6 How nice and simple

Zhang Wang did not allow himself to be flustered by Xiao Meizi's question. He had already expected it.

Of course, it was unusual nowadays to see young men roaming around freely who have yet to join the fray on the battlefield. But that didn't mean there were none.

Zhang Wang's smile was easy, "Actually, you see… My Dage's cultivation has dispersed in battle lately… I have been useless and weak-bodied since birth. I could barely survive the training regime so they threw me out! Ahem, it's a bit embarrassing but alas... Now, I am escorting my Dage to Mount Hannu. I heard about the magical properties of the springs there and heard they are able to heal even damaged cores…"

It was a load of bullshit.

Luckily, most normal humans knew not a lick about how cultivation actually worked. It was possible to sprout a bunch of dumb nonsense and easily get away with it, so long as the words were said with confidence.

Zhang Wang was a pretty good liar if he had to say so himself.

Xiao Meizi's eyes went wide, taking a pitying glance in Yu Yanlin's direction, "Oh, I'm so sorry to hear about that!"

Now, if only this demon king's ability to deceive was as good as Zhang Wang's…! But when the Immortal of a Thousand Blossom's looked over he saw that Yu Yanlin appeared unnaturally stiff!

A slow panic welled inside of him, but Zhang Wang kept his countenance calm. He pressed his lips thin and tried to communicate with the intensity of his glare, 'Just say as little as possible!'

"It's…nothing. I'm…okay." Yu Yanlin coughed awkwardly as if it hurt him physically to lie.

Zhang Wang almost spat out his wine.

Could he have answered in a more suspicious way than that!?! This was truly an oversight on Zhang Wang's side! He didn't expect the demon king of all people to have difficulties going along with a simple lie!

"Oh…" Xiao Meizi tilted her head, also seeming a bit confused by such a reaction.

Zhang Wang quickly cut in, "This Dage of mine is a really awkward person, you know? This is why I have to accompany him to Mount Hannu. Even though he looks like this, I really worry about him!"

He ignored the pleading and helpless look that Yu Yanlin was currently giving him.

Meanwhile, Xiao Meizi was suitably distracted and refilled their cups. "Oh my! That sounds very difficult… ah, pardon my rudeness. You are a very kind person, Young Master."

Zhang Wang's smile came easily and he toasted with the girl, encouraging her to pay more attention to drinking than Yu Yanlin's awkward behavior.

Before he knew it, Zhang Wang found his mood overtaken by drunken merriment and completely forgot about his plan to take it easy. He didn't even realize that Xiao Meizi had left, leaving him drooling on Yu Yanlin's hard, muscled lap.

"Mei-guniang…your leg is so…so…ah it's quite thick, isn't it? Very nice."

Yu Yanlin looked down at the man drooling in his lap and sighed with a quaint smile. If nothing else, at least his current situation was amusing.

He peeled the Immortal of a Thousand Blossoms off his lap and tried to haul him up. But this Immortal was a complete dead weight against him. "Ah, so strong! Why can't I be strong," a hiccup, "It's always Sikong Ren stealing the spotlight, how is that fair?"

Slender hands traced Yu Yanlin's chest and the curve of his biceps. Zhang Wang nuzzling into it. This immortal was quite different when drunk and reminded Yu Yanlin of an affectionate kitten. He chuckled at the thought and wrestled the drunkard into bed.

Not a few days ago, Yu Yanlin's world was consumed by war, battle strategies, and managing internal affairs. He did not blame Zhang Wang for scheming such a grandiose operation and exploited the weaknesses within his entire inner circle. In fact, he even admired and respected the Immortal of a Thousand Blossoms. The same feeling did not extend to those that so readily betrayed him.

But such a thing was an expected fixture in the history of the Dark Kingdom. Why did Yu Yanlin ever expect anything different? To think that he was truly that naive…

Despite everything, Yu Yanlin refused to wallow in self-pity and instead focused this Immortal of a Thousand Blossoms who had unwittingly put the two of them into such a hilarious and interesting situation.

Maybe it was a little inappropriate for Yu Yanlin to find joy in this development. He should at least not cause any unnecessary problems. And so he bent down and removed Zhang Wang's boots. A slurring grumble came out of the cultivator in response.

Yu Yanlin was about to move to pull the bedsheets over the drunken man but he was the one that was pulled down instead. Awkwardly he fell over on top of Zhang Wang. The Immortal of a Thousand Blossoms was slighter than him but he was definitely solid. He stared up at Yu Yanlin with odd eyes.

"Why is it you?"

"...?" Yu Yanlin didn't know how to answer this question. There were hands that trailed up from the back of the demon's thighs and rested in the crevice between his buttock and his legs. Ah, this was a bit of an embarrassing position to be held in, as a man. A heat tickled up his neck and face. He squirmed and tried to push himself up.

But Zhang Wang was not pleased by this action and yanked Yu Yanlin back down by the bicep, "Where do you think you're going?" His long lashes fanned over half-lidded phoenix eyes. His breath reeked of alcohol and tickled Yu Yanlin's chin.

"I am not Xiao Meizi," Yu Yanlin said.

The hands stroked his body again, sending shivers across Yu Yanlin's skin. And he wasn't sure if he really wanted to pull away anymore. He was starting to feel comfortable in this position. Pleasantly warm in a dangerous way.

But Zhang Wang's brows furrowed, "You're right, you're not! Ah, how annoying."

And just like that, he was thrown aside. Yu Yanlin stumbled off the bed. Zhang Wang grumbled and rolled over, sprawled over the bed.

Yu Yanlin felt a bit dizzy but he then laughed at his predicament. Ah, such was the temperament of drunk people. They could be truly amusing! Especially when they weren't plotting for his demise and preparing to backstab him at the same time!

There was enough space on the bed for two, but Yu Yanlin felt it to be a little inappropriate. Would it be accurate to count himself as a prisoner in this situation? He wasn't too sure. In the end, he fell asleep on the floor with his back against the wall and head rested against the curve of the bed.

Sleep came a lot easier than he expected with fatigue claiming his consciousness swiftly.

He slept so long that even the drunken Immortal of a Thousand Blossoms woke up before him.

"Wake up!" A voice pulled him out of a restless sleep. Yu Yanlin let out an embarrassing growl in response, "Ah, we don't have all day. Get up or else I'll throw the rest of the water on you."

Yu Yanlin peeled his eyes open and a scallion pancake was thrown at him so suddenly that it almost smacked him in the face. He blinked at it, and almost scrutinized it for poison until he realized that Zhang Wang wasn't out to kill him. Not anymore. Not now. Not him.

He took a bite out of the fried scallion pancake and allowed the flavor that filled his mouth. How nice and simple.

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