Ying Yaoshi’s abrupt announcement that the party was over took Shen Shiye by surprise, but he didn’t dwell on it. He immediately organized the crowd to give General Ying a respectful send-off.

Ning Xuan had been toasted by one person after another. Although she only had a little each time, she couldn’t keep up with the sheer number of toasts. The sips added up, and the wine, brewed from rare Exotic Plants, had a strong kick. Ning Xuan was starting to feel a little tipsy.

Ning Xuan felt light and floaty, a pleasant warmth spreading through her. Since it wasn’t an unpleasant sensation, she didn’t bother trying to sober up.

"Xuanyuan, let’s go. I’ll help you," Ying Yaoshi said, extending a hand to Ning Xuan.

Ning Xuan chuckled and slapped his hand away. "I don’t need any help. You’re the one who needs it, aren’t you?"

Looking at Ning Xuan’s smile and ignoring the stares of everyone else, Ying Yaoshi stepped forward and swept her up into his arms. He executed a movement technique and, with a SWOOSH, vanished from sight.

"Ah!" Shen Shiye and the others stared in astonishment at the spot where the two had vanished.

"Isn’t the Marshal being a bit too hasty?" an officer who hadn’t had a chance to perform yet remarked with regret.

"Alright, it’s getting late. We have duty tomorrow, so get a good night’s rest. Everyone, let’s clear out," Shen Shiye said, directing his subordinates to dismantle the decorations in the banquet hall.

At first, Ning Xuan was held securely in Ying Yaoshi’s arms. But as the initial shock wore off, her hands began to wander. One arm stayed wrapped around his neck, while her other hand started exploring his body.

Due to the drug’s influence, Ying Yaoshi’s skin was extremely sensitive. Ning Xuan’s touch sent a jolt through his body as if he’d been electrocuted. His limbs went soft, and he nearly dropped her.

Although Ying Yaoshi was much older than Ning Xuan, he was completely inexperienced in matters of intimacy. Since coming of age, he had relied on Inhibitors to get through his annual heat periods.

His frequent use of Inhibitors had made his heat periods irregular, but this shouldn’t have been one of them.

But now, it felt like his very blood was on fire, a sensation more terrifying than any previous heat period.

Ying Yaoshi had heard before that prolonged use of heat period Inhibitors led to numerous side effects. Irregular cycles were just the beginning; there were also cases of Inhibitor failure and explosive heat period flare-ups. In severe instances, it could even lead to a collapse of one’s spiritual power and a loss of control over one’s Mutated Degree.

That was why, even though pairing with a Contractor meant being subject to their suppression and control, many people were still willing to find a match.

Pushing his movement technique to its limit, Ying Yaoshi moved with incredible speed. He shut the courtyard gate and set the house’s defense system to ’do not disturb’ mode. After setting Ning Xuan down, he began to unfasten his own clothes.

Ying Yaoshi’s fingers deftly undid the buttons of his shirt, revealing the skin beneath.

Ning Xuan took a black Imprisonment Ring from her Space Button and tossed it onto Ying Yaoshi.

"Put it on."

A golden light flashed in Ying Yaoshi’s pupils. Then, he picked up the Imprisonment Ring and, without the slightest hesitation, carried out Ning Xuan’s command.

The Imprisonment Ring couldn’t suppress all of Ying Yaoshi’s strength. Theoretically, while wearing it, his Comprehensive Combat Power and physical stamina should have been evenly matched with Ning Xuan’s.

However, Ning Xuan had drugged him, a move that forcibly triggered his already-erratic heat period.

In fact, "triggered" wasn’t the right word. It was more like it had been detonated.

The wave of lust almost made Ying Yaoshi lose his mind. The dire consequences of his long-term use of heat period Inhibitors were erupting all at once.

Ying Yaoshi lunged uncontrollably toward Ning Xuan, only to be tightly bound by the thorny, black-and-red tendrils of the Ghost-faced Red Vine.

This Ghost-faced Red Vine was Ning Xuan’s Spirit Plant. Ever since it was a tiny seed, she had nurtured it with her own blood, and so the Ghost-faced Red Vine’s aura was identical to hers.

Because of this, Ying Yaoshi offered no resistance to the Ghost-faced Red Vine, allowing the plant to envelop him completely.

It wasn’t until noon the next day that Ying Yaoshi woke up.

Seeing the bright daylight outside, Ying Yaoshi shot up in bed. "HISS." The soreness in his lower back and the sharp pains all over his body made him cry out involuntarily.

Ying Yaoshi thought about what had happened the previous night, and a blush crept up his face. ’So this is what a woman’s comfort feels like. No wonder some officers always complain about not having enough leave after getting matched with a Contractor. They rush to reunite with them at the first chance they get.’

"You’re awake? How are you feeling? Is your throat sore?" Ning Xuan asked, walking in from outside with a cup in her hand.

Ning Xuan casually walked to the bedside, leaned down to give Ying Yaoshi a kiss on the cheek, and then handed him the cup.

Ying Yaoshi was thirsty, so he took the cup and downed the water in a few gulps.

"Xuanyuan..." The moment Ying Yaoshi spoke, he realized his throat was indeed sore, and his voice was even a little hoarse.

"Sorry, the vines accidentally hurt you a bit last night. You... uh... probably shouldn’t let anyone see you today," Ning Xuan said apologetically, her eyes fixed on a vicious-looking ligature mark on his neck.

Ying Yaoshi’s body was covered in similar bruised marks. The others were easy to hide, but the one on his neck was so high up that it would be impossible to conceal without a scarf or some other accessory.

"It’s fine. I was in a terrible state last night. Xuanyuan, thank you. Thank you for being strong enough to handle it. If it had been anyone else, they wouldn’t have been able to pacify me during that explosive heat period." Ying Yaoshi spoke from the bottom of his heart; he was truly grateful to Ning Xuan.

Female Spirit Controllers weren’t at an advantage when it came to physical strength, and Ying Yaoshi’s own power was immense. If Ning Xuan hadn’t had the Ghost-faced Red Vine to help, how could she possibly have controlled him?

"If I hadn’t drugged you, your heat period probably wouldn’t have been triggered in the first place. In any case, I’ll take full responsibility. I’m going to see this through and completely eliminate the hidden dangers in your system," Ning Xuan promised, tracing the mark on Ying Yaoshi’s neck.

"Xuanyuan, what am I going to do? I can’t bear for you to leave. I don’t want you to go," Ying Yaoshi said, hugging Ning Xuan’s waist tightly and burying his head in her arms.

Ying Yaoshi had never felt his body so light or his Spiritual Sea so calm. It was as if he had shed a thousand burdens. The impurities in his Spiritual Sea had been almost completely cleansed, and he felt utterly renewed.

"I’ll come see you again when I have time. And if you get any leave, you can come find me," Ning Xuan comforted him.

Hearing Ning Xuan’s words, Ying Yaoshi suddenly felt like retiring.

’Right, didn’t that Di Youlin kid go to the Ten Thousand Realms Star Domain Battlefield?’

’I hear he’s already racked up stunning military achievements in a short time, displaying immense power. An SSS-level expert not even twenty years old, hailed as the future hope of the Federation. That old fox Di Jingtian is already running around, banging the drum for him... Perhaps I should send someone to give him another push.’