The island was damp, small—barely the size of a football pitch—devoid of life save for a few solitary saplings.

In the vast, boundless ocean, this islet was but a speck, smaller than any speck could be. Yet, despite its meager size, the sight filled Shi Yan with immense surprise.

After carrying Xia Xinyan ashore to this tiny outcrop, Shi Yan finally allowed himself a breath of relief. The sheer joy of survival after escaping death was a sensation only those who have lived through it can truly grasp.

Setting Xia Xinyan down, Shi Yan splayed his limbs wide, lying flat on his back on the beach near the water's edge, not even bothering to twitch a finger.

He was utterly exhausted.

He hadn't rested for a moment these past few days, constantly pushing past his limits. Almost all of his vital essence (Jing Yuan) was depleted.

Under such intense exertion, even an iron man would falter. That Shi Yan had lasted this long was a testament to astonishing willpower and the last reserves of his essence; otherwise, he would have collapsed long ago.

Xia Xinyan, whom he had placed aside, also lay on her side on the sand, equally drained of strength.

Separated by about five meters, Shi Yan turned his head to glance at her, revealing a toothy grin as he teased, "It seems even your desire to pass on cleanly has been thwarted."

Xia Xinyan's expression shifted instantly, a cold glint flashing in her bright eyes. "How dare you—"

Her strength had not yet returned; her internal energy was chaotic, making it impossible to draw upon her Jing Yuan anytime soon. If Shi Yan harbored any improper intentions now, she genuinely wouldn't be able to resist him.

The thought of Shi Yan's true nature sent a flicker of panic through her heart, yet her face remained as cool and noble as ever, her eyes brimming with threat.

"Hahahaha," Shi Yan threw his head back and laughed uproariously.

Xia Xinyan felt stifled, unsure of what Shi Yan was truly thinking. She forced herself to move her hands and feet, laboriously inching away to create more distance between them.

Shi Yan hadn't initially intended to tease her, but seeing her immediate defensiveness sparked a mischievous thought.

On the sand, Shi Yan suddenly rolled over, instantly closing the gap between himself and Xia Xinyan.

In a flash, he was less than half a meter away from her, his burning eyes locking onto her clear gaze.

Shi Yan watched her with a look of sheer mockery. "Run along now. Where can you run to here? Xinyan, if we fought right now, who do you think would win? Hmm? I seem to recall you saying that if I defeated you, I could have... that... eh?"

"Shameless!" Xia Xinyan spat out coldly, her face icy. "Don't come any closer, or once I recover, I certainly won't let you off easily."

"If I truly intended to do anything to you, I wouldn't have waited until now," Shi Yan pouted dismissively. "Last time at the Misty Rain Tower—if I had the intent, could you have escaped?"

"Th-that time, why didn't you... touch me?" Xia Xinyan was momentarily stunned, asking curiously.

At the Misty Rain Tower, Shi Yan had spent the night with two courtesans but hadn't touched her. Based on her understanding of him during this period, he was clearly a fiend driven by lust, even perverse enough to claim the bride in front of Ling Shaofeng.

Every time this monstrous devil crossed her mind, a chill crept through her.

But at the Misty Rain Tower, when Shi Yan clearly saw her peerless beauty, he had done nothing to her. This remained an unsolvable mystery to her.

"Why would I touch you?" Shi Yan's expression grew unusually serious, his tone flat. "I am a man; I have normal physiological needs. I paid for the company of courtesans; I see nothing wrong with that. As for that Mo Yanyu, I have deep grievances with her. If fate hadn't spared me, I’d already be dead by her hand. A venomous snake like her, falling into my hands, deserves to taste the agony of living death. Moreover, that Ling Shaofeng poisoned my father who hadn't even cultivated martial arts. Those two wretches deserve their fate."

After a pause, Shi Yan glanced sideways at Xia Xinyan. "As for you, aside from when you tried to force me to join the Xia family back in that Dead Mire, which annoyed me immensely, we have no great feud. Though I'm no saint, I choose my targets. It's either mutual desire or a deep-seated enemy. Otherwise, I don't act rashly."

Xia Xinyan fell silent.

After a long while, she finally said, "I hope it is as you say."

Shi Yan smiled and nodded. "I'm no righteous gentleman, but neither am I a beast ruled by my lower half. By the way, how are you doing now? You usually recover quickly; why is it so slow this time?"

"My Heaven Mending Pills are gone," Xia Xinyan sighed mournfully. "Without them, it will take me at least three months to fully recover. I also sustained some injuries this time, so recovery will likely be slower. Right now, I need three days just to set my chaotic Jing Yuan back on course. During this time, I can't muster even a trace of power; I'm as helpless as an ordinary person."

"Mm, just focus on stabilizing your essence for these three days. I'll handle food and drink," Shi Yan agreed, nodding. He looked up at the sky. "I need to rest first. I'll prepare food when I wake up."

With that, Shi Yan took a deep breath, fighting through the body's exhaustion, and sat up on the sand. He closed his eyes tightly, beginning to circulate his Jing Yuan.

Xia Xinyan remained lying on her side, her curves exquisitely defined, her legs long and straight. Her beautiful eyes held confusion as she stared fixedly at Shi Yan.

In this moment, Shi Yan, intensely focused on his cultivation, wore a stern expression, his features resolute. He possessed a steady aura, as unshakable as a mountain, vastly different from his usual demeanor.

What kind of man was he, really?

After a long pause, Xia Xinyan gently shook her head, turning her gaze away. She maintained her position, also diligently working to restore her Jing Yuan to its normal rhythm.

After an unknown period, Shi Yan slowly awoke, momentarily dazzled by the blinding sunlight.

