Hiss~~ Meow~~~ Meow~~~
It was late at night, but cat calls and meows came from outside the window. It was probably some demon cat dating her lover in the dark alley.
The guests in the Jade Sand Pavilion gradually left. The waiters in the lobby also tidied up the tables and chairs and sealed the doors and windows with wooden boards.
In the utility room at the back, Ye Anping sat cross-legged on a straw mat, looking through the crack of the half-opened old window at the night sky sprinkled with light yellow sand. He couldn't help but feel a chill on his spine and shuddered.
He seemed to see a girl standing in front of the window a thousand miles away, looking at him through the same night sky.
That small round face was definitely bulging like a little bun at this moment, and the pea pod-like eyebrows above the yin-yang eyes should be tightly knitted.
"After we go back, how long will it take to coax her? Sigh..."
Ye Anping shook his head helplessly as he closed the window with a slight flick of his finger. He stopped thinking about Si Xuanji and shifted his attention to the next plan.
He took out the map that he had already marked out from his storage bag and lit a spirit stone lamp to check it.
Several locations on the map were circled and their order was marked-- Heavenly Gate City , Water Dragon Inn , Yellow Dragon Ridge ...
Ye Anping's eyes swept across the locations on the map, and in his mind emerged scenes of dangerous places and desert haze.
According to the information provided by the spy sent by Li Longling at the Great Wall, the demonic cultivators had sent out the second wave of scouts to explore the city defense formation ten days ago.
Ye Anping roughly estimated that he only had one month left.
In other words, within a month, he had to bring the team to Heavenly Gate City , capture Xue Tianqiao, and frame the demonic cultivators for this. After that, he had to arrive at the easternmost part of the Central Region , the Eastern Great Wall.
If they were a step late, the Justice Division and the Yun family might simply find their end.
However, the Central Region spanned nearly ten thousand miles. Even if they traveled at full speed, it would take them twenty-five to twenty-six days to reach the Eastern Wall from Jade Pass .
"Apart from the time for traveling, there are only five days for rest? It's a bit tight..."
Ye Anping frowned slightly, feeling an inexplicable pressure in his heart. Five days was actually not a big problem, but the premise was not to encounter any unexpected situations on the way there.
For example, running into Gu Mingxin in advance...
That was why Ye Anping was now fully concentrating on optimizing his plan, figuring out which things could be simplified and which things were redundant...
He was so focused that he didn't even notice when the door behind him was pushed open by a small hand.
Squeak---
Two lavender eyes scanned the room through the crack in the door, then Xiao Yunluo tiptoed inside and walked toward Ye Anping, who had his back to her.
Just as she raised her hands and wanted to hug Ye Anping from behind, Ye Anping felt the aura behind him. He sighed silently and turned toward her.
"Yunluo, we're on a mission..."
Seeing that she had been discovered, Xiao Yunluo was a little embarrassed. She put her hands behind her back, but after thinking for a while, she raised her eyebrows and retorted. "Anping, am I just a lecherous girl in your mind who only has that kind of thing in her head? I just came to see you..."
She put on the rarely used stance as the Young Miss of the Black Star Sect, with her arms crossed and her head tilted. "It's obviously you who's been thinking about those things... Humph~"
?
Oh, so you're blaming me...
Ye Anping raised an eyebrow, sizing up Xiao Yunluo's flimsy white robe. Then, he raised his sword finger and summoned a breeze with his spiritual energy.
The breeze brushed Xiao Yunluo's skirt, causing her to hastily bend her knees and press down. "You... what are you doing?"
"Well... Then, why aren't you wearing underwear?"
"I..."
Xiao Yunluo was speechless, and it took her a while before finding an excuse. "I just took a bath..."
"..."
Seeing that she had been seen through, Xiao Yunluo blushed. "Well... Anyway, you already have excessive yang energy and are at your most vigorous age, but you only practiced dual cultivation with me a few times in the past few months..."
Xiao Yunluo walked to Ye Anping and sat beside him, gently pulling his sleeve. "We are a cultivator couple, you don't have to hold it back... If you want to, just tell me or Lianxue. Every time it's me and Lianxue who take the initiative to come to you. Not once have you taken the initiative."
"I've been busy running around in all sorts of places these years."
"Even if you're on a mission, you shouldn't hold it back..." Xiao Yunluo twirled her hair around her fingers. "And I've never seen such a cold husband with so many beauties around him. If someone else had a cultivation partner as good-looking as me or Lianxue, then they would never get tired of dual cultivating with their partner, even every day..."
Speechless, Ye Anping sighed. "Yunluo, I think you've read too much of the ' Immortal Palace Erotic Pictures '."
