205: Sister Meng visited

She struggled to straighten her body, raising a hand to wipe the blood overflowing from the corner of her lips. The crimson color was particularly striking against her paper-pale face.

Ling Qi pulled a small jade bottle from her robe, poured out several Spirit-Augmenting Pills, and swallowed them.

The pills melted as soon as they entered her mouth, turning into a warm current that flowed down her throat, temporarily easing the surging pain within her dantian.

After a brief moment of regulating her breath, Ling Qi looked up and stared coldly at Jiao Xiao, gritting her teeth.

"If I fight to the death, you might not leave with an intact corpse either! Today, it's either you or me!" Though her voice was weak, the killing intent within it made the demon shudder!

Hearing this, the smile on Jiao Xiao's face stiffened slightly, and she fell silent for a moment.

Suddenly, as if she had thought of something, she spoke thoughtfully.

"This seat can hand over the antidote to the Cold Poison, as long as you, beauty~ take your people and leave Yao Zui Cliff immediately, never setting foot here again."

"How about it?"

"This is a worthwhile trade." Having said that, she reached into her robe, pulled out a small and exquisite porcelain bottle, and shook it gently.

Ling Qi held her breath and concentrated, staring at the porcelain bottle in Jiao Xiao's hand.

"Commander Ma, it seems I was being too headstrong."

"No, no, no... Secretary-General, please don't say that." Ma Sanqiang hurriedly shook his head and waved his hands, his face full of admiration.

"To be able to fight a Rank Six Yin Flood Dragon with a Rank Five peak cultivation and hold your own so well—this kind of strength has already surpassed 99.9% of cultivators at the same rank!"

"It truly leaves this general in awe!"

"Sigh, even so, I still failed to take her down in the end." Ling Qi sighed softly and shook her head helplessly.

"Now, I can only rely on Commander Ma to take action."

"No matter. If this general doesn't put in some effort, I'm afraid Her Majesty will come personally. At that time, she might just tear through the void and smash my horse head!" As he spoke, the horse-faced man gave a bitter smile and slapped his thigh.

*Crack, crack, crack!* The sound of bones snapping crisp echoed.

Ma Sanqiang cracked his neck and loosened up his fists.

His muscles were tensed all over, like a fierce tiger about to pounce on its prey, radiating a swift and violent Ghostly Aura.

"I'll leave the second half to you, Commander Ma."

Ling Qi nodded slightly, and with a flash of her body, she instantly teleported far away, leaving the combat range.

Jiao Xiao also sensed Ma Sanqiang's aura, which was on par with her own.

A pair of crimson dragon eyes stared fixedly at him, black mist continuing to spew from her mouth; her wariness was self-evident... Inside the Empress's palace, the inner hall of Jiaotai Palace.

Meng Jiang wore a simple and elegant white robe, her figure graceful and lithe, beautiful and enchanting.

She moved with light, lotus-like steps, slowly pushing open the hall doors.

In an instant, what met her eyes were layers upon layers of hanging Azure Water-colored bead curtains.

"Ding, ding, ding... Dong, dong, dong..."

These bead curtains collided with each other, making crisp and pleasant sounds... faintly mixed with the clashing of swords.

The sound of swords clearly reached Meng Jiang's ears through the multiple layers of bead curtains.

Shang Wan Ning's expression darkened for a moment, but she soon dispersed the projection. A smile reappeared on her face as she reached out a jade-like hand to gently part the bead curtains in front of her and walked out of the hall.

"Is Sister Meng free today to come specifically looking for me?"

Meng Jiang stopped just before the final layer of bead curtains and gave a slight curtsy, her voice soft, charming, and melodious.

"This servant thinks of Your Majesty day and night; I truly couldn't restrain my longing, so I came to visit. Is that not allowed?"

"Heh!"

Shang Wan Ning gave a cold snort and flicked her sleeves forcefully. This was the first time she hadn't shown Meng Jiang a kind face.

She turned around and lay back on the phoenix couch as if in a huff, thinking crossly to herself: [Hmph, I'm really quite angry with Ling Qi this time!]

Seeing this, Meng Jiang's peach-blossom cheeks still wore a beaming smile.

"A Ning, don't be angry."

"In truth, Ling Qi just wanted to take this opportunity to properly temper herself."

Upon hearing this, Shang Wan Ning suddenly sat up from the phoenix couch and retorted with wide, angry eyes.

"Tempering? What kind of clerical secretary would seek out a Rank Six great demon who has cultivated for a full three thousand years as a tempering target!"

Immediately after, she added indignantly.

"Sister Meng, do you know that flood dragon is only a few hundred years away from transforming into a dragon?"

At this point, Shang Wan Ning became even angrier.

"I clearly granted her so many privileges, but she's just great—she leaves them unused!"

"If she had directly mobilized my Guard of Honor to set out and swarm that flood dragon with clubs, it probably wouldn't have even taken ten minutes to beat it to death!"

"Wanling~" Meng Jiang was about to speak and offer counsel.

A rustling sound rang out, and then Shang Wan Ning lifted the bead curtains.

"I'm not listening to explanations!!!"

"What a tsundere." Meng Jiang chuckled and rolled her eyes.

"The Secretary-General also knows she's just being headstrong. You can rest assured."

"Besides, with Horse-Face guarding her and the Empress's Essence Blood you bestowed upon her, what could possibly go wrong?"

The Empress's expression softened slightly, but her face remained tense.

"Of course I know she won't be in danger." Having said that, she bit her lip, her voice turning soft.

"I'm just distressed that she's hurt, Sister Meng. It's not like you don't know—Ling Qi usually looks so capable, but she's actually the most afraid of pain."

At this moment, Meng Jiang's gaze fell infatuatedly upon the Empress lying on the phoenix couch. Like a young girl in her first love, she gazed shyly and timidly at her wife~wife, her posture full of attachment.

After a long while, Meng Jiang came back to her senses and sighed softly: "A Ning's heart is always so delicate and gentle..."

"Now that Ling Qi is working so hard to improve her strength, isn't it all just to better protect a certain peerlessly tsundere Empress?"

She reached out and ruffled Shang Wan Ning's black hair, her movements as gentle as stroking a rare treasure.

While soothing Shang Wan Ning like she was teasing a kitten, she whispered: "Alright, alright, my Empress, the tsundere time is over..."

"Hmph!"

Seeing Shang Wan Ning's expression gradually improve and the corners of her mouth curl up slightly,

Only then did Meng Jiang nod in satisfaction. Then, she raised her chin and lightly touched the tip of her nose against Shang Wan Ning's, the two of them smiling at each other.

"Do you still want me to bring some people to capture the Yin Jiao Clan and bring them to the Netherworld to vent the Secretary-General's anger?"

"Sniff, sniff, sniff..."

Shang Wan Ning's nose immediately caught a rich fragrance.

The scent was like the ripest, reddest honey peach on a branch. Just a single whiff made one imagine the sweet, juicy, mouth-watering taste of taking a bite.

Shang Wan Ning shook her head and said slowly, "No, just proceed according to the original plan."

"I'm just having a momentary fit of pique; it will dissipate on its own in a while."