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Qingli’s eyes grew brighter as she observed the man. Righteousness radiated from him, and his facial features revealed a commendable character. Most importantly, his entire body was surrounded by Purple Qi—he seemed made precisely for her current mission down the mountain.
Finding her target so effortlessly filled her with delight.
Behind the man followed a dozen or so attendants, each one appearing skilled and far from ordinary.
They booked several superior rooms and then headed upstairs. Although the man sat in a wheelchair, his presence was striking. He didn’t look the least bit frail—his aura was formidable, and noble air exuded from his every movement.
Only after the group disappeared from view did Qingli withdraw her gaze and return to her meal. In her mind, she was already devising a plan to win this man over.
Nearby, whispers of curiosity had already begun to stir. A man of such rare beauty, even seated in a wheelchair, was enough to leave countless young women captivated.
“I wonder which family’s son he is—he’s so good-looking. If I could marry him, just staring at that face every day would be a joy.”
“Yes, exactly! And imagine having a child with him—the child would be beautiful without a doubt. Let’s go ask around! I’m completely smitten with that face.”
“You’re all only looking at his face? Did none of you notice he’s clearly crippled? His body’s ruined—what good is a handsome face then?”
The girls’ conversation reached Qingli’s ears, instantly triggering a sense of urgency in her.
She couldn’t let anyone else get ahead of her. This man was her chosen target—her tool.
Her most important mission on this trip down the mountain was to have a child. And the first step to having a child? Naturally, it was to get pregnant. And for that, she needed to find the right man.
Beyond just his Purple Qi, the man’s genetic material was the best she’d ever encountered—practically flawless. If she combined his genes with her own, wouldn’t their child look like a celestial child? Beautiful and adorable.
Qingli imagined what the child might look like and was very satisfied. With his stunning looks, her intelligence, and the support of Purple Qi… her child would be invincible!
The more she thought about it, the more excited and convinced she became.
She immediately lost all interest in her meal and hurried upstairs.
Her own room was on the second floor, but that group had gone all the way to the top floor. She followed, heading toward the highest level. But just as she reached the staircase, she was blocked.
“Stop! This entire floor has been reserved. No unauthorized persons allowed.”
The guard stood firmly, his expression stern and his gaze cold.
Qingli smiled sweetly. “Ah, I must’ve gone the wrong way. Sorry, sorry.”
She could only turn back to her own floor, already beginning to strategize how she might accomplish her goal.
Night fell quickly. Qingli stood by the window, craning her neck to peer up at the floor above—but she couldn’t see anything. Not even a glimmer of light.
Already asleep? How boring, she thought.
Just as she was entertaining the idea of becoming a Liang Shang Junzi—a midnight intruder sneaking into a man’s bedchamber—a group of black-clad figures suddenly descended from the sky, crashing through the windows of the rooms on the top floor.
Qingli was stunned! She quickly ducked back inside, worried they might spot her.
Though her martial arts were strong, she had no desire to invite trouble. She pressed her ear toward the ceiling, listening to the fierce sounds of battle overhead. More and more black-clad men seemed to be pouring in from outside.
Qingli grew anxious—what if that man couldn’t hold out and ended up dead?
Where would she find someone else with such perfect qualities?
A man cloaked in Purple Qi, and with such breathtaking beauty—there couldn’t be many like him in the entire world!
Qingli wasn’t about to let such a rare opportunity slip through her fingers. Her eighteenth birthday was fast approaching, and time was running out. She had no intention of dying. Which meant having a child was non-negotiable.
She reached into her storage pouch and rummaged around until her fingers touched what she was looking for. Then she opened the door and headed upstairs.
At this hour, the entire inn was silent. Only the upper floors echoed faintly with the sounds of combat. It seemed the rest of the inn’s occupants had all been knocked unconscious—likely drugged—so no one reacted despite the commotion.
Qingli moved with the lightest of steps, and since everyone upstairs was too preoccupied with their killing to notice, no one heard her approaching.
