C9 Wang Xue

Ling Tianxie had grown and could now truly appreciate the pure love the young girl before him harbored. Since the start of junior high, he was surrounded by strangers, except for her, his constant shadow, who never left his side.

Each morning, she would bring him breakfast, watching with a goofy grin as he ate the meal she had lovingly prepared. After gym class, she'd offer him a bottle of water, claiming she wasn't thirsty, even though she was drenched in sweat. That was her daily allowance. Whenever he tried to buy her something, she'd refuse, insisting he shouldn't waste money—even if he bought it anyway, she'd gently scold him.

She was there to help with his endless homework. She stood by him through disappointment and sorrow. She was... there were too many instances to count.

Perhaps it was because girls mature earlier, but back then, he was as naive as a fool, completely oblivious to the concept of romance. Later, he became infatuated with what was once a forbidden love. And still, she waited.

Thankfully, he hadn't missed his chance, and he was grateful she was still there. Now, it was time to truly cherish this sweet, foolish girl. A girl's first love is so profoundly beautiful and genuine.

For Wang Xue, the connection with Ling Tianxie, having been classmates since elementary, through junior high, and now nearing high school graduation, was incredibly precious. The Mr. Tianxie she had secretly adored since junior high now reciprocated her feelings.

Wang Xue had dreamed of this moment countless times. Now that she had received the answer she longed for, her joy was so overwhelming it almost felt surreal.

"Mr. Tianxie, do you like me? And not just as a friend?" Wang Xue asked earnestly.

Ling Tianxie cradled her face and planted a gentle kiss, whispering in her ear, "I like you, with the affection of a boyfriend."

Wang Xue knew then that Ling Tianxie's words confirmed his feelings for her, filling her heart with immeasurable sweetness.

"Tianxie, I..."

"I like it when you call me Mr. Tianxie," he interrupted with a mischievous grin, nibbling softly on her glistening ear.

Trembling with excitement, Wang Xue murmured, "Mr. Tianxie, I love you."

Wang Xue rose on her tiptoes, eagerly pressing her lips to those of Ling Tianxie.

Ling Tianxie savored the sweetness of Wang Xue's lips, a fiery passion igniting within him. He gently cradled her neck with one hand while his other arm encircled her slender waist.

His tongue ventured past her fragrant lips, nudging aside her pearly teeth to deftly find her small tongue. Entwining his own with hers, he sought the delicate flavor within her mouth.

Wang Xue, overwhelmed by his fervent advances, awkwardly reciprocated Ling Tianxie's ardor, willingly engaging her tongue with his.

In that moment, she felt an immense happiness. Kissing the one she adored was a sensation of pure joy and sweetness.

Her head spun as Ling Tianxie's tongue seemed to draw out her very soul.

After what seemed an eternity, gasping for air, she tapped Ling Tianxie's chest.

To Ling Tianxie, the taste lingering in his mouth was exquisitely sweet.

He had previously depleted a great deal of his Profound Qi and, though it was slowly replenishing, he hadn't expected that a kiss with Wang Xue would restore so much of it. During their kiss, he sensed strands of Profound Yin Qi being absorbed from her.

Every woman possessed Profound Yin Qi; it was merely a matter of how much.

Sensing Wang Xue's gentle taps, Ling Tianxie parted his lips, a silvery thread connecting them.

"Hu..." Wang Xue panted heavily.

Ling Tianxie pondered his condition.

As Wang Xue caught her breath, she noticed Ling Tianxie standing still and silent, and worried she had upset him.

"Mr. Tianxie, I'm sorry. This was my first kiss. I promise I'll do better next time."

Hearing Wang Xue's apology, Ling Tianxie burst into hearty laughter and affectionately pinched her cheek.

"Xue, you're absolutely adorable. I was merely lost in thought; there's no need to apologize."

Wang Xue thought the words were merely meant to comfort her. She clenched her fists and declared, "Next time, I'll definitely make it to five minutes."

"Little glutton, we don't have time for another round. Your sister and the others have been waiting too long. Let's head back," Ling Tianxie said as he playfully patted her behind and carried two stools out the door.

Wang Xue let out a soft moan, her eyes misting over.

Upon entering the house, Ling Tianxie immediately felt two reproachful gazes fixed on him.

At the dinner table, Wang Xue beamed with a smile, her eyes sweetly fixed on Ling Tianxie.

Ling Yufei kept serving Ling Tianxie food, her eyes betraying a touch of melancholy. She recognized the tender look in Wang Xue's eyes as that of a young girl smitten with love.

Though Ling Yufei had never been in love herself, she trusted her intuition—never underestimate a woman's sixth sense.

Ling Yueer occasionally shot Wang Xue resentful glances, idly stirring the rice in her bowl with her chopsticks.

Under the table, a small foot found its way to Ling Tianxie's leg. Assuming it was Wang Xue's, he didn't pay it much mind.

Initially, the foot merely caressed his calf, but it began to venture higher, reaching his thigh.

Sensing the foot's upward trajectory, Ling Tianxie quickly grabbed it. With a mischievous smile, he allowed the foot to wriggle as he held on, contemplating a playful punishment for Wang Xue. He then employed the Red Soft Palm technique, kneading and teasing the captured foot.

"Wu... Hmph..." Ling Yueer couldn't help but let out a soft grunt internally.

Her foot, now in her brother's grasp being massaged, filled Ling Yueer's heart with an odd sensation. Did her brother have a thing for feet?

Ling Yueer didn't resist, feeling a secret pleasure in the situation.

"Wuwu... Hmmph!" she exclaimed, drawing three quizzical looks.

"Ah, I just bit my tongue while eating. No worries, I'm fine," she quickly covered up.

