"Darling!" Xing Jue exclaimed, leaping from his bed and rushing to Li Xiaohan's side, his excitement palpable. If it weren't for Li Xiaohan's formidable strength, he would have swept her up in his arms and showered her with kisses. "Darling, what took you so long to visit me?" he asked, his eyes sparkling with uncontainable joy. "I thought you'd forgotten all about me!"
He couldn't help but stare. Li Xiaohan, the girl who had consumed his every thought for the past six months, the girl who had, after a single, unforgettable encounter, captured his heart, stood before him, even more radiant than he remembered.
"If you call me 'darling' one more time," Li Xiaohan retorted, her eyes twinkling with amusement, "I'm going to sew your mouth shut." Yet, despite her playful threat, her lips curved into a smile that made Xing Jue's heart race.
"But what else am I supposed to call you?" Xing Jue feigned a wounded expression, his voice laced with mock despair. "I don't even know your name, my love."
"It's Li Xiaohan," she replied, shaking her head at his antics. She perched gracefully on the edge of his bed, her nose wrinkling slightly as she surveyed the rather…disheveled state of his living quarters. "Honestly, for someone with such a meticulous cultivation routine, you're a complete slob."
"This, my dearest Xiaohan," said Xing Jue with an exaggerated sigh, "is what happens when you're not around to keep me in line."
Pulling up a chair with a flourish, he plopped down in front of her, his eyes tracing the contours of her form with undisguised admiration. He couldn't help himself. She was just so…mesmerizing.
"Enough with the puppy dog eyes, Xing Jue," Li Xiaohan laughed, though her cheeks flushed pink under his intense gaze. "I'm here on important business."
Xing Jue, sensing a shift in her demeanor, sat up straight, his playful expression replaced by one of attentiveness. Business, it seemed, was about to mix with pleasure. This he could do. "Alright, I'm all ears."
"Do you know why everyone in the Outer Sect is so desperate to win the Inner Sect考核?" she asked, her tone serious.
"Of course. That's easy. The prize," Xing Jue replied confidently. Everyone knew the Inner Sect考核 came with substantial rewards for the victor.
"And do you know what the prize is this year?" Li Xiaohan pressed, her eyes sparkling with mischief.
Xing Jue hesitated. That…he didn't know. He scratched his head sheepishly. "That, my lovely Xiaohan, is classified information. Or so I'd assume?"
Li Xiaohan nodded, a knowing smile playing on her lips. "True, but for you, I've dug deep. Let's just say… this year's prize is quite extraordinary. Something worth fighting for."
"That's not very specific, Xiaohan," Xing Jue whined, his curiosity piqued. "Stop teasing and spill the beans, woman!"
Li Xiaohan laughed. She loved that she could make the fearsome Xing Jue squirm. It was…intoxicating.
"Think carefully, Xing Jue. What could possibly be valuable enough to be considered the grand prize of the Inner Sect考核?" She paused, letting the question hang in the air between them, her smile widening as she watched his mind race. "What about…" she whispered, leaning in conspiratorially, "a treasure from the YuFeng Pavilion? One of their most closely guarded martial arts techniques? "
Xing Jue's eyes widened. His pulse quickened. This wasn't just some run-of-the-mill reward. This was…life-changing. Techniques from the YuFeng Pavilion were legendary. The stuff of whispers and rumors, said to possess unfathomable power. He took a deep breath, struggling to maintain his composure.
"And what level would you say this…hypothetical technique…might be?" he asked, his voice barely a whisper. Earth? He didn't dare to dream…
"At least Earth grade," Li Xiaohan said, each word imbued with enough weight to crush stone.
"No way…" Xing Jue breathed, momentarily speechless. Techniques at that level…they were the stuff of legends. They had the power to shatter mountains, to reshape the very fabric of reality.
And this one… this legendary technique… could be his?
Li Xiaohan laughed softly, her gaze never leaving his. "I knew you'd understand the significance of this opportunity, Xing Jue. You will be victorious. I'm counting on it."
"Right," she continued, as if suddenly remembering something important, "almost forgot." With the grace of a seasoned magician, she produced two ancient-looking scrolls from the folds of her sleeve, placing them gently beside him on the bed.
"What are these?" Xing Jue asked, his gaze darting between the scrolls and the beautiful girl who had just presented him with…what, exactly? Additional incentive to win the tournament? Or something more? He wasn't sure, and that, more than anything, terrified him.
"Consider it…assistance," Li Xiaohan said simply, her gaze holding his. She had his complete attention now. "Study them carefully. Master them. Because Xing Jue," her tone softened, "if you fail to secure the position of champion… we can't… Well, let's just say I'm not accustomed to associating with…failures."
And with that, she rose, her movements fluid and graceful, and headed for the door, leaving Xing Jue alone with his thoughts, his heart pounding, his mind awhirl.
"Wait!" he called out, panic coloring his voice as he watched her departure. She paused, her hand resting on the doorknob. "When will I…?" His voice cracked. How pathetic he must sound.
Li Xiaohan, sensing his turmoil, turned and graced him with a reassuring smile. "Once you are victorious, my champion, we'll celebrate…together." And with that final, heart-stopping promise, she was gone, leaving Xing Jue standing alone in the center of the room, his heart pounding, his mind racing, clutching the scrolls as if they were his only lifeline.
"Xing Jue!" Li Xiaohan's voice, softer this time, but no less insistent, drifted back to him. She was standing in the doorway, her head tilted to one side, her lips curved into a sly smile. "What was that thing you humans say? Ah, yes… Don't screw it up?"
"Don't worry, my love." Xing Jue grinned, his confidence returning tenfold under her playful scrutiny. He would conquer this tournament. He would claim his prize. And then… He closed his eyes, savoring the intoxicating possibilities that future held.
