I Feel So Drained

With the bed curtains trailing to the floor, a man and a woman sat facing each other on the secluded bed, an intimate tension hanging between them.

In the dim lamplight, the freshly bathed Xu Qingzhao breathed out a sweet fragrance. Her skin was smooth as cream, her shapely body half-visible beneath her gauzy robe, radiating a captivating allure.

Faced with such a stunning woman in such an intimate setting, Ren Ye would normally have felt the blood rush to his head and been compelled to show off his real skills. But when he looked up and saw Xu Qingzhao's cool eyes and the teasing smile on her red lips, his excitement vanished instantly.

"Heh, what do you mean, my beloved consort? Wh-what Heavenly Pardon-Blessed One?" Though Ren Ye was panicking inside, he wore a puzzled expression when he raised his head.

He had no idea how this woman knew he was the Heavenly Pardon-Blessed One, nor how she had noticed that the Nation-Guarding Sword had acknowledged him as its master again.

But he knew one thing very clearly: he must not panic. Absolutely not. She might be bluffing.

His voice was steady and his gaze clear. Even Morgan Freeman would have looked like he was acting beside him.

Studying Ren Ye's expression, Xu Qingzhao asked softly again, "In the hall, Ji Shan Liu Quan pressured you like that, and I gave you a means to fight back. Why didn't you kill him? Does a prince ruling over his own domain lack even that much courage?"

Guys, I think she's looking down on me!

Ren Ye looked at her with a smile. "Experience has taught me that killing people indiscriminately comes at a price. Besides, sometimes leaving someone alive is the real deterrent. Once you kill them, you've shown your hand."

A flicker of surprise passed through Xu Qingzhao's mind, but she returned to the subject. "I need the Heavenly Pardon-Blessed One's help."

"My beloved consort, where exactly is this person? I can help you search for him...!" Ren Ye's eyes brimmed with affection. He looked every inch the lovesick lapdog.

"Heh." Xu Qingzhao could not be bothered to waste more words. "One test will tell me whether you're the Heavenly Pardon-Blessed One."

What kind of test?

She can determine whether I'm the Heavenly Pardon-Blessed One?!

Ren Ye's nerves instantly reached breaking point. Suddenly, he felt the terror of a death-row prisoner being dragged before a lie detector.

"Heavenly Pardon Qi, nourish my yin and yang. Formation, arise!" Xu Qingzhao slowly closed her eyes, forming hand seals with her delicate fingers as she murmured.

Whoosh!

A brilliant light surged from the bed. Intricate formation patterns abruptly appeared beneath them, while visible walls of light rose around them, completely sealing this cramped space off from the outside world.

"My beloved consort, what are you doing...?!"

Ren Ye reacted swiftly, springing up and lunging toward her, intending to demonstrate his superb skills and subdue Xu Qingzhao.

Boom!

But the instant he rose, his brain felt as though it had been struck by lightning and went completely blank. At the same time, an indescribably pleasurable sensation spread through his entire body...

His consciousness gradually faded, leaving his mind weightless and free of stray thoughts. He felt as though his soul had left his body and was drifting through a world of black and white.

Behind Xu Qingzhao, who sat cross-legged on the bed with her eyes closed, a spectral figure appeared, both illusory and real.

On closer inspection, the figure looked exactly like her, except that she wore a black Daoist robe and a lotus crown. Her bearing was cold, her beautiful face devoid of joy or sorrow, like a deity gazing down upon the mortal world.

By contrast, her barefoot "true body" now had flushed cheeks, her skin glowing pink as though she had been drenched in fragrant sweat.

Ren Ye, sitting close enough to touch her, grew quiet. There was no pain on his face, only the bliss of overwhelming pleasure.

A moment later, the faint radiance emanating from his body slowly drifted toward the spectral figure behind Xu Qingzhao, like closely woven threads...

Plip!

A bead of sweat fell and splattered on the bed.

As the faint radiance was drawn out and absorbed, Ren Ye's face grew pale. Heat rose from his body and sweat covered his skin, yet his expression remained utterly blissful.

About two hours later, Ren Ye's weak voice came from behind the bed curtains. "M-my beloved consort, what exactly did you do to me?"

