A beauty wan and haggard from illness, enough to break any heart.
The exquisite little silk fan failed to block those tangible, predatory gazes. The Golden Core Cultivator and several male disciples under him made no effort to hide their greed. Cultivators had always stood high above others, believing themselves superior; especially in these war-torn times, when no one restrained them. If they saw a beautiful woman and felt desire stir, they simply abducted her. It was a thought shared by countless cultivators beneath heaven: they cultivated for freedom, unbound and unfettered.
A tall male disciple walked over, his intentions entirely undisguised, reaching for her slender, delicate, fragrant shoulder...
Iron Ball was about to erupt when Bai Yujun reached out and pressed him down.
"Cough, cough... cough cough cough..."
She coughed violently, deliberately bringing up a little blood mixed with trace amounts of fishy-smelling snake venom, pretending to suffer from an incurable disease. The blood she coughed out was black, startling the old physician into stunned silence. What a terrible illness!
The young man stopped short, frowned, covered his nose, and backed away, no longer in the mood to seize her. He had planned to take her back as a maidservant, but who would have thought she was a consumptive ghost? What a pity.
The old physician handed her a cup of tea. Bai Yujun took a sip to soothe her throat, then wiped the corner of her mouth.
Looking at the cup stained with a trace of venom, the old physician mourned the fine floral porcelain produced by the palace kilns and carefully tossed the teacup into the stove.
The Golden Core Cultivator frowned in disappointment. Without saying a word, he led his disciples away with the spirit herbs.
Bai Yujun let out a breath.
The old physician shook