Weary at Heart

Sonia was inside the wardrobe. Because Felix had organized and folded Yaxiu's clothes with meticulous care, hiding in here was actually quite comfortable, causing her no physical discomfort. But the mere fact that she had to hide inside was uncomfortable enough in itself. What infuriated her even more was that the person who had snuck into Yaxiu's tent was none other than the Witch! What happened to not wanting to lose her best friend? You turned right around and crawled under your best friend's lover's quilt?! A few hours ago, she claimed she missed the days of rampaging across the Time Continent, and now a few hours later, she wanted to rampage across Yaxiu's bed?! Sonia could hardly restrain the urge to deliver divine justice and charge out to punish this sly, thieving little stray cat of a Witch. But Yaxiu's refusal cooled her head. As long as Yaxiu could persuade the Witch to leave, her own secret rendezvous wouldn't be exposed. In the future, she could continue meeting Yaxiu every day behind everyone's backs, savoring his tenderness while gradually prodding the others to give up on him. For the greater good, Sonia suppressed her feelings and waited for the Witch to depart. Yet that little stray cat had actually played the "birthday celebration" trick as well, duping Yaxiu into letting down his guard, seizing the opportunity to bind him, and even using the team's greater good to coerce him into submission! Watching the Witch humiliate Yaxiu so brazenly, Sonia's fury burned hotter and hotter. But the Sword Princess possessed a temperament that grew colder the more agitated she became. She knew full well that bursting out now would achieve nothing. While it could stop the Witch's misdeeds, the team would inevitably fall apart, and the fact that she had been the first to steal a forbidden bite would also be exposed, leaving her with no moral high ground from which to accuse the Witch. More importantly, she wouldn't be able to meet Yaxiu in secret anymore; the Witch would surely watch her every move like a hawk! Endure for a moment to gain it all; take a step back for a long future ahead! Gather wrath, hone the blade. Sonia completely concealed her presence, letting every negative emotion turn into an undercurrent flowing silently in the depths of her soul. She was like a dust-covered sword holding back all earth-shattering radiance—yet the instant she left the scabbard, she would unleash a boundless sea of blood, cleaving through the sun, moon, and stars! In tomorrow's individual duels, team matches, and extreme challenges, I'll show you what true cruelty means, Witch! Just as the malice in Sonia's heart grew thicker and thicker, she heard the Witch begin chatting with Yaxiu, recounting how much she hated him, and voicing grievances over the differential treatment she received from him... The Sword Princess had never known the Witch felt so wronged. Listening on, she even began to feel that Yaxiu was in the wrong, quietly harboring a sense of injustice on the Witch's behalf. Hearing the Witch say, "I have no sense of security at all, and you don't tenderly cherish me in the slightest," Sonia even felt a twinge of embarrassment. She knew very well that the girl Yaxiu favored most was herself; the pampering Diya desperately craved was nothing more than everyday routine to her. Even though Sonia still had no intention of sharing her lover—and would report the Witch's "suspicious behavior" the moment she woke tomorrow to seal off any chance of another secret rendezvous—her animosity toward the Witch lessened significantly. She could more or less empathize with her grievances. Since I can't deliver divine justice to punish you tonight, we'll consider this the two of us making up for your grievances as a couple. Tomorrow during combat training, I'll beat you half to death to vent my anger, and then we'll act like nothing happened— "Who was more impressive, me and Red Dead Disciple, or was it more enjoyable with Diya and Black Butler?" "I... you two..." Watching through the crack in the door at the tender entwining bathed in the glow of rainbow threads, Sonia's ruby eyes turned crimson as blood. In her hand, a dim blood sword silently condensed. It's decided. Tomorrow I'll tear this Witch—this cat in heat—into ten thousand pieces, she thought. No, I can't wait until tomorrow! Inside Sonia's sorcery temple, the two wonders "Blade Storm" and "Blink Assault" whirred into high gear. The sorcery spirits of "Blood Moon Shattered Lake" and "Meteor Calamity" danced with near madness, boiling murderous intent instantly converting into tremendous divine majesty— Yet as a long, lazy sigh echoed in the tent, Sonia's boiling murderous intent screeched to a sudden halt. Hugging her