The morning mist hung thickly in the canyon, visibility was extremely low, and the air was heavy with a cold, damp chill. Protected by the barrier, ordinary magical beasts couldn’t enter.
Inside the cave, Liu Ying groggily opened her eyes. The first thing she saw was the uneven ceiling of the cave, bearing traces of artificial carving and still covered in patches of moss.
Only then did she realize she was lying naked inside a sleeping bag, with almost every warm thing piled on top of her as if they were afraid of not throwing her straight into a fire.
“Ah, right, I had an episode.” Liu Ying let out a sigh, then heard voices nearby.
“About last night… I’m really sorry for hitting you with magic.”
“Mrow~”
“I never expected you could grow that big. It’s incredible—just like your owner.”
“……”
“Yang Xiyan? So, Tiger Girl really did bring me here.” Liu Ying took a deep breath and closed her eyes, circulating the elemental sea within her—what was commonly referred to as magical power.
Before long, her pale complexion began to return to normal, and her dark eyes regained their usual sparkle. Aside from some fatigue, there were no major abnormalities.
She pushed aside the blankets and other coverings, and the faint rustling caught the attention of Yang Xiyan, who was busy studying breakfast. The first thing Yang saw was Liu Ying’s disheveled long hair cascading over her shoulders, framing a beautiful yet weary face.
The just-awakened woman exuded a lazy charm, her loose hair giving her a softer, gentler aura compared to her usual brisk demeanor. But soon, Yang Xiyan noticed something amiss—Liu Ying’s snow-white body was barely clothed, the scant garments only adding to her allure.
Liu Ying tossed her hair back and, noticing Yang Xiyan’s furtive glances, smiled faintly. “Did you change my clothes for me last night?”
Yang Xiyan lowered her head, fiddling with the self-heating meal packs for breakfast, and replied softly, “Y-You don’t have to worry. I closed my eyes while changing you.” She sounded flustered, instinctively wanting to explain under Liu Ying’s strange gaze.
“It’s fine. A little look won’t cost me anything. Anyway, thanks for last night.” Liu Ying turned her back and retrieved fresh undergarments and clothes from her spatial storage to change into.
“No need to thank me. Mages should help each other out.” Yang Xiyan glanced back at her and saw that she had already changed—a light white T-shirt on top, black fitted pants below, her hair left uncombed and simply draped over her shoulders, giving off a homely vibe.
Even so, the simple outfit accentuated her tall, flawless figure—quite the sight.
Once dressed, Liu Ying was immediately pounced on by Tiger Girl, who hugged her tightly.
Carrying Tiger Girl, she walked over to the fire near the cave entrance and sat beside Yang Xiyan, watching as the latter buried herself in reading instructions. “Regardless, I definitely owe you thanks. Let me see.”
Liu Ying snatched the various food packets from her hands—all self-heating rations, the kind adventurers always carried, similar to military provisions.
A young lady like Yang Xiyan had probably never handled such things before. These were likely left behind by her maid, but she had no idea how to use them.
Liu Ying sorted out breakfast, lunch, and dinner for her and taught her how to prepare the meals. Only then did she grab a disposable toothbrush and head off to freshen up.
Early in the morning, apart from eating or some necessary explanations, the two of them were unusually quiet. Liu Ying simply didn’t know what to say, while Yang Xiyan was socially awkward—unless Liu Ying initiated a conversation, she had no idea how to start one either.
By the time they had eaten their fill, the sun had long since risen, and the mist in the canyon had mostly dissipated. Yet the two in the cave remained silent.
One busied herself organizing the painting tools in the cave, playing with Hu Niu, while the other tidied up the trash and cleaned—everything was quiet.
Yang Xiyan watched as Liu Ying sorted through the various bits of trash, her cheeks flushing slightly. These tasks were usually handled by her maid. Without the maid around, she couldn’t even prioritize properly—how embarrassing.
But she didn’t want to dwell on that topic. Summoning her courage, she asked instead, “What happened to you last night? You suddenly turned into that state. Weren’t you supposed to be looking for your classmate?”
