Chapter 66: According to the Jianghu Rules, This Little Woman Should Repay With Her Body…

Since Yun Jin’s little tent got torched, He Yimo reluctantly had to share his sleeping bag with her tonight. Luckily, his tent was spacious enough, and Yun Jin was petite, so while it was a bit cramped under one roof (or canvas, rather), it was definitely warmer huddled together against the freezing snowy weather.

After the chaos and fighting with the cultists last night, both He Yimo and Yun Jin were exhausted. Once they wriggled into the sleeping bag and got bundled up, neither wanted to move an inch.

“Yun Jin,” He Yimo began softly, leaning against the tent wall and gazing out at the night sky through a small gap in the flap. He couldn’t help but speak up eventually. “When we get back to the sect… let me buy you a new set of really good bedding, okay…?”

Learning that Yun Jin’s destroyed quilt had been hand-stitched by her grandmother sent a sharp pang through He Yimo’s chest. Even lying next to her now felt heavy with guilt.

`Gods, I’m such an asshole…` The more he thought about it, the more his conscience stabbed him. With his free hand, hidden from Yun Jin’s view, he gave himself a light slap across the face. Idiot.

“N-No! How could I accept?!” Yun Jin protested immediately, rolling over to face him, her innocent, wide eyes blinking earnestly. “Young Master He wasn’t the one who burned my quilt! There’s no need for you to spend money on me!”

He Yimo couldn’t quite meet her gaze, but his tone became firm, leaving no room for argument. “Don’t argue. It’s settled.”

“O-Oh… Okay…” Having grown up as a well-behaved girl under her grandparents’ care, Yun Jin was slightly intimidated by He Yimo’s sudden decisiveness and didn’t dare protest further. Her small face fell slightly, looking worried. After studying his face for a moment, she whispered, “I’ll… I’ll accept it then… Y-You… please don’t be angry…”

Ouch. That just made He Yimo’s guilt twist even harder. He turned his head, looking directly into her pitiful, heart-wrenchingly adorable little face. His voice softened considerably. “I’m not angry. Just… think of it as compensation… for me being late last night, and making you worry.”

“Th-Thank you, Young Master He!” Seeing the gentleness in his eyes, Yun Jin’s fearful expression immediately brightened into a beaming smile. In the darkness of the small tent, tucked inside the warm sleeping bag, she subtly scooted a little closer to him.

“Young Master He doesn’t need to apologize!” she murmured, her small face resting lightly near his shoulder. “It’s me who should be thanking you… for saving my life… multiple times!” Even through the layers of bedding and clothes, He Yimo could feel the distinct warmth radiating from the girl beside him.

He didn’t know what to say. He silently reached over and pulled the tent flap closed, plunging them into deeper darkness.

The atmosphere grew quiet again, filled only with the soft sounds of their breathing in the enclosed, warm space.

“Young Master He…” After a while, Yun Jin shifted even closer. He Yimo was lying flat on his back, staring upwards, while Yun Jin was on her side facing him. Her small face, flushed slightly pink from the warmth and atmosphere, was now right next to his ear.

“It’s so late… Can’t sleep?” He Yimo asked, his own heart starting to beat faster. He didn’t dare turn his head; she was so close he felt like he’d accidentally kiss her if he moved.

But shrouded in darkness, Yun Jin seemed to grow bolder. Slowly, tentatively, she lifted her leg. After a moment’s hesitation, she carefully draped it over He Yimo’s body, hugging him slightly like one might hug a large pillow. Half her body was now pressed against his side.

What made He Yimo’s breath catch, however, was that his left hand, which had been resting passively by his side, was now pinned snugly against the warm curve of Yun Jin’s lower stomach, beneath her clothes.

The tent was already a confined space. Now, with them pressed together for warmth, He Yimo’s left hand felt incredibly hot against her skin, his palm starting to sweat. But he didn’t dare move it. It wasn’t that he lacked the desire… he was just worried he’d truly scare Yun Jin if he made any sudden moves.

After all… Yun Jin was just the ‘beginner’s guide’ character from the original story. She didn’t have Senior Sister Mo’s terrifying cultivation, nor Jiang Jinyue’s cunning and manipulative mind. Yun Jin was simply too pure. Even though she was the one initiating the closeness now, maybe it was just innocent gratitude, an unintentional act. If He Yimo shifted his hand now, letting her realize exactly where it was pressed… she’d likely jump back in fright, creating a huge awkward distance between them. Rather than risk that, He Yimo decided it was best to keep playing dumb, acting like a log. Different girls needed different approaches to intimacy, after all.

