Han Yijun smirked victoriously. He revelled in the sight of Chi Cheng's fiery gaze that was contrary to his calm expression. Knowing that he had the upper advantage, Han Yijun leaned down closer to Chi Cheng's face.
Cocking his head to the side, a spiteful look in his eyes, he prevented the shorter male from retrieving the earrings. However, it irked him when Chi Cheng didn't reach for his accessory or attempt to fight him.
"Listen, Chi Cheng," Han Yijun deliberately pronounced the shorter male's name slowly and softly. "Come back to me and I'll give you back your precious earrings."
"I don't need those," Chi Cheng said sternly, gesturing to the earrings with his eyes. "You can keep them for the next woman who spreads her legs for you."
That bold remark struck a twitching nerve within Han Yijun. His expression grew grim, scowling at the shorter male who looked up at him so defiantly.
"I searched every inch of that pit…" Han Yijun's tone was nothing short of a growl, almost as if he was ready to bare his canines at Chi Cheng. "I found them for you!"
"I don't remember asking you to." Chi Cheng folded his arms, finding that there was no more space for him to back into when his ex-lover drew closer. "The only thing you're good at is hypocrisy. You decided you never wanted to see me again after you had your way, but you have the nerve to demand I come back to you?"
Snarling, Han Yijun clutched his sword more tightly. Despite Chi Cheng's cheekiness that angered him, he couldn't deny how lovely the shorter male looked under the moonlight.
He observed Chi Cheng more closely, noting how the gentle snowflakes settled on his eyelashes which moved gracefully with each calm blink of his eyes. Han Yijun's gaze trailed over to the shorter male's lips, fighting back the urge to devour them as he had done before.
"You drive me crazy…" Han Yijun's gaze softened.
Chi Cheng's ex-lover's lust-filled gaze made him feel sick to the stomach. He couldn't fathom how Han Yijun had such audacity to do as he pleased.
However, Chi Cheng didn't succumb to anger. It dawned on him that while his ex-lover might have had the physical upper advantage, he possessed his wits to toy with him.
Instead of backing away or shoving Han Yijun, Chi Cheng leaned closer to his ex-lover's cheek. Standing on his toes to reach him, he spoke in a low, breathy tone with his lips mere inches away from his ex-lover's ear.
"This," Chi Cheng whispered, his hand trailing down Han Yijun's chest until it reached a little above the taller male's crotch. "You think I want a dagger after having a taste of the Grandmaster's long sword? I can barely walk, that's how good he is."
"Whore!" Han Yijun swore, suppressing his anger behind clenched teeth. "I should have known you were quick to let him bed you! You have him completely under your control, don't you?"
"So what if I do?" Chi Cheng's lips curved wickedly, his hand trailing lower down his ex-lover's abdomen. "I'm a man who needs pleasure the same way any other man does."
Chi Cheng's words were no better than a blade constantly jabbing at Han Yijun's heart, ripping to shreds by inciting jealousy. Han Yijun couldn't find the courage to move or face the shorter male, as if his body was stunned but not from the iciness of the wintry night.
However, he refused to let his pride be diminished as it was nothing. Pulling back from Chi Cheng, he gripped the sides of the shorter male's arms.
To his surprise, Chi Cheng, whose right fist was clenched at his side, had already been poised to strike. Pulling back his right arm, Chi Cheng's fist delivered a powerful punch to Han Yijun's jaw.
For a brief moment there was a bone-cracking sound from Chi Cheng's punch and Han Yijun's sword dropped from his hand.
The impact sent his ex-lover's weight a few feet flying across to the other end of the bridge. Han Yijun lay on the floor, blood trickling from his split lip and his expression twisted with agony from his now dislocated jaw.
Spitting out a blob of saliva mixed with blood from his mouth, Han Yijun gently shifted his jaw with his hand to test its mobility. The movement made him grimace, rendering him unable to talk.
Staring at his bloodied fist, Chi Cheng clicked his tongue irritably. "You've stained my hand." He shook his head, slowly walking to where Han Yijun landed.
A few minutes earlier, the Grandmaster had finally urged himself to pursue Chi Cheng. Reconsidering his actions and words, he realised he was insensitive and allowed his deepest desires to take control.
Steeling his resolve, he pledged to himself that he would behave more appropriately. He would only form a master-student relationship with Chi Cheng and there would be nothing more to it.
Yet, as he reached the stone bridge, he could hardly believe the scene that unfolded before his eyes. He suspected that Chi Cheng had exceptional physical prowess, but witnessing it with his own eyes, he realised the younger male was concealing far more of himself than he assumed.
Sighting Chi Cheng's bloody fist, he assumed the younger male might have injured his own hand from the sudden punch he hit Han Yijun with. He hurried to the younger male's side, but Chi Cheng stopped him with a gesture of his hand.
"Your hand…" Han Xuelian's gaze narrowed, immediately feeling the need to treat the younger male's injury.
"This isn't my blood and I'm fine," Chi Cheng stated dryly, wriggling his fingers to check that they were completely fine after punching his ex-lover. "But I can't say the same for him." He gestured to his ex-lover with a slight movement of his head.
Han Xuelian felt a chilling sensation from the coldness of Chi Cheng's words. It was ironic that the Grandmaster of the Ice Sect, the embodiment of winter itself, could be affected by words alone.
'Did my question really push you this far?' Han Xuelian studied the younger male pensively. 'Why would you react this drastically? Did something else happen before this?'
If the Grandmaster had only known of the morbid events of Chi Cheng's past, he'd know how correct his speculations were.
Walking towards Han Yijun, the Grandmaster knelt to assist his nephew off the ground. Still enraged from Chi Cheng's earlier words, Han Yijun was adamant on refusing his uncle's assistance but a single glare from the Grandmaster was enough to make him comply as usual.
"Did he hurt you?" The Grandmaster questioned Chi Cheng, still uncertain of how he should handle the current situation.
"Tell me, Grandmaster Han." Chi Cheng folded his arms, staining a part of his robe with the blood from his fist. "Can you hurt something that is already broken?"