"Excellent! Today is a day of great celebration. The Taiyan and Tianyan Dynasties have ended their conflict and forged peace together. This occasion is worth rejoicing!"
"In fact, why not double the joy? I have a daughter, Lingmiao—what say you to this proposal?"
The familiar voice echoed in Luo Lingmiao's mind, drawing her deeper into the illusion. Her hands clenched tightly, her body hunching further in fear.
"Third Princess, do you not accept the decree?"
The king's voice was sharp, and the weight of countless gazes bore down on her.
She felt terror-stricken, her thoughts spiraling. She imagined the sneering faces of palace maids who had tormented her in the past. Once, she had been a powerless girl—now, even as a princess, she was little more than a pawn to be given away.
Motherly love had been taken from her too soon. Paternal love? A hopeless fantasy in the imperial court. Without the marriage alliance, she wouldn't even have been given the hollow title of a princess.
"Third Princess! Accept the decree!"
The king's voice boomed again, filled with impatience, shaking her from her spiraling thoughts. The storm of memories threatened to drown her, and she felt herself on the verge of breaking.
Finally, she stood up slowly. Her expression no longer bore submission but burned with suppressed rage. Glaring at the king on the high platform, she declared in a voice that trembled with fury:
"I… refuse!"
"It was you who killed my mother! You don't deserve to be called my father, let alone dictate my marriage!"
The words she had buried in her heart for years burst forth, bringing an overwhelming sense of release.
For too long, she had hated this man. She had never forgotten the stormy night in the palace when her mother passed. But trapped within the imperial walls, she had never dared to voice her resentment—until now.
As her defiance rang out, the illusion shattered. Luo Lingmiao's eyes snapped open, her face pale from the ordeal. Her newfound spiritual sense swept out, revealing the chamber in vivid detail. The overwhelming clarity disoriented her momentarily.
"Senior Brother…" she murmured weakly, turning toward Lu Bingxuan. She needed reassurance—proof that she had truly overcome her Heart Demon Tribulation.
"Three long, one short—choose the short. Three short, one long—choose the long."
Lu Bingxuan's cryptic words hung in the air as a surge of icy energy flooded the room. The cold coiled toward Luo Lingmiao, helping her solidify her foundation and complete the transformation of her spiritual root.
Hearing the strange yet unfamiliar phrase, Luo Lingmiao relaxed visibly, a small smile gracing her lips. It was clear to her now—she had passed the tribulation.
Closing her eyes, she continued meditating to stabilize her cultivation. The cold aura that Lu Bingxuan channeled into her body worked wonders, helping her adapt to her new spiritual root.
But something unusual was happening.
Despite the transformation seemingly complete, Luo Lingmiao's body continued to absorb the icy energy.
"What's with this root? Why does it feel like a bottomless pit?" Lu Bingxuan frowned, his spiritual energy nearly drained.
Growing concerned, he stepped closer and pressed a hand against her back.
The contact made Luo Lingmiao stiffen momentarily before she relaxed again.
"If physical contact is needed for efficiency, why do people always make a big deal about undressing?" Lu Bingxuan mused idly as he reached into her collar, placing his hand directly against her skin.
It was a pragmatic move—skin-to-skin contact eliminated the barrier posed by her clothing.
"Mm…"
Luo Lingmiao let out a soft sound as the icy energy spread through her body. While the chill seeped into her veins, a contrasting warmth coursed through her, making her feel both hot and cold.
Her breathing grew shallow, and her posture shifted from cross-legged meditation to a kneeling position. Her fingers curled against the mat, her head bowing slightly as her snowy white hair fell forward, framing her flushed face.
An inner struggle played out in her mind. She wanted to distance herself from the touch, but her body craved the cold that alleviated the unbearable heat.
Caught between the two, she surrendered to the dual sensations.
The outer layer of her black robes vanished into her storage ring, leaving her clad in only her white inner garments.
The loose fabric accentuated her graceful curves, exposing her bare shoulders and back. A thin silk undergarment tied delicately at her neck and back offered only the barest coverage.
"This is ridiculous—how much more energy can this root absorb?" Lu Bingxuan muttered, his frustration mounting.
Curious, he extended his spiritual sense deeper into her body.
The discovery left him speechless.
Their spiritual energies were perfectly merged, flowing as seamlessly as if they were circulating within his own body.
Not only that—he could actively control the energy within her as though it were his own.
"Senior Brother… why are you inside me?" Luo Lingmiao's hazy voice broke the silence, her meaning as ambiguous as her tone.
"You really need to be more careful with your words," Lu Bingxuan sighed, cutting the flow of energy.
The instant their connection severed, Luo Lingmiao felt the intense heat in her body subside. A strange icy aura had taken root within her, identical to Lu Bingxuan's cold energy.
"Senior Brother, didn't you say I was your Dao Companion?" she asked timidly, her voice tinged with shyness as she retrieved her robe.
"I did… but… stop imagining strange things," Lu Bingxuan replied, realizing the awkward implications of their situation.
"Oh…" Luo Lingmiao nodded, though her cheeks reddened as she dressed herself.
"By the way, Senior Brother," she added, "what did that phrase from earlier mean?"
"It's… just a private code between us. Think of it as our secret," Lu Bingxuan replied evasively. He wasn't about to explain the origins of a test-taking mantra from another world.
"…Our secret," Luo Lingmiao repeated softly, her lips curling into a smile.