Long Xiao felt like he was dreaming.
Everything in the dream was exceptionally blurry. When Meng Xiaoting drew near, she brought a fresh, pleasant, and faint fragrance. The scent lingered, quietly hovering at the tip of his nose, while a soft touch remained on his lips, along with a trace of elusive heat.
Miss Meng had taken the initiative to kiss him.
This realization came entirely unexpectedly, like a massive boulder landing heavily on his chest. It struck him breathless, and within his pounding heart, an explosive ecstasy was born.
He was so happy.
Unable to hold it in, Long Xiao hopped in place again.
Compared to his appearance, Meng Xiaoting seemed much more reserved.
The person she had silently liked and once thought was out of reach had actually developed feelings for her years ago at the academy. The probability of such a thing happening was so small it could simply be called a miracle.
But... she was also very happy.
When her lips touched Long Xiao, Meng Xiaoting's heart felt as if it would leap out of her chest at any moment—not to mention, he had even asked, "Can we do it again?" which was the kind of question that left one completely at a loss for an answer.
The summer wind was stiflingly hot like a steamer, making her mind dizzy.
The young girl kept her head lowered, her eyes downcast, making it impossible to see her exact expression. From Long Xiao's angle, he could only see her face flushed completely red.
Miss Meng nodded.
The little bird in his heart fluttered wildly, chirping as it soared into the sky. Immediately following that, he leaned down with utmost solemnity. This kiss was faster and lighter than the one Meng Xiaoting had initiated. With just a gentle peck, Long Xiao quickly straightened his back. Everything was the same as before, except for the corners of his mouth, which were soaring wildly upwards.
He subconsciously wanted to perform a set of Dragon-Catching Fists right then and there, but remembering Meng Xiaoting standing beside him, he could only try hard to forcefully suppress the thought. At most, he just bounced in place a couple of times. "Then, then from now on, can I call you 'Xiaoting'?"
Meng Xiaoting paused for a moment. "...Mm."
"Then, then, then!"
That kid Long Xiao pushed his luck. Hearing her "Mm," his mouth immediately split into a wide grin. "Can I hold your hand?"
...He was so silly. Who would actually ask such a question out loud?
Meng Xiaoting's face felt a bit hot. She stayed silent for a moment and was just about to answer with another "Mm" when her right wrist was abruptly grasped.
The young body cultivator's palm was broad and warm. With a gentle close, it could completely envelop her wrist. Long Xiao didn't dare to use too much force. Seeing that she didn't resist, his thumb quietly slid downward.
Just like that, little by little, he silently and gradually moved down, from the young girl's slender wrist bone all the way into Meng Xiaoting's palm.
Meng Xiaoting pursed her lips, trying to hide the unstoppable smile at the corners of her mouth. At the same time, she slightly shifted her gaze and immediately saw the undisguised smile of the person beside her—
Long Xiao's eyes and brows were all curved with joy. Perhaps noticing her gaze, he turned his head to meet her eyes and used his other free hand to scratch his head.
Idiot, dummy.
"Should we... go back and find Mo Xiaoyang first?"
She secretly muttered in her heart, then heard Long Xiao say, "He's been waiting so long, he must be tired. And there's the sweet soup I prepared for you guys—"
He didn't have time to finish this sentence.
Long Xiao's expression stiffened slightly as he looked down at his empty hands.
Oh right, he had been too excited just now, feeling like bubbles were popping in his head, so he had tilted his head back and directly chugged down both bowls of sweet soup. One of those bowls belonged to Mo Xiaoyang.
Long Xiao: ...
Bro, I'm sorry.
*
Buying another bowl of sweet soup didn't take much time.
By the time Long Xiao and Meng Xiaoting returned to the arena, a match had just concluded. They watched a few more matches and finally received a communication talisman from Xie Jingci.
The wine tasting festival was a rare grand event. Cultivators were not short on money, and the group had planned this early on, heading straight into the largest restaurant in the South City.
"It was so amazing! You guys missing that scene on the arena is simply the biggest regret of your lives!"
Mo Xiaoyang spoke with his eyes shining, sitting at the table hugging his sword. "I saw the Cultivator of the Ink Forest wave his brush, and every drop of ink turned into killing intent. At that moment, the bamboo forest snapped layer by layer, stirring up a sea of emerald green that rushed forward all at once—strange, Long Xiao, why have you been smiling non-stop ever since you came back from buying the sweet soup?"
"Me?"
