The Next Day
Tang Yin awoke feeling refreshed after a full night's rest. Stretching lazily, he climbed up to the rooftop to cultivate his Purple Demon Eye. Not long after, the three girls joined him, settling into their respective spots as they began practicing together in serene silence.
Downstairs, Dugu Yan stirred groggily in her bed. Still half-asleep, she rubbed her eyes and yawned. Her first thought was to go find Tang Yin, but as she stepped outside, something unusual caught her attention. Up on the rooftop, she spotted three girls and one boy sitting completely motionless, an odd purple glow flickering faintly from their eyes.
Curious, Dugu Yan tiptoed her way toward the roof, careful not to make a sound. She crouched near the edge, peeking through the slats of the wooden railing to spy more clearly. The sight mesmerized her—Tang Yin and the girls all looked otherworldly under the early morning light, their eyes bathed in that soft violet hue.
So beautiful… she thought, entranced.
But just as she was leaning in for a better look, Tang Yin's eyes suddenly flicked in her direction.
Startled, Dugu Yan lost her balance.
"Ah—!" she yelped, slipping off the ledge.
She braced for impact, teeth clenched in panic—only to land in a pair of strong arms that caught her effortlessly mid-fall.
Blinking in shock, she looked up, heart pounding. Tang Yin's handsome profile filled her vision, his eyes still glowing faintly.
"Hey, beautiful!" he said with a cheeky grin. "Rise and shine."
Dugu Yan flushed pink to the ears, utterly dazed and helpless under his smirk.
Tang Yin stared unscrupulously at her cherry lips, perky breasts, and snake-like figure.
"Were you spying on me just now?" he teased.
She tried to dodge the question. "What were you guys doing?" she asked, curiosity shining in her eyes as she met Tang Yin's unfiltered gaze.
Tang Yin answered without hesitation. "Practicing Purple Demon Eye."
Dugu Yan raised an eyebrow, pointing at the violet glow in his eyes. "That light in your eyes…?"
Tang Yin nodded shamelessly. "Yeah, It's a method of cultivating spiritual power created by yours truly." He chuckled inside, Who's gonna sue me?
Dugu Yan stared at him admiringly. "The person I have my eyes on can't be untalented, hmph." But then she thought of Yu Tianheng and quickly shook her head to dismiss the thought.
She jumped off Tang Yin's hand and arrogantly pointed at the three girls practicing on the rooftop.
"When are you gonna teach me? You teach these vixens but you won't teach me?" Her voice sounded pitiful, as if she'd been wronged.
Tang Yin didn't fall for it. He asked smugly, "These two are disciples of my Tang Sect," he said, pointing at Zhuqing and Yiran. "And she's my future client for the Tang Sect, so as part of our cooperation, I taught her these skills as compensation. What can you give me in return?"
"You!! I gave you a kiss!" she shouted.
Tang Yin replied shamelessly, "I already returned your kiss before. You have to do something new." His gaze wandered again to her perky breasts.
(BTW DUGU YAN IS 18 YEARS OLD–NO PEDOPHILE HERE!)
Dugu Yan crossed her arms and shot Tang Yin a mischievous glare. "You think you can get away with this so easily? If you try anything funny, I'll just tell Grandpa that you're bullying me," she said, but her playful grin betrayed her words. Tang Yin immediately recognized the tease behind her act, and a smirk tugged at his lips.
"No, no, please don't," Tang Yin said, putting on a mock-pleading expression. "I'll teach you anything you want. Just don't tell on me," he promised, the words flowing with exaggerated sincerity. "I swear on my martial soul, I'll never think of you like that again."
As he raised his hand, ready to make the promise, Dugu Yan panicked and quickly grabbed his wrist, her face flushing. "What the hell? Who asked you to swear on your martial soul?" she shouted, flustered. "If you don't take responsibility, then won't I be the one losing out?"
Tang Yin burst into laughter, thoroughly enjoying her flustered state. "Nice try," he teased. "I'll be visiting your quarters this evening—make sure to keep the door open." He leaned in and pecked her on the cheek. "I'll be taking my payment later," he added with a sly grin as he strolled toward the cafeteria.
Dugu Yan's cheeks flushed a deep red, but inside, she was already looking forward to the evening even more. "Wait for me!" she called out, quickening her pace to follow him.
