Huang Rong from The Return of the Condor Heroes: Brother Jing, let's get a divorce.

The sound of water stopped.

Yang Guo lifted his feet, took a dry cloth from the stone bench next to him, and slowly wiped away the water stains.

He tossed the cloth aside, turned, and walked to the jade bed. He kicked off his shoes and socks and sprawled out in the center of the bed. A spark flew from the oil lamp in the stone chamber, crackling loudly.

Huang Rong, Xiaolongnu, and Li Mochou stood by the wooden basin, looking at each other, but none of them took the first step.

Making them wash his feet was already an unprecedented and utterly humiliating act. Now they were being forced to go to bed and massage him. They had never done such lowly, subservient work in their lives.

And I have no intention of doing this in my lifetime.

Huang Rong stared at the jade bed, her mind racing. She had considered leaving, but what would happen if she did? This little thief was cunning and treacherous, and his willpower was weak. If she left, the other two vixens could easily use their tricks to lure Yang Guo into a trap.

No, we absolutely cannot let them succeed.

She took a deep breath, but her feet didn't move.

Little Dragon Girl didn't think that much about it. She just felt that Yang Guo had suffered a lot today, and his meridians had just been restored, so it wouldn't hurt to massage him.

She just didn't want to do things in front of Huang Rong, always feeling uncomfortable with those eyes staring at her.

Li Mochou crossed her arms, staring at the bed, cursing Yang Guo seven or eight times in her mind. The more she cursed, the angrier she became. This kid wasn't asking her to massage him; he was clearly trying to make her kneel before those two women. If she swallowed this insult, would she, Li Mochou, still be considered human?

"What? Are the three ladies planning to back out?" Yang Guo turned his head, his gaze sweeping over the three of them, his tone tinged with a hint of mockery, "You were all so aggressive during the fight just now."

"They're refusing to admit defeat after losing. If word gets out, what will become of Peach Blossom Island's reputation, the Ancient Tomb Sect's honor, and the Red Serpent Fairy's prestige?"

Huang Rong clenched her molars.

This little thief knew her too well; he knew she could suppress her heartache and grievances, but she couldn't stand having someone use this to provoke her. Moreover, with that absurd incident on the stone bed during the day weighing on her mind, she didn't even have the confidence to utter a word in her defense.

Huang Rong strode to the head of the cold jade bed. As she took off her embroidered shoes, her fingers paused for a moment, but she quickly came to her senses, climbed onto the bed, and knelt on either side of Yang Guo's head.

"You're ruthless." Huang Rong lowered her voice and placed her hands on Yang Guo's shoulders. She cursed inwardly: After the Tongtian Arena, let's see how this leader of the Gang settles this score with you.

Seeing that Huang Rong had moved, Xiaolongnu no longer hesitated. She walked to the side of the bed, sat on the edge, and placed her hands on Yang Guo's lower back. She secretly glanced at Huang Rong and saw that she was only staring at Yang Guo's back, so she relaxed a little.

Li Mochou stood still, her arms crossed over her chest, coldly watching the three people on the bed.

"Technician Li, we've been waiting for you." Yang Guo patted his calf. "If you're not willing, the door's over there. Goodbye. As for the acupoint release, you'll have to find someone else."

Li Mochou's chest heaved with anger.

She knew perfectly well that once she stepped through that stone gate, any of the Taoist priests of the Quanzhen Sect or her enemies in the martial world could take her life. Without internal energy, the Red Serpent Fairy was nothing more than meat on a chopping board.

She knew all of this, but even knowing it, the step of kneeling down still felt like being held back by a stone.

She cursed Ouyang Feng thoroughly in her stomach, then cursed Yang Guo again, and finally kicked him.

"You just wait." Li Mochou walked to the foot of the bed, kicked off her shoes, climbed onto the stone bed, and knelt down on Yang Guo's calves. Her movements were stiff, as if she were doing a task she was forced to do while suppressing her anger.

The three women took their places.

Yang Guo closed his eyes and stretched his limbs.

"Let's begin," Yang Guo commanded. "Chief Huang, you need to use a bit of finesse in this shoulder and neck massage. Don't treat it like kneading dough."

Huang Rong used both hands to press down hard on Yang Guo's shoulder muscles, her fingers gripping them tightly. She subconsciously added a bit more force—whether it was a massage or venting her anger, this kid owed her something anyway.

