Chapter 160: Not Taking Lives Is a Virtue

A day in Nian City began with the rich aroma of food wafting through the long streets.

Inside the villa.

The morning mist had yet to disperse.

Jiang Niannian turned over in bed, sensing that something was missing.

She groped around—no fluffy tail, no suffocating embrace.

She opened her eyes. Yin Buqi was not beside her.

Could it be… his soul had become unstable again last night?

She got dressed and went to look for him, walking through the corridor.

She found him in the small stone pool behind the secluded garden.

He lay in the water with his eyes closed, his skin unnaturally pale, lips like rose petals.

His black robe was soaked, floating on the surface.

Like a ghostly beauty.

As soon as she reached the pool, his eyes snapped open, filled with hostility and danger.

But the moment he saw her, all of it melted away into warmth, like the first thaw of spring, his gaze reflecting her face with a gentle glow.

The corners of his lips curved into a tender smile.

“Niannian, you’re awake?”

Jiang Niannian crouched by the pool, reaching out to caress his face.

“Did it hurt again last night?”

“Mm.”

Water splashed softly as Yin Buqi raised his hand, grasping hers and rubbing it lightly.

Every time his soul became unstable, his body felt as if it were being torn apart, an unbearable agony, accompanied by a searing heat.

“Does it still hurt?”

Jiang Niannian’s heart ached for him.

Just imagining how he had left her side in silence so as not to disturb her sleep, enduring the torment alone all night, made her chest tighten painfully.

Yin Buqi replied, “It’s almost better. I’ll stay here a little longer.”

Jiang Niannian stepped into the pool, wrapped her arms around his neck, and buried her face against his cool, damp chest.

“Then I’ll stay with you.”

Yin Buqi held her in return, and in his excitement, a pair of fluffy fox ears suddenly sprouted atop his head, twitching in sync with his voice.

“Niannian, the water is cold.”

But Jiang Niannian’s attention was entirely captured by his fox ears.

She couldn’t resist reaching out to touch them.

The furry ear tips quivered instinctively the moment her fingers brushed against them.

Jiang Niannian found the soft, velvety ears just as delightful to touch as always.

She playfully pinched the pink fluff at the tips, then scratched behind the upright ears.

Yin Buqi immediately shuddered.

Feeling her slender fingers gently scratching, he squinted in pleasure, utterly relaxed.

“Niannian, that feels so good…”

He snuggled into her warm embrace, letting her scratch his ears, utterly content, making soft, satisfied noises.

…

Half an hour later, Yin Buqi carried Jiang Niannian out of the water and set her down on the marble beside the pool.

Even though a simple spell could have dried her off, he insisted on using a towel to do it himself.

Her clothes were already dry, leaving only her legs exposed—slender and smooth as jade, her delicate ankles particularly enchanting.

The surroundings were silent, with only the occasional sound of the wind.

Yin Buqi gently pressed the towel against her legs.

She watched him, then lowered her gaze, a shadow of worry crossing her delicate features.

In a soft voice, she asked, “Is there really no way to stop your suffering?”

Yin Buqi replied, “Not for now.”

He lifted his gaze to her.

The air carried the scent of grass and wood from her, mixed with the crisp aroma of cedar from him.

A deep, enigmatic shadow flickered in his eyes, but within it, only her face remained.

“As long as Niannian is here, as long as you stay by my side, nothing else matters.”

Jiang Niannian suddenly lifted her foot and lightly poked his abdomen, half-annoyed, half-pouting.

“But seeing you in so much pain makes me feel awful too.”

It was practically a coquettish complaint.

Her toes were round and white, as delicate as jade beads.

Yin Buqi easily caught her foot.

A strange light flashed through his eyes, his throat tightening.

In a dazed voice, he murmured, “Niannian.”

He cupped her face, his fingers trailing up her leg.

Finally, he wrapped his arms around her waist and lowered his head to kiss her fiercely.

Her lips were warm and soft, sweet as honey, the taste seeping into his chest and spreading through his veins.

The overwhelming satisfaction burned like wildfire, igniting a breathtaking heat.

Jiang Niannian felt her breath grow hot.

Frustrated, she pushed against his chest, her voice trembling.

“Buqi, you haven’t finished drying me off…”

But he refused to stop, kissing her with urgency and longing, until, after a long moment, he finally pulled back slightly, murmuring against her lips, “Niannian, can I take a bite?”

Jiang Niannian assumed he was in pain again and needed some way to release it.

Naturally, she indulged him, nodding.

Yin Buqi’s lips curled into a smile, his voice falling like a whisper, “Niannian treats me so well.”

As soon as the words fell, his lips pressed against the delicate skin of her neck.

Three seconds later, Jiang Niannian trembled.

“Hiss—Buqi, you’re about to bite my flesh off!”

When Yin Buqi finally let go, a clear, crimson bite mark remained on her neck.

Like a creature that had just drunk his fill of blood, his lips turned an even deeper shade of red, his entire presence exuding an eerie, captivating allure.

He lazily licked the mark he had left.

Jiang Niannian felt light-headed, sensing something strange spreading from the wound.

Seeing her flushed, teary eyes, a smile flickered in his scarlet gaze.

He gently brushed his nose against hers, murmuring, “I like seeing you like this. I like it so much.”

“That Daoist bond we made on our wedding day is gone. Let me give you a new one,” he continued.

“From now on, if anyone dares approach you, they’ll know—you belong to me.”

Jiang Niannian was momentarily stunned, looking up at him.

The soft strands of his hair fell over his forehead, his pale skin glowing with a mesmerizing brilliance, as if he could swallow a person whole.

“All right, let’s go eat. I’m hungry,” she mumbled, turning her face away.

“Mm.”

Lately, Yin Buqi often accompanied Jiang Niannian to eat at the street stalls.

The vendors, initially terrified, later grew accustomed to it, even chatting with Jiang Niannian occasionally.

They realized that the infamous Emperor Jiuyin, known for his ruthless slaughter, no longer killed indiscriminately.

In this realm, people didn’t simply die but lived far longer than mortals—and they felt no pain.

More surprisingly, those who pleased Jiang Niannian, whether by crafting beautiful items or delicious food, often received great rewards—spirit stones, or even a longer lifespan.

…

Later, as they strolled through the city, a familiar voice caught Jiang Niannian’s attention.

“Master, watch me shoot down that eagle!”

She turned to see two figures.

One, dressed in a moon-white robe, carried an air of nobility—aloof as snow-capped mountains.

The other, clad in blue, was handsome yet youthful.

The boy loosed an arrow.

The eagle remained unscathed.

A second arrow—still unharmed.

Several arrows later, the eagle remained untouched.

The white-robed man glanced down at him, a faint smile in his eyes, laced with an almost imperceptible indulgence.

“It’s all right. Not taking lives is a virtue.”

Jiang Niannian stared at Yin Buqi in shock.

“This… isn’t this Wen Shili and Jiang Ziyou?!”