Chapter 242

Hu Xiaotian's heart suddenly became tense, and he couldn't help recalling the incident when he escorted Prince Zhou to Xiezhou and was besieged by a swarm of snakes. He looked around and saw no other green snakes appear, then his heart eased a little.

Evening Face

Hu Xiaotian came before the horse, reached out to stroke the mane at its neck to help calm it, when a black shadow swooped down from the sky; Hu Xiaotian hastily tilted his head back, and that black shadow brushed past his nose, but it was a bat; immediately the night air filled with the buzzing of wings, and he saw a dark mass of bats flying over the courtyard wall, swooping toward him.

The chestnut-red horse neighed again; Hu Xiaotian waved the burning wooden stick in his hand, driving away the flock of bats, but in the midst of his frantic flailing, something hard struck the back of his head, pain making him almost cry out. Turning his head, he saw a red-clad girl sitting on the eaves, her skin fair as snow, her features like a painting, her smile under the moonlight like a blossom—who else could it be but Xi Yan?

When Hu Xiaotian realized the figure on the roof was Xi Yan, his scalp tightened instantly and he even forgot the pain just now; he had thought escaping Xiezhou would be smooth sailing, but he never expected the Demoness of the Wuxian Sect to linger, actually tracking him here. Looking again, Xi Yan's attire was nearly the same as that night at the Wan mansion, only she appeared even more bewitching and captivating. Hu Xiaotian deliberately kept his voice hoarse as he said: "Miss, come down quickly—falling from this height would be disastrous."

Xie Prefecture

Wan Manor

Ringcolor Pavilion

Azure Cloud

Xi Yan said, "Hu Xiaotian, it seems you won't shed tears until you see the coffin." She rose to her feet; the night wind lifted her red long skirt, tracing her flawless silhouette. But at this moment, Hu Xiaotian felt not the slightest awe—only deep fear, for Xi Yan's temperament was fickle. Back in the Qingyun era, Hu Xiaotian still had confidence he could escape her grasp, but now he had none. After all, he had once captured her and slapped her; Xi Yan feigned death to slip through, and he had even ordered people to pile firewood, preparing to cremate her corpse just in case. Any one of those acts would be enough reason for Xi Yan to kill him. Xi Yan's red embroidered shoe tapped lightly on the eaves; her delicate body spun like a petal, landing gracefully on the ground, her beautiful eyes half-smiling as they fixed on Hu Xiaotian: "Where is my silver flute?"

Hu Xiaotian took off the silver flute from his neck and threw it at her.

Xi Yan reached out and caught the silver flute. She sighed softly and said, "I have never seen a man as vicious-hearted as you!"

Hu Xiaotian, knowing he could no longer hide it, smiled calmly and said, "Compared to you, miss, I am merely a petty sorcerer before a great one."

Xi Yan glared at him fiercely and said, "Is there anyone in this world more devoid of conscience than you? Who lent you fifty taels of silver in your time of need? Who saved your face at the Hongyan Tower? And who spared your life at the Wan mansion?"

Hu Xiaotian calmly said, "It is Miss Xi Yan!"…

Xi Yan said, "How have you treated me? You helped that demoness harm me. You insulted me in every way, and worst of all, even after my death you refuse to let me rest, actually wanting to burn my body to ashes—are you even human?"

Hu Xiaotian smiled and said, "Miss, you are standing perfectly fine before me, as if not a single hair on you has been hurt!"

Xi Yan raised her slender white hand, charmingly brushed her hair, and softly said, "How do you want to die? Be devoured by myriad snakes, have your blood sucked dry by bats, or shall I use a small knife to slice your flesh bit by bit until you die slowly?" She was breathtakingly beautiful. Though she spoke such vicious, cruel words, she still displayed a pitiful, delicate demeanor.

Hu Xiaotian secretly cursed her venomous heart, yet still smiled and said, "I am living well—why should I die?"

Xi Yan smiled like a flower and said, "Because I want you to die—how about this: I'll let Sweet Sweet bite you once, and you won't feel any pain; before death you'll feel as if you've entered a blissful world." She raised her left hand, and a small white snake appeared in her palm, raising its head and flicking its tongue, poised to strike.

Hu Xiaotian gazed at the tiny snake, no thicker than a chopstick, his heart shocked; although the white snake was small, likely held in Xi Yan's palm by that demoness, it must be her most lethal weapon.

Hu Xiaotian laughed and said, "If I must die, I'd rather die at your hands, die beneath your pomegranate skirt, and even as a ghost be suave—Miss Xi Yan, why not consider doing a good deed?"

Xi Yan let out a soft sigh, her clear autumn-water eyes scanning Hu Xiaotian's face twice, and she said quietly, "I originally thought you weren't hateful, even had a little fondness for you, but you lack conscience entirely—I treated you kindly, yet you repeatedly harmed me, and in the end you even wanted to send me to that useless prince."

