Lu Chengsha never expected in his life that he would have a chance to be trapped in a pit with Hua Yan. The moment Hua Yan spoke, he felt his spine stiffen.
This situation was different from when the sects were at war. Back then, there was nowhere to run when the ground collapsed. But this time, there was merely a trap beneath their feet. For them, as long as they carefully climbed up the walls, even just using a small foothold, they wouldn’t fall.
However, at this moment, Hua Yan felt particularly delighted.
Yes, she did it on purpose!
The trap’s surroundings were iron walls, clearly designed to be hollow to trap people. Some sparse light filtered in from the top, probably to check on the condition of the people inside. There were hammer marks on the walls, but no bloodstains or remains. Either they had been removed, or the place had been cleaned. But none of that mattered—
“Do you plan to keep your back to me like this forever?”
Hua Yan crossed her arms and observed Lu Chengsha from behind.
Just her gaze made Lu Chengsha’s body incredibly tense.
Compared to before, he hadn’t lost much weight; his shoulders even seemed sturdier. His black hair was still tied up high, but with an ordinary black hairband instead of the dark blue band of Tingjian Manor. His clothes were just plain black. From Hua Yan’s angle, she could see his slender neck and ears, which gradually turned red under her intense gaze.
Hua Yan was in no hurry; after all, the tracking gu would definitely not catch up now. She had plenty of time and patience.
Lu Chengsha reached out to draw his sword, seemingly intending to test the thickness of the iron walls.
Hua Yan walked over and covered Lu Chengsha’s hand holding the sword, saying, “Put the sword down, let’s talk first.”
Lu Chengsha withdrew his hand, his voice dry, “Talk about what?”
Hua Yan said, “Turn your head around first.”
Lu Chengsha’s neck stiffened. Recalling Xie Yingxian’s words, Hua Yan took advantage of his unpreparedness, swiftly pulling his hairband off. Then, she stood on tiptoe, wrapped the hairband around his eyes, and tied a knot behind his head, covering his vision completely.
“Now this should do!”
The light was already dim, and with his eyes covered, he couldn’t see anything. He could only feel the faint warmth from the person behind him and the long-missed, faint fragrance of morning petals.
Realizing how close they were, Lu Chengsha couldn’t be more tense.
He immediately wanted to escape.
Hua Yan’s tone was incredulous: “Are you still trying to hide? If you take one more step forward, you’ll hit the wall!”
Lu Chengsha realized this too.
Hua Yan continued, “Your eyes are covered now, so you can’t go anywhere. Are you still going to keep your back to me? Do you really not want to see me that much?”
Her tone had a tinge of sadness by the end.
“It’s not that,” Lu Chengsha replied.
With his hand against the wall, after a moment, he finally turned around slowly.
Hua Yan finally saw Lu Chengsha’s face again. Although his eyes were covered, his smooth forehead, high nose bridge, and slightly pursed lips were all features she was intimately familiar with.
This time, they were truly close.
Hua Yan couldn’t help but raise her hand, her fingertips touching Lu Chengsha’s jaw.
He trembled instantly, his tightly pressed lips slightly parting, as if wanting to explain something.
However, Hua Yan’s fingers were sliding down his jaw, the light touches like sparks, making Lu Chengsha momentarily forget what he wanted to say.
Her tone softened then, no longer as aggressive as before, even carrying a hint of grievance: “Don’t you want to touch me?”
How could he not?
Lu Chengsha’s Adam’s apple bobbed quickly.
He had to exert a great deal of effort to restrain himself from pulling her close.
His voice was muffled: “…I do.”
But Hua Yan’s fingers had already reached his neck, lightly pressing against his sensitive Adam’s apple. Unable to see, his sense of touch was heightened, and his breathing grew more rapid.
Finally, he couldn’t resist and grabbed Hua Yan’s hand, saying, “Don’t touch me anymore.”
Hua Yan blinked: “…We’ve barely started.”
