Chapter 86: The Ice Lotus Secured

Bing Xiao quietly made his way into the valley, hoping not to disturb the guardian spirit beasts of the Ice Lotus. Yet, as fate would have it, despite his utmost caution, he still managed to alert the creatures nearby.

But this was not the worst of Bing Xiao’s troubles; he was so distressed he could hardly utter a complaint. What truly mortified him was that, despite his thick skin, his face blushed crimson—for the guardian beasts here turned out to be a pair of snow wolves! Snow wolves were formidable in their own right, and these two were a pair, both at the mid-tier high-grade level.

The reason for Bing Xiao’s embarrassment was simple: upon his entrance, he had stumbled upon the wolves engaged in a most intimate act. The scene was awkward beyond words.

The two wolves, startled by Bing Xiao’s intrusion, first froze, then fixed him with savage glares, growling fiercely as if they wished to devour him whole. It was hardly surprising; anyone would be furious if their affairs were interrupted so abruptly. The tension lingered between them—uncertain of Bing Xiao’s true strength, the wolves refrained from attacking.

“How am I supposed to fight them?” Bing Xiao thought desperately. “Even one of them would be more than I could handle! And now I’ve ruined their moment—of course they’ll want to tear me apart.” He wasted no time, turning on his heel and fleeing, not forgetting to call out as he ran, “Please, carry on! I didn’t mean to interrupt—I'm leaving now, really!”

Spirit beasts at the mid-tier high-grade level had already gained intelligence. Hearing Bing Xiao speak, they assumed he must be at least a high-grade spirit beast himself. Though they longed to tear him apart, the possibility of his superior strength made them hesitate, and they did not pursue.

“That was close, too close,” Bing Xiao panted as he escaped the valley, feeling the tension finally ease when no pursuit came. His face remained flushed; such an encounter was utterly foreign to him. Though he had lived countless years, Bing Xiao was still, at heart, an old virgin—how could he ever be at peace after such an experience?

What now?

He was no match for them in strength. Should he rely on his charming features to win them over? Sway them with his looks? Or perhaps his virtue?

If Lin Yanghao ever knew what Bing Xiao was thinking, he would surely be thunderstruck, cursing Bing Xiao for his shamelessness, narcissism, and every manner of contempt.

...

A few days later, Bing Xiao slipped into the valley once more, a wicked grin upon his lips as he approached the Ice Lotus.

Don’t misunderstand—Bing Xiao wasn’t foolish enough to charge straight in. He had devised a foolproof plan, guaranteed to succeed.

As expected, after the last encounter, the wolves dared not stray from the Ice Lotus, which pleased Bing Xiao all the more. His plan required them to be together; otherwise, it would be impossible to execute.

Rather than sneaking, Bing Xiao strode boldly toward the wolves.

The moment he appeared, the wolves spotted him, but reason held them back from attacking.

Of course, the wolves knew Bing Xiao—so well they could recognize him even if he were reduced to ashes. Four icy eyes swept over him, making Bing Xiao shiver.

“Why stare at me like that?” Bing Xiao grumbled inwardly. “So I caught a glimpse—what’s the big deal? You won’t lose any fur.” He was irritated, for he was a dignified celestial beast, now being threatened by two mere spirit beasts. Though his power had waned, his pride remained.

If the wolves knew Bing Xiao’s thoughts, even his status as a high-grade beast would not save him—they would surely attack, heedless of the consequences.

“This place isn’t yours alone, you know! The world belongs to everyone, not just you. I’m just passing through—carry on, don’t mind me,” Bing Xiao said shamelessly as he drew closer.

He had already guessed why the wolves hadn’t attacked: they believed him to be a high-grade beast, and so held back.

“Look, what’s that flying behind you? Is it your pup?” Bing Xiao continued, aiming to distract them and execute his plan in one swift move.

“Newly awakened spirit beasts are so easy to fool—idiots! Let me show you what I can do. You won’t be glaring at me much longer!” he thought. As hoped, the wolves turned to look behind them. Bing Xiao wasted no time: a transparent vial appeared in his hand, filled with reddish-brown powder.

He opened it and swiftly scattered nearly half the contents onto the wolves’ faces, his movements crisp and unhesitating.

Seeing his success, Bing Xiao’s face lit up with excitement and anticipation.

“Haha, it never fails!” Clearly, this was not his first time employing such tricks. Though such devious tactics were frowned upon, Bing Xiao had survived countless trials. Without his self-defense methods, he would have long been captured and put to hard labor.

The vial contained neither sleeping powder nor poison.

It held an aphrodisiac Bing Xiao had concocted in the celestial realm, potent beyond compare. He had used it frequently to trap others during his time there, though had not needed it since reaching the celestial beast stage.

Now, unexpectedly, it was of great use.

Who cares if it’s underhanded—if it catches mice, it’s a good cat! This was Bing Xiao’s guiding principle.

Normally, just a bit would suffice, but this time he had used nearly half the vial. The wolves’ fate was sealed.

Their growls and whimpers soon filled the air.

Though Bing Xiao had used this trick many times before, witnessing it firsthand was a new experience—the intensity of the scene defied description.

“Heh, don’t blame me—blame yourselves for glaring and threatening me. Enjoy, I won’t disturb you any longer.” With that, Bing Xiao took the Ice Lotus and departed without looking back, a lascivious smile lingering on his face.

“This will keep you busy for three or four days. By the time you recover, Lin Yanghao’s wounds will have healed completely.” With this thought, Bing Xiao hurried back, eager to use the Ice Lotus to save Lin Yanghao.

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Bing Xiao: Hand over your recommendation tickets, or I’ll come after you with my little vial!