Chapter 72: I Must Have Lost My Mind, Violet-Clad Liu Ruoyi!

“You really are a tiger! That bite hurts!” As Ling Tian moved to cover Hu Yunying’s mouth, she lowered her head and bit down on his hand. Stung by the pain, Ling Tian blurted out these words, but in the next instant, he realized—wait, Hu Yunying truly belonged to the White Tiger clan. So, what he’d said wasn’t wrong at all.

“If you didn’t press so hard on my mouth, it wouldn’t have hurt!” Hu Yunying glared at Ling Tian, then scrutinized him closely. “Are you feeling guilty? Why won’t you let me finish what I was saying? Or could it be…” Her speculation made cold sweat break out on Ling Tian’s back. Women’s intuition, he had to admit, was frighteningly accurate.

But in truth, Ling Tian had stopped her for her own good. Fine, if you insist on saying it, then so be it! Hu Yunying looked at Ling Tian with an air of triumph, convinced she’d figured out what he was thinking, and continued, “Actually, when you cured my illness, my heart already…”

Hu Yunying had composed herself, preparing to lay her feelings bare, when suddenly a knock sounded at the door: “Bang, bang…”

Now, Fox Fairy and Xiao Ling’er were even more bewildered. There were already three people in Ling Tian’s room—could someone else possibly have business with him? This was getting absurd!

“Hey, don’t—” Ling Tian saw Hu Yunying about to dive under the bed and moved to stop her. Damn it, there were already enough people under there to start a mahjong game. He really wondered what her reaction would be when she discovered the two others beneath.

But as he spoke, Hu Yunying had already lifted the bedsheet. “Heh, are you here to see him too?” The three women looked at each other. Xiao Ling’er popped a candy into her mouth; Fox Fairy greeted her with a nod.

Hu Yunying shot Ling Tian a resentful glance, seeming to understand now why he’d tried to stop her from speaking earlier. She had to admit, this guy’s luck with women was…unusually good. And she’d arrived last of all?

She didn’t have time to dwell on it—she was pulled in. “Hey, Hu, what were you about to say just now? You’re always so direct; were you about to confess to Ling Tian?” Fox Fairy sidled up slyly, peering at Hu Yunying.

Hu Yunying’s face instantly flushed crimson. The straightforward girl suddenly lost her nerve. Thank goodness she hadn’t managed to say it aloud—goodness knows how much she’d have been teased.

“You’re one to talk! Coming here in the middle of the night, dressed like that—don’t tell me you’re just here to discuss cultivation techniques?” Hu Yunying retorted, sizing Fox Fairy up. What decent woman would show up in a man’s room at night wearing something so revealing? Especially a fox spirit—her intentions were all too clear.

“I…” Fox Fairy, thick-skinned as she was, couldn’t help but blush when her motives were exposed. She tried to explain, but Xiao Ling’er interrupted: “Shh, someone’s coming!”

The two quieted immediately. In their eyes, Xiao Ling’er was dressed the most properly, making her the perfect mediator.

“Huang Yu? What brings you here so late?” Ling Tian asked, raising an eyebrow as the visitor entered.

Indeed, it was someone Ling Tian knew well—the Third Saint, Huang Yu.

“Ling Tian, I came to thank you. If not for you, my grandfather would still be wracked with guilt, and our clan would never have produced such a remarkable talent. I never imagined my aunt’s daughter would be so gifted. I’m truly grateful.” Huang Yu’s face radiated sincerity.

“Enough, there’s no need for formalities between us. Just tell me what you need.” Ling Tian waved his hand. If it was just gratitude, Huang Lei would have come himself. Since Huang Yu had come, it must be a request.

Huang Lei was too embarrassed to ask, so he’d sent Huang Yu instead. That made sense.

“You’re as perceptive as ever, Ling Tian. There’s indeed a favor to ask.” Seeing his intentions laid bare, Huang Yu didn’t waste words and got straight to the point. “I mentioned before that the Phoenix Domain’s secret realm is about to open—that’s true. That secret realm holds a tremendous opportunity, one many Phoenix clan members have coveted, but in the end, their bloodline never measured up, and they missed their chance…”

“I understand. You want me to help Ling’er obtain that opportunity, don’t you?” Before Huang Yu could finish, Ling Tian had already guessed his purpose.

When it came to bloodline purity, even Xiao Ling’er barely qualified—so among the Phoenix clan, no one else stood a chance.

“That’s right. I once attempted it myself, but I suspect only an emperor-grade bloodline can open that area. A pseudo-emperor grade bloodline might just suffice as well.”

Huang Yu nodded, his brow still furrowed, and explained his conjecture. He walked over to Ling Tian’s bed and sat down naturally.

