Chapter 59

The woman behind the young girl nodded slightly.

"I heard him mention a woman named Jiang Miaoxuan, do you know her?" the young girl suddenly asked again.

After a long while, the young girl didn't hear the woman speak, but she didn't mind. She sat down at the street corner, not caring about the dust on the bluestone, and sat there just like that. She tossed the mirror she held in her right hand aside and placed the ancient book from her left hand onto her knees.

"And those women by his side… Pei Yuhan, Lu Jiajing… and a little girl?"

The young girl flipped to the first page, and a fierce ghost seemed to lunge at her, but it turned out to be just an illustration in the Book of Strange Tales. The young girl happily flipped to the second page.

Her fingertips paused slightly, "That man… I like him."

Her ethereal voice carried a hint of a special emotion. The young girl continued to look at the ancient book she had already flipped through countless times, as if those words just now hadn't come from her.

The woman behind the young girl remained silent.

"I don't even know why… Because he is good-looking? Hmm… Not that good-looking, though… Is it really okay for me to drag him into this?"

The young girl, who usually didn't like to talk much, began to chatter on and on. The people around them couldn't see their figures, and the bustle of the neighborhood continued as usual.

Amidst this bustling market, the young girl unexpectedly found a moment of tranquility.

"My father seems to like Pei Yuhan… She calls him Xiao Yi…"

"Xiao Yi…" the young girl tried calling out. Her face, which had always been expressionless, suddenly revealed a smile.

Immediately after, the smile faded, as if it were just a fleeting moment.

"Men in this world are all the same… But… He is different…" The young girl's voice was faint, low enough that it felt like just a slight breeze.

"…He is different…" As if to emphasize it, the young girl said it again.

But the woman behind the young girl still didn't speak; she remained silent.

After an unknown amount of time, the young girl finished flipping through the book in her hand. She stood up and walked toward the marketplace, where there weren't many people left.

Passing by a roadside vendor, the young girl casually picked out a hair ornament, tossed down a piece of silver, and humming a tune she didn't know, happily inserted the hair ornament into her dark hair.

…

Lin Yi held his beautiful Master by the waist, looking at the yin-yang order in his hand. This was one of the ones Ji Chanxi had left behind earlier.

He pondered Ji Chanxi's intentions. Even based on Ji Chanxi's behavior in the original work, she shouldn't have done something like this…

Lin Yi put away the yin-yang order. Pei Yuhan's pretty face was flushed with a slight redness, her beautiful eyes slightly closed, and the gaze that peeked through carried a hint of moisture.

Su Lingshu had already fallen into a deep sleep, and as for Lu Jiajing…

Lu Jiajing looked at Lin Yi resentfully. She pushed Pei Yuhan away in dissatisfaction, wrapped her arms around Lin Yi's neck, and pressed her voluptuous body against Lin Yi's chest, "What's wrong? Are you thinking about other women while you're with Jinger?"

"No…" Lin Yi just wanted to explain a couple of things, but Lu Jiajing leaned in, using her full, soft lips to take away Lin Yi's right to speak.

Lin Yi felt a bit helpless, but he still reached out and hugged Lu Jiajing's slender waist, and amidst her soft gaze, he took the initiative to kiss her.

Pei Yuhan, who was beside them, sat up. She glanced at Lin Yi and Lu Jiajing, not caring about these things.

Pei Yuhan circulated the Heaven and Earth Hunyuan Art, refining the essence of the Extreme Yang Physique. The warm, glowing feeling made Pei Yuhan feel quite comfortable. This Yin-Yang Path… who said this Yin-Yang Path wasn't good? This Yin-Yang Path is amazing!

Lu Jiajing closed her beautiful eyes slightly, and after opening them again, she bit Lin Yi's shoulder. Lin Yi lowered his head and kissed Lu Jiajing's dark hair.

After a while, Pei Yuhan pushed Lu Jiajing away. Lu Jiajing consciously sat to the side to refine the essence, while Pei Yuhan looked at Lin Yi with the corners of her lips slightly curled.

"Xiao Yi, this is what you said, you have to send us to the Return to Void Realm within a year." Pei Yuhan's cool, clear voice carried a hint of teasing; she, who was always so serious, was cracking jokes at this moment.

