Chapter 073 Her First Kiss

Liuyue drew a pair of Heavenly Silkworm gloves from his bosom and slipped them on, his eyes never once leaving the darting little dot. As the distance closed, he quietly reached for a small animal-catching net he’d prepared beforehand, waiting for it to come nearer.

Yet the little creature seemed preternaturally alert; the faintest sound as Liuyue shifted the net—so soft it could have been ignored—made it freeze mid-leap, motionless, as though listening intently.

Liuyue held his breath, tense as a drawn bowstring, eyes fixed on the creature, poised for action.

After a brief, silent standoff, the ice toad suddenly turned and bounded away at a startling speed. Liuyue’s expression sharpened; he sprang to his feet and shot after it.

For an ordinary person, catching up with an ice toad at such speed would be impossible. But Liuyue was no ordinary man—one of the most renowned bounty hunters on the Five Spirits Continent. He possessed no elemental power, relying solely on skill and true ability, and speed was his greatest asset. Though the ice toad was quick, he was not about to lose it.

However, capturing it alive proved quite the challenge. Killing it might have been easier, but catching it unharmed was another matter entirely.

The little creature was incredibly sharp and cunning, changing direction constantly, making it difficult for Liuyue to act. They raced on, and as the terrain ahead grew more treacherous, Liuyue realized that if this continued, he risked losing it altogether.

At last, with a surge of energy, he dashed forward with all his might, took aim, and flung the net at the ice toad—

A desperate gamble. Luckily, he succeeded!

But Liuyue dared not relax for a moment. He landed swiftly beside the net, only to see the sturdy, thick mesh rapidly corroding—a small hole opening and spreading visibly outward.

The ice toad’s back was spraying crystalline liquid. Wherever it touched the netting, the strands dissolved in an instant. When it found a gap, the venom spurted into the air, making one instinctively recoil.

Liuyue was fully on guard, dodging the deadly spray as he searched for the right angle to seize the toad.

Just then, a roar erupted behind him, followed by the thunder of heavy footsteps rushing his way.

Liuyue’s heart sank. He guessed it was a bear, but he could not afford to be distracted. The ice toad could break free at any moment; there was no room to turn and deal with the beast behind him.

So he ignored the ever-approaching sounds, focusing all his attention on subduing the toad. Several times the gleaming venom nearly struck his face or body—perilous moments each—but his extraordinary reflexes saved him every time.

Within moments, the white bear charged into view and lunged at Liuyue, who was crouched on the ground.

In that critical instant, Liuyue managed to seize the ice toad, his gloved hand pressing firmly over the venom sac on its back.

But while he succeeded on one front, he failed on the other. He felt a crushing impact from behind and a searing pain in his left shoulder, so sharp he couldn’t suppress a low growl.

Gritting his teeth, he drove his left elbow backward with all his strength, striking the bear in the chest. The bear wailed and instinctively released its grip.

Seizing the opportunity, Liuyue struck again, sending the bear stumbling sideways. He then delivered a fierce kick, sending the massive creature flying three meters, rolling several times across the ground, groaning in evident pain.

Seeing the beast injured and no longer a threat, Liuyue did not linger. He turned and sped away with light-footed agility, retracing his path through the snow.

His left shoulder throbbed with pain, blood streaming freely, but he had no time to tend to it—his only thought was to bring the ice toad back as quickly as possible.

Fortunately, it was still early. At his current pace, he should reach the cabin before nightfall. In such a short span, the ice toad should survive.

Gradually, Liuyue’s face grew paler, drained of color, even his lips turning white, yet his gaze remained resolute, jaw clenched, determined not to fall before his goal was reached.

The cold wind whipped past his face; the wound on his shoulder, chilled by the air, began to congeal, only to split open again with every surge of blood, refusing to stop.

Crimson blood soaked his snowy robes, spilling down, stark against the pristine white of the snow.

Jin’er, having finished dinner, stood in the courtyard and glanced uneasily at the darkening sky.

What is this feeling? Why am I so unsettled tonight? Frowning, she turned to go inside.

Another day had passed. He still hadn’t returned...

Just then, she heard movement behind her. Whirling around, she saw Liuyue striding toward her, white robes stained with blood, clutching something in both hands, his face deathly pale and his steps unsteady.

It was the first time Jin’er had seen him in white, the first time she’d seen him so battered and disheveled. She stood frozen, staring at the nearly unrecognizable Liuyue, unable to speak or move to support him.

She remained motionless until he reached her, only then instinctively grabbing his arm, exclaiming, “What happened to you? Why are you bleeding so much?” She did not realize that all she felt was a nameless panic and fear.

Liuyue’s brows were tightly knit, his lips bloodless, yet he forced himself inside, holding out the ice toad and urgently commanding her, “Give me your hand! Let it suck your blood!”

Jin’er hesitated, stunned. The sensation was all too familiar, reminiscent of her old poison-testing days, and she recoiled instinctively.

