Inside the Quiet Room, the residual warmth from that lingering intimacy had yet to dissipate, and the air was still filled with a lingering, ambiguous fragrance.
Jiang Huai shook his head violently, as if suddenly waking from a dream that felt far too real. His chin shifted slightly as he broke free from those slender fingers, and his eyes regained a sense of clarity.
At the same time, he twisted his ankle slightly to pull away from the coils of the Dragon Tail. His movements held a trace of panic and a touch of embarrassment. No matter how much he missed Qin Qingyue, the person before him was not her.
This was Qin Xuange. The Saintess of the Black Dragon Clan. And his Qin Qingyue was still nowhere to be found.
Qin Qingyue’s elegant brows furrowed slightly. The movement was very light, yet it carried a clear sense of displeasure. The tip of her tail flicked gently. Her sandalwood-scented mouth opened slightly, and she was just about to demand an explanation when Jiang Huai beat her to it.
“I’m sorry, Qin Xuange. I shouldn’t have called you that.”
Qin Qingyue was stunned. Her hand, which was suspended in mid-air, paused for a moment before she retracted it. Her fingertips lightly brushed against her own cheek, feeling the smooth, delicate skin.
That was right. He didn’t know. How could he possibly know?
Currently, she was only able to appear before him by possessing Qin Xuange’s body through a Bloodline Secret Method. This was ultimately Qin Xuange’s body, not hers. This face, which was seventy or eighty percent similar to the one in his memory, ultimately consisted of someone else’s features and someone else’s lips.
Inside Qin Qingyue’s heart, an unusual sensation arose, much like what Qin Xuange was feeling. Was she really using a Black Dragon body that resembled her own to meet her lover?
She quietly swept her Divine Sense across this body. Every inch of skin, every meridian, and even the faintly surging spring-like desire that had yet to settle from their previous actions were all clearly perceivable. It felt as if she were the original owner of this body.
‘Senior Qin Qingyue…’ Deep within the Spirit Platform, Qin Xuange’s voice echoed faintly, carrying an indescribable sense of grievance. ‘I can feel it…’
Qin Qingyue coughed twice, acting as if she hadn’t heard anything. She refocused her gaze on Jiang Huai, the corners of her mouth curling up slightly. That curve was a mixture of too many emotions: the joy of reunion and an obscured, difficult-to-describe jealousy.
Jiang Huai avoided her gaze guiltily. Remembering what he had just done, his ears turned burning hot uncontrollably.
Qin Qingyue sighed. She reached out and patted Jiang Huai’s face, making a *clap-clap* sound. Her tone was slightly tinged with vinegar.
“What am I supposed to say to you? Should I be happy? You actually dared to mistake another woman for me? It’s a good thing I didn’t make you call me Master Mother just now. If you really had called me that, I would have definitely dealt with you!”
She rested one hand on her hip, her posture lazy yet sharp. Her other hand moved toward Jiang Huai’s ear, giving it a gentle tug. Her voice was thick with obvious jealousy.
“No matter what the situation is, and no matter who it is, you are only allowed to call Qin Qingyue ‘Master Mother.’ You aren’t allowed to call any other woman that. Do you understand?”
Jiang Huai was dazed by her tugging. Could there be something wrong with her mind? Did she actually think she was Qin Qingyue? He stared blankly at the familiar yet strange face before him, seeing the possessiveness burning in those eyes and hearing the natural dominance in her tone.
Could it be…
He hurriedly reached out and touched her forehead. It was warm and smooth to the touch, with nothing out of the ordinary. He then sensed her cultivation — the Divine Transformation Realm.
No. That absurd hope that had flashed through his heart for a moment was like a candle in the wind, suddenly extinguished. He slowly lowered his hand, and the flicker of light in his eyes dimmed.
As expected, it was just Qin Xuange. How could he have such a ridiculous thought?
“Qin Xuange, what right do you have to pull him!” Chi Huang’s voice rang out from behind Qin Qingyue, sounding humiliated and angry.
Chi Huang strode forward, her pretty face flushed red. Her beautiful eyes glared as if someone had stepped on her tail. She had watched with her own eyes as her Honored Master sat cross-legged nearby to achieve a breakthrough, while Jiang Huai was being teased and toyed with by this shameless Black Dragon, Qin Xuange — she even dared to pull his ear!
And what about her? She couldn’t beat Qin Xuange. The memory of being utterly humiliated during their previous fight was still etched into her mind. Every time she wanted to draw her sword and act, the burning pain in her backside reminded her to stay calm. That pain had yet to vanish, as if it were still mocking her for overestimating her own strength.
She could only glare at Jiang Huai, gnashing her teeth.
Qin Qingyue didn’t even lift an eyelid. Chi Huang? She didn’t consider the girl a threat at all. Myriad thoughts flashed through her mind before she finally made a decision. The hand that was pinching Jiang Huai’s ear changed to a gentle tug. She leaned in close to him, a smile blossoming on her lips.
