Chapter 79: A Simple Sleep
Xiao Yan opened his eyes, his previously calm expression now tinged with subtle emotion.
He rose and walked to the door, gently opening it.
Moonlight spilled into the room, illuminating the figure of a girl in white standing outside.
Dan Chen's cheeks were flushed red as she looked at him. Her peach blossom eyes were bright and crystalline, as though covered with a delicate sheen of moisture.
"Come in," Xiao Yan said, reaching out to grasp her soft, delicate hand and pulling her into the room.
"No…" Dan Chen softly protested, glancing at Xiao Yan with a pitiful expression.
"No what?"
"No… sleeping together."
"Why not?" Xiao Yan asked, locking eyes with her.
"Doesn't sleeping together mean… getting pregnant?" she asked with wide, innocent eyes.
Hearing her naive response, Xiao Yan was caught between laughter and exasperation. He leaned in and playfully planted a kiss on her soft, porcelain cheek.
Dan Chen gave him a reproachful look but didn't say anything, not even wiping away the moisture from his kiss.
Her unresisting and delicate demeanor stirred a protective instinct in Xiao Yan, even though he often played the role of a rascal.
"Knock, knock, knock!"
Another knock at the door broke the moment between them.
Dan Chen's face stiffened with nervousness, her small, pretty face tensing slightly.
Xiao Yan, however, rose and walked to open the door.
As the door swung open, moonlight once again spilled inside.
This time, the visitor was completely different. Unlike the pure and shy Dan Chen, Cao Ying stood outside dressed in a sleek black qipao. The moonlight accentuated her curvaceous figure, hinting at a budding sensuality.
"My lord," Cao Ying purred, her voice dripping with mischief. "I've come to receive my punishment."
"You little vixen!" Xiao Yan chuckled, lightly patting her shoulder before pulling her into the room.
As the two girls sat down, an unspoken tension filled the air.
The former close friends now exchanged glances, their eyes carrying a hint of rivalry.
Finally, Cao Ying smirked and puffed out her chest challengingly. Dan Chen glanced down at herself, her face falling slightly with a tinge of self doubt.
At that moment, she felt a warm hand clasp hers. Looking up, she saw Xiao Yan gazing at her with gentle eyes. However, she quickly noticed his other hand was holding Cao Ying's.
"I'll be leaving Central Plains soon," Xiao Yan said suddenly, breaking the brewing tension between the two girls.
The room, previously charged with an explosive atmosphere, fell into a surprised silence.
"When?" Cao Ying was the first to speak, while Dan Chen's gaze was filled with both curiosity and reluctance.
"In about two months," Xiao Yan replied softly.
By then, he would turn sixteen, and in his mind, the key events of the original storyline would officially begin.
As he finished speaking, he felt both girls' hands tremble slightly in his grasp.
"Don't worry. Once I gather the necessary Heavenly Flames in the Northwestern Continent, I'll return," Xiao Yan reassured them, gently squeezing their hands.
"There's a Heavenly Flame sealed within the Pill Tower, you know," Cao Ying said suddenly, her beautiful eyes betraying her reluctance to see him leave.
"You mean the Three Thousand Burning Flames?" Xiao Yan chuckled.
"You know about it?" Cao Ying asked in surprise. The existence of the Three Thousand Burning Flames wasn't exactly a top secret matter, but few people truly knew of it.
Given Xiao Yan's identity and his relationship with Yao Lao and the three Pill Tower leaders, she quickly reasoned that it made sense.
"The Three Thousand Burning Flames are still too powerful for me at the moment. Trying to refine it now would be too dangerous," Xiao Yan replied with a serious expression.
Of course, that wasn't the only reason.
If he stayed in Central Plains, how would he travel to the Northwestern Continent and court more beauties?
Xiao Yan was a man of broad affections. While his love had already touched the lives of several women, he saw it as his mission to spread that love to all the lovely girls on the Dou Qi Continent.
It was a lifelong pursuit, one he approached with boundless dedication.
"So, what's the reason you called us here tonight?" Cao Ying suddenly asked, her teasing gaze locking onto him.
"To sleep, of course!" Xiao Yan replied earnestly.
"Pervert," Cao Ying muttered, her cheeks flushing as she stood up.
"Hey, what are you doing taking your clothes off?" Xiao Yan exclaimed, startled.
"Didn't you say you wanted me to sleep with you?" Cao Ying retorted, arching a brow.
"Well, since I've already decided you're mine, I might as well grant your wish," she said, tossing her qipao onto a nearby chair.
"Stop!" Xiao Yan hurriedly halted her actions.
"What's this? The infamous young master suddenly getting cold feet?" Cao Ying teased, though her flushed face betrayed her embarrassment.
"How dare you provoke me!" Xiao Yan growled playfully, swatting her on the rear before sweeping her up in his arms.
Moments later, Dan Chen, now clad in her pajamas, shyly climbed into bed as well.
"Tonight, we'll just sleep," Xiao Yan declared, holding both blushing beauties close.
"If you wanted more, Dan Chen and I wouldn't resist," Cao Ying murmured, resting her head against his shoulder.
"What kind of wolfish words are you spouting?" Xiao Yan shook his head, amused.
Though not a paragon of virtue, Xiao Yan had his limits. These two were still young, and while the laws of the Dou Qi Continent were different, Xiao Yan's upbringing in a more conservative world made him unwilling to cross that line.
Desire must have its boundaries.
The next morning, as Xiao Yan slowly woke, he felt the warmth of two figures beside him.
"This is the life," he murmured, closing his eyes again to savor the moment.
"You're pulling my hair," came a soft, pouting voice.
Opening his eyes, Xiao Yan saw Dan Chen gazing at him with a mix of shyness and annoyance.
"Oops," Xiao Yan said with a smirk, leaning down to kiss her.
A soft, playful touch from behind reminded him of Cao Ying.
"I want one too," she whispered seductively.
"You'll both get one," Xiao Yan replied with a mischievous grin.
These days, spent in temptation yet holding firm to his principles, brought both torment and joy.
Far away, in a secluded room within Starfallen Pavilion, Han Feng sat in silence, his expression dark.
"You're sure Xiao Yan said this?" Han Feng asked the disciple before him.
"Yes, Senior Brother Han Feng. These are all things the Young Master casually mentioned to me," the disciple replied obediently.
Han Feng clenched his fists tightly.
Despite serving Yao Lao for decades, he had never been granted the position of Young Master. Yet Xiao Yan, after only a few days, had effortlessly taken the title that Han Feng had coveted for so long.
"Even Flame Mantra you gave it to him without hesitation. I've served you for nearly a century, and yet you refused me."
Jealousy and rage burned within Han Feng's heart.
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