"Miss Liu, don't move. If you dare spit on me when you turn your head, don't blame me for ruthlessly harming a beauty," he warned softly by her ear.
When Xu Yuan said this with a light laugh, Liu Ruoxue's struggling body suddenly quieted down.
"You truly are a despicable villain."
Her voice was calm and undisturbed, "You said we would meet later."
"I only mentioned 'later,' I never specified how long 'later' would be."
Feeling the delicate body in his arms, Xu Yuan remained very composed.
"However, do you think... this alone has subdued me?"
Liu Ruoxue's voice remained cold and proud, "So what if my back is exposed to you?"
"I know that the Treasure Garment you wear can withstand a full blow from a Core Formation cultivator."
Xu Yuan glanced at the hem of the young girl's dress, where patterns of mountains and rivers were embellished with spiritual light, faintly visible and ready to form into a Formation at any moment.
"But what if I were to break through from the inside?"
With a light chuckle, Xu Yuan's knee, which had been against her back, kicked smoothly and landed.
One leg was now wedged in between.
The two were already close, but now they seemed closer than ever, almost as if they were fused together.
Feeling the breath of the man near her earlobe, Liu Ruoxue couldn't help but blush slightly with annoyance.
This was the first time in her life she had had such close contact with a man.
She could feel something like a needle stabbing down from behind and slightly below her.
It was then she finally understood why he had initially pressed his knee against her back.
His real purpose wasn't to use his knee to prevent her from doing something.
It was to lift her skirt.
So that the needle hidden somewhere could take the opportunity to strike, preventing her Protective Magical Robe from being used.
"What is that?"
Liu Ruoxue asked.
At this moment, the scoundrel was hiding behind her. If she turned her head to unleash the Sword Pellet to attack him, he would detect it immediately. And with both her arms restrained, she suddenly felt as if she was stuck in mud, bound hand and foot, powerless.
"Ruyi Golden Lock Rod."
Xu Yuan said indifferently, "This rod adjusts its size and thickness as desired.
If the fairy insists on fighting with me,
then I can only insert the white rod and pull out the red rod."
"You?!"
Liu Ruoxue was a mix of shame and anger.
She could tell from Xu Yuan's tone that he was not bluffing.
Her undergarments were not any kind of Spiritual Treasure and, if what he said was true, they certainly couldn't stop the Magic Artifact he mentioned.
"Of course, I know the fairy still has a backup plan. You can also retract the Sword Pellet into your chest, pass it through and exit your back to catch me off guard, resulting in mutual destruction."
"But is that really worth it?"
Xu Yuan stared at the snow-white swan neck beneath the young girl's long hair. The Ruyi Golden Lock Rod extended from his palm like a finger, tracing lightly, causing her delicate body to shiver slightly with every inadvertent touch.
Xu Yuan said softly, "If you do so, you can indeed break free from my control, but... you should understand the cost of mutual destruction, right?"
After finding out that the young girl's Master was the one who controlled the sources of information, he changed his mind.
Liu Ruoxue's sword might yet be of use to him.
He planned to use her to enter the Sword Sect and subsequently obtain the source of the information from her Master.
This matter was now his top priority.
Without clarifying who was spreading these rumors, he temporarily had no intention to cater to others.
"..."
Liu Ruoxue fell silent, ripples finally stirring in her typically calm and deep eyes.
An undercurrent surged beneath the calm waters.
"At best, a chronic ailment that ends her brilliance, at worst, the complete destruction of her cultivation, rendering her crippled."
"Are you willing to accept this?"
Xu Yuan bowed his head and whispered into her ear like a tempter.
Their current position was exceedingly ambiguous.
If he moved just a bit closer, he could easily bite her lustrous earlobe as he spoke.
But he did not do so.
The distance as it was, was enough to make her uncomfortable, leaving her unable to say anything.
Taming a fierce beast always required gradual steps.
As he spoke, his warm breath seemed deliberately to brush against her earlobe, causing her body to soften inexplicably.
"You talk as if you are content yourself,"
Liu Ruoxue managed to hold her stance, scoffing coldly, "How about you release me, and we start over, fighting fairly once again?"
"Sure, just take off your Treasure Garment, spit out your sword pellet, and disarm yourself, then why not have another bout?"
Xu Yuan said with a smile, appearing exceedingly magnanimous.
"I don't mind at all. Even if my cultivation is completely destroyed, my fiancée and junior sister will still find a way to recover my cultivation with heavenly and earthly treasures. As for you...do you think your master cares about you that much?"
Liu Ruoxue's expression changed.
"Moreover, the truth about that tragic event from years past... don't you want to know it?"
Xu Yuan smiled, "I can assure you, besides me and your master, there is no second person in the world who knows that truth."
Liu Ruoxue's expression wavered between red and white, her exquisitely beautiful brows furrowed tightly, causing him to feel a surge of distress, almost making him want to soothe them with his hand.
"Sigh—"
She let out a breath, her eyes sparkling brightly.
To any ordinary person, it might seem like she had come to a realization, deciding to no longer doubt her master.
But Xu Yuan knew, just how deeply this girl, known among players as Sword Immortal Lady in the game, valued the notion of affection.
It seemed she cultivated the Ruthless Dao and appeared indifferent to the safety of her junior sister and sect, but actually, she regarded her master, who was both a mentor and a mother figure, with utmost significance.
She pursued the truth of this matter not for revenge or hatred; she simply wanted to know what feelings her master, who had raised her for many years, truly had for her.
Was she merely using her, or did she really consider her as her own?
Wait a moment...
Xu Yuan suddenly sensed something amiss.
Previously when playing the game he hadn't paid much attention to the Sword Immortal Lady's circumstances, but now it seemed she was definitely a "latent" yandere? Lacking love, devoted love, beyond that, willing to give up everything.
Should he just kill her here outright?
Forget it...
He hesitated for a moment, but soon discarded the idea.
With Liu Ruoxue's potential, there was no need to be overly concerned.
Even if things turned out serious, he alone could suppress her easily.
Moreover, he still needed her help to find out who exactly was spreading that news.
Liu Ruoxue spoke softly, "Give me a reason to believe you."
Her voice was ethereal and crisp, almost returning to how it was when he first met her.
"Proof?"
Xu Yuan smiled slightly, "When your master took you up the mountain, you were only six years old."
"Not enough..."
Liu Ruoxue's eyes sparkled slightly, then she shook her head.
"She said, the person who annihilated your village years ago was completely killed by her, but in fact, one person survived."
Upon hearing this, Liu Ruoxue's clear eyes suddenly flashed brilliantly, her gaze rippling with countless waves, "Who is it? Where are they?"
"It's your turn to show sincerity, Fairy Liu."
Xu Yuan smiled faintly, his lips seemingly unintentionally brushing past her earlobe as he spoke.
"Come, spread your legs."