When Mu Lingyao broke into the twelfth layer, she shattered her personal record. The stone that had been hanging in her heart finally fell, and in her elation, she didn't even bother trying to deduce the formations. She simply picked one at random, never expecting her luck to be so good—she ascended to the thirteenth layer.
Upon reaching the thirteenth layer, she again chose a formation at random. Unfortunately, this time her luck wasn't as good, and she was ultimately teleported out.
Although she was eliminated, for Mu Lingyao, there was nothing but excitement—no sense of loss whatsoever after being knocked out. She went up to Liu Shuangyan, teased her a couple of times, then hopped and skipped her way back to the luxurious carriage.
"Sister Lingyao, you're amazing!" Qiānniǎo said with admiration. "Congratulations on breaking your record!"
"Little Qiānniǎo, you're truly my lucky goddess!" Mu Lingyao happily picked up little Qiānniǎo and spun her around twice.
After setting Qiānniǎo down, Mu Lingyao came before Gu Qingfeng and boasted, "How about that, dear Great Old Master? Impressive enough for this Young Lady?"
Gu Qingfeng praised, "Indeed impressive. To actually break your own record—not bad, not bad."
"What do you mean, 'actually'?" Mu Lingyao rolled her eyes, saying smugly, "Let me tell you, this Young Lady said long ago she'd definitely break the record today. You should say, 'This Young Lady indeed broke her own record.' That's the proper way."
"When did you ever say that?"
"Of course I did. It's just that your little ears didn't catch it, that's all."
"That works?"
"Of course it works." Mu Lingyao said, "You think everyone's like you? All talk and bluster? This Young Lady means what she says and does what she says. Said I'd break the record, so I broke the record. So, are you convinced or not?"
"Fine, convinced. You're amazing, alright?"
"That's more like it."
After breaking her record, Mu Lingyao not only grew bolder and spoke louder, but she also started getting carried away. She jumped onto the carriage, walked up to Gu Qingfeng, and said, "How come a guy like you has no sense of propriety?"
"What do you mean?"
"Move over and give this Young Lady your seat. This Young Lady just broke a record. In a moment, I'm going to sit right here and watch that bitch Liu Shuangyan kneel and kowtow."
Hearing this, Gu Qingfeng chuckled wryly and shook his head. "I say, Grandaunt, do you have to be so smug? Just reaching the fourteenth layer has you acting like this. If you ever made it to the eighty-first layer, you'd probably think you could fly to the heavens."
"What do you mean, 'just' reaching the fourteenth layer? Great Old Master, you really aren't afraid of the wind cutting your tongue, are you? You think the fourteenth layer is easy to conquer? Don't stand there talking without feeling the strain. Don't speak with such a big mouth, and don't you dare boast or brag in front of this Young Lady. If you have the guts, go try it yourself. Forget the eighty-first layer, forget the twenty-seventh—if you can even reach the fourteenth layer, this Young Lady will do whatever you say."
"Really?"
"Of course. Would this Young Lady lie to you?"
"Little sister, last time we made a bet, you said you'd be my maidservant. You still haven't done that yet."
"That one doesn't count!"
"Fine, that one doesn't count. Let's just talk about this one."
"And what if this one doesn't count either?"
"Impossible! This Young Lady means what she says. If you don't believe me, I can swear a poisonous oath. If I go back on my word this time, may I die a horrible death! How about that? Poisonous enough for you?"
"Oho, playing for real now?"
"Nonsense! You think this Young Lady is joking with you?"
"Alright then. State your terms. What's the bet?"
"If you can't reach the fourteenth layer, you have to tell me your secret."
"What secret?"
"The secret of your physical body. Why is it so powerful? Why can it immobilize immortal techniques? You have to tell me everything, truthfully. No lies. If you lie, may you also die a horrible death!"
"Oh, still hung up on that, are you?"
"Just say whether you dare to bet or not."
"Fine, no problem. But... what if I do reach the fourteenth layer? What then?"
"You tell this Young Lady what to do? How about... this time, I'll really be your maidservant, serve you and attend to you."
Gu Qingfeng grinned mischievously. "Other people's maidservants provide... companionship at night. Do you provide that?"
"What? What? You want this Young Lady to... sleep with you?" Mu Lingyao glared at Gu Qingfeng with her lively big eyes. "This Young Lady treats you as a friend, and you, you bastard, actually want to sleep with your grandaunt!"
"What? You don't dare?"
"No! If this Young Lady really loses, the sacrifice would be a bit too great."
"If you don't dare to bet, then forget it."
"What! Who says this Young Lady doesn't dare! So what if I sleep with you! What's the big deal! If this Young Lady really loses, then fine, your grandaunt will sleep with you for one night!"
"Really? You're not just fooling this master again, are you?"
"Your grandaunt has already sworn a poisonous oath. You still don't believe me? Besides, Qiānniǎo is our witness. Qiānniǎo, you're the witness. If he can't reach the fourteenth layer, he has to tell me all his secrets. If he really reaches the fourteenth layer, this Young Lady will sleep with him for one night."
"This... Sister Lingyao..." Qiānniǎo looked very worried for Mu Lingyao. "Are you really going to bet with Little Drunkard? Have you forgotten what happened at Eight Treasures Manor? Little Drunkard is so strange. You shouldn't bet with him. What if you lose? Would you really have to sleep with Little Drunkard?"
Hearing Qiānniǎo's words, Mu Lingyao immediately felt a pang of regret. Especially seeing Gu Qingfeng acting as if he were second only to the heavens, arrogant as the King of Heaven himself, it made Mu Lingyao even less confident. After hesitating for a moment, she said, "No, betting on the fourteenth layer is too uncertain. How about this! Let's bet on the twenty-seventh layer instead."
"Sure, whatever you want. Bet on whatever layer you like!"
"Really? Then let's not bet on the twenty-seventh layer either. Let's bet on the Nine-Nine Eighty-One Layer! Didn't you boast that you could reach the highest layer? Let's bet on the highest, the Nine-Nine Eighty-One Layer!"
"No problem. Even if you add a few more layers, it doesn't matter."
"It's settled then! We bet on the Nine-Nine Eighty-One Layer! If you can't reach it, you have to tell me all your secrets, truthfully."
"Deal! Just like that. And don't you forget, if this master reaches it, remember to sleep with this master for a night."
"Sleep, then sleep! Your grandaunt refuses to believe in this evil today. I just don't believe you can really reach the Nine-Nine Eighty-One Layer!"
Qiānniǎo asked, "Sister Lingyao, what if Little Drunkard really reaches the Nine-Nine Eighty-One Layer?"
"Do you believe he can?"
Qiānniǎo shook her head. "I don't believe it either, but... you also said, it's not the ten thousand you fear, but the one in ten thousand. What if Little Drunkard really is that strange and reaches the eighty-first layer? What then? Will you really sleep with him?"
"If this guy can really reach the eighty-first layer, forget sleeping with him—even becoming his Dao companion, your grandaunt would be willing!"
"Huh? Why?"
"Are you stupid! If this guy can really reach the eighty-first layer, what an incredibly powerful Great Old Master he would be! For such a powerful Great Old Master, even if your grandaunt had to throw herself at him, I'd coax him into bed and... 'sleep' him into submission!"