“What are you waiting for? Don’t you want the antidote?!” Liuyue barked, his face growing even paler.

Jin’er, startled by his shout, gritted her teeth and offered her right wrist. If this was for the antidote, she’d use the other hand.

The ice toad, having been restrained by Liuyue for so long, was already furious. Now, seeing a chance, it bit down savagely.

Jin’er winced, turning away as she felt something being drawn from her body.

Yet the sensation had only just begun when it abruptly stopped.

How could this be?! Liuyue stared in shock at the scene before him.

Jin’er, puzzled, turned to look—only to see that the ice toad, which had seemed fine a moment before, now hung limp and lifeless.

Liuyue withdrew his hand, prodding the toad’s body. Once certain it was truly dead, he was so furious he nearly spat blood.

Having held himself together this long, he finally lost all will to endure. His eyes closed, and he collapsed.

“Ah!” Jin’er rushed to catch him, but he was too heavy; instead, she was pulled down with him, both tumbling to the floor.

She struggled to free her arm from under his weight, then sat up, seeing how deathly pale he was. She guessed he must have lost too much blood. Without a second thought, she hurried to fetch a basin of water, then searched his cabinet for bandages and wound medicine.

Once everything was ready, she began cutting away the blood-soaked clothing at his left shoulder. The wound had stuck to the fabric; unthinking, she pulled it free, tearing away a patch of skin.

The sight of the gory wound made Jin’er draw a sharp breath, her heart twisting. Even unconscious, Liuyue frowned and trembled at the pain.

She bit her lip, inhaled deeply, and continued carefully, cleaning the wound with a cloth.

Once it was clean, she could see two deep rows of bite marks, in two places even exposing the gleaming white of bone.

Her heart clenched with a strange unease, but pushing the thought aside, she quickly applied medicine and bandaged the wound.

At last, she sat back with a long sigh, wiping sweat from her brow. The basin beside her was stained crimson, as if filled with blood.

He should be out of danger now, right? She checked his pulse and, after a while, finally relaxed.

Though his pulse was faint, he would live. People like them—martial artists of his caliber—possessed strength of body and will beyond the ordinary. They were not so easy to kill.

After resting a while, Jin’er tried to move him to the bed, but after two attempts, she gave up. She simply wasn’t strong enough to haul him onto the high bed.

Reluctantly, she brought her own bedding from the kitchen, spread it out beside him, and, with great effort, gingerly shifted him onto it, covering him with a quilt.

When all was done, she finally relaxed, sitting down by his side.

After staring at him for a while, she shook her head in exasperation, muttering to herself, “Damn it, why did I save him? If I let him die, wouldn’t that save me the trouble? The ice toad was useless anyway! Maybe... now’s my chance?”

She eyed the motionless Liuyue for a long time, then slapped her forehead in frustration, sighing deeply.

Why couldn’t she go through with it?

Oh well, better not take advantage of someone’s weakness. After all, he was injured catching the ice toad for her...

“All right, you get to live a few days more. Revenge can wait a month—I’ll wait until you’re healed to finish you off. Hmph!” With that, Jin’er left the room to practice her sword in the courtyard.

As soon as the door closed, Liuyue slowly opened his eyes, a faint smile on his lips.

Wait until he recovered, and she’d try to kill him? Such bold words.

In fact, when Jin’er had torn off his skin earlier, the pain had roused him, though he’d feigned unconsciousness afterward. He hadn’t expected her to be so skilled at tending wounds, nor to hear such a heartfelt “confession” from her lips.

Girl, have you gone soft? If he were in her place, he’d have seized the opportunity without hesitation...

Despite his thoughts, he found himself oddly pleased by her final choice. Even if she had tried to kill him, she would not have succeeded.

———

“Eat. Why are you staring at me?” Jin’er snapped, shoving a spoonful of porridge nearly into his mouth.

She was beginning to regret saving him. Since he’d awakened, she’d had to wait on him three times a day, enduring his inexplicable, unblinking gaze that made her irritable and inexplicably angry.

Yet he seemed unbothered by her glares and scolding, maintaining an air of calm—almost cheerful—which only infuriated her more. She wished she could finish him with one blow of the spoon.

“The poison in your body is potent,” Liuyue remarked after sipping the last of the porridge.

Jin’er shot him a sideways glance but said nothing, thinking, Of course—it even killed the ice toad. You never stood a chance.

“When I’m healed, you’ll come with me somewhere,” Liuyue said, guessing her inner grumbling. But he didn’t care.

“Where? Why should I go with you?” She eyed him warily.

“I promise you, if you go, there will be a way to cure your poison.”

At that, Jin’er’s eyebrows lifted, her eyes lighting up. But she quickly masked her excitement with a scoff, “Really? I thought your ice toad was so powerful, but it was useless. Why should I believe you?”

“What reason do I have to lie to you?” Liuyue asked, locking eyes with her.

