Starting as pearl divers, they have endless jobs.

Chapter 262 You... are all tools!
Inside the study, Chen Ye comforted Xia Ling Shuang, whose Dao Heart had just collapsed and who had completely succumbed to temptation. His expression was calm, but he had already clearly seen through the scene outside the courtyard.

In his vision, from the throne of desire, the door to the next room had been opened at some point.

A slender figure stood gracefully in the shadow of the eaves; it was Bai Yingluo.

The rose-gold light that represented her love still burned brightly on her, but at this moment, a dense, dark green storm was surging above this warm golden ocean.

This includes jealousy, anger at the invasion of territory, and resentment at having one's beloved possessions taken by others.

She stood there quietly, her beautiful eyes fixed on the study door, her pearly teeth biting her lower lip until it turned white.

The study had been quiet for a long time.

This prolonged silence was like a fine needle, constantly pricking Bai Yingluo's heart.

She couldn't imagine what had happened in the study during that time.

Could it be that Chen Lang has really fallen for that slut?

As soon as this thought crossed Bai Yingluo's mind, she felt as if her heart was being gripped tightly by an invisible hand, the pain making it almost impossible for her to breathe.

Her aura began to become unstable, and the cold and alluring power belonging to the Holy Maiden of the Nine Nether Sect uncontrollably dissipated, causing the air temperature in the courtyard to drop several degrees.

Chen Ye noticed her emotional fluctuations and knew he couldn't let her continue to overthink like this, so he gently patted Xia Ling Shuang's back and said softly, "Alright, go wash your face first, then stand in the yard and wait for me to come out."

"Hmm... Brother." Xia Lingshuang was like a docile kitten at this moment, obeying Chen Ye's every word.

Chen Ye straightened his clothes, which were soaked with Xia Lingshuang's tears, and slowly walked out of the study.

Squeak—

The sound of the door opening was exceptionally clear in the quiet night.

Standing in the shadows, Bai Yingluo trembled violently and subconsciously looked up. When she saw the calm expression on Chen Ye's face, all the grievances that had been building up in Bai Yingluo's heart exploded at that moment.

"Chen Lang...you..." she began, her voice trembling and choked with sobs, yet she didn't know what to say.

Seeing her on the verge of tears, Chen Ye felt no emotion, but his face revealed a hint of helplessness and doting affection.

Then he walked up to Bai Yingluo, reached out his hand, and gently wiped away the tears that were about to fall from the corner of her eyes with his fingertips.

"Why are you standing here so late at night instead of sleeping?" His voice was gentle, but with a hint of reproach.

This intimate gesture instantly shattered Bai Yingluo's psychological defenses.

She couldn't hold back any longer and threw herself into Chen Ye's arms, hugging him tightly as if she wanted to meld herself into his body.

"I thought...I thought you didn't want me anymore..." She buried her face in Chen Ye's chest, her voice muffled, filled with lingering fear and unease.

"Silly girl," Chen Ye gently stroked her long, soft hair, "What are you thinking about?"

Feeling the warmth of the man's embrace and hearing his gentle comfort, Bai Yingluo's anxious heart finally settled down a little, and the fire of jealousy within her subsided considerably, though it still stubbornly lingered in her heart.

She looked up at Chen Ye with teary eyes and asked in an almost pleading tone, "Chen Lang, please send that woman away, okay? I... I don't want to see her."

Upon hearing this, Chen Ye's smile gradually faded, and his gaze became calm.

He released his grip on Bai Yingluo, took a half-step back, and created some distance between them.

This subtle movement made Bai Yingluo's heart sink.

"Bai Yingluo," Chen Ye said calmly, calling her by her real name for the first time in such a composed tone.

Bai Yingluo froze, a sense of foreboding washing over her.

"It seems you haven't figured out your own position yet." Chen Ye's voice wasn't loud, but it struck Bai Yingluo's heart like a heavy hammer.

"You and she are able to stay by my side because you are still useful to me."

"As for who I bring back and who I leave behind, that's my business, and it's none of your concern, understand?"

Chen Ye's words were cold and cruel, devoid of any emotion.

Bai Yingluo's face turned completely bloodless in an instant.

She stared blankly at the man in front of her, feeling as if she had fallen from a warm cloud into a cold abyss in an instant.

So, to him, I was just a useful tool?
So, in his eyes, my burning, unreserved love was so cheap and ridiculous?

The immense humiliation and pain overwhelmed her like a tidal wave.

Just then, Xia Lingshuang also came out of the study.

