ddv7

Outside world.

Under Tang Hao's gaze, the black fluid that Ye Qiu had turned into had already climbed over A Yin's entire body, fully engulfing her.

From afar, it looked like an ordinary black weed. Though it was now cloaked in a dark, shiny outfit, the Blue Silver Empress still swayed slightly in the wind.

Its leaves and branches remained soft, with golden veins still visible. If one looked closely, they'd see that the surface of the Blue Silver Empress seemed to be covered in silk-like, mucus-coated threads—looking quite corrupt and fallen.

Tang Hao lay prone on the ground, watching the Blue Silver Empress now draped in poisonous slime, his face flushed with excitement.

Ye Qiu had completely wrapped around A Yin—tightly, without a single gap.

The Blue Silver Grass was now cloaked in black, with shimmering, silk-like golden lines crisscrossing it.

This also signified—

The spiritual connection between man and plant had already been established.

Ye Qiu could now clearly sense A Yin's emotions:

Curiosity, excitement, alertness, and fear.

He could even hear her asking all sorts of questions:

> "Who are you?"

"Why did you force your way in... playing with me?"

"How are Hao and my child now? Tell me quickly, let me see more."

"..."

Facing A Yin's barrage of questions, Ye Qiu stayed silent. He even blurred parts of his memories.

He didn't let her see them—saving that leverage for later.

After casually skimming through A Yin's memories, he found them utterly boring and quickly lost interest.

"Hehe... So now, I've had some 'intimate contact' with his wife too, huh?"

"I mean, I've wrapped her up so tightly, so thoroughly."

"Honestly, calling it 'intimate contact' doesn't even cut it. She's literally filled with me, inside and out."

Ye Qiu chuckled to himself, feeling a twisted sense of revenge against Tang Hao. But this was only the beginning.

Tang Hao had delivered A Yin—

Right into his hands.

> "Y-You… who the hell are you?! How can you think this way?"

"What exactly are you trying to do?!"

A Yin's voice rang softly in Ye Qiu's mind, tinged with both shyness and anger—it was like music to his ears.

Although she was anxious, Ye Qiu still ignored her and quickly shielded his inner thoughts. If she found out he planned to steal Tang San's mother and become Tang San's "wild father"... well, that'd make her hard to manipulate—no, hard to coax, that is!

After thinking a bit,

Ye Qiu wasn't worried about Tang Hao getting impatient. After all, how long his spirit fusion took was entirely up to him. Tang Hao could just stand guard outside like a good watchdog.

Ye Qiu's teasing voice whispered into A Yin's ear:

> "As expected of the Blue Silver Empress. Not only are you soft and juicy... you even smell quite nice."

A Yin immediately scolded him upon hearing this:

> "Scoundrel! What are you talking about?!"

> "Scoundrel? What? I'm just complimenting a plant. What's wrong with that?"

> "You—!"

A Yin was momentarily speechless. She had even forgotten that she was still just a blade of grass. It was all Ye Qiu's perverted thoughts that had infected her mind.

> "What do you mean 'you'? I'm just praising you for being fragrant and full of moisture. Am I wrong? Isn't it true?"

Ye Qiu pressed harder.

> "Hmm... Well, yes, I am fragrant... and quite moist… N-No! Wait!"

A Yin paused, and she had to admit it was true. But she quickly realized that her words sounded completely wrong.

She was already someone's wife—how could she say something like that to another man?!

> "What do you mean no? Are you saying you're smelly and all dried up?"

> "Shut up! Don't talk anymore! Who the hell are you, and what are you trying to do?!"

> "Heh… silly grass."

Ye Qiu let out a light laugh, feeling something strange.

A Yin, who had lived in a dark cave all alone for years without contact, hadn't spoken to anyone for over a decade—maybe she wasn't very smart anymore?

Ye Qiu fell silent again.

Now that Tang Hao had seen he could successfully possess the Blue Silver Empress, there was no way he could reject this plan. So, all he had to do was continue deceiving them.

Ye Qiu also wanted to test whether his first spirit skill could bind the Blue Silver Empress. If he succeeded, would he gain her bloodline? Maybe even her Blue Silver Domain?

Moreover—

A Yin's situation was quite unique.

Unlike Xiao Wu's extreme self-sacrifice that gave up both her body and soul, A Yin only sacrificed her physical body. Her soul remained, leaving behind a seed.

