Chapter 17: The Reckless Young Master Xiao

"Hmm? Brother Yulong? What's wrong?" Xiao Che quickly rose, feigning alarm.

Xiao Yulong forced a stiff, unnatural smile. Shaking off the broken glass shards from his hand, he said, "It's nothing, just an accident. I didn't control my strength properly."

Xiao Yang's face was no better than Xiao Yulong's; it was as ugly as if he'd just swallowed a pile of dead flies. Hearing Xiao Yulong's explanation, he quickly interjected, "I know! It must be that Big Brother's profound energy has had a new breakthrough these past few days. During the initial period after a breakthrough, it's true that the increased profound energy can sometimes be difficult to control."

"So that's it!" Xiao Che suddenly understood and quickly said, "Brother Yulong has had another breakthrough! Congratulations! I heard Brother Yulong reached the third level of the Nascent Profound Realm three months ago, and to break through again in just three months! You truly live up to your reputation as the greatest genius of our generation. It seems this time, apart from Brother Yulong, no one else could possibly be chosen by the Xiao Sect."

Xiao Yulong's face twitched. He stood up, suppressing the turmoil in his heart, and forced a smile, "Brother Xiao Che, you flatter me. It's true that I just had a breakthrough, and my profound energy is a bit restless. I need to stabilize it immediately, so I might not be able to continue entertaining you..."

"No problem, no problem!" Xiao Che waved his hand quickly, nodding understandingly. "Of course, stabilizing your profound energy is paramount, Brother Yulong... In that case, I won't disturb you further. Thank you for your generous invitation today, Brother Yulong. Once you're chosen by the Xiao Sect in a few days, I'll be sure to come congratulate you immediately."

After saying this, Xiao Che politely departed. Xiao Yang also feigned leaving with him, but after watching Xiao Che walk away, he quickly returned. As soon as he entered the room, he saw Xiao Yulong's terrifyingly gloomy face.

"Big Brother... about this..." Seeing Xiao Yulong's expression, Xiao Yang gulped hard and cautiously stepped forward.

"Aargh!!" Xiao Yulong roared furiously, sweeping all the wine and tea sets off the table like a madman, smashing them to pieces. Then he kicked the stone table over, sending it crashing to the floor. His hands clenched, he panted heavily, his eyes blazing with nearly burning jealousy and hatred, and he growled in an incredibly low voice, "Didn't you tell me... that Xia Qingyue... would never let that good-for-nothing Xiao Che touch her?!"

Xiao Yulong rarely lost control of his emotions, and his current state made Xiao Yang's scalp tingle and his spine run cold. He stammered, "It must... it must be that brat Xiao Che fabricating... fabricating it! Xia Qingyue... she couldn't possibly be interested in that kid!"

"Nonsense!" Xiao Yulong roared. "Don't I know the measure of that good-for-nothing Xiao Che? Could he put on an act in front of me? Do you take me for a blind man?"

Xiao Yulong possessed considerable shrewdness and discernment. He had known Xiao Che for sixteen years and believed he knew everything about him. He was absolutely certain that the emotional fluctuations of this person, who had extremely weak profound energy and a cowardly, self-abasing personality, could never escape his notice. And when Xiao Yang questioned him just now, his gaze, expression, subconscious body language... there wasn't a single trace of pretense or disguise.

Xia Qingyue was the woman he had sworn to possess. Allowing them to marry was partly out of helplessness, and partly because he believed that even if Xia Qingyue married Xiao Che, she would never give herself to him, which would actually make things more convenient for himself. But he never imagined that on the second day of their marriage, the result he'd get was that Xia Qingyue had already been "defiled" by Xiao Che!

The fury, jealousy, and resentment in his heart at this moment almost caused his chest to explode.

Xiao Yang stood there, his neck hunched, not daring to breathe another sound. Previously, Xiao Yulong was the designated successor for the next sect master of the Xiao Sect, and Xiao Yang had always been obedient in front of him. Now, with Xiao Yulong highly likely to be chosen by the Xiao Sect, he dared not show the slightest defiance.

After a long time, Xiao Yulong was still breathing heavily, a clear indication of how much this incident had shocked him. He suddenly said in a deep voice, "Where did Xiao Che go after leaving here?"

"He... he went to the East Courtyard. Maybe... maybe to the kitchen area," Xiao Yang replied cautiously.

