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53 Leaving the Newbie Village

After returning to his room, Yan Zhen still felt like he was floating, his whole body as limp as if his bones had softened.

Not only was it pleasurable, but his cultivation had also increased slightly – double the joy!

He had great respect and love for his beautiful master, so he had been enduring and allowing her to take the lead. But if this continued, he wouldn’t be able to hold back from “opposing his master”, and he wouldn’t be able to maintain the protagonist’s persona. Everything would be over!

Yan Zhen slapped his face hard to wake himself up from this gentle dream.

Even if he couldn’t endure it, he had to endure it.

His beautiful master had given herself to him to aid his cultivation. It contained her expectation for his future success. How could he focus on indecent thoughts?

Cannot be indecent.jpg(1)*

Yan Zhen rolled up in his blanket, closed his eyes, and quickly fell asleep.

What woke Yan Zhen up was Yan Meng’er. She ran over in a hurry and knocked on the door forcefully, pulling Yan Zhen out of his sleep in an instant.

“It’s really bad. Cousin Yan Zhen, Grandpa Patriarch has fallen ill.”

Hearing this news, Yan Zhen instantly woke up. Without even changing his clothes, he rushed to Yan Lie’s room.

Just as described in the script, after the Dragon Night Arena, Old Master Yan Lie would collapse due to an outbreak of his illness.

However, in the script, the Huangfu family’s forceful cancellation of the engagement caused Yan Lie to become so angry that it laid the groundwork for his illness to erupt.

In reality, the Huangfu family did not cancel the engagement, so Yan Lie had been perfectly fine until he suddenly collapsed now.

After Yan Lie collapsed, the three major families that had been defeated by Yan Zhen started to act up together again, trying to occupy the market area managed by the City Lord Mansion to obtain greater benefits.

Without Yan Lie, a half-step Mystic General, stationed there, the City Lord Mansion was only a bit stronger than any single family. It was simply difficult to resist the three families joining hands. They could only choose to concede while also inviting famous doctors from all over to come treat Yan Lie.

However, Yan Lie’s illness was an “old person’s illness” accumulated over many years. The difficulty of curing it was too great. Half a month passed without any improvement, and the situation was getting worse. Only the healing pills refined by a 4th-grade alchemist or above had a chance to cure him.

4th-grade alchemists were rare in the entire Gallo Kingdom. The City Lord Mansion simply couldn’t invite one.

On the other hand, the appetite of the three major families was growing bigger and bigger. They were trying to completely divide up the entire market area, seriously threatening the survival of the City Lord Mansion.

If this continued, Martial Tang City would be completely controlled by the three major families, and the City Lord Mansion would only exist in name.

At this critical juncture, Yan Zhen finally stepped forward. He took out a 4th-grade healing pill and cured Yan Lie.

The grandfather and grandson duo barged into the council hall and beat up the patriarchs of the three major families who had come to threaten the City Lord Mansion to concede the market area. They made them spit out all the benefits they had swallowed before, principal and interest, and also took a hefty cut from them. Only then was the matter temporarily settled.

Afterwards, it was no longer Yan Zhen’s business. Yan Lie would use his own means to slowly suppress the three major families, and even turn the three major families into two.

These were all matters for later.

[Ding! Congratulations to the host for completing the first stage of the plot…]

Hearing the system’s notification sound, Yan Zhen, who had been busy for nearly half a month, felt relieved.

He knew the method to treat Yan Lie and could ask his beautiful master to refine pills at any time, but the key was that he didn’t have the medicinal ingredients.

The 4th-grade healing pill needed to treat Yan Lie required a relatively rare 4th-grade main ingredient, and that main ingredient had to wait until the Gold and Jade Chamber of Commerce obtained it by chance before he could buy it.

He waited for nearly half a month, making him anxious to death, fearing that something unexpected would happen in the plot.

Fortunately, it ended smoothly. In the meantime, he had secretly given Yan Meng’er a Condensing Mystic Pill, allowing her to advance to the Mystic Scholar realm.

However, compared to the Yan Zhen in the script who had to raise money everywhere, his performance was actually considered easy.

What was puzzling was that the Gold and Jade Chamber of Commerce still wouldn’t take his money, even though what he wanted was a 4th-grade medicinal ingredient worth over a million.

It was too strange. When things were abnormal, there must be something strange going on!

Whether there was something strange or not wasn’t important. What was important was that it shouldn’t affect him developing the plot according to the script!

Claiming the stage rewards, Yan Zhen’s eyes lit up. In addition to the special trump card, there was actually a cultivation gift pack (alchemist version).

Indeed, after this incident, he realized the importance of “alchemy”. He asked his beautiful master to teach him pill refining, to become an alchemist. In the future, he would also learn tool refining, puppet refining, and so on.

Yan Zhen excitedly opened it and was surprised to find that it included an initial fund of 100 million crystal coins, a self-selected 1st-grade pill formula, a self-selected 1st-grade tool formula, and a scroll of Mystic Soul Technique!

“100 million crystal coins!?”

Yan Zhen gasped and his heart pounded.

Although an alchemist indeed burned more money than ordinary cultivation, he didn’t expect the initial funding to be ten times more.

Hugging the system interface in front of him, Yan Zhen pursed his lips and kissed it in a mess.

“System darling, mwah~~~”

[The system does not need the host’s kisses, only for the host to play the protagonist well and develop the plot correctly.]

“Okay, okay, no problem. Leave it to me.”

Yan Zhen patted his chest and made a promise.

After the incident came to an end, it was already early February, the day for the Mystic Academy in Silver Moon City to start.

On the pier, Yan Zhen, Yan Meng’er, Yan Ruyu, Yan Mo, Yan Xiaoxiao and other young members of the Yan family said goodbye to the elders in the mansion one after another, and then boarded the City Lord Mansion’s private ferry to Silver Moon City.

“Finally leaving the newbie village.”

Standing at the edge of the deck, looking at the vast canal surface, Yan Zhen couldn’t help but sigh.

There were a total of seven continents in the Mystical Heavenly Continent. The region where the Gallo Kingdom was located was called the “Jia Lan(Garlan) Continent”, with many countries and forces distributed. The leader was the “Azure Lotus Sacred Land”, whose existence was unique and supreme.

(Jiālán) can also be translated to “Azure Lotus”

Below the Azure Lotus Sacred Land was an institution for cultivating talents, called the “Sacred Land Academy”.

The Mystic Academies were branches of the Sacred Land Academy set up in various cities of various countries to screen for promising talents.

The Mystic Academy of the Gallo Kingdom was opened in Silver Moon City, which ranked third among the top ten cities.

Most of the teenagers under the age of twenty who had advanced to the Mystic Scholar realm in the country would go to the Silver Moon City Mystic Academy to enroll and receive three years of cultivation. If they could advance to the Mystic Master realm before graduation, they would obtain the qualifications to go to the Sacred Land Academy for further study.

The series of small conflicts in Martial Tang City was just a prologue. After entering the Mystic Academy, the story of this novel without a female lead would truly begin.

Upon reaching Silver Moon City, he should quickly meet the head shopkeeper of the Gold and Jade Chamber of Commerce who possessed vast wealth. She was a character who provided Yan Zhen with a lot of help in the early and middle stages of the story. Yan Zhen would later acknowledge her as an elder sister, and she could be said to be second only to his beautiful master in importance.

The scenes with her absolutely could not be performed badly.

“Cousin, what are you thinking about? So engrossed.”

Yan Meng’er once again clung to him like a little bird, never forgetting to act cute in front of him at any time.

Yan Zhen gradually got used to his cousin’s antics and was not as embarrassed as before. He casually responded, “Thinking about when we can arrive.”

“If nothing unexpected happens, it will take two days and two nights of sailing. If it rains, it will take some more time.” Yan Ruyu said indifferently while standing on his other side, “It’s best to go back and rest inside the cabin when there’s nothing to do. The boat is not like the land. It’s easy to catch a cold.”

“That’s right, Cousin. Let’s go back to the cabin and play cards. It just so happens there are three of us.”

“Okay.”

“The loser has to take off a piece of clothing.”

“?!”

End Of Volume 1

---

 

Cannot be indecent.jpg(1)*: 不可以瑟瑟.jpg(meme)

 

52 Is the Master Better or Are They Better

After returning to the City Lord’s Mansion, the three of them parted ways and returned to their respective rooms.

Lying on the bed, the first thing Yan Zhen did was enter the crystal space. He presented the rice balls he had secretly packed back, along with a few side dishes and a pot of fine wine, to his beautiful master.

“Sorry, Master. I’m back late.”

Chen Xi didn’t say anything. She picked up the bowl and scooped up a steaming hot, round rice ball with a spoon, taking a small bite.

After tasting it, she brought the spoon with more than half of the rice ball left to Yan Zhen’s face and said with a smile, “Eat this, and your master will forgive you.”

Uh.

Yan Zhen didn’t have any particular feelings about indirect kissing, but his beautiful master deliberately giving it to him to eat after biting it like this seemed a bit intentional.