"Ouch!" Yang Guo cried out in pain. "Is this a massage or a dislocated arm?"

"Didn't you say it was too light?" Huang Rong retorted irritably. "My Peach Blossom Island's 'Falling Flower Divine Sword Palm' is all about this kind of short-range force. If you can't take it, just say so."

She said that, but when she pressed down again, she held back a little. It wasn't out of pity, but because she didn't want to make a fuss over such a small matter and let the two people next to her watch the show.

Yang Guo grabbed Huang Rong's wrist with his other hand.

"Chief Huang, if you continue to use your position for personal revenge, I'm going to tell you a story," Yang Guo said in a low voice. "This afternoon, a female warrior taught me close-quarters combat..."

Huang Rong's expression changed drastically, and she covered Yang Guo's mouth with her hand. Her panic came quickly and genuinely—if what happened during the day really came out of this little thief's mouth, she wouldn't even have a chance to explain.

"Shut up!" Huang Rong gasped for breath, glancing at Xiaolongnu and Li Mochou out of the corner of her eye. Seeing that the two weren't paying attention, she breathed a sigh of relief.

The pressure in her hands softened instantly. Her ten fingers pressed down along Yang Guo's cervical vertebrae, little by little. There was an indescribable seriousness in her movements. She herself didn't even realize it; her hands just started moving.

"That's right." Yang Guo hummed twice in satisfaction. "That's what you call service attitude."

Xiaolongnu's hands moved across Yang Guo's lower back. She didn't know any massage techniques, so she could only rely on the internal energy circulation methods of the Ancient Tomb Sect to help Yang Guo soothe his meridians. She had no other intentions; she just wanted to help Guo'er stabilize the internal energy she had just sorted out, so that nothing else would go wrong.

"Guo'er, is it here?" Xiaolongnu's fingertip stopped at Yang Guo's waist.

"Two inches down," Yang Guo instructed. "Teacher Long, your technique is too monotonous. In my hometown, there's a technique called 'Thai back massage.' Stand up and use your feet to massage."

Little Dragon Girl was stunned.

"Step on it with your foot?" Little Dragon Girl looked hesitant. "Wouldn't that hurt you?" She went through the thought in her mind and felt that it would be difficult to control the force she used. If her meridians were just starting to flow smoothly and something went wrong, that would be her dereliction of duty.

"I'm in great shape," Yang Guo boasted shamelessly. "Go ahead and step on me."

Xiaolongnu took off her silk stockings, revealing a pair of jade-like feet as white as snow. She stood up, placed one foot on Yang Guo's back, and tentatively applied weight.

She was still carefully weighing her strength in her mind, while on the other hand, she felt Huang Rong's gaze sweeping over her, making her feel a little uncomfortable.

The soft touch of the soles of my feet came through.

Yang Guo felt so good his bones were melting. In his previous life, this was his favorite service at bathhouses. Now, with the leader of the Ancient Tomb Sect personally serving him, he wouldn't trade this treatment for anything, not even an emperor.

"Yes, that's the right amount of force," Yang Guo praised repeatedly. "Go down. Along the spine."

Li Mochou watched this scene from the foot of the bed, rolling her eyes.

The docile appearance of Little Dragon Girl stirred up something she couldn't quite explain in her heart.

This little bitch always acts so high and mighty, telling her to step on her back or wash her feet whenever she wants. Li Mochou knew perfectly well that she was no different from that girl, kneeling here. This thought only fueled her irritation.

Li Mochou pressed her hands against Yang Guo's calves, growing angrier with each passing thought. She bent her fingers, pinched a soft spot on Yang Guo's calf, and twisted it hard. What was a little pain? She wanted to show this brat that she, Li Mochou, was no pushover.

"Hiss—" Yang Guo gasped, turned his head, and stared at Li Mochou.

"Technician Li, what kind of technique is this?" Yang Guo questioned.

"This is called the 'Red Serpent Acupuncture Technique'," Li Mochou said, chin held high. "It's a cure for all kinds of dissent. What do you think?"

As she said this, she was actually on edge, unsure how the boy would retaliate. But she didn't want to back down. If she did, she would have already lost in her own mind.

Instead of getting angry, Yang Guo laughed. He lifted his right leg and flipped Li Mochou onto the bed. Before Li Mochou could get up, Yang Guo had already rolled over and pinned her down, grabbing her wrist with one hand and pressing her firmly onto the bed.

