Qingque continuously pressed the shutter, and the click, click, click of the camera made the Grand Diviner's face flush red as she writhed.
Her suspended, silk-clad calves kicked in the air, the smooth, flexed soles of her feet revealing a cherry-pink hue.
Holding the camera with both hands, Qingque tilted her head. "Turning red?"
"...Qingque!"
Fu Xuan ground her teeth.
Qingque's eyes curved into crescents. She held the red cord in her hands, alternately tightening and loosening her grip as she mimicked Ye Feng's sinister "Jie jie jie" laugh.
"That's right, that's right, Grand Diviner. When we get back to reality, remember that it was I, Qingque, who whipped you."
"Hm?"
What does she mean by that?
Fu Xuan was momentarily stunned. Why did she keep emphasizing that she was Qingque?
Could it be someone else?
No, it was also possible that it was indeed Qingque, just putting up a smokescreen, playing psychological games, and turning the tables.
In the end, what exactly was going on here?
Although Fu Xuan couldn't use her finger-divination or her Jade Talisman right now, she had a vague premonition... this space shielded all heavenly secrets, making prediction impossible.
Even her divination eye had "dimmed."
CRACK!
Before she could think further, Qingque's whip fell again, striking the Grand Diviner's perky, silk-wrapped bottom.
It didn't hurt much.
But it stung with a fiery heat.
The humiliation in her heart far outweighed the physical sensation.
Fu Xuan pressed her lips together tightly, her gaze like a torch as she stared at Qingque, as if trying to see right through her.
"Oh my, oh my, the Grand Diviner's glare is so, so scary."
"...Qingque!"
Qingque's heart was pounding.
Why is the Grand Diviner still calling me Qingque? Shouldn't she be asking, "Who are you?"
She really wasn't suited for acting.
Forget it. When I get back, I'll just deny everything.
In the worst-case scenario, I'll still have the photos.
Although I don't know if I can take them out of here, would the Grand Diviner dare to bet on whether my camera has photos in it or not?
With this thought, Qingque calmed down a little.
The corners of her mouth turned up; she was no longer afraid.
Since there was no turning back, she might as well see it through to the end.
Being a wishy-washy half-wit was the most contemptible thing of all.
Besides, whipping a conscious Grand Diviner... Ehehe.
"Huh?"
Qingque's pupils contracted. Ye Feng had suddenly appeared behind Fu Xuan.
This position, this angle...
Qingque thought Ye Feng was about to draw his gun and fire.
After all, this was the "God of Lust" as she knew him.
And Qingque had to admit, the Grand Diviner in this state... was truly alluring. Super lewd.
Even she, a fellow woman, felt a sense of pity, which in turn fueled her sadistic impulse even more. Wait, could it be that I'm actually an extreme sadist?
Just as she was thinking this, she watched in shock as Ye Feng gave her a gentle smile, then raised his hand and untied the red cord binding the Grand Diviner.
No, wait... what are you doing?
Qingque's brain short-circuited for just a second before she turned and ran for her life.
She fled the pavilion in a flash.
What else could she do?
Stay here and wait to die?
The Grand Diviner would definitely kill her.
Freed from her bonds, Fu Xuan collapsed to the ground like a wilting pink flower.
A large ladies' trench coat fell from above, covering her delicate and petite body.
"!!"
Fu Xuan shakily got to her feet. She secretly shook her wrists, which ached from being bound; distinct red marks were visible on her fair skin.
But she couldn't be bothered with that right now. Fu Xuan clutched the gray, housewife-style trench coat tightly, wrapping it around her body like a bedsheet, leaving only her head and her silk-clad calves exposed.
She looked at the man who had suddenly appeared. He saved me?
Fu Xuan's gaze shifted away slightly. After all, she was only wearing white silk pantyhose underneath.
But what needed to be said must be said. This was the upbringing of the stargazing family of the Yuque Xianzhou.
"Thank you."
"Mm."
"I have not yet had the honor of asking your name. In the future, this one... ahem, I will certainly pay a visit to express my gratitude."
"Ah, there's really no need for that. As for my name, I'm Ye Feng."
"Ye Feng..."
Fu Xuan looked up, her clear pupils reflecting Ye Feng's figure. For a moment, she was lost in a daze.
At some unknown point, night had fallen.
The sky was filled with countless stars.
The light of the moon and stars fell upon Ye Feng, bathing him in a pure, clear radiance.
He was so dazzling, so flawless.
Fu Xuan tilted her head slightly, tightening the trench coat around her. The sensation of her delicate skin rubbing against the fabric made the traditional and dignified Grand Diviner blush slightly.
Especially the parts that Qingque had whipped; upon contact with the coat's fabric, they began to burn with heat again.
This heat came from within, as if a fire was burning inside her.
"Um... thank you for the clothes..."
"You're welcome. I was just worried I wouldn't be able to resist doing you."
"??"
Wh-what?
Fu Xuan stared blankly at Ye Feng.
What did he just say? Couldn't resist... what?
She couldn't comprehend it.
Or rather, her brain was refusing to comprehend it.
"It's okay if you don't understand now. You will in the future," Ye Feng said with a gentle smile.
"In any case, I am deeply grateful to you, sir."
Fu Xuan paused, then looked in the direction Qingque had fled. Her gaze instantly hardened. "That..."
"You want to go catch that runaway, right? Go on, then."
"Thank you for your understanding."
With a light tap of her toes, Fu Xuan leaped into the air, flying over the wall of the Suzhou-style garden.
Ye Feng took a deep breath and looked down at his little brother.
It had already raised its sword of rebellion to the heavens.
Ye Feng couldn't help but console himself. "Patience. Don't be hasty. The more you endure now, the more satisfying the eruption will be."
Although Ye Feng could also "modulate" his own state, it was still far inferior to genuine, hard-earned endurance.
After all, a sharp sword is forged through tempering, and the fragrance of plum blossoms comes from the bitter cold.
---o---
World Bubble.
The night in Canghai City was exceptionally deep.
The streetlights and moonlight intertwined in the alley, creating a patchwork of light and shadow.
With every step Seele took, the surrounding environment seemed to grow heavier.
Seele forced herself to remain calm, silently praying that nothing would happen.
"Tsk, I can't watch this anymore. If you're so scared, you shouldn't have agreed to go out on patrol," Dark Seele said irritably.
Her temper seemed to be getting worse and worse lately.
Then again, anyone who had been stuck in a wall in an embarrassing position for two days straight wouldn't be in a good mood.
And what's more, it was a disgraceful state that Dark Seele most wanted to hide from Seele...
However, after waking up, neither of them had mentioned it, maintaining a tacit silence.
But even without words, a subtle change had occurred in the atmosphere between them...
Seele was adept at reading people and being considerate of their feelings.
She saw the change in Dark Seele, which was why she hadn't slept tonight and had instead agreed to patrol this area for Officer Himeko.