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Before Xiao Wu could finish her words—

Ye Qiu gave her a light knock on the head, not at all kindly.

"Ah-ow!"

Xiao Wu cried out in pain, the corners of her eyes even tearing up a little. She looked at Ye Qiu in confusion.

Ye Qiu raised his fist and smiled playfully. "You little pervy bunny, so young and already thinking dirty thoughts."

"You—!" Xiao Wu covered her head, pouted, and realized Ye Qiu was teasing her again. She looked a bit aggrieved, puffing out her bunny lips: "You're the one who said you wanted that… and you're not allowed to call me a pervy bunny anymore!"

"Tch! You're my little bunny. I'll call you whatever I want." Ye Qiu wrapped his arm around her shoulders and gave her puffed cheek a light nibble, leaving a faint bite mark.

"Eep~" Xiao Wu bit her red lips, shut one eye, and clung tightly to Ye Qiu's clothes. Only after he let go did she glance at him shyly and softly say, "Even if that's the case, y-you can't call me that in front of other people…"

Ye Qiu couldn't hold back a laugh and said, "Alright, alright. I'll stop teasing you. Let's go and talk on the way."

Ye Qiu clasped Xiao Wu's hand in his, leading her back toward Dorm Seven. Xiao Wu said nothing, her beautiful face flushed like the crimson sunset on the horizon.

Their fingers were already interlocked. In her heart, Xiao Wu was overwhelmed by Ye Qiu's sweet words, both annoyed and embarrassed—but also filled with sweetness.

After refining the Yearning Heartbroken Red, Xiao Wu's cultivation, which was originally at level 32, had now reached level 44—an incredible twelve-level boost. Deservedly called the king of flowers, the medicinal effect was indeed powerful!

What's more…

Xiao Wu's recovery ability had drastically improved. Ye Qiu even deliberately left a hickey on her neck to test it. The red-purple mark from a forceful bite disappeared within moments, the skin becoming smooth and porcelain-like again.

However, Xiao Wu's head seemed to be steaming.

When the two returned to Dorm Seven, Xiao Wu's face was still entirely red. The place where Ye Qiu had left the hickey was still pink—clearly, she hadn't recovered from the overwhelming sweetness of the moment.

She followed behind Ye Qiu like an ostrich, head lowered, not daring to meet anyone's eyes—completely like a shy little bride.

Not long ago, Tang San had just returned from visiting Yu Xiaogang. Now resting on his bed, he immediately noticed Ye Qiu and Xiao Wu's figures entering and narrowed his eyes. He stood up and asked, "Ye Qiu, where did you take Xiao Wu?"

"Oh? It's you, Little San. Nowhere special. Just took her out for a walk," Ye Qiu replied with a faint smile.

Looking at the guy trying to steal his bunny, Ye Qiu narrowed his eyes, fully alert inside.

This old fox Tang San was truly sly.

Even though Ye Qiu had already shared a bed with Xiao Wu, this guy still harbored dirty thoughts about his little bunny. Pah! Despicable!

Ye Qiu gently squeezed the delicate hand in his palm and silently sighed in his heart, This bunny is really soft…

Xiao Wu bit her red lips, her face flushing even deeper.

"A walk?" Tang San clearly didn't buy it. His brows furrowed when he noticed the redness on Xiao Wu's cheek and her slightly bruised earlobe. A hint of concern appeared on his face as he asked, "Xiao Wu doesn't look too good. You didn't bully her again, did you?"

Ye Qiu tilted his head and looked at him strangely. "Hey, Little San, why are you suddenly so concerned about Xiao Wu?"

"Huh?!"

Tang San's face changed at Ye Qiu's words.

But his mind was sharp and mature. He quickly composed himself, smiled awkwardly, and said, "What are you saying, Ye Qiu? We've known each other for so long, living under the same roof. Isn't it natural to care about each other?"

As he spoke, he gave Ye Qiu a wry smile and helplessly brought up what had happened over summer break.

"I originally wanted to make Xiao Wu my little sister, but she didn't want to."

"You wish!"

Suddenly, Xiao Wu, who had been following behind Ye Qiu, raised her head and snorted coldly.

"Sister Xiao Wu only wants to be a big sister, not a little one!"

"Oh? Is that so?"

Ye Qiu looked surprised and turned to glance at Xiao Wu's flushed face.

He already knew about this but acted shocked. That "only wants to be a big sister" line was obviously just an excuse.

Noticing Ye Qiu looking at her—

Xiao Wu quickly clung to his arm, afraid he'd misunderstand. She had always been obedient and kept her distance from Tang San.

