"And you," Viashra said, turning her attention to me, her gaze a mix of amusement and something deeper, something dangerous.
She leaned in, her full lips curving into a playful smirk. "Stop looking so shocked, Young Master Aditya. You look like a carp pulled out of water."
My heart skipped a beat as her scent—a heady mix of jasmine and something intoxicatingly spicy—invaded my senses.
Her eyes, shimmering like molten gold, lingered on mine for a fraction longer than necessary, as if daring me to respond.
Hithan's eyes flickered between her and me, his fury giving way to something else—hurt? No, probably just bruised pride.
"You'll regret this, Viashra," he spat, shoving me back with a force that made me stumble. "And you," he growled, pointing a trembling finger at me, "don't think this is over."
With that, he stormed off, his heavy footsteps echoing through the way like the drumbeat of a defeated warrior retreating from battle.
"That toad-like bastard!" I cursed under my breath, my chest heaving with frustration.
"Just wait until I begin my cultivation. He may be pathetic, but even his weak cultivation gave him that iron grip."
My fingers instinctively rubbed the faint red marks left on my wrist, a reminder of how far I had to go.
With the disturbance finally gone, Viashra turned back to me, a playful smile curling her lips. Her gaze lingered on me, like a mischievous fox sizing up her prey.
The sight of her—so unbothered, so relaxed—only deepened the heat pooling in my chest, or perhaps, elsewhere.
"So," she began, her voice a melody that danced between teasing and seduction, "now that the disturbance is gone, shall we continue?"
Her tone was light, yet the curve of her lips hinted at something far more dangerous.
Hithan had left in shame, his pride shattered like porcelain struck by a hammer. I could almost see the trail of his tears as he fled. Viashra didn't even spare a second glance.
She was fully focused on me now, her dark pupils glinting like polished obsidian under the warm light.
Standing a few inches shorter than me, her gaze naturally tilted upwards, her pupils peeking from the corners of her eyes.
It was a look—half-innocent, half-knowing—that stirred thoughts I shouldn't have in such a public setting.
She looked like... well, like a woman casting a certain knowing glance during a blowjob—a thought that made heat creep up my neck.
"Continue what?" I stammered, hurriedly wiping a bead of sweat from my forehead. The temperature in the room felt like it had risen several degrees.
Or maybe that was just my imagination running wild with images I couldn't suppress.
"About why you've graced us with your esteemed presence in the library," she said, her tone dripping with feigned formality.
Her lips quirked, mocking yet undeniably flirtatious. Her voice alone could set fires in the hearts of lesser men.
"What do you mean by that? Can't I come to the library like everyone else?" I retorted, my voice slightly higher-pitched than I intended, a pout involuntarily forming on my lips.
She pressed her hand to her mouth as a chuckle escaped—a sound light enough to make my chest tighten. Her laughter was accompanied by a look that could only be described as predatory yet playful, like a feline toying with her prey.
"Of course you can," she said, her smile widening, revealing a perfect set of pearly teeth. Her lips, tinted with a soft sheen, parted ever so slightly, and her tongue darted out to wet them, whether intentionally or not, it didn't matter—my mind was already in chaos.
"So, you came for...?"
"To read books, of course!" I exclaimed, louder than necessary. The words burst out in a desperate attempt to divert the conversation away from the fire her presence was stoking.
"Books, hmm?" she murmured, her voice a whisper of silk against my ears.
"I wonder… what kind of books?"
I cleared my throat, masking my nerves, and asked with an exaggeratedly serious tone, "About beast taming techniques and cultivation methods?"
Her playful smirk faltered, replaced by a look of mild surprise. Her full lips parted as she raised an arched brow, assessing me as though I'd just revealed a hidden depth she didn't expect.
"Really?" she asked, her tone laced with curiosity, yet tinged with skepticism.
I nodded solemnly. "Mmm."
Her demeanor shifted further, her playful stance replaced by something more focused. She straightened her posture, arms crossing under her ample chest, accentuating her curves.
