Lin Qinghen struggled helplessly, feeling weak at this moment. He whimpered softly, looking pitiful, but Yin Jiuxiao didn’t let go. Instead, he stepped forward, pinning Lin Qinghen against the edge of the bath.

The distance between them closed even further.

But Lin Qinghen struggled harder, kicking and even biting him. Yin Jiuxiao finally relented, reluctantly letting go.

Well, he’d kissed him enough for now. Besides, Lin Qinghen was indeed exhausted today, so he decided not to push further.

Yin Jiuxiao felt a bit magnanimous after all that.

Leaning against the bath wall, Lin Qinghen caught his breath, almost in disbelief, his voice raspy as he yelled, “Yin Jiuxiao!”

It wasn’t that he was rejecting Yin Jiuxiao—after all, they had been married for a while. He was just thrown off by Yin Jiuxiao’s sudden assertiveness, making him feel a bit out of place.

…Where did that obedient, well-behaved person go?

Just as a strange feeling began to bubble up in him, it was interrupted by Yin Jiuxiao’s slightly aggrieved voice.

“Why did Qinghen push me away?”

Lin Qinghen felt like he was being accused. He took a deep breath, opening his mouth, but the words wouldn’t come out.

He realized that questioning why Yin Jiuxiao had kissed him didn’t really make sense.

“…I didn’t push you,” he denied after a pause, “I just soaked too long, and the water’s gotten cold. I’m clean now, and I want to go back to rest.”

Rest meant cuddling while they slept. Yin Jiuxiao thought about it and reluctantly agreed.

Lin Qinghen got out of the bath—or more like made a quick escape—and, after a few deep breaths, returned to his usual calm demeanor.

He had an appointment with the Alchemist Association tomorrow, so he really should rest.

As for what had just happened…it was better to pretend it hadn’t. Lin Qinghen was good at being an ostrich at moments like this, burying his head in the sand and acting like nothing had happened.

But Yin Jiuxiao noticed that Lin Qinghen’s mind was already focused on business again, as if no romantic thoughts could linger in his head for long.

After leaving the bathroom, Lin Qinghen exchanged a few words with Yu Yinyin, mostly about Lin Yunsi.

“Keep an eye on him,” Lin Qinghen said. “He’s a skilled alchemist, useful for Die Meng.”

Not to mention, Die Meng’s storage still had a stockpile of medicinal herbs. Lin Qinghen couldn’t refine elixirs himself, so he didn’t want to waste them. Lin Yunsi’s skills would come in handy.

He was already here; they might as well make full use of him, and Lin Yunsi would have to stay willingly.

Yu Yinyin nodded. “Got it.”

Then she added, “I don’t think he’ll try running away anymore; he’s been spooked. He’s been sitting motionless in his room for quite a while.”

With the barrier in Bei Zhou, all communication devices were rendered useless, and Lin Yunsi couldn’t reach anyone in the Lin family. He had originally come here planning to intimidate Lin Qinghen, but it turned out he was the one being intimidated.

“Let him be,” Lin Qinghen glanced toward the room, “He’s frightened enough for now. I’ll have plenty of ways to make him listen in the future.”

After taking care of that, Yin Jiuxiao thought things were settled. But back in their room, Lin Qinghen still didn’t seem ready to rest.

He watched as Lin Qinghen took out a small box from his sleeve and sat down, staring at it.

This was the reward from his last system task—a quarter of an antidote pill. Lin Qinghen hadn’t used it immediately and had kept it close to him, only now taking it out.

He had planned the timing for when he would take it carefully.

Lin Qinghen had taken it once before and knew it would cause several hours of pain. With Yin Jiuxiao beside him, he wouldn’t be able to hide it. So he sat on the edge of the bed, making his decision, and thoughtfully gave Yin Jiuxiao a heads-up.

“Jiuxiao,” he said, his tone very casual, “I forgot to tell you earlier—my spiritual energy is somewhat like yours and can get chaotic at times, just like it did for you on our wedding night. Don’t worry about me; I’ll get through it. No need to call for Master or anyone else. Just leave me be; I’ll be fine by morning.”

“Similar?”

Yin Jiuxiao instantly knew he was lying.

Similar, his foot. Lin Qinghen didn’t have demonic bones, so there was no way he could have an episode like Yin Jiuxiao did on their wedding night.

He was about to question him when he saw Lin Qinghen open the small box and toss the pill inside straight into his mouth.

What kind of nonsense was he eating?

In that instant, Yin Jiuxiao almost forgot to pretend to be blind. He frowned, reaching out to snatch the box away, but saw Lin Qinghen convulse, looking like he was in severe pain.

His face started flushing, as if his blood was boiling.

Lin Qinghen had underestimated the pill’s effect. The sensation was much stronger the second time.

The pain was doubled, and his mind buzzed, most of his reasoning burned away.

“Qinghen!”

Yin Jiuxiao immediately caught him as he fainted, his hand reaching to check his internal energy flow. It was a tangled mess, even more chaotic than usual.

What was going on?

He didn’t know the reason, but it was clear Lin Qinghen was in real pain. Though he hadn’t fully lost consciousness, he was barely holding onto a sliver of awareness, his head leaning against Yin Jiuxiao’s shoulder, muttering that it hurt.

