Stepping on the Demoness to become the strongest

Lin Ning, despite her expressionless face, held the metal spatula as if it were the Tai'a Sword, giving off a "explain yourself or I'll whack your head" vibe.

Yan Yu was thinking about how to brush off the issue when Li Minghu spoke up with a laugh:

"Yan was just outside discussing something with me."

She had seen Yan Yu affected by the Gravity Field Spell, temporarily a bit slow to react, so she took the initiative to defuse the situation.

"Oh?" Lin Ning drew out the tone, like a cat hissing aggressively, her demeanor turning unfriendly, "What's so secretive that you can't discuss it here, needing to go outside with Vice Captain Li for a private conversation?"
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"Quite simple." Li Minghu was still smiling, "Because he didn't want you to know."

Lin Ning: ?

Fury doubled! Gravity doubled! Murderous intent doubled! Stinky captain, if you don't explain yourself right now, I'm going to smack you with this spatula...

"Can I say it?" Li Minghu turned and asked.

"Sigh, go ahead." Yan Yu, though unsure of what she intended to say, chose to trust her and played along with a helpless sigh.

"He asked me to accompany you in your sword practice," Li Minghu said earnestly.

Lin Ning, who was already shaping a Sword technique to lift the spatula and strike Yan Yu on the head, paused in surprise:

"Huh?"

"That's right." Yan Yu was quick to explain, "Usually, it's me who spars with you all, and you've adapted to my style, mainly focusing on defense and counterattacks. This could easily lead to rigid thinking... I figured it would be better to have different people to practice against, exposing you all to various types of opponents."

"Um, yeah..." Hearing that the captain had arranged this privately with Vice Captain Li for the team's benefit, Lin Ning's righteous indignation diminished a bit.

But considering herself not easily fooled, she continued to press and ask:

"If that's the case, why ask in private?"

"Because I might not have agreed," Li Minghu replied with a smile, "If he had asked in front of everyone and I declined, it would have been awkward. But by asking in private, even if I didn't agree, it could simply have been as if he never asked."

"Er, yeah, um..." Lin Ning reflexively sought something more to challenge, but couldn't think of any doubts, only managing to mutter, "Did you agree then?"

"Of course," Li Minghu said seriously, "I'm also a manager of the team. I can definitely empathize with Yan's good intentions for you all."

Lin Ning was left without a response, her spatula now hidden behind her.

Yan Yu went out of his way for the team, asking Vice Captain Li for help, and there I was, brandishing a spatula to hassle him; I really am...

"Um," she looked at Yan Yu again, speaking awkwardly, "I made some Lingnan-style snacks. Would you like to come and try?"

"Sampling the snacks is fine," said Yan Yu cheerfully, "But first let me ask: were you looking for me to settle a score just now?"

"Er." Lin Ning was taken aback.

"Then I'll head in first," said Li Minghu, noting that Lin Ning was utterly defeated, and excusing herself with a parting word before heading into the villa.

"I wasn't looking to settle any score," Lin Ning scrambled for an excuse during the few seconds of her departure, "I was just worried about you. After all, you disappeared suddenly, and nobody answered your phone..."

"Then why are you holding a spatula?" Yan Yu asked again.

"Ah, the spatula." Lin Ning hid the spatula with force, "I was looking for you everywhere after cooking, couldn't find you, so I just waited at the door, forgetting to put it back."

"Is that so?" Yan Yu asked with a smile, "Not to hit me with it?"

"Ahahaha, of course not." Lin Ning strained to produce a pure and innocent smile, feeling incredibly embarrassed inside, quickly reaching out her left hand to tug on Yan Yu's sleeve, "Alright, let's drop it, I won't do this again, you should hurry up and try the shrimp dumplings I made, all with live shrimp, I almost exhausted myself peeling them..."

She led Yan Yu into the villa, towards the kitchen.

And then let out a bloodcurdling roar.

On the dining table in the kitchen, two-thirds of the variety of Lingnan-style snacks she and the aunt had made were already devoured by Zhao Yuanzhen... who was gnawing on a tender chicken foot, turned her head upon hearing the scream, with a clear and puzzled look in her eyes.

