"You're insane! Both of you are insane!"
Hua Xi's face was a mask of fury. His gaze darted between Xuan Ying, who had just kissed Jiang Xinli, and Sheng Tianze, who was now holding her protectively in his arms.
He stomped his foot in a rage, and the Peacock Feathers on his head instantly flared out, making him look like a pinkish-orange fighting cock.
In a corner unnoticed by anyone, the simple boy's ardent heart quietly shattered...
Nearby, Yue Hua Yin was still reeling from the series of shocks, unable to process what had just happened.
Sheng Tianze raised a hand, gently stroking the long, lustrous black hair of the girl in his arms. He then lowered his head slightly. "Should I take you back to your room to rest?"
Jiang Xinli, her face a little pale, looked weak, yet a shy blush colored her cheeks. She nodded lightly, her "mhm" as faint as the buzz of a gnat.
Just as she was about to pull away from Sheng Tianze's embrace, he bent down and, in one fluid motion, swept her up into a steady princess carry.
Watching their backs recede into the distance, Xuan Ying's eyes instantly grew cold and dark, like a frigid pool of water shrouded by storm clouds.
He threw his long legs up onto the table, snorted, and scoffed, "Carrying her again? It's not like she doesn't have legs."
Sheng Tianze, who was carrying Jiang Xinli and had just set foot on the first step, froze.
He didn't turn around, simply replying in a low voice:
"Because I want to."
His tone was deceptively flat, but it carried an undercurrent of anger and an undeniable authority that tolerated no defiance.
Like a child who had done something wrong, Jiang Xinli gently pressed her lips together, then wrapped her arms tightly around the man's neck.
As she recalled the scene from moments ago, a quiet joy bloomed in her heart.
The moment Xuan Ying had kissed her, the Dodder Flower inside her—which had reverted to its bean sprout-like form—had unexpectedly burst into light again, even growing slightly larger.
Although the light had vanished in an instant, it was enough for her to realize that absorbing a Male Beastman's Uprising Value was completely different from the "nourishment" she gained through intimate contact with a Beastman.
She just wasn't sure if there was also a cooldown period (CD) for absorbing "nourishment" through intimate contact...
Sheng Tianze carried her steadily up the stairs.
He carried her into the room, shut the door, and slid the bolt.
He carried her to the edge of the bed and set her down gently, then knelt before her on one knee.
Jiang Xinli thought he was about to question her. After all, how she had managed to suppress the rampage in Xuan Ying's Spiritual Sea with her meager F-level spiritual power was truly baffling.
But he remained silent, so Jiang Xinli could only continue to play dumb.
So, she put on an innocent expression, her doe-like eyes blinking guilelessly, her reddened eyes filled with confusion.
Her pitifully lovely appearance, like a delicate spring blossom one couldn't help but dote on, struck the softest part of the man's heart with a single, overwhelming desire: to torment her, viciously...
Sheng Tianze gazed down at her, the depths of his eyes swirling with a desire he was desperately trying to suppress.
He took a quiet, deep breath to calm the storm within him. Then he raised his hand. A faint, golden healing light enveloped his warm fingertips as he gently caressed the lip Xuan Ying's sharp fang had pierced.
In mere seconds, her delicate lip was restored, leaving no trace of the wound.
"Does it still hurt?" he asked softly.
Jiang Xinli shook her head. "It doesn't hurt anymore."
Sheng Tianze reached out and removed the white neck brace she wore, his slender fingers coming to rest gently on her swan-like neck.
In that instant, streams of warm light flowed from his fingertips, seeping into the skin of her neck like a lively brook.
The light was no longer the faint gold from before; it had become clearer, almost transparent.
Completely bewildered, Jiang Xinli couldn't help but ask, "Aren't you going to save any for yourself?"
From the residual knowledge in her mind, she knew this was a sign that Sheng Tianze's Healing Ability was about to be depleted.
Certain special superpowers, like those of the Healing System, had a cooldown period at the low-level stage, just like her own Dodder Flower Ability.
Therefore, to be safe, some Male Beastmen intentionally reserved a portion of their special superpowers for emergencies.
But now, it seemed Sheng Tianze intended to use the last of his Healing Ability on her neck without holding anything back.
"I'm not," Sheng Tianze replied gently. His fingers paused, and a charming smile graced his lips as he whispered, "There."
"See how it feels."
"Mhm." Jiang Xinli gently touched her neck and gave it a small turn. To her delight, all the discomfort had vanished completely.
"Thank you!" The girl's eyes shone with unconcealable delight.
"You're welcome." Sheng Tianze stared at her, and behind his glasses, an unconcealable desire surged once more like a raging tide.
Jiang Xinli averted her eyes and said in a fluster, "I want to go wash my hands."
Her palms were still stained with blood.
Every time she closed her eyes, the terror of the cold Snake Scales on Xuan Ying's face and body would wash over her in an instant.
"Of course," Sheng Tianze replied softly, gently helping her to her feet.
"I can go by myself." With a blush on her face and a hint of panic, the girl fled like a startled fawn.
Once in the bathroom, Jiang Xinli turned on the faucet and let the water run over her fingers.
After a long while, the cold, clammy sensation finally vanished.
She dried her hands and was about to turn when her back collided with a solid, broad, and warm chest.
Sheng Tianze wrapped his arms around her tightly from behind, lowered his head to rest on her shoulder, and breathed softly in her ear, his voice as fragrant as an orchid. "Female Master, I'm jealous."
"Jealous?" Jiang Xinli's mind went blank. Just as she was about to explain, he took her by the shoulders and slowly turned her around to face him.
Only then did she notice that his gold-rimmed glasses were gone.
"You took off your—"
Before she could finish, one of his hands clamped possessively onto the back of her head while the other held her slender waist steady. His breath came in ragged gasps as he leaned down and crushed his lips against hers.
"Mmph—"
Jiang Xinli's eyes flew wide, and her lips instinctively clamped shut. But with an air of domineering possession, he easily pried open her defenses and broke through with unstoppable force.
At first, he was a little clumsy, but he quickly became like a self-taught Love God—mature and fierce.
His heavy breaths, carrying the biting scent of cedarwood, assaulted her senses.
Inside Jiang Xinli, the nascent Dodder Flower erupted with a brilliant light.
She closed her eyes instinctively, her hands coming to rest on his shoulders of their own accord.
Soon, their breaths began to mingle, and their heartbeats gradually synced into one.
Jiang Xinli's body grew weaker, her lips becoming numb. He kissed her until she was breathless.
She pushed him away forcefully, gasping for breath.
Sheng Tianze was panting as well, but his hands kept her firmly trapped in his embrace.
A teasing smile played on his lips. His finger gently brushed against her swollen lips, a flash of triumphant pleasure in his eyes. His voice was a low, hoarse query:
"Now *that* was a first kiss, wasn't it?"