Chapter 67: A Clumsy Seduction

That night, the candlelight in my room cast a gentle warmth.

Yun Xueshang sat by the bed. When Hua Yan finished her bath and pushed the door open, Yun Xueshang rose and spoke softly.

“Yan’er, let me look after Rongrong tonight. You can rest here in peace, alright?”

She still didn’t understand why Hua Yan had suddenly become distant, yet she chose to be understanding and accommodating. Since Hua Yan was unwilling to share a bed with her, Yun Xueshang would never force the issue.

“Cough, cough, there’s no need.”

Hua Yan cleared her throat. She raised a hand, conjuring a wisp of spiritual energy to dry her damp, flowing red hair. Then, she stood with her arms crossed, her gaze flickering evasively.

“I already modified Rongrong’s mechanical puppy today. It will watch over her and tuck her in. Her bedroom also has a warming array, so she won’t be cold.”

“Alright, then I’ll go out—”

“You have to stay and accompany me tonight!”

Hua Yan hastily interrupted her, her cheeks flushing crimson. “I, I… uh, I’m cold too! So you have to sleep with me!”

The excuse was so clumsy that she regretted it the moment the words left her mouth.

‘Damn it! I should have come up with a better reason. Such a stupid excuse, even a blockhead like Xueshang would probably—’

“Alright, then I won’t leave.”

Yun Xueshang seemed to grasp something, as she sat back down on the bed and nodded.

‘Huh?’

Hua Yan froze.

‘So… Xueshang is that easy to trick?’

‘Hehe, it seems with my intelligence and beauty, getting her to fall for me will be as easy as turning over my hand.’

A triumphant curve played on her lips.

“Yan’er, aren’t you coming to bed yet?”

Yun Xueshang sat on the edge of the bed, patting the empty space beside her. She tilted her head, asking softly.

“Oh, I’m coming, I’m coming!”

Hua Yan’s heart swelled with joy. She happily bounced onto the bed, casually waving a hand to extinguish the candles.

‘Yan’er… she shouldn’t be angry with me anymore, right?’

In the darkness, Yun Xueshang closed her eyes, gently inhaling the familiar floral scent. A sense of peace gradually settled within her.

Though she still didn’t know why Hua Yan had been upset, or why she was no longer angry, seeing her willing to be close again was always a good thing.

Suddenly, a soft, warm body gently pressed against her, radiating a subtle heat.

“You… hold me tighter… okay?”

Hua Yan had her back to Yun Xueshang, subtly shifting closer. Her voice was barely a whisper, like a mosquito’s hum. “I, I still feel a little cold…”

Yun Xueshang paused slightly.

‘Could a Nascent Soul cultivator truly feel this cold?’

Despite her doubts, she reached out as instructed, gently embracing the slender waist of the young woman. Their two bodies silently aligned, not tightly, yet intimately.

“Mmm!”

As if her waist had been tickled, the red-haired girl let out a soft murmur. She twisted slightly, but did not pull away.

It had always been Hua Yan embracing her in the past, but tonight was the first time Yun Xueshang had held Hua Yan in her arms. Feeling the soft warmth in her embrace, Yun Xueshang vaguely felt… that this way seemed even better.

That night, one person slept peacefully, embracing a cherished body and its floral scent. The other, having willingly fallen into her beloved’s arms, found her heart racing, tossing and turning, unable to sleep.

***

Meanwhile, in the side room, there was another person—

“Wow! 099, look! I told you Mother would catch on! She’s even evolved to actively seduce Mommy now! At this rate, the part I’m most looking forward to must be just around the corner!”

“Host, that’s enough!—”

Another person was excitedly rolling around on the bed, a silly grin plastered across their face, wiggling like a happy worm.

***

The next day, Yun Xueshang woke up punctually as usual. She was about to quietly gaze at Hua Yan’s sleeping face a few more times—

But as her sleepy eyes opened, what greeted her was a pair of bright, smiling eyes incredibly close. Unbeknownst to her, Hua Yan had already woken up. She had quietly adjusted her sleeping posture to face Yun Xueshang, intently watching her sleep.