This seed later sprouted and allowed her to cultivate again. Once she reached a certain level, A Yin could fully resurrect.

Ye Qiu was genuinely looking forward to gaining her powers.

But A Yin wouldn't give up so easily:

> "Answer me! Say something!"

Having thought it all through, Ye Qiu said calmly:

> "I was sent by Tang Hao to take care of you."

> "Hao… Is he okay?"

A Yin muttered quietly. After all these years in darkness, Tang Hao and their child were her only hope.

Ye Qiu smiled and said:

> "He's doing fine. Drinks a bit every day…"

> "No! Why should I believe you?" A Yin's heart was filled with suspicion and vigilance.

> "Why don't you take a look yourself?"

Ye Qiu knew her thoughts well. He shared his recent memories—how he and Tang Hao had entered the cave.

Tang Hao asked him to wrap her up… and do it.

A Yin was stunned, seeing the memory of Tang Hao in Ye Qiu's mind. She couldn't believe it.

> "Is that real...? Hao… he's changed."

To make her obedient,

Ye Qiu didn't waste any more breath. He laid out the benefits clearly:

> "Madam, you must've been cold and lonely all these years, right?"

"I can wrap you up now and then, warm you up."

"Let you see the outside world, keep you entertained, and chat with you."

"We could watch little movies…"

"You don't want to never see your husband and child again, do you?"

> "..."

With Ye Qiu's list of temptations,

A Yin finally bit her lip and agreed. She had to cooperate with Ye Qiu—she couldn't let her husband's efforts go to waste.

---

Under Tang Hao's watchful eyes,

A Yin suddenly trembled. Her black skin turned into liquid, flying into the air and slowly forming the shape of Ye Qiu.

At this moment, Ye Qiu—

Still looked like venom, choosing to maintain this form since it was less taxing and he could freely change his expressions.

Tang Hao's posture was quite bizarre—kneeling on the ground, both hands on the floor, bent over like a dog, watching Ye Qiu pull himself out of A Yin's body.

> "Ahem…"

Ye Qiu coughed dryly, looking up to avoid making eye contact, giving Tang Hao time to adjust.

Tang Hao glanced sideways at him, then silently corrected his posture.

> "So? Did it go smoothly?"

Tang Hao's voice trembled with excitement.

Ye Qiu had long wanted to uproot A Yin, but he didn't want to make it too obvious.

> "Uncle Hao, yes—it worked. But…"

He suddenly paused, hesitating:

> "But… didn't you want me to accompany her in cultivation? That might slow down my own progress, wouldn't it?"

Upon hearing Ye Qiu's words, Tang Hao was slightly stunned. He frowned, glared, and said in a deep voice,

"Just do it a few more times every day—wouldn't that solve the problem?"

"Do it more times every day? Uh… wouldn't that be a bit counterproductive?"

Ye Qiu looked at Tang Hao strangely. That he could come up with such an idea—what a cunning little devil.

"What? You can't handle it? You're still young. If you don't work hard now and endure a little suffering, when will you?"

Tang Hao frowned again, but Ye Qiu's lips were grinning so wide they nearly reached his ears. He was glad his face wasn't showing, or he was afraid he might laugh out loud.

Doing it every day, and even more times? Wouldn't that mean he'd have to carry it with him everywhere?

Even though Tang Hao's words were absurd, Ye Qiu still agreed.

"Uncle Haozi, a real man never says he can't. I can do it. I'll do it well!"

"In that case, start now."

Tang Hao nodded in satisfaction and urged him in a low voice. He had already noticed that the A Yin in the ground had become much more supple after being nourished with the venom.

Ye Qiu thought it was probably because he had unintentionally poured in too much soul power, overstuffing her.

"Alright, I'll wrap her up now."

As soon as he spoke, three soul rings—yellow, yellow, and purple—appeared beneath Ye Qiu's feet.

Without hesitation, his first soul ring lit up, and the second one began to change strangely. It floated up and hovered in Ye Qiu's palm.

Right in front of Tang Hao, Ye Qiu was about to use his first soul skill to bind A Yin to his second soul ring. With a whirlwind of thoughts, he reached toward A Yin on the ground.

Under Ye Qiu's control, the soul ring slowly enveloped A Yin. The moment their spiritual connection was established, Ye Qiu gently called out:

"Madam, I'm here."

