Heaven-Flying Man!

The room was silent as the grave.

With her clothes half undone, Luo Ning kept her eyes shut and her face turned aside, motionless, maintaining the look of a fallen heroine for whom no grief was greater than a deadened heart.

Luo Ning felt she ought to loathe this. A cold, glamorous heroine being molested by a shameless little thief taking advantage of her plight ought to resist, even if she could not fight back.

Yet somehow, her body refused to obey her wishes. She knew breathing too heavily would let the little thief see her bellyband rising and falling, but her breathing only grew heavier; she knew blushing would make her seem vulnerable, but the burning in her cheeks soon spread to her neck.

Her throat felt strange, too, tight and stifled, and she wanted to let out a little moan. This, at least, she gritted her teeth and held back.

If she actually moaned in front of the little thief, who knew how he would tease and ridicule her? She might as well die.

The ache in her shoulder gradually eased, but the sensations grew increasingly distinct. Every day felt like a year to Luo Ning. She desperately wanted to kick the little thief away right then, but after several attempts to steel herself, she gave up. Mainly, she did not dare.

Having just witnessed Ye Jingtang's domineering saber technique, she knew she might genuinely be no match for him in her weakened condition.

However far Ye Jingtang went, he still had "treating her injury" as his excuse. She would have no justification for attacking him. If she then lost and the little thief pinned her down again, she really would become a fish on his chopping board.

Silence reigned within the bed curtains. Who knew how much time had passed?

Ye Jingtang carefully inspected the wound. Most of the purplish skin had returned to normal, and a few bright red beads of blood seeped out. It looked as though she would be fine.

He secretly breathed a sigh of relief. His mouth was bitter, stiff, and numb, making speech awkward, so he said nothing. He fetched the wound medicine and dabbed it on the injury, then...

His gaze drifted downward, rather beyond his control.

Ye Jingtang was no scoundrel, but neither was he a saint. Earlier, fearing for Luo Ning's safety, he truly had not been in the mood to let his eyes wander. Now that she was fine, she lay openly before him without so much as moving. Where else was he supposed to look?

"..."

Ye Jingtang studied her for a moment, then forcibly steadied himself and raised his gaze to the peerlessly beautiful face mere inches away.

Luo Ning's face was flushed. Eyes closed, she remained perfectly still, wearing an expression of inconsolable anguish, like a heavenly immortal maiden who had fallen into a little thief's hands. Some might have felt guilty at the sight, but others might have grown even more excited.

Only then did Ye Jingtang discover that he did not belong to the former group.

He blinked. Seeing no reaction from Luo Ning, who had not realized the treatment was finished and was still waiting for him to continue, he felt a rather inexplicable sense of frustration.

After a little consideration, Ye Jingtang quietly leaned closer and lightly touched her rosy lips with his own.

Their lips met as fleetingly as a dragonfly skimming water. The soft, fragrant sensation sent his heart fluttering.

"Mm?!"

At that indescribable touch, Luo Ning shuddered all over and swiftly opened her eyes to look at Ye Jingtang. Perhaps she had not yet grasped what had happened; bewilderment mingled with the shock in her eyes.

Ye Jingtang had already withdrawn and sat upright, like a young imperial physician whose gifted hands and compassionate heart brought healing to the world. His voice was calm and gentle.

"All done. Put your clothes back on."

?!

Luo Ning might have been dizzy and confused, but she was no fool. Something had suddenly touched her lips just now, and that had not felt like a finger...

He just...

That was her first kiss!

Disbelief filled Luo Ning's eyes, followed by a visibly rising tide of shame and anger. She reached down and drew the flexible sword at her waist.

Shing-

Ye Jingtang hurriedly backed away a little and raised both hands.

"Hey?! Heroine Luo, what are you doing? Tearing down the bridge now that you've crossed the river?"

"You!"

Luo Ning's face turned scarlet as she pointed her sword at Ye Jingtang.

"Did... did you just kiss me?"

Ye Jingtang waved his hands. "No, no. What nonsense are you talking about...?"

??

The little thief's barefaced lie thoroughly infuriated Luo Ning. She raised her sword, preparing to thrust.

Before she could move, however, Ye Jingtang's gaze darkened. He pressed forward first and pinned her down.

"Heroine Luo, if you keep drawing your sword to cut me down at the drop of a hat, I'll stop playing by the rules, too."

Only after being pinned down did Luo Ning realize that her body felt limp and she could hardly muster any strength.

What a potent poison. Even after being neutralized, it still had the effects of Soft-Bone Incense...

