In that fleeting moment of hesitation, Ye Yin had already smiled and uncorked the bottle. An extremely peculiar scent instantly permeated the air. It wasn't the fragrance of ordinary herbs, but a strange smell that mixed an extreme coldness with a deep, earthy aroma and a faint, almost imperceptible spirit power fluctuation. Just by inhaling the scent, Xue Qinghe felt the circulation of his own spirit power slow slightly, while his mind grew unnervingly clear.
"Your Highness, please undress. You only need to expose your neck, shoulders, back, and limbs," Ye Yin's voice was calm, yet it carried a weight that left no room for argument. He had already walked to the table, pouring a small amount of the inky black, faintly glowing oil into his palm before rubbing his hands together to warm them.
Qian Renxue's heart sank to rock bottom. Undress? Expose my neck and back? This was no longer a polite offer; he was pushing her, step by step, into an impossible corner. Cold sweat threatened to soak through her inner garments. She felt as if she were being roasted over a fire, every pore on her skin screaming danger.
"Junior Brother Ye… this…" Xue Qinghe's voice was dry as she made one last attempt to struggle.
"Your Highness need not be so reserved. Just relax."
Ye Yin had already moved behind him. His hands, freshly warmed and now slick with the cool Netherworld Essential Oil, pressed down on Xue Qinghe's slightly stiff neck with an irresistible force.
"Mm!"
An icy cold, yet strangely energetic touch landed on her skin. Xue Qinghe trembled violently, her entire body tensing up in an almost reflexive spasm. An unprecedented feeling—a mix of extreme tension, the fear of exposure, and a deep physiological resistance—shot through her body like an electric current.
Ye Yin felt the sudden stiffness of the muscles under his palms and sounded somewhat surprised. "Your Highness, your body seems very tense. Is it due to the fatigue from your duties?"
As he spoke, his fingertips were already skillfully pressing and rubbing the muscles around her neck. The cool oil felt alive as it penetrated her skin, bringing a bone-deep chill and a tingling sensation. His fingers were highly skilled, kneading and pressing with expert precision. The coldness strangely stimulated the circulation of her spirit power, bringing a strange sense of comfort.
However, this comfort was completely drowned out by the overwhelming fear and indignation raging in Qian Renxue's heart. She could clearly feel the temperature and strength of his hands, tracing the path his fingers took on her skin.
Relax! I must relax! Act like a true man!
She frantically screamed commands at herself, mobilizing all of her mental force to control her facial expression and body. Her face maintained a gentle, almost pleasant smile, but internally, every nerve was stretched to its absolute limit. She forcibly guided her spirit power, using it to completely suppress her body's female characteristics, terrified that the sudden stimulation might cause them to revert. At the same time, she had to constantly monitor her own posture, preventing any unnatural tension or resistance.
[Resentment from Qian Renxue +50!]
"It seems Your Highness has indeed been suffering from overwork. Your shoulder and back muscles are as stiff as iron," Ye Yin's voice rang out from behind her, laced with concern. But the pressure of his hands increased slightly.
His hands moved down along her tense shoulder blades, gently pulling back the silk fabric of her robes little by little as he began to massage her upper arms.
Qian Renxue's heart was in her throat. She could feel his palms almost completely enveloping her biceps, his fingertips brushing the edge of her armpit, whether intentionally or not. This was far too close to the forbidden zone she was so desperately trying to conceal.
A single bead of cold sweat slid down her smooth forehead. "Heh… yes, the complexity of state affairs… I spend long hours sitting and reviewing documents," she said, her voice struggling to remain steady, even managing a faint note of princely helplessness.
"No matter. This oil, combined with my technique, can resolve these blockages." He left her upper body and squatted down.
For a brief moment, Qian Renxue's heart relaxed, thinking she was temporarily safe. But in the next instant, it tightened again, even more fiercely than before.
Those hands, covered in the cool oil, grabbed her lower legs. Through the thin silk of her trousers, his strong fingers began to press into her calves.
"Your Highness's leg meridians also seem a bit sluggish, likely from travel," Ye Yin commented while massaging.
Qian Renxue felt an electric current shoot through her entire body from the point of contact. She had never been touched so directly by a man in her life. A powerful sense of strangeness and violation made her want to scream. Her very soul trembled. She bit down hard on her back teeth, forcing out a suppressed grunt that, to an outsider, might have sounded like a comfortable sigh.
[Resentment from Qian Renxue +80!]
Calves, outer thighs… those demonic hands progressively moved upwards. Qian Renxue's mental force was stretched to its absolute limit, like a bowstring about to snap. All her spirit power was focused on desperately suppressing her feminine features while fighting her body's instinctive urge to tremble and resist.
When Ye Yin's hand brushed over her inner thigh, near the edge of her buttocks, Qian Renxue's body gave a violent, uncontrollable shudder. It was a complete physiological reflex.
"Your Highness?" Ye Yin's movements stopped. He looked up at her, his eyes filled with confusion.
Qian Renxue's mind went blank. It's over! Has he found me out?
"Uh… there," her voice was hoarse with a panic she hadn't even realized herself. She forced an explanation, "I suffered an old injury there during cultivation years ago. It's a bit sensitive…"
The excuse was ridiculously weak, but it was all she could think of.
Ye Yin heard this, his gaze lingering on her tense profile for a moment before he nodded in understanding. "I see. In that case, Your Highness, please bear with it. Clearing the meridians here is quite beneficial for your overall circulation."
As he spoke, he actually increased the force in his hands, firmly pressing and rubbing that incredibly sensitive area.
Qian Renxue felt a rush of hot blood to her head. Her vision blurred. Shame! Humiliation! Killing intent! A volcano of emotions erupted in her chest.
[Resentment from Qian Renxue +99!]
Just as she was about to lose control of her spirit power and obliterate this damned Ye Yin on the spot, those sinful hands finally moved away. Ye Yin stood up and returned to his position behind her.
Qian Renxue hadn't even had time to breathe a sigh of relief when a greater crisis descended.
"Your Highness, please turn slightly to the side. I will now massage your chest and under your ribs. These are also key areas where qi and blood can stagnate."
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