Chapter 201: He Strikes Again!

Cang Yue stretched and sighed. "Mouu… I just wish we could wrap up our matches today. After facing Lin Yueru, the rest of my opponents barely pose a challenge. I can beat them without even using my main techniques."

Retsu gave her a sympathetic nod. "Well, we did take down ten opponents without a loss, so it's fair they're spacing things out a bit."

"The last five matches are tomorrow. I'm ready! If we do, we'll advance to the round of 32." Cang Yue said with a determined grin.

Yun Che shook his head, amused. "You're the only one excited. I've spent most of my energy foiling the Fen brothers' plans. Their bribes are worthless now that everyone knows we're not to be messed with. No one even dares to take on you or Retsu."

Cang Yue beamed. "Ehee…"

"Except for Retsu-neesan's first match and Yue-neesan's fifth match, it's been dull," Kon chimed in from Yun Che's shoulder.

"Of course it is," Yun Che shrugged. "Until we face someone who can actually challenge us, this whole tournament is like going through the motions."

"Shall we head to Mai and Mei's again for dinner?" Mio suggested.

"They're probably closed by now; Yuanba's escorting them back to the city," Yun Che replied. He chuckled. "Our little Yuanba's growing up, huh? Taking the initiative to spend time with them on his own."

"Shall we head back to the manor then?" Retsu suggested. "A good bath sounds nice after a whole day like this."

Yun Che was about to agree, but he paused, eyes narrowing as he sensed multiple presences through his Haki. "Girls…" he said quietly, his tone alert.

"Yuu-sama, the security Kido has detected four presences nearby. All hiding," Nemu reported quietly. "They're each at the Earth Profound Realm level."

Yun Che nodded, all of them relaxed instead of on guard. Retsu gave him a knowing look. "Yuu-kun, Mio and I can handle them if you'd rather not bother yourself."

"Hmm, they're not exactly being subtle about their intent either," he murmured, sensing the red intent lingering in his Eagle Vision. "No, I'll take care of it. I've got some questions for our little pests, anyway. You all go ahead and start preparing dinner—I'll let you decide what to cook." He summoned his HDR sniper rifle, slinging it over his shoulder. The girls exchanged glances, easily recognizing his plan.

"Should we be worried?" Cang Yue asked, surprisingly calm.

"If Mio showed even a fraction of her power, this courtyard would be the safest spot in the realm." He chuckled. "Nothing to worry about."

"Ehee, I'll watch over everyone here," Mio said, her eyes gleaming with readiness.

"Ufufu… be careful, Yuu-kun," Retsu murmured softly, leaning in to plant a gentle kiss on his cheek. Before he could turn, the others followed suit, each giving him their own quick peck. Yun Che chuckled, warmed by their gestures. Watching all this from a distance, Kon could only stare, visibly jealous, before hopping over to Cang Yue's shoulder with a huff.

Yun Che nodded, vanishing into the shadows with a wave. It struck him as odd—four Earth Profound Realm cultivators lurking so close. And there was a familiar presence hidden among them, someone who clearly hadn't learned their lesson the other day. Confident the others were in good hands, he moved swiftly to confront the intruders.

--------------------

Yuanba landed gracefully, storing away his Wings of the First Flight after returning from escorting Mai and Mei back to the Imperial City. With his full strength, he'd managed to make the trip in just under half an hour, ensuring that his profound energy shielded them from the intense speed. He noticed Mai blushing throughout the journey, while Mei seemed mildly annoyed, though he couldn't guess why. Regardless, he was thrilled at how smoothly he'd managed the round trip—and he didn't mind being their "ride" to Heavenly Sword Villa, especially since he'd been the one to invite them to the tournament.

As he walked back, a muffled explosion echoed in the distance. Yuanba paused, dismissing it as nothing more than a stray noise carried by the wind. But then, another blast followed, sharper this time. He hesitated, curiosity piqued as a third, final explosion sounded, leaving the air still and silent.

"Hmm, probably just the winds," he muttered to himself, about to turn away. But then, a familiar frosty figure approached, and a wide smile broke across his face.

