Answer

Jiu Che's breath was as faint as a candle flickering in the wind, and Qi Yuan's fingertips trembled on his cold skin. That familiar feeling of control had vanished completely, replaced by a soul-crushing panic. She couldn't use her magic, but she couldn't just watch him die!

A dangerous thought took shape in her mind. She carefully placed Jiu Che in the most hidden corner of the cave, set up the simplest illusion, and then transformed into an almost imperceptible shadow, forcibly breaking through the weak point of the Immortal Clan's border, and contacted her shadow guards using the Demon Lord's secret technique.

"Bring the 'Nine-Turn Rejuvenating Lotus' now!" Her voice, transmitted across thousands of miles, carried an undeniable killing intent and urgency. "If there is any delay, you will be beheaded!"

In less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, a tiny crack was forcibly torn open in the space, and a pitch-black jade box, shrouded in a rich life force and ominous demonic energy, was handed to Qi Yuan. Without hesitation, she took the jade box and Jiu Che and moved to an abandoned bamboo hut in the deeper mountains and forests that she had already scouted.

The room was covered in a thin layer of dust, but it was still quite concealed. Qi Yuan pried open Jiu Che's pale lips and fed him a petal of the incomparably precious Demon Realm treasure, the "Nine-Turn Resurrection Lotus," which was enough to shake the Three Realms. He then carefully guided the petal to dissolve it with his own disguised immortal power.

A surge of vibrant life force, mixed with pure magical energy, erupted within him, fiercely clashing with the eerie destructive power. Jiu Che's body trembled violently, cold sweat beading on his forehead, his brow furrowed in pain. Qi Yuan gripped his hand tightly, staring intently at him until the deathly aura between his brows gradually dissipated and his breathing became steady and long. Only then did she collapse onto the edge of the bed, as if all her strength had been drained away.

In the end... she still used the power of the demon realm to save him.

When Jiu Che slowly woke up, he saw an unfamiliar bamboo roof and Qi Yuan, who was still somewhat pale, standing guard by his bedside.

“Seven Kite…” His voice was hoarse, weak from the shock of surviving a catastrophe, “Where…where are we? I…”

“We escaped and are in a safe place.” Qi Yuan interrupted him, her tone regaining its usual composure, but with a hint of barely perceptible fatigue. “You were badly injured, but luckily I had a family heirloom elixir with me.” She downplayed the existence of the “Nine-Turn Rejuvenating Lotus”.

Jiu Che looked at her, his eyes filled with gratitude and... lingering stubbornness. The unanswered question in the cave clearly hadn't disappeared with his healing.

"Seven Kite," he tried to sit up, aggravating his wounds and letting out a muffled groan, but his gaze remained fixed on her, "In the cave... the question I asked you..."

Qi Yuan's heart skipped a beat. Looking into his clear eyes, so earnest and undeniable, and at his weakened state, a mix of guilt, frustration, and an indescribable impulse welled up within her once more. Reason told her she should continue to feign indifference and maintain a safe distance.

But when she looked at his bloodless lips, she remembered the kiss through the mask at the Starfire Festival, and his desperate questioning as he lay dying... a stronger, almost instinctive desire overwhelmed her reason.

She suddenly leaned closer to him, so close they could feel each other's warm breath. She didn't answer his question, but instead locked her deep eyes on his. Her gaze, with an almost eerie focus, slowly and suggestively moved from his eyes to his lips, which were slightly pale from blood loss.

Jiu Che was taken aback by her sudden approach and blatant gaze. A hint of panic flashed in his icy eyes, but he did not flinch.

Then, before Jiu Che could react, Qi Yuan gently, like a feather brushing against his cool lips, placed a brief but clear kiss on them.

Instantly separate.

She stepped back slightly, a languid yet dangerous curve to her red lips, her voice low and husky:

"This is my answer."

Jiu Che froze completely, his pupils contracting sharply, his mind going blank. All thoughts, all rules, all doubts vanished under that gentle touch. The beast long imprisoned within him broke free of its cage in that instant!

Almost instinctively, he reached out and grabbed the back of her neck as she tried to pull away, his force so strong it carried an undeniable dominance.

Under Qi Yuan's slightly astonished gaze, he returned the kiss deeply, filled with the thrill of surviving a disaster and all his suppressed emotions.

It was no longer a fleeting glance, but rather a desperate demand for confirmation, burning and lingering, as if they wanted to devour each other's souls.

Inside the bamboo house, dust motes floated slowly in the beams of light filtering through the window cracks, and the only sounds in the silence were their rapid breathing and the mingling of their lips.

After her initial shock, Qi Yuan slowly closed her eyes, letting herself indulge in the kiss that she had started but which had spiraled out of control.

Answer?

Even she herself couldn't see clearly anymore.