Chapter 70: The Surging Favorability

The delicate jade hand's burning warmth seemed to scorch his wrist as well.

Xiao Jihan's wrist was gripped tightly. He watched as "Yan Shu," gradually losing all reason, kept insisting she didn't want to hurt him, her eyes growing darker.

He was silent for a while, then spoke in a hoarse voice, "Is there any other way to cure the aphrodisiac poison in you?"

"Yan Shu" did not answer, only twisting restlessly in discomfort.

At that moment, a woman's laughter suddenly echoed through the illusion, crisp and mocking: "Hehe, what she has been afflicted with is my own life-linked aphrodisiac poison. If you do not consummate, she will die in agony from lust within two hours."

A sword shimmering with light appeared in his hand. Xiao Jihan's expression darkened, and he demanded coldly, "Who are you, lurking in the shadows?"

"You come into my cave and still ask who I am?" the woman's voice sneered. "But it doesn't matter if you don't know. Right now, you'd better think about how to save your master. Aren't you cultivators all about virtue, filial piety, and righteousness? Your master is about to die before your eyes, and you won't save her?"

Xiao Jihan glanced at "Yan Shu," who had completely lost consciousness, tightening his grip on the sword.

"Hehe," the woman's laughter rang out again. "Little disciple, what are you hesitating for? Your master is rare in her beauty—you're the lucky one here! If you don't act soon, she will die."

Time passed, bit by bit. Xiao Jihan stayed rigid, unmoving.

At this point, "Yan Shu" seemed to have reached her limit. She stripped off her clothes, leaving only a thin undergarment and shorts. Her soft, snow-white arms wrapped around his neck, pressing close as she breathed seductively, "So hot... I'm so hot..."

Her fevered breath, tinged with a unique feminine fragrance, washed over Xiao Jihan's face.

The hand holding his sword bulged with veins, the strain clear—he was either restraining himself or locked in an inner battle.

Outside the illusion, Yan Shu saw everything clearly. She knew in her heart that the pure and chaste protagonist would never tolerate being defiled, but she still wanted to see what he would do.

With a favorability rating of 4, and "her" body poisoned so that only consummation or his heart's blood could cure it, what would he choose?

Now, Yan Shu suddenly understood why this illusion was called the Trial of Affection.

Though the aphrodisiac was fake, and the person was fake, Xiao Jihan and Yuwen Che's reactions were real.

Their responses and attitudes toward "Yan Shu" represented how they would react to her.

Today it was aphrodisiac poison; in the future, it could be another toxin. At the brink of life and death, what choices would they make?

The pace of time in the illusion seemed to be controlled by the woman. While Xiao Jihan's plot surged forward, Yuwen Che's side, which had nearly reached its final decision, appeared as if paused.

This allowed Yan Shu to focus all her attention on Xiao Jihan.

To Yan Shu, only a short time had passed, but in the illusion, it felt much longer, finally reaching the critical moment.

"Yan Shu" had shed all her outer layers, pressing herself against Xiao Jihan, writhing in agony and kissing his face wildly.

Xiao Jihan's face was cold and grim, but he did not push her away.

The woman's laughter echoed again: "Hehe, truly a cruel disciple. Time is almost up. Are you really going to watch your master die in agony before your eyes?"

Xiao Jihan lowered his gaze, looking at the "Yan Shu" in his arms, silent.

"Yan Shu" twisted and kissed his face, his ears, his neck and throat, murmuring softly, "Jihan... Jihan... I'm suffering. Help me..."

Favorability: 5 (first acquaintance)
Favorability: 6 (first acquaintance)
Favorability: 7 (first acquaintance)
...
Favorability: 15 (first acquaintance)

Watching the sudden surge in favorability, Yan Shu was utterly stunned.

What shocked her even more was that, after prolonged inner struggle, Xiao Jihan finally moved!

His long lashes trembled, the hand gripping the sword tensed, and his other clenched fist suddenly opened, slowly moving toward his own body.

His movements were slow but purposeful. From a bystander's perspective, it was clear Xiao Jihan was considering saving her with his own body!

No! This isn't right!

The protagonist is pure and chaste, cultivating the Path of Detachment! How could he possibly make such a sacrifice for her?!

Could a favorability of 15 really have such power?!

No, that's not it!

The woman hadn't given Xiao Jihan a second choice as she had with Yuwen Che—she never even mentioned heart's blood!

With just a single point of favorability, Xiao Jihan could gather every demon core and lay them before her; with 15, he would make this sacrifice—it was not impossible!

But the crucial point was, his sacrifice would not save her, but instead lead to his own death!

Yan Shu grew anxious. Even though she believed the protagonist could never die, she was still worried!

The pure and chaste protagonist—how could he lose his purity under such filthy circumstances, how could he be stained in this way? Even if he survived, how could he face everything afterward?

Yan Shu dared not think further. At heart, Xiao Jihan was sensitive and fragile. He avoided entanglements, but for those who truly cared for him, he always repaid kindness generously.

He shouldn't have to endure this!

Suddenly, the Nine-Section Thunder Whip appeared in her hand. Yan Shu gazed quietly at the woman sitting cross-legged before her, feeling a surge of rebellion for the first time.

She drew a deep breath and spoke coldly, "Beautiful sister, you haven't given him a second choice."

The woman glanced at the whip in Yan Shu's hand, smiled, and replied, "Is that so? I must have forgotten. Why are you so nervous—do you really care about him?"

Yan Shu smiled faintly. "I just think it's a bit unfair. Without a second option, I'm his master. Even if he cultivates the Path of Detachment, he couldn't possibly watch me die before his eyes."

"Sister, aren't you testing for affection? This has nothing to do with love. In his view, he's simply sacrificing himself for righteousness."

The woman seemed to find reason in her words and nodded. "Hmm, then let's see what he does when given a second choice."

Within the illusion, Xiao Jihan had already moved his hand to his waist.

Just then, the woman's laughter sounded once more: "Hehe, it seems you've made your decision. But there's one thing I forgot to mention. To save your master and cure her aphrodisiac poison, consummation is not the only way."

Xiao Jihan's hand halted. He spoke coldly, "What other method is there?"

The woman laughed sweetly. "You can also use your heart's blood. A man's heart's blood can dispel this domineering poison, too. The choice is yours."