“Forget it. You can just treat me as Qin Qingyue. Some things… I’ll tell you when we get home. For now…”
Her gaze swept over Chi Hong, who was still meditating on the bed, and then glanced at the disheveled Chi Huang. Her smile deepened.
“You’ve already obtained the Yin Yuan of the Red Dragon Clan. You can come home with me now.”
With that, she grabbed Jiang Huai’s wrist and turned to leave without allowing any room for argument. Jiang Huai was pulled along, stumbling. Using his Lingli, he managed to guide his shoes onto his feet, the heels dragging messy marks across the floor. Before he could even straighten his clothes, he was hurried to the door.
“Qin Xuange!”
Chi Huang’s voice suddenly turned sharp, sounding like an enraged Evil Dragon’s Roar. “This is the territory of the Red Dragon Clan! Try to take him away and see what happens!”
Her slender hand tightly gripped a crimson bell. She slowly raised it, pointing it at Qin Qingyue’s back. The bell was entirely red, with faint Dragon Marks flowing across it, emitting a powerful pressure.
She spoke coldly, “I admit, I can’t beat you. But if you dare take one more step forward, I will have my clansmen throw you into the Crimson Prison.” She paused and lifted her chin. “Breaking into the Quiet Room of my Red Dragon Clan… even if Qin Qingran came here herself, she would have to bow her head and apologize!”
Qin Qingyue stopped in her tracks. She slowly turned around, the corners of her mouth curling into a smile that carried a hint of amusement and interest. However, her gaze did not fall on Chi Huang, nor did it fall on the Jiang Huai she was holding. Instead, it moved past them and landed on Chi Hong, who was still meditating on the bed.
Jiang Huai’s heart tightened. He hurriedly stepped forward to stand between the two dragons, waving his hands. “Don’t be angry, Chi Huang. Don’t fight…”
“No!” Chi Huang interrupted him through gritted teeth. She gripped the crimson bell even tighter. “You can’t leave! I can’t let you leave like this!”
She stared fixedly at Jiang Huai, her voice carrying a hint of grievance and stubbornness. “You aren’t allowed to interfere in this! This is between her and me! If you say one more word, I — “
“Huang’er.”
A lazy and gentle sigh drifted from the bed. Chi Hong slowly opened her eyes, a knowing smile playing on her lips. She shook her head gently. “Let them go.”
The bell Chi Huang held high froze in mid-air. She whipped her head around, looking at her Honored Master in disbelief. “Master! Didn’t we agree…”
She didn’t understand. Her Master was at the Great Ascension Stage, while Qin Xuange was only at the Divine Transformation Stage. Even the entire Black Dragon Clan didn’t have a powerhouse at the Great Ascension Stage. Even if Qin Qingran came knocking at their door, her Master could handle it easily. Besides, Qin Xuange was the one being rude first. Why should they back down?
“It’s fine.” Chi Hong smiled and shook her head. There was no anger or resentment in her smile. Her beautiful eyes narrowed as her gaze fell on Qin Qingyue, her expression heavy with meaning. “You certainly have your methods. How is it that I’ve never seen such a technique before?”
Qin Qingyue also had a smile on her face as she shook her head slightly. “You have quite the methods yourself, being able to stay here like this.” She paused, her tone casual. “You’re not bad. If you have the chance, come sit in the Nine Heavens Palace. There are plenty of rooms there.”
Chi Hong waved her hand, not saying anything more. Her gesture was light and airy, clearly seeing her guests out. She naturally understood. Qin Qingyue’s attitude toward this relationship was one of rejection, but she also didn’t seem to care. Since that was the case, Chi Hong didn’t want to drag things out any further.
Qin Qingyue nodded. In the next moment, she pulled Jiang Huai along and transformed into a streak of rapid Black Light, disappearing outside the door of the Quiet Room. Only a faint ripple of Lingli remained, slowly dissipating in the air like ripples in water.
Chi Hong watched the direction where the Black Light had vanished, stroking her own Dragon Tail thoughtfully.
“Master!” Chi Huang strode to the bedside and knelt on the bed, shaking her Master’s arm in frustration. “Why did you let them leave? Why did we have to show weakness? She was clearly the one being rude! She was clearly the one — “
“Who told you to dress like that to meet her?” Chi Hong smiled helplessly. She reached out and lightly pinched the girl’s cheek, kneading the smooth skin like dough.
Chi Huang bared her teeth, but she still puffed out her chest defiantly. Those fair mounds rose and fell like surging waves, nearly spilling out from her open collar. “There weren’t any other dragons around, so why couldn’t I wear this? I’ll dress like this just to spite her!”
“But she wasn’t Qin Xuange.” Chi Hong’s smile deepened, a mischievous light flashing in her eyes as she gave the girl a little push. “She was Qin Qingran. Now what?”
Chi Huang’s expression instantly froze. Her mouth hung open as if her pressure points had been struck, and she remained completely motionless.