There were certainly more than just a few disciples in the dojo that would turn completely dumb when faced with the scene unfolding in front of him, but Yin Long was not one of them. Lan Yun had already pulled similar tricks on him in the past, and if you asked him, she was far more beautiful than Xue Qiuling. He didn't even bother covering himself up, his gaze drifting past Xue Qiuling and landing on the still closed door to his room.

"You know, I'm fairly certain that I locked that door just a few minutes ago, how exactly did you get in here?"

There was no way that Yin Long wouldn't lock the door to his dorm, he hadn't left it unlocked a single time since he arrived in the dojo. Xue Qiuling couldn't help but end up somewhat startled by the sheer nonchalance that Yin Long showed in the face of her barely-covered body, the fact that his lower body didn't even twitch only served as another nail stabbing into her pride. But she still made a point of answering his question, a charming smile mixing together with the alluring blush on her face.

"I told you already, didn't I? This wasn't always the main headquarters of the dojo, just a mere branch used to keep in touch with the Jyushi clan. My family helped remodel this branch when the dojo was forced to move here, we're quite familiar with the arrays used to lock the dorms, even the normal locks can easily be opened by us. But we don't really make a habit out of entering the rooms of other people, but as you can see, this time is a bit of a... special occasion. Now, May I join you?"

Xue Qiuling removed the last shred of cloth covering her body, the white towel, as she spoke. It was as if her revealing her nude body would be enough to gloss over the fact that she could enter just about any dorm she wished to. But Yin Long's gaze only swept over her revealed form for a swift instance before he shook his head and waved her away.

"No, no you can't. Please leave so that I can finish my shower in peace."

If his earlier nonchalance startled her, then his current un-caring appearance rocked Xue Qiuling's mind. She was the second most beautiful girl in her family, beaten only by her younger sister Xue Shuiye. Never before had she been disregarded like this, and she most certainly didn't think that there was anyone around who could resist her when she removed her clothing.

"N...No? But why? Am I not good enough, am I not beautiful enough for you?!"

The words simply spilt out without Xue Qiuling's consent, her mind still reeling slightly because of Yin Long's simple and straight-forward rejection. But Yin Long didn't even bother with answering her rushed questions, only shaking his head once more.

"Please leave."

He didn't see a point in answering Xue Qiuling's questions. He hadn't shown any such emotions towards her from the start, so why did she think that he would just suddenly accept her just because she offered herself up? But Xue Qiuling evidently had a hard time wrapping her head around such a mindset, immediately latching onto the only explanation she could think of.

"Is it because of that Lan Yun? You say that she's just your friend, but there's more, isn't there? But can't you see, I have more talent, better looks, a better position, and I'm not tainted goo...!"

A sharp pain immediately stopped Xue Qiuling's blabbering mouth and prevented her from finishing her sentence. She could feel a few drops of blood run down the side of her neck, the sharp Qi around Yin Long dancing like leaves in the wind.

"Not. Another. Word."

His cold and sharp expression made it abundantly clear to Xue Qiuling that speaking any further would put her life at risk. This was the first time she had seen Yin Long radiate such a fierce and deadly sharpness so she couldn't help but swallow a mouthful of saliva, a bitter expression creeping up on her face.

"You refuse to lay a hand on her, you refuse to lay a hand on me, is your heart really that cold and dead?"

One girl that loved him and practically threw herself at him, and now another that offered herself on a silver platter, yet he didn't lay a hand on either of them. If such a man didn't have a heart that was already dead, then what did he have? But once again, Yin Long went against her expectations, giving a nod of his head as he stepped out of the shower.

"You're right, I refuse to lay a hand on either of you, but that doesn't mean that I'm refusing both of you for the same reason. The reason I won't lay a hand on you is incredibly simple, I don't feel anything like that towards you, not the slightest bit. With her, it's because I'm hesitant and worrisome. You only know that she loves me, but I know WHY she loves me. So I hesitate and I worry. But that has nothing to do with you, so I don't need any comments from you on it."

That was the simplest of facts, Yin Long didn't feel a shred of romantic feelings for Xue Qiuling, so he wouldn't lay a hand on her. Lan Yun was a different matter, one where his emotions and thoughts struggled so much that it just left him confused and hesitant on how to proceed. Everyone could just see that she loved him, but Yin Long was very clear on exactly why she loved him.

He had been good to her, he had been the first person to treat her properly rather than just as a tool for the Lang clan. It was an exceedingly simple thing to do, yet it had left a profoundly deep impression on Lan Yun. But it was this sheer simplicity that made things hard for Yin Long.

Would she have felt the same if someone else had been the first to treat her as she did? Were her emotions real or were they something that her mind had conjured up in response to the kindness she had been shown for the first time? Yin Long didn't know, so he hesitated and kept Lan Yun as no more than a close friend. Having made his stance clear, he gestured towards the exit of the room behind Xue Qiuling.

"Now, leave, I won't repeat myself again."

Xue Qiuling didn't budge under Yin Long's gesture, gazing stubbornly and enticingly at him. He had gotten quite close to her after leaving the shower so she even stretched out her arm to trace the large scar that split Yin Long's body in half. But before she managed to even touch his skin, he nodded his head once more.