Long Xiao was quick-lipped. The hand holding his wine cup suddenly stopped. He was just about to confess everything in detail, but his foot was gently kicked by Meng Xiaoting under the table.
He knew the young girl was thin-skinned and didn't want to reveal their secret too early and abruptly, so he gave a low cough. "The sweet soup was really good, it reminded me of when I was little."
"What about Pei Du?"
Mo Xiaoyang nodded and leaned sideways with considerable concern. "Your face is so red, could it be that you've caught a cold?"
Pei Du's right hand, which was holding his wine cup, also stiffened.
He would have to be crazy to tell the truth. If others knew that he and Miss Xie had done that kind of thing in the hot spring...
Not only him, but Miss Xie would definitely feel embarrassed as well.
"Perhaps the hot spring was too hot, and I caught a chill from the cold wind at night."
He wasn't good at lying. When he spoke, he lowered his eyelashes, looking at the ripples spreading in his wine cup. "A night's rest will be fine."
This scene was inexplicably somewhat cute. Xie Jingci quietly covered her lips and slightly turned her head away.
Mo Xiaoyang suddenly understood and obediently nodded while hugging his sword.
The two friends, both harboring their own little secrets, lowered their heads at the same time, pretending to be calm as they took a sip of the fine wine in their cups.
Bro, I'm sorry.
The restaurant the group was in was called "Bright Moon." Rumor had it that among the countless pavilions large and small in the South City, it held an unparalleled position, like the moon surrounded by stars.
Inside the private room, it was quiet and silent. Because it was on a very high floor, the noisy voices from the street were diluted by the night wind, turning into an unnoticeable murmur. Listening closely, one could only hear the rustling sounds, the evening wind sounding like crying and howling.
A bright moon hung in the sky, its light falling softly through the window; indoors, the candlelight was bright, reflecting the moonlight from afar, setting off a beautiful scene.
Xie Jingci sat at the table holding her wine cup. Because of the wisp of clear moonlight in the sky, her mood had also become quite good.
Since it was a wine tasting festival, a single type of wine was naturally not enough. Several famous wines had been carefully collected by the Bright Moon Restaurant and were neatly arranged on the wooden table. After a few rounds of drinking, by the time she came back to her senses, six wine jugs on the table were already empty.
The aroma of the fine wine was too strong; often, a single drop was enough to intoxicate.
Although their group consisted of cultivators who, due to their special physiques, were not easily prone to getting drunk, once the wisps of wine aroma became too dense, they could seep through the meridians into the internal organs, and even penetrate the sea of consciousness, making one's mind unclear.
Later on, Xie Jingci could barely maintain some consciousness. Right before Mo Xiaoyang was about to swallow his sword on the spot, she hurriedly suggested they head back.
Mo Xiaoyang was one thing, but she truly never expected that a drunk Long Xiao would desperately cling to Meng Xiaoting, blushing and giggling foolishly while grabbing the young girl's wrist and spouting nonsense like, "I still want more."
The most unbelievable part was that, for the first time ever, Meng Xiaoting didn't break free.
Pei Du had a low tolerance for alcohol. During the banquet, Long Xiao and Mo Xiaoyang had maliciously poured him a lot. As soon as Xie Jingci brought him back to the guest room, he dizzily lay down on the bed.
This person usually had a gentle temper. Even when drunk, he was actually still quiet and peaceful, not annoying anyone in the slightest.
Xie Jingci carefully cast a cleansing spell. As she turned to leave, she stumbled and nearly bumped into the table.
She was also a little drunk. Though not as heavily intoxicated as Pei Du, she still felt inevitably groggy, as if walking in a dream. She finally managed to stand straight and walked to the door, only to pause her steps.
Behind her... there was a sound.
A rustling noise, like the faint friction of clothing, mixed with a few faint breaths and a whimper that sounded like a cat's meow.
She had blown out the lamp when she left. That sudden whimper came without warning, pressing heavily against her eardrums in the darkness that enveloped the room.
She had to admit, Xie Jingci felt a sudden tug at her heart.
Almost instinctively, she turned around and lit the candle nearby.
The sight before her made her pause.
Pei Du had been properly covered with a blanket, but the summer sheets were light and thin. With a gentle toss or kick, he could easily send the entire fabric tumbling off the bed.
The blanket was now draped messily on the floor. The young man lying on his back had a flushed face, his black hair spread out like silk, with a few strands brushing against his pale neck. His dark eyelashes fluttered silently. His previously tightly shut eyes were now open just a tiny slit, his gaze obscured, revealing only a hazy darkness.
