Yan Zhen arrived in the main hall to find everyone there—even Aunt Mu had shown up.
“Sister Ji Ya, is everything prepared?”
Ji Ya nodded lightly.
“It’s all here, Little Brother Yan Zhen. Take a look and see if anything’s missing.”
She handed him a storage ring.
Yan Zhen took the storage ring and checked its contents, confirming everything was in order.
“Since we’re all set, let’s go to the bath chamber.”
The group headed to the bath chamber.
The pool had been refilled—not with hot water, but cold.
Yan Zhen retrieved three Ice Crystal Stones radiating biting chill from the storage ring and tossed them into the pool. The Ice Mystic Force stored within released into the water on contact, instantly turning the clear pool into near-freezing icy liquid.
Next, he added some strange minerals, quickly tinting the water a faint blue.
Once finished, Yan Zhen scooped up a handful of water, carefully tasting it with the tip of his sensitive tongue. Satisfied, he nodded and pulled a bottle of Snow Fluorescence Dew from the ring, handing it to Ji Ya.
“Sister Ji Ya, rub this all over your body, then soak for half an hour. It’ll help you absorb and lock in the Ice Mystic Force from the pool. That way, it won’t hurt as much when I infuse my Extreme Flame Mystic Power into you.”
Ji Ya took the little bottle with a nod of understanding.
Yan Zhen scratched his cheek, trying to act natural.
“I’m gonna take a quick bath too, get myself clean… When you’re done, Sister Ji Ya, just come out as you are—no need to dress. I’ll be waiting on the bed.”
Hearing him say it aloud made Ji Ya’s cheeks finally flush faintly.
“Sister understands.”
“Mm, I’ll head out first. Mind if I borrow the bathtub in the room?”
Yan Zhen avoided returning to Ji Ya’s boudoir. Instead, he filled the bathtub with hot water himself, stripped down, and slipped in to wash his body.
Thank goodness the Beautiful Female Master stayed so professional during dual cultivation. Not like Mentor Yu Xuan, who loved leaving hickeys all over him.
Sister Ji Ya still had half an hour. Yan Zhen wasn’t rushed. He leaned back against the tub’s edge, closed his eyes, and relaxed.
Truth be told, even after two practice runs, he was still a bit nervous. This was serious business—one mistake could cost Sister Ji Ya her life, fail the system task, and force a reset.
He’d never used System-chan’s restart function and had no idea how it worked. If it reset just the key plot, fine. But if it wiped everything from the start? That would suck.
On top of that, his nerves stemmed from the body fusion dual cultivation itself.
Doing it with his dear big sister felt oddly off, and he couldn’t commit to her right away.
Unless he waited until the script ended and the world stabilized before marrying her properly.
That was over a decade away. Would she wait that long?
In the script, his big sister never married, but she seemed to have someone in mind—someone Yan Zhen had met, though only mentioned in passing, never appearing before her good little brother.
What a pain~
But he had to buck up.
After all, he’d been through multiple rounds with the Beautiful Female Master and his cousin sisters, and Mentor Yu Xuan treated him like dessert on the regular. He was no rookie anymore. He couldn’t look bad in front of this newbie, Sister Ji Ya. He had to guide her smoothly through the treatment!
“Don’t overthink it. Just rest up and gather your strength. After all, the treatment will take a full hour.”
With that thought, Yan Zhen gradually grew drowsy and soon slipped into dreamland.
“…”
“Yan Zhen, wake up.”
Some time later, Yan Zhen stirred awake. Blinking his eyes open, he saw Yi Xian’er standing there.
“Xian’er, has Sister Ji Ya come out yet?”
“She’s already waiting on the bed.”
“I’ll head over right now.”
Yan Zhen scooped up a handful of water from the bath bucket and splashed it over his face. Then he stood, only to notice Yi Xian’er staring fixedly at him without moving a muscle.
He hurriedly covered his private parts. Yi Xian’er calmly turned and walked away at the sight.
This Yi Xian’er… Yan Zhen couldn’t shake the feeling that she had designs on his body, but it seemed like more than that. Something about her was just off.
Yan Zhen circulated his Fire Mystic Power to evaporate the moisture from his skin. He skipped his usual Long-Trunked Little Elephant Boxer Shorts and slipped straight into a fresh night robe.
He would have to take it out soon enough, after all—this would be far more convenient.
After checking his reflection in the mirror to ensure he looked presentable, Yan Zhen stepped out from behind the screen and approached the massive bed, easily big enough for five or six people.
The bright red gauze curtains had already been drawn, and in the lamplight, they cast the alluring silhouette of a beautiful figure.
From the outline alone, he could tell Good Big Sister had followed his instructions and emerged without donning her nightclothes.
The Twin Bodyguards stood side by side beside the bed, sharing a single lollipop and licking it in tandem. Aunt Mu sat at the bed’s entrance, her legs crossed and arms folded across her chest, her full, mature curves pressing down the edge of the gauze curtain.
The problem was that all three women were dressed in nightclothes as well—quite provocative styles, no less.
Spotting Yan Zhen approaching, Aunt Mu rose silently and stepped aside.
“Eldest Miss’s condition is in your hands now, little one.”
Yan Zhen nodded firmly.
“Rest assured, Aunt Mu. I’ll give it everything I’ve got and cure Sister Ji Ya!”
He reached for the curtain to lift it, then hesitated and asked weakly,
“Aunt Mu, and you two bodyguard sisters… aren’t you going to step out?”
Aunt Mu shook her head with an impassive expression.
“I, Jin Tong, and Yu Nu will stay right here the entire time. It’s for the Miss’s safety—I hope you understand.”
She paused, then added,
“If you need any help, we can assist. Ahem—I’ve already had them practicing.”
Yan Zhen glanced at the Twin Bodyguards and immediately understood why they were sharing a single lollipop. He had assumed it was just sisterly bonding, but no—they were practicing how to serve!
He blurted out in a panic,
“No need for that! Just leave it to me.”
“It’s just in case,” Aunt Mu replied. “Eldest Miss has a Cauldron Constitution. If you Open her Cauldron, she might not hold out until the end.”
Surely they didn’t need to go that far? Yan Zhen itched to say as much, but her resolute attitude made it clear it would fall on deaf ears.
Aunt Mu was an elder, after all, and Yan Zhen had no grounds to shoo her away. Steeling himself, he lifted the curtain and slipped inside.
The moment he did, Yan Zhen froze in place. There on the bed, besides Sister Ji Ya, sat another person.
“Xian’er, wh-what are you doing here?”
Yi Xian’er wore a light tube top dress and sat in an easy squat beside Ji Ya.
“Didn’t I say? I’m here to be your assistant.”
“Uh…”
Yan Zhen had nearly forgotten about that. Right—he had agreed to let her help, but he had meant as an assistant for the medicine pool method. What kind of assistant did one need for Body Fusion Dual Cultivation? Someone to give a push from behind? Don’t make him laugh!
