Deep into the night, unsure of the hour, a few cat meows echoed from outside. It was likely some cat demons meeting their lovers in a dark alley.
The guests at Jade Sand Pavilion gradually departed. The waiters tidied up the tables and chairs in the lobby, then sealed the doors and windows with wooden planks.
In the back storeroom, Ye Anping sat cross-legged on a straw mat. Through a gap in the dilapidated window, he gazed at the starry river, decorated with faint yellow sand, and a shiver ran down his spine. He felt as if he could see a thousand li away, a girl, just tall enough to reach the windowsill, standing by a window and looking at him through the same starry sky.
Her small round face must be puffed up like a steamed bun, and the small, bean-like eyebrows above her Yin-yang heteromorphic eyes were surely furrowed tightly. “When I get back, how long will it take to coax her back? Sigh…” Ye Anping shook his head helplessly. He flicked his finger and closed the window, pushing Si Xuanji out of his mind and redirecting his attention to his upcoming plans.
He took out a map he had marked earlier from his Storage Bag, lit a Spirit Stone Lantern, and began to examine it. Several locations on the map were circled and numbered: Tian’an City, Jiao Long Inn, Huang Long Ridge… Ye Anping’s eyes scanned the locations on the map, and scenes of precipitous peaks or smoky desert landscapes arose in his mind.
According to the intelligence provided by Li Longling’s spies in Donghuang, the Demonic Cultivators had dispatched their second wave of scouts ten days ago to probe Donghuang’s city defense formations. Ye Anping conservatively estimated that he had only one month left. In other words, he had to take Xiao Yunluo and the others to Tian’an City within a month, abduct Xue Tianqiao, frame the Demonic Cultivators for it, and then reach the Donghuang Great Wall, the easternmost point of the Central Domain. If they were a step late, the Xing Tian Division and Yun Yiyi would be sent to their graves. However, the Central Domain spanned nearly ten thousand li. Even traveling at full speed, it would take them twenty-five to twenty-six days to get from Jade Pass City to Donghuang. “Excluding travel time, that leaves only five days for rest? It’s a bit tight…” Ye Anping frowned slightly, feeling an inexplicable pressure. Five days wouldn’t be a major issue, but that was assuming no unexpected situations arose on the way. Encountering Gu, for example… Given this, Ye Anping was now concentrating all his attention on optimizing his plan, considering which tasks could be simplified and which were superfluous. He was so engrossed that he didn’t notice the storeroom door being pushed open by a small hand.
*Creak—*
Light purple eyes scanned the room through the gap in the door. Xiao Yunluo tiptoed into the room and tiptoed towards Ye Anping, who had his back to her. Just as she raised her hand to embrace him from behind, Ye Anping sensed her presence. He sighed silently and, without turning, uttered, “Yunluo, we’re outside…”
Seeing that she had been discovered, Xiao Yunluo felt inexplicably embarrassed. She hid her raised hand behind her back, but after thinking for a moment, she frowned and retorted, “Anping, do you really think I’m just a girl with only lustful thoughts in my head? I just came to see you…” She put on the air of the Xuan Xing Sect Young Master, crossing her arms and tilting her head back haughtily. “It’s you who’s always thinking about those things… Humph~”
“What? You’re blaming me now…” Ye Anping slightly frowned, glancing at the thin white robe Xiao Yunluo was wearing. Then, he formed a sword finger and conjured a gentle breeze with his spiritual energy. The breeze lightly swept over Xiao Yunluo’s hem, causing her to instinctively bend her knees and press it down. “You… what are you doing?” “Um… then why aren’t you wearing inner garments?” “I…” Xiao Yunluo was speechless. After a long pause, she came up with an excuse: “I just took a bath…”
“…” Seeing that her lie was exposed, Xiao Yunluo blushed and said, “An-and besides, you have too much Yang energy, and you’re in the prime of your youth. You haven’t dual cultivated with me many times since we’ve been at Xuan Xing Sect these past few months…” Xiao Yunluo walked up to Ye Anping and sat beside him, gently tugging his sleeve. She continued, “We’re cultivation partners, you don’t need to hold back so much… If you want to, just tell me or Lian Xue. It’s always me and Lian Xue who take the initiative to come to you; you’ve never initiated it.” “You’ve been running around outside these past few years.” “But that’s even more reason not to hold back…” Xiao Yunluo twirled her ear hair with her finger. “And I’ve never seen a husband who is so indifferent when he has so many alluring fairies by his side. If someone had a cultivation partner as beautiful as me or Lian Xue, they’d want to be intertwined with their cultivation partner day and night, dual cultivating…”
Ye Anping was at a loss for words and sighed, “Yunluo, I think you’ve read too many ‘Palace of Immortals’ books.” Xiao Yunluo replied weakly, “The more I read, the more you enjoy it, right…?”
