Unyielding Spring Mountains - Chapter 80: Reason

A breeze slipped through the narrow gap in the window, rustling the robes on the table.

A sharp pain spread from Wei Zhen’s wrist, making her hiss softly. Qi Yan slowly withdrew his hand. “Apologies, did I hurt you?”

Wei Zhen rubbed her wrist. “It’s nothing.”

His handsome features were bathed in the flickering candlelight, and in the depths of his dark eyes, it seemed as if a raging fire was burning.

Wei Zhen lifted her hand and brushed his brows and eyes, wanting to ask if he was feeling unwell. Qi Yan turned his face aside to avoid her touch, leaving her hand hanging in midair. She withdrew it, resting it on her lap, her fingers lightly gripping the hem of her skirt. “What’s wrong?”

Qi Yan closed his eyes. “It’s not that I’m avoiding you. It’s…”

“What is it?” Her voice was soft.

It’s that the moment you come close, the desire within me swells uncontrollably.

Qi Yan silently recited these words in his heart, feeling his mind sway, his body filled with restless impulses that, under the catalyst of the deer blood, screamed within him, threatening to drown out his rationality.

His wrist began to tremble, like a feral beast on the verge of breaking loose.

Qi Yan felt that, in his current state, it was extremely unsafe for Wei Zhen to stay with him.

He raised a hand to pinch the bridge of his nose.

Yet Wei Zhen, seemingly oblivious to any danger, leaned in, clasping her hands together over his shoulders, resting her chin atop them.

“Qi Yan, why don’t you bathe first? I’ve drawn the water—it’s well water, nice and cool. See if rinsing off helps you feel better.”

Qi Yan lifted his gaze, seeing the young girl’s enchanting face, and murmured, “Alright.”

Wei Zhen smiled slightly, got up, and walked to the bath barrel. Seeing that the water level was still insufficient, she went outside to fetch a few more buckets.

Qi Yan removed his bloodstained robe and carelessly tossed it aside.

Wei Zhen, recalling his injuries, said, “You still have wounds on your body; you mustn’t get them wet. Do you need my help?”

Qi Yan blurted out, “No need.”

Wei Zhen gazed at him quietly. He had refused so firmly, as though she were some ravenous beast to be avoided at all costs.

Qi Yan shed his upper garments, revealing a lean yet powerful waistline. His torso was taut and well-muscled, his skin slightly flushed, his muscles engorged with blood. Faint blue veins rose beneath his thin skin, brimming with a masculine vitality.

He reached down to untie his belt, then turned to glance at her.

Wei Zhen’s fingers curled slightly. “We are husband and wife. You may disrobe in front of me; there’s no need for concern.”

Qi Yan said, “But we have not yet wed.”

Wei Zhen turned her face away, the tips of her ears tinged with red. “We will soon.”

The sound of water splashing echoed from the side. Wei Zhen stood up, walked to the window, and pushed open the one facing the outer wall. The night breeze swept in, instantly cooling the room.

When she turned back, she met Qi Yan’s gaze.

His entire body was drenched, water droplets trailing down his torso, sliding along his waist before vanishing beneath his trousers. The thin fabric, soaked through, clung tightly to his legs, barely concealing anything.

Wei Zhen acted as if she hadn’t noticed and sat down by the bed.

The blood-stained water ran off his body, pooling into a small puddle at his feet.

He rinsed himself over and over again, using a full three buckets of water before finally washing the filth from his hair and body.

Before long, it was Wei Zhen’s turn to bathe. She poured the hot water that Ah Zhu’s  had brought into the wooden tub, dipping her hand in to test the temperature—it was just right.

Wei Zhen undid her garments, letting her skirt slip to the floor, gathering around her slender ankles.

She stepped out from the fabric and into the water.

Mist rose gradually, warming the room. Throughout, Wei Zhen kept her back turned to Qi Yan.

The bathwater gradually cooled. Wei Zhen gathered her damp hair and draped it over her shoulder. When she turned around, she saw Qi Yan sitting by the bed, his forehead beaded with sweat.

By the time she stood up from the water, it was too late for Qi Yan to look away.

Bathed in the hazy candlelight, she emerged from the water, her crimson lips and dark hair enchanting, her beauty so striking it seemed as though she were wreathed in a soft glow. The sight reminded Qi Yan of the dreamlike goddess of Mount Wu.

She casually grabbed a robe from the table and draped it over herself, then walked toward him.

Wei Zhen asked, “Are you feeling unwell?”

Qi Yan replied, “I am fine.”