Xiao Yunluo replied weakly, "The more I read, the more you enjoy it..."
"?"
Xiao Yunluo's face instantly turned red, and she shook her head, slapping the back of Ye Anping's head with her hair. "Anping, the Young Lady of the Black Star Sect is willing to serve you, why are you not happy?"
"It's not that I'm not happy, it's just that..."
Ye Anping was unable to refute her. He turned his head and looked at Xiao Yunluo's shy face, however, his mind reflected another image of her in front of the Black Star Sect's inner disciples.
In the past few months, he had really taken on the responsibility of accompanying her to study. When the Elders were in class, he helped Xiao Yunluo grind ink and practice calligraphy, or when she was practicing sword, he waited beside her.
He didn't know if Xiao Yunluo wanted to show off to him or if she was like that just in front of the Black Star Sect Elders.
During the academy class, whenever Elder Wang or Mr. Qi asked questions or chose someone to recite, Xiao Yunluo was always the most active one raising her hand to answer.
When Elder Qin of the Heavenly Cloud Peak was teaching sword techniques and needed someone to exemplify the techniques or serve as a sparring partner, Xiao Yunluo was the first one to step forward.
In the previous written and sword examinations, the Elders had given her higher marks than Pei Lianxue and Feng Yu Die.
Many inner disciples of the Black Star Sect looked up to Xiao Yunluo, their Young Lady, and had great respect for her. When they met her, they would respectfully lower their heads, cup their hands, and call out respectfully. "Greetings Young Miss Xiao!"
She was such a serious and dignified Young Lady, even majestic although she was not tall. However, under her pillow, in her bedroom, there was a pile of indecent books that could not be read in the elegant parlors...
Thinking of this, Ye Anping somehow felt like laughing and asked, "Yunluo, do Mr. Qi, Elder Qin, and the others know that you like to read the ' Immortal Palace Erotic Pictures '?"
?
Xiao Yunluo flinched, then pinched him. "You... did you tell the Elders..."
Ye Anping shook his head. "If you don't focus on cultivation and only think about these messy things, isn't it a disgrace?!"
"It's not that... I'm like that only in front of you. I'm also a girl, and you're my cultivation partner..."
Xiao Yunluo held Ye Anping's arm and shook it, saying, "Anping~~Just satisfy your cultivation partner... or you lie down and I'll do it myself?"
Seeing that she was about to cry, Ye Anping sighed again and suddenly thought of Feng Yu Die in the game.
How did she change from a devoted and simple girl to a lustful person with many concubines?
He couldn't follow in the footsteps of that Feng Yu Die.
But...
Ye Anping looked at Xiao Yunluo again.
The lavender watery eyes stared at his face while a drop of sweat fell from her ear to her cheek, then condensed on her chin, before dripping into the slightly open collar. Her cherry lips pouted and slightly parted...
"Anping..."
"..."
Ye Anping simply twisted his body and pushed her shoulders...
"Hey~~"
"Yunluo, we're going to the Eastern Great Wall this time. There are many things to do along the way, and it's very urgent..."
"I know. I went to your room and read your plan." Xiao Yunluo blushed and relaxed her body. "Anping, you should relax too. I see that you have been quite irritable during the past few days of traveling. It must be because of the Great Wall..."
"We're in a hurry. From Jade Pass to the Great Wall, we still have to go to Heavenly Gate City . It'll take us twenty-five to twenty-six days just to travel on our swords. However, there's only about one month before demonic cultivators will take action."
Xiao Yunluo untied the knot on Ye Anping's belt, pursed her lips, and timidly replied, "Then, hurry up~ Lianxue will finish her bath soon and find that I'm not there, then she'll definitely come to catch me..."
?
Ye Anping was taken aback. "I'm talking to you about something serious."
Xiao Yunluo shifted her gaze. "It's not like I didn't let you say it..."
Ye Anping sighed helplessly, then held his breath and leaned closer to her face.
Puff~~~
"Hey..."
"Yunluo, do you still remember what the Demon King called you before?"
"Hmm~ Black dragon... or something..."
"Did you ask Mr. Qi about this later?"
"Yes... I asked..." Xiao Yunluo bit her lower lip, her eyes gradually becoming blurred. "Mr. Qi said... uhh... he said it's a dragon with a pure bloodline and is a true dragon... uhm..."
"You are the daughter of a true dragon."
"I'm a true dragon..." Xiao Yunluo tilted her head slightly as if her mind was a little unclear. "Anping, am I a dragon?"
"Hmm..."
"Am I your dragon?"
?
Ye Anping felt that Xiao Yunluo did not listen at all. He raised a finger and probed. "Uh... Yunluo, can you see how many fingers there are?"