When he was young, he had heard the elders say: If you eat someone’s saliva, you will listen to him (her). Could it be that his beautiful master was hinting at him, her “disobedient” disciple?

Yan Zhen had a sudden realization. He obediently lowered his head, gulped down more than half of the rice ball, then raised his little face, showing a “I’m super obedient” look.

Chen Xi’s heart was instantly struck by his cute, pleading gaze, causing 1000% critical damage. The bit of displeasure she had dissipated like smoke.

“Come and eat with your master, Zhen’er.”

“Oh~”

Although Yan Zhen had dual cultivated with his beautiful master, he wouldn’t become complacent because of it. As the saying goes, once a teacher, always a father (mother). He still maintained complete respect and love for his beautiful master.

This also perfectly matched the protagonist’s character setting.

Actually, just in terms of personality, Yan Zhen found that he was quite similar to the protagonist’s character in the script.

It was very likely that the system had chosen him to play the protagonist role precisely because of this.

[Hehe, the host is overthinking.]

–Hmph!

Yan Zhen ignored the system and focused on pouring wine for his beautiful master. However, he saw her lean closer, gently sniffing with her nose, and then casually saying, “Zhen’er, there’s a bit of fragrance on you. Which girl’s is it?”

Upon hearing this, Yan Zhen inexplicably felt a pang of guilt, as if he was a middle school student secretly dating and got caught red-handed by his parents.

“Reporting to Master, I went out to play with my elder and younger female cousins. It’s the scent from their bodies.”

“Only with your elder and younger female cousins?” Chen Xi’s eyes narrowed, her tone still casual. “Not with your elder and younger male cousins?”

Yan Zhen swallowed his saliva. “I don’t have a very good relationship with my male cousins.”

“Oh?”

“Because I used to suppress them too much, so when I fell on hard times three years ago, they ridiculed me ruthlessly in turn. Although it can’t be considered a big grudge, it’s basically impossible to be close again.”

“What about your female cousins? Is it because Zhen’er has once again displayed outstanding talent, so they all flocked to you one by one?”

“That’s not it either. They’re both quite nice. Meng’er even apologized to me, and Elder Sister Ruyu isn’t as fierce as before.”

Chen Xi finished the wine in her cup, two spots of pink blooming on her cheeks. She turned her head to look directly at Yan Zhen. “Then, is your master better, or are they better?”

Being stared at by his beautiful master’s clear eyes, Yan Zhen’s spirit lifted. He answered without hesitation, “Of course Master is better. Master is the best. No one can compare!”

His voice was loud and strong.

Hearing this, Chen Xi’s heart blossomed with joy. The lingering mellow taste of wine in her mouth seemed to turn sweet. The faint smile reappeared on the corners of her lips.

“Really?”

Yan Zhen declared loudly, “Absolutely! Because they took the initiative to invite me, that’s why I went out with them. Otherwise, I was planning to spend the whole day by Master’s side, diligently cultivating and making progress, to repay Master for her guidance!”

“Sweet talker.”

Chen Xi chided him with a sentence, but didn’t say anything more. She quietly drank the wine, eating little of the dishes.

Yan Zhen breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly sat beside her to serve.

After eating, Chen Xi slowly stood up and said, “Zhen’er, let your master see your cultivation results from the past few months. Start with the Tai Chi Shock.”

Huh? He had already said such moving words, yet he still had to be drilled?

Yan Zhen felt aggrieved, but still gritted his teeth and agreed.

First was the Tai Chi Shock. Although Yan Zhen had already mastered the skill of utilizing subtle force and shocking force, he was still far inferior to his beautiful master. He was easily toyed with by her.

Next was the Eight Extremes Explosion. Yan Zhen could strike with triple force at most, but it was still easily resolved by his beautiful master. With one hand, she blocked his all-out punch.

Finally, it was fire control sparring. Yan Zhen manipulated the Gold and Silver Fire to attack Chen Xi, but the flames were instead controlled by Chen Xi, scorching him and making him howl.

After a round of drilling, Yan Zhen exhausted himself. He soaked in the medicinal soup in the large bathtub, sticking out his tongue and panting like a puppy.

Chen Xi stood behind Yan Zhen, rolled up her sleeves, revealing her snow-white wrists. Her jade-like hands picked up a wooden ladle and scooped up the medicinal soup, slowly pouring it on the swollen parts of his body. Her delicate fingers gently stroked, bringing Yan Zhen a soft comfort.

“It seems that Zhen’er has grasped everything your master taught quite well. Worthy of praise.”

“Hehe, thank you for Master’s compliment~”

“However, there’s one more thing. Zhen’er, have you practiced it with anyone?”

“What else is there?”

The Tai Chi Shock, Eight Extremes Explosion, Imperial Blaze Art, and Gold and Silver Fire were all “fire control related”. There was nothing else.

The Dao of Alchemy? He hadn’t even started learning it.

After advancing to the Mystic Scholar realm, he could begin learning alchemy. But it just so happened to be the New Year and the holidays, worshipping gods, visiting relatives and such. There was time, but it was relatively fragmented, not suitable for cultivation.

“It seems Zhen’er has forgotten.”

Chen Xi put down the wooden ladle. Her jade-like fingers pinched the knot of her waistband and gently pulled.

The black sleeved dress, without restraint, could hardly contain that graceful and voluptuous jade-like body, especially those excessively huge breasts. As soon as they were freed, they bounced out like rabbits, causing her collar to open wide. Then, the dress slid down her fragrant shoulders and pooled on the ground in layers.

Her face was slightly flushed, her eyes revealing a hint of desire, but her tone of speech remained as still as an ancient well.

“…There’s also a dual cultivation method for refining extreme flames that needs to be checked.”

What!?

Yan Zhen froze, the style of his face changing. He thought, the dual cultivation method also needs to be practiced and checked? How to practice and check it?

In a daze, two milk-colored arms hooked around his neck from behind, and at the same time, an incomparable softness tightly pressed against him.

It was a sensation completely different from usual, a warmth that could only be felt when skin touched skin.

Yan Zhen quickly realized what it was. His body stiffened, not daring to move.

“Master?”

“Zhen’er, your cultivation has advanced very quickly. I believe in less than a year, you will be able to ascend to the Mystic Scholar realm. At that time, you will need to refine another extreme flame to not delay your cultivation. Naturally, before that, you must completely master the dual cultivation method. Zhen’er, have you practiced with anyone?”

Chen Xi was still speaking in the tone of a master in a superior position. If it were any other time, Yan Zhen would definitely listen attentively. But at this moment, with his head sandwiched between two buns, he had no control.

“I, I haven’t. I forgot.”

“Hehe, then let your master practice with you~”

A hot and passionate body squeezed into the bathtub behind Yan Zhen, soaking in the scalding medicinal soup, and began the Secret Lesson.

51 Cousin Madly Assisting Elder Sister

“Cousin, where are we going to play next?”

“Let’s go eat something first, rest a bit, and then we’ll see about the fireworks in the evening.”

“Great, let’s go to ‘Eight Immortals Residence’ then. It’s a tall building.”

“What does Elder Sister Ruyu say?”

“Up to you guys~”

“Then let’s go…”

Having finished the role-playing at the Dragon Night Arena, what followed was a brief Lantern Festival activity. Although the script didn’t have specific descriptions, Yan Zhen still had to diligently complete this small plot.

The three of them went to the top floor of the Eight Immortals Residence, got the best private room, ordered a tableful of dishes, and started eating leisurely.

Yan Meng’er pulled the seats of the three of them very close, the chairs almost joining into a long bench.

She sat on Yan Zhen’s right side. One moment she would pick food for Yan Zhen, the next she would feed him, then she wanted him to feed her, and even licked clean the rice grains and oil stains on his mouth.

Yan Zhen was helpless. He could only try his best to satisfy her requests within the limits of not violating his character setting.

This made Yan Meng’er extremely happy. She was almost sticking to Yan Zhen’s body, her full breasts like ripe fruits rubbing against his arm inadvertently.

Seeing her cousin’s active advances, Yan Ruyu felt a bit embarrassed. But when Yan Zhen responded, she was very envious of that girl, thinking if she did the same, would she also be able to–

But Yan Ruyu only thought about it. She didn’t have the courage to do what Yan Meng’er did at all. Only when Yan Meng’er gave her a hint did Yan Ruyu suddenly say, “Yan Zhen, thank you for this morning.”

As she spoke, she picked up a large piece of meat and put it in Yan Zhen’s bowl, quickly withdrawing her chopsticks.

“This is a thank-you gift.”

Yan Zhen was a bit surprised, but still smiled slightly, “No need to be so polite. I was also doing it to uphold the City Lord Mansion’s reputation.”

Yan Ruyu’s mood instantly improved. A faint smile also appeared on the corner of her mouth. There was only one thought in her mind: He smiled at me…

Seeing her discouraged appearance, Yan Meng’er secretly rolled her eyes, thinking that her elder sister was really too useless. Her combat power wasn’t even five. How could she be her teammate?

