The Chill of Necessity

Mu Qingli quickly covered her mouth. She herself didn’t expect that she would make such a sound.

Shame dyed her fair face red. She couldn’t understand why she could make such a shameless cry just by being bitten!

“You, what have you done to me!”

That voice was certainly not her own.

Even if it were, this man before her must have resorted to some despicable trickery.

Mu Qingli was about to utter more words when a wave of heat surged through her body once more.

Only then did she snap out of her state of shame and indignation, realizing… the backlash of her Profound Yin Physique… had vanished.

It was likely due to the unfamiliar sensation of ‘heat’ after so long that she only now became aware of it.

In the past, a chilling cold would spread from the depths of her bone marrow, making every bone feel as though pierced by ice picks, even freezing her blood and slowing its flow to a crawl.

Cold was her constant, her eternal state.

With a cold that even her soul could not escape, what in this world could possibly make her feel warmth?

She lowered her gaze to her body, feeling the warm current coursing through her.

At this moment, she felt utterly comfortable, the pain brought by her Profound Yin Physique completely dissipating.

After a long absence, she could finally let go of the pain.

Mu Qingli lifted her eyes to look at Lin Mo, who had, at some point, scrambled to the palace gate and was desperately trying to pry it open, intent on escaping.

In her heart, a conjecture arose, one she herself was reluctant to believe: ‘Could this man… alleviate… alleviate the backlash of my Profound Yin Physique?

No… perhaps… he could even cure the backlash of the Profound Yin Physique entirely?’

But… why must it be a man!

Hatred instantly flared within her, yet no matter how fiercely that rage surged, it could not surpass the hope that gradually blossomed before her eyes.

The hope of life, the hope of fulfilling her master’s dying wish.

The hope of perfecting the ‘Bright Jade Profound Yin’ cultivation method her master had left behind.

What truly mattered was her master’s dying wish, wasn’t it?

While Mu Qingli was still lost in thought, the palace suddenly began to shake violently.

A heavy rumbling echoed, layer upon layer, signaling to Mu Qingli that she had little time left.

She had to cast aside her personal preferences.

With a light tap of her foot, Mu Qingli seemed to teleport, appearing directly behind Lin Mo and seizing his shoulder.

“Tha—”

Lin Mo had barely uttered the first syllable when Mu Qingli dragged him back to the center of the room.

“Shut up and listen.

I can spare your life, but you must cooperate with me.

Otherwise, your fate will be like this object!”

Mu Qingli casually waved her right hand, and though it appeared effortless, an invisible palm energy shot forth.

Nearby, the displayed swords and blades clanged in response, shattering into pieces.

“No need for idle chatter, just nod to confirm,” Mu Qingli demanded, her gaze icy, her eyes glinting with a chilling light.

Lin Mo shivered, understanding that this was no jest, and promptly nodded to indicate his comprehension.

Following this, Mu Qingli tore away Lin Mo’s last remaining garments, leaving him completely exposed before her, without the slightest concealment.

Ten years of menial labor had been both a torment and a prolonged, silent tempering.

Lin Mo had spent every day immersed in ceaseless tasks, and those seemingly trivial yet arduous chores had, unbeknownst to him, subtly transformed his body.

Innumerable times carrying heavy loads, his muscle fibers had grown resilient through countless contractions and stretches.

From initial exhaustion to gradual adaptation, his physique had been meticulously forged like steel, slowly developing defined muscles.

His body was lean and strong without being exaggerated, each muscle perfectly contoured to his bones, with smooth, natural lines.

This was not the blocky musculature developed through deliberate training, but rather a beauty filled with natural harmony and coordination.

His frame was slender yet substantial, devoid of any superfluous fat.

This was the result of long-term labor, every inch of his muscle imbued with strength.

Though his arms were not as thick as those of bodybuilders, when he clenched his fists, the muscles on his forearms would tense like steel rods hidden beneath his skin—firm and powerful.