Further down...
Xie Jingci blinked.
He had maintained his merman form. Right now, his consciousness was blurred, and he lacked the extra spiritual energy to keep his human shape. His long, beautiful tail lay across the bed, reflecting a mesmerizing, deep blue luster under the candlelight.
As for the rustling sound she had heard earlier, it was Pei Du consciously realizing his tail was about to appear, and in his half-awake state, he had taken off his trousers.
Xie Jingci saw the clean white cloth draped softly over his fish tail.
As the room went from dark to bright, Pei Du seemed to regain a fraction of his consciousness, struggling to open his eyes.
Those quiet, deep, mist-filled pupils suddenly looked in her direction.
"...Miss Xie."
He furrowed his delicate brows, his tail twitching. "Uncomfortable."
Pei Du's voice was already pleasant to the ear, but now it was slightly hoarse from the alcohol, carrying a hint of drowsiness. Uttered in a faint, coquettish tone, it made Xie Jingci's ears heat up in an instant.
"Where does it hurt?"
She habitually touched her earlobe, trying to cool it down with her fingertips. As she turned back to the bed, she heard the soft sound of his tail fin brushing against the bedsheets.
Mermen were actually highly beguiling creatures.
Born in the deep sea and raised in the deep sea, rather than the innocent and peaceful beings people imagined, they were closer to violent, bloodthirsty, almost evil monsters.
For instance, right now. Aside from the misty haze in Pei Du's eyes, the vast majority of it was a chilling darkness like a bewitching poison.
The young man looked bewildered, yet his gaze carried a lust that even he was unaware of. Accompanied by his ambiguous breathing, it gradually deepened, bit by bit.
He blinked, his brows still furrowed, his eyes never leaving the figure by the bed. "...So hot."
It felt like a premeditated seduction.
Even if Xie Jingci had been sixty or seventy percent drunk earlier, it was all completely swept away by this sudden rush. Only the heat around her remained, even growing more intense.
...How could this be fiercer than the alcohol?
Seeing that he was already starting to unbutton his top, Xie Jingci hurriedly stepped forward and pressed down on his right hand.
She was wide awake now. She had intended to reason with him seriously, but to her surprise, the moment her fingertips touched Pei Du's skin, the young man on the bed actually curved his eyes in a smile and rubbed against her wrist like a cat.
Xie Jingci's heart melted into a puddle of water. She didn't dare look into his eyes.
Looking like this... how could Pei Du expect her to stay calm?
"Are you," Xie Jingci's brain stalled for a moment, "are you still uncomfortable?"
The merman shook his head, his soft black hair rubbing haphazardly against her wrist and palm. Perhaps feeling happy, two small, round dimples appeared on Pei Du's face, and his tail seemed extremely joyful, flapping and bouncing on the bed.
It was so cute that Xie Jingci felt like she was going to die.
She was thrown into a panic by this smile. Feeling awkward, she shifted her gaze away, only to catch a glimpse of an unexpected color.
Pei Du's bed was immaculately clean, as white as snow, which was exactly why the navy-blue booklet stood out so starkly.
It seemed to be a book.
Given Pei Du's personality, nine times out of ten, the title would be something like The Demon-Slaying Sword Incantations, Advanced Qi Gathering Techniques, or The Myriad Swords Collection. She didn't think much of it and looked closely, only to freeze in astonishment.
The booklet was brand new, and a line of large characters was neatly written on the cover:
The Tale of Huansha: Broken Sword, Captive Heart.
It had a very poetic ring to it. At first glance, it seemed reserved and elegant, but the only pity was that this didn't seem to be a proper book.
Xie Jingci belatedly remembered that Meng Xiaoting had once given him some bizarre storybooks. If she had to guess, this book right in front of her was probably one of them.
She heard that Pei Du had been studying them very seriously.
--But what exactly was he studying?
Curiosity getting the better of her, she picked up the storybook from the bed. Pei Du was still drowsy and didn't immediately realize what was happening. By the time he saw clearly what Xie Jingci was holding, forty percent of his drunkenness and sleepiness vanished instantly.
He reached out to snatch it back, but Xie Jingci had already opened it.
Sixty percent of Pei Du's drunkenness vanished.
[The Demon Lord coldly grabbed her throat, his peerlessly handsome face gradually showing anger. Before him was the woman he loved, yet she had long colluded with the Immortal Alliance, only wanting to put him to death.
