The moon was bright and the stars were sparkling. In the sky thousands of feet high, a boat floated above the clouds like a flying fish, heading westward, while the mountains below were like rolling curtains on both sides.
On the open platform at the front of the boat, two women were drinking tea and playing chess under the stars and the moon, with large melon seed shells scattered around them.
Tong Zilan placed a chess piece down, then looked up at Si Xuanji, who was sitting cross-legged on the chair across the table, eating melon seeds. After a while, she said, "Immortal Red Moon, I have never found a chance to thank you before. If you hadn't taken action in the Heavenly Harmony Hall , I would have died."
Si Xuanji propped up her cheek, squinting. "The hero Xuanji said, you're welcome."
Tong Zilan laughed softly and replied flatteringly, "To be honest, before meeting you, I had never thought that you were actually so approachable. I always thought that you would be the kind of person majestic as a phoenix, how could I have thought..."
"How could you have thought of what? How could you have thought that I looked like a small radish?"
"Well... although the face is childish, it also has a beautiful and mature look."
"Eh---" Si Xuanji waved her hand with a sigh. "It's a pity that this youthful face can't attract Mr. Ye's heart."
This sounded like a joke, but not quite.
Tong Zilan felt a little embarrassed when she heard this.
In the past ten days since she set out from Heavenly Gate City , she had been secretly observing the situation between Ye Anping and Si Xuanji.
At first, she thought Ye Anping was Si Xuanji's direct disciple, and that's why she doted on him.
But after observing more, she found something was wrong.
If Ye Anping was her personal disciple, why didn't he know Si Xuanji's true identity?
Moreover, Si Xuanji often climbed on him...
However, despite this strange behavior, she still couldn't believe Si Xuanji would fall in love with Ye Anping. This was impossible to happen according to common sense.
Tong Zilan laughed awkwardly. "You're joking, Immortal Matriarch. If you really want to win Mr. Ye's heart, then all you have to do is confess your identity to him. How would he dare to reject your favor?"
Si Xuanji shook her head. "Wouldn't that be coercion? That's not good..."
"..."
Si Xuanji cracked some melon seeds and looked up at the Reverse Star that was accompanying the moon in the sky. "Lady Tong, I want to hear your thoughts."
"What do you mean..."
"Well... how can you determine a subject to forever remain loyal and devoted to the master without any rebellious intention?"
Tong Zilan thought for a while, then answered, "Naturally, it should be done according to the person's mindset, giving them what they desire most. If someone is seeking fame and fortune, give them fame and fortune. If someone wants money, give them money... As long as the person is satisfied, they will follow you wholeheartedly."
"It makes sense, but here's the problem."
Si Xuanji twisted the chess piece between her fingers with a bitter look. "This kid Ye is too indifferent as if he had lived for thousands of years. I have seen many people of his age, and most are full of vigor and vitality, pursuing fame, wealth, power, and sex. If you give these people some benefits, they will shine. But this kid wants nothing. I don't know what to give him to tie him down."
Tong Zilan was a little confused. "Do you want to tie Young Master Ye down?"
"Just in case. What if he is compelled by someone one day in the future to turn against me? What should I do then?"
Hearing this, Tong Zilan raised her eyebrows. She looked at Si Xuanji's eyes with some disbelief. After a moment of silence, she asked, "Are you wary of Master Ye?"
"Is it strange?" Si Xuanji narrowed her eyes and tilted her head, sighing. "The person represented by the Reverse Star , as far as I'm concerned, is the unknown. How can I not be afraid of this unknown?"
" Reverse Star ... I think you are worrying too much, Matriarch."
"It would be better if I worried for nothing, but I'm afraid that's not the case. Throughout the ages, loyal servants killed their masters while rebels protected their masters. Who can guarantee that this kid Ye will not become an ungrateful person in the future and cast me aside?"
Tong Zilan nodded in agreement. "So, you pretended to be the sister of Young Miss Xiao to get close to Master Ye?"
"I am doing this because I want him to feel closer to me. It would be great if he could treat me as a good friend and confidant. The relationship between the master and his followers can never be better than that between friends and confidants."
Si Xuanji looked at the chessboard, seeming to be in a dilemma. "Well, I originally planned to betroth Yunluo to him. In this way, if he deviates from the norm in the future, she could stop him. Unfortunately..."
"Young Miss Xiao doesn't want to?"
"No, it's a pity that the girl is not up to the task." Si Xuanji let out a long breath, a little depressed. "I brought the meat to her mouth, but she still bit the wrong place."
Tong Zilan laughed at her words and shook her head. "Love can't be rushed."
