The Routine

Faint light from the curtain of rain filtered through the gaping hole. Silence briefly filled the room, broken only by the chilly autumn wind blowing ceaselessly against the two women's layered gowns and silken hair. The contrast between them was striking. One held an iron rod, spotless and pristine, exuding an aggressive aura. The other knelt half-prostrated on the floor, thoroughly drenched in a pitiable state that would stir sympathy in anyone who beheld her. Clutching the black iron rod tightly, Tianyan glared intently at Bai Muxi's rain-soaked white gossamer dress, and at those two vulgar mounds of flesh clinging tightly beneath the wet fabric across her chest. Gritting her teeth, she spat out word by word: "Deliberately smashing through the wooden wall—you planned from the very beginning to seduce that scoundrel here, didn't you?" A flicker of surprise passed through Bai Muxi's mind; she had not expected this Saintess to speak so bluntly. Though thinking so inwardly, her rain-kissed face remained serene and delicate. Lifting her gaze, she looked up at Tianyan with utmost caution: "Muxi had no such intention. Moreover, was it not Lady Saintess herself who broke through this wooden wall?" Tianyan's azure-gold eyes flared instantly. Glaring at the seductive vixen before her, she let out a cold snort: "Then tell me, why didn't you use Source Qi to shield yourself from the rain?" Bai Muxi blinked, offering a soft whisper without the slightest hesitation: "Lady Saintess, you were in a fit of rage just now. Having provoked your wrath, Muxi naturally deserves punishment. How would I dare circulate Source Qi to resist?" *You want to bully me, and I can't beat you, so I just lie flat and take the beating. And now you blame me for not fighting back?* "..." Catching the subtext, Tianyan's breathing grew slightly hurried. Her crimson lips parted, only to snap shut, then parted again, and shut once more. Repeating this several times, her breath grew ragged with exasperation. Noticing this, Bai Muxi glanced up at her, then lowered her eyelids again to deliver a parting blow: "Lady Saintess, if Muxi has displeased you, you are welcome to mete out punishment." With that, Amid the misty rain drifting into the room, Bai Muxi adjusted her kneeling posture. It seemed as though she was making it easier for Tianyan to strike her, but at the same time, it accentuated her voluptuous, alluring curves all the more. At this sight, Tianyan trembled slightly in sheer fury. She knew this scheming woman had done it on purpose. Bai Muxi was certain she wouldn't discipline her in front of that bastard, especially after laying the groundwork with her earlier words. Yet when she tried to refute her verbally, she had no idea where to begin. Because Bai Muxi's logic was airtight. Had Bai Muxi dared to circulate Source Qi to resist just now, Tianyan would have delivered a far more painful and unforgettable lesson. After several breaths of silence, Tianyan suddenly turned her head to glare at Xu Yuan, only to find that the bastard was staring fixedly at the scheming woman's body. Her fair hand clenched violently around the black iron rod. The hardened metal creaked faintly, leaving the distinct impression of her grip upon it. Xu Yuan unconsciously shuddered, reluctantly tearing his gaze away. After a brief pause, he found it somewhat amusing. Possessing an absolute advantage in martial might, she could still be left tongue-tied by a few casual words. This washboard Saintess really was quite hopeless at this. Then again, she was far better than he remembered—not quite so hopelessly naive. At least she could detect Xiao Bai's tea-scented craftiness. Of course, that was the extent of it. If it had been the breast-binding princess, let alone what followed, she wouldn't have given Xiao Bai a chance to flaunt her heavy ordnance in the first place. You're a Grandmaster, not someone with Ran Qingmo's nonchalant, indifferent temperament. You don't even know how to use Source Qi to keep the rain off? The intention behind it was already glaringly obvious. Turning his eyes back toward the two women in front of the hole, Xu Yuan suddenly realized he could no longer see Xiao Bai. Tianyan had used her petite frame and voluminous palace robes to block his line of sight completely. Startled into silence for a moment, Xu Yuan strolled forward, shifted his position, and asked in a low voice: "Tianyan, what sort of dispute arose between you two just now?" "..." His voice was particularly distinct amid the quiet bedchamber and the howling wind, but Tianyan didn't answer him. She was furious. She was debating whether or not to give Bai Muxi a beating. While Tianyan fumed, Bai Muxi, still prostrated on the floor, spoke up in a soft, delicate voice: "Young Master, this matter is Muxi's fault. I should not have provoked Lady Saintess's anger." Hearing this, Xu Yuan glanced at Xiao Bai. Once his gaze locked onto her heavy ordnance, he asked softly with a composed expression: "What matter?" "..." Bai Muxi subtly arched her slender back, cast a probing glance at Tianyan before her, and pursed her lips meekly, choosing not to say a word in the end. Matters like this had to be left for the young master to discover on his own. "..." Seeing this expression, Xu Yuan raised an eyebrow slightly. On the journey south from the Land of Utter Darkness, Xiao Bai had been constantly pulling sneaky little stunts. For instance, sneaking into his room late at night to massage him; dropping passive-aggressive green-tea remarks about Li Qingyan being too domineering and not knowing how to care for her young master; or timing her baths precisely for when Xu Yuan would head to the washroom, deliberately leaving the door unlatched. At first, she was testing Li Qingyan's tolerance and bottom line, harboring thoughts of usurping her place. Later, after confirming she truly couldn't afford to provoke the princess and that her young master wasn't an idiot, Xiao Bai changed