10 Ten Whales

After cultivating together with Ruan Mianmian, the lingering effects of the charm technique were successfully eliminated. At the very least, when Jing Chengyun saw the little tail of the rabbit spirit swaying, she no longer felt a wild surge of emotion.

“Mianmian, what do you think our relationship is now?” Jing Chengyun wiped her hair dry and stepped out of the bathroom, clutching a soft towel. She had to clarify Ruan Mianmian’s feelings, as it would determine her next course of action.

Ruan Mianmian looked a bit embarrassed, still only wrapped in a thin blanket, having not yet put on his clothes. “Ah… you are Mianmian’s master, and I am your little pet.”

“No change before and after the cultivation?” she asked.

“Change? What change? My relationship with my master will never change!”

That was good. Jing Chengyun smiled, relieved that innocent Ruan Mianmian wouldn’t demand a formal title after their joint cultivation. She didn’t like such clumsy men and wouldn’t entertain the idea of dating him.

“You should head home early and don’t tell anyone about our cultivation together, especially your mother.” The clock on the table showed half past nine in the morning. Jing Chengyun dismissed him politely.

Ruan Mianmian was obedient, not even throwing a tantrum as he packed up and prepared to leave. A well-behaved bunny should do exactly as the master wishes. “When can I see you again?”

“When I feel like touching your tail again.” Jing Chengyun made a beckoning gesture.

Ruan Mianmian blushed and reluctantly left the splendid residence.

Fortunately, he left early enough. Less than an hour later, the key in the Jing family’s door lock was turned.

At that moment, Jing Chengyun was lounging in the living room playing games. Raising her head in surprise, she exclaimed joyfully, “My mother! My grandmother!”

At her outburst, her mother, Mrs. Jing Hong, showed a look of disdain but quickly stepped forward to stroke her daughter’s short black hair. “You sure have the loudest voice in our family.”

“Kids always have loud voices. Honghong, you used to love shouting when you were little. Oh, you were so young back then, you probably don’t even remember,” came the voice of the newcomer, Madam Jing Zhao, the most respected elder in the Jing family and the entire splendid estate.

On Blue Star, where humans, demons, and even celestial spirits coexist, judging age by appearance is futile. For example, the venerable Jing Zhao, who is over eight hundred years old and a grandmother, looks no older than a human in her thirties.

The prime of human youth is their most vigorous and robust stage, which is why many demons maintain their appearance in this age range.

Jing Zhao and Jing Hong had originally been traveling to the North Sea with no plans to return soon. Only after Jing Chengyun called her grandmother to seek remedies for the aftermath of the charm technique did they hurriedly return home through a teleportation array to Baiyun City.

As soon as the call ended, Jing Hong cursed, “That damned girl still tries to fool me; anyone affected by the charm must be her.”

As for the two hundred yuan fine for unauthorized formation, it could be paid later.

After brief greetings among the three generations, Jing Zhao showed photos and local specialties to her beloved granddaughter before asking about the charm technique.

Jing Chengyun couldn’t deceive her grandmother and mother; within a few sentences, she confessed even to having cultivated jointly with Ruan Mianmian. Yet she kept her promise not to reveal Su Zile’s secret charm abilities.

Upon hearing this, Jing Zhao’s expression grew grave. “You’ve met many people, Yun Yun; encountering a few demons skilled in charm techniques is no surprise. I know a few ways to resist it and will teach you today.”

“Grandma, you should really teach my aunt—”

“Nonsense! As soon as a handsome guy appears, your aunt acts as if she’s under a charm spell, hopeless!” Jing Hong interrupted.

*

At four o’clock in the morning the next day, Jing Chengyun was awakened by a phone call.

It was from her colleague at the Time Travel Bureau, her immediate superior, Du Yishui.

“Leader, is there something?” Jing Chengyun’s voice was lively. She had spent the day learning resistance methods against charm spells from her grandmother and felt no fatigue.

“There’s an urgent mission, not too difficult. I’m passing by your place; get ready. I’ll pick you up downstairs in half an hour.” Du Yishui’s tone was firm and unyielding.