“I got sick due to an accident. What about you?”
“They said Xiao Tian is missing and won’t be back for a while, so I had to stay here alone.”
“Just you?”
“They left you here all by yourself? Whose idea was that?” Liu Ying raised an eyebrow. “I think you should investigate this thoroughly when you get back. Leaving a pure mage like you here alone for a whole day and night—that doesn’t sit right with me.”
“What’s wrong with me?” Yang Xiyan, sitting on the bed, pouted indignantly as she vigorously folded her clothes. “If I hadn’t been here, you might’ve frozen to death. I may not be the strongest in my field, but I’m still a mage.”
“Staying alone on a monster-infested island is dangerous. Being strong doesn’t make you an exception. Look at me—no matter how capable I am, I still needed you to save me last night.” Liu Ying stared at her seriously.
Yang Xiyan was momentarily speechless, lowering her head slightly and fidgeting with her clothes. She had thought Liu Ying was belittling her, but it turned out she was just worried. Was she upset that Xue Ruoqing and the others had left her behind?
Thinking about it carefully, being alone here really was quite dangerous. Hu Niu and Liu Ying had managed to breach the barrier without her noticing. If they hadn’t been good people, who knew what might have happened?
And at first, she had been happy to be alone, but as time passed, she realized something was off. There were so many things she didn’t know how to handle. If Yiyi had been here last night, she wouldn’t have been so flustered.
After hesitating for a moment, she watched as Liu Ying put on her shoes and quickly ran over barefoot. “Where are you planning to go? Are you feeling alright now?”
“I’m fine. I won’t leave until your friends return. I just want to take a walk outside—the weather’s nice today, perfect for clearing my mind.” Liu Ying smiled as she bid farewell. Staying with Yang Xiyan now felt oddly awkward; she’d rather go check on last night’s battlefield.
Leaving the cave, Liu Ying couldn’t help but glance back, her expression complicated.
She hadn’t planned on getting involved with Yang Xiyan again—just ensuring her safety would have been enough. Yet here she was, back again.
She went to survey the aftermath of the battle. The extra-dimensional monsters were gone, and neither Tuoba Yichen nor Chen Tianjing were anywhere to be seen. Fortunately, the situation wasn’t too severe. Tuoba Yichen was too weak, and the monsters he summoned were incomplete—otherwise, it would’ve been a real headache.
Ancient families were always trouble, clinging to forbidden arts. That alone was bad enough, but once things spiraled out of control, the consequences were catastrophic.
Liu Ying wandered around for a while before finally stopping atop a high cliff. Her sharp eyes could clearly see Yang Xiyan painting by the waterfall below—a kind and innocent young girl.
Her friend should be returning soon. Should she leave?
“Master!” The tiger cub on her shoulder finally couldn’t hold back. “Master, do you really not like that gentle and kind girl? You couldn’t stop staring at her face, and this morning you deliberately avoided looking. I don’t believe it’s just a passing fondness!”
Liu Ying was taken aback. Had she really been like that?
“It’s simple. Every time you’re about to say goodbye to her, you always seem reluctant—just like now.”
“She’s pretty, so it’s only natural I’d look a little more. Though I do feel a bit reluctant, it’s mostly because of what Future Ying said that I’m paying attention.”
“Could it be that Master dislikes her for being too pampered?” The tiger cub clicked her tongue. “She’s a young lady who’s never had to lift a finger, yet last night she boiled an entire pot of water for you, fumbling so much she even scalded her own hand. And you still find fault with her?”
Liu Ying fell silent. No wonder it had felt so warm last night, completely different from usual.
“Not to mention, you slept on her lap the whole night. Every time she tried to leave, you made such a pained expression that she had no choice but to let you stay. Then I grew a bit bigger so she could lean on me for warmth.”
Liu Ying: “…”
“I think she’s a genuinely kind and good girl. She’d make a fine mistress in the future.”
Liu Ying’s heartbeat quickened. If the tiger cub hadn’t brought it up, she might have truly forgotten. But now, she remembered everything from last night. She hadn’t been completely unaware. She knew there had been someone clumsy yet tender taking care of her.
