After weaving through the forest for a while, Ye Yunxi lightly touched down beneath a tree.
Ye Yunxi rubbed her still-numb backside and leaned lazily against the trunk, muttering under her breath:
"Who would've thought I'd run into Hu Liena and Yue Guan? I wonder what kind of shady mission Bibi Dong sent them on."
Though she was curious, on second thought, it was Spirit Hall's business, and had nothing to do with her.
Just as she was wondering how to spend her seven-day vacation, a commotion of voices suddenly came from nearby.
"What's going on? Is tonight some special occasion? Why are there people in this godforsaken backwater?"
A glint flashed in Ye Yunxi's eyes. She crouched low, darted into the bushes, and followed the firelight with her gaze.
By the bonfire, the Seven Shrek Devils were sitting in a circle.
"Where do you think that Imperial Concubine came from?"
Dai Mubai took a large swig of strong liquor, his Adam's apple bobbing.
"At that banquet at Moonlight Pavilion, one smile from her had even me struggling to keep my composure. She's an absolute beauty who could topple a kingdom!"
"That's not all!"
Ma Hongjun rubbed his chubby hands together, his fat face flushed red. He was practically drooling down to his chin.
"That figure, that gaze! I'd gladly give up ten years of my life just to have her smile at me!"
Oscar chimed in from the side. "She's prettier than every girl I've ever seen! No wonder the Crown Prince treats her like a precious treasure. If I were him, I wouldn't want to let her go either!"
Tang San sat at the very edge, his expression complicated. He remained silent.
Xiao Wu tugged at his sleeve, glaring at him with puffed-out cheeks.
"Tang San, you're not allowed to think about her!"
As everyone chatted excitedly, a soft laugh suddenly came from behind them, clear and cool, yet laced with bone-deep allure.
"You all seem to be having a nice time."
The moment she spoke, the area around the bonfire fell utterly silent.
The seven turned around sharply.
Ye Yunxi leaned against the tree, her smoky-pink gauze skirt fluttering in the breeze. Her dark hair was loosely pinned up, with a few wisps brushing her fair cheeks.
Firelight reflected in her watery, almond-shaped eyes, a faint smile playing on her lips.
The wine jug slipped from Dai Mubai's hand and clattered to the ground. Liquor splashed all over him, but he didn't notice at all.
Ma Hongjun gaped at her, drool dripping from his chin onto his clothes and soaking a large patch.
The sausage in Oscar's hand fell with a plop into the fire. He didn't even react.
Tang San's pupils contracted. His heart raced wildly beyond his control, and he didn't even feel Xiao Wu tugging at him.
Ning Rongrong covered her mouth, her eyes brimming with shock.
Even Zhu Zhuqing's usually cool face had taken on a rare, faint blush.
The entire clearing was silent. The only sound was the pounding of their blood-pumped hearts, each beat faster than the last.
Just then, the system's teasing mechanical voice rang in Ye Yunxi's mind.
[Ding! Fun little mission triggered: Shrek Heart-Racing Challenge] [Mission requirements: Make at least three of the Seven Shrek Devils lose their composure with a single sentence (choking, stammering, dropping things, etc.). Soul Power charm is prohibited.] [Mission reward: Soul Power +0.5 levels, plus 2 "Fox Shadow Invisibility Talismans" (can conceal the user for fifteen minutes; undetectable by anyone below Soul Douluo rank)]
A sly glint passed through Ye Yunxi's eyes. She walked over unhurriedly, lightly nudged the wine jug at Dai Mubai's feet with her toe, and curved her almond-shaped eyes into crescents. Her voice held a hint of teasing.
"What's the matter? Were you all missing me so much you couldn't sleep, so you came all the way out here to talk about me?"
Her words had an immediate effect.
Dai Mubai snapped back to his senses, choked, and began coughing violently, his face turning bright red.
Oscar opened his mouth, but couldn't get a complete sentence out. He stammered, "N-no... We were just chatting!"
Ma Hongjun was even more excited, flailing his arms and legs. His foot slipped, and with a splash, he tumbled into a muddy ditch beside the bonfire, soaking himself in mud.
