Thread-Crafter

Bai Yuji was so angry at Qin Muye that her vision nearly went black. She couldn't believe that even now, he still had the nerve to insult her.

This man seemed unusually good at finding other people's limits, then relentlessly provoking them just beyond those limits.

She steadied herself and shot back, "What a pity! You're fat and frail, with lifeless eyes. I'm afraid no woman under heaven could feel desire for you. In an ordinary household, you'd probably go your whole life without losing your virginity. Of course, you don't have what it takes to lose it, either."

Qin Muye: "???"

Why was she attacking him again?

The original owner really was something else. He'd gained weight to donate marrow and save his father, and his body had collapsed completely. Even everyday exercise to lose weight was a struggle, which was why he had so little sexual appeal.

If he could slim down, he'd probably be quite handsome. He wasn't as hopeless as Bai Yuji made him out to be, after all, his biological parents were both strikingly attractive. But unfortunately, this was the sorry state he was in now. He couldn't even argue back.

Smiles didn't appear out of nowhere, nor did they disappear into thin air. They simply moved from one person's face to another.

Qin Muye's face fell, and a smile surfaced on Bai Yuji's.

Watching her made his balls ache. He thought that once he got back to the Capital City, he'd have to find a way to get the poison cured as soon as possible.

The poison was certainly no ordinary kind, but his status was special. The emperor definitely wouldn't want him dead. In a vast nation like Great Gan, there was no way they couldn't find a cure.

Once the poison was gone, he'd tie this woman up, discipline her strictly, and make her suffer.

He silently made his plans.

But then he saw Bai Yuji take another pill from her bosom and swallow it.

The pill looked familiar, and he couldn't help asking, "Why does that pill of yours look a little like the one I just took?"

Bai Yuji gave him a long look, her expression half-smiling. "This is Nanzhao's Luanfeng Gu. The male and female worms grow up together, bound to one another. If one dies, the other will drop dead in an instant, no matter how far apart they are.

"If a live worm is made into a pill and swallowed, it'll merge with the blood at the heart. If that blood stops flowing, it'll release the hundred kinds of poison inside its body. Our lives are bound together now. Don't even think of breaking free of me, and don't doubt that I have a way to kill myself at any moment. You should understand what I mean."

Qin Muye: "..."

What was this, quantum entanglement?

Did that mean the two of them were now bound to live and die together?

Of course he understood what Bai Yuji meant. Their lives were bound together, preventing him from even thinking of harming her. If she ever got into danger, he'd have to protect her, too.

How devious!

But this would also severely limit her own actions. Trying to kill him again would come at far too high a cost.

And as long as he wasn't afraid to die, she'd be the one taking a massive loss.

Did she really think that threatening his life would let her order him around?

Heh...

She'd read him like a book!

It could only be said that, in this little vixen's mind, killing Qin Kaijiang took absolute priority.

Qin Muye thought people like her were both frightening and pitiful. It was as if the only purpose of her existence was revenge, and everything in the world was a tool for it—even the child in her womb.

Yet she still had some sense of right and wrong left in her, and knew that certain things were wrong.

She knew they were wrong, yet did them anyway.

Still, however one looked at it, taking the Luanfeng Gu was better for him than swallowing a one-sided poison.

Just then, Qin Muye noticed the panel above her head flicker.

On closer inspection, the information on it had changed.

[Primary Fate: Thread-Puppet]: Her flesh became a puppet, her grudges the strings; all her life, she was controlled by others.

[Fate Rank]: Fifth Grade (99/320)

[Annotation]: By a twist of fate, she realized she had been framed, yet remained driven by hatred. Believing herself bound to live and die with the Heir to the Marquis of Southern Suppression, she ultimately lost her way, enraged the imperial court, and died with regrets in a foreign land.

[Prompt]: Fate fluctuation: 557. Gained the fate skill Thread-Crafter and 55.7 free attribute points.

[Thread-Crafter]: Control puppets by their strings. Your puppetcraft reaches its pinnacle, and you can improve it by absorbing other puppet techniques.

Qin Muye: "..."

Damn it, he knew it wouldn't be that simple.

He still had to win her over.

Thread-Crafter was a good skill, but what were these free attribute points for?

As he wondered, another table appeared in his mind.

