She looked up to see a face of seemingly natural noble radiance leaning down from above the small door’s lintel—heroic yet gentle, like a jade-carved flower.

This noble-looking person spoke words that were definitely not noble.

“Sweetheart.” Purple Micro Superior shook a bundle in his hand, heavy with a pile of things inside, and threw a flirtatious glance at the hemp-clothed person behind her. “Thank you for helping me detain this silly girl. Now everything inside belongs to me. We’ll split it later, and by the way, give this girl a negative score.”

Jing Hengbo turned back to look at the hemp-clothed person—was he someone sent by Purple Micro Superior? Here to steal points and things?

The hemp-clothed person seemed to want to say something, but when he raised his head slightly and met Purple Micro Superior’s grinning expression, he suddenly fell silent.

Jing Hengbo thought Purple Micro Superior was capable of such things—after all, he lived to cause all kinds of trouble.

Jing Hengbo felt relieved instead. Of course she had never believed this hemp-clothed person was a zombie, nor would she believe the nonsense about coming down to get a new coffin. She had been wondering why this guy had mysteriously appeared to help her. Now that she knew, she felt at peace.

While feeling at peace, her heart also held some vague disappointment, though she didn’t want to think about why she felt disappointed. Nor did she want to consider whether Purple Micro Superior’s words could be trusted.

The urgent matter was to snatch back her points from Purple Micro Superior. This old guy was unreasonable—she couldn’t let him have his way. She had to be even more unreasonable.

“You can’t deduct points!” She pointed at Purple Micro Superior’s nose. “This isn’t a test question! I’ve already completed the test!”

“This is a bonus question. All situations arising from the test questions count as part of the test.” Purple Micro Superior smiled. The more Jing Hengbo looked at his face, the angrier she became—such behavior really wasted such a good face.

“You’re cheating.” She firmly disagreed. “Since when does an examiner interfere with test questions and find helpers to cause trouble?”

“You can find helpers too.” Purple Micro Superior smiled and nodded toward the door, indicating Pei Shu.

Pei Shu’s voice was still clear through the door crack. The content of his cursing had already switched to Jing Hengbo. Only now did Jing Hengbo pay attention to what he was saying—this guy couldn’t find her and was irritated, already cursing her for being fickle and abandoning him.

Abandon your sister! Jing Hengbo was full of anger. She turned to leave, when Purple Micro Superior said leisurely behind her: “Voluntarily giving up the bonus question, minus twenty points.”

Jing Hengbo stopped and took a deep breath.

The hemp-clothed person suddenly said: “As a helper, can I make a request?”

This was the first time he’d spoken so much. His voice was slightly hoarse.

Purple Micro Superior smiled and said: “Let’s hear it first.”

“Since it’s a test question, it should be completed properly.” The hemp-clothed person said expressionlessly. “You running over to end it early defeats the purpose of the examination. How about this—you put everything back, and we’ll give her another chance. You and I form one group, she and Pei Shu form another group. Let’s compete to see who can grab more things. Whoever wins gets the victory.”

“Sweetheart,” Purple Micro Superior rested his chin on his hand looking at him, “but I’m afraid you’ll cheat and turn your elbow outward. What then?”

“Since I’m your sweetheart, how could I turn my elbow outward?” he said expressionlessly.

“True.” Purple Micro Superior jumped down from the door top, walked to his side, and grabbed his arm, leaning his head against him.

Watching this old fairy’s movements, Jing Hengbo felt waves of coldness in her heart. She didn’t know why, but even though she clearly knew Purple Micro Superior was male, seeing him act in this feminine manner didn’t feel uncomfortable. Perhaps it was because Purple Micro Superior had a man’s body but a woman’s appearance—completely feminine features.

He was completely different from Tian Qi. Tian Qi had masculine features and tried his best to align his actions and behavior with masculinity, but occasionally couldn’t control himself and would reveal some feminine mannerisms, which made people’s skin crawl. Purple Micro Superior, however, had purely feminine features with ambiguous gender—equally skilled at both male and female forms, looking fine either way.

Such a character was truly unique.