`Now, if this were Jiang Jinyue,` he thought wryly, `that little vixen who practically begs for discipline… If she threw herself at me like this, I definitely wouldn’t be playing gentle. I’d already have my ‘gun’ out and be ‘firing’ away relentlessly.` Heh.

“Young Master He… I’m not sleepy yet…” Yun Jin mumbled softly beside his ear. “It feels… kinda stuffy and warm in here… Can’t fall asleep…”

He Yimo glanced sideways at her, then reached up to tug the tent flap slightly open again. “Should I open this for some air, then?”

“N-No! No need!” Yun Jin squeaked, suddenly tense. The leg draped over him tightened its grip slightly. “I-It’s fine like this! Warm is… is good! Just right!”

Seeing her adorable reaction, He Yimo couldn’t help but smile. `Such an innocent, sweet girl… It really was a shame she died in the first volume of the original story…` Sigh. `Definitely made the right call, luring the beginner’s guide to my side early on. He gazed at Yun Jin’s flushed face, feeling a mix of fondness and melancholy.

“Y-Young Master He…” the girl whispered again, looking up at him with wide, hopeful eyes, her face beet red, as if she couldn’t help but say his name.

He Yimo still didn’t move, determined not to scare her off, giving her ample space to take the lead. “Yes? What is it?” he replied gently.

“I… I heard from some seniors in the sect… that… that since Young Master He saved my life last night… according to the rules of the cultivation world… Yun Jin should… should repay with… with her bod…” Yun Jin bit her small, cherry-red lip, struggling to get the words out. She took a deep breath, gathering her courage, but still couldn’t quite finish the sentence.

He Yimo stayed silent, patiently giving her time.

“With… with her body… offer… offer myself…” Yun Jin finally choked out, her voice shrinking to a kitten’s mewl. She pressed herself even tighter against He Yimo, her leg clamped firmly around him out of sheer nervousness. Her voice was so quiet, He Yimo blinked, leaning slightly closer. “Sorry, what was that?”

“…!!!” That snapped Yun Jin’s remaining courage. Her face flushed an even deeper shade of crimson. She buried her face against his shoulder, finally blurting out in a rush, “I-I mean! Yun Jin means… Young Master He saved Yun Jin… so Yun Jin should repay Young Master He’s kindness! That’s right!”

“Hmmmm?” He Yimo teased gently, pretending to be suspicious. “Are you sure that’s what you just said? It sounded like fewer words before…”

The more he feigned ignorance, the redder Yun Jin’s face became. “N-No! That wasn’t it! What I said just now… the general meaning was… was basically that…”

“Ah, I see.” He Yimo paused, then asked casually, “So… how do you plan on repaying me tonight?”

His words made Yun Jin’s small body jolt. Even through their clothes, He Yimo felt the spot on her stomach where his hand rested suddenly become much hotter.

`Gods, she’s warm…` His palm was slick with sweat now, pressed against her lower belly, but he remained absolutely still, terrified of startling her and making her pull away.

“I… I want to…” Yun Jin started, her voice tiny. But then she seemed to realize the implication of his question, her large, pitiful eyes widening in shock. “Eh?! R-Repay the kindness… tonight?!”

“Well, wasn’t that what you were suggesting?” He Yimo couldn’t resist teasing her further; she was just too damn cute. Seeing the single ahoge on top of her head practically stand on end, her little face so hot it looked like steam might rise off it, he chuckled inwardly. Keeping his expression innocent, he blinked again. “So? How exactly does Miss Yun intend to repay this debt of gratitude? Hmm?”

“M-Me? I-I-I-I…” Under the thick quilt, Yun Jin reflexively clamped her legs tighter around him. She didn’t realize, however, that his trapped arm was now even more securely pinned between her thighs, right against her lower abdomen. While he didn’t dare move, the faint, muffled sensations were sending his imagination into overdrive. This wasn’t just a test for Yun Jin anymore; it was becoming a serious challenge for He Yimo to keep his own reactions… suppressed.

“I… I don’t know what kind of repayment Young Master He wants…” Yun Jin stammered finally, looking up at him with wide, uncertain, tear-bright eyes, her face completely flushed. It had to be said, the enclosed, intimate atmosphere of the small tent had definitely given her more courage than usual. But for a sheltered girl raised by her grandparents, even saying this much in such a suggestive situation was pushing her absolute limits.

