Pleading

Lifting the bedroom curtain, Chen Yi saw Yin Tingxue again.

She lay on the bed, her gaze somewhat unfocused and vacant, thinking of nothing in her daze.

At the sight of Chen Yi, she rallied a little.

"Master..."

There was little feeling in her voice.

"What are you thinking about?"

Chen Yi asked softly.

"Nothing..."

Only after a long while did Yin Tingxue answer.

Chen Yi changed out of his outer robe, took off his boots, and sat by the bed.

Seeing Yin Tingxue looking so sickly, his left hand finally defeated his right for the moment, and his big head reined in his little head.

Chen Yi lowered his head and kissed her lightly on the forehead.

Yin Tingxue's ears reddened listlessly, and she gave him a resentful look.

Chen Yi smiled. She had taken that kiss as a humiliation.

Yin Tingxue turned over to face the wall, saying nothing, unwilling to pay Chen Yi any attention.

Ever since the Demonic Cult's destruction, perhaps because she was relying on her injuries, or perhaps as a futile struggle born of despair, she had become considerably more defiant at heart.

But what did that matter...

Chen Yi tolerated it all, because she truly had nowhere left to retreat.

She was actually weak by nature. Given some time, even if she resisted a few more times, as long as he was a little more ruthless, however resolute she might be, she would ultimately have to submit, unwilling and resentful.

"Go to sleep. Get up for dinner later."

Chen Yi rose as he spoke.

There were no maidservants in the residence. Meals either had to be brought back from a restaurant or cooked by oneself.

"I can't sleep."

Chen Yi already had one foot out when she suddenly spoke.

"What's wrong?"

Chen Yi turned back.

Yin Tingxue remained silent in thought. Lowering her eyes, she propped herself halfway up into a sitting position, her shoulder aching slightly as she rose.

"It's so boring. These past few days... there's been nothing to do."

Yin Tingxue suddenly spoke.

Chen Yi walked over, sat beside the bed, and said with a playful smile:

"Want me to keep you company?"

Yin Tingxue looked at him and said coldly:

"No."

Chen Yi was speechless for a moment.

"That's all right. You'll be keeping me company for the rest of your life anyway."

Seeing how cold she was, Chen Yi spoke ominously.

Yin Tingxue shuddered. She swayed, her body, which she had struggled to prop up, about to collapse.

Chen Yi slipped an arm around her waist. She trembled against his chest, not daring to push him away after all.

She turned her face aside and, after considering for a moment, said timidly:

"Buy some books... buy some books for me to read..."

Chen Yi held her for a while, enjoying himself.

When he said nothing, Yin Tingxue's thoughts ran wild.

Does he want to keep me bored on purpose? Does he want to torment me this way? At that thought, amid her illness and pain, Yin Tingxue's fear grew several degrees stronger. Holding back her sense of grievance, she pleaded in a faltering voice:

"Please... please buy me some books to read."

Hearing her faltering voice, Chen Yi said gently:

"All right. Since you're being so good, I'll buy you some essays and novels tomorrow. Those are enjoyable."

"If you want to read the sages' books, that's fine too, but they aren't much good for relieving boredom."

Yin Tingxue lifted her face and said:

"Then... essays and novels."

"I won't have dinner. I'm sleepy."

Seeing that she now looked somewhat obedient, Chen Yi agreed, slowly lowered her onto the bed, and even tucked her in before standing and leaving the bedroom.

Soft dusk hung over the Capital City, settling ever more heavily outside Donghua Gate. In the distance, lamplight faintly flickered in Thousand Lamps Temple. With the Prayer Daoist Grounds approaching, worshippers came in an unending stream.

Thousand Lamps Temple enshrined the Myriad Blessings Celestial Venerable, also known as the Fortune-Born Boundless Celestial Venerable. Daoist Mysticism had long flourished in Great Yu, and successive emperors had favored building Daoist temples and shrines. The Daoist Ten Directions Celestial Venerables and the Three Pure Ones and Four Emperors all had great temples dedicated to them. However, the current empress dowager, An, was more enthusiastic about Buddhist Orthodox Dharma than Daoist Mysticism, and had ordered the construction of more Buddhist pagodas and temples than Daoist ones.

Standing in the courtyard, Chen Yi stretched and began weighing his plans for the approaching Prayer Daoist Grounds.

