Proud Sword Soaring Clouds-Chapter 43 - 42: Teased

"What did you say? You want me to eat this?" The surprise on Ye Wen Ni’s face was genuine. In truth, she had known for a while that this glittering, beautiful blue fruit was a treasure. After all, anything Ling Xiao would risk his life for couldn’t be ordinary. But she had never asked about it. Though she wasn’t an Adventurer, she understood that some private matters shouldn’t be pried into.

Yes, everyone had their secrets, just as she had her own unique childhood and a pain she couldn’t easily share with others. The two had looked after and even depended on each other on the mountain, but neither had ever proactively asked about the other’s identity.

’If they wanted to talk, they would,’ Ye Wen Ni thought.

"This... can significantly boost your strength, at least to the level of a Great Sword Master, perhaps even higher. The only thing is, after you take it, you must be able to endure immense pain. The process... won’t be easy. Think it over carefully before you give me an answer," Ling Xiao said, looking at Ye Wen Ni.

"No need to think about it. I’ll eat it!" Ye Wen Ni’s eyes shone with excitement, but also... a faint trace of pain. ’Strength! Only by becoming stronger will I have any right to negotiate with my adoptive father. I must become powerful!’

Ling Xiao nodded. Since she had already made her decision, there was no need for him to say more. He took out a Purple Blue Fruit and said, "Don’t consume it here. I know the perfect spot, a place where no one will disturb us!" As he spoke, he looked up toward the towering peak.

Ye Wen Ni had always been bold—a trait forced on her since childhood. One couldn’t be a thief without courage. Still, as she followed Ling Xiao up the steep cliff face, she couldn’t help but feel a heart-pounding fear. She forced herself not to look down. Her delicate hands were scraped in several places, and the small, stinging cuts reminded Ye Wen Ni that this was not a dream.

’I must be crazy,’ Ye Wen Ni muttered to herself. Shaking her head, she gritted her teeth. ’If you can do it, so can I! But... damn it, couldn’t you have waited for me?!’ She watched as Ling Xiao pulled far ahead of her, moving as if he were a Gecko-like Magical Beast born to live on these cliffs. The sheer rock face seemed to pose no difficulty for him whatsoever.

Ye Wen Ni clenched her jaw, starting to regret following him. They had lived at the base of the cliff for a month, and had they seen a single foolish Magical Beast come bother them? Then, it suddenly dawned on her. ’That guy is looking for the Snow Mountain Lightning Falcon’s nest!’

’Magical Beasts are intelligent; who knows if they collect treasures!’

Silently cursing Ling Xiao for being so devious, Ye Wen Ni reached for the last rock. A sudden wave of exhaustion hit her. Her focus was already faltering, and the hand gripping the rock suddenly slipped. Her other hand was in mid-air, reaching for a new hold, leaving both of her hands dangling. She let out a terrified shriek. ’Ling Xiao might survive a fall like this, but I definitely won’t be so lucky!’

In that instant, her life flashed before her eyes. Surprisingly, her first thought wasn’t of the children she cared for so deeply. Their fate was all but sealed, and with her current strength, she was powerless to change it. The most heart-wrenching thought, astonishingly, was that she would have to say goodbye to this young man forever.

A single tear slid from the corner of Ye Wen Ni’s eye, instantly swept away by the fierce wind, as if it had never existed.

Then, she felt a pair of warm hands grip hers tightly. Her body suddenly felt light, and an instant later, her feet touched solid ground.

Ye Wen Ni’s legs were so weak she could barely stand, and she stumbled forward into his arms. Then, a slightly chiding voice sounded in her ear, "You were too careless!"

To Ye Wen Ni, his voice was like music from the heavens. She raised her head, her tear-filled eyes gazing at the youthful but incredibly handsome face before her. Then, Ye Wen Ni did something that would make her blush for a long time to come. Smiling through her tears, she fixed her enchanting eyes on Ling Xiao’s and pressed her moist, cherry-red lips against his.

"Mmph..." Ling Xiao tried to say something, but a strange sensation welled up from deep inside him, and his face instantly flushed red. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

Seeing his reaction, Ye Wen Ni, who had been mortified just moments before, suddenly grew bold. She daringly slipped her tongue into his mouth and teased him for a moment before gently pushing him away. Seeing him standing there completely stunned, Ye Wen Ni felt a mix of shyness and bliss. She let out a flirtatious laugh and said, "First time kissing a girl, huh? Don’t worry, I’ll take responsibility for you!"

Ling Xiao could only manage a wry smile. Despite having lived two lives, he was a complete blank slate when it came to romance. He was muddled and confused, wanting to do something but not knowing how. And in the end, this little thief Ye Wen Ni had beaten him to the punch.

He quite liked the feeling, though.

Looking at the disaster-stricken mountain peak, they both couldn’t help but think the same thing: ’The destructive power of a Tier Five Magical Beast is terrifying!’ If that giant python hadn’t appeared right when it did, it would have been impossible for Ling Xiao to snatch the Purple Blue Fruit from the Snow Mountain Lightning Falcon’s talons. Now, both powerful Magical Beasts lay inside his Space Ring, and while Ling Xiao’s injuries weren’t fully healed, they were no longer a major concern.

’How lucky!’ This was a thought shared by both Ling Xiao and Ye Wen Ni.

"See those stalagmites over there? That area is safe and sheltered from the wind," Ling Xiao said, pointing toward a stretch of jagged rock formations. He was still a bit too embarrassed to meet Ye Wen Ni’s eyes.

Ye Wen Ni had finally found one of Ling Xiao’s weaknesses. ’This guy who acts so cold is actually so shy!’ The realization made her feel much less bashful herself. She nodded and started walking in that direction.

Suddenly, Ling Xiao’s hesitant voice came from behind her. "Endure it... I... I believe you can do it!"

"Because we might be friends?" Ye Wen Ni suddenly recalled something Ling Xiao had once said, and she asked, a smile playing in her eyes.

"Because you need to get stronger to protect me," Ling Xiao said with a completely straight face.

"You!" Ye Wen Ni closed her eyes and took a long, deep breath. "Fine, then," she said through gritted teeth. She stomped resentfully toward the stalagmites. ’Getting this guy to say a single sweet, romantic thing is practically impossible.’

’I guess touching my cheek that other day was already his limit. Oh well, I shouldn’t ask for too much,’ Ye Wen Ni consoled herself. ’At least I got his first kiss, right?’

In a place like this, there was absolutely no need for a Guardian, nor any fear of another Magical Beast barging in. Ling Xiao scanned the surroundings from the corner of his eye and walked toward a patch of strange rock formations. Based on his understanding of avian Magical Beasts, he believed that must be the location of the Snow Mountain Lightning Falcon’s nest.

’I wonder what I’ll find?’