She raised a hand to caress his face. “Ah Zhu’s  said that since you drank deer blood, you should find a way to relieve yourself. But deer blood is known for its aphrodisiac properties—it replenishes qi and strengthens the kidneys…”

Wei Zhen’s eyes met his. “So how should you relieve it?”

She slowly leaned in, her warm breath curling around Qi Yan’s nose. The night lent her gaze a hint of teasing allure.

The robe draped over her shoulders slid slightly, exposing a smooth, rounded shoulder, but she made no move to pull it up.

Qi Yan glanced at it, then back at her.

The fingers tracing his cheek trembled faintly.

She leaned in closer. Qi Yan grasped her waist, hearing the tension in her voice as she whispered.

“Today, in the beast arena, I saw you step into the pit of mud. My heart was filled with fear—I was terrified I would never see you again. So now that you are here, safe before me, I feel both relieved and deeply afraid.”

Her gaze shimmered like clear water. She leaned closer, watching him carefully. Seeing that he did not pull away, she slowly pressed her lips to his.

Qi Yan had been suppressing the fire in his body for a long while. But the moment she kissed him, it flared violently, burning out of control.

His hand, which had been hanging by his side, rose and grasped her slender arm, as if to push her away.

Yet once the seed of desire had been stirred, it could no longer be contained. In the end, he couldn’t bring himself to push her away.

Her scent filled the space between their lips and tongues.

Back in the beast arena, after slaying those two wolves, he had already wanted to kiss her.

His breathing grew heavy, their kiss deepening.

The young woman trembled under the intensity, trying to pull away.

He held her waist firmly, laying her down on the bed beneath him.

Under the moonlight, a soft glow seemed to ripple around her, like a celestial goddess stepping through the stars. Even though the room was simple, the walls worn and the bed old, she was still breathtakingly divine.

She lifted her arms, gently wrapping them around his neck. Qi Yan brushed aside the strands of hair on her face, his fingers caressing her cheek. She nuzzled into his palm, rubbing lightly.

The touch sent a wave of heat surging through him.

A gust of wind extinguished the candle, plunging the room into darkness.

Having walked side by side through life and death, they could no longer resist drawing closer.

Qi Yan’s gaze traced the contours of her face. “In the beast arena, all I could think about was you. I was afraid that if I died, you wouldn’t be able to handle things on your own. That thought kept me holding on a little longer…”

Wei Zhen listened quietly, warmth flooding her heart.

He propped himself up, hands pressing into the bed beside her, looking down at her.

Through his pupils, Wei Zhen saw her own flushed cheeks. Her fingers clutched at the bedsheet beneath her.

A faint, inexplicable fear rose within her at the thought of what would come next.

Qi Yan took her trembling hand and pressed her palm to his cheek. “But I don’t want you to sacrifice so much for me. When we return and become husband and wife in truth, there will be time for this…”

He lifted her fingers to his lips and kissed them. “This place is too crude. I don’t want your first memory of us to be here.”

Wei Zhen knew he was holding back, enduring an unbearable torment. His Adam’s apple bobbed with restrained tension, veins standing out on his arms, his body taut with desire.

She could feel his restlessness, his struggle. She entwined her fingers with his.

Qi Yan’s gaze darkened. She truly didn’t realize that even this small gesture ignited another wave of fire within him.

He leaned close to her ear, his voice low and deep.

“Ah Zhen.”

He was somewhat impatient, his hand brushing against her knee as he leaned down, embedding his nose into the curve of her shoulder, his breath scattering into the hollow of her neck.

Chest pressed against chest, their heartbeats pounded rapidly.

Through the thin layers of clothing, their bodies gradually warmed.

Her fingertips swept across his brows and eyes. “Do you remember the words I spoke by the edge of the beast arena?”

Qi Yan said, “You said that once I came out, we would marry.”

Wei Zhen shifted slightly, her delicate fingers gripping the edge of the bed, and as she leaned in closer, a piece of fabric slipped from her fingers, sliding down onto the floor. As she pressed herself against him, the heat radiating from the young man’s body instantly tensed, turning as rigid as an iron wall.

Qi Yan’s Adam’s apple bobbed up and down. “I told you not to test me.”

Wei Zhen’s fair hand rested on the wound on his shoulder. “Does it feel any better?”

Compared to before, it was only more unbearable.

She had no idea what such actions meant to a man. Her voice, light as the wind, nearly burned away his last shred of reason, pushing him dangerously close to the edge.

The young lady’s figure was exquisite, graceful yet full, and at this moment, nestled in his arms, he could feel it with absolute clarity.

If he were to press her down now and hold onto her waist, certain things could be set into motion.

