198: Chapter 197 Xia Jin, you've got a setback, what are you doing, woman?

The entire illusion shattered like a mirror.

The Battle Arena reappeared before his eyes; starlight still showered down, and the surroundings remained that silent Void Realm.

Everything remained unchanged, with only one exception:

Xing Ruoliu stood ten zhang away with a pale face, a wisp of blood spilling from the corner of her mouth.

She raised a hand to wipe away the blood, her long, narrow phoenix eyes staring fixedly at Xia Jin, filled with disbelief.

Around the entire Battle Arena, the white flames that had just incinerated everything had yet to dissipate, and a scorching residual heat still lingered in the Void Realm.

The three light wheels behind Xia Jin rotated slowly, his golden pupils gazing down at Xing Ruoliu ten zhang away, the Killing Intent in his eyes undisguised.

She had lost.

The illusion was broken, and it had been broken by Xia Jin without the slightest obstacle.

But at this moment, Xia Jin, who had just been full of Killing Intent, suddenly frowned.

Because he saw that Xing Ruoliu before him showed not a shred of frustration at her defeat; instead, she was looking at him and smiling.

Yes, she was smiling.

On that extremely beautiful face, her lips curved slightly upward, and that trace of residual blood actually added a touch of charm to her.

For that instant, Xia Jin was even somewhat dazed.

Is this woman out of her mind?

"What? Could it be that you've been scared silly by this Prince's strength?" Xia Jin said with a strange expression.

Xing Ruoliu did not answer.

She simply raised her hand, slowly wiped away the bloodstain from the corner of her mouth, and then walked step by step toward Xia Jin.

One step.

Two steps.

Three steps.

"What the hell is this!?" Xia Jin's frown deepened.

Countless clusters of white flames appeared out of thin air around him; if Xing Ruoliu wanted to continue fighting, he would not show mercy to a lady.

Closer. Even closer.

Xing Ruoliu stopped in front of Xia Jin.

At this moment, she was way too close to him. So close that Xia Jin could clearly see her long, slender eyelashes trembling slightly, as well as the warm air from her breath.

This distance had long since exceeded the scope of a battle.

Xia Jin turned his head away, his Adam's apple bobbing slightly.

"Xing Ruoliu," his voice was somewhat stiff, "what do you want to do?"

"Guess!" Xing Ruoliu suddenly chuckled, then stood on tiptoe.

A soft, warm sensation touched the corner of his lips.

Very light. Very soft.

Like a dragonfly skimming the water, or perhaps peach blossoms brushing against one's face.

It touched and pulled away instantly.

Xia Jin was stunned in place, his mind completely blank.

By the time he regained his senses and prepared to react, Xing Ruoliu had already retreated dozens of meters away.

She stood there, the starlight from above the Battle Arena sprinkling onto her white clothes, her smile carrying three parts cunning, three parts mockery, and the rest was something Xia Jin could not understand.

"I have lost."

Then, she turned around. Without the slightest hesitation.

In the Void Realm, a door of light slowly emerged. Xing Ruoliu stepped into the gate, her white figure gradually disappearing into the radiance, never looking back from start to finish.

On the Battle Arena, only Xia Jin remained.

"What the hell is this woman doing?"

His expression slumped; the overwhelming, world-dominating aura of the Demon Emperor he had just displayed vanished completely, replaced by an indescribable, murky feeling of frustration.

The Sun Mark between his brows quietly dissipated, and the three wheels behind him gradually faded. Xia Jin took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, but the indescribable emotion in his chest would not dissipate no matter what.

He lowered his head and glanced at the Battle Arena beneath his feet. Then, he suddenly raised his fist and smashed it fiercely against the ground.

"Thud."

A dull sound echoed in the Void Realm.

After doing all this, Xia Jin stepped into another Void Gate without looking back, disappearing from the Battle Arena.

But that retreating figure somehow carried a hint of fleeing in a panic.

At this very moment, Mr. Gu was reclining on a grand armchair, the image before him just frozen at the moment Xing Ruoliu stood on her tiptoes.

"Pfft!"

His hand jerked violently, and his entire cup of wine splashed directly onto his clothes, but he was completely oblivious.

"Mr. Gu? Are you alright!"

An obsequious voice suddenly rang out. Not far away, a thin, tall follower of a Heaven-Class Disciple hurried over, bending at the waist, looking at Mr. Gu with a face full of smiles.

Mr. Gu was startled by this sudden voice, and when he turned his head, that thin, long face was almost pressed right in front of him.

"Get lost, why are you getting so close!?"

He irritably slapped the other person on the shoulder, causing the thin, tall Disciple to stumble.

Mr. Gu's expression became extremely strange, his brows knitted into a ball.

What is going on? That Xing Ruoliu actually kissed Xia Jin of her own volition?

No, no, no.

He shook his head violently; it must be an illusion. This Xing Ruoliu was a master of illusions after all; who in the entire Second Heaven didn't know her abilities? She must have known he was peeking secretly and deliberately created this scene to tease him.

The more Mr. Gu thought about it, the more reasonable it seemed.

"You, come here." He beckoned to the thin, tall follower who had just been slapped into the corner.

The man hurried to get up and approach, asking suspiciously: "Mr. Gu, what are your orders? ...Ah!!!"

Before he could finish, Mr. Gu slapped him hard on the back, causing the thin, tall Disciple to jump straight up, let out a miserable scream, and fly even further away.

Mr. Gu looked at the other man grimacing in pain and shook his head suspiciously, "Looking at it this way, it doesn't seem like the previous scene was an illusion..."

"Alright, get down, get down, don't be an eyesore here." He glanced at the follower in the distance who was grimacing in pain and waved his hand in disgust.

"Did Mr. Gu take the wrong medicine today?" The follower rubbed his shoulder and retreated with a grievance-filled face, muttering to himself, "It seems I should come here less often for a while."

...

Meanwhile, on another island in the Second Heaven.

After Xing Ruoliu stepped out of that Void Gate, she stood in place, but a smile still lingered on her lips.

This was like a completely different person from her usual cold and aloof demeanor.

"My Lady, you have returned!"

In the palace, a follower hurried up to greet her, a trace of flattery on his face, "I knew it! That Xia Jin only defeated those seventeen people ranked at the bottom. Even if he has some ability, how could he be your opponent?"

"Among the Heaven-Class Disciples, someone like you, who is in the top five, is not someone a newcomer like him can challenge!"

Just as he was speaking enthusiastically.

A jade-like hand suddenly clamped around his throat.

A tremendous force arrived, lifting his feet off the ground, raising him into the air.

"M-My Lady... spare... spare me..."

Xing Ruoliu's eyes had now become incomparably cold.

She stared at her follower and said coldly: "Remember, this is the last time. In the future, if this Palace Mistress hears you speak ill of Xia Jin again."

"Then do not blame this Palace Mistress for not considering our past relationship."

She released her hand.

The follower crashed heavily to the ground, looking disheveled and miserable.

"Get out."

Xing Ruoliu didn't even glance at him and walked straight inside.

Her follower hurriedly knelt on the ground: "M-My Lady, this subordinate understands! I will never discuss anything regarding Xia Jin again!"

Xing Ruoliu did not respond.

She walked to the soft couch in the inner hall and sat down slowly.

A snow-white fox jumped over from the couch and affectionately burrowed into her arms. Xing Ruoliu raised her hand and gently stroked the white fox's soft fur, her eyes gradually softening.

"Little White Fox, do you know?"

"I never expected that this Palace Mistress would actually encounter..."

"The Emperor!"