Chapter 53: Confession

Up close, his face seemed even more striking—sharp features softened by that affectionate smile, crimson eyes holding her purple ones with quiet intensity.

The teasing edge from earlier had faded, replaced by something deeper and more intimate.

"Stay still, my lovely senior sister."

Xialyn watched his face in silence for a long, lingering second. Her heart still pounded against her ribs—loud, unsteady, yet for some reason the tension that had gripped her body began to ease.

She was in the arms of her junior brother, the man she loved, even if she had only fully realized the depth of those feelings recently.

The steady warmth of his bare chest beneath her palms and the quiet strength in the way he held her made the rest of the world feel strangely distant.

Slowly, she raised her hand and rested her palm against Veyron’s cheek. Her fingers trembled just slightly as they made contact with his warm skin. When she spoke, her voice had lost its usual sharp senior-sister edge. It came out soft, almost fragile, filled with quiet affection and lingering worry.

"Are you alright now? You were hurt pretty badly."

"Aunt fed me a Grade Four Healing Pill. I’m good as new now," Veyron replied.

"Let me sit straight," Xialyn said, her voice still a little unsteady.

Veyron lifted her slightly and settled her more securely in his arms, keeping her firmly on his lap. Now she faced him directly.

It was the same intimate position he had held his aunt in before, though this time they were on the bed. The soft mattress dipped beneath them, and the thin fabric of her grey robe did little to separate the warmth of their bodies.

She had meant for him to let her sit properly on the mattress, yet he didn’t release her. She didn’t know what to say. Still, a part of her—deeper and more honest than she wanted to admit—liked being there.

Her hands returned to his cheeks as her purple eyes gazed into his crimson ones, open and full of quiet emotion. Up close, she could see the faint traces of exhaustion still lingering in his expression, and it made her chest tighten.

"Why did you push yourself so far? What if something had happened to you? You only recently repaired your spirit veins. Shouldn’t you have taken it easy?"

Her voice carried deep concern. Tears gathered at the corners of her eyes, blurring her vision as the memory of him—bloodied, barely standing, body trembling under the crushing pressure—flashed through her mind.

Even if cultivators could heal quickly, that didn’t make the pain or the fear any easier to bear.

She had watched him cough up blood, watched his legs shake, watched him smile through it all. The image still haunted her.

Veyron felt a dull ache in his chest at the sadness in her words. She must have been truly worried.

He lifted a hand and gently caressed her soft, smooth cheeks. Warmth and affection flowed from his touch, and something deep inside her shifted in a way that could no longer be undone.

Her skin felt delicate beneath his fingers, and the way she leaned into the contact, even slightly, made his heart stir.

"I wanted to prove to myself that I’m not a useless cripple anymore," Veyron said.

His words made Xialyn blink in surprise. She shook her head, her thumbs brushing lightly against his face.

"Why do you care about what others think? Master and I never thought badly of you.

We knew you were just unlucky to have damaged veins, but we could all see your hard work from the very first day you started your cultivation journey."

"Hmm," Veyron hummed. He could feel her love in her words and in the gentle way her hands cradled his face.

The soft pressure of her palms, the way her fingers curled slightly as if she was afraid to let go, spoke louder than anything she said. He continued.

"But it wasn’t enough. In a world filled with geniuses, I have to go at least that far."

"And most importantly... if I, Veyron Ignis, want to make my beautiful senior sister Xialyn Heiwen my woman—one of the top genius of the Azure Sky Sect and a core disciple—I need to show the world that I am worthy of her."

Xialyn’s eyes widened. Heat rushed to her cheeks and the tips of her ears, turning them completely red. The words struck her hard, settling deep in her chest and making her heart stumble.

Had he really just said that? Her lips parted, but no sound came out. She could only stare at him, her purple eyes shimmering with a mixture of shock, embarrassment, and something far warmer.

Veyron saw the embarrassment blooming across her face—the way her blush deepened, the way her breath caught, the way her fingers trembled against his cheeks.

As he finished, his voice softened, low and sincere, carrying a weight that made the air between them feel heavier.

"I love you very much, senior sister."

Ding!

[Xialyn’s bonding increased by 2%]

[Xialyn’s current bonding is 97%]

Xialyn’s bonding rose by two percent the instant those words left his mouth. She had already known how he felt, yet hearing the confession from his own lips—the open, unwavering declaration that he wanted to make her his woman—made her heart slam against her ribs even harder.

The warmth that had been quietly blooming in her chest surged, spreading through her body like liquid heat and leaving her breathless.

She finally managed to steady herself enough to speak. Her voice came out soft, almost shy, nothing like her usual sharp tone.

"I know that, you little brat... your senior sister also loves you more than you think."

She paused, her purple eyes searching his face as her fingers curled lightly against his cheeks. "But do you really think making me your woman would be easy? You already know about my clan."

"All that I care about is that you love me. The rest of the matters... I’ll take care of them."

With that, he leaned in. The distance between them vanished as he pressed his lips against hers.

"Hmhm—"

Xialyn’s eyes widened. For a heartbeat she froze, the sensation of his warm mouth against hers sending a sharp, unfamiliar thrill through her entire body.

Then she melted into the kiss. It was her first kiss, and it was with her junior brother—her little Vey, the man she loved so deeply that the realization still made her chest warm.

Her arms slid around his neck, and her legs circled his waist as she kissed him back with the same intensity, her soft chest pressing against his bare skin.

"Hmhmhmh—"

[Xialyn’s bonding has increased by 2%]

[Xialyn’s current bonding is 99%]

Veyron slowly slipped his tongue past her lips and into her mouth. Xialyn’s eyes flew open in surprise, meeting his deep crimson gaze at such an intimate distance.

The look in them—warm, hungry, and full of quiet affection made her heart flutter wildly. She closed her eyes again almost immediately, hugged him tighter, and kissed him with equal fervor.

Like the genius she was, she quickly learned the rhythm and copied the movements of his tongue. A fierce, hungry tongue play began between them, wet and unrestrained.

Slurp~ slurp~ slurp~

The soft, wet sounds filled the quiet room as their mouths moved together. Her sweet taste flooded his senses, and the way she clung to him—arms tight around his neck, body trembling slightly against his made every breath between them feel heavier.

Her first kiss was messy, eager, and completely sincere, and she gave herself to it without holding back.

After kissing continuously for ten minutes, they finally pulled apart. Both were breathing heavily, their chests rising and falling in uneven rhythm.

A thin, glistening strand of saliva still connected their swollen lips as they looked at each other.

Xialyn was completely lost in the enchantment of the moment. Her purple eyes, soft and hazy with affection, gazed at him with open love.

Without a word, she leaned in again and captured his lips once more, sinking back into the kiss as if she never wanted to stop

**

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