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Chapter 88: Serpent Venom

As the magic robe lifted, two long, shapely, ivory-white legs swayed before Ashura, making his head spin.

He was in the prime of his youth, and Ashura felt his blood rush straight to his head, threatening to seize control of his brain.

Just as reason was about to surrender, the unconscious Instructor Ella let out a faint whimper, yanking Ashura’s sanity back; he hurriedly averted his gaze and took several deep breaths to steady himself.

Ashura cursed his own weakness… he was no sheltered virgin, and Daifei’s legs were no less alluring than the ones before him.

Yet, perhaps because they were teacher and student, a faintly wicked thrill kept tugging at his nerves.

Fortunately, Ashura’s self-control held; after a deep breath he glanced at the wound and realized it was in an awkward spot to treat.

He frowned, steeled himself, slid Ella’s underwear down, kept his eyes averted from the intimate sight, and bent low to draw out the venom.

Had he looked up, he would have seen Instructor Ella blushing like a ripe apple, biting her lip, her fingers digging into the earth while the arches of her feet were rigid.

In truth Ella never lost consciousness; a mage’s mental strength far surpassed a Warrior’s, and she nearly laughed aloud when she heard Ashura praying.

When she heard him muttering to every deity in heaven for protection, she felt annoyed… was she really that scary? Not until Ashura lifted her skirt did she understand why he had prayed so fervently.

The serpent venom left her weak and unable to move; she knew exactly what Ashura was doing and that he was saving her.

Yet each pull of Ashura’s mouth sent waves of unfamiliar sensation coursing through her nerves.

She fought to still her trembling and used every ounce of will to keep silent.

Ashura sucked several mouthfuls of dark-red blood and spat each onto the ground, and the more venom he drew, the brighter the expelled blood became.

Sensing that most of the poison was gone, Ashura quickened his pace, determined to finish in a single effort.

But an uncontrollable sound escaped her, and Ashura raised his head in a daze to meet Instructor Ella’s equally blank stare.

Time seemed to freeze.

Ella’s defenses crumbled; with a whimper she pulled the lifted magic robe over her head and covered her face, unable to look at Ashura again.

Ashura forced a strained smile; he knew the moment was unbearably awkward, but treating the injury mattered more, and they were already past the point of return.

So Ashura retrieved the anti-venom herbs from his space belt.

Lacking a pestle, he chewed the herbs and spat out a deep-green mash onto the wound; Ella trembled and kept the robe over her face.

He then took a clean black warrior uniform from his storage, tore off a long strip for a bandage, and wrapped the herb poultice around her thigh.

After finishing, Ashura wiped his forehead on reflex.

Almost to himself he said, “It’s fine now, the venom is basically cleared; for the next day or two don’t move around and remember to change the dressing.”

With that he rose and walked to the pool inside the cave to wash his face.

Hearing his footsteps fade, Ella lifted a corner of the robe, stole a glance at the washing Ashura, and revealed a girlish shyness.

That fleeting charm escaped Ashura’s notice, or his desire might have overwhelmed his reason again.

Instructor Ella felt a chill on her exposed legs, suddenly realized something, and spat under her breath, “You scoundrel, you know how to undress me but not dress me back!”

She nipped her silver teeth and pulled the robe down to cover her legs again.

When Ashura returned, he saw the robe back in place and then glanced at Instructor Ella, whose flushed face was turned away.

He scratched his head, unsure what to say; thick-skinned as he was, he thought no further and went to the fire to cook something.

Because this unfamiliar cave might attract Beasts with the smell of meat, and Ella was unfit for greasy fare, Ashura dared not cook any.

Instead he produced Clara’s silver foot basin, fetched some millet from storage, and started making porridge.

Ashura stirred the thin porridge while his mind raced: how could they escape this cliff, and would the one-eyed Red-Lotus Serpent King come back?

Beside him, Ella stared blankly at Ashura as he cooked, her thoughts in turmoil; she was his instructor, yet he had seen her completely, and she had no idea how to face the boy who had been so intimate.

Lost in thought, she failed to notice Ashura carve a wooden bowl, fill it with porridge, and bring it to her.

Seeing Instructor Ella spaced out, Ashura tilted his head helplessly and cleared his throat.

The cough snapped her back to reality; the moment she saw Ashura before her, Ella yelped and flung her magic robe over her face again.

The sudden move startled Ashura, and the unexpected glimpse of beauty made his eyes go wide once more.

Ella realized she had done another foolish thing and quickly pulled the robe back over her legs.

Blushing after covering her legs, she could only whimper and hide her face in her hands.

Ashura secretly lamented the vanished scenery, but Ella’s girlish manner amused him, and he crouched to set the bowl beside her.

He then sat with his back to her by the fire and began tending his own wounds.

Through her fingers Ella saw Ashura sitting with his back to her and felt her affection soar for this considerate boy; ravenous, she ignored the heat, lifted the bowl, and emptied it in a few gulps.

She licked her lips, still unsatisfied, and shyly glanced at Ashura cleaning his wounds; his body bore countless scars, some old and some fresh.

For reasons she could not explain, Ella’s heart ached at the sight.

As though making up her mind, Ella, face crimson, sat up, braced herself, moved behind Ashura, picked up the medicine, and began applying it to the wounds on his back.

Feeling the gentle touch of those jade-like hands, Ashura’s muscles stiffened; he dared not move.

Before long a soft voice sounded behind him, “How did you get all these injuries?”

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