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This is getting more and more mortifying...

I wanted to comfort Yino, but after Ruoning’s interruption, I can’t think of a single advantage I have over her besides this seductive body!

The more Yuyan thought about it, the more she felt trapped in a mental dead end. She could only silently sigh while hugging her chest.

But just as she was lost in these gloomy thoughts, Yino had already left her side to speak with Ruoning—

"Alright, alright, don’t be angry. Look how late it is - it’s already dark. You should head back to Jiangnan and rest well. Once I’m done with things here, I’ll come visit you."

Yino spoke gently, putting an arm around Ruoning’s shoulders to comfort her.

Since they weren’t standing far away, Yuyan could hear everything clearly just by paying attention.

Honestly, watching Yino sweet-talk Ruoning left a sour taste in Yuyan’s mouth.

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Yuyan knew she was feeling jealous, which made her realize she couldn’t keep hesitating like this.

I need to do something!

Otherwise, with Yino pursuing her so sincerely while she neither accepted nor rejected him, yet still let him live with her on Ranmo Peak every day - this situation was meaningless for Yuyan and would eventually exhaust Yino’s patience.

Sexual attraction wasn’t the kind of feeling that would last forever.

Living under the same roof, seeing each other daily... Perhaps one day Yino would grow tired of his senior sister, or perhaps Ruoning would develop her own assets. By then, any lingering thoughts Yuyan had would be too late!

Her mother had told her in childhood to be like the heroines in romance novels—bold in love and hatred, swift in vengeance.

Yuyan had always been direct, speaking her mind. How could she become indecisive with Yino, transforming into the very persona she’d always despised?!

On the other side of Yuyan’s thoughts, Ruoning smiled brilliantly, unabashedly linking her arm with Yino’s in public—

"Oh, Yino! Didn’t you say I still owe you a bet?"

Somehow, Ruoning seemed more fixated on that decade-old bet than Yino himself.

Yino paused, briefly thinking, then laughed: "There’s no rush."

"No rush?"

Ruoning raised an eyebrow.

Facing the girl’s puzzled gaze, Yino reached out to gently caress her cheek, leaning forward to whisper into her ear: "We can fulfill that promise at our wedding feast when I return to Jiangnan in a couple of years."

"—?!!!"

At these words, Ruoning trembled, her delicate face blushing to her ears, steam practically erupting from her forehead.

Unlike Yuebai and Liuli, Ruoning had never been placed under Yino’s spell. Now, with just a single sentence, her breath quickened, her legs weakened, her cheeks flushing impossibly red.

It was strange.

In childhood, Ruoning would chase after Yino, calling him hubby without a second thought.

But now, when Yino actually proposed marriage, Ruoning’s body quivered violently, feeling breathless and dizzy!

"A…a-a-a- are you serious? Not just teasing me?"

Ruoning stammered, but Yino supported her, offering more trust and reassurance.

Yino pulled back, looking her directly in the eyes, and shrugged:

"Why would I lie? But two conditions: first, you must keep the secrets of Azure Forest, and second, after marriage, you’ll come to the He family as my wife—not me becoming a live-in son-in-law in the Liu family."

"Of course that’s no problem! My father’s been constantly worried about marrying me off, introducing me to potential matches—I’m sick of it!"

Ruoning nodded excitedly. It was clear her previous talk of him becoming a live-in son-in-law was just anger.

She had always been captivated by their childhood memories. After witnessing Yino’s true abilities in the secret realm, she had become an even bigger fan.

For Ruoning, could there be a better fiancé in the world?

They were childhood friends who knew each other deeply, perfectly matched, and Yino’s cultivation was extraordinary. At just sixteen, he could defeat Liuli, who was at the Nascent Soul stage’s peak—completely outshining the pampered young masters she’d met during matchmaking in Jiangnan...

A perfect match in both love and career!

"Ha, that sounds about right. My family’s always trying to introduce me to women too," Yino waved his hand, habitually mentioning his aunt, a thought that brought a hint of nostalgia.

Counting the days, he realized it had been several months since he’d seen her.

Living at Ranmo Peak without his aunt’s golden-marked jade feet waking him each morning felt strange.

"Speaking of which..."

"I have a question for you."

Suddenly, Yino’s thoughts returned to the present, looking suspiciously at Ruoning.

The Greem-haired girl tilted her head, blinking: "What?"

"Back in Azure Forest, did Liuli ask you something? How did you respond?"

Yino recalled their private conversation before parting, curious.

Under his gaze, Ruoning’s face first turned pale, then gradually blushed like boiling water.

"Didn’t she tell you...?"

"No, Liuli just mentioned it, but when I asked her, she refused to tell me and said I should ask you directly."

"I... I just said..."

"Said what?"

"I said... no matter what he becomes, even if he falls into the demonic path and can’t remember my face, forgets our memories... in my heart, he’ll always be that slightly mischievous childhood boy. So smart, yet always taking care of a silly girl like me, always coddling and protecting me. Whenever I encountered bad people, he would always step forward to protect me..."

….

….

Jin Jie, why are you back so early?"

The blonde girl in the Western Province City’s Phoenix Pavilion spoke curiously, lounging in her typical red dress, her embroidered golden phoenix-patterned feet gently swaying, silver bells chiming melodiously.

"Quickly tell me how that little brat performed in the secret realm!"

As the black-clothed woman approached, the red-dressed girl sat up, lifting her chin.

In the dim light, her face was delicately made up. Naturally, she was an adorably mischievous girl, but her makeup added a touch of Western Region’s seductive charm and the allure of the Phoenix Pavilion’s mistress.

Jin Jie pulled back the curtain, ascending the platform, and knelt on one knee before the Hundred Spirits Pavilion’s mistress. Her face remained expressionless, but cold sweat was already forming on her back.

She opened her mouth as if to speak but covered the side of her thigh, her body trembling, seemingly suppressing something.

"Jin Jie, why aren’t you saying anything?"

"Did something happen to Yino in Azure Forest?"

Xinyao noticed her shadow guard’s unusual state, her phoenix eyes narrowing with a flash of killing intent.

Encountered danger?

He might be the most dangerous, most evil villain himself...

Recalling the memories of Azure Forest, Jin Jie inwardly reflected, but the demonic pattern on her thigh’s side began to itch, forcing her to bite her lip to suppress any strange sounds.

Helplessly, Jin Jie could only speak the lines Yino had instructed:

"Mistress, rest assured. The young master performed excellently in the secret realm and encountered no dangers."

"And moreover..."

"The young master seems to have defeated a Holy Maiden from the Full Moon Sect, proving the effectiveness of the medicinal pills you invested in him!"

"???"