I put my arm around the strong man's slender waist

Chapter 35

I turned around and put on a sly face, grinning as I went over and asked, "Priest, do you want to drink medicine or eat?"

He frowned slightly. "Call me Yan Shu." Then he added, "Help me go for a walk."

I reached out to help him up and asked in surprise, "You went for a walk without taking your medicine or eating?"

"What?" Yan Shu raised an eyebrow at me. "Is it not allowed?"

“Sure, why not?” I said with a faint smile. “You can do whatever you want.”

"Oh?" Yan Shu suddenly smiled mischievously, leaning closer to my ear and saying with a smile, "I want to...do something meaningful with you..."

My eardrums started ringing, the heat spreading from my ears to my face, and my whole body felt restless. I swallowed hard, pushed him away, and said with an awkward laugh, "Let's go for a walk..."

"Su Xie." He grabbed me, pinched my chin, and forced me to look directly at him, his breath almost touching my face as he said, "Aren't you going to ask me... what exactly happened?"

My head was buzzing with the sound of cicadas, and my face was burning hot. I secretly pulled away and said, "I'll go check if the medicine is ready."

He reached out and wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me down onto the couch. He pressed down on me, one hand gripping my wrist, the other pinching my chin. Chest to chest, eyes to eyes, he looked at me with a tender smile, "Su Xie, I want... you."

His breath was right on my brow and cheek, his voice laced with laughter, a hint of tea and medicine wafting into my nostrils. My mind went blank, my scalp tingled, and Su Xie's body stirred sensitively. I hurriedly said, "Yan Shu, you...you let go first, I..."

He took a bite, his dense teeth gently biting my lips, his tongue slowly prying inwards, his fingers, like snakes, sliding down my neck, lingering on my collarbone, and then down, down, until they reached inside my clothes…

Cool fingers, restless skin—for a moment, I felt the world spin. He bit my lip, whispering, "Su Xie... Su Xie... You mustn't betray me... You're mine, mine... Su Xie..."

I could barely breathe. Something started to emerge in my blank mind. Suddenly, I heard someone call my name, Lu Ning.

In that instant, I felt a chill run down my spine. I suddenly raised my hand and scratched Yan Shu's neck with my sharp fingers. He groaned in surprise and froze for a moment. I took the opportunity to push him away and tumbled off the bed in a fluster, my fingertips stained with a little blood.

"Yan Shu, have you had enough fun?!" My clothes and hair were all messed up, my legs were so weak I could barely stand, and a surge of inexplicable anger welled up inside me.

"Playing?" Yan Shu touched the bloodstains on her neck where I had scratched her with her pale fingertips, squinted at me, and said, "You think I'm playing?"

"Otherwise what?" I was furious, yet surprisingly expressionless. "Are you going to tell me that you've fallen for me?" Seeing that he was about to speak, I interrupted him, "Shut up! I... I don't like you at all. I already have someone else in my heart!"

Yan Shu leaned back on the couch, looking at me with a glimpse of spring light on his chest, and asked, "Who is it? Is the person you have feelings for Ruan Bicheng?"

The name jumped out at me, and I was immediately struck dumb, like a fishbone stuck in my throat.

His expression suddenly turned grim, and he narrowed his eyes slightly, saying, "So it really was him?"

Just as I was about to speak, a maid knocked on the door and said from outside, "Priest..."

"Get out!" Yan Shu shouted suddenly, startling the maid who collapsed to the ground.

I turned my head and asked, "What is it?"

Just as the maid was about to answer, Yan Shu shouted again, "Don't make me say it a second time!"

The maid burst into tears instantly, scrambling to her feet and running frantically downstairs.

"Who is that person?" Yan Shu stared straight at me and asked again.

A sudden surge of anger rose within me, and I said coldly, "It's none of your business who it is."

Yan Shu suddenly stood up and grabbed my throat, his eyes sharp and menacing. "I'll ask you one last time, who is it?"

I was being choked and couldn't breathe when Shen Qing suddenly rushed in. Startled, I stepped forward to stop him, saying, "Yan Shu, let go!"

"Shut up!" Yan Shu glared at him abruptly.

He shrank back pathetically and said, "The old sect leader and the left protector are anxiously looking for you, why don't you hurry up and go..."

Yan Shu loosened his grip slightly, and I took the opportunity to break free, hiding behind Shen Qing, panting. He was about to chase after me, but Shen Qing protected me and took a few steps back, saying, "Hurry up! Something really bad has happened!"

"What is it?" Yan Shu asked him, frowning.

As he soothed me, he said, "Ye Baizhi is back."

Yan Shu sneered, "Is this a big deal?"