Si Xuanji sighed lightly before putting down the chess piece. "Enough talk. Just take it as me venting out to you. It's your turn."
Tong Zilan nodded and made a move in response.
Ta--
...
On the first floor of the boat, a candle was lit in the room by the stern. Ye Anping, in a plain green robe, sat cross-legged at the table by the window. Concentrating his mind, he circulated his spiritual energy through the meridians in his body again and again.
After sending Liang Zhu and the others back to the Hundred Lotus Sect, he would have to start preparing for the Core Formation stage.
And these preparations should start as early as possible.
But other than preparing for the Core Formation , Ye Anping was also preparing for the yang energy settlement after the Imperial Sect incident by concentrating his energy at this moment.
Although he was not sure whether the settlement of his golden finger was correlated with the cultivation level of the people he killed, if that was the case, the experience of killing a cultivator in the Void Returning stage should be absolutely out of the ordinary.
He had been a little worried these days, wondering if his yang energy would erupt at any moment, without giving him time to find his sister, and would just make him explode on the spot.
While concentrating his energy and calming his mind, Ye Anping suddenly heard a sound coming from outside the room. His ears moved slightly, and the next moment, there was a knock on the door.
Knock knock---
"Ye... Ye Anping, it's me."
"Come in, Sister Xiao."
Squeak---
Xiao Yunluo pushed the door and walked into the room shyly.
She was only wearing a very thin dress, her long lavender hair draped behind her, with a few drops of water hanging on it. The moment she entered, she filled the room with a faint floral scent.
Seeing Ye Anping sitting cross-legged in meditation, Xiao Yunluo pursed her lips and did not disturb him. Instead, she quietly bolted the door and casually glanced around.
Then, as if by coincidence, she walked to the side of the single bed in the room, sat down, and lightly scratched the ground with her toes.
Finally, Ye Anping collected the spiritual energy flowing through the meridians back into his abdomen and stood up. Turning around and seeing Xiao Yunluo's squirm, he was stunned for a moment before realizing...
---It's been a month.
When serving Xiao Yunluo that night, he casually mentioned that if she wanted him to serve her, she could do it anytime, but no more than once a month.
Now, it had been exactly one month, and even the hour was the same. It seemed that Xiao Yunluo had been thinking about this matter last night. She stayed up until now, waiting for the time to come, and knocked on his door.
But although Ye Anping knew Xiao Yunluo's intention, he still pretended not to know. "Sister Xiao, what happened that you came here so late?"
"..."
Xiao Yunluo opened her mouth, not knowing how to say it. She felt that by saying directly that she was here to sleep with him, she would seem too horny.
"I... I just came to see you. You've been staying in your room these days."
"Well, I'm fine." Ye Anping slightly shrugged, then added, "Sister Xiao, you should go back to your room and rest. After returning to the sect, you will need to prepare for the Core Formation stage. It would help you to focus your energy and meditate before."
"...I know."
"Then, I'll continue to condense my energy. Sister Xiao, you can do the same."
Ye Anping smiled and walked back to sit on the mat. Seeing him like this, Xiao Yunluo finally couldn't hold back and raised her voice. "One month!!!"
"Eh?"
"It's... it's... one month! Last time... in bed..."
"So?"
"So..."
What the hell, how many hints do you need?!
Xiao Yunluo puffed out her cheeks and pouted in displeasure. Now, she understood that Ye Anping probably knew her intention when she entered the room, but he pretended not to know and teased her.
"Ye Anping!! You are so bad!!"
"Hehe..." Ye Anping smiled helplessly. "Sister Xiao, it would be better if you were more straightforward. This makes me embarrassed."
Xiao Yunluo pursed her lips and glared at Ye Anping, her cheeks as red as ripe apples, but then she spoke with her actions, slightly lifting her skirt and turning her head to glance to the side.
She had thought about it last night. She had removed everything she could in her room right now and had come here wearing only a thin white dress.
Ye Anping took a deep breath and silently walked to the bed. Wrapping his arm around her waist like last time, he let her sit on his lap, leaning against his chest.
Xiao Yunluo also relaxed at this moment, closed her eyes, and abandoned her body in Ye Anping's hands.
Ever since Ye Anping served her in the Heavenly Gate City last time, she had been looking forward to this day for the past month. Countless times, she wanted to touch herself but held back.
Today, she was going to indulge herself.
"Ye Anping, um... Lianxue said that every time you deal with something, your yang energy is acting out."
"Well, what about it?"