His heart soared with monstrous hatred. Without any hesitation, he leaned down and blocked her lips. This action was extremely violent, biting out a mouth full of blood, yet the Demon Lord gladly endured it, a mad and ruthless sneer appearing on his lips.]
Next to it was an annotation. The handwriting was elegant and naturally graceful, clearly belonging to Pei Du: [A heavier kiss, do not hurt her].
This passage only contained an ordinary kiss. Seeing his flustered appearance and his desperate attempts to snatch the book back, Xie Jingci had thought the following plot would be even more thrilling. However, as her gaze moved down, the narrative took a sudden turn and jumped directly to three hours later.
Xie Jingci: ...?
Xie Jingci flipped a few more pages back. It was all just hugging and cuddling, at most kissing on the lips--and even when there was "kissing on the lips," the description was superficial, not exceeding two lines of text.
...This was the storybook that made Pei Du blush while reading it?
It seemed he really was easily embarrassed. For a pure-hearted sword cultivator with few desires, kissing and hugging were already the ultimate limits of his imagination.
She felt a bit dazed, but also found it quite funny. Shifting her gaze away from the black and white text on the book, she immediately met Pei Du's pitch-black pupils.
He had been shocked awake from his drunken stupor. Although there was still moisture in his eyes, it was mostly replaced by a clear panic. He looked like a child whose secret had been exposed, so embarrassed that he wanted to find a hole to hide in.
Xie Jingci burst out laughing. "Pei Du, is this what you've been studying every day?"
As expected, Pei Du's face grew even redder.
"Haven't we already done all the kissing and hugging?"
Saying this, she leaned over and pinched the little merman's flushed cheek, feeling the soft and burning hot touch. "What is there to study about this?"
The tail fin resting on the bedsheets gave a gentle flick, but was quickly and forcefully suppressed by him.
Pei Du still looked dizzy. As the saying goes, there is truth in wine; once his mind lost its filter, his response came exceptionally fast: "I... don't know what else I can do."
Miss Xie was once the unreachable bright sun in the sky. Now that she had finally come into his arms, he naturally wanted to give her the best of everything.
However, he was completely clueless about matters between men and women. He could only use this method, carefully exploring ways to make her feel pleasure.
Judging by Miss Xie's tone, she must be finding his clumsiness amusing.
When a merman felt down, his tail fins would droop weakly, spreading out into a patch of snow-white as light as tulle.
Pei Du lowered his eyes. Caught off guard, he heard Xie Jingci's laughter.
"Who is born understanding this kind of thing? It's meant for two people to explore together."
She paused, her tone suddenly lowering, taking a leisurely turn in the dim candlelight: "Or... I know a few methods."
Miss Xie's voice was as sweet as honey. Sounding extremely close to his ear, it carried a coquettish and charming smile: "Brother Pei Du, do you want me to teach you?"
That word "Brother" hooked right at the tip of his heart. His whole body felt as if it had been dipped in a jar of sugar, hazy from head to toe. The intoxication came and went like surging tides.
Leaving Pei Du no time to answer, a wisp of black mist floated up from behind her. Without leaning or tilting, it perfectly covered his eyes.
Xie Jingci's spiritual energy, influenced by the Evil God, had turned a dense and murky pitch-black. Now blocking his eyes, it effortlessly sealed off his vision completely.
All he could see was total darkness.
With his vision blocked, his other senses became much sharper. Pei Du heard his own shallow breathing and his persistently heavy heartbeat, and he also felt the surging air currents around him.
He knew absolutely nothing about what Miss Xie would do next—this was the most panic-inducing situation, especially when immersed in boundless darkness.
The faint blue fish tail moved silently, and in the next instant, it suddenly tensed.
The woman's soft lips slowly pressed down, leaving a gentle warmth on his lips; the long tentacles unique to the Evil God brushed across his neck. The force was not heavy, but it was enough to spark streaks of electricity.
Although he couldn't see the scene before him, Pei Du knew with absolute clarity that Miss Xie's spiritual energy was slowly sliding downward.
He had been heavily drunk earlier, and his shirt had been completely rumpled by his own hands. Now, with a slight flick, the front of his robe fell open uncontrollably to both sides.
Cool wind poured against his skin. Pei Du only felt his face burning hot as he heard her speak with a smile: "Where should we go next?"
This was too, too stimulating.
Standing before the bed, Xie Jingci quietly took a breath.
She had always known that Pei Du was beautiful. At this moment, the blindfolded youth tilted his head back, his slightly parted thin lips glistening with moisture, and a few strands of black hair brushing past his cheek. It actually gave rise to a somewhat bewildered softness, so soul-stirring that one couldn't look away.
