Su Qingyao's parting words—"We'll talk about it… after we survive this calamity"—had lingered in Lin Che's mind like a feather tickling the deepest recesses of his heart. The stark contrast between her cool, retreating back and the intoxicating warmth, the whispered breath, and the devastating allure she had exuded just moments before was a chasm that finally shattered his restraint. The dam of his reason burst completely.
"Qingyao!"
Just as her fingertips brushed against the door, Lin Che let out a low roar. His body became a blur as he lunged forward, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind and lifting her clean off her feet.
"Ah!" Su Qingyao gasped in shock, instinctively struggling. But the vast, Void Refining power within her inexplicably faltered for a single, crucial moment. That hesitation was all it took.
"I'm not letting go!" Lin Che's eyes were bloodshot. He held her tight and stormed toward her bedchamber. "I can't wait any longer! Tonight, you are mine!"
He was a beast driven by pure desire. He kicked the door open, carried her inside, and unceremoniously deposited her onto the soft, quilt-covered bed, following her down in a heavy, desperate tangle of limbs. His lips, burning with an irrepressible need, crashed down upon hers.
"Mmph—!" Su Qingyao's eyes flew wide open, a storm of shock and fury raging within them. She tried to push him away, but her Late Deity Transformation strength was laughable against a Void Refining expert—especially this Lin Che, whose power seemed to be unnaturally amplified.
Of course,she thought, her mind racing even as her body reacted. That "thing" inside him… that damnable system is meddling again!
Anger warred with a strange, helpless familiarity. The taste of him, the feeling of his lips—it was all so achingly reminiscent of memories belonging to "Su Qingyao," yet it also triggered a deep, primal instinct from "Lin Ying," the little sister's innate reliance on her big brother. The twin onslaughts began to erode the foundations of her resolve.
"Lin Che… you… scoundrel…" she mumbled against his mouth, her protests weakening, her voice tinged with a breathless quality she couldn't control.
"Qingyao… my Qingyao…" Lin Che chanted, half-mad, his kisses frantic, his hands desperately seeking the warmth of her skin beneath her sleeping robes. All caution, all awkwardness, was thrown to the wind. He knew only that this woman was the love he had searched for across countless lifetimes, his rightful wife.
Their robes were in disarray, their ragged breaths and muffled sounds the only noise in the room. Moonlight streamed through the gauzy window, casting a hazy glow over the frantic, tangled scene.
Just as Lin Che was about to cross the final threshold, Su Qingyao turned her head away with the last of her strength, breaking the searing kiss. A sob escaped her. "Lin Che… please… be gentle… This body… it's the… first time…"
The words hit Lin Che like a bucket of ice water, instantly dousing the worst of his frenzy.
He froze, panting heavily, and pushed himself up on his elbows. He stared down at the tear-streaked beauty beneath him, his mind reeling. In the moonlight, her disheveled hair fanned out around her, her flawless face was marred by tears, and her dazed eyes held a heartbreaking fragility.
Right… This body is Ying'er's.Her soul was Qingyao's, but this flesh and blood… it was truly experiencing this for the first time.
A wave of immense guilt and tenderness washed over him, sweeping away the last of the demonic fire. He bent down, his lips trembling as he kissed the tears from her cheeks. "I'm sorry… Qingyao… I… I was too reckless…"
Su Qingyao closed her eyes, fresh tears falling. She reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck, burying her face in his sweat-dampened chest. "You fool… I'm not angry… Just… be gentle…"
It was the final permission he needed. But this time, Lin Che's movements were transformed. They were slow, reverent, filled with a珍惜 and tenderness that had been absent in his initial frenzy.
The candle burned low, its light dancing across the rumpled quilts. That night, a wedding long overdue was finally consummated—born of a near-violent impulse, yet ultimately redeemed by a desperate, gentle love.
…
Time flowed like a river. A month passed in the blink of an eye.
For Lin Che, it was a month of exquisite torment. By day, he discussed strategies to face the impending cataclysm with the three women; by night, he made up for lost time with Su Qingyao. Though a Void Refining expert, her newfound intimacy brought a shyness that Lin Che found endlessly endearing, and she gradually grew accustomed to his presence.
Yet, a sliver of that strange, lingering awkwardness remained whenever he looked at the face so identical to his sister's. Su Qingyao, perceptive as ever, always smoothed over the moment, and their bond deepened with each passing day.
But the sword of Damocles still hung over their heads. Su Qingyao's premonition of a coming "cataclysm" was a constant, chilling presence.
Tonight, the atmosphere in the warm chamber atop the Slaughter God Pavilion was heavy with foreboding.
Lin Che sat in the place of honor, his expression grave. Su Qingyao, Luo Jiayin, and Meng Qingcheng sat opposite him. The flickering candlelight cast solemn shadows on their faces.
"Qingyao was right," Lin Che began, his voice low. "I've been restless. I sense it too—a cataclysm that will sweep across the entire cultivation world is imminent. Though we've grown stronger, if we face those ancient monsters who've slumbered for millennia… our chances of victory are slim."
The three women's expressions grew stern.
"So… what do you propose?" Luo Jiayin was the first to ask, her beautiful eyes filled with concern.
Lin Che cleared his throat, his gaze sweeping over them, his face taking on an almost comically "serious" demeanor. "In times of peace, prepare for war. We must increase our strength, and quickly. Normal cultivation is too slow. We need… a different path."
"Oh? And what path would that be?" Meng Qingcheng arched a delicate eyebrow.
Lin Che took a deep breath, as if steeling himself for a great revelation. Slowly, he drew a worn, yellowed book from his robes. Its cover was adorned with flamboyant, archaic script: The Nine Heavens Secret Record of Dual Cultivation.
