The stream babbled as scattered, golden dappled light filtered through the canopy, falling upon Xuan Ling's silver hair. He half-knelt by a bluestone, his trousers casually rolled up to his knees. With a flick of his prominent, bony wrist, a sharpened yew branch pierced the water's surface.
SWISH!
Amidst the splashing water, two silver-scaled fish had already been skewered through their gills.
Xuan Ling tossed the branch backward over his shoulder. Mo Ran caught it lazily, lowering his eyes to appraise the still-struggling live fish. "As expected of the tribe's top hunter. Even your spearfishing is more elegant than anyone else's."
Ignoring the tease, Xuan Ling's jade-green pupils reflected the sparkling ripples of the water. He leaned over to adjust the rhino horn dagger strapped to his waist and said coldly, "Take them back."
Mo Ran lightly tapped the fish gills with his fingertip before suddenly leaning close to Xuan Ling's ear. "Do you really think those two females came out here to hunt?" His peripheral vision swept over a trembling patch of calamus leaves ten steps away, a playful ripple swirling in his pink eyes. "That useless little thing is currently hiding right—"
"So noisy." Xuan Ling shook off the hand on his shoulder, water droplets sliding down his taut back muscles and into his waistline.
Just as he turned, a faint rustle came from the calamus patch.
Mo Ran let out a low chuckle and suddenly raised his voice. "If every Holy Female is paired with a stone like you, the tribe will go extinct sooner or later." He intentionally made the fish tails SLAP loudly against each other. As he turned away, he shot a meaningful glance toward the calamus leaves. "Catch a few more. I think someone is so hungry their eyes are turning green."
Xuan Ling rolled his eyes, turning around and bending down to spear more fish. Seeing this, Mo Ran decided against saying anything more and walked back the way they came, carrying his catch.
As Mo Ran passed the calamus leaves, he deliberately slowed his steps, causing Ruan Fu's heart to tremble. Fortunately, he didn't linger too long before leaving. Only when his figure completely vanished did Ruan Fu stand up, readjust her clothes, and walk toward Xuan Ling by the stream.
The moment her skirt brushed past the leaves, Ruan Fu caught the crisp, cedar-like scent emanating from Xuan Ling. She purposefully stepped on a dry twig, letting out a sharp SNAP. As expected, the tall, slender figure instantly tensed.
"It's me," she said softly, her voice wrapped in just the right amount of a quiver as she stepped gracefully out from the shadows of the trees.
Droplets of water still clung to Xuan Ling's fingertips, the sharpened tip of his yew branch pressing just three inches from her throat. Backlit by the sun, the young woman's neck looked incredibly fragile, reminding him of the moonlit grass he had snapped the night before.
"Seeking death?" he asked, narrowing his eyes as his jade pupils formed the vertical slits characteristic of a beast.
Ruan Fu slowly lifted her gaze, her moist brown eyes showing obvious timidity. Her eyelashes fluttered. "My sister asked me to find some water to drink, I..." Her voice was cowardly and trembling. She lightly licked her lips with her pink tongue, looking exactly like a frightened fawn.
Xuan Ling's pupils quivered slightly, and in the next second, he lowered his makeshift spear.
Ruan Fu let out a long breath of relief, patting her chest while cautiously sizing him up from the corner of her eye. But the moment he looked her way, she timidly and guiltily withdrew her gaze, feigning composure as she walked toward the stream. Intensely aware of Xuan Ling's fixed stare on her, she stepped onto the thickest patch of moss without a second thought.
"Ah!"
With a scream, she fell backward uncontrollably, her line of sight catching his pale green eyes perfectly. The roar of a dragon's tail breaching the water echoed in her ears as Ruan Fu allowed herself to plunge into Xuan Ling's embrace.
Dark Silver Scales grazed the inside of her calf, dragging a bead of blood across her snow-white skin. As her hair spread out into the flowing stream, a mist of tears perfectly clouded her eyes. "It hurts..."
