Chapter 99: The Ring

Chapter 99: The Ring Jehanne now had a home all to herself, while her previous log house had become the lodging for the five soldiers. At first, they hadn’t set it up that way. However, after the second "Bunny Suit" incident, it was unanimously decided—pushed by the dark elves and agreed upon by the majority—to move her out of reach from the other males. What’s more, her home was actually within the second walled district, the one made solely to accommodate the large castle. "The road’s not a straight line, I see..." As they moved, Xu Tao couldn’t help but notice. They were basically jogging down the paved road, but it didn’t go straight toward the castle. Instead, it meandered around, almost maze-like. "I-I’ve heard about them before..." Yifa commented after listening to Xu Tao’s grumblings. "This is apparently something they did in medieval times, so invading forces wouldn’t have a straight path to important facilities." Of course, this was a first for Xu Tao. To cultivators, whether roads were straight, curved, or zigzagging didn’t matter—they could just move across rooftops. Thus, they often opted for the most efficient layouts with roads going straight in and out of places. But of course, just because the roads were straight didn’t mean they neglected defenses. Most cultivator-style paths had defensive formations that would block intruders—or eliminate them instantly—on standby, ready to activate. In fact, they were nastier than any visible meandering path. ’Adding a few formations here and there should do the trick,’ he noted as they continued along the winding route. The small walled area Xu Tao had initially created was now filled with buildings. Other than the roads, every inch was packed. The population density was a bit on the overpopulated side, but nobody seemed bothered by it. Rather, the faces Xu Tao saw through the windows as they passed were all smiles, as if they had no troubles at all. After about three minutes of jogging, they finally reached the eastern gate that led to the castle. Once they passed through it, they found themselves inside the secondary walls. By design, it was like a larger circle tangent to the first wall via the western gate. However, unlike the inner area of the first wall, this place was much more open. Other than a few houses—barely enough to count on two hands—and some building facilities that served specific purposes, only the castle stood tall. It could still be considered a residential zone, but only for a select few "elites." "Hmm?" As they passed through the inner gate, Xu Tao quickly spotted a familiar face ahead. A man with shiny blond hair and a handsome smile... surrounded by a swarm of dark elves and a few new faces who looked similar, sharp ears and all, but had lighter complexions. "Those are...?" Xu Tao asked Jehanne. Following his gaze, she quickly understood what he meant. "Ah, those are elves. They’re similar to the dark elves, aside from skin tone and hair color. They’re also locals of this world." He nodded, taking in the explanation. "So those are the elves... They look like Celestial Nymphs, minus the divine presence." If the dark elves possessed what you’d call an erotic beauty, the elves instead bore a more dignified appearance and aura. Their beauty could even rival Jehanne’s, though their bodies tended to be slim rather than voluptuous. As Xu Tao said, they were just like the Celestial Nymphs he was familiar with—judged by appearances alone. But well, Celestial Nymphs—embodiments of grace, beauty, and purity—wouldn’t show such vulgar expressions, though. "What’s... a Celestial Nymph?" Just as they were talking, Yifa asked curiously. "Huh? You don’t know about them?" Xu Tao gasped in shock. He thought that all cultivators far and wide knew about those mystic beings. After all, they often appeared around ancient palaces guarding inheritance trials. Beings that were far removed from violence, but closest to true immortality. "They’re... well, imagine divine women who guard ancient palaces—so pure that even demons wouldn’t dare approach them." Xu Tao began explaining as they continued walking—taking a detour to avoid the path Arthur and his entourage had blocked. His words were concise and free of embellishment, sticking to only the most important points. Still, Yifa listened in awe, surprised that such beings even existed. "In my entire life, this is the first time I’ve heard about Inheritance Trials or Nymphs... Thank you for sharing your knowledge, Master Tao!" Yifa bowed lightly, genuinely thankful. "It’s fine. This much is nothing, anyway." Xu Tao waved a hand, smiling gently. "Master..." Yifa unconsciously tightened her grip on his hand. And then— "AHEM!" —Jehanne coughed loudly, cutting the good atmosphere going between the two. Without saying a word, she snuggled against Xu Tao’s free right arm, pressing it tight against her chest plate. "Welcome to my humble abode, Sir Tao~" she said, placing her left hand in a very conspicuous spot. It was so deliberate that everyone instinctively glanced at it—especially at the plain ring on her ring finger. As if she were flaunting it. "...!" Yifa, noticing this, quickly looked down at Xu Tao’s left hand—only to see a similar ring there. "This... no way..." She instantly understood. Jehanne, seeing Yifa’s face darken, slowly smiled. Rather than a sense of superiority, she just felt glad that the "insect" stalking her "husband" had finally learned the truth. "Let’s go~?" And with a light skip, she pulled Xu Tao into the house—a stone house, the upgraded version of her old log one. The silent battle between the two ladies ended with Jehanne’s undisputed win... or so it seemed. Pomf! "...!" Yifa, without warning, grabbed Xu Tao’s left arm and hugged it tightly against her still-developing body. ’What’s a ring or two, anyway?’ she thought, flashing a fierce smile while glaring at Jehanne—her earlier fear of the little saint fading away. ’Even a married man can sleep with others if he wants to~!’ ’This vixen...!’ Jehanne immediately understood the intent behind Yifa’s gaze. A direct challenge to her, the legal wife! Their eyes met, and sparks flew. Literally. One with a rightful claim, and one who had popped out of nowhere wanting a slice of the cake. One saint-like existence, and one that leaned closer to devilish temptation. Two complete opposites, vying for one man’s attention! ’...I felt a chill all of a sudden.’ And Xu Tao, stuck between them, shivered. ’Is there an assassin going after me or something?’ He thought.