"One... what's wrong? Um..."
"Are you really listening?"
"I'm listening..."
Ye Anping felt a little helpless. He moved his body and asked, "Then, why aren't you surprised at all?"
"Should I be surprised... hmm... if I'm a dragon, then I can't be your cultivation partner? Or, Anping, you don't like dragons... how cool are dragons?"
"Forget it..." Ye Anping simply gave up. "I'll tell you when you calm down..."
"I'm very calm now..."
"Your face is almost cooked, and you still say you're calm?"
Xiao Yunluo pouted slightly, her two small hands shaped like kittens' claws gently pressing on his chest.
"That's not it... You talk, I listen, I'm really listening..."
"I won't say anything."
"...You're bad!"
Ye Anping raised her chin with his finger and laughed.
"You know I'm bad, but you still cling to me like this?"
"...Who let you be so handsome?"
"...Yunluo, you are a black dragon. You shouldn't indulge in such things..."
Xiao Yunluo was stunned and didn't know how to answer. She opened her mouth and called out. "Ow~~"
"?"
Xiao Yunluo tilted her head. "Hmm? Is that a black dragon sound?"
"Forget it..."
Ye Anping was speechless, so he stopped talking...
...
Hiss meow~~~ meow~~~
In her room, Feng Yu Die took a bath, changed into close-fitting pajamas, and lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling with her eyes wide open.
She was exhausted after traveling for a few days, but the demon cat outside the window made her head buzz, and she couldn't rest peacefully.
Moreover, this empty room made her feel a little insecure.
The Jade Pass City was full of demonic beasts. When she first entered the city, she noticed that many beasts who were eating meat on the streets looked at them like hungry wolves.
She had asked Ye Anping if they should keep guard, but he said that she didn't have to worry about it as long as she didn't provoke them, and just ignored them.
Since Ye Anping had said it, she did not doubt it. After that, she did not pay attention anymore to those gazes along the way.
But...
Ye Anping was living in the backyard now. It was quite far from her room, at least fifty feet, right?
What if the beasts came to her room at night and wanted to eat her? What if she fell asleep and didn't realize it?
Feng Yu Die turned over again and covered her face with a pillow, but just as she closed her eyes, she felt a fox demon sneak into her room.
Swish---
With a jolt, Feng Yu Die hurriedly grabbed the sword by her side and stabbed out blindly into the room.
However, the room was still the same as before. The doors and windows were closed, and the lights were dim. There was no one but her...
"..."
At this time, a small golden head popped out from her forehead.
Xiao Tian stuck out half her body, frowned, and looked at Feng Yu Die. Seeing that she seemed to be frightened, she tilted her head. "Yu Die, what's wrong?"
"I had the feeling that a demonic beast entered my room just now, but..."
"Eh?"
Xiao Tian frowned in confusion. She quickly flew out through the ceiling and got out on the roof of Jade Sand Pavilion . She scanned the surroundings with her spiritual sense and saw that there were a few cat demons near the Core Formation stage in the alley. Other than the cats, there were no other beasts around.
Because Feng Yu Die's sixth sense had always been quite accurate, it was a little worrisome, so she looked around for a while longer.
However, she did not find any strange movement.
The orders of the Demon King were absolute for the Demon Clan . If the Demon King said that human cultivators were not to be eaten, even if these little beasts were starving, they would not dare to disobey their king.
Besides, there were not many beasts who liked to eat people.
One of the former owners who once possessed the Heavenly Dao Scroll was a demonic beast.
According to his records in the scroll, human flesh was sour and smelly to many beasts, and filled with the filth of the world. Only demons with underdeveloped taste buds would choose to eat humans if they could not find anything else to eat.
Xiao Tian thought for a while and suddenly remembered what happened between the Demon King and Feng Yu Die last time...
At that moment, that fox severed Yu Die's heart meridian with the sword, and she was lucky that Ye Anping arrived in time to save her.
After Feng Yu Die recuperated from her injury, she didn't mention it again, as if she had already forgotten about that incident.
But Xiao Tian recalled that when Yu Die returned to Master Taixu's cave, she was also very calm when she saw her master's golden cicada shell. She simply dug a pit to bury her, erected a monument, and left.
Maybe Yu Die just didn't care on the surface, or maybe she was slow on emotional issues.
After all, no matter how talented Yu Die was, she was just a girl who didn't even know how babies came to be.
Thinking about this, Xiao Tian quickly returned to the room. She found Feng Yu Die holding her sword and sitting at the foot of the bed, her eyes on high alert.
Seeing that Xiao Tian had returned, she quickly asked, "Xiao Tian, how is it? Are there any beasts watching me?"
