Lin Yao and the other two entered Qiuyue Tower. Yan Wuyou raised a black iron coin and waved it in front of the shopkeeper.
The shopkeeper immediately stood up, shot a meaningful glance at the attendant, and said politely, “So it’s our distinguished guest. Unfortunately, Mr. Ye received a letter last night and left early this morning. He didn’t mention when he’d return. However, he did leave a letter, saying the items inside would be useful to you.” With that, he took a thick letter from a drawer, stepped out from behind the counter, and respectfully handed it to Yan Wuyou.
Yan Wuyou pinched the letter, feeling something hard inside. Judging by its shape, it didn’t seem to be money. He wondered: What could it be that I’d find useful? A gold bar? But the weight doesn’t match! Since it wasn’t convenient to open it right then, he casually tucked it into his robe.
“Distinguished guests, please come upstairs,” the shopkeeper said, personally escorting the three to the top-class room. An attendant was already waiting there, with premium tea and snacks prepared, and cold dishes and sweet soups neatly arranged.
Wang Chuan subtly signaled to Lin Yao: Brother Yan is really something!
Lin Yao returned a meaningful glance: Following senior brother means good fortune!
“We’ve prepared Qiuyue Tower’s signature dishes for our distinguished guests. Please enjoy them at your leisure. If you need anything, just let us know,” the shopkeeper said before instructing the attendant to take good care of them and then bowing as he withdrew.
As soon as the three took their seats, the attendant hurried over to pour tea.
“Distinguished guests, please try some desserts first. The hot dishes will be served shortly. I’ll be waiting right outside the door,” the attendant said before also withdrawing.
“Then I won’t stand on ceremony,” Wang Chuan said, picking up a bowl of sweet soup and scooping some up. “So fragrant!”
After taking a few sips, Lin Yao looked up and asked, “Senior brother, are you and Mr. Ye old acquaintances?”
Yan Wuyou nodded.
Lin Yao asked again, “Why is the shopkeeper so respectful toward Mr. Ye?”
Yan Wuyou chuckled. “Ye Qiusheng is the owner of Qiuyue Tower. But he has a peculiar quirk—he prefers people to call him ‘Mr. Ye’!”
“Then can we borrow some money from Mr. Ye?” Wang Chuan asked sheepishly. “Once we return to Yidu, I’ll send someone to repay him double.”
Yan Wuyou nodded. “I was thinking the same thing.”
Hearing this, Lin Yao pouted. “Senior brother, if we could borrow money, why did we have to perform on the streets earlier…”
Yan Wuyou spread his hands. “You and Brother Wang hit it off so well, you didn’t even ask me! Besides, is borrowed money the same as money you’ve earned yourself?” Wang Chuan nodded emphatically, his expression saying, “No one understands me better than Brother Yan.”
A glint flashed in Lin Yao’s eyes as she suddenly thought of something else. “Was it you, senior brother, who sent the letter to Mr. Ye? Did he go to Maoxi Town?”
A hint of approval appeared on Yan Wuyou’s face. “Correct.”
Hearing this, Wang Chuan felt even more admiration: Miss Shen is truly sharp-witted!
After the three had their fill of tea and food and borrowed enough travel expenses, they left Qiuyue Tower thoroughly satisfied. Looking up at the moon, it seemed so lovely and enchanting, clearing their minds! Wang Chuan, no longer burdened by his earlier destitution, declared confidently, “Brother Yan, let’s get some new clothes—it’s all on me!”
Lin Yao also looked at him expectantly. It really was time to get some warmer clothes.
Yan Wuyou waved his hand grandly. “Let’s go!”Emerging from the tailor shop, the trio had transformed completely, appearing entirely renewed! Lin Yao in particular, already a bright-eyed and lively maiden, looked even more enchanting in her lotus-pink silk skirt. Her strikingly clear black-and-white eyes shimmered like glistening water, reflecting myriad flowing lights under the moonlight. Her hair drifted lightly, brushing against her delicate, pearly-white cheeks. Beneath her charming nose, her crimson lips pressed together slightly, her expression proud yet not arrogant—even a celestial maiden could scarcely compare!
On the way to the inn, Wang Chuan kept stealing glances at Lin Yao, his gaze so fervent and bashful that even Yan Wuyou, who had always been indifferent to matters of the heart, noticed something amiss.
Lin Yao, slow to realize, thought her attire was too ostentatious and grew somewhat embarrassed.
Yan Wuyou quietly observed their expressions and thought, Well, mutual affection—I’m the third wheel here! So he quickened his pace and strode ahead.
Seeing Yan Wuyou walk faster and faster, Lin Yao assumed his fastidious nature made him eager to bathe at the inn. Then she recalled that day… Her face flushed hot, and she too hurried forward with her head down.
Wang Chuan, lost in fantasies of one day holding hands with his little celestial maiden and growing old together, snapped back to reality to find himself lagging far behind. He promptly broke into a jog to catch up.
At the inn, Yan Wuyou indulged in a leisurely bath as usual. Learning from his last mishap, he bolted the door tightly, preventing any waiter from adding more water!
That wretched junior sister, hmph!
Soaking in the tub, Yan Wuyou picked up the thick letter. He was curious—what could Ye Qiusheng have sent that he might find useful? To his surprise, it was a booklet wrapped in a handkerchief that looked strangely familiar.
When he opened the booklet, it felt like a thunderbolt struck his crown—
This… was an illustrated manual for couples! And as for the handkerchief, wasn’t this his junior sister’s? It must have been Feifei, that thieving bird! The day he’d sent the letter, it must have snatched her handkerchief and delivered it along with his letter to Ye Qiusheng, leading to this misunderstanding…
How could he explain to his junior sister that her handkerchief was in his possession? Would she think he secretly admired her?
