After completing the pill trial, Lin Feng (Soyang) stood calmly beside his cauldron, awaiting the results. The courtyard buzzed with noise — until a sudden wave of icy energy silenced everything.
A young woman stepped onto the stage.
Lian Ru.
Her steps were elegant. Her silver robes shimmered faintly under the morning sun. Her expression was colder than steel, her eyes like twin blades scanning the crowd.
She was the inner sect's prized alchemy disciple — and every outer disciple held their breath in her presence.
---
The Stare
From the crowd, Lin Feng stared at her without fear, arms crossed. His aura was dark, composed — even slightly mocking.
The moment Lian Ru's eyes met his, a strange pressure filled the air. A thin tension crackled like lightning between them.
She stopped walking.
Everyone could feel it — something unspoken had passed.
One of her subordinates leaned in, whispering to her,
"That man... he's looking at you with no respect, Senior Sister. Should I discipline him?"
Lian Ru raised a hand.
"No need. I'll deal with him myself."
The Confrontation
She descended the stage gracefully and stopped directly in front of Lin Feng.
Her voice was smooth and razor-sharp.
"State your name."
"Lin Feng," he replied, calm and cold.
"And your reason for staring?"
He smiled faintly.
"I was curious. I've never seen arrogance wear a pretty dress before."
Gasps echoed around the hall. Several disciples stared in disbelief.
Lian Ru didn't flinch — but her aura grew colder.
"You're bold. Or stupid. Either way, I don't like insects challenging the winter."
Lin Feng stepped closer.
"Then freeze me, Ice Queen. If you can."
The hall went dead silent.
---
Punishment or Opportunity?
The elder standing nearby stepped forward nervously.
"Senior Sister Lian Ru, shall we discipline him?"
She turned away from Lin Feng and said flatly:
"This one… will accompany me on the next herb-gathering mission."
"That's a punishment?" someone whispered.
"Of course," another replied. "She'll make him regret breathing."
---
The System's Voice
Later that night, Lin Feng sat in his room, smirking to himself.
"System," he said, "it worked. I got her attention."
The system replied,
"Target's emotional response triggered. Hate route confirmed. Proceed with caution. She is dangerous — and intrigued."
Lin Feng's eyes glowed faintly in the moonlight.
"That's exactly what I want."
---
Trouble in the Mountains
The sky above the Jameel Herb Collector Mountains turned dark, a thunderstorm rolling in like an angry elder who found his pills missing.
Lian Ru walked ahead in her usual cold, overconfident way — as if the entire mountain should bow to her with every step.
Behind her, Soyang trailed along with the energy of someone who'd rather be anywhere else.
"Walk faster," Lian Ru ordered.
"Walk smarter," Soyang replied, stepping over a puddle she just stomped through. "Unless you enjoy water in your boots."
She didn't respond, but he saw her glance down at her soaked shoes.
Slip & Storm
The wind howled louder, and suddenly — thud! — Lian Ru slipped on wet ground and landed flat on her back.
Soyang walked up slowly, looked down, and crossed his arms.
"Graceful as ever," he said, completely deadpan.
"Say one more word and I'll break your teeth," she hissed, trying to stand.
"At least then you'd stop talking," he muttered under his breath.
---
Cave of Silence (and Sarcasm)
They found a nearby cave and entered just as the rain hit hard. Water dripped from the ceiling. The place smelled like wet socks and regret.
Lian Ru sat with her arms crossed, clearly annoyed by the entire situation — and Soyang's existence.
"Why are you staring?" she asked coldly.
"Just wondering how someone can be this angry when the mountain did the slipping," he said, casually sitting on a rock.
She rolled her eyes.
"If I disappear in this cave, you'll be the first suspect," she warned.
"Please. I'd leave a note," he shrugged. "'She lost to gravity.'"
.....
The system's voice echoed inside Soyang's mind like a smug ghost.
"Host, you need to trigger her rage one more time. Only then can the control link be completed."
Soyang smirked like a villain in a low-budget play.
"One more time? Hah. She'll be so mad, she might explode into Qi dust."
Morning arrived, and the Alchemy elder was giving a long, boring lecture about spirit herbs. Soyang, naturally, was pretending to listen while plotting chaos. He tried refining pills but ended up nearly setting his eyebrows on fire.
**"System," he muttered under his breath, fanning the smoke off his face, "any bright ideas?"
"Yes. Borrow Lian Ru's special body. She has the Jade Yin Constitution—essential for alchemical cultivation."
"And how do I 'borrow' someone's body, oh wise narrator?"
"By triggering emotional chaos. She's your energy battery, not your girlfriend."
Just then, Soyang overheard some nosy disciples whispering.
"Did you know? Every full moon, Lian Ru sneaks off to the Jade Lake alone."
"Why? Meditation?"
"Maybe. Or she turns into a werewolf. Either way, don't follow. Last guy who did lost his eyebrows and dignity."
Soyang's ears perked up. "Perfect. A lake, a moon, and a secret. This is straight out of a trashy romance drama." He grinned like someone who just found free Wi-Fi
---
Strange Thoughts & Nonsense
The wind blew louder. Soyang looked out the cave.
"Maybe a flying beast will come rescue us," he said. "Or maybe a giant flying cauldron. Even better, an alchemy airplane. Seats made of pills. Free elixirs. Terrible snacks."
Lian Ru stared at him. "You need help."
"I've been saying that for years," he replied with a straight face.
---
Back to the Sect (and More Drama)
When the storm passed, they walked back to the sect. People stared.
"They came back together??"
"Were they stuck alone… all night?"
Lian Ru silenced them with one cold glare.
Soyang added fuel, of course.
"She's secretly a talkative person, you know," he said to one disciple.
"She told me all her favorite herbs, her childhood dreams, and cried twice."
"I'll end you," she muttered.
"You'll have to wait in line," he replied, walking away.
The system's voice echoed inside Soyang's mind like a smug ghost.
"Host, you need to trigger her rage one more time. Only then can the control link be completed."
Soyang smirked like a villain in a low-budget play.
"One more time? Hah. She'll be so mad, she might explode into Qi dust."
Morning arrived, and the Alchemy elder was giving a long, boring lecture about spirit herbs. Soyang, naturally, was pretending to listen while plotting chaos. He tried refining pills but ended up nearly setting his eyebrows on fire.
**"System," he muttered under his breath, fanning the smoke off his face, "any bright ideas?"
"Yes. Borrow Lian Ru's special body. She has the Jade Yin Constitution—essential for alchemical cultivation."
"And how do I 'borrow' someone's body, oh wise narrator?"
"By triggering emotional chaos. She's your energy battery, not your girlfriend."
Just then, Soyang overheard some nosy disciples whispering.
"Did you know? Every full moon, Lian Ru sneaks off to the Jade Lake alone."
"Why? Meditation?"
"Maybe. Or she turns into a werewolf. Either way, don't follow. Last guy who did lost his eyebrows and dignity."
Soyang's ears perked up. "Perfect. A lake, a moon, and a secret. This is straight out of a trashy romance drama." He grinned like someone who just found free Wi-Fi
Chapter end, thankyou