Huang Rong and Xiaolongnu stopped what they were doing and looked at the two of them.

"What are you doing!" Li Mochou struggled but couldn't break free, glaring at Yang Guo. She knew she couldn't break free, but she had to struggle; she had to let him know she wasn't willing to accept this.

"Let me teach you some manners." Yang Guo grabbed Li Mochou's wrist with one hand, looking down at her with a warning in his eyes.

"Technician Li, you've lost all your internal energy, but you still have the temper of the Red Serpent Fairy. If you don't want to release your acupoints, you can continue to oppose me. Once you're outside this stone door, the Taoist priests of the Quanzhen Sect and your enemies in the martial world could drown you with their spittle."

Li Mochou's chest heaved violently as she bit her lower lip tightly.

She was a very proud person, and the "method of releasing acupoints" devised by Ouyang Feng was utterly absurd. If Huang Rong and Xiaolongnu knew about it, she would rather die on the spot.

That kid just didn't tell anyone about it. She relaxed a little, realizing that her grip had loosened.

She couldn't afford to gamble, so she could only turn her head away in humiliation and remain silent. For a fleeting moment, her eyes welled up with tears, but she forcefully suppressed them, determined not to let them spill out.

Huang Rong stood to the side, her brows slightly furrowed.

Watching Yang Guo and Li Mochou exchange blows, her mind raced with questions. What leverage did Yang Guo hold over Li Mochou? What secrets were they hiding?

She had every right to expose this secret, but she didn't. She was still keeping her own affairs hidden, and to actively provoke someone else would only create trouble for herself. Pretending not to see it was the safest course of action.

Xiaolongnu stood calmly by the bed. She watched her senior sister being subdued by Yang Guo, without a thought of speaking up for her. Since Guo'er could control her senior sister, she would let him be.

She simply moved half a step to the side, subtly creating some distance between herself and the two people, as if that would absolve her of any responsibility.

Yang Guo released Li Mochou's wrist and sat up straight. He glanced at the expressions of the three people and understood the situation. He had the situation under control.

Yang Guo patted the bed board, his voice rising eight octaves, "I'm putting this down right here. All three of you, listen up!"

The three women all turned to look at Yang Guo.

Yang Guo sat cross-legged on the jade bed, his back ramrod straight. He exuded an irresistible aura, completely different from his usual carefree demeanor. The three women all noticed this, and their expressions darkened slightly.

"The Tongtian Arena will be held in half a month." Yang Guo's gaze swept over the three of them. "The Seven Masters of Quanzhen are not made of clay. There are also the Mongol Tartars eyeing us covetously outside. I must win this arena and become the leader of the Quanzhen Sect. This is not only for myself, but also for you."

Yang Guo pointed at Huang Rong.

"Chief Huang, if you stay and guard Xiangyang, and I become the leader, the Quanzhen Sect will not fall into the hands of villains. Only when the Beggars' Sect and the Quanzhen Sect form an alliance can the Jianghu of the Song Dynasty be at peace. Only then can your plan, you female Zhuge Liang, succeed."

Huang Rong didn't refute. She knew in her heart that every word was true. She came to Zhongnan Mountain not only for this petty thief, but also for the greater good of the martial world, which prevented her from acting solely out of personal feelings. She pursed her lips, which was taken as tacit agreement.

Yang Guo pointed at Xiaolongnu.

"Teacher Long. The Ancient Tomb Sect and the Quanzhen Sect have been fighting for so many years. Now that I've become the sect leader, I'm in charge of the rules in this back mountain. From now on, you can come down the mountain whenever you want, and practice your skills whenever you want. No one will dare to cause trouble in front of the Ancient Tomb Sect."

Little Dragon Girl nodded in agreement. She didn't think too much about the complexities; she just felt that Yang Guo was right, so she agreed.

Yang Guo finally pointed to Li Mochou.

"As for you, Technician Li. You want to untie your acupoints and seek revenge. Only when I control the resources of the Quanzhen Sect can I help you lay a trap and find your enemies. If you act tough with me now, you'll only hurt yourself."

Li Mochou turned her face away and remained silent. She pondered Yang Guo's words in her heart and swallowed them. They made sense, but she didn't intend to admit it to his face.

