17: The ice and snow begin to melt

Nangong Family, back mountain, Spiritual Spring.

The spring water was crystal clear, and Spiritual Qi transformed into a faint white mist, lingering on the surface of the water. Exotic flowers and plants were everywhere, like a paradise on earth.

Nangong Mingyue stood alone by the spring, the cool moonlight shining on her, making her seem even more ethereal.

But her heart was in turmoil at this moment.

The man's figure, the words he had spoken, were like a curse, lingering in her mind.

She had lived for nearly twenty years, her heart as still as water, rarely experiencing such intense emotional fluctuations.

Anger, embarrassment, panic, and a hint of... a strange flutter that she herself was unwilling to admit.

“You really don't want to see me that much?”

A lazy voice sounded behind Nangong Mingyue.

Nangong Mingyue's body trembled, and she spun around, only to see Jiang Chen, at some unknown point, had already arrived behind her, leaning against an ancient tree, looking at her with amusement.

“Who said I didn't want to see you? I was just enjoying the scenery!” she retorted stubbornly, her eyes a little evasive.

“Is that so?” Jiang Chen strolled to her side, standing shoulder to shoulder with her by the spring, his gaze fixed on the water.

“What a tranquil spring, said to calm the mind and cleanse distracting thoughts.”

He spoke leisurely, “But why do I feel that someone's heart is even more chaotic than this spring water?”

Nangong Mingyue's heart skipped a beat, as if her thoughts had been exposed. She forced herself to remain calm and said, “I don't know what you're talking about.”

“Don't know?” Jiang Chen turned his head, looking at her with a half-smile, “Then why haven't you dared to look at me since just now?”

“I haven't!” Nangong Mingyue subconsciously retorted, meeting his gaze.

Their eyes met.

Jiang Chen's eyes were deep. Nangong Mingyue only met his gaze for a second before she felt her cheeks flush and her heart pound, awkwardly averting her eyes.

“See, you're avoiding me again.” Jiang Chen chuckled lightly.

“You...!” Nangong Mingyue was both ashamed and angry. This fellow was simply a scoundrel!

【Ding! Congratulations, host! Successfully made the ice queen blush and her heart pound! Rewarding 500 Villain Points!】

【Keep up the good work! As long as the host can get her to voluntarily say a complete sentence without any reproachful meaning, the side quest can be completed!】

Jiang Chen smiled inwardly, it seemed the timing wasn't quite right yet.

He suddenly stretched out his hand, pointing to a budding exotic flower by the spring.

The flower was entirely white, but the edges of its petals had a faint icy blue tint.

“Ice Heart Jade Pistil, it blooms only once every ten thousand years.”

Jiang Chen's voice softened slightly, “Its exterior is as hard as ice, and ordinary people are harmed by touching it. But once it blooms, it is the purest and warmest thing in the world, capable of bringing the dead back to life and regrowing flesh on bones.”

As he spoke, he observed Nangong Mingyue's profile.

Her fair skin seemed transparent, and her long eyelashes trembled slightly, clearly indicating she was listening intently.

Jiang Chen withdrew his gaze, his voice carrying an inexplicable emotion, “Do you think we can wait for it?”

Nangong Mingyue was silent.

She looked at the Ice Heart Jade Pistil, her heart wavering.

Nangong Mingyue felt that Jiang Chen wasn't talking about the flower, but about her.

She was that Ice Heart Jade Pistil, building up ice with indifference and pride to protect herself.

But now, this man wanted to melt her.

“I... I don't know...”

After a long while, she softly uttered a few words in a voice that was almost a whisper.

Her voice was very soft, but it clearly reached Jiang Chen's ears.

【Ding! Congratulations, host! Completed the side quest “Melting the Ice Queen”!】

【Quest Reward: 2000 Villain Points! One special item, Memory Stone, has been issued to the System Space!】

It's done!

Jiang Chen was overjoyed inwardly, but his face remained impassive. Instead, he took a step forward, standing in front of Nangong Mingyue.

The distance between them was once again narrowed.

“Mingyue.” Jiang Chen's gaze was burning, looking directly into her eyes, “What about you?”

Boom!

Nangong Mingyue's mind went blank.

This guy... how could he... how could he say such direct and embarrassing words!

Her face flushed instantly, from her neck to her earlobes, and her whole body started to feel hot.

“I... I don't know what you're talking about! You... you stay away from me!” She completely panicked, reaching out to push Jiang Chen away.

But this time, Jiang Chen didn't let her succeed.

He grabbed her outstretched hand. Her hand was cool, delicate, and smooth.

Nangong Mingyue's whole body trembled, as if she had been electrocuted, desperately trying to pull her hand back.

But Jiang Chen's hand held her firmly.

“Let go of me!” Nangong Mingyue's voice already carried a hint of a sob.

“No.” Jiang Chen shook his head, and with his other hand, he gently lifted her chin, forcing her to look at him.

“Nangong Mingyue, listen to me.”

His expression became serious, no longer the playful and teasing one from before.

“The engagement between you and me is not an empty promise. You are my fiancée, Jiang Chen's fiancée, and this will never change.”

“In the past, perhaps I wasn't worthy of you. But now, I am worthy of having you stand by my side, and even more worthy of making you my woman.”

“You can dislike me, you can resist me, and you can even hate me. But you must understand that from now on, you belong to me.”

Nangong Mingyue stared at him blankly, watching her own flustered face clearly reflected in his deep eyes.

She found that she actually... couldn't refute him.

Even, deep down, a faint trace of... a strange pleasure arose.

This thought startled her.

Jiang Chen looked at her dazed expression, the corners of his mouth curving slightly.

He slowly lowered his head, leaning towards the delicate red lips hidden behind her veil.

Nangong Mingyue's heart stopped completely at this moment.

She closed her eyes, her body rigid, and her long eyelashes began to tremble.

However, the anticipated touch did not come.

She opened her eyes in confusion, only to see Jiang Chen had stopped an inch away from her veil, a mischievous, triumphant smile on his face.

“It seems you don't dislike me that much after all.”

With that, he released her hand, took a step back, and created distance.

“You...!”

Nangong Mingyue snapped out of her daze, overcome with shame and indignation.

This scoundrel! He was playing with her!

She raised her hand, wanting to slap him, but her hand dropped powerlessly halfway through.

She knew she couldn't beat him.

And, in that instant, she had actually truly been anticipating... “Since things are settled, I should head back.” Jiang Chen stretched lazily, as if nothing had happened, “For the Taiyin Ancient Tomb trip, I will come to pick you up then.”

With that, he turned and left, extremely dashing.

Leaving only Nangong Mingyue, in disarray in the wind.

She covered her burning cheeks, looking at Jiang Chen's receding figure, her eyes filled with extreme complexity.

This man had completely deviated from her expectations.

Just then, Jiang Chen's footsteps paused, and a Jade Slip lit up in his hand.

It was a message from Jiang Shengtian.

After listening to the content of the Jade Slip, the smile on his lips turned somewhat cold.

“Grand Elder, Yun Wuzi...”

He turned back, glanced at the figure still standing dazed by the spring, then his body moved, transforming into a streak of light, and shot into the sky.

It was time to return to Hongtian Holy Land.