Listening to the young boy’s angry growl, Xiao Yu was startled, then her pretty face filled with shame and anger. With a force of desperation, she struggled, only to be held by Xiao Yan’s suddenly strengthened grip. Pinpricks of numbing sensations ran from her pulse points throughout her body, lessening her ability to move. After fruitlessly battling in his hold briefly, Xiao Yu surrendered the useless motion. Her eyes flashing furiously up at Xiao Yan, and with her full chest rising with quickened breath, she spat in shame, “You brat! Get off me!”
Grinning widely, Xiao Yan, feeling an agonizing throb from the swelling bruise on his face, drew his breath cold over the pain, replying with a scornful smile downward, “Let you go? Then your beating was for nothing? Boy said he’d rape you!”
Pinned beneath someone years her junior, with his shameously bold words, Xiao Yu was torn between fury and disbelief but was unafraid, for such youthful bravado could never actually harm her in so severe a manner.”
Twitting her wrist fruitlessly in his grip, a defeated Xiao Yu rolled his glare his way. In frustration, she snorted, “Brat has not an ounce of virtue—let’s hear your threats when fully mature.”
Falling prey to the jab about his manhood, Xiao Yan quirked his brows, smirking mischievously while he leaned down, whispering playfully, “Wanna test that?”
Her heart faltered at Xiao Yan’s predatory gaze, but Xiao Yu merely gulped down any anxiousness, haughtily raising the line of her flawless chin. Biting back sharply, “Dare touch this, brat, I’ll gladly saw your ‘manhood’ off!”
His lips twitched in exasperation—he certainly didn’t expect the woman to give any quarter and felt somewhat defeated. Truth be told, his fury toward her was far from any monstrous desire for forced passion—he reminded himself that they did bear a kind of distant familial connection, making anything extreme seem even worse.
Even still, what of this unprovoked thrashing?
Narrowing his eyes momentarily, Xiao Yan licked hesitatingly at his bottom lip. Then all at once he surged forward, crashing upon Xiao Yu, fitting perfectly against her lush figure; his upper torso pressed against her plump, soft chest mercilessly.
The suddenness struck Xiao Yu motionless, her lips parting in shock—the feeling of having been disgraced washing over her with numbing intensity.
Not faltered by the stunned Xiao Yu’s sudden muteness, Xiao Yan hastily caught her arms with his left, using his freed right hand. In no time at all, it wandered boldly toward the sensuous curves of her leg—he had known for some years now how proud she seemed of those limbs, and truthfully, any man could appreciate what his hands were doing now to said limbs, which so greatly appealed to masculine desire.
Her whole body froze at Xiao Yan’s daring contact, tension building in silence—only to finally break outwards into a scream, bursting from Xiao Yu’s lips.
Hearing the shrill noise ringing in his skull, Xiao Yan withdrew and sprang back like a spring-loaded rodent, immediately shooting down from the hill in the quickest escape, knowing full well he’d sent her spiraling into a familiar wrath.
The echo from her scream gradually ceased into the hush of nature. Xiao Yu wore rage, the pink of her lovely complexion deepening furiously at what had transpired below. In silent promise of vengeance, she fixated those enraged eyes toward the fading outline on the lower path behind Xiao Yan. “Xiao Yan! Scoundrel! I shall tear you limb from limb!”
At a distance, the young rogue disregarded the scream from the path above as if it had never reached him and vanished shortly after, twisting along the route away.
“Darned brat! Argh!” She seethed, her once-delicate demeanor replaced with fury-laced helplessness against the retreating silhouette of Xiao Yan.
Striking the earth with all the might left in frustration, Xiao Yu finally found some equilibrium within herself. Looking toward the smudged dirt-covered hand prints along the skin of her thighs still carried an electric sensitivity that weakened her frame further. Gritting those small white teeth together fiercely, Xiao Yu rose sluggishly. She observed her disarrayed attire helplessly—tears nearly pricking at her lashes.
She hadn’t meant merely to warn her target but suffered yet more disgrace. Feeling quite robbed, her emotions twisted.
Though fury still danced across her visage upon imagining his bold act, she no longer felt the inclination to brandish swords against him. Now grown mature enough, her temperament had changed accordingly; the embarrassment was still acute, however, yet no inclination towards the earlier behavior of pursuing Xiao Yan with blade in hand.
Standing still as thoughts churned within for some time, emotions churning, Xiao Yu stomped in bitter fury, whispering vengefully, “Don’t dare let opportunity meet again… I’ll show him no mercy!”
Her beautiful pink lips curled, she rearranged strands of stray black hair. Then smoothed folds along her wrinkled robes as she slowly trudged down, the once proud walk now a defeated saunter.
Meanwhile, Xiao Yan was quite anxious hiding beyond his hiding spot. As Xiao Yu vanished with fury etched on her visage, he finally allowed himself to breath a little freely.
Fingers scratching at an annoyed nose, he unconsciously rubbed one forearm with the other hand contemplatively muttering to himself, “Now those touches—far smoother than from years ago…”
Sighing helplessly, Xiao Yan murmured, “Meeting that foolish woman always tempts my rage—I think the hatred from when I were younger toward her only worsened.” Shrugs followed with forced dispassionality in demeanor despite lingering thoughts. Straightening his neck awkwardly to loosen his tension, his breathing deep but collected—he returned to his habitual, more impassive expression. As such, the rogue turned, exiting stealth mode, walking once again.
From shadowed cover came a halt—his body stiffening, as reluctant eyes wandered back to a figure propped against a trunk not very far—her youth clad in a deep azure garb.
“Eryth Lin,” Xiao Yan chuckled awkwardly, “what brings ye hither?”
Leaning against the firm bark of tree stood Eryth Lin, indignant ease in her posture. A sash of vibrant purple flowed from her petite waist like a dancing thread of twilight breeze as those clear gaze pools regarded Xiao Yan coolly. Tilting her head just slightly, amusement hinted faint across that delicate smile.
“Cousin Xiao Yan,” she teased knowingly, “that earlier one, quite angered did pass… Dare I ask your reason again? Did Xiao Yu cousin’s stormy wrath come again upon your trail today?”
Fidgeting with the awkward rub over his reddening sore, “Heh!… What madness struck her today, I know nothing of,” mumbled Xiao Yan in embarrassment stepping up closer, chuckling dry under her judging gaze from Lin.
Smiling gently—amusement and disappointment entwined within those eyes—Lin gave one exasperated shake to those dark tresses, observing knowingly: “Whenever both you and she tangle, you lose all rational sense, and madness spurs.”
Xiao Yan met her look with sheepish humility and shrugged with feigned disconnection. “You know how it is—sometimes she pushes me to react without thought.”
The young girl exhaled, an expression not of scorn, though certainly disapproving.
Lingering briefly between silence shared by a knowing exchange, she gently sealed her lips shut briefly. Graceful stance unassuming, arms folding behind her waist.
“The morrow sees the trip into the Tower of Combat Spirit for cultivation formulas… preparation for it would serve well, cousin.”
As those softly trailing tones lingered, Eryth glided with ethereal ease backward into distant greenery like mist drifting toward mountains, leaving the echo of youthful promise and silent reflection on Xiao Yan as the wind carried words to memory.
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