"¡Come on!"
Xiao Yi Xian walked up to Xiao Bai, first shooting him a fierce glare before putting on the expression of someone marching toward their execution. She consoled herself, thinking of it as merely being embraced by a pig.
Seeing her expression, Xiao Bai found it amusing, but he still reached out and wrapped an arm around her slender waist. A faint fragrance filled the air.
Feeling the soft sensation beneath his palm, Xiao Bai took a deep breath, suppressing the impulses stirring in his heart.
Xiao Yi Xian, noticing how he inhaled deeply after pulling her into his arms, assumed he was being perverted. Her face flushed red as she spat in contempt, "Shameless!"
Xiao Bai was speechless and couldn't be bothered to explain.
"Hold on tight!" he ordered, before leaping off the cliff.
"Like hell I'll hold on tight—ahhh! Bastard! Hurry and grab the rope! I don't want to die!"
Seeing this lunatic jump without even holding the rope, Xiao Yi Xian was so terrified that she squeezed her eyes shut. Instinctively, she clung to Xiao Bai like an octopus, her entire body wrapped around him.
Xiao Bai, however, moved effortlessly, his feet tapping against the rocky outcrops along the cliff. Lightning flickered around his steps, making him look like a graceful butterfly dancing in midair. Every move seemed heart-stoppingly dangerous, yet he remained perfectly steady.
He had only pulled the rope earlier as bait. Now that the fish had taken the hook, what need was there for the bait?
In no time, he landed on a small platform in front of the cave. He glanced down at the trembling figure clinging tightly to his chest, resembling a frightened koala, and let out a helpless sigh.
Xiao Yi Xian, hearing that the rushing wind around her had stopped, cautiously opened her eyes. Realizing that she was alive and had already reached the cave entrance, she let out a long breath of relief.
Then, anger—deep, burning anger.
That bastard had lied to her! The rope was completely unnecessary!
She wanted to lash out at him, but remembering how he had descended without using the rope at all, she hesitated. Who knew what level of cultivation he had? Feeling stifled and powerless, she swallowed her frustration.
Just as Xiao Bai was about to ask how long she planned on clinging to him, a sharp scream rang in his ear.
"Ahh! Bastard! Hurry! There's a snake! A Rock Snake!"
Her voice was filled with urgency.
At that moment, Xiao Bai was facing the cave entrance, while Xiao Yi Xian was still hanging onto him, her head resting on his shoulder. From this position, she had a direct view of a massive snakehead dangling from a tree branch above the cave, less than half a meter from her face. She could even smell its foul breath.
The moment she screamed, she instinctively buried her head into Xiao Bai's neck, tightening her arms around his throat.
Xiao Bai wondered if he had met a fake Xiao Yi Xian.
Was this really the future Heavenly Poison Lady, the leader of the Poison Sect?
Without turning around, he already knew what was behind him—a Rock Snake that had likely made this cave its nest.
Rock Snakes were a species of serpent Magical Beasts that lived among rocky terrains. As Tier-1 Earth Attribute Beasts, their bodies were flat and wing-like, allowing them to glide short distances in the air. Their tough scales made them resistant to ordinary weapons.
Right now, the Rock Snake was staring coldly at the two intruders who had barged into its den. Without hesitation, it opened its massive jaws and lunged toward the back of Xiao Bai's head.
Xiao Bai didn't move. A flash of crimson lightning flickered behind him, surging directly into the snake's open mouth.
A moment later, the distinct smell of roasted meat filled the air. The snake's limp body hung lifelessly from the tree, completely still.
After finishing off the Magical Beast, Xiao Bai glanced down at the soft figure in his arms, his expression helpless. Then, in a cold voice, he asked,
"How long do you plan on clinging to me?"
Xiao Yi Xian, still burying her head in the crook of his neck, didn't lift her gaze. Instead, she mumbled, "There's a snake behind you! Be careful!"
She hadn't felt Xiao Bai move, which meant the snake must still be there—so she warned him again.
"Let go. The snake is dead." Xiao Bai rolled his eyes.
Xiao Yi Xian finally raised her head to look at him, skeptical. Tilting her head slightly, she cautiously peeked behind him.
Sure enough, the snake that had been glaring viciously at her just moments ago now hung limply from the tree, its head charred black, swaying slightly in the air.
Huh, it was really taken care of. Tsk tsk, she hadn't expected this cold-faced bastard to be so strong!
After all, even a high-level Dou Practitioner would struggle a bit against a Tier-1 Magical Beast, yet he had dealt with it effortlessly, without even making a move.
"If you don't get down now, I'll throw you off from here!" Xiao Bai said coldly, seeing her still dazed while clinging to him.
"Fine, fine! You think I want to stay up here?" Xiao Yi Xian muttered in frustration as she climbed down from him. "Wasn't it you who pulled me in the first place?"
Once she was off him, Xiao Bai adjusted his slightly disheveled robes and strode toward the cave entrance without a word.
"Hey, wait for me!"
Xiao Yi Xian, seeing him walk in without hesitation, glanced back at the dead snake outside the cave. What if another one showed up? Feeling a bit nervous, she quickly followed him inside.
The dark, silent cave quickly swallowed the light from the entrance. Before long, the opening was no longer visible. Xiao Bai remained indifferent, relying on his Soul Power, which was far more useful than eyesight in such situations.
Xiao Yi Xian, however, wasn't so calm. Standing at the threshold where the light faded into darkness, she hesitated. She couldn't see anything ahead, and stepping into the pitch-black unknown unnerved her.
But seeing Xiao Bai continue forward without a care, she felt torn. If she stayed here alone, what if another Rock Snake slithered in?
Biting her lip, she cursed him inwardly. This bastard really is heartless. He dragged me down here just to leave me behind?
A mix of frustration and fear built up inside her. She thought about waiting for him to go farther in before sneaking out to call Xiao Lan to pick her up. The dead snake outside meant there probably weren't any more lurking around.
But just as she crouched down in hesitation, a faint light flickered within the dark cave, casting a silhouette on the walls.
It was Xiao Bai.
Holding a torch, he illuminated the path ahead before turning to her and saying coolly, "Come in."
At that moment, Xiao Yi Xian wasn't sure what she was feeling—perhaps a bit of relief, a touch of gratitude, and none of the frustration from before.
She stood up and walked toward him. Upon reaching him, she noticed the torch in his hand and was momentarily surprised. "That's my torch!"
It was the one she had dropped earlier while running from the Rock Snake. She hadn't expected Xiao Bai to find it.
Xiao Bai glanced at her and said flatly, "It's my torch now."
Xiao Yi Xian gritted her teeth. This guy really knows how to be annoying! And to think I was just starting to feel touched!
Ignoring her reaction, Xiao Bai turned and continued deeper into the cave. Xiao Yi Xian quickly followed, not wanting to be left behind.
The deeper they went, the darker and damper the air became, with a faint chill lingering around them. In the silence, only their footsteps echoed through the tunnel.
Xiao Yi Xian instinctively hugged her arms. She felt cold… and a little scared. Glancing at Xiao Bai walking steadily ahead, she quickened her pace, moving closer behind him.
This guy was an arrogant bastard, but right now, he was the only sense of security she had.
Xiao Bai noticed her behavior but said nothing. Instead, the Yang Thunder of Bing Fire within him began to stir.
In the eerie, freezing passage, the surrounding temperature gradually rose.