Purple Micro Superior rested his “beautiful head” coquettishly on the hemp-clothed person’s shoulder. The hemp-clothed person’s whole body trembled, and for a moment seemed to really want to push him away, but for some reason still didn’t move.

“Sweetheart, we haven’t seen each other for so long. I’ve missed you terribly. Why are you still wearing this troublesome mask? Come, let me see—have you gotten wrinkled?” Purple Micro Superior raised his hand and brushed across the hemp-clothed person’s face.

For an instant the hemp-clothed person seemed about to dodge, but still didn’t manage to. For an instant Jing Hengbo’s waist and back tightened, her gaze burning.

A layer of waxy yellow soft gelatinous material fell into Purple Micro Superior’s hand. The face under the mask was young, handsome, and unfamiliar.

Jing Hengbo, without even realizing it herself, let out a long breath.

That strange feeling of not knowing whether it was disappointment or relief came again.

She tried hard to suppress her emotions. Now wasn’t the time for wild thoughts—there was a competition to be had. Whether she could get back her points from this old schemer Purple Micro depended on today’s performance.

“Sweetheart,” Purple Micro Superior smiled and touched the hemp-clothed person’s face, “you’re getting more and more handsome. So handsome I almost don’t recognize you.”

The hemp-clothed person pulled down his hand and said flatly: “Are we competing or not?”

Purple Micro Superior giggled, flicked his sleeve to open the door, and shouted loudly: “Little Shu Shu!”

Pei Shu cursed loudly in the distance: “Good! While I’m here fighting desperately, you’re inside fooling around!”

“There are good things here.” Purple Micro Superior shouted. “We couples and you couples—let’s all compete. If you can take more, we’ll give you points!”

Hearing “couples,” Pei Shu’s anger immediately dissipated. He laughed heartily: “Excellent! Wait a moment!”

Jing Hengbo’s face twitched. She wanted to curse Purple Micro Superior but was afraid of losing points. Looking at the hemp-clothed person, he seemed to have shuddered.

Very slightly, but somehow she felt it—this guy must be even more uncomfortable than her right now.

It was rare for such a cold and rigid person to endure this. Was he seeing Purple Micro Superior’s true strength?

At the corridor end, Pei Shu’s sleeves whirled like angry dragons, continuously flinging away several people. Those people screamed as they flew across the corridor, falling one by one into that section of swamp mud containing fierce beasts.

Almost as soon as their bodies hit the water, the swamp immediately churned with muddy water and flying black shadows. Various shaped beasts baring ghostly white teeth leaped up, biting those people in one gulp. Amid screams, blood and mud splattered on both walls.

Pei Shu’s figure shot forward like an arrow. His toes touched those people’s bodies, and with several consecutive leaps, he literally used those people’s bodies as stepping stones, treading on beast heads to cross that black river section.

Jing Hengbo had already moved the ejection device to prevent Pei Shu from stepping on it and being shot back.

With a whoosh, robes flashed, and Pei Shu was already standing before her. He first grabbed her arm, frowning as he looked her up and down. After confirming she was unharmed, he violently flung her arm away and said coldly: “Disobedient woman! Why didn’t you respond when I called just now?”

Jing Hengbo crossed her arms, both angry and amused looking at him—so Purple Micro Superior saying “couples” once made him really think he was her husband?

“These fourteen inner chambers contain secret materials from Blackwater Marsh’s Three Gates, Four Alliances, and Seven Great Gangs.” Purple Micro Superior clapped his hands. “It’s what the second of the Thirteen Protectors exhausted his efforts and spent countless manpower and resources to collect. Tsk tsk, that child is talented. This old man has always been very interested in other people’s family affairs. This old man wants these things, but if you want to take them too, fine—in one word, each according to ability. Two people per group, whoever grabs more wins.”

Pei Shu’s eyes immediately lit up, but clearly he wasn’t interested in any internal secret materials—he was purely excited by the word “grab.”

Just as he was about to agree, Jing Hengbo viciously pinched his arm and turned to Purple Micro Superior with a fake smile: “Since it’s grabbing, it’s also gambling. There should be stakes, right?”