“And what do you gain by helping me?” Jin’er raised her chin, matching his gaze. The retort left Liuyue speechless.

“Kindness mistaken for malice!” He finally muttered coldly, turning away, his handsome face dark as thunder.

Jin’er, amused, studied his scowling profile. “How strange, hearing that from a cold-blooded killer like you.”

“You—!” Liuyue turned back, eyes icy. “Get out!”

Jin’er, seeing his barely contained anger, felt not the least bit afraid—instead, she was oddly pleased.

She smirked, collected the dishes, and left humming a tune, in high spirits.

Liuyue clenched his teeth, glaring after her, unable to calm the irritation and anger swirling in his chest, his fists unintentionally clenched, knuckles white.

Calm—he must remain calm! A killer must never be so easily unsettled.

But no matter how he admonished himself, his heart would not settle.

What good was there in helping her? He’d given her the Moonlit Divine Sword manual, caught her the ice toad, even suffered such grave wounds. He’d more than repaid any debt. Why keep helping her when it brought him nothing but trouble?

Yet—damn it—he simply couldn’t stand watching her die.

That day, Jin’er went down the mountain to purchase food and medicine. After much thought, she decided to trust him once more. After all, he had no reason to deceive her. Whether the antidote would work remained to be seen, for her poison was truly formidable.

She had only two antidote pills left. Time was running short. She had to buy the best ingredients to nurse him back to health so they could leave the snowy mountain for the place he’d spoken of.

“Why so many supplies?” Liuyue asked, leaning in the doorway as Jin’er hauled two large bundles on her slender shoulders.

“Of course. You’d better recover quickly. Hey, why are you up? The wind is strong—back inside, now.” She hurriedly set down the bundles, rushed over, and shepherded Liuyue back into the room.

He let himself be pushed, dazed, back onto the bed.

“Lie down and rest. No wandering!” she ordered, before heading out to sort through her purchases.

Liuyue, bemused, felt a smile tug at his lips. This little girl—when she gets serious, she’s like an old housewife.

In twenty years of life, no one had ever fussed over him like this. It felt... rather nice.

With that thought, he lay down as instructed and rested.

After lunch, as he sat against the bed, Jin’er brought him a bowl of dark medicinal soup.

He eyed the bowl for a while. “I don’t need this.” He hated herbal medicine. With wound medicine and inner strength, he was healing well enough.

“I’m the doctor here. If I say you need it, you need it!” Jin’er glared at him.

Liuyue raised an eyebrow. “You made this? Then I definitely won’t drink it.” He pursed his lips and fell silent.

“You—!” Jin’er, exasperated, almost lost her temper, but then thought, If I were him, I’d be wary too.

So she took a deep breath and explained, “My medical skills are nearly as good as any famous healer’s now. This medicine disperses bruises and stops bleeding, helping you recover. If you trust me, drink it. If not—well, you’re drinking it anyway!” She ended with a note of tyranny. No way would her efforts go to waste—she didn’t have time for slow healing.

Liuyue, seeing her bossiness and the slight pout of her lips, felt a fleeting smile in his eyes. In the end, he took the bowl and downed the concoction in one go.

Jin’er was surprised, accepting the empty bowl. She hadn’t expected him to obey so easily. She remembered how he’d once tested every meal and tea she made, yet now he drank this without hesitation.

Did he trust her completely now?

Puzzled, Jin’er nevertheless felt pleased. At least now, if she ever wanted to poison him, she could—anytime.

So, in Jin’er’s careful care, Liuyue recovered quickly. Ten days later, as morning broke, he sat by the bed, half undressed, checking his wound. Only a small scab remained.

Just then, Jin’er entered. Seeing him examining his wound, she hurried over, sitting by his side, peering at his shoulder. “How is it? All better?”

His robe hung loosely, baring much of his chest and shoulder—a striking sight. Jin’er, excited, didn’t notice, but her smooth hair brushed against his bare skin, sending an involuntary shiver through him. The faint fragrance of her hair drifted to his nose, leaving him strangely flustered, and despite himself, his body reacted.

As he struggled to compose himself, a gentle touch on his shoulder made him tremble, as if jolted by electricity.

“Does it hurt? Really?” Jin’er, noticing his reaction, touched him again. This time, Liuyue gritted his teeth and kept still, though his breathing grew uneven.

“It’s fine now, just a bit left. We can leave tomorrow, all right?” Jin’er looked up at him, freezing mid-motion.

Only then did she realize how close she was, practically pressed against his chest. He was gazing down at her, eyes burning with something she couldn’t name.

He seemed strange at that moment—so strange she grew flustered and uneasy. But his eyes were so deep and dark, like black holes drawing her in, making her feel powerless to resist.

A soft, awkward gulp sounded in her ear—she didn’t know whose it was—but it snapped her back to herself. Flustered, she tried to pull away, but Liuyue seized her, drawing her into his arms. Before she could react, his cool lips pressed firmly against her own.