Hu Xiaotian said, "Heaven and earth, my conscience…"

"Do you still have a conscience?" Xi Yan stepped closer to Hu Xiaotian. He silently cursed his bad luck, regretting that he had exhausted all his Violent Rain Pear Blossom Needles; now he lacked even his strongest defensive weapon, how could he possibly stand against this female demoness? Xi Yan's martial arts far surpassed his, and her intellect was not inferior either; the situation had completely turned against him.

Hu Xiaotian nodded and said, "Of course I have a conscience. You should know what Prince Zhou's intentions toward you are. In that situation, if I hadn't used some extreme measures, how could I have preserved your chastity? Though I seemed to harm you, deep down I cared for you the most. When I slapped you twice, the blows landed on your face but the pain was in my heart; even now, whenever I recall that incident, I feel heartbroken and remorseful."

Xi Yan wore a look of contempt; Hu Xiaotian's mouth truly turned black and white, his tongue lotus-flower eloquent—clearly he had harmed her repeatedly, yet he claimed it was for her benefit.

Hu Xiaotian said, "You may not believe me, but I cannot keep silent; since I am destined to die by your hand today, I might as well lay out all what's in my heart."

"Speak!"

Hu Xiaotian said, "This matter is hard to bring up, but… actually… the day I saw Miss Xi Yan's graceful figure at the Huan Cai Pavilion, I could not forget her; I think this is what people call love at first sight."

"Hehe…" Xi Yan coldly laughed.

"When I saw you again at the Hongyan Tower, my affection for you had already taken deep root; when I painted your portrait, I had already etched your image deep into my heart. You should know that without profound feeling for a person, how could one paint a likeness that captures both form and spirit? As the saying goes, only when emotion is profound can the painting be profound."

Xi Yan noticed this fellow's eloquence was impressive; these words even made her somewhat believe them.

"The third time you came to the Wan mansion to find me, although you treated me so brutally, even when I was toyed with by you, my heart felt not the slightest annoyance but rather an unprecedented happiness; then I realized I had fallen in love with you, my affection deeply rooted, unable to extricate myself!"…

Xi Yan bit her cherry lips, her pretty face flushing; this fellow was shameless to the extreme, able to utter such words—even the phrase "thick-skinned and shameless" falls short. Xi Yan said, "Have you finished speaking?"

"No! I still have more to say."

Xi Yan mocked, "Your words are truly many; if I had to listen to you finish, I'd probably spend this whole lifetime."

Hu Xiaotian spoke deeply and sincerely, "Being able to talk like this with you for a lifetime, I wouldn't get tired of it!" Such talk even made Hu Xiaotian himself feel cheesy, but compared to life, cheesiness is nothing. To deal with Xi Yan, this demoness of extraordinary wisdom, one must find her weakness, contend in martial arts, play mind games—his chances of winning are slim; the only way is to use his strengths to attack her shortcomings. Although Xi Yan is alluring and charming, she likely lacks experience in love, so Hu Xiaotian deployed his unconventional tactic: "Old me loves you deeply; you would hardly bear to kill one so infatuated with you."

As expected, Xi Yan seemed moved by his fervent confession; the little white snake in her hand had vanished.

Hu Xiaotian said, "I love you wholeheartedly; being able to say all this today already satisfies me. Whether you kill or cut me, do as you wish." He closed his eyes, lifted his neck, presenting himself ready to be slaughtered—though in truth he dared not fully shut his eyes, peering at Xi Yan through narrowed slits; "Old me has exhausted my love words; if you remain unmoved, you are truly a venomous-hearted demoness."

In Xi Yan's hand now appeared a gleaming curved blade, shining in tandem with the moon above; she whispered softly, "Who knows if your words are true? You've deceived me so many times, yet I will still carve out your heart to see." She raised her arm and swung the blade at Hu Xiaotian.

Hu Xiaotian, frightened, hastily stepped back: "Wait!"

Xi Yan's hand halted in midair: "Do you have anything else to say?"

Hu Xiaotian said, "Do you have any conscience? Back when you were at the Wan mansion, there was actually an expert lying in ambush behind you; if I hadn't blocked him for you, you would have been dead then."

Upon hearing this, Xi Yan couldn't help but start; indeed that night at the Wan mansion she had sensed a latent pressure, had paid attention to the surroundings, and noticed nothing unusual; now Hu Xiaotian's words matched her premonition, and she sneered, "Pack of lies."

Hu Xiaotian said, "Why would I deceive you? That person said you were a demoness of the Wuxian Sect and urged me to kill you."

Xi Yan said, "What ability do you have to kill me?"

Hu Xiaotian said, "He gave me something, telling me that with just a flick of my finger, you would die without a burial place."

Monday, please recommend!