"Then, shall I help you?" she offered, her voice dropping into a more deliberate cadence, her eyes narrowing slightly, challenging me to take her seriously.
I gulped, suddenly feeling the weight of her gaze. Why is she acting like I've asked for the secret to immortality? Was the original owner of this body truly that illiterate?
"Uh, thank you," I said with a sheepish grin, trying to shake off the strange tension.
She nodded, satisfied, and gestured for me to follow her. Her movements were graceful, yet there was an unmistakable sway to her hips as we made our way deeper into the labyrinth of shelves.
The faint light from the windows above cast intricate patterns on the stone floor, giving the place an almost sacred aura.
When we reached the corner of the library, she turned to me with a teasing glint in her eyes. "So, beast taming techniques, huh?"
Her tone suggested she wasn't entirely convinced of my intentions. Her gaze swept the shelves, her fingers trailing over the spines of the books as though caressing a lover's cheek.
"Hmph! Come with me."
Before I could respond, she grabbed my hand—her soft, warm touch sending a jolt up my arm—and led me to a secluded nook.
This corner of the library was absurdly narrow, a place where only two people could stand, and only if they were practically pressed together.
One side was a solid stone wall, cold and unyielding, and the other was a tall, wooden shelf packed with dusty tomes. Whoever designed this space must've had a twisted sense of humor.
"This should do." She pulled out an ancient, leather-bound book, its cover caked with dust. With a delicate swipe of her fingers, she wiped it clean, her actions unintentionally seductive as her long lashes fluttered against her cheeks.
She handed it to me, her fingers brushing mine in the process. "Here. Read it, and if you have any doubts, let me know."
I leaned against the wall, book in hand, as she took her place against the shelf. The narrow gap forced us into an almost scandalous proximity.
Her perfume—a mix of jasmine and something heady—filled the air, and I couldn't help but notice how the light played on her smooth skin and the curve of her collarbone.
Damn. Focus, man. Focus on the book.
"Do you have any doubts?" she asked, tilting her head slightly, her expression a mix of amusement and challenge.
"No, no doubts!" I replied quickly, flipping the book open. "I can understand these concepts easily."
Liar. My brain was anything but focused. I could barely concentrate on the text as her presence seemed to close in on me.
Her lips curled into a sly smile as she watched me, her eyes occasionally darting to the book and then back to my face, as though she could read my thoughts.
The book's dense text blurred before my eyes, the words refusing to make sense.
All I could hear was the soft rustle of her robes whenever she shifted slightly, the sound maddeningly intimate in the confined space.
My heart thudded in my chest, and I prayed to the heavens above for self-control.
This was going to be a long study session.
After what felt like a grueling war with the books, a mental battlefield filled with diagrams, ancient texts, and incomprehensible jargon, I finally pieced together the gist of what I'd been reading.
My eyes burned, my mind buzzed, and my back ached as though I'd been through a thousand years of cultivation in a single sitting.
"Yawn!" I stretched my arms like a weary tiger after a hunt, the fatigue wrapping around me like an invisible shroud. Sleep began to creep in, its soft tendrils pulling at the edges of my mind.
"What is she doing…?" My voice trailed off as I turned my gaze toward Viashra, standing nearby.
...
And then—time froze.
She was leaning against the bookshelf, asleep. Her delicate posture was unguarded, her head tilted slightly to the side, and a stray lock of her silky black hair fell across her face, framing her rosy cheeks.
But it wasn't her innocent sleeping face that stole my breath—it was her outfit, or rather, what it revealed.
The loose neckline of her dress had slipped downward, likely snagged on the corner of the bookshelf.
The fabric clung tightly to her body, and her jade-white cleavage peeked through, catching the soft glow of the lantern light in the room.
Her skin was so smooth it shimmered, like polished moonlight cast on still water.
I blinked.
Her already snug dress, which had barely contained her voluptuous figure, was pulled taut by the angle of her leaning posture.
Her nipples, firm and impossibly enticing, were pressing against the thin fabric like treasures begging to be unveiled.
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#R18warning: sexual content in Next chapter