Chapter 26: Enchanting Melodies

"Of course I’m here, because I missed you!" She Meier purred, her charm on full display. "Yan Chixia, it’s been days since we last met, have you been well? I’ve been longing for you—don’t you miss your big sister at all?"

"Shameless!" Yan Chixia stood opposite her, his voice stern and cold. "She Meier, I have important matters to attend to and no time for your games. Move aside at once—or else I won’t be so polite!"

"Oh my, oh my!" She Meier placed her hands on her slender waist, speaking in a voice as sweet as honey. "Yan Chixia, my handsome little man, even when you’re angry you’re so dashing and captivating. You make my heart itch—I wish I could share your bed this very moment!"

"You…" Yan Chixia glared at her, momentarily at a loss for words. Suddenly, Tu Xiaomeng hopped to the ground, standing in front of She Meier and pointing at her nose defiantly.

"She Meier, it turns out you only have beauty on the outside—your heart is anything but beautiful. You speak without shame, corrupting morals, truly disgusting—"

Before Tu Xiaomeng could finish, She Meier shot her a fierce glare.

"Little brat, what do you know? I’m speaking with my beloved, there’s no place for you to butt in! Get lost!"

No sooner had she finished speaking than a flash of cold light appeared—Yan Chixia’s sword was out of its sheath.

"Hehe…" She Meier, instead of being alarmed, grinned mischievously. "Yan Chixia, I think of you day and night, shower you with affection, and yet you show no gratitude, even brandishing your sword at me… My handsome boy, are you really going to kill your big sister?"

"Enough nonsense, She Meier! Face my sword!" Yan Chixia shouted sternly. The Red Hero Sword flashed like lightning, thrusting straight at She Meier’s face.

"Excellent!" She Meier dodged nimbly, calling out loudly, "Yan Chixia, what swift swordplay! Since you attack me with your blade… hehe… let’s play, shall we?" With that, she summoned a gleaming sword to her hand with a casual gesture.

Yan Chixia saw She Meier draw her sword and, fearing Tu Xiaomeng might get hurt, quickly called out,

"Xiaomeng, get out of the way!"

Tu Xiaomeng, quick-witted, responded at once and darted aside.

Yan Chixia then brandished the Red Hero Sword and engaged She Meier in battle.

She Meier, confident after years of cultivation and mastery of swordsmanship, had never regarded Yan Chixia as a threat. But as she flirtatiously swung her sword against him, her graceful form was soon enveloped in the cold, lethal shadows cast by the Red Hero Sword. The air thickened with murderous intent, danger pressed in from all sides, and she grew extremely tense—the smug smile froze on her face.

Now, facing Yan Chixia’s fierce assault, She Meier could only defend, her sword barely able to parry his attacks, unable to counter. Suddenly, with a swish, a strand of her flowing hair was severed by Yan Chixia’s sword aura, scattering in the wind.

"Ah!" She Meier cried out, heart aching, her fury erupting. "Yan Chixia, you refuse a toast, so don’t blame me for being rude!"

With that, she retreated a dozen steps, withdrew her sword, and silently recited an incantation. From her storage ring, she summoned her magical artifact, the Devil’s Melody Zither, cradling it in her arms and gently plucking the strings with slender fingers—instantly, a haunting, soul-captivating melody began to echo through the air.

Yan Chixia, seeing She Meier retreat, was about to press the attack, when suddenly the sound of the Devil’s Melody Zither drifted into his mind. Each note wept and pleaded, mournful and entangling, winding around his heart like silken threads—he grew confused and enchanted, standing dumbstruck, sword in hand, unable to respond to She Meier.

She Meier saw this and knew Yan Chixia was succumbing to the seduction of the Devil’s Melody Zither. Excitement lit up her radiant, alluring face, and her slender fingers sped up their playing—she called out to Yan Chixia in a voice brimming with charm:

"Yan Chixia, come here! My handsome boy, come to your big sister’s side…"

The enchanting melody was irresistible, ensnaring his soul. Yan Chixia felt his senses reel, intoxicated and dazed. Hearing She Meier’s impassioned call, he dropped the Red Hero Sword and, as if bewitched, began to walk toward her.

Tu Xiaomeng, witnessing this from the side, was utterly astonished. "What’s happening to Brother Yan? Why did he change so suddenly when She Meier played her zither?"

Tu Xiaomeng didn’t know that She Meier’s Devil’s Melody Zither was a supreme artifact crafted by her master, the Fairy of the Ninth Heaven, over ten years. It could produce countless magical melodies to subdue adversaries—the particular melody now played was designed specifically to enthrall men, which is why Tu Xiaomeng remained completely unaffected.

Seeing Yan Chixia stumbling, entranced, toward She Meier, Tu Xiaomeng realized things were taking a turn for the worse. She knew he was under the zither’s spell and grew anxious. As Yan Chixia was about to kneel at She Meier’s feet, Tu Xiaomeng, desperate and quick-thinking, grabbed a broken pine branch from beside her and rushed forward, swinging it down hard onto She Meier’s delicate fingers.

"Ah!" She Meier screamed in pain, and the enchanting melody abruptly ceased.

Yan Chixia snapped back to his senses, immediately turning to retrieve the Red Hero Sword from the ground, gripping it tightly. "She Meier, face my sword!" he shouted, leaping toward her.

She Meier, seeing the situation turn dire, paled in terror. She hastily recited an incantation, stored the Devil’s Melody Zither back in her storage ring, and exclaimed, "Yan Chixia, until we meet again!" Her figure blurred, and she vanished without a trace using the Windborne Evasion Technique.

Tu Xiaomeng cheered as She Meier fled, "The witch has escaped—wonderful!"

"Xiaomeng, it’s all thanks to you!" Yan Chixia, face flushed, said, "I don’t know what came over me just now. The moment I heard her zither, my mind became clouded, and I couldn’t think straight."

"Hehehe," Tu Xiaomeng giggled. "Brother Yan, you were entranced by She Meier’s melody!"

"Indeed! I never imagined her music could be so terrifying..."

"But Brother Yan, I found her playing very pleasant—maybe that’s the difference between men and women? Hehe, Brother Yan, I think She Meier truly likes you! She’s so beautiful—why don’t you like her?"

"Because she’s a beautiful serpent who cultivated into human form…"

"What? She Meier is actually a serpent who became human? That’s frightening! Beautiful serpents eat people… Brother Yan, she’s obsessed with you and may come after you again. You must be careful!"

"Hehe…" Yan Chixia smiled awkwardly. "Thank you for the warning, Xiaomeng. I’ll be careful from now on. Well, let’s not talk about this—let’s hurry on our way."

With that, he sheathed the Red Hero Sword, hoisted Tu Xiaomeng onto his back, and continued to race forward.