The only thing Yang Xiao found somewhat unsatisfactory was that this Sister Liu Yan seemed to be the quiet, reserved type — he would ask her ten questions and maybe get an answer once in a while, the rest of the time he was essentially ignored.
In a valley brimming with blooming flowers, Liu Yan suddenly came to a halt.
Yang Xiao hurriedly stopped too and turned to look at her. A look of wonder gradually bloomed in his eyes. The valley was breathtakingly beautiful, like a paradise on earth. Among all the vibrant flowers competing for attention, Liu Yan stood there with an elegant grace, as if she were the most beautiful blossom of all, making the entire world around her lose its luster.
A breeze swept through, and thousands upon thousands of butterflies danced into the air, forming a shimmering wave of rainbow hues that only served to frame Liu Yan further — she looked like an elf of this world.
Yang Xiao stared, dumbfounded. For the first time since his birth, he truly understood what the word "beautiful" meant.
Suddenly, Liu Yan tilted her head toward him and said flatly, "You should run now."
Yang Xiao had been gazing at her, completely entranced. Hearing her words, he froze for a moment and asked in confusion, "Why should I run?"
Liu Yan slowly raised one hand, extending her index finger. With a soft whoosh, a flicker of flame bloomed at her fingertip. She spoke gently, "Because… I'm going to burn you with this."
Yang Xiao stared in disbelief, caught between laughter and tears. "Sister Liu Yan, why would you burn me? Did I do something wrong?"
Liu Yan didn't answer. She simply gave him a radiant smile, and then, under Yang Xiao's stunned gaze, she lightly tapped her index finger forward. The ball of flame at her fingertip suddenly came alive, transforming into a fire serpent that coiled toward Yang Xiao.
The attack came without warning. Even though Liu Yan had just warned him, Yang Xiao simply couldn't believe she would actually set him on fire. By the time the fire serpent lunged at his face, he finally snapped out of his daze. His body blurred as he shot back over a dozen zhang, shouting, "What are you doing?!"
He hadn't provoked her or offended her in any way — why would she arbitrarily set him on fire? Yang Xiao was starting to wonder if this Sister Liu Yan had something wrong with her head.
Liu Yan stood there in silence, still looking lovely and composed. With a mere thought, the fire serpent that had shot out obeyed her every command, chasing after Yang Xiao.
Waves of searing heat washed over him, and Yang Xiao's expression changed drastically. Although he could sense that the fire serpent lacked the power to actually kill him, getting burned by it would still be extremely unpleasant. He immediately began dodging and weaving with all his might. Though he had only recently been born and had never properly undergone any Cultivation, he was a true Dragon after all, and his evasive movements displayed remarkable agility. For a time, the fire serpent couldn't touch him. Despite its fierce momentum, Liu Yan's precise control ensured that not a single flower or blade of grass in the valley was harmed.
Yang Xiao dodged and shouted simultaneously, "Sister Liu Yan, what exactly are you trying to do? Stop it already!"
Liu Yan paid him no mind. A devilish little smile hung at the corner of her lips as she steered the fire serpent to chase Yang Xiao relentlessly, leaving him wailing in misery.
After going around in circles several more times, Yang Xiao's temper finally boiled over. He erupted in fury, cursing aloud, "You crazy woman, are you out of your mind? We have no grudge, no enmity!"
His temperament was, to a large degree, inherited from Yang Kai. Being toyed with like this by Liu Yan naturally ignited a blaze of rage in his heart, and he lost all restraint over his tongue.
"What did you call me?" Liu Yan's eyes narrowed. A chilling coldness seeped into those large, beautiful eyes, and even her voice seemed to transform into the biting winter wind, sending a chill down Yang Xiao's spine.
"Crazy woman?" Liu Yan repeated the words to herself, then let out a couple of light, unhinged laughs.
Yang Xiao's heart plummeted. No way was he staying here a second longer. Seizing an opening, he darted sideways and shot off in a burst of speed.
But though he was a true Dragon, he had been born far too recently — how could he possibly be Liu Yan's match? The fire serpent suddenly split apart, transforming into a net of flames that descended over him. Caught off guard, Yang Xiao was ensnared square in the net. He let out wails of agony as wisps of smoke began rising from his body.
The flame net's temperature was scorching. Though it lacked any real killing power, being seared by it was agonizing nonetheless.
A piercing dragon roar rang out. A flash of white light burst from Yang Xiao's body as dragon breath erupted forth, shattering the flame net. Without looking back, he bolted into the distance, his heart brimming with grievance. That Sister Liu Yan was absolutely a lunatic — he hadn't provoked her or offended her, had even addressed her most courteously, and yet she had laid such cruel hands on him.
What kind of people were following his adoptive father? He had to escape back and expose this woman's true colors in front of Father, warn him to be on guard from now on.
"Run, run as hard as you can. I told you to run earlier, but you just wouldn't listen." A calm, unhurried voice drifted to his ear, and Yang Xiao's little face immediately turned a shade of green. He turned his head stiffly, and there she was — that devilish Liu Yan, galloping right alongside him. She was committing such a cruel act, yet a look of pure delight hung at the corner of her lips, as though doing this genuinely made her happy.
This person was truly a lunatic!
"Aaah!" Yang Xiao screamed in terror. Any lingering goodwill he had toward Liu Yan was completely gone, replaced by nothing but intense dread. All he wanted was to get as far away from her as possible — ideally never laying eyes on her again for the rest of his life.