Chapter 18 Kissed by Shadow!

Shadowless leaned lazily against his chest, casting a languid glance at her. His tone was unhurried, “Are you sure you don’t need my help?”

Loxia was resolute. “No, I don’t!”

In this world where martial prowess reigned supreme, even if others cultivated more powerfully than she did, who could outmatch her in cunning and strategy?

Shadowless sighed. “What a pity for the consort of a noble prince to perish so young and beautiful.”

“Cut the nonsense. If you won’t tell me, then leave.” She’d already figured out his temperament; it seemed that provoking him always worked like a charm!

One trick was enough to deal with him.

“Spirit Fruit.” Shadowless tossed out three crisp words.

Loxia’s eyes sparkled. “So taking the Spirit Fruit is all it takes?”

Truly a naive and ignorant girl.

Shadowless patiently explained, “The Spirit Fruit is the best fruit for cultivators to enhance their spiritual power. With each fruit consumed, your spiritual power doubles. For those whose spiritual power is sealed, just half a Spirit Fruit is enough to break the seal automatically. But this fruit is rare beyond measure. Legend has it that at the edge of the Magical Beast Forest, there grows a Spirit Tree. It bears fruit once every hundred years, and only five fruits each time, guarded by a powerful magical beast. According to the timeline, in ten days, the Spirit Fruit will ripen. Many strong cultivators have ventured into the forest, seeking it to break through the tenth level and ascend to immortality, but none have ever found its trace.”

“So, to this day, no one has ever obtained the Spirit Fruit?” Loxia asked.

“That’s right. So, noble consort, what are your chances of success? Even if your luck defies the heavens and you catch a glimpse of the Spirit Fruit, can you defeat the magical beast guarding it? It’s said to be an eighth-level beast—equivalent to a tenth-level human cultivator. So, you’d best abandon this opportunity and let me…uh…touch?”

Touch what? Go touch your own family!

Loxia shot him a glare. “Just tell me, is this legend true?”

Shadowless nodded. “Absolutely true. My master once saw it, but even he couldn’t defeat the magical beast.”

Shadowless’s master?

Shadowless was already formidable; his master must be someone on the verge of immortality.

As if seeing through her thoughts, Shadowless flashed a wicked smile. “Noble consort, even my master couldn’t defeat that beast—are you still unwilling to give up?”

Give up?

That word did not exist in her vocabulary!

“You said the Spirit Fruit is rare, right? Clearly, it’s waiting for its destined owner.”

Shadowless felt as though he might cough up blood. “You don’t actually think you’re the destined one, do you?”

Loxia was undaunted, brimming with confidence. “The fruit ripens in ten days, right? Very well, just wait—ten days from now, I’ll bring back the Spirit Fruit!”

Watching the girl’s self-assured stance, anyone unaware might think she was a powerful cultivator. Who could imagine such words coming from a girl with not a hint of spiritual power?

“You’re certain you want to go alone?”

Her stubborn refusal to yield was becoming more and more interesting to him. If she wouldn’t give up, perhaps he could accompany her in the search. He imagined the look of defeat on her face would be quite entertaining.

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“I’m certain!” Loxia understood Shadowless’s intentions and wagered with him. After all, he’d just said even his master couldn’t defeat the beast; so what use was he?

If brute force wouldn’t work, then cunning must prevail.

“Then I’ll leave. You won’t regret it?”

“No regrets!” After all, you can’t defeat that beast.

“Then I’m really going.”

“Wait—”

Shadowless was secretly delighted. This girl was clearly reluctant to part with him. He fancied himself irresistible; which woman in Tianyou didn’t like him?

“What magical beast guards the Spirit Fruit?”

Shadowless was speechless.

He thought she was about to plead with him to stay; clearly, he was mistaken.

“Once you tell me, you may leave!”

“It’s a magical beast resembling a qilin. My master couldn’t say exactly what it was.”

Shadowless waited for her to ask him to stay, but instead, she fell into deep thought.

