Chapter Two

The Soul Emperor did not remember how he spent those three days.

He only remembered waking up in Xiao Yan's arms every morning, his deep black eyes filled with a gentle smile, as Xiao Yan would softly kiss his forehead and whisper his name—of course, it was Xiao Xun'er's name. He only remembered being tossed to the clouds again and again by the burning red candles every night, his soul and body completely outside his own, trembling, weeping, and sinking in that person's arms.

The feeling was so intense that it terrified him.

On the morning of the third day, while Xiao Yan was out handling business, the Soul Emperor sat alone before the bronze mirror, gazing at his exquisitely beautiful face reflected therein. His phoenix crown had long since been removed, his long, black hair cascading loosely, and a lingering languor and allure remained in his eyes and brows after their passionate encounter. The faint hickeys on his collarbone were like a silent brand.

He closed his eyes and began to circulate his soul power.

Then he froze.

When did his soul power recover to this level?

No, it wasn't just recovery. He could clearly sense that the compatibility between his soul and this body was increasing at an astonishing rate. Logically speaking, even for a Soul Emperor like himself, possessing such a powerful body would require a great deal of time to adjust. But in just three nights, all the resistance and stagnation that should have existed had completely vanished without a trace.

Could it be...?

An utterly absurd thought popped into my head.

Could it be because of... dual cultivation with Xiao Yan?

The Soul Emperor's fingers gripped the edge of the dressing table tightly, his knuckles turning white. He took several deep breaths to suppress the urge to smash the bronze mirror. Anger, shame, humiliation, and a secret, unspoken stirring within him—a feeling he himself was unwilling to acknowledge.

He closed his eyes, and his soul perception spread out without hindrance, sweeping across the entire ancient realm. He saw the patrolling guards, the ancient clan elders holding a meeting, and Xiao Yan sitting alone under the waterfall at the back of the mountain.

Then, he sensed it.

There is a certain spatial node that is extremely unstable. It is a fold in spacetime, deep in the dense forest in the southeast of the ancient realm.

His heart skipped a beat.

That was a rift torn open when he traveled through time and space, and it hadn't fully healed yet. With his current soul power, and given the weakness of that point, he could easily use forbidden techniques again—

Go back to the past.

Go back to the past once again.

This thought struck him like a bolt of lightning, cleaving through all the chaos and obsession in his mind. The Soul Emperor stood up, the light in his eyes gradually fading into cold.

He almost forgot who he was.

He almost forgot why he came back.

He gazed intently at the stunningly beautiful face reflected in the bronze mirror, a cold smile curving his lips.

“Xiao Xun’er,” he said softly, as if speaking to himself, or perhaps to the original owner of this body, “I will make good use of your body. I will kill your man with my own hands.”

He turned and walked into the depths of the dense forest without hesitation.

This time, he wouldn't make the same mistake again. He would choose a moment when Xiao Yan was most vulnerable and least prepared.

He also needs to choose a body that will not interfere with his judgment at all.

The wind rustled through the treetops of the dense forest. The Soul Emperor stood before the spatial node, his hands forming a mudra, ancient and obscure incantations flowing from his lips. Soul power was frantically extracted, and the spatial rift began to widen, emitting a piercing buzzing sound, like a gradually opening black maw.

Spacetime was distorted, breaking and reforming beneath his feet.

At the last moment, the Soul Emperor glanced back in the direction of the Ancient Realm. In that direction, Xiao Yan was still sitting quietly under the waterfall at the back mountain, completely unaware of his impending loss of his wife.

“Xiao Yan,” Soul Emperor’s lips curled into a cruel smile, “wait for me to return.”

Darkness swallowed him.

When he opened his eyes again, the Soul Emperor found himself floating in a crimson space.

Scorching hot. Extremely hot.

The air was thick with the smells of sulfur and lava; beneath your feet flowed a churning river of lava; overhead stood layers of greyish-black rock, from which crimson light emanated from the cracks. This was an underground volcano, and judging from the intensity of the energy emanating from it, it was likely an ancient relic or some kind of sealed place.

The Soul Emperor quickly concealed his soul aura, attaching himself to the shadows in a corner of the space, calmly observing everything below.

Then he saw Xiao Yan.

