At the monastery, Chen Yi had met her once before, and now, upon seeing her again, his hand instinctively rested on the hilt of his blade.
"Indeed, earlier you encountered my paper figurine."
Dong Guifei offered a polite bow, her brows and eyes carrying a gentle warmth.
"Chen Qianhu, correct?"
From the registrar at the monastery, she had already inquired about Chen Yi’s background. Only then did she learn that the man who had destroyed her paper figurine was none other than the paramour assigned to her by the palace.
Unable to discern the woman’s origins, Chen Yi remained unsure whether she came with good intentions or ill, his hand still resting on the hilt.
Dong Guifei abruptly spoke, catching him off guard:
"Are you heading to Ghost City?"
"Then are you aware that the Chaos Seal is about to rupture?" Dong Guifei spoke slowly, her tone shifting from gentle warmth to firm seriousness.
Chen Yi stared intently at her, sensing she might hold some knowledge, and responded, "Explain in detail."
Thus, Dong Guifei began to elaborate on the situation of the Virtue Rewarders and Evil Punishers guilds. She highlighted the Virtue Rewarders’ Chief, Du Wei, who planned to perform a blood sacrifice to unleash Chaos, painstakingly narrating the looming danger.
And upon hearing Elder Li secretly passing information to the Virtue Rewarders, Chen Yi suddenly realized Elder Li was now playing the role of a double agent.
Tsk... Such methods felt strangely familiar.
"If Chaos emerges, Ghost City will undoubtedly fall into disarray. Surely, Chen Qianhu isn’t aiming for a chaotic Ghost City, is he?"
Dong Guifei’s voice carried a soft allure as it reached Chen Yi’s ears, tinged with subtle seduction.
Chen Yi replied plainly:
Dong Guifei smiled faintly and murmured, "Then, is Chen Qianhu asking me to lead the way, to slay demons and vanquish evil?"
Dong Guifei’s face showed surprise.
"Just because you want me to go, does that mean I will?" Chen Yi chuckled lightly. "I’m not in a rush. I could delay and simply return to the mortal realm, wait for a few days until the turmoil subsides, and then head to Ghost City.
You’re the one who’s anxious; I’m not."
Chen Yi did not fully trust the woman. It wasn’t only her obscure origins but also her failure to reveal her objectives and interests.
Moreover, they had clashed previously at the monastery. Although there was no immediate tension, a sense of cautious vigilance persisted.
Dong Guifei narrowed her gaze and asked:
"Then, how can I persuade Chen Benefactor to cooperate?"
"It’s simple. You’ll need to leave something incriminating in my hands."
"Incriminating evidence?" Dong Guifei maintained a gentle smile, offering, "I don’t possess any incriminating evidence. The only thing I have is this ceremonial dagger."
"I don’t want it." Chen Yi refused to take anything from her, wary that it might hide some malicious trick.
"...Then what do you propose?"
Chen Yi retrieved a porcelain vial from his robes, manipulating it with his inner energy, and sent it floating before Dong Guifei.
The white jade bottle hovered in the air. Dong Guifei did not rush to take it but instead asked:
"Jade Spring Ointment."
With just three words, Dong Guifei’s complexion changed drastically. Her stunningly graceful visage instantly paled.
Chen Yi spoke calmly: "Seems you’ve heard of its reputation."
From her reaction, Chen Yi deduced she was either from the palace or someone closely connected to the royal clan.
Speaking of the Jade Spring Ointment, when Chen Yi had obtained it, he had originally planned to reserve it for private, personal use—to punish the sly fox or counter the maneuvers of Great Yin’s court.
"Can we change the method?... Chen Benefactor, I’m but a mere woman,"
Dong Guifei lowered her tone,
"Furthermore, I am a nun practicing asceticism."
Chen Yi teased, "What a coincidence—I know plenty of Daoist priestesses. It’s just nuns that I’m less familiar with."
Dong Guifei’s gaze sharpened momentarily, but she skillfully masked her feelings.
Chen Yi waited patiently.
Knowing of the Jade Spring Ointment’s infamous reputation, Dong Guifei undoubtedly understood its potency.
The ointment was potent enough to overwhelm even Qin Qingluo—though she had been injured at the time, making her particularly vulnerable to its effects. Still, even without such hindrances, the ointment’s power was immense, capable of breaking even the resilience of someone with extraordinary physical constitution.
Dong Guifei contemplated for a long while before speaking:
"How can I trust you?"
"Trust or not, it doesn’t matter. If you don’t use it, I won’t proceed."
Chen Yi paused briefly and added, "Although the effects of Jade Spring Ointment are gradual, it takes an hour or two for the full intensity of the surging blood energy to manifest."
Dong Guifei’s autumnal eyes narrowed slightly as she gazed at the ointment, seemingly deep in thought.
Eventually, she chuckled softly and said:
"Very well, I’ll use it."
With that, Dong Guifei took the Jade Spring Ointment, preparing to apply it to her neck and wrists.
In that moment, Chen Yi interjected lazily, "Not apply—but consume."
Dong Guifei’s gaze flickered for a moment before she smiled charmingly: "Thank you, Qianhu, for correcting me."
Chen Yi nodded faintly.
She then said, "I suppose Chen Benefactor must have the antidote."
Chen Yi did not respond, leaving his silence as tacit acknowledgment. Seeing this, Dong Guifei tilted the porcelain vial, letting its milky liquid pour out into her mouth, consuming it in one gulp.
At that moment, Chen Yi smirked: "Guess again."
Dong Guifei’s expression froze.
She had already drunk it!
In the blink of an eye, the Brocade Spring Blade was unsheathed. Chen Yi’s figure darted forward, grasping Dong Guifei’s delicate fingers still holding the vial.
The blade pressed down.
A bead of fresh blood welled up on her finger, her skin even at the wound was translucent and radiant.
"Not a paper figurine—this is my true self." Dong Guifei spoke slowly, her tone polite. "I wouldn’t dare use a paper figurine to greet the Qianhu."
Chen Yi nodded slightly and released her wrist.
From an angle only Chen Yi could see, Dong Guifei extended her tongue halfway and casually licked the wound on her fingertip.
It was unclear whether she sought to provoke him or if the act was unintentional. However, catching Chen Yi’s gaze, she widened her limpid eyes in faux innocence, then shyly turned her face away.
Such is the allure of Korean women, famed for their ability to charm and seduce, often drawing jealousy.
The female crown, Yin Weiyin, had no idea what Chen Yi and Dong Guifei were doing. She simply saw them standing face-to-face for quite some time.
Without reason, Yin Weiyin felt a twinge of bitterness in her heart. Even if they were doing nothing, just the sight of them standing together made her uncomfortable.
After noticing her own feelings, she convinced herself it was simply acting—this fake affection nearly deceived even herself.
Still, despite rationalizing it, she felt uneasy, turning her face away to avoid looking at them further.
Unbeknownst to her, Chen Yi silently remarked to himself:
"Not as good as Yin Weiyin."