Xuan Ling's tail curled up sharply, gently placing her onto the mossy bank. Ruan Fu tilted her head up to gaze at the Silver Dragon looming over the water. Sunlight pierced through his ice-crystal-like horns, refracting fragmented, star-like brilliance across his scales. This was her first time getting a clear look at his beast form. His dragon mane was like flowing mercury, and sharp bone spikes protruded from his spine, yet the softest scales on his belly gleamed with a pearlescent luster.
"So beautiful," she murmured softly, her bloodstained fingertips hovering three inches from his horns. This was a sensitive zone for the Dragon Clan, one that only revealed itself during the mating season.
Xuan Ling abruptly shifted back into his human form, water droplets rolling down his chiseled muscles. The sight of Ruan Fu's soaked linen garments clinging tightly to the curves of her waist caused his Adam's apple to bob heavily. He immediately threw his outer robe to her. "Put this on."
Ruan Fu lowered her eyes and stripped off her drenched clothes, wrapping the oversized robe tightly around herself. "I'm ready."
Xuan Ling slowly turned around. The sight that greeted him was her swimming in his large robe, the hem barely covering her bottom, leaving her long, slender, snow-white legs completely exposed—along with the freshly cut wound.
For a moment, Xuan Ling's pupils trembled and he swallowed hard. He hurriedly averted his gaze and walked off to the side, looking slightly flustered as he left a single instruction behind.
"Wait here."
Ruan Fu nodded. She sat obediently by the bank to wait for him, falling asleep against a tree after a short while.
When she opened her eyes again, Xuan Ling had returned. He had set up a pile of firewood a short distance away, the flickering flames drying her soaked clothes. Noticing that she was awake, Xuan Ling stood up and approached her. He squatted down in front of her, his broad, thick hand gripping her calf.
The sudden icy touch made Ruan Fu involuntarily shiver. She raised her eyes to look at him in confusion, only to see him crushing medicinal herbs between the fingertips of his other hand, smearing the extracted juice over the wound on her leg.
HISS.
The sound of pain escaping her lips made Xuan Ling glance sideways. A second later, his wrist was tightly grasped by a small, soft, and seemingly boneless hand.
She gazed at him pitifully. "It hurts a little... Xuan... Xuan Ling, could you be a bit gentler?"
Xuan Ling furrowed his brows slightly without saying a word, but his hand movements unconsciously softened quite a bit. Holding his arm, Ruan Fu's gaze wantonly swept over him. Of all the men who had made her heart flutter since she transmigrated to this world, Xuan Ling was easily one of the top two. The heavy sense of asceticism and saintliness he carried always made her want to tear that mask off, forcing him to expose his true, desire-filled nature.
Ruan Fu couldn't help but lick her lips. The next instant, Xuan Ling released her calf. His gaze fell upon her hands, which were still clutching his arm.
Like she had been shocked by electricity, she let go instantly.
"Xuan Ling, I was just..." She was about to explain when she saw him stand up, preparing to leave. Subconsciously, she grabbed the hem of his trousers. Xuan Ling paused and turned his head to look down at her.
At some point, Ruan Fu's ears had reverted to their beast form. The furry rabbit ears now drooped tightly against her cheeks as she looked up with a panicked expression.
"Xuan Ling, I really didn't mean to just now. Please don't tell my sister."
Xuan Ling's brows furrowed deeply as he scrutinized Ruan Fu carefully. The nervous look in her trembling eyes didn't seem faked. He gave a noncommittal grunt before speaking slowly. "I have no interest in whatever is going on between you and your sister. There is absolutely no need for you to play your games on me."
This was the longest sentence she had ever heard Xuan Ling speak since they met, even if it wasn't particularly pleasant to hear.
Ruan Fu released her grip and stood up. Since she was much shorter than Xuan Ling, she had to tilt her head back slightly to look at him. Biting her lip, she choked out, "Xuan Ling, I don't know what you're talking about."
"Oh?" Xuan Ling leaned in slightly, closing the distance between them. His pale green pupils clearly reflected her current appearance. He tugged at the corner of his lips and said coldly, "It's best if you don't."
Xuan Ling turned to leave, but a soft, warm body instantly pressed against his back. A pair of slender, delicate arms wrapped tightly around his waist.