The young Xiao Yan.

He was much younger than the composed and domineering Xiao Yan on his wedding day. His bones had not yet fully developed, and his face still carried the unique naivety and stubbornness of a young man. He was shirtless, his lean body covered with bloodstains and burns, and blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. However, his eyes shone like two burning flames, staring intently ahead.

Before him was a strange fire floating above the magma.

The strange flame was the color of a blue lotus, with layers upon layers of petals, and a pale blue lotus heart at its center. As it burned, it emitted an ancient and tranquil aura. It frantically devoured the surrounding天地能量 (heaven and earth energy), and the temperature of the entire space rose to a terrifying level because of it.

The Fire of the Green Lotus Core.

The Soul Emperor recognized it. This was the first strange fire that Xiao Yan had subdued, and it was also the starting point for him to embark on the path of becoming a powerful figure. At this moment, Xiao Yan's cultivation was only at the Dou Zhe level, and he was completely risking his life to fight for this strange fire.

That's right, it's at this moment.

A cold glint flashed in the Soul Emperor's eyes. At this moment, Xiao Yan's soul power was not yet fully developed, and his physical strength was far from sufficient. He was engaged in a near-self-destructive struggle with the strange fire. Every muscle in his body was trembling, every nerve was stretched to its limit, and his willpower was being gradually eroded by the scorching heat of the strange fire.

This is when Xiao Yan is at his most vulnerable.

There is no other.

The Soul Emperor smiled silently. He slowly gathered his soul power, like a venomous snake lurking in the shadows, aiming at that fleeting flaw in Xiao Yan's soul—

Now!

He transformed into an invisible arrow, piercing straight into the core of Xiao Yan's soul.

However, just as his soul was about to break into Xiao Yan's sea of ​​consciousness, an extremely powerful suction force suddenly came from the side, pulling his soul away in a tyrannical manner that he could not resist at all!

"What--"

The Soul Emperor's consciousness descended into chaos.

It was a strange feeling. It was like being caught in a vortex, surrounded by colorful spots of light and a cacophony of sounds. His soul struggled frantically, trying to break free from the suction, but the suction was too powerful, carrying the domineering and irresistible pressure of some ancient bloodline.

When he finally regained consciousness, he felt—

water.

Warm water enveloped his entire body.

No, it's not water, it's...

He opened his eyes and lowered his head.

I saw a face reflected on the water.

It was an exceptionally beautiful face, with a cold beauty tinged with a natural allure, and an air of noble authority that commanded respect without a hint of anger. Her eyelashes were long, her eyes slightly upturned at the corners, and her pupils were purple, like two of the most precious amethysts. He had seen this face before.

To be precise, no one on the Dou Qi Continent has not seen this face.

Queen Medusa – Rainbow Scales.

No, now she should be called... Xiao Yan's other woman.

The Soul Emperor's mind went blank once again.

here we go again.

here we go again!!!

He had clearly deliberately avoided Xiao Xun'er! He had clearly chosen the most precise time! Why! Why was he still possessing Xiao Yan's woman!

He wanted to go berserk, to roar, to tear everything around him apart. Then he found himself unable to move—not completely unable to move, but rather his body was in a very strange state, as if half-conscious and half-awake, his consciousness as if veiled by a thick fog, hazy and sluggish.

He heard the sound of water.

Then he saw Xiao Yan.

The young Xiao Yan was swimming towards him. Two flames burned in his bright black eyes—not the Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame, but a more primal flame, belonging to male instinct. His breathing was heavy and hot, his chest heaving violently, and his wounds were still bleeding, but he seemed to feel no pain at all.

The Soul Emperor understood instantly.

This is the end of Xiao Yan's subjugation of the Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame. The backlash from the strange flame plunged Xiao Yan into a state of blurred consciousness and instinct, and Queen Medusa—no, at this moment, it should be Cai Lin, who is also undergoing evolution and is being dominated by instinct—happened to be here as well.

One is a boy whose body is engulfed in strange flames and whose consciousness has collapsed.

One is a queen who is key to evolution and whose blood boils.

Two people.

A lone man and a lone woman.

A pool of lukewarm water.

The Soul Emperor felt a throbbing sensation in his temples.

