He alone was brave enough to venture out to get a closer look at the ominous city, where rumored that no decent man had stepped foot within in centuries. From a safer distance, it was difficult to glimmer any evidence of defensive arrays around it.

It had been Peng Zhugen who eventually talked them into caution and Chen Leike was the first to throw it out the window. The wind howled as he approached, p.r.i.c.kling his skin with a chill that did not belong in summer.

At first, he felt an itch in his ear that made him flinch and tilt his head. His hand came up instinctively to scratch it. And at that very moment a dark arrow, as swift as a falcon and silent as still water, shot right by his face, taking with it a sc.r.a.pe of skin and flicks of loose hair.

Chen Leike blinked. If he hadn't moved to scratch the itch, his skull would have been pierced through and his brain splattered upon the plains. Those who were unfamiliar with Chen Leike watched with stunned and horror-stricken faces. But Chen Leike himself only smiled. This devilish fortune was simply a constant in his life.

He was sure that in his past life he had been some sort of Buddha or saint and for whatever reason did not ascend to the Heavens. There was a reason why he was called the Immortal of Luck.

And thus he had not a single flick of fear or worry in his heart. He looked back over his shoulder and urged his horse towards the dark arrow pulsing with vile energy. Wrapping his hands in a silken handkerchief, he plucked the thing from the ground and waved it at the city that loomed in the distance.

Chen Leike chuckled, "Thanks for this!" And galloped back the cultivator's camp.

…

"It would be of great benefit for you," the little phoenix said.

Of course, Liu Sumeng knew that but what kind of person actually followed through with doing everything that was helpful to them? Mediating was beneficial as well, so he decided to meditate.

Huo Tang continued to chirp, "Now, isn't the great Ivory Sword Saint acting like a child?"

Liu Sumeng felt his focus falter and his eyes blink open. Though his expression appeared calm, both shame and annoyance welled within him. He didn't like being accused of acting childish but for some reason, it felt difficult to refute. "…"

"Be good and do what the rude boy said." Huo Tang huffed at him from atop a hanging lantern. There was no doubt that she was upset over being flicked and was now protesting against head pets and nagging him with annoying words.

But his tumultuous heart was not easily appeased and he continued to glare at the bathrobes as though they offended him.

"Don't tell me you're shy!" Huo Tang squawked from afar, each word followed with little bursts of fire.

Liu Sumeng felt the urge to take the comb he'd been using and volt it at the phoenix. The only reason why he didn't was that the following words coming out of her tiny beak were actually quite sound, "You might come across a great foe on this journey of yours. An enemy that has the power to capture Sect Leader Zhao should not be taken lightly. Do you think it not wise to ensure that your body is in tip-top condition?"

"..." Liu Sumeng could not argue again her. If Huo Tang had donned her human form, there was no doubt she would be smirking. She knew that she won.

Reluctantly, he slowly changed out of his regular clothes. Perhaps at this point, Yuan Xuelan already had this fill of soaking in the springs and left. Maybe there was hope for his anxious heart.

In reality, Liu Sumeng understood he couldn't escape. He needed to deal with his own twisted feelings and endure the suffering brought about by his own weakness. There was no other way to go about this.

Steeling himself, he finally stepped out of his room and made way for the springs.

But as he approached he could hear voices that came from around the bend. One was male and identifiable as Yuan Xuelan. The other was female, familiar, but Liu Sumeng struggled to come up with a face.

But wait, weren't the baths separated by gender? A strange feeling slithered in his stomach and Liu Sumeng quickened his pace. He rounded the corner and froze.

There, next to the springs, Yuan Xuelan was sprawled on the ground and a woman was straddled on top of him.

"Stop moving around!" She giggled her hands boldly groped his stomach and Liu Sumeng could see the outline of Yuan Xuelan's muscles from the wet, clinging robes. "Let me see how much your body has developed over the last two weeks!"

Yuan Xuelan bit back laughter, ticklish beneath Nan Chang's fingers, "Get off me you fiend!" He said without any urgency or bite.

Liu Sumeng felt his entire world turn cold.

What was this woman doing here? On top of Yuan Xuelan--

Liu Sumeng stumbled backward and only then did the two who were play fighting on the ground notice his presence.

But Liu Sumeng made a quick retreat back into the hallway, too terrified to see their reaction, too stricken to face his own emotions. He dashed back to his room and slammed the sliding door closed. His entire body was trembling from shock.

There were not many people that Liu Sumeng hated from the depth of his soul but Nan Chang made it on that list. A favored consort. A twisted, scheming b.i.t.c.h. Liu Sumeng had not a single good memory of her no matter how fond Yuan Xuelan was towards that woman.

Liu Sumeng held his temple and tried to steady his breathing to cast away the horrible recollections of Consort Nan. But his spirit still shook, both fearful and angry at the very sight of her.

