Although the details were indistinct, the graceful figure in the bathroom was so fair she seemed to glow. Every move she made held a fatal allure.
Zhao Dong could see Xu Yafei stroking her own body through the translucent frosted glass. He gulped loudly, the sound of running water from the bathroom hooking at his heart like a cat's claws.
Remembering the scene with Xu Yafei from the other day, his mouth went dry, and he felt as if his entire body was in a furnace. It had been bearable when she wasn't showering, but this was becoming truly difficult to endure.
Taking a deep breath, Zhao Dong told himself to stay calm. He snuck another glance and saw the silhouette was now getting dressed.
Soon, the bathroom door opened. The first thing to appear was a pair of immaculate, jade-like feet, followed by a graceful and slender figure.
Xu Yafei walked out clad in a wine-red silk nightgown with a black bow tied at her chest, her dark hair coiled elegantly atop her head.
Zhao Dong's eyes followed her, and he swallowed hard.
At that moment, Xu Yafei was like a lotus emerging from the water. Her fair skin was tinged with a rosy blush. She had a fine forehead, delicate brows, red lips, and pearly teeth. Her face, that of a peerless beauty, held an air of extreme coldness and classical grace, and her phoenix eyes contained mesmerizing pools of autumn water.
Zhao Dong was completely mesmerized. When Xu Yafei met his stare, her expression became slightly unnatural.
She suddenly regretted taking a shower. But there was nothing for it; she was a neat freak and felt completely uncomfortable with even a drop of sweat on her after being outside. She'd also forgotten to grab clothes, and this nightgown was the only thing in the bathroom, so she had no choice but to wear it out.
Xu Yafei cleared her throat. "Am I that beautiful? Why are you staring so intently?"
Zhao Dong snapped back to his senses, quickly averting his gaze and rubbing his nose. "Yes, you're beautiful. Few women are as stunning as you are."
"Oh? And how do I compare to Lin Qingyun?"
Zhao Dong was still reeling as Xu Yafei, leaving a fragrant breeze in her wake, glided over to the sofa and sat down. She crossed her long, slender legs and watched him with a calm gaze.
Zhao Dong's heart hammered in his chest as he glanced at her. That noble, beautiful, oval-shaped face held a faint, playful smile that made his brain short-circuit. "You... you're both equally beautiful."
"But who's prettier?"
"I... I can't say. You each have your own unique beauty."
Xu Yafei glanced at him and said coolly, "That's what all men say."
"It's not a line, it's the truth."
She shot him a sideways glance. "Alright, then. Tell me what happened today. Why were you and Liu Ya at your apartment?"
Zhao Dong recounted the day's events from beginning to end. When Xu Yafei heard that Zhao Dong had killed Lei Qiang, her pretty face grew somber. "Lei Qiang was a disciple of Fang Yunshan, and Fang Yunshan is on the East Sea Celestial and Terran Rankings."
"What exactly are the Celestial and Terran Rankings?"
"The Celestial and Terran Rankings are an official list of martial experts, with corresponding rankings for East Sea City, East Sea Province, and even the four provinces of Eastern China," Xu Yafei explained calmly. "The East Sea City list has twelve people in total: four on the Celestial Ranking and eight on the Terran Ranking. These twelve are currently the most powerful masters in East Sea City. Fang Yunshan is ranked seventh on the Terran Ranking."
Zhao Dong nodded. "I see. I had no idea such things existed in East Sea City."
"You were an ordinary person before, so of course you wouldn't know. I also thought you were just an average man, but it turns out you're a master of Inner Strength who even defeated Xiao Hongtian. Fang Yunshan and Xiao Hongtian are of comparable strength."
Zhao Dong laughed. "Then there's nothing to worry about. He's no match for me."
Xu Yafei gave him a deep look. "Don't be so arrogant. Xiao Hongtian is not as simple as he appears. His true power is far greater. It's said he cultivated some sort of Secret Technique that caused his cultivation level to drop to the seventh layer of Inner Strength. His original strength was much higher."
Zhao Dong's pupils constricted slightly, his expression turning grave. "I understand."
Xu Yafei relaxed, leaning back against the sofa. Her hair was still wet, with droplets of water clinging to the strands. Her snowy-white face was accented by lips as red as blood. She had the noble, charming neck of a swan, below which lay her delicate collarbone, also dotted with moisture.
His thoughts began to race. Xu Yafei pursed her lips and nervously tugged at her collar before speaking. "Alright, let's talk about you. When did you and Lin Qingyun get together?"
Zhao Dong gave a bitter smile. "A drunken mistake."
"A one-night stand?"
Xu Yafei's red lips curved into a smile like a Meigui. "And you're willing to risk your life to save her over a mere one-night stand? You're quite the lovesick fool."
"Can't be helped," Zhao Dong said nonchalantly. "I have a thing for playing the hero and saving the damsel in distress."
Xu Yafei's pupils shrank. She smiled sweetly. "Then can you save me?"
"How would I do that?"
Xu Yafei smiled, enunciating each word. "Can you rescue me from Hong Wu?"
Zhao Dong was silent for a moment before saying, "If you truly want to escape, just give me some time. It will be soon."
Xu Yafei was taken aback. She saw an unusual light in Zhao Dong's eyes and, after a long moment, let out a soft sigh. "Hong Wu is the king of the East Sea underworld, and he's protected by a master from the Celestial Ranking. Killing you would be as easy for him as crushing a baby chick."
Zhao Dong said nothing.
"Scared?" Xu Yafei asked with a teasing smile.
Zhao Dong shook his head. "Not scared. I'm thinking about the fastest way to get stronger."
"You really want to save me?"
"Mhm."
A tremor ran through Xu Yafei's body, and a strange look appeared in her eyes. "Aren't you afraid of death?"
"I am. But I'm the one who slept with you. A debt of passion must be repaid."
After a long silence, Xu Yafei finally gave a slight nod. "Alright. I'll wait for you to become strong. I'll wait for you to repay your debt."
Without another word, Zhao Dong stood up to leave. Just as he reached the door, the sound of shattering glass echoed from behind him!
He whipped around, his expression changing instantly. Xu Yafei had collapsed on the floor!
"What's wrong?!"
Zhao Dong rushed over to help her up. Her complexion, which had been rosy moments ago, was now ashen. She summoned her remaining strength to say weakly, "Let... let go of me. I'm fine."
"Don't talk!"
Zhao Dong saw that something was terribly wrong. An invisible black qi was swirling around her chest! He hadn't noticed it before, but it became clear as day now that he was circulating his Mystic Sky Technique.
Gritting his teeth, Zhao Dong swept Xu Yafei into his arms and carried her into the bedroom. A soft feeling enveloped him as he held her close. With her serpentine waist and long, beautiful legs in his embrace, his heart began to pound. Xu Yafei weakly clung to his neck, asking in a panic, "What are you doing?"
"Take a guess."
Zhao Dong laid Xu Yafei on the bed and pressed his hand against her body