If it hurts, why eat it so recklessly?

Yin Jiuxiao couldn’t help but feel helpless. It wasn’t the first time Lin Qinghen had made such a decision on his own, and complaining now wouldn’t help. He just held him closer and started examining his condition.

Although he wasn’t a healer and hadn’t healed anyone before, there was no other choice. Yin Jiuxiao summoned his internal power, clumsily trying to smooth out Lin Qinghen’s chaotic energy.

It was his first time doing this, and he felt it was harder than killing someone. Sweat beaded on his forehead, but Lin Qinghen seemed a bit more at ease from his efforts.

As he helped Lin Qinghen, Yin Jiuxiao’s heart was in his throat.

Seeing him biting his lower lip almost to the point of bleeding, he reached out to gently touch his lips, coaxing him to let go.

“Don’t bite yourself,” Yin Jiuxiao spoke in a soothing tone, “Be good, Qinghen, listen to me.”

Lin Qinghen seemed to hear him, loosening his lip and instead biting down on the base of Yin Jiuxiao’s thumb.

It didn’t hurt Yin Jiuxiao much. If Lin Qinghen wanted to bite, he could. With Yin Jiuxiao’s current strength, Lin Qinghen would probably hurt his teeth before hurting him. Sure enough, Lin Qinghen quickly let go, whimpering pitifully from the pain. Yin Jiuxiao ripped off a corner of the blanket and offered it for him to bite, which settled him for a moment.

“You’re biting and still feeling wronged,” Yin Jiuxiao muttered as he continued to stabilize Lin Qinghen’s energy flow, unable to scold him, “You…”

Day after day, always causing trouble—not only for others but now for himself too.

In his hazy consciousness, Lin Qinghen sensed someone holding him.

For the first time, he could cling to someone in his worst moments, which made him feel at peace, as if he could endure it all.

Lin Qinghen stayed up half the night, and so did Yin Jiuxiao, working tirelessly to help regulate his chaotic energy. His efforts cost him as much energy as Lin Qinghen, maybe even more.

Seeing Lin Qinghen finally settle down and the pain ease, Yin Jiuxiao felt a bit relieved but still held him tightly.

Today, he’d been the ruthless executioner in the Discipline Hall, but tonight, he was a devoted companion, holding on and not letting go. These many sides of Lin Qinghen—perhaps he was the only one who could see them all.

But Yin Jiuxiao also realized that what Lin Qinghen had taken was beneficial for him.

Yin Jiuxiao could clearly sense that Lin Qinghen’s previously turbulent energy was calming, and then other changes occurred.

First, Lin Qinghen’s spiritual power surged, rising from Yellow Tier Four Star to around Seven Star.

The primary source of this energy was the ancestral power passed down to him from the Lin family’s elders, embedded within their marriage contract. Lin Qinghen hadn’t fully absorbed it before, but he’d finally managed to refine part of it, leading to a significant increase in his spiritual power.

Yellow Tier Seven Star was still low, but this sudden boost meant that Lin Qinghen’s physical condition had improved significantly. Previously, he’d struggled even with basic cultivation, lacking the capacity to hold this much spiritual power.

More importantly—the birthmark on Lin Qinghen’s face.

From the agony, his body had started sweating layer after layer, his hair dampened, clinging to his face as if he’d just come out of water.

Now, as he lay there unconscious, completely drained, a section of his hair stuck to the side of his face, conveniently covering half of it.

And the exposed half…had no trace of the birthmark, revealing his original appearance.

The pain from the second antidote pill was doubled, but so was the transformation it brought.

Lin Qinghen had no idea that the greenish birthmark on his face would fade so quickly. He’d already passed out, his hand still wrapped around Yin Jiuxiao’s neck, and when he collapsed, he pulled Yin Jiuxiao down with him.

Now, he lay on top of him, looking down at Lin Qinghen.

The closeness made the impact of that half-revealed face even stronger.

Yin Jiuxiao hadn’t minded the birthmark. To him, Lin Qinghen’s brilliance had always outshone any physical blemish, which was why he was so attached to him, more than he could control now.

But that didn’t mean that seeing Lin Qinghen’s restored face didn’t stir something in him.

Anyone, man or woman, who saw that half-revealed face wouldn’t be able to remain unaffected.

Lin Qinghen, who had always been called plain, turned out to be stunning. That half of his face was the most captivating he had ever seen.

His lower lip was bruised from his own biting, making it look especially red. His long lashes trembled slightly, likely still uneasy even in sleep. The skin under the birthmark was extremely fair, like fine jade.

Lin Qinghen’s half-revealed face was like a delicate spring flower, vibrant yet not garish, so beautiful it blurred the line between male and female. Just lying there, breathing softly, he already held an allure that could mesmerize anyone—and his eyes were still closed.

Yin Jiuxiao had seen his eyes before, knowing how beautiful they were. He couldn’t imagine the charm once they opened.

Even with only half his face visible, it was enough to enchant. If he fully recovered…

He truly had married a treasure.

Author’s Note:

Yin Jiuxiao: Got it—kissing makes you prettier.