The hallway, which had been guarded just moments before, was now empty. Qingli made her way to the doorway without obstruction, and the sounds of the fight beyond grew even louder.
She had no idea which room the man was in—there were nearly ten rooms on this floor!
“Kill Nangong Yan at all costs.”
A firm male voice rang out. Qingli followed the sound to a particular door. The one they were trying to kill was surely the leader, and that had to be the man she was after. So this was the room.
Once she was sure, Qingli didn’t hesitate. She pushed the door open and immediately tossed a smoke bomb inside.
Everyone turned toward the door in shock, but before they could react, they all collapsed to the floor, unconscious.
It was a special knockout smoke she’d concocted herself—just the tiniest whiff was enough to knock out even the most formidable expert.
She swept her eyes across the room and quickly spotted the breathtaking man in the wheelchair. She rushed forward, scooped him up, and leapt out the window, making her escape in one fluid motion.
It was her first time kidnapping someone like this, and the guilt made her heart race—but it also made her run even faster. Before she knew it, she had crossed the city walls and arrived at a remote and desolate wilderness.
Qingli was completely exhausted. She tossed the man to the side and sat down, panting heavily to catch her breath.
After a brief rest, once her breathing had steadied, Qingli hoisted the man back onto her shoulder. She needed to hurry and find a place to carry out her plan.
Feeling guilty about her actions, she didn’t dare venture into any populated areas. Being in the middle of nowhere gave her some peace of mind—though giving birth in the wilderness wasn’t exactly her idea of ideal.
Heaven as her canopy, earth as her mat? She couldn’t bring herself to do something so shameless!
After carrying the man for a good while, she finally came upon a cave. It was definitely better than being out in the open and spared her the worry of being seen.
She dumped the man on the ground and casually took out a pill, feeding it to him. Then, with a deep breath, she gritted her teeth and swallowed one herself.
Without a bit of medicinal help, she didn’t think she could perform properly.
After taking the pills, she pulled out a long cloth and began to set up the space. The man beside her had already regained consciousness. He opened his eyes and saw a slender figure kneeling on the ground, busily arranging something.
Nangong Yan shook his head, feeling an intense heat rising through his body. He vaguely remembered someone appearing at the door before he lost consciousness. Could it be that the woman before him was the one who had taken him?
Nangong Yan, still wary, did not speak immediately as he continued to assess Qingli’s identity.
But Qingli had already sensed through the sound of his breathing that the man behind her had woken up.
She pulled out a veil and fastened it over her face before turning around.
At the same time, changes were beginning to take place in her body—the effects of the pill were kicking in. Qingli couldn’t help but feel a bit nervous.
“Who are you?”
Nangong Yan locked eyes with her the moment she turned around, his voice cold and direct.
The veil covered her face, revealing only a pair of lively, cunning eyes, but even so, her beauty was unmistakable.
Qingli lowered her voice and spoke calmly. “Who I am doesn’t matter. What matters is—I can heal your legs. But I have one condition.”
Nangong Yan frowned, suspicion clouding his dark eyes.
“My legs… Even the most renowned physicians in the land have been powerless. You think I’ll believe you can do what they couldn’t?”
Qingli sighed inwardly. Just because she looked young and beautiful didn’t mean she was incapable.
She didn’t want to waste time explaining her abilities to him.
Her voice remained calm. “Believe it or not, you have no choice. This is a transaction—I’m not asking for your consent. I’m informing you. Whether you agree or not is irrelevant, because you don’t have the right to refuse.”
“I’ve been affected by a drug. I need someone to help me neutralize it. You help me, and I’ll heal your legs. After that, we’ll be even.”
She absolutely couldn’t reveal that her true goal was to have a child. If he knew, he’d never let it go—he’d definitely try to take the child from her.
Nangong Yan’s face flushed—not from embarrassment, but from rage.
He, the sovereign of a nation, was being reduced to someone’s antidote? It was utterly absurd!
His expression darkened, his tone sharp as a blade. “Absurd! If you so much as touch me, I’ll scour the earth to find you—and when I do, I’ll have you torn limb from limb.”