---------------------

Ling Yun crept silently into the Blue Wind Imperial Family's courtyard under the cover of night, his frustration from the previous day simmering. The women he'd spent all day thinking about had vanished to the Imperial City for the day off, leaving him obsessively replaying every moment of their brief encounter. None of his usual diversions could compare; he wanted them and them alone.

He clenched his fist, bitterly recalling how Zhang Kai had managed to capture the attention of Unohana Retsu—a goddess in Ling Yun's eyes—and had even received a personal request from her. Ling Yun had never come close to that privilege, and he was determined to make Zhang Kai pay in the arena. He'd pull whatever strings necessary to make that happen.

His gaze shifted to the lake, and there she was. Unohana Nemuri sat by herself, radiating a quiet elegance as she fed the koi, each movement calm and graceful. Her soft pink yukata framed her figure, her hair cascading loosely over her shoulders, and her green eyes reflected the serene beauty of the water. She brushed a hand through her hair, looking lost in thought, waiting for her sister's arrival. Ling Yun's heart pounded as he watched, mesmerized by the sight of her unveiled beauty, more breathtaking than he had dared to imagine.

Ling Yun moved closer, his steps light, careful not to alert Unohana Retsu or the other woman he knew was nearby. Tonight, he was resolute—this woman would be his. He emerged from the shadows, and Nemu's gaze lifted to meet his. Her serene green eyes held a captivating calm that made his heart race, and he felt an all-too-familiar thrill as he looked at her.

"Ah, you're that perverted monkey from yesterday," Nemu remarked gently, tilting her head, her tone as casual as if she were greeting an old acquaintance.

Ling Yun bristled, holding his hands out earnestly. "I am not a pervert, goddess Unohana. I came here only to make a humble request." His voice wavered with suppressed excitement, each breath coming quick as he tried to resist the overwhelming allure of her presence.

"Request?" Nemu repeated, her head still tilted, studying him.

"I am Ling Yun, young master of the Heavenly Sword Villa," he declared with self-importance, his gaze intent on hers. "I wish to take you as my beloved wife. Name your price, and I will see it fulfilled. Wealth, cultivation, anything within my power—I will grant it all. Be mine, goddess Unohana."

"No," Nemu said firmly, shaking her head. Her answer was as swift as it was final. It was clear now—her beloved sister was right about this man's delusions. He truly believed that wealth and status would be enough to win her over. "My older sister doesn't like you," she added with a soft sigh, "and neither do I."

Ling Yun's face twisted in frustration at her outright rejection. His carefully polished composure crumbled, revealing a childish petulance that was more unbecoming than intimidating.

"Why?" he spat, frustration flaring. "Why would you refuse me?"

Nemu met his gaze, her expression unchanging. "I am already engaged," she said calmly, "to the same man my sister is engaged to. I'm sorry."

Ling Yun's temper flared again, his words tinged with desperation. "Why? What does he have that I don't?" His demand had a petulant, almost whiny edge that Nemu found more tiresome than troubling.

Keeping her tone steady, she tilted her head thoughtfully, as if trying to explain something simple. "He's… smarter than you," she answered honestly.

Ling Yun puffed up, scoffing, "My intelligence is not lower than his!"

Nemu sighed, a hint of amusement finally breaking through her calm exterior. "If you truly believe that, Sir Ling Yun, then perhaps you can answer a few of my questions?" she offered. Though she had no intention of reconsidering him, it seemed fitting to let him see just how vast the gap was between himself and the man she'd chosen.

"Then ask me. I am confident I can answer anything you throw at me!" Ling Yun boasted, his pride blinding him to the nature of her test.

Nemu considered him for a moment, then asked, "Very well, tell me—what is 'sphenopalatine ganglioneuralgia'?"

Ling Yun's confident expression faltered as he stared, wide-eyed, at her. "Uh, what? Dear Goddess…are you jesting?" he stammered, clearly taken aback by the unfamiliar term.

Nemu sighed softly and offered him a simpler question. "Is it too difficult for Sir Ling Yun? Very well, what does DNA stand for?"

Ling Yun's face turned red as he struggled to respond. "Urrghh…" was all he managed, completely stumped.

