Chapter 75 - 74: Love is War!

AN: I'm in a good mood right now and had great enthusiasm, so here! Double chapter release! Enjoy!

Golden flames and dark purple flames smashed into each other as well as physical blows of kicks and punches were exchange between two beauties.

Xun Er gave a spirit powered right hook towards Ma Xiaotao's face, to which the latter swiftly grabbed into the former's wrist with her left hand and ignored the pain of her teeth being rattled and nose bleeding as they were quickly being healed with her spirit's innate regenerative ability, and returned the favor with her own right hook towards her opponent's cheek.

Xun Er's head slightly whipped towards the right though, she immediately recovered and pulled Ma Xiaotao towards her, her left hand curled into a fist, and punch towards the latter's stomach.

Ma Xiaotao coughed out saliva, bending forward from the momentum and pain of her abdomen, but quickly she recovered and immediately retaliated by headbutting Xun Er, who leaned back to dodged the attack. But Ma Xiaotao used that moment to surround herself with her flames and jumped back to escape by several meters.

The two eyed each other, their arms raised in their respective combat stances, their feet apart and ready to use their preferred movement technique. The two of them wore tight pair of T-shirts that held a nice pair of peaks that girls their age shouldn't have and comfy shorts for easy mobility in their combat. All the while their flames danced and clashed at each other.

If any male, or female that were lesbians, were to see such a sight it wouldn't be a surprise that they would immediately be aroused. Sadly, this area was restricted for those not affiliated with Shrek personal.

This was the norm of spars between the two. They would fight each other with their martial skills without restraints, except for decisive killing blows, and they forbid each other the use of spirit abilities or any of those techniques or self created abilities of Xiao Yan. Just a simple physical enhancement using spirit power is okay though.

Though considering that their fists are powerful enough to smash an entire boulder three times their size to nothing when they enhanced their already monstrous physical strength, they should probably reconsider their last rule of their once in a while spar.

For them to be still alive and looking unhurt, their physical bodies durability and regenerative ability are also off the charts to monstrous.

Ma Xiaotao glanced at a wooden clock near them and said towards Xun Er.

"Hey Xun Er, it's almost time for breakfast. How about we stop for now and eat?"

Xun Er paused and thought about it for a few moments before nodding in agreement.

"Sure! But how about we finished this in one last strike at each other, then we call it quits? What do you think?"

"Un, I agree! How about after eating, let's go visit Yan?" Ma Xiaotao excitedly said.

A smile appeared on Xun Er's face and she nodded.

The two smiled at each other for a moment, before their expressions turned serious. Feet slightly moving, hands tingling, their eyes continuing to watched each other and their respective flames surged around them.

Moments later, they both lay on the ground with one black eye on each other, panting hard as they stare into the sky. The pair of black eyes on the two beautiful ladies could make any mortal men and women cry out in injustice and anguish. Though thankfully, their injuries were already starting to heal.

The black eye of Ma Xiaotao flickered of dark purple light, before igniting in a small flame of dark purple that covered her entire injured that soon vanished to reveal a completely new and healed eye. While Xun Er's just followed a second after with a mots of light covering her injured and soon disappeared to reveal a healed and healthy one.

Ma Xiaotao let out a breath and chuckled. Xun Er glanced at her, smiled, and chuckled alongside her. Then the both started to stand up and walked towards the dining hall of the Academy to get their meal.

"... You know I'm never going to give up, right?" Ma Xiaotao suddenly said out loud, as she and Xun Er walked towards their destination.

"Un. I know, and I won't stop nor sabotage you." Xun Er replied simply with a unreadable face.

Ma Xiaotao's face frowned, as she stopped and turned towards her and said. "Xun Er, we've been having this conversation, alongside Zhu Zhuqing, for a while so tell me. Why won't you say it to him straight? Believe me; as someone who is triple connected to him via spirit power, spiritual power and emotions by a hundred percent, the feelings of Yan to you is mutual and I think he has it more than you."

Xun Er pauses, turned away from Ma Xiaotao to hide the pained and hurt expressions that appeared on her face for a couple of moments, before replying. "I-It's more complicated than you think it is–"

"Girl, how the hell does telling a guy you love you love him complicated?" Ma Xiaotao interrupted with raised an eyebrow at her, crossing her arms.

Xun Er turned towards her with narrowed eyes and a small glare. "Like you have room to talk you hypocrite!"

Ma Xiaotao didn't show a response to that, instead she puffed out her c.h.e.s.t and said. "Oh? So you think I still haven't told him that I like him? Don't be so naive Xun Er."

"I've already told him I love him, after the end of the first month of hellish training, when I asked him for our non-s.e.x.u.a.l dual cultivation. Though expectedly, or unexpectedly, he rejected me. Said he already had someone in his heart and mind." Xun Er's eyes widened and jaw lowered at the sudden bombshell that was dropped. But Ma Xiaotao wasn't finished, as she looked down and held her right fist over her left c.h.e.s.t where her heart lay.

"But I wasn't disheartened nor have I lost my motivation to continue my pursuit for him. Because we were already deeply connected at that point of time, I already knew his heart belong to someone that was not me, before I confessed. You might be thinking why I still confessed despite knowing he already has his heart for someone." She then turned her head up towards a quiet and serious looking Xun Er. Her eyes was hard and determined, her mind and body was confident, her soul and emotions was of complete calmness and certainty.

"Simply because I'm in love." Ma Xiaotao said as she locked eyes with Xun Er. "Despite his deep love for someone other than me, I still love him. Despite being rejected, I still love him. Even if you're the one he's in love with, my best friend, I still won't give up because I love him. That's just how it is. I just love him so much, that I don't care if I'm selfishly stealing my best friend's love or that said love would continue rejecting me. I just love him too much to give up." She then walked closer towards Xun Er, standing just inches apart with their faces close as if they were going to kiss.

They stared at each other in silence, their gazes on each other. Various emotions flashed through their eyes.

Xun Er's eyes showed of disbelief, uncertainty, anger and sadness while Ma Xiaotao's eyes showed of determination, certainty and anger as well.

"Well?" Ma Xiaotao snapped. "What are you going to do? Will you just stand by and suck on your thumb as other girls like me conquer the love of your life? Or will you finally have the courage to stand by his side with a true and happy smile?" She didn't wait for a response, she walked by Xun Er and went towards the dining hall.

Xun Er lowered her head, her teeth biting down on her lower lip, clear hesitation and complicated emotions on her face.

She clenched her fists so hard she bled and had subconsciously summoned her heavenly flame, surrounding her body in a blinding golden light and a brilliance of black and purple lights of her spirit rings. A transparent golden dome appeared, that couldn't be seen by the n.a.k.e.d eyes, lighting up her entire surrounding in a bright golden light.

She suddenly lifted her head up and let out a roar, unbefitting of a human, of frustration and anger at the sky.

*ROOOAAARRRR!!*

Tears streamed down her face as her golden pair of eyes turned hazy and misty.

"It isn't that easy Xiaotao, because, my uncle will immediately kill Yan the moment he find out about us. If Yan doesn't fully inherit the power of the Fire Dragon King, he will be killed." She muttered.

"I'm scared, is love supposed to be this hard?" She wiped her tears moments later and turned to walked towards the dining hall. Her domain remaining active unknown to her, causing any onlookers to looked on in wonder and amazement at her.