My Enemy Became My Cultivation Companion

The end of the year was drawing near, and in the Capital City of Great Yu, this time of year always brought a mix of rain and snow.

After leaving the military camp, Chen Yi first made a trip to the West Factory to inquire about Wu Qingsheng's case.

Upon entering the West Factory, even though Chen Yi had been reassigned, nobody would dare stop him, making it easy for him to approach Wu Qingsheng.

"Wan Xifeng of Ju Weng Pavilion… This case has been lingering for a while now; I'll need to find some time to sift through the archives,"

Wu Qingsheng said as he pressed his hands against the desk and stood up. Seemingly setting the matter aside for now, he continued:

"Early this morning, the palace sent word urging you to go to the Bureau of Astronomy promptly to register your name in the Spring Register, so it can pave the way for your duties at Stop-War Division."

Chen Yi lowered his gaze and displayed no surprise. It was only natural, both by reason and by rule, that he should have entered the Spring Register during his fifth-grade rank. But due to the complex circumstances surrounding the matter, it had dragged on until now. With Prince of Annan's troops gradually withdrawing, the Capital City had stabilized, and the palace, feeling it was long overdue, could wait no longer—it was finally time.

"Alright, I'll head home first to arrange some matters," Chen Yi replied.

Soon, he would need to go on an outing that wasn't very close nor far away, but beforehand, he decided to make some meals for Yin Tingxue and Zhou Yitang.

The West Factory's location was not far from his home. Not long after, Chen Yi returned home.

Once home, after changing out of his clothes, Chen Yi made his way to the bedroom, where he saw Yin Tingxue awake. She looked spirited, lying on the bed under a quilt, holding a book in her hands and reading.

Chen Yi focused his gaze—it wasn't some miscellaneous essays or novels but the mental method Zhou Yitang had given her.

"Why are you reading that?"

Yin Tingxue lowered the book slightly and softly replied:

"Master Zhou had me read it. After breakfast, she urged me to study it."

Chen Yi responded with a faint "Oh."

Letting the little fox learn some magic had originally been his decision. Before heading to the Joyful Sect, his intent was merely to ensure she had some ability to defend herself and wouldn't be easily drawn into the dangerous schemes lurking behind the scenes. Now that she was temporarily safe, his interest in the matter had waned somewhat.

Still, letting her learn some magic was ultimately a good thing—as long as she didn't start thinking of escaping or running away, the more she learned, the better.

With this thought, Chen Yi's mind felt clearer. He slowly moved closer to Yin Tingxue, whose delicate face rested in her hands, showing some nervousness as she watched him.

Yin Tingxue closed the book and grasped the quilt tightly. Whenever he showed that mischievous look, it usually meant he was about to bully her in some way. The little fox's heart couldn't help but tremble—after all, she hadn't done anything wrong recently!

Chen Yi pulled Yin Tingxue into his embrace. She was indeed petite and alluring, and after draping his hands teasingly across her back and waist, her face flushed red. But she remained obedient and didn't push him away.

Only when he seemed satisfied with his playful teasing would Yin Tingxue cautiously push him away—this was the wisdom she'd gained after so much time observing his moods.

"You seem to have gained some weight," Chen Yi remarked slyly as he nestled closer to her.

Yin Tingxue let out an embarrassed "Mm" without refuting him. Still, her small hands skeptically felt her own stomach—how could she have gained weight?

Chen Yi took his time, and after a while, he finally spoke slowly:

"Do you know what happened last night?"

"What happened?" Yin Tingxue asked, understandably confused.

"Last night, Min Ning tried to threaten me with a sword, but I knocked her to the ground instead. She begged for mercy, trying to appeal to our past connection. Her eyes brimmed with tears, glaring at me desperately, hoping I wouldn't harm her."

The words fell into her ears, few as they were, yet vivid enough to allow the little fox to imagine the scene of the young hero's humiliation.

Yin Tingxue could hear his smugness, drawing forth unpleasant memories and a furrow in her brows.

This villain—no one knew him better than her.

When he'd forced her, it had been just the same. She begged for mercy, sobbed and stammered soft pleas, but Chen Yi still wouldn't let her go.

Even if she hadn't offered herself willingly, Chen Yi surely would have taken her anyway. Perhaps someday, as soon as her left foot stepped into the bedroom, he'd grab her and toss her onto the bed with his wicked laughter.

And that's why she'd burned that maid contract back then—they both needed a reason, a justification.

"Did… did you… violate her? Did you ruin her purity? Then why don't you stay with her and take responsibility?" Yin Tingxue asked as she furrowed her brows and cautiously revealed the complicated feelings in her heart.

Those feelings were a mix of bitterness, sympathy for Min Ning, and reproach for this villain.

Min Ning had once tried to save her—although, in less than three or four hours, Yin Tingxue had been recaptured by Chen Yi.

But during that fleeting moment, a strange sense of relief had washed over her.

Chen Yi gazed at Yin Tingxue, his eyes soft as he mocked her with a smile: "It's all your fault."

Yin Tingxue froze in surprise—how did the blame suddenly fall on her, completely out of nowhere?

"I didn't violate her," Chen Yi leaned close to her ear and said quietly, which was rare for him.

Yin Tingxue blinked, full of disbelief, as the gloom in her heart suddenly scattered. She opened her mouth as if wanting to say something, but in the end, all that escaped was a gentle "Mm."

Chen Yi loosened his grip on her slightly. Yin Tingxue propped herself up and sat upright, the corners of her mouth curving upwards. Knowing Min Ning was unharmed made her inexplicably happy—not solely for Min Ning's sake but also because he… seemed to have changed.

"What really happened, then?" Yin Tingxue asked.

Chen Yi chuckled and replied, "She begged me for mercy. I thought to myself, there are so few women in the world who like me, I might as well cherish her a bit and spare her. Besides, I thought of you too—understand?"

Yin Tingxue's eyes widened slightly, her small face filled with surprise.

Had she made this villain… a little gentler?

As the thought settled, a warmth spread through her heart. After some hesitation, she leaned forward and kissed Chen Yi's cheek on her own accord.

"Stop being so affectionate—I might end up wanting Min Ning again. Letting her go last night? That's all your fault."