"Yeah…" Tang San's expression dimmed slightly, but he quickly recovered and forced a warm smile. He solemnly said, "Even if Xiao Wu doesn't want to, I can still treat her like family, right? In the future, if anyone dares bully her, they'll have to step over my corpse first!"

Damn! Ye Qiu cursed in his heart. You scheming bastard—what a perfect retreat-to-advance tactic! You're openly declaring war on me now, huh?

Ye Qiu remained expressionless but smiled at Tang San and teased, "Then what about me?"

"You?" Tang San paused, then waved his hand dismissively. "Forget it. You'd never want to be my little brother."

He paused again and added seriously, "But… we can be friends."

"Hahaha, never thought you actually understood me so well!" Ye Qiu laughed heartily, though in his heart, he was still weighing Tang San's sincerity.

Tang San felt a little awkward.

It's not like he wanted to understand Ye Qiu.

But why did this guy, clearly younger than him, always call him Little San?!

Ye Qiu didn't care about Tang San's feelings. He turned to Xiao Wu and teased, "Little Bunny, if I were in danger… would you protect me?"

"Huh? Of course! If anyone dares touch you, Sister Xiao Wu will fight them to the death! Unless I die, no one will hurt you," Xiao Wu said urgently, her little face flushed with determination. She was willing to do anything for Ye Qiu.

"Hahaha! Hey, Little San, would you still protect Xiao Wu now?" Ye Qiu grinned and looked at Tang San.

Tang San's already dark complexion darkened further. He didn't understand—was Ye Qiu's fiancée thing just a lie?

Trying to maintain his composure, Tang San forced a smile. "Of course I would—"

"Haha, Little San, I'm just messing with you! How could I ever let Xiao Wu stand in front of me to protect me?!" Ye Qiu interrupted before Tang San could finish, then pulled Xiao Wu tightly into his arms.

Ye Qiu didn't believe Tang San's words one bit. Tang San was the kind who would always hold back, then explode when others were injured or weakened.

Also—

When Tang Hao decided to make a move, would Tang San really be able to stop him?

"Ah—!"

Xiao Wu cried out softly, startled, but then quietly lay in Ye Qiu's embrace.

Tang San's breathing grew heavier.

The scene before him was such an eyesore. His goddess was being hugged and toyed with by some disgusting guy—this was torture.

Tang San took a deep breath and asked, "So… what exactly did you two go out to do earlier?"

Ye Qiu, with Xiao Wu in his arms, looked at him with a cheerful smile.

"Don't worry, Little San. I didn't bully her. Xiao Wu's blushing just because I gave her a gift—she was really happy, that's all."

After speaking, Ye Qiu pinched Xiao Wu's soft cheek again and teased with a grin.

"You agree, don't you, Xiao Wu?"

"Mm-hmm… Everything Ye Qiu says is right."

Xiao Wu's face flushed crimson, and she nodded slightly, her heart beating faster. At this moment, all she wanted was for Ye Qiu to bully her more… and to squeeze out that so-called fiancée. Her gaze toward Ye Qiu was now full of shyness.

"Gift?"

Tang San looked at the two suddenly acting so intimately, confusion written all over his face. What kind of gift could make Xiao Wu this red and flustered?!

"Yes! A gift!"

Ye Qiu smiled mysteriously.

There was no way he could hide his and Xiao Wu's cultivation levels any longer. So, Ye Qiu didn't even bother trying. Instead, he said proudly, "Xiao Wu has already broken through to level 40!"

"W-What?!"

Tang San was shocked.

Even the others in Dorm Seven, who were watching like an audience at a play, gasped one after another, looking at Xiao Wu in disbelief.

"How is that possible? Ye Qiu… You're not joking, are you?"

Tang San looked doubtful—he knew very well that Xiao Wu had just recently reached level 32!

He began to suspect that Ye Qiu had lost his mind.

"Joking?"

Ye Qiu shook his head and chuckled. He extended a hand toward Tang San and said with a smile, "San, why don't you check my cultivation level and see for yourself if I'm joking?"

Tang San hesitated slightly, half in disbelief. He grabbed Ye Qiu's wrist and sent a trace of soul power cultivated from the Xuan Tian Technique into Ye Qiu's body.

As the soul power entered, it was like a pebble sinking into a deep lake—

Tang San's pupils suddenly shrank. He was utterly shocked, staring at Ye Qiu as if seeing a ghost. He could clearly feel that Ye Qiu's cultivation had surpassed level 35 by a good margin. He couldn't help but blurt out, "How is this possible?! It's been less than two months… How could you have broken through this much?!"

