Huangfu Wenqing recalled that in her past life, her master had always held firm to her bottom line, no matter how much Yan Zhen pestered her. She never gave in, even secretly studying books to learn certain “special techniques” to serve him. So why now—
She had thought her master was just like her.
One was the master she saw as a mother, the other her fiancé whom she loved desperately in both this life and the last. The two of them had crossed her over, coming together and leaving her as a mere outsider.
It felt like they had backstabbed her.
A thick bitterness welled up in the girl’s chest, yet hidden within that bitterness was a faint thrill. A flush of pink spread across her delicate face.
Given her master’s allure to Yan Zhen, their union surely hadn’t happened just once but time and again.
Her master, the aloof sword immortal in white, lay on the bed with flushed cheeks and disheveled clothes. Her arms hooked around the neck of the handsome youth on top of her—her fiancé—half-heartedly resisting yet welcoming his fiery passion.
That rosy mouth exhaled hot, fragrant breaths and heavenly moans, driving her fiancé into an even wilder frenzy as he claimed her exquisite jade body, lost in her tenderness, unable to extricate himself.
Their bodies joined intimately, their souls intertwining as one, both ascending to the peak of bliss together…
Vivid, boundless scenes of spring flooded her mind. Huangfu Wenqing’s breathing quickened, her delicate frame trembling lightly. A soft whimper escaped her throat, and crystalline tears shimmered at the corners of her eyes. Pitifully, she said,
“Master, have you and Yan Zhen… already done that?”
Yun Xiu’s face stiffened. Only then did she realize she had let it slip amid their argument. Mortified and guilty, she stammered,
“I’m sorry, Wenqing. Your master didn’t mean to… I just wanted to make it up to him, so—”
Huangfu Wenqing hung her head dejectedly, looking like an abandoned puppy. Yun Xiu’s heart ached at the sight.
“Master, no need to apologize. I understand. After all, you and Yan Zhen are the true pair. I’m… I’m the one who came later.”
Yun Xiu grew anxious inside and was about to offer more comforting words when Cai Lian cut her off.
“You two, stop chattering to yourselves. If there’s nothing else, please leave. Don’t disturb his rest.”
Yun Xiu turned back to the Female Monarch of the City of Water, her resolve unshaken.
“Let me see him. Just one glance, and I’ll go.”
Cai Lian replied coldly,
“You have no right to do so now!”
“No matter what, you refuse?”
“Refuse!”
Yun Xiu flipped her jade hand, and her sword fell into her palm. She gripped it tightly as the overwhelming pressure of a Mystic Ancestor expert slowly emanated from her graceful figure.
“She Ji, you’re pregnant, aren’t you? If possible, I don’t want to fight you.”
Cai Lian showed no fear. Colorful mystic power gradually rose around her, draping her like a gossamer skirt.
“A former Five-Star Mystic Saint, now a Two-Star Mystic Ancestor—you dare challenge this Sovereign?”
From her aura alone, Cai Lian was already at the Three-Star Mystic Ancestor stage. And with her Snake God Bloodline, her past life’s experience as a Nine-Star Mystic Saint Peak pushed her a notch above even the current God Race patriarch.
Compared to Cai Lian, Yun Xiu’s strength fell short.
There was a reason for that.
The two women’s talents were evenly matched, but after the Cloud Heaven Palace’s destruction, Yun Xiu had lost interest in cultivation. Gone was her initial drive to pursue the Great Dao; she only wanted to live out her days quietly. Her realm had thus fallen behind. Later, she had stumbled upon the Sword Saint’s inheritance and been forced into the role of Holy Lord of the Evergreen Holy Land.
Yun Xiu had always been one to “not contend,” but in certain moments, she could be stubbornly resolute.
Like now.
“I’ll ask you one last time. Will you let me or not?”
“I said no!” Cai Lian’s temper flared as well. “Yun Xiu, this Sovereign has put up with you for a long time! You say you won’t marry him, yet you keep tangling with him. Reborn, you offer your purity as ‘compensation’—is that compensation? You know your own intentions full well. Do you think this Sovereign and Zi Ji have no temper?”
Yun Xiu glared at Cai Lian, her lips pressed tightly together. Clearly, Cai Lian had struck a sore spot.
Cai Lian pressed on.
“If you want to cling to the Cloud Heaven Palace, then do so! Even without you, this Sovereign and Zi Ji can take good care of him!”
Yi Xian’er coughed twice at the right moment, adding,
“And me too. I can help Zi Ji serve Yan Zhen well.”
Ji Ya chuckled.
“Count Big Sis in as well~ Oh, and my Aunt Mu too.”
Aunt Mu blushed at Eldest Miss’s teasing and thought to herself, Was Little Uncle too popular? She had a feeling their future days might not be easy.
The two women faced off across less than a zhang’s distance. Their four gazes clashed in midair, stirring waves of mystic power.
Huangfu Wenqing grew worried despite herself. There were three opponents, plus that dumb dragon watching from the sidelines. They were only two—things would be too disadvantageous if it came to blows.
“Master, maybe we should…”
At that moment, a seductive female voice suddenly rang out, breaking the standoff.
“Oh my, what’s this? Why fight out of nowhere?”
The goddesses in the room all tensed and turned toward the window where the voice had come from.
There, on the windowsill leading to the courtyard, sat a woman whose every outfit and demeanor exuded extreme seductiveness.
She wore a gray gauze skirt with a hem that stopped above her knees, baring a pair of impressively proud, snow-white long legs. Barefoot, her jade feet swung lightly. Her sleeves were narrow and short, exposing her entire forearms. With her elbow propped on her crossed thighs, one delicate hand supported her cheek. Her moon-bright, radiant face wore an amused expression as she grinned at the women inside.
“Little Zhen Zhen is still lying in bed. With me gone, can’t you all care a bit more about him?”
Once they made out her features, all the women were stunned—especially Yi Xian’er and Long Ying. In their previous lives, they had watched this demoness die in Yan Zhen’s arms with their own eyes.
“Jiuyou?” Yun Xiu blurted out. “How are you here!?”
“What a strange question from Big Sis. Did you forget? Little Sis is here to rendezvous with the Demon Domain hidden agents in the palace, of course.” Jiu Youyue leaped lightly into the room, her feet stepping on beams of moonlight as she landed beside Yun Xiu and Huangfu Wenqing. “Long time no see, Little Wenqing. You’re a step slow again~ Little Zhen Zhen has already been eaten up by me and your master together~”
Huangfu Wenqing looked at the newcomer with a complicated expression.
“Uncle-Master Yue, you dare come back…”
“Why not? I even plan to follow Little Zhen Zhen back into the Cloud Heaven Palace~ But that’s not important right now.”
Jiu Youyue turned to Cai Lian, Yi Xian’er, and Ji Ya.
“Long time no see, Sister She Ji, Miss Xian’er—and this must be Sister Ji Ya? Little Sis sends her regards~”
She lifted her skirt hem and curtsied gracefully.
Ji Ya immediately adopted the demeanor of the lady of the house.
“So it’s Little Sis Jiuyou. No need for formalities—please, have a seat.”
Yi Xian’er wasn’t very familiar with Jiu Youyue and didn’t respond, merely staring at her.
After all, a dead person coming back to life, clearly carrying memories from their previous life, was quite the rarity.
Cai Lian cut straight to the point.
“Speak. Are you siding with Yun Xiu or this Sovereign?”