Her eyes were quick and her hands were fast. She immediately picked the meat out of Yan Zhen’s bowl and stuffed it into her own mouth.

“I’ll eat this piece of meat. Elder Sister, pick another piece for Cousin Yan Zhen. Nom nom~”

“Meng’er!”

Yan Ruyu glared at her cousin in displeasure. Yan Meng’er had a silly smile on her face, but her eyes were desperately hinting: Feed him, feed him!

Yan Ruyu, who had originally wanted to reprimand her cousin, immediately understood her intention. Her heartbeat suddenly sped up. It took a while before she plucked up the courage, picked up her chopsticks, picked up another piece of meat, and passed it to Yan Zhen’s mouth with flushed cheeks.

“Eat, eat it.”

Yan Zhen was greatly surprised, suspecting whether Yan Ruyu was drunk. Otherwise, how could she feed him?

“I’ll do it myself.”

Yan Zhen politely refused. Yan Ruyu’s heart became anxious. She wanted to be fierce to him like usual, but before she could speak, she was glared at by Yan Meng’er. She hurriedly changed her words, “You quickly eat it directly, otherwise it will be snatched by Meng’er again.”

Yan Zhen glanced at Yan Meng’er. The latter blinked her limpid beautiful eyes and revealed a mischievous grin, as if saying “Meng’er is a vegetable-stealing little thief~”.

After a brief hesitation, Yan Zhen still took a bite of the meat Yan Ruyu was holding and quickly ate it.

After all, they were clansmen living under the same roof. They weren’t that distant. Occasionally making some intimate little gestures wouldn’t go against the protagonist’s character setting.

Yan Ruyu stared blankly at the side of Yan Zhen’s face as he chewed the meat with big bites. Her heart was filled with a strange sense of happiness, wanting to continue feeding him more.

No wonder Meng’er kept feeding and feeding, not getting tired of it at all. It was really so delightful.

“Elder Sister, Meng’er also wants you to feed me~”

Hearing Yan Meng’er suddenly acting coquettishly towards her, Yan Ruyu blinked. She casually picked up a fish slice that her cousin loved to eat, reached over Yan Zhen, and stuffed it into her mouth.

“Had enough?”

“Elder Sister is so nice~ Meng’er will also feed Elder Sister in return.”

Yan Ruyu raised her eyebrows, about to refuse. Suddenly, she saw Yan Meng’er hinting with her eyes again. In a daze, she ate the fish belly fed by her cousin and heard her say in a sweet voice, “Cousin Yan Zhen, Elder Sister just fed you meat. As a courtesy, you should also feed her back once, right?”

Eh? Yan Ruyu’s heart sped up again with these words. Her delicate jade face turned even redder. She nervously, shyly, yet expectantly looked at Yan Zhen.

Yan Zhen nodded very readily. He picked a large shrimp, peeled it, dipped it in sauce, and brought it to Yan Ruyu’s face, saying indifferently, “Here, courtesy in return.”

Looking at the fresh, plump shrimp meat and the fair, slender fingers in front of her, Yan Ruyu swallowed her saliva, not knowing which one she was craving for.

She wanted to eat, but felt it was too embarrassing.

While hesitating, she saw Yan Meng’er desperately signaling to her with her eyes, as if loudly cursing: Hurry up and eat, stupid elder sister!

Yan Ruyu bit her lip, closed her eyes, opened her red lips and bit forward, but unexpectedly bit Yan Zhen’s fingers as well. The latter quickly withdrew his hand in pain, looking at Yan Ruyu with some fear.

–Could this be her retaliation?

“My fingers are not edible.”

Yan Ruyu covered her small mouth with both hands, chewing like a hamster. Her cheeks were flushed red. Her eyes were innocent, as if apologizing and saying “I didn’t do it on purpose”.

Seeing this, Yan Meng’er finally smiled with relief. Although her elder sister’s combat power was only 5 now, she still had a lot of potential to be developed.

The meal lasted from dusk until nightfall. Fireworks occasionally rose into the sky, blooming splendidly in the dark night.

The three of them moved their chairs to the window, sipping warm yellow wine while admiring the fireworks and overlooking the streets.

Swimming dragons, flower lanterns, vendors, pedestrians… The lights of thousands of households illuminated the entire city. As far as the eye could see, it was all bustling and prosperous.

“Cousin, let’s go down and play too~”

“There are too many people. I don’t want to squeeze.”

“Oh come on, let’s go~ Elder Sister, you persuade Cousin too.”

“It’s only once a year. Just take a walk.”

“…Alright then.”

“Yay~”

The three of them left the restaurant and walked to the bustling street.

Yan Meng’er took Yan Zhen’s hand and let Yan Ruyu hold Yan Zhen’s other hand, saying it was to “prevent getting lost”.

Holding hands? This was too high-level for Yan Ruyu. She shrank back again, “I’ll just hold your hand, Meng’er.”

Yan Meng’er really wanted to give her useless elder sister a big mallet. “No way, Elder Sister. I have to hold Cousin’s hand with one hand and hold things with the other. I don’t have an extra hand to hold you.”

Yan Ruyu was at a loss for words. After a long time, she convinced herself and grabbed Yan Zhen’s wrist with one hand, lowering her head and not speaking with flushed cheeks.

She used a bit too much force unintentionally. Yan Zhen felt a bit of pain, thinking that this woman was indeed going to retaliate!

In order to avoid generating extra plot, he endured it and pretended nothing was wrong.

The three of them walked hand in hand, admiring the lanterns, guessing riddles, chasing swimming dragons, teasing dancing lions… laughing heartily.

Until it was almost midnight and the Lantern Festival was about to end, a grand fireworks display was simultaneously launched in various parts of the city.

Their hands still not released, the three of them stood by the riverbank, looking up.

With the bang bang bang of explosions in their ears and the colorful, beautiful fireworks reflected in their eyes round after round, their joyful, lively mood also gradually calmed down.

“Cousin.”

“Hmm?”

“Smooch~”

“…”

The sneak attack was successful. Yan Meng’er grinned and was overjoyed. Then she winked secretly at Yan Ruyu standing on Yan Zhen’s other side.

Meng’er took the lead. Elder Sister, you have to work hard too~

Yan Ruyu: “/(//o/ω/o//)/”.

50 Did You Learn It?

“—You’re planning to cripple me, aren’t you?”

Liu Xing, who was deep in thought, heard Yan Zhen’s words and his expression changed drastically. He was a bit frightened, feeling like his thoughts were completely exposed in Yan Zhen’s eyes. It was as if he was facing not a half-grown teenager, but an old senior many decades his senior.

“Young Master Yan Zhen really loves to joke. How could I do such a thing? It’s just that fists and feet have no eyes, so I hope Young Master Yan Zhen will be more careful.”

Yan Zhen nodded in agreement, “You’re right, fists and feet indeed have no eyes. Why don’t we set a lighter life-and-death condition? As long as we don’t go for the kill, nothing else matters.”

Off-stage, Yan Ruyu heard this and became anxious. She was about to say something but was stopped by Yan Meng’er.

Liu Xing was also stunned. He didn’t expect Yan Zhen to actively give him an opportunity. Wasn’t this a freebie?

He was secretly delighted but also grew wary, suspecting that Yan Zhen might be planning to play some trick.

For example, consuming a mystic pill that could temporarily boost mystic power or using an extremely powerful mystic tool. But these were all prohibited.

“Since Young Master Yan Zhen has said so, I naturally have no objections. However, the rules of the arena must be followed. First, no taking pills; second, no using mystic tools above second-grade; third, no using poison, insects, hidden weapons, or any other underhanded methods.”

Yan Zhen said indifferently, “The rules of my City Lord’s Mansion, of course I will follow them.”

Liu Xing was ecstatic in his heart. He secretly thought that Yan Zhen had been suppressed for too long and now that he had made a comeback, he was even more inflated than before, thinking he could fight a 7-star with just 4-star strength. He really didn’t know the immensity of heaven and earth!

Thinking of this, Liu Xing showed a sincere smile and cupped his fists, “Then please give me some good pointers, Young Master Yan Zhen.”

Yan Zhen slowly clenched his fists as mystic power circulated within him. A flicker of rising flame light appeared in his pupils. “I’ll only teach you for three rounds.”

An extremely frightening aura emanated from Yan Zhen. Liu Xing’s pupils constricted as he instinctively sensed danger.

In a daze, Yan Zhen had already closed in. A fist wrapped in flame-like mystic power rapidly enlarged in Liu Xing’s eyes.

The gale-force fist wind hit his face, carrying an intense heat as if it had blown out from a furnace.

In that instant, Liu Xing’s scalp went numb.

Condensing mystic power into a thin film, manifesting it outside the body, and even displaying the essence of flames – this was an ability only those at the Mystic Scholar realm and above possessed!

