It was difficult to describe what Ye Jiuyou felt in that moment. Her emotions were in turmoil, her mind racing with thoughts, and her heart heavy with a simmering violence. It was not exactly the best time for tenderness. However, she had been moved. There was a pull, an impulse to become physically close to him, intimately so. To feel, in every way, her own existence as real, not some illusion spun from fate. A strong embrace, a searing kiss... It felt like these things could fill all the cracks within her. So, when he leaned in to kiss her, Ye Jiuyou did not dodge. At first, she did tilt back slightly, caught off guard. His lips were hot, unfamiliar, disorienting, but also as intoxicating as they were real. And then, she snapped. She suddenly clung to him with startling ferocity, kissing him back with a vengeance. Zhao Changhe was shocked by her intensity, and before he could regain control, her strength had overwhelmed him. They tumbled, over and over, until— They both plunged into the dark pool. The cold water jolted them into partial clarity. Zhao Changhe pulled away slightly and muttered, wincing, “You...” But her finger swiftly pressed against his lips. Ye Jiuyou’s breath came in soft pants. She grit her teeth and said, “Isn’t this what you wanted? What, now that I’m the one taking initiative, it doesn’t satisfy you?” His lips were sealed again. Zhao Changhe, to his growing dismay, realized that when Ye Jiuyou decided to go on the offensive, he was completely powerless. It was like being pinned by a dominant demon queen while playing the hapless “bottom” in a bad romance novel. As she kissed him, she suddenly let out a soft laugh, then drew back, holding his chin to examine him. “Are you really not in it for this?” Zhao Changhe turned his head away with a faint scowl. Right now, Ye Jiuyou was soaked. Her silken robe clung to every curve, outlining her seductively. Her body exuded a rich, addictive fragrance that would put opium to shame. Who would not want her? However, being manhandled like a fragile plaything was not exactly the fantasy. Well, no kink shaming, but it’s just not my thing. What is it with you demon gods? Piaomiao nearly shredded me with a steel wool scrubber, and now this? I lose one fight and suddenly become the designated bottom of the universe? Just you wait... Ye Jiuyou wrapped herself around him again, her long legs winding underwater around his waist, arms looping around his neck. She leaned close, brushing her lips against his ear with a breathy kiss. “And this... still doesn’t tempt you?” “You...” Zhao Changhe gritted his teeth. “If you keep this up, and if I do get serious and you back out last minute, I’m flipping this whole abyss over.” “Angry?” Ye Jiuyou whispered against his ear, her smile wickedly sweet. “Since the moment you said you were after me, you’ve always pushed with transactional leverage. But in truth, you’ve only ever treated me with kindness. You never once truly got angry with me.” “Not since that first meeting in Kunlun. You’ve never burned this hot either.” “Did I ever tell you...” Her fingers traced the scar on his cheek, sliding down his neck, across his chest. “That since I’m opposed to order itself, I should be promiscuous?” “But I’ve already told you, you’re not.” “No, I am.” Her voice was sultry, laced with danger and allure. “It’s just that... no one has ever managed to unlock that side of me. No one’s ever been worthy of it. But you... haven’t you always wanted to be that one?” Zhao Changhe was practically trembling as he tried to keep himself together. He growled, “I just want you to know what you’re doing. Don’t kick me away at the last second, my little brother can’t take that kind of heartbreak.” Ye Jiuyou’s gaze grew complicated. Did she really know what she was doing? In her head, she imagined what it would be like if he pinned her down, completely took control, and had his way with her, and something deep inside her recoiled with disgust. There was a non-negligible chance she might kick him through a mountain if he pulled that off. But this—taking the lead herself—this suited her current state of mind. So she let it happen. As for whether it was truly “promiscuity,” she did not know. This man... sometimes seemed to understand her better than she understood herself. It was as if he were a walking Soul-Capturing Mirror. He reflected her inner thoughts and stole her soul in the process. She did not say any of her thoughts aloud. Instead, she huffed softly, “You’ve been playing with me these past few days. Why can’t I be the one playing with you instead?” “I wasn’t playing with... Oh, forget it.” Zhao Changhe sighed. “What do you want?” “He[1] toyed with me... Ye Wuming wants to kill me, the Sword Emperor wants to kill me, the Four Idols want to kill me, and every god and demon is my enemy. Even my own people are plotting against me. You’re the only one who treats me well, but even that might just be a ploy to get me into bed... The only things I can truly trust are my corpse puppets, and you won’t let me use them...” Her voice dropped to a whisper; her lips brushed past his ear, his cheek, his throat... And then, she bit down hard on his shoulder. Zhao Changhe grimaced but did not resist. His muscles did not tense, he did not shield himself, he just let her bite him. Blood gushed out. Her lips, recently cleansed of their lipstick by their kiss, turned red