"Shout, shout, shout until your throat gives out, but no one will come to save you," Yali laughed smugly, her voice filled with triumph. With a flash, she appeared next to Xia Yi, lifted his chin, and gave him a teasing look, "Oh! Didn't expect you to look so delicate."
"Big sister, just say what you want to say. I promise I'll be serious," Xia Yi immediately backed down. He had intended to joke around and tease Yali, but she seemed to be more into it than he expected.
This woman—how could she go from acting desperate earlier to suddenly changing her demeanor like this?
A woman's heart is like a needle at the bottom of the ocean.
"Hehe, scared now? Don't you think it's a little too late?" Yali grinned, holding Xia Yi's chin, and said with a mischievous glint in her eyes, "Before we talk business, why don't you explain the slap you gave me earlier?"
"⊙o⊙" Xia Yi stared blankly at Yali. Could it be that she wasn't afraid of going too far?
Or was she not acting at all?
"What do you want with that look?" Yali smiled slightly, her fingers slowly sliding down from his chin until they reached the center of his chest.
"Big sister, given the situation, what could I possibly do? What do you want to do?" Xia Yi sighed with a bitter smile.
"What do I want to do? You were so brave earlier when you thought you could risk your life. Now you're asking what I want to do?" Yali narrowed her eyes.
"I'll tell you this—no matter what, even if you get my body, you won't get my heart." Xia Yi put on a look of absolute resolve.
"Pah! Who wants your heart?" Yali rolled her eyes and turned her head away.
"If you don't want my heart, then you must just want my body. I didn't know you were like that, Yali," Xia Yi laughed, seizing the opening in her words.
"Xia Yi, don't tease me. Don't think I won't do something about it," Yali gritted her teeth, her playful tone disappearing. She raised her hand to release the holy light that had bound Xia Yi, giving a cold snort, "Let me remind you one last time—if you dare to tease me again, you will bear the consequences."
"Are you really planning to force me again like some thug?" Xia Yi chuckled.
"That's not entirely out of the question." Yali scoffed coldly.
As the golden-silver lake water, formed by divine energy, was absorbed by the Earth Cauldron, the surrounding scenery began to blur.
Before long, Xia Yi and Yali found themselves back on the original lake water, landing on the wooden boat.
"We're out!" Yali bit her lip, her gaze at Xia Yi filled with complexity, as though a bit regretful.
"Indeed, we're out," Xia Yi nodded and glanced at Yali. He had a feeling he should leave soon.
This woman, bringing him here, everything felt off.
If he didn't leave now, maybe...
Just as Xia Yi's thought ended, the previously calm lake suddenly became turbulent, causing the wooden boat to rock violently.
"Ah!" Yali stumbled and fell into Xia Yi's arms, causing both of them to fall onto the boat.
Yali was completely sprawled on top of Xia Yi.
Their eyes met, and they could even feel each other's warm breath. For a moment, both of them felt awkward.
"Great. You're at the peak of your powers, and you're making such a rookie mistake? Also, where did such huge waves come from in such a small lake? Come up with a better excuse next time," Xia Yi thought sarcastically, wanting to push Yali off.
But just now, when she fell into his arms, it was clear that Yali had done so deliberately. Otherwise, he wouldn't have fallen too.
She was obviously doing it on purpose.
If he pushed her away now, would it seem like he didn't understand a woman's feelings? Or like he was ungrateful?
Yali seemed to know that her acting wasn't perfect. Blushing, she said, "Xia Yi, I know you've been holding onto that incident from before, and you've been brooding about it. So today, I'll leave it up to you. After this, let's call it quits. No hard feelings."
"So, from the very beginning, your purpose in bringing me out here wasn't pure, was it?" Xia Yi smiled mischievously.
"Is your purpose pure? Would a pure person try so hard to invite a widow to go sightseeing?" Yali huffed, still lying on top of Xia Yi.
Xia Yi was taken aback. He didn't expect Yali to think this way.
At the time, he really was just joking.
"What? Nothing to say now?" Seeing Xia Yi in a daze, Yali gave another huff.
"Looks like women always go from one extreme to another. The words from the Valley of Love were right—we're indeed a pair of adulterers," Xia Yi said with a sly grin, his eyes drifting across Yali's figure. He looked up and couldn't help but be drawn to a snow-white curve, tempting him to explore.
"Ugh, stop saying it like that. If it weren't for wanting to make you give up, I wouldn't have done this. This is the last time. Don't tease me again," Yali's eyes flickered with a trace of seduction as she suddenly flipped over and pinned Xia Yi beneath her, gazing at him with sultry eyes.
Staring up at the beautiful Yali, Xia Yi swallowed nervously, "You really plan to let me do whatever I want?"
"Will I let you off? Come on!" Yali wrapped her arms around Xia Yi's neck, her posture one of complete submission.
She had given him so many chances, and since he didn't take the initiative, she had no choice but to take the lead.
"Why are you even more impatient than me?" Xia Yi muttered inwardly. Now he understood. Yali's purpose in bringing him here all along was to "get back at Xia Yi" and then "break it off once and for all."
At least, that's how Yali saw it.
She believed that after this, she could finally walk away from him.
She had completely forgotten that back on Devil Island, she had vowed there would be no more relationship between them.
Not even long after, she was the one who came to him.
Xia Yi, amused, stared at Yali, rubbing his chin. "Since you're letting me do as I please, how about you dance for me?"
"Dance? I don't know how," Yali's face turned bright red. She had grown up in a poor neighborhood and never learned to dance.
"Even if you do know, I'm 'not going to let you' dance," Yali murmured, adding a final comment. She wasn't Xia Yi's wife, nor his servant—why should she dance for him?
"Don't know how, huh? Hehe, come on, I'll teach you. Just follow my lead," Xia Yi ignored the rest of Yali's words, sat up eagerly, and took out a soul communication device, playing a video in front of Yali.
It was a video of him in Mingdu being coerced by Guyu to dance a pole dance.
He had deleted it from Guyu's device but kept a copy for himself.
"Pole dance? No way, I'll never do it!" Yali's face turned completely red when she saw the video. Pole dancing? Xia Yi actually wanted her to do that?
She was a Spirit Douluo, why would she dance such a "disgraceful" dance?
(End of chapter)