Ning Xuan sat in the seat of honor, flanked by Chen Nan and Lin Mo. Both men sat with perfect posture, perched on the edges of their seats, ready to rise and serve her at a moment’s notice.
To prevent the young Attendants from being affected by her pheromones, Yan Fuzhen had them all withdraw, intending to serve Ning Xuan’s meal himself.
Ning Xuan was especially sensitive to the scent of blood right now. From the moment Yan Fuzhen approached, the thick, metallic odor filled her senses. Yan Fuzhen’s Spiritual Power Level was SSS-level, and the energy in his blood was potent. Smelling it made her swallow hard. A wave of thirst washed over her. She picked up a glass of warm water to her right and drank it in one gulp. Licking her lips, she found she was only thirstier than before.
Ning Xuan slammed the glass down on the table. "Housekeeper Yan, go treat your injuries. Don’t come see me again until you’re fully healed."
Yan Fuzhen’s expression faltered. Male Spirit Controllers developed a thirst for blood to varying degrees during their heat periods. The scent of blood would only make them more frenzied. Seeing Ning Xuan’s state, he guessed the same was true for her. His injuries were making her suffer.
Realizing this, Yan Fuzhen acknowledged her order and withdrew.
Ning Xuan ate methodically, feeling her blood begin to boil. A hostile energy rampaged through her, making her heart pound uncontrollably. Every drop of blood in her veins felt like it was being brought to a simmer.
Ning Xuan swallowed a piece of meat, her face a mask of indifference. She tossed her silver fork aside and turned to Lin Mo. His brow, the corners of his eyes, and even the tips of his ears were flushed red. A thin sheen of sweat beaded on his forehead. He was fidgeting, his heart clearly racing. ’It seems my condition is affecting him,’ she thought. ’He’s passively entering a heat.’
"Lin Mo, I recall you went to the Protection Association a while back to learn the rules of intimate service." Ning Xuan’s voice was husky, thick with desire.
"Yes, Contractor." At her question, Lin Mo’s face instantly flushed an even deeper shade of red.
"And how did your studies go?" Ning Xuan watched him, a playful glint in her eyes.
Under Ning Xuan’s heated gaze, Lin Mo rose, took a few steps forward, and knelt before her. "My performance was graded as satisfactory. I am ready for your inspection, Contractor, whenever you wish."
Ning Xuan leaned in and whispered in his ear, "Then go to my room."
Ning Xuan would soon be participating in the Alchemist competition and planned to take Lin Mo into the Lingxiao Secret Realm with her. She had already intended to establish a spiritual connection with him before they left to strengthen their bond. Today was the perfect opportunity. However, she glanced at the dejected Chen Nan. "Ah Nan, you haven’t been home in a long time. I saw your father the other day, which reminded me. Why don’t you go home and stay for a while?"
Chen Nan’s face went white. He was filled with dread. ’Is she getting rid of me? Is it because of what my father did?’
Seeing Lin Mo head upstairs, Chen Nan threw his composure to the wind and lunged forward, clinging to Ning Xuan’s legs. "Lord Contract Master, don’t send me away! Ah Nan can’t leave you."
"I’m just telling you to go home for a few days. If you don’t want to go home, then take care of some personal business. I’ll have you come back before I leave for the Lingxiao Secret Realm," Ning Xuan said, patting his back soothingly.
"Ah Nan only wants to stay by your side, Contractor." Panic gripped him. ’He knows Lin Mo is better than him in every way. Once Ning Xuan becomes intimate with Lin Mo, his own position will be in jeopardy.’
Though he had always known this day would eventually come.
"Behave. If you run into any trouble, you can contact Manager Yan. He’ll help you." The scent of her unique pheromones hung in the air. Though Chen Nan’s own heat had passed, her scent still elicited a physical reaction from him. He began to rub his face against her leg, trying to sway her decision.
Ning Xuan was already struggling to suppress her own body’s response, and now Chen Nan was provoking her. A vein throbbed in her neck. She grabbed a fistful of his hair, and the black ribbon tying it back snapped. His long, raven-black hair cascaded over his shoulders. She yanked his head back. "If you dawdle for one more second, I’ll send you to the Protection Association to learn some manners. Now, get out."
The thought of the Controller Protection Association and its torturous rules made him freeze. He knew there was hell to pay for truly angering Ning Xuan. Not daring to delay another moment, he bid her a hasty farewell and left.
Ning Xuan pushed open the door to her room to find it filled with the soft flicker of candlelight.
The sound of running water, SPLASH SPLASH, came from the bathroom. Through the translucent Ice Crystal Stone Gate, she could see Lin Mo’s tall, slender figure.
Ning Xuan slipped out of her moon-white robe and pushed the door open. Through the hazy steam, Lin Mo, who had been focused on washing himself, turned his head. Water dripped from his hair. Droplets traced a path down his sharp jawline, pooling in the elegant hollows of his collarbones before continuing down his firm, taut chest. As Ning Xuan’s gaze drifted lower, Lin Mo, finally sensing her presence, hastily snatched a towel from the rack and wrapped it around his waist.
When he saw it was Ning Xuan, he hesitated for only a moment before removing the towel. "Contractor," he said, "the water temperature is perfect."
Not only had Lin Mo set the temperature, but he had also added her favorite Orchid Flower Dew to the water. Ning Xuan allowed him to help her undress. As she stepped barefoot into the bath, she grabbed his wrist and yanked him in after her. She pressed him against the side of the pool, her eyes tracing his delicate features: his bright, jet-black eyes, his flawless skin, his crimson lips. ’So beautiful,’ she thought.
"We’ll establish the spiritual connection first," Ning Xuan commanded softly. "Lin Mo, open your Spiritual Sea. Let me in."
"Yes." Lin Mo retrieved a circlet from his Space Button and, with a soft CLICK, fastened it around his neck.
When establishing a spiritual connection, a large disparity in Spiritual Power Level posed a risk to the weaker party. However, if the stronger party wore an Imprisonment Ring to confine their Companion Spirit within their Spiritual Sea, the process became much safer.
Ning Xuan saw his movement and removed the Imprisonment Ring. She then pressed her forehead to his, guiding a tendril of her spiritual power toward his Spiritual Sea. The moment she removed the ring, Lin Mo’s mind grew incredibly tense.
He focused all his senses on her spiritual power, opening his Spiritual Sea wide. He didn’t dare allow even a flicker of resistance, terrified that the slightest instinctual rejection might harm her.
𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢
Her tendril of spiritual power touched a golden barrier. It trembled lightly, then slowly parted, creating a fissure. Ning Xuan slipped inside.
Lin Mo’s Spiritual Sea was a vast, endless meadow of green grass, kissed by a gentle breeze.
The arrival of her spiritual power was like a rainbow, casting a kaleidoscope of colors across the meadow. Countless green specks of light gathered, dancing joyfully around her presence. She pressed onward, and in the depths of the Spiritual Sea, she saw a white tiger.