That was what Luo Ning believed, and the blazing fury in her eyes weakened a little.

Perhaps fearing that this outrageously lustful little thief really would take advantage of her weakness and do something to her, she clenched her teeth for a long while before finally suppressing the churning seas in her heart. Adopting the demeanor of an icy beauty, she said coldly:

"Don't think I don't know what you just did. If it happens again, I'll never let you off!"

Ye Jingtang nodded repeatedly and helped pull her collar up a little, covering the enticing sight.

"All right. It won't happen again."

Even Luo Ning's eyelashes were trembling. She sat up with her back to Ye Jingtang, silently fastened her clothes, and raised a hand to wipe her tear-brimming eyes. Then she touched her lips, where the warmth still lingered. Whatever she was thinking, her eyes reddened again.

Acting as though nothing had happened, Ye Jingtang considered for a moment before casually asking:

"Heroine Luo, are you actually married or not?"

"Yes! How many times do I have to tell you?"

"Then why do you keep drawing close to me, only to pull away...?"

What?!

The question left Luo Ning stunned. She turned around, utterly incredulous.

"Who's been drawing close and pulling away? You're the one who keeps taking a mile when given an inch, using these tricks to humiliate a woman, then twisting words and refusing to admit it..."

"Just now, you risked your life to save me, then let me treat your injury..."

"Who risked her life? Who let you treat her injury?"

With her clothes fastened, Luo Ning felt secure again, and her imposing manner returned. Her face frosty, she said:

"Was I dying? Or was I unconscious and incapable of looking after myself? I should never have bothered with you, you little thief! I took a risk to save you and told you to take me back to Twin Osmanthus Alley. You ignored me, carried me here, and then molested me. If that isn't repaying kindness with betrayal, what is?"

"Uh..."

Thinking it over carefully, Ye Jingtang seemed to be somewhat in the wrong. He raised a hand slightly.

"All right, all right. Let's stop arguing and talk business, shall we?"

Biting her lower lip, Luo Ning glared at Ye Jingtang for a while, then sat down on a chair far away from him.

Ye Jingtang took out his spoils, first opening the small booklet.

"This should be Lu Jieyun's insights on lightness skills. I have to present it to Prince Jing tomorrow. Come over and explain it to me first."

Luo Ning sat icily on the chair, unwilling to acknowledge Ye Jingtang. At those words, however, her eyes shifted. Suppressing her irritation, she turned back.

"Lu Jieyun's lightness skills were unrivaled in this age. This is a treasure martial artists dream of obtaining. Why would you present it to Prince Jing?"

Ye Jingtang opened the booklet and leafed through it, speaking casually.

"I captured the Wingless Owl. The entire Black Bureau will know I have this. Rather than wait for Prince Jing to demand it, I might as well openly offer it as a favor. Besides, it's only a booklet. I can just make another copy; it's not as though it can't be reproduced. Don't you want to rescue Qiu Tianhe anymore?"

True...

Luo Ning felt anger had muddled her wits. Ye Jingtang was leaning against the headboard reading, and judging by his posture, she probably would not be able to get him up. After hesitating, she rose and settled her full bottom on the edge of the bed, tilting her head to examine it closely.

"These are insights, not a training manual. Some of it is quite profound. You have to learn lightness skills first, then use these insights to reach your own understanding before you can improve... I saw today that you don't know any lightness skills. If you want to learn, I..."

Luo Ning's red lips parted, but after a moment's thought, she stopped herself. She did not seem particularly eager to teach this lecherous disciple.

Ye Jingtang looked up helplessly.

"The Black Bureau is full of experts. Learning lightness skills would be easy enough, wouldn't it? You promised to teach me a martial art. If you won't teach me lightness skills, you'll have to teach something else. I think the Cloud-Touching Fourteen Hands are extremely impressive. You could teach me the whole thing instead."

In your dreams...

The Cloud-Touching Fourteen Hands were a top-tier internal martial art Luo Ning had obtained from Jade Void Mountain, created by Perfected Person Xuanji, who ranked sixth in the world. They were one of her ultimate trump cards.

Had Ye Jingtang behaved himself, she might have taught him privately. But this shameless little thief had kissed and touched her, taking every advantage he could. If she handed over her prized possessions as well, wouldn't that make her a sweet, innocent fool?

"I, Luo Ning, always keep my word. If you want to learn lightness skills, why shouldn't I teach you? Mine aren't particularly advanced, though. I can only get you started. You'll have to work out how to improve yourself. With Lu Jieyun's insights, you should be able to achieve something in the future."

"No problem."

