The afternoon passed in a haze of passion and whispered affections.
As evening approached, Luo Luo, her spirits renewed, hugged Chen Yin tightly.
“Don’t worry, Young Master! I’ll be out of here soon! Just wait for !”
Chen Yin kissed her gently and left the Wooden Leaf Illusion Realm.
“Young Master Chen, comforting Luo Luo shouldn’t take an entire afternoon, should it?” a playful voice said as he erged.
Qing i Niang, dressed in a tight-fitting dress that accentuated her curves, stood there, a mischievous glint in her eyes.
“Did you… do anything… to our little Luo Luo?”
“Of course not,” Chen Yin said seriously. “I’m a gentleman. I promised I wouldn’t touch her until she’s older.”
“Such noble words,” Qing i Niang chuckled, her gaze lingering on his lower body, “but I wonder if your… little brother… agrees.”
Chen Yin had never believed a woman’s gaze could be so seductive, so disarming.
He blushed, flustered by her teasing, and quickly looked away. “What do you want, Senior i Niang?”
“I heard from Little Ling’er that you’re the one she’s been waiting for, for a thousand years. You know about what happened back then?”
Chen Yin nodded.
“Does it bother you?”
“No,” she looked him up and down, her eyes narrowed slightly. “I just wanted to see what kind of man could captivate Little Ling’er and make our Luo Luo so devoted. So, have you seen enough?”
“And what do you see, Senior?” Chen Yin asked playfully.
“A womanizer, apparently.” She rolled her eyes, the gesture sohow managing to be both seductive and dismissive.
Chen Yin sensed her displeasure but didn’t know what he had done to offend her.
…Does she think I’m not good enough for her daughter?
“Luo Luo needs to focus on her training. Don’t disturb her until she’s finished,” she said, her voice turning serious.
Chen Yin nodded obediently. He wouldn’t disobey his future mother-in-law.
“And,” she added, her gaze lingering on him for a mont before she turned to leave, “I’m not a prude. It’s not uncommon for exceptional n to have multiple partners. Luo Luo and Little Ling’er have chosen you, and I won’t interfere. But I despise fickleness.” Her eyes flashed with a dangerous glint. “Little Ling’er has waited long enough. If you ever betray them, I’ll hunt you down to the ends of the earth.”
“I wouldn’t dare,” Chen Yin said quickly, his heart pounding slightly.
…What’s gotten into her?
“Hmph.”
Qing i Niang snorted and left.
Chen Yin had wanted to ask her about the seal and the Qing Fox Clan, but seeing her mood, he decided against it.
—
That evening, he returned to the main hall.
Yu Ling was sitting by the window, eating a Rainflower Cake.
She glanced at him casually, then continued eating.
“So, done playing with your little servant girl? You were gone all afternoon. Quite the stamina you have.”
Chen Yin wanted to retort, You know exactly how much stamina I have, but he couldn’t bring himself to say it, her childlike form making him feel strangely protective.
Seeing his awkward silence, Yu Ling hesitated, then offered him the half-eaten cake.
“Want so?”
Chen Yin took it and ate a bite.
It was soft and chewy, with a delicate floral fragrance.
“Although this place is isolated and boring,” she said, “the Rainflower Cakes are quite good.” She continued eating, her cheeks puffed out slightly.
Chen Yin looked at her, then suddenly leaned down and took a bite out of the cake she was holding, their faces inches apart.
Yu Ling’s eyes widened in surprise.
“Hey! That was mine!” she exclaid, her voice filled with a childish indignation.
“Yours tasted better,” Chen Yin said matter-of-factly.
Yu Ling pouted and glared at him, then she jumped onto his lap, her hands reaching for his mouth.
“Give it back! Spit it out!”
“No way!”
Chen Yin covered his mouth with his hand, a smug grin on his face. “Want so? I’ll feed you.”
“Ew, no! That’s disgusting!”
Yu Ling glared at him, then tugged at his collar, her eyes narrowed playfully.
“I want my cake back.”
“…You said it.”
Chen Yin leaned down and kissed her softly.
Yu Ling’s body trembled at his touch, then relaxed as the kiss deepened, the air around them charged with a sweet, intoxicating energy.
When he finally released her, her cheeks were flushed, her eyes slightly unfocused.
“You… you really kissed …” she mumbled, a hint of annoyance in her voice.
“You asked for it.”
“You could have just bought another one.”
“But yours tasted better.”
Yu Ling sighed, exasperated. “I regret this. You’ve lost all respect for since you ca back. You’re always teasing , and your cultivation hasn’t improved much, but you’ve gotten much better at… other things.”
“You don’t like it?”
“I prefer being the dominant one.”
“You said that a thousand years ago too. But you seed to enjoy it when you weren’t.”
“That was just to humor you! Who doesn’t like being on top?!”
“Then you can be on top tonight,” Chen Yin said seriously.
Yu Ling’s eyes widened, her expression turning slightly panicked.
“You… you want to sleep with tonight?”
“Is that a problem?”
“But… we agreed to take things slow…”
“I’m just granting your wish.”