Was Yan Zhen a Mystic Scholar?

The answer was naturally no. It was Gold and Silver Fire.

The Gold and Silver Fire that specifically countered metal and stone type mystic tools!

The battle erupted.

In the first round, Yan Zhen used Gold and Silver Fire in conjunction with the Eight Extremes Explosion to shatter Liu Xing’s folding fan.

In the second round, Yan Zhen used Tai Chi Shock with high-heat mystic power to repel Liu Xing’s counterattack.

In the third round… Yan Zhen single-handedly grasped Liu Xing’s chin and suspended him in midair, gently asking, “Three rounds are over. Did you learn it?”

Liu Xing, with his chin clutched, couldn’t speak at all and only made gagging sounds.

“Still haven’t learned it? Forget it, I’ll teach you again.”

Yan Zhen flung him into the air. Before he could land, he punched Liu Xing in the stomach, then followed up with another shock, blasting him off the stage.

Liu Xing spat out a mouthful of blood in midair. After landing, he passed out like a dead fish, unable to get up again.

The spectators present were all dumbfounded. In three rounds, a 4-star Mystic Scholar had defeated a 7-star Mystic Scholar in a completely overwhelming manner, like a father beating his son.

Moreover, the flame mystic power Yan Zhen displayed was clearly something only Mystic Scholars possessed.

A fifteen-year-old Mystic Scholar? If Yan Zhen hadn’t had a three-year cultivation gap, it wouldn’t be impossible, but he had fallen.

Shock and confusion lingered in everyone’s hearts.

The City Lord Mansion’s steward, who was at the Mystic Scholar realm, had thought that if Yan Zhen was defeated, he would disregard the rules and protect him. But the result…

“Cousin is so awesome!”

In the silent arena, Yan Meng’er was the first to clap her little hands and cheer in praise.

Under her lead, the other spectators also came back to their senses and applauded vigorously.

Yan Zhen turned his head and flashed a smile at Yan Meng’er.

Yan Meng’er was instantly struck in the heart by this unexpected joy. Her eyes sparkled with love hearts, almost turning into a flower-dazed state on the spot.

Yan Ruyu stared at Yan Zhen with a complex gaze, not quite understanding how he had suddenly become so strong. During the New Year, they had fought to a draw, and he had only suppressed her by using despicable means.

Wait, could it be that during the New Year, he had intentionally held back against her?

No, not “held back”, but deliberately pretended to be weak, using despicable means as a matter of course, all for the purpose of spanking her.

From the start, the force he used didn’t feel like hitting at all, more like an eager touch.

It was really just as Meng’er said. Yan Zhen coveted her buttocks, no doubt about it!

Yan Ruyu’s breath caught. She felt like she had discovered an incredible truth. Her heart was half elated, half angry and embarrassed. The way she looked at Yan Zhen also became strange.

“Little pervert…” she mumbled in a small voice, seeming to despise him, but with a hint of complacency.

Yan Zhen also noticed Yan Ruyu’s weird gaze. He just felt it was inexplicable and made him uneasy. Could it be that she really wanted to take revenge on him?

Calming himself, he looked at the group of young masters from the three major families and asked, “Anyone else want to come up and fight me?”

The group of young masters instantly turned as pale as dirt. Even Liu Xing, a 7-star Mystic Scholar, had been instantly defeated by Yan Zhen, and it seemed like he didn’t use much effort. If they went up, they would just be giving free wins.

“Ao Ge? Do you want to try? I remember last time you wanted to have a one-on-one duel with me. Now no one will stop you.”

Ao Ge, who was called out, trembled at the knees and almost wet himself. He hurriedly squeezed out an ugly smile and said, “Young Master Yan Zhen is joking. I’m just a 7th level Mystic Disciple, how am I qualified to step onto the City Lord Mansion’s Dragon Night Arena?”

What the hell is with this “I”?!

Yan Zhen was disgusted by him and didn’t bother pretending anymore. His tone turned nasty, “Then why don’t you hurry up and scram? Standing there laying eggs?”

The group of young masters felt like they had received amnesty. They picked up Liu Xing and Liu Feng and slunk away.

Among them, Ao Ge ran the fastest.

“The troublemakers have run off. We can restart the attack and defense on the arena… Everyone, happy holidays and have fun.”

The spectators below responded one after another, and there were even bold young girls screaming, “The young City Lord is so handsome~”.

Yan Zhen cupped his fists before finally stepping off the stage, taking Yan Meng’er and Yan Ruyu to leave this place.

The sound of mission completion rang in his ears, and Yan Zhen claimed the reward.

“Special Trump Card – He Wants to Fight Ten”: Can only be activated when there is only one opponent. After activation, nine shadows with the strength of the main body will appear, making the opponent fight ten.

Yan Zhen was speechless. It was clearly shadow clones, yet it had to be given such a crude name!

Oh well, he would just keep it for now. Who knew, it might come in handy someday.

Looking at the dozen or so trump cards in the system backpack, Yan Zhen had the illusion that he was playing a card collecting game. Once he gathered twenty or thirty cards, he could start playing.

Slapping a dozen cards on the field and directly plotting the opponent to death would feel so good.

After putting away the cards, Yan Zhen took the two girls to visit the Dragon Night Arenas of the three major families. The three of them joined hands and forcibly broke through their Dragon Night Arenas until the stewards in charge pleaded for the three little ancestors to show mercy. Only then did they leave in high spirits.

49 The Dragon’s Night Arena (Continued)

Liu Xing chuckled, not falling for the provocation.

He had fought Yan Ruyu before when he was at the 3-star level and she was at 1-star. It should have been an overwhelming victory for him, but they ended up nearly evenly matched. Although he would have won if the fight continued, Yan Ruyu’s strength was clearly not something that could be measured by common sense.

Now, he was at the 7-star level, while Yan Ruyu, as expected, had reached the 5-star level.

Normally, the outcome between them would be clear. But Liu Xing still hoped to play it safe.

That’s why he specifically brought two 4-star helpers with him, to weaken Yan Ruyu’s stamina, so that when he took the stage, he could easily crush her.

The younger generation of the City Lord’s Mansion was lacking, and only Yan Ruyu was worthy of his attention. As long as he defeated Yan Ruyu, the Dragon Night Competition of the City Lord’s Mansion would naturally become his personal show.

As for Yan Zhen, the young City Lord who had stunned the city before? Even if he had recovered his cultivation, at most he would only be at the 8th or 9th level of the Mystic Disciple realm, or at best, a 1-star or 2-star Mystic Scholar – just a rookie, not even worthy of carrying his shoes.

Thinking of this, Liu Xing curled his lips and ordered Jia Lin of the Jia family to go up and weaken Yan Ruyu’s condition.

Jia Lin was reluctant to engage in such underhanded dealings, but this was a task assigned by the elders of his family, so he had no choice but to complete it.

Jia Lin was a 4-star Mystic Scholar, one of the two helpers Liu Xing had prepared.

He used all his strength to directly confront Yan Ruyu for more than a dozen rounds. When he felt it was about right, he immediately stopped and conceded defeat.

The next one up was someone from the Ao family, Ao Ge’s cousin, green-haired Ao Tuo.

Ao Tuo was also a 4-star Mystic Scholar. Again, he faced off against Yan Ruyu for more than ten rounds before quitting while he was ahead and slipping off the stage.

After fighting two battles in a row, Yan Ruyu was already panting a bit, her mystic power significantly depleted. She naturally understood Liu Xing’s purpose and immediately shouted angrily, “Coward! Do you dare to come up and fight me one-on-one?”

Liu Xing felt the timing was about right. With a slight smile, he said, “Since Sister Ruyu has warmly invited me, I’m naturally happy to accept.”

Closing his folding fan, he leaped onto the stage, landing opposite Yan Ruyu with the demeanor of a suave gentleman.

Yan Ruyu hated seeing such hypocritical appearances the most. Twisting her wrist, she rechanneled mystic power into her long sword, activating the runes on it. Then, with a kick of her feet, she shot out, her long sword aimed directly at her opponent’s face.

“Scattering Flower Sword!”

Yan Ruyu used a mystic technique right from the start, obviously wanting to end the fight quickly.

As long as she took down the strongest Liu Xing, the rest could be left to Yan Zhen and the other family members.

Liu Xing saw through her thoughts. Unhurriedly, he opened his folding fan, the runes on it also lighting up under the influence of mystic power, revealing it to be a first-grade mystic weapon as well.

The open fan blocked Yan Ruyu’s sword. Then, as the fan closed, it actually extinguished the red plum blossoms, and the fan ribs just happened to clamp down on the sword’s blade, preventing her from advancing.

Liu Xing swept out a leg. Yan Ruyu hurriedly raised her own leg to clash with his, then forcefully withdrew her sword and retreated several steps.

Liu Xing did not continue his pursuit, but looked at Yan Ruyu at his leisure.

He not only wanted to defeat her, but also humiliate her in public to avenge the grudge of her picking a fight with him before.

