| The Paternity Guard (PATERNITY) |
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Xing Beiming's hand shook but he quickly stabilized the bowl of red date juice while gazing at the beautiful scenery before him.
Meanwhile, Shi Qi, who had heard his Master's voice, swiftly withdrew his fingers. The friction from his quick movements almost made him moan out loud. Sitting in the bathtub, he organized his thoughts and then pretended that nothing had happened.
He completely forgot his earlier ambitions.
After calming himself, Xing Beiming pretended to be calm as he walked behind Shi Qi and handed him the bowl. "Red date juice. It should be quite tasty."
Shi Qi, whether due to the steam or embarrassment, raised his red face and took the still-steaming juice. He drank about half of it and then looked at Xing Beiming, who said nothing and just urged him to finish it. So, Shi Qi drank it all in one go, finding it refreshing and fragrant. "Very delicious."
"Is it?" Xing Beiming stared at the person with juice-glistening lips as he took the bowl and tossed it behind the screen, landing it securely on the table. "Then let me taste it."
As their lips and tongues intertwined, the atmosphere immediately heated up. Xing Beiming quickly removed his outer clothes and jumped into the tub. In the cramped space, Shi Qi could only shrink but Xing Beiming pulled him closer, holding his chin and turning his face. "Care to explain what you were doing earlier?"
Shi Qi unusually kept his mouth shut, feeling ashamed of his actions, so speaking about them was even more impossible.
As a considerate lover, Xing Beiming wouldn't force him.
Actions spoke louder than words, so he took the initiative.
Thus, Shi Qi, who had offered himself willingly, endured his Master's desires and experienced various sensations until he exhaustedly fell asleep.
"What a fool..." Xing Beiming muttered while staring at someone's sleeping face.
The sweet night passed, followed by a tense day. However, this tension was only felt by Shi Qi. Xing Beiming was quite satisfied and even leisurely went downstairs for breakfast with Shi Qi following behind. Suddenly feeling someone's gaze, Shi Qi looked up to see the person in the straw hat from yesterday. Shi Qi felt suspicious and glanced at the person a few more times but the person stopped looking at him.
Xing Beiming sat down for breakfast and saw Shi Qi standing there in a daze. "What's wrong? Have your breakfast."
Shi Qi replied and sat down before voicing his concern to Xing Beiming. "Master, that person's gaze feels a bit strange."
Xing Beiming gave some attention to the person but didn't care much. "Perhaps they are just curious about us, Martial cultivators. Don't mind them and just eat."
After breakfast, they leisurely walked to the foot of the mountain. Xing Beiming decided to carry Shi Qi in his arms. "Since you're not feeling well, I'll take you up."
Shi Qi protested, "Master, you should conserve your energy and not use your internal strength. This subordinate can manage." In his haste, he used the term as 'subordinate' he hadn't used in a while.
Xing Beiming didn't argue with him and just directly carried him up the mountain. Using the rocks for leverage, they reached the mountaintop. Although not a famous peak, it still had a considerable height. Only those with exceptional internal and external skills could achieve such feats.
As expected, the mountaintop was desolate. There was a simple pavilion constructed by visitors, where a figure in light purple was pouring wine for himself. Around them, there was no one else. Yin Ji looked at the two and remarked, "This cute little guard seems to have captured Lord Xing's heart deeply and is always being carried around. Lord Xing, I doubt you've ever experienced such feelings, too bad."
Xing Beiming nodded, "Indeed, this Lord doesn't want to be separated from him even for a moment. Palace Master Yin, you probably haven't felt such emotions, too bad."
Yin Ji's expression stiffened for a moment then he smiled, "But soon, I will experience these feelings, Lord Xing. But you better keep your little guard away. If he sees you injured and rushes over, I can't guarantee I won't accidentally hurt him..."
"Don't worry, no one can hurt him in front of this Lord." Xing Beiming arrogantly teased then turned to Shi Qi, "If there's danger later, hide far away."
Although Shi Qi appeared expressionless, his heart was pounding with nervousness as he nodded.
He watched anxiously as his Master confronted Yin Ji. As his Master raised his palm, ready for action, Shi Qi's heart raced. Meanwhile, Yin Ji glanced at the two swords on the stone table in the pavilion and suggested, “Lord Xing, why don't we have a sword match first? These two swords are of superior quality, so there's no harm in using them.”
Naturally, Xing Beiming didn't mind at all and wasn't afraid of any tricks. Yin Ji grabbed the swords and tossed one to Xing Beiming without a word then immediately launched an attack.
Sparks flew as their weapons clashed.
To onlookers, the scene was captivating with one in white and the other in purple and their long hair dancing in the wind. However, only they and Shi Qi, who observed closely, felt the tense atmosphere.
