Chapter 143 My Sister is So Charming (Part 1)

The night deepened as the galaxy of stars hung low in the sky.

In the residential area for Core Disciples of the Earth Sword Peak's inner sect, most courtyards had extinguished their lights, falling into a profound silence. Only in a side room of the small courtyard belonging to "Mu Changge" did a single candle flicker unsteadily, casting the shadow of a slender figure pacing back and forth.

Mu Wanning simply could not sit still. Xiao Ming's words from earlier that day—the seemingly light yet incredibly heavy command to "warm the bed"—circled in her mind like a curse, churning the waters of her heart and making it impossible to find peace. Intertwined with this was the phantom sensation of his fingertips brushing against her cheek, and the even earlier memory of his head resting on her lap, his breath hot against her lower abdomen... Scene after uncontrollable scene flashed before her eyes, making her cheeks burn and her heart drum against her ribs.

“Bastard! Shameless rogue! Scoundrel!” she cursed under her breath, trying to use anger to dispel the inexplicable heat and panic in her heart. But as soon as the curses left her lips, Xiao Ming's face—not peerlessly handsome, yet exceptionally striking due to his deep eyes and inscrutable aura—stubbornly resurfaced. She had to admit that this man possessed an indescribable, almost demonic attraction that caused her to occasionally lose her composure despite her extreme loathing and resistance.

This was all wrong! Mu Wanning stopped abruptly and took several deep breaths, forcing herself to calm down. She began to carefully trace back the events of recent days: her brother had suddenly undergone a complete change in personality, his methods and intellect becoming those of a different person entirely. Though his strength was only at the Nascent Soul stage, he gave her, a Soul Transformation Stage Cultivator, a sense of being unfathomable, possessing an innate indifference as if he were looking down upon ants.

‘Unless... he isn't Mu Changge at all!’ A bold and terrifying thought suddenly flashed through her mind. But she immediately dismissed it—his appearance, aura, and even minor habits all seemed to match. Possession? A disguise? What kind of method could be so seamless?

Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck her as she remembered something.

Mu Wanning bit her lower lip, a struggle flashing in her eyes before being replaced by a determined desire to investigate. Facing the bronze mirror, she worked to steady her breathing and smoothed her slightly disheveled hair and dress. In the mirror, the beauty's face still bore a blush, but her gaze regained the pride and composure expected of the Mu Family's eldest Young Miss.

“Hmph,” she hummed softly to her reflection, as if addressing the man who had thrown her heart into such disarray. “So what if it's warming the bed? I'm going to see... exactly who you are!”

Inside Xiao Ming's quiet room, only a single soft Night-Luminescent Pearl was lit. Its dim light draped the room in a hazy veil.

Xiao Ming had already changed into comfortable sleeping robes, the collar slightly open to reveal a small section of smooth, lean muscle. He leaned back against the headboard, idly playing with a warm Jade Slip, his eyes perfectly clear.

When extremely light, hesitant footsteps sounded outside the door, followed by a few almost inaudible knocks, an unexpected glint flickered in his eyes.

“Come in,” he said flatly, his voice devoid of emotion.

The door was pushed open gently, and Mu Wanning walked in with her eyes cast down. She seemed to have bathed as well, having changed into elegant, pale silver sleeping robes covered by an orange gauze robe. Her long hair cascaded over her shoulders like a waterfall. In the dim light, she seemed less cold and stubborn than during the day, appearing more soft and graceful, though her tense shoulders and tightly pursed lips betrayed her inner turmoil. She didn't even dare look up at Xiao Ming, her gaze fixed on the floor in front of the bed as she spoke in a voice as soft as a mosquito's buzz: “...I'm here.”

Xiao Ming's gaze fell upon her, taking in her forced composure and the nervousness she couldn't quite hide. He understood the situation clearly; she had resisted so fiercely that afternoon, filled with shame and indignation, yet she had come of her own accord tonight. Even with the bet as a pretext, this change in attitude was far too quick and unexpected. When things are out of the ordinary, there must be a hidden motive; beneath this unusual 'submission,' she likely harbored other intentions.