She had washed her face, and although the red marks on her face were still clearly visible, her eyes shone with an astonishing brightness.

She walked to Chen Ye's side, stood naturally, and looked at him with a gaze full of affection and dependence, as if he were the only person left in the whole world.

Upon seeing this scene, Bai Yingluo felt a wave of dizziness and her body swayed precariously.

Just as Bai Yingluo was in a daze and on the verge of collapse, Chen Ye suddenly reached out and gently pinched her cheek.

“However…” His tone returned to its previous gentleness, “Although they are tools, there are differences between tools.”

“In my hands, obedient tools always receive more preferential treatment.”

As he spoke, he subtly activated the Throne of Desire.

A ray of golden light, representing hope, was silently injected into Bai Yingluo's heart, which was about to be swallowed by despair.

It was like lighting a small campfire in the dark, cold night.

Although faint, it was enough to dispel some of the cold and bring a glimmer of light.

Bai Yingluo's eyes, which had turned ashen, regained their sparkle the moment they came into contact with that ray of golden light.

He was right.

As long as I am more obedient and useful than that slut, Chen Lang's favor will still belong to me.

Everything I have now was given to me by him, and since he could give it, he could naturally take it back as well.

So what I need to do is not to be jealous or to question him, but to hold onto him tightly and make him unable to leave me.

After some self-reflection, Bai Yingluo's pain and humiliation quickly faded, replaced by a stronger, almost obsessive, possessiveness.

She looked at Chen Ye, her eyes no longer filled with infatuation and love, but with a hint of clarity and determination.

"I understand, Chen Lang." She took a deep breath and bowed gracefully to Chen Ye. "From now on, whatever you say will be the same. Yingluo... will never let you down again."

Seeing that she adjusted her mindset so quickly, Chen Ye nodded in satisfaction.

This is true.

A woman blinded by love may be easy to control, but she has little value.

Only by keeping her oscillating between despair and hope, as she is now, and making her clearly aware of her own position, can her value be maximized.

“Very good.” Chen Ye’s gaze swept over Bai Yingluo and Xia Lingshuang. “Now that you understand, I will set some rules for you.”

The two women simultaneously straightened up and listened attentively.

“You may fight and contend among yourselves, and I even welcome it, but remember this: you are fighting for my favor! So whoever performs better, is more obedient, and creates more value for me will receive a greater reward.”

These words blatantly define their relationship as a competition.

A competition to win the master's favor.

Upon hearing this, Bai Yingluo and Xia Lingshuang subconsciously exchanged a glance, as if invisible sparks were colliding in the air.

Their eyes were filled with undisguised hostility and fighting spirit.

"Finally, and most importantly," Chen Ye's tone suddenly turned serious, "any of my orders must be carried out unconditionally. I don't want to hear any more questions or bargaining."

"Anyone who dares to outwardly comply but inwardly defy me, or to play any tricks behind my back..."

Chen Ye didn't finish his sentence, but the two demonic witches simultaneously felt a chill run down their spines, and a layer of cold sweat seeped out from their backs.

They had no doubt that if they crossed this line, the man would not hesitate to abandon them completely.

"Did you all understand?" Chen Ye asked.

"Understood!"

"Understood, brother!"

Two distinctly different, yet equally submissive, voices rang out simultaneously.

“Very good.” Chen Ye nodded, then pointed to the red marks on Xia Lingshuang’s face and said to Bai Yingluo, “Go and apply the medicine to her.”

Bai Yingluo was taken aback upon hearing this and instinctively wanted to refuse.

Why should she apply medicine to this bitch?!
But when she saw Chen Ye's calm eyes, the resistance that had just risen in her heart vanished instantly.

She remembered the rules she had just established.

If I refuse, I'll be pushing him to that bastard's side.

Thinking of this, Bai Yingluo took a deep breath, suppressed the resentment and humiliation in her heart, and forced a gentle smile onto her face.

"Yes, Chen Lang." She curtsied to Chen Ye, then walked up to Xia Ling Shuang and said softly, "Sister Shuang'er, you fell in the courtyard just now, didn't you? It's my fault for not taking good care of you! Come, I have some excellent wound medicine in my room, I'll take you to treat your wound."

Xia Ling Shuang felt nauseous looking at the face with the fake smile in front of her.

But she dared not disobey Chen Ye's orders either, and could only grunt in response.

"Go ahead." Chen Ye waved his hand. "Get some rest after you've finished applying the medicine. We'll set off for Nanhe County City early tomorrow morning."

After saying that, he turned and walked back to his study, leaving two women in the courtyard with different thoughts.