In no time, they exchanged hundreds of moves and the brilliance of their swords illuminated the surroundings, causing the rocks to crack inch by inch. Shi Qi carefully stepped back behind a giant rock to continue watching without obstructing his view. He had witnessed his Master's swordsmanship and palm techniques before and was always marveling at them. As for Yin Ji, it wasn't hard to imagine how graceful Yin Haoyue had been in the past.
During their next clash, the swords couldn't withstand their vigorous internal energy and broke. Yin Ji retrieved the broken sword while smiling, “Lord Xing is indeed formidable. These two swords are our Sect's pride, yet they broke so easily. Impressive.”
Ignoring Yin Ji's flattery, Xing Beiming said, “Are you praising yourself in reverse, Master Yin? Let's continue.”
“Good, let's go all out!” Yin Ji threw away the broken sword and they engaged in hand-to-hand combat.
The Moon Shadow Divine Art and Blood Demon Art were both extremely sinister techniques.
The Moon Shadow Divine Art relied on its icy internal energy, capable of causing superficial or severe injuries. On the other hand, Lord Xing's Mastery of freezing everything around him except himself was formidable, albeit risky to attempt.
As for the Blood Demon Art, it ranged from basic blood consumption to blood-for-blood exchanges. A method considered evil and associated with the demonic sect.
Dodging Xing Beiming's devastating attack, Yin Ji seemed unfazed by the wound on his shoulder. It had been a long time since anyone had aroused such a strong fighting spirit in him.
Previous encounters had always been brief and unsatisfying but this showdown was crucial for determining someone's allegiance. He couldn't afford to lose, even if losing meant not giving up.
Thinking of that person, a hint of red flashed in Yin Ji's eyes and a trace of malevolent aura emanated from his palms during the confrontation. Shi Qi was secretly amazed; Yin Ji's strength clearly surpassed that of Yan Baihe and others he had seen before.
With poisoned palm winds, Lord Xing warned, “Shi Qi, stay back. If you get injured, your buttocks might suffer.”
Shi Qi gritted his teeth and stepped back several meters while feeling grateful for the ample space at the mountain peak. Otherwise, he would have to retreat to the bottom of the mountain.
When their powerful internal energies clashed at a certain point, their clothes rustled and their hair was tossed about by the fierce wind.
Loose rocks had already escaped the ground's control as the rocks fell towards the mountain's base and creating a dust cloud and causing stones to tumble down. The noise reached the foot of the mountain, prompting bystanders to rush out. Seeing the rocks rolling down from the mountain, the timid ones shouted, "The mountain is collapsing! Run!"
Some long-time residents shook their heads at the commotion. "It's probably another person blasting rocks. There are no diamonds on this mountain; how many times do we have to say it? Oh, what a nuisance!"
The Martial cultivators, who carried swords at their waists, marveled with excitement. "Who possesses such formidable internal strength? Even at this height, one can feel the immense internal energy pouring out. Going up there now would likely mean risking one's life!”
The duel between these two experts didn't need to last for three days and nights; they could determine the outcome in a short time. Although facing rare opponents, both Xing Beiming and Yin Ji were not foolish in Martial Arts and desired a quick resolution.
One was anxious for a certain person's return while the other couldn't calm his urgency.
'Puff!'
Their palms collided and they both retreated to a safe distance. Yin Ji spat out blood and Xing Beiming had traces of blood at the corner of his mouth.
Wiping it away with his finger, Xing Beiming asked lightly, “Your organs are injured, yet you still want to continue?”
Yin Ji stood up with a hint of unwillingness in his smile. “Of course, I haven't lost yet.”
Suddenly, the earth shook and Shi Qi, torn between wanting to check the situation of the two fighters and maintaining his balance to avoid falling rocks, didn't notice the two arrows shot towards him.
In a hurry, he flipped backward and landed at the foot of the mountain. He uses a protruding tree trunk to cushion his fall and conceal his presence. Sure enough, Yin Ji had prepared a sinister move against him.
Was he trying to fulfill their agreement by using Shi Qi?
Several figures jumped to where Shi Qi had fallen, including Ying Wu [1] and Ying Ba, engaging in a fight with Yin Ji's men. Shi Qi was ready to jump in and help when someone grabbed him from behind and pulled him behind a protruding rock. He instinctively attacked the person but was countered effortlessly. The familiar moves and the inevitable disguise made him almost call out the person's name.
[1] Shadow Five
When Shi Qi looked closely, it was the person he had seen wearing a bamboo hat recently. Recognizing the familiar moves and the forced disguise, what else could he say?
The person removed the hat while smiling wryly. “It's me, Shi Qi.”