Chapter 631: Night Resounds at Midnight

"Are you going to sleep?" Yun Jianyue furrowed her brow slightly, not quite grasping the situation at first.

"Of course. Today I fought with assassins like you, ran all over the place rescuing people, and was scared witless several times by Zhuxie Chixin and Cheng Xiong. I'm utterly exhausted," Zu An said, getting into bed. "Could you please move? You're in my way."

"You're going to sleep on the bed?" Yun Jianyue's expression was blank. Under normal circumstances, shouldn't a man act like a gentleman? This guy really doesn't play by the rules.

"Of course," Zu An replied as if it were obvious. "This is my room, my bed. Where else would I sleep?"

Yun Jianyue took a deep breath, quelling the irritation slowly rising within her. "Then where do I sleep?"

"On the floor, of course. Are you suggesting you want to sleep with me?" Zu An pulled the blanket tighter, looking at her warily, as if she were a lecher.

This residence, specifically for the Embroidered Uniform Guards to rest in the palace, was not large. There was no possibility of a guest room or even a second bed. So, apart from the one currently occupied bed, there was nowhere else.

Yun Jianyue: "..."

As a Grandmaster, she believed her emotions were as still as an ancient well. Yet, today, this man had breached her composure countless times. He was utterly despicable!

"You're a man, I'm a woman. Shouldn't you show some consideration?" Yun Jianyue certainly didn't want to sleep on the floor, but given her status as a Grandmaster, she couldn't simply snatch the bed. After all, he had saved her and even found a potent healing elixir for her. To turn on him so quickly—even a Demonic Cult leader wouldn't be so brazen.

"Don't give me that. I've always believed in gender equality," Zu An retorted immediately. "Besides, you're the venerable leader of the Demonic Cult—stronger than countless men, I'd wager. How could you possibly expect someone to yield to you?"

Yun Jianyue: "..."

Rage value from Yun Jianyue +444!

She scoffed, "On any other day, anyone who dared to speak to me like that would already be dead. But considering you saved me, I won't hold it against you."

With that, she simply moved a stool to the side, sat down, and closed her eyes to rest. At their level of cultivation, they were long impervious to heat or cold and had no need for blankets or similar comforts.

Zu An lay on his side on the bed, propping his head up as he watched her. "Won't you be uncomfortable sitting like that all night?"

He had to admit, her sitting there so gracefully, with her long hair cascading to her hips, was truly a sight to behold. She was a perfect work of art, surely created by the heavens. He felt he had no other pursuits in this life; he might as well dedicate himself to art.

"Are you planning to give me the bed?" Yun Jianyue didn't even open her eyes.

"Uh, I was just offering a suggestion," Zu An replied. "You could actually make your own bed, you know?"

"Make my own?" Yun Jianyue said flatly. "There's no need."

She already knew the room's layout by heart. There wasn't even an extra table. Was she supposed to arrange a few stools and sleep on them? What about the dignity of a Holy Cult leader?

Zu An said, "Back in my hometown, there's a fairy-like figure who doesn't use a bed to sleep. She just needs a rope stretched between two walls, and she can sleep on it."

"Oh?" Yun Jianyue opened her eyes, momentarily intrigued. "There's such a person in this world?"

Zu An also grew excited, unable to help but sit up straight. "Exactly! She's the dream goddess of countless otaku, you know."

Ah, the thought of Little Dragon Maiden brought back many memories from his past life. Alas, he couldn't return.

"Disgusting," Yun Jianyue said, her face filled with disdain as she observed his expression.

Still, she stood up. From somewhere within her sleeve, she produced a white silk ribbon. With a flick of her wrist, both ends shot directly into the opposing walls, instantly forming a makeshift hammock.

Zu An was dumbfounded. Where did this woman pull such a long ribbon from? Then again, he mused, even he possessed a spatial storage artifact. How could a dignified sect leader, a figure at the pinnacle of power, not have one?

Yun Jianyue lightly touched her toes, stepping gracefully onto the silk ribbon. She then smoothly performed a split, slowly leaning back and retracting her other foot. "Are you talking about something like this?"

"Yes," Zu An replied, momentarily dazed. The woman's posture was identical to that of a certain actress in a TV series from his previous life, radiating an otherworldly grace. No, wait, the woman before him was far more stunning, yet her eyes held that detached, ethereal coolness. Was this what they called "pure and alluring"?

