Chapter 107: Oops, You Caught Me
The mountain city was called Qinglian City.
Thanks to a powerful formation set up by the Azure Fox clan’s elders, the entire city was isolated from the outside world, even its climate was unique.
A perpetual mist and rain hung in the air, creating a damp and refreshing atmosphere. It felt like you could take a bite out of the air and taste the moisture.
Although humans might not appreciate such a humid climate, it was a paradise for the Azure Foxes.
The architecture was ancient and weathered, carrying a sense of timeless tranquility. Soft moss covered the blue stone paths, and every step left a small puddle in its wake.
Luo Luo led Chen Yin through the town, her hand in his. Many Azure Foxes greeted her warmly along the way.
Luo Luo responded to each greeting with a sweet smile, her hands clasped behind her back as she skipped along.
“Your clansmen seem to like you very much.” Chen Yin observed.
“Well… I grew up here.”
Luo Luo lowered her head slightly, seemingly distracted.
“What are you thinking about?”
“Ah! N-nothing.”
She quickly averted her gaze and stammered, “Young Master, Ya Ya and the others are waiting for us up ahead.”
“By the way, where are you taking me?”
“To eat the most delicious thing in Qinglian City.”
Luo Luo skipped ahead of Chen Yin, turning around and grinning, revealing her adorable fangs.
“…Rainflower Cakes.”
The Rainflower Cakes lived up to their name.
Small, delicate, and shaped like flower petals, they were a vibrant mix of green and red, resembling blooming flowers in the misty mountain air.
Ya Ya, Luo Luo, and the other little foxes sat around a table, their eyes fixed on Chen Yin as he took a bite of the Rainflower Cake, their faces filled with anticipation.
“Mmm…” After a long moment, Chen Yin opened his eyes, a look of surprise in them.
“Sweet but not cloying, fragrant but not overpowering, its melt-in-your-mouth texture is unlike any other pastry. It’s like drinking sweet water.”
“See!”
The little foxes cheered in unison. “We knew you would like it!”
“Young Master, we have other flavors too! Try them!”
Unable to resist their enthusiasm, Chen Yin, despite not being particularly hungry, tried every flavor of Rainflower Cake.
He had to admit, they were truly exceptional.
Having tasted countless delicacies in both his lives, Chen Yin could confidently say that these Rainflower Cakes were among the best.
As he ate, Luo Luo sat beside him, her head propped up with her hand, watching him with a smile.
Finally, when he couldn’t eat any more, Chen Yin surrendered. “I can’t eat anymore.”
“Let’s save some for Qingying. I’m stuffed.”
…Speaking of which, he wondered if Qingying had woken up yet.
When she woke up and realized that nothing had happened, that she had been tricked, she would probably be furious.
That thought made him smile. He would love to see her angry expression.
Luo Luo stopped urging him to eat and asked the shopkeeper to wrap up the remaining Rainflower Cakes.
“Young Master can take these back for Sister Qingying to try.”
Chen Yin smiled and ruffled Luo Luo’s head. “Where are we going next?”
“To the Azure Stone Steps!”
They spent the entire afternoon exploring Qinglian City, Luo Luo and Ya Ya dragging Chen Yin everywhere. He finally had a better understanding of this Azure Fox town.
The Azure Foxes were naturally peaceful and disliked conflict. They were content with their secluded lives in this hidden paradise. Within the barrier, the small mountain city was filled with friendly smiles.
There were no schemes or betrayals. Every Azure Fox was kind and welcoming, making it easy to feel a sense of kinship and belonging.
Within just half a day, Chen Yin had fallen in love with this place.
It was the perfect place for retirement.
No wonder Luo Luo had been so naive and innocent when she first left home. Growing up in such a carefree environment, her nature was as pure as water.
After a fun-filled afternoon, Luo Luo brought Chen Yin to his temporary lodging. “Young Master can stay here for the next two days. Sister Qingying is next door.”
“What about you?” Chen Yin asked.
“Me? I live with my mother near the clan’s main hall.”
“But,” Luo Luo said with a hint of regret, “the main hall is a very important place for our clan. I can’t take you there unless my mother allows it.”
Chen Yin recalled the hall he had seen earlier with Qingmei Niang and shrugged. “It’s okay. I’ve already seen it.”
“You must be tired after playing all day. Go back and rest early.”
Luo Luo turned to leave, then suddenly stopped, her blue dress swirling around her like a blooming lotus.
“Young Master.”
Her adorable face lit up with anticipation, and she said in a sweet, childish voice, “Will you come play with me again tomorrow?”
“Of course.”
Chen Yin thought for a moment. “I can stay here for two more days. There’s nothing urgent I need to attend to.”