From her perspective, given their relationship, this level of contact was nothing, but Lu Chengsha’s reaction was more intense than before.
He turned his head away, his voice slightly hoarse: “I would want to…”
Hua Yan followed his words: “Want to what?”
She originally intended to have a proper conversation with him, but she instantly forgot, driven by the urge to make him confess everything.
“Want to do bad things, right?” Hua Yan’s voice unconsciously carried a note of seduction.
Lu Chengsha was already unable to resist her, and now it was even more difficult.
When he was far from her, it was easier not to think about her, but being close was pure torment. Especially over these long days, she had always lingered in his shallow dreams. Lu Chengsha was no longer the naive and clueless person he once was.
—That method of detoxification after marriage could never be forgotten in this lifetime.
He could never be this intimate with anyone else again.
Hua Yan leaned closer, her body emitting a faint fragrance, and whispered in his ear, “If you don’t do it, I will.”
It was like a dying man in the desert, parched and desperate, being asked by someone holding a pitcher of crystal-clear water, “Won’t you drink? Won’t you really drink? This water is sweet and will soothe your throat!”
As Hua Yan continued to try and provoke him, she was suddenly grabbed by the waist and lifted up.
Startled, she instantly felt herself spun around and pressed against the iron wall. The thin fabric of her dress allowed her to feel the cold hardness of the wall, while the person in front of her was hot, holding her tightly as he kissed her.
Lu Chengsha held her waist so tightly that her feet couldn’t touch the ground, her entire weight supported by his arms encircling her.
He kissed her heavily, and Hua Yan, who hadn’t been intimate with him for over a year, almost forgot what kissing felt like. Now, revisiting those memories, she found herself overwhelmed.
Lu Chengsha seemed intent on devouring her whole.
Clear saliva trickled down her lips as her breathing grew heavy. With her head pressed against the iron wall, she had no place to retreat. Her mind was spinning, her body heating up, and she could only stretch her arms to wrap around him, making soft, unbearable sounds between their lips and teeth. In no time, her eyes were brimming with tears, and her legs, unable to support her, kicked against him repeatedly.
When she finally regained a bit of her senses, Hua Yan realized something was pressing against her.
Her face flushed bright red.
Lu Chengsha, still blindfolded, couldn’t see her expression. She felt a sliver of relief for that, but he didn’t loosen his grip on her waist for even a moment, almost as if he was lifting her up.
Even if he hadn’t been holding her, she doubted she could stand on her own.
Her legs were weak, her waist was weak, her whole body was weak.
Even her voice and breathing had become soft and tender. Lu Chengsha kissed her for a long while before slightly releasing her lips. Hua Yan leaned her forehead against his, gently kissed the tip of his nose, and softly said, “You missed me this much.”
Lu Chengsha trembled but didn’t speak, instead leaning in to kiss her deeply once more.
In the darkness, he couldn’t see; he could only rely on his senses. Every sensation was amplified, and the sweetly fragrant woman in his arms seemed soft everywhere, offering no resistance and even actively cooperating—opening her lips, holding him tighter, wrapping her arms around his waist…
Her voice was in his ears, and Lu Chengsha felt like he was drinking poison to quench his thirst.
Only poisoned wine could be so sweet.
Hua Yan, feeling dizzy, thought she might have to detoxify Lu Chengsha again. Fortunately, her sanity returned at the last moment, reminding her that this place was unsafe and someone could come at any moment, leading them to finally pull back from the brink.
Lu Chengsha reluctantly let her go.
Hua Yan’s body felt weak, and without Lu Chengsha’s support, she nearly slid to the ground, managing to stand by holding onto the wall. Her breathing was erratic, her chest heaving for quite a while, and even the dress she wore had become somewhat wrinkled.
Lu Chengsha’s voice was deep, “Are you okay…”
Hua Yan wondered how he could still be worried about her and countered, “Are you okay…” She hinted at something else.
