Lin Xinglan quickly got dressed and went out. Qiu Tao was standing in the courtyard, his back to the house, looking into the distance.
Walking up to him, Lin Xinglan followed his gaze.
It was in the direction of Mingxin Sect.
"Second Senior Brother."
Hearing his voice, Qiu Tao didn't turn around, merely glanced at him indifferently. "What are you thinking?"
Hearing him ask this, Lin Xinglan didn't know what to say for a moment.
What was he thinking?
He didn't know either.
He only knew that his feelings for her had not faded with time; in fact, they seemed to be on the rise.
He was actually relieved that she had broken ties with Eldest Senior Brother this time.
As for her killing Lianhua, what did that have to do with him?
No one knew that if it hadn't been for Lianhua's threat back then, he wouldn't have come to Mingxin Sect.
It was good that he was dead; his clan was no longer threatened.
Lin Xinglan pursed his lips. Instead of retreating as he had before, he revealed his true feelings: "I like her."
Qiu Tao had expected this answer, but despite that, his heart ached.
Although he always called Lin Xinglan a "fool," Lin Xinglan was the junior disciple most doted upon by him and Cheng Wenyu. Now that he had become a love rival, this transformation was significant.
However, this did not mean he would give up.
"Second Senior Brother, let's compete fairly."
Lin Xinglan's expression was very serious. Qiu Tao stared at him for a moment, then suddenly burst into laughter. "Why so serious? I haven't said I disagree. Let's compete fairly... not!"
Whoever wanted to compete fairly could do so. As for him, Qiu Tao, he wouldn't be a fool.
To compete fairly in love was to wait for her to be snatched away!
Moreover, although the most special Cheng Wenyu was not here, that Fu Zi was not to be trifled with. In his eyes, Fu Zi was a far greater threat than Lin Xinglan.
With this thought, Qiu Tao's eyes deepened. As if they were close brothers as before, he hooked Lin Xinglan's shoulder. "Although we've agreed to compete fairly, you should also be able to see what Fu Zi is thinking about her."
"Our competition is between the two of us. So, when facing Fu Zi, you should stand with Second Senior Brother and present a united front."
Lin Xinglan, without any suspicion, nodded solemnly, completely believing Qiu Tao's words.
...
Ever since Shen Jianxi disappeared, Cheng Wenyu had wanted to find her. However, the demon clan's activities in the mountains had intensified, leaving him too busy to attend to anything else. He could only deal with these urgent matters first.
Yet, looking at the corpses before him, his brow furrowed.
Perhaps it was the recent increase in the demon clan's activities that allowed people to discover so many corpses at once and thus find commonalities.
Each corpse had been drained of blood, their forms varied, but their faces were etched with extreme terror.
"Senior Brother Cheng."
The newcomers were Su Rong and Gongsun Qing. After the incident that day, Cheng Wenyu had brought the three of them to his side.
Although he had warned them not to spread the news, after careful consideration, he felt it was safer to keep them close and under his watch. He brought the two of them with him when he descended the mountain to handle affairs this time.
At this moment, the two of them looked grave. They had just returned from inspecting other houses in the village. "Senior Brother Cheng, twenty-six households, over eighty people, not a single survivor. And, and..."
Gongsun Qing found it difficult to continue. The demons were too cruel.
"All their blood was sucked out, wasn't it?"
Cheng Wenyu finished his unspoken words.
Gongsun Qing let out a low "mm-hmm."
In fact, Cheng Wenyu could have guessed even without them saying it. All the corpses killed by demons that had appeared recently had had their blood drained.
He just didn't know what they were trying to achieve. Their recent actions had become so significant, making him feel as if the demon clan was preparing some plan, and the time was drawing near...
Not a single survivor in the entire village. Initially, the missing people were from the villages surrounding Licheng, but now it had reached such a remote area.
Sighing, Cheng Wenyu called Gongsun Qing and Su Rong to help properly bury the deceased in this village.
Looking at the densely packed mounds before him, he pondered for a moment, then said to the two, "Let's go to Licheng again."
He had to see what the demon clan was planning.
❤️
Since the day the two of them had frankly confessed their feelings, they had been vying for Shen Jianxi's attention and trying to win her favor.
Lin Xinglan was more reserved. He wasn't as good at sweet-talking as Qiu Tao, so he could only pour water for her when she was thirsty and offer it to her, or sit beside her and fan her when it was hot...
Qiu Tao, on the other hand, would bring her a bouquet of flowers every day, though he didn't know where he got them. The flowers were eternally fresh and exuded a strong fragrance; or he would create opportunities for them to spend time alone.
Unlike Lin Xinglan's silent actions, he would try his best to make Shen Jianxi aware of his intentions. Qiu Tao knew well that some things wouldn't be known if they weren't said.
In contrast, Fu Zi had been in a sulky mood since that day. Worried about losing face, he hadn't appeared before her.
However, Shen Jianxi wasn't worried. With Fu Zi's affection level at over seventy, he wouldn't be able to hold out for long. It was better to take advantage of this time to boost the affection levels of these two.
Just as she put down her cup, a floral scent wafted over. Without looking, she knew it was Qiu Tao.
She glanced at the moon in the sky.
He was much later than usual today, she thought to herself.
As usual, Qiu Tao first placed the flowers in her arms, then sat beside her as if it were natural. He picked up the wine cup she had just put down and, whether intentionally or unintentionally, his lips landed precisely where she had just drunk from.
"Little Ci'er is drinking alone here, why didn't you call me to keep you company?"
Since that day, Qiu Tao had started calling her Little Ci'er again, as if it made a difference.
Shen Jianxi didn't care much about pet names, so she let him continue.
She turned her head and noticed that his attire today was different from usual.
Was it... a bit too revealing?
This man was so flamboyant!
Qiu Tao's intentions were obvious.
It was evening, and he was dressed like this. Anyone would know his intentions were not pure.
Shen Jianxi merely glanced at him before turning her head away. It wasn't the first time she had seen a man's body; there were plenty of guys wearing only swim trunks on the beach in modern times. What was this compared to that?
"Why are you here?" Her voice was hoarse, tinged with alcohol.
She thought Qiu Tao had reached his limit, but unexpectedly, he had an even more flamboyant move.
With a slight movement of his fingers, his already loose robe slipped down to his waist. His skin was fair, but the muscles on his body indicated he was not thin.
He stood up and walked in front of her, his long arm trapping her between himself and the stone table. "You know what these past few days of my and that fool's behavior mean, Little Ci'er. I'm here today to increase my chances."
Shen Jianxi's expression was a half-smile. "So? What do you want to do?"
Qiu Tao stared intently into her eyes and leaned close to her ear.
His unique, pleasant scent rushed into Shen Jianxi's nostrils.
The fragrance of flowers, wine, and his scent mingled, and the temperature suddenly rose.
At this moment, his magnetic voice sounded: "I've come to fulfill my promise, to pledge myself to you, Little Ci'er."