As Tang Yin and Dugu Yan settled down for breakfast, Rongrong, Zhuqing, and Yiran arrived, casting disapproving glances at the pair.
"Tang Yin!! You've found a new girl and already forgot about us? And you even stopped cultivating with us mid-practice just to hang out with her!" Rongrong accused bluntly.
Zhu Zhuqing and Meng yiran both nodded with a displeased expression.
Tang Yin feigned a hurt expression. "She distracted me when I was practicing with you guys. You can't blame me for that."
Dugu Yan pouted and grabbed his hand. "Why are you lying? Didn't you want to have breakfast with me and asked me out?" Tang Yin froze, momentarily caught off guard by her blatant lie.
The three girls weren't convinced by Dugu Yan's story but remained upset about him abandoning their practice time together. so, they continued to pester Tang Yin throughout the entire meal, clearly not planning to let him off the hook easily.
Growing increasingly annoyed, Tang Yin quickly thought of a way to escape. Tang yin clapped his hands together. "Hey! How about we visit Dean Liu Erlong and cheer her up so she can recover faster?"
The girls immediately perked up, enthusiastic about the idea and momentarily forgetting their complaints.
Having a harem really isn't easy... Tang Yin sighed inwardly, silently praying for his future self.
"Hehe, cheer Liu Erlong on as soon as you can—she'll be your sister soon," Tang Yin chuckled to himself, trying to stay optimistic.
After breakfast, Tang Yin and the girls made their way toward Liu Erlong's cottage. The morning sun had already risen high, but the atmosphere in the surrounding felt unnaturally heavy. Tang Yin stepped forward and knocked softly on the door.
A long silence followed before the door creaked open, revealing a disheveled figure.
It was Liu Erlong—her hair was messy, eyes red and puffy, and her makeup smudged like ink on wet parchment. She stumbled forward, her knees buckling, but Tang Yin caught her firmly before she fell. He looked at her with deep concern but remained silent.
She looked pale and exhausted—clearly she hadn't eaten since yesterday's incident. The girls' expressions tightened in concern, quickly moving to comfort and cheer her up, speaking gently as they followed Tang Yin inside.
Tang Yin checked her forehead, half-expecting a fever, but her skin was cool to the touch. Yet a deep crimson blush bloomed on Liu Erlong's cheeks.
He felt a stab of guilt in his chest but didn't show it. Silently, he supported Liu Erlong toward her bedroom. The sight inside made him freeze for a moment.
The room was a chaotic mess—furniture toppled, shards of wood and broken objects strewn across the floor. It looked thoroughly ransacked, likely by her own hands in a fit of rage. Still, Tang Yin said nothing and gently laid her down on the bed, tucking the blanket around her with tenderness.
"Hmm? Am I missing something?" he thought aloud softly.
His eyes narrowed as he glanced around the room again. Then he cast a questioning gaze toward Liu Erlong. She quickly looked away, avoiding his eyes.
The contrast between her fragile state and the wrecked room didn't add up. Tang Yin's mind raced.
Tang Yin's mind clicked into motion.
"Have I really become a fool after transmigrating? Liu Erlong looks sad and disheveled, but her room... her room looks violently thrashed. She's a Soul Saint. Not eating for a day wouldn't make her this weak. With her personality, she should be smashing the walls in fury like Flender, But here she is, acting vulnerable.... Something's off. She's clearly pretending... but why?"
Then, like lightning, a memory struck him.
"Right… her past."
He remembered the details. Liu Erlong, born of a noble father and a commoner mother, was never acknowledged, never loved. She grew up resented and abandoned, isolated from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.
And when she finally found love in Yu Xiaogang—her cousin—they were torn apart by bloodlines and taboo. Even worse, she waited for him for two long decades, only to find out that his so-called love was hollow, never genuine.
She's not weak... she's craving love. She wants to feel needed, to be cared for.
"This act—it's not to deceive. It's a cry for affection. She's vulnerable beneath that tough exterior. And… she's kind of adorable like that."
Tang Yin smiled warmly at her.
Liu Erlong, who had been silently peeking at him through half-lidded eyes, caught that gentle smile—and nearly melted on the spot.
The girls noticed the quiet exchange but didn't read too much into it. After all, they were just here to cheer up a teacher... right?
Tang Yin, on the other hand, simply sighed in his heart.
"Even the mad dragon wants to be hugged."