"Of course not." Shen Qing added breathlessly, "Let me finish. Ye Baizhi is back, and she brought Ruan Bicheng with her! She's in the main hall."

Author's Note: Any smut?! I really want to go straight to H! Push her down, drain her, and roll around in bed! Too bad I can't force myself on the female lead… The priest is getting more and more sadistic; if she gets really angry, she might snap her neck! Don't play with the priest! Haha, did you guys guess that Ye Baizhi would bring the alliance leader back? Absolutely not! Here's a spoiler: have you forgotten Ye Baizhi and the female lead's guardian mission? Guess what it is for Ye Baizhi! It's easy to guess!

41

"Ruan Bicheng?" I blurted out in surprise, my neck aching and feeling stuffy, my breath coming in gasps.

Yan Shu squinted at me and sneered, "Surprised?"

I hid behind Shen Qing, not looking at him, and muttered under my breath, "Can't I be curious?" I reached up and touched my neck, feeling annoyed that Yan Shu's eyes were itching. Heartless! Pervert!

"No need to be curious." Yan Shu straightened his clothes, beckoned a maid to help him change, and looked at me with a half-smile. "She will bring Ruan Bicheng back sooner or later."

I don't understand.

He added, "You've really forgotten all about being a candidate for Dharma Protector."

Suddenly, I remembered that the Left Protector and Yan Shu had given each of us a task, and the one who completed it would become the next Right Protector. My task was to take Ye Baizhi's head and seize her treasure.

Originally, I was only focused on escaping the Demonic Sect, but then the events in Licheng happened, so I completely forgot about this matter. Now that Yan Shu brought it up, I suddenly felt that something was wrong...

To seize her treasure... What does Ye Baizhi have that I can take from her?

Yan Shu stared at me intently and said, "Do you want to know what Ye Baizhi's mission is?"

I opened my mouth to say I wanted to, but seeing his sinister look, I shut up and awkwardly said, "You can say it if you want, or it's none of my business if you don't."

Yan Shu straightened his sleeves, chuckled, and walked over slowly and gracefully.

Having learned my lesson earlier, I cautiously shrank behind Shen Qing, only to see him slowly approach, smile at me, and say, "Beg me."

If I could beat him, I'd spit a mouthful of phlegm in his face without hesitation! But I was willing but unable, so I could only look at his incredibly arrogant face and squeeze out each word with a smile: "Priest, please take care!"

He straightened his robe and said, "Then wait for me here obediently." He stepped over me, left the room, and followed the maid out of the courtyard.

After I watched him walk away, I turned around and pulled Shen Qing aside to ask, "How did Ye Baizhi manage to bring Ruan Bicheng back?"

"How would I know?" Shen Qing turned my neck around, looked at the bruises on my neck, and clicked her tongue, saying, "Yan Shu is ruthless, he turns his back on you! What did you do to him?"

"How could I dare to mess with him!" I said, feeling a little aggrieved. I wiped my mouth with my sleeve, spat, and said, "I would never stoop to the level of an animal!"

“Indeed, you don’t have the guts to dare to mess with him.” Shen Qing sneered at me, pulling me over and applying ointment to my wound while glancing at me. “Looks like something really happened, you…” He leaned closer with interest, “You finally pounced on him like a hungry wolf?”

I slapped his face away. Just how desperate is Su Xie in their eyes?! Does every man want a hungry wolf? Admittedly, Yan Shu is a beauty, but in my opinion, the further away you are from such a femme fatale, the better. I felt wronged, "Why am I the one who pounces on her like a hungry wolf? I'm a beauty too..."

Shen Qing's eyes grew increasingly disdainful, even carrying a hint of contempt. I sighed and said, "Fine, I admit I don't have Yan Shumei."

He nodded in agreement without hesitation, and my heart broke.

I was finally reborn as a beauty, surrounded by even more beautiful women, and I didn't even receive a single compliment! Now, to anyone else, I look like a hungry wolf pouncing on its prey.

I was distracted and too lazy to explain, so after hesitating for a while, I asked, "Did you see Ruan Bicheng?"

"I saw it." Shen Qing closed the ointment and said, "I just happened to run into it when I went to take the old sect leader's pulse."

"Then he..." I carefully considered my words before asking, "How was he caught and brought back?"

Shen Qing clicked his tongue and shook his head, saying, "Ye Baizhi is quite capable. She brought back the dignified leader of the martial arts alliance half-dead. I didn't look closely, but it seems she has burns? Anyway, she was limp and looked like she had been through a lot."

Burns? A chill ran down my spine. I remembered how he shielded me from a rocket in the main hall; could it be that the injury was from then and still be there...?

But how could Ye Baizhi possibly hurt Ruan Bicheng?