Before he could react, Xiao Yan had already swum to him. The boy's burning body pressed against him, his arms encircling his waist in an irresistible manner. Those instinctively driven eyes stared straight at him, his hot breath spraying on his face.

“Colorful…scales…”

Xiao Yan's voice was so hoarse that it was almost inaudible, carrying the awkwardness and urgency unique to young people.

No. The Soul Emperor suddenly snapped back to reality. No! Cai Lin's body contained the bloodline of the Snake-People race. Snake-People do indeed enter a state of estrus during evolution; it's an instinct inherited from their bloodline, a way to maintain vitality during evolution. But—but he possesses soul power! He can forcibly control this body!

He can do it.

He can do it...

Bar?

The moment Xiao Yan's lips touched the side of his neck, the Soul Emperor's body trembled violently. It was a feeling completely different from Xiao Xun'er's—if Xiao Xun'er's body was gentle and delicate, then Cai Lin's body was passionate and wild. The sensitivity of the Snake-People Queen's bloodline was no less than that of the Ancient Clan's young lady; in fact, due to the Snake-People's unique thermoregulation system, every inch of her skin was exceptionally sensitive and intense to temperature.

Xiao Yan's lips were burning hot, as if they held flames, leaving a warm, damp trail down his neck. The boy's movements were not gentle; in fact, they could be described as rough, driven by instinctual impatience and urgency. But it was precisely these unskilled, almost primal actions that stirred the deepest response within his body.

"Um……"

The Soul Emperor heard himself let out a low groan.

The sound emanated from deep within his throat, carrying the languid and hoarse quality characteristic of the snake-people, like the purring of a cat whose fur has been stroked. He himself was startled by the sound, but his body clearly enjoyed the touch and had begun to unconsciously lean into Xiao Yan's arms.

wrong.

No, no, no!

The Soul Emperor screamed inwardly. Wake up! You are the Soul Emperor! You are not Cai Lin! You shouldn't—

"ah……"

When Xiao Yan's palm covered that full, soft flesh, the Soul Emperor's theoretical defenses collapsed once again. This body's sensitivity was ridiculously high, especially the chest area, which felt as if countless fuses had been lit, exploding from that point of contact and burning along the nerves throughout the entire body.

He heard his breathing become rapid, heard intermittent gasps escaping his throat, heard Xiao Yan calling his name again and again in a hoarse voice in his ear—not his name, but "Cai Lin," "Lin'er," those intimate terms he should have disregarded.

But he didn't push him away.

He couldn't push it away.

This body didn't want to push him away, but its will was eroding his soul at a terrifying speed. Xiao Xun'er's memories and emotions were like a time bomb buried deep in his soul, which was detonated by Cai Lin's body's reaction. All the pleasures he had felt, the memories of being conquered by Xiao Yan, and the nights when he was soft and weak in the flickering red candlelight all rushed up.

He hates Xiao Yan.

But he also really...craved this feeling.

This realization filled the Soul Emperor with unprecedented fear.

Xiao Yan pressed him down onto the rocks beside the pool. The cold rocks were warmed by the subterranean fire, hard and rough to the touch, a stark contrast to the smooth, delicate skin on his back. Steam rose, and the air was thick with the scents of sulfur and the Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame. Dark red light emanated from the cracks in the rock above, like fire from the depths of hell.

Xiao Yan leaned down and kissed his lips.

The boy's kissing skills were not refined; in fact, they could be described as clumsy. His teeth bumped against his lips, leaving a slightly metallic taste. But that awkward, urgent kiss, imbued with the impulsiveness unique to youth, made the Soul Emperor's heart skip a beat.

He sensed it.

He sensed Xiao Yan's current state—the backlash from the strange fire had almost completely consumed the boy's consciousness by instinct. At this moment, he was like a wounded wild beast, seeking warmth and comfort through his most primal instincts. He could feel the near-collapse pain deep within Xiao Yan's soul, the burning sensation of the strange fire raging through his meridians, and the terrible price this boy had paid to become stronger.

This feeling—

Damn it, why does he feel heartache?

No, it wasn't his feeling; it was the lingering emotions belonging to Cai Lin within this body that were at play. After his soul merged with Medusa's, Cai Lin's subtle, budding affection for Xiao Yan was also subtly influencing him.