"Mm, I'm ready. Come... ah, slow down, not too fast."

As the soul ring fully tightened around the Blue Silver Empress and slowly merged into her body, a large amount of Ye Qiu's soul power poured in, turning her body dark again.

Ye Qiu was a little nervous.

He didn't know whether using his first soul skill on a plant would work.

Would his venom take on the appearance of a plant?

Fortunately, Ye Qiu underestimated the potential of his first soul skill—or perhaps the venom's innate ability to stretch and transform freely was just that adaptable.

The compatibility with the Blue Silver Empress was so high that maybe some soul skills could be replicated even without formal binding.

Like Blue Silver Bind, for example.

Sensing that the aura of the Blue Silver Empress had been imprinted into his second soul ring, Ye Qiu was ecstatic.

Now he could gain A Yin's abilities—including her domain!

The only downside was that the Blue Silver Empress was currently far too weak—less than ten years of cultivation. She couldn't offer him anything for now.

In the original story, after being planted in the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well for just five years, she was able to appear in spirit form. Ye Qiu wondered if, by staying with him, that process might accelerate.

Even if she couldn't reach that level, just being able to use Blue Silver Bind would be fun enough.

The blackness faded from A Yin's body.

The yellow second soul ring reappeared and returned to Ye Qiu's hand. At the center of the soul ring, a bluish-golden light glowed—A Yin's aura. A phantom image of the Blue Silver Empress appeared.

"What's going on? Didn't it already succeed just now?"

Tang Hao asked with concern.

"Uncle Haozi, it did succeed. I was just trying to increase our compatibility. It's done now. As long as I attach myself to her, we can cultivate together."

Ye Qiu suppressed his excitement and tried to keep his voice calm. After all, this had solved the problem of a soul ring slot. Blue Silver Empress… Blue Silver Domain! If he could even copy the bloodline—that would be a huge win!

Tang Hao frowned slightly and glanced over Ye Qiu's first soul ring. When he saw the rabbit phantom within it, he was reassured, and his voice now carried some joy.

"Since it worked, hurry and test out the results. Don't keep her waiting—go in already!"

'Alright, I'll go give your A Yin a try then.'

Ye Qiu didn't respond aloud. He simply extended his index finger and poked A Yin's tender leaf. His body boiled, radiated out, and transformed into a swarm of tadpole-like forms, diving into A Yin's body.

Tang Hao could feel it—A Yin's small plant body was now filled with those black forms. Soul power was surging within, making A Yin tremble and sway all over.

Watching Ye Qiu "ride" A Yin again, Tang Hao once more stuck his butt in the air, knelt down, and wagged his tail attentively—carefully monitoring to prevent any accidents.

Meanwhile, Ye Qiu was a bit dumbfounded.

After their consciousnesses completely fused, what appeared was entirely different from what happened when he fused with Xiao Wu or Dugu Yan.

Inside a lush, green space—

Floating before Ye Qiu was a beautiful, mature woman.

Long azure hair flowed down to her waist. Her eyebrows were fine like willow leaves, and her blue eyes sparkled like flawless sapphires. Her nose was smooth and soft, and her red lips were full and kissable.

Her features were exquisite and elegant.

She wore a long bluish-gold dress that draped her body with noble grace, making her beauty seem almost otherworldly.

Beneath the dress was a figure far beyond what a normal girl could dream of—full and curvaceous in all the right places, with the mature allure unique to grown women.

Gold ribbons fluttered from the hem of her dress, and a faint fragrance lingered in the air.

Her dainty feet peeked out from beneath the hem.

Her entire being radiated a calm, gentle aura.

Who else could it be but A Yin?

In an instant, Ye Qiu understood the origin of this space.

"Madam?"

He called out tentatively.

"Don't call me that."

A Yin furrowed her brows slightly. Every time Ye Qiu addressed her that way, it felt… strange.

Ye Qiu immediately corrected himself.

"Okay, A Yin!"

"You're my son's friend. You should call me Auntie instead."

A Yin gently corrected him, her brows still knit.

"Alright then, A Yin!"

Ye Qiu smiled and called her again, walking toward her slowly. He didn't act overly polite—he didn't want to seem too distant.

Madam, Auntie, Friend's Mom—those titles could be saved for when he was doing something serious later… They'd add more spice and passion then.

