Chapter 85: Come, Let Us Do It

A startled cry rang out. Hu Mo felt a sudden softness beneath him, and his body sprawled down in the shape of a great “X” on the ground. At that moment, a familiar fragrance tickled his nose—his face, most unfortunately, had been buried in an exceedingly soft place. A rush of blood surged through his veins; it dawned on him just where his face was resting.

With a muffled thud, Hu Mo was kicked away, sent flying directly toward the small courtyard. As he tumbled backward, he caught a glimpse ahead of him: Zhu Xinyue’s lovely face, flushed a delicate red, her expression like a blossom about to open. For a moment, Hu Mo was entranced, letting himself drift through the air.

Just then, from behind him, an all-too-familiar, mischievous laughter sounded. At the same time, a woman’s voice called out, one he recognized at once.

“Icewind Rain!”

Hu Mo’s heart sank, and he instantly snapped to attention. His body twisted in an impossible arc, halting his flight midair. His hands rapidly formed a series of seals, conjuring a black wall of flame that shielded him from the oncoming rain. The icy water sizzled as it met the fire, vanishing into nothingness, and soon, calm returned.

Staring at Cang Ling, who was now watching him with an uncanny expression, Hu Mo felt only defeat in his heart. This master of his could really drive a man to despair.

“Aren’t you excited to see us? Aren’t you happy?” Cang Ling’s eyes brimmed with mischief. “By the way, little sister Xinyue just went looking for you—did you see her?” She peered at him, and Hu Mo could only force a wry smile. “Of course I saw her—why else would I have come flying in like that?”

Before he could finish, Zhu Xinyue approached, her face tinged with embarrassment, her clothes rumpled from Hu Mo’s blunder—especially at her chest, where a glimpse of tender skin could be seen. With a huff, she shot Hu Mo a glare, leaving the other girls nearby wide-eyed and speechless.

As Hu Mo looked around the courtyard, he suddenly felt himself freeze. He saw many familiar faces—the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Princesses—all staring at him as if he were some strange creature.

He was momentarily dazed, an ominous feeling creeping over him. Forcing a smile, he said, “What brings all you princesses to my humble courtyard today? Your presence truly graces this modest abode—it’s an honor for me indeed!”

While smiling awkwardly, Hu Mo secretly sent a message to Cang Ling. “What’s going on? You brought them here to play mahjong, didn’t you? None of these princesses are easy to deal with!” he complained, all the while maintaining his outward composure.

“Mind your own business. Since when do disciples order their masters around? Just do as you’re told—I certainly didn’t invite these girls here for your sake,” Cang Ling replied, smiling slyly as she pulled Lin Nan over. When Hu Mo glanced at Lin Nan, he was struck dumb—her expression had completely changed.

Lin Nan was smiling! This was the first time he had ever seen her smile. If not for the sheer reality of it, Hu Mo would have thought he was dreaming.

But his mind worked quickly. Watching the princesses interact with Lin Nan, he suddenly realized Cang Ling’s intentions; she wanted Lin Nan to interact more with others, hoping it would improve her temperament. Now that Cang Ling was here, even the gods could not interfere with Lin Nan any longer, allowing her to relax and play with others at last.

Cang Ling had told the princesses a little about Lin Nan’s background—not everything, of course, but enough about her tragic past to move them all to tears. Each one vied to show Lin Nan kindness; this was Cang Ling’s effort to resolve the issue of the Water Origin Body.

Only by truly changing Lin Nan’s outlook could she be accepted by the world—and, in turn, accept the world herself.

But at the moment, the princesses were more concerned with what had just occurred. Cang Ling had casually unleashed an attack like raindrops, but Hu Mo had blocked it with ease. It was the first time the princesses realized just how powerful he had become. The Sixth Princess muttered to herself, “Was he really the good-for-nothing scoundrel we all used to look down on?”

“So, little ladies, what do you think of my disciple? Not bad, right? If any of you fancy him, you’d better speak up soon—opportunities like this don’t come twice! Your little sister hasn’t claimed him yet, so now’s your chance!” Cang Ling said, stirring up trouble with a laugh. Her words flushed the princesses’ cheeks, as if she’d hit upon their secret thoughts.

Hu Mo felt mortified, being so intently stared at by so many beauties. From Cang Ling’s words, he felt as if he had become merchandise on a shelf, waiting for them to choose—a strange and uncomfortable sensation.

Suddenly, he felt his sleeve tugged. Turning, he saw Zhu Xinyue watching him, her eyes blinking brightly, as if declaring her claim over him.

The Sixth Princess was the first to recover, laughing, “Sister Cang is always joking. None of us would dare compete with little sister—someone like Young Master Hu would never be interested in girls like us anyway.” She covered her mouth as she smiled. Truth be told, she did feel a twinge for Hu Mo, but with Zhu Xinyue present, she wouldn’t let her feelings show. To them, Zhu Xinyue was a treasure they all wanted to protect.

