Lin Wanyin's delicate body trembled violently.
She gripped the scalding jade slip tightly, her nails almost digging into her flesh.
The tears that had been welling up in her eyes burst forth instantly.
That wasn't resentment, but the ecstatic joy of surviving a disaster, the emotions that had been suppressed for days and then completely collapsed.
That little bastard.
He didn't die.
He was actually alive.
Overjoyed, aggrieved, and lingering fear tore wildly through her chest. She bit her lip tightly and poured her spiritual power into the jade talisman without restraint.
" Chu Yunfei... where are you now?!"
Her voice trembled, filled with barely concealed sobs and a loss of composure.
Pill Pavilion, in the elegant backyard.
Wen Jiao, her face flushed and heart pounding, quickly left.
This is, after all, the Pill Pavilion Headquarters, and my father Wen Daoyuan, and my second grandfather Wen Buqi, are both outside.
Even if she was infatuated with this man, she was still an unmarried girl, how could she dare to spend too much time alone with Chu Yunfei in broad daylight?
Chu Yunfei leaned back on the soft couch, holding the jade slip, a playful smile playing on his lips.
"I'm at the Pill Pavilion."
Chu Yunfei tapped his fingertips lightly on the edge of the table and slowly replied, "Where are you? I'll come find you after nightfall."
However, there was only a brief silence on the other end of the jade slip.
"I'm coming to find you now."
Before the words were finished, the spiritual energy was abruptly cut off, and the faint light of the jade talisman went out.
Chu Yunfei held the jade slip, completely stunned.
Come now?
When did this woman become so impatient?
It's hard to imagine that this is the same Flowing Cloud Peak Master who used to threaten to kill him and call him a little beast.
Chu Yunfei chuckled and put away the jade slip.
"It seems that after several in-depth conversations, his personality has changed quite a bit."
Half an hour later.
A respectful knock came from outside the door from the Pill Pavilion guards.
"Young Master Chu, there is a fellow Daoist surnamed Lin from the Azure Mystic Sect requesting an audience in the front hall. He specifically asks to see you."
"Knew."
Chu Yunfei straightened his black robe, pushed open the door, and walked towards the front hall.
The aroma of tea wafted through the front hall.
Lin Wanyin sat on the sandalwood chair, her hands tightly twisting the handkerchief, her body taut like a fully drawn bow.
She stared intently at the corner of the corridor, her eyes filled with anxiety and fear.
She was even afraid that the voice transmission she had just heard was just a dream.
The footsteps were soft.
The tall, slender figure in black strode into the hall.
Chu Yunfei had a casual smile on his lips, his hair was as black as ink, his eyebrows were sharp and his eyes were bright, and he exuded an increasingly profound aura.
Lin Wanyin's breath hitched.
The moment our eyes met, tears that had been building up for days almost burst forth again.
She suddenly stood up, disregarding her usual composure, and rushed to Chu Yunfei.
Her delicate hand grabbed his shoulder haphazardly, then traced its way down his chest to his arm.
The spiritual energy rapidly probed in, carefully examining his blood and bones.
The meridians are intact, and the Qi and blood flow like a dragon.
There were no severed limbs, no festering sores, and no signs of torture or devastation inflicted by the various sects.
"Call..."
She exhaled a heavy breath that she had been holding for days, and Lin Wanyin's body went limp, almost collapsing from exhaustion.
Chu Yunfei lowered his eyes, looking at the mature and beautiful woman in front of him who was almost out of control.
Her eyes were swollen, her hair was disheveled, and even her once plump and beautiful face showed signs of exhaustion.
His heart skipped a beat.
That hardened defense softened inexplicably by an inch.
Suppressing the strange feeling rising in his heart, Chu Yunfei raised an eyebrow and a playful smile appeared on his face as usual.
" Aunt Lin, isn't it inappropriate for you to touch me like that in public?"
Lin Wanyin's delicate body suddenly stiffened.
The scalding heat emanating from her palm through the thin fabric struck her like a thunderbolt.
She abruptly withdrew her hands, her cheeks instantly flushing crimson, and glared at Chu Yunfei with a mixture of embarrassment and anger.
"Roll!"
She gritted her teeth and snapped, her voice slightly hoarse, "You little rascal, where have you been all this time?!"
Chu Yunfei looked at the lingering blush on her cold and beautiful face and chuckled softly.
"Hehe, Aunt Lin, you rushed over here so urgently because you were worried about me?"
Lin Wanyin took a deep breath, quickly straightened her posture, and resumed her usual demeanor.
"Unrequited love."
