Are You Willing to Let Go

Gu Chengyin didn't want to open some strange door in Lin Qingyan's mind and end up on a miserable path of no return.

When he got back, he definitely had to ask Gu Xiaoli if the Wanxiang Pavilion had any insulating cultivation techniques, or even a lightning rod would do.

Gu Chengyin began to seriously consider this possibility.

Although lightning-attribute cultivators were rare, and the Nine Heavens Lightning Attraction Art was the exclusive ultimate technique of the Celestial Master Mansion, someone must have studied how to defend against it.

Even if there were no ready-made methods, with the rich collection of ancient texts in the Wanxiang Pavilion, he could always find some clues.

At the very least, he absolutely could not let himself be shocked without any power to fight back!

"Did the shock hurt a lot?"

Lin Qingyan's voice interrupted Gu Chengyin's thoughts.

Gu Chengyin blinked, taking a breath's time to react.

This question was actually asked by Lin Qingyan.

She had taken the initiative to speak, to show concern, to ask him if it hurt?

Was the sun rising from the west?

Gu Chengyin turned his head and met Lin Qingyan's gaze.

In those aloof eyes, there was no alienation at this moment, nor the obsessive entanglement of her inner demon state, but rather a very faint layer of concern.

With such an opportunity delivered right to his door, he naturally had to take full advantage of it.

Gu Chengyin immediately raised his left hand, the same one that had just grabbed Lin Qingyan's jade-like foot.

He put on an expression of extreme agony, furrowing his brows, pulling down the corners of his mouth, and scrunching up his entire face like a dried bitter gourd.

"Of course it hurts!"

He deliberately raised his voice half a pitch, adding an exaggerated tremor.

"Little Aunt, look."

Gu Chengyin held his hand up in front of Lin Qingyan's eyes, his fingers trembling slightly. This tremble was real; the aftereffects of being shocked earlier hadn't completely faded.

"My hand is... my skin was shocked yellow!"

Lin Qingyan's gaze fell on Gu Chengyin's hand.

The hand indeed wasn't fair; it had a broad palm, distinct knuckles, and the skin on the back of the hand was a healthy wheat color.

But the entire back of the hand was perfectly intact. Looking closely, one would be surprised to find not a single scratch.

Lin Qingyan looked at the back of his hand, then raised her eyes to look at Gu Chengyin.

Her gaze was very calm, but Gu Chengyin read a trace of confusion in it: Wasn't it yellow to begin with?

Gu Chengyin coughed lightly. His skin was as thick as a city wall, meaning the word embarrassment simply didn't exist in his dictionary.

"Little Aunt, you don't understand. I don't have external injuries, it's internal."

"This is called being shocked on the body, but hurting in the heart!"

"But it's okay. As long as Little Aunt blows on it, it won't hurt anymore."

The confusion in Lin Qingyan's eyes deepened.

She looked at Gu Chengyin's hand again, then at his expression.

His face was covered with an affected expression that screamed, I am in pain, I am aggrieved, and I need comfort.

She remained silent, seemingly weighing just how absurd this request was, while also thinking about how to refuse without appearing too heartless.

Just when Gu Chengyin thought Lin Qingyan wouldn't play along with such a childish trick...

He then saw Lin Qingyan take a breath.

Very light, very slow.

Then she slightly lowered her head, leaning close to the back of his hand.

Gu Chengyin could feel the airflow stirred by her breath, warm as it brushed over the skin on the back of his hand.

It also carried her unique cold fragrance. Right now, because they were so close, the scent became intense, like a handful of melted snow pouring over his heart.

Lin Qingyan's lips puckered slightly, and then she gently blew a small puff of air onto the back of his hand.

"Phew~"

The breath was as gentle as a feather brushing past.

Time seemed to stand still in this moment.

Gu Chengyin stared blankly at Lin Qingyan. He watched the fan-shaped shadows cast by her drooping eyelashes on her eyelids, and the tiny wrinkles on the tip of her nose that formed as she lowered her head.

He watched the pale pink luster on her lips when she puckered them.

This breath lasted for about two seconds.

Then Lin Qingyan straightened up and sat back properly.

Her expression remained calm, but the flush at the base of her ears, which hadn't yet fully faded, quietly crept back up, even more vivid than before.

Gu Chengyin was still holding his hand up.

He looked at the back of his hand, then looked at Lin Qingyan.

Then, an extremely exaggerated expression, a mix of shock and ecstasy, appeared on his face.

His eyes widened, his mouth opened slightly, and his eyebrows arched high.

"Wow!"

The pitch of this wow was very high, carrying a dramatic theatricality.

"It's so magical!"

Gu Chengyin brought his hand in front of his face as if looking at a rare treasure, his eyes sparkling with adoration.

"After Little Aunt blew on it, all the pain just flew away!"

Gu Chengyin said this while wiggling his fingers, his movements as exaggerated as if he were performing a magic trick.

"It actually doesn't hurt at all anymore! Little Aunt's fairy breath is so amazing!"

Lin Qingyan looked at Gu Chengyin.

She watched his comical, artificial demeanor, clearly intended just to make her happy.

She watched him cradle his left hand, looking at it from left to right, muttering to himself, while his eyes secretly stole glances at her to observe her reaction.

And then...

"Pfft."

The corners of Lin Qingyan's mouth curled up slightly, and a hint of a smile rippled in her cool, calm eyes.

She smiled.

Although the smile only existed for a fleeting moment before being quickly withdrawn.

Although she immediately turned her face away and looked across again, leaving behind only reddened ears and a straight back.

But Gu Chengyin truly saw Lin Qingyan smile. She smiled very gently, and it was very beautiful.

Only then did he stop his exaggerated performance, instead looking at Lin Qingyan with a beaming smile and saying:

"You look really beautiful when you smile, Little Aunt."

Lin Qingyan couldn't quite handle this remark. She turned her face to the other side, leaving Gu Chengyin with only the back of her head.

Gu Chengyin didn't mind and steered the topic back to business:

"Little Aunt, since we are so familiar with each other now, can you tell me."

"Did His Majesty give you any orders?"

"Concerning me."

As soon as these words were spoken, the atmosphere inside the carriage abruptly changed.

The redness at the base of Lin Qingyan's ears quickly dissipated, and she slowly turned her head back.

Staring straight into Gu Chengyin's eyes, she nodded after a moment and said:

"Yes."

Lin Qingyan's answer was very direct, without any intention of hiding it.

"His Majesty told me to kill you at an appropriate time."

"He even specifically emphasized that I must remember to deliver a finishing blow."

"Preferably a stab to the heart and a slash to the neck."

Gu Chengyin: "......"

Good, very good. Good for you, Emperor Luo.

It had to be said, this ruthlessness, this level of viciousness.

Compared to him, Gu Chengyin was simply far too merciful.

At least he still felt a little guilty toward Luo Zhao; after all, he really had bullied her too much.

But with things turning out this way, not only did Gu Chengyin no longer feel guilty.

He actually felt that he had treated Luo Zhao exceptionally well.

Compared to that old geezer Emperor Luo, at least he could still be considered human.

Gu Chengyin shook his head. Since things had come to this, he could only wait until he got back to settle the score with Emperor Luo.

However, the main point right now wasn't whether Emperor Luo wanted to kill him; after all, Gu Chengyin had sensed this a long time ago.

Rather, it was...

Gu Chengyin leaned forward shamelessly, staring intently into Lin Qingyan's eyes as he asked:

"Then..."

"Can Little Aunt bear to kill me?"