“Yan’er, you’re up so early today.” Yun Xueshang blinked.

“Eh? I, I… I just wanted to try getting up early for morning practice!”

Hua Yan’s face instantly flushed crimson. She abruptly pulled away, rolling off the bed, her words tumbling out rapidly. “After all, you’ve already reached Soul Transformation, so my cultivation can’t fall behind! Hurry and get up, let’s go practice swordsmanship together!”

She snatched up her outer robe and hastily threw it on. “Hurry up! Let’s go practice swordsmanship together!”

‘Aargh! Why did she catch me secretly watching her?! Does Yun Xueshang wake up this early every day?!’

Hua Yan bit her lower lip as she fled the room, her cheeks burning hot.

Last night, she had allowed Yun Xueshang to hold her while she slept, but her mind had been a chaotic mess, keeping her awake all night.

As dawn faintly broke, she had turned over, gazing intently at Yun Xueshang’s peaceful sleeping face.

When asleep, Yun Xueshang shed her usual aloofness, revealing only the inherent gentleness and tranquility beneath, making her exceptionally captivating.

But before she could watch for long, Yun Xueshang woke up, leading to the embarrassing scene just now.

‘Wait a minute… I came here to seduce her. How did I end up panicking and running away instead?’

Hua Yan, now in the courtyard, realized this belatedly, secretly annoyed with herself.

‘Never mind. Anyway… anyway, I have other plans later!’

‘I refuse to believe she won’t be moved by me!’

As she thought of her upcoming plan, a triumphant curve returned to Hua Yan’s lips, and a hint of slyness flashed in her eyes.

“Xueshang, I want you to teach me swordsmanship… can you?”

When Yun Xueshang stepped into the courtyard, she saw Hua Yan already fully dressed.

Hua Yan held her finely carved sword in one hand, while gently tucking a strand of red hair behind her ear with the other, asking with a smile.

‘Teach Yan’er swordsmanship?’

Yun Xueshang paused, then her eyes brightened slightly, her tone carrying a hint of delight. “Of course. I’ve long wanted to discuss swordsmanship with you in detail.”

“Your footwork is wrong, your arm is too high, and your shoulder is too stiff.”

The wooden staff tapped three spots on the red-haired girl’s body in quick succession.

“Yan’er, how can you practice swordsmanship if you’re not focused like this?”

Yun Xueshang frowned slightly, looking at Hua Yan practicing her sword. Her tone unconsciously took on some of the sternness she used when teaching.

“No! The swordsmanship I want to learn isn’t like this!”

Hua Yan finally couldn’t help but throw the thin sword to the ground. She placed her hands on her hips, glaring indignantly at the white-haired girl holding the wooden staff. “Can’t you teach me properly?

Practicing swordsmanship together isn’t supposed to be like this!

You should be holding my waist, pressing against my body, and being swayed by my beauty as you teach me!

This isn’t the kind of swordsmanship I want at all!”

Yun Xueshang was stunned.

‘What Yan’er said… seems reasonable.’

According to her, although her cultivation method allowed her to execute sword moves remembered by artifacts, it couldn’t directly grant her the fundamental basis of swordsmanship honed through countless trials by others.

If the foundation was not solid, it was indeed appropriate to teach meticulously from the very beginning.

Realizing this, her heart understood. “My apologies, Yan’er, I was not thorough enough in my consideration.”

She bent down to pick up the thin sword, which was speckled with snow. With a gentle shake, all the snow particles scattered. Then, she walked behind Hua Yan, placed the sword in her hand, and gently clasped her wrist.

“Come, I’ll teach you.”

The gentle, clear voice brushed against Hua Yan’s ear, causing her heart to tremble. Her heartbeat suddenly quickened, and her earlobes subtly flushed crimson.

Each movement entwined their breaths, and each sword swing was accompanied by the slight tremor of skin touching skin.

The sword’s blade slowly traced a fluid arc in their intertwined hands. With their hands clasped and bodies pressed together, it seemed less like practicing swordsmanship and more like lovers embracing.

‘I’m finished…’

Hua Yan’s mind went blank. ‘I was clearly trying to tease her, but instead… I seem to be falling for her even more.’