Chapter 72: Using the Magic Grass to Smash Out Love
However, in this world of love-struck individuals, it was nothing short of a bombshell.
"Let's talk about it later."
Hearing Qin Xuan's words, which were almost a confession, Ling Yuan was slightly stunned. Her eyes drifted, and she hurriedly put down her chopsticks in a fluster. She turned her head to avoid Qin Xuan's direct, intense gaze and gently pretended to play with her ear-length short hair.
The black, form-fitting fur coat she wore, made of an unknown material, seemed to be a blend of silk and other fibers. Even in the dim light of the campfire, it appeared radiant, and her tender, smooth skin was fair with a hint of red, extremely alluring.
What was most captivating was her naturally alluring posture and her charmingly languid expression. Her allure surpassed that of Jingni, and she possessed a captivating mature charm that Nong Yu lacked.
Qin Xuan meticulously scrutinized every inch of Ling Yuan's body, secretly grading her.
Among the women he had seen, purely in terms of beauty and figure, Jingni was the most outstanding. She was otherworldly, a flawless assassin sculpted from ice and moonlight, scoring a 9.7.
Bibi Dong, before having children, was next at 9.5 points. Her beauty was imperial, cold, and noble. After having children, there was a potential for her to surpass Jingni.
Nong Yu, the top courtesan of Zilan Pavilion, also scored a 9.5. Hers was a classical, refined beauty, like a delicate painting.
The Black-Gauzed Woman, the Slaughter Envoy, scored a 9.0, her beauty defined by danger and mystery.
Liu Erlong was relatively ordinary compared to the four above. Although she was a rare beauty, she was not an unparalleled one, scoring around 8 points.
Ling Yuan, however, was between Liu Erlong and the Black-Gauzed Woman, scoring 8.5 points.
But she possessed a mature, fiery charm that Liu Erlong lacked. Her every movement, every glance, was an unconscious seduction. This alone was a massive bonus, enough to elevate her to a standard of 9 points or more.
Ling Yuan seemed to enjoy this gaze. When she saw Qin Xuan unabashedly scrutinizing her, the naturally emanating charm truly made one's heart race and blood boil.
However, upon seeing Jingni, who was holding a child beside Qin Xuan, and Nong Yu, who looked a bit apprehensive, her feeling of enjoyment quickly turned into resentment.
'Good heavens!' she thought, her cheeks burning. 'It was one thing to have a young and beautiful maidservant by his side, but he was openly flirting with me in front of his wife and child!'
'And his wife... is her temper really that good? She's just sitting there, watching, as if this is completely normal!'
After dinner, Qin Xuan gave a few instructions to Jingni. Jingni simply nodded, her expression as calm as ever, and then took the blushing Nong Yu and A Yan to rest in the tent.
Although the tent was not large, it only had four beds.
But Qin Xuan had already made the sleeping arrangements in his mind: Ling Yuan on the far right, followed by Jingni, A Yan, and Nong Yu on the far left.
Ling Yuan, of course, was unaware of these specific arrangements. Even if she knew, she wouldn't think ill of them.
After all, although she had her own reservations and worried that Qin Xuan might bully her like last time, she would never have imagined that Qin Xuan would do such a thing in front of his wife, child, and newly acquired maidservant.
Jingni, Nong Yu, and A Yan all went back to the tent to rest. Ling Yuan glanced at Qin Xuan by the campfire, who was poking the flames. She asked with some hesitation, "Is there... only one tent?"
"It's fine. I'll be on night watch tonight, so don't worry about the tent being too small to sleep in." Qin Xuan smiled, not looking up. "You should also go rest quickly. Hunting Spirit Beasts still requires you to be the main force."
His tone became serious. "If you don't rest well and can't concentrate during a Spirit Beast's attack, it could lead to irreparable losses. This is a major taboo in the Spirit Master's world."
"Alright then. I'll... I'll come relieve you in the latter half of the night." Ling Yuan couldn't find a reason to refuse and sighed inwardly.
'Never mind. Since this little fellow is on night watch, he can't do anything bad. Besides, his wife and child are still nearby, so he shouldn't have the guts.'
By the time it was her turn to rest in the latter half of the night, the other party would have even less opportunity.
"No need. Jingni and I will take turns then. I'll go patrol first. You go rest early." Qin Xuan shook his head, not giving Ling Yuan a chance to refuse. He stood up and walked out of the camp's firelight.
Ling Yuan was helpless and could only comply.
But when she entered the tent and saw the sleeping bag reserved for her... she suddenly felt like crying.
It was laid out on the far right, next to Jingni's, which was next to A Yan's basket, which was next to Nong Yu's.
'Wait,' she thought, her mind racing. 'He said he and Jingni would take turns. So, in the second half of the night... he's going to... sleep... right next to me?'
