Ma Xiaotao did not avoid the issue at all. She walked up to Huo Yuhao and tapped his shoulder. "Stop treating them like formation nodes. They're people. They hurt, they fight, and they want you to favor them."
Huo Yuhao's heart stirred.
Ma Xiaotao's words did not sound like teasing, but rather a reminder. After saying that, she turned and left, leaving behind a trace of lingering warmth. Dong'er watched her retreating back and said softly, "She understands quite well."
Huo Yuhao coughed. "That's enough training for today. Dong'er, Qiu'er, go back and rest first. I'll prepare for the other possible battle formation scenarios."
"No," Dong'er suddenly said. "Come with me."
She offered no explanation and paid no attention to Qiu'er's puzzled gaze. She pulled him straight through the side door of the training ground, around the corridor by the dormitories, and all the way up to the third floor. Unfinished soul tool formation diagrams still lay spread across the table in the dorm room, while the bed was so neatly made it hardly looked occupied. She shut and locked the door, then turned to look at him. Huo Yuhao's heartbeat abruptly quickened.
Ever since the days when she had been Wang Dong, they had often stayed in the same dorm room. But back then, Dong'er had still been Wang Dong, and they had been companions who could talk about anything—cultivation, tactics, what the cafeteria might serve the next day. Since that kiss, Huo Yuhao's feelings whenever he was alone with Dong'er had been completely different. Of course, Dong'er felt the same way.
"Xiaotao was right just now."
Huo Yuhao asked quietly, "Which part?"
"Stop treating us like formation nodes," Dong'er continued. "And stop seeing me as only your comrade and companion."
Wang Dong'er stepped closer, the aura of the Light Butterfly God faintly heated from the recent battle. "I'm a woman." She moved closer still. "I hurt too, and I want you to favor me too." She took another half step forward, nearly pressing herself against Huo Yuhao's chest. Her soft curves radiated warmth through their clothes.
"So now... favor me a little." Those words were more lethal than any coquettish plea.
Huo Yuhao lowered his head and kissed her. Dong'er did not shy away. Instead, she clutched his lapels and reclaimed all the possessiveness she had suppressed throughout the day. The kiss began restrained, but it deepened with every passing moment. Her lips were soft and damp, carrying the heat of battle. When their tongues gently entwined, a faint whimper escaped her. They slowly fell beside the bed. Huo Yuhao's left hand cradled the back of her neck, while his right rested at her waist and gradually traced upward along her curves. Dong'er's body trembled lightly, nearly melting into his embrace. The Light Butterfly God and Ultimate Ice pressed together like warm water washing over ice, bringing a dangerous yet captivating fusion.
"Dong'er..." Huo Yuhao's voice was husky as his kisses slid from her lips to the sensitive spot behind her ear, his palm following downward.
Wang Dong'er's breathing turned uneven. Her fingers gripped his back tightly, yet at the final moment, she stopped his hand.
"No..."
Her voice trembled, and her eyes were slightly red, yet she remained clear-headed.
"It's not that I don't want to." She buried her face in the hollow of his shoulder, her voice so soft it was nearly inaudible. "Clear Sky Sect... my family hasn't agreed yet. I can't just... give you the final step like this."
All of Huo Yuhao's burning desire instantly became a deeper tenderness. He held her gently and said in a low voice, "I know. I'll wait."
Dong'er raised her head. There was hurt in her eyes, along with grievance. "Don't think I'm stringing you along... and don't think this means you can get closer to Wang Qiu'er."
Huo Yuhao's heart tightened.
Dong'er looked at him and said softly, "I just want us to be more open and proper in the future."
Huo Yuhao lowered his head and kissed her lips again. Solemnly, he said, "Once the inn matter is settled, I'll go with you to meet the people of Clear Sky Sect."
Dong'er leaned against his chest and replied softly, "You'd better keep your word."
At some point, Qiu'er had returned to the residence as well. Without even drawing near, she could clearly sense the intertwined auras of the two inside the room. She clenched her palm. She did not know what possessiveness was. She only knew that, for the first time, a painful jealousy churned within her heart.
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