"Nothing much. You won't die."

"If I won't die, how about another round?" It had felt so good that Ren Ye made the request almost instinctively.

"One more round and you will die." Xu Qingzhao sounded impatient, exactly like a heartless woman who had just finished using her backup boyfriend.

"I'm not afraid!" Ren Ye answered stubbornly.

"Get out!"

Thud!

With a muffled impact, Ren Ye stumbled and scrambled out, his clothes disheveled, bracing himself against the wall.

Just then, that familiar, icy voice suddenly rang in his ears.

[Danger warning: You do not know what happened to you, but you feel completely drained and extremely weak.]

Oh, you think you're funny?

Did I need you to tell me that?

You think I can't feel how weak I am?

Ren Ye supported himself on the square table, bent over like a shrimp, constantly wiping sweat from his face.

Thinking back on what had just happened, he still savored the lingering pleasure, reluctant to let it go.

A mortal life lasted less than a century. People toiled to make a living and swallowed their pride to put food on the table. That inevitably made their perspective narrow and limited, allowing them to see only what lay before them, along with aging and death.

So when Ren Ye's soul left his body and wandered through that chaotic world of black and white, nourished by both kinds of qi, he felt his very spirit tremble. His mind emptied completely, free of distractions and thoughts, allowing him to view everything from another angle...

This was pleasure derived purely from the spirit, a far more elevated kind of bliss, utterly incomparable to the vulgar business of thrusting back and forth.

Of course, Ren Ye certainly wanted to do some thrusting, but... he simply lacked the strength to make that happen.

Nor was he naive enough to believe anything had actually happened between him and Xu Qingzhao. At most, their souls had resonated with each other. They had made no physical progress whatsoever-not even touched hands.

Still, now that things had come this far, Ren Ye finally understood why Xu Qingzhao had helped him vent his anger in the hall. This woman clearly coveted his body as the Heavenly Pardon-Blessed One.

More plainly, she seemed to be absorbing the Heavenly Pardon Qi from him. Although Ren Ye could not sense that qi at all, the Nation-Guarding Sword's acknowledgment of him as its master proved that it did exist...

All that bathing, changing clothes, and inviting him onto the bed had merely been to make the job more convenient.

"Phew...!"

Ren Ye rested for quite a while, but still felt drained. He let out a long breath and sat down in a chair wearing only his underpants.

A moment later, the curtains slowly opened. Xu Qingzhao had changed into a very modest white Daoist robe and sat cross-legged on the bed, her hair gathered high. With a light wave of her hand, Ren Ye's clothes flew onto the table by themselves. "Put them on."

Ren Ye picked up a teacup and took a sip, looking at her unabashedly. "I prefer conversations with nothing to hide."

"...!" The aloof Princess Consort said no more.

"Don't you have anything to say to me?" Ren Ye waited a long time, but she still did not respond. Inwardly, he grumbled, Where I come from, what you're doing is called getting your kicks for free. It's highly unethical.

Xu Qingzhao looked at him and said quietly, "Come here every day after seven in the evening and stay for two hours. In return, as long as neither you nor your people court death, I can offer you some assistance."

Once every day? Who could possibly take that? Ren Ye was a little frightened, but mostly excited.

"I have no interest in court affairs or struggles for power," Xu Qingzhao added softly. "You needn't fear me, either. Your life holds no interest for me."

Judging by what had just happened, this woman certainly needed to use him for now, and once every day at that. Her words were meant to put his mind at ease.

But cautious by nature, Ren Ye would not let beauty blind him. He remained wary, yet for now he could not resist this woman's "abuse." After all, the supernatural abilities she had displayed were far too powerful.

All he could do now was bargain for as much benefit as possible. Ren Ye looked up and asked, "What kind of help?! Can you help me kill the chief administrator?"

"No. I don't wish to become embroiled in court struggles."

So it's just empty promises, then?

Ren Ye asked again, "Could you give me something to keep me alive, my beloved consort? A divine weapon, a secret manual-something I could master instantly?!"

Xu Qingzhao shook her head lightly. "There are no secret manuals you can master instantly. And you cannot use the things I use."