“?” Xiao Yunluo’s face instantly turned crimson. She shook her head and playfully swatted Ye Anping’s head with her hair. “Anping, the Xuan Xing Sect Young Master is willing to serve you, why are you still unhappy?” “It’s not that I’m unhappy, it’s just…” Ye Anping felt somewhat powerless to retort. He turned his head to look at Xiao Yunluo’s shy face, but his mind flashed back to another image of her within the Xuan Xing Sect’s inner disciples. Over the past few months, he had indeed taken on the responsibility of being her companion. When the elders lectured, he accompanied Xiao Yunluo, helping her grind ink and practice calligraphy, or waiting by her side with her spirit sword while she practiced her sword arts.
Perhaps it was to impress him, or perhaps that was how Xiao Yunluo behaved in front of the elders of Xuan Xing Sect. During classes, whenever Elder Wang or Mr. Qi asked questions or called on someone to recite, Xiao Yunluo was always the most eager to raise her hand. When Elder Qin of Tianyun Peak taught sword arts and needed someone to demonstrate or spar, Xiao Yunluo was always the first to step forward. Her previous scores on written and sword tests were slightly higher than those of Pei Lianxue and Feng Yu Die. Many inner disciples of Xuan Xing Sect admired Xiao Yunluo, their Young Master, and held her in high regard. Whenever they met her, they would respectfully bow their heads lower than her height and cup their hands, exclaiming, “Greetings, Young Master Xiao!”
Yet, such a serious and dignified Young Master, despite her lack of stature, possessed an imposing aura, and below her bed in her private room lay a pile of lewd books… Thinking of this, Ye Anping couldn’t help but chuckle and asked, “Yunluo, do Mr. Qi and Elder Qin know you like reading ‘Palace of Immortals’?”
“?” Xiao Yunluo paused for a moment and immediately pinched him, saying, “You… you didn’t tell the elders, did you…” Ye Anping shook his head. “If you don’t focus your mind on cultivation and instead think about these messy things, what kind of proper behavior is that?” “But… I only act like that in front of you… I’m a girl too, and you’re my cultivation partner…” Xiao Yunluo hugged Ye Anping’s arm and pleaded, “Anping~~ Can’t you just satisfy your cultivation partner… How about you lie down, and I’ll do it myself?”
Seeing that she was about to cry, Ye Anping sighed again. He suddenly thought of Feng Yu Die from the game. How did Feng Yu Die in the game transform from a devoted and innocent girl into a promiscuous one who took many lovers? He couldn’t follow in her footsteps. However…
Ye Anping looked at Xiao Yunluo beside him again. Her light purple eyes were moistly fixed on his face. A bead of sweat dripped from her ear into her hair, then down her cheek, and condensed on her chin. It then dripped into her slightly open neckline, her cherry-red lips parted, her upper and lower lips slightly sticking together… “Anping…”
“…” Ye Anping opened his lips slightly and turned to push her shoulders… “Hey~~” “Yunluo, we have a lot of things to do and it’s urgent on our way to Donghuang…” “I know, I’ve seen the plan you wrote in your room before.” Xiao Yunluo’s face turned red, and she relaxed her body. “Anping, you should relax too. You’ve seemed quite agitated these past few days of travel, is it because of the Donghuang matter…” “Our time is very tight. From Jade Pass to Donghuang, and then to Tian’an City, just traveling by flying sword will take twenty-five to twenty-six days, but the Demonic Cultivators have only given us a month.”
Xiao Yunluo untied the knot of Ye Anping’s belt and, pursing her lips, shyly replied, “Then let’s hurry~ Lian Xue will come looking for me if she finds out I’m gone after her bath…”
“?” Ye Anping was stunned. “I’m talking business with you.” Xiao Yunluo averted her gaze. “It’s not like I haven’t let you talk…” Ye Anping exhaled helplessly, then held his breath and leaned in.
*Plop—*
“Ying…”
“Yunluo, do you remember what the Demon Emperor called you before?” “Um~ Xuán Lóng… something…” “Did you ask Mr. Qi about it afterward?” “Um~… I asked…” Xiao Yunluo bit her lower lip, her eyes gradually becoming hazy. “Mr. Qi said… Ying… said it was a type of dragon, and its bloodline was very pure, belonging to a true dragon… Hmm…” “You are the daughter of a true dragon from the past.” “I am a true dragon’s… Ying…” Xiao Yunluo tilted her head slightly, her mind already a bit fuzzy. “Anping, am I a dragon?” “Um…” “Aren’t you the true dragon?”
