Free Web NovelChapter 363: Chapter 363: You’d Better Be Thoroughly Dead
"Are you saying you don’t want to see me during the day, little female?"
Sangze started to laugh, but even the dimples at the corners of his mouth carried an eerie air.
"That’s not it. This... is fine, too."
Sangze would never tell Qiao Xixi that he had planned to use the Crystal Stone’s power to completely suppress that idiot, which would have helped him break through the resistance and seize full control of his body.
But he had overestimated the Crystal Stone. It was useful, yes, but it had failed him at the crucial moment.
’Now, great. Not only was that stupid thing not suppressed, but the energy of its repressed beast soul had actually grown. Now it dared to contend with him!’
Afraid he would ask another one of his "choose one" questions, Qiao Xixi quickly changed the subject.
"Where are Sunxiao and Xijing? I haven’t seen them."
"Sunxiao is sorting things out upstairs. Xijing took the patrol team to scout the area outside the settlement."
Qiao Xixi frowned and headed upstairs. "I’m going to help Sunxiao."
"Xixi..."
Jin Ling tried to stop Qiao Xixi, but Qiao Yi held him back.
"He’s Xixi’s beast-husband. She should know everything about him—his strengths and weaknesses, for better or worse."
Jin Ling frowned. He just didn’t want Xixi to worry.
Qiao Xixi hurried upstairs. The rooms up there had shown few signs of battle and had been the first to be cleaned.
She pushed open the door to Sunxiao’s room and saw him sitting up in bed, his face pale.
"Sunxiao."
Sunxiao froze for a second, his detached, serpentine eyes instantly softening.
"You’re back."
Qiao Xixi hurried to his side, her eyes landing on his scar-covered body. The wounds had clearly been treated with Strong Healing Glue.
New flesh was already knitting together over the gash on his shoulder, looking tender and pink against his pale skin.
The size of the new flesh hinted at just how large the original wound must have been.
Qiao Xixi bit her lip. The moment she lowered her gaze, two glistening tears rolled down her cheeks.
The hot tears splashed onto the back of Sunxiao’s cool hand, and the heat seemed to sear straight into his heart, warming him.
"Xixi," he said, his deep voice laced with panic.
His cool palm cupped her face. As his eyes met her tear-filled gaze, the last vestiges of coldness about him completely vanished.
"It doesn’t hurt."
Qiao Xixi threw herself into his arms, hugging him tight. "But Sunxiao, it hurts me."
Sunxiao’s throat tightened. "Where does it hurt?"
"My heart hurts. I just kept thinking about you all coming back so our family could be together again. And then... this happened..."
Her choked words seemed to melt the very depths of his crimson eyes. He held her, placing a gentle kiss on the crown of her head. Inhaling her unique scent, Sunxiao felt a profound sense of contentment wash over him.
"It’s all over now. We’re all safe."
"Mm."
"You just sit still. I want to take another look at your wounds."
Sunxiao didn’t object. His gaze remained locked on her as he watched her earnestly inspect his wounds, asking every so often with a pained expression whether it hurt.
The pain had long since faded for Sunxiao, but he had been severely weakened by the Crystal Stone’s suppression. He needed time to recover completely, which was why he was in his room resting.
"Who is that man, Langqi?"
Qiao Xixi froze for a moment. After confirming that none of his wounds were life-threatening, she pulled up his leather tunic and helped him put it on.
"He’s someone very important to me."
"Mm."
Sunxiao had already asked Jin Ling about Langqi; he just wanted to see Qiao Xixi’s reaction for himself.
Seeing the trace of weakness that still lingered on his face, Qiao Xixi poured a large bowl of water from the Spiritual Spring for him.
"Xixi, where did you learn your wind and Water Manipulation Skills?"
Qiao Xixi had never told them about this. Since she genuinely didn’t know who Yun Ji was, she could only say, "The system taught me."
’Sunxiao frowned slightly. ’What in the world is this "system"?’ he wondered. ’It seems to know everything.’’
"Feeling any of your strength coming back?"
Looking at her worried expression, Sunxiao decided to nod honestly.
Qiao Xixi’s heart settled when she saw some of the tension leave his face.
"Lie down and get some more rest."
But Sunxiao shook his head and stood up. "I have to go out."
"You haven’t recovered yet! Where are you going? I’ll go with you."
Qiao Xixi grabbed him, but he gently pulled her into an embrace. His cool lips brushed against her ear. "To the latrine. Does Xixi want to come too?"
Qiao Xixi’s heart skipped a beat. She shot him a playful glare. "Of course not! Just go, and come right back to bed when you’re done."
’His lips curved into a pleased smile. ’It really is best being by her side,’ he thought. ’Even covered in wounds, I feel completely at ease.’’
"Alright."
After Sunxiao left the stone house, Qiao Xixi poured more water from the Spiritual Spring into a flask and took a few sips herself.
As she was leaving the room, Qiao Xixi saw Feiyan waiting outside.
"Feiyan?"
Feiyan turned around. "Xixi."
Qiao Xixi’s brows knitted together again as she looked at the dark circles under his eyes.
Feiyan was already more slender than Jin Ling and the others, but now his cheeks looked sunken.
She walked over, took the waterskin from her belt, and handed it to him. "Don’t say anything yet. Drink all of this."
Feiyan was indeed thirsty, but he didn’t take it, merely gazing at her with pleading eyes.
What else could she do? Qiao Xixi understood perfectly. She opened the waterskin and held it to his lips.
Just like that, Feiyan drank all the water, right from her hands.
When it came to quickly replenishing energy, there was no substitute for the water from the Spiritual Spring!
"Feeling any better?"
Feiyan nodded. He reached out, cupped her face in his hands, and studied her seriously, his beautiful fox-like eyes brimming with affection.
Just as Qiao Xixi thought he had turned over a new leaf and was about to whisper some touching words of love, his slightly confused voice popped every single one of the romantic bubbles.
"Hmm. You haven’t gotten any thinner."
Qiao Xixi was left speechless.
Qiao Xixi slapped his hands away and shot him a glare.
’Feiyan was baffled. ’What did I do?’ he wondered. ’Why is Xixi suddenly glaring at me?’’
"Isn’t there still a lot to do? Why did you come up here?"
At the mention of proper business, Feiyan collected himself. "It’s about Huang Ying’s body. I’ve placed it in one of the stone houses. I came to ask if you had any plans for it. If not, I’ll just get rid of it."
Hearing this, Qiao Xixi frowned. She still wanted to go and confirm it for herself.
"Okay, I’ll go take a look first."
Feiyan wanted to say there was nothing worth seeing, but he wouldn’t refuse if Qiao Xixi wanted to go.
"I’ll take you."
After the battle, Qiao Xixi had told Feiyan to find Huang Ying’s body and set it aside. The truth was, she was afraid Huang Ying wasn’t truly dead.
The body had been placed in a stone house used for storing firewood, just outside the inner settlement.
The weather was hot and the temperature high. The moment the stone house door was opened, a putrid stench rushed out to meet them.
Qiao Xixi frowned, holding her breath against the stench as she stepped inside.
In the center of the room lay a corpse, burned to a blackened crisp. No matter how one looked at it, there was no longer any sign of life.
"Keep burning it. Until there’s nothing left but ashes."
’Huang Ying, you’d better be completely dead. Otherwise, I’ll make you regret not leaving this world!’
