Sikong Jing's true energy surged, a savage aura flickering around him.
After reaching the ninth level of the Bright Realm, he felt a domineering, unruly force coursing through his blood. The dantian inside him, shaped like a beast's head, had become even more solid, its features clearer than before.
His strength far surpassed that of anyone else at the ninth level of the Bright Realm.
After taking a moment to sense the change, Sikong Jing slowly got to his feet. He fetched a cup of water and let a drop of his blood fall into it.
The crimson blood mingled with the clear water, giving it an eerie, unfathomable quality.
"Can my blood, now that I've reached the ninth level of the Bright Realm, really cure Yuexi's poison?"
After murmuring to himself, Sikong Jing carried the cup from his room and slipped into the humble room where Su Yuexi slept.
He gently woke Su Yuexi.
As she looked at him in alarm, tension, and a trace of confusion, Sikong Jing handed her the cup. "Yuexi, drink this."
Still groggy, Su Yuexi saw the blood-red liquid in the moonlight spilling through the window. It was so vivid that it seemed to steal her breath. She asked instinctively, "Jing Gege, what is this?"
"It's a surprise for you when morning comes."
Sikong Jing didn't explain. He wasn't yet completely certain that his blood could cure Crimson Spider Poison.
For now, he didn't dare give Su Yuexi any hope.
Still half-asleep, Su Yuexi trusted that Sikong Jing would never harm her, so she drank his blood without asking anything more. Then she fell asleep again.
Sikong Jing quietly kept watch beside her bed. Half an hour later, he gently drew back Su Yuexi's veil.
A peerless face appeared before him, and the dark room seemed to light up.
In the moonlight, Su Yuexi was a serene, otherworldly sleeping beauty, as if she were the most exquisite work of art in the world.
The ugliness on her face had vanished completely. She was so beautiful that Sikong Jing could barely breathe.
Even though Sikong Jing no longer judged beauty by appearance, he couldn't help staring in a daze.
And this was the wife he must never let down.
Compared to Su Yuexi, the Ninth Princess, Yan Ruyu, was a clown in both heart and looks.
Morning came, and Su Yuexi got up to wash.
But she had never dared look in a mirror, and today was no different.
After washing, Su Yuexi came out with her thick veil still on. When she saw Sikong Jing, she asked softly, "Jing Gege, did you give me something to drink last night?"
Her voice was hazy with sleep; she couldn't remember whether it had been a dream or real.
Sikong Jing smiled and took her hand. "I think I did."
He knew Su Yuexi still hadn't noticed how her appearance had changed.
He would save the surprise for Su Xuefeng's birthday banquet.
Sikong Jing would make Su Yuexi the star of the banquet today. He would make everyone who had looked down on her see stars!
Su Yuexi blinked in confusion. If she'd drunk something, she'd drunk it; if she hadn't, she hadn't. What did "I think I did" mean?
Just as she was about to press him, Mei Xiaofang called out, "Sikong Jing, come give me a hand!"
They both turned to look. Mei Xiaofang was dragging a box about the size of a person out of the room, panting with exhaustion.
They hurried over to help.
In the end, Sikong Jing carried the huge box into the courtyard.
"Mother, what's this?" Su Yuexi had forgotten her earlier question and was now staring at the box in puzzlement.
Mei Xiaofang smiled. "Open it and see."
Su Yuexi did as she was told. Inside was a statue so lifelike it seemed like a real person.
She froze.
The statue portrayed a young woman, breathtakingly beautiful and vividly lifelike.
"Mother, this is..."
Before she could finish, Su Zhenglong's voice came from the hall. "That's your grandmother. She passed away years ago."
Su Yuexi was surprised. She had never met her grandmother. Her father had told her that when her grandmother died, even her elder sister, Su Yuexian, had not yet been born.
"So Grandmother was this beautiful."
As she murmured the words, Su Yuexi's expression dimmed slightly, and she felt terribly inferior.
Sikong Jing took her hand once more.
He looked at the statue too. So Su Yuexi had inherited her looks from her grandmother; the two of them looked at least seventy or eighty percent alike.
Mei Xiaofang said quietly, "Your father spent months carving this. It's a birthday gift for your grandfather. He still hopes he can make peace with him."
Su Zhenglong sighed and added, "Blood runs thicker than water. I truly don't want things to reach the point where father and son turn against each other."
Their words shook Su Yuexi. How could she not hope to receive her grandfather's affection?
"A-Jing, when we get to the birthday banquet, I hope you won't act impulsively again. This gift should surely save your life when Su Shan arrives." Su Zhenglong looked deeply at Sikong Jing.
Sikong Jing opened his mouth. He wanted to say he wasn't afraid of Su Shan, but he held back.
It wasn't the right time to say so. Besides, wouldn't it be a fine thing if they could turn hostility into friendship? Su Zhenglong hoped to soften Su Xuefeng's heart with the statue of Su Yuexi's paternal grandmother.
More importantly, they were doing everything they could to keep him alive.
Even though he didn't need it, their kindness still moved him deeply.
Thinking this, Sikong Jing nodded solemnly. "I understand, Father-in-law. I'll prepare a gift too."
With that, Sikong Jing returned to his room.
He took out the two Green Jade Slates left over from his time at the Heaven Martial Pavilion. A Profound Grade Low Tier martial technique came to mind, and he immediately began engraving it. As before, he got it right on the first try.
"I accidentally engraved Martial Intent again. I can't seem to control it."
Sikong Jing muttered to himself, then took another breath. "Forget it. If Su Xuefeng can mend his ways, then he can have transcendent Martial Intent."
Then he quickly engraved a second Green Jade Slate, inscribing a second Profound Grade Low Tier martial technique. It, too, bore Martial Intent.
Once he was done, he found an old box in the room, put the slates inside, and went out.
"Jing Gege, what gift did you prepare?" Su Yuexi asked as she came over.
Sikong Jing smiled. "You'll find out at the banquet. It'll make Su Xuefeng over the moon."
Su Yuexi was curious, but she didn't ask anything more.
When the time was right, the family of four set out with their gifts and soon reached the banquet hall.
The hall was already packed.
There were relatives and friends of the Su Clan, servants bustling about, and families of every size from Yunye City. Su Xuefeng sat in the central seat, cheerfully chatting with everyone.
"Well, if it isn't Su Zhenglong, the Su Clan's Heavenly Pride! You're still alive?"
Just as Su Zhenglong was about to step forward and offer his birthday greetings, a mocking voice rang out, making all four of them scowl.
At the same time, the entire banquet hall fell silent.
All eyes turned to Su Zhenglong. Some were complicated, others filled with mocking smiles. Everyone in Yunye City knew that Su Zhenglong didn't have long to live—and that Su Xuefeng couldn't stand him.
Before you continue