Coincidentally, Jing Chengyun did not want to refuse either. She rolled out of bed, slipping on her slippers as she dashed to the bathroom. “Of course! Thanks for coming to get me!”

Her energy was always abundant; just a few hours of sleep could fuel her for the whole day.

Moreover, this was the first mission assigned to her by the Time Travel Bureau—a first!

At the appointed time, a flashy red sports car arrived, driven by the leader and accompanied by another person.

“Su Zile?” Jing Chengyun raised an eyebrow.

Su Zile was meticulously dressed—white shirt, black shoes, sleeves rolled up just right to reveal slender, pale wrists, faintly scented with woody perfume.

He greeted Jing Chengyun but did not avert his gaze, staring intently at her as she got into the car.

*

How dangerous can fox eyes be, especially those of a fox spirit highly skilled in charm techniques and exceptionally beautiful.

Without casting any spell, Jing Chengyun felt as if she were being drawn into his eyes, hastily coughing twice to shift her gaze.

…Could it be that the aftereffects of the charm technique still hadn’t fully healed? Did she need to cultivate together again?

Du Yishui didn’t notice the strange atmosphere between his two subordinates and expertly started the engine. “Yun Yun, let Lele take you this time. You need to grow quickly so you can work solo in the future. Anyway, I’m not Ruan Hui; I don’t handle payroll, so let Lele earn a bit more.”

Mentioning Ruan Hui made Jing Chengyun’s scalp tingle. She hoped Mianmian hadn’t let anything slip at home; otherwise, she wouldn’t know how to face the benefactor who recommended her job.

Facing the biting morning wind, Du Yishui briefed them on the mission.

They had to travel into a cultivation novel to prevent the female lead from falling into demonic ways and destroying the Three Realms.

The female lead and the female supporting character were mother and daughter, relying on each other but wrongly accused by villains of secretly colluding with demons, forcing them to flee.

The supporting character sacrificed herself by falling off a cliff to save the female lead, leaving no remains.

Thus, the motherless female lead resolutely turned to darkness.

Not only did she turn dark, but by a twist of fate, she also obtained the main villain’s script and rose to become a world-destroying demon lord, putting the entire realm in peril.

Jing Chengyun was speechless.

“Can you guys just leave this world alone? It hasn’t done anything to anyone!” she exclaimed.

“That’s exactly why we need to stop her!” Du Yishui slammed the steering wheel. “Originally, after turning dark, she only killed her enemies without widespread evil. But the author released a wrong draft, and the female lead went astray!”

“Then why don’t you find the author?” Jing Chengyun suggested.

“The author’s disappeared, refusing to continue writing. The novel is unfinished!” Du Yishui slammed the wheel again.

This cultivation novel was stored in their system. After the last incident involving a book jumper’s destruction program and the resulting chain reactions, the Time Travel Bureau became especially vigilant about narrative collapses.

Jing Chengyun’s doubts about the bureau’s reliability deepened. She wouldn’t say she never regretted anything but was especially good at looking ahead.

So she and Su Zile formulated a plan, happily signed the mission notice, and smoothly entered the time-travel device.

*

In the mission world, a dense fog swirled.

They arrived at Broken Affection Cliff, with the abyss below called the Absolute Love Abyss. Together, the phrase meant “Broken Affection, Absolute Love,” a ridiculous name that made Jing Chengyun want to laugh.

The cliff was shrouded in thick mist. Since they had waited long enough, Jing Chengyun peeked from behind a bush and spoke first: “Why do you wear formal clothes for a mission? It’s so inconvenient.”

Then she glanced down at her own oversized shorts.

For the sake of lovesickness, her deal with her cousin Wen Fan, and the upcoming attempt to seduce Jing Chengyun again, Su Zile had put great effort into his appearance, even applying eyeliner. “I’m willing. None of your business.”

Jing Chengyun pursed her lips, deducting one point from his impression score.

Soon, movement stirred nearby. Two women in white ran hand in hand, expressions resolute as if facing death. Behind them, dozens of pursuers—likely righteous forces—gave chase.

The two factions quickly clashed. Jing Chengyun sat cross-legged on the ground, exclaiming as if seeing a wondrous spectacle. “This is how a cultivation drama should be! The special effects, the fight scenes—spectacular!”