Three of them had lost their composure one after another. The other four stood frozen in place, their expressions a colorful spectacle.
[Ding! Mission successfully completed! Rewards have been issued!]
A warm current surged through her limbs in an instant, and her Soul Power rose steadily by half a level.
In high spirits, Ye Yunxi bent down, picked up Dai Mubai's wine jug, and tilted it toward the moonlight.
"It's the middle of the night. Why aren't you all at the academy preparing for the Soul Master Tournament? What are you doing in a place like this?"
Ye Yunxi gave a playful smile, winked her watery, almond-shaped eyes at them, and walked over to sit by the bonfire as if she were casually dropping by her own backyard.
"Since we've run into each other, why not have a chat?"
She had nothing better to do anyway. It might be interesting to see what these youngsters were up to.
Her gaze shifted and settled on Ning Rongrong, whose left cheek was flushed and who looked bashful. She raised an eyebrow.
"What's the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's little princess doing here? You're so precious, surely you shouldn't be staying somewhere like this?"
"Grandmaster had us do night training here. When we finished, we stayed to rest."
Ning Rongrong pressed a hand to her thumping heart and looked at the Crown Princess, who was smiling sweetly at her. A strange flutter stirred in her chest.
They were both girls, so why did she feel this way about her? If she could become close friends with the Crown Princess, would that mean she could see her often?
"Little Princess Ning, you're quite cute when you blush. Much more likable than that spoiled, willful version of you from back in the Heaven Dou Empire," Ye Yunxi teased.
"Imperial Concubine, that's not true! I'm not rude or unreasonable!"
Ning Rongrong hurriedly protested, but her cheeks turned even redder.
As the two chatted, Dai Mubai, Ma Hongjun, and Oscar came over, their eyes filled with curiosity.
"May I ask why the Imperial Concubine is here too? At this hour, you ought to be in the palace."
Dai Mubai couldn't help asking. She was the Crown Prince's woman, and would one day be the empress. What would people think if she went out in the middle of the night?
"This young lady wants to go out and have fun. Does she have to care what other people think? Besides, that fellow Xue Qinghe doesn't mind."
Ye Yunxi waved a hand, completely unconcerned.
"The Crown Prince's got guts!"
Ma Hongjun clicked his tongue, unable to help admiring the Crown Prince's nerve. Wasn't he worried that such a peerless beauty might get abducted in the middle of the night and cuckold him?
As they talked, Ye Yunxi's almond-shaped eyes turned toward Tang San on the right. The corners of her lips lifted slightly as she blew him a kiss, her voice playful and sweet.
"Fancy seeing you again?"
At her words, everyone's gaze swept toward Tang San.
That single glance from her made Tang San's heart skip a beat. His heart raced uncontrollably.
Xiao Wu immediately puffed up in anger and tugged on Tang San's collar, scolding him.
"What's with that look? The woman in front of you is the Crown Princess!"
Dai Mubai clenched his fists, his heart filled with resentment.
Why? Tang San hadn't done anything, yet he was the one who received the Imperial Concubine's special attention?
Despite his deep dissatisfaction, he didn't dare show it. The Soul Master Tournament was just around the corner, and as the team captain, he absolutely couldn't openly damage the team's harmony.
Just then, a voice tinged with authority rang out.
"What are you all making such a racket about? If you don't rest properly, how are you supposed to train tomorrow?"
Everyone looked toward the voice and saw Flender approaching with his glasses on, accompanied by Yu Xiaogang and the burly Zhao Wuji.
"Dean, and teachers, we're chatting with the Imperial Concubine," Ma Hongjun said simply as he climbed out of the muddy ditch.
"The Imperial Concubine?"
Flender paused. What was the Crown Prince's Imperial Concubine doing in this desolate forest in the middle of the night?
But the instant his gaze fell on Ye Yunxi, he froze.
That peerlessly beautiful face did indeed belong to the Imperial Concubine he had glimpsed at the banquet at Moonlight Pavilion.
Ye Yunxi stood and smiled faintly at the three of them, her voice carrying a hint of playfulness.
"Dean, we're just chatting. We haven't disturbed your cultivation, have we~"