The Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well
Huo Yuhao's clothes still bore the creases from Aurelia throwing herself onto him moments earlier, but the weight on his shoulder suddenly lifted.
"All right, Aurelia. Get off Master."
Ophelia stood two steps away. Her voice was quiet, even gentle.
Yet when her eyes, slightly upturned at the corners, curved into a smile, Aurelia stiffened like a student caught by her teacher.
In Aurelia's eyes, that smile was chillingly terrifying, with the phantom image of a five-thousand-word self-criticism essay hovering behind it.
Huo Yuhao knew none of this. He merely felt a chill down his spine. The sensation of needles pricking his back hadn't faded with Aurelia's departure; it had only grown clearer-there was more than one source.
"Aw, come on! Big sis, I just got too excited!" Aurelia hastily climbed off Huo Yuhao, moving so quickly that she nearly stepped on the hem of his clothes.
She clasped her hands before her chest and blinked, her flattering tone practically dripping honey. "Master's blessings reach the heavens! Ice and fire shine together, bloodlines are born, and heaven and earth resonate! I simply couldn't contain my feelings..."
"That is no excuse to be disrespectful to Master." Ophelia interrupted her calmly, raising a hand to smooth Huo Yuhao's creased shoulder with the natural ease of someone who had done it thousands of times. "Write me a five-thousand-word reflection and self-criticism essay later. Handwritten. No ghostwriting, no padding, and no little flowers drawn at the end."
"What? Nooo!" Aurelia wailed, her voice echoing through the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
I survived...
Huo Yuhao let out a deep breath.
Of course, he wasn't relieved for Aurelia's sake, but for his own. Although the scene before him was certainly pleasing to the eye, that sensation of