Don't come any closer!

"You're awake?" Seeing Cao Ying's beautiful eyes slowly open, Xiao Yan stopped chatting with the maid Qingcui and turned his gaze to Cao Ying's face.

His eyes were deep as he openly admired her lovely face, without the slightest trace of desire. Instead, he looked as though he were appreciating a work of art.

Just one glance into his eyes sent an inexplicable flutter through Cao Ying's heart.

"Y-you, what are you doing here?" Cao Ying looked around, only addressing Xiao Yan coldly after confirming that this was indeed her own bedroom.

"Your teacher and grandfather wanted me here. I only meant to stop by and see you, but those two old fellows ended up asking me to stay and look after you."

Xiao Yan spun his nonsense freely. He did not care whether Cao Ying would ask Xuan Yi or the Cao Family Ancestor about it.

"See me for what? To gloat over the loser you defeated?" Cao Ying's lips curled into a cold smile. Though she was only fourteen or fifteen, she already possessed the beginnings of a bewitching allure that could topple kingdoms and bring nations to ruin.

What a born little enchantress. Xiao Yan could not help marveling inwardly, but aloud, he said, "There's no need to feel inferior just because you lost to me. After all, a genius like me only comes along once in a thousand years."

"You!" Cao Ying's face, which had already regained some color, paled again with anger.

"I'm joking, I'm joking. Don't get angry." Smiling, Xiao Yan took a sixth-grade Heart-Guarding Pill from his Storage Ring. With perfect ease, he slid his hand beneath Cao Ying's slender, swanlike neck and gently helped her sit up.

As his warm palm moved from her neck toward her back, Cao Ying briefly stiffened before he lifted her upright.

She turned to look at Xiao Yan, but his eyes were clear, as though he had no ulterior motive at all. Only then did she slowly relax.

Of course Xiao Yan had done it deliberately. Creating a little light physical contact was essential; it could greatly diminish the sense of distance between them.

Naturally, the prerequisite was to act casually enough that the girl could not see your improper intentions-unless she shared those intentions, in which case it did not matter.

As a veteran among the flowers and a king of the deep seas, Xiao Yan performed this sequence with effortless ease.

"Take this pill." Xiao Yan brought the Heart-Guarding Pill to Cao Ying's lips.

Heart-Guarding Pills came in many varieties, ranging from first to seventh grade. This sixth-grade one was clearly quite valuable, though it amounted to little for Xiao Yan and was hardly expensive to Cao Ying either.

"No need. Just let me get some proper rest." Cao Ying shook her head. Although a Sixth-Grade Pill was no great expense for the Cao Family, it was not cheap cabbage, either. There was no reason to waste one on such a minor injury.

Before she had even finished speaking, she felt a long-fingered, powerful hand grip her face.

That feels really nice. Feeling the smoothness of Cao Ying's cheeks, Xiao Yan squeezed without mercy. Under the force of his grip, her rosy little mouth involuntarily opened.

The next instant, Xiao Yan pushed the blood-red Heart-Guarding Pill into her mouth.

The Heart-Guarding Pill dissolved on contact, slipping into her stomach before Cao Ying could react.

"Y-you, how can you be so rough?" Cao Ying stared at Xiao Yan with wide, beautiful eyes. Though he looked refined and cultured, there was always something of a bandit about the way he acted.

"Sorry. I'm used to throwing my weight around at home." Xiao Yan apologized, but there was not a trace of remorse on his face.

"Bandit!" Cao Ying cursed, only to feel a warm current slowly rising within her stomach. Naturally, it was the medicinal power of the Heart-Guarding Pill.

As that warmth spread, a trace of weariness came over Cao Ying.

"You can go. Thank you for the Heart-Guarding Pill. I'm a little tired now." She waved him away, but Xiao Yan did not budge.

"Why haven't you left?"

"I'll leave once you're asleep."

"How am I supposed to sleep with you staring at me like that?" Cao Ying could distinctly feel Xiao Yan's bright, intent gaze fixed on her.

"If you can't sleep, I'll tell you a story," Xiao Yan said, just as he had planned.

"Hah. Only little children need stories to fall asleep." Cao Ying gave a cold laugh.

"Over a thousand years ago, there was a supreme expert on this continent called the Pure Lotus Demon Saint..." Ignoring Cao Ying, Xiao Yan began telling his story.

At the name of the Pure Lotus Demon Saint, Cao Ying visibly paused.

After all, he was a legendary expert from a thousand years ago, once among the mightiest beings on the continent.

"The Pure Lotus Demon Saint rose from humble beginnings. During one of his training journeys, he happened upon the gravely wounded holy maiden of the Nethersea Sect..." Xiao Yan continued in an orderly, unhurried manner.

"In the end, Haishan, the old sect master of the Nethersea Sect, intervened personally and drove the Pure Lotus Demon Saint away.

"The Pure Lotus Demon Saint roared angrily at Haishan, 'Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west-never bully a youth for being poor! Today, you refuse to let me marry the holy maiden. One day, even if you beg me on your knees, I won't marry her!'"

Xiao Yan spoke slowly, but Cao Ying's eyes only grew brighter, her drowsiness gone.

"Did the Nethersea Sect end up begging him to marry the holy maiden?" Without realizing it, Cao Ying had begun asking questions of her own accord.

Hah. She's still just a fourteen- or fifteen-year-old girl, after all. The older man wrapped in a boy's appearance chuckled inwardly. He was about to continue when a timid voice came from outside.

"Sister Cao Ying, are you in your room?"

"I..." Cao Ying was just about to rise when Xiao Yan pressed her back onto the bed.

"It's time for you to sleep," Xiao Yan said.

"You haven't finished the story..."

"The story is long, but the rest of our lives is longer. We'll have plenty of time for stories in the days ahead." As he spoke, Xiao Yan took a quilt and tucked it over Cao Ying.

"But Dan Chen is still outside..." Cao Ying had barely finished when she saw Xiao Yan's face draw close to hers.

"W-what are you doing?" He was so close that she could even feel the warmth of his breath against her face.

Her heart fluttered, and a blush spread across Cao Ying's face, making her already bewitching features even more alluring. Xiao Yan could hardly resist taking a bite.

"What am I doing?" Xiao Yan gave a wicked smile, brought his lips close to Cao Ying's ear, and whispered, "Little Sister Cao Ying, you wouldn't want Dan Chen seeing us like this, would you?"

His warm breath brushed her delicate earlobe, making Cao Ying shiver despite herself. She was about to speak when Xiao Yan's palm settled on her forehead.

"It's time for you to sleep!" With that, he reached down and gently closed Cao Ying's eyes.

"Don't open your eyes again, or I'll spank you. Do you hear me?" Xiao Yan's fierce voice rang out.

Hah. How dare he threaten me! Cao Ying was just about to open her eyes when she remembered Xiao Yan's bandit-like behavior moments earlier.

He wouldn't actually do it, would he? Cao Ying considered it, then actually nodded. Perhaps Xiao Yan's repeated overbearing actions had made her obey someone her own age for the first time.

"Good girl. I'll come see you again." At Xiao Yan's words, Cao Ying inexplicably nodded once more. Only then did she hear his footsteps slowly receding.

"Little Sister Dan Chen! What brings you here?" Xiao Yan's voice, carrying a hint of roguishness, rang out at the doorway, and Cao Ying's eyes abruptly flew open again.

At the bedroom door, Dan Chen had poked her little head inside to carefully inspect the room, wondering whether that frightening Xiao Yan was there. Then the face she least wanted to see appeared before her-and drew closer and closer.

"Y-you, don't come any closer!" Dan Chen's pitiful voice rang out from the doorway.