He tried to erase the image of a cruel sneering woman. The one that he witnessed now only watched him with wide eyes of surprise. Perhaps in this incarnation, she was yet a pure thing, uncorrupted by power. Perhaps this was a chance for Liu Sumeng to understand what Yuan Xuelan liked about her…

But Liu Sumeng felt even more nauseous and cradled his abdomen at the thought.

Huo Tang, now back upon her nest of pillows looked at him strangely, "Did you not go to the hot spring? What's wrong, boy?"

He had no words to say to her. His mind became dizzy and he couldn't stop recalling Nan Chang sitting atop Yuan Xuelan, her milky thighs that draped over his and her round bosom that threatened to spill from their binds. A bone-deep upset knifed his core and Liu Sumeng wanted to shake Yuan Xuelan out of his folly.

After all, wasn't Chen Anyue still alive!? So why was he being all intimate with that woman!?

…

While Liu Sumeng struggled with the chaos that unfolded in his own mind, Yuan Xuelan was trying to get Nan Chang off of him. "Nan-jie! Please get off! Get off me now!" His voice raised, heckled by shame and whatever odd anxiety of being caught by Liu Sumeng.

Nan Chang pouted but relented and got up, "Why are you yelling at Nan Chang? Did I do something wrong?"

Did Yuan Xuelan really have to spell it out for her? He couldn't help but roll his eyes, "Why are you even here? This is the men's area for heaven's sake!"

She refused to meet his eyes and whistled in a way that was more guilty than it was innocent, "Is it? I didn't know!"

"Don't lie!"

She grinned at him and changed the subject, "That man we scared off, do you know him?"

Mischief was dancing in her smile and Yuan Xuelan was horrified to remember the position that Liu Sumeng caught them in! He wanted nothing more than to run to the Ivory Sword Saint and let him know it was just a misunderstanding…!

It was a misunderstanding because…!

Because…!

Yuan Xuelan groaned and clutched his head from the ensuing headache. What misunderstanding was he even thinking about? He didn't even know!

"Xuelan?" Nan Chang was still standing there and began to poke him in the arm, "Why won't you tell me his name?"

Yuan Xuelan frowned, annoyed, "He's off-limits."

Nan Chang raised a brow. The grin on her face seemed to say that no one was off-limits to her.

Yuan Xuelan felt sour. "He's s.h.i.+jie's fiance! That's the Ivory Sword Saint, okay? Seriously, you can't touch him." Soon-to-be ex-fiance! He reminded himself. But Nan Chang didn't need to know that.

She was pouting now, "A pity." And Yuan Xuelan felt himself let out a sigh of relief.

"Anyways! Nan-jie! What are you even doing here?" Yuan Xuelan didn't feel like going back in the hot spring anymore. He couldn't relax. Not when he kept thinking about Liu Sumeng and the embarra.s.sing state he was caught in. He was already heading back and Nan Chang followed him, even in her scandalous clothes…or the lack thereof clothing.

"I came to see you of course! Everyone had gone off on an adventure and only left pitiful me back home… You, Lei-gege and even Jiang-gege all left me. I couldn't stand it anymore so I left as well!"

Yuan Xuelan wanted to smack his own face with his palm, "So you ran away."

Nan Chang whined, "Only because you also ran away!"

"Okay, okay! I get it!" He sighed, "But you know that it's dangerous right?"

Nan Chang tilted her head, "Of course, Nan Chang knows. But what's the fun in staying home all day and night? You the only interesting person in the entirety of Reling. Whenever you leave, everything just feels so boring."

Even after Yuan Xuelan escorted Nan Chang back to her room, he found that it was difficult to separate himself from her. She prattled on, filling him in on gossip back home and asked questions about his current projects and affairs. She asked more questions about Liu Sumeng too, like what kind of person he was and if Yuan Xuelan liked him or not and even asked for something as shameless as a rating.

"He's just a really awkward person." Yuan Xuelan answered bluntly, selfishly keeping all of Liu Sumeng's best traits to himself.

"Well…he's not a bad guy. I don't' dislike him," was all he was willing to admit to her.

"I'm not going to rate him!"

Nan Chang didn't hide her amus.e.m.e.nt and giggled. She even outrageously gave Liu Sumeng a nine because he looks handsome but he lacks in cuteness. "Don't worry, Xuelan, I think you're a solid ten!" A playful wink was thrown his way and Yuan Xuelan decided that he had enough of her.

"Alright, Nan-jie. Please get some rest already! And put on clothes next time you're going to leave your room, okay?"

"Thank you for worrying about me!" She singsonged, brazenly leaning in to kiss him on the cheek before retreating inside her room.

Yuan Xuelan was exhausted. And placed his hand around his face. At least he hadn't blurted out to her that Liu Sumeng totally deserved a solid ten. That would have been much too embarra.s.sing!