Hearing “gambling,” Pei Shu immediately shivered alertly…

But Purple Micro Superior didn’t take the bait: “If you can grab more, naturally we’ll give you points. That’s the stakes.”

“No, no,” Jing Hengbo shook her head. “If I grab more, I get points—that’s proper, what kind of stakes is that?”

“Then what do you suggest?” Purple Micro Superior held his smooth jade chin, his eyes smiling and rolling upward, large and seductive, truly unbearable to look at.

“If I win, your group agrees to one request from me. Of course, if you win, you can also request our group to do one thing.”

“Fine.” Purple Micro Superior agreed very readily, glancing at the hemp-clothed person.

Jing Hengbo smiled very happily too—Purple Micro Superior could make whatever outrageous request he wanted, she’d just make Pei Shu handle it anyway.

“I’ve already placed things in each room. Each room has its own way of opening, and each room has mechanisms. The rooms are very small—to avoid too many people crowding in and triggering mechanisms, we’ll start from opposite ends. The time limit is one quarter hour, because in about a quarter hour, the Thirteen Protectors’ reinforcements will arrive.” His eyes rolled, then he added: “People in each group must cooperate fully and can’t eat from the inside while scratching the outside. Anyone with betraying behavior loses twenty points.”

“Unfair.” Jing Hengbo protested while pulling Pei Shu toward the right side. “You’ve already been inside. You’re familiar with the mechanisms. This makes it easy for you to win. You’re cheating!”

“Unfair!” Purple Micro Superior also protested while pulling the hemp-clothed person toward the left side. “You can teleport—you don’t need to break any doors in the world. You’re also cheating!”

“No way!” Jing Hengbo shouted, rolling up her sleeves.

“Wrong!” Purple Micro Superior cursed, waving his long sleeves.

“Smack.” A bottle containing a fierce beast smashed down toward Purple Micro Superior’s head.

“Whoosh.” An oil lamp suddenly tipped toward Jing Hengbo’s head.

With a flash, each dodged and each cursed “Treacherous!”

Jing Hengbo flashed directly into the first room, lifted her leg and kicked the door open for Pei Shu to rush in.

The room was very small—so small that two people inside felt crowded. It was pitch black inside and nothing could be seen. Just as Jing Hengbo was about to light a fire starter, Pei Shu suddenly slapped her fire starter away.

She was stunned. He pressed her hand tightly, originally intending to make her quiet, but somehow suddenly felt the delicate smoothness of her skin.

Darkness could heighten a person’s sensory sensitivity. He felt the skin under his fingers was like warm jade—touching it seemed to make it slip away, his fingertips receiving the most comforting sensation, making his heart want to sing.

He trembled slightly.

He was still young, at the peak of his vigor. After several years of valley nightmares and over a thousand days and nights of bitter endurance, in those days struggling for survival, during rare moments of rest, the young man’s body still had hot blood and desires stirring, repeatedly washing over lonely banks, igniting burning fires.

Just like Jing Hengbo’s words that day: “Can only grope yourself in the mud, howl at the moon pretending to be a werewolf.” It seemed like a joke but hit a painful spot.

His strong nature and extremely yang martial arts gave him desires beyond others for certain needs.

A burning light faintly lit in his eyes.

Jing Hengbo couldn’t see his expression but felt his hand suddenly become burning hot and never let go of hers.

Moreover, she heard sounds seeming to come from overhead—something slowly writhing above, ready to fall at any moment. Those fine, scattered sounds made her hair stand on end. Annoyed that Pei Shu was distracted at this moment, she unceremoniously kicked him: “Hurry up!”

Pei Shu awakened, somewhat reluctantly releasing her hand. Jing Hengbo felt around and found a table with something on it. She quickly threw the item into a bag she’d found—the thing felt like a booklet. When she picked it up, she felt the bottom of the booklet seemed somewhat sticky. She didn’t pay attention and used a bit more force to lift the booklet. The moment she lifted it, she heard a “snap” from overhead.

The sound was extremely low, but her heart jumped.

At the same time Pei Shu shouted: “Quick, go!” He pushed her outward while leaping out himself. Almost as soon as he left the doorway, with a thud, something fell from overhead, missing his boot heel by mere millimeters.