"Hehe…" Ye Qiu subtly withdrew his hand and straightened his back. "Of course, it has everything to do with the gift I gave my little bunny!"

As he spoke, Ye Qiu turned to smile at Xiao Wu.

Xiao Wu also smiled back at him.

Softly, dreamily, with a sweetness that could melt the heart.

Although Ye Qiu didn't let her say much right now, his happiness made her happy too. Just seeing Ye Qiu smile made her feel content.

"In short, as long as Xiao Wu gets her fourth soul ring tomorrow, she'll be a full-fledged Soul Sect!"

At this point, Ye Qiu couldn't help but feel a bit of regret. Once Xiao Wu became a Soul Sect, she would no longer qualify for the Spirit Hall's subsidies. That meant losing a fairly substantial income.

Still, it wasn't a big deal. If needed, he had a rich sugar mommy—Dugu Yan—on his side. He could afford it! Not to mention, Ma Xiu Nuo often stuffed him with money anyway.

Seeing Tang San's increasingly complex expression, Ye Qiu felt a little tired of standing and pulled Xiao Wu down to sit beside him on his bed.

"Ye Qiu, what exactly was that gift? Don't tell me it came at the cost of her potential?! If there are any side effects, what happens to Xiao Wu in the future?!"

Tang San finally snapped back to his senses, still full of shock, confusion, and concern.

He had seen methods in his teacher's notes that allowed Soul Masters to rapidly improve in a short time. They were the techniques used by fallen cultivators—sacrificing life force, potential, harming others…

But this "gift" from Ye Qiu allowed Xiao Wu to gain at least eight levels in a single hour?! Even the methods of fallen cultivators couldn't achieve that!

Seeing Tang San suddenly rush forward with concern written all over his face, Xiao Wu's face scrunched up.

Lovesick Heartbroken Red—to her, that meant more than just a rare herb.

It was a token of love from Ye Qiu. Tang San's words, which seemed like slander, made her very uncomfortable. She frowned and said with displeasure, "San, what do you mean by 'sacrificing potential'? Are you saying Ye Qiu would harm me by giving me something like that?!"

Tang San quickly explained, "Xiao Wu, that's not what I meant. I'm just worried about you—about both of you. If this affects your future cultivation, it'd be bad…"

"Haha, alright."

Ye Qiu gently stroked Xiao Wu's back to calm her down before looking at the uncertain Tang San and softly saying, "San, it's not wrong for you to think this way. After all, the speed of our breakthroughs sounds like fantasy. But I can assure you—there's absolutely nothing wrong with it."

"Why?" Tang San frowned. He didn't understand why Ye Qiu was so confident.

Ye Qiu rolled his eyes.

Why? I already ate it myself—how could I not know? What, should I give you one too, so you can experience it for yourself? You'd be ecstatic!

Even though Tang San could be annoying, Ye Qiu still tried to stay patient. Remembering how Dugu Bo almost threw him off a cliff, his face couldn't help but show a trace of fear.

He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and said solemnly, "Because… that thing saved my life. I risked everything to get it."

"Saved your life?"

Tang San was puzzled. What was he talking about?

"That's right!" Under Xiao Wu's slightly dazed gaze, Ye Qiu suddenly stood up, put his hands behind his back, and began narrating. "As everyone knows, I, Ye Qiu, am still just a child. The dangers of traveling the world need not be said. Not long after I left Nuoding City, I ran into bandits!"

"Bandits?!"

Everyone in Dorm Seven pricked up their ears simultaneously, listening closely.

Looking at the lingering fear on Ye Qiu's face, Tang San could tell he wasn't lying—based on his understanding of human emotions.

He couldn't help asking, "Then what? What does this have to do with your cultivation rising so fast?"

"Of course it's related!" Ye Qiu said in a low voice, as if holding a grudge, his voice cold with anger but soon shifting to relief. He started bluffing, "After that, I was hunted down, fell off a cliff, and narrowly escaped death… only to stumble upon a divine art—no, a divine herb!"

"Divine herb? Boss, that's it?"

Zhang Wei had walked over at some point, listening with great interest.

Ye Qiu shot him a glance.

Then he looked up at a 45-degree angle toward the sky.

The anger on his face vanished, replaced by nostalgia and a faint smile. A voice tinged with world-weariness came out of his mouth.

"Of course not. That was just the beginning of my legendary holiday."