Lin Yi nodded with a smile, "Of course, or rather… Master, can you hold on… Return to Void Realm in a year… As long as you are willing to endure hardship, it's not that difficult."

Pei Yuhan lowered her head, and the two pressed their foreheads together. The Fairy's fragrance surged into Lin Yi's nostrils. Pei Yuhan breathed in the air that carried Lin Yi's scent, "Then I'll have to trouble my good disciple… Xiao Yi'er…"

Pei Yuhan lowered her head.

…

Early the next morning, Lin Yi took the three women and left Xialiang Kingdom.

Stepping into the Realm of the Northern Domain, the Yao Beasts became increasingly numerous. Lin Yi let out a soft shout, a flash of sword light streaked across, and the massive beast body collapsed with a roar, its hot blood staining the snow red.

Lin Yi's gaze swept across the snowfield in front of him; it was desolate, with only the sound of a little wind and snow remaining.

Su Lingshu followed by Lin Yi's side. Her gaze looked toward the distant west; the western part of the Northern Domain was the territory of the Xiuyi Tribe, and now, the Xiuyi Tribe… had long been occupied by Yao Beasts.

The Xiuyi Tribe was a fine Family with beautiful appearances. Back then, Xia Qianzhen had also been hunted by Yao Beasts, and luckily, she was saved by Ye Linyuan, and the two spent quite a long journey together.

Lu Jiajing and Pei Yuhan had their Divine Sense covering a thousand miles around. Lin Yi took Su Lingshu's little hand; her cold fingertips were held by Lin Yi's large hand, and they quickly warmed up.

Although Lin Yi was certain that Ji Chanxi was following them, unfortunately, she cultivated the Ghost Path and had the help of Nan Qing's remnant soul, so after a few days, Lin Yi and the others still hadn't discovered her tracks.

The sky had gradually darkened. Lin Yi randomly found a Yao Beast's cave, killed the hibernating Yao Beast, used his spiritual power to sweep away the filth inside, and set up a defensive Formation, which served as their place to stay for the night.

Ji Chanxi's appearance caused Lin Yi's previously set plans to change slightly. He had originally thought the Nan Qing line was broken, but he hadn't expected to meet Ji Chanxi in Xialiang Kingdom.

Thus, the previous speculations were suppressed in Lin Yi's heart, "Sit."

Lin Yi lit a campfire and sat in the air beside it. Su Lingshu sat in Lin Yi's arms, while Lu Jiajing and Pei Yuhan sat around the fire.

Inside the cave, the Yao Beast meat was roasted until it sizzled with oil. Lin Yi had the habit of carrying seasonings with him, so as a Yao Beast, it wouldn't have that gamey, fishy smell like an ordinary beast.

If one had to say… this roasted Yao Beast meat could even be considered a type of Spirit Food.

Lin Yi casually took down the Yao Beast meat that was roasted just right and used his spiritual power to send it to Pei Yuhan. Although none of them needed to eat, but… Pei Yuhan took it; since it was given by her own disciple, she would just accept it.

Su Lingshu looked longingly at Lin Yi's hand. Lin Yi saw her expectant look, smiled slightly, picked up a piece, coated it with some powder ground from an unknown Spirit Medicine, and handed it to Su Lingshu.

Su Lingshu took a bite of Lin Yi's finger, and Lin Yi teased Su Lingshu a little.

Seeing the atmosphere between the two become ambiguous, Lu Jiajing gave a light cough. Lin Yi chuckled and pulled his hand out, using a swirl of spiritual power to clean his finger.

"What's wrong? Does Jinger also want me to feed her?"

Lu Jiajing didn't pay attention to Lin Yi.

Lin Yi didn't mind. He looked at the brilliant night sky outside the cave. The wind and snow had long stopped, and in recent days, the moonlight was brilliant, casting a curtain that could cover the entire Qiongming Domain.

Lin Yi's Great Sun Art was also circulating a bit faster than usual, and it even seemed not much different from the speed during the day.

Lin Yi called out loudly toward the outside of the cave, "Fairy Ji, why not come in for a chat?"

Lu Jiajing and Pei Yuhan scanned the land under the snow and moon with their Divine Sense, but found nothing.