“?” Ye Anping’s lips parted. He felt that Xiao Yunluo wasn’t listening at all. He raised one finger and tested, “Uh… Yunluo, can you see clearly how many fingers this is?” “One finger… What’s wrong? Um…” “Are you really listening?” “I’m listening…” Ye Anping felt somewhat helpless. As he moved his body, he asked, “Then why aren’t you surprised at all?” “Should I be surprised… Um… If I’m a dragon, can’t I be your cultivation partner anymore? Or Anping, you don’t like dragons… aren’t dragons cool?” “It’s not that…” Ye Anping simply gave up. “I’ll tell you when you’re calm someday…” “I’m very calm right now…” “Your face is about to turn red, and you still say you’re calm?” Xiao Yunluo pouted slightly, her small hands, like kitten paws, gently kneaded. “That’s because… Ying— You say it, I’ll listen, I’m really listening…” “I’m not saying it anymore.” “… You’re so bad!” Ye Anping lifted her chin with his finger and smiled. “Knowing I’m bad, you still stick to me like this?” “… It’s because your surname is Ye, and your given name is Anping?” “… Yunluo, you are a Xuán Lóng, you shouldn’t be indulging in such things…” Xiao Yunluo paused, not knowing how to respond, and could only open her mouth and cry out, “Awooo~~” “?” Xiao Yunluo tilted her head. “Hmm? Like this?” “Forget it…” Ye Anping was speechless and said no more…
—
*Meow~~~ Mrow~~*
In a private room, Feng Yu Die, after bathing, changed into a close-fitting sleepwear and lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling with wide eyes. She had been traveling for several days and was exhausted, but the cat demons outside her window were making a buzzing sound in her head, making it impossible for her to rest peacefully. Moreover, the empty private room now made her feel somewhat insecure.
Demons occupied a large portion of the streets in Jade Pass City. When they first entered the city, she noticed many demons eating meat on the street casting hungry wolf-like glances at them. She had asked Ye Anping if they needed to be wary, but Ye Anping had told her not to worry, as long as they didn’t provoke them and ignored them. Since Ye Anping had said so, she hadn’t doubted him and hadn’t paid attention to those glances along the way.
However… Ye Anping was staying in the back courtyard now, quite far from her private room, at least fifty feet away, right? What if a demon ran into her room at night wanting to eat her while she was asleep and unaware? Feng Yu Die bit her lip slightly and turned over, covering her face with a pillow. But as soon as she closed her eyes, she felt a fox demon sneak into her room.
*Swish—*
Feng Yu Die jolted and quickly grabbed the spirit sword beside her, thrusting it towards the room. But the room was still the same as before, doors and windows shut, dark, and she was alone…
“… …” At this moment, a small golden head emerged from her forehead. Xiao Tian showed half its body and looked at Feng Yu Die with a furrowed brow. Seeing that she seemed scared, it tilted its head. 『Yu Die, what’s wrong?』 “I just felt like a demon entered my room, but…” 『Hmm?』 Xiao Tian twisted its brow, looking puzzled. It quickly flew out, passed through the ceiling, and landed on the roof of Jade Sand Pavilion. It scanned the surroundings with its spiritual sense. Apart from a few cat demons near the Core Formation stage in the alley mating, there were no other demons around.
Since Feng Yu Die’s sixth sense was always accurate, it was also a bit worried and lingered to keep watch for a while longer. However, it didn’t find anything unusual. The hierarchy among demons was very clear; unlike human cultivators, there weren’t many who tried to rebel against their superiors. The Demon Emperor’s commands were absolute to demons. If the Demon Emperor said not to eat human cultivators, then even if these minor demons were starving, they wouldn’t dare to disobey. Moreover, there weren’t many demons who liked eating humans. A destined one who once possessed the Heavenly Scroll of the Dao was a demon. According to its records in the scroll, human flesh was sour and smelly to many demons, filled with the filth of the world. Only a few demons with undeveloped taste buds, unable to find anything else to eat, would resort to eating humans.
Xiao Tian pondered for a moment, then suddenly remembered the incident between the Demon Emperor and Feng Yu Die last time… That fox had severed Yu Die’s heart meridians with a sword, and it was Ye Anping who arrived in time to save her. Although Yu Die seemed to have forgotten about it after her wounds healed and didn’t mention it again, Xiao Tian recalled that when Yu Die returned from the cave to Taixu Zi’s cave dwelling, she was very calm upon seeing her master’s golden cicada shell. She dug a pit, buried Taixu Zi, erected a tombstone, and left. Perhaps Yu Die just didn’t outwardly care, or perhaps she was just slow to react. After all, no matter how outstanding Yu Die’s cultivation talent was, she was still a girl who barely understood how babies came to be.
