Chapter 2663: Coldness

Meanwhile, Yun Jianyue led Qiu Honglei to the lotus pond in the outer courtyard. As they felt the mountain breeze and admired the academy's night scenery, they chatted about everything that had happened recently.

Her heart was filled with happiness. Although Zu An used to take her outside for fresh air occasionally, she had been too weak then to truly appreciate the beauty of nature.

Now, almost fully recovered, she looked at her surroundings with fresh eyes, finding a unique charm in everything.

While the women chatted, Yun Yuqing also arrived after hearing the news. Xie Daoyun and Ji Xiaoxi had reunited with their families, and Yan Xuehen was in a state of profound embarrassment, leaving only Yun Yuqing on the mountaintop.

She even brought a thin blanket specifically for Qiu Honglei, draping it over her. "Honglei," she said, "you're still recovering, so be careful not to catch a cold."

"Thank you, Aunt Qing," Qiu Honglei replied. She knew Yun Yuqing was her master's sister, but since her master had little contact with her previously, Qiu Honglei hadn't needed to interact with her either.

But now that her master and Yun Yuqing seemed to have resolved their differences and called each other sisters, Qiu Honglei knew she couldn't be impolite.

She had to admit, Yun Yuqing was truly stunning. No wonder she was already famed for her beauty within the imperial family during her time as the Wu King's consort.

No wonder Ah Zu liked her too.

This was the most awkward point for her: by seniority, Yun Yuqing was her maternal aunt, yet she was also Zu An's confidante.

That meant they should be sisters. In fact, Qiu Honglei had been with Ah Zu first, so Yun Yuqing should be calling her "older sister."

But she couldn't bring herself to have an elder call her "older sister," so she silently accepted the awkwardness.

Over the years she'd been unconscious, her seniority had plummeted—what a disadvantage!

Even Manman had become her "aunt," and now Yun Yuqing was another one.

The thought alone gave her a headache!

What she wanted most now was to involve Chu Chuyan and make her experience this kind of frustration too.

Yun Yuqing chuckled. "Oh dear," she said, "don't call me 'aunt' anymore, it makes me sound so old. We're all family, so just call me 'sister' from now on."

Qiu Honglei gave a half-smile. "Shouldn't you be calling me 'older sister' then?" she quipped.

Yun Yuqing's smile froze, but she quickly recovered. "Alright, then," she replied, "it's good to have an older sister looking after me."

Yun Jianyue, who was nearby, finally couldn't hold back. "Nonsense," she exclaimed, "what are you two up to?"

If Yun Yuqing truly called Honglei "older sister," wouldn't she herself have to call Honglei "older sister" from now on?

She couldn't bring herself to lose face like that.

Pei Mianman, standing by, was almost bursting with laughter. "Alright, alright," she interjected, "let's just stick to our own arrangements. You call her 'aunt,' and she calls you 'sister.' There's no conflict."

Either way, her own seniority wouldn't suffer.

Qiu Honglei quickly hugged Yun Yuqing and, feigning innocence, said, "Aunt Qing, please don't mind me, I was just joking."

She also realized at that moment: if they truly were to call each other sisters, not only would it complicate her relationship with her master, but would she also have to call Chu Chuyan "older sister" when they next met?

After all, both of them were the Saintesses of the righteous and demonic factions, having battled for years without a decisive victor. To admit defeat in this particular area would not only disgrace the Demonic Cult but also be utterly unacceptable to her.

The distraction turned Yun Yuqing's initial worry into delight, and the women soon settled into harmonious conversation.

Later, concerned that Qiu Honglei might not withstand the night's cold, Yun Jianyue continuously held her disciple's hand, transmitting vital energy to her.

Pei Mianman smiled. "Leave this to me," she said.

Immediately, a flickering black flame appeared on her fingertip. Soon, several bonfires rose around them, making the entire pavilion warm and cozy.

"Thank you, Manman," Qiu Honglei said, feeling a warmth spread through her heart. She could feel everyone's concern and care for her.

Coming from the Demonic Cult, she had heard countless stories of fellow disciples fighting amongst themselves, often viciously.

Now, there was no need for deception or intrigue; this feeling was truly wonderful.

She wondered where Ah Zu had found all these angelic women.

Yun Jianyue quickly became interested in Pei Mianman's black flames. "This kind of flame possesses the innate power of the demon race, yet it's not limited to that," she mused. "It's truly remarkable..."

