“Lady Chen Xi, Shishi will take her leave first and come visit you again in a few days.”
“Go ahead. No need to worry too much. Just pursue what you truly want.”
“Thank you for your teachings, Lady Chen Xi. Shishi will keep them firmly in mind.”
Clutching the Blood Flame Vial that Yan Zhen had given her, the Yu Shizun departed from the Fire Refining Starry Sky first, then returned to the Jialan Holy Land.
“Then I’ll be going too, Master.”
Mentor Yu Xuan was still waiting for him in the White Jade Spring.
Just as Yan Zhen was about to activate the Star Shifting Fire Seal, the Beautiful Female Master called out to him.
“Hold on, Zhen’er. Your master has something to ask you.”
Yan Zhen paused and looked at her curiously.
“Go ahead, Master.”
Lady Chen Xi gazed at her disciple’s handsome young face and asked earnestly,
“Zhen’er, how far have things progressed between you and Mentor Yu Xuan?”
—Uh, she went straight for it. Was the Beautiful Female Master angry?
Yan Zhen broke into a light sweat but steeled himself and replied,
“I-I’ve already confirmed our relationship with Mentor Yu Xuan.”
“Will you marry her afterward?”
“Yeah, I will.”
“What if the Yu Family doesn’t allow it?”
“Then I’ll work hard to convince them.”
“And if you can’t convince them?”
“I’ll ask the Yu Shizun to step in.”
“Little Yu’er won’t interfere in Yu Family matters. That’s her principle.”
“Can’t she make an exception just once?”
“She could, but even Little Yu’er’s words might not carry the day.”
“Why not? Isn’t the Yu Shizun the guardian deity of the Yu Family?”
“There’s something you don’t know, Zhen’er. Little Yu’er isn’t blood-related to the Yu Family. She’s an adopted daughter they took in. To repay her adoptive mother’s kindness, she swore to protect the Yu Family for life without ever meddling in its affairs. While the Yu Family higher-ups usually heed Little Yu’er’s advice, they might not be so compliant on core issues.”
“If even the Yu Shizun speaking up doesn’t work, then I’ll handle it myself!” Yan Zhen’s brows shot up, his eyes sharpening with resolve. “I’ll get stronger and stronger until they’re too intimidated to even think of refusing. Then every problem will solve itself!”
“Zhen’er…” Lady Chen Xi’s heart stirred, and she let out a soft chuckle. “Hehe, if Mentor Yu Xuan heard that, she’d probably be so touched she’d burst into tears.”
“You’re teasing me again, Master.”
“Your master is praising you.”
Gathering his courage, Yan Zhen blushed and said,
“Do you want to hear me say those words too, Master?”
Her disciple had pierced right through her thoughts. Lady Chen Xi’s cheeks flushed pink as she coughed dryly and said insincerely,
“Your master never said that. You’re overthinking it, Zhen’er.”
“No matter what anyone else says, I won’t let you down, Master.” Yan Zhen spoke with utmost sincerity. “I’ll cultivate diligently, then marry you and be… be the biggest one.”
This was the second time Lady Chen Xi had heard such sweet words from her disciple. Now that their true relationship had been laid bare, her ears burned faintly red, but her heart felt as sweet as the candied shell on a skewer of candied hawthorns.
“Mm. Your master believes you.”
Having said what he wanted, Yan Zhen fled the Fire Refining Starry Sky in embarrassment and returned to the empty stone chamber.
His soaked clothes were still spread out on the floor, along with a white cloth stained vivid red.
Yan Zhen first carefully stored away the bloodstained white cloth, then bundled up the rest of the garments and dashed out of the chamber with them clutched to his chest.
Moments later, he returned to the White Jade Spring and found Mentor Yu Xuan leaning against a rock formation, dozing off with her head nodding cutely every few seconds.
It was a while before Mentor Yu Xuan stirred awake. Realizing she was still naked in the White Jade Spring, she looked up to see Yan Zhen sitting fully dressed beside the rocks. She pouted and said,
“When did you get back? You’re so slow.”