As soon as that thing hit the ground it bounced up. Pei Shu moved even faster, slamming the door shut with a bang. Both heard that thing violently crash into the door, shaking the entire iron door with buzzing sounds.

Jing Hengbo’s face went pale. In that brief glimpse, she seemed to see a large mass of disgusting yellow and white stuff. That thing had a head, and a blood-red slender tongue had brushed past Pei Shu’s leg…

“What was that?” she couldn’t help asking.

“Should be a Blackwater Marsh Fatty.” Pei Shu still looked nonchalant. “Just now it was hung above our heads with extremely fine silk thread nets, while the net buckle was glued under the booklet with adhesive. If you had lit the fire starter, the flames would have burned through the silk thread and the Fatty would have fallen right on your head. Even if you didn’t light the fire starter, you’d still have to pick up the booklet, right? Once the booklet was taken, the net buckle would loosen and the Fatty would still fall.”

“Very clever design.” Jing Hengbo thought, could this be another design by that Second Protector? He really was quite a character. Looking up, she saw Purple Micro Superior and the hemp-clothed person flash out of the opposite room, their postures looking somewhat like they were pulling and tugging. She quickly said: “We’ll talk later—first grab things!” She flashed into the second room.

Purple Micro Superior saw her movement from across the way, his lips curved slightly, and he casually pushed open the door in front of him. As he entered, he suddenly said: “Don’t attack me from behind again.”

“Did I?” The hemp-clothed person’s expression remained normal.

“Eating from the inside while scratching the outside counts as cheating, hehe.” Purple Micro Superior laughed like a young girl.

“Of course, I will definitely help you get as many things as possible.” The hemp-clothed person’s lips curved up, seeming to smile yet not smile.

“Then, please?” Purple Micro Superior stood at the door, winking at him.

“You first, please.” The hemp-clothed person became quite polite.

“You first.”

“You first.”

The two actually stood at the doorway being polite until Jing Hengbo made her second cheer from that side. Only then did Purple Micro Superior laugh heartily and say: “Cunning boy.” He flashed into the room first.

The hemp-clothed person followed. As soon as he entered, he met a palm strike head-on. He leaped up and flashed to the roof.

Someone was already waiting for him on the roof. Purple Micro Superior smiled and leaned down his face: “Give my regards to your master. Wish him an early return to paradise.”

“I have no master.” The hemp-clothed person answered coldly.

“Really?” Purple Micro Superior’s tone showed no surprise or doubt, but more understanding. “Then presumably you deeply agree with my wish just now?”

The hemp-clothed person remained silent.

“Guess where this room hides its things?” Purple Micro Superior asked with a smile.

The hemp-clothed person struck with one palm, breaking the beam under Purple Micro Superior’s bottom. A box fell in response. He reached to catch it, but Purple Micro Superior suddenly said irrelevantly: “I think Jing Hengbo is very good. I’m suddenly moved to mortal desires. What do you think about me marrying her?”

His hand trembled and the box fell, landing right on Purple Micro Superior’s extended toe. Purple Micro Superior flicked his toe and hid the box in his robes, then laughed heartily: “Just kidding! That girl is no good—I don’t want her!” He suddenly kicked him with his toe: “Hey, why so nervous? What are you afraid of?”

“Afraid that at your advanced age, you still want to revive your masculine vigor, but fear you’re too old and weak and will die on a woman’s belly.” His answer was calm yet vicious.

Purple Micro Superior wasn’t angry either, saying happily: “Dying on a woman’s belly would be nice too—at least it’s a distinctive way to die, right?”

He ignored this and went out directly to the third room. Purple Micro Superior caught up, chattering: “…But that woman can’t be uglier than me. Speaking of which, Jing Hengbo is quite suitable. Only her appearance can compare with mine…”

The hemp-clothed person struck back with one palm. The palm wind wasn’t fierce but was piercing cold with murderous intent. Purple Micro Superior chuckled, dodged aside, and the hemp-clothed person’s palm wind hit the door. With a thunderous crash the door opened, and a large mass of small black flying insects rushed out, heading straight for the hemp-clothed person. Purple Micro Superior shrank his body and flowed like water through the gaps between flying insects into the room, laughing: “Sorry, I’m one step ahead again…”

The hemp-clothed person stood coldly in place, beckoned with his hand, and Feifei, who had been wandering around the hall, flashed over like lightning. The hemp-clothed person pointed, and Feifei met that swarm of small black flying insects. The hemp-clothed person flashed into the room.