"Don't come over here!"

Seeing Ye Qiu approach with a big smile on his face made A Yin nervous.

After all, she hadn't seen a living person in so long. And in her current state, she was far too weak—easily bullied. Plus, this guy didn't look like a good person either.

This space was created from the joint consciousness of Ye Qiu and A Yin. It wasn't very large.

As for why it was green…

Ye Qiu maliciously guessed—maybe A Yin was hinting at something. Or maybe it reflected his own subconscious desires.

Either way, considering Tang Hao, this color seemed very fitting.

Watching A Yin keep retreating until she reached the edge of the space, Ye Qiu started to feel a little annoyed.

Looking at Ah Yin, Ye Qiu rolled his eyes.

Clearly, it was your husband who invited me to come take good care of you. Why does it now feel like I'm the one forcing myself on you?

Where's the trust between man and grass?

The key issue was that Ah Yin looked so weak right now—Ye Qiu simply couldn't bring himself to act.

Even though Tang Hao and his son owed him and hadn't paid back, even forcibly sent him here to take care of Ah Yin—Ye Qiu felt resentful and wanted to make her repay. But he was also afraid that using force might damage Ah Yin.

Sensing Ah Yin's panic and unease, Ye Qiu didn't bother to waste time comforting her. The most efficient approach—was to provoke her.

Ye Qiu's thoughts stirred slightly.

Ah Yin froze.

Suddenly, a large blush spread across her face. She was a traditional, inexperienced blade of grass—those images in Ye Qiu's mind? She had never seen such things in her entire life.

Her beautiful eyes glared at Ye Qiu, full of shame and fury.

How could he think of her in such lewd and degrading ways?!

"You... You lecher!"

Ah Yin scolded in a delicate voice, but it lacked any true authority.

Sensing her anger and shame, Ye Qiu tactfully dismissed those deliberately imagined "Ah Wei Eighteen Techniques" involving the two of them.

"Hey, it's natural to admire beauty, right?" Ye Qiu scratched his head.

The two—man and grass—shared a mental connection. Ah Yin knew he had done it on purpose, to tease her. She unhappily said, "If you dare imagine those things again… I'll kick you out."

Ye Qiu didn't mind, shrugging, "Relax, I just want your cooperation so I can fulfill Uncle Haozi's request."

"When are you going to let me see my son?" Ah Yin interrupted.

Right now, she just wanted to get a good look at her dear child. In Ye Qiu's memory, she only saw the day he and Tang San went to Nuoding City.

"I told you."

"The key now is that we need to put on a convincing act for Uncle Haozi. If you don't take the initiative, it puts me in a difficult spot."

Ye Qiu's tone turned calm, but firm. He reached out his hand to Ah Yin, waiting for her to place her soft hand in his.

"Come on, let him see us together—down… ah! Not sit down—get into position, we're about to begin."

"We've got plenty of time. There'll be lots of chances in the future for you to see Little San."

Not sensing any hostility or bad intentions from Ye Qiu, Ah Yin also realized he was right. What they had to do would take time. Right now, they needed to make Hao feel reassured. From Ye Qiu's transmitted thoughts, she understood how to cooperate.

After a moment's hesitation—

She slowly walked over and placed her hand into Ye Qiu's.

Her soft, delicate hand made Ye Qiu's heart flutter.

"Ah...!"

"Hurry up, move!"

Ah Yin cried out softly as Ye Qiu pulled her into his arms. Heart to heart, it didn't hurt—but her chest felt tight. After all, Ah Yin's figure was generous, even softer than Dugu Yan. It felt like a little pressure could squeeze water out of her. She twisted uncomfortably in his arms.

Immediately after, the powerless Ah Yin was pulled to sit cross-legged, facing Ye Qiu, palm to palm. She bit her lip, enduring his brazen gaze, both embarrassed and annoyed.

"Let's begin!"

Under their joint control, their soul power began to circulate rapidly.

"Ugh... Ye Qiu, it's too wild. My body can't take it—it's going to break!"

Ah Yin was, after all, just a plant. She couldn't withstand the raging surge of Ye Qiu's soul power.

Very soon—

Ye Qiu reformed into human shape and reappeared in front of Tang Hao. He was still refreshed from having taken a little advantage, but that was just interest.

