The Beloved Guide Was Forced in a Love-Rival Shura Field - Chapter 52

The gaze of the newly minted baron slid across Ning Ning’s pale and fragile face like a wet, slippery snake before settling on the glass of wine.

“Earlier at the banquet, you must have been startled, Ning Ning,” he said, a servile smile plastered across his face, as he handed the crystal wine glass over. “I specially prepared this ‘Calming Spirit Wine’ for you. It soothes the mind and has remarkable effects on a Guide’s spiritual sea. Just one sip to calm your nerves, and you’ll feel better in no time.”

The eerie blue liquid swirled under the light, giving off an unnatural glow.

Its scent was overwhelmingly sweet, tinged with the stench of decayed plants, and it aggressively invaded Ning Ning’s nostrils.

His stomach churned violently, almost forcing him to vomit on the spot.

He was a transmigrated office worker, not a fool! Anyone with half a brain could tell that something handed over by a clearly malicious person, in a strange color and smell, was dangerous!

[Host, classic poisoning scenario detected. Do you want to follow protocol and just say, ‘This wine is poisoned’?] the system suggested, gleeful.

[No! I still want to live a few more days!] Ning Ning screamed mentally.

He instinctively buried himself deeper into Xiao Lin’s embrace, almost completely hidden under the Marshal’s oversized cloak. A muffled voice with heavy nasality and subtle refusal came from underneath: “…It smells weird, I…I don’t want to drink it.”

Soft, sticky, and almost coquettish, the words sounded like a plea.

And with just that one sentence, Xiao Lin’s expression changed instantly.

Those dark-gold eyes sharpened like an eagle’s, as if they could pierce through all deception. A wave of cold, lethal intent, tangible as a blade, zeroed in on Zhou Yulin.

The baron’s smile froze, and the hand holding the wine glass began to tremble uncontrollably.

“How… how is this possible, Marshal? I used only the most precious calming herbs…”

His words died on his lips.

Gu Qingfeng stepped forward imperceptibly, positioning himself between Zhou Yulin and Ning Ning. He smiled, his gaze resting on the eerie blue wine, his tone scholarly and curious.

“Baron Zhou Yulin truly went to great lengths. I believe I’ve seen the formula for this ‘Calming Spirit Wine’ in an imperial forbidden tome.”

He pushed his gold-rimmed glasses up, the eyes behind them full of hidden meaning.

“However… I recall the book specifically noting that one ingredient, a so-called ‘calming herb,’ when coming into contact with a high-level Guide’s natural spiritual pheromones, instantly catalyzes into a neurotoxin called the ‘Dream of the Abyss,’ capable of completely destabilizing the Guide’s spiritual sea, even to the point of collapse.”

Gu Qingfeng paused, then looked at the increasingly pale Zhou Yulin, smiling innocently, almost as if asking for guidance:

“Of course, this is just what the ancient tome says—likely exaggerated. Baron, perhaps you could enlighten me: what exactly is so special about this ancient method of brewing ‘Calming Spirit Wine’?”

The blood drained from Zhou Yulin’s face, sweat beading on his forehead.

Exposed! How could he know so much?

Each of Gu Qingfeng’s words was like a precision scalpel, elegantly cutting away Zhou Yulin’s pretense and exposing the murderous intent hidden beneath.

“I…I don’t know! Impossible! I only wanted to calm Ning Ning!” he stammered, eyes darting around for an escape.

As he turned to flee, a massive hand, fast as lightning, gripped his throat, lifting him entirely off the ground.

“Crack.”

The sound of his neck being crushed echoed, sickeningly brittle.

Xiao Lin hoisted Zhou Yulin effortlessly, his struggling legs kicking in vain, his face turning a deep purplish-red.

“Who sent you?” Xiao Lin’s voice was a deep rumble from the abyss of hell, each word freezing the soul.

“Cough… I… I…” Zhou Yulin’s eyes bulged, suffocating.

“Let me handle this, Marshal,” Gu Qingfeng said, stepping forward, smiling at the purple-faced Zhou Yulin, a smile more terrifying than a demon’s. “Using force on a filthy rat like this? That would soil your hands.”