[Name]: Qin Muye

[Physique]: Eighth Grade (-100/40)

[Soul]: Ninth Grade (7/20)

[Fate Skills]: Thread-Crafter

[Available Attribute Points]: 55.7

Qin Muye: "..."

If he remembered correctly, before donating marrow, his cultivation had been Eighth Grade in martial arts and Ninth Grade in Daoist arts.

After the donation, his essence had been depleted and his qi had stopped forming. With his qi deficient, his spirit had weakened, leaving both his physique and soul stagnant.

At first, he'd been relieved that his ranks hadn't fallen. But now that he'd looked, he was actually a hundred points in the red.

So, if he put points into his physique and made up the deficit, he could become a real man again?

Qin Muye was tempted.

"What are you smiling about now?"

"Huh?"

Qin Muye came back to himself and saw Bai Yuji studying him with a frown.

Her gaze made his heart skip. He immediately gave up on the idea of regaining his manly vigor. If this little vixen found out, he'd probably have a hard time avoiding being raped and then killed.

Until he found a way to turn the tables, he had to keep himself in check.

He smiled and explained, "We're going back to the Capital City soon. How could I not be happy? When are we leaving?"

Bai Yuji's gaze turned cold. She shook her head. "We aren't leaving."

"Then are we... waiting here?"

"Waiting!"

Bai Yuji's expression was indifferent as she ordered, "Remember! From now on, I'm a physician who lives in seclusion to cultivate. While gathering herbs, I happened to come across the culprit who'd abducted you, and then I rescued you."

"And then?"

"That's all!"

"That's way too flimsy, isn't it?"

"The more you make up, the more mistakes you'll make."

Bai Yuji looked at Qin Muye. "You and I have no personal grudge. Besides, we're on the same rope now, so we should look out for each other. I hope you'll come to your senses and stop disregarding both our safety."

Qin Muye smiled and nodded. "Of course! Whatever you want me to do, I'll do my best to cooperate!"

Bai Yuji seemed to consider this. "There's something I need you to cooperate with me on right now!"

Qin Muye was about to ask what it was.

Then he saw her step over his body and lie down beside him.

She lifted her delicate face and ordered, "Hold me!"

Qin Muye: "..."

He hesitated, then laid a hand on Bai Yuji's waist. Her graceful curves left his thoughts wandering.

His hand instinctively began to roam, but Bai Yuji gave him a vicious pinch.

He could only keep his hand where it was and sigh inwardly. What a pity, such a beauty.

To be honest, he didn't hate Bai Yuji.

After all, from where she stood, nothing she'd done was really wrong.

And the person she'd harmed was the original owner. If that twist of fate hadn't created the conditions for him to cross over, his consciousness would probably have faded away in the ICU.

But now he was the Heir to the Marquis of Southern Suppression. If he got the chance to take her out...

Qin Muye wouldn't hesitate.

But this little vixen was so soft.

"Miss Bai, what's this about?"

"A village physician who wants to attach herself to a marquis's heir would be a more convincing story. After we return to the Capital City, I'll spread the word that you intend to marry me. But don't confirm it to anyone."

"Fine!"

Qin Muye knew this was to make it easier for her to control him, but it wasn't as if he could refuse.

If he angered her and she made them live and die together, he'd really be done for.

The woman in his arms was full-bodied and curvy, making him imagine all sorts of things. He even felt an urge to put points into his physique right then and there and take her.

He had no idea what this little vixen ate, but every part of her that was supposed to develop had developed incredibly well.

Who could resist such perfect stats?

If a beating could turn her into a virtuous wife, who would refuse a woman like her?

"Miss Bai, you're really beautiful!"

"If you have nothing to say, don't force a conversation."

"You're of the Nanzhao royal family, so why do you have the looks of a Central Plains woman?"

"Makeup!"

"How old are you now? I'm eighteen. Should I call you big sister or little sister?"

"Quiet! Otherwise, I'll have the Gu worm bite your testicles."

"..."

Testicles were called "valley fruit" in the Classic of the Plain Maiden.

Qin Muye shuddered instinctively and went completely still.

But with such a beauty in his arms, he was restless all the same.

After who knew how long,

Bai Yuji suddenly said, "The imperial court's people are here. You can be a little more intimate... Mm?"

Her eyes flew wide open.

He kissed me?