You actually have a boyfriend?

"Why should I shut up? Is there any reason left in you people? Do you have any idea how a widow feels when she watches other couples flaunt their affection? Can we please have some basic morals?" Inside the ice chamber, Ming Xi cast a sidelong, contemptuous glance at Ji Yan, speaking her mind without hesitation.

Anyway, things had already come to this, so what was there to fear? She had long since been driven to a state of complete apathy and freedom from earthly desires!

Besides, the Serpent Emperor before her, who was at the Heavenly Profound First Tier, could wipe out a good-for-nothing like her as easily as turning over her hand.

She just couldn't understand why those human heroines who time-traveled became as powerful as female superheroes, easily beating back anyone who looked down on them, becoming invincible while challenging opponents of higher tiers, leveling up after battles, and then getting into more fights and leveling up again, all while inexplicably having handsome men fall in love with them at first sight...

Yet after traveling through time, she had nothing, and to this day she still couldn't figure out what the will of heaven was trying to achieve!

Perhaps it was because she was a fox, or perhaps because she was a thief, so the heavens had long ago crossed her name off the list of the favored?

...No matter what fate had in store, since she decided to stay here, even if she was a good-for-nothing, she would not allow herself to die such a meaningless death!

When she raised her eyes once more, she saw Ji Yan looking at her with a different expression. Such a gaze made Ming Xi extremely uncomfortable, and she impatiently retorted, "Hey, have you stared enough? Your husband has already seen me all over! What are you staring at now?"

"Suddenly, I'm curious about you too... You just said you're a widow?!"

"That's right, got a problem with that?"

"Of course I do! I'm suddenly very curious how someone like you could even have a boyfriend?! This world is utterly insane!" Ji Yan suddenly felt an urge to laugh. "What does your boyfriend look like? This Serpent Emperor really wants to see!"

"...What the hell! Are you trying to piss me off on purpose?! If my boyfriend were still alive, would I call myself a widow?!" Ming Xi felt as if her lungs were about to explode with anger, and she bristled as she stood up. "My boyfriend is more handsome than your husband! More gentle than your husband! More considerate than your husband! A thousand times stronger than your husband!"

"What's the use of all that? Didn't he still end up dead..."

"...What the hell is wrong with your mind? You just love poking at sore spots! Would you die if you didn't do this?"

Ming Xi was so infuriated by Ji Yan that she nearly passed out, while Ji Yan simply rolled her eyes, as if she thoroughly enjoyed watching the other woman get worked up.

Just as Ji Yan was about to continue, a harsh voice suddenly cut her off!

"Ji Yan! Will you ever shut up?!" Xuan Ye could finally bear it no longer.

"Xuan Ye, she was clearly the one making all the noise! Why are you..."

"All I hear is your endless nagging!" Xuan Ye sat at the entrance of the cave, picked up a wine flask from beside him, raised it, and unceremoniously took a gulp of fiery liquor before continuing, "Time is almost up. For now... Ji Yan, step back."

What?!

Ji Yan froze, failing to understand what Xuan Ye meant.

Xuan Ye merely shot her a cold glare. Though Ji Yan had no idea what he was up to, she still obediently stepped back a few paces to clear the path for him.

Watching this enchanting man walk straight toward her, Ming Xi couldn't help breaking into a cold sweat.

She knew very well that this man... was someone she could never afford to provoke!

Ming Xi watched the alluring figure with utmost vigilance. Only after a moment did Xuan Ye calmly speak up, "Would you care to guess why I locked you in this ice chamber?"

"...__" Ming Xi remained silent. Heaven knew what he was playing at!

"Don't you have any deductions in mind? I'd really love to hear if you have any idea why I locked you in here."

"Heaven knows what you're up to! For all I know, your mental illness flared up and you forgot to take your pills!" Ming Xi replied unsparingly. Although this enchanting man was blessed with good looks, his actions were utterly punchable to the extreme!

"Are you out of your mind?! How dare you speak to my husband like that?" Hearing Ming Xi's unbridled words, Ji Yan grew angry and tried to step forward, only to be blocked by Xuan Ye. "Did I ask you to interfere?"

"But..."

"Enough nonsense! Back off!!"

At the command, Ji Yan could only roll her eyes and stand obediently in place.

"If you don't want to guess, then I can tell you directly... This ice chamber has a history of several thousand years, which means... it is filled with intense glacial poison! An ordinary human would perish here in less than the time it takes to burn an incense stick!"

What?!!

Ming Xi was completely dumbfounded! Was this fellow actually trying to poison her to death here?!

Seeing Ming Xi's stunned expression, Xuan Ye knew what she was thinking. A faint smile touched his lips as he said, "...You've guessed wrong. I didn't lock you inside to kill you. If I wanted to kill a good-for-nothing like you, it would be effortless—why bother with such trouble? I merely wanted to find an answer from you! After all... two incense sticks' worth of time has already passed, yet you show no signs of poisoning whatsoever, do you?"