again. The metallic tang snapped her back to reality. She pulled back and realized that she had just bitten off an entire chunk of his shoulder. And through it all, he had not made a sound. “You...” Ye Jiuyou gasped. “Even with your physical cultivation, this is too much!” “I didn’t want to hurt your teeth.” Zhao Changhe gave a faint smile. “Feeling better now?” Ye Jiuyou stared at the wound, which was already beginning to knit itself back together thanks to the restorative energy of the lotus pool, and she said nothing for a long time. She had claimed she would calm down earlier, but clearly, that had not been the case. It was only now, watching the blood recede, the flesh repair, that she truly began to feel the rage subside. Zhao Changhe could sense it too. The immense, volatile power that had surged through her body was finally starting to dissipate. Her taut frame softened. She leaned gently against his chest. “...Give me a moment. My mind’s a mess.” Zhao Changhe lowered his head and kissed her again, softly, and then he said, “At least, let me reclaim my own blood.” Ye Jiuyou closed her eyes, a soft “mm” escaping her lips. This time, she was utterly yielding—no longer wild, no longer forceful, only soft. Zhao Changhe kissed her gently, though part of him still felt that what Ye Jiuyou really needed was something rougher. She had never found a sense of realness through hurting others. It was only ever her own pain that convinced her she existed. However, he could not bring himself to do it. A woman like her was meant to be cherished, especially since she had never once been cherished before. Earlier, caught in the storm of her frenzy, he had not paid attention. But now, as he kissed her slowly, he noticed for the first time that her lips were cold, almost icy. The chill from her lips reached straight into his heart. This was a woman no ordinary man had the right to touch. And it wasn’t even a matter of feelings; without a certain level of cultivation, even a kiss might prove fatal. Ye Jiuyou suddenly asked, “Is this how mortal men and women kiss?” Zhao Changhe gave a quiet “Mm-hm.” “It’s sweet... like cotton candy,” she murmured. “I like sweet things.” “From now on... everything will be sweet.” “Do I look awful right now?” “Why would you say that?” “We’ve been flailing around in the water all this time. My makeup’s gone, you completely smeared off my rouge, and I probably look as pale as a ghost.” “No,” Zhao Changhe said. “You look incredible. Do you even know what you look like in that sheer robe, soaked through, clinging to your skin, with your dudou half-visible beneath... Do you have any idea what that does to a man?” Ye Jiuyou bit her lip and whispered, “Do you want to touch me?” “This look of mine, I mean... Isn’t it appealing because it makes people want to touch it?” “I swear to god, woman, you’re playing with fire.” She smiled and, with no hesitation, took his hand and placed it over her chest. “That time in the Eternal Blue Sky, you brushed past me in a rush. Weren’t you disappointed you didn’t get a proper feel? Well, there’s no need to regret it. That was just a useless clone. This... is the real thing.” She had begun to indulge herself, but this time, the shift was natural, not jarring. The wildness from before had settled into something more fluid, more intimate. Zhao Changhe could no longer hold back. He turned her around, cradling her against his chest. His lips met hers again as his hands wandered with unfiltered desire. Ye Jiuyou, breathless in his arms, stared up at the void overhead, her mind reeling. This feeling was... strange. She was being touched, caressed, explored, and yet the shame or violation she had always imagined never came. Instead, there was something else entirely. So I can also feel just like any ordinary woman. My body, my soul, they are mine to give. I am doing this of my own will, and he... cherishes them. She wondered if he would now push further and take everything. And if he did... would that be the end of the tenderness? If he pressed forward now, she would give it to him. He had earned it. But maybe only once, because if everything he had done had only ever been to get her body, if she was merely a substitute for the unattainable Ye Wuming... That was the thorn she had never been able to pull from her heart. But if, even in this moment, he chose to hold back, to consider her mood and not take advantage of her vulnerability... then her heart, her body, her everything... would truly belong to him. Just then, Zhao Changhe leaned close and whispered in her ear, “Shall we get out?” Ye Jiuyou’s dazed gaze slowly regained focus. She turned to him, searching his face. “After all that... you’re still holding back?” “This would be the very definition of taking advantage,” Zhao Changhe said softly. “You told me you’re luckier than Ye Wuming because someone was here to hold you, because there was someone here to tell you that you’re real. If that someone then turned around and slept with you in the same breath... Well, would that still be luck, or just another tragedy? I’ve already taken advantage of you more than enough for today.” Ye Jiuyou’s eyes shimmered. She smiled faintly. “Don’t tell me you’re... incapable?” 1. Small note that this is referring to the “creator” or the original Heavenly Dao character. This is a special divine pronoun, so we will be writing it as “He” going forward. ☜