As Luo Xuanqing spoke, she finished applying medicine to his eyes. The redness and swelling had already begun to subside, and she took gauze and cotton balls from the medicine chest to clean the wound at his side.
Ye Xingge felt a cooling sensation in his eyes as the burning pain faded. Surprised, he said:
"The government's medicine is that effective?"
Luo Xuanqing tended his wound carefully, raising an eyebrow.
"This medicine is issued to commanders. How could it not be good? Stop talking and breathe evenly."
Ye Xingge's wound was at his side, so speaking inevitably made his chest rise and fall. He fell silent and watched Great Nurse Luo tend to it with care.
But he soon noticed something was wrong!
A candlestick stood at the head of the bed. Ye Xingge was propped against the headboard, lying relatively low to make the wound easier to treat.
Luo Xuanqing sat in front of him, and to reach the wound on the inner side, she naturally had to bend over and lower her head.
As a result, her ink-black hair spilled over her shoulders and fell across his chest. Since it blocked her view, Great Beauty Luo raised a hand and pinned it up.
Then she bent down to continue, and Ye Xingge noticed that her loose nightdress was hanging open under its own weight.
She had gone back to her room to sleep after bathing, so naturally she wore nothing underneath. She was leaning against the headboard, and his line of sight was almost directly level with her neckline.
Her skin glowed white in the candlelight. The inverted sea bowls hung heavily, not pressed against the soft fabric of her nightdress. The light was good and the distance close, so every detail of their texture was clearly visible...
?
Ye Xingge's eyes went blank, but he immediately felt a pain in his waist:
"Hiss-ow, ow, ow..."
How profound was Luo Xuanqing's cultivation? She had just gone from lingering fear to delight and hadn't paid attention to her clothing while treating his injuries. Only when she noticed the boy's heartbeat suddenly quicken and his Qi and blood begin to surge did she realize something was wrong.
She glanced down and saw that her suckling delights looked fresh and dripping in the candlelight. Her whole body jolted. She quickly pressed her nightdress firmly against herself with her right hand, then reached out and pinched the flesh on his chest, her face flushing red.
"You little brat..."
Ye Xingge knew he was guilty and hurriedly closed his eyes and raised his hands.
"Sorry, sorry, I didn't mean to..."
Luo Xuanqing was too embarrassed and angry for words, her usual composure nowhere to be found. She raised a hand as if to hit him, but after gritting her teeth for a long while, she couldn't bring herself to do it. Instead, she threw the cotton balls at Ye Xingge.
"Treat it yourself."
With that, she got up to leave.
Seeing that things were going badly, Ye Xingge quickly caught her hand.
"Sister Luo, I really didn't do it on purpose..."
Luo Xuanqing halted and turned to look at her captured right hand, narrowing her eyes.
"Give you an inch and you'll take a mile, is that it?"
"No!"
Ye Xingge quickly let go, looking embarrassed. After a moment's thought, he simply sat up.
"I'd better go take care of business. There isn't much time..."
"Lie down!"
This brat had left Luo Xuanqing at a loss. She wanted to be angry but couldn't muster the anger; she wanted to show concern but was too embarrassed and indignant for words. Finally, she said:
"I'm going to find you some clothes! Did you think I'd cover my face and throw myself in a lake or run away from home? You little brat, you haven't even grown all your hair yet, but you've got some nerve. I'll deal with you when this is over..."
Muttering all the while, Luo Xuanqing took a cloak from the wardrobe. Before leaving, she added:
"And one more thing: you're not allowed to call me Sister Luo anymore. Either call me Lord Luo or Aunt Luo!"
With that, she went out.
Thud, thud, thud...
The doors to the main room and then the front gate slammed in succession.
"..."
Ye Xingge really had seen it by accident, and her reaction left him a little embarrassed. Sitting on the bed, he bandaged his own wound. When he finished, he called out:
"Lord Luo?"
When there was no answer, he wrapped himself in a thin blanket and hurried outside, acting as though he was afraid his things would be lost. He picked up the dagger and Yellow Strip, then returned to the bedroom.
Once the Filth-Severing Whip was back in place, Great Beauty's voice rang out.
"What did you do just now? Why did that hussy suddenly run away with her tail between her legs, and why were you apologizing to her...?"
Ye Xingge picked up Yellow Strip and said casually:
"She's rich and generous. Unlike you, holding grudges and being stingy."
"?"
Rustle, rustle~
As soon as he finished speaking, the Filth-Severing Whip in his hand changed.
Then Great Beauty appeared on the inner side of the bed, dressed in red and possessing the commanding presence of a big rig. She too sat sideways with her knees bent, but her dimensions were visibly a size larger than Great Beauty Luo's, and her oppressive presence was several times greater. Her eyes were full of suspicion.
Holy crap...
Ye Xingge jumped in fright. He hurriedly blew out the light, lowered the bed curtains, and whispered:
"Are you crazy? I was only joking. What if someone sees you?"
"After that commotion just now, she won't be back right away."
Hongyu and Luo Xuanqing were old rivals. She really hadn't figured out what had happened just now. She first examined Ye Xingge's condition, then looked around at the room's furnishings.
"Did you kiss that hussy?"
Seeing that Great Beauty was quite the gossip, Ye Xingge felt a little helpless.
"No. She just bent down to check my wound, the way you are. If you don't believe me, bend down and take a closer look."