As his words fell—

Ye Qiu looked at Tang San with a serious face and continued, "At the bottom of the cliff, I found two glowing herbs. At the time, I was on the brink of death and had no choice but to gamble. I risked everything and ate one. Not only did it heal my wounds completely, but the remaining medicinal power pushed my cultivation to level 38!"

As Ye Qiu said this, even he couldn't help showing awe on his face, as if marveling at the power of heaven and earth.

"Boundless heaven, you have not treated me unkindly! After that, I met an old man picking herbs. I was almost captured and turned into a test subject, but thanks to my personal charm, I won over the old man's granddaughter and escaped. I gained a fiancée… and a fortune!"

"And the remaining herb—that divine medicine—was something my beautiful and kind-hearted fiancée and that moody old man allowed me to bring back… so I could help Xiao Wu."

Hearing this—

Xiao Wu, who had been pinching her thigh to hold back laughter, couldn't laugh anymore.

If that's how it really was, she'd rather not have the herb.

No herb was more important than Ye Qiu!

Xiao Wu let out a cold snort, her face showing a bit of grievance and sadness. Her eyes shimmered with tears.

This scene happened to be caught by Tang San when he turned back. He knew Xiao Wu well. With her brain—no, her temperament—she wouldn't be able to fake a performance this perfect.

In his heart, he started to believe Ye Qiu's story.

At the very least, the divine herb and fiancée part—Ye Qiu likely wasn't lying.

After all, in Tang San's previous life, there had been all kinds of miraculous herbs. The Douluo Continent wasn't any worse than the world of the Tang Sect. Finding a few rare treasures wasn't that unbelievable.

After Ye Qiu finished telling the fabricated story, he patted Tang San on the shoulder.

"So, Little San, you can relax now. How could a miraculous item that can bring the dead back to life and regrow flesh from bones possibly drain your potential? If that were the case, would I have dared to let Xiao Wu eat it?"

"Boss, your luck is just too good! If only I could pick up something like that divine herb too!" Zhang Wei looked at Ye Qiu full of envy, unable to stop himself from imagining the possibilities.

Tang San also nodded. Ye Qiu's stroke of fortune was truly exceptional.

"Uh… Xiao Wu, why are you looking at me like that?"

Ye Qiu chuckled and returned to Xiao Wu's side. Seeing the slightly reproachful look in her eyes, he raised an eyebrow and reached out to rub her puffed cheeks.

The grievance on Xiao Wu's face quickly faded, replaced by a blush as red as azaleas. She shyly leaned against Ye Qiu's shoulder, staying quiet and letting Ye Qiu tease her.

Tang San watched this scene.

Suddenly, he was confused.

If Ye Qiu really already had a fiancée, then why was Xiao Wu still clinging to him so intimately? What was this situation?!

This was a problem he truly couldn't solve!

Was Xiao Wu's tolerance level really that high? What was so good about Ye Qiu anyway? Wasn't he always bullying her?

Tang San smiled bitterly and tried to clear his thoughts. He forced a small smile on his face and said with some emotion, "Ye Qiu, I didn't expect you to encounter such an opportunity. If I had known, I would've gone outside with you."

"Oh, come on. I just got insanely lucky, that's all."

Ye Qiu waved his hand at Tang San, releasing Xiao Wu. He definitely didn't want to go out exploring with Tang San. The whole point of fabricating that story was to crush any thoughts Tang San might have about the immortal herbs and make it clear — there were only two, no more!

Tang San smiled, but deep inside, he still wasn't completely reassured.

---

After dinner—

Tang San was still relentless, insisting that Ye Qiu come with him to see Yu Xiaogang for a body checkup. He even wanted to bring Xiao Wu along. Ye Qiu immediately refused.

He didn't want some single middle-aged man touching him, and even more so, he didn't want someone like that laying hands on Xiao Wu. More importantly, he couldn't expose the fact that Xiao Wu had already obtained her fourth spirit ring and become a Spirit Ancestor.

So, Ye Qiu simply drew out the appearance of the immortal herb he had "eaten" and handed it to Tang San.

Only after seeing the drawing—

Did Tang San truly believe that Ye Qiu hadn't done anything that overdrew his potential or would harm his future growth. At the same time, his eyes were full of envy.

He kept sighing about Ye Qiu's heaven-defying luck…

And lamented his own misfortune for not going on an adventure with him.

---

At Yu Xiaogang's residence—

Yu Xiaogang looked at the drawing of the herb Ye Qiu had made and furrowed his brows.

He still found it hard to believe that any kind of herb could offer such a dramatic boost in power.