As the Capital City's first major dungeon, the Prayer Daoist Grounds offered rewards that were nothing short of generous. If he wanted to rise above the crowd in this world, enter the top ten of the Martial Ranking, and enjoy a bevy of orioles and swallows, he could not afford to miss it.

To achieve a perfect clear of the Prayer Daoist Grounds, he had to improve his strength first.

Amid these thoughts, Chen Yi paused slightly and narrowed his eyes.

In the distance, a graceful figure in a vivid red ruqun and a cloak approached with swaying steps.

"Min Ming."

Chen Yi spoke.

The chaste courtesan's brows were faintly knitted. That slightly lost, desolate look of hers was especially captivating.

"Thousand Household..."

Min Ming reached the courtyard entrance and stopped.

She raised her eyes, cast him a conflicted look, and said softly:

"The Do Not Use Tower has agreed."

Chen Yi nodded slightly. The Do Not Use Tower's agreement to cooperate with him had been expected.

With the Do Not Use Tower's help, he could obtain more intelligence in the Capital City. It would also prove useful at the Prayer Daoist Grounds, and could even help him search for Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures to serve as medicinal catalysts for curing the strange poison within him.

Just then, Min Ming lifted her face and smiled alluringly. She stepped over the threshold and came before Chen Yi.

Chen Yi looked at her with some suspicion.

"Thousand Household, do you want... me to be your bedchamber attendant?"

In an instant, Min Ming put away every trace of desolation. Her expression became as though spring's chill had passed, extraordinarily tender and alluring.

Her sudden change surprised Chen Yi somewhat.

But he quickly caught on. He had experienced a plot like this before.

He heard her say wistfully:

"As long as... you let Min Ning go."

Chen Yi understood at once and found it amusing.

The younger sister offers herself for the elder sister, and then the elder sister offers herself for the younger... a plot like this really makes it hard to keep selfish desires from stirring.

Chen Yi hooked an arm around her shoulders and felt her tremble slightly.

"If Miss Min can swallow disgrace and endure humiliation, perhaps I'll consider it."

Chen Yi teased her casually.

Min Ming lightly clenched her teeth and requested quietly:

"I want a definite promise... if I can serve you to your satisfaction, Thousand Household, I hope you'll let her go. It took so much for her to become Chief Constable, and she likes upholding justice. Please don't... don't ruin her."

Chen Yi narrowed his eyes at her and said meaningfully:

"You'll have to earn that yourself."

A struggle flashed through Min Ming's eyes, but she still lowered her lovely head, nodded resignedly, and stepped into the room of her own accord.

Chen Yi followed close behind, pondering.

I haven't attained even minor mastery of the Grudge Yin-Yang Art yet, so I can't break my cultivation for now. Besides, she's concealing poison in her body. Still, although I can't break my cultivation...

Chen Yi thought of this chaste courtesan's red lips, with their Jiangnan charm.

Upon entering the inner room, Min Ming faintly heard soft snoring. When she saw Yin Tingxue on the bed, she jumped in fright.

"She... who is she?"

Min Ming asked. Min Ning had not told her that this was the Demonic Cult's Holy Maiden.

"My concubine."

Chen Yi glanced at the sleeping Yin Tingxue.

"Right here?"

Min Ming asked in some disbelief.

"Let's go to... a guest room."

Even if she had come to offer herself, still... there was actually a third person in the bedroom. How could she face anyone afterward?

Chen Yi said teasingly:

"Right here."

A flush spread over her face, and bitterness welled in her heart at his words.

Never mind... as long as I can poison him successfully... I'll at least have a way to protect Min Ning.

Min Ming strove to calm herself. When she imagined Chen Yi staring at her in horror afterward, panicking in disbelief that she had concealed poison in her body, she could not stop herself from laughing.

She felt the place where she had hidden the poison growing increasingly hot.

Chen Yi watched her with the ghost of a smile.

Noticing his gaze, Min Ming immediately broke out in goosebumps.

The chaste courtesan who served others with her beauty quickly suppressed her panic. Turning around, she unabashedly removed the cloak from her shoulders first, then undid her upper garment, from her left shoulder to her right, her eyes shifting with an extraordinarily tender allure...

"A villain from the Do Not Use Tower is here!"

A startled cry suddenly rang out beyond Donghua Gate.