Hongyu surveyed the space inside the bed curtains. She figured that if the hussy had only bent down to check the wound, she shouldn't have been that embarrassed. After a little thought, Hongyu looked at the thin quilt covering his waist and made a disgusted face.
"Did you suddenly throw the quilt back?"
"I'm not a pervert!"
Ye Xingge was speechless. "Try it and you'll understand. Anyway, I'm not telling."
Full of suspicion, Hongyu thought it over, then carefully lowered her head and pretended to examine the wound beneath his ribs.
But her red dress was too close-fitting, and the neckline didn't hang open at all. All he could see was her fair throat.
Even through her clothing, though, the inverted sea bowls had an oppressive presence. They felt as though they could completely bury his face...
Ye Xingge leaned against the headboard and examined her openly.
Hongyu promptly sat up and covered her chest with her sleeve.
"Are you asking for a beating?"
Ye Xingge spread his hands, perfectly justified.
"I was only demonstrating. That's what happened just now, and then I got beaten up. You understand now, right?"
"?"
Hongyu realized she seemed to have fallen for his trick, and her gaze darkened!
But she was clothed, while that hussy definitely hadn't been properly dressed and had been seen bare...
As the saying went, seeing your rival make a fool of herself made you happier than winning a prize yourself!
After thinking it over, Hongyu didn't take issue with it. She merely snorted.
"You brought it on yourself. See if there's a reply. We need to set out as soon as possible, before the long night brings many dreams."
Ye Xingge took the token from the head of the bed and infused it with Qi. The squares on the surface of the game-piece-like jade token collapsed on their own, and a few words appeared:
"Busy. See you in three days."
What the fuck?!
Ye Xingge stared blankly, then looked at Great Beauty, his eyes seeming to say:
Oh, one trap after another?
I just charged into the thieves' den, and now there's a second trial?
Great Beauty's domineering expression froze for a moment. She leaned closer to inspect the token and, after some thought, said:
"How about urging them along?"
"..."
Ye Xingge never should have trusted Great Beauty's nonsense. If he'd known, he would have asked for half a month...
But things had come to this, so he could only discuss a plan with her. Then he tapped out a message on the token:
"Important matter. Mantanghong. Filth-Severing Whip."
The appeal of the Twelve Divine Weapons went without saying. Anyone would be tempted, and there was no way the Return to Origin Cult would pass up the chance.
Ye Xingge had thought he would have to wait, but to his surprise, more words appeared on the token the next instant:
"Can't you just say it?"
"?"
Ye Xingge figured that was fair. After a little thought, he tapped out:
"On the road. It's a long story."
The other side was silent for a moment, then replied:
"Received."
Seeing those two words, Ye Xingge felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity. At the same time, he breathed a sigh of relief and looked up to ask:
"That'll do it?"
Hongyu nodded, her eyes full of agreement.
"That'll do it."
"The Filth-Severing Whip is too tempting. If we use it as bait, could we end up fishing out Horn Wood Flood Dragon and Neck Metal Dragon too?"
Hongyu blinked and thought for a moment.
"It's possible. But with something this important, Tail Fire Tiger would have to hear what the news is before reporting it. Besides, the Return to Origin Cult's upper ranks all have respectable public identities. They can't come running whenever they're summoned..."
Ye Xingge nodded slightly. He had a feeling that tomorrow night might be even more thrilling than tonight...
Seeing that Ye Xingge had doubts about her, Hongyu added:
"Don't worry. Tomorrow you'll travel at top speed, and the court's spies won't be able to keep up. I'll go with you. I'll set out in a little while; you rest first."
"Huh?"
Ye Xingge stared at Great Beauty, who looked every bit the expert.
"Have you recovered your cultivation?"
"No."
Hongyu raised a hand and pointed at her head.
"But I have a hundred times your experience. Even without my cultivation, I can help you plan.
"With my strategies and your abilities, are you still worried?"
"?"
How is that supposed to reassure me?
My unranked abilities and your eighth-place Second Rank strategies-isn't that backward?
Ye Xingge opened his mouth, but after a long pause, he lowered his gaze from her face to the front of her dress.
After all, compared with her brain, he trusted Great Beauty's tits more.
After all, those were truly substantial assets, and they weren't filled with water.
Even if they were, at least they could give him a couple of mouthfuls of milk...
Seeing her prospective match being so bold, Hongyu's face darkened. She raised her sleeve to cover herself.
"You don't even appreciate your big sister offering you advice?"
"I do, I do. All right, I'll sleep for a while and build up my strength."
Ye Xingge slid down onto the pillow and lay on his side facing Great Beauty. The full red moon was right before his eyes, and he felt it was more useful than Great Beauty's brain.
At least it was pleasing to the eye, and from front to back, every "head" was in order...
Looking down at him, Hongyu secretly gritted her teeth. She really wanted to give the boy a good thrashing!
But she couldn't beat him, and she couldn't just rely on her mouth to say how capable she was. After some thought, she only said:
"Facts speak louder than words. You'll see tomorrow."
"Yu'er, stop scaring me. If you keep talking, I really won't dare go. Why don't you lie down too? We can talk about flowers, snow, and the moon to calm my nerves. Just look at Great Beauty Luo..."
"Hmph~"
Hongyu said nothing. She came over and gave Ye Xingge a "heart-disordering pill" to eat, then turned her head and hung up...