“You mean the boy who tested as pseudo-emperor grade that day might compete with Ling’er for this?” Ling Tian’s eyes narrowed as he recalled the youth from the testing day. Now he understood why Huang Yu had come.

“But if you want to help Ling’er, why not do it yourself?” Ling Tian voiced his suspicion after a moment’s thought.

“It’s bizarre, really. According to our ancestral rules, if the chosen one is acknowledged by that domain, a Phoenix clan member can enter along with a male from another clan. If both are from the same clan, neither can enter.” Huang Yu shook his head, revealing the peculiar custom.

Ling Tian was taken aback—he hadn’t expected the opportunity to be so…odd. Why would it be set up this way? Somehow, the idea of yin and yang sprang to mind. Could it be that if he entered, he might gain something as well?

“Very well, that’s settled, then.” Ling Tian agreed. Since he was entering the secret realm anyway, perhaps this was the greatest opportunity the Phoenix Domain had to offer.

Clap.

“I knew you’d agree…” Huang Yu, delighted, slapped the bed in excitement, preparing to rise—only to discover the bed’s quality was truly abysmal.

With a crack, the bed collapsed, and Huang Yu tumbled down, almost landing on the three women beneath—only to be promptly kicked away.

Huang Yu was stunned. Since when could beds kick people?

With that, the three women were completely exposed. The scene was awkward, to say the least. Fox Fairy was the first to break the silence, opening her eyes with a look of feigned surprise, her face calm as she muttered, “I’ve had sleepwalking issues since childhood. How did I end up here?”

With that, she left the room unhurriedly, glaring fiercely at Huang Yu as she passed his still-dazed figure.

“What are you looking at? Good for nothing, always ruining things!” Hu Yunying was more domineering, barking at Huang Yu as she passed. If not for this troublemaker, she’d have said what she wanted and avoided such embarrassment. As for the other two women overhearing—let them. Her goal was achieved.

She left without looking back. Watching her retreating figure, Huang Yu’s expression turned sour. What sort of world was this? In his own brother’s room, facing the woman whose engagement to him had been canceled just today, he was spoken to so heartlessly—didn’t she care about his feelings at all?

“Cousin…” Huang Yu looked to Xiao Ling’er, hoping for some comfort from his kin.

“Brother Ling Tian, your bed is broken. I suppose we’ll have to share…” But Xiao Ling’er only cast him a glare, not bothering to reply.

“That won’t be necessary. I doubt he’d let me go without a place to sleep.” Ling Tian shook his head with a wry smile, glancing at Huang Yu to offer him an out.

Huang Yu nodded so vigorously he nearly hurt himself. If his father found out he’d broken the bed and forced his cousin to share with Ling Tian, he’d be in serious trouble.

Xiao Ling’er nodded and left as well.

“This bed’s quality really leaves much to be desired… I suppose I’ll have to put more thought into it,” Huang Yu muttered, trying to distract himself as he and Ling Tian were left alone in the room.

But what had he just witnessed? Three women, all under the bed! Each one more extraordinary than the last—outshining even the demons. It was enough to infuriate the spirits!

“Friend Huang Yu, I trust you know what to do about tonight’s events?” Ling Tian addressed him directly, ignoring his small talk.

“I think I’m too tired, my mind isn’t clear. The bed’s just no good—Ling Tian, you’d better stay in the room next door tonight.” Huang Yu sighed, nodding and stating his plan before leaving, lost in thought.

Say anything? Of course not. This incident would be buried deep within his heart forever. Perhaps he really was too tired and hallucinating…

Ling Tian shook his head and sighed. A breeze swept through the room, carrying flower petals past. His gaze clear as water, he caught a petal in his hand and murmured softly, “The peach blossom longs to follow the flowing stream, yet the stream is indifferent, pining for the fallen flower…”

*

Clap.

Within the Blackflame Sect’s territory, Huang Chao sat atop a mountain, draining bowl after bowl of wine. He couldn’t understand why things never went as he wished. Just a bit more—a little more, and he would have been taken as the patriarch’s disciple. Why did a girl with such a powerful bloodline have to appear out of nowhere?

“Friend Huang Chao, drinking alone is dull indeed. Why not let me join you?” A woman in a violet dress, veiled, with flawless, jade-like feet untouched by dust and striking violet eyes, approached.

“Saintess Liu, don’t tease me. Haven’t you heard what happened today?” The sweet fragrance beside him made Huang Chao smile bitterly as he emptied another cup.

Seeing this, Liu Ruoyi poured herself a full cup, her violet eyes shining with intelligence as she took a delicate sip. “Haven’t you heard? The first victory is not always the last. As long as we join forces in that region of the Phoenix Domain’s secret realm, what’s to stop us from killing her?”