But the moment the box opened, the Cold Poison inside Lin Qingxue seemed to have encountered its natural enemy.
It trembled uncontrollably and curled up into a ball.
Just from inhaling the pill's fragrance, she felt that bone-piercing chill that had tormented her for three years—
dissipate by more than half.
"It's real... It's real..."
Lin Qingxue covered her mouth as tears spilled from her eyes.
Over the years, the Lin Family had found her plenty of pills, but none had ever made her feel an effect this immediate.
This was absolutely a divine pill!
"Quick, eat it!"
Zhang Chen urged her, his eyes full of encouragement.
Lin Qingxue reached out with trembling hands and picked up the pill.
She looked at the pill, then at Zhang Chen, whose face was covered in dust and brimming with anticipation.
At that moment, a thousand words caught in her throat, impossible to utter.
She tilted her head back and swallowed the pill.
Boom—!
This time, there was no bone-piercing cold, nor any sensation of being scorched by flames.
Lin Qingxue felt as though she had swallowed a warm, gentle sun.
The pill's vast, gentle medicinal power instantly enveloped every meridian in her body.
Faced with that power, the Cold Poison that had clung to her like a parasite dissolved and crumbled with astonishing speed, like snow meeting boiling water.
Strangely, however, the Cold Poison did not disappear. Instead, the medicinal power transformed it into extremely pure ice-attributed Spiritual Power, which docilely flowed into her dantian.
Not only that, she could feel her once somewhat depleted Spiritual Root undergoing a world-shaking transformation.
Her Spiritual Root had always been a Mutated Ice Spiritual Root, but a shadow had always hung over it.
Now, that shadow had been swept away completely, leaving her Spiritual Root crystal-clear, pure, and flawless.
A powerful constitution known as the "Extreme Yin Ice Spirit Body" was truly awakening!
Crack, crackle.
A series of crisp pops rang out from the bones inside her body.
In the span of a single incense stick, Lin Qingxue's aura began to climb, step by step.
Qi Refining Fifth Layer... sixth... seventh...
It rose all the way to the threshold of Foundation Establishment Realm before gradually coming to a halt.
It wasn't that the medicinal power had run out. Rather, that immense force had gone dormant.
It waited for her to slowly refine and master it.
Lin Qingxue slowly opened her eyes.
Her skin was fair as snow, her eyes bright as stars, and the sickly pallor that had once marked her was gone.
A cool, noble aura radiated from her.
She was like a fairy descended from the Moon Palace.
She lowered her head, gazing at her crystal-clear hands as she felt the surging power within her.
She was cured! She was truly cured.
And not only that...
She felt that her talent was several times greater than it had been three years ago!
"Husband..."
Lin Qingxue abruptly turned toward Zhang Chen, who stood nearby, smiling at her.
Unable to suppress her feelings any longer, she let out a choked cry and threw herself into Zhang Chen's arms.
"Wuwuwu... Thank you... Thank you..."
She clung tightly to the man, using all her strength, as if she wanted to meld her body into his.
Without him, she would still be waiting to die beneath the Lin Family's cold stares.
Without him, how could she ever have been reborn?
This debt of gratitude, this love, had long since surpassed Life and Death.
Zhang Chen smiled and stroked her hair, feeling the woman in his arms tremble with emotion. His heart brimmed with accomplishment.
Half a month of playing the part had been worth it!
"All right, all right. You're a Foundation Establishment Great Cultivator now. Why are you still crying?"
Zhang Chen teased her.
Lin Qingxue lifted her head from his embrace. Across her exquisite face, streaked with tears, bloomed a smile that could outshine a hundred flowers.
It was the joy of a new life, and love without reservation.
She rose onto her toes and took the initiative to kiss Zhang Chen.
After a long while...
Lin Qingxue's face was red as a ripe apple, her eyes rippling with emotion and a hint of shyness.
But more than anything, they held a bold invitation.
She leaned close to Zhang Chen's ear, her breath sweet as orchids and her voice so soft it made his bones go weak:
"Husband... I'm cured."
"Shall we... give Mother and Father a grandchild?"
Zhang Chen looked at the peerless beauty before him and felt the faint fragrance wafting from her. A surge of heat rushed straight to his head.
He swept Lin Qingxue into his arms.
"One isn't nearly enough."
"Now that you're cured, let's make up for everything we missed this past half month—with interest!"
Over the next month, life was fairly peaceful for the servants and guards of the Zhang Family Courtyard, but behind the scenes, gossip spread like wildfire.
Ever since the bed in the young master's bridal chamber had collapsed that night, the Side Courtyard where Zhang Chen lived had practically become forbidden ground. Apart from the maids who delivered meals and water at set times each day, no one else was allowed near. It was common for the doors to open only when the sun was high in the sky; on occasion, they stayed shut all day, with only faint fluctuations of Spiritual Power coming from within.
As for this "shameless" way of life, the clansmen didn't criticize it in the slightest. On the contrary, they all wore understanding, satisfied smiles.
"The young master's devoting himself body and soul to carrying on the family Lineage."
"Exactly. You all heard the commotion that night. The young master's built like a bull, that's for sure."
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