A few hours later, night deepened.
For Mu Yang, as a level 99 Limit Douluo, going without sleep for long periods posed no issue so long as he wasn't in high-intensity combat.
Thus, before condensing his third soul core, Mu Yang decided not to let his head touch the pillow. He would cultivate Solar Body Refinement by day and train soul power control by night, seizing the time to condense the third soul core as soon as possible.
But reality often differed from plans. Just as Mu Yang was preparing to burn the midnight oil, an unexpected event occurred.
"Mu Yang, why aren't you resting so late?"
Shui Bing'er's voice drifted to his ears from the balcony where he was honing his soul power control.
Following the sound, Mu Yang saw Shui Bing'er standing in the courtyard below, clad in a light-blue nightdress.
Since they were not yet married, elders like Huo Lie had worried about appearances and thus hadn't allowed Mu Yang and Shui Bing'er to live together.
Leaping lightly down from the balcony, Mu Yang wrapped his girlfriend in his arms, inhaled the fragrance of her hair, and said, "I want to condense my third soul core soon, so I won't be sleeping these days. Bing'er, can't you sleep tonight?"
"Uh~ ah, yes, I couldn't really fall asleep."
Held in his embrace and sensing his aura, "Shui Bing'er" shivered slightly, even her words sounding somewhat halting.
"Hm? Tonight isn't even cold, is it?"
Seeing his girlfriend shiver, Mu Yang was puzzled.
Could it be… shyness?
Impossible. The two had been a couple for nearly ten years. Hugging and holding each other was nothing. If not for Shui Bing'er's insistence that nothing could go further before marriage, Mu Yang would never have forced her, but otherwise she'd already have been claimed.
'Mm, looks like the wedding matters need to be moved up.'
Mu Yang thought privately.
"Shui Bing'er" clutched the collar of her nightdress tighter and said, "I just bathed—it feels a bit cold. Let's go inside first."
Mu Yang: "???"
Cold? Are you kidding? As an ice-attribute Soul Douluo with eight rings, she wouldn't feel cold even in the middle of a snowy winter.
Still, Mu Yang didn't dwell on it. Since his girlfriend wanted to go inside, he had no reason to refuse.
Cultivation?
With a fragrant girlfriend in his arms, who still thought of cultivation?! One missed night wouldn't matter.
Back in the bedroom, leaning against the headboard, Mu Yang held her while whispering sweet words between lovers.
Though straightforward by nature, he wasn't foolish—he wouldn't say anything to spoil the mood.
After a while, perhaps feeling the timing right, "Shui Bing'er" said, "Mu Yang, you've been training so hard lately. You must be tired, right? Let me massage your shoulders."
Saying this, "Shui Bing'er" pulled over a pillow, had Mu Yang lie face-down, then perched herself atop his back and began kneading his shoulders.
'What's this about?'
Feeling the weight on his back and the strength pressing into his shoulders, Mu Yang turned his head in surprise at his girlfriend.
Though her massage technique was clumsy, lacking any real comfort, Mu Yang could tell she was trying hard.
'Strange. Bing'er is gentle, sure, but never this over-the-top…'
Mu Yang thought in confusion.
At that moment, "Shui Bing'er" bent down, pressing herself against his back, and whispered in his ear, "Mu Yang, how does it feel? Is my technique alright?"
"!!!"
Feeling the softness against his spine, Mu Yang's eyes widened, but then his lips curved upward.
Ah, he understood now.
The massage was just a pretext. His girlfriend intended to become the big bad wolf tonight and devour him—the little lamb—in one bite!
The next morning, sunlight streamed through the gauzy curtains into the bedroom.
A ticklish sensation roused Mu Yang from sleep.
Opening his eyes, he saw his girlfriend twirling a lock of ice-blue hair and brushing it playfully against his nose.
"Why not sleep a little longer?"
Catching her mischievous hand, Mu Yang glanced at the soul tool timepiece on the wall and asked with concern.
Due to his overwhelming stamina, he had lost control and exhausted the "first-timer" Shui Bing'er terribly last night. She had slept only four or five hours.
"I'm hungry~"
"Shui Bing'er" pouted.
"What do you want to eat?"
Mu Yang kissed her forehead gently and asked.
"I want… to eat you!"
As she spoke, "Shui Bing'er" licked her lips and flipped onto him.
"Uh~ again?"
Mu Yang was stunned, surprised.
Who knew Bing'er could be this fiery?
"Shui Bing'er" curled her lips. "What, are you not up to it?"
Ah, even using provocation now.
Intolerable! Mu Yang resolved to show her once more who was truly "not up to it."
With the Blue Silver Emperor right leg bone ability, Wildfire Burns On, Spring Wind Revives Again, in hand, he wasn't afraid of wearing her out.
Over an hour later, Mu Yang had fetched breakfast from the academy canteen. After washing up, the two sat in the dining room downstairs to eat.
"Here, Bing'er~"
Scooping up a spoonful of meat porridge, Mu Yang dotingly fed the "Shui Bing'er" sitting on his lap.
One bite for him, one bite for her—feeding each other, even a simple breakfast felt like the finest delicacy in the world.
But just then, a blue-haired figure carrying breakfast in hand arrived at Mu Yang's residence.
Creaaak—
The front door opened, and Shui Bing'er stepped inside.
In the dining room, Mu Yang—midway through feeding breakfast to his girlfriend—noticed the sound of the opening door and turned his head.
"??? Bing'er?"
Seeing Shui Bing'er enter, Mu Yang was dumbfounded.
And he wasn't the only one. When Shui Bing'er at the door saw the person sitting in Mu Yang's lap, she too was struck dumb.
What was going on? Another me?
Coming back to his senses, Mu Yang glanced at Shui Bing'er in the doorway, then at the Shui Bing'er on his lap, and instantly realized the gravity of the situation.
Without a doubt, there was only one Shui Bing'er.
The problem was—who was real? The Shui Bing'er at the door, or the one on his lap?
Recalling the wild passion of the one in his arms last night, Mu Yang felt a sinking premonition.
Perhaps… the one at the door was the real Shui Bing'er, while the one in his arms was a fake?
And then came the next question—if this Shui Bing'er in his lap was a fake, then who could it be?
"Yue'er?"
Mu Yang probed cautiously, staring at the "Shui Bing'er" in his arms.
If anyone dared to play such a bold trick, Mu Yang thought, it could only be his mischievous little sister-in-law, Shui Yue'er.