He Yimo, carefully observing her expression, knew he had to tread lightly. A gentle, sensitive girl like Yun Jin couldn’t be rushed. Honestly, if he did make an outrageous demand right now, she’d probably burst into frightened tears… but given her personality, she’d likely still grit her teeth and let him take advantage. `But what would be the point of bullying her like that?` Temporary pleasure versus long-term happiness… He Yimo knew which was more valuable. As the saying went: Don’t fail a good girl; don’t waste a bad girl.

“Hmmmm, let me think…” He Yimo mused aloud, deliberately drawing out the moment, his voice soft and soothing, like humming a lullaby. “What kind of repayment could Senior Sister Yun possibly offer me…?”

The atmosphere grew quiet and peaceful. He could feel Yun Jin watching him, her previously racing heart gradually calming under his gentle tone, her breathing evening out.

He Yimo thought for a moment, then smiled. “How about this… When this mission is over… Senior Sister Yun takes me down the mountain… we stop by your grandparents’ place in the village for a home-cooked meal… and then I can…” he began softly.

But before he could finish, the ahoge girl nestled beside him started making soft, sweet breathing sounds. Huuu… Zzzz…

He Yimo raised an eyebrow, glancing over. The perky little ahoge that had been standing tall earlier had now drooped limply, resting quietly against her serene, exhausted, soft little face.

“Fell asleep already? That fast?” he whispered, surprised. “Or is she faking it? Trying to avoid the issue?” Having spent so much time around Jiang Jinyue, his first instinct was suspicion.

But then he thought about it… Yun Jin had climbed Ranmo Peak to find him early yesterday morning… and now the sun was almost rising on the second day. She hadn’t rested for at least twelve hours straight. Plus, enduring all the life-and-death crises tonight… For a normal human girl, staying awake chatting with him this long was already a huge effort… It was He Yimo who was abnormally energized right now. Thanks to his successful… transaction… with the Life Mother God last night, his cultivation was at its peak. Feeling the faint, sweet scent of the girl sleeping beside him, his heart was still pounding erratically.

Honestly… as a young man in the prime of his vigorous adolescence… He Yimo was seriously struggling to keep his ‘gun’ holstered. He kept having to peek out the tent flap at the night sky just to distract himself. If Yun Jin had pushed just a little bit further earlier… He Yimo probably would have just gone with the flow. After all, back at the Grand Preceptor’s mansion, his aunt had been incredibly strict, constantly searching under his bed for dirty books and randomly checking the tissue content in his trash can.

He’d been repressed for years! Often, his body reacted completely beyond his control; his ‘little brother’ seemed permanently hopped up on chicken blood, standing at attention at the slightest provocation. Sigh… It couldn’t be helped. Human physiology. willpower wasn’t strong enough to control every valve in the body.

He sighed again, resigned. Yun Jin was fast asleep. He couldn’t really do anything now. He took several deep breaths, trying to calm the excited hormones still surging through his system.

Outside, the snow wind blew cold. Inside, He Yimo was sweating buckets. He carefully shifted onto his side, watching Yun Jin’s peaceful, sweet sleeping face. Very, very carefully, he began the delicate operation of extracting his left arm – now completely numb and probably soaked with sweat – from where Yun Jin had clamped it between her legs. He didn’t dare use much force, terrified of waking her. If she woke up now, with his hand right there… he wouldn’t be able to explain his way out of it even if he jumped into the Yellow River. But pulling slowly was hard; she was holding on tight!

He managed to ease it out slightly… but the sleeping girl seemed to sense something missing. She instinctively snuggled closer, grabbing his arm again and pulling it tight against her chest—

Oh shit. His hand was free from between her legs, yes… but now his forearm was nestled directly between the soft, yielding mounds of her small breasts. The infamous small buns.

“Hssss…!” The slight movement made He Yimo break out in another cold sweat. This position was arguably even more dangerous! Like most men, He Yimo possessed a wickedly guilty conscience. He swallowed hard, experimentally flexing his arm just a fraction. Sure enough, through the thin fabric of her inner shirt, he felt the distinct, soft resilience beneath his arm.

“Ngh… Mmm…” Yun Jin murmured instinctively in her sleep, her face flushed in the stuffy heat.

Smack! He Yimo resisted the urge to slap himself again. `Dammit! You really are trash!` he berated himself silently. `You burned down her grandmother’s quilt, and now you’re getting tempted by the precious granddaughter too?! Get a grip!`

Forcing his ‘little head’ back down, He Yimo focused, letting his ‘big head’ retake control. Using his right hand to support his left arm, trying desperately to minimize friction against those ‘small buns’, he carefully, painstaking began to withdraw his arm from her embrace.

