Chapter 16 Appeasing the Aloof Master!
I do not know how much time had passed, but the intense waves of passion within the hall finally began to subside, leaving behind only lingering echoes and a strange, exotic fragrance.
Xiao Ming leaned lazily against the jade throne, while Luo Li lay limp in his arms, drenched in fragrant sweat.
Her hair was in disarray, and several damp strands clung to her flushed cheeks and neck, adding a touch of alluring charm.
Her originally cold and aloof, breathtakingly beautiful face was now covered in a blush of passion, and her peach-blossom eyes were shimmering with moisture, the corners of her eyes filled with the sultry charm of one who had been thoroughly satisfied, making her even more irresistible than usual.
She panted slightly, her consciousness slowly returning from the clouds.
The first thing she felt was the soreness in her body and a shameful, yet strange sensation.
Immediately after, she realized that she was snuggled up as meekly as a kitten in the arms of this Wicked Disciple who had betrayed his Revered Master, and she even felt a faint sense of warmth and peace, which inexplicably panicked her, forcing her to curse herself inwardly.
'Luo Li! You... you are actually so base! He is your Disciple, your enemy! You just now... you just now were actually beneath him...'
A massive sense of shame and self-loathing washed over her like ice water, causing her whole body to stiffen; she wished she could break free immediately, or even channel her demonic power to perish together with him!
Yet, nestled in this warm and solid embrace, with the unique scent of him mixed with their shared aura lingering at the tip of her nose, an indescribable sense of peace and security quietly numbed her nerves, eroding her willpower.
Her body even uncontrollably sought a more comfortable position in his arms, letting out a faint, cat-like whimper.
Realizing all of this, Luo Li immediately wanted to find a crack in the ground to crawl into.
Just as her heart was in turmoil, immersed in self-criticism and that cursed comfort, Xiao Ming's deep and gentle voice sounded above her head, carrying a post-coital huskiness and an unusual doting tone:
"Revered Master..."
He tightened his arms around her, pressing her sweat-dampened body closer to his own, his chin gently rubbing against her smooth forehead hair with movements so natural they felt seamless.
"Disciple recently went out and purchased many medicinal herbs, preparing for Alchemy... You have now reached the Peak Nascent Soul Stage, and a Breakthrough is imminent. Later, Disciple will refine a 'realm breaking pill' for you. Once you take it, you will surely be able to achieve a Breakthrough to the Soul Transformation in one go. By then, no petty scoundrels within the Heavenly Demon Sect will be able to threaten you in the slightest."
His words were like a warm current, mixed with a strong possessiveness and an inexplicable paranoia and dominance, slowly pouring into Luo Li's chaotic heart.
Luo Li's delicate body stiffened slightly, her heart filled with mixed emotions.
realm breaking pill! Spirit Severing Realm!
This was the Realm she dreamed of! She had been stuck at the Peak Nascent Soul Stage for too long; if she could truly make a Breakthrough, she would truly gain a firm foothold in the Sect and would no longer need to walk on thin ice, treading carefully.
Then she thought about how precious the medicinal herbs for refining high-grade Medicinal Pill were for an ordinary Disciple, and this Wicked Disciple... he purchased the herbs just so I could...?
An inexplicable feeling of being moved welled up in her heart, but as soon as she thought about what unbearable price this Medicinal Pill was exchanged for, and her own wanton behavior just now, a strong sense of shame surged in her heart once again.
She suddenly wanted to break free from this Wicked Disciple's embrace, but accidentally tugged at her sore lower body, causing her to let out a soft "hiss," and her strength instantly drained away.
She could only reluctantly pull over the scattered gauze dress, futilely covering the endless spring scenery on her chest, slightly turning her head away from him, and said in a cold yet weakly angry voice:
"Get out! This Seat does not need your hypocrisy! If you dare to come closer... I... I will kill you!"
However, these harsh words, combined with her slightly trembling snow-white shoulders and her smooth jade back that was still flushed pink, sounded completely devoid of any deterrent force.
Xiao Ming looked at that curvaceous jade back, rising and falling with her agitation, and the corners of his mouth curled slightly.