'Qin Xuan, that guy, he couldn't possibly be serious...'
After leaving the camp, Qin Xuan exerted force with his left leg. Four identical clones shimmered into existence.
"Find them," he ordered.
The clones nodded silently and blurred into the darkness, spreading out in four different directions. Their mission was not to guard the camp, but to search for the Ten-Thousand Year Soul Beast, the Qianjun Ant Royal brothers, and, most importantly, the Dark Demonic Evil God Tiger.
He then patrolled once more until he confirmed that Ling Yuan had entered the tent, only then returning to the campfire to keep watch.
Before long, the even, gentle breathing of Jingni, A Yan, and Nong Yu came from inside the tent.
Only Ling Yuan was wide awake.
Although she usually enjoyed verbally teasing excellent young juniors, she was still a woman who had never experienced intimacy.
She, who was usually keen on destruction and devastation, would often be the most timid when it came to a real, full-on fight.
If the other party were just an ordinary man, it would be fine; at worst, she could use her eighth Spirit Ability on him, making his blood boil until he exploded.
But it just had to be him. Qin Xuan. A little fellow whose Spirit, talent, and appearance all deeply captivated her.
'What on earth am I even expecting?' Ling Yuan sighed softly in her heart, tossing and turning in the sleeping bag. 'He's a philanderer. A scoundrel. But he's also... a monster. A Level 70 Spirit Saint with the power of a Spirit Douluo. And that Vermillion Bird aura...'
'And he's sleeping... right next to me.'
Amidst her musings, time flew by, and in a blink of an eye, it was already the latter half of the night.
Jingni got up, silent as a shadow, and walked out of the tent to switch shifts with Qin Xuan.
Soon after, Qin Xuan walked in. The tent felt impossibly small. He moved with a quiet confidence and slipped into Jingni's original sleeping bag.
The one right next to Ling Yuan.
Ling Yuan didn't even dare to breathe.
She lay on her side, with her back to Qin Xuan, which not only created distance between them but also allowed her heart to calm down a little.
'It's fine,' she told herself, her heart hammering. 'His wife just left. Nong Yu is right there. The baby is right there. He wouldn't dare. He's just sleeping.'
However, after a long time, the imagined night raid did not occur. There was only the even breathing of Qin Xuan, A Yan, and Nong Yu.
Ling Yuan's restless heart gradually calmed down. 'See? Just sleeping. You're a Titled Douluo, for heaven's sake, act like it. Why are you so nervous?'
The quieter and darker the setting, the more it tended to evoke memories from the depths of one's mind.
At this moment, the tent was silent. Ling Yuan, unable to sleep, recalled what Qin Xuan had said to her when he forcefully kissed her goodbye last time: "Little Ling Yuan, if you ever come to your senses, come find me. Although I'm not a good person, I'm absolutely responsible when it comes to my own women."
'"Little Ling Yuan" and such... he's clearly a philandering scoundrel,' she thought, a small smile touching her lips despite herself. 'Last time, he probably didn't expect me not to dodge. This time, he probably wouldn't dare to act recklessly...'
Just as Ling Yuan Douluo thought Qin Xuan was just talking, a lazy and mellow voice sounded right by her ear, so close it made her entire body jump.
"Not asleep yet?"
As soon as he spoke, Ling Yuan felt something hard touch her back.
'Could it be?!'
Ling Yuan was startled and quickly turned around, her face crimson, her voice a panicked whisper. "No... Qin Xuan, you can't...!"
Her voice abruptly stopped.
The hard object she imagined did not appear.
What met her eyes, glowing faintly in the darkness of the tent, was a square jade box.
Qin Xuan smiled and handed over the jade box. "Open it and see."
Ling Yuan nodded, completely flustered, her face flushed with a mixture of embarrassment and confusion. She slowly opened the jade box.
A burst of pure, fiery red light erupted from within, momentarily blinding her. It filled the entire tent with a pulsing, warm radiance.
When she opened her eyes again, her breathing suddenly quickened.
"This... This is..." Ling Yuan excitedly sat up, all thoughts of night raids vanishing, replaced by pure, unadulterated shock.
As an Elder of the Elder Palace, she naturally had the right to view the Immortal Herb catalog. She was not unfamiliar with the item inside the box.
What was inside the box was none other than the Immortal Herb that she, and all the fire-attribute Titled Douluo in the entire Elder Palace, had dreamed of. And it was the one most suitable for her: the fire-attribute Immortal Herb, the Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower.
"Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower. This is a gift I specifically brought for you on this trip." The red light receded as Qin Xuan closed the jade box, then very naturally, he took Ling Yuan's hand.
He placed the jade box in her palm, his fingers brushing hers. "It's yours."
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