The more I thought about it, the more confused I became. I got up restlessly and started to walk outside. Shen Qing called out to me, "Don't go near Yan Shu! If he strangles you again, I won't be able to save you!"

"I understand." I said without turning around, "You can't afford to suffer a second time."

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I happened to run into Chang Huan on the way, who was looking for me. He said that the old cult leader invited me to come over.

I didn't even turn a corner, and went straight to the main hall.

As soon as I stepped into the main hall, I saw Ruan Bicheng kneeling on the ground in the middle of the hall. His clothes were tattered and covered in blood, and I couldn't tell where he was injured. His hair was disheveled and covered his eyebrows and eyes. I couldn't tell if he was awake or unconscious. I didn't notice that I tripped on the threshold and stumbled.

Changhuan hurriedly helped me up and whispered, "Be careful, young lady."

I gave a vague reply, and when I looked up, I saw Yan Shu staring at me with a half-smile.

Ye Baizhi stood below the hall. It was rare to see the old sect leader sitting in the main hall. The left protector and Yan Shu each sat upright on one side. I breathed a sigh of relief and went into the hall to pay my respects.

The old cult leader smiled and waved for me to get up, saying, "Little Su Xie, why do you look so pale? I'll have Shen Qing take a look at you again later."

I thanked the old cult leader, and Yan Shu suddenly smiled and said, "Cult leader, you don't need to trouble yourself. I will take care of Su Xie."

The old cult leader's face immediately darkened. He looked at me.

I hurriedly said, "Thank you for your concern, High Priest. I will take care of myself." Then I looked at Yan Shu, who was leaning back in the white jade chair, resting his chin on his hand and looking at me with a smug smile, as if he wouldn't stop until he had tormented me to death.

Before I came, Chang Huan reminded me that Su Xie was the old leader's confidant, and was meant to assist the young master in dealing with Yan Shu. I must keep my relationship with Yan Shu clear and never let the old leader become suspicious.

Fearing that Yan Shu might say something that would cause the old leader to misunderstand, I spoke first: "May I ask what business the leader has with Su Xie?"

The old leader waved his hand at the Left Protector, who then said on his behalf, "The mission we assigned you before still has a few days left before the half-month deadline. Ye Baizhi captured Ruan Bicheng and got there first..."

"Little Su Xie, you need to hurry!" The old cult leader couldn't help but interject, saying to me anxiously, "Your task is so simple, yet you've disappointed me so much!"

Is it simple...? I think the technical requirements are a bit too high... Now it seems Ye Baizhi's mission is to capture Ruan Bicheng? But that doesn't make sense. If that was the mission, she would have already completed it. Why hasn't she been chosen as a protector yet? Could it be that she hasn't finished it?

What exactly is this treasure?

I was completely baffled and looked at the old cult leader with some sorrow, saying, "Su Xie will do his best."

"You need more than just your best!" the old cult leader said anxiously. "You must finish this as soon as possible! I thought you had already finished it after your trip to Licheng..."

Yan Shu smiled, resting his chin on his hand: "Master, even if you're showing favoritism, don't make it too obvious, it's not good."

The old cult leader glanced at Yan Shu and snorted coldly at me.

I felt guilty and hung my head in silence. Ye Baizhi, standing beside me, said with a charming smile, "Sister Su Xie is deliberately letting me win. When has she ever made a mistake?"

I looked up at her and smiled, "Little sister is so clever and quick-witted; she saw through her older sister's thoughts at a glance."

She was beaming with pride and didn't mind my sharp tongue at all. She just smiled and bowed to the old sect leader, saying, "Bai Zhi is exhausted from rushing back to the sect, so I'll take my leave now."

The old cult leader waved for her to leave, and she bowed, saying, "Bai Zhi has another request." She then looked up at Yan Shu and asked, "Could Ruan Bicheng be handed over to Bai Zhi for disposal?"

The Left Protector glanced at the old sect leader and said, "Well, temporarily lock him up in the Heavenly Punishment Prison and do with him as you see fit. When the half-month period is up, bring Ruan Bicheng's head here."

Ye Baizhi smiled and thanked the Left Protector and the old sect leader. She then waved to summon two slaves, who picked up Ruan Bicheng and left.

As he brushed past me, I secretly glanced up and saw his eyes tightly closed beneath his hair. Was he unconscious? Or had he been drugged?

I looked up and saw Yan Shu standing in front of me, staring at me abruptly. I was so startled that I took a few steps back. He put his arms around me and smiled, "Su Xie, for your sake, I will personally entertain Ruan Bicheng."

I lowered my eyes, focusing on my inner thoughts, and said, "Why should the High Priest explain what he wants to a nobody like me?" I bowed and turned to leave.