Steam billowed through the room, shrouding it in mist.
Yet Ning Hongye's figure was still visible. Her skin was as smooth and lustrous as white jade, and her arms rested casually on the edge of the wooden tub.
Though all he could see was her back, she was still breathtakingly beautiful, stirring all sorts of thoughts.
"Who's there?"
Ning Hongye whipped around.
Xiao Yang caught sight of her perfect figure. Heat surged through him, and he could barely stop himself from getting a nosebleed.
She was stunning!
A true gift from the heavens.
He had seen Yan Ruyu, the most beautiful woman in the Four Prefectures of the Northern Territory. She was already an incomparable beauty, enough to make fish sink and birds fall from the sky.
But even she seemed to pale beside Ning Hongye.
Her beauty defied description, beyond the reach of even the finest brush and ink.
It seemed that any man who looked at her would be captivated and utterly lost.
At last, Xiao Yang understood why she always wore a mask.
Without one, she could bring a kingdom to ruin, inciting countless princes and nobles to wage war for her.
"Gulp!"
Xiao Yang swallowed hard, unable to tear his eyes away.
"Do you like what you see?"
Ning Hongye's red lips parted, but her voice was chillingly cold.
"Mm."
Xiao Yang nodded eagerly, then immediately realized something was wrong.
He had barged in uninvited and witnessed such an intimate scene. Given Ning Hongye's temper, was she about to go on a killing spree?
Suddenly, Ning Hongye beckoned with her jade hand. A gauzy robe floated over from across the room and covered her perfect figure.
"If you were any other man, I'd have gouged out your eyes for such an offense. I'd have done the same even if you'd only seen my face!"
"But you gave me your Spirit Eye, so I'll let it go this once... Now get out!"
Ning Hongye said coldly.
"Sorry, I barged in!"
Xiao Yang felt awkward and was about to leave.
"Pfft!"
Suddenly, Ning Hongye's body convulsed. She spat out a mouthful of blood, staining the water in the tub red.
"Miss Ning, are you all right?"
Xiao Yang rushed over at once, his voice full of concern.
They were now so close that each could see their reflection in the other's eyes.
Though she was covered by a gauzy robe, her figure showed through, making her even more alluring.
"You—"
Ning Hongye had just begun to scold him when a sudden stab of pain seized her body, leaving her unable to speak.
Sweat glistened all over her as she seemed to endure immense agony.
"What's wrong with you?" Xiao Yang pressed.
"I was badly injured in the Outer Regions... and tainted by demonic energy! I've been suppressing it with my cultivation, but it keeps rebounding from time to time..."
Ning Hongye explained in fits and starts. For the first time, vulnerability showed on her lovely face.
She no longer looked like the Female God of Slaughter. Instead, she looked like a little girl in need of protection.
"What can be done to dispel the demonic energy?" Xiao Yang asked.
"Only something of the utmost yang can do it! Xiao Yang, don't concern yourself with me. I can suppress it with my cultivation..." Ning Hongye said.
Something of the utmost yang?
Xiao Yang's eyes lit up. "All right, then. I'll help heal you!"
As he spoke, he reached out, placed his hands on Ning Hongye's back, and channeled his Internal Energy with all his might.
"There's no need. It won't help—"
Ning Hongye broke off mid-sentence.
To her surprise, Xiao Yang's Internal Energy was nowhere near as powerful as hers, yet it seemed to counter the demonic energy.
The moment the two touched, it was like snow meeting the blazing sun. The demonic energy melted away instantly.
"How is this possible? Could he be...?"
Ning Hongye was astonished.
In fact, after taking the Yin Yang Creation Pill, Xiao Yang had been reborn as an Innate Yin-Yang Sacred Body (Yang).
That made him a body of the utmost yang.
"It looks like it's working! Miss Ning, this is awkward. Why don't I get into the tub too?"
"Don't worry, I'll cover my eyes with a black cloth. I won't take advantage of you!"
Xiao Yang offered.
