Chapter 128: Closing Down the Shop

The commotion in the guest room was so intense it alarmed the innkeeper. Fearing a collapse of the floor, he rushed over, only to find red and yellow lights flashing alternately inside.

The innkeeper scrambled upstairs, flung open the door, and saw the two figures locked in a fierce struggle. Completely distraught, he slapped his thighs and wailed, "Kind patrons, please, stop fighting! This is a small business; I cannot afford such destruction!"

Despite his desperate pleas, the two continued their battle, showing no signs of stopping.

"What is happening..." Xie Yingying arrived, stunned to see them on the verge of bringing the house down. "Why are you fighting again?"

Seeing Xie Yingying as his only savior, the innkeeper begged, "Young lady, please, make your companions stop! My business is small; it cannot withstand this!" He was an elderly man, and his tears flowed freely.

Feeling a pang of sympathy, Xie Yingying patted the innkeeper's arm and said, "Don't worry, leave it to me."

As soon as she finished speaking, she leaped forward, her toes barely touching the ground as she plunged straight into the fray.

Seeing Xie Yingying act with such reckless disregard for her own life, Bai Shengyun's expression shifted drastically. He immediately pulled back, his long sleeves swirling like a dragon and phoenix in motion. He swept her into his arms, landed on the floor, and tossed her aside. His narrow, peach-blossom eyes narrowed dangerously. "Xie Yingying, are you trying to die?"

Xie Yingying rubbed her backside, tears of pain pricking her eyes as she let out a sound that was half-laugh, half-sob. *Damn it all—if you two weren't acting like lunatics, would I have to take the fall for this?*

Huo Tianqing also pulled back, landing gracefully on the ground. He cast a flirtatious wink at the woman on the floor, his voice dripping with false tenderness. "Yingying, you see how rude the Immortal Lord is to you. Why not come over to my side instead?"

An icy, malevolent aura suddenly filled the room.

Xie Yingying felt as if she had been plunged into an ice cellar. She couldn't move, pinned by a gaze of extreme aggression. Twitching her lips, she immediately reaffirmed her loyalty. "How could that be? The Immortal Lord treats me with such affection and righteousness; how could I ever leave him?"

*Damn it, affection and righteousness my foot!*

Huo Tianqing’s expression stiffened upon hearing this, his eyes filled with resentment.

However, sensing the aggressive gaze lift, Xie Yingying let out a sigh of relief. She slowly climbed to her feet, clutching her waist, and glared at the two men. "You two are fighting in the middle of the night instead of sleeping? Is fighting that much fun?"

One was an Immortal Lord, the other a Demon Emperor. If they kept this up, the world would be in chaos. Had they given any thought to anyone else's feelings?

Bai Shengyun and Huo Tianqing stared at each other, their eyes locking in a silent standoff.

Xie Yingying remained speechless. *They’re old enough to be my ancestors—can they not be so childish?*

Rubbing her forehead in frustration, she sighed, "Enough, stop arguing. We have to travel tomorrow, so go back and rest."

Bai Shengyun curled his lips into a wicked smile and looked at her. "Very well, then we shall stay together."

"Absolutely not!" Huo Tianqing refused decisively, his thick brows radiating cold hostility.

"Stop it!" Seeing them preparing to clash again, Xie Yingying quickly cut them off. "There are only two rooms left. You two will share one, and I will take the other. No objections, right?" She glanced between them, silently warning: *If you have objections, feel free to voice them!*

Having his "benefits" snatched away, Bai Shengyun’s expression darkened, the cinnabar mark on his forehead glowing with an eerie, bewitching red. He shot a cold glare at Xie Yingying and swept away in a huff. Huo Tianqing, pleased to see Bai Shengyun thwarted, returned to his room with a smug grin.

Xie Yingying let out a sigh. Thinking about the journey ahead with these two difficult men made her head ache. She closed her door and prepared to rest. The innkeeper, meanwhile, looked at the ruined room and felt like crying; he could only call his servants to clean up, silently cursing that the guests in these two rooms were far too dangerous to provoke.

Back in his room, Huo Tianqing still felt uneasy. That scoundrel Bai Shengyun was full of devious schemes; what if he snuck into Xie Yingying's room in the middle of the night? Raising his hand, he waved his sleeve through the air, and a blue light briefly enveloped the entire inn before vanishing. He narrowed his eyes, a smirk playing on his lips. He had set a barrier that would hold until morning; no matter how high Bai Shengyun's cultivation was, he wouldn't be able to break it. Feeling satisfied, he paced back to his room with his hands behind his back.

Bai Shengyun lay half-reclined on the roof, his silver-white robes fluttering in the wind and moonlight. Glancing sideways, he noticed the faint shimmer of a restrictive spell on the roof. He narrowed his eyes and let out a disdainful scoff. *How utterly ridiculous.*

The next day, Xie Yingying stretched lazily. Not having to sleep with that "dog fox" made her feel wonderful. As she pushed open her door, she was startled by the sight before her. She gripped the doorframe tightly, peeking through the crack with one eye.

"You... how did you end up like this?"

The man before her was drenched, his white robes clinging to his perfect physique, his long, ink-black hair plastered against his skin. His face, carved with statuesque perfection, was sharp and defined. His narrow phoenix eyes stared at her with intense, aggressive hostility—a complex mix of grievance, resentment, and fury.

A realization dawned on her: it had poured rain for most of the night. Had Bai Shengyun spent the whole night outside instead of sleeping in his room?

"You let me sleep with another man?" Bai Shengyun gripped his fingers tightly, his knuckles popping. His phoenix eyes locked onto her, dark currents roiling within them.

Xie Yingying swallowed nervously, sensing an instinctive danger. Just as she moved to act, Bai Shengyun swept her into his arms, carried her inside, and slammed the door shut.

She expected him to fly into a rage, but he didn't. He simply sat on a stool, nursing his grievances, refusing to acknowledge her. He could have used magic to dry his robes, but he chose not to. Water dripped from his clothing onto the floor, forming a puddle—not that he cared who was watching.

Finally losing her patience, Xie Yingying walked over. "Bai Shengyun, don't be so petty!"

Bai Shengyun cast a cold, haughty glance at her, his eyes brimming with disdain. "Xie Yingying, you belong to me. You had better accept that fact and stay away from Huo Tianqing!"

Xie Yingying nodded obediently, though she thought, *Bullshit. If it weren't for that damn racial restriction, I would have gone home long ago.*

Bai Shengyun, sensing her insincerity but choosing to ignore it, curled his lips and threatened, "If anything like yesterday happens again, outsiders will soon discover our identities, and our agreement will be terminated."

"That is certainly not happening!" Xie Yingying blurted out without a second thought.