Jing Hengbo didn’t see this scene of the loyal henchman Feifei—she was in the third room grabbing things.

In the second room earlier, there had been no ambush at all. Inside was only a low table. Afraid of traps, she had carefully approached, and no danger occurred, but there was nothing on the table surface, nor any other place to hide things. She was puzzled when she suddenly felt the table trembling slightly.

Pei Shu flashed over like lightning, grabbing her hand while kicking the table. They heard a muffled roar as something flew out. Pei Shu shouted: “Catch it!” She instinctively caught it, feeling it seemed like a tube covered in sticky, fishy slime. She felt disgusted and wanted to throw it away, but was stopped by Pei Shu’s tight grip on her hand.

After kicking, Pei Shu pushed her out first as before, then leaped out himself. This time he wasn’t as lucky as before. Jing Hengbo felt wind whooshing behind her, and with a bang, Pei Shu’s body pitched forward, apparently struck by something on his back. Taking advantage of this fall, he used the momentum to slam the door shut heavily.

The candlelight in the hall had mostly been extinguished due to the earlier fighting causing air currents, making the light dim. Jing Hengbo vaguely saw Pei Shu’s face was pale and couldn’t help asking: “Are you injured?”

“How is that possible!” Pei Shu immediately replied. “How could I get injured so easily!”

Jing Hengbo rolled her eyes, too lazy to argue with him, saying: “I’ll go in by myself next time.”

“Who do you think you are?” Pei Shu scoffed. “Woman, you can’t manage without me!”

Jing Hengbo looked at President Pei and decided not to compete for his contracting rights. His fish pond wanted to encompass all of Dahuang—he wouldn’t be satisfied until he drowned himself.

The third room was the opposite of the second—it had extremely many things inside. By the time she found what she wanted, black mud had somehow slowly risen from the floor. Without looking, just from the smell, she knew it must be the most poisonous black mud from Blackwater Marsh.

The mud rose extremely fast, quickly leaving no place to stand. The other furniture in the room couldn’t be trusted either. Fortunately Pei Shu had long legs and the room was narrow. Pei Shu simply spread his legs in a split, bracing against both walls, picked her up, opened the door, and sent her out.

As soon as she got out, she rolled on the ground. Over there, Pei Shu was already crying out: “What thing is biting my crotch!” Hearing this wasn’t good, Jing Hengbo realized that in Pei Shu’s current position his vital area was completely exposed. If something shot out of that mud and bit down with a crunch, this lord’s happiness for the rest of his life would be gone. If his happiness was gone, so be it, but what if she had to take responsibility? This was a serious problem. She quickly rushed over, grabbed Pei Shu and dragged him out.

With a bang, Pei Shu fell on top of her, and they rolled into a ball. Jing Hengbo patted his face, asking: “Hey hey, are you okay? Can you still be a man?”

Pei Shu laughed heartily, suddenly embracing her with his arms, saying proudly: “I knew you cared about me. Don’t worry, I’m fine. I could battle you for three hundred rounds right now!”

Jing Hengbo cursed “Go die” but didn’t take it to heart. She knew Pei Shu was stubborn, sharp-tongued, and competitive, so she didn’t mind. But she didn’t notice that at this moment they were tightly embracing, their words ambiguous and intimate, Pei Shu’s face almost touching hers, and Pei Shu had never let go of her.

Jing Hengbo suddenly felt something was wrong, as if piercing gazes were upon her. Looking up, she saw Purple Micro Superior and the hemp-clothed person also emerging from the fourth room on that side. Purple Micro Superior was smiling very happily, while the hemp-clothed person remained expressionless.

The two looked no different from before, but Jing Hengbo felt uncomfortable all over. Only then did she realize that guy Pei Shu was still lying on her. She quickly kicked him: “Get up!”

