Chu Xianning relaxed her clenched fist.
Jiang Huai looked so disheveled. His body was probably covered in bruises beneath his clothes, and his face was swollen like a pig’s head. Chu Xianning felt a little reluctant to continue.
As she breathed a sigh of relief, a vague feeling arose in her heart, as if she had lost something.
“Of course I’m not convinced!”
“I admit you have great talent. You’ve learned Flowing Wind Returning Snow completely, and you’ve also mastered the Overlord Art’s punches. If it weren’t for my Void Refining first layer spiritual qi, I might have been defeated by you. Alright, I won’t make you crawl around the courtyard like a puppy anymore. Admit defeat.”
As Chu Xianning spoke, Jiang Huai, who had been plotting how to bully Chu Xianning, was suddenly stunned. His Master, Chu Xianning, was being so considerate of him, yet he was filled with despicable thoughts. Jiang Huai… you’re truly a scoundrel.
Jiang Huai even seriously considered admitting defeat. What if Chu Xianning became upset and flustered after he bullied her if he won?
But when he looked up again into Chu Xianning’s eyes, into her gentle gaze, in that moment, he suddenly had an overwhelming urge to embrace Chu Xianning tightly.
“Master, hug me and I’ll admit defeat,” Jiang Huai mumbled softly.
“No,” Chu Xianning turned her face away. “It’s already good enough that I’m not making you crawl like a puppy.”
“Hmph, I gave you a chance,” Jiang Huai lifted his chin.
Jiang Huai silently recited the final command. He used five high-level Experience Scrolls, and instantly, his cultivation level changed. The spiritual qi of Deity Transformation seventh layer surged into his Qi Sea, and his physical injuries quickly healed as the spiritual qi entered him. He gazed into Chu Xianning’s eyes, “Master, be careful.”
With that, he initiated Flowing Wind Returning Snow eighth level, Rising Snow Step, and threw a punch.
Chu Xianning was taken aback.
The two immediately entangled in the courtyard. Chu Xianning had suppressed her spiritual qi, her cultivation only at Void Refining first layer. As long as Jiang Huai could deplete her spiritual qi, it would naturally count as his victory. Chu Xianning was not a body cultivator and had never practiced any body-tempering secret techniques.
Jiang Huai’s punches became faster and faster, striking her spiritual qi shield and shattering it. Accustomed to abundant spiritual qi, Chu Xianning found herself struggling to cope. Jiang Huai didn’t need to hold back, nor did he have to worry about hurting Chu Xianning. With her body, which had been tempered by spiritual qi for years, his punches would be harmless.
Chu Xianning’s breathing was no longer as steady as before; it gradually became erratic, a grave mistake in combat. Once her breath was disturbed, it was equivalent to losing her composure. Jiang Huai’s punches grew fiercer. He imitated all the moves Chu Xianning had used against him and unleashed them all back at her. Her spiritual qi shield was completely cracked, leaving her with no power to fight back.
Even though her cultivation was at Void Refining first layer, Jiang Huai himself had the fifth layer of Overlord Art’s enhancement. With his current Deity Transformation seventh layer spiritual qi, it was more than enough for him. Chu Xianning’s spiritual qi gradually faltered, causing her stamina to plummet. Tiny, crystal-clear water droplets appeared on her snow-white forehead. As the water droplets evaporated, the fragrance of flowers filled the courtyard.
The despicable Jiang Huai took advantage of Chu Xianning’s momentary lapse in reaction and used his signature “brat’s move” – tripping her. Chu Xianning, whose composure was already shaken, stumbled, and Jiang Huai lunged at her like a famished tiger. With a thud.
Chu Xianning was tackled to the ground by Jiang Huai.
…
A floral fragrance wafted past.
Jiang Huai froze. At this moment, Chu Xianning’s soft body was pressed beneath him. Chu Xianning was about to struggle, but Jiang Huai reached out and pressed down on her shoulder, gazing into her cold eyes. “Master, your Void Refining first layer spiritual qi has been completely depleted. Does that mean I win?”
Chu Xianning stared intensely into his eyes. “You… where did your cultivation come from?”
“Last time, in the Secret Realm, I obtained some secret techniques that can temporarily boost my cultivation. I can use them every period of time, but the spiritual qi isn’t stored. Even if I don’t use it, it’s about to dissipate. These things aren’t important. Did I win?”
“With such a Daoist magic, you didn’t save it for self-preservation… but used it to gamble with me?” Chu Xianning took a deep breath. A hint of annoyance seemed to surface in her eyes.
“I don’t usually fight with people, I know what I’m doing.” Jiang Huai was so close to Chu Xianning now that her breath seemed to fall on his face as she spoke. He simply looked at her. “In any case, I won.”
“Despicable dog.”
“Say whatever you want,” Jiang Huai replied, feeling guilty. “Master, it’s time to close your eyes.”
“I…”
Chu Xianning couldn’t bring herself to say the words “I’m reneging.” She ultimately couldn’t be as unreasonable as those from Luo Yueguan, but she still hadn’t closed her eyes. “Get off me.”
