Chapter 1537

Hu Xiaotian racked his brains but couldn't recall when he had left that portrait in Myriad Manor, yet he showed no surprise, smiling: "This portrait really does look a bit like me."

Madam Hu said: "It's not you, it's your cousin."

Hu Xiaotian said: "Madam, you're joking with me."

Madam Hu gently set down her teacup and said: "I never joke with people."

Long Xi Yue sensed the atmosphere was very strange, rose and came to Hu Xiaotian's side, whispering: "Let's not disturb Madam."

Madam Hu sighed faintly: "What do you two think this place is? You come and go as you please?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "What do you mean, Madam? Are you going to forcibly keep us here?"

Madam Hu said: "Anyone I keep will surely stay!" As soon as she finished speaking, pounding sounds came from the roof and ground simultaneously, and white smoke filled everywhere.

Hu Xiaotian grabbed Long Xi Yue's hand and pulled her outward, but at that moment countless silk nets surrounded them; they held their breath, Hu Xiaotian drew his Wind-breaking Blade trying to force a path out, yet he felt a violent tremor underfoot as the ground split open down the middle. Long Xi Yue gave a startled cry, lost her footing and fell; Hu Xiaotian caught her, just then a large net dropped from above, enveloping them. He yanked hard, pulling Long Xi Yue into his embrace, then tried to leap out of the pit, but the top had already been sealed with an iron plate. He raised his Wind-breaking Blade and thrust it sideways, attempting to embed it in the wall to arrest his fall, but the blade failed to penetrate, merely scraping a long spark across the iron wall. By then he could see the ground below, and it wasn't very deep.

Hu Xiaotian, using his superb night vision, saw that the area below was completely flat and free of traps, so he felt safe jumping down. He removed the large net that had been covering him and Long Xi Yue.

"Are you hurt?" they both asked simultaneously; when danger struck, each thought first of the other rather than themselves.

Long Xi Yue laughed; with Hu Xiaotian by her side, she felt no fear no matter how perilous the environment.

Hu Xiaotian looked up and thought: Today is like capsizing in a sewer, all because curiosity led him to recognize relatives, only to be schemed against. Fortunately neither was injured; he was confident this place could not trap him, but just in case he had Long Xi Yue hold her breath—he had taught her the "playing dead dog" breath-holding technique when escorting her to Da Yong for the marriage alliance, and now it finally came in handy.

Hu Xiaotian saw a passage ahead, took Long Xi Yue's hand and walked forward, lowly saying: "You must remember to stay right by my side, not stepping away."

Long Xi Yue nodded. They proceeded down the passage; Hu Xiaotian tapped the walls with his blade's hilt and found they were all iron; Long Xi Yue noticed too, and worriedly asked: "Is there no way out?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "If there's an entrance, there must be an exit."

Ahead appeared an iron door; Hu Xiaotian laughed: "I told you so!" He had Long Xi Yue follow behind him, walked over, and with one strike split the iron lock on the door, pushed it open to reveal stone steps outside—already beyond the iron‑cast passage.

After walking a stretch of stone steps, they saw a faint light ahead; Long Xi Yue exclaimed delightedly: "Look, fireflies!"

Hu Xiaotian looked ahead and indeed saw a speck of gold light flying toward them—how could there be fireflies in this cavern? Moreover, firefly light should be a bluish‑green hue, not gold. His nerves instantly tensed; he shielded Long Xi Yue before him, while the specks of gold light rose from around them. Long Xi Yue thought they were golden fireflies, but Hu Xiaotian felt a cold chill run up his spine to his forehead: Blood Shadow Golden Beetles! They were indeed Blood Shadow Golden Beetles.

The gold light grew more numerous, filling the sky and earth; so dense that the sight was not romantic at all but chilling, and Long Xi Yue couldn't help but feel afraid.

Hu Xiaotian chuckled: "Come out, I know it's you!"

No one answered; seeing the dense swarm of gold light approaching, Hu Xiaotian felt a pang of fear—he himself wasn't afraid, having once swallowed the neidan of the Five‑Colored Spider King, so these Blood Shadow Golden Beetles couldn't harm him, but what about Long Xi Yue? She didn't possess his invulnerability to all poisons.

Hu Xiaotian said: "Every grievance has its source, every debt its debtor—come after me!"

The gold lights drifted forward and converged; as Hu Xiaotian focused, Long Xi Yue felt a wave of dizziness, her body went limp and she collapsed toward the ground, which he hurriedly caught.

The gold light before them coalesced into a human shape, then faded, revealing an exquisitely beautiful woman standing before Hu Xiaotian. Seeing her, he couldn't help but wryly smile: "I guessed it was probably you nine times out of ten; after all this time apart, you greet me with this trick—seems a bit unkind." The stunning woman was none other than Xu Mi Tian.

Since they parted in Cangmu County, it had been a long time—longer even than his separation from Long Xi Yue. Seeing this old lover, Hu Xiaotian felt his heart heat and his scalp tingle—not from fear, for Xu Mi Tian likely wouldn't harm him, but this woman is notoriously mercurial; one can't guarantee she won't hurt Long Xi Yue, after all women are prone to jealousy.

Xu Mi Tian approached Hu Xiaotian with a graceful sway, a charming smile, alluring charm, her eyes like spring water gliding over his face: "Little bearded one, we meet again?"

Hu Xiaotian hehe‑laughed: "Yeah, it's been so long—have you missed me?"

Xu Mi Tian pursed her cherry lips: "Hugging one while seducing another—you're truly shameless."

