Chapter 390 - Martial Emperor Clan!
Yun Xiao gazed at her retreating figure, finding even her anger had a certain charm about it. "Hearts are a tangled mess," he mused, a touch of wonder in his voice.
"That's the rub," Blue Star chimed in, his words heavy with meaning. "Facing the raw truth of humanity, that's the real challenge of cultivation."
Red Moon nodded earnestly, as if this was the most profound thing he'd heard.
Yun Xiao, teeth almost grinding, pressed on, "Is there really no perfect solution?"
Blue Star sighed. "A soul can be adorable twice over, but a body? Just the one. This world's full of wonders, but perfection's rare. It's all about choices... What's your play?"
"My play?" Yun Xiao scoffed. "This girl's a beast in human form. She'd tear me to shreds before I could lay a finger on her heart."
"Not necessarily!" Red Moon piped up, a spark of mischief in his eye. "You could charm her, then strike at the critical moment."
"Take a hike," Yun Xiao shot back, a glare in his eyes.
"Sure thing!" Red Moon agreed, all too quickly.
Yun Xiao spared her one last glance. "Guess it's one step at a time."
He was puzzled. The Primordial Immortal Ancestor had handed him a real head-scratcher. Do you love my incarnations of transcending calamity? Which one do you love? She had them in spades.
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Yun Xiao was still lost in thought when Lian Xi and Liu Yingying wrapped up their chat and headed into the Divine Dawn Pavilion together. Lian Xi, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, practically bounced over to Yun Xiao after he had finished his cultivation session.
Liu Yingying, arms crossed, accentuated her curves and made her presence more imposing. Yet her glance at Yun Xiao was icy, peppered with disdain.
"She looks down on you," Blue Star remarked with a chuckle.
"I know," Yun Xiao replied, smiling as he welcomed Lian Xi, his voice soft.
"Friends like that can be a real pain," Blue Star remarked.
"Not really, I think she's kind of cute," Yun Xiao countered.
"Are you nuts?" Blue Star shot back, incredulous.
Yun Xiao just shook his head, a gentle smile on his face. "Isn't the complexity of human nature interesting? Her contempt for me is based on her understanding of the world, which isn't wrong. She's just unlucky to have met me."
The ones who could clap back were few and far between. Most folks had to swallow their pride.
"So, she fights for her interests, looks out for her sister... What's wrong with that?"
"Seems like you've gained some perspective," Blue Star observed.
"Seen a lot, learned a lot," Yun Xiao said, then, with a warm smile, embraced Lian Xi as she flew into his arms. He caught her waist and lifted her, spinning several times.
Lian Xi was all giggles.
"Put me down, Yingying is here," she protested, eyes wide.
Yun Xiao let go, and Lian Xi slid down his body, ending up in his arms.
This familiar understanding made Liu Yingying's scalp tingle.
"Hello, Yingying," Yun Xiao greeted, arm around Lian Xi, then turned to Liu Yingying.
"Hmm," Liu Yingying suppressed her discomfort and then said to Lian Xi, "I thought you had a touch aversion? You never let anyone touch your skin, how come..."
"He's the exception!" Lian Xi interrupted, grabbing Yun Xiao's hand, beaming. "That's why I say he's a gift from the heavens."
Like something out of a dream.
"Alright then!" Liu Yingying didn't belittle Yun Xiao; instead, she even offered a light laugh. "At least no one will accuse you of being a child of disaster anymore. It's annoying how people were always out there, praying for the Three True Immortals to burn you."
"Yep!"
Lian Xi didn't linger on the topic but bit her lip and turned to Yun Xiao, "I can't be with you tonight, I have to go out."
"Where to?" Yun Xiao asked.
"Yingying is going to Huyan Luo's birthday party, and I'm worried about her, so..."
Before Lian Xi could finish, Yun Xiao said, "I'll go too."
"You're coming too?" Lian Xi blinked, surprised. "Thought you weren't one for these kinds of gatherings."
"Like it or not, I've gotta go," Yun Xiao said, glancing at Liu Yingying with a grin. "A birthday bash? Sounds like a rich kids' playground. Gotta keep an eye on my new girl."
"Your girl?" Lian Xi's cheeks flushed, her gaze dropping. "That was quick. I haven't even said yes."
"In my dreams, you did," Yun Xiao teased, pinching her cheek. "Brace yourself, I move fast." He added, "Don't get it twisted, though. Fast doesn't mean short-lived."
"Huh?" Lian Xi was dumbfounded.
What a character! So bold. Yet, utterly endearing.
"The nerve!" Liu Yingying fumed silently, turning away to hide her outrage. She was sure Yun Xiao was just trying to get a rise out of her, and it was working.
Why did Lian Xi seem to enjoy it? Normally, she'd knock someone out for less.
"Let's all go together, then," Lian Xi beamed.
"Fine," Liu Yingying agreed, rolling her eyes inwardly. "Go make a fool of yourself."
As dusk approached, Lian Xi suggested they head out. She snuggled into Yun Xiao's arm, content in her sweet bubble, oblivious to the world's chaos.
A birthday party for the elite?
Her world revolved around Yun Xiao alone.
"Something's off," Blue Star muttered.
"What's up?" Red Moon inquired.
"This incarnation of transcending calamity... clinging to him like she's hooked," Blue Star puzzled.
"Yun Xiao's charm is too much to resist!" Red Moon exclaimed.
"Could it be the Primordial Immortal Ancestor's obsession with him playing tricks? Or has one incarnation's conquest influenced the others, sending their hearts aflutter?" Blue Star speculated.
"Sounds plausible!" Red Moon agreed.
"Enough with the banter," Yun Xiao snapped, silencing them with a wave.
"Hey, what's that you're humming so quietly?" Lian Xi asked, her curiosity piqued.
"Nothing much," Yun Xiao replied, casting a glance at Liu Yingying leading the way. "Haven't really taken in the sights of the Primordial Ruins yet. Fancy a stroll?"
"I would love to," Lian Xi beamed, a hint of wistfulness in her voice. "I haven't been out much these past years."
"Why's that?" Yun Xiao inquired.
Liu Yingying, who'd been eavesdropping, turned around to chime in, "She's been branded a jinx, it's been a real hassle."
"A jinx?"
By then, they'd stepped out of the academy, just as night enveloped the land.
The bustling night market of the Primordial Ruins unfolded before them like a palace from a dream, lights shimmering in the dusk.
It was breathtaking.
The mist, the beauties, the talismans, treasures, laughter, and music, it had it all.
Some folks lurked in the shadows, casting peculiar glances at Yun Xiao and Lian Xi.
"What do you mean by jinx?" Yun Xiao whispered.
Liu Yingying, ready to mock Yun Xiao's ignorance as a sign of lowly origins, bit her tongue. Degrading him would only hurt Lian Xi.
Though disdain lingered in her heart, Liu Yingying knew that trying to drive a wedge between them would only bind them closer. She needed a better plan.
"A jinx is a descendant of the Martial Emperor Clan, cursed by the heavens. The merest touch drains others' vitality," Liu Yingying explained.
"The Martial Emperor Clan?" Yun Xiao prodded.
"Once rulers of the Primordial Ruins, leaders of all clans in the myriad realms," she elaborated.
"And then?"
Liu Yingying shot Yun Xiao a cold look. "They committed unforgivable sins against humanity and were wiped out."
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