Pei Shu lazily nestled against her, sniffed her neck, and mumbled: “You smell so good.” He slowly got up, still looking reluctant.

Jing Hengbo sat up, thinking this guy might be having spring fever. She’d better find him a wife quickly.

She had originally wanted to scold him a few words, but seeing that though he pretended to be fine, his complexion seemed a bit pale, she let it go. She just felt uncomfortable being watched by those two people, and thinking Purple Micro Superior had already been to four rooms, she needed to speed up. She quickly dragged Pei Shu toward her side’s fourth room.

This time they almost got smoked out as soon as they entered. The smell inside was indescribable—just one whiff made them dizzy. She summoned the little monster, and the little monster proved useful, punching and kicking to drag out a weird-looking fox from under the table, throwing it on its back to play with outside. But the strange smell in the room didn’t dissipate. She had to hold her breath to search for things, quickly turning purple-faced from holding her breath. Finally Pei Shu threw her out and found the things himself inside. When he came out, Jing Hengbo was a bit worried because his complexion looked even worse.

The fifth and sixth rooms had all sorts of bizarre arrangements and mechanisms with endless tricks. She increasingly admired that Second Protector among the Thirteen Protectors. Regardless of anything else, someone who could think up so many weird ideas was definitely not ordinary. This person would surely be a formidable enemy in the future.

She also felt slightly worried. The Thirteen Protectors ranked last among Blackwater Marsh forces, yet they had talent like the Second Protector. What about the other gangs ranked ahead of them? Wouldn’t they have clouds of wise men and masters? With her current limited power, what were her chances against those deeply rooted forces, or even their joint resistance?

Both groups kept entering and exiting rooms. She also noticed that the pair across from them was becoming increasingly disheveled, but she then discovered something fatal.

She discovered that Purple Micro Superior and the hemp-clothed person had entered the room right next to hers.

In other words, they had entered their eighth room!

In other words, even if she got the things from the sixth room, she had already lost!

This feeling of the battle being unfinished but already destined to lose was uncomfortable. She stood dazed for a while, then turned and re-entered the sixth room.

“Why are you going back?” Pei Shu grabbed her.

Jing Hengbo shushed him and whispered: “I want to get into next door from here, climb up from above. Help me think of a way.”

She could teleport into next door, but the room was too small with no room to maneuver. If a third person squeezed in, they’d definitely bump into someone immediately, making her plan impossible. She had discovered earlier that this room was narrow but tall, with space above that was connected. If she could quietly crawl over, there was still a chance to steal all that old guy’s gains.

The competition was about who got more things, not who visited more rooms. To win, this was the only way.

“Good idea.” Pei Shu’s eyes lit up. “I can go too—there’s more space up there.”

“What are you thinking? What kind of people are those two? Would they let you crawl around above them? It’s already good if I alone can avoid being discovered.” Jing Hengbo pushed him impatiently. “How’s your internal energy? Can you support me floating for a moment? If I don’t touch any object, maybe I can avoid being discovered by them.”

“Support you? Sure, no problem,” Pei Shu suddenly smiled with an ambiguous expression. “A moment is too short—however long is fine.”

“Pervert!”

“Don’t make noise.” Pei Shu suddenly covered her mouth. “There seems to be strange sounds next door!”

…

Next door, half a quarter hour ago.

Purple Micro Superior and the hemp-clothed person entered the room one after another.

This room looked completely empty. The two scanned with their eyes and immediately rushed toward the walls. Purple Micro Superior was still a step faster, tearing off a piece of wall skin and grabbing the hemp-clothed person who was rushing over, pushing him toward the torn wall surface while laughing and retreating.

Countless transparent fluids seeped from the torn wall skin like a wound, and countless tiny tentacles suddenly grew out like a heavenly net, binding toward the hemp-clothed person.

The hemp-clothed person didn’t dodge, but facing the direction of the flying tentacles, reached out and tore off another layer of “wall skin.”

A faint agonized muffled howl was heard.

The hemp-clothed person was now bound by countless tentacles. He let out a muffled grunt but didn’t stop. First he kicked away Purple Micro Superior’s hand that was about to open the door to leave, then pounced on him.

