Master Tian Mo, still shaking with laughter, raised his teacup. "I already heard everything from Yin Xue. Sounds like you all had a lot of fun."
Song Meiyu dramatically slapped the air. "No way! Fun? We were almost turned into ghost soup at least three times!"
He Yuying nodded. "Very scary. We nearly became decorative living dolls."
Shen Zhenyu chuckled under his breath but said nothing to deny it. He was loyal, but not enough to protect Shu Mingye's reputation.
Meanwhile, Shu Mingye stood tall and silent. A calm, noble figure as the group took turns dragging his reputation through the mud. His expression stayed perfect, but there was a faint twitch near his eye. If anyone looked closely, they might have seen him silently counting betrayals like he was preparing a hit list.
Finally, Master Tian Mo turned to him, eyes full of mischief. "So this is the rumored demon in human skin?"
Shu Mingye flinched. Only a little. Barely noticeable. But Linyue saw it.
He straightened almost instantly and gave a refined bow, his voice smooth and respectful. "I am Shu Mingye. Greetings, Master."
Master Tian Mo's grin widened like he had just found a new toy. "Oh, he's polite. Is he possessed?"
Linyue replied without hesitation. "We suspected so."
Shu Mingye turned his head toward her, slow and deliberate. She smiled sweetly at him, entirely unrepentant.
Traitor. His own Pie. But Shu Mingye refused to let himself fall here. Not in front of this group of cheerful troublemakers who were clearly waiting for him to trip. He straightened, letting a sharp, confident smile spread across his face. "I'm not possessed," he said smoothly. "I'm just enchanted by Linyue."
Song Meiyu gasped, covering her mouth like she had just witnessed a scandal.
He Yuying snorted loudly, looking two seconds away from choking on his own amusement.
Shen Zhenyu blinked once, completely expressionless, then quietly walked to the corner. The window had never been so fascinating.
Master Tian Mo burst out laughing again, nearly tipping over his chair in delight.
Linyue only sighed and shook her head. "Shameless."
Shu Mingye turned to her proudly. "Very. Because that's your preference."
Chaos family: still 1.
Shu Mingye: making a slow comeback.
Master Tian Mo finally stopped laughing long enough to take a proper sip of tea. His eyes, however, still sparkled with pure mischief. "Our Linyue really is beautiful," he said, sighing like some nostalgic uncle. "No one in the realm can match her. You know… she has many suitors. That Prince Lu? He still doesn't give up. Keeps asking when she'll return."
Shu Mingye's face stayed calm and polite. But inside, a storm was already brewing. He smiled faintly. "I agree. She's beautiful. But Linyue already agreed to marry me. We like each other."
Master Tian Mo raised one brow, unimpressed. "So confident. People's minds can change, you know."
Shu Mingye answered without hesitation. "Mine won't."
"I was talking about Linyue," Master Tian Mo said dryly.
Shu Mingye's smile did not move. But his eyes flicked toward Linyue, as if daring her to disagree.
Linyue met his gaze, face perfectly serene, then tilted her head in thought. "Well," she said softly, "Master Tian Mo is right. People do change their minds."
Shu Mingye froze.
Her lips curved, faint but undeniable, as she added, "But I suppose we will see."
Master Tian Mo nearly spat his tea across the floor from laughter. Shu Mingye just kept staring at her as if she had just declared open war.
Linyue only looked back at him with the most innocent expression she could muster. As if she had not just dropped him into a pit deeper than any swamp they had ever stumbled into.
Chaos family: 2
Shu Mingye: still making a slow comeback, now bleeding.
Then, unexpectedly, Shu Mingye grinned. His voice was smooth, steady, far too confident. "Well, she is also enchanted by me. I will make sure it stays that way."
The room went quiet for one long second.
Then Master Tian Mo slapped the table and laughed so loudly the teacups rattled. "So you are shameless too."
"Of course," Shu Mingye said smoothly. "That's her preference. I have to meet her expectations."
Linyue almost choked on air.
Song Meiyu, who had been trying desperately not to interrupt, gasped in awe and clutched her sleeve, but for once kept her mouth shut.
Even Master Tian Mo looked impressed. He set his teacup down with a grin. "Not bad. Alright then, let's go outside."
Song Meiyu's eyes widened. "Master! What are you going to do?"
"I'm bored," Master Tian Mo said cheerfully, stretching his back. "Let's spar."
He Yuying stood up at once, expression flat but voice eager. "Great. I need to get my snacks."
Shen Zhenyu let out another sigh. It was calm, long, and deeply resigned.
Chaos family: already on their feet.