A bright smile appeared on the little fox’s face. “Then I’ll take you to an even more fun place tomorrow!”
“Goodnight, Young Master!”
Chen Yin smiled warmly as he watched her skip away. He turned around and heard a cold, venomous chuckle:
“Hmph, it seems you’re having a lot of fun, Young Master Chen.”
Chen Yin turned to face her with a smile. “You seem to have enjoyed your nap, Miss Qingying.”
A flash of black, too quick for the eye to follow. The next moment, a black dagger, stopped inches from his chest, was caught firmly between his fingers.
Qingying gripped the dagger, her teeth gritted.
“Why didn’t you kill me? Why did you humiliate me like that?”
“Hey, you’re wronging me, Miss Qingying.”
Chen Yin said with a playful grin, “As the saying goes, ‘Where there’s life, there’s hope.’ Why would you want to die over something so trivial? It’s not like you’ll get pregnant.”
“Besides, I never humiliated you. I was just trying to help, but you wouldn’t even let me touch you.”
“They say women are made of water. I didn’t believe it before, but seeing how wet you got this afternoon with just a touch, tsk, tsk, tsk…”
Qingying’s grip on the dagger tightened, but it remained unmoving in Chen Yin’s grasp.
She glared at him with murderous intent, as if she wanted to tear him apart.
“…Do you enjoy humiliating me that much?”
“Does it make you happy?” Beneath her cold fury, there was a hint of suppressed grievance, and her eyes were slightly red-rimmed.
But then, Chen Yin gently pulled the dagger from her hand and, with a smile, pinched her cheek.
“Oops.”
“You caught me.” He grinned mischievously.
Qingying gritted her teeth, her body trembling with rage. She wanted to unleash her System’s power and fight him to the death.
But the sword energy Chen Yin had left within her body, lingering near her foundation, could erupt at any moment and seal her meridians.
She could only watch helplessly as the infuriating man strolled into the room, humming a tune, while she fumed silently.
To make matters worse, the System was acting as a mediator, saying, “Let it go.”
“You’re no match for him.”
“Just endure it. He’s just teasing you, he’s not going to actually hurt you.”
“If I were you, I’d be thrilled to have such a powerful man interested in me, maybe even marry him.”
“Shut up!” Qingying snapped.
She turned and stormed into her room, slamming the door shut.
The System could only sigh helplessly.
“Sigh. Someone’s getting angry.”
…Honestly, Qingying was right.
Chen Yin was indeed fascinated by the feeling of teasing her.
It was like being back in elementary or middle school, playing pranks on his classmates or the girl he liked, enjoying their flustered and angry reactions.
It had been years since he had such childish and playful thoughts.
But with Qingying, he seemed to have rediscovered the joy of teasing girls, unable to resist the urge to provoke her.
And he had no qualms about it.
Qingying was different from any other woman he knew. The first time they met, she had tried to kill him without hesitation. If it weren’t for his “Forgotten Everlasting Heart Sutra,” he might have been reincarnated again.
Technically, Qingying was still his captive.
And there was no need to show mercy to a captive.
In fact, he had been quite lenient so far, his teasing relatively harmless.
Of course, that didn’t mean he wouldn’t escalate things in the future.
But putting Qingying aside for now, Chen Yin was more interested in Luo Luo’s mother, the alluring and mysterious Qingmei Niang.
He felt like he had heard that name somewhere before.
So, as night fell, Chen Yin lit a candle and began reading the demonology book again.
After a while, he suddenly closed the book and sighed softly.
“Sister, you’ve been squatting outside my window for almost two hours. Aren’t your legs numb?”
“If you’re waiting for me to let my guard down so you can assassinate me, why not just come in and sleep with me? You can kill me while I’m asleep.”
A cold snort came from outside the window.
Seeing that she had no intention of leaving, Chen Yin opened the window and said playfully:
“It’s cold outside, Sister. Why don’t you come in and let me warm you up?”
“I should just cut off your balls and make sure you can never say such vulgar things again.” Qingying said fiercely, leaning against the wall.
“That won’t do. My ‘Mount Yu Little Cannon’ still needs to earn its keep.”
Chen Yin, acting like a street thug, gently lifted Qingying’s chin with his finger. “If you really want to cut it off, Sister, why not come inside and do it yourself?”
Qingying’s face burned with embarrassment and anger.
“Don’t touch me.”
“I’m going to touch you. Are you angry?”
He pinched her cheek playfully.
Qingying, enraged, tried to push him away, but Chen Yin dodged swiftly.
Losing her balance, she tumbled through the window and landed right in his arms, their faces inches apart.
Their lips brushed against each other, and Qingying’s eyes widened in shock.
…She felt her breath catch in her throat.