That layer of “skin” immediately writhed, spreading from him to Purple Micro Superior.

“You life-risking bastard, you dare touch the thorn beast…” Purple Micro Superior’s surprised muttering was drowned by a series of muffled struggling. He wanted to break free from the thorn beast skin’s countless poisonous spines entering his body, but the hemp-clothed person held him tightly, willing to endure ten thousand needle stabs himself rather than let him escape.

Unable to break free, Purple Micro Superior suddenly giggled and embraced the hemp-clothed person back, rolling around on the ground. Both had countless poisonous spines stabbed into their bodies. Purple Micro Superior groaned while the hemp-clothed person made no sound. If someone were eavesdropping from above at this moment, they’d probably think it was an adults-only romantic scene.

Purple Micro Superior suddenly smiled: “Tell me, if she came and saw this scene, what would she think?”

The hemp-clothed person didn’t answer. After rolling another turn to ensure this guy was also turned into a porcupine, he said: “This injury will keep you bedridden for three months.”

“What about you?” Purple Micro Superior was still smiling. “Half a year?”

“Behave yourself these months!” The hemp-clothed person ignored his question and said coldly: “Save some energy for making test questions!”

“You’re afraid I’m too healthy and would have too much energy to torment her, so you deliberately made me get injured. Willing to damage yourself by a thousand to harm the enemy by eight hundred?” Purple Micro Superior laughed heartily. “You children… such thoughts… almost moved this old man. But this old man advises you—don’t waste your efforts. Some things are destined by heaven and beyond your control.”

“Some people don’t fear destiny. Stop playing mysterious with me.” he answered.

“You two are both quite interesting…” Purple Micro Superior smiled. “One harbors hatred and darkness yet yearns for light, one has an ice-snow body yet does the most sordid deeds, but in the end you reach the same destination by different paths… I only fear that at the end of the world there’s another shore, seemingly near but actually far, seemingly converging but actually diverging. In the end, what about all that giving and devotion, everything that cannot be taken back?”

“I only do what I think should be done, not missing a single step. I don’t care about the results.” His tone was light but firm. “You say because of love comes fear, because of love comes worry. For me, having loved, there’s no worry or fear.”

“Having loved, no worry or fear…” Purple Micro Superior murmured, repeating the phrase, rarely showing slight melancholy. “Back then, if I had also…” He paused, then suddenly smiled mysteriously. “I originally didn’t think much of you—your aptitude was just passable. Now it seems those old immortals have better eyes than me. Just this steadfast nature alone, you’re truly rare in the world. Though human strength cannot contend with heaven, extreme determination naturally resonates with heaven… Now it seems I need to recalculate many of my previous stubborn views…”

The hemp-clothed person didn’t speak, his tightly pressed lips unclear whether from not wanting to speak or enduring pain.

Purple Micro Superior suddenly yawned: “You don’t care about your life, but this old man still does. I need to sleep…” After speaking, his breathing became heavy and he really fell asleep.

What was stuck to the wall was a Blackwater Marsh thorn beast. It normally lay dormant and slept year-round. Once disturbed, it would trigger countless poisonous needle tentacles. Once these pierced human skin and wandered everywhere, pain was secondary—they would also cause drowsiness, sluggishness, confused consciousness, and inappropriate behavior. For highly skilled martial artists at such times, sleeping was the best way to handle it, to avoid accidents.

The mechanism designer had stuck things to the thorn beast’s belly. When Purple Micro Superior tore it off, he had already disturbed the beast. The hemp-clothed person simply made a second tear, pulling down the entire beast.

The hemp-clothed person slightly lowered his eyelashes. He also really wanted to just sleep like this—only in sleep could he regulate breathing and detoxify, avoiding worse reactions. But he couldn’t sleep.

He shakily got up, first throwing aside the thorn beast that had finished shooting its poisonous needles and lost its lethality, then began undressing Purple Micro Superior.

Frowning, he changed into Purple Micro Superior’s skirt-like wide robe, his expression very unwilling during the process.

Then he reached up and removed that moon-flowing fake hair, placing it on Purple Micro Superior’s head.