It was all Yan Ruyu’s fault. She had caused his reputation to plummet, making it difficult for him to pick up girls.

“Is this the extent of Sister Ruyu’s skill?”

“Then try this one!”

Yan Ruyu stroked her long sword, continuously infusing mystic power into it. The blade immediately emitted a fiery red light, rapidly heating up until it became like a branding iron before stopping.

Holding the branding iron-like long sword, Yan Ruyu attacked Liu Xing again, the tip of the sword blooming with fire-red flowers like winter plums.

“Scattering Flower Sword – Red Plum Style.”

Liu Xing narrowed his eyes, not daring to block the long sword with his folding fan again.

“Iron Fan Dance.”

The folding fan, wrapped in mystic power, flew out like a boomerang, striking the long sword Yan Ruyu had thrust out. As their mystic powers collided, the energy exploded violently.

Yan Ruyu retreated a few steps, while Liu Xing leisurely caught the folding fan that bounced back.

The difference in skill was clear.

“Any other moves? If not, it’s my turn!”

Liu Xing closed his folding fan and attacked. Yan Ruyu raised her mystic power again and met him with her sword.

Sword and fan clashed, sparks flying.

The two fought for more than a dozen rounds. Yan Ruyu, having battled three times in a row, gradually ran out of strength and was struck by Liu Xing’s fan on her sword.

The powerful force caused her weapon to fly out of her hand.

Yan Ruyu immediately retreated. This time, Liu Xing did not give her time to catch her breath and pursued her, stepping forward.

“Where are you running? Let’s fight some more!”

The folding fan opened, the ribs extending into iron spikes, the surface slashing at Yan Ruyu’s waist like a blade, intending to cut her belt and make her clothes fall off in public.

“Shameless!”

Yan Ruyu was both shocked and angry, trying to retreat further, but Liu Xing followed relentlessly.

Just as the folding fan was about to slash her belt, a figure flew out from the spectator seats and arrived between the two in a flash.

A hand clamped onto Liu Xing’s wrist like an iron vice, causing the spiked fan to stop a foot in front of Yan Ruyu, unable to advance an inch further.

It was Yan Zhen.

Both Liu Xing and Yan Ruyu looked at him in surprise, not quite understanding how he had gotten there in an instant.

They only heard Yan Zhen say, “Cousin, you go down first. I’ll fight him.”

Yan Ruyu still wanted to say something, but Yan Zhen gave her a sideways glance, and she immediately lost her temper.

“Be careful.”

After saying that, she glanced at Yan Zhen again and quickly stepped off the stage.

Liu Xing forcefully broke free of Yan Zhen’s restraint and distanced himself, saying coldly, “Young Master Yan Zhen, I didn’t expect you to make a comeback. It’s truly surprising.”

Yan Zhen slightly lifted his chin, looking extremely proud. “Then why don’t you roll off the stage?”

“Heh, the past is the past, the present is the present. After three years without cultivating, you can no longer be considered a prodigy. I advise Young Master Yan Zhen to take a good look at reality.”

“Doesn’t matter if I’m a prodigy or not. Anyway, I can still beat the crap out of you.”

“With your measly 1-star or 2-star strength?”

“Are you blind?”

Yan Zhen circulated his mystic power, the aura emanating from his body already approaching Yan Ruyu’s level of strength.

“3-star…no, 4-star Mystic Scholar?!” Liu Xing was dumbfounded. “You, how did you—”

To Liu Xing, a mere 4-star Mystic Scholar was nothing to be concerned about. But according to the intelligence he received, during the small competition held at the City Lord’s Mansion, Yan Zhen was only at the 8th or 9th level of the Mystic Disciple realm, barely defeating Yan Mo who was at the 9th level.

Less than two months had passed since the small competition. At most, he should have advanced to the 1-star level like Yan Mo; even 2-star would be overestimating him. But in reality…4-star???

Yan Ruyu was also very surprised. After all, during the New Year, Yan Zhen was still a 3-star Mystic Scholar. Ascending a star in less than half a month was a bit outrageous.

As for the other spectators, they were even more astonished, especially the people from the three major families.

Before coming, they hadn’t taken Yan Zhen seriously at all. Now, just in terms of cultivation level, he had already caught up to or even surpassed them?

Yan Zhen was only fifteen years old, while they were all over twenty.

After the shock, Liu Xing on the stage quickly calmed down.

This kid’s talent had fully recovered. If he was allowed to continue developing, in less than a year, he might be able to step on his head!

However, no matter how fast he advanced, he was currently only a 4-star Mystic Scholar, while he was a 7-star. The difference of three star levels was not something that could be easily crossed.

He might as well go all out and cripple him while he had the chance!

Chapter 48: Dragon Night Duel

 

Yan Zhen shook his head, “Since most of the challengers are One, Two, or Three-Star Mystics, I’m not interested in bullying them.”

 

In order to ensure he could better complete the plot, Yan Zhen had diligently cultivated and had already advanced to the Four-Star Mystic Realm. Against Three-Star and lower opponents, he could basically one-shot them.

 

The Imperial Blaze Art combined with the Gold and Silver Fire was just that overbearing, not to mention he had also learned the Tai Chi Shock and Eight Extremes Explosion, two powerful Mystic Techniques.

 

Now, Yan Zhen could easily defeat Mystic Scholars, and ordinary Mystics were no longer worthy of his attention.

 

“That’s true, Cousin Brother Yan Zhen has regained his former peak, ordinary people can’t compare to him… No wonder you’re Cousin Brother Yan Zhen~”

 

Yan Meng’er clung to Yan Zhen, her face beaming with a sweet smile, making the nearby Yan Ruyu quite envious.

 

During the New Year, Yan Ruyu had been spanked by Yan Zhen to the point of being ashamed, and she had locked herself in her room for several days, refusing to go out, until Yan Meng’er said:

 

“Meng’er’s guess was right, Cousin Brother Yan Zhen really likes Cousin Sister’s buttocks, look how eagerly he bullied her.”

 

After hearing this, a faint joy had sprouted in Yan Ruyu’s heart, making her constantly think at night that could it be that Yan Zhen really had a bit of… that kind of good feelings towards her?

 

Yan Meng’er had told her to use this as a breakthrough to get closer to Yan Zhen, but it was really difficult for her.

 

After all, the two were originally like sworn enemies, suddenly asking her to actively approach Yan Zhen was too much to ask.

 

Yan Ruyu stole a glance at Yan Zhen, and he happened to look over, startling her into quickly averting her gaze.

 

“?”

 

Yan Zhen became alert, could it be that this cousin sister was harboring a grudge after being beaten by him, and was planning to take revenge? But there was no corresponding plot in the script, so theoretically, there shouldn’t be any trouble. Still, better to be cautious, in case she tried some tricks!

 

The three soon arrived at the stage set up by the City Lord’s Mansion.

 

At this time, the area around the stage was already crowded with people, cheering and applauding the fierce battles on stage.

 

The Dragon Night Duel of the City Lord’s Mansion had the most generous rewards, and the strength of the defenders was relatively strong, making the battles more exciting, thus attracting a large crowd.

 

Currently defending the stage was Yan Mo.

 

Yan Mo was a One-Star Mystic, probably having obtained a Condensed Mystic Pill from his grandfather after being defeated by Yan Zhen, but being able to successfully advance in one go, his foundation and luck were quite good.

 

Yan Mo’s opponent was also a One-Star Mystic, but much older, mastering two Mystic Techniques and using them alternately, fighting Yan Mo on equal terms.

 

However, Yan Zhen could see that Yan Mo had a slight advantage, and the advantage was still expanding. It wouldn’t take more than ten rounds for him to defeat his opponent.

 

Sure enough, after nine rounds, Yan Mo struck out with his Flame Palm, knocking his opponent off the stage.

 

“Good!” 

 

Applause and cheers intertwined, making Yan Mo proudly raise his chin, just catching sight of Yan Zhen and the Yan sisters coming to the audience below, his heart immediately filled with bitterness.

 

—Meng’er is one thing, but how come Cousin Sister Ruyu has also become close to that guy? Damn it!

 

Yan Mo wanted to perform well to make everyone look at him in awe, to show that the young talents of the City Lord’s Mansion were not limited to just Yan Zhen!

 

With his One-Star Mystic cultivation, combined with the advanced technique he had learned in the Mansion and three Mystic Techniques, he was capable of defeating ordinary Two-Star Mystics, and could even contend against Three-Star Mystics.

 

Without waiting for the stage host to speak, Yan Mo took the initiative to call out, “Anyone else wants to come up and challenge?”

 

The young people in the audience looked at each other, some tempted, but also hesitant.

 

“Let us give it a try!”

 

A arrogant voice suddenly erupted from the crowd, and everyone turned to look. Several young masters in luxurious attire were approaching, all from the Ao, Jia, and Liu families, including Aoge.

 

Leading them was a handsome young man holding a folding fan, exuding an elegant air.

 

—Here they come.

