Smack!
Yan Zhen gave Yi Xian’er’s plump rear a light swat, warning her not to be naughty anymore. She immediately dropped her triumphant little smirk and nestled against her lover’s chest like a drowsy cat, her purple-black eyes half-lidded as she turned sideways.
Only then did Yan Zhen turn to Cai Lian. He planted a gentle kiss on her crimson lips and said warmly, “There, there, that’s enough of that. You’re pregnant, so you can’t keep getting upset like this.”
“You’re always taking her side!” Cai Lian huffed lightly, stubborn as a little girl. “What if the others start copying her? If the whole harem descends into chaos, don’t blame this queen for letting it all fall apart.”
“No, no, that won’t happen. All of you are my good girls. Yun Xiu is, Xian’er is, and so are you, Cai Lian.”
“Oh, please.”
Yan Zhen smiled faintly and shifted to kiss her forehead instead—the spot where her divine mark resided. A kiss or caress there always filled her with a soft glow of happiness.
He kissed her forehead while tenderly stroking her pregnant belly, his touch as gentle as could be.
Sure enough, Cai Lian gradually calmed down. Her little fit of pique faded away, and she rested her head on Yan Zhen’s shoulder. She obediently closed her blood-red slit pupils and basked quietly in his embrace.
—Finally, he’d coaxed her.
Yan Zhen let out a sigh of relief. For all his bluster earlier, his heart had been pounding with worry. After all, Cai Lian was pregnant, and he couldn’t bear the thought of her getting stubbornly upset. But thankfully, his wife knew better.
Still, he’d managed to soothe the trickiest one. There were three more to go.
In his excitement, he’d unleashed the power of the Evil Spirit Dragon Breath Flame fused with the Wind-Thunder Crystal Fire, making them all cry. That had been a bit much.
Not just them—their “guardians,” Yun Xiu, Aunt Shui Bailan, and Cousin Ruyu—were shooting him occasional glares too.
Only Long Ying was blissfully oblivious, swimming around like a happy fool. Her little short legs paddled away with adorable splashes, wriggling through the water like a pink fuzzy caterpillar.
Yan Zhen suddenly appreciated his Loli Dragon Girl all the more. No matter what happened, she was always on his side—unless he skimped on her snacks, in which case she’d plant her hands on her hips and voice her displeasure!
After a while, Yan Zhen kissed the beauties in his arms one by one and signaled for them to let go. He swam toward the nearest group of four women.
The little girl huddled in Cousin Ruyu’s embrace, gazing at him with wide, pitiful eyes.
She had the weakest combat prowess, so she’d taken the brunt of it and collapsed in an instant.
Yan Zhen reached out and ruffled her hair. “Will you dare to do it again next time?”
Yan Meng’er shook her head vigorously.
“That’s more like it.” Yan Zhen pinched her chubby-cheeked, babyish face. “In a few days, I’ll take you all to the Merchant Alliance for some fun.”
Yan Meng’er’s eyes lit up. “For real?”
“Have I ever lied to you?” Yan Zhen withdrew his hand and rolled his eyes at her. “Quit playing pitiful and sit up straight.”
Yan Meng’er giggled and slipped out of Yan Ruyu’s arms. She straightened up, deliberately thrusting out her impressive 36D bust, which made Yan Zhen’s eyes dazzle.
“You cheeky imp.”
Yan Zhen flicked his cousin’s forehead lightly before swimming over to Yun Xiu and Huangfu Wenqing. He was about to reach for his fiancée when the sword fairy beauty smacked his hand away with a sharp snap, making him yank back his paw in surprise.
Yun Xiu held her disciple close like a mother hen, gently combing through her hair with jade-like fingers. She shot Yan Zhen a reproachful glare. “You brute. You know full well Wenqing can’t handle rough play, yet you went at it without any restraint. Utterly infuriating.”
Yan Zhen scratched his cheek sheepishly. “Things got a bit chaotic earlier. I couldn’t rein it in right away…”
Huangfu Wenqing clutched her master’s hand. “Master, it’s not Yan Zhen’s fault. I got carried away.”
