Chapter Fifteen: A First Taste of Greatness / Chapter Sixteen: Mongol Scout?

Author's Note:

Author's note: One more chapter to go.

Chapter Fifteen: A First Taste of Greatness

The Wu brothers, Wu Dunru and Wu Xiuwen, were in a sorry state. One clutched his dislocated arm, while the other had a sword pointed at his throat. They had been utterly defeated by Lin Xuan!

They stood rooted to the spot, their eyes filled with shock and disbelief. They had never imagined that the young man they had always looked down on possessed such formidable martial arts. Even more humiliating, Lin Xuan had never drawn his weapon from beginning to end. He hadn't even used a palm technique. With nothing but exquisite footwork and a few seemingly casual taps, he had completely defeated the two brothers.

How could this be a spar? It was a one-sided rout!

Wu Xiuwen's face turned pale, then flushed. He stared blankly at Lin Xuan, then looked down at his empty hands. The swordsmanship he'd always prided himself on had been utterly useless against Lin Xuan. Lin Xuan had even pointed out the flaws in his swordplay just moments ago! That was harder for him to accept than being beaten outright.

"You... you..." Wu Dunru tried to say something, but pain and humiliation left him speechless.

Just then, a startled cry came from inside the walls of Guo Mansion.

"Stop!"

Guo Fu tossed and turned in bed with the covers pulled over her head. The more she tried to suppress the heat and shame stirring in her heart, the more intense the strange sensation became. Lin Xuan's handsome face, his deep eyes, and the fingertip that had gently patted her bottom played over and over in her mind. She could even recall the warmth and feel of his touch, as clearly as if it had just happened.

Suddenly, she heard the sounds of a fight outside, along with the Wu brothers' angry shouts.

Her heart gave a hard thump. Had Elder and Younger Wu gone to pick a fight with Lin Xuan?

She sprang out of bed. By rights, she should have been happy to see Lin Xuan get taught a lesson. Yet, for some reason, a nameless worry seized her heart. She didn't even have time to tidy her tousled hair or wipe away the blush still lingering on her face. Her graceful figure, alive with an untamed vitality, carried her out of the room almost instinctively, straight toward the training ground.

When she arrived, the sight before her left her utterly stunned.

Wu Dunru clutched his arm, his face deathly pale and his forehead beaded with sweat. Wu Xiuwen held an empty scabbard, his face etched with shock, humiliation, and despair. Lin Xuan stood calmly before them, his robes fluttering as if nothing had happened.

The Wu brothers had actually lost?! And so completely, so quickly!

Guo Fu's breath caught. She knew that although the Wu brothers weren't as skilled as she was, they were among the best of their generation. Their combined twin-sword technique was especially powerful. Yet Lin Xuan had defeated them so effortlessly! From the looks of it, he hadn't even used his full strength—or drawn his weapon!

Amid her shock, a surge of pride welled up. So he really was that strong. The shame and indignation she'd felt earlier now took on a different hue. A jumble of complicated emotions surged through her heart.

While Wu Dunru and Wu Xiuwen were still too stunned to recover, Wu Dunru suddenly staggered, seemingly unable to bear the pain in his arm. Wu Xiuwen hurried over to support him. Both brothers' eyes were filled with resentment and spite.

"You... just what..." Wu Xiuwen sputtered angrily.

They were about to lash out when a crisp voice cut them off.

"Wu Dunru! Wu Xiuwen! What are you doing?!"

Guo Fu hurried over with light, swaying steps, a sweet fragrance trailing behind her as she came between the three men. Her round, rosy face, already flushed from the run and her indignation, took on an even more captivating shade of pink. Her bright almond-shaped eyes swept over the Wu brothers, unmasked anger in her gaze. She was a little surprised to see them in such a sorry state, but more than anything, she felt an inexplicable irritation.

"Junior Sister Fu!"

The Wu brothers felt even more ashamed and angry when they saw Guo Fu. They had lost to an outsider like Lin Xuan right in front of the woman they loved—and lost so badly! It was worse than death.

