No More Nesting Dolls

Yunxiao, Qiongxiao, and Bixiao remained stunned for a long time, immersed in the world Ye Changqing had described.

At times, they looked longing; at others, worried.

If even the Primordial World had faced destruction, what about the Primordial World?

The terrifying power of annihilation had instantly wiped out countless life-forms at the level of saints. How could they escape when that time came?

Their Senior Disciple Brother had such an extraordinary past. He must have been so lonely all these years.

San Xiao felt deeply guilty. They should have come to his side sooner.

For a while, the three immortals furrowed their brows, turning into three melancholy Lin Daiyus.

The system's reward for fulfilling the first wish, that of the Hongmeng Controller, was quite generous.

Even a single strand of Hongmeng Purple Qi would have caused a bloody storm if it appeared in the outside world.

Just think of the hapless Ancestor Hong Yun.

After the Hongmeng Purple Qi in Ancestor Hong Yun's hands disappeared, it became the fortune of the human race.

Ye Changqing stared blankly at the three strands of Hongmeng Purple Qi. Could he turn them into the fortune of the Interception Sect, too?

But after a moment's thought, he gave up. When Sect Master Tongtian founded the sect, he hadn't had a spiritual treasure to suppress its fortune.

Even if the purple qi became the Interception Sect's fortune, it wouldn't last long.

"Junior Sisters, your Senior Disciple Brother has a gift for you today!"

Ye Changqing waved his hand, and the three strands of Hongmeng Purple Qi flew separately to San Xiao.

"This is..."

"Hongmeng Purple Qi?"

When Yunxiao saw the purple haze before her, she couldn't help crying out in shock.

What an incredibly precious gift!

But when they remembered their Senior Disciple Brother's origins, they understood.

As the Hongmeng Controller, it made perfect sense that he could produce Hongmeng Purple Qi.

Let these three strands of Hongmeng Purple Qi serve as thanks to San Xiao for believing him.

As for the Innate Spiritual Treasure, the Water Spirit Pearl, Ye Changqing had other uses for it in the future.

He would receive a reward for every wish he fulfilled.

Perhaps he could use these rewards to make some preparations.

"Senior Disciple Brother, since some of the Hongmeng Divine Race survived, and they're even more powerful than Great God Pangu, wouldn't finding them be enough to heal your injuries?"

After putting away the Hongmeng Purple Qi, San Xiao suddenly realized.

Ye Changqing sighed. The Hongmeng Divine Race she spoke of might appear, but that would certainly be after he died.

He could only make an excuse for now. "I sent the Hongmeng Divine Race into the River of Time. There's no telling which point in time they're in now."

"Even I can't heal these injuries. What good would finding them do?"

San Xiao looked dejected. They could only blame themselves for being powerless.

Ye Changqing smiled freely. He still had a hundred years to enjoy.

Besides, perhaps the system could bring him back to life after he died.

As for the Investiture of the Gods, he planned to bring it up in a few days. San Xiao hadn't yet fully absorbed what he'd told them.

"I only hope to live these hundred years without regrets!"

He reached out and patted San Xiao on the head as he said this.

"Senior Disciple Brother, Master will surely find a way to save you. Please don't give up!"

"We still want you to see us reach the Primordial Unity realm with your own eyes..."

Yunxiao blurted out, sobbing uncontrollably.

"Senior Disciple Brother!"

"Senior Disciple Brother?"

At some point, Ye Changqing had leaned against the peach tree and closed his eyes.

Perhaps the surroundings were too relaxing, or perhaps his body was in such poor condition that he'd fallen asleep.

San Xiao watched Ye Changqing quietly without waking him.

He was exhausted!

The night was cool as water, and the breeze carried the scent of peach blossoms.

When Ye Changqing awoke on the bamboo bed, the moon was already high in the sky.

"Senior Disciple Brother, are you awake?"

A graceful silhouette stood outside the door, calling into the room.

Creak!