"Ah, ah, ah..." Lin Ning wanted to say something but seemed to have lost the ability to speak; her eyes also lost their usual sparkle.

I went to great lengths to make that... And my shrimp dumplings, Yan Yu hasn't even tried them yet, how did they turn into empty plates...

Without a word, Yan Yu stepped forward and executed the Annihilating Grip, grabbing the Demonic Sect Enchantress's fair neck and revealing an extremely gentle yet sinister smile:

"You should wait for everyone before eating... Don't you know manners?"

"Ooh—" Zhao Yuanzhen felt guilty and tried to explain, "I was just passing by and saw some snacks here, wanted to try a bit, and before I knew it, all the plates were empty. I really don't know what happened..."

Yan Yu laughed infuriatingly:

"Are you going to say you were brain-controlled?"

"Ah, yes, exactly!" Zhao Yuanzhen hastily replied, "I must have been possessed by a demon! I didn't mean to eat that much!"

"Then I would also have been possessed by a demon!" Yan Yu sneered coldly, "Take the family punishment!!!"

If Xie Ruoxi had been there, she would certainly have been beaten to a pulp by Yan Yu, but the Demonic Sect Enchantress was no kind-hearted creature. If you intend to use force to humiliate me, I will certainly respond with violence!

The two quickly grappled with each other, and just as quickly, a winner emerged.

Zhao Yuanzhen was beaten so badly she was left searching for her teeth on the ground.

She lay on the floor defeated, her face filled with disbelief:

Why! Damn it! I refuse to accept this!

Yan Yu got up from her body, dusting himself off with satisfaction.

In a life-and-death struggle, no holds barred, this enchantress might have an advantage; but in a pure physical fight, how could she possibly be my match? Has she ever practiced any martial arts? Hilarious.

However, Zhao Yuanzhen on the ground hadn't realized all this, merely biting her lip tightly, harboring resentment:

I'll remember this grudge! When the day comes for me to turn the tables, I'll repay this humiliation tenfold!

With this in mind, a scene of a wedding night appeared in her head. She imagined herself straddling a motionless thief, slapping him fiercely left and right! Smack smack smack smack! Hitting him until his face throbbed!

"Are you going to submit?" Smack smack smack.

"I submit, I submit! Mercy, my lady!" Smack smack smack.

"Mercy? Had you been tough, I might have respected you as a man and enjoyed a good fight; but now you beg like a dog, I'm less inclined to spare you!"

With that, she began to hit even harder! Smack smack smack smack smack!

Zhao Yuanzhen thought about this, and gradually satisfaction crept in, the rage from being humiliated temporarily subsided.

Lin Ning was originally a bit displeased and resentful, but seeing Sister Zhao get a thorough lesson from the captain, with a strange smile on her face, her anger dissipated greatly. She went over to help her up, persuading:

"Let it go, Captain, Sister Zhao probably didn't mean it..."

"Have her make you a new batch," Yan Yu said calmly, tossing the remark and then leaving the kitchen.

"Sister Zhao," Lin Ning asked cautiously, "are you all right?"

"I'm fine, I'm fine," Zhao Yuanzhen exited her mental theater, tidying up her disheveled clothes and hair, and said embarrassedly, "Sorry, Ningning, I'll make another batch for you."

"Okay." Lin Ning then rolled up her sleeves and said, "There should still be some shrimp in the oxygenated water tank over there. Fetch me eight, snip the heads, peel them and hand them to me."

"All right." Zhao Yuanzhen began to work.

They say every foodie has a heart for cooking, and the Demonic Sect Enchantress was no exception. Choosing shrimp, snipping heads, peeling shells, deveining—Lin Ning taught her once and she got the hang of it immediately, her movements swift and proficient.

After preparing a live shrimp, Zhao Yuanzhen pinched the crystal-clear shrimp flesh with her fingers, admiring its texture through the light.

So pretty, might be tasty too... Right, raw shrimp is edible, isn't it? Isn't there a dish called sashimi?

Lin Ning had just got the pastry ready and turned her head when she suddenly screamed:

"Sister Zhao, no! You can't eat that! It's dirty, you can't eat it!"