Tang Hao was overjoyed. Because his Ah Yin was trembling, and her leaves had become more plump and vibrant. He didn't realize she was trembling out of anger.

"Ye Qiu, you did very well!"

Hearing Tang Hao's praise, Ye Qiu was pleased—so long as Uncle Haozi was satisfied with his care.

"Uncle Haozi, it's what I should do."

With that said, Ye Qiu didn't plan to stay any longer. He'd been gone quite a while. He worried that the silly rabbit might be anxious if she couldn't find him.

"Uncle Haozi, when will you send me back?"

As he spoke, Ye Qiu removed his Martial Spirit Possession and glanced at the grass on the ground. Ah Yin could only grope around blindly inside—she couldn't hear what was happening outside.

Ye Qiu wasn't worried that Tang Hao would imprison him.

He wasn't without background anymore. Even if he was seen as the weakest titled Douluo, it was enough to make Tang Hao cautious.

He wasn't known as "Poison Dominates the World" for nothing.

Tang Hao hesitated slightly, then nodded and stood up: "Alright, I'll send you back now."

When Ye Qiu and Tang Hao emerged from the waterfall—

The scorching sun blazed above; lunch hour had long passed.

Knowing that Ye Qiu could help Ah Yin grow faster, Tang Hao's attitude shifted somewhat. He still carried Ye Qiu by the collar as they flew toward Nuoding City—but this time, his speed was moderate. The breeze brushed past Ye Qiu's face, letting him leisurely admire the scenery below.

"Ye Qiu, Xiao San is your good friend."

"When I'm not around, I hope the two of you can support each other."

That's what Tang Hao said.

Apparently, he had already forgotten that he once said Tang San would cover Ye Qiu's back. Now, he talks about "mutual support"?

Over half an hour passed—

Tang Hao finally set Ye Qiu down on the same grassy field where they'd chatted before.

During the journey, with Tang Hao's endless reminders and subtle attempts to win him over—

Ye Qiu wasn't foolish. He naturally agreed to everything.

After all, at this point, he was basically half of Tang San's dad. Next time he trains him, he'd have to go even harder. Only with tough training would Tang San's skin grow thick enough.

"By the way, Uncle Haozi, why didn't you just send me directly back to the academy? This place is still quite a distance from Nuoding City."

Ye Qiu blinked, staring at Tang Hao.

"You can run back yourself! I'm busy."

Tang Hao glanced at him, said nothing more, and flew off.

Ye Qiu opened his mouth, wanting to curse—but held back. The guy wouldn't hear it anyway—waste of breath.

Meanwhile, far in the sky, Tang Hao's body wobbled slightly. His brows furrowed, face pale—the internal injuries he'd been holding back showed signs of instability. Finding a hidden spot, Tang Hao quickly sat down and began meditating to recover.

---

Ye Qiu ran under the scorching sun.

From the neck down, under his clothes, he had already activated his Martial Spirit Possession.

The colors were different from normal—his body's white markings had turned a deep blue, with hints of gold.

He extended his hand—and a dark Blue Silver Emperor vine sprouted from his palm. But for now, this was the limit of what he could gain from Ah Yin.

All that remained—

Was for Tang Hao to hand over Ah Yin completely. Then Ye Qiu would officially claim her—and cultivate her properly.

Stepping openly and confidently with Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track under his feet, Ye Qiu quickly rushed back, and within half an hour, he had already returned to Dorm Seven.

"Ye Qiu! You're finally back!"

As soon as he stepped into Dorm Seven, a soft and petite body clung to him.

Ye Qiu rolled his eyes and smiled. "Come down quickly, I'm all sweaty."

"No! Sister Xiao Wu doesn't mind." Xiao Wu shook her head like a rattle drum. Without Ye Qiu around, it felt like every day dragged on endlessly.

"But I mind."

Ye Qiu teased with a grin.

Even with his strong physique, rushing back like that made him feel a bit hot.

Xiao Wu paused for a moment, pouted her lips, and looked at Ye Qiu with grievance and puffed cheeks. "Hmph! Well, I don't mind. As long as Sister Xiao Wu doesn't mind, it's fine."

"Alright, suit yourself."

Ye Qiu sighed. The heat radiating from him flushed Xiao Wu's cheeks pink, and she leaned softly against him.

