Against Heaven's Will

Xuefeng didn't know what to expect, but it definitely wasn't an instant rejection.

"I can imagine how those two fell for your sweet words, but I'm not as easy as them. Don't think I'll just throw myself at you just because you're handsome and strong. You'll need to put in much more effort to move my heart," Mona said, placing two fingers on his lips to stop his kiss. "I also don't like to display affection until I'm sure of my feelings. Right now, I'm only letting you touch me as payment for the blood, but at any other moment, you should keep your hands to yourself. If you're fine with that, I'll give you a chance."

"Of course, I'll respect your boundaries," Xuefeng nodded. "As I said, your comfort is most important, so if I ever cross the line, just let me know."

"Good boy," Mona praised him, patting his head. "Your blood is delicious, so I'll reward you each time you give me a taste. I think a minute of caressing my body should suffice unless you have other suggestions."

"I'm sorry, but I don't play with rewards or payments," Xuefeng denied her proposal, leaning back against the ground. "I gave you my blood because you needed it, not because of a potential reward. If I can't touch you freely, then I'd rather refrain from touching you at all. You can let me know when you're comfortable enough to receive my affection."

"How are you going to make me comfortable if you don't touch me?" Mona questioned, her brow rising.

"It's not all about physical touch, but rather emotional understanding. I'm quite observant, so I'll know when you're ready," Xuefeng replied, pursing his lips. "Of course, if you want to touch me, feel free to do so. I don't have any problems with displaying affection."

"Why do I feel like you're trying to trick me?" Mona wondered, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Why do I feel like you actually wanted me to touch you but don't want to admit it?" Xuefeng retorted with a chuckle.

"And what are you going to do if that's the case?" Mona asked, her gaze challenging.

Xuefeng smirked as he leaned into her ear and whispered in a deep voice, "Nothing."

Mona squinted her eyes at his answer, but he only shrugged, "I might not like rewards, but I enjoy punishments. We don't treat affection as payment in this house, so you'll suffer with none of it until you change your mindset."

"This is exactly what I wanted. How is that suffering?" Mona asked, her tails swaying behind her.

"You'll see soon enough," Xuefeng promised with a confident smile. "We're making everyone wait. Let's get you dressed and leave before we're discovered."

Mona looked at him suspiciously before finally standing up, gently smacking him on the face with her tail. "I'll discover what kind of man you are, just wait."

***

Death was a common occurrence in the Cultivation world, especially for the holders of the Celestial Blessing. They often died not just during challenges but also in personal duels that almost always ended in death. The Constellations rarely involved themselves in the lives of their subjects, but the death of the Behemoth was an exception, unknowingly stirring the pot of doom.

It wasn't even thirty minutes after Xuefeng's group left when two men appeared above the barren ground in the middle of the destroyed forest, right at the exact location of the Behemoth's death. One of them was tall and muscular, wearing a black robe adorned with golden runes that moved on their own. The second was much shorter, his long jaw protruding from under his hood.

"Are you sure the Behemoth was killed here?" the short man asked, his voice resembling a snake's hiss. "Looks like his opponent either took his whole body away or completely destroyed it."

The tall man remained silent and aimed his arm at the ground. He mouthed a sentence soundlessly, and a black hole formed in his palm, sucking in all the ashes from the area before crystallizing them into a glass-like screen. He whispered again, and the glass lit up, showcasing the last moments of the Behemoth's life.

The two men watched as the Behemoth was toyed with by three other beasts before being killed by a white fox from the inside of his body. The Behemoth couldn't regenerate in time and was erased from existence.

"Do you think what I'm thinking?" the short man asked in surprise.

"We were tasked to investigate the Behemoth's death and recover the lost Life Force, but if that fox is really who I think she is, we might have to change our plans," the tall man replied seriously.

"Should we contact the Supreme War God? I'm sure he would be ecstatic knowing we've found a nice piece for his collection," the short man suggested, moving his hands to his sides. "He might even crown her as a temporary new queen, considering her humanoid form is just as beautiful."

"You can return to report the news while I clean up the scene," the tall man decided, watching as Xuefeng appeared on the screen just before it cut off. "We cannot let this man live. The Supreme War God will vent his rage on us if he learns another man has been by her side."

"Alright, just make sure you don't touch that Phoenix. It's been a while since I had one," the short man said with a sinister laugh before attempting to leave. Unfortunately, just as he opened a dimensional portal, it caved in momentarily due to an unknown force.

"Who dares?" the short man bellowed, his unleashed power bending the space around him. "Show yourself!"

"To think two lizards with just five Gates believe they can do whatever they want in someone else's Realm," a deep voice echoed from every direction. "Did your parents not teach you any manners?"

The two men momentarily raised their defenses, but their effort was in vain. The same unknown force struck again, and they grunted in pain, their backs bending, forcing them to kneel. Before they had a chance to speak, their heads exploded like balloons, splattering blood everywhere.

It took only a few seconds for their heads to regenerate. The short man cursed, "You! How dare you attack a member of the Supreme War God's Army! You are going to—"

He couldn't finish his sentence; his head was blown off once again, along with his arm and half his torso. The tall man didn't make the same mistake and instead lowered his head in remorse, "We apologize for intruding into your Realm unannounced, Sir. May I ask which Constellation graces us with their presence?"

"My name is not important. What matters is that you just threatened to kill my sister-in-law's husband and revealed your plan to assault one of his wives," the voice answered, his tone full of disdain. "What do you have to say for yourselves?"

"I apologize for my brother's words. We were simply investigating one of our subordinates' deaths on behalf of the Constellation Supreme War God. We had no idea this complex of Realms had already been claimed," the tall man explained. "We will leave immediately and never return."

"I'm afraid I can't allow you to leave," the voice refused. "If I let you go, you will surely return with that Supreme War God, and that would be quite troublesome."

"Please, Sir, we won't say a word. We will even swear on any oath you wish," the tall man pleaded. "Have mercy!"

"Mercy?" the voice repeated, amusement in his tone. "Didn't you just say you wanted to clean up the scene? Where was your mercy when you planned to kill him?"

"There's no need to reason with him!" the short man spat out as soon as his head regenerated. "He doesn't have the capacity to kill us. Since he has already injured me twice, that should be enough to alert the Supreme War God. We just need to wait for reinforcements, and we will get our revenge."

"You're right; I don't have the power to kill you," the voice agreed, his tone turning cold. "But I do have the means to restrict your movements and keep you locked up forever. It just so happens I was looking for a new game partner. Do you perhaps know how to play Go?"

"No one cares about your game! You're breaking the rules of the Divine Council, and you'll pay for it with your life!" the short man roared, his body threatening to explode as he struggled to break free.

"That's where you're wrong. The rules of the Divine Council only apply to Constellations, and neither you nor I are Constellations," the voice countered. "By the time your Supreme War God risks coming here in person, it will already be too late. He will face a much stronger opponent than me."

As he spoke, two golden portals appeared under the men, swallowing them as they fell inside, their screams echoing through the empty forest.

"Sigh, let's hope this is the last time I have to intervene. It won't be an interesting game if I help him too much," the voice mumbled. A figure then appeared in the sky; it was none other than Chaos, his golden eyes shining as he looked at the restored forest. He waved his hand, and the area returned to its original state, trees and grass growing back at a noticeable rate.

"Can't wait to meet you soon," Chaos muttered as he reached into his pocket to take a look at a blood-colored stone before vanishing into thin air.