When he removed the silver fake hair, his own hair tips also seemed to show a trace of moonlight color.

He also tied the bundle full of Purple Micro Superior’s gains to himself.

He did this series of actions with extreme difficulty, swaying unsteadily.

After completing everything, he leaned against the wall, looked up toward the ceiling, as if waiting.

…

“There seem to be muffled groaning sounds next door.” Pei Shu covered Jing Hengbo’s mouth, listening intently.

Jing Hengbo pulled away his hand. This guy’s masculine scent was too strong—being close always made her uncomfortable.

Pei Shu took the opportunity to squeeze her hand, playing with it as if addicted, then got kicked by Jing Hengbo.

“Send me up!”

“You come up first!” Pei Shu interlaced his hands and slightly bent his knees, indicating for her to stand on them.

Jing Hengbo rolled her eyes. She felt that with Pei Shu’s skill, he should be able to elegantly send her up with a sleeve flourish without physical contact. But seeing this guy’s complexion wasn’t great, maybe he couldn’t manage it?

She climbed onto Pei Shu’s knees. Pei Shu took the opportunity to support her waist, feeling the amazingly graceful curves under his touch. His heart stirred and he became slightly dazed.

Before him was a slender figure, surrounded by faint fragrance. These small rooms usually had a beastly fishy smell, but now he could only smell her natural body scent—neither flower nor grass, but seeming to penetrate into his very bones.

Her long hair hung down, brushing against his face like exquisite satin flowing smoothly past, bringing another different fragrance to his nose. He couldn’t help closing his eyes and taking a deep breath.

Those fragrant breezes brushing his face crossed the cage of years of barren loneliness, lifting the gray past, letting him see life’s beauty and brightness again.

Jing Hengbo was already impatiently stamping her feet. He murmured “No appreciation for romance,” raised both hands to lift her up. Like a fish in mid-air, she turned and crossed over the connecting beam between the two rooms.

Jing Hengbo immediately saw Purple Micro Superior—his clothing was too conspicuous.

He was standing against the wall, opening a bundle, apparently planning to count his spoils. The bundle was full of various things.

In a corner of the room lay another person—by the clothing, the hemp-clothed person.

Seeing this, Jing Hengbo felt somewhat hesitant—though having one person down was good, Purple Micro was examining the bundle, making it difficult for her to steal it from under his nose.

Just as she was in a dilemma, Purple Micro Superior suddenly turned around, apparently hearing some movement from the hemp-clothed person, and went to check on him. The bundle was left spread open on the table.

Jing Hengbo was delighted and was about to wave her hand to take the things, but discovered the bundle skin was very soft and might not hold during lifting, causing things to fall and alerting Purple Micro Superior.

While hesitating, she suddenly felt heavy and unsupported, falling rapidly!

As she fell, she heard a muffled grunt from next door below—apparently Pei Shu had some problem and his energy couldn’t continue, unable to support her anymore.

She cursed this guy for being useless. Falling like this would make a loud noise, equivalent to walking into a trap!

Might as well go all out—she changed position mid-air and pounced directly at Purple Micro Superior.

Purple Micro Superior seemed to want to turn back but didn’t. He half-knelt on the ground, his body somewhat stiff.

In a split second with no time to think, with a smack she knocked Purple Micro Superior to the ground. As she landed on him, she felt she had touched something like thorns, her skin slightly paining, but that thing was immediately pressed back into Purple Micro Superior’s skin by her, faintly hearing a muffled grunt that was then suppressed.

Having knocked down Purple Micro Superior, she dared not hesitate for a moment and immediately reached to tear his clothes!

This was the strategy she had thought of when landing. This old guy Purple Micro valued beauty like life itself, extremely particular about clothing, hair, and appearance. Strip this old guy’s clothes and grab the bundle—he would definitely prioritize his image over the bundle and would definitely busy himself dressing first. Then she would win.

This was a desperate move when she couldn’t win by fighting.

Moreover, he seemed somewhat wrong now, possibly injured. If she didn’t strike now, there would be no more chances.

With sharp fingernails, using all her strength, she grabbed his collar and pulled hard.

“Rip.”