Thus, when they took off from Greenwater Town, the flying skiff carried one extra passenger.
She sat in the back seat as well, sandwiching Yan Zhen between herself and Ji Ya.
Ji Ya felt a twinge of displeasure. This was supposed to be her private world with Yan Zhen alone, but Yi Xian’er had suddenly barged in, ruining her plans.
Though Ji Ya didn’t know when Yan Zhen had met Yi Xian’er in his previous life, one thing was certain: Yi Xian’er hadn’t been around as a third wheel when they headed to headquarters for dual cultivation treatment.
Differences from the previous life in other areas didn’t bother Ji Ya at all, but not this one.
This mattered because it concerned her future happiness.
With Yi Xian’er there, Ji Ya couldn’t cling to Yan Zhen, and Yi Xian’er naturally wouldn’t act so clingy in front of others either.
All three sat in the back seat, yet each maintained a subtle distance from the others.
Sandwiched in the middle, Yan Zhen felt like he was sitting on pins and needles. On one hand, he worried that Sister Ji Ya might resent him for bringing along an extra person without asking. On the other, he fretted that Yi Xian’er might leak that incriminating video.
Yi Xian’er, for her part, was somewhat puzzled.
In the previous life, Yan Zhen and Ji Ya hadn’t performed body fusion dual cultivation. Instead, they’d substituted it with a medicine pool. Why didn’t he know that now? Had Master Chen Xi failed to tell him?
In truth, Yi Xian’er knew the formula. That medicine pool worked for Gangsha Unity cultivation too, and Chen Xi was the one who’d provided it.
She simply hadn’t interfered with Ji Ya’s treatment in her previous life, so for now, she pretended ignorance.
Ji Ya’s attitude struck her as odd too. She seemed to have already fallen for Yan Zhen.
Logically, that shouldn’t have been possible. Their statuses and ages differed vastly—Ji Ya was a mature woman, while Yan Zhen was still a tender youth.
Yet Yi Xian’er noticed that the look in Ji Ya’s eyes when she gazed at Yan Zhen was no different from the previous life.
It appeared warm and doting on the surface, yet concealed a flicker of fervent desire and affection underneath.
In her heart, Ji Ya yearned to possess him even as she longed to be possessed by him, desperate to bridge that tantalizingly short distance between them—one so near, yet ultimately impossible to cross.
Because Yi Xian’er liked Yan Zhen too, she spotted it right away.
Ji Ya had fallen for him far too soon, just like Yi Xian’er herself.
In her previous life at this point, Yi Xian’er had been gnashing her teeth, eager to chop off Yan Zhen’s wandering, groping hand. Now, though, she was the one throwing herself into his arms.
She’d been reborn and wanted a deeper relationship with him, so of course she’d act this way.
Could Ji Ya have been reborn too—?
…
The three of them nursed their private thoughts.
Aunt Mu ignored the youngsters’ drama and focused on piloting the skiff.
As dusk neared, the flying skiff finally reached the royal capital of the Sunward Kingdom: Sunlight Ancient City.
Unlike other nations, the Sunward Kingdom’s king was a mere figurehead. True power rested with three major factions.
The Golden Jade Chamber of Commerce was one of them.
As such, Ji Ya’s private skiff soared straight into Sunlight Ancient City without interference from the gate guards.
Yan Zhen peered down through the porthole. The city sprawled vast and vibrant, far surpassing Martial Tang City or Silver Moon City in splendor.
Amid orderly clusters of buildings, a magnificent tower nearly a hundred meters tall loomed proudly, the words “Golden Jade Chamber of Commerce” gleaming across its facade.
The flying skiff circled above the headquarters before descending smoothly onto an open patch in the courtyard.
This was Ji Ya’s private courtyard, tucked deep in the rear residence. Serene and elegantly appointed with refined taste, it was usually home only to her, the twin bodyguards, Aunt Mu, and a handful of maids.
Once everyone disembarked, Ji Ya spoke up first.
