The light of the setting sun fell upon the large grove of oleaster trees, and also upon the silk tree that Shang Ningye had transformed into.
Its dark green leaves shimmered with a golden light.
Mu Qiuhan stood before Shang Ningye, bending down to pick up the storage ring and communication talisman that had fallen beneath the tree.
When the talisman touched Mu Qiuhan’s body, the wisp of spiritual sense attached to it automatically returned to her.
A sweet fragrance filled the air.
Mu Qiuhan vaguely remembered that the oleaster trees did have a delightful fragrance when they bloomed, so she didn’t pay much attention to this scent.
Shang Ningye remained in her true form.
Spiritual energy couldn’t be used in the Tu Mi Mystic Realm, and the silk tree was so enormous it couldn’t be moved at all. For a moment, Mu Qiuhan found herself at a loss.
She gently hugged the tree trunk.
Feeling the immense life force flowing within the tree, Mu Qiuhan relaxed a little.
Shang Ningye had presumably not yet broken free from the illusion. Mu Qiuhan couldn’t interfere and could only wait patiently.
She sat cross-legged beneath the silk tree, silently waiting for Shang Ningye to awaken.
The closer she got to Shang Ningye, the stronger the sweet fragrance in the air became.
Only then did Mu Qiuhan realize that this fragrance was emanating from Shang Ningye.
This scent inexplicably made her feel a little hot and bothered.
She took a deep breath, suppressed the throbbing sensation within her, and silently recited the Heart-Clearing Scripture several times in her mind.
Her body, at some point, began to feel weak and feeble.
Mu Qiuhan changed her posture and leaned against Shang Ningye.
In her daze, Su Hongyu’s charming face flashed before her eyes.
Suddenly, that face changed into Shang Ningye’s.
Shang Ningye, in a red dress, her figure swaying gracefully, walked towards her.
Shang Ningye’s soft body drew close, wrapping around her waist.
Mu Qiuhan intuitively felt something was wrong.
She reached behind her and felt the solid tree trunk.
Shang Ningye wasn’t awake yet. Then who was this person before her eyes?
Mu Qiuhan blinked hard, and the figure vanished.
However, the heaviness in her head didn’t disappear, and a faint flush began to creep onto her face.
The heat in her body continued to rise, and Mu Qiuhan involuntarily pulled her collar open a bit.
This feeling was very similar to when she had been affected by Su Hongyu’s aphrodisiac in the Dream Floating Life.
Mu Qiuhan struggled to maintain the clarity of her mind.
Recalling the recent events, Su Hongyu’s charm art shouldn’t have affected her.
Then what was causing her current state?
Panting, she turned to look at the tree trunk that was Shang Ningye.
In the tree’s crown, pink and white flowers were still in full bloom.
The sweet fragrance that constantly lingered around her nose seemed to be coming from them.
Was it her?
Mu Qiuhan hadn’t guessed wrong.
As enchanting spirits of the plant world, the Silk Flower clan was no less potent than the famed fox clan.
It was just that Shang Ningye was usually so prim and proper that Mu Qiuhan had never imagined she, too, could release an aphrodisiac like Su Hongyu.
It wasn’t strange that Mu Qiuhan didn’t know.
The Silk Flower clan’s charm art differed from that of the fox clan.
The Silk Flower essence could only be released when a member of their clan was aroused, but its effects were far more potent than any fox charm.
Mu Qiuhan felt the heat in her body intensifying.
But the tree trunk she leaned against felt cool. So, she turned and hugged it tightly, pressing her entire body against its surface.
Shang Ningye was currently adrift in a sea of desire.
Waves of sensation washed over her, one after another. Just as one subsided, that person would ignite another.
Shang Ningye felt that if this continued, her entire Dao heart would shatter.
Mu Qiuhan was kissing her again; her kisses had already covered every inch of her body.
Now, she was kissing an even more sensitive spot.
Shang Ningye let out a soft cry. Yet, she couldn’t refuse, only able to rise and fall with her movements.
Suddenly, a tingling itch spread from her foot.
Dazed, Shang Ningye felt someone else kissing her.
She was momentarily confused.
How could Mu Qiuhan kiss two completely different places at the same time?
The itch on her foot became increasingly hard to ignore.
Shang Ningye struggled to lift her head from the sea of desire, trying to look at her toes.
Who was it? Who was causing trouble?
Shang Ningye tried to prop herself up to look down, but found her body completely beyond her control.
Startled, the vital energy within her surged.
The surging tide of passion was abruptly cut short.
The scene before her eyes suddenly blurred.
The figure who had been constantly arousing her also began to blur, eventually fading away.
Mu Qiuhan was currently leaning against the broad tree trunk, her entire face pressed against it.
But she still felt it wasn’t enough.
Her body was still very hot, so she pressed her lips against it as well.
Her scalding lips moved back and forth unconsciously on the cool surface.
Suddenly, the strength supporting her body vanished. Mu Qiuhan swayed and toppled sideways.
Mu Qiuhan didn’t hit the ground but fell onto a soft body.