knees, she crouched miserably in the wardrobe, feeling like the most pitiful girl in the world. Too late... Diya slipped out from under the quilt, picked up the half cup of water on the nightstand, and with rhythmic bobs of her throat, gulped down all the liquid. Her hair showed four distinctly separated colors, her skin flushed a soft peachy pink. Lying in Yaxiu's embrace with shallow, quick breaths, delicate traces of charm danced across her brows. Her eyes as she looked at Yaxiu were brimming with satisfaction and smug triumph, as if she had just unlocked an achievement on him and successfully proven her charms. Yaxiu also snapped slightly out of his enraptured state, reason regaining the high ground. He tickled the Witch's waist and whispered, "Hurry back to sleep. Don't let anyone discover you." Diya pinched Yaxiu's cheek in displeasure, saying resentfully, "Would you say something like that if it were the Sword Princess or Silver Lantern?" "I swear I would definitely urge them to go back," Yaxiu said resolutely. "We shouldn't gamble the team's fate on fleeting pleasure! I'm genuinely terrified the team will fall apart!" "Don't be scared," Diya giggled. "I'll come every night from now on. You'd better get used to this kind of life soon." She paused, an unusual blush rising to her cheeks. "Having a secret tryst with you every night behind their backs... Oh dear, I'm really turning into a bad girl now." Yaxiu glanced toward the wardrobe and said with earnest persuasion, "I think at our age, we should focus on our careers..." "Is that so?" Diya raised her eyebrows. Her fingers traced across Yaxiu's abdomen, drifting all the way down as her eyes curved into crescents, staring at him. "Though it seems it isn't just me. Yaxiu, haven't you had enough yet either..." Flustered with embarrassment, Yaxiu didn't even know how to rebut her. Before he could come up with an excuse to urge her away, Diya suddenly asked, "The Sword Princess really seems intent on keeping things as just teammates with you. What will you do?" Yaxiu immediately replied, "I support her, of course. Not just her, but you as well. Rather than focusing your thoughts on me, I would much rather you concentrate on sorcery cultivation and teammate relationships—" "No, what I really wanted to ask is..." The Witch, who had been bold enough tonight to tie Yaxiu to the bed, now grew somewhat coy. Tracing circles on Yaxiu's collarbone for a moment, she lowered her voice and asked, "...I mean, if she doesn't even want to give it to you, then there's no need to save it for her, right?" "What?" "I mean... your first time." Diya bit her lower lip, playfully giving Yaxiu an annoyed punch. "Don't make me say it out loud!" Yaxiu blinked, stunned for a long while before slowly answering, "I only support maintaining a teammate relationship with you all temporarily; it's not like I don't love you. Once we resolve the crises of Hell and the Divine Lord of Stars, I still want to marry the Sword Princess—" "But how long will that take?" Diya's voice was laden with resentment. "You can't only consider the Sword Princess's feelings, can you?" Yaxiu was caught between laughter and tears. "We only just grew a little closer tonight. Why are you in such a rush to... Can we take things slow?" "When all is said and done, you're only considering the Sword Princess's feelings and don't care about me at all," Diya said, pouting. "I don't even know what's so great about the Sword Princess. Sure, I get jealous too, but I care more about your feelings. Silver Lantern is much the same. Only the Sword Princess is the most spoiled and willful, fearless because she relies on your favoritism. In truth, the heavy atmosphere in the team earlier was mainly because of her. If you broke up with her, all our problems would have vanished long ago. "When you get right down to it, the most hateful one is the Sword Princess. Everyone knows what you're like and still loves you anyway. Of course it would be best if we could have all of you, but in our hearts, we've resigned ourselves to having to share. Only the Sword Princess is different. The bare minimum she's willing to accept is the ceiling we hope to reach. I was willing to compromise with her before, but she still refused. She's really as stubborn and naive as a village girl... You must be annoyed with how single-minded she is, right?" Yaxiu shook his head heavily, firmly, vehemently, resolutely, and decisively. "Not at all! I love the Sword Princess just as I love you. I love all of your strengths and flaws—I would never be annoyed with her!" Diya shushed him. "Keep your voice down! Why did you suddenly start professing your love... Next time you whisper sweet nothings, just mention me alone. It's not like the