Xiao Yulong's eyebrows slanted upwards, his face clouded with gloom. He murmured, "I always thought Xia Qingyue, with her peerless beauty and talent, would surely possess a dignity and aloofness unmatched by other women. I never expected that even the most despised trash in the Xiao Sect could catch her eye!"

Xiao Yulong snorted coldly, flung his hand, and strode quickly out of the courtyard. Xiao Yang was about to follow but suddenly realized where he was going. He immediately stopped obediently, then slowly reached up to wipe the cold sweat from his forehead.

After leaving Xiao Yulong's small courtyard, Xiao Che unhurriedly walked to the kitchen to pick up breakfast. Then, he leisurely strolled in the direction of Xiao Lingxi's courtyard. If one were close enough, they would hear him muttering to himself, "That guy Xiao Yulong must be rushing towards my place now, right? Hmm... will my Qingyue wife break one of his legs? Or two of his legs...? Or, perhaps, three of his legs?"

Arriving at Xiao Lingxi's small courtyard, the door was tightly shut. Xiao Che stepped forward and knocked, "Little Aunt, I've brought breakfast."

The door opened, and after Xiao Che entered, it closed with a 'bang.'

Xiao Lingxi was sprawled on the table, hands propping her chin, eyelids drooping, looking listless and dispirited. Xiao Che placed the breakfast on the table and waved his hand in front of her eyes. "Didn't sleep well last night?"

"Ugh..." Hearing Xiao Che mention "last night," Xiao Lingxi whimpered softly and buried her entire face in her hands. "Don't even mention last night... Xia Qingyue must have seen everything when she brought the blanket... What am I going to do... I'm too ashamed to face anyone, wuwuwu..."

"It's not that exaggerated, is it?" Xiao Che rubbed his brow, sat beside her, and said with a smile, "Don't worry. You're my little aunt, what's the big deal if we slept cuddled up together?"

"Precisely because I'm your little aunt..." Xiao Lingxi frantically shook her head. "And... last night your hand was on my... my... Ugh... In short, she definitely saw it! What if she tells someone else... what do I do...?"

"Rest a hundred percent assured, she absolutely won't tell anyone. Besides, you're my little aunt, what's the big deal if I accidentally touched your chest while sleeping?" Xiao Che said calmly.

"You, you, you... don't say it again!" Xiao Lingxi shook her head even harder, her entire face flushed crimson. Last night, being alone in the dark and feeling disoriented, she had made such a move. Now, recalling it, she even felt as though she must have been insane at the time.

"I'm one hundred percent sure that even if she saw it, she absolutely wouldn't tell anyone, and she wouldn't even think... well, in the direction you're imagining. Alright, eat your breakfast quickly, or it'll get cold." Xiao Che said, amused as he comforted her. When it came to the same matter, a girl's thoughts were ultimately different from a man's.

"Oh..." Xiao Lingxi finally freed her pretty face from her hands and began tearfully eating the breakfast Xiao Che had brought.

As Xiao Che expected, after Xiao Yulong left, he headed straight for Xiao Che's small courtyard. Upon stepping into the courtyard, he immediately saw Xia Qingyue standing in the middle of it.

Xia Qingyue stood quietly beneath the pomegranate tree in the courtyard, her arms raised, her expression serene and focused, clearly cultivating profound energy. Her long, raven hair cascaded naturally over her shoulders, reflecting a soft luster in the morning light. On her exquisite face, two slender, dark willow-like eyebrows curved delicately like crescent feathers, and her calm, unblinking eyes were as clear as crystal, shimmering with a dreamlike radiance. Dressed in a red gown, her slender and graceful figure was subtly outlined, complementing her warm, smooth, snow-white skin, which was as flawless as jade.

This was also the first time Xiao Yulong had gazed directly upon Xia Qingyue's peerless beauty from such close proximity. In that instant, he was utterly stunned, his entire mind captivated by the exquisite scene before him. Even the whole world seemed to lose its color for a moment.

Noticing Xiao Yulong's arrival, Xia Qingyue maintained her posture, her eyes still fixed straight ahead. She spoke calmly, "Xiao Che isn't here."

