Lips soft like rose petals. Thighs as smooth as butter.

The calming aroma of sandalwood had finally entered the abyss, corrupted with the enticing power of lust.

This corruption caused Bubai’s danger instincts to tingle, but…

He could feel her delicate fingers tracing down his chest, teasing the contours of his recently emerging abs, and down further…

He’s not a man if he stopped at this moment!

But just when she was about to light the torch that will lead them down the forbidden path of no return-

Bubai felt a cold, sharp blade pricking his neck, submerging his lust in icy water.

Like a drowning man breaking through the surface, his eyes snapped open, only to face an empty wall, but this was the least of his worries at the moment.

Bubai’s eyes trailed down to see the curved dagger held against his neck. Its jade handle couldn’t be more familiar.

His eyes slowly darted to the side to see the tall, masked beauty donning the black garment of the law enforcement hall.

Officer Ponytail? What’s she doing here?

While they stood in silence, the chilling night breeze caressed Bubai’s skin, stoking his guilty conscience...

But before the weight could put cracks in his expression, Bubai took the initiative to ask, "Senior sister... did I do something wrong?"

Officer Ponytail’s cool voice crawled up his spine, "Why are you out so late at night… alone?"

Alone? He wasn’t alone though? Bubai’s eyes darted back to see... the empty wall.

Oh… perhaps Shu Ling used stealth again? Well, that made it a problem for him.

The thoughts flashed through his mind like lightning, and Bubai threw out an excuse, "Senior sister, I am out for a night exercise. Is that... not allowed?"

He was met with silence, the cold blade still on his neck.

Hearing no response, deep in Bubai’s eyes, there was a hint of gloominess, debating whether to fight back. It was not comfortable to always be on the receiving end of this dagger.

But in the end, he resisted the urge, reining in his nefarious thoughts and peacefully persuaded, "Senior sister, I’m sure this is not breaking any rules..."

Bubai felt the jade green eyes boring into him from behind her mask.

After a moment, Officer Ponytail finally responded in a neutral voice, "The elders have recently passed down orders to investigate all suspicious individuals out late at night."

Okay? What does that have to do with him?

Bubai waited for a moment. Noting there was no clarification like usual, he took matters into his own hands, "Uh, senior sister, can junior ask why?"

Officer Ponytail curtly replied, "They are looking for a thief."

Thief? What thief?! He certainly ain’t no thief. He was obviously just an honest bloke!

Bubai put on a sheepish smile, "Senior sister, you’ve got the wrong person, I’m not a thief…"

In response to his words, he could feel her gaze piercing him like a stake, her cold voice dropping the verdict, "Whether you are a thief or not, you know in your heart."

After she finished, her dagger retracted into her sheath, and she turned around, her long ponytail swishing as she strode off, leaving behind a cold warning, "Watch your steps, don’t let me catch you."

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With that, she darted into the shadows, leaping up, turning into a blur and vanishing over the rooftops.

Bubai stood alone on the dark streets, the faint scent of bamboo tickling his senses.

He rubbed his nose, a hint of suspicion creeping into his thoughts. "Is this a warning?"

Why? And by whom?

After a moment of deliberation, he pushed the unsettling thoughts aside. There were more pressing matters to handle...

Licking his lips, Bubai’s heated eyes scanned the surroundings as he called out, "Fairy, are you still there?"

There was no response except for the chilling night breeze whispering through the empty streets.

"Ah, seems she really is gone," Bubai muttered, feeling utterly annoyed.

Really, he didn’t expect to encounter this cliché…

Now, there was frustration built-up within him, but there was nowhere to vent!

Turning his gaze skyward, Bubai searched for the comforting glow of the moon, still hiding behind the veil of snow. "Now that I have an entire night off… what to do?"

Go equalize wealth between rich and poor again? Yeah… no.

He wasn’t ready to pass back his hard-earned spirit stones like a fool.

"Well, go back to work." Considering the circumstances, it was the safest option.