The brief peace in the courtyard was shattered the moment the study door closed again.

The smile on Bai Yingluo's face vanished without a trace, replaced by a cold sarcasm.

"Let's go, my dear sister." She looked at Xia Lingshuang and said in a sarcastic tone, "Don't keep your sister waiting." Xia Lingshuang glanced at her coldly, said nothing, and walked towards Bai Yingluo's room.

A new war, one without gunfire, has just begun.

The mastermind behind all this was now sitting comfortably in his study, in his armchair, watching as the two unruly demonic saintesses were now firmly under his control.

The feeling of manipulating people's hearts at your fingertips is... indescribable.

However, Chen Ye was also secretly reminding himself that he must not become addicted to it, otherwise he would easily lose his true self and become a slave to his desires instead of a manipulator of them.

……

Meanwhile, hundreds of miles away from Pingyang City, deep in a gloomy valley.

On the altar, an old man with a withered face and wearing a blood-red robe sat cross-legged.

He was Elder Ghost Fiend.

Before him, the three-zhang-tall Ten Thousand Souls Banner stood silently in the center of the altar, its surface adorned with countless distorted and painful human faces that seemed to emanate silent wails.

Suddenly, Elder Ghost Fiend opened his eyes, a hint of surprise flashing in his cloudy pupils.

"Strange, how did the Holy Envoy's aura become so...pure?"

The high-ranking members of the Wrathful Soul Sect have a special secret method of communication, which allows them to roughly sense each other's condition.

Therefore, just now, Gui Sha clearly felt that the cold and murderous aura belonging to the Li Hun Sect on Xia Ling Shuang's body disappeared without a trace in a short period of time.

Instead, he was enveloped in a strange aura of affection and dependence that he had never experienced before.

It's like a fierce tiger that roams the mountains and forests suddenly turning into a docile and harmless sheep.

"Could it be that the Holy Envoy has made another breakthrough in his cultivation and entered the realm of returning to simplicity?"

Elder Ghost Fiend pondered for a moment and felt that only this explanation made sense.

He then shook his head and stopped thinking about it.

The banner has now been filled with tens of thousands of souls, but it is still far from meeting the final requirements.

However, it should be soon. The preparations in the county town are complete, and it can be activated as soon as the time is right. At that time, the souls of millions of people in Nanhe County will become the best nourishment for the Ten Thousand Soul Banner!

When that time comes, the Wrathful Soul Sect will dominate the Boundless Sand Domain and the Great Chen Dynasty, becoming the undisputed number one demonic sect in the world!

……

The next day, as dawn broke.

The Pingyang Prefectural Government Office was bustling with activity.

Chen Ye stayed up all night, processing all the backlog of official documents and making detailed arrangements for the follow-up matters in Pingyang City.

He officially appointed Feng Xiao as the prefect of Pingyang, giving him overall control over all military and political affairs in the city.

This decision made Feng Xiao feel very uneasy, but Chen Ye simply patted him on the shoulder and said, "I believe in you."

Through the vision of the Throne of Desire, Chen Ye could see the crimson-gold flame in Feng Xiao's heart that represented loyalty, as well as his desire for power and to achieve great things.

In fact, Chen Ye didn't need this person to have particularly sophisticated political skills; he only needed someone who was absolutely loyal and could carry out his orders without fail.

Feng Xiao is undoubtedly the best candidate.

After explaining everything, Chen Ye walked out of the government office gate surrounded by a group of people.

Outside the gate, a large and luxurious carriage was already prepared.

The carriage curtain was lifted by a slender hand, revealing Bai Yingluo's gentle and charming face.

Today she wore an elegant white dress, her long hair tied up with a simple jade hairpin, and a perfectly measured smile on her face as she softly said to Chen Ye, "Chen Lang, we can set off now."

She looked exactly like a docile wife who was about to travel far away with her husband.

On the other side of the carriage, Xia Lingshuang stood quietly with her hands at her sides.

She wore a simple blue cloth dress, her hair was styled in a simple maid's bun, and she kept her head down, silent and docile. No one could tell that she was the Holy Maiden of the Wrathful Soul Sect, who struck fear into the hearts of the boundless sands.

Overnight, these two women, who were originally at odds, seemed to have reached some kind of tacit understanding.

In front of Chen Ye, one played the gentle and virtuous Miss Yuan, and the other played the obedient and well-behaved Shuang'er, their cooperation was seamless.

Chen Ye nodded and stepped onto the carriage.

Seeing this, Bai Yingluo quickly followed and naturally wanted to sit next to Chen Ye.