"Ye Qiu~ Why didn't you wait for Sister Xiao Wu at the place we agreed on?" Xiao Wu's voice was soft and sweet. She was now at Soul Sect level and no longer received the soul master subsidy. All her food and drink depended on Ye Qiu.

"Something came up last minute, so I had to leave."

Ye Qiu held Xiao Wu's perky bottom as he walked inside, sneakily taking a small advantage by gently gripping it.

He greeted the others in Dorm Seven.

After being disciplined by Xiao Wu, they didn't dare to linger their gazes.

"What? Have you had lunch yet?"

Ye Qiu brought Xiao Wu over to the bed. After sitting down, she still stayed on his lap, her shapely legs tightly hooked around Ye Qiu's waist.

"I've already eaten. Mhm, Tang San treated me."

Xiao Wu was still very obedient. When she mentioned Tang San, she glanced cautiously at Ye Qiu. Seeing Ye Qiu looking over, she quickly explained:

"I—I only borrowed money from him. I didn't eat with him!"

"Haha..." Ye Qiu chuckled and reassured her, "Alright, I get it. Now scoot over. I need to eat."

"Mhm, okay."

Seeing Ye Qiu wasn't angry, Xiao Wu relaxed, slid off him, kicked off her shoes, and sat cross-legged beside him.

When Ye Qiu glanced at her fair little feet, Xiao Wu blushed, raised her foot to sniff it, didn't smell anything, but still shyly tucked it away so Ye Qiu couldn't see.

Watching her bunny-like behavior, Ye Qiu couldn't help but smile and asked gently, "Little Bunny, want to add a dish?"

"Yes! Yes!"

Xiao Wu nodded happily and accepted the bowl of rice topped with shredded pork in garlic sauce that Ye Qiu had bought for her.

---

Half a month passed in a flash.

This morning, Ye Qiu didn't go to class. That was because last night, he had once again been called out by Tang Hao to meet and spend time with A Yin. Right in front of Tang Hao, who even stood guard for them.

By the time Ye Qiu returned, Xiao Wu and the others were heading to class. Ye Qiu was used to skipping. With his cultivation higher than the teachers, he wasn't afraid of anyone scolding him. He simply lay down in the dorm to catch up on sleep.

It wasn't until close to lunchtime that Ye Qiu opened his eyes. Seeing the Blue Silver Emperor on the small table by his bed, his mood brightened instantly.

It turned out exactly as Ye Qiu had expected.

For the past half month, Tang Hao had been dragging him daily to nourish and warm A Yin. A lot of time was spent just traveling.

Tang Hao must've gotten tired. Last night, he directly handed A Yin over to Ye Qiu to take with him.

Ye Qiu could only say that his courage matched his strength—he had full confidence in his own abilities.

Creak!

The door to Dorm Seven opened.

The person had black hair, wore light blue cloth clothes, and had a belt embedded with twenty-four gemstones.

Who else could it be but Tang San?

Tang San saw Ye Qiu still lying under the blanket, walked up curiously, and asked, "Ye Qiu, where did you go last night? You didn't return at all. The Academy strictly forbids students from staying out overnight."

"Haha... I didn't go anywhere special, just had someone come over from my fiancée's side."

Ye Qiu chuckled as he spoke. One hand rubbed his eye, while the other reached out and touched the Blue Silver Emperor in the flowerpot next to him. His vision and consciousness quietly connected with the plant.

"This is your son, Tang San!"

Ye Qiu reminded A Yin.

"My child... Is this my child?"

Through Ye Qiu, A Yin saw the outside world. Her leaves shook wildly, as if wanting to greet Tang San.

But Tang San didn't notice. He just looked strangely at Ye Qiu—after all, Ye Qiu clearly looked like he hadn't slept all night—and asked in doubt, "Really?"

"Of course it's true!"

Ye Qiu replied with a teasing curse. He couldn't exactly say: Your dad gave your mom to me, could he?

"Ye Qiu! Don't think like that. Hao only asked you to take care of me!"

A Yin's voice rang in Ye Qiu's mind. The Blue Silver Emperor trembled even more violently. Thinking of the films Ye Qiu had shown her in that green space, she was full of shame and anger.

How could you?!

I'm Little San's mother, and you're his friend!

"Then why do you look so drained?"

