Yan Zhen’s heart stirred, and he turned back around.
“What’s wrong?”
Yun Xiu naturally felt sorry for him.
“You’ve been busy taking care of us for half the day. You need to rest properly too.”
Jiu Youyue nodded in agreement.
“Yeah, Little Zhen Zhen. This place is so well hidden that those mystic beasts won’t find us. Look—there’s not a single trace of mystic beast activity inside the cave.”
“That’s true, but you never know. Better safe than sorry.”
“There’s no ‘what if.’ We’re all injured, sure, but a Mystic Lord’s senses are still sharp as ever. We’d pick up on any danger right away.”
“Junior Sister has a point, Little Zhen Zhen. You don’t need to worry so much.”
Mystic cultivators could tap into the omnipresent power of heaven and earth starting from the Mystic King stage. Their perception might not match the precision of a Divine Soul powerhouse, but in terms of range, it was unparalleled.
Moreover, Mystic Lords truly possessed that vague sixth sense for personal crises, making it incredibly hard to catch them off guard.
But none of that was what concerned Yan Zhen. What he really wanted to observe was whether the two women would object to sharing a tent.
In the script, when Yan Zhen suggested moving both of them into a single tent to sleep together, they had both protested in unison, unwilling to get too close to each other.
Their injuries were simply too severe, though. Without the shelter of a tent, spending the night in the cave could easily lead to chills that would leave their bodies even weaker.
Disregarding their objections, Yan Zhen had carried them both inside. In response, they insisted he sleep right in the middle as a “protective barrier” to ward off any potential midnight assaults from the other.
Right now, however, the two women’s attitudes were far too cordial—nothing like sworn enemies at all. Even the battle earlier hadn’t been anywhere near as fierce as the script described. Yan Zhen suspected their relationship wasn’t quite as hostile as he’d imagined.
If they settled down to sleep side by side without issue, it would confirm his theory: the script was deviating in the details.
But if they demanded—as in the script—that he sleep between them, then his hunch was wrong. They weren’t on better terms; they were simply masking their animosity.
“Fine then. I’ll get some rest too. Don’t worry—I’ll sleep outside the tent.”
As he spoke, Yan Zhen watched their reactions intently. Both women chimed in at once.
“No, it’ll be freezing out there. Little Zhen Zhen, come inside the tent with us.”
“The mattress and blankets are right here anyway.”
Yan Zhen’s eyes gleamed. So they still weren’t willing to sleep next to each other. They needed him—this neutral lifesaver—to act as a buffer between them.
“That doesn’t seem right. You two wouldn’t mind?”
“I wouldn’t,” Jiu Youyue said. “The tent’s yours to begin with, Little Zhen Zhen, and you’re still my savior. But I’m not so sure about my Senior Sister. She’s the conservative type—probably couldn’t handle sharing a bed with a strange man for the night.”
Jiu Youyue patted the spot next to her on the outer edge.
“Just sleep here beside me, Little Zhen Zhen.”
“Don’t paint me as some rigid old prude,” Yun Xiu said coolly. “Besides, he’s just a kid. What’s there to object to? Yan—cough, Chen Zhen, sleep on this side of me. The ground’s a bit flatter here.”
The two women locked eyes, each spotting a fierce spark of rivalry in the other’s gaze.
This demoness junior sister is clearly scheming to sleep with Yan Zhen. I have to keep him safe from her clutches.
This repressed senior sister wants him all to herself too—always harping on about her ‘disciple son-in-law.’ She’s obviously itching for that forbidden thrill their positions bring!
Yan Zhen blinked in surprise. Hadn’t the whole point been for him to sleep in the middle and keep them apart?
“Look, what I was trying to say—”
They cut him off before he could finish.
“”Chen Zhen / Little Zhen Zhen, which side do you want?””
Two pairs of sparkling eyes fixed on him intently, piling on the pressure until Yan Zhen ventured:
“How about I sleep right in the middle?”
Their expressions cooled in an instant, as if they were staring down a philandering scumbag caught playing both sides.
“Suit yourself.”
“Greedy Ghost~”
Each woman bundled herself in a blanket and rolled over, turning their backs to one another. That left just enough room in the center for Yan Zhen.
He scratched his head, completely baffled by their moods.
They’d invited him in specifically so he could separate them, hadn’t they? So why get upset when he volunteered?
Yan Zhen kicked off his shoes and eased himself into the narrow space between them as carefully as he could. He did his best not to touch either one, but the spot was sized perfectly for his frame—brushing against them was unavoidable.
Both women shivered slightly at the contact, their delicate bodies tensing, but neither pulled away.
“Then… good night?”
Surrounded by their faint, alluring fragrances, the weary Yan Zhen closed his eyes. Exhaustion from the long day washed over him swiftly, and he soon fell into a deep sleep.
Once his breathing settled into a steady rhythm, Yun Xiu felt a temptation stir within her. After a moment’s hesitation, she rolled casually onto her back, stealing a sidelong glance at him from the corner of her eye.
To her shock, Jiu Youyue’s face was already nuzzled against his neck. Yun Xiu hissed under her breath.
“What do you think you’re doing!”
Jiu Youyue flicked out her little tongue and gave the skin of Yan Zhen’s neck a quick lick.
“My darling’s sleeping right here, totally defenseless. What do you think? Time for some sleep-induced fun, obviously~”
The unfamiliar phrase left Yun Xiu momentarily dumbfounded before her brows furrowed.
“Cut it out, Jiuyou. Let him go—you’ll wake him up!”
Jiu Youyue ignored her, arms still looped around Yan Zhen’s waist. She buried her nose against his shoulder, inhaling his scent greedily.
“I’ve been holding back all day. No—for ages now. Come on, Senior Sister, let little sis treat herself just this once~”
“Not while he’s asleep…”
“That’s the beauty of it—I can do whatever I want. Don’t you want to touch him? Kiss him?”
Yun Xiu glanced at Yan Zhen’s serene, peaceful sleeping face. It took real effort to tear her eyes away.
“I… don’t.”
“Then I’ll enjoy him all by myself.”
Jiu Youyue swung one long leg over Yan Zhen’s body. Her small hand deftly untied his belt and slipped beneath his clothes, resting on the subtle rise and fall of his abdomen.
Yan Zhen’s abs weren’t particularly defined, but she could feel them through touch. His skin was a touch rougher than hers, lacking that exquisite softness, yet the firm texture utterly captivated her.
She planted a fragrant kiss on his cheek. Then her hand tugged at the waistband of his pants, inching downward—until Yun Xiu seized her wrist.
“Jiuyou!”
“Senior Sister, let go.”
“No! You’re shameless—utterly shameless! How could you—”
“I’m a demoness. Shameless is kind of my thing. Anyway, Senior Sister, didn’t you notice? Little Zhen Zhen’s primal yang… it seems to be gone. I’ve got to inspect little Little Zhen and confirm.”
“His primal yang is gone? You mean…”
Jiu Youyue’s eyes sharpened.
“If I’m not mistaken, Little Zhen Zhen has another woman already. And they’ve dual cultivated!”
“Eh?”
The revelation struck Yun Xiu like a thunderbolt. Her mind went blank, and her grip slackened without her realizing.
Seizing the moment, Jiu Youyue slipped free and conducted her inspection. Moments later, she grumbled in frustration.
“It’s really gone… Damn it. Who stole this lady’s first helping!?”