"Little San, how much of Ye Qiu's story do you think is believable?"

"Teacher, I think what Ye Qiu said might be true. This world is vast. Maybe such a herb really does exist."

Tang San held a different view from Yu Xiaogang.

If it were just Ye Qiu's words alone, he might still be skeptical. But after seeing the herb Ye Qiu drew, he was almost 80-90% convinced.

Because what Ye Qiu drew closely resembled a type of immortal herb Tang San knew about — Narcissus Jade Muscle Bone, a seven or eight-point similarity. It was far too much of a coincidence.

"Oh?"

Yu Xiaogang looked at his prized disciple with surprise. He hadn't expected someone usually as steady as an old dog to be so convinced.

Then he shook his head with a self-deprecating smile.

He wasn't even as clear-sighted as his student. The truth was already in front of them—what was there left to doubt?

Thinking of this—

Yu Xiaogang asked again, his tone now laced with some vague and hidden meaning.

"Do you think he might still have some left?"

If this really was true, Yu Xiaogang definitely wanted a portion of it. Whether for his own use or for Tang San's, it would be extremely beneficial!

If he used it, maybe he could break through level 30. If Tang San used it, the genius he nurtured would become even more exceptional!

"Teacher, getting even one of these immortal herbs is already an incredible stroke of fate. Let alone Ye Qiu finding two at once…"

Tang San's meaning was obvious.

He didn't believe Ye Qiu still had more. But even so, who wouldn't have the tiniest sliver of hope in their heart? No one understood the value of immortal herbs better than him! But precisely because he understood, he didn't indulge in unrealistic dreams.

"Sigh…"

Yu Xiaogang let out a sigh.

Ye Qiu refused to become his disciple. Otherwise, he would've been the one to personally train this peerless genius. If that were the case, maybe Ye Qiu would've even offered any spare herbs to him!

But unfortunately, that was all just Yu Xiaogang's wishful thinking.

---

Ye Qiu strolled back to Dorm Seven, whistling and looking up at the bright moon, thoughts racing in his mind.

He wasn't sure if his half-truth, half-lie story could fool Tang Hao. But at least for now, Tang San and Yu Xiaogang had taken the bait.

As he approached Dorm Seven—

A new thought came to him, and a calm, confident smile reappeared on his face.

Over the years, Tang Hao hadn't even figured out his own son's hidden weapons. Clearly, he wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed.

Or maybe…

He'd already known about Tang San's unusual traits all along, and was just pretending to be ignorant.

Precisely because of that—

Knowing Tang San was special, he let go completely once Tang San could survive on his own, even making Tang San take care of his own father.

Until the appearance of the twin spirits...

Only then did he put down his resentment?

Or perhaps the reappearance of the Hao Tian Hammer spirit was what made Tang Hao certain Tang San was his son, and only then did his fatherly love return?

Ye Qiu shook his head—

He pushed aside these messy thoughts for now.

When soldiers come, we fight them; when water floods, we block it with earth. A living man won't die from being choked by piss, right?!

Besides, he wasn't completely lying. That old man and the fiancée were real. The only false thing was the herb's appearance. And he still had the marriage contract with Dugu Yan to prove the fiancée part!

With his mindset reset, Ye Qiu stepped briskly into Dorm Seven.

"Boss, you're back!"

As soon as he entered, someone greeted him.

Ye Qiu nodded in return and headed toward his bed.

Regarding his and Xiao Wu's cultivation level—

Ye Qiu had already issued a strict gag order, forbidding anyone from Dorm Seven, including Tang San, from leaking a word of it to avoid unnecessary trouble.

Before he reached his bed, Ye Qiu noticed something.

His bed had become much larger.

No… it hadn't become larger. It was because that rogue rabbit's bed had, over the years, slowly moved closer and closer, and now it had fully joined back together with his.

Ye Qiu looked left and right, wondering where Xiao Wu had gone. Just as he was lost in thought, a crisp voice suddenly rang out from behind him.

"Ye Qiu~!"

Xiao Wu had just finished bathing. Her hair was still damp, and she was holding a bucket in her hand. She was tall and slender, her delicate face rosy and fair, with a soft pink glow—absolutely beautiful.

She jogged over, her hair fluttering and carrying a light fragrance. She hooked her arm around Ye Qiu's, her joy written all over her face. Her voice was cheerful and sweet.

"Ye Qiu, you're back!"

Xiao Wu leaned against Ye Qiu's side, her little face blushing red. Her head tilted slightly upward, and in her clear, bright eyes, there was only the reflection of Ye Qiu.

