Tianyu let out a soft sigh, trying to distract himself from his unease by playing with the grains of rice on his plate. "So... what's our next plan, Sister Jiujiu?" he asked, purposely keeping his voice light.
Xu Jiujiu shifted her gaze from the southeast direction. "Master Li forbade me from going near that dangerous zone," she replied, folding her arms. "We'll wait here until he brings me the spirit beast I need."
"Then when will we return to the academy?" Tianyu asked, a hint of hope in his voice.
"If everything goes smoothly," Xu Jiujiu gave him a sharp look, "we should be able to go home by tomorrow noon."
Tianyu nodded quickly. "In that case, I'll go rest first. By the way..." He paused for a moment, "where's my tent?"
Xu Jiujiu smiled sweetly, sending a shiver down Tianyu's spine. "Right here, of course. We're sharing one tent."
"What?!" Tianyu almost choked on his own saliva. "But that's not—"
"Appropriate?" Xu Jiujiu finished his sentence. Her eyes sparkled mischievously. "Did you forget our status? As fiancés—"
"That's only temporary!" Tianyu protested, his face flushing red. "Once I'm strong enough, I can choose—"
"Do you dislike being with me that much?" Xu Jiujiu suddenly leaned closer, her face just inches away from his.
The scent of jasmine from her body made Tianyu dizzy. "I-It's not like that! It's just..." He swallowed hard. "Alright, I'll sleep here."
Xu Jiujiu immediately beamed. "Great!" She pointed to the double bed in the corner of the tent. "That's our bed."
Tianyu looked at the bed with a pale face. "Hahh..."
That night passed in silence—but not peace—especially for Tianyu, who stayed awake the whole night, every sense on high alert because of the woman sleeping peacefully next to him like a baby.
Tianyu stared at the tent's ceiling, dimly lit by the lantern's glow, his eyes wide open even though he had been lying down for over an hour. The sound of Xu Jiujiu's steady breathing beside him only made his heart race more—not out of fear, but because he had no idea how to deal with the situation.
He cautiously glanced to his right. Xu Jiujiu was asleep with her back to him, her long hair spread across the pillow, a few strands even brushing against his arm. Tianyu held his breath and tried to scoot away slowly. But the bedding was made for one—and there was no divider between them.
"I must stay strong. I have to stay focused. This is a test of honor!" he whispered to himself, gripping the edge of the blanket tightly.
Suddenly, Xu Jiujiu murmured softly in her sleep and rolled over, hugging the bolster… which Tianyu had unfortunately pushed to the edge. In its place, her arm now rested on Tianyu's back.
Tap.
Tianyu's body stiffened instantly. His breath caught, and his face turned crimson all the way to his ears. He shut his eyes tightly, trying to control the storm of thoughts swirling in his head.
"Damn... this is more dangerous than fighting the Mountain Crush Bear," he muttered under his breath.
In an effort to calm himself, Tianyu silently reached out to Qian Renxue through their soul bond.
[Sister Xue, are you awake?]
[I never truly sleep,] came Qian Renxue's soft but cool voice.
[Ah, right... You really are an angel.] Tianyu smiled faintly and let out a sigh.
[I'm in a... rather complicated situation.]
[Complicated how?] Qian Renxue asked, her tone slightly suspicious.
[Um... you know, I'm sharing a tent with Sister Jiujiu. And we're... sharing a bed.]
A few seconds of silence made Tianyu even more nervous.
[And?] Qian Renxue finally replied, her tone utterly flat.
[N-Nothing happened! I swear I won't do anything stupid! I haven't even slept because I'm too scared to move.]
"I trust you, Tianyu," said Qian Renxue. "But if you do anything outrageous… I can take your life right now."
Tianyu gave a bitter smile. [Noted. Threat received and respected.]
Silence fell again. Only the sound of crickets outside the tent and Xu Jiujiu's steady breathing accompanied the night. Tianyu finally took a deep breath and forced his eyes shut.
But just as he started to drift off, Xu Jiujiu moved again—this time closer, and without realizing it, placed her hand on his chest.
Tianyu barely held back a panicked scream. "This... this isn't a nightmare… this is a live-action nightmare…"
And the night dragged on endlessly, with Tianyu not catching even a single second of sleep.
Morning came far too quickly for Tianyu.
Sunlight seeped through the tent's fabric walls, casting warm shadows that danced gently. Birds chirped cheerfully outside, as if mocking the sleepless night he'd just endured.
Tianyu was still lying down, dark circles under his eyes almost enough to pass him off as a panda. Xu Jiujiu was still asleep beside him, and their position... well, it was far more dangerous than Tianyu would have preferred. Her hand was still on his chest, and one leg was draped over his like they were a married couple.
He slowly turned his head to the side. That peaceful smile on her face… how could she sleep so soundly?
Tianyu carefully tried to move her hand off his chest, but—
"Hmm?" Xu Jiujiu opened her eyes halfway.
Tianyu froze. "G-Good morning, Sister Jiujiu…"
Xu Jiujiu looked at his pale, exhausted face. She blinked slowly, then smiled playfully. "Did you sleep well?"
Tianyu swallowed hard. "Not even a little."
"Oh?" Xu Jiujiu leaned in closer, her voice soft like a whisper. "Was it because I was too close?"
"Not just too close—you slept on top of me," Tianyu said honestly, face burning.
Xu Jiujiu tilted her head, pretending to be surprised. "Oh? Really? Sorry… I tend to move around and sleep-talk."
"'Move around' enough to climb on top of someone?" Tianyu mumbled under his breath.
Xu Jiujiu only giggled, then sat up casually. "Come on, get up. We need to get ready. Master Li should be back this morning."
Tianyu remained frozen on the bed, his body still in shock. I need meditation. Or an ice bath.
After a few minutes of sitting like a statue, Tianyu finally exited the tent.
The morning forest air was refreshing, though the atmosphere still felt a little strange. The sky was partly cloudy, and the distant sounds of soul beasts echoed faintly.
Xu Jiujiu was already sitting near the dying campfire, her hair down and her expression serious again.
"Awake, young master?" came a deep voice from the edge of the forest.
Tianyu turned quickly. A middle-aged man in a hunter's robe emerged from the trees—Master Li. Behind him, a large soul beast with flowing silver fur lay limp, seemingly unconscious.
"Success?" Xu Jiujiu stood, eyes fixed on the beast.
Master Li nodded. "A Golden Radiant Deer—1.750 years old. The compatibility with your Martial Soul is nearly perfect. We'll begin the absorption process today."
Xu Jiujiu smiled with satisfaction, then turned to Tianyu. "That means we can go home by noon. Just as I promised."
Tianyu let out a relieved sigh. "Finally…"
But before he could fully enjoy the relief, Xu Jiujiu leaned in and whispered into his ear, "Last night… you were absolutely adorable when you were scared."