Tang San chuckled upon hearing Ye Qiu's answer. He looked him over curiously and couldn't help but tease, "Don't tell me you did something... excessive?"

"Little San, what nonsense are you talking about?! I'm still just a kid..."

Ye Qiu rolled his eyes.

The relationship between the two was still decent—at least on the surface. They even joked with each other. Just how long that would last, who knew.

"Haha... I don't believe that for a second."

Tang San shrugged. He wasn't blind. He knew Xiao Wu often climbed into Ye Qiu's bed. He could only turn a blind eye. After all, he was the one who woke up the earliest in Dorm Seven.

"Believe it or not, I'm pure as snow."

Ye Qiu shrugged and poked at the Blue Silver Emperor that had been lovingly nourished by him into a tender, juicy state.

"Huh? Ye Qiu, is that a potted plant you bought?"

Tang San finally noticed the constantly shaking Blue Silver Emperor.

A Yin, seeing her son finally noticing her, shook even more vigorously.

"Little San, come closer."

"Mom is right here."

Ye Qiu had just woken up not long ago and found A Yin's cries to Tang San noisy. A Yin also sensed Ye Qiu's irritation and quickly pleaded:

"N-no, don't disconnect!"

"Let me see him a little longer! I won't make a sound!"

"..."

Ye Qiu ignored her pleas, pulled his hand back, and ended the connection between man and plant.

"Yeah, I bought this mutated Blue Silver Grass from a street vendor on my way back."

As he spoke, Ye Qiu reached out and, right in front of Tang San, plucked at Tang San's mother a few times.

"How is it? Pretty nice, huh?"

"Indeed, it looks really nice."

Tang San nodded. He didn't expect this Blue Silver Grass to mutate with golden veins. It unexpectedly gave off a hint of nobility. Placed on a tea table, it would definitely look very elegant.

"Can I play with it for a bit?"

Tang San reached out his hand. He couldn't explain it, but he felt an odd sense of familiarity toward this grass—a kind of intuition he had never experienced before.

Ye Qiu's eyes showed a hint of surprise. What did Tang San just say? He wanted to play with it too? That couldn't happen! Ye Qiu was just about to refuse when a pink figure burst into Room Seven, rushing in with urgency.

A cheerful voice followed:

"Ye Qiu~ Sister Xiao Wu is back, and I even bought your favorite pickled bamboo shoots!"

Xiao Wu smiled as she quickly ran toward Ye Qiu. Just as she was about to kick off her shoes and pounce onto him on the bed, she noticed someone at the bedside—a person Ye Qiu clearly didn't welcome much.

Xiao Wu instantly stopped in her tracks, standing beside the bed and looking at Tang San strangely.

"Huh? San-ge, how did you get back so quickly?"

She knew clearly that she had only gone to grab some dishes and hadn't even started eating. So how could Tang San be back faster than her?

"Xiao Wu, I just came back to get something," Tang San explained with a smile, withdrawing his outstretched hand.

"Oh, I see."

Xiao Wu nodded and didn't press further.

Ye Qiu petted Ah Yin and smiled. "San-ge, have you eaten yet? Want to join us?"

"No need, the teacher is still waiting for me! I won't bother you two." Tang San tactfully declined. Staying here wouldn't just make them uncomfortable—he also didn't feel good about it himself.

As Tang San's figure disappeared from view, Xiao Wu immediately kicked off her shoes and dove onto Ye Qiu.

"Ye Qiu~ I missed you so much!"

"You pervy rabbit! Move over, you'll break the stuff!"

…

At the corner of Room Seven.

Listening to the sounds coming from inside, Tang San bitterly smiled and couldn't help but feel another wave of regret.

If, back when Xiao Wu challenged him, he hadn't held back… and if, when she looked at his blanket, he had proactively suggested they share it, maybe things would have turned out differently. Maybe she'd be clinging to him every day now?

Tang San shook his head and stopped overthinking. He had to focus on getting stronger. Otherwise, the gap between him and Ye Qiu would only widen further.

…

Inside Room Seven.

At that moment, Xiao Wu, under Ye Qiu's disapproval, crawled under the covers, blushing and holding her head high, saying coyly, "Hmph! You're always calling me a pervy rabbit, so now your sister Xiao Wu will be pervy just for you!"

She blushed, snuggled Ye Qiu's arm, and sat beside him on the bed.

