Tang Yue snapped out of her trance and as she did, her eyes darted towards Charlotte momentarily, mainly to look away from the peering crimson orbs that were waiting to devour her.
But when she looked at Charlotte, she saw a cloud of black smoke, formless and unstable, hovering around the woman, holding her in place, under the threat of a sword.
This was the same black smoke that had pulled her out of the rubble back in the labyrinth.
But Tang Yue was not in the least pleased to see it this time around.
A spark of anger appeared in her clear and gentle emerald eyes and she pushed the man, morphing into her serpentine form and slithering out of his embrace.
She then morphed back into her human form and hissed at the man who was now sprawled on the ground with no one underneath him.
But the devil had already recovered and he was now smirking at her, his head casually resting on his palm, lying on the ground as if he was a King of the world.
"Let her go now." Tang Yue hissed. She did not understand what the lunatic was even doing here in the first place.
Wasn't he supposed to be back in the Eldorian palace?
Didn't she just hand over a peerless technique that should have kept him busy and occupied at the least?
It had barely been a couple of hours since she had sent over the technique and now he was in front of her.
What the hell? Just how fast can a Demi-God even move?
Xander flicked his fingers and his dark elemental clone released Charlotte.
"Why are you here?" Tang Yue asked again. Her tone was still unfriendly.
"Weren't you the one who called me here?" Xander smirked, leaping back to a standing position and shrugging his shoulder carelessly.
"I called you?" Tang Yue was confused.
If anything, the last message was a farewell between the both of them, settling all the scores.
But Xander seemed very confident in his stand. "You did call me. Don't you remember?"
He paused and his smirk widened.
"Why else would you send the useless technique over?"
"Useless?" Tang Yue's eyes flew wide! This bastard! She had literally begged and pleaded and exploited her mother's memories for this damned technique!
But before she could process these words, Xander threw something at her.
Tang Yue's eyes flickered and she instinctively caught the object. She held it in her hands and saw that it was a jade slip.
She looked up in confusion, trying to understand his actions.
"Keep your useless technique with you. It is time to come back." Xander took a few steps forward and walked closer.
The man was clearly trying to intimidate her, as per his usual modus operandi, but this time Tang Yue did not falter.
She snapped at him without holding back. "I am never coming back."
Xander's expressions slightly flickered, a layer of frost covering his eyes, but the man still maintained his infuriating smirk.
"Is that so?" He asked, enunciating each and every syllable.
Tang Yue did not reply anything and glared back at him.
"Good. Good. You seem quite confident. You are no longer scared of me huh?"
"I guess you don't have to be." Xander shrugged. "Since you probably know that I wouldn't do anything to you."
The man paused a while, his eyes surveying his prey. "But my dear, that doesn't mean that I wouldn't do anything to others."
"After all, I can't allow you to take advantage of my weakness like this, can I?" The damned smirk returned to his face.
Tang Yue still did not waver. She had already expected some threats.
Hmph. She coldly snorted, arms crossed in front of her. Today she was not going to yield and this was final.
She cannot afford to go back. Not just yet. No matter what he says.
Xander chuckled coldly, the man's amusement turning up a notch with every passing second.
"My dear… If you don't come back, I will have to personally slaughter each and every single one of your family members."
But before Xander could even finish his sentence, Tang Yue burst out laughing. "Pfft. Please do so. I can even pay you for that good deed."
The man's lips twitched but he still remained calm.
"Then how about I take care of this pig over here. You seem to care about her quite a lot."
Huh? Charlotte's eyes widened. She looked up with a terrible sour expression on her face.
She had tried her best to remain invisible and stay away from what looked like a lover's quarrel, but she ended up being dragged into the mess nevertheless.
At her mention, Tang Yue slightly hesitated. However, her eyes remained steady. "Do whatever you want."
She mumbled and turned around resolutely. The woman then started walking back into the smithy, leaving behind Xander and Charlotte.
She expected another threat to boomerang back to her, but Xander remained silent.
Her back was towards him. So Tang Yue did not see his expressions. She knew that she didn't have to.
Xander's cold and ruthless demeanor was only a facade and why would she fear it even after knowing the truth?
Don't want the spirit smithing technique? Fine, it's your loss.
But Tang Yue did not plan on relenting.
She was determined not to return to Eldoria at least for now and if she ever did, there would most definitely be bloodshed.
Xander sighed.
His eyes glinted as he looked at the woman's cold and indifferent figure, her slender and sensual behind.
A faint sadness surfaced on his face, but it was soon replaced by an indifferent look.
His thin lips parted and a cold chuckle resounded from within them. This was his first rejection.
The next instant Xander's figure disappeared, along with his dark elemental clone.
Charlotte gulped nervously, unsure of what she was supposed to do now.
She looked around and confirmed that Xander had indeed left, finally able to breathe in relief.
She then quickly hurried over to Tang Yue. "Yue, what happened? Why did you behave like this?" She worriedly asked.
"I know that he treated me very badly, but… but… Xander is really not a bad person."
"And… And… he seems to really like you."
Even though she didn't like it, Charlotte still tried to reason with Tang Yue.
She did not let her complicated emotions get in the way of Tang Yue's happiness. The woman's silence was terrifying.
"Are you worried that the high council elders might do something to you if you go back?"
"Umm… They will probably scheme something, but you shouldn't worry too much about it."
"As long as Xander is there, I am sure that nothing will happen to you."
Hearing the last few words, Tang Yue finally opened her mouth and slowly replied, word for word.
"And just how long am I supposed to live like this? At the mercy of others?"
"Xander is interested in me now. What about tomorrow when he loses his interest?"
"Emotions are fleeting. Only strength is real." There was a steadiness in her voice that was unshakable.
Tang Yue did not wait for Charlotte's reply and silently walked back in, leaving her no other option but to simply gaze at her.
Charlotte clenched her fists and silently followed Tang Yue, walking into the smithy behind her.
She saw Tang Yue standing by herself in front of the anvil and looking casually at the chunks of Kirrion ore as if nothing had happened, her emerald eyes devoid of any emotions within them.
For some reason, the woman's figure appeared desolate and lonely, as if she was a flickering flame in a freezing blizzard.
Charlotte's heart ached just looking at her lonesome silhouette.
Was she missing Xander very much? Was she regretting her actions? Charlotte didn't know.
If only Tang Yue was not a spirit beast… Her life then wouldn't probably be this difficult.
She couldn't help but wonder just how much the woman had suffered in her entire life.
She walked over to Tang Yue and silently hugged her from behind, her hands interlacing around the woman's waist.
"I will always be with you." She muttered inwardly, not having the courage to say it out loud.
This was all that she could do… at least for now.
And to her surprise, Tang Yue placed the big chunk of metal in her hands back on the table carefully and turned around.
She looked at the gentle, caring and kind soul in front of her, wondering when and how she became so important to her.
There was a time when they were fighting like cats and dogs, so determined to destroy each other. But now…
Tang Yue wordlessly hugged Charlotte back, gripping the woman tightly, as if she was promising that she would never let her go.
She then looked up, her face just an inch away from Charlotte's. The two women gazed at each other, their silence speaking volumes.