Chapter 81: Giving Her a Taste of Sweetness

Yan Shu was somewhat intimidated by Xiao Jihan’s subtle, tea-scented words. She quickly waved her hand and said, “No need, no need. There’s nothing between us but the friendship of gentlemen, nothing to be misunderstood.”

Only then did Xiao Jihan withdraw his gaze and turn it toward Qiao Yueru.

Affection Level: 9 (Acquaintance)

Yan Shu quietly let out a breath of relief. Goodness, it’s only 9 points of affection—if she hadn’t known better, she would have thought it was 90!

Watching his cold expression as he discussed the meeting place with Qiao Yueru, Yan Shu fell into deep thought.

Why was it that with just 9 points—barely the level of acquaintance—Xiao Jihan’s words already carried such undercurrents?

It couldn’t possibly be affection. Not only was he the quintessential unattached male lead, but with a mere 9 points of favor, liking her was out of the question.

Yan Shu mulled it over and found only one possible explanation.

It was the jealousy of a child.

Just like when she was in kindergarten—she’d made a good friend, played together every day, but one day that friend played with someone else, and she felt abandoned.

Xiao Jihan, all his life, had received warmth from no one but his mother. The grievances between him and Yan Shu had been resolved, and a favorability of 9 likely meant he already regarded her as a friend.

At this moment, she was probably his only friend—the first real friend he’d ever made.

Like a child with his first friendship, his possessiveness was strong, which explained his series of odd behaviors.

After thinking it through, Yan Shu felt suddenly much at ease.

Once she had settled her thoughts, Xiao Jihan had also finished discussing the meeting place with Qiao Yueru. He put away the Xuanling Mirror and said, “Let’s go.”

Yan Shu answered with a gentle sound and obediently followed him forward.

They were still within the middle ring, some distance from the heart of the realm. Since time was running short, they hurried along in silence.

By the time they neared the heartland, night had already fallen. The two decided to rest for the night and set out at dawn.

Yan Shu released the golden-furred beast to stand guard, then summoned the Karma Fire Red Lotus to deter any fiends, hoping for a peaceful night’s rest.

The golden beast was fascinated by the Karma Fire Red Lotus, circling it excitedly several times, even attempting to bite it.

But at the first nip, it yelped from the heat and didn’t dare approach again, keeping a wary distance.

Yan Shu was amused by its antics, chuckling softly. “What courage!”

The beast swished its tail but still didn’t dare try another bite to prove its bravery.

Seeing this, Yan Shu shook her head helplessly. Over these days, she had found that the golden beast was attracted to any spiritual artifact, wishing to claim them all as its own.

It seemed that even among dragons, there was an instinct for hoarding.

With the Karma Fire Red Lotus and the golden beast at her side, Yan Shu felt secure enough to close her eyes and focus on meditating to restore her spiritual power.

As night deepened, the howls of fiends and magical beasts echoed now and then, but within a radius of ten yards around them, all was serene.

Xiao Jihan sat with his eyes closed, his handsome face peaceful, yet his heart was far less composed than his outward appearance.

He was pondering his recent odd behavior.

Indeed, even without anyone to point it out, he knew he had been acting strangely.

Especially in those two illusions.

Though he possessed a pure yang constitution, naturally resistant and perceptive to illusions, in the first illusion, he had not seen through it right away as he claimed.

In truth, at that moment, he had believed Yan Shu was afflicted with a bewitching poison, and had seriously considered giving himself to save her.

Even when the ‘Yan Shu’ in the illusion, tormented and desperate, called his name and pleaded for his help, he did not feel displeased. On the contrary, a vague and indescribable joy welled in his heart.

He was glad that it was he who encountered the poisoned ‘Yan Shu’, not Yu Wenche. He was pleased that, even in her confusion, she called his name.

It was a close call—so very close.

Had ‘she’ not suddenly mentioned her heart’s blood, he might have...

Xiao Jihan felt his ears begin to burn. He steadied himself, pushed away those thoughts, opened his eyes to glance inconspicuously at Yan Shu, and then quickly shut them again.

He could not describe what he felt inside.

After Yan Shu’s inner demons were dispelled, she seemed a different person. Though she still had designs on him, he no longer minded. In fact, within the illusion, he had almost been willing to grant her wish.

He didn’t like Yu Wenche’s covetousness toward her either. Even if he himself harbored no other intentions, since she had openly expressed her desire for him, she should not be entangled with any other man.

Xiao Jihan composed himself, drawing his thoughts away from the first illusion.

As for the second, he had been lucid throughout.

By rights, knowing it was an illusion, he should have ended it early by striking down the ‘her’ and leaving. Yet, for reasons unknown, when ‘she’ acted coy and playful in his arms, he could not help but feign being caught in the illusion himself, washing her hands and serving her soup.

Yes, it was because he had, for the first time in so long, felt the warmth of home—the familiar comfort of daily life. The little one who resembled him so closely made his heart soften, made him long for that warmth.

It was definitely not because of that coquettish, playful ‘her’.

He simply could not bear to see a child so like himself suffer the pain of patricide and matricide. Even in an illusion, he did not want his anguish to repeat itself.

So he waited until Yuer left before finally ending the illusion by striking down ‘her’.

With these thoughts, the heat in Xiao Jihan’s ears at last receded, and the ripples in his heart gradually stilled.

This was good. He did not mind her designs on him; as long as she gave him her whole heart and set clear boundaries with others, he would not object to treating her better, perhaps even giving her a taste of sweetness.

The night passed peacefully.

At sunrise, as the first light touched the earth, Yan Shu and Xiao Jihan opened their eyes together.

Their gazes met for a moment, and Yan Shu reflexively offered him a small smile.

Xiao Jihan paused, resisting the urge to look away, and called, “Master.”

Yan Shu responded, stood up, cleaned the dust from herself with a cleansing technique, and said, “Shall we go?”

“Yes.”

Xiao Jihan also rose, tidied himself, oriented them, and the two set off side by side toward the heart of the realm.

The Brahma Secret Realm had three rings: the outer, the middle, and the heart. After more than twenty days, the number of people reaching the heartland had greatly diminished, and the area itself had shrunk accordingly.

The two cared little for spirit herbs or magic cores; even when they encountered them, they did not pause.

At last, before dusk, they reached the edge of the ancient forest at the heart’s center, where Qiao Yueru was waiting.

Noticing the spirit beast beside Qiao Yueru, Yan Shu’s eyes immediately lit up.

Gungun, here I come!