Xiao Ming's mind raced, already forming a few guesses, yet he showed nothing on his face. He merely gave a lazy “Mm” and patted the empty inner side of the bed beside him, his tone as casual as if he were giving the simplest of instructions: “Come up. It's late; get some rest early.”

Mu Wanning's body stiffened almost imperceptibly, her hands clenched into fists inside her sleeves. Keeping her head down, she slowly shuffled to the bedside. With stiff movements, she removed her shoes and outer robe. Her jade-like feet, clad in silk socks, stepped onto the cool floor. After a moment's pause, as if having made a monumental decision, she lifted a corner of the brocade quilt and carefully lay down. She pressed her body tightly against the edge of the bed, leaving a vast distance between herself and Xiao Ming, nearly falling off the mattress.

Xiao Ming acted as if he didn't notice her obvious resistance. He even quite "thoughtfully" tucked the quilt from his side over toward her. Instantly, a crisp, pleasant scent—a masculine fragrance unique to him—mingled with the warmth of the bedding and enveloped Mu Wanning. Her body tensed even further, and she even held her breath.

“Why stay so far away? Afraid I'll eat you?” Xiao Ming chuckled softly. His voice held a hint of lazy hoarseness in the quiet night as he naturally shifted a bit closer to Mu Wanning's side.

Mu Wanning's heart hammered so hard it felt like it would leap out of her chest. She could clearly feel the burning body heat radiating from his side and his powerful masculine presence. Her eyes were slightly closed, her long eyelashes trembling like butterfly wings in the wind. She frantically chanted in her heart: I'm here to verify, just to verify... Endure it. Once I find the mark, I'll know if he's Mu Changge or not...

Xiao Ming seemed completely oblivious to her tension. He turned slightly on his side to face Mu Wanning, his breath brushing against her and bringing a wave of tingling numbness. As if sighing, he whispered softly in her ear:

“Sister... you smell so good.”

The words were low and deep, carrying undisguised admiration and even a hint of ambiguity. Mu Wanning felt as if an electric current had surged through wherever his breath touched; half her body went numb, and her cheeks burned terrifyingly hot. Fortunately, the light was dim, so it couldn't be seen clearly. She bit her lip and remained silent, her entire body as stiff as a stone.

After saying this, Xiao Ming made no further moves. His breathing gradually became even and long, as if sleepiness had truly overcome him and he was preparing to drift off.

Mu Wanning endured several moments of extreme tension and shame. Sensing that the person beside her had indeed stabilized his breathing and seemingly fallen asleep, her taut nerves relaxed slightly. However, this was immediately replaced by greater anxiety—if he really fell asleep, how would she find an opportunity to check?

After an unknown amount of time, listening to Xiao Ming's steady breathing, Mu Wanning finally plucked up her courage. Extremely slowly and carefully, in the dim light, she lifted her side of the quilt slightly and then tentatively reached her hand toward the brocade quilt covering Xiao Ming.

Her heart was in her throat, and her fingertips were ice-cold from nervousness. Aided by the faint moonlight filtering through the window and the dim yellow light in the room, she struggled to distinguish the hem of Xiao Ming's sleeping robes. The light was very dark, the shadows were shifting, and her vision was not clear.

She fumbled about and gently pinched the fastening of Xiao Ming's waistband. It felt smooth and cool, like silk. Holding her breath, her jade-like hand trembling, she attempted to undo the Seal on the great beast. However, her extreme nervousness made her fingers unresponsive, and combined with the dim light making it hard to see, she fumbled several times. It took a great deal of effort before she finally managed to unseal it.

Perhaps it was the lighting, or perhaps it was her racing heart, but Mu Wanning's delicate hand was like a headless fly unable to find its target, bumping around wildly.

Suddenly, as if she had been burned, she jerked her hand back. But in that moment of panic, her hand seemed to touch something in the shadows...