Stepping on the Demoness to become the strongest

Zhao Yuanzhen believed that keeping a distance from these foreign girls was the right thing to do with Yan Yu, so her hostility was more directed at them.

Lee Soo-eun and Kim Min-eun felt troubled. Yan Yu was already not very interested in them, and during discussions about swordsmanship there was some interaction, but now that they've left the training ground, they basically have no common topics to talk about.

Even if the two wanted to initiate conversation, they were rudely intercepted by Zhao Yuanzhen, leaving them no chance at all.

Li Zhaojiang sitting between the two, was overjoyed at the situation:

Haha, Old Yan is tightly controlled by his three wives, Soo-eun and Min-eun are mine!

He diligently served dishes to the two girls, occasionally telling cold jokes, and then when everyone didn't get the punchline, he would explain what was supposed to be funny.

The two girls were a bit bothered by Li Zhaojiang.

In fact, if they couldn't capture Yan Yu's heart, Pear Blossom Courtyard's prominent figures wouldn't mind them flirting with other powerful cultivators, like Liu Longtao who wasn't present.

But Li Zhaojiang was definitely out of the question, because his romantic history had been thoroughly investigated by the Courtyard; he's a playboy who changes lovers even faster than clothes. Flirting with him would be like offering mutton to a tiger, giving no advantage at all.

If they could go further, becoming his girlfriend or even wife, the deal could barely be considered worth it, but Li Zhaojiang already has a girlfriend, seemingly arranged by the Annan Army...it's not feasible, so it's pointless.

The two girls didn't plan to develop a fleeting romance with Li Zhaojiang, but of course, they couldn't reject him outright and risk offending him, so they used the tactic women use to toy with adoring fans: "flying a kite."

Get close and pull away, give sweetness when distant. The poor boy was toyed with like this, completely oblivious and enjoying it.

Yan Yu slightly regretful, thought it was fortunate that Minghu wasn't here, otherwise his silly brother would anger him to death.

He wanted to remind Li Zhaojiang, saying, "They don't like you; they're just flirting to keep you hanging!" But noticing the unfriendly expression of the enchantress next to him, he suppressed the thought.

Forget it, better not to be unnecessary. If the enchantress thinks I'm interested in those two girls, it's game over.

Everyone continued eating, drinking, and laughing, the atmosphere becoming lively.

Even though they couldn't push the girls onto Yan Yu's bed, the original intention was to socialize with him, so Park Changmin simply let go of his scruples, continuously toasting, and speaking wittily, drawing all the attention to himself.

He first mentioned their initial encounter in the mysterious realm of Changbai Mountain where he unfortunately lost to Yan Yu;

Then he praised Yan Yu's strength, expressing admiration and respect without a hint of unwillingness to concede;

Finally insisting that though he is the Goryeo Sword God, in front of the Lu Country's Divine General, he is "just a latecomer" and would have to learn from Yan Yu and seek advice often going forward.

His speech was so well-articulated that even the delegation's girls were very moved.

Changmin oppa's status in Pear Blossom Courtyard was already unquestionably the chief; how proud and dazzling he used to be? Even saying he valued honor more than life is not too much!

Yet now, to curry favor with the Lu Country, he doesn't hesitate to humble himself. In this era of national rejuvenation, his dedication to serving the country is all the more commendable, a true honor worthy of the title "Goryeo Sword God"!

We shouldn't let Changmin oppa make sacrifices alone!

The girls made earnest attempts to amuse, joke around, making the atmosphere lively and fun.

Li Zhaojiang was ecstatic, secretly thinking Old Yan was tightly held by his three wives, not daring to move freely, and now the girls were laughing heartily, surely drawn by my outstanding charm!

Haha, tonight is my lucky night!

Returning to the embassy, everyone went back to their rooms to rest.

Soon, the confident Li Zhaojiang gathered his props and knocked on Lee Soo-eun's room door.

No response.