“I changed my mind. I prefer sleeping alone.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
“Just cuddling? Nothing else?”
“…I don’t believe you.”
She glared at him. “You said the sa thing a thousand years ago. You said you would just ‘cuddle’. And then… I couldn’t sleep all night because of the pain.”
“This ti, I’m serious,” Chen Yin raised his hand, as if making a vow.
Yu Ling looked at him suspiciously.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“Then… maybe…”
Her voice trailed off, her cheeks flushing.
“Carry back to my room.”
Chen Yin gently lifted her into his arms. She was so small and light, like a doll, her head resting on his chest, her hair tickling his chin.
“Just cuddling, okay?” she mumbled, her voice barely audible.
“Okay.”
“Just sleeping.”
“Okay.”
“If you try anything, I’ll bite you.”
“Don’t worry,” Chen Yin smiled, “once we’re in bed… I make the rules.”
As he carried her back to her room, he suddenly felt like he was forgetting sothing.
“Wait… did I forget sothing?”
He scratched his head, trying to rember, but he couldn’t. He shrugged it off.
It can wait. Little Ling’er is more important.
He carried her to her room, a happy grin on his face.
—
anwhile, in Chen Yin’s room…
The room was dark, only the moonlight filtering through the window.
Two figures lay in his bed, their eyes closed, their bodies tense.
“…Hey.”
“Hmm?”
“Where is Senior Brother?”
“Maybe he’s… busy?”
“What could he possibly be doing so late?”
“…I don’t know.”
“This is awkward.”
Xiang’er pulled the blankets over her head, hiding her naked body, only her head peeking out.
Shen Shuanglian sighed softly.
They had agreed to the bet, but they had spent the entire day trying to overco their embarrassnt and nervousness.
They had washed and cleaned themselves thoroughly, then, as night fell, they had slipped into his bed, naked and vulnerable.
Too shy to light a candle, they lay there in the darkness, waiting.
They had been excited and nervous,
But as the hours passed, their excitent turned into boredom and then a quiet disappointnt.
“That slly Senior Brother,” Xiang’er grumbled, “did he forget about us?”
“…Maybe.”
“I’m going back.”
“But what if he cos back?”
Xiang’er hesitated, then snuggled back under the covers, turning to face Shen Shuanglian.
Shen Shuanglian shifted uncomfortably under her gaze.
“Is there… sothing on my face?”
“Why are you so… well-endowed?”
“I… I don’t know… you’re… not bad yourself…”
“No, mine are bigger!” Xiang’er suddenly reached out and grabbed Shen Shuanglian’s breast.
“Wait! Don’t—!”
That night, Chen Yin kept his promise.
He held Yu Ling close, her small body snuggled against his, like a small, warm pillow, her soft snores echoing through the room.
“Qing i Niang ca to see today, after I left the Illusion Realm,” he said softly.
“What did she want?”
“I don’t know… she seed upset. She yelled at for a bit, then left.”
“Maybe she thinks I’m not good enough for her daughter,” Chen Yin sighed.
Yu Ling blinked.
“Just a guess.”
“Maybe she was jealous.”
“Jealous?” Chen Yin raised an eyebrow. “Seriously? I’m not that irresistible. And I’m her future son-in-law!”
“No, you misunderstand,” Yu Ling said, “she wasn’t jealous of you.”
“She was jealous of .”
Chen Yin stared at her, his expression turning strange. “You an… Senior i Niang is… a lesbian?”
“Maybe.”
Yu Ling sighed. “I suspected it a thousand years ago. After I beat her in a few spars, we beca closer. And she seed… possessive. But she never said anything, so I didn’t think much of it.”
“Maybe you’re just imagining things,” Chen Yin said.
“I’m serious!” She looked up at him, her eyes sparkling with pride. “I was the invincible Immortal Yu Ling! I had countless admirers, both male and female! They were all begging to… grind tofu with ! Don’t you know I was known as the ‘Number One Lesbian’ of the cultivation world?”
Chen Yin looked at her skeptically.
“But she never actually said anything. And now she’s a mother, I can’t just ask her about it. I hope I’m just imagining things.”
“Wow, you’re quite the heartbreaker. Even the ruler of the demon realm fell for you.”
“I’m not a heartbreaker! I’m straight!”
“Then why are you always talking about my girls?”
“Who doesn’t like pretty girls?”
Chen Yin ruffled her hair playfully.
“Alright, ti to sleep.”
He blew out the candle, and the room plunged into darkness.
Only their soft breaths disturbed the silence.
“Hey, brat,” a soft voice whispered.
Chen Yin didn’t answer.
“…Chen Yin?” she called again.
Still no answer.
Yu Ling turned over and snuggled closer, her head resting on his shoulder, her gaze fixed on his face.
“Do you think… we’ll survive the Triennial Heavenly Tribulation?”
“Don’t worry,” Chen Yin finally said, “we’ll be fine.”
“I’m not worried about us.”
Yu Ling blinked, her eyes shining brightly in the darkness.