Lying on the silk ribbon, Yun Jianyue felt an inexplicable sense of ease. "This method is truly excellent. It's quite comfortable to sleep like this."

With her cultivation, maintaining balance on this narrow ribbon was not difficult.

Zu An gazed at the beautiful figure on the silk ribbon, her long, cascading hair hanging effortlessly in mid-air. She truly exuded an ethereal aura. Hmm, it was a shame her dark night suit somewhat marred the elegant picture.

Just then, Yun Jianyue suddenly sat up.

"What's wrong?" Zu An asked curiously.

"My clothes are too tight; it's uncomfortable," Yun Jianyue said, frowning. She hadn't noticed it while sitting on the stool, but now, lying on the ribbon, the night suit felt rather constricting.

Zu An said, "Do you want to change? I have some dresses here."

Yun Jianyue looked at him with a peculiar expression. "Are you a pervert? Why would a man collect so many women's clothes?"

Zu An flushed with indignation. "Pah, I'm merely holding onto them for my women."

"Hmph, since you already have other women, why bother our Honglei?" Yun Jianyue's expression immediately soured.

Zu An said, "It's not like you don't know my relationship with the Chu family, and Honglei knew from the beginning. I didn't deceive her."

Yun Jianyue frowned. What was wrong with that girl Honglei? She knew he was a playboy, yet she still allowed herself to fall for him?

She said coldly, "No need. I have my own clothes."

With that, she touched her toes lightly, landing directly behind the room's folding screen. "If you dare to peek, I'll kill you first, even if it means a permanent drop in my cultivation."

"Who do you take me for? Am I that kind of person?" Zu An fumed, turning his back to her.

"Good, I hope not." Seeing his reaction, Yun Jianyue breathed a sigh of relief. She retrieved a set of clothes from her storage artifact and began to change.

Hearing the rustling sound of her clothes being removed behind him, Zu An's heart began to pound. This woman is changing in my room—could she be trying to seduce me?

Inhaling the faint, elegant fragrance lingering in the bedding, he felt his blood begin to stir.

While he couldn't turn around to look, he could certainly use the power of the Jade Cong to see through the eyes of nearby animals.

He raised his hand, about to activate his ability, but ultimately lowered it. *Hmph*, he thought. As a man reborn, if he were to see her, he'd do it openly, making her *beg* him to look. What's the point of sneaking a peek?

"What are you muttering about?" Just then, Yun Jianyue's light footsteps came from behind him.

Zu An turned his head and couldn't help but feel his eyes light up. She had changed into a white gown, completely transforming her image from the previous sorceress in a dark suit, appearing even more ethereal and refined.

He couldn't help but sigh. "Your appearance truly doesn't match your role. Shouldn't a Demonic Cult leader be a seductive, flamboyant hussy? Why do you seem more ethereal than even the chaste cultivators of the orthodox sects?"

Hearing the words "seductive, flamboyant hussy," she raised an eyebrow. However, upon hearing the latter part of his sentence, her demeanor softened considerably. She gave a faint hum, indicating she couldn't be bothered to argue with him, then lightly touched her toes and lay back down on the silk ribbon.

Gazing at the woman in white, floating gracefully on the silk ribbon, Zu An's admiration grew even stronger. The last trace of incongruity had vanished, and she seemed even more beautiful than the Little Dragon Maiden he had seen in TV dramas from his past life.

"What are you looking at?" Although her eyes weren't open, Yun Jianyue seemed to still perceive his actions.

Zu An snapped out of his reverie and said with a smile, "Nothing. I just wanted to remind you of one thing: to sleep on this ribbon, your mind must be pure and untroubled, or you'll easily fall off once you drift to sleep."

Yun Jianyue said faintly, "Are you doubting my cultivation?"

Zu An considered this; she was a cultivator, so such a feat shouldn't pose a challenge for her.

So he lay back down as well. Although the subtle fragrance in the bedding and the thought of a stunning beauty sleeping in the same room initially made his mind wander, he was truly too exhausted that day and quickly drifted into slumber.

In the middle of the night, he was suddenly jolted awake by the sound of something heavy hitting the floor with a thud, accompanied by a woman's startled cry: "Oh!"