Though quite disoriented, she quickly recognized Shang Ningye.
“You…”
She looked joyfully at the person beneath her, her trembling fingertips about to touch Shang Ningye.
Shang Ningye had just escaped the overwhelming sea of desire and felt incredibly tired. She had wanted to simply tilt her head and fall asleep.
But Mu Qiuhan’s condition was clearly not right.
Shang Ningye smelled the lingering fragrance of the Silk Flower essence in the air and knew in her heart that Mu Qiuhan’s current state was related to her.
So, she hugged Mu Qiuhan tightly, striving to draw all the Silk Flower essence diffusing in the air and already within Mu Qiuhan’s body back into herself.
Only after completing this did a dazed and groggy Shang Ningye, still holding Mu Qiuhan, collapse to the ground.
When Mu Qiuhan woke up, the sun had completely disappeared.
Moonlight gently bathed the land.
Shang Ningye’s arm was still wrapped around her waist.
At this moment, Shang Ningye lay beside her like a baby, her fair skin illuminated by the moonlight.
Mu Qiuhan vaguely remembered what had happened.
She reached out, lovingly caressed Shang Ningye’s cheek, then lowered her head and gently kissed her forehead.
Shang Ningye’s head moved slightly, but she showed no sign of waking.
After watching her for a while, Mu Qiuhan sat up from the cold ground.
Shang Ningye’s arm slid from her waist, about to fall to the ground.
Mu Qiuhan quickly caught it.
Her arm went around Shang Ningye’s back, and she lifted her from the ground.
Spiritual energy couldn’t be used in the Tu Mi Mystic Realm.
Earlier, she had relied on the formation on the communication talisman to arrive instantly. Now, she couldn’t use that formation to return.
Mu Qiuhan could only carry Shang Ningye and walk out step by step.
At the entrance to the Tu Mi Mystic Realm, the demon soldiers stationed there had already seen their Demon Lord three times in a single day.
Their initial excitement still lingered, especially since their Lord was carrying someone in her arms.
The four soldiers respectfully bowed to the suddenly appearing Mu Qiuhan, then began exchanging glances.
Once Mu Qiuhan had carried the person away, the soldiers began to chatter.
“Didn’t our Lord already leave? When did she return?”
“The woman our Lord is carrying, is she the one who’s been staying in the palace recently?”
“I heard she’s from a demon clan…”
Mu Qiuhan carried Shang Ningye back to her room; Shang Ningye was still unconscious.
She gently laid her on the bed, and then heard a knock at the door.
The visitor announced that Lord Yu Chengjun had been waiting for her in Jialuo Hall for a long time.
Mu Qiuhan carefully tucked the blanket around Shang Ningye, then got up and left the room.
Walking into Jialuo Hall, Mu Qiuhan saw Lord Yu Chengjun lounging inelegantly in the solemn hall, eating pastries.
Mu Qiuhan chuckled at the sight. “What wind blew you here?”
Lord Yu Chengjun looked up, brushing pastry crumbs from her hands.
“Yours came looking for me yesterday.”
Mu Qiuhan frowned but, surprisingly, didn’t correct the somewhat awkward term of address.
She naturally knew Shang Ningye had gone out, and she also knew she had visited Lord Yu Chengjun.
It was just that…
Seeing Mu Qiuhan’s silence, Lord Yu Chengjun felt a bit bored.
“Why don’t you ask what she came to see me for?”
Mu Qiuhan gave Lord Yu Chengjun a strange look.
“Aren’t you here precisely for that?”
Lord Yu Chengjun pouted.
She took a list from her robes and handed it to Mu Qiuhan.
“Do you know she’s looking for these herbs?”
Mu Qiuhan took the list of herbs, glanced at it, and nodded.
“Ingredients for Nine Flowers Jade Dew? She asked me about them before.”
“So it is these herbs. Turns out you knew.” Lord Yu Chengjun looked at Mu Qiuhan with a complicated expression. “Have you been too rough with her?”
“Huh?”
Seeing Mu Qiuhan’s blank expression, Lord Yu Chengjun was rather speechless.
“Don’t you know what these medicinal ingredients are for?”
Mu Qiuhan looked at her, puzzled.
“Isn’t it just a type of tea?”
Lord Yu Chengjun rolled her eyes at her.
“For you and me, it’s just a tea. But for her, it’s not just that.”
Seeing Mu Qiuhan still looking uncomprehending, Lord Yu Chengjun sighed. “Don’t tell me you also didn’t know that your girl’s true form is a Silk Tree?”
Mu Qiuhan frowned. “I did only just find out today.”
“What you call a ‘tea’ is actually concocted to suppress the Silk Flower essence in her body.”
Seeing Lord Yu Chengjun look at her as if she were an idiot, Mu Qiuhan was incredulous.
“You mean, she’s using this medicine to suppress the Silk Flower essence in her body? But in the long run, won’t her spirit power be damaged?”
Lord Yu Chengjun nodded.
She took a large bag of items from her storage ring and tossed it to Mu Qiuhan.
“Since you know now, whether you give this to her or not is up to you.”