A voice echoed in Yan Wuyou’s mind: Throw it away—pretend it never existed! In the end, he silently discarded the booklet but kept the handkerchief. Forget it, I’ll find a suitable moment to sneak it into her luggage.
That night, he experienced a dream within a dream…
In the dream, Yan Wuyou was also dreaming. Dressed in vibrant red wedding robes and holding a jade scepter, he stood in an opulent bridal chamber. Red candles blazed brightly, and his bride sat on the bed. Though her face was obscured by a red veil, his intuition screamed that it was Lin Yao!
No way! Just because of Ye Qiusheng’s booklet and Feifei’s stolen handkerchief, I’m having such an absurd dream?
Heavens, someone save me! I still want my freedom, to vanquish demons—I don’t want to marry young!—
He desperately shouted at his dream self: “Don’t go, don’t approach her—”
It’s over! Am I really about to start a family like this?
As expected, his shouts were useless. His dream self resolutely stepped closer, one pace at a time, until he stood before her. With the jade scepter, he gently lifted the veil—It was indeed Lin Yao! Beneath the phoenix crown were her picturesque brows and eyes. A touch of crimson on her lips, delicate and tender like newly bloomed crabapple blossoms. She slightly lowered her gaze, a shy smile gracing the corners of her mouth—a charm Yan Wuyou had never seen on her face before, so beautiful it stirred disquiet in his heart.
“Senior Brother…” Her soft, coquettish call made his heart pound like a drum. The images of those dual portraits flashed through his mind, his blood surging and his head roaring—
The next moment, the dream version of himself kissed her lips.
A tingling, tickling sensation.
How terrifying! He jolted awake from the dream in fright! Truly, his mental fortitude was still lacking…
Just then, an urgent cry came from outside the door—”Senior Brother—”
In the dead of night, recognizing Lin Yao’s voice, Yan Wuyou warily asked, “What is it?”
“Save me—”
Hearing the panic and urgency in her voice, Yan Wuyou rolled out of bed in an instant, darted to the door, pulled Lin Yao inside, and swiftly shut it behind her.
“What happened?”
“Look, Senior Brother.” Lin Yao moved to the window, lifted the sleeve of her right arm, and under the moonlight, revealed a section of snow-white skin marked with several fine, bloodied scratches. A faint black energy seeped from the wounds.
Alarmed, Yan Wuyou turned her arm over, palm facing up, then quickly gathered his energy. Pressing two fingers against her Daling acupoint, he channeled True Energy through Neiguan and Ximen, circulating it throughout her body. Once the black energy dissipated from the scratches, he withdrew his hand and said, “Regulate your breathing.”
Without hesitation, Lin Yao climbed onto the bed, assumed a cross-legged position, and began circulating her energy to meditate.
Strange—Senior Brother’s True Energy felt remarkably gentle and warm. With its aid, the stagnation in her dantian vanished instantly, and her focus and energy flow became twice as effective!
Before long, Lin Yao finished regulating her breath and made to climb off the bed. But Yan Wuyou swiftly moved to the bedside, draped the quilt over her, then climbed onto the bed himself and whispered, “It’s here.”
Both held their breath, concentrating intently. The room fell eerily silent. Suddenly, with a thud, the window corner snapped shut! A damp, salty scent wafted toward them—
Yet, oddly, the Demon did not show itself.
“This Demon is quite prudent. Seeing us together, it probably realized it’s no match and fled.” Lin Yao shifted the quilt aside and edged closer to Yan Wuyou. When he remained motionless, she tugged at her collar, nestled into his embrace, and buried her face in the crook of his neck, timidly calling out, “Senior Brother—”
A smirk curled Yan Wuyou’s lips as he swiftly drew a Talisman and slapped it onto her forehead, scoffing derisively, “I’m not falling for that.” No sooner had he spoken than the “Lin Yao” beside him transformed into a wisp of crimson energy and vanished.
He promptly ignited a Talisman to light the candle, revealing a massive, crimson demonic shadow hanging upside down from the rafters in a grotesque posture!
A rounded mass, resembling a human head, its face merely a few damp hollows, yet crowned with dense, long black hair. It was this astonishingly long “hair” that hooked onto the rafters! The strands wound around the beam, tightly binding Lin Yao’s waist and arms, suspending her firmly in midair.Yan Wuyou immediately flung several Talismans toward the Demon, but with a series of dull thuds, they fell to the ground before even nearing its body. It turned out the Demon had set up a Barrier—its true aim was to kill Lin Yao and seize Tao Tao’s Essence Crystal, only Lin Yao had seen through the scheme and escaped. Since its demonic power couldn’t handle both of them at once, it created an illusion to trap Yan Wuyou with a fake Lin Yao, also testing his capabilities. Had his willpower wavered even slightly earlier, the consequences would have been unimaginable!
“So I underestimated you—a youth so vigorous in spirit, yet you broke my Beauty Tribulation this swiftly!” the demonic shadow emitted a voice indistinguishable between male and female. “But you cannot save her.”
With those words, the shadow extended a slender, bluish-purple “tongue” from its hollow mouth, thrusting straight toward Lin Yao’s chest. Lin Yao concentrated all her energy before her breastbone, temporarily blocking the tongue’s penetration.
“Let’s see how long you can hold out!” The shadow retracted its tongue and began churning it within the hollow mouth, releasing a thick, foul stench. As the tongue writhed, it stirred a damp, salty cold wind that seemed to exert a powerful pull—luring, tempting Tao Tao to separate from Lin Yao’s body—