Her voice was clear and indifferent, yet as melodious and soothing as a fairy's song. Only then did Xiao Yulong regain his senses, but the awe and infatuation in his eyes were impossible to suppress. He immediately composed himself, adjusting to his best demeanor, and bowed slightly to Xia Qingyue, smiling, "Hello, Miss Xia. I am Xiao Yulong, considered Brother Xiao Che's elder."

Xia Qingyue was not an overly cold or arrogant person. The man's refined and courteous demeanor and voice made her glance sideways. She had also heard the name Xiao Yulong before; after all, he was the son of the current Sect Master of the Xiao Sect. Just as she glanced over, preparing to respond politely, she clearly saw the infatuation... and lewdness... swirling in Xiao Yulong's eyes!

Immediately, her delicate eyebrows twitched. That fleeting flicker of goodwill towards the man, born from his polite and refined manner, instantly turned to disgust. Although Xiao Che often spoke and acted inappropriately in front of her, making her angry on several occasions, at least she had never seen anything lewd in his eyes. But this Xiao Yulong...

Xia Qingyue's voice immediately took on a few degrees of coldness, and her words were incredibly simple: "Xiao Che isn't here."

Xiao Yulong, however, seemed unfazed by Xia Qingyue's obvious coldness. He nodded and said, "That is indeed a bit unfortunate. However, I have long heard of Miss Xia's beauty, and to finally meet you is not a wasted trip."

As he spoke, Xiao Yulong's movements, expression, gaze, and voice were all perfectly adjusted, maximizing his charm. He was confident that he was at least a thousand times stronger than Xiao Che. If Xia Qingyue could even be interested in Xiao Che, how could she resist him?

"I am cultivating profound energy; I cannot entertain guests," Xia Qingyue said, her eyes calm, but with a hint of impatience in her voice.

A true beauty, regardless of her posture or expression, was always pleasing to the eye. Looking at Xia Qingyue, who resembled a celestial fairy, Xiao Yulong's gaze grew increasingly fervent, and the flames of jealousy in his heart burned ever brighter... This earthly fairy had actually become the wife of that good-for-nothing Xiao Che, and he had even taken her virginity! This was simply... a tragic waste, unacceptable and unforgivable!

"I heard Miss Xia is only sixteen this year, yet you've already reached the tenth level of the Elementary Profound Realm. I have always admired and longed for such achievement. I believe by the time you reach my age, you will far surpass me." Xiao Yulong controlled his emotions and said gently, "Although there's only a single level difference between Elementary Profound Level 10 and Nascent Profound Level 1, it can be very difficult to cross without the right method. While I don't dare compare my talent to Miss Xia's, as someone who has passed that stage, I do have a few insights into breaking through the Elementary Profound Realm. How about I share and exchange some pointers with Miss Xia?"

With that, Xiao Yulong smiled and stepped forward, gathering a slight amount of profound energy in his hands, reaching for Xia Qingyue's snow-white hand.

Although Xia Qingyue possessed astonishing talent, she was still only in the Elementary Profound Realm. Xiao Yulong, being at the third level of the Nascent Profound Realm, was fully qualified to guide Xia Qingyue... or so he believed.

Seeing Xiao Yulong not only exhibit lewdness in his eyes but also make a move, a flash of anger immediately appeared in Xia Qingyue's beautiful eyes. She abruptly extended her hand, pushing towards Xiao Yulong through the air.

Seeing Xia Qingyue's jade-like hand seemingly extending towards him, Xiao Yulong's eyes lit up with delight. Just as he was about to grasp it, he suddenly felt an enormous, irresistible force violently strike his chest, causing him to grunt and be sent flying backward. He flipped in the air, landing headfirst in a humiliating face-plant, his two front teeth breaking off simultaneously.

Xiao Yulong held an extremely high position within the Xiao Sect. Even if a woman married into the Xiao Sect was harassed by Xiao Yulong, and even if she could defeat him, she would never dare to injure him. But what was Xia Qingyue's background? She had the Ice Cloud Immortal Palace backing her. Forget about making him face-plant; even if she took his life, as soon as her identity as a disciple of the Ice Cloud Immortal Palace was revealed, Xiao Yunhai wouldn't dare utter a single word, and would instead offer smiles and apologies.

***

I hope to portray the early emotional foundation as subtly as possible, which is why the pacing is a bit slow. The pace will pick up later. Given my writing style... would I really let the protagonist remain ordinary forever?

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