Hu Xiaotian said: "You have to keep the water level in the bowl even, otherwise you'll feel uneasy."

Xu Mi Tian giggled, leaning close to Long Xi Yue to look her over: "You're getting lovelier and lovelier—no wonder you're so enamored of her. Such a beautiful woman, even I feel my heart stir."

Though worried, Hu Xiaotian kept his concern hidden and whispered: "What have you done to her?"

Xu Mi Tian said: "Nothing much—just poisoned her." Xu Mi Tian is Xu Mi Tian; though she'd done a wicked deed, she speaks of it lightly, as if nothing happened.

Hu Xiaotian said: "But I clearly saw her holding her breath, and your Blood Shadow Golden Beetles didn't even come near to bite her—how did she get poisoned?"

Xu Mi Tian gave him a sideways glance: "Do you think poison only works through breathing or eating? You're an idiot in this regard."

Hu Xiaotian chuckled along: "I know you're powerful, but we're all old acquaintances, practically family—no need to be so vicious. Why not cure her poison?"

Xu Mi Tian turned and walked ahead; Hu Xiaotian, needing her favor, dared not offend her, so he carried Long Xi Yue and followed behind her.

Previously Hu Xiaotian hadn't realized that the underground of Myriad Manor held other secrets; it appears Xu Mi Tian remodeled it after taking over, though why she came here in the first place is unclear—she seems to have been residing here for quite a while.

Ahead, mist swirled; it turned out to be an underground hot spring, not far from which stood a stone bed. Xu Mi Tian pointed at the bed, indicating that Hu Xiaotian should lay Long Xi Yue upon it.

Hu Xiaotian placed Long Xi Yue properly, then removed his outer robe to cover her.

Xu Mi Tian watched from the side, coldly remarking: "You really are attentive."

Hu Xiaotian smiled: "The same goes for you—I just didn't know where you'd been all these years. You've grown even more lovely." As he said this, he moved closer and reached out to place his hand on her shoulder.

Xu Mi Tian glared at him: "Dare touch me once, and I'll slap you to death!"

Hu Xiaotian's hand froze mid‑air: "Can't we just talk nicely? After all, a day as husband and wife brings a hundred days of gratitude—we've at least shared a few days of feeling, right?"

Xu Mi Tian lifted her foot to kick him, but Hu Xiaotian seized her ankle. He knew her temperament: outwardly cold‑hearted, inwardly ardent; the frostier her stare, the hotter her inner passion.

Xu Mi Tian said: "Let go!"

Hu Xiaotian said: "No. I absolutely will not let go."

"Hehe, not letting go!" Xu Mi Tian pointed at the stone bed. Then countless specks of gold light shot toward it, startling Hu Xiaotian into hastily releasing her leg: "No, please don't!"

Xu Mi Tian sighed softly: "It seems she truly holds a very important place in your heart."

Hu Xiaotian said: "With your breadth of mind, you shouldn't be jealous, right?"

Xu Mi Tian said: "Can't be bothered to be jealous!" She walked toward the hot spring; reaching the edge, her golden long robe slipped off silently, revealing a splendid, exquisite figure, her ice‑skin and jade‑like flesh flawless.

Hu Xiaotian widened his eyes, silently swallowing a mouthful of saliva.

Xu Mi Tian stepped into the spring, loosened her hair, and softly said: "Won't you come keep me company?"

Hu Xiaotian turned to look at the still‑unconscious Long Xi Yue; the only recourse was for Xu Mi Tian to act. To get her to save the girl, he had to win her favor—well, he'd sacrifice his chastity if needed.

Hu Xiaotian began undressing while glancing back again.

Xu Mi Tian, in the spring, said disdainfully: "What's there to fear? She won't wake up anyway; if you're truly scared, I'll just kill her outright."

Hu Xiaotian was both laughing and crying; facing Xu Mi Tian, he really had few options. He stripped naked, then with a *thud* jumped into the spring. Xu Mi Tian raised a hand to shield her pretty face—this fellow was obviously doing it on purpose.

Though the spring wasn't large, it was enough for Hu Xiaotian to swim a few laps; after doing a round trip, he returned to her side, gazing at her luscious, tempting lips, and whispered: "Actually I have an idea..."

Xu Mi Tian's languid gaze was unusually sexy: "What idea? Come on, tell me."

Hu Xiaotian said: "I really want to take advantage of you... but while I have the thought, I lack the guts to actually do it."

Xu Mitian gave a charming smile: "Your courage seems to be getting smaller and smaller—tell me, what are you afraid of?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "I'm afraid you'll think I'm vulgar."

Xu Mitian said: "You've always been vulgar!"

Hu Xiaotian said: "Actually, during the time you were away, I've been thinking of you all along, eh."

Xu Mitian wore a doubtful expression.

"Actually, I've realized that I've long since fallen deeply in love with you."

Xu Mitian bit the cherry lips and shook their head.

"Actually..."

Xu Mitian suddenly hooked their arms around his neck, sealing his mouth with cherry lips.

Until now, our being able to stand in first place is absolutely not due to Zhangyu's individual strength, but our collective strength. Over these 28 days, everyone has witnessed our unity, our resilience, our never-giving-up spirit. We have been struck, we have been slandered, we have faced betrayal, yet we have risen again just the same. Now there is nothing, no one that can block our steps forward. We walk step by step, we contend vote by vote. We may not become the first to cross the finish line, but we will surely cross it, leaving our mark in the history of Dianniang! Glory will belong to each of us; glory already belongs to each of us! (To be continued~^~)