Chapter 8: The "Exhausted" Prince and the Sword God's Debt
The night in the Imperial Garden had been... productive.
"You two," Yanluo had said, glancing toward the rustling bushes where Ruyan and Qinglan were hiding. "Stop peeking and get over here. We're all dual cultivating tonight. Consider it a mandatory royal decree."
The result? A morning that looked like a battlefield of silk and discarded robes.
The Morning After
The sunlight filtered through the jade windows of the Prince's pavilion. Yanluo was currently in his favorite position: head resting in Yao Qingxue's lap, his face buried against her soft, fragrant chest. She was stroking his white hair with a doting, maternal warmth, occasionally leaning down to pepper his cheeks with kisses.
Beside them, Mu Qinglan and Ling Yuechan looked like they had been through a spiritual hurricane. Their hair was a mess, and their eyes were slightly glazed.
"I think... I think he actually sucked us dry," Qinglan muttered, clutching a pillow. "Isn't the man supposed to be the one exhausted? Why is he looking like he just gained a hundred years of cultivation while I can't even lift my tea cup?"
Yanluo peeked one red eye open, looking defensive. "Hey, I'm the victim here. You three are the ones who wouldn't let me sleep. My back is practically made of glass right now."
"Don't you dare complain about my darling!" Qingxue snapped playfully at the others, pulling Yanluo closer to protect him. "If you can't handle the Second Prince's 'stamina,' that's a skill issue. My Yanluo is perfect."
[System Notification: "Ling"]
[Dual Cultivation Summary: Shared 'Primordial Chaos' energy.]
[Gains: All heroines' cultivation +1 Sub-Realm. Host's 'Endurance' stat has reached 'Mythical' levels.]
[New Quest: Corrupt the Sword God's fiancée, 'Fairy Ye,' before the first round.]
"Hmph!" A loud pout erupted from the corner. Hu Ruyan, the Fox Princess, was sitting on the floor, her tails drooping. "I was left out because I had to handle the 'Imperial Logistics' last night! I'm the only one who didn't get a 'refill'!"
Yanluo sat up, stretching his perfectly toned torso. He walked over and scooped the pouting fox into his arms. "Don't worry, little fox. We're traveling to the Arena by private carriage today. It's a long trip. Plenty of time for... logistics."
Ruyan's ears instantly perked up, her eyes turning into crescents of joy. "Really? You're the best, Yanluo!"
The Grand Selection Arena
The Arena of the Four Dynasties was a floating colosseum the size of a city. Thousands of geniuses had gathered, but all eyes were on the arrival of the Heavenly Sword Sect.
The "Sword God Reincarnate," a youth named Lin Feng, stood in the center of the plaza. He was surrounded by a cold, sharp aura. Beside him stood his fiancée, Ye Ziyun, a woman known as the "Cold Moon Fairy." She was ethereal, dressed in white, with a face that seemed carved from ice.
"Feng," she whispered, looking at the crowd. "There are many experts here. Be careful."
"Careful?" Lin Feng scoffed, resting his hand on his sword. "I am a God reborn. These 'Princes' are just trash for me to—"
BOOM.
The sky turned purple. A massive rift tore open directly above the arena.
Instead of a carriage descending, a single figure stepped out of the void, walking on air as if it were a flight of stairs.
Xu Yanluo descended with his hands in his pockets, his white hair fluttering wildly. He wore a blindfold made of black silk—a "training restraint" he'd added just for the aesthetic. He was flanked by the Fox Princess, who was clinging to his arm with a flushed, satisfied glow.
The pressure he released wasn't sharp like a sword; it was heavy, like the weight of the entire world.
"Is that him?"
"The Villainous Prince?"
"Why is he wearing a blindfold? Is he looking down on everyone?"
Yanluo landed softly on the spectator's balcony, right next to where Ye Ziyun was standing. He didn't even look at the "Sword God." He turned toward the Cold Moon Fairy, leaned in close enough to smell her icy fragrance, and lifted his blindfold just enough to wink at her with one glowing red eye.
"You're far too beautiful to be standing next to such a 'sharp' and boring man," Yanluo whispered, his voice smooth as silk. "If you ever get tired of the smell of sword grease, my palace always has room for a Fairy."
Ye Ziyun froze. Her heart, which had been frozen by her cultivation for years, gave a sudden, violent thud. She looked into that single red eye and felt her knees go weak.
"Y-You... how dare you..." she stammered, but she didn't move away.
"I dare a lot of things," Yanluo smirked, letting the blindfold snap back into place.
He turned toward the arena, where the "Sword God" was currently turning a deep shade of purple from rage.
"Hey, Sword Boy," Yanluo called out, waving lazily. "Hurry up and win your matches. I want to see if a 'God' tastes better when he's begging for mercy."
[System: Cringe levels: Critical. Charisma levels: Breaking the Scale. Fairy Ye's 'Purity' meter is fluctuating!]