The Soft Bone Rabbit's body really was soft. Ye Qiu felt quite comfortable and let out a light chuckle as he nodded.

"Mm, I'm back."

Xiao Wu, still holding his arm, walked toward the bed and lifted the bucket in her hand with a proud look, as if expecting praise.

"Ye Qiu, Sister Xiao Wu already washed all your clothes and hung them out to dry!"

"Oh? Really… that's quite thoughtful of you."

As Ye Qiu got closer, he noticed that the bucket Xiao Wu was holding had his own bucket stacked inside it. He couldn't help but smile, and tugged at his clothes with amusement.

"But I still have another set of clothes. Why didn't you wait and wash them all together?"

"It's fine."

Xiao Wu smiled slightly, not minding at all. Her voice soft and sweet: "Once you change out of those, I can wash them for you again."

"I didn't expect you to suddenly become so diligent."

Ye Qiu chuckled. This was so different from how she usually was. He wondered how long this burst of enthusiasm would last.

As someone lazy himself, he hoped it would last a long while.

Being stared at by Ye Qiu, Xiao Wu blushed even more. She mumbled in a low voice:

"As long as… you don't bully me, I can keep washing for you…"

"Sure!"

Ye Qiu agreed instantly, then raised an eyebrow teasingly.

"But when you say 'bully'… what kind of bullying do you mean?"

As he spoke, Ye Qiu reached out and brushed aside the strands of hair sticking to her face. His fingertips glided over her soft, delicate skin—smooth and tender, as if blooming peach blossoms followed his touch.

"T-That… that…"

Xiao Wu stammered, unable to say anything clearly. Ye Qiu didn't tease her further and simply smiled.

"Alright, I won't mess with you anymore. I'm going to take a bath now."

He pinched Xiao Wu's cute cheek and turned to grab his things.

Xiao Wu followed behind him and called out in a soft, anxious voice:

"Just don't make me angry or sad, that counts as bullying."

"Got it. I'll try."

Ye Qiu gave a rather half-hearted reply as he walked out of Dorm Seven.

Xiao Wu frowned slightly as she watched his back.

Turning around and seeing the two beds now side by side, her face turned bright red again.

Humming happily, she shoved her bucket back under the bed, then sat on the edge and unfolded her blanket with a grin.

Since Ye Qiu didn't say anything, it meant he agreed to her moving her bed next to his.

Hmph!

That woman named Dugu Yan already went that far… Sister Xiao Wu can't fall behind either!

…

A quarter of an hour later.

Ye Qiu finished bathing and returned to Dorm Seven. He glanced at his now noticeably larger bed.

Sensing his gaze, Xiao Wu looked a bit nervous. She lowered her head and fidgeted with her fingers, not daring to look at him.

At their current age, and with their spirit rings developing, neither of them were kids anymore. Even if she was a "Rogue Rabbit," Xiao Wu still felt extremely shy at this point.

Ye Qiu smiled and sat on the bed, beckoning with his hand at the little bunny.

"Come here for a moment."

"…?"

Xiao Wu looked up, puzzled, but didn't move.

Even though she had gotten on Ye Qiu's bed before, this situation felt different now. Their relationship was basically confirmed, and intimate contact was unavoidable.

Blushing furiously, Xiao Wu glanced around.

Ye Qiu chuckled and urged, "What are you looking at? Hurry up."

"Ah, o-okay."

Xiao Wu responded in a panic, sneakily shifting over like a little thief, lightly lifting her butt and scooting to Ye Qiu's side.

Seeing her like this, Ye Qiu couldn't help but roll his eyes and laugh.

"Then why bother moving your bed closer?"

"I… I just wanted to be a bit closer to you…"

Xiao Wu lowered her head and bit her lip, her voice soft and shy, but with a hint of grievance in her heart. She hadn't moved the bed here to start some public romance scene.

It was just for convenience at night, that's all.

"Then suit yourself." Ye Qiu laughed and took out a ring from his chest. "I got you a little gift. It's a spatial soul tool. See if it fits."

As he spoke, Ye Qiu held her delicate hand and slipped the ring onto her ring finger—it fit perfectly.

Xiao Wu finally realized Ye Qiu wasn't trying to tease her. She bit her lip and gently withdrew her hand, turning it over to look at the ring, her eyes filled with surprise and joy, her smile bright.

"How is it? Do you like it?"

Ye Qiu smiled at her warmly.

Although this little bunny wasn't the brightest, she was quite easy to please—an ideal companion.