He extended two long, elegant fingers, lightly touching Zhou Yulin’s forehead.

A wave of invisible yet cataclysmic S-class Guide spiritual energy surged, instantly shattering Zhou Yulin’s already fragile mental defenses.

“Tell me—who made you do this?”

Gentle words, yet impossible to resist.

Zhou Yulin’s gaze went blank, eyes rolling, completely dazed.

“It… it’s the First Prince… Your Highness…” he confessed helplessly. “He hates the Moon God… he wants me… to destroy him…”

“Destroy him.”

Those three words hit Ning Ning’s eardrums like a poisoned hammer.

It wasn’t just a prank, not humiliation—he really wanted him dead.

The repeated shocks, the extreme spiritual strain, the immediate threat of death, and the revelation of such malice finally snapped the last tense nerve.

Ning Ning went pitch black in front of Xiao Lin’s eyes, his body softening entirely, unconscious.

“Ning Ning!”

Xiao Lin immediately noticed the change. The sudden loss of support, the weight collapsing, made his heart skip a beat. The boundless killing intent vanished, replaced by overwhelming panic and fear.

Without hesitation, he discarded the nearly lifeless Zhou Yulin, letting him crash to the ground like a sack of garbage. Xiao Lin’s hands tightened around the unconscious boy, urgently checking him, his voice hoarse and trembling like never before.

“Ning Ning? Wake up! Look at me!”

At that instant, Gu Qingfeng swiftly grasped Ning Ning’s cold, dangling wrist from under the cloak. A pure S-class Guide spiritual energy surged unreservedly into him.

“His spiritual energy is overextended, causing mental shock! Immediate guidance is necessary!” Gu Qingfeng commanded, firmly holding his pulse, authoritative and unyielding.

Xiao Lin’s dark-gold eyes blazed with a fury that could incinerate all, glaring at Gu Qingfeng.

“Let go.” He spat the words through gritted teeth.

“Let go? Risk permanent damage to his spiritual sea?” Gu Qingfeng refused to yield, a cold, provocative smile curling on his lips. “Marshal, is your petty possessiveness more important than his life?”

“All of him is my responsibility!” Xiao Lin’s voice was unrestrained madness. “No outsider is needed!”

“Outsider?” Gu Qingfeng chuckled, the sound piercing Xiao Lin’s ears. “Do not forget—I am also an S-class Guide. Only I can save him now. You? You would only endanger him with your violence.”

The atmosphere froze like ice once more, two of the empire’s top men in a titanic standoff over the unconscious boy.

At that moment, the Emperor’s chief aide arrived with a squad of royal guards. Seeing the scene, their faces turned pale.

“Marshal, Second Prince! His Majesty is furious! Orders have been given to imprison this man in the Heavenly Prison. The military and royal authorities will investigate thoroughly and ensure justice for Ning Ning!”

Xiao Lin gave a cold glance, tightening his hold on the boy.

Justice?

This glittering palace was a gilded cage that devours without mercy. He would trust no promises here ever again.

Clutching the unconscious treasure more precious than life itself, he turned without a word—not to a designated resting chamber, but toward the palace gates.

He was taking him away from this filthy place.

“Marshal, where are you going?” the aide panicked, stepping forward to block him.

“Home.” Xiao Lin did not look back.

“But His Majesty—”

“Step aside.”

The single icy word carried the weight of corpses and rivers of blood. Trained royal guards froze, terrified to move an inch.

Gu Qingfeng stood calmly, watching Xiao Lin carry Ning Ning away, gradually releasing his own hand, which had unknowingly been clenched.

He tidied his slightly disheveled collar, then strode after them at a leisurely pace.

The aide, sweating profusely, turned to him: “Second Prince, you—?”

Gu Qingfeng looked back, smiling, flawless and serene.

“Where the Marshal goes, I go.”

He adjusted his glasses, his smile impeccable.

“After all, Ning Ning always needs the most professional mental guidance, doesn’t he?”

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