Hearing that, Ren Ye stood and walked around the inner bedchamber, then suddenly smiled. "Heh, how about this? Tell me something relevant to my current safety. If I'm satisfied, we have a deal."

Xu Qingzhao was deeply surprised by his words. "You truly aren't the Zhu Zigui you once were."

"Same difference." Ren Ye stared into her eyes, but could discern no ripple of emotion.

"Who you are doesn't matter to me, and I am not like you, either." Xu Qingzhao shook her head slightly. "Very well. Let me ask you: do you know why the emperor hasn't killed you?"

Ren Ye chuckled and deliberately answered with a face full of mockery. "Heh, isn't he afraid of being notorious for killing his younger brother and then his nephew?"

"He killed your father, leaving an irreconcilable hatred between you. However debauched or incompetent you might be, the possibility of rebellion still exists. After all, your father was benevolent and once stood at the head of the military. A single call from him could rally multitudes. To an emperor, any threat should be eliminated before it develops. Why fear a bad reputation?! The court historian is, after all, an official of Great Qian. He too must kneel in the hall and hail the emperor." Xu Qingzhao's voice was clear and melodious. "Even if his reputation truly suffered, what would that matter compared with securing his realm?"

"You mean the emperor hasn't killed me because he'll need me later? Or... he has the same objective as you, something connected to Heavenly Pardon Enters the Fate?" Ren Ye asked.

"You're reasonably clever." Her eyes bright, Xu Qingzhao sat cross-legged on the bed and asked in return, "Are you satisfied with what I've told you?"

"Yes." Ren Ye had confirmed his suspicions and did not push his luck. "I agree. You can use me for two hours every day."

At that, Xu Qingzhao raised her arm. A purple glow appeared, and a translucent Daoist Talisman materialized on the tea table. Tied with a red cord, it looked exquisitely crafted.

"What's this?" Ren Ye asked, studying the Daoist Talisman curiously.

"A Tranquility Talisman. After you spend two hours here each day, your Heavenly Pardon Qi will diminish sharply, and your pure yang qi will weaken, making you susceptible to unclean entities. This talisman refreshes the mind, wards off evil and misfortune, and dispels all ghostly beings," Xu Qingzhao replied.

Looking at the Daoist Talisman, Ren Ye suddenly felt as though a heartless woman was giving him virility pills.

"I won't bother thanking you, then. My beloved consort, whatever color underpants you like, feel free to choose a pair...!" Ren Ye smoothly pocketed the Daoist Talisman and cupped his hands in salute.

Xu Qingzhao raised an arm and pointed at the door.

After leaving, Ren Ye returned to his own bedchamber with Er Leng and Lian'er.

His conversation with Xu Qingzhao had contained plenty of probing and suspicion, but he had ultimately stopped short of pressing too far.

His first impression was that, aside from coveting Ren Ye as the Heavenly Pardon-Blessed One, Xu Qingzhao seemed uninterested in everything. She acted neither like a player nor like a native of the Star Gate.

That was strange!

Was it an act?

Ren Ye did not really think so. He had worked in anti-fraud enforcement at the border and had very sharp instincts. No matter how well a criminal performed, seasoned detectives could immediately sense whether he was lying. They rarely misjudged anyone.

In short, Xu Qingzhao did not give Ren Ye a particularly strong sense of danger. Of course, that did not mean he was absolutely safe. He still needed to remain on guard.

A little later, the three returned to Prince Huai's bedchamber. Ren Ye walked ahead alone, then turned and instructed, "Er Leng, don't forget my reward."

"Yes. Your Highness, would you like me to keep you company in bed?" Er Leng asked in his deep, muffled voice.

"You... never mind you...!" Ren Ye turned toward Lian'er and was about to make a shameless teasing remark when he suddenly froze.

As he spoke, his right hand had habitually brushed the gap in the bedchamber door. He discovered that the three strands of hair he had tied there before leaving... had snapped!

Undercurrents had surged through Prince Huai's Residence for years, and now trouble was brewing. Who would dare enter the prince's chambers without permission???!

Goosebumps instantly rose all over Ren Ye's body. He looked up at Er Leng, pointed at the chamber doors, and whispered, "Someone's been inside. And now... they might still be there!"