Soft!
If Xue Chen had to describe what he felt, that was probably his only impression.
Though putting it that way did not seem quite right either.
Between his five fingers, he indeed felt a fullness that threatened to spill over, but there was also a small protrusion against his palm that seemed to press into it no matter how hard he squeezed.
The midday sun gradually sank westward, and the room grew dimmer.
As the dark red glow on Ma Xiaotao's skin slowly faded, clarity finally flickered in her eyes again.
How many years had it been? It seemed that ever since awakening her Martial Soul, she had never felt as refreshed and clearheaded as she did now.
The Evil Fire that clung to her like maggots to bone had finally lowered its banners and stilled its drums after this eruption. There should be no risk of another outbreak in the short term.
"Phew!"
Letting out a long breath, Ma Xiaotao finally loosened her hold slightly on Xue Chen, whose breathing was weak and who appeared to have passed out in her arms.
The Evil Fire accumulated in her body over more than a decade had erupted all at once. How could a rank-twenty Soul Master like Xue Chen possibly withstand it?
If not for the Snow Empress Soul Bone and Ice Jade Emperor Scorpion palm bone in his right arm, Ma Xiaotao's Evil Fire would probably have roasted him alive.
Ignoring the stickiness on her skin left by the collision between Evil Fire and Ultimate Ice, Ma Xiaotao gazed at Xue Chen's face in her arms, the most handsome face she had ever seen.
Biting her lower lip lightly, Ma Xiaotao reached out and gently brushed his now somewhat pale face.
"Junior brother..."
Although they had only just met, they could be considered to have laid themselves bare to one another.
Remembering the embarrassing things she had done to her own body with Xue Chen's right hand during her Evil Fire outbreak, Ma Xiaotao blushed.
She could also vaguely sense that the Ultimate Ice attribute in Xue Chen's right hand seemed especially pure and powerful.
"Cough, cough!"
Before long, with the onslaught of Evil Fire gone, Xue Chen slowly came around.
His entire body ached. With his Soul Power completely depleted, he experienced total exhaustion for the first time.
"Senior sister?"
Opening his bleary eyes, Xue Chen was greeted by the sight of an exquisitely curved, delicate body.
Although the room was rather dim, he could see what seemed to be a lustrous, ruby-like glow radiating from the delicate body before him.
In particular, the fullness only a finger's breadth away from him trembled as it gave off a sweet, cloying fragrance.
"Ah, you're awake!"
Startled by Xue Chen's voice, Ma Xiaotao realized the state they were in and hurriedly turned sideways on instinct, sending her chest swaying in a startling arc.
"Senior sister, could you let go of me first?"
Xue Chen felt blood surge upward, and even his body showed a slight reaction.
He tried to break free of Ma Xiaotao's embrace, only to discover that her legs, which reached his waist, had his own legs clamped firmly between them. Her hands supported his waist, leaving him unable to move at all.
"Pah!"
Glancing down at Xue Chen's lower body, Ma Xiaotao could not help blushing and spitting lightly before hurriedly releasing him completely.
Already utterly drained, Xue Chen staggered slightly at the sudden loss of support, but almost instantly retrieved a robe from his Storage Soul Tool and slipped it on.
There was no helping it. A man needed to save face.
"You..."
Seeing how practiced his movements were, and how he had even dressed faster than she had, Ma Xiaotao's mouth twitched slightly.
Why did this fellow seem even shyer than her?
Despite that thought, Ma Xiaotao was not slow either, draping herself in a garment hastily retrieved from her Storage Soul Tool.
Once they had both dressed, neither spoke for a while, and the atmosphere in the room immediately grew somewhat awkward.
Both recalled what had happened when Ma Xiaotao's Evil Fire went out of control.
"Senior sister, it's getting late."
After a long silence, Xue Chen was the first to speak.
"I know everything today was an accident... I won't disturb your rest. I'll head back to the Outer Court."
Ma Xiaotao bit her lip, an inexplicable pang of bitterness rising in her heart.
After all, she was only an inexperienced young woman in her early twenties.
Granted, all this had happened because her Evil Fire had gone out of control, but aside from kissing and taking the final step, they had done almost everything else.
Now that Xue Chen had called it an accident, how could her feelings not be complicated?
Seeing that Ma Xiaotao remained silent, Xue Chen realized that his words had been somewhat ill-chosen. He could only sigh and speak again.
"Senior sister, we're both a little confused right now... We both need time to calm down."
After another long silence, Ma Xiaotao finally murmured a single word.
"Mm."
After a pause, Ma Xiaotao raised her head slightly, though she still did not dare meet Xue Chen's eyes. Her hands unconsciously twisted the hem of her clothes.
"The Evil Fire that comes with my Martial Soul will build up again as I cultivate and fight... There might be a next time before long."
Next time? What if things went off accidentally next time?
"As for next time... let's talk about it next time."
Xue Chen rubbed between his brows, then suddenly broke into a smile.
"One day, we'll be able to resolve the flaw in your Martial Soul, senior sister."
At the sight of his radiant smile, Ma Xiaotao froze for a moment, then pressed her lips together again and spoke softly.
"Mm. Then may your words come true, junior brother!"
Watching Xue Chen wave to her and walk out of the room, Ma Xiaotao could not help taking a step forward, seemingly wanting to ask him to stay.
But after taking just that one step, she forcibly stopped herself.
"Forget it. There's plenty of time ahead."
With a soft sigh, Ma Xiaotao covered her face, which was beginning to redden again.
"You only met him for the first time today... Ma Xiaotao, what have you done!"
Meanwhile, Xue Chen also wore a melancholy expression as he walked out of Ma Xiaotao's dormitory.
"That was close. I nearly lost control today!"
Heaving a lingering sigh, Xue Chen wished he had a cigarette in his hand right now.
A cigarette afterward truly never went out of style.
"I almost got taken for a free ride by an older big sister!"
It was not that he was unwilling, but this sort of thing ought to have at least some foundation of affection.
What did doing it under the influence of Evil Fire count as?
Even Huo Yuhao had never done anything that scummy!
He, Xue Chen, was at least a model youth born in New Huaxia and raised beneath the red flag!
Besides, he was far too young right now. On Blue Star, this would mean a minimum of three years in prison, the sort of thing that would never pass censorship.
Once again, reality proved that relationships between men and women on the Romance Continent were far more open than he had imagined.
"After all that trouble today, I'd better head back to the dorm first."
Stretching, Xue Chen felt a rare, profound weariness.
He had still underestimated the surging firepower of an older big sister.
"Little brother Chen."
Just as Xue Chen was considering whether to find someone and ask for directions, a familiar voice he had not heard in some time suddenly rang out beside his ear.