Shu Mingye: walking into unknown danger with dignity.
They followed Master Tian Mo to the training ground behind his residence. It was not some grand battlefield, but a simple square courtyard with solid stone walls. Just big enough for sparring. Just dangerous enough for someone to lose a little pride and maybe a rib or two.
Shu Mingye walked forward without hesitation. His face calm. His steps measured. He looked like a man ready to negotiate peace. Or war.
Master Tian Mo cracked his knuckles and yawned loudly. "Don't worry," he said, sounding far too cheerful. "I'll go easy on you."
That, of course, was exactly the kind of sentence that made everyone in the chaos family tense.
Linyue sat down on one of the chairs near the edge of the training ground. These chairs were usually reserved for Master Tian Mo himself so he could sip tea like a king while judging the younger generation. Today, Linyue claimed one without hesitation.
Song Meiyu happily plopped down beside her, eyes sparkling. "This is going to be good."
Shen Zhenyu stood nearby with his arms crossed. He Yuying stood even closer, snacks hidden in each sleeve like a secret weapon.
Linyue wasn't worried. Not really. Master Tian Mo was a peak stage fire cultivator, fourth level. Shu Mingye was only at third level. But it was just a spar. A test. He would not seriously hurt him.
…Probably.
The sun dipped lower, painting the walls in warm gold. A light breeze moved through the training ground, rustling the trees and making everything feel peaceful.
Linyue squinted at the training ground and tried not to yawn. Now and then, the clash of swords rang out, breaking the quiet. Every so often, Master Tian Mo's amused laugh echoed across the stone walls. It was not a real fight yet. More like a warm-up. Careful footwork. Quick strikes. Sharp dodges. A quiet dance of steel and ego.
Shu Mingye moved with calm focus, his robes flowing slightly with each step. His face held its usual confidence. Maybe even a hint of smugness.
Master Tian Mo, on the other hand, looked like he was having the time of his life. His grin was wide. His movements were fast and loose like he was sparring with a student instead of a king.
Song Meiyu leaned closer to Linyue and whispered. "I bet Master Tian Mo will flip him in the next three moves."
Linyue replied without looking away, "Two."
He Yuying crunched on a piece of dried fruit and said, "One."
And as if the universe agreed, Shu Mingye suddenly left the ground. It wasn't dramatic. Just a neat little lift into the air followed by a controlled crash that kicked up a puff of dust.
Shen Zhenyu finally blinked for the first time in five minutes.
Chaos family: 3
Shu Mingye: still handsome but slightly dented.
Master Tian Mo laughed, his voice echoing across the training ground. "Not bad. If you hadn't come here to snatch my disciple, I might've taken you as one."
Shu Mingye stood up without a single wrinkle out of place. He dusted off his sleeve with slow, deliberate dignity and gave a small nod. "Master is truly powerful. I've learned a lot."
Master Tian Mo snorted. "We're not done. That was just warm-up. I haven't even begun."
Shu Mingye's polite smile stayed in place, but his eyes sharpened with quiet fire. "Then I'll gladly oblige."
Linyue tilted her head, her eyes sharp with interest. Song Meiyu leaned so far forward her chair creaked in protest. He Yuying adjusted his snack sleeve like this was the opening act and grinned. "Here's the fun part."
With a sharp wave of his hand, Master Tian Mo's sword blazed with flame. Not just heat but living fire, curling up the blade like a golden dragon. He shot forward, his figure a blur of orange and gold. Sparks trailed his movements, and flames danced on his robe without leaving a single burn.
Shu Mingye didn't flinch. His own sword flared with deep red fire, darker and wilder. The air shimmered as the energy around him shifted, sharp enough to prickle skin. When Master Tian Mo's blazing strike came down, Shu Mingye met it head-on with a sweep of his blade. The impact cracked through the courtyard like thunder splitting open the sky.
The ground shuddered. Dust rose in twisting patterns. Leaves spiraled wildly from the trees at the edge of the courtyard.
Master Tian Mo's grin widened. "Good. You're not just pretty."
Shu Mingye's voice was smooth, his eyes sharp. "Thank you. I try to be well-rounded."
Sparks exploded between them as their swords clashed again. They moved fast. Too fast for Song Meiyu's eyes to keep up. Blades flashing like lightning. Steps light but powerful, their feet barely touching the ground before vanishing and striking again. They weaved through the training ground, leaping from shadows into sunlit patches, the fire from their weapons leaving streaks of red and gold in the air.
"Come on, King Shu," Master Tian Mo said with a grin as he swung his flaming blade, "if this is all you've got, my disciple will never forgive me for letting you marry her."