"Mm, I really like it."

Xiao Wu nodded quickly, staring at the tiny blood-red gem embedded in the ring, no bigger than a grain of rice, her voice even slightly trembling with excitement.

Ye Qiu shook his head with a smile.

"The storage space is a bit small, only one cubic meter. I'll get you a better one in the future when I can."

As he spoke, Ye Qiu spread out the blanket and slipped under it just as he finished talking.

"Ye Qiu, what are you doing?"

Xiao Wu looked down at him, feeling something was off. How come Ye Qiu wasn't trying to tease her or anything?

Thinking of that, her pretty face blushed crimson.

"What does it look like I'm doing? Sleeping."

Ye Qiu glared at her.

Did love really lower intelligence? She couldn't even understand something as obvious as someone getting under the blanket?

"Alright, go back to your own bed. Don't forget to head out tomorrow."

Ye Qiu really was tired and wanted to rest early. He reminded her one more time before closing his eyes.

The sooner Xiao Wu got her fourth spirit ring, the better.

"Okay, I know."

Xiao Wu nodded obediently. Watching Ye Qiu close his eyes and ignore her, her lips curved up slightly. She quickly leaned over, dabbed a bit of spit on her finger, and smeared it on Ye Qiu's lips.

Smack!

"Thank you, Ye Qiu~ Sister Xiao Wu is very happy!"

With a whisper quiet as a mosquito, Xiao Wu quickly scrambled back to her own bed. Her back turned to Ye Qiu, even the tips of her ears were red.

Ye Qiu opened his eyes, glanced at her nervous little back, and then shut his eyes again to sleep.

After a long moment…

Xiao Wu finally turned her head to peek at Ye Qiu. Seeing his eyes still closed, she let out a breath of relief.

She cautiously scanned the surroundings, and after confirming no one saw her sneak kiss, she grinned.

From under her pillow, she pulled out a few gold soul coins and happily started playing with the soul tool Ye Qiu had given her.

Putting things in and taking them out—over and over, never getting tired of it.

In the dead of night, the moon hung high above the branches.

As the night deepened, the lights in Dorm Seven were already out.

Inside Dorm Seven, some were fast asleep, some were sitting cross-legged in meditation cultivating, while others lay awake, their eyes open, acting sneakily.

In the darkness…

A pair of large pink eyes shimmered faintly.

Xiao Wu was quietly slipping out from her own blanket and moving toward her destination.

Carefully, she gently lifted the edge of Ye Qiu's quilt. First, she tested the water by slipping in her delicate feet, making sure not to touch Ye Qiu at all. Then her legs, hips, waist, and finally her upper body entered.

"Huu~"

Now fully transferred into Ye Qiu's bed, Xiao Wu lay flat. Before she could even catch her breath, Ye Qiu suddenly turned over and half of his body pressed down on her, their faces now touching.

Xiao Wu froze on the spot, her breath caught. Her face turned red as a tomato. Feeling Ye Qiu's breath so close, her heartbeat sped up wildly. She felt both nervous and… expectant.

Ye Qiu, seemingly dreaming of something, showed no restraint. He randomly tugged around a bit, then hugged her tightly like a human pillow. His legs clamped over hers like a koala, and he buried his face into her neck, lightly sniffing the sweet scent, scratching the itch in Xiao Wu's heart without knowing it.

Xiao Wu gritted her teeth hard. Though she felt a little guilty, she didn't dare make a sound or move.

It took a while before Ye Qiu finally settled down, wrapping his arms gently around Xiao Wu's slim waist and falling into deep sleep with his face buried in her chest.

Xiao Wu's face was still flushed, but as she felt how docile Ye Qiu was while in her arms, a maternal smile unconsciously crept across her face. She hugged him back and took in his scent deeply, her heart melting with sweetness like she had swallowed honey.

"Ye Qiu… Sister Xiao Wu really wants… really wants to just keep holding you like this forever…"

---

...

As the night faded, the morning sun rose.

From the horizon, streaks of purple energy appeared, drifting toward Dorm Seven.

"Ah~woo!"

Ye Qiu let out a long yawn, rubbing his drowsy eyes. Looking at the bunny who dragged him out of bed so early when it was barely light out, he complained, eyes half-shut:

"Hey, why are you pulling me up so early?"

Xiao Wu, her hair messy, kept her head lowered and said nothing. She glanced at Ye Qiu's thigh and blushed so hard her face looked like it was on fire.