Yang Guo laid out the three men's demands in the open, using righteousness and self-interest to firmly bind them to his cause.

"So, from today onwards, I'm in charge here in this ancient tomb." Yang Guo declared his final conclusion, his tone extremely domineering. "I don't care what your identities are outside. Here, you are my logistical support. If I tell you to go east, you can't go west. If I tell you to wash your feet, you have to wash your feet. Anyone who dares to hold me back will be punished according to family rules!"

The stone chamber fell silent.

Huang Rong thought to herself: This little thief has grown too big for his britches. But what he said makes sense. As long as he can secure the position of sect leader, she'll just have to endure this humiliation. Anyway, behind closed doors, no one will know.

Xiaolongnu was simple-minded: Guo'er is my husband. A wife should follow her husband's lead. Since he wants to become the sect leader, I will naturally do my best to help him.

Li Mochou gritted her teeth: "Endure. Once I've released my pressure points and regained my martial arts, I'll see how I deal with you, you little bastard."

None of the three uttered a word in rebuttal, but their thoughts were all different.

Seeing that the three of them remained silent, Yang Guo knew that his combined attack and defense had been effective. He lay back down on the jade bed.

"What are you waiting for? Keep massaging." Yang Guo closed his eyes. "Chief Huang, shoulders. Teacher Long, back massage. Technician Li, soften your legs a bit."

The three women had no choice but to return to their respective positions.

Huang Rong placed her hands on Yang Guo's shoulders again. This time, she applied just the right amount of pressure. She looked down at the back of Yang Guo's neck, and a strange feeling welled up inside her.

Sometimes this guy drives her crazy, and other times he leaves her speechless with refusal. She suppressed the thought and focused on her fingers.

Xiaolongnu's jade-like feet gently patted Yang Guo's back. She adjusted her center of gravity, focusing her attention on the force of her feet, and calmed her mind.

Li Mochou pressed her hands on Yang Guo's calves, her movements much more disciplined than before, but her face showed no sign of submission. She simply frowned, as if she were stubbornly carrying out a task she did not want to do.

Yang Guo was enjoying the exquisite massage service, feeling as if he had reached the pinnacle of life. Any one of these three women could normally overwhelm him, but now they were all obediently surrounding him.

"A little to the left. Yes, right there," Yang Guo directed.

"You little thief, you have quite a lot of demands," Huang Rong muttered.

"Chief Huang, this is called striving for perfection," Yang Guo replied. "Tomorrow afternoon's special training will continue with the Dog-Beating Stick Technique. You must teach me a few more practical moves."

"I understand," Huang Rong replied. Her voice carried a hint of helplessness, but also a subtle sense of satisfaction.

"Teacher Long, please loosen the ropes a bit for tomorrow morning's Jade Bed training. My back hurts from being so tight today."

"Okay," Little Dragon Girl agreed. She paused for a moment, then lightened her pace slightly, as if to make that "okay" more concrete.

"Technician Li. I can take off my clothes for the concealed weapons class tomorrow night, but please don't touch me."

"Who cares to touch you!" Li Mochou retorted. She turned her face to the side as she said this, so that no one could see her guilty conscience.

The atmosphere inside the stone chamber became strange. Gone was the previous tension; instead, an inexplicable harmony prevailed. Yang Guo lay on the bed, listening to the three women bickering, a smile spreading across his face. He was determined to be the head of this family in this ancient tomb.

Half an hour later.

Yang Guo rolled over and sat up straight. The three women stopped what they were doing and straightened their clothes. After all that commotion, they were all quite exhausted.

"Alright. That's all for tonight's class." Yang Guo put on his shoes and socks, stood up, and said, "Everyone, get some rest. We have to continue tomorrow."

Huang Rong picked up the dog-beating stick and was the first to step out of the stone gate. She didn't want to stay a moment longer, afraid that the little thief would make some more unreasonable demands. As she walked out, she took a deep breath of the cool night air, her steps much quicker than when she came in.

Xiaolongnu put on her silk stockings and followed Huang Rong away. Before leaving, she glanced at Yang Guo, said nothing, and turned to leave through the stone gate.

Li Mochou was the last to walk. She reached the door, turned around, and glanced at Yang Guo.

"You'd better pray you can win the Tongtian Arena," Li Mochou said, "If you die on the stage, I'll haunt you even as a ghost."