Lightness skills involved more than simply running fast. They were a systematic branch of martial arts encompassing footwork in combat, concealment when lying in wait, and skimming across water while traveling. Learning them was rather complicated.

Ye Jingtang did not rush things. He put down the booklet and took out the Dragon-Mingling Diagram to examine it.

"Can this thing be copied?"

Luo Ning was simply speechless. "If the Dragon-Mingling Diagram could be copied, whoever obtained it would probably immediately find a workshop to print tens of thousands of copies and distribute them to the heroes of the martial world, lest possessing such a treasure become a crime that got them hunted down. This diagram cannot be copied, and it's exceedingly mysterious. It's difficult to teach through words and demonstrations like ordinary martial arts. Usually, whoever obtains it has to study it themselves."

Ye Jingtang looked slightly surprised. "Heroine Luo, do you know how to practice this?"

Luo Ning knew a little, but the fact that the Sky-Pacifying Sect Master possessed a Dragon-Mingling Diagram was likewise an absolute secret in the martial world, not something she could casually reveal. Given Ye Jingtang's comprehension, it probably would not take him long to figure it out himself, so she said coldly:

"How would I know? Work it out yourself."

Ye Jingtang nodded slightly, examining the indestructible Dragon-Mingling Diagram from every angle.

"Neither blades nor swords can damage this, and it can't be copied, so we can't divide the spoils. Once I work out the method, I'll teach you how to practice it. Any objections?"

?

Luo Ning froze. "Rumor has it that mastering the Dragon-Mingling Diagram lets you reign supreme over the world and ascend to immortality. Would a little thief like you really be willing to teach me?"

Ye Jingtang spread his hands slightly. "We obtained it together. You never considered keeping it all for yourself, Heroine Luo. Do you really think I'd abandon honor and monopolize it? I'm keeping it rather than letting you study it because your comprehension is average. You'd definitely take longer than me, and it could easily bring death to your door."

"..."

Luo Ning felt he was looking down on her. But when she had learned the Sky-Pacifying Sect Master's Youth-Preserving Diagram, she really had spent nearly half a year studying it, neglecting sleep and meals, while the Sky-Pacifying Sect Master watched with a persistent frown.

She wanted to learn these mysterious secret arts, but she had no wish to fight this shameless little thief over a treasure. Saying nothing further, she rose and went to the center of the room, assuming the ethereal bearing of an immortal maiden.

"Get up. I'll teach you lightness skills. The weighted distance running you did as a child laid the foundation for them. You simply don't know the techniques for circulating your qi, which is why you have incredible explosive strength but can't run fast or jump high. Pay attention. I won't teach this twice."

Ye Jingtang put the items away, sprang up, and approached to watch attentively.

Seeing that the two were finished, Niao Niao, who had been keeping watch at the window, hopped onto the table as well and watched eagerly, probably hoping to see whether Tangtang would be able to fly higher than the bird after practicing.

"Lightness skills are methods of making the body light. When qi rises, the body becomes as light as a swallow, moving without a sound. The reverse also holds true: when qi sinks, the body becomes immensely heavy. That is the 'Thousand-Pound Drop' known in the martial world. Ordinary people cannot master both at once, though. It can easily disrupt their qi... If you practice diligently, you should be able to master both..."

Luo Ning spread her feet, drew her fists to her waist, and settled into a beautifully executed horse stance, earnestly explaining the principles of lightness skills.

Standing before her, Ye Jingtang copied her movements faithfully and listened attentively. Then...

Half a quarter-hour later.

Crash-

Amid the rainy night, a sudden commotion came from the inn's roof as a hole was punched through it.

A handsome man poked his upper body out through the tiles, his head drenched by the rain while his lower half remained below. His eyes were filled with amazement.

"What a technique!"

Niao Niao flew up onto the roof as well and landed on his shoulder, thoughtfully raising a wing to shelter Tangtang from the rain. The bird gave two worldly, self-important chirps, probably muttering that he still could not jump as high as Niao Niao and was nothing special...

Inside the room, Luo Ning lifted her flowerlike face and looked at the Heaven-Flying Man, who had shot skyward and was now dangling from the roof like a hanged ghost. Shock mingled with speechlessness in her eyes.

"Why did you use so much force?"

Several noisy voices also rose from within the inn.

"Dear guests, I don't care how you two get up to whatever you're doing, but pay for the roof repairs tomorrow morning, or we'll report you to the authorities..."

"Who's that? Are you going to let anyone sleep tonight?"

"You've got the nerve to complain? Look at them-they've thrust straight through the roof... Hey?! Get up! Stop playing dead!"