After the door opened, Bixiao walked in, looking very bashful.

Strangely, though, why had she locked the door?

Bixiao approached Ye Changqing's bed, her eyes glistening as if they were about to spill over.

Before Ye Changqing could say a word, her gauzy robe had already slipped off her shoulders.

Her fair skin looked especially luminous in the moonlight, and her maidenly shyness made her all the more alluring.

"Senior Disciple Brother, I want to become your Dao companion..."

"I want to carry on your bloodline!"

Bixiao's face was bright red, but she still worked up the courage to say it.

"Uh..."

Before Ye Changqing could figure out what to say, she pounced on him and knocked him onto the bed.

He was badly injured, and his cultivation had fallen to the level of an ordinary person. He couldn't fight back.

Knock, knock, knock!

A sudden knock at the door startled Bixiao, and she didn't dare move another inch.

"Senior Disciple Brother, are you awake?"

Qiongxiao called to Ye Changqing from outside the room.

"Uh-oh! It's Second Sister..."

Bixiao muttered under her breath, darting around like a frightened fawn.

There was nowhere to hide in the spacious room.

With nowhere else to go, she could only burrow into Ye Changqing's bedcovers.

They'd prepared the quilt especially for Ye Changqing, worried that the cold might get to him now that he was an ordinary person.

Qiongxiao heard no answer from inside and, worried something had happened to her Senior Disciple Brother, barged right in.

Only after seeing that Ye Changqing was safe did she breathe a sigh of relief.

Then she returned to the door and shut it, setting up a formation to block sound and spiritual detection.

Ye Changqing felt a headache coming on. Where had this inexplicable sense of déjà vu come from?

The next moment, Qiongxiao slipped off half her gauzy robe, just like Bixiao had.

They even wore identical expressions and said the exact same words.

Just as Qiongxiao pounced on him and knocked him onto the bed, Yunxiao's voice sounded outside.

Good grief!

Ye Changqing couldn't help exclaiming inwardly. Were the three of them playing an endless game of nesting dolls here?

Before he could explain, Qiongxiao also slipped under his covers.

She and Bixiao saw each other and both gasped, then hurriedly covered their mouths.

Bang!

The bamboo building's door was smashed open. Yunxiao walked in with a frown.

Her face was full of confusion. Had she come too late?

But in the spacious room, only her Senior Disciple Brother lay on the bed, which put her at ease.

She turned around to shut the door—but where was it?

She immediately set up a grand formation. Even if her two younger sisters came, it would take them several hours to break through.

That would be plenty of time for her and her Senior Disciple Brother to make a done deal.

Ye Changqing was at a loss for words. How had even doorstep delivery turned into a competition?

"Senior Disciple Brother, I want to become your Dao companion..."

"I want to carry on your bloodline!"

The same scene, the same lines...

Only this time, Yunxiao was the one who pounced on Ye Changqing and knocked him onto the bed.

Rumble!

A loud crash shook all of Three Immortal Island. Outside the bamboo building, the Twenty-Four Sea-Calming Divine Pearls drew upon the power of the Four Seas and battered the formation.

"Yunxiao!"

"Qiongxiao!"

"Bixiao!"

Zhao Gongming's furious voice rang out from within the formation.

Yunxiao's expression changed, as if she'd run into her natural nemesis. She looked around for somewhere to hide, then burrowed under the covers too.

"Qiongxiao, Bixiao, why are you two here?"

The next moment, a startled cry came from inside.

Qiongxiao and Bixiao had just covered her mouth when Zhao Gongming broke through the formation and entered the room.

Seeing that the room was completely empty, he finally breathed a sigh of relief as well.

He turned around and used the Twenty-Four Sea-Calming Divine Pearls to protect the entire bamboo building.

Ye Changqing was stunned. Good grief, another one?

But you, a scruffy, bearded man, were taking this too far.

Surely there wasn't anyone else outside?

There wasn't room for anyone else under the covers!

There's an imposter among us. No more nesting dolls!