「Downstairs.」

Jun Yao casually packed a few daily necessities, then closed his door and headed upstairs. Just as he reached the landing, he saw Fu Yuan walking toward him in casual clothes.

"What are you...?"

Fu Yuan raised an eyebrow, looking curiously at the things in Jun Yao’s hands. Jun Yao didn’t hide anything, replying coolly.

"She told me to pack my things and go upstairs. From now on, I’m to sleep with her."

With that, he walked steadily up the stairs, leaving a bewildered Fu Yuan rooted to the spot.

Watching that tall, imposing back, Fu Yuan narrowed his eyes, a thoughtful look surfacing in their deep blue depths.

’This guy’s Beast Soul is the King of Ten Thousand Beasts. Influenced by it, his nature is solitary, proud, and domineering. He never gets close to anyone. After what that woman did to him, with a blood feud like that between them, shouldn’t he be aiming for mutual destruction?’

’So why is he suddenly obeying her every word?’

’When did he become so obedient?’

Fu Yuan narrowed his eyes, a thoughtful look surfacing in their deep blue depths.

"What are you spacing out for? Lost in thought?"

Suddenly, a large hand waved in front of his face. Si Xie stood before him with a messy mop of hair, yawning, looking utterly exhausted and like he hadn’t gotten enough sleep.

Fu Yuan thought for a moment and decided to tell him what happened. He lowered his voice and spoke softly.

"I just ran into Jun Yao. He was taking his things up to the second floor. Said he’s going to be sleeping with that woman from now on!"

"What?"

Hearing this, Si Xie was instantly wide awake, his eyes widening in shock as he exclaimed.

"Ahem, keep your voice down."

His voice was too loud, prompting Fu Yuan’s reminder. However, Si Xie paid him no mind. He craned his neck to glare at the second floor, grinding his teeth so hard they audibly clicked. He looked like he was about to fly into a rage, which was actually quite frightening.

Suddenly, he charged for the stairs. Fu Yuan’s brow twitched, and he quickly shot out a hand to grab him.

"Let me go!"

He twisted his head around, glaring fiercely at the man holding him back.

Fu Yuan felt a major headache coming on. "What do you think you’re doing?"

"Hah! What could I possibly do? I just think that guy’s lost his mind, and I’m going up there to laugh at him!"

’She dug out his inner core, yet he’s already forgotten the pain now that the wound has healed. He’s just going to let her order him around, groveling and begging to be her slave.’

’Dammit, this is insane! The whole world has gone mad, and I’m the only sane one left!’

’I originally thought Jun Yao wanted to kill that woman even more than I did. I was counting on him to join forces with me once he healed, to form a united front against that sycophant Fu Yuan. But no, I get stabbed in the back again.’

Si Xie was so frustrated he felt like he was clawing at his own heart and lungs; he couldn’t stand it for another second.

Fu Yuan: "..."

’If you ask me, he’s the one who’s lost his mind!’

’This guy was never the most level-headed, but he used to be able to keep his cool. I don’t know when it started, but whenever something involves that woman, Jiang Yunnuan, he instantly becomes a firecracker with a short fuse.’

He sighed helplessly. "Didn’t you see Jun Yao’s attitude last night? Why go looking for trouble?"

"Don’t talk about last night! I thought his brain had short-circuited right after evolving and he hadn’t processed the situation yet!"

"Fine, go ahead then. But let me remind you, Jun Yao is in his Deformation Stage now. If you piss him off, he could crush you with a single finger."

Fu Yuan couldn’t be bothered to waste any more words on him. He finished speaking and let him go.

’The only reason I told this guy was because I wanted someone to discuss Jun Yao with. Clearly, I picked the wrong person.’

Si Xie didn’t care about any of that. The moment his arm was free, he shot up the stairs like a gust of wind, reaching Jiang Yunnuan’s door in the blink of an eye.

SLAM—

He had just gotten close when the door was forcefully slammed shut with a tremendous noise, nearly fracturing his prominent nose.

"Open the door! Jun Yao, get out here! Open up!"

Si Xie gritted his teeth, pounding on the door in a furious rage, but there was no sound from inside the room.

Seeing this, he defiantly started kicking the door. After a while, he realized the door seemed to be protected by an incredibly powerful and indestructible force. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t budge it an inch.

However, this didn’t make him give up. He continued to kick, his blows growing more and more violent.

Just then, a powerful, invisible force emanated from the door, abruptly flinging him back. He could no longer get close. He seethed with rage, but there was nothing he could do.

Inside the room, Jun Yao let out a small sigh of relief. ’Good thing I reacted quickly, or else... that guy would have seen!’

His throat bobbed. He slowly pulled the bathroom door shut, sealing all the sensual, fragrant steam inside, then turned his back to it.

In the bathroom, Jiang Yunnuan rested her head sideways on the edge of the tub. Her long, tea-colored hair spread across her back like wet seaweed, and her skin, as fine and smooth as suet jade, was flushed an alluring pink.

It felt like a fire was burning inside her. She gritted her teeth, desperately fighting back the tingling, unbearable desire. Despite her efforts, sounds that would make one’s face blush and heart race still escaped her throat from time to time.

’This is awful. So awful!’

’This garbage state of heat feels even more torturous than taking the strongest aphrodisiac!’

As she endured this torment of lust, Jiang Yunnuan’s willpower wavered, strengthening one moment and weakening the next.

One moment, she would grit her teeth, determined to tough it out. The next, she couldn’t resist the urge to go downstairs and grab any random man. A moment later, she’d feel she could hold on a little longer, but as she kept enduring, she started to think she might just explode and die if she held on any further...

’No, no way. That’s too humiliating a way to die. If I really died because of this, I’d never be able to rest in peace!’

"System, how long have I lasted? How much longer until I complete this damn challenge?"

She whimpered, sending the question to the system via her thoughts for the hundredth time.

"The Host has persisted for one hour. The challenge will be complete in two more hours. You can do it, Host!"

DAMMIT!!!

Hearing how much time was left, Jiang Yunnuan’s vision went black. This time, she really, truly wanted to die. 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

’Dammit, I gritted my teeth and held on for so long, how has it only been an hour? I felt like ages and ages had passed, but it tells me there are still two hours left.’

’Why is Time passing so slowly?’

"You damn System, are you sure you didn’t get the time wrong? Two more hours? Hah, if you want me dead, just say so. Why torture me like this?"

System: "..."

’The Host was the one who accepted the challenge, and she’s refusing to give up no matter what. And I’m the one to blame for this?’

’Waaah, am I the legendary chosen scapegoat?’

"Ahem, are you all right?"

Suddenly, a deep, slightly hoarse voice, so pleasant it could make one’s entire body go weak, came from outside the door. Jiang Yunnuan was already having an incredibly hard time holding back, and hearing this voice pushed her to the very brink of collapse.

Tears streamed uncontrollably down her face. Unable to bear it any longer, she began to touch herself. Her movements were frantic and clumsy. She wanted to scream at him to get out, but the words twisted on her tongue as they came out.

"Come in..."