“Sorry, Little Sister Xian’er. This courtyard of Sister’s wasn’t set up for guests, so there’s no spare room. You’ll have to make do with one of the maids’ quarters.”
Yi Xian’er didn’t care where she slept, but the wording irked her.
“What about Yan Zhen, then?”
Ji Ya took Yan Zhen’s hand without hesitation and smiled openly.
“Little Brother Yan Zhen will share a room with Sister.”
Yi Xian’er’s almond eyes narrowed; she was visibly displeased.
Yan Zhen hadn’t heard about this arrangement either.
“Sister Ji Ya, that doesn’t seem right, does it?”
Ji Ya pouted playfully.
“Little Brother Yan Zhen, don’t tell me you’ve forgotten. Sister mentioned it on the way here—we need a few days together first to get used to physical contact, so nothing goes wrong during the formal dual cultivation. Eating and sleeping together is the best way to do that.”
Not only sharing a room, but eating and sleeping together too?
Yi Xian’er’s beautiful eyes widened in shock. She hadn’t expected Ji Ya to scheme like this. She glanced at Yan Zhen, who scratched his head awkwardly.
“Well, you’re right… uh, okay then.”
The script’s treatment hadn’t involved body fusion dual cultivation, so Yan Zhen felt uncertain deep down. He feared something might go awry—failing the task on one hand, harming Sister Ji Ya on the other.
“Yan Zhen?”
Under Yi Xian’er’s stare, Yan Zhen shifted uncomfortably and defended himself.
“There’s no helping it.”
Ji Ya beamed, looping her arm through Yan Zhen’s, and waved breezily at Yi Xian’er.
“Then Sister will take Little Brother Yan Zhen to the room. You go with the servants and pick whichever you like. See you at dinner, Little Sister Xian’er~”
With that, Ji Ya led Yan Zhen toward her boudoir, the twin bodyguards and Aunt Mu trailing behind. Yi Xian’er stood alone, caught in the wind, utterly flustered.
This wasn’t Yan Zhen’s first time entering a young lady’s private chambers, but he’d never seen such lavish yet tasteful decor.
From the doors and windows to the carpets, from the furniture to the ornaments—everything exuded refined elegance without excess opulence. It perfectly captured Good Big Sister’s personal style.
“Little Brother Yan Zhen, what do you think? Like it? If there’s anything you’d change, Sister can have it redone right away.”
“No need—it’s perfect. After all, it’s Sister Ji Ya’s place.”
“Such a sweet talker~”
“It’s just a bit spacious. Doesn’t Sister feel lonely living here alone?”
“Not anymore, now that Little Brother Yan Zhen is here with me.”
Ji Ya gazed at him with eyes full of tender affection, setting Yan Zhen’s cheeks ablaze.
She giggled merrily.
“No more teasing. Let’s bathe first—Sister will show you to the bathroom.”
The bathroom lay just behind the room, even larger than the one Mi Xue’er had specially built, though it lacked a separate changing area.
The pool brimmed with steaming hot water, red petals drifting on the surface and filling the air with fragrance.
A grown man soaking in a flower-petal bath felt downright embarrassing, but trying it once in a while wasn’t so bad… Yan Zhen felt a thrill of excitement as he turned to Ji Ya.
“Then… I’ll go first, Sister Ji Ya?”
To his surprise, Ji Ya shook her head.
“What are you saying, Little Brother Yan Zhen? We’re washing together.”
“Ah?”
“Oh, come on—the formal dual cultivation will be far more intimate than this. If you can’t handle a shared bath, how will we manage body fusion dual cultivation?”
“This…”
“No ifs or buts. Sister’s shy too, you know.” Ji Ya nibbled her lip and leaned close to his ear, pleading softly. “Be a good little brother and don’t make it hard for Sister, okay?”
Yan Zhen couldn’t withstand such gentle persuasion. His face burned crimson as he nodded.
Ji Ya’s smile bloomed anew.
“Sister will help you undress—now spread your arms.”
