Xue Chenjing's tense heartstrings relaxed upon hearing this, and he took the opportunity to straighten up, wrapping his arms around her shoulders and pressing her into his embrace. Using his superior height and build, he enveloped her completely and rolled onto the spacious, soft, lamb's wool-covered couch.
Translucent pseudopodia extended from beneath his clothes, pulling down the heavy crimson curtains hanging from the corners of the couch.
The thick, deep red curtains created a small, secluded space. Xue Chenjing bent his legs to encircle her, eager to divert her attention and prevent her from focusing further on the Imperial House Carriage.
"Yi, we'll be there soon. Close your eyes and take a nap. When you wake up, we'll be there, okay?"
Yu Yi lifted her head from his sleeve, not wanting to comply with his wishes, "I don't want to sleep."
Xue Chenjing frowned, his eyes darting back and forth, indicating he was desperately trying to think of a way to keep her entertained.
Suddenly, a slippery sensation squeezed into her hand. Yu Yi looked down in surprise to see a soft tentacle wriggling into her palm.
Perhaps due to Xue Chenjing's fever, his pseudopodia had taken on a slight warmth, a faint pink hue, and a semi-transparent, jelly-like texture, unlike their usual intangible form.
The pseudopodia wriggled vigorously in her hand, and Xue Chenjing blushed, lowering his voice to a humble tone, "You can play with them; we'll be there soon."
Yu Yi was baffled, disdainful, "What's fun about tentacles? Are you treating me like a child?"
Xue Chenjing felt stifled. Several more tentacles emerged into the air, coiling within this confined space, attempting to vindicate themselves: "The night you were drunk, didn't you find them fun? You held each pseudopodium for a long time, braided them, tied them with bows, and played with them for half the night without sleeping..."
Yu Yi found his words increasingly absurd, covering his mouth with her hand, refusing to admit, "Really? I don't remember any of that."
Xue Chenjing widened his eyes, full of disbelief, his expression one of being wronged and abandoned. He gasped for breath, gritting his teeth, "Whether you remember or not, you did it!"
Yu Yi calmly retorted, "As long as I don't remember, it means I didn't do it."
Xue Chenjing was momentarily silenced. He then thrust all his pseudopodia into her embrace, flustered and exasperated, "Then do it now."
"It's not fun," Yu Yi scrutinized him, deliberately not moving her fingers.
Xue Chenjing then focused his consciousness into the pseudopodia, using the soft tips to entwine with her fingers, presenting himself as a toy in her hands, coaxing her, "Yi, it's very fun. You can tie them into knots. Try it, Yi, Yi."
Yu Yi knew he was fun; she remembered what happened in Yinzhou City that night. However, his current state was even more captivating than then.
The fever made his cheeks flushed, and his body had not fully recovered, causing his eyes to occasionally lose focus, his eyelids drooping as if he wanted to fall asleep. But to please her, he would suddenly wake up, struggling to keep his eyes open, pushing the tentacles into her embrace.
Being with him for so long, Yu Yi felt she had become a bit twisted herself. Otherwise, how could she derive a sense of comfort from such a scene and even want to tease him further?
Seeing his anxiety almost reaching its peak, she finally took pity and reached out to touch the tentacles offered, pinching the tip of one with her fingers.
Xue Chenjing shuddered, his eyelashes trembling violently, his pupils expanding and then contracting into vertical slits, tears welling up in his eyes, completely losing focus.
Yu Yi was startled by his reaction, quickly leaning over to pat his cheeks, "Ah Qiu? Xue Chenjing, hey, are you alright? Wake up!"
Hearing her voice, Xue Chenjing's scattered consciousness gathered, barely pulling back a thread of clarity. His eyes regained their focus, settling on Yu Yi's worried face.
He almost lost consciousness.
Xue Chenjing shook his head vigorously, pressing his hand against the carved corner of the couch, using pain to keep himself awake, insisting, "I'm fine, you can continue."
Continue what? Was she that cruel?
Yu Yi pulled his hand back, feeling his hot forehead, sighing softly, "If you want to sleep, just sleep."
Xue Chenjing immediately grabbed her, widening his eyes to show he was wide awake, "I don't want to sleep."
Yu Yi knew what he was worried about, arranging the pillow and lying down, "I want to sleep."
By saying this, she was willing to stay. Xue Chenjing breathed a sigh of relief, full of joy. He wanted to lie down with her but sat up awkwardly, pulling Yu Yi's hand to his body, "Yi, cast a cleansing spell on me."
Yu Yi, feeling his burning palm on her wrist, opened her eyes in confusion, "Now?" Following his gaze, she suddenly understood, quickly pulling her hand back, her face flushed, "Can't you do it yourself?"
Xue Chenjing shook his head honestly, "I haven't fully recovered." There were bathing facilities in the carriage, but he didn't want to leave Yu Yi's side for a moment, fearing she would disappear if he turned away.
Yu Yi glared at him, eventually casting a spell on him. Cool spiritual energy flowed into his clothes, washing over his body, taking away the heat.