 

Yan Zhen’s eyes narrowed, the fan-wielding young man was the boss of this plot segment, Liu Xing from the Liu family, also a classmate of Yan Ruyu at the Mystic Academy in Silver Moon City.

 

Although Liu Xing’s strength was high, having already reached the Seven-Star Mystic Realm, his reputation was not very good. He had gotten a girl pregnant and refused to take responsibility, a typical scumbag. Yan Ruyu had once stood up for a female classmate and fought with Liu Xing, so the two had a bad relationship.

 

Seeing Liu Xing, Yan Ruyu’s expression darkened slightly, a chill gradually gathering in her eyes.

 

Yan Mo was also startled by this grand display, he was only a One-Star Mystic, but the aura emanating from these young masters was stronger than his.

 

Because they were older and had studied at the Mystic Academy, their cultivation and Mystic Techniques were superior.

 

In previous years, the three major families would also send people to challenge the stage, but not in such a large group, obviously they were here to cause trouble.

 

Liu Xing gently swayed his fan and said indifferently, “Liu Feng, you go first.”

 

Liu Xing’s clan nephew, Liu Feng, immediately nodded and leaped onto the stage.

 

Channeling Mystic Power, the aura of a Three-Star Mystic was boldly emanated.

 

“Go ahead and make your move, young master of the Yan family, or you won’t get a chance.”

 

Yan Mo’s face flushed red with anger, activating his Flame Palm and striking out fiercely.

 

Liu Feng coldly smiled, and in less than ten rounds, he sent Yan Mo flying off the stage, unable to get back up.

 

Aside from the group of young masters who had come with him, no one cheered for him.

 

A twenty-two-year-old Three-Star Mystic bullying an eighteen-year-old One-Star Mystic was simply taking advantage of his superior strength, not worthy of applause.

 

With Yan Mo’s talent and diligence, he could advance one or two stars in a year, and at the latest, by the age of twenty, he could defeat the twenty-four-year-old Liu Feng.

 

The steward responsible for maintaining order on the stage had a grim expression, quickly signaling the medical staff to go up and carry Yan Mo down to treat his injuries.

 

Watching from below, Yan Ruyu was furious. She leaped onto the stage with a bound.

 

Clang!

 

Her sword drawn, she pointed it directly at the opposite Liu Feng.

 

“So you dare to bully the weak? You have really become shameless! If you want to fight, then I’ll fight you! Starting with you, Liu Feng!”

 

“What is Miss Ruyu saying, I haven’t violated any stage rules, how can you call us shameless? However, I don’t consider myself your match, so I’ll be leaving first.”

 

With that, Liu Feng slowly retreated, trying to get off the stage.

 

“Trying to run!?”

 

Yan Ruyu had no intention of letting him go, her feet pushing off, Mystic Power bursting forth as she attacked with the Scattered Flower Sword at high speed.

 

Liu Feng’s expression changed, quickly summoning a protective Mystic Artifact shield in front of him.

 

Boom!

 

The Mystic Power exploded like flowers on the shield, and under the impact, Liu Feng was sent flying off the stage, crashing heavily to the ground below, his eyes seeing stars and unable to get up for a long time.

 

Yan Ruyu snorted coldly, sheathing her sword and looking down at Liu Xing.

 

“If you want to fight, then come up, don’t be a cowardly turtle!”

Chapter 47: Cousin Sister is So Seductive~

 

Thinking of this, Yan Zhen regained his composure and asked in a superior tone, “Still dare to stab me?”

 

Yan Ruyu immediately responded, “I’ll stab you to death!”

 

—Slap!

 

The third strike.

 

Yan Ruyu’s delicate body trembled, her legs slightly clenching, feeling increasingly strange.

 

Yan Zhen continued reciting his lines, “Just call me ‘big brother’ and I’ll let you go.”

 

Yan Ruyu gritted her teeth, “In your dreams!”

 

—Slap!

 

The fourth strike.

 

“Will you call me or not?”

 

“I won’t!”

 

Yan Ruyu bit her lip, her legs constantly rubbing together. Thinking she still wanted to struggle, Yan Zhen pressed down harder and delivered another strike.

 

The fifth strike, it was about time to pretend to submit, he mused.

 

“Will you call me or not?”

 

“Just kill me! I, I will never submit to you!”

 

Yan Ruyu was very resolute.

 

Ah, this… Okay, “a few more hits” might be a quantifier, not necessarily just two. 

 

Or perhaps, his hand was too light, not heavy enough.

 

Yan Zhen exhaled on his palm, then brought it down hard on Yan Ruyu’s upturned buttocks.

 

An even crisper sound echoed.

 

Yan Ruyu’s beautiful eyes widened, her mind going blank, and her delicate body suddenly tensed up, her waist arching like a fish, as she let out a long, piercing scream.

 

Yan Zhen’s eyes lit up, thinking “the pig-like scream” had finally come. It seemed his previous strikes were too light, making it sound like he was just caressing her buttocks. Now that he had increased the force, the cry had become truly miserable.

 

He had almost ruined the performance due to a momentary softness of heart, but fortunately, he had woken up in time.

 

“Will you call me ‘big brother’ or not?”

 

“Okay, okay, big brother~”

 

Yan Ruyu’s face was flushed red, her eyes seductive, her tense body trembling slightly, and her voice had become weak and submissive.

 

Yan Zhen thought this woman was acting very well, sounding as if she had truly submitted, no wonder the script had fooled him.

 

“You call that really nicely, say it again.”

 

“Okay, brother…”

 

“Alright, since you’re sensible, I’ll let you off this time.”

 

Yan Zhen pretended to be fooled, getting up from Yan Ruyu’s body and dusting off his hands, appearing to have relaxed his guard, but ready to make a quick escape at any moment.

 

After all, Yan Ruyu was still quite frightening when she went berserk.

 

Glancing at Yan Meng’er who was watching the show, he found her biting her finger, her gaze timid as she looked at him, as if she was looking at a pervert.

 

Yan Zhen felt a bit embarrassed, but still thickened his face and calmly sat down to drink tea.

 

Seeing that Yan Zhen had not laid a hand on her, Yan Meng’er felt a bit disappointed, thinking that she might try to provoke him to anger next time. She then went to help Yan Ruyu up, only to find that her cousin sister’s body was weak and soft, like mud, indicating that what had just happened was… *cough cough cough*.

 

—Cousin sister is so seductive~

 

“Cousin sister, are you alright?”

 

Yan Ruyu buried her face in her hair, not uttering a word, just wanting to find a hole to crawl into and escape the clamor of the world.

 

—Did he find out? Probably not, right? Or did he find out but pretended not to know? I want to die, I want to die right now!

 

“Cousin sister? Let’s get up first, lying on the ground is not good.”

 

Yan Meng’er understood her cousin sister’s current state of mind. If it were her, she would also be so ashamed that she would bury her head in the sand.

 

After a long while, with Yan Meng’er’s support, Yan Ruyu slowly stood up and sat on the stone bench nearby.

 

“Ah~”

 

As soon as her buttocks touched the hard stone bench, Yan Ruyu jumped up, her face flushing red again.

 

She immediately looked at the opposite Yan Zhen, afraid that he would mock her.

 

Yan Zhen appeared calm, but was actually on high alert, ready to flee at any moment.

 

Their eyes met, and there was a moment of silence.

 

However, Yan Ruyu did not lash out and attack, but instead lowered her head first, looking like a punching bag.

 

“?”

 

What’s going on? Wasn’t Yan Ruyu supposed to go berserk and chase after him? Could it be that he had hit her too hard, and she couldn’t run anymore?

 

Damn it, whether she chased him or not, he still had to complete the “fleeing” part of the script.

 

“I have something to do, I’ll be leaving first.”

 

With that, Yan Zhen left without looking back.

 

Seeing that Yan Zhen did not mock her, but instead seemed afraid to face her, Yan Ruyu’s heart sank, her shame reaching a boiling point:

 

He, he really found out!

 

How was she going to face Yan Zhen in the future? Just being hit a few times on the buttocks and she… she—

 

“Ahhh!” 

 

Yan Ruyu screamed and ran out of the courtyard, leaving Yan Meng’er alone in the wind.

 

She felt a bit like her cousin sister had taken the lead. It seems she would have to work even harder.

 

For several days, Yan Zhen did not see Yan Ruyu again, and even during family gatherings, she avoided him.

 

Because of this, Yan Meng’er also couldn’t stick too close to Yan Zhen, only coming by occasionally.

 

Yan Zhen was happy to have the peace and quiet, often going to the crystal space to learn fire control techniques from the beautiful sect master. His fire control ability visibly improved, and his Mystic Power also became more stable.

 

As long as he used the Gold and Silver Fire, he could easily defeat Mystic Scholars and below.

 

The Heavenly Extreme Flame was already overbearing enough on its own. Combined with the Imperial Blaze Art, it became even more terrifying.

 

And this was directly related to the upcoming key plot – the “Dragon Night Duel” during the Lantern Festival.