"Fine then, just stay here alone."

He swiped his interspatial ring and draped a white robe over his body, his waist-length silver hair hanging down behind him, some damp strands sticking to his robe. He stepped directly past Xue Qiuling without looking at her again, stopping for a short moment just as he reached the door.

"And oh, since you've made yourself so abundantly clear, allow me to answer your earlier question. No, you aren't good enough."

With what she had shown him, especially the exchange just now, that was the only judgment he could reach. Xue Qiuling's form trembled for a short second before calming down again, but Yin Long had already left the room and stopped bothering with her. He didn't keep any personal items within the room, so when he left, the room looked the same as it did when he first arrived.

Yin Long left Swan Queen Hall with casual steps and made his way across the vast open area that was situated at the centre of the three halls that formed the Heron's Ascension Dojo. He quickly reached Eagle King Hall and followed the path he had taken before, arriving in front of Lan Yun's dorm and giving the door a few knocks.

He heard a low growl from Jin Wang before he even knocked on the door, so he wasn't surprised when Lan Yun opened the door while he was still knocking. She didn't bother with being confused about why Yin Long had come to see her, simply smiling endearingly while putting on a bashful act.

"Young Master? Have you already started to miss me?"

Jin Wang sauntered forward while Lan Yun put on her act, brushing past her to reclaim his spot at Yin Long's side. As for Yin Long, he had long since gotten used to Lan Yun's various acts so he just rolled his eyes at her and gave her a quick explanation.

"We'll be staying somewhere else for the last few days before we leave to continue the Three-Fold Territory Clash. Xue Qiuling just snuck into my room and revealed that she and those from her family can unlock the various dorms."

He wasn't interested in having people sneak into his or Lan Yun's rooms while they were resting or cultivating, so they might as well spend the next few days in an inn, or a more secure hotel. Lan Yun was slightly taken aback when she heard what Xue Qiuling had just done, and looking at Yin Long's still damp hair, she quickly formed a guess.

"She snuck into your room? What sort of nefarious purposes did she have, don't tell me she tried to cook the rice?"

She pat her own abdomen as she spoke, tapping her womb while raising her eyebrows repeatedly. Yin Long could only roll his eyes once more, giving the simplest explanation he could think of.

"She took a page out of your book, so you tell me?"

Lan Yun knew her own tricks far too well, she had put all of them on display to charm Yin Long. As a result, she was exceedingly clear on what it meant for Xue Qiuling to have taken a page out of her book. She hurriedly took a step forward and grasped at Yin Long's robe, practically trying to strip him to inspect his body.

"Did she fondle you, whisper sweet nothings as she caressed your lower region? Is your seal of freshness still intact?!"

Yin Long swatted away her hands and straightened up his robe again, once more rolling his eyes at Lan Yun, an act he felt was becoming ever-more standard.

"I'm here, aren't I?"

Contrary to the faintly panicky appearance she had shown when she grasped at his robe, Lan Yun's expression immediately turned self-assured when Yin Long finished talking. The corners of her mouth turned up into a confident grin, locking eyes with Yin Long.

"True, you haven't even succumbed to my charms so there's no way you'd fall for such fourth-grade goods like her. But Young Master, fleeing from a girl offering herself just to head over to a different girl, are you trying to give me hope here?"

Yin Long rolled his eyes for a fourth time, swiping his interspatial ring and pulling out a towel. He placed the towel on his head and started to dry his hair, turning around and casually sauntering away from Lan Yun's dorm, one hand drying his hair while the other waved at her.

"Just get your stuff so that we can leave. And don't forget that you'll have to step onto the stage later too, would be a damn shame if I got accepted into the clash while you were forced to stick behind."

Lan Yun was the same as Yin Long, she hadn't placed a single personal item inside her room so she didn't have to pick up anything and could just follow him straight away. She quickly caught up, walking half a step behind him and bowing respectfully.

"Certainly, it will be as you say, Young Master."

A faint shiver ran through Yin Long's body when he heard how Lan Yun spoke. He could see a faintly victorious light flashing through her eyes, but he just ignored it and grimaced slightly.

"Geh, don't talk like that, it gives me the creeps."

The victorious light flashing through Lan Yun's eyes turned into a soft giggle as she hurriedly stepped forward to reach Yin Long's side, immediately abandoning the act of the respectful servant.

---

While Yin Long was fetching Lan Yun, Xue Qiuling was still standing in Yin Long's old room. Her expression had dropped darkly the moment she stopped trembling, a determined glint flashing through her eyes as she swept her interspatial ring and took out an orb that she could use to contact her personal butler.

"Old Gui, I need you to help me. The people chosen for the Three-Fold Territory Clash will be leaving the city soon to head for Glimmer Void city, I need you to contact the Blood-Soaked Cloud for me before we reach the tavern. Tell them that I am willing to pay almost any price, but I need them to get rid of two people and a beast."

Since her first method had failed, she could only resort to the second part of her familial law. That which could not be grasped had to be destroyed, lest someone else gets their hands on it and uses it against them. Xue Qiuling had failed to grasp the sword that was Yin Long, and she refused to let her younger sister get her hands on it and use it to further enhance her own position.