The Soul Emperor gritted his teeth, trying to maintain his last shred of consciousness.

But Xiao Yan didn't give him a chance.

The boy's burning hot body pressed down, trapping him between the rock and his chest. They were pressed so tightly that Soul Emperor could even feel Xiao Yan's powerful heart pounding wildly in his chest, and feel the blood from his wounds dripping onto his own chest, warm, sticky, with a rusty, sweet smell.

Then he felt the burning sensation in that spot.

It was pressed between his legs.

The Soul Emperor's pupils suddenly contracted.

No—no! Reason screamed, but his body had already responded first, his legs involuntarily parting slightly and his waist lifting slightly, an unconscious gesture of yielding.

Xiao Yan lowered his head and bit him hard on the collarbone.

It wasn't a kiss, it was a bite.

The Serpent Queen's body possessed a unique sensitivity to pain. With that bite, pain and pleasure exploded simultaneously, like two lightning bolts intertwining and coursing through his nerves. The Soul Emperor arched his body abruptly, letting out a muffled groan that was somewhere between pain and pleasure.

"Lin'er..."

Xiao Yan's voice was hoarse beyond recognition, and his fingers groped haphazardly around his waist, as if searching for some kind of entrance. The boy's fingers were calloused from years of cultivation, and the rough touch scraped against the delicate skin of his waist, sending shivers down his spine.

The Soul Emperor closed his eyes.

He decided to give up resistance.

It wasn't because he didn't want to resist, but because he discovered a cruel truth—every time he had this kind of relationship with Xiao Yan, his soul would merge more closely with this body, and with each fusion, the original owner of this body's feelings for Xiao Yan would be more deeply engraved into his soul.

This is a vicious cycle.

But he—for the time being—

No solution can be found.

Moreover, he had to admit that the feeling of soul merging—

It really feels so comfortable.

The moment Xiao Yan entered, a burst of white light exploded in the Soul Emperor's mind once again.

Unlike Xiao Xun'er's experience, Cai Lin's body was hotter, tighter, and more sensitive. The Snake-People Queen's physique was inherently different from humans, and the boiling state of her bloodline during evolution made every inch of her body yearn to be filled and possessed. Although Xiao Yan's movements were clumsy, the fierce, almost brutal thrusts actually matched the body's needs at that moment.

The sounds of water, panting, and the impact of bodies echoed in the empty underground space. From the cracks in the rock above, a dark red light flickered like a heartbeat, illuminating the intertwined figures of the two. Steam rose from the ground, like some ancient and primal sacrificial ritual.

Soul Emperor's fingers dug into Xiao Yan's wet hair, his other hand gripping his shoulder, fingertips turning white from the force. His consciousness rose and fell in waves of pleasure, sometimes clear, sometimes blurred. When clear-headed, he cursed Xiao Yan, cursed this body, cursed himself; when blurred, he could only instinctively respond, writhe, and moan, coiling around Xiao Yan like a water snake.

He heard his own voice escape from his throat, broken, trembling, and choked with sobs. He heard Xiao Yan uttering incoherent murmurs in his ear. He heard the splashing of water, the creaking of rocks, the crackling of flames, and the frantic pounding of his own heart in his chest.

All the sounds intertwined, merging into a chaotic yet decadent symphony.

At one point, he opened his eyes and saw Xiao Yan's eyes.

Those were eyes completely consumed by instinct and desire, as black and shiny as two pieces of obsidian tempered by fire. There was no clarity, no reason in those eyes, only the most primal, purest possessiveness and craving.

But deep within those eyes—

The Soul Emperor saw it.

I saw that scarred yet stubborn boy. I saw that boy struggling painfully in the strange fire yet refusing to give up. I saw that boy who pushed himself to the brink of despair time and time again in order to become stronger, to protect those around him, and to fulfill his promise.

His heart suddenly ached.

This time, it wasn't the feeling of colorful scales.

It was his own feeling.

He didn't know what that feeling was. It wasn't hatred, it wasn't murderous intent, it wasn't a vengeful desire to tear the other person to pieces. It was something more complex, something more indescribable, like a tiny thorn piercing the deepest part of his heart, not fatal, but causing a dull ache.

