My Enemy Became My Cultivation Companion-Chapter 80 - 65 Yin Tingxue’s Secret

When he returned home, Chen Yi saw that Yin Tingxue had already prepared the tea early on.

She pushed the tea bowl in front of him,

"Drink it."

Chen Yi took the tea and drank it, then said:

"You’ve improved compared to before."

"Doing the same thing every day, of course I’d improve."

Yin Tingxue responded, her brows hinting at a smile due to his praise.

Chen Yi turned his face, looking at her with a half-smile.

Seeing this, Yin Tingxue, who had just been smiling moments ago, seemed to realize something. Her expression turned sour as she timidly glanced at him with fear,

"It’s still... still not night yet. The sky hasn’t darkened."

But Chen Yi reached out to pull her close, speaking in a chilling tone:

"Oh? So quickly you’ve grown bold? Acting defiant now, are you?"

"No, not at all. It’s just... too early..."

Yin Tingxue cast him a worried look, afraid that he might get angry and treat her poorly. She hurriedly said in a small voice:

"If you want, then... why not take a bath first."

After all, unwilling as she might be, she had already fully yielded to him.

More than half an hour later.

Chen Yi held the daughter of the Prince of Xiang in his arms.

She was slightly out of breath, her youthful brows faintly furrowed.

"Yintai... it’s a good-sounding name, isn’t it?" Chen Yi mumbled offhandedly, referencing her courtesy name.

She didn’t respond, panting as she weakly wiped the sweat from her forehead.

"Chen Yi..."

After a long time, she softly spoke.

"What is it?"

"Next time... can you... not say so many vulgar things?" Yin Tingxue asked softly, gripping the blanket tightly and shrinking back.

"Oh? You don’t like hearing them?"

Yin Tingxue nodded. Chen Yi always enjoyed humiliating her with words, especially in bed. She didn’t like it; the shame made her whole body flush red. Over the past two days, this had been the case. When she tried to retort, he would only torment her further, leaving her no choice but to shake her head furiously like a rattle drum, but he never cared.

Born into a noble house, she naturally despised such acts, even detested them. Yet she had no choice when he uttered those filthy words—it made her eyes sting with unshed tears, the shame so unbearable that it brought her to the verge of sobbing.

"But I like saying them. What should we do about that?" Chen Yi shamelessly responded. Of course, aside from enjoying teasing her, it also served to improve the efficiency of their Dual Cultivation using the Resentment Yin-Yang Technique. The deeper her discomfort and humiliation, the faster they could condense a True Yuan every ten days.

Yin Tingxue felt a wave of grievance but could only shrink back further, softly pleading:

"Then... could you at least say it less?"

"Alright, I’ll say it less," Chen Yi replied, patting her head.

Obediently, she nestled her small face against his chest.

After a while, perhaps noticing his good mood, Yin Tingxue lifted her face slightly and asked:

"When... will you take me back to Yintai Temple?"

"Didn’t I say by winter?"

"Can it be earlier?"

Yin Tingxue deliberated for a moment before speaking in a hesitant, quiet voice:

"...I miss home."

As she said this, she hesitated internally. She had already resigned herself to her fate, promising to stay by his side obediently and never try to run away. But she worried—worried that Chen Yi would misconstrue her words as an intent to escape, unjustly accuse her, and torment her further.

Holding her, Chen Yi thought about it for a moment before sneering:

"Breaking promises is no good. Or are you saying this place doesn’t count as home? You’re already married—this is your home now."

Yin Tingxue instinctively shrank inward, curling into the corner of the wall as she trembled and looked up at him cautiously.

Chen Yi assumed she had given up and closed his eyes, nonchalantly saying,

"A married daughter is like spilled water. Some women never return to their family homes in their lifetime."

Silence engulfed the bedroom.

Just as he was about to urge her to sleep, tightening his hold slightly,

she suddenly spoke,

"But for daughters who marry well, they... return to visit their family with their husbands shortly after the wedding."

Chen Yi opened his eyes to look at her. He had indeed heard of this custom—Great Yu women who "married well" would visit their family homes with their husbands soon after the wedding night.

"So?"

"I’ve left my family, but both places are my home. I haven’t disregarded this place as home,"

Yin Tingxue hesitated briefly, softening her tone cautiously as she continued,

"And... since I married well, shouldn’t I take my husband to visit my family home?"

