Give Me Your Soul

Xie Feihong hugged his little notebook. "Junior Sister, I'll head back and digest what I learned today. See you tomorrow!"

With that, Xie Feihong vanished in a flash.

It was lucky he ran so fast. A moment later, and Ning Xiang would have chopped him to pieces.

"Damned system, get out here! What am I supposed to do now?"

The system did not respond.

When Xie Feihong first came in, the system had announced that, as an underage system, it could not watch scenes unsuitable for children. It had therefore cut off its connection with Ning Xiang of its own accord.

In the original novel, Lu Qingchen had nearly lost control after drinking just one cup of spiked tea. Only by slashing his arm with the Canglang Sword had he managed to retain a shred of composure.

Lu Qingchen's cultivation far surpassed Ning Xiang's, and he even had an ice spiritual root. If he could not withstand the drug the system provided, how could Ning Xiang endure it after swallowing so much?

Ning Xiang's heart raced. Thump-thump, thump-thump, like an uneven drumbeat. In the hushed night, in the empty room, she could scarcely hear anything besides her own heartbeat.

Her mind was a muddled haze, as though she had fallen into clouds and mist. Everything before her blurred, and her eyes grew heavy, her bones soft.

If only she could have sunk into sweet sleep and never woken, that would have been enough. Instead, she could neither sleep nor fully wake.

Dazed and insensible, her dreaming soul spun upside down.

No...

She had to leave...

She couldn't stay here. She couldn't let Lu Qingchen see her in this wretched, humiliating state.

Even if she had to plunge headfirst into a freezing pool.

Ning Xiang wanted to fly away on her sword. Anywhere would do, so long as it was not Chengfeng Courtyard.

Why wouldn't the Azure Sea Sword fly?

Fine. She would ride the wind back instead.

With that thought, she used the Wind-Riding Art, intending to fly outside. Her vision swam, now bright, now dim, as though mountains of cloud and veils of mist obscured everything. Then Ning Xiang collided with something hard and broad. She staggered, and through her daze, a figure seemed to appear before her, but she lacked the strength to open her eyes.

The moment Lu Qingchen entered the room, he saw Ning Xiang using the Wind-Riding Art. Yet she seemed unable to tell where she was going and charged blindly toward the wall. He hurriedly flashed over, placing himself between Ning Xiang and the wall.

The instant he caught Ning Xiang, Lu Qingchen sensed that something was wrong.

"Ning Xiang?"

He studied Ning Xiang's face.

Her eyes brimmed with mist, like smoke over rippling water, yet their brightness was almost piercing.

Clearly, Ning Xiang had not recognized him.

Ning Xiang sensed a cool, icy presence around her.

What on earth was wrong with her?

A flicker of doubt crossed Lu Qingchen's mind.

Could her cultivation have gone awry, sending her into qi deviation?

Lu Qingchen had no time to consider it further.

"Ning Xiang, snap out of it!"

"My head hurts..." Ning Xiang murmured, then began to topple backward.

Lu Qingchen hurriedly supported her and took one of Ning Xiang's hands, channeling a little of his spiritual energy into her. Yet her expression did not ease in the slightest.

"Ning Xiang, what's wrong with you?" Lu Qingchen stroked Ning Xiang's forehead. The girl looked utterly pitiful.

"Drug..."

"What?" Lu Qingchen did not understand.

"I took..."

Lu Qingchen felt as though lightning had struck him.

"Wah... I don't feel good..." Ning Xiang struggled.

Lu Qingchen helped her up and let Ning Xiang lean against him, then channeled pure spiritual energy into her.

But soon, Lu Qingchen discovered that it was futile.

The girl's eyes were tightly shut...

Lu Qingchen wiped the tears from her cheeks and brushed aside her disheveled hair.

He cradled the girl's soft cheek, his low, hoarse voice sounding beside her ear.

"Ning Xiang, who am I?"

"I don't know..." Ning Xiang had no patience left. Her voice hovered between sobbing and pleading.

Where had this awful person come from?

Following his presence, Ning Xiang moved closer.

There was no rhyme or reason to her movements.

Yet they threw Lu Qingchen's thoughts into disarray and sent his heart into a panic.

He wanted to push her away, yet... he could not bear to.

Ning Xiang murmured something. Lu Qingchen leaned closer to listen, but could not make out a word.

He looked straight into her mist-shrouded eyes and asked again, "Ning Xiang, who am I?"

Ning Xiang sobbed. "Iceberg Lu, you're Iceberg Lu!"

"Who am I?" Lu Qingchen was exceedingly patient.

Ning Xiang's mind was a muddle. She did not notice how gentle his voice was now, like an iceberg melting into spring waters without a trace.

"You fucking bastard!" Ning Xiang sniffled and cursed viciously. "You awful fucking bastard!"

"Who am I?"

"Master, you're Master!" Ning Xiang said between sobs. She felt so aggrieved. Why did every moment feel so unbearable?

"Xiangxiang," Lu Qingchen called her by her pet name, "once certain things begin, whether they stop is no longer something you can decide."

Ning Xiang did not understand.

Lu Qingchen cupped the back of her head and pressed her forehead against his, saying softly, "Entrust your soul to me."