“I’m worried about you being reckless.”
“I won’t. Don’t worry.”
“I know your sword is powerful, maybe even those Upper Realm bastards are no match for you.”
“But…” her eyes lowered slightly, “I’m still afraid sothing will happen to you. Promise , if things get out of hand, you’ll let handle it.”
Chen Yin was silent for a long mont.
“No.”
Yu Ling pouted and bit his shoulder playfully.
“…Such a stubborn man.”
“You can call whatever you want,” he said calmly, “but we both feel the sa way. If sothing happens, we’d rather sacrifice ourselves than let the other get hurt.”
“Then promise you won’t be reckless.”
“You have so little faith in ? Are you that worried?” He turned over, pulling her closer.
“Not really,” she said softly, playing with his fingers, “even if sothing does happen to you, I can just bring you back to life, like I did last ti. There must be a tiline where we all have a happy ending, where everyone survives and we’re together forever. Even if I don’t get to see it, as long as I know you’re happy, it’s enough.”
Chen Yin was silent.
“Is it worth it? Risking your life for sothing so uncertain? What if I still die in those other tilines?”
“It doesn’t matter,” she smiled, her voice light and carefree, “if you’re gone, then it doesn’t matter if I live or die.”
Chen Yin could barely make out her expression in the darkness, but he could hear the sincerity in her voice.
He held her tighter.
“Don’t worry.”
“…You’ll see.”
That night, Yu Ling slept soundly,
Without nightmares.
—
The next morning, Chen Yin made breakfast, as usual.
It was a habit he had developed during his ti with the Yu Alliance.
But now, he had to cook for more than just Master.
As he was busy in the kitchen, two figures appeared at the doorway.
“Good morning, Senior Sister, Xiang’er. Breakfast will be ready soon. Today, we’re having salmon sushi and grilled eel—”
He stopped mid-sentence, noticing their expressions.
Both Xiang’er and Shen Shuanglian had dark circles under their eyes, their gazes filled with a mixture of resentnt and amusent.
“Uh… what’s wrong?”
They didn’t answer, just stared at him.
Chen Yin racked his brain, trying to rember if he had offended them, then his eyes widened in realization, his expression turning sheepish.
“Uh… about that…”
“Can I… explain?”
Shen Shuanglian remained silent, but Xiang’er put her hands on her hips and glared at him.
“No!”
“You slly Senior Brother! Don’t ever expect us to do that again!”
“Hmph.” She turned and stord off.
Chen Yin called after her, but she ignored him.
She was truly angry this ti.
He turned to Shen Shuanglian, who was standing there quietly, her head lowered, and said apologetically, “I’m sorry. I… forgot.”
Shen Shuanglian glanced up at him shyly. “It’s okay, I’m not angry. It’s just… embarrassing. Don’t do it again.”
“I…” Chen Yin sighed inwardly. He had missed a golden opportunity. A chance he would probably never get again.
“I’ll… help you with breakfast,” Shen Shuanglian offered, walking over to him, her voice soft and hesitant. “You made so much food?”
“Yes. I haven’t cooked for you in a while. I have to make so for Master and Senior i Niang, and Luo Luo too.”
“And Qingying—” He suddenly stopped.
…That’s who he had forgotten.
“Where’s Qingying? Didn’t she co with you?”
“She…” Shen Shuanglian hesitated.
Chen Yin frowned.
“What happened to her?”
“N-nothing,” Shen Shuanglian said quickly. “She’s fine. But Master Yu Ling said… she’s the only Chosen One left among us. So she hid her away, to protect her from the Upper Realm.”
Chen Yin paused, then chuckled softly.
He had almost forgotten about Qingying’s System.
Unlike the others, her System was relatively harmless, even friendly. It provided her with both protection and companionship.
But now that he knew the true nature of the Heavenly Dao Fragnts,
There was no need for her System to remain.
The Systems themselves probably didn’t even know their true purpose. They were just tools created by the Upper Realm.
So were even quite likeable, like Senior Sister’s, Luo Luo’s, and Luo Qiaoqiao’s.
But others, like Xiang’er’s, were malicious and dangerous. Or, like Feng Xiangling’s a thousand years ago, actively colluding with the Upper Realm.
But even now, Chen Yin didn’t fully understand what the Heavenly Dao Fragnts were.
The Upper Realm called them “bait,” but the power and abilities they possessed seed far too complex and unpredictable to be controlled by anyone.
Perhaps he would find out the truth when he ascended.
“With the Triennial Day approaching, it’s ti to deal with that loose end.”
“I’ll go find Qingying. You can start eating.”
Shen Shuanglian nodded silently and sat down at the table.
But she didn’t eat. She just watched him.
Chen Yin walked towards the door, then stopped and turned back.
He walked over to Shen Shuanglian, leaned down, and kissed her gently on the forehead.
“A reward for being a good girl.”
Shen Shuanglian’s eyes lowered shyly, then she looked up at him, her cheeks flushed.
“Then… tonight…”
“Don’t worry,” Chen Yin smiled, “I won’t make you wait again.”
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