Chapter 1212: Jumping into the Yellow River Can't Wash It Clean

Zu An finally understood why the previous information stated that Mo Xi lived her entire life in a cycle of betrayal and being betrayed. This skill truly seemed to be an innate rebelliousness. No wonder she could so easily sever the soul contract they had just established; she must have used this skill.

It was a pity he hadn't summoned her when he defeated the Golden Crow Prince last time; otherwise, he could have seized the divine Sun-Shooting Bow himself.

A thought sparked in his mind: This skill was incredibly powerful. What conditions did it require to activate? Unfortunately, he recalled the earlier information, but it didn't seem to mention any relevant details. The keyboard system was becoming increasingly unreliable!

He tried to ask Mo Xi. Although her soul was incomplete, like Daji's, preventing her from speaking, she still retained some instincts. Moreover, with their soul contract, simple communication was entirely possible.

To his dismay, Mo Xi didn't respond at all; instead, she extended her hand, palm open, towards him. Zu An understood her gesture: she was asking for more of the Vitality Fruits she had consumed earlier.

Zu An felt annoyed; Mo Xi was truly difficult to please. Daji, on the other hand, was so understanding. However, considering her past as a "betrayal witch" and the fact that they had only just met, her wariness was understandable. Remembering his earlier promise that they would each take what they needed, he produced 49 Vitality Fruits.

Unlike Daji, Mo Xi didn't obediently open her mouth to be fed; instead, she snatched the Vitality Fruits from him. She popped them into her mouth one by one, like eating snacks. Her once heroic brows softened, and an expression of pure bliss unconsciously spread across her face.

Zu An became even more convinced that these Vitality Fruits, acquired through the lottery, were intended for these Valkyries. Eating them himself, he realized, would be a terrible waste.

Mo Xi quickly finished them and once again extended her hand towards him, clearly indicating she wanted more. He had to admit, despite being hands that could wield a spear or staff, they bore no calluses whatsoever. Instead, her slender fingers were remarkably beautiful.

Zu An, however, paid no attention to this. He stated directly, "Those are all gone. From now on, you'll only receive Vitality Fruits after you've completed tasks. It'll be a quid pro quo." He couldn't be blamed for his stance. If Mo Xi hadn't pulled those previous stunts and had been as obedient as Daji, he would have immediately given her all the Vitality Fruits to enhance her strength. After all, Daji was currently stuck at the threshold of breaking through to the seventh rank, still needing an Azure Flame Flower, so consuming Vitality Fruits before her breakthrough would be pointless.

Mo Xi's recent actions made him wary of handing over the Vitality Fruits so readily. Based on her skill, it seemed she could sever their contract again at any moment. If he fed her to her fill and she simply ran off, wouldn't he suffer a massive loss?

Observing Mo Xi's wild gaze, Zu An suddenly recalled falconers from his previous life: one must never feed a hawk too much, always keeping it slightly hungry to motivate it to obey and hunt. While he didn't wish to compare Mo Xi to a hawk, the underlying principle was the same. He hoped that with time, and through their interactions, she would genuinely come to trust him.

Hearing Zu An's words, Mo Xi instantly turned her head away, appearing somewhat angry. The good news, however, was that she made no further attempt to escape.

Zu An breathed a sigh of relief. He carefully summoned both her and Daji back, then returned to the Snake Tribe Chief's manor. Instead of returning to his own room, he went to Yan Xuehen's.

Looking at the two adjacent rooms nearby, Zu An hesitated. He didn't have himself announced. Instead, he quietly slipped into the shadows, circled to the back, gently pushed open a window, and slipped inside. His movements were very light, as if he feared disturbing anyone.

But the moment he landed, a sudden chill enveloped him, and a gleaming longsword was already pressed against his chest.

"Who's there?" A cold, clear voice, like a perpetually snow-capped mountain shrouded in mist, carried a detached air, along with a sharp, chilling killing intent.

"It's me!" Zu An mused, recognizing Yan Xuehen's typical voice and demeanor. It seemed only in recent days, having been caught off guard by him, had she become somewhat flustered.