Lin Yi was not in a hurry. He had been doing this every day for the past few days. The trip to the Northern Domain had taken a bit more time. He hadn't flown in the sky on his sword with great fanfare; firstly, he didn't want to attract others' attention, and secondly… he wanted to let Ji Chanxi come out for a chat.

If Ji Chanxi wasn't following behind them, it wouldn't matter. In any case, the wasted time was within Lin Yi's acceptable range; using the time originally intended for Jiang Miaoxuan here was not necessarily a bad thing.

Lin Yi draped his arm around Su Lingshu's slender waist, his fingertips gliding over her lower abdomen, causing her to pout her glossy lips.

Out in the wild… these past few nights, whenever Lin Yi had time, he would help the women improve their cultivation. After all, the System hadn't given any red warning prompts, which meant there was no possibility of Lin Yi's actions being spied upon by any man.

Lu Jiajing and Pei Yuhan both opened their eyes at this moment, looking at Lin Yi with questioning gazes. Perhaps it was due to Lin Yi's intense gaze over the past few days, but Lu Jiajing and Pei Yuhan were becoming increasingly eager to make a Breakthrough to the Return to Void Realm.

Lin Yi didn't speak, merely using his fingertips to trace the pattern of a heart on Su Lingshu's lower abdomen.

A while later, Lin Yi looked up. "Fairy Ji, I have five yin-yang orders. I wonder if it's possible to resurrect that Fairy Nan Qing behind you?"

Lu Jiajing and Pei Yuhan, standing to the side, narrowed their eyes. Their figures suddenly vanished from where they stood, and Lin Yi naturally sensed that abrupt fluctuation of spiritual power.

The corners of his lips curved slightly. Previously, he hadn't mentioned that he knew of Nan Qing's existence, nor that he knew her remnant soul was by her side, acting as a portable grandmother figure.

Putting that aside for now, at least one question—no, two questions—had been answered… Firstly, Ji Chanxi had been following right beside the four of them. Secondly, Nan Qing's remnant soul was indeed attached to Ji Chanxi.

Otherwise, why would she have suddenly revealed herself? If she truly didn't care about what Lin Yi said, she wouldn't have had a fluctuation in her state of mind, which led to her exposing her own trail.

Before, Lin Yi had kept saying that Ji Chanxi had a portable grandmother by her side, merely assuming that Nan Qing was dead. Now it seemed… she was indeed truly dead.

As for Jiang Miaoxuan… her non-existence was just a minor change in this hodgepodge Liu Bei world, not affecting the overall situation.

After quite a while, Pei Yuhan and Lu Jiajing flashed back into view. They exchanged a glance, then shook their heads at Lin Yi. "She got away again."

"It's fine," Lin Yi chuckled. "It's just that you both said earlier that with your Divine Sense covering the area, it would be impossible not to notice…"

Lin Yi's teasing words made Pei Yuhan and Lu Jiajing's expressions look slightly unnatural. Thinking back on these past few days, with Ji Chanxi trailing behind them, they really hadn't noticed a thing.

"Then Ji Chanxi… she might have followed us all the way from Chengtian City…" Pei Yuhan frowned as she spoke.

"No, she must have encountered us by chance in the Xialiang Kingdom. Otherwise, it would be impossible for her not to know that I had three yin-yang orders in my possession." Lin Yi shook his head.

"It could also be precisely because she knew you had three yin-yang orders that she gave you the remaining two," Su Lingshu snorted softly, retorting.

"That would be even less likely. She could have just come out and cooperated with us directly. After all… her goal is consistent with ours. If they weren't consistent, she wouldn't have given the yin-yang orders to me. And since they are consistent, there was no need for her to follow behind us and only hand them over once we reached the Xialiang Kingdom."

"She could have easily used Xuanyuan Yi's hand to give me all the remaining yin-yang orders back in Chengtian City." Lin Yi pinched Su Lingshu's cheek.

Chapter 99: Xier Wants to Share the Bridal Chamber with Her Enemy~

"Fine, fine, I suppose you're right." Su Lingshu nodded, looking rather unconvinced.

"Wait…" Pei Yuhan suddenly thought of a question. "Doesn't that mean… all of our debauchery over the past few days was seen by her?"