 

This was one of the customs in the Gallo Kingdom.

 

On the fifteenth day of the first month, the major forces in the city would set up a stage and invite young Mystic Realm cultivators to challenge it. The winner would take the prize.

 

The more battles won, the richer the reward, making it a way to celebrate the festival and also a small incentive for the young people.

 

But now, the Dragon Night Duel had become one of the ways for the three major families of Martial Tang City to contend for power, with the prize being secondary. If a family’s stage was completely broken, it would be a huge loss of face.

 

This time, the three major families of Martial Tang City would send people to challenge the stage set up by the City Lord’s Mansion, testing the City Lord’s Mansion’s attitude.

 

Because Yan Lie was in poor health, and the acting City Lord Yan Xiao had gone missing, the City Lord’s Mansion was having difficulty suppressing the three major families, so they were all itching to act up and try to seize more benefits.

 

Yan Zhen’s task was to turn the tide at a critical moment and ruthlessly drive the people of the three major families back.

 

“Another combat-type plot, how terrifying. I need to practice more.”

 

Although the highest among them was only a Seven-Star Mystic, and he could now casually defeat a Seven-Star Mystic, one never knew what deviations the plot might have, so getting stronger couldn’t be wrong. At most, he wouldn’t need to use such a high cultivation to fight them.

 

As the days passed, the New Year’s celebrations had not yet fully dissipated when the Lantern Festival decorations began to appear.

 

Today was the Lantern Festival, and the Dragon Night Duel would last the entire day.

 

Around midday, Yan Meng’er once again dragged Yan Ruyu to Yan Zhen’s courtyard, inviting him to go watch the Dragon Night Duel.

 

Yan Zhen had been waiting for a long time, but still followed the script and made a few excuses, only “reluctantly” agreeing to go out after Yan Meng’er had begged him several times.

 

Beside him, Yan Ruyu was quiet and calm, as if she had become a different person.

 

This left Yan Zhen feeling puzzled. Although Yan Ruyu would be more restrained after he had disciplined her, it wasn’t to this extent.

 

Yan Meng’er clung to his arm and suddenly said, “Cousin brother, do you want to go up and try your hand later?”

 

Chapter 46: Slapping the Cousin Sister’s Butt (Part 2)

 

Hearing this, Yan Zhen immediately adopted a worshipful posture, his eyes shining brightly as if he had eaten some black garlic.

 

“Wow, you’ve actually advanced to the Five-Star Mystic Realm, Cousin Ruyu is so amazing~”

 

Yan Ruyu could not stand his sarcastic tone, and enraged, she struck out with her sword again. Empowered by her Five-Star Mystic cultivation, her speed and strength were truly astonishing.

 

Seeing this, Yan Zhen hurriedly rolled away, then grabbed a thick, black charcoal poker from the nearby pile of miscellaneous items and went to meet her.

 

Although Yan Ruyu’s sword was a First-Grade Mystic Artifact, she had not activated the runes on it, so it was only slightly sharper than a regular sword. Yan Zhen wielded the solid wooden poker and fought back and forth with her, his aura also becoming increasingly apparent.

 

Clang!

 

The two weapons clashed, and they separated.

 

After just a few rounds, Yan Zhen’s poker had been slashed with several gaps, becoming quite uneven. If it continued, it would soon be broken.

 

However, Yan Ruyu did not continue her attack, but stared at Yan Zhen in shock, unable to believe it.

 

“This aura is nothing like a One-Star Mystic… How did you suddenly become so strong?”

 

At the Mystic Disciple realm, the cultivation was weak, so it was difficult to perceive. But once one advanced to the Mystic Realm, it was different. Without deliberate concealment, a single strike would allow both parties to roughly judge the opponent’s strength based on the aura.

 

However, unless one had rich experience, it was difficult to determine the exact star level.

 

Evidently, Yan Ruyu was still too young.

 

Holding the poker, Yan Zhen said leisurely, “Because I’m super awesome.”

 

With that, Yan Zhen took the initiative to attack, forcefully thrusting the poker towards Yan Ruyu, as if he was using a short spear.

 

Yan Ruyu’s reaction was a bit slow, and she hurriedly crossed her sword to block, taking the blow, then counterattacked.

 

“So what if you’re Three-Star? I’m Five-Star!”

 

Clang!

 

Seeing the sword thrust coming, Yan Zhen seized the opportunity to use the poker to deflect the sword’s path, and snorted, “So what if you’re Five-Star? Take my Tai Chi Shock pole technique!”

 

Yan Zhen channeled the shock force into the poker, causing the thick short pole to vibrate with a hum, as if it had grown larger and thicker.

 

One strike landed on Yan Ruyu’s sword, the powerful impact and vibration almost causing her to lose her grip on the weapon.

 

“What?” Yan Ruyu had to retreat to dissipate the force, preparing to recompose herself, but Yan Zhen would not let her, suddenly stepping forward and thrusting the vibrating poker at her again.

 

“What kind of strange technique is this!?”

 

“A technique that can defeat you.”

 

“Damn it!”

 

The strange vibrating force transmitted through the sword made Yan Ruyu’s hands numb, making it extremely difficult for her to defend. She could only keep evading and retreating, gradually falling into a disadvantage.

 

Until Yan Ruyu’s buttocks hit the stone table in the courtyard, with nowhere left to retreat, she finally erupted.

 

Channeling Mystic Power into her sword, she activated the runes on it and unleashed a Mystic Sword Technique.

 

“Scattered Flower Sword!”

 

A sword strike burst forth, the Mystic Power blooming like flowers at the sword tip, creating a continuous crisp sound.

 

The power of the Mystic Technique combined with the Mystic Artifact was enough to give even a Five-Star Mystic a hard time, let alone Yan Zhen.

 

But he had already anticipated this, and according to the script, he quickly threw the poker like a javelin, aiming it straight at Yan Ruyu’s eyes.

 

Yan Ruyu precisely pierced through the poker.

 

Boom!

 

The wooden pole exploded into a shower of wooden shards, and Yan Ruyu’s attention was immediately diverted. She realized too late that it was a trick.

 

The next moment, Yan Zhen had disappeared from her sight. By the time she sensed his presence, he had already circled around to her side, and with a grin, he suddenly pounced forward, tackling her to the ground.

 

“Ah!”

 

Yan Ruyu fell to the ground, her sword slipping from her hand. Before she could react, Yan Zhen had already sat down on her back, pinning her hands behind her.

 

Yan Zhen let out a sigh of relief, thinking that the combat-type task was quite troublesome, but fortunately, he had the upper hand.

 

“I’ve got you!”

 

“You, let me go!”

 

Yan Ruyu’s face flushed red as she struggled, but in this position, she could not exert any strength, unable to budge Yan Zhen at all.

 

“Let you go so you can stab me again? Dream on, Yan Ruyu!” Yan Zhen snorted. “You couldn’t beat me even when you were ten, and now you dare draw your sword against me? Who gave you that courage?”

 

“You… you’re being underhanded!”

 

“This is called ‘not disdaining any tactics’.”

 

“You’re shameless!”

 

“I have it. Both rows are very healthy, want me to show you?”

 

“You rascal, if you have the guts, let me go and fight me again. I’ll definitely beat you until you’re howling.”

 

Yan Ruyu keenly sensed the “excitement” in Yan Zhen’s tone, and remembered the incident from five years ago, her heart suddenly pounding as she hurriedly said, “You, you want to do what? Don’t, don’t touch me there, or I won’t let you off!”

 

Truthfully, Yan Zhen didn’t want to bully the girl either, but the plot demanded it, and this cousin sister was indeed not on good terms with him, so teaching her a lesson was not a bad idea.

 

After teaching her a lesson, Yan Ruyu would be more restrained, at least not acting like she had been shot every time she saw him.

 

He pondered for a moment, then chuckled wickedly, “The more you say that, the more I want to do it.”

 

“You dare—”

 

—Slap!

 

“Eek~”

 

The crisp sound of flesh colliding echoed in the empty courtyard, accompanied by a muffled, tingling moan.

 

Coming to her senses, Yan Ruyu’s face was flushed red. Her buttocks were burning with pain, but it was not just pain, there was also an indescribable stimulation, like an electric current flowing through her, a sensation she had not felt in five years.

 

It should have been something she hated, but her body had an urge for him to continue.

 

She couldn’t help but think of what Yan Meng’er had said before, “Cousin sister has always been antagonistic towards Cousin Brother Yan Zhen, but could it be that she actually wants him to catch her and spank her again?”

 

No! Impossible! How could she have such thoughts!

 

Yan Zhen was also taken aback, that cry, how did it have a bit of… seductiveness? The script had clearly written “a pig-like scream” accompanied by the lady’s fragrant breath. Must be his imagination.

 

Yan Zhen regained his composure and said indifferently, “Now do you know who’s the boss?”

 

“You bastard!”