Resting on her lap might have been an unconscious act of affection on her part.
There was no denying she had been fragile last night.
But hearing the tiger cub say all this, she could only laugh in exasperation and shake her head. “That young lady has a fiancé, and they’re on good terms. How could I be the other woman? Besides, Future Ying warned me—when meeting beautiful girls, I should stay true to myself and not fall too easily.”
If she were to fall as well, wouldn’t that mean fate was truly unchangeable? And things were different now. Future Ying had forced herself on Yang Xiyan because of the Love Grass, leading to all those problems.
Now, she had uprooted all the Love Grass, avoiding that outcome entirely.
“A fiancé isn’t a husband. And from what I’ve seen, their relationship isn’t as deep as you think. Didn’t the old master always say? Love and fondness aren’t the same. Yang Xiyan might not truly love her fiancé—she just doesn’t have a choice.”
“Besides, do you really think that man can make her happy? I doubt it. He only hates Chen Tianjing. Summoning a demon god without a second thought—he didn’t even consider whether his fiancée would survive down below.”
“…” Liu Ying gazed at the sky without responding. Tuoba Yichen had indeed gone mad last night. If no one had stopped the demon god, the entire training grounds would have been flattened, and Yang Xiyan wouldn’t have escaped.
But why was the tiger cub so insistent today on pushing her to pursue Yang Xiyan? She hadn’t been like this yesterday.
The tiger cub stared down at Yang Xiyan. This girl… the only one who could bring her master peace in such a state. Perhaps she really could cure her master’s ailment.
She had finally found her.
“I should tell the old master when I get back. Even if we have to snatch her, we’ll get her.”
But the master clearly wasn’t very interested in her. Even if there was a hint of fondness, she wouldn’t act on it. Back when she first encountered Future Ying, an unshakable defensive line had already risen in her heart—one that was nearly impossible to breach.
This was troublesome indeed!
Tiger Girl shook her head in frustration, then suddenly had a flash of insight. “Master, do you think the two great families succeeded in their ‘cooked rice’ plan this time?”
Liu Ying let the wind tousle her hair as she tilted her head slightly. “With me here, how could they succeed? Not only did I dismantle their scheme, but I also drove out the hidden Chen Tianjing. For Yang Xiyan, this is a perfect outcome.”
“No, no, no, Master. How could you make such a small mistake? This isn’t like you at all.” Tiger Girl huffed. “Forget the fact that Chen Tianjing is still alive—do you remember the conversation between Xue Ruoqing and An Leiya that night? They said Tuoba Yichen had fallen for someone else and abandoned his stunningly beautiful fiancée. Do you think that was a lie?”
“If Tuoba Yichen breaks up with her, Yang Xiyan is finished. Who knows what kind of ugly, worthless man her father will marry her off to? You must understand that old nobility like her have no say in their own marriages. That’s exactly why Yang Xiyan’s mother was so terrified and came up with this scheme in the first place.”
“Master, you may think you’re doing a good deed, but you’ve indirectly made things worse. Now, Tuoba Yichen breaking up with her is set in stone whether it’s due to his own issues or his feelings for another woman, it doesn’t matter. That naive girl has no idea how much suffering awaits her when she returns.”
Liu Ying’s brows furrowed deeply.
“Of course, this isn’t entirely your fault. After all, Tuoba’s body is failing. Even if you hadn’t intervened, she wouldn’t have ended up with him, even if he had defeated Chen Tianjing. But regardless of the outcome, the breakup is inevitable, and that girl’s fate upon returning is uncertain.”
“Even something like this, Master couldn’t figure out. It seems human intelligence isn’t as high as us magical beasts, after all.”
“Fine, fine. I’ll make sure to protect her and resolve the mess, alright?” Liu Ying’s lips twitched as she hugged Tiger Girl and leaped down from the cliff. This damn girl—could she actually believe that girl can cure me? Still, the thought brought clarity to her heart, giving her a reason to stay.
Deep down, she truly didn’t want to leave.