Revenge

Watching Xia Xue's incredibly nervous expression, filled with self-reproach, Chu Xiaotian couldn't help but sigh inwardly. This young girl really was far too innocent.

Did she not know that such a thing as a bitter-meat ruse existed in this world? Of course, his own actions couldn't truly be called a ruse; he had stabbed himself without a shred of pretense. Furthermore, if Xia Xue still didn't believe him, he would have been perfectly willing to die by her hand.

However, since Xia Xue already believed him, he didn't need to die. In truth, the scenario Xia Xue worried about—that the stab wound would claim his life—was impossible. Never mind that he was currently bleeding profusely and looking pale; if he wished, he could use the cold corpse poison within his body to freeze the wound and stop the blood flow at any moment.

With a faint smile, Chu Xiaotian slowly recounted what he had done in the dense forest, carefully concealing his identity as a zombie. At the end, he took hold of Xia Xue's two jade-like hands, gazing at her with deep affection. "Xiaoxue, actually, there is something I haven't told you. I like you—I like you very, very much. I want to be with you like this forever. Will you agree?" This was Chu Xiaotian's confession.

Before, plagued by the corpse poison in his body, he had no hope of cultivation. He was not only a cripple but a half-human, half-zombie monster. Back then, he knew he wasn't worthy of Xia Xue and dared not reveal his heart; his admiration for her could only be buried deep within. But things were different now. Not only could he cultivate, but he had also brought the corpse poison under control, making himself a normal person. Moreover, the cultivation technique he possessed was of an extremely high grade, allowing him to advance several times faster than others. With these assets, he knew he was qualified to express his feelings to Xia Xue. Coupled with the previous misunderstanding, he knew this was the perfect moment to reveal his heart. If he let it pass, he would be a fool.

"I agree, I agree! As long as you're okay, I'll agree to anything. Now, don't say another word; let me help you inside for treatment." Xia Xue was so flustered by Chu Xiaotian's words that she completely forgot the joyous fact that he could now cultivate. She simply nodded repeatedly, urging him to get inside for treatment. With that, she helped him up and walked toward her room. A satisfied smile hung on Chu Xiaotian's face as he allowed her to support him into the house.

Chu Xiaotian spent the next few days in absolute comfort. Xia Xue believed that it was her fault he had ended up in such a state, so her care for him was meticulous. She even fed him personally, looking like a virtuous little wife tending to her injured husband. It allowed Chu Xiaotian to truly enjoy a life where he only had to open his mouth to be fed and reach out his hand to be served.

After the massive misunderstanding was cleared up, not only did it fail to break their relationship, but the physical intimacy they had shared caused their bond to heat up rapidly amidst a flurry of strange emotions. Chu Xiaotian had always admired Xia Xue, and Xia Xue, after the initial resentment, had slowly come to accept the man who had been the first to see and hold her entire body, eventually letting him into her heart.

Now, aside from the final barrier, there was little difference between Chu Xiaotian and Xia Xue and a newlywed couple. Chu Xiaotian's favorite thing to do was to tease her while she fed him, then finish everything she had cooked amidst her shy, indignant protests. At the end, he would often steal a kiss on her cheek when she was off guard, claiming it was a display of being moved beyond words.

Faced with such antics, Xia Xue could only glare at him with a blushing face before fleeing the room in a panic to avoid further teasing.

Chu Xiaotian loved these days immensely; the smile on his face wouldn't fade all day, making him look a bit foolish. But in his own words, he was more than willing to be such a fool, and he would never grow tired of such days even if they lasted a lifetime. Yet, his thoughts were, in the end, just thoughts. Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, three days passed. With Xia Xue's meticulous care and the specialized healing pills, Chu Xiaotian's injuries were completely healed. Aside from a scar on his chest, there was no sign left that he had ever been hurt.

In truth, Chu Xiaotian had intended to fake his injuries for another two days to enjoy more of Xia Xue's care. Unfortunately, the pills he had been taking were refined by Xia Xue herself, and she knew their effects perfectly well, causing his plans to fall through.

