Xiao Kai's face was uncertain, and he didn't speak for a long time. Xiao Yue and Xiao Xin looked at Xiao Kai, not daring to even breathe heavily. Seeing Xiao Kai in such a difficult situation, Xiao Yun felt a sudden movement in her heart and thought, "I like him because of his kindness, right? If so, why do I need to force him today? Whether to kill or spare these two little foxes, what does it matter?"
Xiao Kai thought for several minutes, his expression finally becoming resolute. He reached into his pocket and pulled out two round pills the size of his fingertips. These two pills looked completely black, and as soon as they were brought out, everyone felt a strong stench, and couldn't help but frown.
Xiao Yun exclaimed in surprise, "What is this?"
Xiao Kai's face was somewhat pained. "After thinking it over, considering my own safety, I still can't believe them..."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Yue and Xiao Xin's faces, which had just shown a hint of relief, immediately sank. Although they remained silent, their delicate bodies trembled more violently. Tear by tear, tears fell onto the ground, in the quiet room where a pin drop could be heard, it almost sounded like "drip, drip."
Xiao Kai continued, "However, they have been with me for quite some time now, and in these days, they have been good to me. If I have to resort to violence, I find it hard to bear. These two pills are the Heart-Controlling Pills passed down through the generations of Tianxuan Sect. Even immortals, after taking these pills, cannot escape their tragic fate. If you really want to die, then take them."
After finishing his words, he held out his hand, palms up, the two foul-smelling pills lying quietly on his palm.
The strong stench, the pitch-black color, and the pills that had condensed countless toxic substances. Xiao Yun's face turned pale. Just thinking about swallowing such a thing made her feel like vomiting.
Since these pills were something passed down through generations in the Tianxuan Sect, and were said to bring about their tragic end even for immortals, once these two little foxes swallowed them, they would probably be corroded to pieces on the spot!
Xiao Xin and Xiao Yue exchanged glances, and their expressions suddenly calmed down. Both reached out, took a pill each, and without even wrinkling their brows, swallowed them.
"Swallow them," Xiao Kai said with a touch of regret, "I will remember you."
Upon hearing this, the tears that had just stopped flowing from the eyes of the two little foxes began to flow again. They looked deeply at Xiao Kai, their eyes not filled with hatred, but with deep regret.
Then, "Gulp, gulp," the two pills had already been swallowed. Such large pills, when swallowed, could even be seen to cause a distinct movement in their throats.
Xiao Yun couldn't help but sigh quietly, suddenly feeling some regret.
The two little foxes, without any resistance, had chosen death. Could it be... could it be that they were truly wronged?
Xiao Kai's expression suddenly became relaxed, looking as if a burden had been lifted from his shoulders. He let out a deep breath, clapped his hands, and said with a smile, "Good, good, very good!"
Xiao Yun glared at him fiercely and said, "Cold-blooded animal!"
"Hey, speak logically," Xiao Kai said. "You were the one shouting for bloodshed. How did I become the cold-blooded one?"
Xiao Yun couldn't help but glance at the two little foxes again. The expression on their faces was extremely painful, as they lay on the ground. Although their bodies had not yet turned into pills, black liquid was gradually oozing from their snowy white skin, emitting an extremely foul smell. Xiao Yun's pity arose, unable to bear watching any longer. She immediately turned her head and scolded, "I want to kill them to avenge you. With a swift sword thrust, they would die instantly without any suffering. Unlike you making them endure this disgusting agony with these pills. What else could it be if not cold-blooded?"
Xiao Kai chuckled, "In the end, they die. What difference does it make how they die?"
Gritting her teeth, Xiao Yun's regretful expression became more pronounced as she said, "I'm thinking, perhaps I misunderstood them."
"How is that possible," Xiao Kai said naturally. "You saw everything with your own eyes. Are you not going to believe what you saw?"
"But... but they committed suicide too easily," Xiao Yun murmured, her voice low. "And their expressions just now, filled with regret and sorrow, but without a hint of hatred. If they really wanted to harm you, how could it be like this? They had been with you for so long, with countless opportunities to harm you, but they never did. Instead, they waited so long. What reason is there for this?"
Xiao Kai watched her quietly, not saying a word.
Xiao Yun lowered her head and continued, "She said she wanted to give her virgin essence to you. I originally didn't believe it, but now... but now... I'm starting to believe it a little."
"Oh?" Xiao Kai asked with great interest. "Why do you believe it?"
"Because of her eyes," Xiao Yun said slowly. "From start to finish, her gaze has been clear. When she looked at you, there was never any animosity, but rather... there was affection." Xiao Yun's face blushed again, but she continued, "You are a man, you may not understand, but as a woman, I know the kind of look that is. She clearly has fallen in love with you!"
She turned her head, her eyes filled with tears, "Tell me, how could a woman who loves you harm you? If she truly loves you, what wouldn't she do? What is a thousand-year essence compared to that?"
Xiao Kai looked at her blankly for a while before sighing, "You were aggressive just now, not giving them a chance to explain. Now you regret it. Isn't it too late?"
Tears finally streamed down Xiao Yun's face as she gently leaned on Xiao Kai's shoulder, crying, "It's my fault."
As soon as these words left her mouth, she heard a voice behind her, even more choked with sobs: "No, it's not too late. We... we are still alive."