He didn't have time to think it through.

Because Xiao Yan's movements became faster and more violent, it was as if he wanted to smash his entire body into Xiao Yan's. Soul Emperor's consciousness was scattered by the impact, and the scene before his eyes began to blur. Only the feeling of being filled, filled, and occupied became clearer and clearer.

Then, at a certain moment, everything reached its climax.

Xiao Yan roared and released himself, the scalding liquid pouring into the deepest part of his body. At the same time, Soul Emperor reached his climax, his body arching violently, a hoarse whimper escaping his throat, his consciousness completely blank in that instant.

He couldn't remember anything.

I don't know how much time has passed.

He felt Xiao Yan collapse onto him, the boy's burning body limp like a lump of mud, his breathing gradually becoming steady, as if he had fallen into a coma. The backlash from the strange fire had subsided, and the Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame burned quietly within him, merging with him.

The Soul Emperor lay motionless on the rock, looking up at the dark red rock formations above him.

His body was still trembling slightly, the afterglow not yet completely gone. His eyes were empty and blank, as if his soul had been ripped out.

Why is this happening?

Why is it always like this?

He was clearly in control of the situation; he was clearly the strongest patriarch of the Soul Clan; he was clearly the most astute in assessing the situation and strategizing. But every time he got involved with Xiao Yan, every time he fell into that damned physical intimacy, he became completely unlike himself.

He started thinking about things he shouldn't have.

In Xiao Xun'er's memory, the six-year-old Xiao Yan held her hand as they caught fish by the river in Qingshan Town, smiling and saying to her, "Xun'er, look, it's so big!"

In Xiao Xun'er's memory, the boy at Canaan Academy stood atop a tall tower, his back to the starlight, and told her, "I will become stronger, strong enough to protect everyone I care about."

In Xiao Xun'er's memory, the groom on their wedding night in the ancient world lifted her veil, his eyes filled with unwavering affection and tenderness.

And just now, this young, wounded Xiao Yan, despite the pain of being burned by the strange fire, still did not forget to call out Cai Lin's name, using all his remaining consciousness to find her.

He shook his head, trying to banish those images from his mind.

no.

That's not right.

He struggled to sit up and glanced at Xiao Yan, who lay unconscious beside him. The boy's breathing was steady, a trace of blood still lingering at the corner of his mouth, but his brows were relaxed; he was fast asleep. Azure flames slowly circulated within his body, emitting a soft glow.

The Soul Emperor stared at that young face for a long time.

Then he raised his hand, gathering a wisp of soul power in his palm, and aimed it at Xiao Yan's brow.

Xiao Yan was completely unprepared at that moment.

Once this strike is delivered, everything will be over.

His fingers trembled slightly.

He looked at Xiao Yan's face, at that youthful, innocent face, at his unguarded sleeping expression, at the faint smile on his lips—

He couldn't bring himself to do it.

The Soul Emperor abruptly withdrew his hand, as if he had been burned.

He stood up, staggered back two steps, and his breathing became rapid. He looked down at his hands—the hands of Cai Lin, long and fair, with a faint purple tinge at the fingertips.

He just—

Can't bring yourself to do it?

"Heh..." The Soul Emperor let out a low, self-mocking chuckle, "Heh ha ha ha ha..."

Laughter echoed in the empty underground, like the mournful cry of a trapped beast.

He understood.

He finally understood.

Every union with Xiao Yan left a mark deep within his soul. Not Xiao Xun'er's, not Cai Lin's, but his own, the Soul Emperor's. His body was betraying him, his soul was betraying him, and his damned heart, which had never experienced warmth, was being gradually taken over by that boy.

He hates him.

But he couldn't bear to part with him either.

This absurd contradiction nearly drove the Soul Emperor mad. He turned around and stumbled deeper into the underground space, while Xiao Yan remained asleep behind him, completely unaware of what he was about to lose.

“I will definitely come back,” the Soul Emperor whispered, his voice hoarse and trembling. “I will find a way… I will definitely… kill you…”

His voice grew softer and softer.

The last few words were spoken as softly as a sigh.

It was as if he was trying to persuade Xiao Yan.

It was as if he was convincing himself.