Mentor Yu Xuan jumped right in to help. Yan Zhen offered to lend a hand but got shooed out. So he gathered his clothes and headed to the bathhouse for a soak.
Autumn had brought a chill, so the bath used hot water now. Yan Zhen found it lukewarm and circulated his Mystic Power to heat it up further.
In an unusually serene mood, Yan Zhen exhaled a puff of hot breath and closed his eyes contentedly.
The Mystic Power within him began to boil. The medicinal power of the Minor Yuan Pill, combined with the ambient spiritual energy, propelled his breakthrough.
When Yan Zhen opened his eyes again, his cultivation had advanced once more—to the Nine-Star Mystic Practitioner stage.
“I didn’t expect to break through while taking a bath. That’s so weird.”
He sensed his Spiritual Power had strengthened a bit too. Curious, Yan Zhen released his spiritual sense—and caught familiar voices from outside.
His spiritual sense used to only let him “see.” Now it could “hear” as well. It had definitely improved; his Divine Soul realm had advanced from Hidden Realm Entry to Hidden Realm Early Stage.
At Hidden Realm Mid Stage, it would gain another sense. At Perfection, all five would be complete—one sweep revealing everything seen, heard, smelled, tasted, and touched.
Of course, he could also infuse just one sense at a time.
But the conversation outside was rather intriguing—
“Coming out with you was definitely the right call, Mi Xue’er. What are you up to?”
“I’m going in to scrub Little Brother Yan Zhen’s back. Stay out of my way, you Xiao girl!”
“Mi Xue’er, have you lost your mind?”
“You’re the crazy one. This young miss is perfectly clear-headed. Little Brother Yan Zhen leaves tomorrow and won’t be back for a while. Before he goes, I want to do something for him. Got a problem?”
“Didn’t we agree to prepare a big meal together for him?”
“Xiao Xinyan, are you really that dense or just playing dumb? The group’s share is the group’s. My personal share is mine. Meng’er and Ruyu have probably already geared up to serve him tonight. During training, Mentor Yu Xuan must’ve shared some heartfelt words or done something memorable for him. And here we are, empty-handed, getting totally outshone—and you’re clueless about it. With that attitude, you think you can win Little Brother Yan Zhen’s favor?”
“I-I never said I wanted—”
“—Stop, stop, stop. One tsundere like Ruyu is plenty. No time for your excuses. Outta the way, outta the way. Any slower, and Little Brother Yan Zhen will be done washing.”
“W-Wait!”
“What now?”
“I-I’m coming in too.”
“Xiao Xinyan, are you deliberately picking a fight with me? What if two of us scare Little Brother Yan Zhen off?”
“Hmph, you by yourself would send him running. Didn’t Yan Meng’er and Yan Ruyu do it as a pair just fine?”
“Emmm, okay, you’ve got a point… Fine, we’ll team up this once. But inside, you follow my lead!”
“As if I’d listen to you.”
“Hey!”
Click. The changing room door opened, followed by the rustle of clothes being shed—clearly, they were stripping.
Yan Zhen’s scalp tingled. He quickly scanned the bathhouse. No hiding spots anywhere.
Should he duck into the Crystal Stone Space? But showing up before Beautiful Master like this would be mortifying beyond words, and explaining it would be a nightmare.
Through the door, Mi Xue’er and Xiao Xinyan’s banter continued drifting in:
“Tie that bath towel tighter. Don’t let it slip—nobody wants to see such a scrawny figure.”
“Who’s scrawny? Mine’s above average. And yours isn’t any better!”
“At least my face is prettier than yours, and my skin’s whiter and more supple~”
“I… Hmph, pretty vase!”
“Who’re you calling a vase? My cultivation will catch up to yours soon enough, you petty jerk!”
“With your Mickey Mouse chest? Dream on!”
The two of them traded hushed barbs as they pushed open the bathroom door. Then Mi Xue’er lit up like she’d flipped a switch, her voice joyful.
“Ta-da! Little Brother Yan Zhen, big sis is coming in—huh?”
No response.
The two girls looked more closely. There was Yan Zhen, soaking in the bath and leaning against the pool’s edge, his breathing steady and quiet.
Had he… fallen asleep?
Wrapped only in their bath towels, their bare feet padding softly against the floor, they drew nearer to inspect him. Yan Zhen was indeed asleep—a cute little bubble even formed at the tip of his nose, expanding and contracting rhythmically with each breath.
Of course, Yan Zhen wasn’t really asleep. He was just pretending.
Eyes shut tight, feigning utter ignorance—what could Mi Xue’er and Xiao Xinyan possibly do to him while he was “asleep,” right?
“Looks like Mentor Yu Xuan’s training really wore him out.”
“Little Brother Yan Zhen’s sleeping face is adorable. I just want to pop that little bubble~”
“Hey, what do you think you’re doing?”
“I was only joking. You’re the one—keep it down. Such a petty heart, but such a loud mouth.”
“You know exactly whose mouth is loud.”
“I’m done talking to you.”
“So what now? We can’t wake him up.”
“Ahem, leave this to me. You head out.”
“Yeah, right! If I go, you’ll do whatever you please with him!”
“Then watch all you want. I don’t mind.”
With that, Mi Xue’er undid her bath towel right in front of Xiao Xinyan and slipped her naked body into the pool.
“Wait a second, Mi Xue’er! You—you’re not planning to take advantage of him while he’s—have you no shame?”
Xiao Xinyan’s face burned crimson. Though she kept her voice low, her tone was fierce with anxiety.
Mi Xue’er shot a glance at her rival.
“What are you blabbering about? I just want Little Brother Yan Zhen to sleep more comfortably.”
She stretched out her slender, pale arm and drew Yan Zhen’s waist toward her. With the water’s buoyancy doing the work, she guided his head to rest lightly atop her full, ample bosom.
“The stones at the bottom of this bath are so hard. This has to be way more comfortable.”
Hearing Petty Senior Sister’s words nearly broke Yan Zhen’s act, but it seemed Senior Sister Xue’er had no other intentions. That put him slightly at ease.
Still, pretending to sleep pillowed on a young woman’s breasts was a serious test of his self-control. He just couldn’t let them catch on.
“You’ve hogged him all to yourself. What about me?”
“Go on out. Or just stand there and watch.”
“No chance.”
Xiao Xinyan gritted her teeth, let her own towel fall, and stepped into the pool. Gazing at Yan Zhen “asleep” in Mi Xue’er’s arms, a faint smile touched her lips. She murmured,
“Just hold him for a bit, then it’s my turn.”
“No swaps.” Mi Xue’er pulled a fierce expression. “Hurry up and leave. Don’t ruin my quality time with Little Brother Yan Zhen!”
Xiao Xinyan frowned, ready to argue further, when something perking up out of the water suddenly drew her eye.
How could he have a reaction even in his sleep? Perplexed, a suspicion flickered through her mind: Is he awake?
“Hey, what are you staring at? Pervert!” Mi Xue’er hurriedly covered it with her hand. “Don’t you dare look again, or you’ll get a sty!”
Xiao Xinyan’s heart pounded wildly. Ignoring Mi Xue’er for once, she silently shifted her gaze away.
Yan Zhen was mortified enough to want to sink into the earth, but with things as they were, he could only keep up the pretense.