Still dazed from waking up, the innocent Xiao Wu had come to intimately realize Ye Qiu's "strength." Overwhelmed with embarrassment, she had used her third soul skill to teleport and escape from Ye Qiu's "embrace."

"Huh?"

Seeing her stay silent, Ye Qiu opened his tired eyes. Only then did he notice her awkward, shifty gaze—sneaking glances at his… ahem… well-endowed presence.

"Ahem…"

Ye Qiu gave a couple of awkward coughs, pulled the quilt over himself to cover up, and asked confusedly, "Alright… what is it? Can you tell me now?"

Xiao Wu raised her hands, which had been nervously fiddling with her clothes. In her palms was a small comb. Looking at Ye Qiu seriously with a bashful and hopeful expression, she asked:

"Ye Qiu, can you help me comb my hair?"

Ye Qiu blinked, then quickly wiped away the little impatience from his face. He smiled and nodded cheerfully: "Sure. As long as you don't mind if my skills aren't very good."

"I won't mind. As long as it's done by you, I'll love it no matter what," Xiao Wu replied with eyes curved like crescent moons, smiling as she handed over the comb.

They sat by the bed.

Ye Qiu got up and carefully helped Xiao Wu comb her hair. Under her guidance, and after a few clumsy tries, he finally managed to tie her signature scorpion braid.

Fifteen minutes later.

Xiao Wu put the comb back into her soul tool. After saying goodbye to Ye Qiu, she walked out of Dorm Seven feeling a bit disappointed.

Ye Qiu hadn't kissed her goodbye like the heroes in the books did before their wives left on a journey.

"Hmph~ Does Sister Xiao Wu really have to make the first move?"

Xiao Wu playfully flicked her scorpion braid. Her face lit up with a sweet smile as she played with the braid Ye Qiu had personally tied, walking happily toward the academy gates.

Ye Qiu was no longer sleepy.

Stretching and watching Xiao Wu leave, he couldn't help praising himself:

"Ah~ looks like my hairstyling skills aren't too bad! Hmm?"

Suddenly, Ye Qiu noticed something odd. He sniffed his shirt, then lifted the quilt to take another sniff.

"Why does this smell like that pervy bunny?"

Raising an eyebrow, Ye Qiu seemed to realize something. He grinned smugly and patted Xiao Wu's now-cold bedding, confirming his suspicion.

He glanced around the dorm.

Besides Tang San's bed being empty, everyone else was still asleep.

Ye Qiu rubbed his chin, eyes gleaming.

With vision like a heat sensor, he peered through layers of obstructions and spotted Tang San meditating on a tree branch.

Sure enough, he was cultivating his Purple Demon Eye.

But Ye Qiu wasn't just interested in Tang San—he was also after his old man, the hammer-wielding rat (Tang Hao). Ye Qiu didn't believe for a second that Tang Hao would ignore his son's growth.

---

In the blink of an eye, several days passed.

During this time, Ye Qiu occasionally caught glimpses of Tang Hao. But he never dared to stare too long—strong cultivators had frightening instincts.

Just confirming his presence was enough.

---

Knock knock!

The sun was shining brightly.

Outside Yu Xiaogang's room, someone suddenly knocked.

Sitting at his desk, copying ancient texts and organizing theories, Yu Xiaogang paused his pen and asked suspiciously:

"Who is it?"

Knock knock!

The knocking came again, slow and steady.

Yu Xiaogang frowned. At this hour, his godson should still be in class, right?

So it wasn't Tang San.

Yu Xiaogang's expression darkened. He put away his notes and walked to the door with a stiff face, opening it coldly.

Whoosh—!

The moment the door opened, a gust of foul, drunken black wind swept in.

Bang!

The wind slammed the door shut behind it, followed by a deep, raspy voice:

"Master, we meet again."

At the sound of that voice, Yu Xiaogang instinctively tensed up, his soul power involuntarily spreading across his body, ready to… defend.

Yu Xiaogang slowly turned around.

It was a tall figure in a simple black robe, messy black hair cascading over his shoulders. His weathered face was full of fatigue and age. His murky eyes looked as if he was at the end of his years.

Though he looked worse than a beggar, Yu Xiaogang dared not be careless. He quickly bowed and greeted respectfully:

"Yu Xiaogang greets Your Grace!"

This man was none other than Tang San's father—the Clear Sky Douluo, Tang Hao!

"Mm."

Tang Hao responded indifferently, turning his back and stating his purpose plainly. He clearly didn't think Yu Xiaogang would—or could—refuse.

With a deep, gravelly voice, he said:

"I'm here to ask you a few things."