"Stop fooling around!"
On the bed, Ya Fei lay completely bare, her snow-like skin tinged with a faint rosy hue. Her alluring face carried both charm and shyness as she turned over with a soft huff, showing Chen Mo the back of her head.
Chen Mo, sitting at the bedside, smiled faintly. After eating four meat buns, he realized Ya Fei probably couldn't finish that much. Seeing she was still asleep, he set the remaining two buns on the nearby table. With a light flick of his finger, a wisp of cyan Dou Qi surrounded them.
"I'll keep them warm for you," he said softly. "Eat when you wake up. I'm heading to the Nalan Estate."
Leaving the manor, Chen Mo made his way toward the Nalan residence.
Given his current standing with the Nalan Family, no one dared obstruct his path. He could move freely throughout the estate.
However, since Yun Yun's presence in the Nalan Estate was a secret, none of the servants knew she was there.
So when they saw Chen Mo heading toward Nalan Yanran's courtyard, whispers began to spread.
"Hey, I heard Master Chen Mo went to the young lady's courtyard."
"Did you hear? He went alone to her room!"
"Wait, are you saying Master Chen Mo and the young lady are living together?"
"When do you think Master Chen Mo will become the young master of the Nalan Family?"
"…"
Nalan Yanran's room was unlike any other young woman's chamber. The desk was lined with various collected items from across the empire—swords, spears, paintings, and scrolls. On the wall hung a self-portrait of her practicing swordsmanship.
Chen Mo handed her three meat buns he'd bought on his way, saying, "They're pretty good," before sitting by Yun Yun's bedside and checking her pulse.
"Did she wake up last night?" he asked.
Taking a bite of a bun, Nalan Yanran shook her head. "No. By the way, after leaving the estate last night, where did you go?"
Chen Mo didn't answer. Instead, after finishing the pulse reading, he began setting up his cauldron right there in her room to refine pills.
That, of course, irritated Nalan Yanran to no end.
As the flame flared to life, Chen Mo suddenly looked up at her. "Yanran, are you interested in joining my organization, the Shadow Pavilion? I'll assign you to a special division I'm creating—the Phoenix Guard."
The Phoenix Guard—a new elite corps he intended to form.
It would consist exclusively of women.
"Ah?" Nalan Yanran froze mid-bite, staring blankly.
"Since the Yunlan Sect has been dissolved," Chen Mo continued, "you don't have anywhere to go now. Why not join the Shadow Pavilion? You can travel with me when I go out."
Nalan Yanran had actually felt a flicker of interest—until that last line. Her expression darkened, and she glared at him. "The Yunlan Sect was destroyed because of you! And who said I've nowhere to go? With my talent, I can easily enter Jia Nan Academy!"
"Uh… forget I said anything." Chen Mo awkwardly tossed another batch of herbs into the cauldron as the temperature rose.
Silence filled the room.
Nalan Yanran bit viciously into her bun, tearing off a piece as if it were Chen Mo himself.
After refining a batch of recovery pills, Chen Mo fed one to Yun Yun.
By dusk…
A faint groan sounded from the bed. Beneath the blanket, Yun Yun's brows furrowed as she slowly opened her eyes.
The world spun. Her body felt weak. Her bright eyes reflected confusion and exhaustion.
"Yun Yun-jie, you're awake!"
Chen Mo, who had been meditating cross-legged atop a green lotus of Dou Qi, opened his eyes. Seeing her awake, he immediately rose and hurried to her side.
He sat beside her, helping her into a half-sitting position. "Yun Yun-jie, how do you feel?"
"Teacher! You're awake!" said Nalan Yanran, who had been dozing on a nearby chair. She rushed over, her face full of concern.
Yun Yun forced herself to stay awake, her mind gradually clearing.
Fragments of memory flooded back—the battle, her master's summons for aid, Chen Mo's appearance, her master's death, the desperate struggle…
Her expression stiffened as clarity returned. She looked at Chen Mo, her gaze filled with a mixture of emotions—anger, faint hatred, affection, and worry.
Her voice trembled slightly. "Where is this place? Why are you and Yanran here?"
"You foolish woman," Chen Mo murmured, gently caressing her cheek. "This is the Nalan Estate. I came here to save you."
"Nalan Estate?" Yun Yun blushed slightly, uncomfortable with how close he was—especially since Yanran was watching. She quickly pulled away, her cheeks tinged red.
Knowing she would have to face it sooner or later, Chen Mo explained everything that had happened.
When she learned her master had perished and the Yunlan Sect had been completely dissolved, Yun Yun froze as if struck by lightning. It took her a long time to recover.
Biting her lip, she whispered, sorrow in her voice,
"I don't blame you for my master's death. It was his own doing. But why… why did you let Queen Medusa disband the Yunlan Sect?"
"I'm sorry." Chen Mo's tone softened. He could have explained that it was Queen Medusa's decision and that he hadn't known beforehand—but no matter how one looked at it, he still bore responsibility.
Seeing his guilt, Yun Yun's expression turned even more melancholic. After a long sigh, she asked softly, "Are you alright?"
Chen Mo shook his head and forced a faint smile. "I'm fine. But you… if I hadn't treated you in time, taking that full strike from Protector Xuan would've left you crippled—or worse."
Yun Yun lowered her gaze. "If that's the case… I'd rather never have woken up."
"You still have me," Chen Mo said quietly. He knew it was shameless, considering he'd caused her suffering in the first place—but he said it anyway.
At those words, Nalan Yanran bit her lip, a faint ache welling in her heart. "Teacher… you still have me too," she said softly.
Yun Yun's chest tightened. She looked at the two of them, then exhaled a long, weary sigh. "Both of you… leave me alone for now. I need some time to think."
Chen Mo nodded. She had just awakened and was being forced to confront too much all at once. She needed space. He took Nalan Yanran's hand and quietly led her out.
Three days passed.
Yun Yun remained silent in her room the entire time.
Chen Mo stayed within the Nalan Estate, waiting patiently.
Finally, on the third day, Yun Yun allowed him inside. When Nalan Yanran tried to follow, Chen Mo closed the door behind him, leaving her outside.
Yun Yun was still half-lying on the bed. Seeing him enter, she glanced at him with calm, distant eyes.
"I should hate you," she said quietly. "But no matter how I try… I can't. The Yunlan Sect no longer exists, and there's nothing left for me there. Once I've recovered, I'll leave the Jia Ma Empire and travel the Dou Qi Continent."
Chen Mo frowned. "The continent is filled with countless powerful experts. It's a dangerous place. For a woman to wander alone… you'd be walking into hardship."