotiating with it.
*Hiss? Hiss~* A-Dai flicked its tongue but only coiled tighter around her.
This was clearly the snake deciding to stick with her!
Helpless, Yun Qingxue could only look to Jin Lin for rescue again—though she wasn’t sure he was reliable.
“A-Dai, come here.” Jin Lin called out, and A-Dai flicked its tongue.
“I’ll take you to eat your favorite *Duanchang Powder*, okay?” Jin Lin coaxed with a grin.
A-Dai lifted its head haughtily, then—like a puppy—nuzzled Yun Qingxue’s arm again.
“How about some arsenic?” Jin Lin continued tempting it.
A-Dai hesitated but didn’t move.
“Not long ago, a two-hundred-year-old poisoned bird from the Feather Clan deliberately dropped one of its feathers into the eastern stream of our Water Marsh Clan. As a result, every aquatic creature in that river with less than a century of cultivation died.
*Sigh~* Those with over a hundred years of cultivation barely survived, but they suffered terribly.
When I received the news, I sent Minister Turtle to investigate. But that poisoned bird was outrageously arrogant—just a measly two-hundred-year-old bird, yet it acted all high and mighty just because of its venom. Minister Turtle got so angry he captured it and brought it back. I’ve already sent envoys to negotiate with the Feather King.
But, well, everyone has their biases. The Feather King would obviously favor his own kin. However~”
Here, Jin Lin abruptly changed the subject.
“If a member of our clan—one with only a century or two of cultivation—could teach that poisoned bird a lesson, the Feather King wouldn’t have any grounds to complain, right? After all, we wouldn’t be bullying it with overwhelming power—just sending someone of equal strength for a fair duel. If it loses, it can only blame its own incompetence!”
As he spoke, Jin Lin glanced sideways at A-Dai, still stubbornly clinging to Yun Qingxue’s arm.
“The only problem is, I’ve been struggling to decide who to send to deal with that venomous bird…”
*Whoosh!*
Yun Qingxue only saw a blur as something shot from her arm toward Jin Lin. In the blink of an eye, A-Dai had transferred itself from her arm to Jin Lin’s.
Jin Lin raised an eyebrow and smirked. “Seems our A-Dai is interested in meeting that arrogant little bird.”
A-Dai nodded eagerly, its round eyes looking at Jin Lin pleadingly.
“Haha!”
Jin Lin laughed heartily. “Come on, I’ll take you to see the ‘snack’ that delivered itself to us!”
As the man and snake moved away from Yun Qingxue’s bedside, she let out a quiet sigh of relief. But before she could fully relax, Jin Lin—now a few steps away—added cheerfully to A-Dai,
“Your Qingxue-jie still needs to freshen up. We’ll come back to see her after she’s dressed!”
*Thud!*
A pillow smacked Jin Lin squarely in the head.
He turned around, pouting at Yun Qingxue, who was glaring at him furiously. “Violence doesn’t suit a lady!”
Yun Qingxue pointed an elegant finger at him. “Who said you could barge into my room?!”
“Is that why you’re mad?”
“Duh!”
Yun Qingxue was thoroughly exasperated. At first, she’d been too distracted by the little venomous snake—A-Dai was cute, sure, but she wasn’t fond of serpents. Their slithery presence always sent chills down her spine, let alone one that was *poisonous*!
So, she hadn’t had time to think about anything else. Only when Jin Lin was about to leave with A-Dai—and *helpfully* reminded her—did she realize: *It’s early morning, and this guy just waltzed into my bedroom while I was still asleep and undressed!*
Even though she’d slept in her clothes, it still felt invasive. *What if I had a habit of sleeping naked?! This guy has no boundaries!*
“But…” Jin Lin pouted. “You didn’t say anything earlier!”
“That’s because—” *I was too busy panicking about the snake!*
Seeing him dare to talk back, Yun Qingxue was about to give him a proper scolding when she noticed A-Dai tilting its head at her.
She swallowed her words, pressed a hand to her forehead, and waved Jin Lin off. “Just go!”
Jin Lin frowned but obediently stepped out, muttering as he left, “Girls are so weird… but… kind of nice too.”
With the venomous snake gone and the idiot Dragon King finally out of her room, Yun Qingxue exhaled deeply.
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