Upon hearing it was Zu An, Yan Xuehen's usually icy face instantly flushed crimson. "What are you doing here in the middle of the night?" Her voice was deliberately hushed, as if she, too, feared disturbing someone.

"It's about that 'love stronger than gold'..." Zu An began to explain.

Before he could finish, Yan Xuehen's longsword advanced an inch, her voice laced with annoyance and embarrassment: "Don't think that just because of that 'love stronger than gold,' you can do whatever you want to me!"

Rage value from Yan Xuehen +199+199+199...

Zu An froze. "Huh? I wasn't planning on doing whatever I wanted to you." Why would she even think such a strange thing?

Yan Xuehen's vigilance remained undiminished. "Then why are you coming to my room in the middle of the night? And so stealthily?"

"Isn't it because I'm afraid of being discovered?" Zu An replied as if it were the most obvious thing.

Yan Xuehen scoffed, "There's nothing to hide between us; we're open and honest."

"Then I'll just knock on the front door and come in," Zu An said, looking exasperated. "Didn't you say the 'love stronger than gold' matter needed to be kept a secret?"

Yan Xuehen's expression changed. Remembering that Yun Jianyue was still next door, she quickly stopped him. "Alright, alright, you're already in. There's no need for extra trouble."

Zu An, however, was completely at ease, walking in naturally as if he were in his own room. It was then he noticed Yan Xuehen was wearing a simple white silk undergarment, likely sleepwear. The quilt on the nearby bed was thrown back, clearly indicating she had just detected an intruder and instantly risen from the bed. Truly a Grandmaster, her spiritual senses remained remarkably keen even when severely injured.

Feeling his gaze, Yan Xuehen suddenly realized her attire was quite form-fitting. When had such a private side of her ever been seen by anyone else? She wanted to put on more clothes, but then felt it would be too deliberate, making the situation even more awkward. She recalled how he had treated her injuries, embracing and holding her. Now, while her current attire was private, it wasn't overtly revealing...

As she was engaged in this internal struggle, Zu An walked directly to a nearby table, poured himself a cup of tea, and began to drink. After the previous commotion, he was indeed quite thirsty.

"Oh..." Yan Xuehen tried to stop him, realizing it was the cup she had just used, but it was already too late.

"What's wrong?" Zu An asked, taking a sip and looking at her quizzically.

"Nothing." Seeing her faint lip print still on the teacup, Yan Xuehen's expression became slightly unnatural. Fearing he would notice, she quickly changed the subject. "What about this 'love stronger than gold' matter requires you to sneak into my room in the middle of the night?"

"It's like this," Zu An explained, "I have a friend with an ability to sever all forms of contracts and vows, like 'sea vows and mountain oaths.' I was thinking this 'love stronger than gold' should also be one of them."

"Is this friend you're talking about yourself?" Yan Xuehen's delicate brows furrowed. This guy was indeed deceiving me earlier; he clearly could have undone our Golden Phoenix Bond!

Rage value from Yan Xuehen +233+233+233...

"This friend really isn't me," Zu An exclaimed, feeling wronged, and quickly summoned Mo Xi. "This is a friend I just met; she might have a way to undo our 'love stronger than gold'."

Yan Xuehen was taken aback. "Is she a demoness?" This woman's style of dress was vastly different from human women. Although her attire was bold and revealing, she possessed no hint of seductive charm. Instead, she exuded a heroic and valiant aura that inspired admiration. Crucially, this heroic woman was exceptionally beautiful, perhaps even rivaling Yu Yanluo. Are there truly so many stunning beauties among the demon race?

"She should be human, right? ... Uh, that's not the point," Zu An said. "She has an ability called 'South Nest Farewell,' which might be able to undo our 'love stronger than gold'."

"Alright!" Just as Zu An was about to proceed, a sudden banging came from the door.

"Ice-Stone Woman, what are you doing in the middle of the night? Why did I just sense murderous intent from you?" Yun Jianyue's voice called out. "I heard snakes are naturally lustful. Could it be that a snake-tribe philanderer took a fancy to you at the banquet and has now snuck into your room in the dead of night?"

---This will be the only update today. While I'm a bit embarrassed, I feel it's necessary to clarify so you don't wait in vain.