**Chapter 147: Duo Queue Invitation**
“Young Master, please don’t interrupt,” Tao Jiu’er scrutinized Yun Zhonghe like she was trying to peel back his skin for a closer examination, “Answering a question with a question is quite rude.”
Her gaze pierced right through him, as if evaluating his weight like a butcher appraising a roast.
Her understanding of Yun Zhonghe’s anatomy was profound, much like his knowledge of Mu Jixue’s… well, whatever he might know.
After all, they had known each other since childhood, and Tao Jiu’er had a handle on his situation—nobody knew his… vigor better than she did.
Oh, and let’s not forget that in some senses, “the essence” and “his energy” are quite the same.
A male cultivator’s essence isn’t fixed; it fluctuates. If he’s casting spells left and right one day, he’s definitely going to feel a noticeable dip. But if he’s lounging about, his potency could be through the roof!
And don’t even get me started on the screaming red flags of male *heat*.
Long story short, as Yun Zhonghe’s personal maid and overseer, she had an almost unsettling grasp of his essence fluctuations.
But lately, she noticed his essence was lower than usual, and to top it off, there were no underwear in his clean laundry the other day, which raised a whole lot of alarms in her head.
Whenever a man has issues, it usually has something to do with women.
Time for some serious investigation!
Right at that moment, Yun Zhonghe felt his scalp tingle. Being attacked in bed at the crack of dawn by Tao Jiu’er—a girl on a mission—isn’t exactly how one wants to start their day.
Thankfully, he didn’t spot any “black” or “curly” hair at the corner of her mouth… wait, if it were his hair, it should have been “golden.”
No wait! What am I thinking?! My brain is a mess!
Yun Zhonghe took a deep breath, attempting to regain some composure.
“Jiu’er, you’ve misunderstood. I don’t have any women in my life—you know my situation! And about the underwear, I just tossed the old ones out. What’s the problem?”
He flashed a grin because—technically—he was still a… virgin.
But Tao Jiu’er’s expression remained stone-faced. She wouldn’t let him off that easily, clinging to her point like a dog with a bone.
“There’s a problem! Today, Young Master, your essence feels different—extra spirited!”
“Pfft!!!”
Yun Zhonghe was appalled, his eyes widened in shock.
But Tao Jiu’er held a serious expression, even extending her right hand and making a pinching gesture: “In the past, it would’ve been easier to pinch.”
Hard as iron!
“What are you doing? Is this some bizarre inspection?!”
He was dumbfounded; who knew Tao Jiu’er would turn out to be this kind of maid?!
Does she take notes on his little friend while he’s snoozing away?
Then, with a self-satisfied flourish, Tao Jiu’er made a sparkle gesture, as if saying, “Aren’t I fabulous?”
She stuck her tongue out and played dumb: “Doesn’t this just show how good I am at my job?”
“You’re taking this a bit too seriously, aren’t you? This borders on obsession!”
Tao Jiu’er suddenly gave a mischievous grin: “Well, I have to keep an eye on your… private life. But I understand your urges, being sixteen and all. I’m eighteen, after all. We’d make an explosive pair—why not take this opportunity?”
At that, Yun Zhonghe’s brain hiccupped.
Tao Jiu’er’s flirtatious eyes sparkled: “What? Are you rejecting me? I’ll have you know, if you miss this opportunity, you might regret it. At this point, I’m the only one who can help you out!”
Her tone took on a seriousness that made Yun Zhonghe wonder whether she was joking or actually proposing.
**System Alert:** Your maid Tao Jiu’er has sent you a duo queue invitation!
Yun Zhonghe’s heart raced.
Tao Jiu’er was quite a catch!
In terms of looks, she could definitely rival Mu Jixue, and her curves were not only mature but downright tempting…
Getting with someone like her would be nothing short of heavenly.
But then he narrowed his eyes, quickly spotting the red flags: “Jiu’er, this is a test, isn’t it? If I play along too easily, it’ll just heighten my suspicions. You don’t think I’m oblivious, do you?”
Caught red-handed, the eager smile on Tao Jiu’er’s face vanished in an instant. “You saw through me?”
Yun Zhonghe commented dryly, “Wow, way to flip the mood.”
Tao Jiu’er chuckled, “It’s just a virgin—what’s there to get excited about?”
Virgin… Yun Zhonghe fought the urge to shout.
What’s with the disdain for a virgin?!
His fists clenched.
Curse it, if it wasn’t for the yellow-haired dude’s identity, he wouldn’t have to care this much.
So, from the initial “let me inspect you” to the later “let’s duo queue” invitation, it was all a ploy by Tao Jiu’er to gauge how much woman trouble Yun Zhonghe actually had. Any sign of weakness could mean he’d fall right into her trap.
No wonder he felt like he had been messed with so much by her in the past!
“Well, fine. You passed. Though I’m weirded out by the dip in your essence, it seems you’re still in the clear regarding women.”
Yun Zhonghe had evaded Tao Jiu’er’s inspection. Though it felt strange, it wasn’t dangerous, just a matter of keeping a close eye on things.
If his essence were to sh**t out and couldn’t be pulled back, it might cause significant damage to his spiritual root.
If that happened, even with all his cultivation prowess, he’d never again be able to harness spiritual energy.
So, Tao Jiu’er’s diligence made sense—she was ensuring the future of the Yun family.
But Yun Zhonghe couldn’t help but break a sweat.
Who knew a mere sip of essence from Mu Jixue could be picked up on by Tao Jiu’er? This girl was super sensitive!
To be fair, he was a bit panicked at first, as he was well aware that some essence had been absorbed.
But he brushed it off initially, thinking it was no big deal—just a bit of essence, not an actual encounter.
But alas, he was still exposed.
Tao Jiu’er was a true expert; her ability to conceal energies meant she could detect even the tiniest of changes. Yun Zhonghe’s slightest fluctuation didn’t slip past her radar.
Plus, tossing out those dirty undies didn’t help his case.
If he didn’t know better, he’d think she had a radar for his “little brother”!
Looks like he needed to hustle and find a way to deal with the aftermath of Mu Jixue’s chilling spiritual energy.
If things went downhill, who knows what would happen the next time she lost control—what if it really led to something?… Intimate?
“Alright, Jiu’er, enough teasing. I need to get out of bed now.”
Yun Zhonghe found himself still lying there, having just woken up, but Tao Jiu’er was making it feel like he’d run five laps around the world.
He thought she’d make a gracious exit, but unexpectedly, she blushed and avoided eye contact: “I… I’m not wearing clothes.”
Yun Zhonghe: ???
