“Ah! It’s nothing! I’m just a little tired from the trip—going to rest now,” Ye Ping’an said, his expression returning to normal as he replied to his mother.
At the same time, he began quietly planning his next steps.
Seeing that her son was tired, Shen Mengting didn’t press further. She waved them off with a smile.
“Alright then, go, go! It’s getting late anyway—you all should get some rest!”
Then, as if suddenly remembering something, she turned to Ning Yue.
“Oh right, Ning Yue—I haven’t had your cooking in nearly two months. I’ve been missing it terribly!”
“I’ll make some right away,” Ning Yue replied immediately, eager to leave a good impression on her future mother-in-law.
But Shen Mengting wasn’t one to push too hard. She waved her hand with a smile.
“Silly girl, go rest. Cook tomorrow. I’ll head out now—I won’t bother you three anymore tonight.”
Just as she was about to leave, she paused mid-step, turned back around with a hint of hesitation, and asked, “Ning Yue… is it just me, or have you gotten a little… bigger again?”
Ning Yue’s cheeks flushed red, and she lowered her head without answering.
Shen Mengting chuckled knowingly. This girl still had plenty of room to grow, it seemed. Her satisfaction with Ning Yue grew by the second.
She didn’t tease any further. “Alright, alright! Get to bed! No more jokes.”
And just like that, after more than two months away, the three of them finally got to sleep on a soft, cozy bed again.
After a quick meal, little Mengyao fell fast asleep the moment she touched her small bed.
Ye Ping’an, just back home, hadn’t arranged any cultivation tasks, so he drifted off as well—right into a dream where he trained alongside his senior brother and Ning Yue.
What exactly she was cultivating? Only little Mengyao knew.
Ye Ping’an lay on the bed, deep in thought. His junior sister still had months to go before reaching the peak of the twelfth level of Qi Refinement.
As for the opportunity she’d need to break into the thirteenth level, Ye Ping’an was still weighing his options.
He did know a few potential places that could help her make that leap. But each came with its own dangers. The safest option was the one where, in the original story, the protagonist had his breakthrough.
Risky, yes—but not life-threatening.
However, now that he’d accidentally run into the “wild” protagonist, Ye Ping’an wasn’t so sure he wanted to piggyback on someone else’s opportunity.
Sure, the protagonist called him “big bro” and “Brother Ping’an” right now—but seizing someone’s fated chance was basically the same as killing their parents.
This kind of bond, formed in passing, might not mean a damn thing when things got real.
And Ye Ping’an had every reason to be cautious. Just look at Tang Men’s sect leader, Tang San. He and his six siblings once shared a deep bond.
But after he ascended and lived happily ever after with his lover, where were those “brothers” of his?
Especially the one he used to call Big Brother.
Just the way Tang San addressed people revealed his nature: at first, it was “Big Bro,” then it turned into using full names.
Once he became a god, he didn’t even acknowledge them anymore. Not even his master, who had always taken care of him.
From this, it was clear: protagonists never made it to the top by being soft-hearted.
Granted, there were exceptions—like Xiao Huohuo, who’d gladly take a blade for his brothers. But those were rare. And Ye Ping’an wasn’t about to gamble his safety on someone else’s personality.
Still, those other locations were extremely dangerous.
So Ye Ping’an lay there, torn, caught between risky choices and unpredictable allies.
Meanwhile, Ning Yue wasn’t in bed at all.
Instead, she was scanning the outside quietly. Once she confirmed no one was lurking nearby, she locked the door. Not just once, but three times—two extra locks on top of the original latch.
Only then did she let out a relieved breath.
Returning to the center of the room, spiritual energy began to swirl around her. As a golden talisman floated into view, her refined, beautiful face reemerged from beneath the disguise.
She pulled out a pre-prepared array disc from her storage ring.
But now came the dilemma: where to place it?
The room wasn’t large, and she didn’t have much stuff—anything valuable was stored in the ring. As for hiding places?
Only under the bed or inside the wardrobe—and neither felt particularly secure.
What if the young master developed… interests?
What if one day, while she was away, he sneaked into her room and stole her personal garments to… do unspeakable things?
Or worse—what if he crawled under her bed while she was gone, then waited patiently until she came home, slipped off her dress, and lay on the bed, drifting into a peaceful dream…
Only to have him spring out, driven wild by desire?
Now, Ning Yue didn’t mind if the young master had feelings for her—in fact, she might even welcome it.
She’d even thoughtfully chosen extra-long bedsheets that reached the floor, creating the perfect hiding spot. As long as no one lifted the fabric, it would be completely invisible.
What she really feared… was that he wouldn’t come at all.
Cough. She wiped her mouth and shook her head to banish those thoughts.
No—her actual concern was the array being discovered.
Honestly, no matter where she placed it, there was a chance it could be found. Nowhere felt truly secure. And if her room wasn’t safe, there was no way she’d risk putting it outside.
That left her troubled and indecisive.
After ten long minutes of deliberation, Ning Yue finally made up her mind: she’d place the array beneath the bed.
After all, the young master was the kind of guy who didn’t even dare peek when she bathed. He wouldn’t have the guts to sneak under her bed in the dead of night.
At most, he might… “borrow” a few of her undergarments.
So that was that. She pushed the bed aside and pressed the array disc to the floor. With a flash of spiritual energy, the disc vanished—leaving behind faint traces of the array carved into the ground.
She didn’t activate it immediately. First, she slid the bed back into place. That way, even if she left, no one would notice anything out of place.
Then she crawled under the bed. With a soft glow and a whisper of energy, she disappeared from the room.
A moment later, Ning Yue reappeared in the mountain cave she had just left a few days ago.
Gently, she took off her dress and lowered her delicate body into a pool formed entirely of spiritual energy.
As her gaze brushed over the items floating on the water’s surface, she couldn’t help but feel they’d grown noticeably… larger since the last time she bathed here with little Mengyao.
Confidence, it seemed, came with assets.
Her face, already exquisite with a hint of enchantment, now carried a self-assured smile.
“Keep up the good work, girls. Winning the young master’s heart is all up to you two now.”
With that silent encouragement, Ning Yue pushed away all distractions and immersed herself in cultivation.
Premium Chapter
Login to buy access to this Chapter.