It was already late when Ye Qiu got home, that lickspittle was still at the hospital with the girl, so he went to bed early.
That night, he had a dream.
In the dream, he went to the East and met Akiyama Nanka.
Akiyama Nanka was lying on a bed, her face like a peach blossom, clothes half-open, eyes watery, utterly enchanting.
She looked at Ye Qiu with deep affection and said, “Since parting with you, I’ve missed you terribly, a day apart feels like three autumns.”
Funny, me too, Ye Qiu thought to himself.
Then, Akiyama Nanka beckoned him with a finger, her silky gaze saying, “Come on, let’s have some fun~”
As she spoke, she ran her slender fingers slowly over her smooth, fair legs.
Utterly tempting.
“Sect Leader Akiyama, please don’t do this, I’m not that kind of casual person,” Ye Qiu said, before pouncing straight at her.
Akiyama Nanka wrapped her lotus-root-like arms around Ye Qiu’s neck and asked in a coy, dripping voice, “Didn’t you just say you weren’t a casual person?”
“I’m really not, but right now, I want you to see how fierce I can be when I get casual,” Ye Qiu said with a wicked grin, diving in.
“Ouch—ancestor, go easy…”
A wild romp ensued.
Just as their battle reached its peak, the door suddenly burst open with a “bang.”
Qianshan Xue stormed in, sword in hand.
Seeing the scene before her, Qianshan Xue’s rage surged, she pointed her sword at Ye Qiu, “You lecher, bullying me was bad enough, but now you dare bully my master too? I, I’ll kill you.”
With that, she thrust her sword forward.
Akiyama Nanka immediately shielded Ye Qiu, saying, “Xiao Xue, I did this willingly.”
“What?” Qianshan Xue froze.
Akiyama Nanka explained, “Ever since I met him in China, I finally believe there’s such a thing as true love in this world.”
“Master, but he’s my—”
“Xiao Xue, listen, true love can’t be forced, I’m already Ye Qiu’s.”
Qianshan Xue trembled with anger.
She wanted to stab Akiyama Nanka and demand, “Master, you stole your disciple’s man—have you no shame?”
But reason held her back.
After all, her master had poured her heart into raising her—how could she turn against her over a man?
“Master, we can’t share one man, so either we both give him up, or only one of us gets him.”
“Xiao Xue, Ye-lang is my true love, I can’t give him up.”
“I won’t give him up either.”
Akiyama Nanka said, “How about this, Xiao Xue, let’s leave it to Ye Qiu to decide.”
“Ye Qiu, me or Master, pick one!” Qianshan Xue said, shaking her sword as if warning him, “Your answer better satisfy me, or I’ll kill you with one strike.”
But Ye Qiu acted as if he didn’t see it, saying solemnly, “They say behind every successful man is a group of women quietly supporting him, I think we can all be together!”
Qianshan Xue spat, “I’m the Goddess of the East, Sect Leader of Shuiyue, how could I share with anyone?”
“Nanka’s your master, how’s she ‘anyone’?” Ye Qiu said, “I think you two could shift from master-disciple to sisters, wouldn’t that be better?”
“No way,” Qianshan Xue said, “If you want to be with me, it’s me alone.”
Akiyama Nanka said with a resentful look, “Ye-lang, you said you’d take responsibility for me, I don’t care, I’m sticking with you.”
Qianshan Xue was firm, “Choose me or her?”
Akiyama Nanka snapped back, “Xiao Xue, we’re master and disciple, how can you steal a man from your master? Fine, Ye Qiu, I’ll make it clear—her or me.”
Ye Qiu said, “Why are you two acting like kids? Why must women make things hard for each other?”
“Truth is, I’m genuine with both of you.”
“Losing either of you would leave me heartbroken, worse than death.”
Qianshan Xue, “…”
Akiyama Nanka, “…”
Ye Qiu went on, “You’re both my dearest, we’ve gone beyond friendship.”
“I know you both like me, care for me, want to grow old with me.”
“Honestly, your true feelings move me to tears, but can you promise me one thing—stop forcing me into these tough choices.”
“Can’t you at least consider the three of us together?”
“If you won’t, then I’ll choose neither,” Ye Qiu said, “I’ll go back to China, there are still a few women waiting for me there.”
Akiyama Nanka’s almond eyes widened.
Right, how’d she forget this little brat had other women?
Qianshan Xue was furious.
“Filthy scumbag, die!”
Qianshan Xue drove her sword into Ye Qiu’s throat.
Whoosh!
On the bed, Ye Qiu’s eyes snapped open, he sat up, cold sweat beading on his forehead.
That dream felt too real.
“Damn, Qianshan Xue, you little wench, daring to stab me? Just you wait.”
“When I get to the East someday, I’ll pin you down and give your backside a proper thrashing.”
“And Akiyama Nanka, saying it’s her or nothing—hmpf, I’ll deal with you too, make you both squeal.”
Sleep gone, Ye Qiu sat cross-legged on the bed to practice the Nine Needles Against Heaven.
Unlike basic qi-guided needling, which relied on inner strength, the Nine Needles Against Heaven required true qi as its foundation.
Luckily, Ye Qiu had already cultivated innate true qi.
He took out a golden needle, held it between his fingers, and began circulating his innate true qi.
Soon, under his guidance, the qi surged from his right index finger, wrapping around the needle.
Following the manual’s method, he started training.
Before long, the golden needle spun at his fingertip, faster and faster.
It didn’t stop until dawn approached.
By then, the needle bore two streams of qi—one black, one white—intertwined.
Ye Qiu’s eyes lit up.
“The yin-yang dual qi has appeared, that means the first needle’s almost mastered.”
He kept going.
The yin-yang qi shifted, eventually forming a tiny Taiji symbol on the needle, about thumb-sized.
Though small, it radiated an aura that repelled all evil, as if it could subdue any malevolence in the world.
This was the first of the Nine Needles Against Heaven—Exorcism!
Success.
Ye Qiu glanced out—it was fully light, 8 a.m.
As he prepared to get up, he suddenly heard faint footsteps outside the door…and