"...Yu Die, are you still thinking about the matter of the Demon King cutting your heart meridian?"
Feng Yu Die hesitated, then shook her head slightly. "...No? Didn't Master Ye save me? With that seal..."
Xiao Tian came forward, touched her head, and asked with a smile, "Then, why don't you go to the backyard and practice the sword? It's close to Anping. Don't you feel safe with him by your side?"
"..."
Feng Yu Die hesitated for a while, looked at the dark room again, and nodded slightly. She jumped off the bed, picked up a robe, and put it on before jumping out of the window with the sword.
After crossing the roof of the opposite side, Feng Yu Die landed steadily in the backyard of the Jade Sand Pavilion .
However, as soon as she landed, she saw the door of Ye Anping's room opening from the inside.
Xiao Yunluo held onto the door frame and walked out shakily. "Anping, I'll go back by myself! It's fine!"
"...Are you really okay? Let me carry you back to your room..."
"It's okay..."
?
Feng Yu Die looked at them, tilting her head. "Sister Xiao, what's wrong with you?"
Neither Xiao Yunluo nor Ye Anping had noticed Feng Yu Die jumping down from the roof.
Xiao Yunluo flinched in fright when she heard the voice. However, she couldn't jump up and almost knelt on the ground.
"Se... Second idiot, why are you here instead of resting in the house?"
"Hehehe..." Feng Yu Die scratched the back of her head. "There's a cat outside that keeps yowling. I can't sleep, so I thought of coming to the backyard to review the sword techniques or something..."
As she spoke, Feng Yu Die glanced at Ye Anping standing at the door, and it was just as Xiao Tian said.
When she saw Ye Anping, her low mood instantly dissipated.
"Hey hehe..."
?
Seeing Feng Yu Die giggling at him foolishly, Ye Anping was confused but ignored her. "Yunluo, are you sure you don't need it? I think you..."
"It's okay!" Xiao Yunluo took a deep breath and straightened her body. "Don't underestimate me..."
Feng Yu Die looked in turn at the two in curiosity. "Sister Xiao, what's wrong with you?"
"Anping just taught me some methods, I'm just a little tired. I'm going back now!"
"Oh... leg training?"
"..."
Xiao Yunluo bit her lips and held her breath. She felt like she was about to leak liquid, so she quickly ran towards the lobby.
After watching her leave, Ye Anping let out a deep breath and looked at the Feng Yu Die. Then, he shifted his gaze to Xiao Tian floating above.
Xiao Tian obviously understood, and was now staring at him with a look of "Ye Tianchong".
Stare---
Ye Anping ignored her and looked at Feng Yu Die, scolding her. "Go back and rest. We won't stop to rest until we reach Heavenly Gate City , so go have a good sleep tonight."
"Ah, it's okay... I'll practice sword in the yard for a while. Master Ye, you just take a rest."
Xiao Tian sighed helplessly and floated to Ye Anping. "Anping, Yu Die wants you to accompany her... She is thinking of the Demon King. Now, the city is full of beasts, and she can't rest well."
Hearing this, Ye Anping turned his gaze back to Feng Yu Die and asked with his eyes, Really? Are you scared?
Feng Yu Die paused, then shifted her gaze and shook her head. No! Xiao Tian is just talking nonsense...
"Huh..." Ye Anping let out a long breath, hesitated for a while, and asked jokingly, "How about I knock you out?"
"Well..."
Feng Yu Die thought for a while. Then, she nodded and turned her back to Ye Anping. "Okay, be gentle~"
?
Ye Anping was joking, but he didn't expect her to take it seriously. He felt mixed emotions, but still walked up to her, pointed his sword finger at the center of her back, and sent his spiritual energy into her meridians.
Feng Yu Die only felt like someone pushed her from behind with a little force. She instantly felt sleepy and staggered for two steps, then turned around, and fell toward Ye Anping, but Ye Anping subconsciously dodged.
With a ' plop ', a cloud of dust flew...
"..."
Xiao Tian came over and looked down at Feng Yu Die lying on the ground. Then, she turned to look at Ye Anping with a frown. "Anping, why are you dodging? You should have caught her, she fainted!"
"...It was subconsciously." Ye Anping replied apologetically.
Looking at Feng Yu Die lying on the ground and seeming to be smiling in her dreams, he felt inexplicably tired and wondered why he felt sorry since it was clearly her who asked him to knock her out...
Probably because of the encounter with Yunluo, he felt that his mind was a little confused. After some consideration, he squatted down and carried Feng Yu Die on his shoulder, jumped back to her room from the roof, and placed her on the bed, covering her with a blanket.