Yan Zhen scratched his cheek.
“I took a bit of time to clean up any traces in the stone chamber.”
Mentor Yu Xuan wasn’t truly upset with him. Instead, she asked,
“What about the clothes?”
She didn’t really care about the clothes. What mattered was that bloodstained white cloth.
Yan Zhen understood perfectly and grinned.
“I’ve got them safe. Do you want to wear them, Mentor?”
“You—you give them to me.”
“Oh.”
Yan Zhen pulled out her damp dress.
“Here you go, Mentor. Catch.”
Mentor Yu Xuan bit her lip, tempted to twist this rascal’s ear, and huffed delicately,
“Not those ones. You know what I want. Hand it over, quick.”
“You should get out soon, Mentor. It’s almost noon. Let’s head back early.”
“Then turn around. No peeking.”
“Oh.”
“…”
Seeing Yan Zhen covering his eyes with his fingers splayed wide, Mentor Yu Xuan couldn’t help but laugh and cry at once. She pressed her arms over her full breasts, climbed out of the pool, vaporized the water from her body, and—under Yan Zhen’s heated gaze—retrieved a fresh blue dress from her storage ring to cover her supple, luscious figure.
As a newly deflowered woman, Mentor Yu Xuan radiated stunning allure. Even though Yan Zhen had only just savored her watery tenderness, he couldn’t help but feel his heart itch.
After simply tying up her hair, Mentor Yu Xuan walked over to Yan Zhen and extended her hand, her eyes both coquettish and threatening.
Yan Zhen didn’t dare tease her any further. He obediently produced the bloodstained white cloth, only for Mentor Yu Xuan to snatch it away swiftly and tuck it into her storage ring.
“Ahem, let’s head back.”
Pretending nothing had happened, Mentor Yu Xuan affectionately linked her arm with Yan Zhen’s and returned with him to the main residence, where she went straight to see the Yu Family Head Mother-in-Law.
Her loss of virginity was sure to be noticed by them, so she might as well admit it herself.
In the Yu Family Back Garden, the four beautiful elder women sat in a stone pavilion, sipping tea and nibbling on snacks.
Dean Yu Qing sat with her arms crossed, fuming.
“Where the hell did that brat drag Xuan’er off to? I’ve searched everywhere and can’t find them!”
Shui Bailan, who had been trailing behind her, pushed up her glasses speechlessly and thought to herself that this was the Yu Family’s turf—and it was Xuan’er who’d brought Yan Zhen here, not the other way around.
The Family Head Yu Lu said calmly,
“Did you go stalking them?”
“Of course not!” Dean Yu Qing shot back righteously. “I just didn’t feel right leaving Xuan’er unsupervised, so I followed to keep an eye on things!”
Elder Yu Yan chuckled.
“That counts as stalking, Xiao Qing. It’s not a good look. Little Yan Zhen’s half a Soul Cultivator, after all. If they caught you, your authority as her little aunt would be ruined.”
Dean Yu Qing stopped denying it and huffed arrogantly.
“Aren’t you worried that punk might trick Xuan’er into doing something improper?”
The Family Head Yu Lu took a calm sip of tea.
“As long as they don’t cross the line, let them do what they want.”
Dean Yu Qing stubbornly insisted,
“But what if they do cross it? What if that big dumb pig tries to root up our little cabbage? What if he doesn’t take responsibility afterward…? Why are you all staring like that? I’m worried about Xuan’er, okay? Men are all no good, and that kid’s no exception. I mean it!”
Shui Bailan tugged at her best friend’s sleeve, gesturing for her to look back.
Puzzled, Dean Yu Qing turned and locked eyes with Yan Zhen, whose gaze brimmed with resentment. Her expression froze.
Yan Zhen said with a forced smile,
“Talking smack behind someone’s back isn’t cool, right, Little Aunt?”
Dean Yu Qing was mortified, her pretty face burning hot and red.
“Ahem, you’re back! Already? Sit, sit.”
