66: Chapter 66 Did Master send Madam Qingli to set up the formation?

"!!"

Xu Ruyu was so frightened by Lady Qingli's sudden advance that he experienced Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering; thinking she was truly going to "use force," he subconsciously tried to raise his hand to block her.

However, Lady Qingli did not pounce on him as he had imagined.

On the contrary, in the moment Xu Ruyu was dazed, she actually reached out with interest with her soft, jade-like hands and gently cupped his cheeks.

Xu Ruyu could clearly feel that although Lady Qingli's red-jade-like hands were slightly cool, the touch was as delicate and smooth as silk.

This sudden, overly intimate gesture did not bring Xu Ruyu the slightest joy; instead, his hair stood on end, his brain completely crashed, and he could only stare blankly at the beautiful smiling face right in front of him.

Then, before Xu Ruyu could react at all, Lady Qingli stood on her tiptoes (she was half a head shorter than him) and, with lightning speed, lightly pressed her full, soft red lips onto Xu Ruyu's... forehead.

"Mwah~"

A faint but clear sound rang out in the room occupied only by a lone man and woman, carrying a hint of ambiguity.

As if struck by a weak electric current, Xu Ruyu felt the patch of skin on his forehead turn scorching hot. A warm current, a mix of extreme sweetness and a certain provocative scent, surged from the spot of the kiss straight to the crown of his head, numbing his entire body for a moment.

"!!"

Xu Ruyu was petrified once again, his eyes wide as copper bells, his mouth open wide enough to fit an egg, and blood rushing to his face, turning it so red it seemed ready to bleed.

What... what... what is this seductive woman from the Taihu Clan doing?!

Kissing his forehead?! What kind of new teasing method is this?! Or... foreplay?!

Just as Xu Ruyu's mind was in a jumble and about to smoke from overstimulation, Lady Qingli released his face, stepped back, and looking at his dumbfounded expression, burst into another fit of clear, melodious laughter like silver bells:

"Giggle... my silly Yuer! Is there nothing else in that head of yours besides 'that matter'? Hmm?"

She extended a slender index finger and lightly tapped the tip of Xu Ruyu's nose, a gesture as intimate as flirting with her own lover.

"Who told you that this seat came here this time for 'that' with you? Hmm?"

Xu Ruyu trembled slightly at the touch of her fingertip and blinked blankly, his chaotic thoughts struggling to turn: Not for "that"? Then... then why did you just kiss my forehead?

And leaning in so close?! And laughing so... mischievously?!

"This seat came here this time..."

Lady Qingli didn't wait for Xu Ruyu to speak. Instead, she drawled her words, looking at Xu Ruyu's ignorant yet wary appearance, and parted her red lips:

"It was that pure and noble Revered Master of yours, who 'cares so much' for you, who specifically asked this seat to come over and help you set up that 'Forbidden Array'!"

Boom—!!!

Xu Ruyu felt as if a thunderclap had exploded in his head, making his ears ring and his vision go dark.

Revered Master... actually let Lady Qingli come to help me set up the Forbidden Array?!

How... how is this possible?! This isn't right! This isn't how the script is written!

One of his biggest motivations for running to his Revered Master for help and requesting a Forbidden Array was to isolate himself from this smiling but dangerously unpredictable Lady Qingli, wasn't it?!

How did it turn out that the person setting up the Forbidden Array is actually her?!

Isn't this like asking a weasel to install a door on the chicken coop?!

What's the difference between having this door and not having it?! Maybe there's even a 'private passage' left on the door that only the weasel knows about!

The expression on Xu Ruyu's face froze instantly, shifting rapidly from extreme embarrassment to an unbelievable state of confusion.

His mouth agape, he stared blankly at Lady Qingli, who was right in front of him, unable to say a single word for a long while.

Watching the instant change in his expression, Lady Qingli felt extremely gratified, and the smile on her face grew even more radiant.

She deliberately leaned closer to Xu Ruyu, tilting her head and looking at him with those eyes that could practically electrocute someone:

"What? Surprised? Didn't expect this, did you? Did you think that by going to your Revered Master for 'help,' she would personally come to set up a Formation that could 'guard' against me?"

She reached out a jade-like hand and gently patted Xu Ruyu's stiff cheek. "Silly boy, you're still too naive."

"Your Revered Master and I... well, for now, in certain aspects, we are in a 'cooperative' relationship."

"How could she not know about your little schemes? Letting me set up the Formation saves her the trouble on one hand, and on the other..."

She paused, a flash of cunning in her eyes. "It also serves to clearly tell you that your little calculations are useless before us."

"As for me, whenever I want to see my Xiao Yuer, I can come at any time."

"Of course..."

She leaned in even closer, almost pressing against Xu Ruyu's ear, and said in a breathy voice only the two of them could hear, filled with a seductive sweetness:

"I promised you I wouldn't use force, and I will keep that promise. So, in the future, even if I 'come,' it will be as a 'guest,' a 'guest' with your 'consent'~"

"Provided that you're willing to 'open the door' for big sister~ Giggle..."

Having said that, she stopped looking at Xu Ruyu's expression, turned gracefully, and began to look around the room with interest, as if considering where to start setting up her 'Soundproof Array.'

Xu Ruyu stood there in a daze, Lady Qingli's silver-bell-like laughter and that final suggestive remark echoing in his ears. He felt a deep sense of helplessness wash over him like a tide.

Originally, he had sought help from his Revered Master based on the principle of 'choosing the lesser of two evils,' thinking that dealing with one Revered Master would be better than dealing with both the Revered Master and Qingli at the same time.

But now...

Revered Master had directly assigned the task of setting up the Formation to Lady Qingli.

What did this mean?

It meant that these two women, at least when it came to dealing with him, Xu Ruyu, were in cahoots!

There was some sort of understanding or even cooperation between them!

His little scheme to 'isolate' one side was probably laughable to them, like children playing house!

He was like a fish on a cutting board, thinking it could still flop around a bit, unaware that the chef holding the knife and the diner waiting to taste the delicacy had already discussed how to cut and cook it!

Safety? Privacy? Autonomy?

Non-existent.

In this web woven together by two powerful women, it seemed Xu Ruyu really only had the option of 'lying flat and taking the ridicule' (or being eaten).

Xu Ruyu gazed at Lady Qingli's graceful back, watching as she began to perform hand seals and chant incantations. Pink bands of light, carrying mysterious runes, began to coalesce at her fingertips, about to fill this small Side Hall...

He suddenly felt that the faint ache in his waist probably wouldn't get better for a long time to come.

And tonight, within this 'absolutely soundproof' Formation personally set up by Lady Qingli, what would happen?

Xu Ruyu didn't dare to think about it, nor did he want to.

He just felt that as a Transmigrator, he was probably the most aggrieved, most undignified, and yet most 'fortunate' one in history.

What the hell is going on!