He thought about going through the wall to take a look but feared scaring them and causing a diplomatic incident, so he turned to Kim Min-eun's room and knocked again.

Still no response.

That's odd, didn't I walk them back myself earlier?

Confused, Li Zhaojiang stood by the door, unaware that Lee Soo-eun and Kim Min-eun had already, a few minutes ago, fixed their makeup in the room then went to Yan Yu's door, knocking.

One last attempt!

After waiting quite a while without a response from Yan Yu inside, the two girls decided to keep waiting at the door.

Even if directly rejected, they at least wanted closure!

Unbeknownst to them, Yan Yu had already been dragged into Zhao Yuanzhen's room ten minutes earlier.

"Speak!" She pinned Yan Yu against the wall, "What exactly is your relationship with those two women?"

"Didn't I arrive here with you all?" Yan Yu felt baffled, pushing her away forcefully, "I didn't even know them before, okay?"

Dared to push me? Zhao Yuanzhen closed in again, pinning Yan Yu tightly.

"Alright, Sister Zhao." Su Yunjin came over to mediate, "The captain didn't do anything to betray us."

"It appears they're chasing Yan Yu one-sidedly." Said Ye Jun sitting by the bed, "When a girl pursues a guy, it's like a veil. If Yan Yu had any feelings for them, this would've happened long ago, and we couldn't stop it."

"He wouldn't dare!" Zhao Yuanzhen was instantly angry, turning to glare at Yan Yu, "Would you dare?"

"What wouldn't I dare?" Yan Yu sneered, "Honestly, I wasn't interested in them at all, but if you use this to threaten me, I might as well show you."

He shoved away the enchantress, turned and made to leave, Su Yunjin hurried to pull him back, saying, "Sister Zhao didn't mean that," persuading Zhao Yuanzhen to swallow her pride and make peace.

Zhao Yuanzhen was furious, but underneath her fury was panic. She knew that you can guard against a thief for a thousand days and not succeed.

If Yan Yu really wanted to do something, he could easily slip away to meet the secret lovers on any patrol day, who could stop him?

The crime of messing with relationships can only be used to oust those who lose power struggles; it's ineffective for someone at Yan Yu's level, right? Even if the affair was exposed, the Privy Council would turn a blind eye, and Pear Blossom Courtyard would probably prefer to send more women to him!

Realizing the key point, Zhao Yuanzhen quickly softened her attitude, stutteringly saying:

"I wasn't threatening you, just concerned about your health. You're already exhausted taking care of us, I worry if you act on impulse and seek wildflowers, you'll damage your True Yang Origin, and we'd have to think of ways to help you."

Yan Yu only sneered silently, sitting back down on the bed.

To be honest, he wasn't interested in those Goryeo girls either, because his taste had been spoiled by his wives around him—neither their figure compared to Zhao Yuanzhen, nor their patience probably compared to Ye Jun, and surely their personalities weren't more gentle than Yunjin; if not for their diplomatic status, I'd find the whole charade boring!

Seeing he wasn't calming down, Su Yunjin signaled Zhao Yuanzhen with her eyes.

Zhao Yuanzhen immediately sat on Yan Yu's lap, wrapping her arms around his neck, coquettishly saying:

"Alright, alright, we won't mention this again. Tonight, just let them be! Yun Jin, Ye Jun, and I will keep you company, do whatever you like, okay?"

"Hey, that's unfair!" Ye Jun teased from the side, "Yuanzhen, you provoked him, and now you want us to help mollify him, what's that about?"

"If you don't want to join, don't!" Zhao Yuanzhen retorted sarcastically, "When I'm out of strength, just be there to back me up!"

"Don't say such lewd things!" Su Yunjin blushed, "We're sisters, why argue over softening or hardening? The captain isn't even mad…"

"You're wrong, Yunjin." Yan Yu immediately corrected, "I am very angry right now."

"I need a fierce battle to vent my rage!"

"You better be venting rage for real." Ye Jun unthinkingly replied.