The Demon Prince

On the other side, in the lobby.

Shen Zhimo stood on the wooden ladder painting. She wore a light blue dress with a beautifully cinched waist. Her long hair was tied up with a jade hairpin, and a few strands of hair clung to her neck.

Perhaps because the candlelight in the hall was too hot, she loosened her collar a little, revealing a few drops of blue paint on her snow-white collarbone. The paint slid a short distance down her skin, making her full, white skin even more dazzling.

Her skirt was torn by the edge of the wooden ladder, revealing glimpses of her long, fair legs...

As she raised her hand to paint the landscape on the wall, her waist tensed slightly; before the painting was finished, she herself had become a painting.

As Xiao Xingyue entered, Shen Zhiming turned around upon hearing the sound:

"Your Highness."

She climbed down the wooden ladder and took a half step back:

"I'm just here to draw."

Xiao Xingyue raised an eyebrow: "I haven't said anything yet."

Shen Zhiming pursed her lips, her eyes showing wariness and a hint of aloofness:

"The Ninth Princess has entered the palace; Consort Shu has summoned her on short notice."

Xiao Xingyue nodded; Jiang Shuying was smarter than he had thought.

Lu Chengzhang may have fallen on the surface, but the forces behind the scenes are still there. Consort Shu called Li Wangshu back to the palace, clearly not wanting her daughter to continue risking her life in the Prince's residence.

Xiao Xingyue took a few steps closer and looked at the mural on the wall:

"What are you unsure about?"

Shen Zhimo pointed to the main wall:

"The main hall of the Prince's Mansion has too old-fashioned an atmosphere. If we paint landscapes, it would be too elegant. If we paint battle formations, it would be too menacing."

Xiao Xingyue glanced at her: "Are you afraid of me?"

Shen Zhimo lowered his eyes:

"Your Highness is overthinking it. I only heard from the Ninth Princess that Your Highness is unconventional and dislikes rules."

Xiao Xingyue laughed: "Did she also say that I haven't showered in months?"

Shen Zhimo's face stiffened.

Xiao Xingyue continued, "And you also said I grind my teeth in my sleep, snatch food while eating, and kick off the covers at night?"

Shen Zhiming remained silent. It was spot on. That was exactly how Li Wangshu described it, which shattered her illusion of Xiao Xingyue as a poet. She believed that Xiao Xingyue's performance at the poetry gathering was just a pretense.

Xiao Xingyue leaned closer:

"Li Wangshu is spreading rumors. If you don't believe me, come and smell it for yourself."

Shen Zhimo was forced to take a step back:

"Your Majesty, please respect yourself."

"Take a sniff."

"I don't hear it."

"Then you're wrongly accusing an innocent person."

Shen Zhiming could only steel himself and move a little closer, his face flushed, and take a light sniff.

The soapberry has a light, medicinal fragrance that is not unpleasant; in fact, it is quite pleasant.

Shen Zhiming blushed even more: "It's alright."

Xiao Xingyue laughed and said, "Not bad? Then it smells very good."

Shen Zhimo immediately turned his head away:

"Your Highness, do not push your luck."

Xiao Xingyue took another half step forward.

Shen Zhiming leaned against the wooden ladder, his breathing becoming erratic.

"The Ninth Princess also said that you are good at deceiving women."

"This is true."

"..."

Xiao Xingyue looked down at her:

"What else is there to say?"

Shen Zhimo bit her lip:

"I told you you flirt with every girl you meet."

"That's true too."

"The young master is quite frank." Shen Zhiming couldn't help but steal a glance at Xiao Xingyue. He had already developed a slight liking for Xiao Xingyue at the poetry gathering, and now, after getting to know him better, he was attracted by Xiao Xingyue's straightforwardness.

"Your Highness..." she said, blushing.

But the next moment, Xiao Xingyue laughed:

"But I don't get involved with women who are too easily brainwashed."

Shen Zhimo was stunned.

Xiao Xingyue stepped back, his tone casual: "They're prone to betraying me."

He turned and left after he finished speaking, while Shen Zhiming stood there, forgetting to put down his paintbrush.

Why is she suddenly being disliked?

"Xiao Xingyue," she called softly.

Xiao Xingyue didn't turn around. She felt a tightness in her chest, as if she had lost something.

……

As Xiao Xingyue walked out of the hall towards the inner courtyard, he cursed inwardly: "I should have known better than to flirt with Shen Zhiming. It's made me feel all hot and bothered."

Back inside, Xiao Xingyue discovered that Li Shunhua wasn't practicing her martial arts; instead, the sound of water was coming from the bathtub in the inner room.

