363: Inside the Phoenix Palace! The scene is recreated!

Inside Fengming Hall, it was silent and still.

As Su Chen stepped inside, the heavy jade hall door behind him closed with a soft 'hum,' automatically sealing off all the clamor from outside and the cold moonlight, completely isolating him from the world beyond.

An independent world took shape at that moment.

No lamps were lit inside the hall, and the dim lighting was just right.

Only a few large night pearls were embedded in the purple-gold carved dome, emitting a soft, hazy glow that barely illuminated this mysterious space.

Layers of translucent purple gauze curtains hung down from the dome, gently fluttering in the night breeze that slipped through the window lattices, like the ethereal skirts of a Fairy or some gentle trap, filled with dreamlike and dangerous allure.

In the air, that unique fragrance—a blend of a hundred flowers, rare incense, and warm, moist vapor—grew even richer and more overpowering.

It seemed to have a life of its own, entwining with Su Chen's every breath, seeping into his limbs and bones, making him feel as if his Divine Soul was being numbed and intoxicated by this gentle scent.

Su Chen's footsteps instinctively lightened, and even his breathing became cautious.

He passed through the empty outer hall, relying on his Saint King perception, heading toward the direction where the vapor was most concentrated.

The further he went, the stronger the sensation of damp warmth became.

He could even clearly hear, from deep within the layers of gauze curtains, a series of soft, rhythmic sounds: 'splash, splash.'

The sound was not loud, but like an invisible feather, it tickled the tip of his heart again and again, making him feel an inexplicable itch all over his body, a surge of restlessness rising from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head.

"This is deadly, absolutely deadly!"

"This scene, this atmosphere, this bone-deep, ambiguous sound..."

"Has that Silly Girl Ji Hongxue recreated that night's scene exactly as it was? What on earth is she trying to do?!"

In Su Chen's heart, a storm of emotions raged; an unprecedented sense of losing control made his scalp tingle.

Reason screamed warnings at him: there must be something fishy about this; it's definitely a trap set for him! Retreat now!

But his body completely disobeyed, as if pulled by invisible threads, step by step toward the source of the splashing sound.

Curiosity killed the cat.

It could also kill a Divine Son.

He had to know what lay behind these gauze curtains.

He had to figure out what scheme Ji Hongxue—this woman always so domineering, dignified, decisive in killing—was brewing in her mind!

Finally, he reached the last layer of gauze curtains.

It was a thick purple gauze curtain embroidered with nine soaring golden phoenixes in gold thread, completely separating the inside from the outside.

Thick vapor seeped through the gaps in the curtain, hitting him in the face with an intoxicating warmth.

The splashing sound came from behind this curtain.

Su Chen took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the heartbeat that felt ready to leap from his chest.

He felt a fine layer of sweat break out on his palms.

He reached out his hand and, with a gesture almost akin to worship, gently parted the curtain.

The next second.

Time and space seemed to pause at that moment.

Su Chen froze completely in place.

His eyes widened instantly, his pupils contracting to pinpoints from sheer shock!

Behind the curtain was an enormous circular bathing pool, carved entirely from a single piece of top-grade Warm Jade.

Around the pool were exquisitely carved patterns of Dragons and Phoenixes in Harmony, with four lifelike dragon-head spouts at each corner, continuously gushing Hot Spring water that steamed with white mist and contained pure Spiritual Qi.

The entire pool was shrouded in misty vapor, with a thick layer of colorful, rare petals floating on the water's surface, emitting a fragrance that could make any Cultivator succumb.

This scene was exactly the same as what he had seen that night when he turned into a Mosquito!

At that moment, a... breathtakingly beautiful woman who made his breath catch and the heavens and earth lose their color.

Ji Hongxue.

She was leaning quietly against the edge of the pool, her back to him.

Her wet, jet-black hair cascaded like the finest black silk, casually draped over her smooth, jade-like back with curves so graceful they were suffocating.

A glistening drop of water slid slowly down her long, fair neck, as elegant as a swan's, past her delicate shoulder blades, and finally vanished into the swirling mist below, tracing a heart-stopping path.

The mist obscured the parts of her below the water's surface, adding an elusive, tantalizing allure that could drive even gods and buddhas to madness.

The scene was breathtakingly beautiful.

So beautiful it seemed not of this world.

"Hum—!"

Su Chen felt his brain completely shut down at that instant.

All his thoughts, all his inner complaints, all his calculations were shattered into dust by the vivid, stunningly beautiful picture before him.

In his world, only the warm, ivory-like glow before his eyes and the wild, drum-like beating of his own heart remained.

He just stood there dumbly, like a country bumpkin entering the city for the first time, mouth agape, motionless, utterly devoid of the ability to think.

And at that moment.

The breathtaking figure with her back to him moved.

She slowly, slowly turned her head.

Her stunning face, flushed a moving shade of pink from the steam, suddenly came into his view.

Stripped of her imperial dignity, only the ultimate allure of a woman remained.

Those phoenix eyes, usually filled with coldness and dominance, now shimmered with watery light, rippling with a myriad of charms and a hint of barely perceptible tension.

The corners of her lips curved upward slightly, forming a breathtaking arc that could make stars fall.

She looked at him, her red lips parting slightly. Her voice was no longer its usual cool and dignified tone but carried a hint of laziness, a softness, and a faint tremor she herself hadn't noticed.

"You're here?"