Ling Yueer attempted to explain herself with feigned composure, yet her eyes betrayed a misty confusion as they flickered between annoyance and joy upon meeting Ling Tianxie's gaze.

Ling Tianxie's heart skipped a beat.

Utilizing his Evil Nether Eye, he glanced beneath the table to find a small foot encased in black silk stockings firmly in his grasp. But Wang Xue was wearing ankle socks! The expression on his sister's face made it clear to anyone who the foot belonged to. He quickly released the delicate foot from his hand.

As Ling Tianxie's slender hand withdrew, a wave of disappointment washed over Ling Yueer.

She lost all interest in her meal, her head bowed as she savored the enchanting sensation that lingered.

Her brother's fingers were long and elegant, his palm radiating a comforting warmth. The way he had massaged her foot seemed to cast a spell, causing her body to quiver delicately and her soul to feel unmoored.

...

Dinner finally concluded, and the four engaged in idle conversation, though the topics revolved around Ling Tianxie.

Night had fallen, and Wang Xue knew it was time to depart. She cast a longing glance at Ling Tianxie, her affection unhidden.

Ling Tianxie, eager to learn more about his family's affairs, turned to his sister for information.

His sister's account ignited a fury within him.

He learned that after the death of their parents, the company's usurpation by Soong Daoling was the result of Ling Congyun's betrayal!

In life, Ling Congyun had arranged a nominal position for his elder brother, Ling Congfeng, in the company, along with a ten percent share of the profits.

But Ling Congfeng proved to be a thankless wolf, conspiring with Soong Daoling to ensnare Ling Congyun in a trap.

The trap in question was the Village in City development project, which now brought to Ling Tianxie's mind the voluptuous and mature Qin Keqing, the architect of this very scheme.

Before the project even began, it had received strong verbal support from the government. However, once the project was underway, the government began to suppress it at every turn, with banks refusing to grant loans. This forced Ling Congyun to accept a predatory contract from Soong Daoling, trading forty percent of his company's shares for an injection of five hundred million in funds.

Subsequently, a series of unexpected events unfolded. At their wits' end, Ling Congyun's parents set out for Huahai City to seek help, but tragically, they were involved in a car accident en route.

With the death of Ling Congyun's parents, Soong Daoling acquired forty percent of his father's shares. According to the inheritance laws, the remaining twenty percent should have gone to the children, but Soong Daoling managed to manipulate the situation, securing the shares, real estate, and movable assets for Ling Congfeng.

When Ling Tianxie left home, Ling Yufei was still serving as the general manager of her father's company, earning a salary sufficient for the family's needs. However, after Soong Daoling took over, he fired Ling Yufei on the pretext of leaking company secrets.

Deprived of a substantial income, Ling Yueer was forced to transfer from her private school to Second High School, notorious for its delinquent student body. Ling Yufei found employment as a salesperson at a real estate firm.

Ling Tianxie watched over them, his eyes brimming with compassion, his desire to amass wealth quickly growing more intense. He recalled how a kiss from Wang Xue had swiftly restored his Profound Qi, an extraordinary occurrence. Could this be a result of the Nine Nether Inheritance?

With both his sisters by his side, it wasn't the right time for Ling Tianxie to examine his condition closely. It was then that Ling Yufei brought up her earlier question.

"Tianxie, Yue'er mentioned you carried her back from the station?"

"Yes, yes, Brother is incredibly strong now. He carried me faster than a car—I could barely make out the streets," Ling Yueer exclaimed, barely containing her excitement. "Sister, you must try it next time."

Before Ling Tianxie could respond, Ling Yueer continued, "Brother, during my travels, I received the teachings of a great master. It's akin to the internal energy depicted in martial arts dramas."

Ling Tianxie then took a chopstick and held it in his palm. As Profound Qi emanated from his hand, the chopstick disintegrated into dust. Ling Yufei and Ling Yueer were astounded, having never witnessed such a miraculous feat.

Hearing Ling Tianxie promise that they too could become martial arts masters with the aid of Celestial Materials and Earthly Treasures, they were overjoyed.

After nine hundred years apart, their current journey to the pinnacle of achievement wouldn't be a solitary one. They would have the company of their sisters and Wang Xue.

After a lengthy conversation, one sister urged the other to join her for a bath. Impressed by Ling Tianxie's formidable martial arts skills, Ling Yueer promptly asked him to stand guard in the corridor. Ling Tianxie agreed without hesitation.

At the end of the corridor, outside the bathroom, Ling Yufei and Ling Yueer were bathing while Ling Tianxie stood watch like a sentinel, a warm smile playing in his eyes.

Ling Tianxie's gaze shifted to a shadowy corner of the lower floor, his brow furrowing slightly as a hint of mischief sparkled in his eyes. In an instant, his figure vanished from sight.

In this tenement building, only his family and Wang Xue's family resided. It was about nine o'clock in the evening when eight thugs appeared, clearly up to no good.

These thugs, notorious for their misdeeds in the Village in City, were groping their way forward in the moonlight. They were known for bullying locals, extorting protection money, and harassing respectable women.

"Heizi, did you say there are three beauties living in this apartment building?" one of them asked.

"Yeah, Brother Hu, they're definitely three stunners. Dog Two and I scoped out the place last night. Right now, those three beauties are living here all by themselves," another replied.

"Hehe, well then, we're in for a treat tonight. I'll go first, but there's enough for all of you. Once we're done, we'll snap some nude photos. Then they'll be at our beck and call, haha," chuckled Brother Hu, with the others joining in with lewd laughter.

Little did they know, a figure was watching them from the darkness with a cold gaze.