---o---
Fu Xuan's cherry lips parted slightly, as if to say something, but all her words were stopped by Ye Feng's sudden approach.
Ye Feng reached out and tucked a strand of pink hair from Fu Xuan's cheek behind her ear, his fingertips grazing her skin in a fleeting, almost imperceptible touch.
Fu Xuan couldn't help but hold her breath.
She looked up and her gaze locked with Ye Feng's. In that instant, she felt as if she were trapped, unable to escape those profound, dark eyes.
Ye Feng's fingers gently traced her chin, pausing for a moment, as if in hesitation, or perhaps restraint.
"..."
"..."
The two looked at each other, speechless.
Watching them, Qingque suddenly felt a bit superfluous.
Wait, how did it end up looking like I'm the only villain here?
Hey, hey, hey, Lord Fu Xuan, that dog Ye Feng is the main culprit! Your little Qingque was forced into this!
However, Qingque could only scream this internally.
Never mind here, even back in the real Xianzhou, Qingque wouldn't dare say she was forced.
But then again, riding on top of her superior… was actually quite stress-relieving.
It wasn't entirely forced; there were, more or less, some personal factors mixed in.
Ye Feng held Fu Xuan's wrist, the pad of his thumb rubbing against her skin. The pressure was gentle, yet it seemed to carry an indescribable tremor.
Qingque stared blankly.
She couldn't stand this atmosphere. Why were they still flirting?
Alright, maybe it couldn't be called flirting, but what was with this tender and affectionate mood?
Qingque leaped out with a cry.
"It's time to discuss the Path, Lord Ye Feng!"
Just like prying open a cardamom fruit, Qingque obsequiously offered her up to Ye Feng.
Fu Xuan kicked her white-stockinged legs about in shame and indignation, but how could her limbs, both sore and yet comfortably numb, possibly contend with Qingque's strong and powerful hands?
"Ngh…"
"Eeeh…"
"!!"
The Grand Diviner bit her cherry lip in humiliation.
Fu Xuan suddenly felt she was a real fool, truly.
Just moments ago, she had actually planned on letting Qingque's transgressions slide.
Looking at it now, Qingque was simply a little demon, born of pure evil! She had to be taught a proper lesson!
There could be no mercy.
This time, Fu Xuan made up her mind.
"Lord Ye Feng?"
Qingque grinned. Seeing that Ye Feng still hadn't made a move, she couldn't help but urge him on.
At the same time, she grumbled internally: Still putting on an act? What are you looking at, just get on with it.
After all, as long as Ye Feng remained idle, Qingque would continue to draw all of Fu Xuan's aggro.
Judging by the look in the Grand Diviner's eyes… uwaah, she looked like she wanted to launch her into outer space and use her as a firecracker.
So scary, so scary.
But this only strengthened Qingque's resolve to follow this path to the very end.
Only by aligning herself with Ye Feng could she secure a measure of peace.
Mmm… from now on, I shouldn't think of Ye Feng as a dog… I shouldn't be disrespectful to Lord Ye Feng, even in my thoughts.
Right, right, thinking about it carefully, Lord Ye Feng has been pretty good to me.
He helped me relieve my stress and even gave me power I couldn't obtain in another 500 years of cultivation.
And all I have to give in return is a little bit of experience.
That's right, my real body is still perfectly fine on the Xianzhou, pure and flawless.
"Hehe."
This time, Qingque's smile towards Ye Feng was no longer so formulaic. It genuinely carried a hint of respect. It wasn't much, but it was a good start.
"Lord Ye Feng, please, discuss the Path."
That sounded much more pleasant.
But to Fu Xuan's ears, it was so shameful she wanted to die.
"Qingque, you wretch, do not defile those two words!"
"Heehee, of the thousands of paths, safety is the first. Ah, no, what I mean is, everyone has their own path, and this is one of them~"
"Hmph! My bond with Lord Ye Feng is one of high mountains and flowing water, of the bright moon and the celestial heart! It's not as… as vulgar as you are!"
"Ah, right, right, right. But—"
Qingque made a 'please' gesture towards Ye Feng.
This time, Fu Xuan did not resist. She knew this was Ye Feng's "rule."
Fine, if it's Lord Ye Feng…
…
…
"Hm? Little guinea pig, why do you suddenly look… so clear, so clean? Like a sunny and pure boy-next-door. Don't be like that, really, please don't. It's disgusting. I'm going to puke, blegh~"
Mobius covered her cherry lips with a slender hand, her eyes narrowed.
"Ah? I forgot to switch back. Still, your words really hurt, Snake-Snake."
Ye Feng sighed. The transcendent-immortal-like ethereal temperament vanished, and the clear starlight outlining his body dissipated.
Snake-Snake swayed her hips, showing off her seductive curves. She coiled around Ye Feng like a snake, her vertical pupils staring at him. "Hm? With that look, which innocent young maiden did my little guinea pig go off to deceive this time?"
Ye Feng wrapped an arm around Snake-Snake's exposed waist, her skin delicate and smooth. "Deceive? Don't put it like that. That's also me, not a disguise. I can also talk, and I can also show my true feelings."
"Hehe, whatever. I don't really care."
Mobius wrapped her fair, jade-like arms around Ye Feng's neck and whispered in his ear, "I've completed the matter of the Core of Reason. Shouldn't I get a reward?"
"Bronya is still in the middle of your trial. Besides, even if she gets it, she probably won't know how to use it."
"You want me to explain it to her? Ignorance is her sin, not mine~"
"Fair enough. What does Mobius want?"
"Little guinea pig, you should be able to guess what I want."
"Ah, this…"
Ye Feng couldn't help but chuckle. "As expected, no matter the world, girls always want others to guess their thoughts."
"So, has my little guinea pig guessed yet?"
"There's no need to guess. I know everything about Snake-Snake. I'll give Elysia [Permissions], and then immediately revoke them."
Hearing this, Mobius's eyes curved into crescent moons. "Heehee, the look on Elysia's face at that moment will surely be interesting."
Ye Feng was indifferent about it.
He hadn't broken his promise.
It was just that Elysia herself was too much of a "slacker."
"Snake-Snake, did you see Cangxuan and the others when you went to St. Freya Academy this time?"
"Cangxuan…"
Mobius shook her head. "She should have achieved greater things, if only she could cross 'that line'."
"That line?"
Ye Feng blinked. He had seen Cangxuan's 'line' in the kitchen where Danzhu was making braised abalone.
It was indeed tender and tight, sealing many things away.
"That's right. Cangxuan isn't mature enough yet. Snake-Snake should guide her more."
"The path of evolution requires not only the guidance of wisdom, but more importantly, resolve and determination. However, the body is a shackle for the mind. Only by breaking through it can one see a wider world. The current Cangxuan should be reaching the next level very soon."
Although Mobius had been through Ye Feng's "baptism," she was now seriously discussing Cangxuan's future.
"It seems Snake-Snake still cares a lot about her friends."
Mobius immediately frowned. "That's not true. Cangxuan and I are not on the same path."