Chapter 31: Only Until We Leave the Demon Dragon Mountain Range
After all, Yun Xiu was his first love in the script, and her appearance and personality perfectly matched his preferences.
In the script, Jiu Youyue, sensing his affection for Yun Xiu, and fearing he would side with her, had tried to seduce him.
Yun Xiu, upon discovering this, had warned him not to get too close to Jiu Youyue, or to fall for her.
After all, she was a Demon Realm temptress, their enemy.
However, not wanting to involve him, Yun Xiu hadn’t revealed Jiu Youyue’s true identity.
The straightforward Yan Zhen, misunderstanding Yun Xiu’s warning as a sign of affection, and wanting to reassure her, had blurted out, “If you’re talking about love… I actually… like you more.”
Yun Xiu had been stunned, not expecting this young man to harbor such feelings for her. She had only seen him as a child. She had gently rejected him.
“You should focus on your cultivation at your age.”
He hadn’t been discouraged, knowing he, a mere Mystic Scholar, wasn’t worthy of a Mystic Lord. He had vowed, “I’ll become the strongest person in the five kingdoms before I turn thirty.”
“The current strongest person in the five kingdoms is a Three Star Mystic Sovereign,” she had said, a faint smile curving her lips. “The gap between Mystic General and Mystic King, and between Mystic Lord and Mystic Sovereign, is quite significant.”
“Mystic Sovereign, huh… I’ll do my best.”
As long as he found Extreme Flames, his cultivation could skyrocket. Of course, refining Extreme Flames was incredibly dangerous, a life-or-death gamble.
She hadn’t known this, simply attributing his words to youthful confidence and enthusiasm.
“If you want to improve your cultivation quickly, joining a sect is a good option. A talent like you, a Mystic Scholar at fifteen or sixteen, would receive excellent treatment.”
“I’m already a soon-to-be graduate of the Mystic Academy.”
“Academies offer more freedom than sects, but their training resources are limited.” She had pondered for a moment. “You’re from the Gallo Kingdom, right? You can try joining Cloud Heaven Palace. I know some people there. I can write you a recommendation letter.”
His expression had darkened.
“Cloud Heaven Palace? That’s… too much for me. I’ll pass.”
She had sensed his hostility towards Cloud Heaven Palace, but she hadn’t thought much of it.
If she had realized that “Chen Zhen” was actually “Yan Zhen,” the Martial Tang City Young Lord her disciple had rejected, perhaps those tragic events wouldn’t have occurred.
Sigh…
…
Hearing his “confession” again, her feelings were completely different from her previous life. First, surprise, then joy.
But the joy was quickly replaced by anxiety. She couldn’t accept his feelings.
She was about to reject him, as she had in her previous life, but she suddenly remembered Jiu Youyue’s aggressive advances. Rejecting him now would only push him into Jiu Youyue’s arms.
— In her previous life, Jiu Youyue had only been pretending to seduce him. This time, she was serious. With her beauty and skills, captivating a young, inexperienced boy like him would be child’s play!
“We’ve only known each other for two days. It’s too soon to talk about love.”
He was speechless. Then why did you ask me if I liked Jiu Youyue?!
Her words didn’t match the script. He couldn’t follow his lines. He had to improvise.
She would reject him, and he would simply express his determination to cultivate diligently and become worthy of her.
“Love is love. It has nothing to do with how long we’ve known each other. There’s such a thing as love at first sight.”
“Love at first sight is just a lie bad men use to deceive women.”
He felt a pang of guilt. He did find her incredibly attractive, her appearance and personality perfectly matching his preferences, but it wasn’t true love.
He was pretending, confessing his feelings to follow the script. It was a deception.
He was indeed a bad man.
“Appearance and personality are part of love too.” He argued. “You’re incredibly beautiful, your face captivating at first sight. Your aura is noble and elegant, drawing me in… And after interacting with you, I’ve come to understand your personality, your cold exterior hiding a gentle heart… Perhaps there’s a side to you I don’t know yet, but I… I like everything I’ve seen so far.”
She had never heard such heartfelt words from him in her previous life. Every word made her heart flutter, a shy smile gracing her lips, impossible to suppress.
“You… you really like me that much?”
“Yes.”
His voice was firm. He lowered his head slightly, waiting for her rejection.
Although she also had feelings for him, it was more gratitude and admiration, gratitude for saving her life, admiration for his pure and courageous spirit. As for romantic love, it was just a touch of shyness from having her body seen by him.
He guessed she would use the “age gap” or “immaturity” excuse.
As expected, she said, “We’re… not suited for each other.”
“I understand.” He said, his voice filled with feigned disappointment. “I’m just a lowly Mystic Scholar, not worthy of pursuing someone as exceptional as you, but I’ll–”
“—That’s not what I meant.” She gently placed her hand over his mouth, her eyes filled with a complex mix of emotions. “Let me finish.”
He blinked, nodding.
“I… can’t be with you. There are… complicated reasons. You’ll understand in a year.” She said softly, “But… if you really want to be with me… then… until we leave the Demon Dragon Mountain Range… let’s be together.”
“Huh?” He was stunned. “What… what do you mean?”
“I mean… just… until I leave this place… I can be your lover. I’ll allow you to… do things… that lovers do. But… it ends when we leave here.”
What?! That’s allowed?
He was surprised, then he realized she was offering this as repayment for saving her life.
“You don’t have to pity me, or repay me like this. I don’t want– Mmm!”
His words were cut short as her lips captured his, a soft, jelly-like sensation, a hint of sweetness.
Her cold hands cupped his face, her lips gently sucking, moving up and down, then her tongue slipped into his mouth, exploring and teasing.
It was a gentle, almost hesitant kiss.
After a long while, their lips parted, their faces flushed.
She whispered, “Do you understand now?”
He stared at her, dumbfounded.
— Understand what?! Why did you suddenly kiss me, just like Jiu Youyue? I thought you were going to reject me!
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