Everyone stared at the unapologetic bastard as he casually walked away, making no effort to hide his mistake.
"Seriously?! He just ran off before finishing his sentence?" someone exclaimed in disbelief.
"Haha, you may deny it, but your actions speak louder than words," another joked.
"Ugh, if only I could've taken a picture," someone else sighed theatrically.
Zhao Manyan watched the group of shameless men muttering to themselves, but something didn't sit right. He counted quickly. One, two, three, four...
Two of the usual suspects were missing.
"Where the hell are Mo Fan and Lao Ye?" he asked, glancing around.
"Anyone seen them?"
Xu Dalong frowned, pondering the question. "Wait, didn't they disappear around the same time the goddesses went to bathe?"
The realization struck like a bolt of lightning.
"Fuck! You don't think they're... peeking, do you?!"
The group fell silent for a moment, exchanging glances.
"Well, Mo Fan might... but Ye Chenfeng? He's a high-level mage! If he wants to peep, who could stop him?"
Zhao Manyan groaned in envy. "Damn it! He's a role model for our generation!"
His mind drifted to the women in question—Mu Ningxue, cold and breathtakingly elegant; Mu Nujiao, noble and graceful; Bai Tingting, pure and angelic. Seeing any one of them would be a dream. Seeing all of them together? His imagination ran wild.
"I don't think this is right. We should tell the girls," Lu Zhenghe interjected, his tone serious. "Mu Ningxue is my future wife, after all!"
His suggestion met with a collective pause before the group responded in unison:
"Sorry, what did you say? Didn't hear you!"
Lu Zhenghe: Damn cowards!
Suddenly, a loud bang echoed through the forest, followed by the unmistakable crackling of ice.
"Hey, why's the forest frozen?" someone asked.
"I bet Peng Liang got caught! Our captain's Ice Field isn't something you mess with—it detects every magical fluctuation within range," Xu Dalong chuckled.
As if on cue, Peng Liang emerged from the bushes, looking sheepish. "I haven't even gone over there yet..."
Everyone blinked in confusion.
Meanwhile, under the moonlit canopy, the stream glittered like silver, its clear waters flowing gently around the figures of women bathing. Their laughter mingled with the rustling leaves, creating an ethereal scene. Clothes of various delicate fabrics—lace, tulle, soft silks—lay neatly nearby.
Ye Chenfeng, hidden among the trees, watched with hawk-like focus. His dynamic vision, enhanced by his magical prowess, could even count the moles on Mu Ningxue's body.
"Hiss..." he whispered, utterly captivated.
A shadow in the periphery caught his attention. Mo Fan.
Regret flickered across Ye Chenfeng's face as he sensed Mo Fan's aura. Acting swiftly, he used his space magic to flick a stone, causing a faint noise in the distance.
The reaction was immediate.
A cold voice rang out, sharp as ice, "You're courting death!"
Within seconds, a black shadow darted away at lightning speed, chased by icy magic.
The women in the stream shrieked, diving for cover as Song Xia hurried over from the shore. "What's going on?" she demanded.
"There was someone there!"
"I sensed shadow magic," Mu Nujiao said sharply. "Who here uses shadow magic?"
"Peng Liang," someone muttered.
Back at camp, the men were laughing around the fire when the women arrived, their faces like thunderclouds.
"Who was spying on us?!" Song Xia demanded, her voice cutting through the chatter.
Jingjing's glare landed squarely on Peng Liang. "You're the only shadow user here."
Peng Liang threw up his hands. "It wasn't me! I didn't even get close before the ice magic went off!" His alibi was corroborated by the nearby men.
The tension shifted as everyone looked around for another culprit.
At that moment, Mo Fan strolled out of the forest.
"Where were you just now?" Mu Nujiao asked, her eyes narrowing.
"Me? Just being cautious and scouting the area," Mo Fan replied, feigning innocence.
"You liar!"
"What are you talking about?" Mo Fan said, acting clueless.
"You have shadow magic tools, don't you?" Mu Nujiao accused, the group's collective gaze now focused on him.
"Uh..."
Before anyone could press further, Ye Chenfeng appeared, casually sipping water.
"Where were you, Old Ye?" Zhao Manyan asked, eyeing him suspiciously.
"Me? Just protecting Xiaoxue," Ye Chenfeng replied nonchalantly.
The camp fell silent.
Zhao Manyan's mouth opened and closed as realization dawned. "Wait... protecting her? While she was... You mean—"
Ye Chenfeng smirked, the picture of unrepentant confidence.
Damn it. He admitted it. Just like that. And with style.