Chapter 454: Can You Take It?
Han Lie looked back warily, only to find that the beast soldiers following him had vanished.
Before he could figure out what was happening, a large, black animal hide was thrown over his head, trapping him.
"Who is it? Who’s there!"
A vicious beating was the only answer he received.
"Ah! Who is it?! I’m the Shaman! Stop it! Ah!"
Han Lie screamed relentlessly. Just as he was about to break free, he was pummeled senseless by a barrage of fists.
The assault continued until Han Lie went limp on the ground, unmoving.
Sunxiao’s serpent-like eyes were cold, his killing intent unabated.
Jin Ling’s fists were clenched tight as stone.
Yun Ji glanced at the faintly breathing Han Lie and whispered, "He’s dead. The Beast King will definitely investigate. Let’s go."
As Sunxiao and Jin Ling turned to leave, Yun Ji stared at the black animal hide, gave it one more kick, and then departed.
After the three had left, Han Lie, with trembling hands, tore off the hide covering him. His green, serpent-like eyes overflowed with hatred.
"I will kill you all!"
After Qiao Yi and the others left, the Beast King slumped onto a stool, wearily rubbing her temples.
Yue Li moved behind the Beast King and began massaging her temples, murmuring, "Don’t worry, Your Majesty. Even if the Priest and Qiao Yi’s group know about the secret passage, they won’t tell anyone."
The Beast King opened her eyes. ’Han Lie found out about that secret passage not long after my mother died.’
’For years, he helped me try to figure out what secret it held.’
’But we never found anything.’
’Just as Yue Li said, Yun Ji and Qiao Yi aren’t talkative. They won’t spread this around.’
"That’s not what I’m worried about."
Yue Li’s hands stilled. "Are you thinking about the Shaman, Your Majesty?"
The Beast King hummed softly in affirmation.
She had always trusted Han Lie completely. He was the beast-husband she had chosen for herself, not one forced upon her by her mother and father.
Ever since she was a child, her father had told her they would arrange everything for her. Her whole life was planned out, down to every last detail.
She grew tired of that life. So when her mother demanded she enter a pact with Qiao Yi, she defied her parents’ wishes for the first time, running off to be with Han Lie.
In truth, Han Lie had no advantages over the males they had chosen for her. But that act of defiance had been exhilarating—the thrill of breaking free from her shackles.
But her parents were furious, and they used their own methods to force her together with Qiao Yi anyway.
After that night, she was driven mad with fury. When she learned she was carrying Qiao Yi’s child, she wanted nothing more than to claw the baby out of her own womb.
But her parents wouldn’t allow it. After giving birth to Qiao Xixi, she hadn’t even glanced at the child. The baby was proof of her failed rebellion.
She loathed the father and daughter, wishing only for their deaths.
But now, not only were they not dead, they had returned to the palace. This infuriated her, but more than that, it made her uneasy.
It reminded her of the frustration of her arranged life, and she just wanted to end it all as quickly as possible!
’Once they disappear, my life can return to its former tranquility.’
The Beast King’s eyes snapped open. She slowly sat up straight, her gaze fixed on a point in the distance.
"Yue Li, I don’t want to wait any longer. Every day I have to see them is another day of misery."
Yue Li’s movements faltered. "Your Majesty, please give your command."
The Beast King’s eyes narrowed, a flicker of resolve in their depths. "I want to sacrifice Qiao Xixi immediately. Do as I command."
Upon hearing this, Yue Li bowed and stepped forward.
...
Qiao Xixi rolled over, slowly waking in Xijing’s arms.
She opened her eyes and glanced toward the door. It was dark out. ’I wonder how long I’ve been asleep.’
She looked down at the still-sleeping Xijing, lifted the hide blanket off herself, and draped it over him before picking up her clothes from the floor and dressing.
She picked up the parchment and opened the door, finding Sunxiao leaning against the frame.
Qiao Xixi was a little surprised.
"Sunxiao, you’re back."
Sunxiao nodded and pulled her into his arms.
"Are you hungry?"
Qiao Xixi hummed in agreement. She hadn’t eaten much all day.
"Are my father and the others back? What happened? Are you all okay?"
Sunxiao led her into the main room and had her sit down.
"We’re fine. Sit here, I’ll get you some food."
"Okay."
Qiao Xixi sat quietly on the chair, picking up a piece of fruit from the table to eat.
Soon, Sunxiao returned with a tray of food.
Qiao Xixi inhaled the fragrant aroma and smiled contentedly. "When did you get back? Are my father and the others already asleep?"
"Yeah."
Sunxiao sat down beside her. When she reached for the spoon, he picked it up first, scooping up a piece of meat and lifting it to her lips.
Too lazy to move, Qiao Xixi simply leaned into his embrace and let him feed her, bite by bite.
When she was nearly full, Qiao Xixi pushed the spoon away. "I’m full."
Sunxiao didn’t press her, simply turning his wrist and eating the rest of the meat himself.
"Sunxiao, I want to show you something."
Qiao Xixi took out the parchment and unrolled it, pointing at the diagram. "This is what Feiyan and the others saw on my lower back. They said... it appeared when I couldn’t take it anymore. Have you ever noticed it?"
Sunxiao frowned slightly as he looked at the pattern on the parchment, but his palm suddenly came to rest on Qiao Xixi’s lower back.
"Right here?"
Qiao Xixi nodded. "Yes, right there."
"No. But when it happens, this spot gets much hotter."
’We were face-to-face then, so I really didn’t notice any changes on your back. But it did feel different to the touch. At the time, I just assumed your body was heating up with arousal.’
"I don’t think the diagram is complete."
As she spoke, she gave Sunxiao a pleading look. Her meaning was perfectly clear.
Sunxiao lowered his gaze, taking in her potent scent. He had been annoyed that the three of them had worn Xixi out so thoroughly, but then he met her look of longing.
His cool voice was laced with a husky desire. "Can you handle it?"
Qiao Xixi wrapped her arms around his shoulders, settled onto his lap, and pressed a kiss to the corner of his mouth. "Mhm."
The next instant, he swept her into his arms, and in a flash, they were in his stone house.
The storm began anew.
Qiao Xixi sank into the soft animal hide blanket, feeling the heat on her lower back rising rapidly.
Her hands gripped the blanket tightly, her knuckles turning white.
A kiss, cool as the night air, fell upon her spine, and everything settled into stillness.
Qiao Xixi gasped softly, leaning against Sunxiao’s chest and listening to his heart pound like a drum. A faint smile touched her lips.
Once she felt Sunxiao’s breathing even out, she sat up and picked up the nearby parchment.
Just as she thought, more of the diagram on the parchment had appeared. ’Looks like we can’t stop doing this!’
Eager to get the results she wanted, Qiao Xixi pulled the hide blanket over Sunxiao, planted a soft kiss on his lips, and then got out of bed to dress.
After dressing, Qiao Xixi felt like a heartless user.
She opened the door, and as she was about to step out, she bumped right into someone.
Qiao Xixi looked up to meet Yun Ji’s light-colored eyes, which were filled with resentment.