her strategy completely. She leaned into the frail and pitiful persona, competing with Li Qingyan on a completely different front. Stir up trouble, get put in her place, win sympathy—a seamless, all-in-one routine. And she never grew tired of it. Because it genuinely worked. Even if Xu Yuan could see right through it, who could truly dislike a Biluochun green tea who devoted her every thought to him? Had that wicked woman Li Qingyan not been keeping a lid on things the entire way, Xu Yuan might well have succumbed to Xiao Bai's tender trap long ago. Still, when dealing with Tianyan, was it really necessary for someone of Bai Muxi's caliber to go to such lengths? It seemed something must have indeed happened during the time he followed Lou Ji downstairs. With these thoughts in mind, Xu Yuan reached his hand straight toward the palace-robed maiden's supple waist, intending to ask her. *Smack.* A crisp slap echoed. Before his fingertips could even brush against the voluminous palace robes, his hand was batted away. It stung a little. Tianyan cast a cold backward glance at him, her crisp voice laced with suppressed anger: "Keep your hands to yourself." Facing that frosty gaze, Xu Yuan immediately raised his hands in a French salute and chuckled: "Reflex, purely a reflexive reaction." At that, Tianyan narrowed her eyes, glared at him for two seconds, and turned her head away with a soft snort: "Don't pull that routine with me." "..." Xu Yuan let out a light laugh, understanding dawning within him. It seemed he had frequently used this move on her back in the illusion realm. A certain wicked woman in his past life had taught him by hand. Be bold: whenever body language could do the job, don't rely on words. Physical touch closed the distance far better than speech ever could. This held true in matters of romance—at least, it had worked remarkably well in his past life. From a pat on the shoulder to taking the wrist, then to touching the waist—sometimes, even after things were done in bed, the relationship could still remain delightfully ambiguous. He just didn't know whether he had carried this routine through to the very end back in the illusion realm. After all, this washboard Saintess clearly possessed the sort of temperament where she would feel too shy to ever ask where they stood. Thinking of this, Xu Yuan regained his composure and said with a gentle smile: "Fine. In the future, whenever I want to touch you, I'll let you know in advance." Still fuming, Tianyan took a couple of short, sharp breaths and glared straight at him: "You... how can you be so shameless?" Xu Yuan raised a finger, gently tracing her cheek and brushing past the dry hair at her temple, murmuring softly: "Then how about I only act shameless toward you from now on?" Hearing this, Tianyan's stunning golden eyes froze for a moment. She blinked, then let out a cold laugh: "That joke isn't funny in the slightest." "You don't believe me?" "Believe you?" Tianyan met him with cold eyes, her breath fragrant as orchids: "If you had any shame, what about all your other female confidantes?" Xu Yuan's thoughts raced. Leaning forward gently, he moved to take her hand. Tianyan's eyes narrowed. Just as she prepared to teach this scoundrel a lesson, his soft, gentle voice reached her ears: "Female confidantes... They are merely the beauties, but only you are my confidante." "..." Her heart skipped a beat, and Tianyan unconsciously froze mid-action. By then, Xu Yuan had already taken her hand and smoothly pulled her into his embrace. Resting against this familiar chest, Tianyan sniffled lightly and let out a soft huff: "Smooth talker." Gently holding her slender waist, Xu Yuan leaned close to her ear and murmured: "Did I say anything wrong? Aren't you the one who understands me best?" "..." Her translucent earlobe flushed faintly pink under his breath. Clenching the corner of his robe, Tianyan whispered in a tiny voice: "I told you already... keep your hands to yourself." A familiar sensation welled up in his heart, and Xu Yuan suddenly felt an uncontrollable surge of restlessness. His arms around the maiden tightened slightly. "Nngh..." A soft murmur escaped her lips, and a deep blush spread across Tianyan's porcelain-fair cheeks. "..." Watching this unfold from where she knelt nearby, Bai Muxi looked thoughtful. Then, inch by cautious inch, she shifted toward the breached hole, preparing to leap straight down through the opening. She ought to leave. The young master likely didn't want her staying here right now. She wouldn't mind either way, but that Saintess probably wasn't ready to accept one dragon playing with two phoenixes just yet. The moment she began to move, she met her young master's approving gaze. She blinked conspiratorially at him, then leapt soundlessly down from the upper floor of the pavilion. Rain tapped against the window curtains as the two leaned into each other, everything serene and peaceful. Just as Xu Yuan was about to take things a step further—to shift his weight and lift the girl into his arms—her crisp voice suddenly rang out: "Have you felt enough?" "..." Xu Yuan. The cold, emotionless tone caused Xu Yuan to freeze for a moment. Just as he was about to speak, the cool voice of the maiden in his arms continued: "Heh, what a pointless question to ask... With your thick skin, you'd definitely answer that you haven't." With that, she brought her small hand around behind her and placed it over his restless, kneading hand, peeling it away inch by inch by sheer force. Having done so, she slipped her other hand between them, steadily pushing him away inch by inch. Seeing his stunned expression, Tianyan shook her head gently, her voice faint and wistful: "Xu Yuan, your answer just now was identical to the one you gave in the illusion realm." As she spoke, her eyes curved like crescent moons, radiant and clear: "So, if you want to keep playing tricks on me, I suggest you recall everything from the illusion realm first."