Ning Hongye fell silent.
Though she was stunning enough to rival the beauty of a whole kingdom, she had never been intimate with a man, let alone bathed in the same tub as one.
But first, Xiao Yang was her fiancé in name.
Second, his repeated actions had earned her favor. Now he was even going to heal her, and she couldn't bring herself to say no.
When she didn't object, Xiao Yang covered his eyes with a black cloth, then climbed into the tub.
"Splash!"
Water flew everywhere, spilling over the sides.
The tub was small, and with both of them inside, they were almost pressed against each other.
More importantly, Ning Hongye had just been bathing and wasn't wearing a stitch of clothing.
"She smells so good!"
Xiao Yang caught a delicate fragrance that seemed to refresh his very soul.
People said a beauty's sweat was sweet, but even Ning Hongye's bathwater smelled wonderful to him.
"Miss Ning, forgive me for the impropriety!"
Then he placed both hands on her back and channeled his Internal Energy into her without pause.
"Mmm..."
Ning Hongye felt a wave of relief and couldn't help letting out a soft moan.
But then she realized she had let her guard down. She clenched her teeth and fists, forcing herself not to make another sound.
The room fell utterly quiet, save for their breathing.
Yet an ambiguous mood began to fill the air, bringing them wordlessly closer.
"Thank you for earlier," Xiao Yang suddenly said.
"I told you, I didn't do it because I care about you. I was only repaying a favor." Ning Hongye was still as haughty as ever.
"Whatever the reason, I benefited from your help! Without our Marriage Contract, Father King wouldn't have spared me. Besides, you didn't even change your shoes when you came. You must've rushed over as soon as you heard the news, right?"
Xiao Yang pointed out the detail.
At his words, Ning Hongye's pretty face flushed, and her heart began to pound.
Damn it!
He'd noticed!
She had never had feelings for a man before. Now, flustered and confused, she had no idea what to say.
"Miss Ning, let's stop here for today!"
Suddenly, Xiao Yang withdrew his hands and climbed out of the tub.
"After a few more sessions, I should be able to clear all the demonic energy from your body. I'll head back now," Xiao Yang said as he took his leave.
He was drenched in sweat and walked with his back hunched.
He was leaving because the tub had made him so excited that he couldn't control his arousal.
But Ning Hongye assumed he was hunched over because treating her had drained too much of his energy.
She couldn't help feeling a little concerned for him.
"Oh, right. This Cloud Piercing Bow is a divine weapon I got from Xiao Li. I heard it has a range of a thousand zhang and has killed dozens of enemy generals. I'll give it to you!"
Xiao Yang left the Cloud Piercing Bow behind, then left the room.
Ning Hongye watched him go, unable to snap out of it for a long while. At last, she murmured to herself:
"Xiao Lang, you've treated me with sincerity. I will never let you down in this life!"
A while later, Xiao Yang returned to his residence.
The corners of his mouth lifted as he relived the beautiful sight in the tub.
So soft and smooth!
Even that brief glimpse remained vivid in his memory.
"Bang!"
Xiao Yang pushed open the door to his bedroom, ready to wash up and rest.
Suddenly, another peerless beauty appeared before him.
She wore flowing white robes, her face lovely as peach blossoms, bright and radiant.
She had two entirely different airs about her: at times, she was as pure as a holy maiden; at others, as bewitching as a temptress!
Below the white skirt, her jade feet were bare, her toes crystalline like fine porcelain. He could play with them for a year and never tire of it.
"Miss Yan, what are you doing here?"
Xiao Yang rubbed his eyes, thinking he must be seeing things.
Wasn't this Jixia Academy's Female Master Teacher, Yan Ruyu?
"Jiu Lang, you're finally back!"
Yan Ruyu stood up when she saw him and greeted him warmly, as if she were the mistress of the room.
But the next moment, she frowned, looking deeply suspicious.
"Hmm? Why are you soaking wet? And why do you smell so fragrant?"
Before you continue