Shadowless sighed. Very well, he’d leave for now and return in three days to see how she fared.

“I’m leaving, noble consort.”

Before Loxia could react, she felt a sudden warmth on her forehead!

This… this scoundrel actually dared to kiss her?

But before she could respond, Shadowless had already flown away. “Remember to miss me, noble consort!”

“Scoundrel!” Loxia chased after him, furious and embarrassed, but he was nowhere to be found.

What a scoundrel! How dare he take advantage of her!

“Miss?” Bixue, who had been waiting in the courtyard, hurried over, frightened.

Loxia glared at Bixue, then turned and entered the house.

What just happened?

Bixue was completely puzzled. She didn’t think she had offended her mistress.

...

Luoyi was busy searching the alchemy chamber for evidence of the theft, while Luoanbang watched her with a puzzled gaze.

“Uncle, you’ve been guarding the door all this time. Didn’t you notice anything unusual?” Luoyi spoke proudly, assuming the air of a crown princess.

Luoanbang felt that this girl was different from before.

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In the past, she would act spoiled with him. Now, she interrogated him as if he were a criminal, which wounded Luoanbang deeply.

But since she was eager to clear her name of the theft, he could only choose silence.

He knew Luoyi’s promise to catch the thief in three days was merely to placate him; she probably feared he’d expose her. If he dared say anything unfavorable about her, would she have him eliminated?

Luoanbang felt a stifling weight in his chest. At this moment, Luoyi didn’t seem as lovable as she once had.

“Was it really a powerful cultivator who stole the pills?” Luoyi, unable to get any answers, grew impatient.

She threw herself into solving the case.

Everyone knew she wouldn’t find the thief. They were all certain the culprit was a strong cultivator, one even the ancestral elder couldn’t handle.

Indeed, Luoyi gave up her search by the afternoon of the second day. She sent a message to Master Hailan, reporting the situation in the Luo manor and boldly requesting her master’s assistance. In the past, Luoyi wouldn’t have dared trouble Master Hailan even with ten times her courage; but now, as the exalted crown princess, she believed her master would grant her this favor. For all Master Hailan’s strength, even he couldn’t contend with the imperial court alone.

With her master’s help, Luoyi was confident that the second batch of thieves would be caught.

Then she could pin the first theft on Loxia. If that failed, she’d blame the second group. With her noble standing, she believed her grandfather would accept her story.

Meanwhile, Loxia was not idle.

Bixue had successfully advanced to the first level, making her even more useful.

Indeed, Bixue presented all the intelligence she’d gathered.

“The Luo manor is now heavily guarded; no one can enter or leave freely. The ancestral elder’s alchemy chamber has several fifth-level guards added, and many experts are hidden in the shadows. The treasure vaults have more guards too. In short, every expert in the manor has dropped their tasks to focus on heightened security.”

Loxia laughed so hard her stomach ached.

How amusing! She’d sent the entire Luo manor into a frenzy!

When they learned the truth later, they’d surely be so angry they’d cough up blood.

“Haha—”

“Haha—”

Bixue, however, couldn’t laugh. She continued, “Miss, don’t be too pleased yet. I overheard Xiaoqing telling Xiaoya that the eldest miss has invited her master to assist.”

“Luoyi’s master?” Loxia suppressed her laughter.

“Yes, Master Hailan. She’s at the peak of the eighth level,” Bixue said with both admiration and concern.

Peak eighth-level strength—an unattainable realm for maids like them!

Loxia soon discovered that Luoyi was deeply favored by Master Hailan, who was fiercely protective. Loxia had a foreboding feeling that Luoyi had summoned Master Hailan specifically to deal with her.

Luoyi, oh Luoyi, I must admit, you truly regard me highly!

If soldiers come, I’ll meet them head-on; if water floods, I’ll block it with earth!

No matter if she’s Master Hailan or some nun, I’ll deal with her when she arrives!

But since Luoyi is so meticulous in targeting me, if I don’t do something in return, I’d truly be letting down my adversary!