Wu Dunru spoke first, his voice full of wounded indignation. "Junior Sister Fu, you came at just the right time! This Lin Xuan, he, he... he bullied you! We stood up for you, but he..."

"Shut up!" Guo Fu shouted, cutting him off. She was usually spoiled and willful, and now her brows were set with fierce resolve. Her lovely face looked all the more untouchable, her gaze sharp as a blade.

She turned toward Lin Xuan. He was still perfectly calm, as though he'd known she would appear. There was even a hint of amusement in his eyes, so subtle it was almost impossible to notice. That only made Guo Fu feel more stifled.

She turned back to the Wu brothers. Her voice dropped, but her tone grew even sterner. "You two! All you ever do is cause trouble! Lin Xuan is our Junior Brother. Why did you attack him for no reason?!"

"But, Junior Sister Fu... he..." Wu Xiuwen tried to explain, pointing at Lin Xuan.

"Enough!" Guo Fu's voice rose sharply. Her bright, expressive eyes widened, and her presence was formidable. "You two were simply outmatched. How dare you stand here and complain?!"

The Wu brothers were completely stunned. They had never imagined Guo Fu would take Lin Xuan's side instead of theirs—and scold them in front of him!

Wu Dunru's face turned pale, then flushed, and his injured arm seemed to hurt even more. Wu Xiuwen's eyes reddened, but he had nowhere to vent his grievances.

"You were outmatched, and you still claim Lin Xuan bullied me?" Guo Fu scoffed. Her rosy cheeks carried a hint of mockery, and beneath her playful manner was a touch of pride. "When have I ever needed you to stand up for me? If anyone could bully me, it would only be because I wasn't capable enough!"

To the Wu brothers, those words hurt even more than a beating from Lin Xuan. Guo Fu had admitted outright that they were the ones who were outmatched, not that Lin Xuan had bullied her! It was a resounding slap in the face before everyone.

After speaking, Guo Fu glanced at Lin Xuan from the corner of her eye. Seeing the slight curve of his lips and the faint hint of satisfaction, she felt both angry and embarrassed. The scoundrel was clearly enjoying the show!

Guo Fu stopped paying attention to the Wu brothers, who stood dumbstruck, and turned gracefully toward Lin Xuan.

Her tone softened at once, a hint of awkward, coquettish concern entering her voice. "Junior Brother, are you... are you all right?"

The sudden change left the Wu brothers feeling as though lightning had struck them. They stared blankly at Guo Fu's lovely figure and the tenderness in her voice. The way she treated Lin Xuan was worlds apart from how she'd treated them.

Lin Xuan smiled faintly, a satisfied glint in his eyes.

"Thank you for your concern, Senior Sister. I'm fine," Lin Xuan replied calmly. He noticed the blush that still hadn't quite faded from Guo Fu's face and knew her heart was in turmoil, though she was forcing herself to appear composed out of pride. He understood perfectly that his seemingly casual pat had opened Pandora's box in her heart.

Hearing Lin Xuan's reply relieved Guo Fu, but also made her face burn hotter. She didn't know how to handle the situation, nor could she understand why she was defending this young man, when moments ago she'd been furious enough to grind her teeth at him.

"Hmph... Good. As long as you're all right!" Guo Fu cleared her throat, trying to look composed, though her bright eyes kept drifting toward Lin Xuan. She couldn't shake the feeling that his gaze saw straight through all her thoughts. It made her both nervous and annoyed.

Wu Dunru and Wu Xiuwen left, supporting each other like two defeated roosters. They had never felt so humiliated. Not only had their martial arts been crushed, but the woman they loved had been "stolen" from them—and then she had turned around and scolded them.

Only Lin Xuan and Guo Fu remained on the training ground. The interruption had made the atmosphere between them strangely delicate, and an indescribable ambiguity hung in the air.

