The two of them clung to each other, kissing and caressing with such intimacy that they had completely forgotten themselves.
The air was filled with the ambiguous sounds of wet kisses, accompanied by involuntary, soft moans.
Helan Zhao watched as Yuan Shu swung herself onto Helan Ying’s lap. One hand lightly supported the back of his neck, while the other slid down from Helan Ying’s chest to his waist.
Helan Zhao was reminded of the scene he had witnessed upon first arriving at the cave.
…
Yuan Shu was a lecherous woman. He had always known that!
After all, whenever she kissed him, her hands had never stayed still either.
But when she was with him, she had always shown some restraint. At most, she would merely touch the muscles of his chest.
She had never been so uninhibited with him as she was with Helan Ying.
She really was different with Helan Ying!
Even though he had only been gone for the time it took to drink a cup of tea, she had already been so impatient to cling to Helan Ying!
Helan Zhao’s heart turned icy cold.
Did Yuan Shu really like Helan Ying that much?
No. Helan Ying was a prince of the Tianlong Dynasty, just like him. Yuan Shu definitely wouldn’t make a move on him.
They had only kissed. He had kissed her too!
Besides, he had known Yuan Shu much longer than Helan Ying had.
He definitely had an advantage over this newly discovered, bargain-priced older brother!
What could he do to make Yuan Shu notice him again? It had to be something unique—something no one else could replicate!
While staring fixedly at the two of them as they kissed with abandon, Helan Zhao racked his brains.
Suddenly, he seemed to think of something, and his eyes lit up.
That was it!
Helan Zhao gritted his teeth. Afraid of angering Yuan Shu, he restrained his urge to go out and interrupt them.
After casting one last glance at the pair locked in a passionate kiss, he quietly backed away.
…
Night fell. As usual, Yuan Shu went to the cave beside them to inspect the barrier formed by the array.
After confirming that the Ten-Day Spirit-Imprisoning Array was indeed changing gradually over time, just as Helan Ying had said, she finally relaxed.
She had now been trapped inside the array for five days. If nothing went wrong, the exit should appear in another five days!
When that happened, she would also have to find a way to conceal Helan Ying’s identity.
The identity of a prince of the Tianlong Dynasty could not be revealed casually at the Luoxian Sect. What identity should she give him?
Yuan Shu was frowning in thought when a streak of golden spiritual energy suddenly shot into view. It wrapped around her wrist and abruptly yanked her toward the neighboring cave!
The cave was secluded. Its opening, which allowed in light, was small, and numerous waist-high flowers and trees blocked most of the remaining illumination.
Yuan Shu’s back struck the stone wall. Before she could resist, someone pressed close and pinned her in the corner.
“Who?”
Yuan Shu looked up. Through the dim light, she could vaguely make out the tall, slender figure before her. It looked familiar.
What was more, as the person drew near, a familiar scent of dragon musk drifted toward her.
Her eyes widened slightly as she realized who it was. “Helan Zhao? What are you doing? Let go of me!”
Her tone was displeased, her brows faintly knitted as she stared coldly at the man before her.
Helan Zhao paused, his arm still wrapped around her. A flash of wounded indignation crossed his face, but he quickly returned to his usual expression.
“I’m not letting go! It took me so much effort to catch you. I’m not letting you go now!”
“Why did you grab me?” Yuan Shu struggled twice but could not break free. She frowned and looked up at him.
In the darkness, Yuan Shu could not see his expression clearly, but she could hear the grievance in his voice.
“I went to change clothes, and when I came back, I saw you with my brother…”
Yuan Shu raised a brow. So that was what this was about.
“…So? You don’t want me kissing your brother? Helan Zhao, aren’t you being a little too controlling?”
She remembered that she had already made her rejection of his advances perfectly clear.
Besides, considering Helan Zhao’s current physical condition, he should temporarily be “incapable.” He shouldn’t be feeling any of those indescribable urges again.
“Yuan Shu, do you really have to speak to me like that? You were the one who kissed me first at the hot springs that day.” Helan Zhao looked hurt.
He refused to believe that Yuan Shu could change her affections so quickly.
Yuan Shu let out a derisive laugh. “You didn’t just meet me yesterday. I’m an unfaithful woman by nature. You’re one, Helan Ying is one, and Yun Sheng is one.”
“If I have to answer to every man I kiss, I’m afraid you’ll never manage to keep track of them all.”
Yuan Shu smiled lightly, her tone careless. Yet her words made Helan Zhao’s eyes redden.
He knew. He had always known.
There were many outstanding men surrounding Yuan Shu, but… he truly could not control his feelings.
From the first time they met in the cave on Qingyun Peak, when she barged into his world, he had realized that he liked her.
Even knowing that she had many men around her, he still could not stop himself from falling for her.
He even wanted to take Yuan Shu back to the Tianlong Dynasty. Even if his parents became furious and punished him, he would do it without regret!
“Then… can you not treat me unfairly? If you kiss him, could you kiss me too?”
Helan Zhao clenched his jaw. After a long while, he finally spoke, his voice edged with pleading.
“My brother and I have the same father and mother, and the same bloodline. Whatever he has, I have too. Whatever you want, I can give you as well.”
“Yuan Shu, if you kiss him, could you kiss me too?”
In the darkness, the young man’s voice was taut with nervousness. His expression was apprehensive, his handsome dark eyes wide as he watched Yuan Shu’s face with cautious hope.
Yuan Shu had been about to sneer at him, but the words caught in her throat.
What she feared most was another person’s sincerity.
When sincerity met sincerity, cruel words became impossible to say.
So Helan Zhao really did like her this much?
Yuan Shu pressed her lips together. She did not actually dislike Helan Zhao. She simply felt that he was still immature and did not want her own selfishness to obstruct his future.
With Helan Ying, she could brazenly use excessively harsh methods to demand his fiendish, baleful energy, because Helan Ying had harbored ill intentions toward her first.
All she had done was repay him in kind.
But toward Helan Zhao, Yuan Shu felt a certain tenderness.
If she cut ties with him, Helan Zhao could return to the Tianlong Dynasty, marry an imperial consort, and live a better, freer life.
Yuan Shu let out a soft sigh. “Helan Zhao, what you’re asking for can be provided by your future imperial consort. She’ll give it to you once you marry her. But that person won’t be me.”
Yuan Shu was still rejecting him?
She was still rejecting him!
Helan Zhao’s eyes widened as he stared at Yuan Shu’s pale little face, which seemed to glow in the darkness.
How could she be so heartless? How could she reject him again?
“No! That won’t do! I don’t want anyone else. I only want you!”
He seized Yuan Shu by the shoulders and pinned her firmly against the corner before lowering his head to kiss her.
Yuan Shu instinctively turned away. “Helan Zhao, calm down!”
“I can’t calm down! Yuan Shu, you can’t treat me like this. I have pure yang dragon energy, and so does he. You want him but not me? What kind of logic is that?”
Helan Zhao spoke furiously. Then he suddenly cupped Yuan Shu’s face and lowered his head to kiss her.
“Helan Zhao! Mmph…”
Yuan Shu opened her mouth, intending to explain the matter of the fiendish, baleful energy, but before she could get the words out, the man—who had finally managed to hold her head in place—sealed her lips with his own.
