Chapter 23: Leaving a Mark on Ma Xiaotao

The home Tang Ya spoke of was, naturally, the residence she kept within Shrek City. Considering she would need to study and live at Shrek Academy’s outer courtyard for at least six years, she had signed a long-term lease on the property to ensure she had a place to stay at the end of every semester.

It was a small, self-contained courtyard located in the southern part of Shrek City. The area was modest, barely fifty square meters, enclosed on three sides by walls, and consisted of only three rooms. Ye Xixuan and Tang Ya usually occupied the northern and eastern rooms, the south served as the entrance, and the west was used for storage.

The southern part of Shrek City was quite a distance from the academy's east gate, and it was already late at night by the time they returned. The small, exquisite courtyard was filled with various plants according to Tang Ya’s preferences. Soft, glowing soul-guided lamps were lit, dispelling the darkness of this tiny sanctuary and bathing it in a tranquil, peaceful atmosphere.

As they chatted, Ye Xixuan took the initiative to recount some of his experiences from hunting soul beasts to obtain his soul ring with their Senior Sister. Tang Ya sat beside him on the edge of the courtyard steps, her knees drawn together, hands braced on the ground behind her as she gazed up at the dim night sky over Shrek City.

"Xixuan, since Senior Sister treats us so well, how do you think we should repay her in the future?"

"Sister Lexuan doesn't do these things looking for any kind of repayment from us," Ye Xixuan said with a gentle shake of his head, pillowing his head with his hands as he lay flat on the clean, bluestone floor.

Tang Ya turned her head, seemingly realizing something, and arched an eyebrow at Ye Xixuan with a mischievous, playful glint in her eyes. "How come I feel like you’ve been getting closer to Senior Sister since we got back?"

"Have I?" Ye Xixuan didn't feel that way himself. "Senior Sister is powerful, beautiful, and gentle; it’s only natural to be close to her."

"So, are you saying I’m not gentle enough?" Tang Ya stood up abruptly, hands on her slender waist, puffing out her budding chest. "Fine, I see you’ve really been corrupted by that guy named Bei Bei!"

Ye Xixuan said with an innocent expression, "No, that’s not it. Sister Ya, you’re actually very gentle too."

"Really? I don't believe you." The smile on Tang Ya's face finally gave way. She always felt a strange sense of accomplishment whenever she teased Ye Xixuan. It was akin to the way she imagined raising a little boy; she wanted to personally mold Ye Xixuan into the most perfect version of her own ideals. "Unless you give me a kiss, hee hee."

Such things had happened countless times over the past two years, but what she failed to realize was that as Ye Xixuan grew older, her teasing and banter were gradually starting to change in nature. And she would eventually pay the price for it.

...

The next morning, after breakfast, Ye Xixuan and Tang Ya returned to Shrek Academy together. Thinking of the pressure she might face studying in the outer courtyard, Tang Ya decided not to sleep in as she usually did, but instead planned to spend the entire day in her freshman dormitory cultivating.

Opening the door with her key, Tang Ya immediately spotted Jiang Nannan, who had just finished her meditation, and greeted her with a bright, charming smile. "Nannan, good morning."

"Morning." Looking at Tang Ya, who acted as if nothing had happened, Jiang Nannan didn't know what to say. Having a boyfriend at such a young age and staying out all night—they were clearly two completely different kinds of people. However, rather than relying on her own assumptions, she decided to clarify with Tang Ya. "Was that boy yesterday your boyfriend?"

"Pfft—" Tang Ya was stunned for a moment before her eyes widened, and she laughed melodically. "Nannan, what are you thinking? Even though Xixuan is a bit tall, he’s actually only eight years old this year."

Jiang Nannan froze, her face flushing a deep red, followed by a wave of embarrassment. "He’s only eight?"

"It doesn't matter if he's eight. Xixuan is sure to grow up to be a very handsome man, and his talent is excellent. Just wait a few years. How about it? Do you want me to introduce you?" Tang Ya seemed born with this free-spirited nature, teasing Jiang Nannan until she couldn't say a word. Though, she said this, whether she would actually follow through was another matter.

Meanwhile, Ye Xixuan walked alone along the lakeside path toward the Sea God's Lake. Although the lake was an artificial one built to commemorate the Sea God Tang San, its water was extremely clear and a pure, deep blue. The sky, white clouds, and the lush trees along the shore were reflected on the surface, while faint mist rose up, ethereal and serene, like a fairyland on earth.

Ye Xixuan activated his Heavenly Spider Claws, his sharp silver fingertips flicking as he launched himself into the air. He darted quickly through the mist, heading straight for Sea God Island.

Before long, he suddenly stopped in mid-air, looking toward the distant island. Within the thick mist, a red dot appeared, moving toward him at an astonishing speed.

"It can't be such a coincidence, can it?" Ye Xixuan felt a jolt of alarm. He immediately changed direction, retracting his surrounding transparent spider silk, and began to move laterally. If his guess was correct, given his current cultivation level, the best choice was to dodge in time rather than stubbornly charging head-on.

But the red dot seemed to have locked onto him; as soon as he changed direction, it followed suit. In an instant, a red figure appeared in Ye Xixuan’s line of sight.

It was a young woman of about sixteen, her figure lithe and well-proportioned, her chest provocatively full. Her waist was extremely slender, widening sharply at the hips, with straight, rounded legs. Her stunning face appeared cold, but those blood-red eyes gave off a seductive, eerie feeling, as if they could stir the inner evil desires of others, dragging them into total depravity.

A piercing phoenix cry rang out as the red-clad woman unfurled her wings of flame, her speed increasing significantly. Surrounded by two yellow, two purple, and one black soul ring, she was clearly a powerhouse at the Soul King level!

Ye Xixuan had nowhere left to hide. He recognized the woman immediately as Ma Xiaotao, the possessor of the Evil Fire Phoenix martial soul, but his heart was filled with utter gloom.

"Why me?"

After breaking through to the second ring, his martial soul did indeed possess the potential to help Ma Xiaotao resolve her evil fire, but it felt as though she had actively sensed him and sought him out.

Ye Xixuan controlled his transparent silver spider silk to bind Ma Xiaotao, but under the terrifying heat of her evil fire, it was instantly burned into nothingness, having absolutely no effect.

The intense heat swept over him, causing the lake surface to hiss and steam, the surroundings seemingly swallowed by a crimson glow. The next moment, Ma Xiaotao was right in front of him, an indescribably frantic aura erupting from her.

Ye Xixuan could offer no resistance. He could only manage to release his Heart Demon patterns to protect himself before being slammed by Ma Xiaotao into the lake waters. As his consciousness blurred, he reached out his right hand and rested it on her slender waist.

The black demon patterns seemed to crawl from his skin, spreading across Ma Xiaotao’s flat abdomen until they left a patterned mark. With this mark as a medium, the evil energy in Ma Xiaotao’s soul power was guided into Ye Xixuan’s body. She let out a moan of infinite relief and seduction, her body trembling violently, leaving a patch of warmth in the cold lake water.