Guo Fu felt Lin Xuan's distinct, clean, masculine scent envelop her again. She could smell the faint fragrance of plants on him, along with the unique, reassuring scent that belonged to him alone. Without realizing it, she drew a deep breath, savoring the strange fragrance that made her feel intoxicated.

She felt ashamed and resistant, yet an indescribable pleasure began to grow inside her. She was even starting to realize that she'd developed something like an "addiction" to Lin Xuan's clean, vital masculine scent. When he came near, she couldn't help taking a deep breath and savoring that unique fragrance, which left her almost intoxicated.

Lin Xuan looked at her lovely, flushed face and her eyes, glistening with moisture. She stood tall and slender, graceful as a willow. He chuckled inwardly. Guo Fu might be sharp-tongued, but her body was telling the truth.

"Senior Sister, take this manual of martial arts insights and have a look." Lin Xuan held out the little booklet, his tone warm and sincere, as though all the unpleasantness had vanished with the Wu brothers' departure.

Guo Fu hesitated, but eventually reached out and took the booklet. Her fingertips accidentally brushed Lin Xuan's. The warm touch made her heart shiver again, sending a tingling sensation through her body. She realized that she could no longer control her body's reaction to Lin Xuan's touch.

"Y-you... next time... don't do that again," Guo Fu murmured. Her voice was faint as a mosquito's, yet there was an almost imperceptible hint of anticipation in it. She didn't specify what she meant by "that," but Lin Xuan understood.

Lin Xuan smiled faintly and didn't answer directly. He merely said softly, "If you have any questions about martial arts, Senior Sister, I'll still do my best to guide you."

His reply was perfectly measured. He neither refused outright nor made any easy promises, leaving endless possibilities open.

Holding the booklet, Guo Fu's thoughts were a tangled mess. When she looked at him, she felt an indescribable sense of intimacy. She knew he didn't think there had been anything wrong with what he'd done. Or perhaps he was deliberately leaving her confused and ashamed, so she couldn't bring herself to confront him.

She stormed back to her room and tossed the booklet carelessly onto the table. She didn't even dare look in the mirror, afraid of seeing how flushed she was. Lying on the bed with the covers over her head, she could still feel the spot Lin Xuan had patted—the warm, tingling sensation lingering there.

Author's Note:

Author's note: Finished! Four chapters in one day was exhausting, so I'll cut back to three a day from now on. Give me some replies, guys. Writing to an empty room is tiring.

Chapter Sixteen: Mongol Scout?

Night had fallen.

A thin veil of mist covered the streets of Xiangyang City, making them seem even more bleak and desolate.

In the distance, the fires at Mongol Camp flickered strangely in the darkness, like the eyes of beasts ready to devour their prey.

By day, this city was as strong as a fortress, but under the night sky it seemed to breathe heavily. Each breath carried weariness, yet also an unyielding resilience.

On the city walls, patrols in heavy armor appeared as indistinct silhouettes in the darkness, yet they continued to guard this imperiled stronghold in the south.

"Master, you've worked hard today. Why make your own rounds tonight? I can handle it alone."

Lin Xuan and Huang Rong walked side by side along the flagstone street. Their footsteps were the only clear sound in the quiet night. A cool breeze stirred their robes, carrying a crisp touch of autumn.

Huang Rong wore a simple, dark martial outfit. Its fine, close-fitting fabric made her already graceful figure look even more slender and lithe.

The tailored cloth hugged her curves, outlining her full, firm chest, her slender waist, and the strikingly rounded curve of her bottom beneath the night sky. The contours appeared and vanished, adding a hazy allure and a forbidden beauty.

Her dark hair was tied high with a strip of cloth, revealing a smooth, luminous forehead and a flawless profile. Her skin was as fair as cream, glowing softly in the faint moonlight, almost translucent.

Her eyes remained bright in the darkness, like two deep sparks of starlight, filled with perceptive wisdom and the fierce spirit of a heroine.

"Xiangyang City is in grave danger. How could I neglect it?" Huang Rong's voice was gentle, sweet and lilting, yet unwavering.