As soon as Pei Yuhan said this, Su Lingshu and Lu Jiajing were stunned, and then the three of them became somewhat uncomfortable.

Lin Yi comforted the three women. "Don't worry. If there were any men around, I would know. It was only those two women, Ji Chanxi and Nan Qing."

"But…" Su Lingshu snuggled into Lin Yi's embrace, her face burning. That wasn't the point. Of course they knew Lin Yi wouldn't allow other men to see their bodies, but the point was that someone else had seen their intoxicated, dazed expressions.

"Alright, alright." Lin Yi knew exactly what they were thinking. "When the time comes, I'll make her show that same infatuated look in front of you all."

Hearing this, a somewhat shy Su Lingshu sat up instantly. "Hehehehe, as expected, you guy really have ulterior motives for her!"

Lin Yi smiled dismissively. "Didn't you already know that?"

Su Lingshu was instantly choked by Lin Yi's words. Back in the city on the way to Chengtian City, Lin Yi had already stated his ambition, and Ji Chanxi's name was prominently among them.

Su Lingshu pouted. "I don't care, I'm jealous!"

This phrase, "jealous," was also something Su Lingshu had learned from Lin Yi.

"Then tonight, I'll have to properly reward my jealous little Shu'er." Lin Yi wrapped his arms around Su Lingshu's slender waist, his warm breath hitting the base of her ear, causing Su Lingshu's face to instantly flush red.

Pei Yuhan and Lu Jiajing shook their heads. The two of them set up multiple layers of anti-peeping Formations, stacking them on top of the previous ones; they were still feeling somewhat shy, after all.

Although they understood that over the past few days, under the cover of the Formations, Ji Chanxi couldn't see their intimate affairs and had only heard a few sounds—Pei Yuhan had just spoken subconsciously, and Lin Yi was only teasing them with it—but… it was still shameful.

The campfire continued to crackle and burn. The night sky outside the cave was covered by a full moon. It was getting closer to the end of the year, yet there was still such a vast, magnificent moon.

Lin Yi kissed Su Lingshu's lips, and Su Lingshu obediently wrapped her arms around Lin Yi's. Their fingers interlaced, and the campfire cast a warm glow upon Su Lingshu's smooth, fair, and beautiful back…

Lu Jiajing and Pei Yuhan were silently refining essence. Once Su Lingshu's violet hair was swept to her back, covering that beautiful spine, Pei Yuhan used her spiritual power to pull Lin Yi over…

Lin Yi fell into Pei Yuhan's embrace. Her fingertips glided over the teeth marks Su Lingshu had just left on his shoulder. Pei Yuhan's lips curved slightly, and under Lin Yi's amused gaze, she bit down on his other shoulder.

Lin Yi also wrapped his arms around Pei Yuhan's waist, pulling her into his embrace…

Lu Jiajing glanced at the two of them and silently closed her eyes. The campfire continued to crackle and pop—the sound of firewood bursting. Lu Jiajing pulled Lin Yi over, and looking at the bite marks on his shoulders, she snorted softly.

"What I'm carrying on these shoulders is the affection of two Fairies." Lin Yi said something ambiguous.

A trace of a smile flashed across Lu Jiajing's clear, beautiful eyes. "Then I shall let you carry one more."

Lu Jiajing lowered her head and bit down on Lin Yi's lips.

… The bright moon illuminated the earth, a sheet of silvery brilliance. The girl in the black dress was like the deeper night itself. She sat silently on a withered tree trunk, watching the cave from which a faint glow of fire was leaking out.

On a tree trunk nearby, a blurry figure of a woman accompanied her.

"You say… watching him do those kinds of things, why do I… feel a heartache…" Ji Chanxi tilted her head slightly, her ethereal voice drifting over the snow.

"Perhaps it's because you like him," the woman said, though her voice could only be heard by Ji Chanxi.

"Ghost Sister, have you ever liked anyone?" Ji Chanxi curiously tilted her head back to look at the woman standing behind her.

Her slender, delicate lower legs, wrapped in fine black stockings, swung back and forth in mid-air. Her beautiful arches revealed an alluring curve as they slightly bent. At the base of the withered tree, a pair of embroidered shoes lay quietly on the pile of snow.

"No." The woman shook her head.