Seeing his difficulty, she gave him one last chance. "Alright, then, how many cells are there in the human body?"

Ling Yun's face twisted with frustration. "What kind of questions are these?" he muttered, gritting his teeth. But Nemu remained impassive, unphased by his outburst. None of her questions were answerable by anyone in this world, save perhaps one.

"Perhaps Sir Ling Yun would benefit from a more tangible challenge?" she offered, pulling out a six-colored cube with intricate twists—a puzzle given to her by Yun Che to pass time during matches. "This is a Rubik's Cube. Can you tell me how many possible combinations exist for it?"

Ling Yun's silence was profound. He had no idea what this cube was, let alone how many combinations it held. And for the first time, it seemed to dawn on him that the woman in front of him wasn't just beautiful but held knowledge from realms far beyond his understanding.

"Is Sir Ling Yun having trouble?" Nemu asked, her tone gentle but unyielding. "I'll simplify it for you, just one question requiring a single-word answer."

Ling Yun, gritting his teeth, felt a spark of hope. "Fine…ask," he replied, forcing confidence into his voice.

With her stoic expression unchanging, Nemu posed her final question. "An instrument that records, analyzes, summarizes, organizes, debates, and explains information; that is illustrative, non-illustrative, hardbound, paperback, jacketed, or unjacketed; with foreword, introduction, table of contents, index; intended for the enlightenment, understanding, enrichment, and education of the human brain through the sensory route of vision... sometimes touched."

Ling Yun blinked, his mind stumbling over her words. "What?" he stammered, utterly lost.

"Your answer?" Nemu asked, her calm gaze holding his.

Ling Yun clenched his fists, his pride crumbling. "Haha… Lady Unohana, surely this is a jest to test if I have a sense of humor, yes? This isn't a real question—you must be testing my patience!"

"These are the questions, Sir Ling Yun. Please answer them, or leave this place," Nemu stated firmly, her tone final.

Ling Yun began to laugh by himself. The Goddess's sister was indeed mocking him. She was comparing his intelligence to Yun Che and she was confident Yun Che can answer these questions correctly.

"Why... why can't they see my worth?" Ling Yun muttered, his voice twisting with frustration. "I'm stronger than they realize. If they won't accept me willingly... then I'll make them see."

Determination and desperation mingled in his gaze as he fixed his eyes on Nemu. His plan was dark, desperate. "Lady Unohana, I'm losing my patience," he declared, stepping forward. "If you won't come to me, then I'll make you mine in ways you can't resist!"

Ling Yun's frustration boiled over as he struggled to regain his composure, his clothes soiled with his own shameful weakness. His breath was ragged, and the lust in his eyes only deepened as he lusted at Nemu.

Nemu remained still, her eyes cold and calculating. She could feel his presence growing more desperate, more erratic. Without a flicker of emotion, she extended her hand.

"Hado No Ichi, Sho (Thrust)."

With a sharp burst of energy, a forceful wave of air slammed into Ling Yun's stomach, sending him flying toward the small lake nearby. The sound of a heavy splash echoed in the quiet courtyard.

Ling Yun sputtered as he surfaced, his face flushed with lust and humiliation. He gritted his teeth, wiping the water from his face, his eyes burning with lust rage.

"Why must you resist me?!" he snarled, his voice low and venomous. "I am everything you could ever want!"

He lunged toward her again, his intentions clear, but Nemu didn't even flinch. Her gaze never wavered from him, cold and unwavering.

But just as he lunged toward her, closing the gap in an instant, his body froze in place, bound by an unseen force that stopped him cold. His muscles locked, his limbs suspended mid-motion. Helpless, he felt an eerie chill settle over him as he realized he was held, unable to move, while Nemu continued to kneel, watching him with calm, unblinking eyes.

Ling Yun's heart raced as panic surged through him. The illusion wrapped around his mind like a vice, each moment of struggle making it worse. He felt trapped, helpless, as if his very being was ensnared in an intricate, suffocating web, each thread tightening with his every attempt to break free.