She turned her head away coldly, her tone harsh. "I'm afraid you'll die out there, and those major sects will seize your storage ring and find that recording stone."
"Not only will it ruin me, but it will also implicate Shuang'er."
Chu Yunfei's smile deepened.
This woman is as stubborn as ever.
Oh? That really hurts my feelings.
Chu Yunfei feigned a sigh, his tone becoming increasingly playful. "I thought Aunt Lin felt like she'd been separated from me for three autumns in a single day."
"As for the photo stone, Aunt Lin can rest assured. I keep that treasure close to my body and cherish it very much. I take it out to look at it several times every night, and I never get tired of it."
" Chu Yunfei!!"
Lin Wanyin's beautiful face instantly flushed red, like a ripe peach, and her beautiful eyes almost spit fire.
That bastard.
He actually dared to bring this up in front of everyone.
She raised her delicate hand, wishing she could slap this shameless bastard to death.
But the next second, Chu Yunfei gently raised his hand, his slender fingertips passing through her hair, and very naturally tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear.
The movements were gentle, even with a hint of doting.
Lin Wanyin froze.
The hand, raised in mid-air, just wouldn't come down.
" Aunt Lin."
Chu Yunfei's smile faded, and his voice softened slightly. "You've lost weight and look much more haggard."
The sudden tenderness was like a heavy hammer blow, shattering all the defenses Lin Wanyin had painstakingly built up.
The fear, heartbreak, and torment of the past few days vanished with a single whisper, transforming into an intense, overwhelming bitterness.
But she was an elder, the mother of his former fiancée.
How can these absurd feelings be allowed to see the light of day?
Lin Wanyin abruptly turned her head, forcefully slapped his hand away, her voice trembling with harshness.
What I am is none of your business.
"I'm just here to tell you that the royal family has distanced themselves, and all the major powers now want to get rid of you as soon as possible."
"As... as an elder, I advise you to behave yourself and not lose your life in the capital."
Chu Yunfei looked at her tense neck and pursed his lips slightly.
This woman is as stubborn as ever.
He chuckled softly, about to speak, "Thank you for your concern, Aunt Lin, but..."
Before he could finish speaking...
Outside the hall, a clear and crisp voice suddenly rang out.
"Husband, what are you doing?"
The moment the words left his mouth.
Lin Wanyin felt as if she had fallen into an ice cave.
She turned around stiffly, her beautiful eyes widening suddenly as they landed on the stunning woman in the white dress who gracefully walked in.
The Pavilion Master of the Pill Pavilion, Wen Jiao.
Previously, in the Cangwu Mountain Range, this woman appeared alongside the Princess of Great Qian and forcefully protected Chu Yunfei.
Now... she's actually calling Chu Yunfei "husband"?!
Lin Wanyin felt a sudden dizziness, and a sharp, stabbing pain shot through her chest.
These past few days, I've been running around looking for him, crying until my eyes are swollen, and enduring endless torment.
And this little rascal has already fallen into the arms of another woman, even calling her "husband"?
absurd.
That's utterly absurd.
Chu Yunfei's heart skipped a beat, and he knew in his heart that something was wrong.
So engrossed in teasing Lin Wanyin, he completely forgot that Wen Jiao was still handling affairs in the Pill Pavilion.
Deep within his sea of consciousness, a burst of unrestrained laughter suddenly erupted from the Divine Cauldron of Heavenly Mandate.
Hahahaha!
Xiaoxiao Dragon laughed so hard he almost fell over, clapping his hands wildly in the air. "You brat, this is going to be a good show for me!"
"A former fiancée's mother, and a young lady from the Pill Pavilion whom you just ate—the harem's on fire, isn't it?"
"I'm quite curious, how do you plan to end this today?"
Chu Yunfei's temple throbbed slightly, and he gritted his teeth, transmitting his voice. "Shut up! You lecherous dragon, stop gloating here. Sooner or later, I'll definitely take the Supreme Divine Whip and give you a good beating, you lecherous dragon."
Xiaoxiao Dragon snorted coldly, her beautiful eyes filled with disdain.
"You think you can strike me? Bring me a hundred imperial weapons, and you won't even be able to break a single one of my dragon scales."
Chu Yunfei sneered inwardly.
"Why would I need an imperial weapon to strike you? There is something in this world that can stretch and shrink, transforming into a supreme divine whip that will strike straight at the true dragon, making your soul tremble and beg for mercy."
Xiaoxiao Dragon was taken aback, tilted his head and pondered for a long time, his tone full of surprise and uncertainty.
