Even hybrid monsters have their day

She knew this was Zhang Tianshi, exactly the same as the one she had seen at the Rain Festival when she was a child. So many years had passed, and she had grown from a little girl into a graceful young woman, yet he still retained the same ethereal appearance as he had over a decade ago, his face unchanged. No wonder people said he was an immortal.

Zhang Tianshi's face was expressionless, but the corners of his mouth were slightly upturned, forming a smile that was not quite a smile. His gaze swept around the hall, finally settling casually on Jin Lingshan's face.

Being stared at by such an ethereal person made Jin Lingshan feel somewhat uncomfortable. She turned her head away, leaving him with only her back. The candlelight reflected on her slender neck, giving her flawless, white skin a rosy glow. Her skin was so delicate and smooth that it seemed one could even see the pulse beating beneath it.

Zhang Tianshi's gaze was hidden in the night.

Following closely behind her, Ninth Sister looked at Aunt Ying, who nodded. She then whispered a few words in Zhang Tianshi's ear before he entered the side hall. The door closed behind him, and with a wave of his hand, all the candles in the hall went out.

The sudden darkness made Jin Lingshan reflexively close her eyes. After a while, she slowly opened them, blinked a few times, and her vision gradually began to adjust to the darkness. Although the doors and windows were tightly closed, a little moonlight could still see in. Therefore, although the situation inside the hall did not appear transparent, it was still possible to make out the general outline.

Sensing heavy breathing behind her, she turned around in surprise, only to be met with a pair of blood-red eyes that looked as red as blood, as if they were about to drip blood at any moment.

Jin Lingshan was terrified and screamed, trying to run away. But she found that no sound came out of her open mouth, and she couldn't move her body at all. Heavy breathing gradually approached her, carrying an indescribable foul smell.

When that inhumanly cold temperature touched her, the fear in her eyes gradually faded, and she slowly closed her eyes. For a moment, only heavy breathing filled the hall.

Suddenly, those blood-red eyes turned sharply to the northwest corner of the hall, and the next second, a black figure appeared there. However, the place was empty. If it weren't for the piece of his sleeve still clutched in his hand, he would have thought it was just his imagination.

An angry growl came from his throat.

At that moment, the doors of the main hall were suddenly flung open, and a young girl, wearing only an undergarment, stumbled in. Seeing the white figure with his back to her, she knelt down in panic and kowtowed repeatedly, "I was attacked on my way here. Please forgive me, Master! Please forgive me, Master!"

As she spoke, she kept kowtowing, and the man waved his arm, causing the palace doors to close.

Soon, the suppressed sobs of the young girl echoed from within the hall, her heavy breathing carrying a faint smell of blood. The other girls from Yuntian Pavilion in the hall were terrified, but none of them dared to turn around and look.

Because they know that if they turn back, they will be next.

A scream suddenly rang out over Lotus Lake, five miles outside Yonghe Town, followed by the sound of a heavy object falling into the water, and then the sound of bubbling.

She struggled towards the lake with her arms outstretched, but being an unfamiliar swimmer, she tumbled a couple of times and began to sink. She frantically flailed her arms, trying to grab onto something to keep herself from sinking.

Whether it was luck or not, after swallowing a few mouthfuls of water, she grabbed onto something soft, like seaweed. As she struggled, she pulled on it, and it actually lifted her upwards. So she pulled even harder, and soon she was brought to the surface. She used her hands and feet to entangle herself around the strips that appeared next, hoping to get out of the lake as quickly as possible.

But what is this thing? Why is it so warm and soft when I hold it? She opened her eyes in confusion.

A face, both alluring and aloof, appeared before her. Slightly upturned eyes, pure pupils, and captivating eye shape blended in a wondrous way. Thin lips, pale as water, and long silver hair cascaded over her shoulders. Her skin was flawless and pure white; in the moonlight, it shimmered with a crystalline glow, reflecting water droplets and sparkling brilliantly, inspiring endless imagination.

What a beautiful picture of a handsome man emerging from a bath!

But why does this person with the slightly furrowed brow look somewhat familiar...?

She was still trying to figure out who this person was when she heard his deep voice, "Doesn't the young lady know that men and women shouldn't touch each other?"

"Ah..." Only after he reminded her did she realize that she was currently hugging him in a bear hug, uh... with her upper body bare. She was startled and quickly let go, instantly falling back into the lake.

The man clearly lacked common sense about rescuing people in distress. Seeing that she had let go, he turned around and prepared to go ashore. Geng Miaowan struggled a few times, then grabbed his arm again. Who cared about whether men and women should touch each other? Living was the most important thing.

She climbed up his arm and onto his back, wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, and hooked her feet around his waist to keep herself from falling and to prevent him from throwing her off.

She said in a shaky voice, "I...I want to get ashore too."

The man was stunned for a moment, perhaps not expecting anyone to treat him like this. After pausing in the water for a while, he let her lean on his back and they went ashore.

As soon as they entered the land area, Geng Miaowan quickly jumped off the man's back, bowed to him, and said, "Thank you for saving me, young master."

Although he may not have been willing to save her, she did get ashore with his help.

That was really close. If Jin Mo hadn't given her a teleportation talisman before leaving, the tear would have been more than just a sleeve.

But this teleportation talisman was far too unreliable. Although Jin Mo had told her that the talisman could only randomly teleport her to a place a dozen miles away, she never expected it to move her to the lake. Luckily, she was alive and well; there happened to be someone in the lake. Otherwise, if others knew that she, a dignified guardian, had drowned herself in the lake, wouldn't that be the most ridiculous thing in the world?

The man glanced at her expressionlessly, his gaze lingering for a couple of seconds when he saw her attire. But that was all. He then grabbed his clothes and began to put them on, as if Geng Miaowan were completely unnoticed.

His gaze was icy and condescending, as if he were looking down on a scurrying ant, exuding an aura that kept strangers at bay.

This look...

Geng Miaowan's mind suddenly cleared, and she said with a hint of surprise, "You...you...you are Peng Yuxian?"