"Then, this time... do you want me to help you get rid of your excess? Lianxue is the one to help you get rid of your excess yang every time, she must be tired. In the future, Lianxue and I will take turns, right? You're my study companion, I have to take care of you."
Ye Anping was silent for a while, then said, "Sister Xiao, I don't think you can stand it."
Xiao Yunluo frowned when she heard this and immediately turned around and straddled him. She then pressed his shoulders with her hands, pushing him onto the bed. "Don't mind that I'm not as tall as Lianxue. I'm much more proficient in the art of dual cultivation than her. Hmph~"
"..."
As Xiao Yunluo said this, she pulled Ye Anping's belt, as if she wanted to strip him naked.
Ye Anping did not resist. He simply relaxed, lying on the bed and silently watching her.
After all, since Xiao Yunluo was entrusted to him by Si Xuanji, the matter of dual cultivation was also something that would happen sooner or later.
However, just as Xiao Yunluo was stripping Ye Anping, there was a knock on the door.
Knock knock---
Holding Ye Anping's clothes, Xiao Yunluo paused, and even her breathing stagnated for a moment.
"Brother, are you asleep?"
?!!
Xiao Yunluo's eyes widened, and she looked around in panic.
Squeak squeak squeak---
The door was pushed by Pei Lianxue from outside, making a series of grinding sounds. Fortunately, she had bolted the door when she entered the room just now. Otherwise, she would have been caught by Lianxue.
Now she quickly moved away from Ye Anping, looked around the room, and finally, her eyes stopped at the window, and ran toward it without a word.
Seeing her about to jump out of the window, Ye Anping got up in shock and pulled her back, whispering, "What are you doing?"
Xiao Yunluo calmed down a little after being pulled like this. This was not an inn. They were a thousand feet high in the sky. If she jumped, who knew where she might end up?
---"Brother? Why did you lock the door?"
Ye Anping looked at the door.
It was going to come to this anyway, so let's all sit down and have a nice talk.
Thinking like this, he walked over and prepared to unlock the door.
However, seeing Ye Anping go to open the door, Xiao Yunluo gasped and turned pale with fear. Spotting a place to hide under the bed, she lay down without saying a word, rolled under the bed, and tried to breathe as lightly as possible.
Squeak---
Ye Anping helplessly watched her hide under the bed. It seemed that it was not the right time for that chat, so he simply tidied up his clothes messed up by Xiao Yunluo and opened the door.
"Sister, what's wrong? It's so late..."
Same as Xiao Yunluo, Pei Lianxue was also wearing only a thin nightgown, with her hair down on her back and some water droplets hanging on it, as if she had just finished a bath.
She entered the room and looked around. "Brother, why did you lock the door?"
"Ah... no reason."
Pei Lianxue looked at Ye Anping suspiciously, then walked to the bed and sat down, patting the bedboard. "Brother, I'm afraid that your yang energy will suddenly burst out at night, so I came to accompany you."
Ye Anping felt a little embarrassed. He glanced at the bottom of the bed and walked over. "It's okay. This bed is small, and your room is next door. If there's any problem, I'll come over."
Pei Lianxue puffed up her cheeks in complaint. "It's not just that. Brother, it's been a month."
"..."
"I held back because there was something important to do but now it's okay." Pei Lianxue pulled Ye Anping by the hand to sit next to her, frowning. "Hurry up now!"
Ye Anping was a little embarrassed. He didn't know if he should say something about Xiao Yunluo who was under the bed, but at this moment, he could see the small fire flickering in his sister's amber eyes.
---Little sister was very hungry!
"Sister, this... how about tomorrow?"
"No! Today! Now! Immediately!!"
Pei Lianxue pouted and rolled onto the bed. "By the way, when I was chatting with Yunluo earlier, she taught me..."
"? What?"
Pei Lianxue narrowed her eyes and smiled, lying on the bed and sticking her butt up like a cat stretching. Then, she turned her head and looked back, saying, "This!"
"Hiss---"
Ye Anping opened his mouth slightly and his gaze slowly shifted toward his feet.
---Xiao Yunluo, what did you teach my sister?!
He sighed, and like when he was a child, he gently pinched Pei Lianxue's butt, then smiled and replied, "Even if today..."
However, before he finished speaking, Ye Anping felt his chest throb violently, and at the same time, a wave of heat quickly spread from his abdomen throughout his body.
Even without using his spiritual sense to investigate, he knew what was going on.
"At this time? Hiss---"
Pei Lianxue looked at the veins popping on Ye Anping's forehead and understood what was happening. She quickly grabbed his hand and pulled him onto the bed, pressing him underneath her. With a confident voice, she said, "Brother, leave it to me!!"