Lu Chengsha’s Adam’s apple bobbed, “I’m fine.”
This “I’m fine” was probably the most insincere lie Lu Chengsha had ever told.
But right now, she couldn’t very well say it would be okay to continue either.
Hua Yan reflected on whether she was too indulgent with him. She should still be angry, very angry.
Lu Chengsha hadn’t even taken off the blindfold!
Nor had he properly coaxed her!
After catching her breath, Hua Yan crossed her arms again, “You clearly want to do these things too. When will that blockhead of yours come around, Lu… Your grandfather isn’t dead, does it really have to come to me going to him for a sword strike?”
Lu Chengsha replied, “No.”
This time he was smart enough to add before Hua Yan could get angry, “You can’t be harmed.”
Hua Yan snapped, “So you’d let him hurt you instead?”
Lu Chengsha responded, “Yes.”
Hua Yan: “…??? Don’t just say yes to everything!”
Lu Chengsha said, “If he wants to hurt you, he has to go through me first.” He seemed to fear Hua Yan might forget and added, “I said before, I’ll take it for you.”
Hua Yan really hadn’t remembered at first. She racked her brain for a long time before recalling that when her true identity was still hidden, she had tested Lu Chengsha. Back then, she asked him what he would do if she committed a crime, and Lu Chengsha replied that if there was punishment, he would take it for her.
At that time, he didn’t know she was a demoness from the demonic sect, and she didn’t dare take his words seriously.
Unexpectedly, years later, he would still bring it up.
However, Hua Yan then recalled something else and couldn’t help but say, “Aren’t you barred from entering Tingjian Manor!?”
Lu Chengsha fell silent.
Hua Yan fumed, “So you were just bluffing me earlier?”
Lu Chengsha slowly shook his head and said clearly, “If he really tries to kill you, I’ll go in.”
Hua Yan immediately wanted to retort that she would go find Lu Zhenxing to die right now, but she couldn’t do it. If Lu Chengsha really went back and clashed with Tingjian Manor for her, all her efforts to clear his name would be wasted.
Just the thought of it made her scalp tingle.
Lu Zhenxing would surely be infuriated to death.
This situation was turning into a deadlock. The only real solution seemed to be for Lu Zhenxing to accept her, but after that night, there was no way he ever would.
Hua Yan had come to terms with it: even if she did good deeds every day and reformed herself, as long as she was from the demonic sect, she could never be accepted as a righteous person.
Even if she, like Yu Ye, betrayed the sect and pretended to be thoroughly reformed, true acceptance was nearly impossible. Besides, she was already in too deep and refused to stoop to such measures.
Just as Lu Chengsha would never truly betray Tingjian Manor, she was willing to risk her life for him but would never trample on the Zhengyi.
So even though she disliked it, she could understand Lu Chengsha’s stubbornness and never really expected him to betray Tingjian Manor for her.
Hua Yan tentatively suggested, “How about I change my appearance and assume a new identity? You could say that you’ve long forgotten about that demoness and have fallen for someone new. Maybe then your grandfather would accept me?”
Lu Chengsha replied, “I cannot lie.”
He was really difficult to deal with!
Hua Yan, exasperated, couldn’t help but say, “Would you be willing to lose a bit of your memory?”
Lu Chengsha suddenly turned his head toward her. Although his eyes were still covered, Hua Yan felt his gaze. He said, “Absolutely not.”
She knew it!
Unexpectedly, Lu Chengsha added, “I don’t want to forget.”
Hua Yan instinctively asked, “Forget what?”
Lu Chengsha said, “A lot, especially…you.”
Hua Yan was taken aback and softly said, “I was just joking, don’t take it seriously…”
Their conversation halted abruptly, and they fell into silence for a moment. Hua Yan didn’t know what to say next, but unexpectedly, it was Lu Chengsha who spoke first.
“I’ll figure something out,” he said.
