Do not ask why!
The chilling aura emanating from Ye Lingyuan, extending three zhang around him, was testament enough.
Bai Yuchan stood blocking Ye Lingyuan's path, holding a bowl of ginseng soup.
She had intended to go to the study, but Qing Feng had blocked her return in a polite yet firm manner.
So, she chose to intercept him here.
This was the direct route from the study back to his chambers.
Ye Lingyuan had finished his official duties and planned to return to his chambers to fetch something before going to see the person who haunted his dreams.
He hadn't expected to find someone standing before him after a moment's distraction.
This was someone he did not wish to see.
Of course, if it were anyone else, he would have already expelled them from the Underworld King's Estate.
However, this person was Bai Yuchan, Si Tu Yun Feng's junior sister.
Furthermore, she had gone to great lengths to pull Qing Feng back from the brink of death.
If he were to directly dismiss her, it would not only offend Si Tu Yun Feng and the Medicine King Valley but also make him appear ungrateful.
Therefore, he had allowed her to stay, but he had instructed the steward to arrange her accommodations as far away as possible.
Most importantly, she was forbidden from appearing before him.
Thus, Bai Yuchan remained in the Underworld King's Estate, residing in a courtyard at the very depths of the manor.
Despite being at the farthest end, the scenery was by no means lacking.
After all, the Underworld King's Estate was such that even the wood shed would have decent surroundings.
Moreover, Bai Yuchan was, in a way, a guest of the Underworld King's Estate.
Her food, clothing, lodging, and travel were all meticulously provided by the steward without any shortage.
However, the problem lay with Bai Yuchan, who had fallen head over heels for Ye Lingyuan during their time at the Medicine King Valley.
Consequently, she constantly sought ways to approach Ye Lingyuan.
Out of respect for Si Tu Yun Feng and the Medicine King Valley, no one in the Underworld King's Estate dared to overtly obstruct her.
As a result, Bai Yuchan would visit the study every few days.
The study was a restricted area, heavily guarded by the four commanders: Feng, Yu, Lei, and Dian.
Therefore, it was difficult for Bai Yuchan to gain access, and she was repeatedly turned away.
Qing Feng, in particular, showed no leniency in blocking her, despite her having saved his life.
This made Bai Yuchan regret more than once not having left that scoundrel to die.
What was even more infuriating was that, due to Ye Lingyuan's orders, she couldn't even announce her arrival when she came to the study.
The last time, after finally persuading Qing Yu through Qing Dian, the situation had backfired, resulting in Qing Dian and Qing Yu being punished by Ye Lingyuan, their whereabouts unknown to this day.
Since then, Bai Yuchan's attempts to approach the study had become even more arduous.
Thus, after being blocked once again tonight, she decided to try her luck here.
And it seemed her luck had turned.
The Qi Xia Lotus that Ye Lingyuan had just collected was kept in his chambers.
The Qi Xia Lotus was one of the five main ingredients for refining the antidote to the Moonlight Glazed Poison.
The herb was named aptly.
The Qi Xia Lotus resembled a lotus flower, with seven petals, displaying seven colors: crimson, orange, yellow, green, cyan, blue, and violet.
Under the sunlight, it would form a halo of seven-colored clouds around it, resembling a rainbow, truly beautiful.
Upon obtaining the Qi Xia Lotus, Ye Lingyuan himself was stunned.
Even with his vast knowledge, he had rarely encountered such a peculiar species.
This was why he intended to take it to Zi Lin Ling for verification.
This was also the reason Ye Lingyuan had turned back towards his chambers.
He had been so excited, his mind filled with the image of Zi Lin Ling's reaction upon seeing the Qi Xia Lotus, that he had become lost in thought.
It wasn't until the Moonlight Glazed Poison within him began to stir that he snapped back to reality.
What he saw was Bai Yuchan standing three zhang away, holding a tray.
All of Ye Lingyuan's good mood evaporated in an instant, and a chilling aura began to seep out from him.
Bai Yuchan displayed a smile she thought was charming and said, "Brother Yuan, I specifically brewed a bowl of ginseng soup and brought it for you. I was always blocked by them when I went to the study..."
She gestured towards the darkness, then continued, "So, I had to come here to try my luck."
Her words were skillfully crafted.
They conveyed her affection, revealed her struggles, and subtly complained about Qing Feng.
However, she failed to notice the undisguised disgust in Ye Lingyuan's eyes when she uttered the words "Brother Yuan."
Ye Lingyuan remained silent, but Qing Yu and Qing Lei, who were not far away, sensed that the already chilly night had grown even colder.
This indicated that their King was angry.
And when the King was angry, the consequences were severe.
Thus, Qing Feng and Qing Lei, hidden in the darkness, quietly retreated another three zhang, moving further away from the epicenter of the storm.
A moment later, Ye Lingyuan said coldly, "Take your soup and leave!"
If it weren't for Si Tu Yun Feng and the Medicine King Valley, he would have simply told her to "scram."
Bai Yuchan's smile faltered for a moment before she skillfully concealed it.
She smiled sweetly and said, "Brother Yuan, this soup was brewed especially for you."
Ye Lingyuan's eyes deepened with disgust, and his voice became even colder.
"I do not like soup! And from now on, address me as His Highness the Underworld King!"
This refusal was blunt and unyielding.
Especially the phrase "from now on, address me as His Highness the Underworld King," which clearly stated his attitude.
The implication was crystal clear.
I am not familiar with you, and you are not entitled to such an intimate form of address.
In Ye Lingyuan's heart, the only person who could call him "Brother Yuan" was his Lin'er.
But he knew that was unlikely.
Because his Lin'er seemed to prefer calling him by his name.
Occasionally, when annoyed, she would even call him "Your Highness the Underworld King" with sarcasm.
But even so, the title "Brother Yuan" was not something anyone else could use.
Bai Yuchan's smile froze completely.
She stood there looking aggrieved, tears welling up in her eyes, reflecting the moonlight and making her appear incredibly delicate.
She couldn't believe there was a man in this world who disliked delicate women.
After all, delicate women were supposed to stir a man's protective instincts, weren't they?
Unfortunately, she was wrong! Terribly wrong!
Love between two people stemmed from the collision of souls, allowing no room for calculation.
And with Ye Lingyuan's astuteness, how could he not see through her innocent facade?
Consequently, the range of Ye Lingyuan's chilling aura expanded once more.
"Scram!"
His patience exhausted, he no longer held back.
This cold shout seemed to explode directly in Bai Yuchan's mind, startling her so much that the tray she was holding fell to the ground.
The soup bowl and cup on the tray shattered with a crisp sound.
The soup naturally spilled everywhere.
Bai Yuchan looked at the ginseng soup on the ground, a flicker of heartache in her eyes.
That soup contained the Tong Xin San, which she had obtained from a friend.
As the name suggested, Tong Xin San meant that once consumed, one would be of one heart, and regardless of distance, one would only recognize the person before them.
When Bai Yuchan looked up again, tears flowed from her eyes like a dam breaking.
She said, her vision blurred by tears, "Yuan... Your Highness the Underworld King, you... you..."