As she said this, even Yin Tingxue couldn’t believe herself. Marries well? How could this be considered a good marriage? Forced to become the concubine of the man she feared most, her chastity violated, tortured to the point of physical incapacity—how could this be a "good" marriage? But what choice did she have? She had resigned herself to obey, swallowing her sadness. She was pitiful enough and didn’t want to make things worse for herself.

Her untainted body was already lost; it truly made her feel wronged. Even if resentment burned in her heart, she dared not voice it aloud—crossing him or resisting would only invite unimaginable punishment.

If only she could escape without consequence, how wonderful that would be. If only an escape wouldn’t earn his hatred or retaliation... Yin Tingxue’s thoughts would wander to this at times but were quickly tempered, suppressing such dangerous ideas.

"What a hypocritical thing to say." Chen Yi gently pinched her nose.

"It’s not hypocritical..." Yin Tingxue lowered her blushing face further.

Chen Yi could tell she was lying.

"I can tell whether you’re being honest or not. Don’t lie, understand?"

His tone turned stern as he issued a warning, making the girl in his arms tremble gently. Then, he softened his voice and said:

"Alright, I’ll agree. In two or three days, before the Winter Solstice, we’ll go back for a visit."

Yin Tingxue’s face lit up with a bright smile.

Perhaps from her joy, she softly began talking about Yintai Temple.

"Mother told me that I am the daughter of Yintai Temple. At first, I didn’t understand, but after she passed, I started to feel it."

"Feel what?"

"Yintai Temple... there are many people living there," she began, hesitating before glancing at Chen Yi, "I’ll tell you, but don’t laugh at me."

"Alright."

"Inside Yintai Temple are Sister Bodhisattva and Aunt Maple Tree. One day, I suddenly heard them talking—complaining about how the servants had grown lazy and no longer took care of the temple after Mother passed."

"Oh?"

Chen Yi raised an eyebrow in surprise, suddenly reminded of the Bodhisattva statue in Yintai Temple and the maple tree in the courtyard. So, in this girl’s eyes, did these things all possess the Three Souls and Seven Spirits?

For a moment, he recalled his own childhood, when he’d talk to his toys as if they were alive.

Seeing his expression, Yin Tingxue seemed to guess what he was thinking and said:

"I wasn’t talking to myself—they really talk. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have been made... the Purity Saintess."

Though her words seemed casual, they deeply intrigued Chen Yi. His eyes narrowed.

It seemed the daughter of the Prince of Xiang still carried countless secrets.

......

The next day.

Outside the grand gates of an aristocratic residence, two stone lions stood guard. The road leading to the entrance was broad and spotless.

The Lin Residence welcomed an unexpected distinguished guest today.

Lin Ge’lao, rarely seen without his Daoist robe, had changed into formal official attire and sat upright in the main hall, his posture tense.

A eunuch led a man draped in a black cloak slowly into the hall.

"It’s been quite some time. What business brings the Prince to visit this old man today?"

Lin Ge’lao greeted with a bow of his hands but remained seated.

The Prince of Jing removed his cloak and took a seat in one of the chairs. The household servants promptly served tea.

"Lin Ge’lao, I’ve never been one for idle chatter. I’d appreciate it if you could dismiss your attendants first."

Hearing this, Lin Ge’lao didn’t seem offended. He simply waved his hand, sending the servants away.

"The Chancellor Case."

After the servants had left, the Prince of Jing directly uttered three words.

Lin Ge’lao’s brows furrowed as he leaned forward slightly.

"Rumors have already spread that Chen Qianhu has reopened the Chancellor Case, causing unease within the court. Surely you’ve heard of this."

The Prince of Jing paused before adding:

"Before Chancellor Zhang met his end, he praised Lin Ge’lao many times... as a talent indispensable to the nation."

Lin Ge’lao’s frown deepened.

"I am aware of Chen Qianhu’s actions in reopening the Chancellor Case—this course of action is indeed improper. However, this matter bears no relation to the Lin Residence."

Having cultivated years of merit and nearing immortality, Lin Ge’lao had long since detached himself from political affairs. While he observed Chen Yi’s moves to reopen the Chancellor Case, as long as the Lin faction was unharmed and Chen Yi only clashed with the Ding’an faction, he had no desire to intervene.

Yet, the Prince of Jing’s next words made Lin Ge’lao’s face turn wary:

"Are you aware, Lin Ge’lao, that reopening the Chancellor Case was the Empress Dowager’s own order?"