Returning to her own mountain, Qin Shu had just pushed open the door of her cave dwelling when a foul stench hit her nose.

She frowned and instinctively turned her gaze to the giant snake lying on the stone bed.

What she saw made her heart tighten as if someone had gripped it painfully, leaving her frozen in place for a moment.

Xie Shiyuan was lying sideways on the stone bed, blood pooling on the floor by the bed. His head hung off the edge, his exquisite features were pale, his eyes shut, and a trace of crimson still lingered at the corner of his lips.

His long black hair spilled over the edge of the bed, mingling with the blood on the floor...

The entire scene resembled a crime scene.

Qin Shu didn't have time to think. Dragging her trembling legs, she stumbled to the bedside, reaching out to feel for a pulse on his neck.

But just as her fingertips brushed against him, before she could even check his pulse, a sudden force slammed her away, sending her flying across the room.

When Qin Shu hit the stone wall and clutched her aching chest, her face twisted in anger.

"Damn it! Next time, even if you're really dead, I won't care!" she gritted her teeth, glaring at him with fury, wishing she could pounce on him and tear him apart.

Xie Shiyuan slowly sat up, supporting himself with one hand on the edge of the bed.

His face was pale, his delicate fingers clutching the bed, his bony knuckles as white as snow—a perfect picture of frail beauty.

Who could ever associate such an image with the ruthless person who had just thrown her against the wall?

Xie Shiyuan lowered his eyes, hiding the flicker of guilt in his golden pupils, though it disappeared quickly before Qin Shu could notice.

He had heard her words and understood that she was only concerned about him. But for him, being on guard had become second nature.

Moreover, the spot she touched happened to be the serpent's critical seven-inch point.

Seeing that he didn't even bother to apologize, Qin Shu became even angrier. Frustrated, she stormed off to the training room, sitting cross-legged in preparation to cultivate.

Just as she began meditating, a deep and resonant voice drifted into her ears.

"Cultivating with unstable emotions can lead to qi deviation."

Qin Shu had already told herself she wouldn't talk to him anymore, but his words made her leap off the mat in frustration.

She didn't know if cultivation realms had something like breast cancer, but this anger was something she couldn't swallow!

"So what if I experience qi deviation? It's still better than being beaten to death by you! Are all you demonic beasts so ungrateful?"

"No," Xie Shiyuan replied, his gaze resting on the furious girl before him.

Qin Shu was about to retort, but Xie Shiyuan's lips curved into a faint smile as he added, "Other demonic beasts aren't, but I am."

Qin Shu: "..."

She had met shameless people before, but never one this brazen.

You can never wake someone pretending to sleep, nor can you make a shameless person respect decency.

As Qin Shu struggled to find the words, Xie Shiyuan cast a cleaning spell, removing all the filth in the cave dwelling.

"Little one, come treat my injuries," Xie Shiyuan ordered again.

Qin Shu crossed her arms and turned her face away with a cold snort.

Xie Shiyuan wasn't known for his patience. Spiritual energy gathered in his palm, but this time, he hesitated, his hand relaxing as the energy dissipated.

Lowering his gaze, he said softly, "I didn't mean to earlier."

Qin Shu froze, looking up at him in surprise. Was he... explaining himself to her?

She pursed her lips. "Then what if I threw you against a wall and said it wasn't intentional? Would that be okay?"

Xie Shiyuan pondered her words for a moment and then nodded slightly. "Yes."

Qin Shu was stunned, her eyes trailing down his exposed chest, to his snake tail, and finally to the tip of his tail swaying lazily.

She was absolutely sure she couldn't lift a giant snake even if there were two of her.

"Revenge is a dish best served cold! When I reach a higher cultivation level, I'll settle the score with you!"

Leaning weakly against the wall, Xie Shiyuan raised his eyes to meet her spirited gaze. His lips curled into a charming smile, making Qin Shu momentarily lose focus.

But he didn't disappoint with his sharp tongue. His thin lips parted to say, "An ant trying to shake a tree."

Qin Shu: "!!"

Xie Shiyuan casually tossed a small object to her. "Heal me, and this will be yours."

Curious, Qin Shu examined the object and found it looked like a turtle shell.

Seeing this, Xie Shiyuan explained, "It's a protective talisman. It can withstand three full-strength attacks from cultivators below the late Nascent Soul stage. Use it to save your life."

A wave of joy surged through Qin Shu. This was like granting her three extra lives!

Fine, she decided to forgive him.

Xie Shiyuan's intention for giving her this was simple: he feared accidentally killing her one day...

Since she had accepted his gift, Qin Shu placed her hand on his tail to begin healing.

She couldn't understand why others who transmigrated picked up either powerful companions or incredible pets, while she ended up with an ancestor-like figure to take care of.

After exhausting most of her spiritual energy to heal his injuries, she advised him to rest and headed back to the training room.

Taking out her jade slip, she checked her messages and found one from her friend, Hexin, inviting her to Red Gold City for a market trip. Qin Shu, who hadn't seen her friend in ages, agreed immediately.

After confirming their plans for the next day, she tucked the jade slip away.

Pulling out two cultivation manuals from her storage ring, one titled "Calamity Crossing Technique" and the other "Golden Sun Flame," she felt they both seemed extraordinary just by their names.

As her fire spiritual root was the strongest, she leaned toward cultivating the "Golden Sun Flame." According to Chiyu, this technique was non-elemental and depended solely on affinity.

Holding a trial mindset, Qin Shu began practicing the "Golden Sun Flame" but couldn't even get through the first step. The technique was overwhelmingly domineering, and a sharp pain shot through her meridians. Blood surged through her body, her face turned pale, and she spat out a mouthful of blood.

The pain was so intense that she couldn't maintain her meditation posture. She propped herself up with one hand, barely keeping herself steady.

Sensing the disturbance, Xie Shiyuan's expression changed.

In the blink of an eye, Qin Shu found herself cradled in a cold embrace. The chilling contrast to the heat of her spiritual energy jolted her to her senses.

She couldn't even make sense of Xie Shiyuan's movements as the surroundings blurred past like a fast-forwarded reel. Within a moment, she plunged into icy water.

The lake's freezing temperature enveloped her completely, easing the pain in her meridians. Qin Shu sighed in relief.

But when she realized her predicament, panic set in.

Water! It's all water! She couldn't swim at all!

The suffocating sensation from her past life overwhelmed her again as the water pressed against her lungs. She struggled desperately, but she could only watch as she sank deeper into the lake...