"Such weapons exist in this world? How come I've never heard of them before?"
Chu Yunfei chuckled, a sly glint in his eyes. "That's because you're ignorant. Once you've reconstructed your physical body, I'll personally show you the power of this divine whip. I guarantee you won't even be able to beg for mercy properly."
Xiaoxiao Dragon didn't react at first.
But when she followed Chu Yunfei's lewd smile and his gaze swept over a certain spot...
boom.
Her exquisitely beautiful face instantly flushed crimson, and her mind seemed about to explode.
" Chu Yunfei!!"
"You shameless lecher, you vile, you shameless scoundrel!!"
Xiaoxiao Dragon was so angry that he jumped up and down, roaring wildly in his mind, "How dare you insult me with such disgusting filth! Once I rebuild my physical body, I will definitely chop you up and feed you to the demon beasts!"
"We'll see who gets the better of whom."
Chu Yunfei decisively blocked out the other person's voice and turned his attention back to the front hall.
At this moment, the temperature in the foyer dropped to freezing.
Lin Wanyin took a deep breath, swallowing back all the bitterness and embarrassment in her eyes.
She is the Flowing Cloud Peak and the mother of the Holy Maiden of the Heavenly Sword Sect. She must not lose her composure in front of a young junior.
"Since you are safe and sound, I will not stay any longer."
Lin Wanyin's voice returned to its indifferent tone, as if the person who had just lost her composure and was anxious was not her at all.
She didn't even glance at Wen Jiao, lifted her skirt, and strode quickly towards the door.
In the instant they brushed past each other, Chu Yunfei clearly saw a tear about to fall clinging to her long eyelashes.
"Forest..."
Just as Chu Yunfei was about to take a step, a fragrant breeze wafted from his side.
Wen Jiao seemingly gently took his arm, but her fingertips, through the fabric, precisely and ruthlessly pinched the soft flesh of his waist.
Lin Wanyin quickened her pace and disappeared at the end of the corridor in the blink of an eye.
Only two people remained in the lobby.
Wen Jiao looked at Chu Yunfei with a smile, her beautiful eyes slightly narrowed, but a cold glint flashed in them.
"Young Master Chu is truly blessed. He has only just returned to the capital, and such a charming and beautiful woman has already come to his door."
The cold voice echoed in the hall, filled with the sour smell of someone who had just swallowed a bitter pill.
Chu Yunfei withdrew his gaze from the direction of the gate, a slight smile playing on his lips. He took a step forward, his strong arms domineeringly encircling Wen Jiao's slender and soft waist.
"Ah!"
Wen Jiao let out a soft cry, her whole body caught off guard as she was pulled into that hot, broad chest.
Chu Yunfei lowered his head and leaned close to her reddened earlobe, chuckling softly, " Jiao'er, you're wronging me."
"It was clearly Jiao'er who offered herself up first, wasn't it?"
boom!
In an instant, Wen Jiao recalled the shameful scene in the side room of the Bamboo Forest Villa of the Jade Firmament Sect, where she had taken the initiative to undress and offer herself to save someone.
Her originally cool face instantly turned red, the blush spreading all the way down to her fair and slender swan neck.
"You... you lecherous scoundrel!"
Enraged, Wen Jiao raised her hand and pinched Chu Yunfei's waist hard, gritting her teeth and whispering, "Let me go! This is the front hall. What will it look like if any passing stewards see us?"
Chu Yunfei feigned pain, wincing and deliberately tightening his grip on Chu Yunfei's arm.
Only when the beauty in his arms had softened into a pool of spring water did he release his arms at the right moment and say seriously, "Alright, my Jiao'er, don't be stubborn."
"That person I just spoke to has a deep connection with me. The matter is far more complicated than you imagine. I will explain it to you in detail when the time is right."
Wen Jiao straightened her disheveled clothes, glared at him fiercely, and huffed, "Who cares about your nonsense?"
She raised her pointed chin and sneered, feigning indifference, "You should think more about how you're going to explain this to Xueyao when you see her in the future."
"Her temperament is not as magnanimous as mine."
Having said that, Wen Jiao, fearing that Chu Yunfei would take advantage of her again, turned and quickly left in her embroidered shoes.
As he watched that graceful figure disappear around the corner of the cabinet, Chu Yunfei's smile slowly faded, and his eyes deepened.
He didn't linger and went straight back to the back room.
The door closed, Chu Yunfei sat down on the wooden chair, his fingertips unconsciously tapping lightly on the table.
Lin Wanyin...
Recalling what had just happened in the front hall, Chu Yunfei felt a mix of emotions.