A Hug To Top It Off

"Wow, this is great!" Xie Lian exclaimed for the umpteenth time. "How did you get your hands on art like this? Oh wait, that part about people coming after you. Is that related to this?"

Su Yan raised a brow in surprise. Xie Lian was smart to have figured out all that by herself. Well, at least she understood the workings of the real world if nothing else. He nodded and said, "This is serious, so be sure to never reveal it in public."

"I understand." Xie Lian answered with a solemn nod. "So, now what? We cultivate?"

"It's already close to night, so we will break bread and tuck ourselves in bed." He suggested. "Cultivation can wait after we have gotten a good night's sleep."

She nodded in agreement, and they proceeded to fish out some hard bread, exchanging awkward glances. Su Yan probed about her family to keep her mind off their meal.

Xie Lian explained that she came from a small family, and while they weren't rich, they likewise didn't struggle financially. That explained why she was behaving so squeamishly while nibbling on the bread. She must not have been used to it.

As he asked further, she listed her reasoning for not wishing to go back. Essentially, her family was one of mortals, and they had a mindset that made them avoid cultivators and their world like the plague. Although she had always dreamed of growing up and doing whatever she wished to, she had also known her dreams would remain just that, dreams. Until she was captured alongside many others, she was just counting her days.

When he asked her to elaborate, she explained that she wasn't planning on resigning herself to their whims. That any opportunity they presented would spell her death. She was driven.

"Enough about me; tell me about yourself." She spoke. "Do you like to act as a hero?"

At his curious expression she clarified, "That thing in the clearing where you fought that giant bitch."

"Oh!" Su Yan reeled back in surprise. "Well, I don't know how it came off to you or others, but I wasn't acting heroic or anything. I was acting however I wanted to."

At her confusion, he smiled and explained.

"There was a saying in the cultivation world that said, Freedom is a privilege of the strong."[1]

When you're strong, you can act however you want. You can be kind or cruel. You can save a life or kill someone. You can judge right as wrong and wrong as right. All because you're strong.

When Su Yan had seen those men that night, he had instantly determined their status as mortals. Although his cultivation base was paltry, he was confident in his experience. Thus he had chosen to act, not out of goodness of his heart but because he could. His kindness took root because he was strong.

"But that woman hurt you, right?" She looked at him worriedly, then dropped her gaze to his palms. Su Yan followed and saw the cuts that had scabbed over. "You didn't run."

"That's simple." He smiled. "It's because I'm a cultivator."

What was a cultivator in the end? They were a being who struggled against everyone and everything. They were cautious and prudent. They avoided making enemies and always carried a hint of paranoia. Yet they were also beings of conviction and stone-cold determination. They would actively avoid making any trouble, but when trouble did come knocking on their door, they would face it with their swords drawn.

"After all, to us, danger is synonymous with opportunity."

Xie Lian nodded with an expression of understanding, and Su Yan smiled, finishing the last of his bread.

As they proceeded down the hallway, they found the bath easily enough. The girl from earlier was standing close by and was happy to instruct them. Su Yan chose to keep watch while Xie Lian took a bath.

After bathing herself, she left the bath wearing the upper robe Su Yan had given her over her underwear. The girl's eyes shone in recognition as she gazed at her visage and blushed furiously.

Su Yan noted the change and chuckled slightly. He escorted Xie Lian back to their room and left after making sure she was wearing another garment to cover her legs. The last thing he wanted was to attract some unwanted attention, and that had a high likelihood of happening.

He finished his own bath quicker, feeling comfort wash over him as all the dust and grime left his hair. He thoroughly dried his hair and tied it into a ponytail, yet it still reached the middle of his waist. He frowned and decided on shortening it one of these days.

After he made his way back to his room, he found Xie Lian already lying on the bed, her back turned toward him. He drew the curtains and locked the door. Then slid in beside her, looping an arm around her waist.

"Don't do anything weird, alright." She warned.

Su Yan chuckled and pulled her close, spooning her nubile form. Brushing the wet strands of hair from her neck, he nicked her on the nape, drawing a soft moan. He licked and kissed her pale white neck, occasionally savoring a bite.

"Do you even plan on sleeping?" She asked accusingly.

Su Yan raised a brow and turned her around. Her eyes were closed, but her face was flushed. She looked like a cute rabbit that got caught doing naughty things. He hugged her close, feeling her bountiful bosom press against his chest.

"I just wish to admire your beauty that even the moon in the sky can't compare to." He spoke in soft whispers and felt her blush deepen.

She lightly knocked on his arm, attempting to push back, but he could feel the bare minimum of force she was using. He smiled and pulled out an arm beneath her head. She easily accommodated to the new pillow and relaxed.

'Yeah, life isn't so bad after all,' he thoughtfully smiled.

***

1. Independence is for the very few; it is a privilege of the strong. And whoever attempts it even with the best right but without inner constraint proves that he is probably not only strong, but also daring to the point of recklessness.

- Friedrich Nietzsche