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[This isn't a damned Celestial Medicine Temple manual at all!]

[This is clearly the long-lost demon-subduing manual that Chen Jianxin accidentally obtained from the white-haired old man he rescued in the ruins in the middle of the game!]

[Wait, the third volume isn't even supposed to begin for several months, so how did this old man's lost manual end up in my hands?!]

Yino drew in a sharp breath, the eerie timeline making his back go cold.

But to avoid arousing Yuyan's suspicion, Yino swallowed and looked at the splendid orthodox exorcism techniques, feeling not just shock but very suspicion.

He turned page by page, feeling a familiar sense about the book.

Finally, engrossed in reading, Yino accidentally flipped to the special cultivation positions on the last few pages and discovered an extremely fine strand of red hair in the book's inner fold...

"?"

Three question marks appeared above Yino's head.

Now he could confirm one fact: compared to the original lost manual, this version had an additional section explaining special and difficult-to-describe positions. And...

It contained a fox hair.

[Jinyue, you really are full of mischief!]

[Oh no...]

[Don't tell me the old man in the secret realm from the original story was actually Jinyue...]

[Thinking carefully, the protagonist encountered countless strange opportunities along the way—could they all have been Jinyue in disguise using illusions?!]

[But isn't Jinyue supposed to be a Pleasure Demoness from the Western Region's evil cult? Since when does a demoness understand exorcism manuals better than Taoist priests?!]

[What is that dead fox's true identity?]

Yino was speechless. Seeing Yuyan about to curiously peek over, Yino quickly closed the manual and also secretly hid the fox hair from the inner fold.

"You still flipped to the last few pages?"

Yuyan noticed the young man's guilt and asked somewhat helplessly.

Yino sighed, figuring that since it was written by Jinyue, he might as well stop pretending with Yuyan:

"Yes... I accidentally saw a little..."

"It's strange, isn't it... I never expected the Celestial Medicine Temple's manual would contain..."

Yuyan couldn't hide her embarrassment but sighed helplessly.

"Actually, it's fine. I think this is normal medical knowledge, not something unsuitable for polite company. Besides, there are so many proper techniques in the front—I don't think Senior Sister needs to follow the techniques from the last few pages to help me cultivate."

Yino closed the manual, attempting to ease the awkwardness by appearing serious. In truth, compared to Yuyan, Yino was now more curious about Jinyue's true identity.

Back in the Azure Forest, when Yuebai cursed Jinyue as an orphan and made her cry, Yino had already begun to suspect Jinyue's background.

Now, the mystery of Jinyue's identity had expanded beyond Pleasure Demoness and Western Region orphan with special abyss-system trump cards—she even had the contrasting image of someone somewhat knowledgeable in Western Region Taoist methods...

Thinking of this, Yino suddenly wanted to rush down the mountain to capture Jinyue and thoroughly question her.

But just as his mind was filled with these thoughts, Yino suddenly realized his body seemed to be growing hotter than before.

"Something's wrong, I feel strangely feverish..."

Yino placed a hand on his forehead, his breathing gradually quickening.

He looked back at his senior sister by the bed, then at the prank manual written by the Pleasure Demoness.

"Senior Sister, this cup of milk you gave me, it wouldn't happen to follow one of the techniques from the last few pages of the book, would it?"

"Mm... yes..."

"?"

Yino's lips twitched, his mind seemingly conjuring Jinyue's image—covering her mouth with her hand, wearing that mischievous, devilish smile.

What kind of proper technique could the Pleasure Demoness create with those suggestive illustrations?

"Senior Sister... I feel a swelling down below... is this also part of the normal medicinal effect?"

"Yes... that's right..." Yuyan nodded gently, answering softly.

"Huh?" Yino raised an eyebrow, feeling the atmosphere was very strange, and his body's instincts seemed to be challenging his reason.

At some point, Yino suddenly noticed the white-robed woman holding a hair tie between her cherry lips.

Yuyan had her hands behind her head, tying her loose hair into a ponytail. Yino also realized that early this morning, from the moment Yuyan entered the room, she had already put on the spirit-patterned cotton silk gloves she wore during energy channeling the night before—

"Yino, didn't you find the previous method too painful?"

"After all, you're a teenage boy. These few months on Ranmo Peak, you're always sneaking glances at your Senior Sister. I imagine you've built up a lot of pressure with nowhere to release it..."

"And the Taoist also said that day, with evil energy in your body, you're prone to irritability. You should maintain a joyful mood daily and reduce stress..."

"Since it's just another way to help you heal, rather than having you suffer physical pain during daily energy cultivation, and lying awake at night swollen with desire because of your Senior Sister's body, why not let me take responsibility and help you handle your desires during this time."

"This way, you can release all the evil energy and negative emotions through my hands..."

"After expelling all the filth, your mind will be calm, and you'll be more focused on cultivating and healing every day."

….

In Jiangnan Region, another morning dawned bright.

Yuebai had just returned from the Western Region last night, and this morning was also the day Ruoning returned home from the Azure Forest by carriage.

As usual, Ruoning entered her home amid greetings from numerous butlers and servants.

But unlike before, Ruoning's attire wasn't as elegant and noble this time.

Her white top was still stained with mud from the Azure Forest, and her black skirt retained many traces of being torn by blood-colored vines in the secret realm.

This disheveled appearance clearly didn't match the quality of the Liu family's noble daughter.

But Ruoning didn't mind, instead beaming with joy.

Though the journey to the Western Region had been somewhat bumpy, at least her plan had succeeded. Ruoning had indeed renewed her marriage contract with Yino, and she had publicly received Yino's marriage promise. Yino asked Ruoning to return home to cultivate properly, saying that after resolving his troubles in the Western Region in a couple of years and achieving fame and success, he would return to Jiangnan to marry her...

Hehe~

He really does still love me!

From today on, Ruoning truly had official status. She wanted to share this exciting, life-changing news with her parents.

"Father! Mother!"

"I am homee~!"

Ruoning, in high spirits, pushed the door open forcefully, but the scene that met her eyes left her confused.

Five people sat at the main table in the Liu family mansion's living room.

Two on the host side were Ruoning's parents.

On the guest side sat Ruoning's sister Liu Ruoxin, her brother-in-law Lin, and beside him, another handsome young man dressed in Lin family formal attire whom she didn't recognize—

"Ah, Ruoning's back?"

"Ruoning, weren't you visiting the He family? Were you bullied there? Why are your clothes so torn upon your return?"

Ruoning's mother rose to her feet, hurrying forward to show concern for her daughter.

But Ruoning sensed a strange atmosphere in the room:

"Mother, I wasn't bullied. It's a long story..."

"Were you in the middle of important business with my sister? Then I should withdraw to change first..."

Ruoning nodded somewhat awkwardly, preparing to leave.

But at that moment, her mother grabbed Ruoning's arm:

"Wait, wait, wait! Actually, Ruoning, you've arrived at just the right time. That young man is Young Master Lin Ze, your brother-in-law's third young master. He happens to be about your age, and his talent is even higher than your brother-in-law's!"

"Ruoning, quickly go take a bath and change your clothes. Let your sister and brother-in-law introduce you!"

"—?"