The sensation of being pulled toward something, a dark presence, sent a wave of dread through him. He turned his head, eyes wide with terror, to see a monstrous spider looming in front of him. Its enormous, gleaming eyes fixated on him, as it waited with predatory anticipation. Its limbs clicked and clattered as it dragged itself closer, ready to strike. The webs tightened even more around him, and the image of its fangs glistening with malice flashed in his mind.

"No! NO!" Ling Yun's screams echoed in the dark web, his body writhing in vain as he struggled against the tightening threads. His heart pounded in his chest, the terror of the monstrous spider looming ever closer. Its massive legs reached out, its shadow swallowing him whole, each movement pulling him deeper into its grasp. The more he fought, the tighter the web became, until it felt like there was no escape. His fear peaked, and before he could even scream again, his vision blurred, and he lost consciousness, overwhelmed by sheer terror.

In the real world, Ling Yun's body lay still, collapsed on the ground, breathing shallowly. Nemu stood over him, her expression as cold as ever, while Mio, on her right, casually munched on a rice cracker. Retsu, on the left, sighed deeply.

"Well… well… I thought we taught him enough of a lesson, but it seems he didn't listen at all," Mio mused, flicking a piece of cracker from her mouth.

"Sigh… I guess it wasn't enough, Mio-chan," Retsu replied, her tone tired. "Trying to assault Nemu? Maybe we should just end him right here for even trying. Then again, he is the young master and a participant in the tournament. I don't want to deal with this right now."

"What should we do?" Mio asked, still munching on her snack, her eyes glancing toward the unconscious Ling Yun.

"Just toss him outside. Remove the webs so he'll think it was all a bad dream," Retsu suggested, casting a light sigh. Her hand raised, and with a flick of her fingers, she cast a Dream Kido on Ling Yun, ensuring that the entire experience would be nothing but a fleeting nightmare.

Mio snickered. "Sigh, my spider neurotoxin isn't that strong… pervert passed out from something so weak. Claiming to be strong..." She shrugged, then used her thin, delicate webs to lift Ling Yun's body effortlessly. With a smooth flick of her wrist, she tossed him outside the manor gates, carefully removing any trace of their involvement.

"That should do it. He'll wake up thinking it was all a dream," Mio said, her smile sly as she stood up to join the others.

Retsu smiled faintly, her eyes soft with approval. "This should be enough to teach him a lesson. Next time, maybe he'll think twice before making such a foolish move again."

"Ufuuu, Nemu-chan, good job in holding him off." Retsu's voice was gentle as she patted her younger sister's head, her pride evident in the way she looked at her.

"Hai…" Nemu responded, her tone calm, though a slight tinge of annoyance lingered. "He couldn't answer any of my questions, so he thought assaulting me was the only way to obtain me. Nee-sama is right, he is indeed a pervert."

Retsu and Mio exchanged a glance. "Questions?" Retsu asked, intrigued.

Nemu nodded solemnly. "Hai. He thinks he's as smart as Yuu-sama, but he is indeed foolish. Comparing himself to Yuu-sama is like comparing Heaven to Earth. The questions I asked, only Yuu-sama could answer."

Mio gave a soft chuckle. "Ufuu… you chose the best one as your partner."

Nemu blushed slightly, her voice soft. "I only choose whom Nee-sama chose for herself. Yuu-sama is the only man who understands me."

"It's Nee-chan!" Retsu pouted, her arms crossing in mock indignation, causing Nemu to hide her face behind her hands, embarrassed.

A light, teasing smile crossed Mio's face. "Shall we prepare dinner? Danna-sama will be home soon, and I'm really hungry."

"Hai, Nemu-chan… you can prepare the table while we prepare the meals," Retsu instructed, taking Nemu's hand and leading her inside.

Nemu nodded, a soft smile appearing on her face. "Hai, I understand."

As they entered the small manor, Nemu stretched out her senses, a faint sigh escaping her lips as she noticed that Yun Che had already dealt with the intruders, leaving only Ling Yun to be dealt with later. She was relieved; for now, everything was quiet again.

The three of them worked together, Retsu and Mio in the kitchen, while Nemu set the table. There was a sense of peace among them now, the events of the day fading into the background as they prepared for a calm evening together. Too bad Cang Yue was preoccupied with her training to join them.