He was a man on a mission now, fueled by ambition, desire…and the promise of a future entwined with the most intriguing woman he'd ever met.
As Li Xiaohan slipped out of sight, her soft laughter echoing behind her, Xing Jue sank to the floor, unfurling the scrolls before him. His destiny awaited.
As Li Xiaohan disappeared from sight, Xing Jue rushed to the window, his gaze lingering on her retreating figure. A wave of longing washed over him. It was unbearable, this…separation.
"Once I reach the Inner Sect," he whispered, his voice barely audible above the gentle breeze that rustled through the leaves, "will you… stay with me?"
It was a foolish question. And one he knew, deep down, had no easy answer. She was an enigma, this mysterious benefactor of his, her past shrouded in shadows, her motives unclear. And yet...he couldn't help but hope.
He remained by the window until long after Li Xiaohan had vanished, lost in contemplation. Finally, with a heavy sigh, he turned and retrieved the two scrolls from his bed. Time to see what treasures his mysterious benefactor had bestowed upon him. He unfurled the first, his heart skipping a beat as he skimmed its contents.
"Gale Force Steps, a high-level, Xuan-grade movement technique. When mastered, allows for short-range teleportation. "
He unrolled the second, his excitement mounting with each passing character.
"Crimson Dragon Blast. A long-range offensive technique. When mastered, capable of incinerating even millennial black iron."
"She's insane!" he exclaimed, his voice laced with a mixture of awe and disbelief. "A high-level Xuan-grade movement technique, and an advanced, long-range offensive technique! What is she, some kind of martial arts prodigy?!" He couldn't remember the last time he'd encountered such high-level techniques, let alone held them in his hands. These techniques were practically unheard of in the Outer Sect. Li Xiaohan… just who was this girl?
He shuddered, a wave of gratitude washing over him. He'd almost been foolish enough to refuse her…assistance! What had he been thinking?
With newfound determination, he devoured the contents of the scrolls, committing every character, every intricate diagram, to memory. He wouldn't let her down. He wouldn't let himself down.
After memorizing the intricacies of both techniques, he carefully set the scrolls aside. Time to put his newly acquired treasures…somewhere safe.
Rolling up his right sleeve, he exposed a pale green bracelet, its surface etched with glowing runes. He pressed his left hand against the bracelet, channeling a steady stream of True Qi into its core. A soft green light enveloped the scrolls, and just like that, they vanished.
His storage bracelet. A gift from his friend, Siyan. Not the most impressive model, but still…a true treasure. It had a capacity of roughly ten square meters. Not enough to fit an entire mountain range, as some of the legendary storage artifacts were rumored to do, but more than sufficient for his current needs. Besides, those legendary artifacts were the stuff of folklore. Rumored to be the exclusive tools of emperors and deities, capable of holding entire armies, or so the stories went. He shook his head, chuckling softly. Best not to dwell on such extravagant fantasies when there were more pressing matters at hand.
He'd been handed a golden opportunity. Or rather, gifted it. He would become the Inner Sect champion. He would claim his rightful place amongst the elite.
For Li Xiaohan.
A knock on his door startled him out of his thoughts.
"Xing Jue, you decent?" Siyan's voice, cheerful as always, drifted in from the hallway.
"Get in here, you knucklehead!"
"So," Siyan said, sauntering into the room, his gaze immediately falling on Xing Jue's…agitated state. "Care to share who your mysterious visitor was?"
Xing Jue hesitated, remembering Li Xiaohan's disguise, her insistence on…discretion. "Just a…friend."
"A 'friend' who drops by looking like a character out of one of Old Man Zhang's adventure scrolls?" Siyan's eyebrow shot up, his expression a blend of amusement and suspicion. "I'm sworn to secrecy, you know. Spill the beans, brother!"
Xing Jue grinned. Siyan meant well, but his curiosity often outweighed his better judgment. "The details of my 'friend's' attire are…irrelevant. What matters is…I need your help."
Siyan leaned back, his interest piqued. "I'm listening."
"I need to spend some time in secluded cultivation at the Training Pagoda," Xing Jue announced, his hand instinctively moving to rest on the bracelet that held his newly acquired treasures. "Time to break through to the next level."
Siyan nodded, a knowing smile spreading across his face. "The Inner Sect考核, right? I'd heard rumors about this year's grand prize, and let me tell you… it's something else! But Xing Jue…" his expression turned serious, "…I also heard something…disturbing. About your rival…Bai Yunfei."
"Disturbing how?"
"He's…stronger," Siyan said, choosing his words carefully. "Much stronger. Apparently, he recently reached mid-stage Warrior Lord cultivation." He paused, gauging Xing Jue's reaction. "And…he severely injured the Tian Brothers. Broke one's arm, crippled the other."
The Tian brothers weren't weaklings. They were formidable cultivators in their own right, each possessing the strength of an early-stage Warrior Lord, and their coordinated attacks, honed through years of training, had made them a force to be reckoned with. Bai Yunfei had dismantled them like they were children toying with wooden swords. Not a comforting thought.
"Well, looks like someone needs to remind Bai Yunfei what happens when you mistake ambition for talent." Xing Jue's voice, though calm, held an undercurrent of steel. He glanced towards the YuFeng Pavilion, his gaze hardening with resolve. "I made a promise. And I always keep my promises."
As for Bai Yunfei…well, it seemed this competition had just gotten a whole lot more interesting.
He glanced at Siyan, a rare smile illuminating his features. He didn't fear Bai Yunfei. He welcomed the challenge. After all…he had a reputation to maintain, a promise to keep…and a certain black-clad girl to impress. He was a man on a mission. And he wouldn't be deterred. Not now. Not ever.