With this thought, Xiao Tian quickly returned to the room and found Feng Yu Die clutching her sword, sitting at the foot of the bed, her eyes extremely vigilant. Seeing Xiao Tian return, she quickly asked, “Xiao Tian, how is it? Is a demon peeking at me nearby?” 『… Yu Die, are you still thinking about being injured by the Demon Emperor?』 Feng Yu Die hesitated for a moment and shook her head slightly. “… No, right? Young Master Ye saved me, didn’t he? With that seal…” Xiao Tian stepped forward, patted her head, and smiled, asking, 『Then why don’t you go practice your sword in the back courtyard? It’s close to Anping. With him around, aren’t you more secure?』
“… …” Feng Yu Die hesitated for a moment, looked at the dark room again, and nodded slightly. She jumped off the bed, put on an outer robe, took her sword, pushed open the window, and jumped out. Crossing the rooftops of the opposite private rooms, Feng Yu Die landed steadily in the backyard of Jade Sand Pavilion. However, as soon as her feet touched the ground, she saw that the door of the storeroom where Ye Anping lived was pushed open. Xiao Yunluo, trembling, leaned on the doorframe and walked out, saying, “Anping, I’ll go back myself! It’s fine!” “… Are you sure it’s fine? I’ll carry you back to your room…” “It’s fine…”
“?” Feng Yu Die watched and tilted her head slightly. “Senior Sister Xiao, what’s wrong?” Xiao Yunluo and Ye Anping didn’t notice Feng Yu Die, who had leaped down from the rooftop. Hearing the voice, Xiao Yunluo almost jumped in fright but couldn’t, nearly falling to her knees. “Second… Second idiot, why are you here instead of resting in your room?” “Hehe…” Feng Yu Die scratched the back of her head. “The cats outside have been meowing, I couldn’t sleep, so I thought I’d come to the backyard to review my sword arts or something…” As she spoke, Feng Yu Die glanced into the room at Ye Anping, and just as Xiao Tian had said, seeing Ye Anping, her earlier anxious mood completely dissipated. “Hehe…”
“?” Seeing Feng Yu Die smiling foolishly at him, Ye Anping was puzzled. He ignored her and asked, “Yunluo, do you really not need it? I see you…” “It’s fine!” Xiao Yunluo took a deep breath and straightened her body. “Don’t underestimate me…” Feng Yu Die looked between the two of them and curiously asked, “Senior Sister Xiao, what’s wrong?” “Anping was teaching me cultivation just now, I’m just a little tired. I’ll go back now!” “Oh… practicing legs?”
“… …” Xiao Yunluo bit her lip slightly, held her breath, feeling like she was about to leak, and quickly ran towards the lobby. After watching her leave, Ye Anping let out a long sigh of relief. He looked at Feng Yu Die beside him, then shifted his gaze upwards to Xiao Tian, who was floating in the air. Xiao Tian clearly understood and was now staring at him with a “Ye Tianchong” expression. 『Stare—』 Ye Anping ignored it and looked at Feng Yu Die, scolding, “Go back and rest. We won’t stop again until we reach Tian’an City. Get a good night’s sleep tonight.” “Ah, it’s fine… I’ll practice my sword in the courtyard. Young Master Ye, you should rest.”
Xiao Tian sighed helplessly and floated in front of Ye Anping. 『Anping, Yu Die wants you to accompany her… She’s remembering the Demon Emperor, and there are so many demons in this city, she can’t rest well.』 Hearing this, Ye Anping’s gaze shifted back to Feng Yu Die, and he asked with his eyes: Really? Are you scared? Feng Yu Die paused and quickly shook her head. No! Xiao Tian is talking nonsense… “Hoo…” Ye Anping let out a long breath and hesitated for a moment, then asked jokingly, “How about I knock you out?” “Hmm…” Feng Yu Die pondered for a moment and nodded. She turned around, her back to Ye Anping. “That works too, just be gentle~”
“?” Ye Anping had been joking, but he didn’t expect her to take it seriously. He felt a mixture of emotions but still stepped forward, forming a sword finger and placing it on the center of her back, sending spiritual energy into her meridians. Feng Yu Die only felt a slight push on her back, and an overwhelming drowsiness washed over her. She swayed a couple of steps, spun around, and fell towards Ye Anping, but he instinctively sidestepped to avoid her. With a thud, a puff of dust flew up…
“… …” Xiao Tian floated over, looked down at Feng Yu Die lying on the ground, then glanced at Ye Anping, furrowing its brow. 『Anping, why did you dodge? Catch her, you knocked her out!』 ” … It was a reflex.” Ye Anping replied with a hint of apology. Looking at Feng Yu Die, who seemed to be having a sweet dream on the ground with a joyous smile, he inexplicably felt tired. He wondered why he felt apologetic when she was the one who asked to be knocked out…
Perhaps it was because of his previous encounter with Yunluo, his mind felt a bit muddled. He pondered for a moment, then squatted down, slung Feng Yu Die over his shoulder, jumped from the roof back to her private room, and laid her on the bed, covering her with the quilt.
… …
—
Ps: Is there a bit too much suggestive content…?
