The sight of the small face before her, etched with determination, sent a tremor through Feng Ninghe's heart.
After all, Si Xin Xin was just a child.
She bore a burden that was not hers to carry at an age that should have been filled with carefree joy.
Feng Ninghe offered a smile, her clear eyes holding a trace of affection. "Xin Xin, once the treatment is over, I'll take you out to play."
Hearing the promise of fun, a flicker of anticipation lit up Si Xin Xin's eyes. "I don't just want to play," she said, her voice full of hope, "I want to eat lots of delicious food too!"
Si Jianye dipped his well-defined fingers into the wooden tub. The moment his skin touched the medicinal liquid, a surge of potent spiritual energy enveloped his fingertips.
The rich aroma of the concoction filled his nostrils, invigorating his senses.
It was evident that this tub of medicinal liquid was a treasure.
Even without the purpose of healing, a medicinal bath like this could strengthen the body.
Feng Ninghe gently lifted Si Xin Xin into the tub. Her soft voice followed, "I've added special herbs to the water, so you won't feel any cold."
"Where did you learn such skills?"
Si Jianye's voice was cold and devoid of emotion, his gaze sharp with inquiry.
Condensing the myriad herbs of heaven and earth into a medicinal liquid was no ordinary feat.
Feng Ninghe smiled dismissively at his question. "Where I learned my skills is not important, nor do I need to tell you. After all, I haven't asked who you are either."
Axi, standing nearby, unconsciously swallowed, his gaze darting between the two of them.
Feng Ninghe was the first person he had ever seen dare to speak to Prince Ling like that.
Those simple words caused Si Jianye to raise an eyebrow, a subtle shift in his expression.
Feng Ninghe had indeed never inquired about Si Jianye's identity from the beginning.
Every time he appeared, he wore a mask, and even his weapon, a symbol of his status, was concealed.
This woman truly did not know who he was.
If she knew his identity, she likely wouldn't have been so audacious.
In the medicinal bath, Si Xin Xin closed her eyes, quietly absorbing the liquid. A fine sheen of sweat had already formed on her small forehead.
The medicinal liquid was coursing into her body, its tendrils writhing within. The dense pain felt like being gnawed by ants.
Despite the profuse sweating, Si Xin Xin remained silent, biting her lip to endure the agony.
*Whimper!*
Xiao Zhao, perched on the edge of the wooden tub, stared intently at Si Xin Xin in the bath with its clear, sapphire-like eyes, muttering incessantly.
"Master, Xin Xin looks very uncomfortable. How much longer will it take?"
Feng Ninghe gently stroked Xiao Zhao's fur, her lips moving as she whispered, "It depends on how long it takes Xin Xin to absorb it all."
"Ancient Qilin are long extinct. For someone in the small country of Li to have a spiritual pet that is a Qilin..."
As the male voice spoke, Xiao Zhao's fur instantly bristled, as if its secret had been exposed. Its blue eyes fixed on Si Jianye with alert suspicion.
"Master! He can see my true form!"
Feng Ninghe was equally astonished. Her eyebrows rose slightly, her surprise evident. "You can tell Xiao Zhao is a Qilin?"
She dared to guarantee that as long as Xiao Zhao maintained its current form, no one in the entire country of Li would recognize it as a Qilin.
Yet, this man before her had seen through Xiao Zhao's identity at a glance.
Who was he, really?
Si Jianye's gaze remained fixed on Si Xin Xin, showing no intention of answering the question.
Axi's large, round eyes darted incessantly over Xiao Zhao, exclaiming in disbelief, "This little thing is a Qilin?"
Legends spoke of Qilin as majestic and powerful beasts, covered in green scales, with tails like dragons.
But looking at the fluffy creature before him, with its small, rounded tail resembling that of a harmless rabbit and two pairs of tiny horns on its forehead that seemed utterly useless beyond their cuteness.
No matter how Axi looked at it, he couldn't reconcile this small creature with the Qilin of legend.
Slightly displeased at his identity being doubted, Xiao Zhao let out a soft grunt and puffed out its rounded body, standing by the edge of the tub.
But no matter how much it straightened its chest, it remained just this small.
Si Jianye spoke slowly, his deep voice exceptionally pleasant. "An ancient Qilin in its current form naturally seeks self-preservation. Otherwise, it would surely stir up a storm of blood and chaos."
A mature Qilin could kill countless Nascent Soul cultivators with a single palm strike. Their combat power was not to be underestimated, and cultivators naturally coveted such a useful spiritual beast.
If Xiao Zhao's identity were exposed, countless people would likely come to hunt it, all for the sake of obtaining a Qilin.
Axi's eyes continued to scrutinize Xiao Zhao, desperately trying to reconcile the small white puffball before him with the tall, mighty Qilin of legend.
"Now you can see even Xiao Zhao's true form, and you know everything about me, yet I know nothing about you."
Feng Ninghe spoke, her gaze sweeping over Si Jianye.
The man before her wore a dark robe, his figure tall and imposing. An aura of aloofness emanated from him, pushing others away. Beneath the golden mask, his eyes were inscrutable.
Si Jianye merely smiled, a flicker of emotion stirring within his eyes as he turned his attention to Feng Ninghe.
"You should be grateful that you know nothing."
His icy words felt like shards of ice.
A chilling warning struck her ears, sending a shiver down her spine.
Feng Ninghe's delicate brows furrowed slightly in displeasure. She remained seated, silent.
From their first encounter, she had known this man was no ordinary person. She firmly believed that he was not from the country of Li.
Such a terrifying man could never exist in the small country of Li.
Who was he?
Despite her doubts, Feng Ninghe did not voice her questions.
Within the tub, Si Xin Xin's expression was one of pain, her small features contorted in a tight frown.
Si Jianye's heart clenched, worry threatening to spill from his eyes as he watched Si Xin Xin intently.
"You two should leave. I can handle this. I still need to help her circulate her spiritual energy. Once her medicinal bath is complete, I will change her into clean clothes."
As she finished speaking, Feng Ninghe specifically glanced at the two of them.
Si Jianye's gaze lingered deeply on Si Xin Xin. Finally, with a hint of concern, he turned and walked away.
Seeing him leave, Axi quickly followed.
The door to the room closed once more.
Feng Ninghe sent a wisp of her divine sense into Si Xin Xin's body, aiding her in absorbing the medicinal liquid with her spiritual energy.
For some reason, as she scanned Si Xin Xin with her divine sense, a sense of inexplicable familiarity washed over her.
It felt as though they had met before.
Feng Ninghe couldn't help but look again at the small face before her.
Upon closer inspection, there were indeed traces of familiarity in this face.
Had they known each other in the past?
However, in a moment, Feng Ninghe dismissed all these thoughts.
She had spent years in the Medicine Valley, secluded in the dense forest. It was impossible for her to have known Si Xin Xin.
In the courtyard.
Si Jianye leaned casually against a large tree, his cool gaze occasionally shifting towards the door of the room.
He opened his lips, his voice devoid of warmth, and uttered, "Regarding Feng Ninghe, have you found anything?"