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Chapter 12: The Jinu Desires the Swan
(Jinu means manwhore in Chinese.)
Why me?! I expected that a few people would challenge me, but why now?! I'm hungry! (ノﾟДﾟ)
Wu Qingge stood beside Liu Xiao, gazing at him with a subtle curve forming on his lips. Liu Xiao cast a glance at the biscuits on the table and exhaled deeply, straightening up as he locked eyes with Lan Yang, who sneered at him from below. He stepped onto the balcony railings and leaped down into the arena, descending like a feather, gently touching down upon the earth. Liu Xiao's landing was soft, his feet making only a gentle tap against the ground.
"What an enticing entrance!" Lan Yang exclaimed, his face breaking into a broad grin. "You're making it very tempting to pounce on you right this moment." The fuck are you saying that? That sounds weird! The hair all over my body was getting goosebumps!
Liu Xiao maintained a stoic facade, betraying no emotion, yet in his mind, he was throttling Lan Yang with an intense glare of boredom. "Ho?" Lan Yang stepped closer. "Am I that uninteresting, Meihua? Don't worry, let's make this more interesting." A sinister smile crept across Lan Yang's face, concealing his malice. "How about a bet?"
"A bet?" Liu Xiao's voice was a soft murmur. "Indeed, if you win, I shall fulfill any desire or request you have. But should you lose..." Lan Yang's smile twisted cruelly before he resumed, "You shall be bound to me as my concubine."
Suddenly, a loud crack echoed through the air. Liu Xiao's gaze shifted upwards towards the balcony of Mount Hua Peak. Wu Qingge stood there, his grip on the railing so tight that it had caused a significant fissure. His countenance was stormy and foreboding, lips tightly drawn, and brows furrowed in a scowl directed downwards.
Behind him, Mo Xian's usual serene smile had vanished; Tian Lang continued to fan himself nonchalantly as he observed the scene; and Bai Lan wore an expression of amusement as he watched from behind his master.
"Whoa! That youngster made a crack in the unbreakable crystal palace!"
"He must be strong..."
"His qi must be so strong and wide that the crystal couldn't handle it. Who is his master?"
"Look, he's wearing a light blue robe; it's Mount Hua Peak!"
"Amazing! Peak Master Mo Xian has a good eye on people! First is Liu Xiao, next is Chen Yi, and now that mysterious young man!"
"Mount Hua Peak will only raise their reputation even more."
Liu Xiao gazed in astonishment at the cracked crystal railings of their balcony. He turned to Wu Qingge with a look of confusion, utterly perplexed by the unfolding events. Lan Yang's laughter boomed, resonating through the arena, his understanding of Wu Qingge's state apparent in his mirth. "What do you say, Meihua?" he asked, casting a glance at Liu Xiao, whose brows furrowed in bewilderment.
Liu Xiao gave a slow nod and drew his sword with deliberate grace. "Hmm. Alright," he murmured. A soft glow of white and pink spiritual qi enveloped his blade and form, swirling gracefully around him.
"Huh? What is that move? It looks unusual."
"Maybe it's a new move made by the Rising Star Meihua!"
"Right. The Rising Star Meihua usually throws his spiritual qi out, not pouring it into his body."
"Maybe he became bored with it and decided on a new one?"
Ha! That's right! This is my new move—no! More like my new dance! Hahahaha! How dare you make a bet about making me your damn concubine?! You will regret it forever in your life because I will slice your dick right now! Hahahaha! Have a taste of my might.
Liu Xiao was poised to take his inaugural step when he inadvertently trod on his robe and stumbled, planting his face onto the solid white jade of the arena. Onlookers gazed upon him, their expressions awash with astonishment, as if they had witnessed an event never meant for their eyes, an image that would haunt them for life. Moments later, Liu Xiao rose gingerly, a whimper escaping him as he emitted a faint groan, his eyes clenched shut while he tenderly massaged his nose.
Fuck, it hurts! Who made this arena? Anyone could pass out if they hit their head here! And it was fucking embarrassing! Why do I have to trip like that in front of fifty thousand cultivators? I want to bury myself right now because of embarrassment!
The maiden announcer was biting her lips, attempting to maintain her composed expression; Mo Xian was quietly chuckling; Tian Lang was massaging his temples; Bai Lan was coughing forcefully behind them; and Wu Qingge's somber expression remained, though it eased slightly when he witnessed Liu Xiao stumble.
"Ahem!" Liu Xiao cleared his throat loudly, prompting the others to correct their conduct. He cast a glance at Lan Yang, who was staring at him in astonishment. Picking up his sword from the ground, Liu Xiao declared, "It wasa warm-up." I can't think of any excuse, so I just say whatever was on my mind, but this is the most unbelievable excuse ever! Who would believe I tripped and say it was a warm-up?!
"R-Right. It was a warm-up."
"Yeah. The Rising Star Meihua would never trip like that."
"You're right....."
"But he looked like he tripped, though."
Lan Yang snorted and drew the large sword from his back. In contrast to Liu Xiao's slender and sharp blade, Lan Yang's weapon was a two-handed sword adorned with an unusual pattern on the hilt and his name etched into the black blade. Taking a deep breath, Liu Xiao closed his eyes and assumed a pose reminiscent of a swan, gracefully ascending into the air.
As he rose, Liu Xiao's spiritual qi manifested as plum blossom petals, swirling around him and expanding outward. The spectacle captivated everyone's attention, including Lan Yang's, as Liu Xiao performed an aerial dance, brandishing his sword with delicate precision.