The group chatted all night. As they heard the roosters crowing and saw the distant sky begin to lighten, the women suddenly exchanged glances.

"Are they still not done?"

Someone whispered, and the expressions on the women's faces became wonderfully complicated.

After all, the man inside was theirs, and no matter how magnanimous they were, the thought of him spending the entire night with another woman, with no sign of stopping, couldn't help but leave a slightly bitter taste in their mouths.

"How about I go and ask?" Yun Yuqing suggested. "Honglei should rest too."

Qiu Honglei's face flushed. "I'm fine," she said quickly, "I'll just sleep with Master."

She definitely didn't want to be used as a pawn.

Yun Jianyue was also considering discussing the details of their plan against Yan Xuehen with Qiu Honglei, so she seized the opportunity. "Exactly," she said, "I'll take Honglei to rest now."

Just then, the door to the Blessed Land opened, and Zu An emerged, leaning against the wall.

But seeing the women staring intently at him from nearby, he immediately straightened up and awkwardly remarked, "Ah, you're still awake so late?"

All the women felt a surge of irritation. However, Yun Jianyue, given her current status, couldn't very well say anything, so she merely glanced at her disciple, signaling her to speak up.

Qiu Honglei, remembering how Ah Zu had risked everything to save her and had cared for her meticulously all these years, couldn't bear to criticize him. Instead, she turned her gaze to Yun Yuqing nearby.

"You're an aunt," she thought, "if you don't step forward now, when will you?"

Yun Yuqing, for her part, felt wronged. "I'm different from you," she thought, "after all, I was the Wu King's consort. Even though my relationship with the Wu King was innocent, I still lack a certain confidence."

So she could only turn her gaze to Pei Mianman.

Pei Mianman felt a headache coming on. These women had just been so eloquent, but when the moment arrived, they all chickened out?

However, she did feel somewhat annoyed, so she simply retorted, "Aren't you still tired now?"

Zu An grew even more awkward. He was about to speak when Pei Mianman stood up and left. "I'm going back to rest now," she announced.

Yun Jianyue also left with Qiu Honglei. "Honglei will rest in my room today," she stated.

Qiu Honglei nodded frantically; she certainly didn't want to return to their "battlefield" and sense that lingering atmosphere. How awful would that be?

As Yun Yuqing left, she passed by him with a soft chuckle. "Take care of your body," she said.

Watching everyone disappear in the blink of an eye, leaving the place empty, Zu An couldn't help but press his lower back.

Hei Jing-Teng was truly a teasing little enchantress, far hotter and bolder than her elder sister, daring to try anything.

Whenever she couldn't take it anymore, she would let Bai Jing-Teng take over, and after resting, she would emerge again to continue the intense battle.

Zu An couldn't help but marvel at the miraculous situation with the two sisters. They clearly shared one body, yet whenever their personality switched, they would instantly become vigorous and fully recover their strength, completely unaffected by what had happened before. How did they manage that?

However, he also had to admit that Jing-Teng offered him a unique experience: the noble and elegant elder sister, and the mischievous, eccentric younger sister. The seamless, one-second switch between them was truly indescribable.

Perhaps influenced by Yun Jianyue's power of desire, Bai Jing-Teng was much more proactive this time than usual. She even pulled out a truly stunning move: one leg in white stockings, the other in black, with both sisters' personalities manifesting simultaneously. The visual impact was truly unparalleled.

And combining that with having already taken Yan Xuehen "from hell to heaven" this time, even a man of iron like him was struggling to bear it all.

He couldn't be so reckless in the future.

Meanwhile, Yun Jianyue and her disciple were discussing their plan in the room. Qiu Honglei voiced her concern: "I heard Ah Zu mention that Master Yan seems to have also gained power from a true god, and her emotions are becoming increasingly detached. Can Master's abilities truly deal with her?"

"We'll know by trying, won't we?" Yun Jianyue replied, her spirits visibly lifting at the thought of her old rival suffering a major setback.

Next door, Yan Xuehen suddenly felt a chill down her spine. Her expression was puzzled; why did she feel a bit cold?

In fact, she had known the women were gathering and chatting in the pavilion outside earlier. She even considered going out to meet them, but in the end, she couldn't bring herself to face them.

All those women were his confidantes. It was one thing for the 'demoness' (Yun Jianyue) to be related to them, but what business did she have joining them?