374: Chapter 374 Flirting Back

She lifted her finger slightly, her slender, fair fingertip almost touching Lin Yun's jaw, her warm breath brushing against his ear:

"With your battle today, you crushed my most prized Disciple and shattered Tianlang Empire's ten-thousand-year winning streak. By all rights, you should be my enemy."

"But, this elder sister doesn't hate you at all. On the contrary, you've made my heart itch with desire."

She turned slightly and leaned against the railing.

Half of her body pressed lightly against Lin Yun.

Her posture was lazy and seductive, devoid of the majesty of a ruler, leaving only the charm and passion of a woman:

"What Lingyuan Empire can give you is nothing more than the empty title of a Genius and a few meager resources."

"But what I can give you is the entire martial foundation of Tianlang Empire, the Cultivation paths I personally accompany you on, and furthermore..."

"...this Xuanyin Charm Body of mine, which no one else is allowed to touch."

Her eyes shimmered with allure, and the corners of her lips curled into a cunning and bold smile:

"Don't you want to marry me?"

"As long as you are willing to come to Tianlang Empire, this elder sister can make an exception and accompany you to Cultivate every day, personally teaching you the Divine Soul Charm Dao secret technique that others will never be able to touch in their lifetimes."

"How about it? Would you like to consider betraying Lingyuan Empire and joining my ranks?"

The ultimate temptation of beauty, the promise of supreme resources, and the ambiguous invitation of close companionship—these three baits were all cast at once.

An ordinary Cultivator would have long been bewitched and completely submissive.

Yet, Lin Yun looked at the stunningly seductive King Xuanyin so close at hand; while his mind wavered slightly, his resolve remained steadfast.

He knew clearly that this King Xuanyin, who could bewitch all living beings, appeared gentle and affectionate, but was actually deep and calculating.

However, such bold, direct, and intimate provocation was indeed hard to resist.

King Xuanyin's body was pressed lightly against Lin Yun (with only the tiniest gap between them).

Her warm, fragrant aura enveloped him, and her pair of charming eyes, brimming with water and affection, gazed at him with the utmost temptation.

In her thousands of years of Cultivation, she had never failed.

Her Xuanyin Charm Body was heaven-sent; a single thought could disturb the Divine Soul of any living being.

Neither kings, nobles, nor peerless Prodigies could withstand three sentences of her soft, flirtatious words.

She had assumed that by showing such intimacy and vulnerability, and by going to such lengths to accommodate him...

...offering resources, secret techniques, and herself—this triple temptation—the youth before her would inevitably be shaken and retreat step by step.

Yet, Lin Yun simply stood quietly in place, his posture upright, his gaze clear, showing not a hint of panic.

Looking at the charming appearance of King Xuanyin, who thought she had everything under control, Lin Yun had only one thought in his heart.

The dignified King Xuanyin of Tianlang Empire, who could bewitch the masses and enslave ten thousand Souls, turned out to be so easily manipulated.

Since she liked to flirt, today, he would let her taste the feeling of being flirted with until her heart was lost and she was no longer in control of herself.

Lin Yun did not dodge or avoid; instead, he took the initiative to turn slightly, closing the distance between them.

What was originally just King Xuanyin leaning in closely now became their chests nearly touching, their breaths thoroughly intertwined.

This sudden initiative caused King Xuanyin, usually so composed and seductive, to have an imperceptible tremor in her pupils.

Before she could react, Lin Yun lowered his voice.

The tone was deep and magnetic.

It was completely devoid of its previous immaturity.

With an intense sense of aggression, he whispered against her ear:

"This elder sister has said so much, offering both resources and personal instruction in secret techniques."

"It sounds quite sincere."

As his warm breath brushed against her earlobe, King Xuanyin felt a slight numbness throughout her body, and a trace of inexplicable panic rose in her heart.

She was skilled at bewitching hearts, but she had never been counter-flirted with in such close proximity and with such strong possessiveness.

She suppressed the turmoil in her heart and still raised a charming smile:

"That is only natural; this elder sister never lies. As long as you come to Tianlang Empire, whatever you want, this elder sister will grant it to you."

"Grant me everything?"

Lin Yun lowered his eyes slightly.

His gaze landed directly on her stunningly beautiful face that could bewitch the world.

His gaze was open and burning, without any avoidance.

It made King Xuanyin's cheeks feel slightly hot.

"What if I don't want resources, don't want Cultivation Techniques, and don't want a government position?"

Lin Yun spoke slowly, each word clear and carrying immense penetrating power:

"I have said before, I only marry, I do not submit."

"If you want me to submit, then you must marry me."

A simple sentence, without flowery language, yet extremely overbearing.

King Xuanyin was stunned for a moment.