His abdomen was flat and taut; with a slight flex, the faint outlines of his abdominal muscles became visible, as if meticulously carved with a blade.

Even Mu Qingli couldn’t help but steal a few extra glances.

This body was truly like a work of art, flawless and perfect, and when paired with his handsome and alluring face, it possessed a unique attraction.

And…

‘Why was that place so much larger than described in books?’

‘No, no, this male physique is too disgusting; I mustn’t look any longer, or my eyes will be defiled.’

“Close your dog eyes,” Mu Qingli snarled.

Lin Mo dared not resist and immediately shut his eyes.

Mu Qingli, in turn, had no choice but to shed her own final scraps of cloth.

At this moment, both stood utterly exposed; with just a glance, the graceful figure before them could be deeply imprinted in their minds, without reservation.

However, between his life and lust, Lin Mo chose to preserve his life.

“Extend your hands to me.”

Facing Mu Qingli’s demand, he complied without hesitation, not daring to open his eyes.

‘Are you kidding? The one before me is an immortal; any misstep would surely lead to my death!’

So, he obediently stretched out his hands.

Time was of the essence; Mu Qingli could feel the outer formations being broken through layer by layer.

Before long, the main gate of her palace would be blasted open.

Ignoring the aversion in her heart, Mu Qingli also extended her hands, taking Lin Mo’s and placing them upon her own chest.

Without even needing to spread his fingers intentionally, Lin Mo’s wrists could feel an exquisite softness caressing his arms.

He didn’t need to see to know what it was.

‘Could this small ‘perk’ be a tiny consolation for his unfortunate life?’

The urgency of the situation prevented Mu Qingli from noticing that she had been silently taken advantage of; she merely spoke with grave seriousness:

“Now, no matter what happens once you enter, do not resist.

This concerns your very life.

Remember, the power flowing through you shortly will be Profound Yin energy; do not resist it.”

With that, as Mu Qingli chanted an ancient and obscure incantation, its sound howled in Lin Mo’s ears like a frigid wind, each syllable seemingly carrying a biting chill.

The surrounding temperature plummeted, and a cold, icy aura slowly rose from his feet, creeping upward along his legs.

As Mu Qingli’s chanting accelerated, streams of ethereal blue light emanated from her hands, coiling toward Lin Mo like icy spiritual serpents.

Yet, when these lights touched Lin Mo, it felt as though countless icy needles pierced his skin; the cold instantly permeated his flesh, reaching deep into his bone marrow.

He instinctively wanted to pull his hands away and resist the cold, but recalling Mu Qingli’s words, Lin Mo dared not make any move to fight back.

He could only force himself to remain calm and accept it.

This cold was thousands of times more intense than when Qiu Yue used to make him take cold baths with her in the dead of winter.

‘Bathing together’ sounded alluring, but there was a thick curtain between them, so thick he couldn’t even see her shadow.

And she was a cultivator; a little winter cold meant nothing to her!

Having just escaped Qiu Yue’s clutches, he now found himself in such a predicament again…

Lin Mo couldn’t help but wonder if he was simply too unlucky.

He had read countless novels while lying in bed, where protagonists would transmigrate and find devoted younger sisters, wealthy patrons offering money, or powerful protectors.

How was it that he transmigrated and found even survival to be a struggle?

First, he was captured and imprisoned for ten years by a girl who looked like a loli on the surface but had a dark heart.

Now, having barely escaped, he was caught by a mature woman.

‘What can I say… lolis don’t really interest me, but this mature woman…’

The essence of maturity was evident in her body—full yet not corpulent, perfectly sculpted as if by design.

Gradually, Lin Mo felt a small flame begin to churn in his abdomen.

Lin Mo tried to distract himself with these random thoughts, but the effect was minimal.

The cold that followed was so intense it made even his soul tremble.

Even if the physiological flame burned fiercely, it could not withstand it.