Struck by Xiao Yan's words squarely upon that sore and humiliating spot, Xiao Yu's pretty face at once turned livid. Her jade-like hand thrust out, and in a flash she had gripped the handle of the longsword at her waist.
A faint, cold smile tugging at the corner of his lips as he watched the livid-faced Xiao Yu, Xiao Yan leaned back slightly and drawled lazily: "Looking to fight?"
"Fight if you will, and what then?!" Xiao Yu clasped the sword's hilt with white-knuckled fingers, fighting back the urge to draw and strike at him as she sneered: "Even if your talent has returned to you now, what of it? Three years ago, this Xiao Yu of yours could chase you scrambling all over the mountain — and three years later, I can do it still."
Xiao Yan's brow arched subtly, his gaze sweeping over the full bosom that the light-purple school uniform barely concealed. There, stitched upon it, were three golden stars — a badge of Xiao Yu's present strength. A Three-Star Dou Warrior. It seemed this year of study at the academy had advanced that headstrong woman by no small margin after all.
"Where are your filthy eyes looking?" Catching Xiao Yan's gaze, Xiao Yu's already livid face turned colder still by several degrees.
"You dress like that — is it not meant for men to look at?" Xiao Yan stroked his nose; his words, seemingly careless, never failed to send Xiao Yu into a burning rage.
"Little bastard!" Gnashing a set of pearly teeth, the exasperated Xiao Yu finally drew the longsword from her waist with a sharp "chink," leveling it at Xiao Yan: "Say the word and I'll cut out that tongue of yours!"
Facing the glinting blade of that fine steel sword before him, Xiao Yan did not so much as blink, murmuring softly: "Care to try?" As he spoke, his right palm curled ever so slightly, a fierce suction taking shape in the center of his hand. With three Xuan-grade Dou Techniques at his command, he had no particular dread of a Three-Star Dou Warrior should it truly come to blows.
Watching the pair locked in tense confrontation, Xun'er gave a helpless little shake of her head. Her gaze swept toward the distance, and a smile rose to her lips as she reminded them gently: "Uncle Xiao is coming."
At Xun'er's reminder, Xiao Yu's delicate brows knitted. She turned her head and, sure enough, behold Xiao Zhan, his expression somewhat changed, hurrying over with rapid strides.
"Hmph. Lucky for you."
With a single cold snort, Xiao Yu sheathed her sword, set in motion those seductive, rounded legs and turned to leave. Yet as she passed Xun'er, her stride suddenly halted: "Cousin Xun'er, your beauty and your gift for cultivation are both first-rate. You would do well to keep your distance from certain people. Otherwise, should you come to be tainted by their bad habits in time to come, it would be too late for regret."
At Xiao Yu's words of warning, Xun'er gave an airy smile, replying softly: "Thank you for your concern, Cousin Xiao Yu, but Xun'er thinks Xiao Yan-gege is a fine person."
Hearing the meaning that lay hidden beneath Xun'er's words, Xiao Yu's pretty face shifted slightly. Her gaze swept over the faintly smiling Xun'er, and she said with weighty implication: "When you leave the clan one day, you'll come to understand how vast the outside world is. There is no knowing how many men more outstanding than that fellow there are. Should you one day happen upon one who truly stirs your heart, then..."
"Cousin Xiao Yu, you worry overmuch. Xun'er will not come to pass through those things you speak of." Xun'er pressed her rosy lips together tightly, cutting Xiao Yu off in a calm, flat tone.
Thus interrupted, Xiao Yu felt somewhat awkward. After darting one last venomous glare at Xiao Yan, she made her displeased departure.
Watching Xiao Yu storm away in high dudgeon, Xiao Yan slowly let out a breath, and his small face once again settled back into its usual placid calm. He sighed softly: "What a detestable woman."
At this, Xun'er broke into a smile, covering her mouth with a light laugh: "Truth be told, I am rather curious why she is always so set against you, Xiao Yan-gege. Granted, you stumbled inadvertently into the place where she was bathing back then — but surely that alone could not drive her to oppose you all this while?"
"How would I know." Xiao Yan spread his hands in an air of innocence, then turned his gaze toward Xiao Zhan and the others, who were approaching in quick strides.
"Yan'er, are you all right? That girl Xiao Yu just now?" Coming up quickly and seeing Xiao Yan safe and sound, Xiao Zhan let out a breath of relief, frowning as he asked.
Xiao Yan gave a slight shrug and smiled: "I'm fine. The woman just threw some sort of fit, nothing more."
"Keep your distance from her as best you can. The lass has a headstrong temper, and with her strength now at Three-Star Dou Warrior, should a fight truly break out, you would come off the worse for wear. And she is the Grand Elder's own granddaughter besides — even I would find it hard to discipline her if it truly came to blows." Xiao Zhan said with a resigned look.
Xiao Yan stroked his nose, offering neither agreement nor objection, and gave an ambiguous smile.
"Come, Yan'er, let me make an introduction. This is Miss Ya Fei, chief auctioneer of the Mitel Auction House. That Foundation Liquid of last time — it was from her hands that we won it at auction." Xiao Zhan shifted his frame to the side, revealing the bewitching woman in the scarlet dress who had been standing behind him, and introduced her with a smile.
Xiao Yan turned his gaze toward that beautiful woman, who radiated a ripe temptation within every gesture she made, and a shy smile suited to a boy of his years spread across his small face: "Greetings, Sister Ya Fei."
That alluring gaze roamed over Xiao Yan, and Ya Fei's beautiful cheeks gained a shade more of a smile at his form of address. Her rosy lips parted, and she spoke in a smiling, winsome tone: "I hear that Young Master Xiao Yan has broken through four grades of Dou Qi within a single year? Hehe, this is quite the talk right now, echoing all through the City of Wutan. I wonder if it be truth or fiction?"
Xiao Yan scratched his head, and answered with studied bashfulness: "All of it the merit of the Foundation Liquid my father purchased."
Hearing this indirect confession of Xiao Yan's, even the ever-composed Ya Fei could not help but draw in a sharp breath of cold air inwardly, a gleam of astonishment and gravity flashing through her beautiful eyes. Four grades of Dou Qi in a single year — this rate of progress was nothing short of terrifying. As for the Tier-2 Foundation Liquid, Ya Fei dismissed it from her mind of her own accord. Having once handled such a thing herself, she knew well enough what that liquid could do. That it could speed one's cultivation somewhat was true enough, but to rely on it to leap four grades in a single year — that was utterly impossible.
Seeing that the two had made their acquaintance, Xiao Zhan glanced up at the sky, then clapped Xiao Yan on the shoulder and said with a mild, gentle smile: "Well then, the coming-of-age ceremony is about to begin. Your father has things to prepare, so don't you go bringing shame upon me later."
Xiao Yan nodded with a smile.
Following after Xiao Zhan, Ya Fei, in the instant she turned around, cast a deep, lingering glance at the youth before her. Years of work at the auction house had honed her eye to a razor's edge, and under her careful scrutiny, Ya Fei felt a sudden chill of warning run through her. She discovered that although the youth wore a bashful look upon his face, deep within those black pupils lay an unruffled calm, as flat and tranquil as the bottomless surface of a dark, still pool.
"So young, and yet able to so easily master his own emotions — this little fellow is no simpleton..." Turning away, Ya Fei reflected to herself with a note of gravity.