 

The lines were delivered well, full of genuine emotion. In that case, let’s hit her again, the feel is quite good, worthy of a childbearing type.

 

Thinking this, he swung his palm down.

 

—Slap!

 

“Eek~”

 

Yan Ruyu cried out again, even more seductively than before, making Yan Zhen have a slight reaction.

 

Was this how a “pig-like scream” was supposed to sound?

 

Oh well, it doesn’t matter, as long as he follows the script.

 

After a few more hits, Yan Ruyu would pretend to submit, and when Yan Zhen released her, she would pick up her sword and come after him again.

 

But she wouldn’t catch up, just like five years ago, and then after this lesson, Yan Ruyu would become more restrained.

 

In the future, the two would have a good cousin-brother relationship, just like Yan Meng’er, and this episode would become ancient history.

Chapter 45: Slapping the Cousin Sister’s Butt (Part 1)

 

As is well known, the plot of a feel-good novel without a female lead protagonist is composed of leveling up, defeating monsters, and then showing off while humiliating opponents. 

 

When the protagonist completes an upgrade, learns a new skill, or obtains treasures and spirit pets, they must conventionally show off to reach the satisfying climax. Showing off requires an antagonist, but since it’s the New Year, everyone is on vacation, so it’s not easy to find an antagonist, so the cousin sister will have to substitute.

 

【Ding! Key plot event begins】

【Current plot progress – Chapter 40: Battle against the Five-Star Mystic】

【Role-playing requirement: Get into an argument with the estranged cousin sister, and hit her buttocks at least twice】

【Completion progress: 0%】

 

This is not difficult at all? I guarantee I will complete the task!

 

Yan Zhen walked out of the room with great confidence. In the courtyard, Yan Meng’er was pulling Yan Ruyu’s hand and coming this way, her expression excited. In contrast, Yan Ruyu had an unwilling look, like a dog that had overheated after too much shopping.

 

The two women were dressed up elegantly. Yan Meng’er’s makeup was exquisite, and her clothes were luxurious, a typical young miss. Yan Ruyu, on the other hand, had a more mature and reserved style, giving the impression of a young mistress.

 

Yan Zhen proactively approached them and asked, “What are you two doing here?”

 

“Cousin brother, I finally found you!” Seeing her cousin brother, Yan Meng’er immediately abandoned her good cousin sister and clung to Yan Zhen’s arm affectionately. “Cousin brother, where did you go yesterday? Meng’er wanted to go worship the gods with you.”

 

“Worship what gods, it’s crowded, not interesting.”

 

“Even if we don’t worship, we can still go out for a walk. Meng’er wore the dress you bought her yesterday, I originally wanted you to take a good look at it, wuwu~”

 

“You can look at it tomorrow, this outfit looks good too.”

 

“Really?”

 

Yan Meng’er released Yan Zhen and turned around a few times in front of him, then smiled sweetly.

 

She knew she was cute and knew how to show off her cuteness in front of the person she liked. Unfortunately, Yan Zhen was not too fond of the loli-big-breasted type, otherwise, he would have been bewitched long ago. Compared to young lolitas and naive girls, he preferred mature beauties!

 

So Yan Zhen turned his gaze to the beauty in the courtyard, or rather, the cousin sister.

 

Under his gaze, Yan Ruyu unconsciously tensed her body, thrust out her chest, and raised her chin, striking a proud swan-like pose.

 

Her dress was quite form-fitting, outlining her alluring curves, especially her beautiful buttocks, which made her feel quite embarrassed.

 

Yan Ruyu didn’t want to wear this outfit, but Yan Meng’er insisted, saying “Cousin brother Yan Zhen will definitely like it.”

 

She didn’t believe it at all, but couldn’t resist her cousin’s persuasion, so she changed into it and followed her cousin here.

 

Now that she saw Yan Zhen, she was worried he would take the opportunity to mock her, but at the same time, she secretly hoped he would say something good about her.

 

Yan Zhen rested his elbow on his hand and stroked his chin, looking at her leisurely, like a dissolute rascal appraising a courtesan.

 

Yan Ruyu endured her embarrassment and waited for Yan Zhen to “pronounce judgment”, thinking that even if he said something unpleasant, she would immediately go back and take off this dress.

 

However, after waiting for a long time, Yan Zhen still didn’t speak, but his gaze became more and more unrestrained, making her extremely uncomfortable. Her cheeks were already slightly flushed, and if he kept looking, she would surely reveal a shy and coquettish expression.

 

“What are you looking at!” Yan Ruyu suddenly scolded in a coquettish voice, “Keep looking and I’ll gouge out your dog eyes!”

 

As soon as she said that, she regretted it.

 

In these past few days, Yan Meng’er had been “teaching” her how to improve her relationship with Yan Zhen, and the first thing to do was to speak to him in a less aggressive tone.

 

The two sisters had practiced conversing through simulations until Yan Ruyu could calmly respond to Yan Zhen’s sarcastic remarks, then Yan Meng’er let her off.

 

But unexpectedly, as soon as she saw him in person, she broke down.

 

Yan Meng’er had a speechless expression on her face and glared at her cousin sister disapprovingly, making Yan Ruyu feel very guilty.

 

Yan Zhen, however, was used to this and calmly retorted, “What’s wrong with looking? You dressed up so beautifully, isn’t it for others to see? Or do you just like admiring yourself in the mirror?”

 

Beautiful?

 

Yan Ruyu precisely caught that word, feeling incredulous: Yan Zhen actually called her beautiful? Could it be that he really likes her outfit that accentuates her buttocks, just as Meng’er said…

 

Thinking of this, a hint of joy surged in Yan Ruyu’s heart, but on the surface, she still said coldly, “It’s not like I dressed up for you to see.”

 

“If not for me, then who are you dressing up for?” Yan Zhen pondered for a moment, then exclaimed in surprise, “The saying goes, a woman dresses up for the one she pleases. Cousin Ruyu, could it be that you have a suitor? Which young master is it? Let me meet him.”

 

At these words, Yan Ruyu’s joy vanished completely, her pretty face paling as she hurriedly said, “Nonsense! I don’t have any suitor!”

 

“She’s flustered, it seems I’ve hit a sore spot.” Yan Zhen said to Yan Meng’er, “It should be a handsome classmate from the Mystic Academy, right? Let me guess, is it the young master from the neighboring Great Zhou City? Or a noble from the Royal Capital? What do you think, Meng’er?”

 

Yan Meng’er laughed awkwardly, “I don’t think so, after all, she’s our cousin sister…”

 

She looked at Yan Ruyu with an apologetic gaze.

 

Yan Zhen chuckled leisurely, “No, no, no, at first glance, a seemingly proper young lady often has a hidden wild side. Don’t look at our cousin Ruyu like that, she might already be secretly dating someone in the academy.”

 

“—Yan Zhen!”

 

Yan Ruyu was furious, glaring at Yan Zhen with murderous eyes, her anger seemingly greater than before.

 

Yan Zhen was taken aback, seeing his cousin’s slightly reddened eyes, and felt a bit apprehensive in his heart, but still stubbornly recited his lines:

 

“What, what do you want?”

 

Yan Ruyu took a deep breath, then swiped her jade-like hand over the storage ring on her finger, drawing out her personal sword with a “clang”. She pointed the sword at Yan Zhen and said angrily, “You little rascal, if I don’t stab a few holes in you today, I’m not Yan Ruyu!”

 

Yan Zhen blinked in bewilderment: How come she drew her sword right away? The script wasn’t written this way.

 

The proper sequence should be that Yan Ruyu couldn’t refute him, so she resorted to violence, but found that Yan Zhen had already advanced to the Three-Star Mystic Realm, and as she was not skilled in martial arts, she had no choice but to wield her weapon.

 

Yan Ruyu didn’t give Yan Zhen time to think, gripping her First-Grade Mystic Artifact sword and thrusting it towards him.

 

Seeing her in a fit of anger, Yan Zhen didn’t dare to bet on whether she would really stab him, and hurriedly evaded.

 

“Cousin sister, cousin brother, don’t fight, let’s talk it out peacefully~”

 

Yan Meng’er tried to mediate, but was pushed away by Yan Ruyu, who held the long sword and thrust it towards Yan Zhen’s lower body.

 

Compared to the upper body, other than a certain part, stabbing anywhere else on the lower body wouldn’t be a big problem. The best would be to stab his buttocks, let’s see if he still dares to keep mocking her!

 

Yan Ruyu gritted her teeth and attacked fiercely, quickly tearing several holes in Yan Zhen’s clothes.

 

After evading another sword strike, feeling it was about enough, Yan Zhen finally acted out an angry expression:

 

“You old hag, don’t go too far, if you dare stab me again, I won’t be polite!”

 

“Hmph! How are you going to not be polite?” Yan Ruyu held the sword and stood upright. “Judging from the aura you’re emanating, you should have advanced to the Mystic Realm, right? Don’t think that just because of that, you can defeat me. I’ve also advanced, and I’m now a Five-Star Mystic!”