Gazing at Yin Mei in the courtyard, Bai Yun's heart, which had stilled for a moment, suddenly began to race, beating with a rapid, thunderous rhythm—*thump, thump, thump, thump!*—as though struck by a bolt of lightning.
There, before him, Yin Mei stood dressed in a Chinese-style qipao, adorned with golden embroidery and rose patterns. Beneath the delicate curve of her long, graceful neck, her figure, rare in its beauty, filled the garment to its seams. Her chest, so full it seemed on the verge of bursting, contrasted with her slender waist, and her fair, long legs, glimpsed as the skirt swayed, were tantalizingly revealed. She exuded an intoxicating allure, both innocent and regal.
"Xiao Bai!"
Yin Yue, upon seeing Bai Yun return, joyfully rushed toward him. Bai Yun instinctively knelt, opening his arms to embrace her.
Yin Mei, taken by surprise at his swift return, immediately blushed with embarrassment upon realizing she had donned the qipao. With her head lowered, she quickly fled, retreating into her room in haste.
Her shy, lowered gaze was a picture of youthful bashfulness.
"Xiao Bai! Am I pretty?"
Yin Yue, dressed in a princess gown from Earth, blinked her large eyes and asked with an innocent curiosity.
Staring blankly at Yin Mei's closed door, Bai Yun snapped back to reality and, without thinking, praised, "Yin Yue is the most beautiful of all."
Yin Yue pouted, a little displeased, and exclaimed, "But you were looking at mama! How do you know if I'm pretty? Xiao Bai, you're naughty."
Bai Yun, pretending to ponder deeply, examined Yin Yue thoughtfully before declaring, "Yin Yue is as beautiful as a celestial maiden!"
Hearing his satisfied answer, the little girl beamed and hurriedly kissed his cheek. Then, suddenly shy, she buried her face in his chest.
Bai Yun froze for a moment, before smiling warmly and tenderly embracing Yin Yue.
Inside her room, Yin Mei sat before her mirror, staring blankly at her reflection—her cheeks flushed and her expression tender, much like a young girl. She was lost in thought, her emotions tangled. Despite the fact that, in many ways, she still felt youthful, when she had heard Yin Yue mention that Bai Yun had been watching her, she had instinctively covered her face and emitted a soft, bashful sigh, as any maiden might.
After a moment, she regained her composure and quickly changed back into her usual attire.
At dinner, Yin Mei could hardly bring herself to look at Bai Yun, keeping her gaze fixed on her plate as she ate in silence. On the other hand, Yin Yue ate heartily, casually asking Bai Yun about his day.
Bai Yun, with nothing to hide, recounted his day's experiences. He did not notice, however, that when he mentioned the appearance of the young, lovely princess, Yin Mei's face slightly froze. And when he spoke of encountering an old acquaintance—a woman in white, striking and proud—Yin Mei's face turned an ashen pale.
Noticing her sudden stillness, Bai Yun grew concerned and asked, "What's wrong, Yin Mei?"
Yin Yue, too, looked anxiously at her mother.
"It's nothing, nothing at all," Yin Mei replied softly, her voice trembling slightly as she kept her head lowered.
Seeing her so, Bai Yun felt a pang of worry and immediately stood up, walking over to her with urgency. "Yin Mei, please tell me. What happened?"
"It's really nothing," Yin Mei said, struggling to control her emotions, lifting her face with a complex expression. "Please, just eat."
Bai Yun, sensing something amiss, sighed deeply, but without pressing further, he said, "Yin Mei, I truly consider you and Yin Yue as my family. If there's something troubling you, please don't hesitate to share. I will help you, no matter what."
Yin Mei's heart warmed at his words, but she shook her head and replied, "It's really nothing. Let's just eat."
After the meal, Bai Yun, not wanting to go out, spent his time practicing diligently in the courtyard. The more he sought to protect Yin Mei, the more he realized how insufficient his strength was. While his "Cosmic Evolver" space ensured his invulnerability, he could not simply abandon Yin Mei and Yin Yue in the face of danger. Given Yin Mei's beauty, there was no guarantee that they wouldn't encounter situations like those involving the Sect Leader of Fire Cloud Sect in the future.
Inside Yin Mei's room, he gazed silently at the peacefully sleeping Yin Yue, his mind drifting far away.
He reflected on the events of the past month, a span so brief yet profoundly altering his perception. The memories of betrayal, once vivid, now seemed distant, almost irrelevant.
His thoughts turned to the sudden appearance of Bai Yun in her life, and her face paled once more.
"When did it begin? Why do I yearn so?"
*The concubine lives as the monarch ages.*
Yin Mei softly murmured, lost in her own heart's labyrinth.
Six days passed swiftly. Bai Yun noticed that while Yin Mei seemed preoccupied, her attitude toward him had subtly changed. However, as she chose not to speak, he could do little but accept it.
During those six days, Bai Yun often took Yin Mei and Yin Yue out for shopping, though disappointingly, nothing eventful occurred. No one dared to harass the virtuous woman in broad daylight.
It was likely because Yin Mei kept her enchanting face well concealed. Bai Yun couldn't help but sigh, feeling frustrated with the lack of opportunities for heroism. *"Who will give me the chance to rescue a damsel in distress?"*
He often gazed at the well-dressed men in the royal city, wishing someone would come forward.
*"Are you just an extra, a background character? If you've got the guts, come and provoke me!"*
Such were Bai Yun's musings over the past six days.
Today marked the day of entrance exams for the academy. After having breakfast with Yin Mei and Yin Yue, they set off toward the academy.
At the entrance, they unexpectedly encountered the Princess of Da Xia once again. They exchanged a quiet, mutual gaze before both entering the academy.
On the testing grounds, dozens of young men and women had already gathered, separated into four distinct groups, each clearly delineated.
Bai Yun stood alone at the side, casually scanning the area, when his eyes landed on Lin Yushuang, who was among one of the groups.
"Brother Bai! Over here!"
Chen Ran, noticing Bai Yun standing alone, waved him over.
Bai Yun hesitated, having no interest in mingling with anyone's group. However, seeing Lin Yushuang among Chen Ran's circle, he was mildly intrigued and made his way toward them.
The other three circles of young men eyed Bai Yun with hostility.
"I'll introduce everyone!" Chen Ran smiled and began introducing, pointing to a handsome, aloof young man. "This is my senior brother, Yan Buhui."
"And this is Wang Xuan, a true disciple of the Xuanshen Sect." He then gestured to another proud-looking youth.
"This is Lin Yushuang, a true disciple of the Xuanming Sect."
Chen Ran continued his introductions, but when he turned to introduce Bai Yun, he froze. "By the way, I haven't asked yet—where are you from? I've never heard of you in the Northern Regions."
Bai Yun, upon hearing that a disciple from the Xuanshen Sect was also present, momentarily paused but quickly dismissed it. *If they don't provoke me, I'll ignore them. If they do… I'll end them.*
"Heh, I'm nothing like you. I don't have the support of a powerful sect."
The young men, including Lin Yushuang, looked at him in shock.
Before they could respond, a series of purposeful footsteps echoed behind them, and several imposing elders appeared, their presence undeniable.