“You’re still defending him? I’ll deal with you later.”
“Eep~”
Huangfu Wenqing felt utterly guilty. That scene had hit one of her secret thrills, so she’d lost her head and thrown caution to the wind. Now that she’d cooled down, she realized just how outrageous her actions had been—mortifying, really.
With her master’s temperament, the fact that she hadn’t severed their bond on the spot was proof of how much she cared.
Eep eep eep~
Yan Zhen couldn’t help but smile wryly. He extended his hand again, taking over from Yun Xiu to gently comb through Huangfu Wenqing’s unusual green hair.
Mystic Cultivators who practiced wind attributes often developed green hair from the Mystic Power’s influence, but hair that glowed like hers? That was a first for Yan Zhen. It looked surprisingly good, especially paired with her delicate features, figure, and aura.
After combing for a bit, Yan Zhen sneaked a quick peck on Yun Xiu’s lips, then darted away before she could react. He swam up to Aunt Shui Bailan and Mentor Yu Xuan, calling out affectionately, “Mentor~”
Mentor Yu Xuan and Aunt Shui Bailan sat side by side, their gazes full of resentment as they eyed the grinning Yan Zhen. Suddenly, Mentor Yu Xuan lashed out with her foot in petty revenge.
Yan Zhen stood firm and took the hit, then struck like lightning. He grabbed her ankle and effortlessly pulled her into his arms, hugging her tight.
Mentor Yu Xuan pretended to struggle. “Let me go!”
As if he would. “Don’t be mad, Mentor. Want a lollipop? Treasure pearl or True Knowledge Stick?”
“No lollipops. I don’t want any.”
“Really?”
“No.”
“Then I’ll give it to Aunt.”
Aunt Shui Bailan looked baffled. She had no interest in lollipops, and her pretty face behind the silver-framed glasses showed only helpless exasperation.
But Mentor Yu Xuan clenched her little fist and thumped her lover’s chest. “You wouldn’t dare!”
“Just kidding. As long as my mentor isn’t mad at me anymore.”
“Who said I’m not mad? You embarrassed me so badly, you jerk~”
“A man who’s not a little bad isn’t one a woman can love.”
“Where’d you get that nonsense? I’ll cut down every naughty man with one slash.”
“Then I’ll be a loving man who adores you all—my mentor, my aunt, everyone.”
“Smooth talker. You’re just a philandering carrot.”
“What’s wrong with a big carrot?”
The two bantered intimately, whispering sweet nothings. Soon enough, Mentor Yu Xuan’s anger melted away, and before long, she was giggling behind her hand.
Aunt Shui Bailan felt even more helpless. She thought to herself that Xuan’er was utterly smitten with this boy—no, not just Xuan’er. Every woman here was.
They were all so strong-willed and independent normally, full of personality. But the moment they fell into his arms, they turned into putty, letting a few sweet words sway them like fools. Even she was no exception.
Aunt Shui Bailan suddenly wondered if she’d boarded a sinking ship.
“…”
Finally, he’d coaxed them all. The bathhouse atmosphere turned warm and harmonious. Yan Zhen teased the pink fuzzy caterpillar that was Long Ying for a while before returning to the space between Yi Xian’er and Cai Lian. He took their hands and placed them on his lap, then said, “Tonight, Cai Lian, you stay here and rest with me.”
Cai Lian reflexively wanted to refuse, but one look at Yi Xian’er’s eyes made her hold her tongue. After a long moment, she murmured her assent.
Yi Xian’er couldn’t care less. She might have teased the Snake Woman otherwise, but remembering Jialan Senior’s instructions, she let it go.
In the blink of an eye, it was deep into the night, with the moon high overhead.
Everyone except Yan Zhen, Cai Lian, and Yi Xian’er returned to their respective caves.
On the bed, Yan Zhen lay in the middle, Cai Lian on his inner side and Yi Xian’er on the outer. The three shared a single quilt.
Cai Lian’s pregnant belly made side-sleeping awkward, so she lay flat on her back. Yi Xian’er draped herself over Yan Zhen’s arm, murmuring pillow talk in his ear.