He was almost successful… Almost free… when a cool, clear, yet imperious female voice suddenly cut through the night air, right outside the tent flap—

“He Yimo. …What exactly… are you doing in there?”

“—!!!”

(Scene shifts abruptly)

Wuji Peak. The hidden realm behind the mountain. Deep within the bamboo forest.

Gu Wanglan sat nervously inside the dilapidated Mountain God temple, clutching two crimson pills tightly in his hand. His brow was furrowed, large beads of sweat trickling down his forehead. He was clearly waiting for something, anxiety etched onto his face.

Bzzzzzz… Vwooom… After a long silence, several blood-red vines snaked up from the ground, weaving together mid-air to form a swirling black portal.

Seeing it, Gu Wanglan scrambled forward, dropping immediately to one knee, his gaze fixed devoutly on the ground before the portal.

A figure stepped through: a breathtakingly beautiful young woman wearing an elaborate, Western-style formal gown. Her left eye was covered by bandages. Her unique blue-white hair was elegantly styled and draped over her shoulders. The gown itself was primarily blood-red, but strangely, clusters of greyish-white carnations  bloomed directly from the fabric. This bizarre artistry—white flowers blooming from a sea of red—combined with the scattered bandages wrapped around her deathly pale skin, created an unsettling yet captivating aura of decay and rebirth, a poignant, desolate beauty.

“Saintess!” Gu Wanglan greeted her in a low, reverent tone as her delicate feet touched the temple floor. He bowed his head even lower, his gaze fixed on the embroidered, bandaged legs visible beneath the hem of her blood-red skirt.

“I hear… the Mountain God Temple was discovered,” the girl addressed as ‘Saintess’ stated calmly, her voice soft yet carrying immense weight. “And the Nine-Colored Deer  was stolen.” She walked slowly towards him, nonchalantly plucking a budding flower from one of the nearby blood-vines. Blowing gently on it, the bud instantly blossomed into a stunning, moon-white carnation.

“I also hear,” she continued, her expression unreadable, “that the Immortal Alliance  has issued a warrant. Countless Wuji Sect cultivators are currently heading towards Snow Village to investigate.” She glanced back briefly at Gu Wanglan’s kneeling figure. That single look was enough to make him break out in a fresh wave of terrified sweat.

“S-Saintess… P-Please… Please give me one more chance…!” He stammered, unable to offer any defense, only able to plead desperately.

“Do you know… who stole the Nine-Colored Deer?” the Saintess inquired softly.

“A-According to my investigation… the thief is most likely Chen Jianxin!” Gu Wanglan blurted out, repeating Jiang Jinyue’s implanted suspicion. “S-So! If we just kill Chen Jianxin, then everything—”

“Chen Jianxin?” This time, the blood-clad girl interrupted him, tilting her head slightly, a flicker of doubt in her visible right eye. Meeting Gu Wanglan’s fearful, trembling gaze, she slowly tucked a strand of blue-white hair behind her ear, her unbandaged green eye narrowing slightly. “Lift your head. Look at me.”

“Y-Yes! Yes!” Gu Wanglan obeyed hesitantly, slowly raising his head.

Before him, the Saintess’s green eye reflected a cold, blood-red light. After a moment of direct eye contact, she detected the familiar traces of illusion magic deep within Gu Wanglan’s pupils. A knowing, almost playful, cold smirk touched her lips. Her eye narrowed further. “Heh~ Just as I thought. She did it.”

“S-Saintess? Who? What do you mean?” Gu Wanglan asked, confused.

“It’s nothing.” The Saintess sighed, her expression shifting to one of mild annoyance. She waved a dismissive hand. “You were right. It was Chen Jianxin.” She casually dropped the fully bloomed carnation onto the floor, crushed it decisively under her heel, and stated coldly, “Since we’ve confirmed it was Chen Jianxin… then there’s no time to waste. Finish it. Quickly.”

“After tonight… I can help you trigger the full moon phenomenon early. When Chen Jianxin returns, ensure the sacrifice is completed promptly.” With that final command, the Saintess turned, stepped back into the swirling black portal, and vanished into the night.

The portal closed. The crushed carnation on the floor rapidly withered, decayed, and melted into a puddle of thick, milky-white viscous liquid, which then silently seeped into the earthen floor, disappearing without a trace.