She had lived for thousands of years, held a revered status, and ruled over a territory; countless experts groveled at her feet, not even qualified to look her in the eye.

It had always been her bewitching others, manipulating others, and toying with others.

Who dared to be so direct and forceful, demanding her hand in marriage in public, daring to suppress her with the posture of taking her as a wife?

Ripples suddenly arose in King Xuanyin's heart, but she still put on a brave front, humming charmingly:

"Little one, you have quite the nerve. Do you know that the number of people who want to marry me, Xuanyin, spans across the human Empire and is countless?"

"I know."

Lin Yun's gaze grew deeper, looking at her with certainty:

"But none of them dare to be like me."

"They covet your beauty and fear your power."

"I am different."

As his voice fell, Lin Yun's gaze shifted slightly downward, sweeping over her toned shoulders and graceful figure, finally returning to her panicked, evasive eyes.

"I truly want you, as a person."

Boom!

This short, direct confession, without embellishment or tricks, struck precisely at the heart of King Xuanyin.

She Cultivated the Xuanyin Charm Dao and was most adept at manipulating hearts and toying with desires.

Yet, never had anyone dared to face her so honestly, domineeringly, and passionately to claim her.

In the past, everyone before her would lose their composure and act humbly.

Only Lin Yun remained clear-headed, active, and in control of the situation throughout.

She was clearly the demon king capable of bewitching the masses, but at this moment, she felt like prey whose weakness had been grasped.

For the first time, King Xuanyin's heartbeat skipped a beat; the charming smile on her face gradually faded, and a faint red flush quietly appeared on her earlobes.

She feigned composure, attempting to regain the initiative, and raised her hand to push Lin Yun away with a feigned casualness, laughing:

"Smooth-tongued, you are indeed a little one who knows how to coax people..."

But just as her fingertips touched Lin Yun's lapel, Lin Yun raised his hand and gently yet firmly held them down.

Lin Yun's palm was warm and strong, locking her slender, fair wrist firmly.

The force was not heavy, yet it carried a sense of control that could not be shaken off.

King Xuanyin's entire body stiffened, and for the first time, a violent tremor arose from the depths of her Soul.

Her Xuanyin Charm Body, which she was so proud of, could not exert the slightest effect before Lin Yun at this moment.

Instead, every action and every word of his was frantically tugging at her heart and Soul.

"Don't hide, elder sister."

Lin Yun leaned down slightly, the distance between them becoming extremely close, their noses almost touching.

The moonlight shone through the carved patterns of the long corridor, falling upon their overlapping figures, creating an ambiguity that was suffocating.

"You flirt with me, seduce me, and try to win me over every day."

"Elder sister, aren't you afraid... of playing with fire and getting burned, eventually getting yourself involved?"

This rhetorical question, carrying the unique dominance of a youth, slammed fiercely into the depths of King Xuanyin's heart.

In an instant, her mind went blank.

Playing with fire and getting burned?

She had roamed for thousands of years, using the Charm Dao to control hearts, viewing all living beings as chess pieces; when had she ever had a day of "getting burned"?

But looking at Lin Yun's deep, calm, and all-seeing eyes at this moment, she suddenly realized with extreme clarity...

...that she had, it seemed, truly fallen for him.

From the moment he was the first to break free from her charm in the competition arena.

From the moment she saw his Spatial Golden Core and his Heaven-Defying combat strength.

From the moment she couldn't help but want to get close, want to probe, and want to win him over time and time again.

Her heart had long since been in chaos.

King Xuanyin had always bewitched the world, but today, she was finally counter-bewitched into her heart by the youth.

The mockery, calculation, and composure in her eyes all faded away.

Only a trace of panic, a trace of shyness, and a trace of the confusion of being completely captivated remained.

Even her voice trembled slightly, no longer possessing the effortless, flirtatious quality from before:

"You... you little one..."

Watching her rare, panicked, and dazed appearance, the smile on Lin Yun's lips deepened; he slowly released her wrist and stepped back half a step.

This perfectly timed distance was even more heart-wrenching and agonizing than close entanglement.

"I won't force you, elder sister."

"When you have thought it through and are willing to marry me, I will consider whether to stay or go."

"If you can't think it through, then from now on, don't come to flirt with me again."

Lin Yun's tone was calm, yet every word struck at her heart.

Playing hard to get, holding control to the end.

King Xuanyin stood in place, her heart pounding wildly, unable to calm down for a long time.

Looking at the composed, calm youth before her who held all the cards, for the first time, a terrifying thought arose:

That today, she had perhaps truly lost her heart completely to this sixth-rank youth who was only forty-eight years old.

The dignified King Xuanyin, who had spent her life bewitching others and was uncontrollable by anyone, had completely lost her heart and Soul this night.