“Very well. Next, I shall use this technique, infused with centuries of cultivation. I wonder if you’ll be able to take it?”
The familiar cave, the familiar dawn light washing over their bodies, but this time, what was different was Qin Luoyi no longer hiding her identity as she shouted openly.
When helping Yun Mu with his second round of training, she had already grown too lazy to pretend.
The girl’s temperament truly couldn’t support her acting the silent type, beating up her beloved from the shadows.
Besides, she now knew that the boy wouldn’t hate her just because she hurt him during training.
That so-called identity as the “First Protector Under the Seat” was no longer necessary.
A fierce and biting force rushed toward him, swift and formless.
Even though Yun Mu reacted with all his speed, he still failed to block the move.
However, instead of being sent flying as expected, he simply felt a sharp pain on his forehead—a sudden flick to the head.
“Haha! See? Didn’t I say you couldn’t handle my centuries of palm strength?”
“Miss Luoyi, aren’t you only seventeen?”
“Don’t ruin my moment.”
Another flick landed on his forehead, making him feel a pain as if an “11” had been branded on her head—he rather wanted to return the favor.
“Uh… But I have to say, even though you’re holding back your cultivation to train with me, thinking I could catch up to you in just five days is really just a pipe dream.”
He raised his hand to rub his reddened forehead, wincing in pain.
“But why did you suddenly stop? Usually, by now, I should have been sent flying, right?”
“Huh? You mean if I don’t beat you half to death, you’re not satisfied?”
His response clearly caught Qin Luoyi off guard—never before had she heard of someone actually wanting to be beaten.
She took two steps forward, stretched out her hand, and placed it atop his head, squinting as if to feel something.
“Doesn’t seem like you’re sick. I was starting to think maybe you had a fever and it fried your brain. Turns out… you just got a special kink from me beating you, huh?”
“Miss Luoyi… I don’t have any such kink!”
Seeing the girl about to assign him another strange label, Yun Mu hurriedly cut her off, gently moving her hand away from his forehead.
“I just thought, the more injured I am, the more thoroughly I absorb the medicinal bath. Besides… I’ve noticed that after being hurt, the new bone and skin that grows back is even tougher and more resilient. See?”
As he spoke, he lifted his right hand to demonstrate, but accidentally wedged it between the girl’s soft peaks.
He tried to pull away but only sank deeper.
“Oh my, it really is not only tougher and more resilient, but also much bolder! Already learning to take the initiative, are we?”
Qin Luoyi grabbed both of the boy’s hands that were trying to retreat, teasing him, “If you really want, I wouldn’t mind. Consider it payment for helping me suppress the side effects of my Star Force these past days.”
Saying so, she was about to guide his hands to even softer places.
In response, Yun Mu could only clench his fists to prevent himself from grabbing a handful.
Of course, the girl didn’t really force him, instead sticking out her tongue, a trace of dissatisfaction on her face.
“Tch, just teasing you. Even if you wanted to, I wouldn’t let you. At the very least, that kind of thing has to wait until after we’re married, right? Did you really think I’m such a casual girl?”
“Um… not really… I just thought you were bolder than most, that’s all.”
“Smooth talker. I can’t be bothered with you. By the way, aren’t you curious what we’re doing next?”
“What? Isn’t it more training?”
“Nope! The key to a productive day lies in the morning. If we were really training, I wouldn’t waste so many words with you.”
The girl bent down, grabbing his fist in hers, her tone becoming lively.
“Let me tell you, next, we’re going to—”
“Qin Luoyi, you have a letter. The old man at the border said to pass it on. I brought it for you.”
Just as she was about to reveal her plan, a soft and sticky voice interrupted.
“Hey, little fox, didn’t the three of us agree not to bother each other? This is my last day and you—”
Qin Luoyi shot a glare at the panting Tu Shan Huaizhi at the cave entrance, then held back the sharp words she was about to utter.
“Never mind. Give me the letter. Also, thanks for the trouble.”
She released Yun Mu’s hand, turned, and used her Star Force to float the letter to her palm.
Even before opening it, she noticed the red Dragon Head Seal of the Qin Clan at the lower left corner, making her mouth twitch involuntarily.
“That old guy better not be up to something again.”
In Lixun, there was an unspoken rule about letters.
If it wasn’t urgent, no seal was added to the envelope, and naturally, delivery would not be particularly fast.
If it was urgent, it would get the Relay Station’s special Urgent Seal.
Delivery would then be much quicker, though it cost considerably more.
This method was mostly used by ordinary families or lone cultivators.
As for the great clans, they all had their own seals or delivery channels.
A letter stamped with the Dragon Head Seal represented the highest priority in Lixun.
It was only used for matters of great importance.
For example, news of war at the borders, or major national events.
At such times, to guarantee the letter’s safety and speed, they’d often have a cultivator of at least Fifth Revolution deliver it.
Yet in recent years, Qin Junyin had abused his authority as Emperor of Lixun, stamping every letter he sent to Qin Luoyi with the Dragon Head Seal.
The first few times, she worried that something serious had happened.
After all, the only time she’d seen such a seal as a child was seven days before her mother’s burial, when the obituary was sent to Lixun and neighboring nations.
But when she opened the letter with trepidation, she found the contents were either asking if she’d eaten well, or whether she missed her father—nothing more.
After a few times, she was completely numb to it.
Even after replying to Qin Junyin that “missing your daughter is no excuse for abusing protocol,” the emperor never changed, continuing to send such letters several times in a row.
She no longer believed in so-called express letters.
As the saying goes, “Three times is enough.”
She didn’t want to seem heartless and unfilial, either.
So this time, at the first sight of the letter, her instinctive thought was “just some trivial matter.”
Still, she opened it carefully, in case it truly was important and she missed something.
As it turned out, her caution was the right call.
Luoyi, return at once.
Just four simple words, no extra explanation, but brimming with urgency.
She had never seen this before.
The girl’s delicate brows furrowed.
She tucked the letter into her clothes, lowered her eyes to the quietly waiting young man, then glanced at the little fox demoness sneaking peeks at Yun Mu from the side, a smile curling at her lips.
A mischievous idea sprang to mind, and without a second thought, she grabbed the boy’s arm.
“Little Yun, come stroll with me for a while.”
“Hm? Stroll?”
“That’s right, just the two of us.”
“Ah? Wait! Aren’t you supposed to go back?!”
Without waiting for Tu Shan Huaizhi to grab her sleeve, Qin Luoyi had already summoned her maple-leaf-shaped flying artifact, whisking Yun Mu away and leaving the little fox demoness standing dumbfounded at the cave entrance, not knowing what to do.
In Tu Shan Huaizhi’s plan, the Princess of Lixun would leave immediately upon seeing the letter.
Shangguan Xunyi was busy refining her power.
No matter what happened, Yun Mu should have had at least half a day to himself, just for her.
Yet now, she could only watch helplessly as Qin Luoyi took her “big brother” away, and there was nothing she could do to stop it.
After all, as agreed, today was meant to belong to Qin Luoyi alone.
“Wuwuwu, as expected, demon schemes can’t outwit the heavens. If I’d known, I wouldn’t have played all these little tricks. Wuwuwu…”
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