"Great!" Mu Yunxuan immediately closed his eyes, surprised by the immense power of the Soul Devouring Bell. He now understood why Qi Er had been punished for even thinking about it and was forbidden from eating meat for a month. Even he would be unable to resist the control of the Soul Devouring Bell. It was evident that very few people in the world could withstand its influence.
Soon, Su Qibian stopped shaking the Soul Devouring Bell.
Mu Yunxuan opened his eyes abruptly and saw a black insect crawling out from the golden needle. It resembled a cocoon emerging and penetrated Su Zimo's skin.
Su Zimo tightly closed her eyes in pain, her beautiful eyebrows furrowing.
Mu Yunxuan tightly held her hand, wanting to provide her with some support, but he deeply regretted not being able to bear the pain for her.
Once the entire Soul Devouring Insect emerged, Su Qi swiftly removed the golden needle, wiped it with a potion, and directly pierced the Heart Devouring Insect.
In an instant, the Heart Devouring Insect transformed into a wisp of white smoke and disappeared into Su Zimo's hands.
The pain in Su Zimo's body gradually subsided, and she tightly squeezed her eyes shut, looking at her son with satisfaction. Fortunately, Qi Er was present; otherwise, the excruciating pain would have driven her to consider suicide.
Relieved, she felt overwhelming fatigue and desired a good sleep.
"Mother, the soul-devouring menace has been resolved. Mother, quickly swallow this pill, and the pain will soon fade away," Su Qi said as he placed the elixir into Su Zimo's mouth.
"Mmm..."
Su Zimo frowned and almost spat out the pill.
"It's so bitter."
Su Zimo was certain that it was the most bitter elixir she had ever tasted.
"Lady, drink some water. It won't taste bitter with water," Mu Yunxuan hurriedly poured a glass of water.
After taking a sip of water, although the bitterness remained in Su Zimo's mouth, it was much better than before.
Seeing this, a bright smile blossomed on Su Qi's rosy face.
"Daddy, you can relax. Mother is fine now."
Su Qi looked at his father, who appeared anxious, and couldn't be happier. Soon, their family of four would be reunited.
Su Zimo propped herself up on the futon, not daring to imagine the pain she had just endured. If the Heart Devouring Insect had reached her heart, it would have been truly agonizing.
"Son, thank you! Mother feels much better now, but..."
"But what?" Su Qi's heart tightened. Did his mother want him to face the wall? Su Qi felt bitter in his heart, even more so than the pill his mother had just consumed.
"Are you deliberately making your mother take bitter pills as revenge for the punishment I imposed on you?" Su Zimo looked at her son with a peculiar expression. Was she teasing her son a little too much?
Su Qi instantly appeared wronged, covering his small face and gazing at his mother with a tearful, indignant expression. He felt so unjust!
"Mother, Qi Er was wronged. I didn't mean it. That pill is made from a hundred poisonous herbs, extremely bitter, but it's the best antidote. It took me half a year to refine three of them. Remember when Grandma was deceived? I gave her another antidote. Mother, not all pills melt in the mouth and taste sweet," Su Qi hurriedly explained. He didn't understand why his mother thought he was trying to poison her. Poor Su Qi felt utterly wronged. He cared so deeply for his mother and family, yet his innocent intentions had been misunderstood.
"Oh!" Su Zimo nodded thoughtfully, her expression carefree and enchanting. Although she was naturally gifted in alchemy, she had overlooked the fact that she had a genius alchemist as her son. For her, she preferred cultivation.
"No need to face the wall and reflect on the past anymore!"
Su Zimo couldn't forget the punishment since her son had saved her.
"Ugh!" Su Qi shrugged his shoulders, looking sad as he glanced at his father with pleading eyes.
He wanted his father to help convince his mother.
But he refrained from speaking his thoughts.
If his father intervened, his mother's punishment would only become more severe.
"Daddy, take good care of Mother! Stay by her side during these days. You can even sleep on the same bed because Mother may experience lingering effects from the poison. It's possible for her to faint at any moment."
Su Qi's big eyes flickered cunningly.
He had found a way for his parents to spend more time together and cultivate their relationship.
"Don't worry! Daddy will definitely take good care of Mother this time."
Mu Yunxuan cast a grateful look at his son. He understood what his son was trying to convey.
Su Zimo's eyelashes fluttered, and she glared coldly at Mu Yunxuan, who had failed to withdraw his gaze in time.
Mu Yunxuan suddenly felt caught red-handed.