All three pairs of eyes locked onto the book. Su Qingyao's lips quirked in a knowing, almost-smile. Luo Jiayin's gaze turned sultry. Meng Qingcheng's ears turned a faint pink.
Lin Che's own face flushed. He forced himself to remain calm as he opened the book, his finger trembling slightly as he pointed to a section filled with faded, ambiguous text and… suggestive illustrations. "This… this is a supreme secret art passed down from antiquity. It… um… details certain methods for… multiple-person cultivation… said to greatly increase efficiency…"
His voice grew smaller and smaller, his eyes darting everywhere but at the three women.
"So?" Su Qingyao folded her arms, regarding him with amused patience.
"So…" Lin Che swallowed hard. "Desperate times call for desperate measures. The four of us… if we could… follow this method and cultivate together… perhaps we could achieve a breakthrough before the cataclysm arrives…"
His voice had dwindled to a near-whisper. "Maybe… we could… just… give it a little try?"
The words had barely left his lips when—
THWACK!
"OW!"
"Shameless!"
"Degenerate!"
Three sharp cries rang out in unison, accompanied by the meaty thud of fists and feet meeting flesh. Lin Che was hurled to the floor before he could even process what was happening. A storm of dainty but furious blows rained down upon him.
Su Qingyao struck with lightning speed, targeting his most vulnerable spots. Luo Jiayin's usual charm was gone, replaced by ruthless efficiency. Even the normally aloof Meng Qingcheng, her cheeks flushed with anger, joined the fray.
"Take that for your insolence!"
"How dare you entertain such thoughts!"
"This will teach you!"
Lin Che curled into a ball, howling in pain, utterly defenseless. Within moments, he was a bruised, battered, and disheveled mess, cowering in the corner and trembling.
"Stop… stop hitting me… I was wrong… I was just… making a suggestion…" he whimpered, his voice thick with tears. "Can't we… just try it? What if it works? It's not like we'd lose anything…"
The three women finally relented, their chests heaving with fury, their eyes blazing. Su Qingyao smoothed a stray lock of hair, her voice icy. "Lin Che, it seems you've forgotten the feel of a good beating. How dare you propose something so absurd?"
Luo Jiayin planted her hands on her hips. "Exactly! A 'little try'? You wish!"
Meng Qingcheng said nothing, but the glare she shot him could have frozen lava.
Lin Che huddled in the corner like a kicked puppy, looking up at them with pitiful eyes. "I was just… thinking of everyone…"
Just then, the cold, mechanical voice exploded in his mind.
[Ding! Host has proposed a "Multi-Person Cultivation" initiative. Though violently rejected, the attempt is noted! Triggering emergency side mission: Unity in the Face of Annihilation!]
Lin Che: "!!!" Holy shit! System, you mother—
[Mission Description: A cataclysm approaches. Host's team strength is insufficient. Persuade your three beloved companions to attempt the "Four Symbols Unification" method detailed in the Secret Record. Unite your powers to face the coming storm!]
[Mission Reward: If successful, reward: Diagram of the "Four Symbols Origin-Returning Array" (Heaven Tier), Permanent +20% boost to all team attributes, and a "Cataclysm Survival Pack" x1 (contains various life-saving artifacts).]
[Mission Penalty: If failed, or if host gives up, suffer the "Lone Warrior" Curse. When the cataclysm arrives, host will face all enemies alone. Companion Favorability -100%.]
Lin Che wanted to weep. Are you trying to get me killed?! Didn't you just see me get beaten to a pulp?!
[Ding! Seize this opportunity! This is a chance of a lifetime! The three ladies are wise and righteous. They will understand your noble intentions! Go! For survival! For love!]
"For love, my ass!"Lin Che raged internally. But as he looked at the three increasingly furious faces and considered the system's naked "threat," he knew he had no choice.
He took a shuddering breath, pushed himself up from the corner—his face a mosaic of purple and blue bruises—and stumbled toward the women, a painfully ingratiating smile plastered on his face.
"So… Qingyao, Jiayin, Qingcheng… don't be mad, just hear me out," he began, rubbing his hands together nervously. "I've… uh… given this a lot of thought. This really might be the only way! The cataclysm is coming! We need to stand together, right?"
He risked a glance at their faces. Seeing they hadn't immediately resumed the beating, he pressed on, his voice gaining a sliver of false confidence. "Think about it! This method might be… unorthodox, but the results would be amazing! Four people cultivating together? The efficiency would be quadrupled! We'd be so strong, no cataclysm could touch us!"
"Besides," he added, waggling his eyebrows in a desperate attempt at levity, "we're all family, right? To survive, isn't it worth… a tiny, little sacrifice of… personal preference?"
Su Qingyao watched him, her arms still folded. "Are you finished?"
Lin Che's heart sank. "Y-yes… finished."
Su Qingyao exchanged a long, silent look with Luo Jiayin and Meng Qingcheng. After a tense moment, she let out a weary sigh and massaged her temples.
"Fine…" she said, her voice laden with exhaustion and a hint of… resignation. "We'll try it… your way. Once. If it doesn't work, you will never speak of this again."
Luo Jiayin and Meng Qingcheng looked at each other, then gave small, reluctant nods, their cheeks still flushed.
Lin Che's face lit up with manic joy. He sprang forward, arms spread wide as if to embrace all three at once. "YES! I knew you'd see reason! Let's get started!"
"GET LOST!" the three women shouted in perfect, furious unison, lashing out with their feet.
WHUMP!
Lin Che sailed through the air in a graceful arc and landed with a sickening crunch in the corner, where he lay still, unconscious.
An eerie silence fell over the warm chamber. The three women stared at the motionless form of Lin Che, then at each other's crimson faces. For a long moment, no one spoke. The only sound was the frantic, synchronized beating of their own hearts.