Xue Chenjing closed his eyes, feeling refreshed, then lay down, pulling her into his embrace. The tentacles in the air swarmed over, wrapping around her, savoring her scent.
Yu Yi had grown accustomed to their presence, giving up on trying to chase them away. Xue Chenjing's eyelids drooped, falling asleep again, his temperature rising once more.
The little snore of her crane companion could be heard from outside the curtains. Yu Yi gradually felt a bit sleepy.
The nine-headed demon bird pulled the magnificent carriage, galloping through the clouds. The white clouds stretched to the horizon like a broad, peaceful road. The carriage left a bright silver trail on the clouds, which soon dispersed in the wind.
The Carefree Sect's disciples lost track of their target when a sudden bolt of lightning scattered the clouds, obliterating any trace. They had no choice but to return to the sect to report.
Upon returning, they learned of the major incident that had occurred. The Demon Suppressing Bell had shattered, and the spirits of countless demons killed by the bell had resurrected, causing a great disturbance within the sect.
Although Lady Lotus had set up the Five Elements Battle Formation to contain most of the demons, some had escaped, harming many disciples.
Lady Lotus guarded the solitary peak, unable to attend to other matters, while Yi Heng led a group to deal with the escaped demons. It was for this reason that when the disciples monitoring Yu Yi returned, he could not immediately go to her.
Now that they had lost her, Yi Heng knew he would face his mother's scolding. He rubbed his temples, feeling troubled.
The Carefree Sect spent seven days eradicating the demons that had escaped from the Demon Suppressing Bell. Lady Lotus, who had fought the majority of the demons, was severely depleted, showing signs of fatigue.
The Demon Suppressing Bell had the power to suppress evil and protect the sect. Its destruction was a significant loss for the Carefree Sect, and even the elders were held accountable.
Lady Lotus accepted her punishment, being stripped of her position as an elder and required to stay on the solitary peak forever, taking on the responsibility of protecting the sect, no longer enjoying the previous comforts.
Just as the Carefree Sect dealt with this matter, the sect leader received a message from the Moon-Touching Palace of the Immortal Alliance, stating that the seal over Wangye was violently shaking, showing signs of breaking, and urgently summoning the leaders of the major sects to discuss the matter.
Lady Lotus sat in the pavilion on the solitary peak, her gaze fixed on the remains of the Demon Suppressing Bell, as Yi Heng finished speaking. She thought for a moment and said, "Go to the Moon-Touching Palace and tell the other sects about Xue Mingyuan's situation. Send me any news you receive."
Yi Heng was surprised, "Mother, Mount Li and Zhaohua Palace are already hunting down Uncle, and now...?"
Lady Lotus interrupted him, "From the moment he chose to succumb to his demonic nature, he ceased to be your uncle. He is a demon. The seal over Wangye is shaking because of him. You only need to inform them of his reincarnation. The families of Jiang, Yao, and Yun will understand who he is."
As the various immortal sects made their way towards the Moon-Touching Palace, the Imperial House Carriage pierced through the clouds and mist, arriving at a scattered archipelago deep in the South Sea.
However, the carriage did not descend; it continued to hover above the islands.
Inside the carriage, an eerie silence prevailed. A red-crowned crane tucked its head under its wing, curling up into a ball on the soft carpet, its snores escaping from beneath the feathers.
Behind the heavy curtains, both occupants were still asleep, with only translucent tentacles wriggling in the air, seeking out the scent they craved.
Yu Yi's skirt was hiked up to her knees. In her sleep, she sensed something and curled her legs up, her face buried in Xue Chenjing's chest, emitting a faint whimper from her nose.
The sensation grew so intense that her consciousness could no longer ignore it. Yu Yi suddenly woke up, her fingers clutching the fabric beneath her hand, her lips trembling as she bit down.
She listened to Xue Chenjing's heavy breathing and the unconscious swallowing in his throat. She kicked at the restless tentacles with her foot and pressed her hand against his Adam's apple, angrily saying, "Xue Chenjing!"
Xue Chenjing immediately woke up, his throat rolling with another swallow before he said in confusion, "Hmm?" He sniffed the air, "Ah Yi, you smell so good."
Yu Yi raised her hand and pounded on his tentacles.
Xue Chenjing let out a pained howl, startling the crane outside. The red-crowned crane, half-asleep, jumped up and crashed into the incense burner, flapping its wings and scattering ash everywhere.
The crane rushed out of the carriage, only to be met with the sight of the nine-headed demon bird pulling the carriage. It panicked and flew back in, diving straight into the curtains, squawking.
The ash from its wings covered both of them, and Xue Chenjing accidentally inhaled a mouthful of dust, nearly choking to death.
"Serves you right," Yu Yi said, pulling away his tentacles and slapping a talisman on the crane. The massive red-crowned crane instantly shrank to the size of a palm, which she caught in her hand. The ash clinging to its feathers flew up even more, enveloping the tentacles in the air.
Xue Chenjing lay on the couch, gasping for breath.
