"Will you dare do it again?" Xiao Se asked coldly, looking at Huan Du Luo Lan, who was clutching her swollen bottom while lying face-down in the panda's arms.
"Wuu… I won't… I won't dare anymore…" Huan Du Luo Lan sobbed, her voice trembling.
"Louder."
"I—I won't dare again!" she cried out, tears streaming down her cheeks. She was truly terrified now. The man before her was nothing short of a demon. Both sides of her backside were swollen and burning painfully.
Xiao Se's gaze remained stern.
"I don't care how you treat corrupt Taoists or bandits," he said evenly. "But if you ever lay a hand on ordinary civilians again, next time I'll spank you until your backside blooms."
"I understand… wuu…" She wiped her tears miserably.
Xiao Se then turned to the elderly Southern Kingdom ruler standing nearby.
"You've worked hard to suppress the seventy-two cave lords' rebellion in the Southern Kingdom. Don't let excessive indulgence of this girl lead her astray. Take her and go."
Huan Du Qingtian gave a solemn nod. "This old one understands. Thank you."
With that, he carried Huan Du Luo Lan and the panda demon into the sky, disappearing into the distance.
Earlier, Xiao Se had fed Huan Du Qingtian a Duanxu Pill and a Bone Regeneration Pill, restoring most of his injuries. Though the old demon king had fought fiercely, he was not beyond saving.
After they left, Xiao Se returned to Dongfang Huaizhu and the others, withdrawing the Vast Sea Barrier that had shielded them.
"Thank you, young hero!"
"Thank you, Young Master Xiao Se!"
Under the effects of the detoxification pill Xiao Se had provided, the elderly man and Dongfang Huaizhu's attendant had already awakened. Both bowed deeply in gratitude.
Xiao Se nodded casually, not dwelling on it.
Dongfang Qinlan blinked her watery eyes, still a little hesitant.
"You actually defeated Huan Du Qingtian… That's amazing. But… is it really okay to let them go? He's a Demon King."
Xiao Se reached out and gently ruffled her small head.
"Not all demons deserve death," he said with a faint smile. "Huan Du Qingtian attacked us for his daughter's sake. But if we killed him, the Southern Kingdom would lose its pillar. The demons under him would scheme against one another and cause chaos everywhere. In the end, it would be ordinary people who suffer."
"Oh…"
Dongfang Qinlan's face turned slightly red at his familiar touch. Over the past few days, without realizing it, she had developed quite a bit of affection for this young man who constantly fed her delicious things.
Dongfang Huaizhu's cheeks were faintly pink as well.
"Young Master Xiao Se truly thinks far ahead," she praised softly. "If Huan Du Qingtian had died, it would indeed have led to countless disasters."
The memory of earlier flight—his arm around her waist, the warmth lingering there—had not left her thoughts. Her heart had yet to calm down.
Xiao Se only chuckled lightly.
"I merely look at things from an outsider's perspective."
Suddenly, his brows lifted as he glanced toward the sky.
"My friend," he called out calmly, "since you're already here, why not show yourself?"
Dongfang Huaizhu and Dongfang Qinlan both stiffened, following his gaze.
A small black dot in the sky rapidly grew larger, descending steadily until a figure became clear.
The man wore a slightly comical mask and white outer robes over gray inner garments. Beneath his feet floated a sword as he slowly landed before them.
The unmistakable mask—it could only be Wangquan Baya.
"Brother, your skills are remarkable," Wangquan Baya said with a respectful clasp of his hands. "To defeat the infamous Huan Du Qingtian—truly impressive."
"Flattery is unnecessary," Xiao Se replied calmly.
The elderly man nearby gasped. "The Masked Sword Immortal…"
Wangquan Baya turned toward him with a gentle smile.
"You must be the old gentleman from earlier. The villagers captured by the spider demon were not killed. They've already been rescued. You may check later—perhaps your wife and daughter are among them."
"Thank you! Thank you, benefactor!"
Wangquan Baya nodded faintly before his gaze shifted to Dongfang Huaizhu and Dongfang Qinlan. He paused slightly when his eyes passed over Huaizhu, then returned to Xiao Se.
"I am the leader of the Mask Organization," he introduced. "Would you be interested in joining us? Together, we seek to remove the mask of this world."
"No interest," Xiao Se answered immediately.
Wangquan Baya blinked, surprised.
"You know of us?"
"I do. I admire what you're trying to do—but I don't agree with it."
"And why is that?" Wangquan Baya asked, intrigued.
"Because you will die," Xiao Se said plainly.
Silence fell.
"With your current strength, if you go there, nine out of ten of you will not return. Your family, your brothers, your friends—they will all die because of that decision. That place is far beyond what you're capable of facing right now. I advise you—do not let a moment of hot-blooded impulse create a tragedy you can never undo."
Wangquan Baya stood quietly, his masked face unreadable.
Xiao Se turned away.
"I've said my piece. The choice is yours. Please help this old man find his family. I trust you can."
Then he looked toward Dongfang Huaizhu, Dongfang Qinlan, and their attendant Xiao Lu.
"Let's go."
The two sisters nodded.
This time, Xiao Se summoned a massive sword formed entirely from condensed Heavenly Flame. It expanded beneath their feet, large enough to carry them all.
With a surge of energy, they transformed into a streak of light and vanished into the horizon, leaving behind a bewildered Wangquan Baya and a stunned old man.
High above the clouds, Dongfang Qinlan stared down at the enormous flame sword beneath them.
"Xiao Se, your fire is incredible! Not only is it powerful, but you can freely control its temperature. And now you can even form a giant sword to fly on!"
Xiao Se smiled faintly.
"It's just a fire control technique. If you want to learn, I can teach you someday."
"Really? That's amazing! Thank you, brother-in-law!"
The words slipped out of Dongfang Qinlan's mouth naturally.
The air froze.
Dongfang Huaizhu slowly turned her head toward Xiao Se, her expression unreadable.
"Young Master Xiao Se," she said calmly, though her tone carried a chill, "care to explain why my sister is calling you brother-in-law?"
"Uh…"
Xiao Se's mouth twitched.
"Th-this… well…"
"Qinlan," Huaizhu said firmly. "Explain."
Dongfang Qinlan gulped.
"I-it was brother-in-law—no! It was Xiao Se! When you were feeding the antidote pills to the old man and Xiao Lu, he gave me a storage ring and a lot of food… and told me to secretly call him brother-in-law…"
Xiao Se closed his eyes briefly.
This kid is hopeless.
"Xiao. Se. Gong. Zi." Dongfang Huaizhu's voice grew colder with each syllable.
Xiao Se shuddered.
Without hesitation, he guided the flaming sword downward, landing beside a quiet bamboo pavilion by the river.
It was the famed Huai River Bamboo Pavilion.
He took a deep breath and looked directly at Dongfang Huaizhu.
"Although it may be a little early," he said seriously, "it doesn't matter much. Yes. I did tell Qinlan to call me that."
Dongfang Huaizhu's cheeks flushed red.
"Why?" she asked softly, though she already had a faint guess.
Xiao Se met her gaze steadily.
"Because I intend to marry you."
The wind stirred gently through the bamboo grove.
Dongfang Qinlan's eyes widened in shock.
Dongfang Huaizhu's heart pounded violently in her chest.
And for the first time since meeting him, Xiao Se's expression held no teasing—only sincerity.
(End of Chapter)
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