Her gaze was as calm as a deep pool, but held a fierce sense of responsibility.

"Besides, you've taken on so much of the military work. I thought I'd spend a little more time discussing things with you," she added softly, her words carrying a hint of lightness that was hard to notice.

She turned her head and looked at Lin Xuan, her eyes filled with unspoken approval and closeness. It was more than just the bond between master and disciple; it was mixed with a special kind of admiration and trust.

Lin Xuan's heart stirred. Huang Rong had grown increasingly close to him, and the key to it was undoubtedly the physical and emotional pleasure brought by the Yin Yang Deficit Supplementation Technique.

The unprecedented sense of fulfillment made her instinctively long to be near him. In her subconscious, she even yearned for the scent he gave off, which to her was like a miraculous elixir.

They reached a secluded alley in the north of the city. It was close to the walls and seldom visited, making it one of the spots Mongol scouts were most likely to infiltrate. The air smelled of dirt and wild grass. Insects chirped in the distance, adding to the stillness.

Huang Rong stopped. Her sensitive nose twitched as she carefully sniffed the strange scent on the night breeze.

"Something's wrong. There's a stranger's scent here." Her voice dropped, alert. Her gaze turned sharp in an instant, as if even the darkness couldn't obstruct her sight.

Lin Xuan grew wary at once. He knew Huang Rong's sense of smell was keen and could not be mistaken. Her five senses had long since been honed to a level beyond the reach of ordinary people.

Just then, a shadow darted out from the depths of the alley. The figure glanced warily over his shoulder, then without hesitation leaped onto a fine horse that was already waiting.

With a sharp squeeze of his legs, he galloped away! The horse's hooves shattered the silence, echoing over the stone street before fading into the distance.

"A Mongol scout!" Huang Rong cried. She sprang forward like the wind, about to give chase. Her light figure seemed like a swallow in the night, ready to take flight.

But the scout had clearly chosen his route in advance. His horse was exceptionally swift, and he quickly opened up a wide gap, vanishing from sight like a black bolt of lightning.

A flash of light gleamed in Lin Xuan's eyes. This was his chance! This was what he had been waiting for.

"Master!" Lin Xuan called urgently. "That horse is incredibly fast. If we don't catch up now, he'll get away!" His voice held a note of urgency, but deep in his eyes flickered a barely noticeable glint of cunning.

He looked toward the mouth of the alley, where a steed prepared especially for the night patrol was tied up. It was one of the finest horses in the city, entirely black, with long, slender legs. Now it stamped anxiously and snorted.

But there was only one horse here.

"I'll go!" Lin Xuan said before Huang Rong could react. He knew they couldn't let the opportunity pass. His figure flashed, and he vaulted onto the horse.

The steed gave a spirited whinny, reared on its hind legs, then tossed its mane excitedly. Lin Xuan sat firmly in the saddle, upright and poised like a general skilled in horsemanship.

He held out his hand, his voice urgent and resolute. "Master, there's no time! There's only one fast horse here. Ride with me—we must catch the villain!" His broad, powerful hand stood out clearly in the moonlight.

Huang Rong had no time to think. A flicker of hesitation crossed her eyes, but she was anxious that the scout might carry intelligence about the city's defenses beyond the walls. She couldn't afford to delay. She knew that military intelligence was urgent and every moment mattered.

Besides, Lin Xuan was already on the horse. If she mounted a horse by herself, they would lose precious time.

Almost instinctively, she leaped lightly like an immortal maiden and landed securely in front of Lin Xuan, sitting astride the saddle. Even in this urgent moment, she maintained the composure of a martial arts master.

Huang Rong sat in front with her back to Lin Xuan, who sat right behind her. In the cramped space of the saddle, their bodies pressed tightly together.

Her firm, supple bottom, wrapped in her dark martial outfit, was now pressed without reserve against Lin Xuan's lower body, fitting snugly against him.

"Hyah!"

Huang Rong squeezed the horse's flanks, and it shot out of the alley like an arrow, racing after the dark figure. Its hooves thundered, tearing through the quiet night and shattering the stillness of the northern district.

