"Just undress already! Why are you being so loud about it?" Huo Ling'er retorted, glaring at Xiao Fan.
But as soon as she realized what she had said, her face flushed bright red.
Seeing her flustered expression, Xiao Fan felt a strange sense of satisfaction.
He didn't know why, but arguing with Huo Ling'er amused him.
Maybe it was because his reclusive life had been too dull and lonely, and now this proud girl brought a spark of excitement into his life.
Xiao Fan walked over with the hot water, teasing, "Are you going to wash up or not? The water's going to get cold."
"Yes, wash!" Huo Ling'er snapped, glaring at him.
She had no choice but to go along with him for now. But once she recovered, she would definitely make him pay.
Xiao Fan, unfazed by her angry glare, sat by the bed and reached out to undress her.
"Wait!" Huo Ling'er shouted, stopping his actions.
"What now?" Xiao Fan asked, looking at her.
"What's the matter?" Huo Ling'er fumed, "You're just going to undress me like that? Clearly, you're trying to take advantage of me!"
"How else should I do it?" Xiao Fan asked, feigning confusion.
In truth, he had already planned how to handle it. He wouldn't undress her openly but had wanted to tease her a bit.
Seeing his mischievous grin, Huo Ling'er realized he was just playing dumb to mess with her.
She was about to explode with anger. Never in her life had she been treated like this.
But dependent as she was now, she had to swallow her pride.
"Can you use a blanket to cover me first, then undress me under it?" she asked, her voice tinged with embarrassment.
Even though she was a warrior at heart, it was still awkward to ask a man she barely knew to undress her.
"That works," Xiao Fan agreed.
He covered her with a blanket and then reached under it to find the ties of her clothes.
After a moment, Huo Ling'er's face grew redder and redder until she couldn't stand it anymore. "Not there! The ties are lower!"
"Sorry, first time doing this," Xiao Fan said honestly. He wasn't trying to mess up on purpose.
Under her guidance, he finally untied her clothes and removed them, including her intimate garments.
Huo Ling'er's face burned, and she turned away, unable to meet his eyes.
Seeing her embarrassment, Xiao Fan couldn't resist teasing, "Is there something wrong with your fire attribute cultivation? Your face is as red as a monkey's butt."
"You're the monkey's butt!" she snapped, furious, her eyes almost shooting flames.
It was so frustrating! She wanted to strangle him.
Xiao Fan, however, seemed to be enjoying himself, chuckling as he organized her discarded clothes. "You really needed a bath. Your clothes are stinky."
Outside the Haotian Mirror.
"This is too much! I can smell the sourness of love even through the Haotian Mirror!" someone joked.
It was obvious that Xiao Fan's current behavior was completely different from his previous steady demeanor. He was clearly enjoying the banter with Huo Ling'er, acting playful and immature.
A man only shows such childishness when he likes someone.
This affection was different from his feelings for Wen Yaxian. For Wen Yaxian, it was more about responsibility and gratitude. But with Huo Ling'er, he felt genuine happiness.
Xiao Fan and Huo Ling'er's interactions were like those of a bickering couple. It would be hard to imagine them not ending up as Dao companions.
"Haha, who would have thought the Netherworld Demon Emperor could be so ordinary when he falls for someone!"
"Exactly! With this childish demeanor, who would believe he's the fearsome Netherworld Demon Emperor if we didn't see it ourselves?"
"This is actually quite sweet, I'm totally hooked!"
"Seriously? You're shipping them? This is the Netherworld Demon Emperor we're talking about!"
"If he wasn't the Netherworld Demon Emperor, it wouldn't be as interesting! Who knew he and the Heavenly Fire Empress had such a sweet past?"
"True, it's the contrast that makes it fascinating."
Around them, other cultivators were speechless.
People could ship anything these days!
Most, however, remained rational.
After seeing the North Ming Empress and Taiyin Empress's pasts, they worriedly looked at the Heavenly Fire Empress in the void.
Their rationality didn't matter as much as the Heavenly Fire Empress's. If she too sided with the Netherworld Demon Emperor, it would be a real problem.
The Heavenly Fire King, hearing these discussions, was furious. His eyes blazed, and his powerful, fiery aura distorted the space around him.
"Anyone who speaks another word will be burned to ashes!" he declared, his voice icy despite the heat.
His soldiers, the Fire Fiend Army, radiated a terrifying killing intent, making the area deathly silent.
The cultivators who had been chatting nervously fell silent, trembling in fear.
The Heavenly Fire King glanced at the Heavenly Fire Empress with worry.
He feared she might still harbor feelings for Xiao Fan.
But his worry was unfounded.
To become an Empress, one needed a firm heart.
Watching the scenes in the Haotian Mirror, the Heavenly Fire Empress's face showed nostalgia, but her eyes grew ever more determined.
No trace of longing or hesitation remained.
The sweeter the past, the more painful the present.
Turning her gaze to the living corpse of Xiao Fan in the Primordial Imperial City, the Heavenly Fire Empress's expression hardened.
"Xiao Fan, rest assured, I will not let you die at anyone else's hands. I will personally put an end to everything between us."