However, just as she sat down, Xia Lingshuang also quietly got into the car and squeezed into the other side of Chen Ye without saying a word.

The space inside the carriage was already limited, and with her squeezing in, the three of them were now pressed tightly together.

Chen Ye could even clearly feel the touch of two soft, delicate bodies coming from both sides of his body.

Bai Yingluo's face immediately darkened.

She never expected that this bitch would be so bold as to dare to steal her place!

She was about to explode when she suddenly remembered the rules Chen Ye had set out yesterday.

— It's okay to compete, but we need to see who performs better and who is more obedient.

So she swallowed the rebuke that was on the tip of her tongue and instead gave Xia Ling Shuang a kind smile.

"Sister Shuang'er, why are you sitting so cramped? Come over here, I'll hug you." As she spoke, she actually reached out to put her arm around Xia Ling Shuang's shoulder.

Xia Lingshuang was not about to let her succeed. She slightly shifted her body to avoid her hand and said in a timid tone, "Thank you for your kindness, Madam, but... Shuang'er is afraid of crowding you."

After she finished speaking, she leaned closer to Chen Ye again, seemingly unintentionally.

The soft touch against Chen Ye's arm intensified the chill in Bai Yingluo's eyes.

You, Xia Lingshuang! You're trying to pull this on me, aren't you!

Bai Yingluo sneered inwardly, but on the surface she appeared even more gentle.

"What are you saying, sister? We are all serving Chen Lang, so there's no question of crowding." As she spoke, she pressed her body against Chen Ye without showing any weakness.

For a moment, Chen Ye felt fragrant breezes and soft, warm scents from both sides, while he was sandwiched between two supple and delicate bodies, unable to move at all.

Within his vision of the throne of desire, two invisible forces of desire are colliding and clashing fiercely in this confined space.

Chen Ye, at the center of the storm, remained unaffected, leaning against a soft cushion, closing his eyes to rest, seemingly oblivious to everything happening around him.

He enjoyed this feeling.

Watching two once high and mighty demonic women scheme and fight for her "favor" is more interesting than any game.

The carriage slowly started moving, and under the guard of soldiers, it drove out of Pingyang City and headed towards Nanhe County City.

The atmosphere inside the carriage became increasingly strange and tense.

Although Bai Yingluo and Xia Lingshuang did not have any further physical conflict, their eye contact never stopped.

One gaze was cold, filled with warning and hostility.

One gaze was cold and indifferent, filled with disdain and provocation.

They were like two fighting cocks, neither willing to give an inch.

After a while, Bai Yingluo seemed to think that killing with just her eyes wasn't enough, so she rolled her eyes and came up with a plan.

She took out an exquisite food box from her small bag.

"Chen Lang, you must be hungry after traveling all morning?" She opened the food box, and an enticing aroma immediately filled the entire carriage. "These are some snacks I made for you this morning. Please try them."

Inside the food box was a plate of lotus seed cakes that emitted a faint fragrance.

Bai Yingluo picked up a piece and held it to Chen Ye's lips with great anticipation.

Her virtuous and considerate demeanor would earn her praise from anyone who sees her as a wise and loving wife and mother.

Xia Lingshuang was not to be outdone, and took out a water pouch from her small bundle.

"Brother, you must be tired from your journey. Have some water to soothe your throat."

Chen Ye merely frowned slightly at this, then said coldly, "I won't eat anything, and you don't need to either. There's still a long way to go from here to the next city, so make sure you're well-rested. Otherwise, I'll have to protect you when we encounter danger."

These words were like a bucket of cold water, instantly waking the two women who were still immersed in their jealous rivalry.

They then realized that their purpose in coming here was not for a picnic.

Thinking of this, the two women simultaneously composed themselves, the girlish demeanor on their faces vanishing, replaced by solemnity.

"Yes, Chen Lang."

"I know, brother."

The carriage traveled eastward, leaving Pingyang City, a land that had just begun to recover, and gradually entered the true heart of Nanhe County.

The scenery outside the car window became increasingly desolate and lifeless.

What should have been a vast expanse of fertile land is now completely cracked, with not a trace of green to be seen.

Along the official road, one could often see the bones of corpses lying dead by the roadside, some of which had been mutilated by wild dogs and emitted a foul stench.

A sense of despair and death permeated the air.

The atmosphere inside the carriage became somewhat oppressive.

Bai Yingluo and Xia Lingshuang remained silent, gazing at the hellish scene outside the window with contrasting expressions.

(End of this chapter)