But Su Zile looked worried, his mind far from the battlefield. Listening to Jing Chengyun’s laughter, his thoughts grew increasingly chaotic.

Finally, the righteous sect leader launched a fierce attack. The supporting character unfortunately slipped and fell into the endless abyss below!

A rare opportunity!

Jing Chengyun seized the moment, her body shooting away like an arrow from a bow, disappearing from Su Zile’s sight as she leapt into the abyss, ignoring his attempts to stop her!

Su Zile was dumbfounded. The Absolute Love Abyss was vast and desolate, its waters bitterly cold. Any mortal falling would surely die. Why would Jing Chengyun dare such a thing? Because she was a demon backed by the Time Travel Bureau, able to reload even if she died?

*

Below the abyss.

The sea roared wildly. A massive black-and-white beast leapt atop the waves, tail leaving a beautiful trail. Despite the fierce waves, she moved as if on flat ground, precisely biting the supporting character’s collar and tossing her onto her back.

Orca whales are naturally huge, and a powerful whale demon can shapeshift at will. Jing Chengyun resembled a giant vessel, steadily anchored by the shore.

In an instant, the sea calmed, a beam of sunlight pierced the clouds, illuminating her white eye patch.

Jing Chengyun did not wait long. The female lead soon arrived, accompanied by a nine-tailed white fox. Upon seeing this enormous beast, she was horrified, exclaiming, “Wh-what is that thing?”

A white nine-tailed fox as a guide was already unusual; now this unprecedented giant beast appeared too?

Jing Chengyun had no good explanation.

Because she was just a giant orca.

Playfully, like dolphins or seals in the sea, the orca smoothly tilted her head and with a heavy thrust flung the supporting character onto the shore with a splash. The woman was still breathing.

Hearing the system’s “Mission Complete” prompt in her mind, Jing Chengyun was in no rush to leave. Accepting help warrants gratitude, and those who help seek thanks, so it was only right to expect some acknowledgment.

The orca happily wagged her tail, splashing seawater droplets on the female lead. “Come on, say thank you quickly. Then I can happily claim my reward!”

The female lead was indeed clever and quick-witted. She reached out, fingertips brushing the orca’s skin. “Did you save my mother and me? I don’t know how to thank you. I will never forget this kindness.”

Jing Chengyun could no longer hold back and spoke, lowering her voice and slowing down to sound more serious and majestic: “No need to thank me, you…” She paused, then added, “You should leave quickly.”

The female lead thanked both demons again and carried her barely alive mother away from the water’s edge.

All returned to silence.

Suddenly, someone fell into the water with a splash, sending up flying waves.

Su Zile had fallen with remarkable skill, making one question his intentions.

His white shirt soaked through, revealing everything Jing Chengyun should and shouldn’t see under the fabric.

The fox spirit asked, “You don’t like it?”

He stepped closer to Jing Chengyun, eyes half-closed, voice soft enough to squeeze water out of it. “The regrets at the club—I want to make up for them. Do you want that?”

Jing Chengyun had been in human form for five years, seen countless beauties, and Su Zile’s beauty was top-tier.

But she had never encountered one so shameless!

She was reviewing her first mission in her mind, noting where to improve and what went well, striving for rapid progress.

Faced with Su Zile’s sudden seduction, Jing Chengyun silently recited her charm resistance incantation and stepped backward. “I like your face.”

Su Zile brightened.

“But I don’t like you as a person.”

Su Zile froze.

Does she not like him? Does he not look good enough? Is his charm insufficient to stir her feelings?

Absurd! Su Zile had never been rejected before!

His teacher poured knowledge into him, always saying, “With your looks, you can’t fail.” He had only been released from training half a month ago and was confident in seducing Jing Chengyun.

—Though he hadn’t even started using charm techniques today.

He thought just standing there would make Jing Chengyun fall helplessly, but he was met with failure again. How could he not feel heartbroken!

So it wasn’t the dim lights in the club that led to his rejection that night.

Su Zile gritted his teeth in anger and suddenly called out fiercely: “Jing Chengyun—!”