So, Bubai set off into the darkness with silent steps, the shadows embracing him like an old friend...

On a nearby rooftop, the female law enforcer stood in the darkness with her ponytail billowing in the night breeze. Her jade green eyes haunted Bubai’s receding back, mumbling to herself, “Is it him?”

Book Pavilion. Map Room.

Bubai quietly sat alone at the table, wholly focused on tracing the formations on the two balls held on the rack.

His concentration was so intense that he seemed almost oblivious to the world around him.

"Is it not boring?"

Keeping his small bubble of divine sense focused on the formation balls, Bubai looked up, setting his sights on the silver-haired beauty who had appeared seemingly out of nowhere across from him.

She was resting her chin on her hand, watching him with keen interest as if she had always been there.

Bubai arched a brow and remarked, "I thought fairy would be too shy to show up.”

Shu Ling rolled her eyes, quipping. "Does this fairy look like the shy type to you?"

Chuckling softly, Bubai shook his head before bowing his head to refocus his eyes on his work.

Seeing this, Shu Ling stared at him, her eyes squinting slightly as if assessing him.

Then, without warning, Bubai felt a foot nudging the torch under the table, attempting to light it once more...

Yet, Bubai’s hands remained steady, and his response was firm. "Fairy, I am not in the mood.”

He had long cooled down from the walk back, and now he was in work mode, where his machine mind doused most superfluous influences.

In the face of Bubai’s lackluster reaction, Shu Ling's teasing demeanor vanished, and she retracted her leg, pouting slightly, mumbling under her breath. "Feng Qi, this fairy will remember this.”

Shortly after her soft curse, Shu Ling looked back at the quiet Bubai, her expression now returning to her former noble elegance. "Hum. Since fairy brother doesn’t want to have fun, then let’s discuss important matters.”

Bubai threw her a glance, echoing, "Important matters?"

“Hum.” Shu Ling nodded, her silver hair glinting in the ambient light. "It’s the conditions for our exchange. As a reward for satisfying this fairy, this fairy can offer fairy brother a snippet of knowledge for free."

Bubai frowned subtly, stating firmly. "I don’t want to put a price on our relationship."

Innocently blinking her eyes, Shu Ling tilted her head, "Those words make this fairy happy, but they only hold weight in the territories of those righteous sects. Here in our sect, transactions like this are normal. Fairy brother should know this by now."

“…” Though the golden light from the runes danced in his eyes, Bubai didn’t pay it any heed.

He set down his brush and stared at Shu Ling with a solemn face, "Is there a need to be so clear-cut?"

Facing his intense stare, Shu Ling bowed her head, dodging his gaze.

Absentmindedly curling her silver hair with her fingers, she responded in a weak voice, almost a whisper, "This fairy also doesn’t want to, but this is granny’s orders. A transaction is a transaction. This way… it won’t hurt as much in the future."

The room fell into a heavy silence at her words, each moment stretching taut with unspoken understanding.

Bubai bowed his head, knowing there was no need for further discussion. After all, he understood her circumstances.

This fairy - she looked free-spirited and easy-going, but…

Beautiful women bound to powerful clans – which one wasn’t a bird trapped in a cage?

Despite Granny Shu's seemingly laissez-faire attitude, her warnings about playing responsibly had always hung over them, hinting at the limitations of their bond.

Now, since they had formally taken the next step, this fairy was simply laying out the terms on the table, reminding him lest he becomes the one that couldn’t let go.

She was a kind fairy... a wise one that he couldn’t help but wish to just keep in his own bottle.

But some things... couldn’t be changed unless he possessed absolute strength.

Alas, he certainly lacked it now… but the road ahead was long.

"So be it.” When Bubai raised his head once more, a warm smile had already been worn over his frown, and he agreed to the terms with a steady voice, “From now on, fairy, remember that a transaction is a transaction, just like… a promise is a promise."

Shu Ling's twirling of her hair paused, and she slowly looked up at him, her eyes beginning to sparkle like stars. "Hum. This fairy will remember fairy brother’s words."