Chapter 28: Kiss Goodbye

Chapter 28: A Kiss Goodbye

This was a teasing phrase Zhao Changhe often used, and Luo Qi had grown accustomed to it; in the past, she never knew how much was jest, how much truth, or how much was his perverse delight in seeing her, the master who pretended to be a man, flustered and helpless after being teased.

But today, in this moment, Luo Qi knew it was entirely sincere.

His gaze was as aggressive as fire, his strong and powerful body blocking her path, making her feel as weak as if facing a crushing mountain. All her martial arts skills seemed to vanish, and she stood foolishly holding the Azure Dragon Seal, at a loss.

She knew why Zhao Changhe was like this.

After all their talk, they had never mentioned the obvious: that she, Luo Qi, had obtained the Azure Dragon inheritance to join the Four Symbols Sect.

And Zhao Changhe might not be able to follow—especially after accepting the jade pendant, it was no longer suitable for them to go together.

What was coming was separation.

All the sharing of a bed, the meals and wine, the quarrels like a young couple—none of it would ever happen again.

Luo Qi suddenly felt a pang of panic. She stopped holding the Azure Dragon Seal, tossing it aside, and instead wrapped her arms more tightly around Zhao Changhe’s waist, as if letting go would mean losing him forever.

“Alright…” she murmured. “Wait a moment. Let me remove my disguise, take on a woman’s form, and let you play…”

Zhao Changhe didn’t seem to hear her words. He had already lowered his head and pressed his lips fiercely to hers.

Luo Qi didn’t have time to remove her disguise. She slowly closed her eyes, parted her teeth slightly, and obediently yielded to his invasion.

She could feel his hand moving over her throat, then smearing across her face. In moments, her disguise was wiped clean.

So he had always known exactly where her disguise was.

He wasn’t a man who loved men… At this moment, he only wanted to see her fully feminine form, even if he couldn’t see it in the midst of their passionate kiss.

He was actually quite domineering, like this kiss—forceful, wild, biting Luo Qi until it hurt, as if he were pouring all his frustrations with the world, the martial world, and everything around him into this single kiss.

The desires he had suppressed for a month were finally unleashed.

In truth, he had always wanted this, but he had too many things to do, so he kept his desires hidden in his heart.

The waterfall roared, masking the fierce gasps of the man and woman in the cave.

But their conversation had taken too long, and voices from outside the cave finally became audible.

Zhao Changhe seemed to wake with a start, slowly pulling away from Luo Qi’s lips.

Her lips were swollen from his biting, with a few traces of blood. His own lips were also sore, tasting of salt.

They panted lightly, gazing at each other, until the voices outside grew closer. Luo Qi finally lowered her head to straighten her clothes, which he had rumpled, covering the pale skin he had exposed.

“Changhe…”

“Hmm?”

“Do you regret wasting so much time just now? Otherwise… I might have truly given myself to you.”

Zhao Changhe pressed his lips together, unsure if he regretted it.

Compared to matters of men and women, what they had just learned might be more important?

But only a fool would say that.

Luo Qi added, “Having kissed a woman, will you grow up a little now, and not be so foolish?”

Zhao Changhe didn’t know how to answer, but he did feel he had grown up a bit.

His first kiss with a woman, and then immediately facing separation.

The young virgin even began to understand love.

He had once thought that his relationship with Luo Qi was like that of a married couple—was that love?

It wasn’t. It was the friendship of two people relying on each other in a foreign den of demons. It was only because Luo Qi was a woman that it became tinged with an indescribable ambiguity.

But it was still far from love. They helped each other, but no real spark had ever been struck.

That was why they could tacitly pretend he was a man, tacitly not expose the truth, and act like brothers to get things done.

It was only today, the moment she threw her dagger to the ground, that the fuse of love was lit.

She gave up what she had sought since childhood.

He gave up his hope of escaping the limitations of his technique.

If they had both been men, it might still have been friendship. But between a man and a woman, this was love.

But it had barely begun when it was cut short.

Was the difference between a boy and a man just these experiences?

