Chapter Forty-Two: Be Mine

Chu Bing turned around, and a familiar mask appeared before her eyes.

She was at the verge of tears. “Hero, why do you insist on making things difficult for me?” How could she run into this man everywhere she went!

Li Yuxi’s lips curved into a faint smile. He reached out, hooked his arm around Chu Bing’s neck, forcing her close, then lowered his voice, “Isn’t it because you’re so beautiful? You caught my eye at first sight.”

A subtle scent of sandalwood drifted from the man, and even though she knew he was a sly fox, Chu Bing couldn’t help but feel dazed.

“Does it smell good?” Li Yuxi suddenly leaned in, his voice tinged with laughter.

Chu Bing snapped back to her senses, her cheeks flushing crimson, and she reached out, trying to push him away.

But how could she possibly be a match for Li Yuxi? He pressed down on her wrist, drawing even closer.

Chu Bing blushed uncontrollably. “Scoundrel! Rogue! Taking advantage of me!”

“Rogue? Seems I ought to do something to live up to the name.” Li Yuxi’s smile grew ever more wicked.

His face was right before hers, no space left between them. At last, Chu Bing couldn’t bear it any longer and stomped hard on his foot!

Li Yuxi hissed in pain, loosening his grip a little, anger flashing in his eyes.

Seizing the moment, Chu Bing slipped from his grasp, watching him warily.

“A wild little cat, aren’t you?” Li Yuxi chuckled softly, his gaze drifting toward a certain spot behind Chu Bing. “Strange, isn’t it? So many monks... I wonder where they’re hiding. Don’t you?”

His smile was increasingly uncanny, and Chu Bing felt a chill run through her. This man—he could see through the hidden formation!

He knew exactly where the monks were!

Chu Bing wanted to flee, to get far away from him, but thinking of the monks, she stopped in her tracks.

If she left, Li Yuxi would surely not spare those monks.

She couldn’t leave.

Chu Bing gritted her teeth, forcing a dry laugh. “There aren’t any monks here—only me!”

Li Yuxi smiled ambiguously as he approached. “Your formation is well-crafted; most would never discern its secrets. If you’re willing, why not come with me—be mine?”

“Yours?” Chu Bing’s heart raced.

Even behind the mask, the man’s charisma was undiminished.

She secretly cursed herself—how could she lack even this bit of self-control, unable to resist a hint of male charm!

Li Yuxi responded, noticing her blushing cheeks and evasive gaze, and suddenly clarified, “Yes... my subordinate.”

Chu Bing’s heart shattered.

This man was truly insufferable!

She glared at him, her almond eyes shining with moisture and a faint, alluring haze in the night. Li Yuxi’s heart skipped a beat—he realized this little girl was quite beautiful.

Not only good-looking, but interesting, too.

Without further hesitation, he wrapped his arm around her waist and swept her up into the trees.

Chu Bing was startled by the sudden movement, instinctively clinging tightly to his waist.

“Don’t let go!”

Li Yuxi lowered his head, chuckling softly, his chin brushing her hair, his heart itching unbearably.

Meanwhile, the monks trapped within the formation waited a while longer. When silence finally fell outside, they cautiously emerged.

“Miss Chu let herself be taken away by that villain so we wouldn’t be discovered! We must hurry back and tell Young Master Li Haoran, so he can rescue her!”

The monks looked in the direction Chu Bing had disappeared, gratitude and guilt written on their faces.

If not for them, Chu Bing would never have suffered this calamity.

They hurried back, moving swiftly, and at last saw the temple.

At the familiar sight, many monks’ eyes reddened—having survived such peril, tears welled up.

“Who are you?”

Suddenly, several figures stepped out from the temple gates, swords in hand, their aura commanding.

The monks were startled. “We’re the temple’s monks—who are you?”

As the figures drew closer, recognition dawned—it was Li Haoran, guarding the temple with several shadow guards!

Li Haoran’s eyes lit up when he saw them, asking anxiously, “Where is Miss Chu?”

He had only stepped away briefly, and now Chu Bing was nowhere to be found in the temple!

He and his men had nearly turned the place upside down, but she was nowhere to be seen—he was nearly frantic with worry.

“Miss Chu was taken away by someone while saving us!”

“What?” Li Haoran’s face changed, gripping the monk’s shoulder, his tone dark, “What happened?”

“I heard footsteps in the bamboo grove and chased them with a few junior brothers. Who would have expected three groups waiting for us there? Their skills were extraordinary—we were no match. Just as we were about to collapse, Miss Chu appeared and rescued us. She set up a formation, making us invisible to those outside.”

As they recounted, tears welled in their eyes. “But somehow, a masked man saw through it. To keep him from finding us, Miss Chu went with him!”

Li Haoran’s heart skipped a beat. From the beginning, he had worried that Chu Bing’s formation skills might be learned by others. Now, it had happened—she had been discovered!

If Chu Bing fell into someone else’s hands...

A cold glint flashed in Li Haoran’s eyes.

“Young Master Li, when will we go to rescue Miss Chu?” The monk in gray looked at Li Haoran. As martial men, they lacked neither courage nor loyalty. Miss Chu risked herself for them—how could they not return the favor?

If they abandoned her, they would not deserve to call themselves men.

Li Haoran’s gaze was cool. “Of course we must rescue her. But right now, the temple cannot do without you. Leave Miss Chu to me.”

“What happened in the temple?” the monks asked urgently.

“Another group from the court burst out of the bamboo grove. The abbot and temple masters fought them off, but suffered many injuries. The temple is weak right now—you mustn’t leave so easily,” Li Haoran explained calmly.

In truth, his heart was in turmoil for Chu Bing, but his face betrayed nothing.

“How could things turn out this way? Young Master Li, we leave Miss Chu in your hands. We’ll return to the temple and check on things!”

The monks, anxious and flustered, bowed to Li Haoran and hurried back toward the temple.

Li Haoran watched them leave, his expression gradually growing colder and more distant.

Long San stepped forward, cautiously asking, “Master, shall we go rescue Miss Chu?”

“Rescue... Of course we will.”

Li Haoran gazed into the depths of the bamboo forest, his eyes deep and inscrutable, giving nothing away.