Fire Beneath the Ice

“Oh—”

Wen Xiaoran cast her a meaningful glance.

It was clearly a perfunctory reply.

Yet for some reason, he found it pleasing.

After all, women adorned themselves for those who pleased them.

A mere mortal physician was hardly immune to such sentiment.

Seeing him hesitate as if wanting to speak, Yan Yi had no clue what he was thinking.

She braced herself and stepped forward.

“Your Excellency, do you have further instructions?”

Her voice seemed to disturb his thoughts.

He frowned, his cold gaze pressing toward her without concealment.

She had appeared at his side only a few days ago.

Logically, she should have no feelings toward him.

Yet she often displayed shy gestures before him.

Acts easily misunderstood.

Could it be—

He narrowed his eyes like a hawk locking onto prey.

She stood with her head lowered, meek and submissive.

Understanding dawned in him.

She must have been instructed by someone.

Using every trick to seduce him.

Crude methods.

The thought ignited a sudden flare of anger in his chest.

He abruptly stood, strode past her, and exited.

“To Nether Valley.”

At the command, over a dozen demon guards turned in unison and followed.

Yan Yi remained rooted to the spot, baffled.

As expected of the greatest villain in the book.

Unpredictable and nerve-wracking.

When her thoughts settled, she noticed Xiao Li curled in the bedding, trembling with wide frightened eyes.

Yan Yi scooped her into her arms.

“Don’t be afraid.

The big villain is gone.”

At the entrance of Nether Valley, Wen Xiaoran suddenly sneezed.

He halted and gestured for Wen Feng to open the barrier.

The valley had been constructed by the two of them together.

Wen Feng moved forward skillfully.

Wen Xiaoran pressed his fingers to his throbbing temple, lost in thought.

“Your Excellency, it is open.”

Stepping inside was like entering a realm of ice.

Cold wind howled.

The chill cut to the bone.

He stopped before a structure resembling a prison.

“Open it.”

The iron doors shifted aside under a spell, revealing frost-covered bars.

Inside sat a man bearing some resemblance to him.

Wen Xiaoran waved the guards away, keeping only Wen Feng behind him.

“Father.

Still alive?”

The man inside lifted his head.

Dark hair fell loosely over his shoulders.

His peach-blossom eyes glinted mockingly.

“Not before you, beast.”

Wen Xiaoran sneered.

“Scourges live long.”

The man rose swiftly, red robes flaring like flames.

“Beast.

Imprisoning and abusing your own father.”

Wen Xiaoran stood straight as a pine.

“Even a tiger does not devour its cubs.

Yet you did.”

The man’s hands gripped the bars like a bloodthirsty predator.

Then he calmed.

“Your blood is mine.

You can never cleanse it.”

Wen Xiaoran did not waste words.

He gestured for Wen Feng.

A small jade bottle rested on a tray.

“Shall I feed you?”

The prisoner laughed harshly.

“Loyal dog.”

The bottle slipped.

Wen Xiaoran caught it swiftly.

The pill inside shattered, splattering icy blood upon his pale wrist.

A sizzling sound filled the air.

The scent of burning flesh followed.

“Your Excellency, forgive me.”

Wen Xiaoran flicked his sleeve coldly.

“Fetch another.”

The blood of the Ice Beast was rare.

Capable of suppressing demonic power.

Without it, he would have long been devoured by the very man before him.

After forcing the pill down, he turned and left.

Night had deepened.

As he stepped into the estate, a slender figure slipped through the shadows.

He moved instantly, catching her before the herb storehouse.

“Who—help!”

Yan Yi’s heart nearly burst.

She had only come to fetch a missing herb.

Instead she was seized without warning.

“Why sneak about at night?”

Recognizing the voice only made her more nervous.

“I—I came for herbs.”

He released her.

“You collected some at noon.

So soon finished?”

“I lack one ingredient.”

Her gaze dropped to his blood-soaked sleeve.

“Your Excellency—are you injured?”

He grunted, attempting to hide it.

She ignored his reluctance and lifted his sleeve gently.

Her pupils shrank.

“Is this a burn?”

Wen Feng stepped forward to explain.

But Wen Xiaoran stopped him.

“Leave.”

Soon only the two remained in the courtyard.

Their breathing faintly audible.

“I will treat it.”

He did not refuse.

She dragged him inside.

Xiao Li hissed and vanished at once.

Yan Yi sighed.

The villain’s intimidation was absolute.

“May I know how you were injured?

So I may prescribe correctly.”

“Treat it as a burn.”

She frowned instinctively.

“That won’t do.

If treated incorrectly, it could worsen.

Or scar.”

He withdrew his hand sharply.

“Do I decide, or do you?”

“You decide.”

She muttered inwardly that he was stubborn as a mule.

After cleansing the wound, she began applying ointment.

From elbow to wrist, the flesh was charred and blistered.

He watched her closely.

She leaned near and gently blew cool air over the injury.

“What are you doing?”

He jerked back, fingers brushing her lips unintentionally.

His heart tightened.

That strange sensation surged again.

He felt something slipping beyond his control.

Yan Yi remained unaware of his turmoil.

It was simply a childhood habit.

Her mother had once blown on her scrapes to ease the sting.

She refocused.

“Your Excellency, aside from your arm, is there any other discomfort?”