But Qi Yan didn’t want to be reckless with her.

Even more so, he didn’t want her to offer herself up just because the deer blood was affecting him, making her feel obligated to help.

With the last of his reason, Qi Yan spoke to her, “Once we return, let our fathers and s witness our marriage, and then we will…”

Midway through his words, the effects of the deer blood surged, scorching heat crashing against his reason. He clenched his jaw tightly.

Wei Zhen pressed her lips against his shoulder, her lips as gentle as flowing water. The dark thoughts within Qi Yan surged uncontrollably, yet he knew that his lady only wished to soothe the burning heat within him with her kisses.

Her hand brushed over his Adam’s apple, her palm delicate as snow, cool to the touch. Wherever it passed, it indeed alleviated some of the restlessness. Yet, once her touch left, those places burned even fiercer.

In his haze, he wondered if he should simply engulf her in his flames, tightly enclosing her until they perished together.

Qi Yan felt the slight movements of her fingertips, and in his chest, a great drum pounded relentlessly.

Her slender hands wrapped around his waist, pulling him even closer.

Their eyes met, and in his deep, dark gaze, desire swirled and surged. He finally could no longer hold himself back, his hands moving toward his waistband.

His nose brushed close, his arms encircling her, enveloping her in his searing heat. Wei Zhen averted her gaze, her voice trembling slightly. “Will I get pregnant after? Should I go find A’Zhu and ask if there’s anything that can prevent it?”

Qi Yan said, “No need.”

Wei Zhen froze.

He murmured at her ear, “In my current state, you absolutely wouldn’t be able to withstand it.”

In that moment, Wei Zhen suddenly understood his meaning, and from her neck to her cheeks, her skin flushed completely red.

Qi Yan said, “Didn’t A’Zhu’s husband say that I drank too much deer blood? Who knows how long this effect will last?”

Once the floodgates were opened, if his reason collapsed, what followed would no longer be within his control.

He was a military man, always heavy-handed. The night was so long—could she truly endure it? He shouldn’t do this.

The summer cicadas chirped incessantly. Qi Yan was in unbearable agony. He got up and said, “I’m going outside to cool off.”

The next moment, the beauty on the bed grabbed his wrist.

Qi Yan turned back, and she wrapped her arms around his shoulders. “It’s late. Don’t go outside.”

Qi Yan could feel her fingers, smooth as silk, cool and gentle. Yet in his gaze, there was an overwhelming intensity, so scorching it nearly burned Wei Zhen.

Qi Yan pressed down over her, his lips trailing along her neck. Wei Zhen was kissed until she was lost in a daze.

Some things, in truth, were simply driven by instinct—the overwhelming love they felt for each other through shared trials of life and death, the lingering heat of blood and survival, all compelled them to seek warmth from one another, to forget everything else in the moment, holding onto each other tightly.

The strings in Qi Yan’s mind were stretched taut, his last shred of reason hanging by a thread.

He tried to ease the atmosphere by speaking, “Today, Mu Da deliberately sent his men to keep an eye on us. Judging by his actions, he intends to keep us here, refusing to let us leave.”

Lowering his voice, he added, “Tomorrow, when we wake up, we should see if we can gather information about what’s happening outside, plan an escape. If that’s impossible, then we must find a way to send out a message…”

Qi Yan held her tightly for a long moment before finally loosening his embrace. His eyes carried a faint, lingering red. “I’m going outside.”

He went into the courtyard, drew water from the well, and doused himself for a long time before returning.

Holding onto the edge of the bed, he tilted his head back, his Adam’s apple still moving as he swallowed. Yet after only a brief moment, Wei Zhen noticed that the dark fire in his eyes was rekindling once more.

It was only then that she fully realized just how unbearable the deer blood’s effects were on a man.

But after all, they had to share the same bed. He couldn’t possibly avoid her entirely.

Wei Zhen said, “We don’t have to do that, but I can think of another way to help you.”

Qi Yan shook his head. “No need. I can handle it myself.”

Wei Zhen watched as he struggled with the torment of his desires and recalled everything that had happened in the beast arena during the day. He had fought so hard for her, drinking so much deer blood just to survive. After everything they had endured, he was still suffering in silence. She truly couldn’t bear it.

She leaned in, grasping his hand. Her long, flowing hair was as smooth and cool as silk. When it brushed against Qi Yan’s body, he stiffened slightly.

He looked into the brightness of her eyes and listened to her soft voice as she comforted him.

The hand that had been hanging by his side—this time, he did not push her away.

Amidst the heavy chirping of cicadas and the faint rustling of sand, their heartbeats intertwined in the dark night.

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