Ye Qiu chuckled helplessly. "Do as you like. Just don't get my bed dirty."

"I definitely won't! I bathe and wash my clothes every day!" Xiao Wu, seeing that Ye Qiu wasn't pushing her away, wished she could dive straight into his arms.

Ye Qiu rolled his eyes, placed Ah Yin on the nightstand, and got out of bed.

"Ye Qiu, where are you going?"

"To wash up."

Smack! Ye Qiu swatted Xiao Wu's hand away, grabbed his toiletries, and headed outside.

"Hmph!" Xiao Wu snorted, flipping open Ye Qiu's blanket. She grabbed her own little foot and sniffed it, muttering, "Ye Qiu is always saying nonsense. It clearly smells nice—better than the pig's feet at the cafeteria! Totally edible level! Hmph!"

Still pouting, Xiao Wu got up to help Ye Qiu tidy up his bed, only to spot the golden little grass plant beside the bed.

It looked... kind of tasty.

More importantly… it looked familiar!

…

When Ye Qiu came back, the dishes were already set out. Xiao Wu was idly playing with Ah Yin.

"Ye Qiu, where did you get this grass?" Xiao Wu turned her head and looked at Ye Qiu curiously. As a hundred-thousand-year soul beast, she naturally recognized what this was.

"I can't tell you right now," Ye Qiu shook his head and took the Blue Silver Emperor back.

Xiao Wu frowned slightly, puzzled. "Why not?"

"Why so many questions? If I could tell you, I would've already."

Ye Qiu rolled his eyes, put the Blue Silver Emperor away, and seeing Xiao Wu still looking confused, he suddenly lunged forward and pinned her down.

"Ah! Ye Qiu~!"

Xiao Wu blushed and whimpered softly. She didn't dislike the physical contact. After all, she had crawled into his bed many times—but mostly when Ye Qiu wasn't aware.

Seeing Xiao Wu's flushed face, Ye Qiu smiled, pinched her soft cheeks, and leaned close. The little bunny cooperatively puckered her lips. Under her shy gaze, Ye Qiu lowered his head and gently kissed her.

Xiao Wu's long lashes fluttered, and her breathing became noticeably warmer. Ye Qiu left a bit of glistening moisture on her lips with a light kiss, then raised his head and softly said:

"Just trust me, okay? I won't harm you."

"Mhm… I—I got it."

Xiao Wu bit her lip. Her lips moved as if still savoring the kiss. Her reddened face glowed with beauty, and she looked at Ye Qiu with complete trust and obedience.

Ye Qiu chuckled, then helped her sit up.

Xiao Wu was still giggling sweetly, her rosy eyes full of joy. She didn't even ask where Ye Qiu had gone the night before.

"Oh right." Ye Qiu patted his forehead and reminded, "That grass is my second replication target. Be careful when playing with it."

"Mhm mhm!" Xiao Wu nodded eagerly and obediently hugged Ye Qiu's arm. "Let's eat, Ye Qiu~"

…

In the dead of night.

While everyone else in Room Seven was asleep, Ye Qiu's figure had already vanished. Only the strange Blue Silver Grass on the nightstand remained, glowing faintly.

Xiao Wu, lying beside the bed, opened her eyes and pouted. That plant actually dared to steal her time with Ye Qiu—now she had less cuddling time with him!

Inside a lush green space.

Ye Qiu and Ah Yin stood facing each other. Ah Yin's angry voice rang in his ears.

"Ye Qiu, why won't you let me see my child?!"

Ah Yin's anger—Ye Qiu could totally understand.

Compared to last time, when he only let her watch from afar, not allowing her to meet Tang San now was practically a crime.

To this,

Ye Qiu simply gave a calm smile and sat cross-legged.

They hadn't talked much before, but now—with Tang Hao not standing guard—Ye Qiu could freely "bully" her.

"Ye Qiu! I'm talking to you!"

Ah Yin still hadn't figured out her weakling status and was trying to assert herself.

"So noisy! Are you gonna cultivate or not?"

Ye Qiu said, clearly annoyed.

"You—!"

Ah Yin's breath caught. Feeling Ye Qiu's same irritation from earlier in the day, she softened her tone.

"I just want to see my child…"

Ye Qiu raised an eyebrow and looked at the beautiful woman in front of him with amusement. "How are you so sure that San-ge is really your child?"