But in that instant, Chu Feng realized that Wen Xue had not awakened after all.
Then what had just happened?
Could it have been an illusion?
No — it was absolutely not an illusion.
"Oh? Panicking now?"
At that moment, a voice transmitted through the air reached Chu Feng's ears. It was none other than Wen Xue's voice.
Yet Wen Xue still had her eyes closed.
But Chu Feng was now certain that the voice truly came from Wen Xue, which meant the smile she had just directed at him was no illusion either.
It must have been some ability of Wen Xue's that had caused Chu Feng to experience a brief hallucination.
However, the fact that she could make Chu Feng hallucinate was an absolutely terrifying ability.
"You did that deliberately?"
"You intentionally saved Zi Ling to stir up guilt in the Sect Master and Zi Ling, thereby luring me into returning your life soul to you?"
Chu Feng replied through a voice transmission.
He felt as though he had been played. Everything seemed like one of Wen Xue's schemes.
"What are you saying?"
"How could you think of me that way? Do I look like that kind of person?"
"Chu Feng, you're a Spirit World Master — can't you tell that I was truly on the brink of death?"
"Let me tell you, if not for my Master's compassion toward Zi Ling, I would never have saved her."
"But regardless, I risked my life to save your woman's. Isn't it a bit much for you to suspect me like this?"
After hearing Chu Feng's words, Wen Xue actually appeared somewhat angry and aggrieved.
As if Chu Feng had truly been overthinking things.
"If you're awake now, why pretend to still be asleep? Is there something you can't say openly?" Chu Feng asked.
"Of course I could get up. I could stop pretending."
"But right now I'm furious, because you're despicable."
"On the surface you returned my life soul, but in reality you placed a binding formation on it."
"Are you hoping I'll get up and tell my Master and Senior Sister Zi Ling about this?" Wen Xue shot back.
"Tell them if you want."
"When dealing with a dangerous existence like you, setting up certain precautions is only prudent."
"As long as you don't commit evil, I will never harm you," Chu Feng said.
"Evil? Are you afraid I'll kill your woman?" Wen Xue suddenly asked.
Boom!
The moment those words left her lips, a terrifying wave of killing intent erupted from Chu Feng's body.
In the next instant, Chu Feng appeared directly in front of Wen Xue, seized her by the collar, and lifted her bodily off the ground.
"Chu Feng!!!"
Seeing this, the Sect Master and Zi Ling were both startled.
They had no idea that Wen Xue had already regained consciousness. In their view, although Wen Xue's life had been saved, she was still in a recovery phase and remained fragile.
Chu Feng paid no attention to the Sect Master and Zi Ling's reactions. Instead, he stared at Wen Xue. "Wen Xue, what you just said — say it again."
Wen Xue finally opened her eyes. She dropped the act and looked at Chu Feng with an aggrieved expression.
"What's wrong? I was just joking. Why are you so agitated? I haven't even recovered yet — couldn't you be a little gentler?"
"Wen Xue, you were already awake?" the Sect Master and Zi Ling both realized.
"Master, I just woke up. Thank you, Master. Thank you, Senior Sister Zi Ling, for pleading on my behalf — otherwise Chu Feng would never have returned my life soul."
Wen Xue looked at Sect Master Wolong and Zi Ling with a pitiful expression.
"Sister Wen Xue, what did you say to my Brother Chu Feng?"
By now, the concern in Zi Ling's eyes as she looked at Wen Xue had all but vanished.
She had helped Wen Xue because she truly owed her — Wen Xue had genuinely saved her life.