His words amused Hua Yan, making her laugh. “What are you planning? Tell me.”
“I’ll participate in next year’s Swordsmanship Tournament,” Lu Chengsha replied.
“And then?” Hua Yan asked.
“I’ll uphold justice,” he stated.
Hearing this phrase from Lu Chengsha sounded completely out of place. Hua Yan couldn’t help but laugh, “Where did you learn that term? Wait, why would you suddenly use it? Weren’t you only focused on killing us from the demonic sect before?”
Although she couldn’t see Lu Chengsha’s expression through the blindfold, she sensed he was a bit embarrassed as he slightly lowered his head and said, “I finished reading ‘The Chronicles of the Righteous Hero’.”
Hua Yan’s eyes lit up immediately, and she moved closer, “Isn’t it great?”
Lu Chengsha nodded.
‘The Chronicles of the Righteous Hero’ had already reached its tenth volume. Hua Yan couldn’t help but praise it lavishly, speaking excitedly and demanding Lu Chengsha share his thoughts. Caught off guard by this, he stumbled through a few comments, while Hua Yan rattled off dozens, unable to stop.
Although she no longer yearned for the righteous path, she still eagerly followed tales of heroic adventures!
She had bought dozens of copies of the latest volume of ‘The Chronicles of the Righteous Hero’, not just for her collection but also to distribute, much to the dismay of Xie Yingxian, who reminded her they were from the demonic sect.
After talking extensively, Hua Yan finally remembered to ask, “So why do you want to uphold justice?”
Lu Chengsha explained, “My grandfather will eventually accept it. He wants Tingjian Manor to be renowned across the land.”
So if he redeemed himself by performing heroic deeds and doing good, his reputation would gradually improve, and past mistakes would be forgotten. Then, Tingjian Manor might accept him again. At that point, he could bring up their relationship, proving that he hadn’t been led astray or used and discarded by a demoness.
Hua Yan thought this plan was very characteristic of Lu Chengsha.
“Do you know how long that will take? Your grandfather is as stubborn as you. He might never accept it.”
“I know,” Lu Chengsha replied.
Hua Yan was about to speak when Lu Chengsha continued, “But I have to try.”
With his eyes still covered, Lu Chengsha slowly took the sword from his back. The bladed sword remained as dark and broad as ever, an unremarkable length of black iron. His palm gently caressed the blade, his movements tender.
Hua Yan couldn’t help but look at him, her heart suddenly skipping a beat.
“I want to see you, to protect you, and I’ve been thinking…” Lu Chengsha paused, then continued, “I’ve been thinking about what else I can do. Before, I didn’t want to do anything, but recently, I figured it out.”
Hua Yan asked, “Figured out what?”
Lu Chengsha replied, “You’re not safe out there.”
Hua Yan was taken aback. Unless being pursued by the righteous sects, she had never considered herself unsafe. Those who picked on her for her beauty couldn’t even touch a hair on her head.
“And then?”
“I have a sword. I can teach them a lesson, protect you, and protect others,” Lu Chengsha said, still feeling a bit uncertain. These weren’t words he read from a book or learned from someone else; they were conclusions he had come to himself.
Hua Yan’s eyes inexplicably reddened.
During their time together, she had saved some people and done good deeds, but others always seemed to think those actions were expected. It was expected for Lu Chengsha to take risks, and it was expected for him to save people. But when he became a target, few spoke up for him. Even those who were grateful didn’t stand up for him.
He hadn’t received much kindness but never harbored resentment.
Other than falling in love with a demoness, he had done nothing wrong.
Unable to control herself, Hua Yan threw her arms around Lu Chengsha, causing him to step back slightly to catch her.
Perplexed, he asked, “What’s wrong? Did I say something wrong?”
Resting her head on his shoulder, Hua Yan shook her head, “Nothing.” After a moment, she whispered, “Sha Sha, I like you so much.”
Lu Chengsha’s entire body trembled, and he froze.