She was almost teased beyond endurance, yet system tasks continuously flooded her sea of consciousness.
The pitch-black spiritual energy glided across his fair skin, leaving behind ambiguously unspeakable flushes of red.
Her touches were fleeting and without any discernible pattern. Sometimes they landed on his chest, sometimes swept past his waist, accompanied by the forceful contraction and expansion of suction cups, just like kisses. The sight-deprived young sword cultivator had nowhere to hide and could only endure the continuous, tingling electric currents.
This sensation far exceeded his understanding. Before he even had time to take a breath, in his daze, a bundle of soft heat unexpectedly enveloped his fish tail.
Although his legs had turned into a tail, the tactile perception was actually no different from before. As she boldly reached out her hand, the sensation was no different from her caressing his legs.
Pei Du didn't want to think about it anymore. His Adam's apple bobbed with difficulty as he called out to her in a low voice: "Miss Xie..."
These words carried a hint of refusal. Xie Jingci guessed the thoughts in his heart, her chest thumping.
But she still continued downward, giving the soft fish tail a heavy squeeze. The silence by her ear was suddenly broken by Pei Du's trembling gasp.
"Are you learning earnestly?"
The words from her sea of consciousness spilled from her mouth one after another. She was almost unable to distinguish whether those were the words of the Evil God or entirely stemming from her own true desires.
The summer heat wrapped around the faint breeze—sticky, scorching, and utterly enchanting.
The blindfolded youth pursed his lips in silence. After a long while, he forced down his shyness and replied with an affirmative grunt.
Thus, the slender fingers continued backward, holding a small portion of the fish tail in a lifting posture. Pei Du's face grew even redder as he heard her smiling voice: "What are we doing right now?"
In the pauses between her words, the tide-like spiritual energy still did not cease, growing wildly like vines and wrapping around every corner he could perceive. Pei Du was tormented to the point of discomfort. Maintaining his last shreds of clear consciousness, he replied in a daze: "Miss Xie... is touching."
A cluster of spiritual energy bit down heavily on his spine, like a punishing display of claws and fangs. Xie Jingci emphasized her tone: "Touching what?"
"My... tail."
"Do you like it?"
This question was too straightforward. Pei Du's voice was almost as soft as a mosquito: "I like it."
Miss Xie definitely smiled; he heard a low breathy sound.
"I like it too."
She said, "—I like Pei Du the absolute most."
His forehead was swiftly kissed.
He hadn't expected Miss Xie to say such words. He was completely knocked off balance by this direct approach. At the exact same moment, the spiritual energy covering his eyes was quietly removed.
"Look forward."
Miss Xie's words came clearly. Pei Du raised his head as told and couldn't help but freeze.
From his angle, he could just see the dressing mirror by the door. That mirror wasn't considered large, standing properly in the corner, honestly reflecting every nook and cranny of the room.
Among them, the most conspicuous was the bed situated directly opposite it.
The youth in the mirror had hazy eyes, his pitch-black pupils faintly showing physiological moisture. His cascading black hair was already somewhat messy, scattered loosely over his back and shoulders. He clearly had a cool, pale complexion, yet his entire body was suffused with rosy red marks. Looking further down, there was a bizarre yet gorgeous fish tail.
Such a sight was like a flood, surging through his sea of consciousness. Pei Du slightly parted his mouth, trying to draw in a little air. The person in the mirror similarly tilted his head back and parted his thin lips, the corners of his eyes blooming with a deep red amidst his increasingly heavy breathing.
That was himself.
He could never have imagined that, in the eyes of Miss Xie and others, he would actually look so disheveled and wanton.
"Does it look good?"
Pei Du tried to lower his head, but his chin was gently hooked by Xie Jingci, forcing him to gaze into the smooth mirror. Her voice continued to reach his ears: "Actually, this isn't the first time Brother Pei Du has shown this kind of look."
This was clearly malicious teasing. He guessed her intentions, yet his ears couldn't help but turn red anyway.
The lamplight in the mirror flickered. Pei Du saw the trembling merman tail.
A hand caressed the front scales. Behind the scales was a continuously swelling, unspeakably hard-to-mention heat.
That was a corner that absolutely could not be touched before. At this moment, separated by thin fish scales, it quietly met her fingertips.
Xie Jingci curled her lips into a smile. Using a whisper-like volume, she leaned close to his ear: "More things... do you want to continue learning?"