The porcelain bottle on the table was open, and the medicine pouches were in disarray.

Xiao Xingyue walked over and took a look, his brows twitching slightly.

Goodness, they actually ate it, and quite a lot of it.

That was a potent masculine drug he tricked into getting from Li Miaoqing. He originally intended it for himself to break through his cultivation level. If a woman took so much of it, wouldn't she burn to death?

Steam rises from the bathtub.

Li Shunhua leaned against the edge of the pool, her dark hair soaked through and clinging wetly to her shoulders.

She originally wanted to suppress the effects of the medicine with cold water, which worked at first, but as Xiao Xingyue approached, the fire in her body flared up again.

"Get out." she said in a low voice.

"The pills will cost you money," Xiao Xingyue said through the screen.

Li Shunhua said irritably, "I'll compensate you later. Now get out."

Xiao Xingyue slowly unbuttoned his shirt, the fabric falling outside the screen:

"Are you sure the princess is alright?"

"That elixir is quite valuable. Shall we calculate the price together?"

He walked in from behind the screen, his upper body bare, his shoulders and back taut, the candlelight shining through the mist, revealing the contours of his chest and abdominal muscles as they moved.

Li Shunhua's mind went blank for a moment. My God, how can he have such a good figure?

Anger surged within her, which she tried her best to suppress, and she roared:

"Get out of here. I'll compensate you for the pills; I'll use my dowry to pay for it."

"The fate of the nation, oh the fate of the nation, here I come!" Xiao Xingyue already knew that Li Shunhua was on the verge of losing control. He walked to the edge of the pool:

"It's good that the princess is alright. You can wash yours, and I'll wash mine."

He then stepped into the water, and Li Shunhua stared intently at him:

"If you dare take one more step, I'll chop you up."

Xiao Xingyue stopped on the other side of the pool:

"Don't be nervous, Wang Shu was just as fierce on our wedding night."

Li Shunhua's heart skipped a beat, and her breath caught in her throat: "Shut up!"

Xiao Xingyue refused to close his eyes:

"She said no, but during our passionate moments, she wished she could stay on my body forever, and afterwards she even asked me if my back hurt."

Li Wangshu may seem delicate on the surface, but she's actually very caring.

Li Shunhua's face flushed even more, the effects of the medicine and her anger surging together:

"Xiao Xingyue, say it again."

Xiao Xingyue laughed and said, "Is the Eighth Princess jealous?"

With a splash, the sound of water erupted. Li Shunhua stood up, her radiant figure dazzling, and pounced on Xiao Xingyue. Before he could react, she had pinned him against the pool wall.

Her eyes were red at the corners, her breath was hot, and her misty eyes were filled with fire, as if she wanted to burn Xiao Xingyue to ashes.

Xiao Xingyue was taken aback:

"Eighth Princess, are you serious?"

The candlelight flickered, and the sound of water masked the noise behind them.

……

As dawn approached, Xiao Xingyue woke up and sat up, supporting his back.

"As expected of a military commander, he's really good at endurance."

Beside her, Li Shunhua opened her eyes. She froze at first, then the memories of last night flooded back.

She clenched her fist and threw it:

"Xiao Xingyue, you're deliberately taking advantage of me."

Xiao Xingyue felt his own growth. He had truly entered the fifth rank, and the third level of the Sacred Dragon Technique had also been opened.

His Qi and blood were ridiculously abundant, and his Dragon-Capturing Strength was circulating in his meridians, making him much stronger than yesterday.

If he were to encounter a fifth-rank official like Lu Chengzhang again, he should be able to fight him head-on.

But even though he could have caught Li Shunhua's punch, he deliberately withdrew some of his strength, taking half a step back.

"You hit me again? You took advantage of me last night, didn't you?"

Li Shunhua angrily retorted, "Nonsense!"

Xiao Xingyue stared at her:

"Try circulating your internal energy yourself."

Li Shunhua was startled. She subconsciously activated the Holy Dragon Technique, and the next moment, she froze.

She's broken through to the third rank!

The foundation that had been damaged due to the cultivation process was mostly restored, and it even overcame the obstacle that had been blocking it for a long time!

"How could this be..." she exclaimed in surprise.

Xiao Xingyue immediately sighed:

"What else could it be? They took so many pills from me and even used me to break through through dual cultivation."

Now you're turning around and accusing me of taking advantage of you? Have you no shame?

Li Shunhua wanted to refute, but she was the one who took the medicine, she was the one who rode Xiao Xingyue, and she was the one who broke through the skill barrier.

When you calculate it all, she actually seems to be the one who got the better deal...

She was speechless for a moment, her face flushed:

"I……"