"Beautiful Xiaoxue, you've taken care of me for three days. Today, let your Brother Xiaotian reward you properly. I'm going out to get you something delicious." Early on the fourth morning, as they stepped out of the room, Chu Xiaotian stretched and leaned in close to Xia Xue with a cheeky grin, whispering softly. Before she could answer, he ambushed her with a kiss on the cheek. By the time she regained her senses, Chu Xiaotian had already reached the valley exit, his figure flickering as he vanished, leaving her to stomp her feet in frustration.

This time, Chu Xiaotian didn't just grab any random wild beast; he ventured deep into the forest to hunt a first-rank cat-type demonic beast. From Xia Xue, he knew that the meat of demonic beasts was far superior to that of ordinary animals, though they were so powerful that most people dared not target them. Chu Xiaotian didn't care about that. Even when he couldn't cultivate, he had managed to kill a first-rank Fire Lizard; now that he could cultivate and his strength had surged, he had no fear of such beasts. This cat-type beast, despite its small size, was incredibly fast and possessed terrifying attacks. One slip could mean death, and it took Chu Xiaotian quite a bit of effort to capture it.

"Hahaha, little slut, where is that brat? He didn't just dump you here and run off, did he?" Inside the valley where Xia Xue lived, two iron-tower-like brutes blocked the entrance. They stared at the retreating Xia Xue with lustful eyes, laughing maniacally as they closed in on her. These two were none other than the Cheng Dahu and Cheng Erhu brothers, who had clashed with Chu Xiaotian in Greenwood Town and been severely wounded by Ba Dao. After so many days, their injuries had long since healed, and now they had come to take revenge.

Xia Xue's residence wasn't exactly hidden; many in Greenwood Town knew of it. However, they respected her, and no one would come without her permission. It hadn't been difficult for the Cheng brothers to track her down.

"What... what do you want? I am an Alchemist! Don't do anything reckless; it won't end well for you!" Xia Xue retreated, speaking in a panic. She couldn't help but feel afraid of these two intruders. After all, she was a lone, weak woman, and no match for these two. Moreover, she wasn't stupid; she knew nothing good could come of their arrival. She tried to use her status as an Alchemist to intimidate them, but she seemed to forget that these two had known her identity all along. Since they dared to come, they clearly didn't care about the consequences.

"Hmph, what do we want? You know what we want. That brat you're with crippled our third brother's hands and caused us to be severely wounded by that bastard Ba Dao. We're here to collect a debt. Since that brat isn't here, we'll start with you. Once we have you in our hands, that brat will be even easier to deal with," Cheng Erhu said with a grim, dark expression.

"That's right. You're an Alchemist, but you're also a woman. Tell me, if we make you our woman, who else will dare to cause us trouble? And that brat—what kind of expression do you think he'll have? Ah, hahahaha! Do you think he'll fight us to the death, or turn and run?" Cheng Dahu wasn't as fierce as his younger brother, but he was far more malicious.

"Despicable! I would rather die than let you succeed!" Xia Xue's face was filled with fury, but in her heart, she had already made a resolution: if it truly came to that, she would not survive.

"Heh heh, you'd rather die? Well, if you find that you can't even die if you want to, that's a different story," Cheng Dahu chuckled sinisterly. His figure vanished in an instant, and before Xia Xue could react, he was right in front of her. With a wave of his large hand, a cloud of yellow powder drifted from his palm, enveloping her.

"Heh heh, this stuff took us quite a bit of effort to get. It's called Bone-Softening Powder. How about it? Feeling weak all over? Try committing suicide now and see if you can manage it." Cheng Dahu stood a short distance away, looking at the pale-faced Xia Xue with a lecherous grin, his eyes filled with undisguised desire.

"You..." Xia Xue was so pale she could only manage one word before her body went limp and she collapsed. This Bone-Softening Powder was indeed incredibly potent; she didn't even have the strength to speak, let alone commit suicide.

Cheng Dahu's smile widened as he stepped toward her, slowly crouching down by her side. "Tsk, tsk, tsk, what a beauty. I never thought I, Cheng Dahu, would get to enjoy such a beauty in this lifetime. It's truly worth it!" His gaze swept over her body without restraint, his eyes so full of obscenity he was practically drooling. At the same time, his hairy claws reached toward her waistband.