Jiang Huai reluctantly got up from Chu Xianning. Chu Xianning’s body was soft and pliant, cold and gentle, and full of floral fragrance. Jiang Huai reached out his hand to Chu Xianning, but she didn’t take it. Instead, she stood up on her own. She looked at Jiang Huai in front of her, silent for a moment. “What… do you want to do?”
“I won’t say, Master just needs to close your eyes.”
Chu Xianning’s eyes began to shift with panic and unease. She turned her face away. “I am your Master, you can’t go too far…”
“What do you consider too far?” Jiang Huai retorted, asking Chu Xianning.
“You cannot… kiss me.” Just saying this sentence made Chu Xianning incredibly shy and annoyed. Her delicate earlobes seemed to develop a faint pink hue.
“So Master thought I would kiss you?” Jiang Huai blinked at her innocently.
Chu Xianning was stunned.
But Jiang Huai then looked up pretendingly. “Then, it seems like kissing you… would also be very nice.”
“I said no…”
“But this is what Master agreed to. Master is saying no now, so Master might as well just say you’re reneging and cheating. Then I’ll obediently listen.”
“I…”
Chu Xianning still couldn’t bring herself to say she was reneging.
“Alright, alright, obediently close your eyes?” Jiang Huai looked at Chu Xianning innocently. Chu Xianning took a deep breath and finally closed her eyes, her slender eyelashes trembling slightly.
She had prepared herself to be bitten like a dog.
Jiang Huai approached her and reread his System Mission.
[Gamble with Master Chu Xianning. Find a way to trick Chu Xianning into losing to you, then have her obediently allow you to kiss her lips, neck, and clavicle while she is fully conscious.]
[Mission Reward: 3 High-level Experience Scrolls, 2 Imperial Evil Ice Silk White Stockings.]
But Chu Xianning was currently gripping the hem of her skirt, exuding an air of unease. Perhaps if Jiang Huai truly leaned in for a kiss, Chu Xianning would have no reason to blame him. At most, she’d sulk and ignore him for a while, and perhaps a little coaxing would fix it.
Jiang Huai paused for a moment, then leaned in towards Chu Xianning.
He smelled the floral fragrance on Chu Xianning, gazed at her slender body, watched her trembling eyelashes, and her slightly pursed lips. After another moment, he suddenly reached out with both hands and gently pulled Chu Xianning into an embrace.
Chu Xianning’s body suddenly became stiff.
But Jiang Huai simply rested his chin on her shoulder and said softly, “It’s been a very, very, very long time since I hugged Master. I want to hug you.”
One, two, three, four, five.
Five breaths of time passed just like that.
Jiang Huai simply held her slender, tender body gently, doing nothing else.
After five breaths, Jiang Huai released her and took a step back, saying softly, “Alright, alright, the bet is complete. Master, you can open your eyes now?”
Chu Xianning slowly opened her eyes. The look in those cold eyes as she looked at Jiang Huai had become extremely, extremely complex.
Jiang Huai simply smiled. “Why are you staring at me like that, Master?”
Chu Xianning turned her face away, not looking at him. “It’s nothing.”
“Then I’ll go take a bath.” Jiang Huai turned and walked towards the bathhouse. Chu Xianning sat quietly in the pavilion, her gaze fixed on the distant sky. After a long while, she reached out a hand, her fingertips touching her chest.
The moment Jiang Huai hugged her, her heartbeat had become inexplicably chaotic. She couldn’t even tell if it was anxiety or anticipation. But since Jiang Huai hadn’t kissed her in the end, she no longer needed to regret whether she should be angry after he kissed her, or just pretend as Jiang Huai suggested, that nothing had happened.
But this disobedient disciple was surprisingly well-behaved.
Jiang Huai finished bathing quickly and came out. He walked towards the outside of the courtyard. A few steps later, he seemed to remember something and said to Chu Xianning, “I’m going out for a bit, Master.”
“Where are you going?”
“Since there’s nothing else to do, I’ll go play with Wanwan.” Jiang Huai replied softly. Chu Xianning nodded slightly and didn’t ask further. Seeing Jiang Huai leave the courtyard, she was left alone.
She had always been alone before.
She watched the clouds drift by in the sky until the sun began to set.
…
In Wen Wanwan’s courtyard.
“Senior Brother Jiang Huai, choose one?”
“Choose, choose what?”
“Fufu said last time that you bullied her. As her older sister, I have to stand up for Fufu. Otherwise, Fufu will say I’m biased as a sister and feel wronged and sad all by myself?”
“Then, then what can I choose?”
“Do you want to be humiliated by both Fufu and I with our little feet, or… have Fufu sit on Senior Brother Jiang Huai’s chest and let Senior Brother Jiang Huai kiss Fufu properly?”
“What kind of option is the second one!!!”
“So Senior Brother Jiang Huai chooses the first one?”
Jiang Huai: ?
Had he fallen into a trap?
But Wen Wanwan’s reasoning was so righteous. As an older sister, she naturally had to stand up for her younger sister and seek justice. So, Little Jiang Huai reluctantly chose the first option