Sword Princess can hear anyway, and mentioning her only makes me jealous. Even though I know you like her the most, you don't have to keep reminding me." As she spoke, she grew coy again. "Just a few bad words about the Sword Princess and you react so strongly... Couldn't you just lie to me a little... I'm not like the others. As long as you lie to me, I'll believe it..." "If someone spoke ill of you in front of me, I would react just as strongly," Yaxiu said earnestly. "All of you are my treasures. Nobody is allowed to bully you except me." "Mm!" Diya buried herself happily in his embrace, asking in a muffled voice, "So that means... before you and the Sword Princess complete all the steps, none of us can take things any further?" Yaxiu smiled and asked back, "Don't you think saving the most precious thing for the happiest moment is more meaningful?" "Not at all." Diya pouted. "I just think it's weird. As long as the Sword Princess doesn't unlock your new features, none of the rest of us can use them... "Come to think of it, I'm the Sword Princess's best friend." Diya rolled over to straddle Yaxiu, staring at him with complete solemnity. "I feel I have an obligation to help you practice your technique, so that the Sword Princess can have a flawless first experience." "Hey, hey?!" "The same words apply." Diya tilted her head. Her face was flushed all the way to her ears, yet the sultry allure in her gaze seemed capable of melting someone to the bone. "Yaxiu, if you don't want the team to fall apart, you know what to do, right?" No! Although Yaxiu didn't know how Sonia had managed to endure until now, he knew the Sword Princess would never permit the Witch to steal what rightfully belonged to her! If the Witch went any further, the very next second might see her torn to shreds by Blood Moon sword light! Yet right at that moment, an anomaly appeared in the tent! A strange silver crystal suddenly condensed in the air. Though it clearly glowed, the darkness inside the tent was not disturbed in the slightest, nor was it illuminated, so naturally it would not draw outside attention; only Yaxiu and Diya could clearly see its radiance. The first silver crystal appeared in the upper-left corner of the tent, and the second appeared in the upper-right corner. Although they didn't know what this meant, there was no doubt someone was interfering with Yaxiu's tent! Diya froze for a moment, then turned her gaze toward the nearby wardrobe. Yaxiu immediately grabbed her, practically begging, "Don't hide! We can explain!" "No! If I'm discovered, I won't be able to sneak in to see you anymore! And I care about my dignity too—if they find me, they'll laugh me to death!" Diya pushed him away, speaking rapidly, "Hurry up and send them away, and then we'll keep practicing our technique." "No, don't hide—" Yaxiu watched helplessly as Diya opened the wardrobe, dove inside, and shut the door behind her in one smooth, clean motion. It was simply the most perfect instance of digging one's own grave he had ever witnessed. At the same time, eight silver crystals occupied the eight corners of the tent. Strands of silver light slipped through the seams, flowing onto Yaxiu and weaving into a sweet, soft silhouette. "Happy birthday, Yaxiu." The moment Weise arrived, she threw her arms around Yaxiu, two squeezed soft mounds spilling from the slits on either side of her dress. A long, sweet, wet kiss once again plunged Yaxiu into a daze. When Weise gently licked her lips, savoring the aftertaste, Yaxiu asked somewhat blankly, "Did I ever tell you my birthday?" "It wasn't hard to find out from the Sword Princess and the Witch," Weise chuckled softly. "For a time, I was their close friend." "Then your birthday—" "I don't have a birthday. Senluo didn't care about such things; we were all born in incubators." Weise wrapped her arms around his neck, her legs naturally twining around his waist. "However, starting now, my birthday is also April tenth. "Every year from now on, we'll celebrate it together on this day." "Wait." Yaxiu took a deep breath. "Your abstinence plan—the Gospel God—" "I've researched a method to block the Gospel God's prophecies." Weise pointed to the eight crystals in the corners of the tent. "The Silver Concealment zone formed by these eight silver crystals effectively blocks the Gospel God's surveillance, and can even dampen sound and light to a certain extent. "So even if I come over to take a secret bite of you," she tilted her head, gazing at Yaxiu with seductive, melting eyes, "they won't discover it either." Yaxiu blinked. His arms held the Silver Lantern God, yet in his heart, he felt weary on behalf of another god. "The Gospel God was meant to monitor your abstinence, not for you to crack..."