The sun was high in the sky.

Shi Yan stood up from the ground, feeling a wave of physical ease, his spirit refreshed and light.

The lost vital energy had recovered by seventy to eighty percent after his period of meditative adjustment, and the fatigue had vanished entirely.

He glanced toward Xia Xinyan and saw she was still lying on her side. Her clothes were dry, and the cuffs of her trousers fluttered in the sea breeze.

The side-lying Xia Xinyan was captivatingly curved, her limbs long and slender. The sea wind lifted the bottom of her trousers, revealing a section of snow-white ankle that shimmered like jade under the sun—a sight capable of stirring the heart.

Staring at Xia Xinyan greedily for a few moments, Shi Yan took a breath and dove straight into the sea.

A quarter of an hour later, Shi Yan emerged from the water holding two fish, each as long as his arm. He walked directly to Xia Xinyan’s side and gave a light cough.

Xia Xinyan’s long eyelashes fluttered, and she slowly opened her eyes. She seemed to have regained some strength, silently sitting up. She spared Shi Yan a cursory glance and asked, "What is it?"

"Do you have flint?"

"Yes."

Xia Xinyan touched a verdant ring on her slender finger. A strange light flashed, and a piece of flint appeared in her palm.

She tossed the flint to Shi Yan casually, then gracefully stood up, her face faintly flushed. She hurried toward a small tree nearby, whispering, "I'm changing clothes. You—you are not allowed to peek."

"Oh," Shi Yan replied with a nod, though a flash of surprise lit his eyes.

The small tree was only as thick as a man's thigh. Xia Xinyan moved to it, positioning her body parallel to the trunk, and quietly began shedding her garments.

The tree wasn't quite wide enough; although she turned sideways, her alluring, voluptuous form was hard to completely conceal behind the trunk.

"Swish, swish, swish."

As Xia Xinyan removed her outer layers, she covered her ample chest with one hand, but a patch of snowy white was quietly exposed around her rear hip...

That patch of rosy flesh was plump and supple, gleaming with an entrancing porcelain luster, seemingly a masterpiece of heaven, utterly captivating.

Shi Yan was momentarily dazed, his body reacting immediately; his lower half grew stiffly prominent.

That glimpse of white lasted only an instant, quickly covered as Xia Xinyan pulled on the green dress she had brought.

Xia Xinyan, secretly relieved, dressed quickly and moved slowly from behind the tree, looking like a leaf of emerald green.

Glancing at Shi Yan just once, Xia Xinyan’s face turned icy cold. Staring pointedly at a certain spot on Shi Yan, she angrily declared, "Shameless!"

Shi Yan stood with his back straight, rigid as a spear on the sand. Beneath his abdomen, a bulging little tent was unmistakable; anyone taking a look would know he had definitely entertained wicked thoughts.

Under Xia Xinyan's furious gaze, Shi Yan remained composed. He made no move to conceal the swelling beneath his robes, merely chuckling, "I wasn't sneaking. I was looking openly. Cough, cough, I didn't really see much, don't get agitated."

"Didn't see much? If you didn't see much, how could your reaction be so huge?" Xia Xinyan was so angry she felt like spitting blood, wishing desperately she could regain her power right then to teach him a severe lesson.

"My... urges are quite vigorous. After a few days without a woman, my little friend remains rather enthusiastic," Shi Yan managed a dry chuckle, then averted his eyes from Xia Xinyan, quickly moving toward a dead tree.

"You—you—" Xia Xinyan was so furious she couldn't even form a full sentence.

In her entire life, every young man before her had been impeccably polite, even somewhat reserved. Conversations revolved around cultivation mysteries or poetry and literature; no one had ever dared to utter a single frivolous word.

Only this man—either carousing in brothels or shamelessly discussing matters of romance between men and women, often impudently teasing her—left the habitually lofty and detached Xia Xinyan completely unsettled, filling her with a sense of wronged shyness.

But given the current circumstances, her strength still hadn't returned. Knowing full well this man was full of mischief, she had no means to discipline him, which only intensified Xia Xinyan's indignation. She gasped repeatedly, her chest rising and falling rapidly.

Soon after, Shi Yan returned, carrying a bundle of dry wood. As if nothing had happened, he casually used the flint to ignite the kindling and set the two fish to roast over the fire.

The rich aroma of roasting meat quickly spread through the air...

"Hungry, aren't you? Let's get something to eat first. If you really hold a grudge against me, feel free to shout all you like; no one can hear anyway. Since I looked, I don't mind you venting a bit," Shi Yan teased, grinning as he deftly flipped the roasting fish and quickly handed a skewer to her.

"I'm not hungry," Xia Xinyan grit her teeth, turning her face away with a cold expression.

"Grumble."

Unfortunately, her stomach betrayed her with a timely protest.

"Hehe." Shi Yan let out a sly laugh, boldly stepping forward and forcefully pressing the roasted fish into her hand. He teased, "What's the point? I only took one glance; it won't cost you a piece of flesh. At worst, I'll take responsibility and reluctantly marry you. How about that?"

"Shut up!" Xia Xinyan snatched the fish, shot him a fierce glare, and conceded with resignation, "Forget it. I should have known what kind of person you are."

"Uh-huh, uh-huh. I am a villain. I am a super big villain," Shi Yan retorted carelessly, tearing into his own fish and devouring it roughly.

"Savage!" Xia Xinyan muttered under her breath again, retrieving a small knife and picking at her fish delicately, piece by piece.

...

ps: It’s Monday. I'm also asking for recommendation votes. Brothers who have them, please don't forget to toss them over. Thank you. V