Duel

As his wife, Aina certainly knew exactly how to comfort him.

"Feeling a bit better?" Aina rose slightly, her eyes rippling like water and clearly reflecting his figure.

"Much better... Aina." Xia Lun raised his hand, gently stroking his wife's delicate cheek, his gaze carrying a hint of guilt.

"As it stands now... there is no longer any remnant of the goddess's power within your body. Even if we were to have another child, a situation like Aise's would not happen again." Aina seamlessly untied the ribbon binding her hair, letting her waterfall-like long hair cascade down. She gave her flowing locks a toss, letting the silky strands drape down in front of Xia Lun.

"Do you want to? Xia Lun, I promise there won't be any accidents this time..."

Xia Lun gently shook his head, "There's no rush for now... Aina."

In the past, because he was human, coupled with the traditional concepts ingrained in his bones, Xia Lun initially really hoped to pass on his bloodline.

But now, Xia Lun possessed a vast lifespan. For him, or for any long-lived species, the desire for bloodline continuation had become relatively faint.

Moreover, Xia Lun already had a descendant in Wolund. Although Wolund was getting on in years, barring any accidents, the likelihood of the bloodline continuing was still very high.

At this moment, to Xia Lun, what truly attracted him was perhaps merely the process of creating life itself.

"Xia Lun, you are smart, Aise's birth was not our fault..." Aina's fingertips brushed across his brow, as if to smooth out those invisible wrinkles. "If we must place blame, the fault should lie with the goddess. She clearly knew about this, yet she did not tell us..."

Aina spoke softly to Xia Lun, "She just watched helplessly as you were hurt like this... Someone like her doesn't even have the right to be my rival."

Aina still harbored a great deal of hostility toward the goddess.

"Alright, thank you, Aina... Let's not talk about this anymore." Xia Lun pulled Aina back into an embrace just as she was trying to get up from him.

"Mhm... Xia Lun," Aina struggled symbolically, her voice carrying a hint of coquettish warning, "I only did that just now to comfort you... Don't push your luck."

Xia Lun buried his face deeply into her thick silver hair, greedily breathing in the familiar scent that brought him peace.

"I know, just let me hold you for a little longer," Xia Lun said softly.

Aina's palm seamlessly rested on Xia Lun's head. She could never refuse such a request.

"If it's just this," Aina's tense body instantly softened, like a cat that had finally found a comfortable nest, curling up peacefully in his warm embrace, "you can hold me for as long as you want."

Aina looked up slightly, her gaze perfectly meeting Xia Lun's, and smiles simultaneously appeared on both their lips.

Aina leaned in, without any hesitation, passionately and boldly wrapping her arms around Xia Lun's neck, taking the initiative to press her lips against his.

Lips and teeth met, tongues intertwined. Their eyes locked in a silent contest, seemingly competing to see who would blink and close their eyes first.

They were an old married couple now; they wouldn't feel shy just from being looked at by the other. This was destined to be a contest without an end.

But Xia Lun could feel the body temperature of the wife in his arms gradually rising.

"Xia Lun..." Aina called out softly and indistinctly, her burning breath brushing past his lips and teeth.

Obviously, the contest was coming to an end, and what followed would be the real battle.

"Really, just holding you is enough, I'm already very satisfied, Aina..."

Aina lightly bit the tip of Xia Lun's tongue. "If you say such a mood-killing thing again, I'll bite your tongue off."

Immediately after, Aina's long, powerful legs wrapped around Xia Lun's waist like vines.

...

Xie Lun's life had always been smooth sailing.

His terrible personality was inevitably linked to this.

The hope of his family, a once-in-a-millennium genius, the undisputed future Archduke of the Blood Clan... from the moment of his birth, these dazzling halos had shrouded him like shadows.

Since childhood, he had cultivated under the guidance of the family elders, mastering the secret arts of the Blood Clan.

Entrusted with high hopes, showered with endless affection... with his status, there was almost nothing he couldn't obtain.

At a grand banquet during his youth, introduced by the elders of his clan, he saw that legendary existence for the first time—Aina.

"Not bad talent." Even this supreme Progenitor of the Blood Clan gave a mild acknowledgement of his aptitude.

However, just a fleeting glimpse of Aina's breathtaking profile beneath her cloak acted like the fiercest brand, deeply searing into the young Xie Lun's heart... From that moment on, a new and fanatical thought grew wildly within his mind.

He naturally believed that he was the most suitable partner for the Progenitor. After all, there was no male in the Blood Clan stronger and more outstanding than himself.

And the Progenitor seemed to be secretly paying attention to him too. When Aina personally selected him and bestowed upon him her essence blood to elevate him to the rank of a Blood Clan Duke, his confidence surged even further... Xie Lun felt he was definitely favored by Aina.

He had originally thought that after becoming a Duke, he would get more opportunities to see Aina, but she did not stay within the Blood Clan, instead leaving for the outside world.

And now, a century later, Aina had returned, actually bringing back another man. How could he possibly accept this?

That self-righteous certainty he had carefully nurtured for a hundred years was instantly crushed to dust, leaving behind only a heart full of shock, unwillingness, and the blazing fury of feeling betrayed.

He was the one who should be standing by Aina's side... What exactly was that human? How was he worthy of tainting the Progenitor's noble bloodline?

This was the wasteland outside the city of Colonia, shrouded in poisonous gas and completely uninhabited.

Aside from the two present, only Aina knew about this duel.

"Heh, you actually came. You've got some guts." Xie Lun looked coldly at Xia Lun in front of him. "I'll give you one last chance. Leave Lady Aina of your own accord, and you'll still have a way out alive..."

"But Aina is my wife; it's impossible for me to leave her." Xia Lun's tone was flat, merely stating a fact.

"You bastard..." Xie Lun's eyes darkened completely. In his view, this was undoubtedly a blatant provocation from Xia Lun.

"Then get ready to die." Xie Lun spread the bat wings on his back, a terrifying aura gathering around him.

"What do you plan to do after you kill me? Do you think Aina will let you off?" Xia Lun asked unhurriedly. He was quite curious about what was going through the mind of the man in front of him; his relationship with Aina was clearly out of the ordinary.

"I am a Blood Clan Duke personally chosen by Lady Aina! And you are nothing but a male pet. What would Lady Aina do for you? Don't get too carried away!" Xie Lun roared furiously.

Xia Lun sighed.

How truly foolish.