Before the crystal barrier materialized, Lan Yang's boisterous voice echoed, "Hahahahahaha! Tonight, I shall share my bed with the beautiful Meihua Swan! What a delight!" Wu Qingge's expression darkened further as she clutched the crystal railing tightly, her grip causing small fragments to fall and clink faintly upon the ground.
With eyes aflame with desire, Lan Yang launched an aggressive assault. Liu Xiao, however, remained serene with his eyes closed, attuned to the spiritual qi around him. Sensing an imminent surge of bloodlust, he elegantly pivoted his body in a dance-like evasion of Lan Yang's blade. When Lan Yang attempted to grasp Liu Xiao's waist with his hands, Liu Xiao deftly countered with a swift stroke of his sword, inflicting a deep gash on Lan Yang's wrist. The audience watched in hushed silence as the two combatants engaged; their duel resembled that of a butterfly evading a frog in a tranquil pond.
"Wow, Liu Xiao is dancing. Even if he's a man, he looks so feminine and beautiful."
"He really will be a good male concubine."
"Shh! Liu Xiao despises hearing those words!"
"Really?"
"Yeah, look! Even if he's dancing gracefully, every move he makes is full of bloodlust!"
"Look, Lan Yang's wrist is bleeding!"
"It's like a rose, beautiful but dangerous."
Liu Xiao sped through Lan Yang with incredible velocity. The spiritual qi, taking the form of a plum blossom, elegantly weaved through Lan Yang's arms. It appeared enchanting and beautiful, yet once the plum blossom had fluttered away, it left behind a large, deep gash on Lan Yang's arms that bled incessantly.
Lan Yang groaned, clutching his sword tightly, his face contorted in a grin and flushed with color. Suddenly, he unleashed his spiritual qi throughout the arena; the green-hued qi enveloped the space, obscuring the spectators' view. Wu Qingge was poised to leap forward, but Mo Xian laid a hand on his shoulder and shook his head gravely.
Liu Xiao detected an odd scent emanating from Lan Yang's spiritual qi. It first reeked of decay, then shifted to a grassy fragrance before finally sweetening like a bloom. With the spiritual qi pervading the arena and impairing his precise senses, Liu Xiao opened his eyes to find Lan Yang grinning maniacally at him, his face flushed as he burst into raucous laughter.
"Hahahahaha! What will you do now, little swan?! The entire arena is saturated with my spiritual qi, which contains a potent aphrodisiac! Hahahahahaha! Now, what are you going to do?" Lan Yang cackled wildly, his eyes alight with desire as he gazed at Liu Xiao, who was now panting heavily and feeling uneasy.
For those who didn't know, aphrosidiac is a drug that arouses sexual instinct, brings on desire, or increases sexual pleasure or performance. So, in short, you will be horny.
What the fuck was this?! Aphrosidiac... Why would he put it in his spiritual qi?! Does he want my ass so much? I'm about to pass out!
As Liu Xiao gasped for air, he inadvertently inhaled the surrounding spiritual qi. He collapsed to the ground, his sword clanging loudly upon impact. Tremors ran through his body as he struggled to remain conscious and rise to his feet. Amidst the haze of green spiritual qi, he caught sight of Wu Qingge's concerned face. Clenching his teeth, Liu Xiao's grip on the balcony railing intensified, causing the crack to widen further.
Before Lan Yang could reach out to Liu Xiao, a resounding crash echoed as the crystal barrier shattered, leaving a gaping hole overhead. The arena was enveloped in dust from the immense force, and the verdant spiritual qi vanished. As the dust settled, Wu Qingge stood at the center of the arena, cradling Liu Xiao in his arms in bridal style, his expression somber as he cast a glance towards Lan Yang.
"Who are you? Stay out of our battle!" Lan Yang bellowed. The announcer, her demeanor mechanical, demanded, "State your name, Peak, and your chosen opponent." Without hesitation and with an air of authority that resonated throughout the hall, Wu Qingge stepped forward and declared, "I am Wu Qingge of Mount Hua Peak. Lan Yang is my opponent."
The audience remained in stunned silence, anxiously anticipating what would unfold next. Mo Xian rubbed his temples as he surveyed the damaged balcony railings—crafted from the sturdiest crystal—and let out a deep sigh. Meanwhile, Tian Lang and Bai Lan stood silently by his side. The disciples of Mount Hua Peak were taken aback and began murmuring amongst themselves.
"What is Wu Qingge doing?!"
"Our senior brother passed out!"
"Lan Yang must've used an aphrodisiac! How did he know Senior Brother's weakness?"
"Huh?! Aphrodisiac was Senior Brother's weakness?!"
"Yes, there was one time back when we were on the mission. The girl in the brothel we were investigating put aphrodisiac on Senior Brother's cup, and Senior Brother passed out."
"Wow, that's surprising that he didn't pounce on anyone."
"It seems that Senior Brother is weak in front of sexual desire."
"Even so, he's strong! Look how he got the upper hand at Lan Yang—not until the bastard did underhanded tricks!"
"Now Wu Qingge is going to fight!"
The entire arena's attention was captured by Wu Qingge. His radiant and handsome presence was so mesmerizing that many of the girls in the audience found themselves unable to look away. As he gently supported Liu Xiao's back, drawing him closer, his hem billowed gracefully. Lan Yang watched with a scowl and demanded, "Who are you? You're the one who shattered the robust crystal palace earlier, aren't you?"
Lan Yang's gaze shifted to Liu Xiao, limp in Wu Qingge's embrace, and he sneered. "Oh? Is this little swan what you desire?" Wu Qingge, with a darkly ominous smile, remained silent. The subsequent events left all cultivators and Peak Masters across the globe in utter astonishment.
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