Shiheng slowly lowered his head to look at the woman nestled against his side. The barely perceptible coldness and sharpness in his eyes vanished in an instant, replaced by a watery gentleness and warmth. He gently raised his hand and brushed aside a stray lock of hair the wind had tousled at her temple. His voice was so tender it seemed to drip with softness, full of concern. "Were you frightened?"
Kelin Xiaoman shook her head gently, a tender, enchanting smile rising on her exquisite face. She reached out her slender hand and clasped Shiheng's tightly, answering softly, her voice firm yet gentle. "With you here, I'm not afraid at all."
Those simple words flowed straight into Shiheng's heart like a warm current, instantly washing away every trace of the hostility and killing intent that had just risen within him, leaving only tenderness and affection.
He turned again to look at the young man in fine robes, who lay on the ground howling in pain, his face contorted. Shiheng's gaze instantly became indifferent again, his voice utterly cold and devoid of emotion. "I'll spare your life on account of your ignorance. If there is a next time, I will scatter your soul and deny you rebirth for all eternity."
With that, Shiheng did not spare those on the ground another glance. Holding Kelin Xiaoman's hand tightly, he walked straight through the surrounding crowd, his steps calm and unhurried.
The onlookers instinctively backed away, making an exceedingly broad path for them. Everyone bowed their heads and bent at the waist, not daring to meet Shiheng's eyes, their gazes filled with unconcealable awe.
The city gate, bustling and noisy with streams of people only moments before, now lay deathly silent. All that remained were the finely robed young man's irrepressible groans of