Chapter 9: The Beloved of the Genius Summoner 9

"Poison Vine."

Lu Ningshi heard the commotion and woke up in a haze. Seeing the Polar Ice Wolf, she raised her hand to greet it, but in the blink of an eye, it vanished.

"Yu Xuan, what are you making a scene for again?" Lu Ningshi rubbed her eyes, yawning sleepily.

Yu Xuan’s gaze fixed on a red bird feather atop her head. He didn’t answer; instead, he scooped her up horizontally in his arms.

"What are you doing?" Lu Ningshi’s shift in center of gravity jolted her wide awake. She wrapped her arms around him and asked angrily.

Yu Xuan pressed his lips into a thin line, carrying her in silence into the bathroom. The tub was filled with water and covered in fresh, vibrant rose petals; through the gaps, one could occasionally see wisps of rising steam.

"Bathe," he finally said slowly.

Lu Ningshi exhaled in relief. "You go out. I can do it myself."

"You are still as disobedient as ever."

Her waist tightened suddenly, and she was pulled right before him. His voice was icy, but his thin lips were scorching. The gentle touch on the corner of her mouth left Lu Ningshi with wide eyes, stunned into silence.

With her arms around his waist and his pressing, suffocating aura filling her every breath, Lu Ningshi felt a chill run down her spine. A sudden, unprecedented sense of repulsion surged within her. Subconsciously, she resisted and pushed him away, but he caught her wrists and pinned them above her head.

Lu Ningshi turned her head to dodge his kiss, asking with a trembling voice, "Yu Xuan, have you lost your mind?"

"Little Vine, you cannot refuse me."

"We have a contract. You belong to me for all eternity."

Yu Xuan gently rubbed his cheek against her ear, his voice brooking no refusal as she struggled: "Stop saying things that make me angry, or today won't end like this."

With that, he turned and left, leaving Lu Ningshi alone amidst the white steam.

"He's crazy, absolutely crazy." She hadn't said anything major—just mentioned breaking the contract. Why was he so angry?

Lu Ningshi soaked in the tub, surrounded by the fragrant petals. She reached up to touch her warm lips, her mind a tangled mess. A second later, she dunked her head underwater, trying to calm her heart, which felt as if it were about to burst through her chest and flee.

She stayed in the bathroom for over an hour. Only when Yu Xuan knocked on the door, urging her to come out, did she sluggishly put on her bathrobe and open it. Seeing her hair dripping wet, Yu Xuan frowned slightly. He took a hair dryer from the drawer and called to her, "Come here."

Lu Ningshi hesitated for a moment before walking over.

The humming of the dryer was like her own mind—a chaotic mess, not knowing what to do. Lu Ningshi lowered her eyes, quietly letting his fingers weave through her hair. After that incident, Yu Xuan made no further inappropriate moves. He treated her very well and fulfilled her every request, with one exception: he would not allow her to leave his sight.

Standing on the competition grounds watching him spar with his teammates, Lu Ningshi sighed deeply. She felt she had been following the plot well and playing the villainess perfectly, so why had his attitude changed? She scratched her head, full of confusion.

Time flew by, and the Summoner Tournament officially began. Once the schedule was posted, it ignited the crowd’s enthusiasm. The audience was especially thrilled to see the genius summoner Yu Xuan’s name appearing not only in the solo bracket but in the team event as well. The other contestants grew tense and watchful.

Match after match passed; the defeated left in dejection, while the victors, after their initial excitement, prepared to face the next summoner. As a favored seed, Yu Xuan drew much attention in every match. Meanwhile, Lu Ningshi, his contractor, had yet to appear, sitting quietly on the sidelines, which left everyone deeply puzzled. They couldn't understand if Yu Xuan was satisfied with his sixth contractor or not. If he were satisfied, why wouldn't he let her compete? If he were dissatisfied, why was his attitude toward her so gentle? People were racking their brains over it.

Lu Ningshi and Yu Xuan were oblivious to the crowd's confusion.

"The zone for the final team match has been revealed. It's the Scorching Flame City." Yu Xuan handed Lu Ningshi a lollipop and said softly, "Don't worry, you just need to stand by and watch."

"Besides me, who are you planning to have participate?"

"The Flame Bird and the White Jade Spider." Yu Xuan lowered his eyes to ask, "Do you have any thoughts?"

Lu Ningshi shook her head, saying nothing more. The original host had been obsessed with causing trouble and rarely cared about the matches; she had very few memories of this, so what thoughts could she possibly have?

"Don't worry, I will protect you," Yu Xuan soothed.

The next day at the arena, the three major guilds competed for the championship. The audience sat in the stands, high-spirited, cheering for their favored teams. When Lu Ningshi appeared on the field, a collective gasp rippled through the crowd. They were calling Yu Xuan insidious. By hiding her and keeping her off the field, he prevented opponents from gauging his true strength until the critical moment, when he would deal a devastating blow to achieve his goals. How devious, truly devious.

For a time, there were those who worried, those who cheered, and those who remained indifferent—all sorts of reactions.

In the Scorching Flame City, the Flame Bird perched on Lu Ningshi’s shoulder. It peeked at her and suddenly spoke: "Poison Vine, the Scorching Flame City is my home turf. I can protect you."

Lu Ningshi glanced at it, gave a faint "Oh," and turned her gaze away.

Seeing her unswayed, the Flame Bird became anxious. "Hey, did you hear what I said?"

"You don't need to shout; I can hear you." Lu Ningshi frowned and rubbed her ears, saying bluntly, "If you want something, just say it. No need to beat around the bush."

"Do you have any more candy?"

"No."

"How can you not? Don't you always have candy on you?"

Lu Ningshi looked sideways, helpless. "Why don't you look at where we are?"

"Flame Bird, are your eyes small and your brain malfunctioning too?" The White Jade Spider couldn't stand it anymore and rolled its eyes, retorting, "The temperature here is so high; candy would melt."

"White Jade is the smart one." Lu Ningshi touched its hard armor, praising it with a smile. The White Jade Spider held its head high, not resisting her touch.

"I didn't need you to tell me that; I knew," the Flame Bird muttered, refusing to admit it wasn't smart. "I was just testing her."

Lu Ningshi chuckled. "Flame Bird, you really are cute." Stupidly cute.

"Well, of course I am." Whether as a bird or a beast, it was the cutest. The Flame Bird happily stretched its wings, its pride and smugness plain in its eyes.

Team matches were different from individual ones; they weren't about summoning two beasts to fight to prove who was stronger, but about teamwork and coordination to seize the final treasure. After discussing with his teammates, Yu Xuan turned to Lu Ningshi.

"How do you feel? Can your body handle it?"