Playacting Amid the Flames

"Quick."

The urging voice was Qin Yueyao's, all right, and she sounded frantic, as though her eyebrows were on fire.

Lin Xiaotian paused briefly, then walked a little faster toward the bed.

Could Qin Yueyao have been poisoned with some kind of aphrodisiac? It didn't look like it. Then why was she acting like this?

When he reached the bed, he hesitated.

What kind of woman was Qin Yueyao? He had only met her once before,

but judging by her swift, decisive manner, she would never debase herself. This most likely had something to do with the Ouyang Household outside.

Whoosh!

A slender hand shot out like lightning and seized him. With one pull, she dragged him down onto the bed.

Qin Yueyao's lovely face filled his vision. Her almond eyes were clear; she showed no sign of being under a spell.

But her gaze was resolute, leaving no room for argument.

Lin Xiaotian understood. Playing along, he murmured,

"What do you want me to do?"

Qin Yueyao gently bit her lip, her voice dropping to a whisper:

"The sort of thing you men like. Make it sound natural—not too loud, not too soft..."

Then Lin Xiaotian saw her silently mouth two words: "Ouyang Household."

Lin Xiaotian understood at once. It was just as he had guessed.

Qin Yueyao had dealt with the Ouyang Household for some time, and her cultivation in the Martial Dao was higher. She might have sensed something before he did.

Meanwhile, outside the courtyard, one of the two people following Ouyang Nianci spoke up:

"Nian Ci, that woman is very likely inside. She can't hide the sound of her breathing while she's injured..."

"And that breathing belonged to a woman."

Nian Ci nodded.

"Of course I know. But barging straight in would be unwise. If that young man fights for his life, one of us might be seriously hurt."

The other person said in surprise,

"That young man is so strong? From the Blood Qi he showed just now, he's at most at Bone Tempering... How could he possibly..."

Nian Ci cut him off:

"When I went to the Huang Family Martial Hall last time to test him, a senior sister at Bone Tempering struck with all her strength. She only managed to seriously injure him, not kill him... Do you really think we'd pay no price if he fought desperately?"

"What's more, that woman looked badly injured, but who knows whether she put it on deliberately? If she truly decides to fight to the bitter end, one of us will die."

"Nian Ci, you mean..." Understanding dawned on the other person.

Nian Ci nodded again:

"We only need to confirm she's here. Then we leave the rest to those at the External Force and Internal Force stages. That way, nothing can go wrong."

The two following her nodded in agreement.

Just then, two sharp whooshes cut through the air. A tall, imposing man vaulted over the wall.

"Uncle, you're here."

The newcomer nodded and looked down at them.

"Nian Ci, that woman..."

Nian Ci gestured toward the courtyard with her head.

The man nodded and was about to leap over.

Suddenly, crude insults drifted faintly toward them in broken bursts.

"Bitch, make some noise for me! Don't you usually act so prim and proper..."

Ouyang Nianci's face instantly reddened.

She spat.

"Not one of you men is any good."

The other men looked at one another, their expressions saying they knew exactly what she meant.

"Who'd have thought? That young fellow looks so refined, but he's this rough in bed."

They did not go over immediately. Nian Ci merely clicked her tongue and said no more.

In a great Lineage, what hadn't they seen? It was just a little unexpected.

"Could that woman be doing this deliberately?" someone asked. A woman's voice could now be heard faintly as well; from the sound of it alone, she seemed wanton.

"Probably not! Qin Yueyao is proud and haughty. She would never stoop to something like this. Even if it were just an act, she'd consider it beneath her."

The newcomer nodded:

"True. That woman would not do this. But too much is at stake. We must check."

Nian Ci suddenly spoke up:

"Uncle, this young man is a little unusual. The patriarch intends for us to use him during the mining and herb gathering to force out what happened with the ancestor."

"If we go in now and that woman isn't there, we'll truly turn the young man against us. If he acts ahead of time—or even refuses to go—it'll be hard to answer to the patriarch."

The man she called uncle pondered for a moment:

"Mm. The ancestor's affair matters, and so does this woman. But more important still is a secret the ancestor's affair may reveal."

"I can't say more here. Nian Ci, ask the patriarch later. He should tell you. It concerns the future path of our Lineage."

A sharp light flashed in Nian Ci's eyes:

"Uncle, do you mean... that matter concerning the Martial Dao..."

The man nodded and turned away. "Leave one of your people to watch the place, in case it really is that woman."

"But don't get too close. You could be killed, or the young man might notice you early and ruin the mining and herb gathering."

"Yes!" one of them answered.

"Good. I can't break down the door, but before I go, I must at least check. I'm going."

Inside the room, the two kept up their performance as best they could.

After a short while, their voices gradually quieted, and the coarse talk ceased.

Qin Yueyao had been listening intently for sounds outside the entire time.

There had been no major commotion, which finally let her breathe a little easier.

Lin Xiaotian kept some distance from her.

Though they were on the same bed, each played their own part. Somehow, their expressions and words fit together with remarkable ease.

Only after a long while did Qin Yueyao signal him with her eyes.

Lin Xiaotian fell silent. They no longer had to keep up the act, and he relaxed too.

If he stayed this close to her much longer, he feared he might do something he should not.

He was a normal man, after all. She was beautiful and powerful in the Martial Dao, and she had been making sounds like a woman of the pleasure quarters. To say he felt no desire would be impossible.

Thankfully, it was finally over.

He wiped the sweat from his forehead and prepared to get out of bed and sleep on the floor.

Click. A roof tile sounded above them.

Both their eyes widened, and they looked at each other.

Qin Yueyao reacted instantly. She reached out and grabbed him, whispering urgently,

"Quick, hold me."

Lin Xiaotian reacted just as fast. He leaned over her and pulled the quilt up to keep anyone from peering in.

Qin Yueyao had taken the medicine he had given her and had barely regained her clarity, but she was still no match for the Ouyang Household.

If they were exposed, Qin Yueyao would be in trouble—and so would Lin Xiaotian.

He still hoped to get more out of the Ouyang Household this time. He had no wish to confront them directly so soon.

He stood no chance of winning.

"Make it convincing. As long as we don't actually become husband and wife, you can do anything else."

Qin Yueyao's voice sounded softly beside his ear. Her warm breath brushed his earlobe, carrying a scent distinctly her own.

With her so close, a faint fragrance rose straight into his nose, setting his thoughts wandering.

He glanced down at the woman right before his eyes. Shyness and restrained anger flickered in her gaze.

That anger cleared his head considerably.

Once this was over and she was out of danger, he had no doubt she would cut him down.

He fought down both the urge to make a move on her and the demands of his body, then said in a low voice,

"Don't forget, without my precious medicine, you'd already be dead. And even if you weren't, I could trade you for plenty of benefits."

The anger in Qin Yueyao's eyes faded a little.