“That’s right, Sixth Sister speaks for us all. Little sister and Young Master Hu are a perfect match—we wouldn’t dare overstep our bounds,” the Fifth Princess chimed in, sighing at the end, making Zhu Xinyue’s face burn ever redder.

Hu Mo stood there, calmly enduring the women’s teasing. Having been toughened by Cang Ling’s antics, he was now immune to all poisons; such unexpected situations no longer fazed him.

“Enough, sisters! If I’d known, I wouldn’t have let Sister Cang bring you all here—now you’re just making trouble for me!” Zhu Xinyue grumbled, and her sisters immediately covered their mouths, falling silent.

“Um… Perhaps I should take my leave. You girls enjoy yourselves—I just remembered I have something to discuss with my grandfather,” Hu Mo said, smiling as he tried to slip away.

But Cang Ling snapped her fingers casually and murmured, “Ice Bind.”

Suddenly, Hu Mo’s feet were frozen to the ground, holding him fast. He could only smile ruefully. “Master, is there something else you wish? I do feel a bit out of place standing here with so many lovely ladies…”

“Whether it’s appropriate isn’t for you to decide, my dear disciple. If you hadn’t returned, we’d all be bored. Now, let’s play a game of ‘Cops and Robbers’…” Cang Ling announced.

“Great! I want to be a cop!” Hu Mo shouted eagerly.

“No way!” Six girls, Lin Nan included, cried in unison, startling Hu Mo.

“Don’t get any ideas. In this game, the many catch the few—since you’re the only man, you’re the robber. The rules are simple: stay within this courtyard, and whoever catches the robber gets to decide the punishment—anything goes. No objections, right?” Cang Ling grinned, and Zhu Xinyue and the others nodded enthusiastically.

“I ob—”

“Objection overruled!” the girls chorused, making Hu Mo almost want to cry.

“All right, all right… But what if you can’t catch me? I should get something out of this too,” Hu Mo grumbled, still hoping to gain some advantage under these draconian rules.

“Can’t catch you? Very funny. If half an hour passes and you’re still free, we’ll let you decide what happens. How about that?” Cang Ling smirked, cracking her knuckles in a way that sent shivers down Hu Mo’s spine.

For Hu Mo, the afternoon was excruciating. With Cang Ling present, his “Lingbo Wind Steps” were of little use. The six women chased after him like a pack of wolves, full of excitement. His heart was steeped in bitterness and misery.

He had no idea what possessed him to play games with these women—especially such a ridiculous one. If he’d known, he would have simply lain down and let them have their way with him.

After endless rounds of pursuit and punishment, Hu Mo finally surrendered. He collapsed onto the grass, arms spread wide in a gesture of total surrender, and called out weakly, “I give up! Do what you will—I won’t resist…”

Lin Nan was laughing with delight. She had put the most effort into the chase. In the past, she would have found such games childish, but now she genuinely enjoyed the fun, especially when it came to punishing Hu Mo—she even invented new, mischievous punishments that left him utterly exhausted.

“Little sister, he’s all yours. He’s not resisting anymore—you can do as you please,” the Sixth Princess said, pointing at the motionless Hu Mo.

“All right! I… Oh, Sixth Sister, you’re teasing again! I… I’m not playing anymore!” Zhu Xinyue suddenly realized what was happening, her face turning scarlet as the others burst out laughing. The courtyard was filled with laughter that lasted well into the evening.

After everyone had left, Hu Mo let out a long sigh. Though the afternoon had been filled with joy, he was utterly spent. As soon as they departed, he flopped down on his bed, ready for a deep sleep.

Just then, Cang Ling appeared at his side, smiling down at him. At the sight of her, Hu Mo’s heart clenched, and he instinctively tried to leap from the bed.

Cang Ling pressed him down gently, laughing. “What’s the rush? Do you think I’m here to stir up your water and fire again? Congratulations—you’ve finally mastered the chaotic water and fire within you. There’s little point in further training like that.”

“Oh, so I don’t need to anymore?” Hu Mo relaxed, the tension draining from him as his worries faded away.

“So, how will I train in the future? Surely you don’t intend for me to just sleep on my bed in peace?” Hu Mo eyed Cang Ling warily, instinctively sensing that something was afoot.

A faint smile played on Cang Ling’s lips as her slender fingers traced his face, making his heart clench once more.

“This time, you guessed wrong. I’ve decided to let you sleep on your bed. And I’ll sleep right beside you—and then we’ll do a little something together. What do you think?” As she spoke, she really did climb onto the bed, lying down to Hu Mo’s left. Suddenly, the whole bed was filled with her fragrance, and Hu Mo felt his blood begin to boil.

“Come, let’s do it.” Her voice sounded in his ear, and Hu Mo felt his mind explode, as if the three treasures within him had all detonated at once—heat and cold surged through him in waves, reminding him again and again that this was no dream!