He knew that this silly woman's body and heart were gradually leaning towards him.
Too much is as bad as too little; he leisurely stood up, tidied his robes, then leaned down, and with exceptionally gentle movements, scooped up the limp Luo Li, who was still immersed in shame and complex emotions, into his arms.
Luo Li suddenly realized what was happening and let out a low cry, subconsciously closing her smooth yet weak jade legs, and said in a trembling voice: "Wicked Disciple! You... what are you doing again?!"
But that struggle was weak and powerless, more like playing hard to get.
Xiao Ming did not answer, just held her and walked steadily toward the bed on the inner side of the sleeping chamber, which was covered with a soft gauze quilt.
His movements carried a hint of rare gentleness amidst his dominance, completely different from his intensity during their time of passion just now.
He carefully placed Luo Li on the bed, pulled over the silk quilt, and meticulously tucked her in, as if cherishing a precious, fragile item.
This gesture made Luo Li's heart inexplicably skip a beat.
Just now, when he picked her up, Luo Li thought he was going to... but this subsequent, unusual gentleness made her even more flustered and at a loss than his previous dominance.
"Wicked Disciple, you..."
"Revered Master..." Xiao Ming interrupted her, sitting on the edge of the bed, his fingertips gently brushing away the few strands of black hair stuck to her forehead by sweat, his gaze deep and focused, carrying a visible trace of tenderness, "Disciple needs absolute quiet for this Alchemy, and it will take a long time, so I cannot be disturbed in the slightest. To ensure everything is perfect, I must borrow the Revered Master's side hall."
Upon hearing this, Luo Li's heart trembled.
Wait... does he really know Alchemy? And... here? Is he not afraid of me... You must know, if an Alchemist is disturbed while performing Alchemy, they could suffer from Qi Deviation; this Wicked Disciple has a lot of nerve!
But thinking carefully, what this Wicked Disciple said was indeed the truth.
The realm breaking pill is no small matter; if refined elsewhere, the risks would be extremely high.
With her, a Peak Nascent Soul Stage Peak Revered Master, sitting here, it is indeed the safest choice for him right now.
And... does this action of the Wicked Disciple also imply a hint of... reliance and trust in her?
As soon as this thought emerged, Luo Li herself was startled, and the blush that had just slightly faded from her face quietly climbed back up, even staining her delicate collarbones, exposed outside the silk quilt, with a thin layer of pink.
She abruptly turned her face away, avoiding Xiao Ming's scorching gaze, and forced herself to say coldly and firmly: "... Get out of This Seat's sight!"
It was just that her voice lacked its usual icy killing intent, sounding instead like it carried a bit of flustered embarrassment.
Xiao Ming's mouth hooked into a triumphant arc, knowing that she had tacitly agreed.
He leaned down, and under the gaze of Luo Li's suddenly tense body and slightly widened beautiful peach-blossom eyes, he pressed a soft and fleeting kiss onto her smooth forehead.
"Revered Master, rest well. Once the Medicinal Pill is formed, Disciple will come to report the good news to you."
After speaking, he did not linger, turned around, and strode toward the side door on the other side, his figure gradually disappearing into the darkness of the side hall.
Hearing the sound of the side hall's stone door opening and then closing, Luo Li's tense nerves finally completely relaxed.
She pulled the silk quilt up high, burying her burning cheeks into it, and her nose seemed to be able to faintly smell that unique masculine scent of the Wicked Disciple.
"A realm breaking pill... is it low-grade? If it's just a low-grade realm breaking pill, then it will be of limited help to me... Oh well, it's rare that he has this filial piety..." She muttered to herself, her heart in a complete mess.
She raised her hand, looking at the dark purple "ring of concealment" on her fingertip, and then recalled the blush-inducing intimacy just now, as well as the scene of the Wicked Disciple gently tucking her in and brushing her hair, and finally that soft kiss...
"Xiao Ming..." She closed her eyes and let out a complex, indecipherable sigh; the icy killing intent in her heart seemed to have cracked open another tiny fissure.