The Dandy's Duchess

Chapter 136: Full Force Applied (1)

Rongjing smiled quietly, saying nothing more.

Yun Qianyue also fell silent, directing all her energy into combining her inner and outer qi to break through Lingyin's seal. She struggled for a long time, but the seal remained firmly intact, while beads of sweat began to gather on her forehead. Without a way to wipe them, she muttered, "This monk's seal is ridiculously strong."

"Master Lingyin used the Vajra Technique; it's not something that can be broken by force. You need to dismantle it step by step. There are three key points—once you find a way to break through one, the seal will naturally unravel. No need to exert yourself so much," Rongjing said slowly. His own forehead glistened with a fine layer of sweat.

"Why didn't you say so earlier?" Yun Qianyue glared at him.

"I thought you knew," Rongjing replied.

Yun Qianyue was at a loss for words. Knew? She barely knew anything! This body and power weren't even hers; she just occupied it with her soul and thoughts. She only managed to activate her inner strength thanks to a hint from Ye Qingran while grilling fish on Mount Xiangquan, plus the Taichi practice that mysteriously deepened her qi. And just now, Rongjing had guided her in dispelling the aphrodisiac, helping her grasp a little understanding of internal energy. There was no way she'd truly mastered it! But she dared not admit that she was just winging it. If Rongjing knew she was a half-baked amateur trying to heal his chronic wounds, he might just strike her down.

Rongjing seemed to chuckle a bit, speaking softly, "Try again. You can do it!"

"Of course I can," Yun Qianyue said, not backing down. A surge of stubbornness welled up within her. Lingyin, you old fraud, she thought, I'll tear this thing apart, so you won't be able to peddle your 'divine' nonsense ever again!

Rongjing merely watched her, a faint smile gracing his lips.

With renewed confidence, Yun Qianyue took his advice and stopped attacking head-on. She began circling the seal, seeking an opening. After half an hour, she finally found a solution and felt a surge of joy. She gathered her energy at a weak point in the seal, where she found a tightly wound energy loop. With a gentle twist, the knot unraveled just as Rongjing had described. She quickly moved on to the second, then the third, and the seal dissolved. Grinning with satisfaction, she announced, "It's open!"

"You're impressive!" Rongjing praised without reservation.

"Of course!" Yun Qianyue raised her brows proudly.

Rongjing said nothing further.

Just as Yun Qianyue began to bask in her achievement, an icy flood surged forth as if a dam had burst, rushing to engulf her. Although it was Rongjing's body, her qi was circulating within him, making her feel the flood as though it were her own. Startled, she hastily gathered her qi to contain the ice. The violent wave of cold was held back by her strength, though her forehead was now damp with sweat. She glanced at Rongjing and saw that frost had already formed on his pale features, underscoring the potency of the poison.

"I'll melt it bit by bit—you'll have to endure," Yun Qianyue said, her expression more serious than ever.

"Alright," Rongjing nodded.

"If it gets too painful, don't be afraid to yell. I won't laugh at you," Yun Qianyue added.

"Alright," Rongjing nodded again.

Yun Qianyue pressed her lips together, focusing intently as she carefully channeled her qi. Bit by bit, she began dissolving the ice inside Rongjing's heart meridian. As she continued, she realized that she had vastly underestimated the challenge. This was no small feat, and she felt as though she were attempting the impossible. But she had already started, and there was no turning back now. They'd either succeed together or not at all.

Rongjing, seeming to sense her thoughts, spoke softly, "Don't worry. Even if it doesn't work, I'll protect you in the end. If I die, you won't."

"What nonsense! Stay focused!" Yun Qianyue snapped.

Rongjing said no more.

Yun Qianyue felt the icy poison dissolve slowly within Rongjing's heart meridian, but her own qi was depleting at an alarming rate. She realized that if she continued this way, she'd exhaust herself before she could fully dispel the poison. So, she adjusted her approach. She used part of her strength to shield half of the icy poison while using a more delicate stream of qi to melt it away layer by layer. This slower method saved her energy and gave her a chance to recharge, allowing her to endure longer.

Time passed, second by second.

Yun Qianyue felt that everything else had faded away—there was only this one task: to gradually melt the seemingly insurmountable glacier within Rongjing's body.

Likewise, Rongjing felt everything else fade. His only focus was to guard her qi within him, replenishing it whenever she faltered.

Both of them seemed to have transformed into statues, their concentration absolute. The Buddha statues around them watched over them, some with benevolent smiles, others with somber expressions. In this quiet space, time seemed irrelevant. There was no day or night, no dawn or dusk, no noise, no distractions. It was as if this place had been created solely for them.

It felt like time had turned back across centuries, yet the two unwavering hearts remained the same—unbreakable and resilient.

Yun Qianyue and Rongjing were both steadfast individuals.

As Yun Qianyue had expended about half of her strength, she noticed that roughly half of the ice had also melted. Feeling emboldened, she continued, even more resolute.

Rongjing's pale robe was now soaked through, only to freeze over layer by layer. As soon as one layer melted, another would form. His fair features had grown even paler, like a white jade statue being slowly refined by the icy wash. Despite the agony he was surely enduring, he remained silent, his expression calm, with a gentle warmth glimmering faintly beneath the frost of his gaze.