Luo Qi gently smoothed her disheveled hair, letting it flow like clouds. She already looked like a breathtaking beauty. She smiled lazily, “Actually, when you kissed me, that was the real you… strong, domineering, treating women as something to be taken at will. I feel that straight-laced version of you might never be seen again.”

Zhao Changhe countered, “And if that ‘taken at will’ were applied to you?”

Luo Qi thought for a moment, then laughed, “You’re right. Do not do to others what you do not want done to yourself… So I’m not a good woman. In the future, I’ll be even more of a demonic cult enchantress… I’m glad that the first thing you saw of this martial world was the chivalrous and righteous Yue Hongling, not me, Luo Qi.”

“…I praised Yue Hongling once, and you remember it so well, even able to recite it.”

“Can’t I be jealous of her? The me now.”

Zhao Changhe fell silent.

Luo Qi didn’t press the issue. Instead, she sighed softly, “After I leave, if you want to find a woman… promise me, just have fun. Don’t trust anyone anymore. Don’t expose your back to anyone. The martial world is treacherous. I don’t know if the next woman you meet will drop her dagger again.”

Zhao Changhe scratched his head. Her words felt like they were spoken by a future version of herself, sent back to him…

“From here, the journey stretches across mountains and rivers. Who knows when we’ll meet again…” Luo Qi walked slowly outward, then suddenly turned back with a smile, “When we meet again in the martial world, what will you call me?”

…

With her hair loose and her disguise removed, Luo Qi appeared by the pool. The bandits searching nearby were all stunned.

The moon reflected on the pool, a fairy walking on water. When had these rough men ever seen such a beautiful woman?

Even more shocking, they recognized her. Though her face was slightly different, her features were still those of their leader Luo. Her clothes were the same.

Brother and sister? No…

They stared blankly as Zhao Changhe emerged from the cave, and everything became clear.

That was Luo Qi herself.

What the hell was this talk of a male favorite?

Damn it, Boss Zhao! You had a stunning beauty warming your bed in your room, while we were all suffering in the stronghold together? Is this how you treat us? Where’s the basic trust between people?

What were you two doing in the cave? Look at the marks on Luo’s neck, the blood on her lips—what were you doing?

The group beat their chests and stamped their feet. It took them a long time to realize that there had never been a cave behind the waterfall. Where did this one come from?

The lethal power of a nation-toppling beauty was evident.

“Swoosh…” A fragrant breeze swept by. Vermilion Bird appeared, still in her fiery red ritual robe, wearing a half-face mask of a firebird.

“The Azure Dragon Seal…” She took a deep breath, her gaze on Luo Qi full of delight. “Such jade bones and ice skin, a transmission of the Four Symbols—this is a heavenly fate. Young lady, what is your name?”

Luo Qi’s understanding of the Four Symbols Sect was indeed correct. With the Azure Dragon Seal and the Azure Dragon aura after her marrow-cleansing, Vermilion Bird had no thought of “some little vixen stealing the treasure.” Her overwhelming joy was plain to see.

Luo Qi glanced at Zhao Changhe and replied calmly, “Xia Chichi.”

Vermilion Bird said, “Would you be willing to return to the main altar with me and participate in the saintess trial?”

Luo Qi bowed deeply: "I am willing."

Vermilion Bird glanced at Zhao Changhe, saw the bloodstains on both their lips, and smiled faintly: "Don't say I didn't warn you... If you wish to become the Holy Maiden, you must first cast aside thoughts of love between man and woman."

Luo Qi was silent for a moment, then said softly: "I know."

Vermilion Bird laughed: "Oh... you two look somewhat familiar to me. The killer, Zhao Changhe."

Zhao Changhe watched calmly, not uttering a word from start to finish. Only now did he slowly say: "That the Venerable Vermilion Bird still remembers a minor character like me is truly flattering."

"Your reputation is no longer that of a minor figure. Did the two of you discover this place together?"

"Yes."

"The Four Symbols' destiny is not yours to claim, but you have rendered some merit. What conditions do you have?"

Zhao Changhe was also silent for a long time, then finally said: "Being able to enter the Blood God Sect is enough... The Four Symbols' destiny will have its day."