Liu Yunyao unceremoniously accepted the wine cup but didn’t drink immediately. Holding the cup, she asked with a raised eyebrow, "Reconciliation? Is the Lin Royal Consort joking?"

"Look at you, still so temperamental! At the very least, cooperation is better than being adversaries, isn’t it? Our Yunheng cares too much about face—there are things he’s too embarrassed to say, so as his mother, I must speak for him!"

Lin Mengxian raised her own cup in toast, her smile never reaching her eyes. "Consider this wine as Yunheng’s apology for past offenses. I’ll join him in toasting you!"

With a faint smile, Liu Yunyao set her cup down untouched.

"How could I possibly accept such an honor from the Royal Consort? If Fourth Brother truly wishes to apologize, he should show some sincerity. Surely you don’t expect me to settle for just a meal?" Her voice carried a razor-sharp edge beneath its pleasant tone.

She intended to extort some resources—this trip wouldn’t be wasted.

Lin Mengxian’s smile stiffened as she reluctantly lowered her cup. "Of course, Yunheng mentioned gifts. Since he hasn’t returned yet, allow me to offer this small token in his stead." She produced a jade bracelet, its mediocre quality evident. "Please don’t judge it too harshly—resources are scarce in the palace."

Liu Yunyao examined the trinket with barely concealed disdain before carelessly placing it aside.

"How pathetically cheap," she thought, her lips curling imperceptibly. "A worthless bauble in exchange for poisoned wine?"

At that moment, her demonic lion familiar’s voice echoed through their soul bond: *"Master, let me raid her Interspatial Ring. I’ll pilfer every valuable she owns!"*

*"Do it stealthily,"* Liu Yunyao mentally commanded. *"No traces."*

*"Understood!"* The lion’s presence vanished—it had remained concealed in her Interspatial Ring precisely to avoid suspicion should any "accidents" befall the Royal Consort.

Lin Mengxian’s ingratiating voice interrupted their silent exchange: "Now, now, don’t be like that! When Yunheng returns, I’ll have him deliver a proper gift personally!" Her eyes flickered toward the discarded bracelet, her forced cheerfulness as transparent as the inferior jade.

"Alright then!" Liu Yunyao didn’t stand on ceremony and readily agreed.

Lin Mengxian cursed inwardly, "You insolent little brat, how dare you play games with me? Just wait till you’re writhing in agony later!"

Yet she maintained a gracious smile as she raised her wine cup once more. "Come now, Yunyao, do me this honor. Drink this cup as a sign that you’ve accepted Yunheng’s apology."

Liu Yunyao lifted her own cup with equal poise. "Since Fourth Brother has shown such sincerity in his apology, it would be ungracious of me to refuse again."

"There we go! Nothing warms my heart more than seeing siblings reconcile," Lin Mengxian beamed.

"Vile woman," Liu Yunyao thought coldly, "did you really think you’re the only one who knows how to use poison?" As she pretended to drink, she subtly released traces of her own toxin, letting it seep imperceptibly onto Lin Mengxian’s person.

Only after completing this maneuver did she down the wine in one swift gulp.

"Excellent, excellent!" Lin Mengxian mirrored her action, then—concerned the poison might need reinforcement—urged her to eat: "Here, try these dishes. I had them specially prepared to your taste."

Without hesitation, Liu Yunyao picked up her chopsticks and began eating.

"Mission accomplished, Master," the Shadowlion’s voice echoed telepathically. "Her Interspatial Ring holds quite the treasure trove. Don’t let her deceive you."

Liu Yunyao suppressed a laugh. "You thieving cat, you work fast! I didn’t even notice when you made your move."

"Heh, feel free to leave such tasks to me in the future," the lion replied with palpable pride.

As the poisoned food and wine entered her system, the Myriad Toxins Scripture immediately activated to neutralize the virulent substances. After a few more bites, Liu Yunyao decided it was time for the final act. Calculating when the "poison" should take effect, she suddenly clutched her stomach with a pained cry.

Hongling and another maidservant rushed forward to support her, preparing to escort her away at once.

Lin Mengxian also put on an act, rushing out of the pavilion and ordering her maids to fetch the alchemist for treatment. The alchemist appeared almost instantly—clearly, this had all been prearranged. Liu Yunyao surmised that this very alchemist was the one who had poisoned her.

Suddenly, ripples of energy pulsed around the pavilion, forming a barrier that sealed it off completely. The alchemist, feigning helplessness, stood aside with a cold smirk, observing Liu Yunyao’s "poisoned" state.

Liu Yunyao chuckled inwardly. With a quick glance at the formation enclosing the pavilion, she silently commanded her Nine-Headed Demon Dragon to strike one of the formation’s key nodes. A blinding streak of white light shot through the air, slamming into the node with pinpoint accuracy. The impact melted a gaping hole in the formation’s core, causing the entire barrier to collapse in an instant.

Lin Mengxian, still sneering nearby, had been reveling in Liu Yunyao’s feigned agony. The sudden destruction of the formation left her stunned. She hadn’t even seen where the white light had come from.

Before she could react, assassins burst from the water, lunging toward Liu Yunyao. But before they could reach her, their throats were slit in swift, bloody arcs. One by one, their lifeless bodies splashed back into the water.

"Let’s go!"

With a sharp command, Hongling and another maid swiftly supported Liu Yunyao and whisked her away. As she was carried off, Liu Yunyao caught a glimpse of Lin Mengxian’s shocked expression—her meticulously planned triple-layered assassination had been dismantled with laughable ease.

"Surprised already?" Liu Yunyao smirked, her lips curling. "Just wait—there’s an even bigger surprise coming your way."

Once back in her quarters, she shrugged off Hongling’s support and straightened up, perfectly unharmed. "Enough acting. I’m fine. Go spy on Lin Mengxian—I want to see the look on her face when she realizes she’s doomed," she ordered.

"Good heavens, you scared me half to death!" Hongling clutched her chest, catching her breath. "You played the part so well, even I was fooled!" Then, curiosity flickered in her eyes. "Wait... so that woman’s poisoned too?"

"Of course," Liu Yunyao replied with a sly grin. "What goes around comes around."

"Brilliant! I’m off to enjoy the show!" Hongling’s eyes sparkled with mischief before she dashed out the door.

Meanwhile, Lin Mengxian suddenly felt a wave of discomfort. Though her cultivation level wasn’t high, she was still a martial practitioner. A quick internal scan sent a jolt of terror through her—her core and spiritual energy had turned pitch black, with tendrils of dark qi rapidly spreading through her meridians.

"Ah! Alchemist Lin—I’ve been poisoned too!" she shrieked in panic.

"What?!" The alchemist at her side paled, immediately examining her. But the black qi was spreading too fast—without an antidote, she’d be beyond saving in moments.

He hastily produced a detoxification pill and forced it into her mouth. Yet the pill only slowed the poison slightly before the dark qi surged forward again, relentless.

Liu Yunyao’s toxins were no ordinary concoctions. They were refined from the deadliest poisons Ye Liuyun had provided—vicious, complex, and impervious to common antidotes.

The alchemist could only gape in horror as the poison spread unchecked, his hands tied.