The night wind howled, rushing past Huang Rong's ears and scraping across her fair, jade-like face. Her dark hair whipped in the wind, and a few playful strands brushed Lin Xuan's face, carrying the faint, elegant fragrance he knew so well.

Huang Rong's delicate body pressed close to Lin Xuan's broad, sturdy chest. Her back, especially her slightly arched, slender waist and her full, rounded, supple bottom, pressed without reserve against his chest, abdomen, and more intimate lower body.

She could feel the heat of his young, masculine body through the thin fabric between them. It was a vibrant warmth unlike any masculine scent she had ever experienced, unfamiliar and stirring enough to make her heart pound.

To keep his balance on the horse, Lin Xuan naturally wrapped his arms around Huang Rong's slender waist, his hands hovering around her middle. It seemed as if he was merely resting them there, but in fact he was subtly controlling her balance.

He didn't deliberately grip her. His hands merely rested lightly, almost teasingly, around her soft, slender waist. Yet the horse was galloping fast, and the road outside the city was uneven. At times they hit rocks and mud pits; at others, steep inclines and descents.

Each jolt of the horse pressed their bodies tightly together, then eased them apart. Every bit of friction was an intense, blush-inducing intimate contact. The fiery friction made Huang Rong's body go limp at once.

Especially below the waist, where her long legs clamped around the horse's belly. With each rise and fall, her full, supple bottom thrust backward again and again, forcefully bumping against Lin Xuan's crotch, their lower bodies repeatedly coming into close contact. As the horse galloped, her flexible back rubbed against his chest again and again, and she could even feel the defined, solid muscles there.

Huang Rong's cheeks flared red, as if a flame had been lit beneath them. A tingling sensation began where their lower bodies pressed together, raced along her spine like an electric current, and spread over every inch of her skin, leaving her limbs weak.

Her heart suddenly began to pound like a drum. It felt as though it would leap right out of her chest. The sensation was strange, yet so intense that it nearly left her breathless, her mind blank.

They were pressed so closely together, their contact almost beyond their control. And this was happening at night, on a jolting horse, in such an embarrassing position!

Each rhythmic, forceful jolt carried a heat and tremor that made her heart flutter. Her blood seemed to grow thick, while a faint itch tingled through her body.

The Yin Yang Deficit Supplementation Technique stirred quietly within Lin Xuan. He felt Primal Yin Energy continuously flowing from Huang Rong's bottom. Each bit of friction brought a warm current that streamed through his body and into his Dantian, cleansing him from within, making his blood and qi surge and his Internal Energy grow stronger. He felt every pore on his body open, greedily absorbing that nourishment and giving him an unprecedented sense of satisfaction.

Lin Xuan kept a solemn expression, his eyes fixed on the scout ahead, as if his mind were entirely focused on the chase. His features were taut, making him look heroic and dependable.

Whenever the horse jolted, he even deliberately tightened his arms around Huang Rong's waist "without meaning to," then loosened them again. It looked as if he were only trying to keep her steady, but in fact, he subtly and irresistibly made their bodies press more closely together. Her slender waist fit more snugly against his palms, and her soft back sank more deeply into his chest.

Each time he pulled her close, Huang Rong's body shivered involuntarily like a willow in the wind. She could feel Lin Xuan's broad palms, hot as burning coals, clasped around her waist. Their warmth made her heart tremble, as if she might melt.

His presence surrounded her from behind, engulfing her like a rising tide and leaving her dazed and confused.

She tried to remind herself: Focus! The scout is getting away! Military intelligence matters! She forced herself to suppress the flutter in her heart.

But Lin Xuan's virile scent, mixed with the faint fragrance on him, engulfed her like a tide. The heat from his lower body, and the powerful, rhythmic friction with each jolt, left her too ashamed to breathe and her body limp.

Her breathing grew faster and faster, until it became a faint pant. Her soft breasts bounced with every movement.