She thought it over, then buried her face in his chest, her voice muffled. "Not enough."
He laughed and drew her closer, resting his chin on the top of her head.
"Then we'll wait until we get back to the Qingyun Sect."
"Will going back to the Qingyun Sect be enough?"
"We'll see when the time comes."
She gave a soft hum in his arms, sounding displeased, but didn't press him further.
Her hand slipped from his lapel and slowly circled his waist. She curled up in his arms like a cat that had found its nest.
The person in his arms gradually began to breathe more deeply. This time, she was truly growing sleepy.
"Senior Brother."
"Hmm?"
"You're not allowed to like anyone else."
"Okay."
"Jin Ping'er, either."
"Okay."
"Master... either."
Lu Jiuyuan froze for a moment. "Master?"
Lu Xueqi didn't answer. Her breathing had already evened out.
She fell fast asleep in his arms, her fingers still clutching his lapel as if she were afraid he would run off even in her dreams.
Lu Jiuyuan looked down at her sleeping face and didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
The morning sun spilled through the clouds, revealing Southern Border's desolate landscape in the light of dawn.
Lu Jiuyuan leaned against a bluestone, the person in his arms still asleep.
Lu Xueqi was curled up against him, breathing softly and evenly, her fingers still clutching his lapel as if afraid he would run off.
Lu Jiuyuan looked down at her sleeping face but didn't move.
Lu Xueqi's eyelashes fluttered several times before she slowly opened her eyes.
Her first sight was his blue-gray lapel and the familiar bamboo-patterned clasp fastened to it.
She stared blankly for a moment, then memories of last night came rushing back like a tide.
The wine. Osmanthus Wine.
Jin Ping'er.
How she'd pressed herself against him.
The things she'd said, her hands...
And that kiss.
A blush spread from Lu Xueqi's ears all the way down her neck.
She abruptly sat up, moving so suddenly that she nearly rolled off the bluestone. Lu Jiuyuan reacted in a flash and caught her around the waist.
"Careful."
Lu Xueqi was held in the crook of his arm, their eyes meeting.
A faint smile touched his handsome face. A trace of exhaustion from staying up all night lingered in his eyes, but they held even more warmth.
She stared at his face for two seconds, then slapped his hand away with a sharp smack, stood up, and backed away two steps.
"I... I'm going back first."
She turned and walked off, moving so quickly she seemed to be fleeing.
Lu Jiuyuan watched her retreating figure and couldn't help laughing.
After a few steps, she stopped without turning around.
"Senior Brother."
"Hmm?"
"Don't tell Master I drank last night."
"Okay."
Lu Xueqi bit her lip and quickened her pace, disappearing toward the camp.
Lu Jiuyuan sat on the bluestone, gazing in the direction she'd gone, the smile lingering on his lips.
The camp gradually stirred to life.
The disciples woke one after another. Some went to the stream to fetch water and wash up, some took out rations to share, and others talked quietly.
Wen Min yawned and rubbed her eyes as she looked around. When she saw Lu Xueqi returning from the edge of camp, her hair a little messy and her expression odd, she asked, "Xueqi, did you sleep badly last night?"
Lu Xueqi glanced at her. "I slept very well."
"Then why's your face so red?"
"Sunburn."
Wen Min looked up at the thin layer of clouds in the sky and fell silent.
It was so early the sun hadn't even come out yet. Sunburn?
She didn't press further. She already knew the answer.
Jin Ping'er had woken at some point and was leaning against a nearby dead tree, idly turning the Purple Glow Blade in her hand.
Her gaze rested for a moment on Lu Xueqi's flushed ears, then shifted away as if nothing had happened.
She said nothing.
When Lu Jiuyuan returned from the edge of camp, Wen Min was pestering Lu Xueqi with questions.
He glanced over from a distance but didn't approach. Instead, he sat beneath a dead tree, closed his eyes, and sank his awareness into his mind.
It had been days since he'd checked the group.
The moment he opened it, notification sounds flooded in like a tide, chiming for more than ten seconds before finally stopping.
Lu Jiuyuan stared at the red "999+" on the screen, the corner of his mouth twitching.
Had these women been treating the group chat like a meal while he was gone?
He patiently scrolled upward to see what they'd been discussing over the past few days.
At first, things seemed normal.
[Yan Lingji: Why hasn't the group owner said anything for the past couple of days? @Lu Jiuyuan]
[Feng Qing'er: Maybe he's run into some trouble.]
[Yun Yun: Could you stop assuming the worst about everything?]
[Feng Qing'er: I'm not! It's called intuition! Get it?]
[Medusa: ...]
Then the conversation started veering off course.
[System Notification: The Myriad Worlds Peerless Beauty Group has added a new feature—Adult Manga Library (Beta)]
[System Notification: This feature contains adult-oriented manga from various worlds. It is for discussion among group members only. Please do not share it outside the group.]
Lu Jiuyuan's eyelid twitched.
Adult Manga Library?
He kept scrolling.
[Yan Lingji: !!!]
[Yan Lingji: System, you finally get it!]
[Zi Nu: What's this?]
[Yan Lingji: Just click on it and see!]
About fifteen minutes later.
[Yun Yun: !!!]
[Zi Nu: Th-this... What on earth are these pictures? How can they even have poses like that...]
[Feng Qing'er: Tsk, tsk, tsk. The art style's pretty good. More interesting than that video from last time.]
[Yun Yun: You... Could you all show some restraint?]
[Yan Lingji: Sect Master Yun, you say that, but you've watched it longer than I have~]
[Yun Yun: I have not!]
[Yan Lingji: Screenshot.jpg]
[Yan Lingji: Want me to share the stats so everyone can see?]
[Yun Yun: Yan Lingji!!!]
[Zi Nu: This series is good. The artwork is detailed, and the story makes sense, too. I recommend volume three of Nine-Tailed Fox Fairy.]
[Medusa: ...I'll take a look.]
[Bibi Dong: Who's the artist? The brushwork is very experienced, and the characters' expressions are captured quite well.]
[Yan Lingji: His Holiness the Pope is interested, too?]
[Bibi Dong: I'm merely commenting from an artistic perspective.]
Lu Jiuyuan stared at the screenful of discussion, a vein twitching at his temple.
An artistic perspective?
He kept scrolling and saw Feng Qing'er had posted a screenshot of a manga page.
The two figures in the picture... had their clothes half-off and were posed suggestively. Though the system had automatically censored the critical parts, that heady, sensual atmosphere practically wafted through the screen.
Lu Jiuyuan took a deep breath.
Was this system legitimate or not?
First it had been Japanese action movies, and now it was an Adult Manga Library.
At this rate, would it eventually add a "Guide to Visiting Brothels Across the Worlds"?
He rubbed his brow.
[Lu Jiuyuan: What are you all talking about?]
The group went quiet for three seconds.
Then it erupted.
[Yan Lingji: Oh, the group owner's online!]
[Feng Qing'er: Well, look who it is. You still remember this group exists?]
[Zi Nu: Group owner! Where have you been these past few days? Why haven't you said anything?]
[Yun Yun: You finally showed up.]
[Medusa: ...]
[Bibi Dong: Hmph, so you do know your way back.]
Before you continue