Xiao Yun was greatly surprised; she turned around abruptly and saw the two little foxes, who had previously been covered all over in black liquid, standing upright!
The tears in the eyes of the two little foxes were far more numerous than Xiao Yun's, indicative of their deep emotions. The excitement on their faces far surpassed Xiao Yun's.
"Hahaha!" Xiao Kai burst into laughter, his face beaming with pride. "How about that, Sister, wasn't my plan brilliant?"
Xiao Yun's tears turned into a smile. Her face was a mix of tears and laughter. She pinched Xiao Kai's waist, her face reddening as she fumed, "What's the matter? Tell me already!"
Looking at the two little foxes reeking of stench, Xiao Kai said gently, "Let's go wash up first."
Xiao Yue and Xiao Xin both looked puzzled, touching the black liquid on their bodies, feeling the slimy and repulsive texture. The two girls nodded obediently and went inside to clean up.
"This is it," Xiao Kai said. "The pill I gave them to eat should actually be called the marrow-cleansing pill, not the heart-inducing pill."
"Marrow-cleansing pill?" Xiao Yun repeated doubtfully. "Does that mean cleansing the bone marrow and changing one's nature?"
With a light sound of "wave," the sachet seemed sturdy, but in fact, it was very fragile. With just a little force, it was crushed open, startling Xiao Kai. Looking closely, the sachet turned out to be just an empty shell, with nothing inside. As the sound of the rupture rang out, a faint fragrance powder dispersed.
"Hmm, this scent seems kind of familiar," Xiao Kai pondered with his head tilted. "I feel like I've smelled it somewhere... it's like... like the fragrance on Master Lantian Yu's body?"
Just as he thought about this, his vision suddenly blurred, and a figure appeared out of thin air in front of him, looking at him in surprise. It was indeed Lantian Yu, the head of the Flowing Cloud Water Pavilion.
The last time Xiao Kai saw Lantian Yu was on Huangshan, clad in a robe that couldn't conceal her charm despite covering her body completely. However, this time was different. Lantian Yu was wearing only a sheer little garment and a long ribbon around her waist, draping softly down to her knee. Xiao Kai's gaze moved down, only to discover that Lantian Yu was actually wearing a nightgown and slippers, leaving her fair and smooth jade legs and ankles exposed.
It seemed that this dignified Lantian Yu appeared as if she had just run out from her boudoir.
Upon seeing Xiao Kai, Lantian Yu instantly showed a joyful expression, but then suddenly seemed to realize something. She lowered her head to look at her attire, and her cheeks immediately blushed. She said apologetically, "I've been a bit rude. I was planning to turn in for the night, and I didn't expect the Master to summon me at this time."
"Ah!" Xiao Kai's mouth opened wide as he suddenly remembered that this sachet was given to him personally by Lantian Yu on top of Huangshan that day. Once it was crushed, it would summon Lantian Yu.
It seemed that this sachet was indeed a precious item. Despite being thousands of miles away from the Flowing Cloud Water Pavilion, once the sachet was broken, Lantian Yu would immediately appear here, faster than any formidable flying technique in the world. Thinking about this, Xiao Kai couldn't help but say, "Master, this sachet must be a valuable item, right?"
Lantian Yu smiled and said, "Master has a keen eye. You can see the mystery within. This sachet is not considered precious, but it uses a unique skill from my Flowing Cloud Water Pavilion, which makes it appear magical."
"Oh?" Xiao Kai said with interest, "What skill?"
Lantian Yu's eyes flowed and she glanced at Xiao Kai with some reproach, mixed with a hint of shyness. "This skill, called 'The Bond of Fate Across a Thousand Miles,' can only be performed by those of pure maidenhood. It has a very nice name, doesn't it?"
Xiao Kai's face also turned a bit red as he nodded, "The name does sound quite nice."
Lantian Yu nodded and said, "As long as we seal some essence of our own yin into the sachet and define the method of communication, the sachet establishes a connection with us from spiritual perception to the six senses. By giving the sachet to the intended person, once they crush the sachet, due to this marvelous dual perception, we can instantly move to the location of the sachet."
Xiao Kai was a bit astonished, "Is this a forced summon?"
"Of course," Lantian Yu said. "At any time and place, once the sachet is broken, we will immediately come."
"But... but..." Xiao Kai glanced at her attire and finally understood why she was dressed like this. "Doesn't this make it very easy to encounter... inconvenient situations?"
Lantian Yu blushed again and looked deeply at Xiao Kai, whispering, "It's okay."
She actually wanted to tell Xiao Kai that this 'Bond of Fate Across a Thousand Miles' spell couldn't be used by anyone; it required the closest contact between a man and a woman, or a readiness both psychologically and physically. Gift of the sachet not only served as a token of affection but also as a shortcut for private communication.
She didn't have any romantic feelings towards Xiao Kai, but as the imminent crisis in her sect and even the future of the entire cultivation world loomed, she didn't hesitate to sacrifice her own chastity. When she gave the sachet to Xiao Kai on Huangshan, it was actually a clear indication of her willingness to offer herself.
It's a pity that this chosen Master was always in a dreamy and clueless state, seemingly unaware of this fact even until this moment.
Xiao Kai nodded and heard Lantian Yu continue, "Since the Master has summoned me, would you like to visit my Flowing Cloud Water Pavilion?"