But even so, the corners of his exquisite lips curved into a breathtaking smile, and his long, upturned eyelashes trembled gently, adding to his charm.
Seeing through her son's little scheme, Su Zimo's eyes held a trace of anger.
This little traitor! Was he trying to play matchmaker for his wife? To think that they would share a bed! If he, as a child, understood this, Su Zimo felt that her son was far too precocious.
"That's enough."
Su Qi shrugged his shoulders, looking dejected, and glanced at his mother one last time before sadly walking towards the door.
"Madam, would you like to rest for a while?" Mu Yunxuan's gentle tone exuded tenderness.
It made Su Zimo's heart tremble.
This man was truly a source of both bliss and trouble.
"I'll rest for a while. If you have something to attend to, you can go back first!"
Su Zimo gently laid down and closed her beautiful eyes. She desperately needed a good sleep.
She didn't know why, but she felt increasingly unnatural around Mu Yunxuan. This feeling annoyed her greatly. Furthermore, she was fully aware of what this feeling signified.
Moreover, she now had to consider Mu Yunxuan's feelings before making any decisions.
This sentiment only made her more unhappy.
"Then I will stay by your side, and you can sleep soundly, my lady!"
Mu Yunxuan looked at her with a soft smile, brimming with confidence. He was determined to make her fall in love with him.
Perhaps due to exhaustion or Mu Yunxuan's words, Su Zimo quickly drifted into a dream.
As Su Qi left, he specifically went to the main hall to explain that his mother was fine and resting. He asked everyone not to disturb her, stating that he would assist his father.
Discerning individuals, such as Su Li and Su Xin, could easily see through the situation.
Murong Shaofeng smiled bitterly, realizing that even Qi Er was helping Mu Yunxuan.
Mu Yunxuan, you seem to have all the good fortune in the world.
Night gradually enveloped the surroundings, and Su Zinian and Su Qingjue returned from the Ministry of Justice.
Their accusations against Xie Lengchan had prompted the Ministry of Justice to arrest him on charges of murder. The Xie family's power was considerable, but they dared not obstruct the Ministry of Justice in apprehending suspects.
After the two siblings returned, Mu Yunxuan came to see Su Zimo. Seeing him there, they exchanged few words before he sat for a while and left.
Su Zimo was exhausted, and after Su Qingjue and Su Zinian departed, she quickly fell into a deep sleep.
Mu Yunxuan sat by the edge of the bed, quietly watching over her. A gentle smile graced his lips, brimming with infinite tenderness. She slept deeply, undisturbed by the world's chaos, radiating a serene beauty. His gaze traversed her butterfly-like eyelashes and settled on her inadvertently exposed shoulder, his eyes growing deeper.
He lightly kissed her forehead before taking a look around the room.
The room was elegantly decorated, exuding warmth and a homely atmosphere. Mu Yunxuan quite liked it.
He got up and walked over to the desk by the window.
On top of it lay a thick stack of white paper, adorned with meticulous drawings similar to those he had seen at the Drunken Jun Building.
Mu Yunxuan casually flipped through a few pages, growing increasingly intrigued with each passing one. Finally, he was astonished! He was amazed!
These white sheets of paper held ready-to-wear and jewelry designs, each one unique and distinctive.
Mu Yunxuan glanced back at the sleeping figure, understanding why she wanted to try things out with him. Based on these designs, his wife had made thorough preparations. Her talent was truly extraordinary, which only served to pique his interest in her even more.
"Madam, let's wait and see. I will definitely win back that grand surprise," he murmured.
Turning around, he left the bed once again.
Su Zimo slept peacefully, perhaps due to Mu Yunxuan's presence. She slept unusually deeply.
"Knock, knock!"
Hearing the knock on the door, Mu Yunxuan furrowed his brows. He glanced at the person on the bed, who showed no signs of waking up, and his frown deepened.
"Come in," Mu Yunxuan whispered.
Qinglian entered and noticed that Su Zimo was still asleep, furrowing her brows in concern.
However, she still spoke up, "Holy Lord, Lord Nasu insists on seeing you. He says it's urgent and must be done today."
"No, send him away."
Upon hearing this, Mu Yunxuan naturally understood why Su Weichen had come.
"Holy Lord, Lord Nasu appears anxious. He insists on seeing you," Qinglian persisted.
"Tell him to get lost!"
Seeing the person on the bed starting to stir, Mu Yunxuan's eyes held a mix of warmth and irritation.