Seeing his terrifyingly grim expression, Ye Luan hooked his head and spoke softly.
"I don't want to stay by his side; I want to help Mu Rou. With me here, Mu Rou will never be harmed."
Right now, whether she could successfully get her out was still a question. She didn't want him to get hurt, nor did she want a war to break out because of her, leading to casualties among the soldiers.
Xiao Chizhan asked, "And you?"
"What about me?"
"What if you get hurt?"
Hearing his words, Ye Luan tugged at her lips. Spring seemed to bloom in her eyes, creating ripples like a breeze, making her alluringly beautiful.
She stood on tiptoe and kissed his lips.
Xiao Chizhan's face remained cold. He dodged with a hint of lingering resentment, his eyes filled with a sourish intensity.
"You're so sure Xie Beihan won't harm you."
"----"
Ye Luan dared not say too much. His temper was too stubborn, his possessiveness too strong; he was difficult to appease.
"It's not that he won't harm me, but that I still have value."
Xie Beihan had no intention of taking Dragon City. He might very well retreat south. She would find a way to locate Mu Rou.
Moreover--
An unspeakable guess flashed through Ye Luan's mind.
If her guess was correct, Xie Beihan intended to scheme and kill them all. She needed to stay by his side to find a breakthrough.
Seeing her lower her gaze, a wave of frustration washed over Xiao Chizhan, his eyes holding a hint of ferocious terror.
His features were perpetually veiled by an unyielding, icy coldness.
Ye Luan sensed the hostility radiating from him and looked up.
She gazed directly at him, her dark pupils reflecting the moonlight, like the spring splendor rippling across a lotus pond, radiant and graceful.
"I believe you can conquer Dragon City and will definitely come to fetch me."
Xiao Chizhan remained silent, staring at her.
They remained in a stalemate for a moment. He then let his gaze drift down, looking at her dewy lips.
Ye Luan, oblivious to his gaze, glanced through the dense branches at the movements below.
"They're all searching the back courtyard now. You should leave quickly."
Xiao Chizhan lowered his head and slowly moved closer to her.
Ye Luan turned her head, and their lips met.
Their noses touched, and his lips brushed almost imperceptibly against her delicate lips, as if tasting to quench a thirst.
A cool touch on her lips sent a shiver through her.
Just as she was about to speak, he swiftly lowered his head, sealing her lips in a deep, intense kiss.
Ye Luan truly missed him too. Her heart pounded fiercely as they kissed, a warmth that quietly spread to her ears, leaving her eyes misty and blurred.
A faint, soft sound escaped her lips, as delicate and alluring as a cat's meow, making his eyes redden.
He held her tightly, his hand cradling the back of her head, kissing her deeply and firmly.
As they were locked in an intimate embrace, footsteps and voices suddenly echoed from below.
Ye Luan startled, pushed him away, and looked down.
Xie Beihan!
She immediately covered her mouth and nose, burying herself in Xiao Chizhan's embrace, afraid to make a sound.
Martial artists were sensitive; she feared being discovered.
Xiao Chizhan held her, his gaze chillingly cast downwards.
The approaching figures were all soldiers. The leader, Xie Beihan, was clad in a distinguished crimson-purple brocade robe, exuding an aura of aggression. The palace lanterns illuminated his sinister face, making it eerily terrifying.
He gave a cold smile, withdrew his gaze, then directly grasped the nape of the person in his arms and kissed him fiercely.
Ye Luan was too terrified to move, her entire body stiffening.
This scoundrel, this madman, was utterly brazen and fearless.
She held her breath, not daring to exhale, letting him kiss her.
"Darling, isn't it exciting?"
He chuckled softly in her ear, his voice laced with breathlessness.
Ye Luan, enraged, bit him and looked down, only to see the large group of people bypassing the garden and heading towards the arched gate.
Once the figures disappeared, she immediately kicked him.
"If we're discovered, we'll be dead."
Xiao Chizhan lowered his head and kissed her. "We won't die."
"Stop messing around. If he returns, he'll surely know you're here."
The search of the mansion intensified, the patrolling soldiers nearly turning the entire estate upside down.
Outside on the streets, soldiers were also conducting searches.
Ye Luan was getting anxious, but the man before her showed no fear at all.
"He'll discover I'm gone soon and will conduct a massive search. If you don't leave now, you won't be able to."
Xiao Chizhan ignored her, unfastened her sash, and reached inside.
Ye Luan let out a muffled groan, about to speak, when he kissed her again, his breath enveloping her, converging on her chest, as if drowning her, sending a wave of numbness through her.
Her breathing hitched, and she couldn't help but respond, instinctively calling his name.
He became even more unrestrained, peeling off her clothes, slowly entering and delving deep.
"Mmm~"
Ye Luan's breath suddenly became erratic, her eyes flushed crimson, filled with a dazzling, seductive charm.
"You're crazy."
She glared at him through gritted teeth, but her passion was too intense, rendering her words utterly harmless.
Xiao Chizhan supported her head, biting her lips.
"Luan Luan."
Seeing his devastatingly handsome appearance, Ye Luan couldn't help but tighten her waist, her hands clinging to his shoulders.
She missed him terribly and no longer cared about anything else. She embraced his back, returning his kiss without reservation.
As they were caught in their embrace, those below were in a frenzy searching.
Xie Beihan returned to the main courtyard and, upon seeing the empty room, flew into a rage.
He kicked over a nearby stool, his sinister face contorted with brutal violence.
"With such strict security, you let someone take her away? You useless fools!"
Everyone was terrified. Had an assassin infiltrated and taken the person?
At this moment, a general stepped forward. "Your Majesty, is it the Dingbei King of Great Liang?"
The woman the Emperor brought back was said to be the Dingbei King's consort. Now, with the two countries at war, how dared the Dingbei King come alone?
If he were captured, Great Liang would surely be defeated.
Hearing this, everyone became excited.
"It's the Dingbei King? That's wonderful! That madman is truly audacious to dare trespass into Dragon City."
Someone added, "All four city gates are sealed. He cannot get out. He must still be in Dragon City."
"I will search immediately. If we catch him, this war will be won without a fight."
Upon hearing this, everyone rejoiced.
"Yes, that's right."
Xie Beihan walked to the doorway, his expression grim.
"Take troops to search. I want him to die in Dragon City!"
"Yes."
Everyone stared at the terrifying Emperor, recoiling a few steps in apprehension.
Although the Emperor's methods were ruthless, he usually appeared nonchalant, capable of killing with a flick of his finger. He rarely displayed such unrestrained behavior.
It was widely known that the woman had a complicated entanglement with the former Crown Prince, having lived in the Eastern Palace for a period before inexplicably returning to Great Liang and becoming the Dingbei King's consort.
Now, there was this act of seizing her again.
Indeed, she was a femme fatale.
Xie Beihan, unaware of their thoughts, suppressed his murderous urges and strode outside.
Suddenly, he stopped under the corridor, looking up at the dark sky.
A smile suddenly appeared on his terrifyingly cold face as he thought of something.
He looked back at Huo Dao behind him.
"Go summon Blood Shadow. Search within the manor; dig three feet deep if you have to, but find her."