Bai Xinyue remained quiet, her mind working in a rapid-fire manner before getting to the heart of the matter.
"Alright, I get what you mean, but what kind of favors do you want? And why three?"
Huang Shi thought about it for a couple of seconds before speaking with a shrug.
"There's really nothing to it. I just thought that three is a number that is neither too small that I feel like the exchange would be a waste, or too big that you would just turn me down and slap me to death."
Bai Xinyue thought about his response for a few seconds before thinking of a problem with his answer.
"Wait... does this mean that you won't use up all of your favors today? That I'll have to perform some sort of task for you in the future?"
Huang Shi once more had that smirk on his face as he gave a beautiful smile.
"That's right. But don't worry, I promise it won't be anything excessive. If I feel like it is something you can't achieve, I will not ask for it. In fact, you have the ability to turn me down if you want. But unless you fulfill all three favors, it will remain."
Bai Xinyue had a change in her expression, as it once again turned a bit icy before she spoke in a somewhat enraged manner.
"So... this means that unless I fulfill all three of your favors, the engagement will stand?"
Huang Shi nodded his head as if it was the most natural thing in the world.
"Of course. The arrangement only works if you have fulfilled your part of the deal. Until all three favors have run out, we will remain engaged—of course, only on paper."
All of a sudden, a powerful spiritual energy enveloped the surroundings, almost forcing Huang Shi to his knees.
In fact, he was sure that if Bai Xinyue was not purposefully holding back for his sake, he would already be smashed face-first into the ground.
Shit… did I go too far? Crap..
In fact, he knew that his actions at the moment were a gamble. He was betting that Bai Xinyue was not the kind of person who would outright kill him if he offended her and that because she was young, despite her intelligence, she could be schemed against.
"Huang Shi! I have saved your life, even gave you a boon, and yet you repay it by scheming against me?"
Bai Xinyue sneered as her black obsidian eyes turned sharp as a blade.
"I did not think you were just like all those other men, hoping to take advantage of me because I'm a woman. Do you believe me that if you anger me enough, I will leave all propriety behind and strike you down where you stand? I believe the Azure Dragon Sect will not mind if their so-called waste of a young master were to suddenly die in the Greenwood Forest."
Huang Shi was struggling. His face was starting to sweat as the pressure mounted. His insides were starting to churn and his bones started to creak. His entire being was telling him to kneel, to give up, to submit.
But something within him roared back—an arrogant, primal scream of a will that forced him to stand even as his body began to break from within. This defiance was clear in the words he spat out next.
"Bai Xinyue! You think too highly of yourself! I admit that you are an exceptional woman—maybe the most talented, the most beautiful woman in this entire world—but if you think I am the type of man to bow my head to a woman, or to force her into becoming mine without her consent, then you are too naïve!"
Huang Shi gritted his teeth, his voice starting to crack as the pain inside him magnified. His knees began to bend, yet he forced himself to stand straight even as blood started to seep from his skin. Although Bai Xinyue had just healed him, the new tissue was fresh and delicate, making it easily susceptible to further damage under this crushing weight.
"I am Huang Shi! Remember that name, Bai Xinyue! If I truly wanted you for myself, I would court you openly and fairly! And if you rejected me, then so be it—that is your loss! You are not the only woman in this world!"
Bai Xinyue stared at him with an icy expression. She watched him struggle to stand, refusing to bend even an inch. She did not know where this sudden arrogance came from; in fact, she felt like she was looking at a complete stranger, an alien being.
What is this man? I know there was news about him changing his ways... but this kind of character... with this kind of resolve... a person like this cannot be ordinary!
After a few moments of a tense standoff—one with an expression as cold as a glacier, the other with golden flames seemingly burning in his eyes—the pressure finally vanished as Bai Xinyue waved her palm.
WHOOSH
The moment the pressure disappeared, Huang Shi staggered, nearly hitting the dirt. Yet, by sheer force of will, he forced himself to stand tall once more.
However, the way he looked at Bai Xinyue had shifted. It was no longer the look of a respectful man toward a benefactor, but the burning rage of someone who had been deeply humiliated.
Bai Xinyue stared at him, glancing at his new injuries for a bit before waving her hand a second time. A silvery-white light enveloped Huang Shi again, healing him of all his wounds as if the confrontation had never happened.
Huang Shi remained silent, his anger pulsing. This entire debacle had left him furious.
Bai Xinyue realized that Huang Shi was angry at her, and a small flicker of guilt touched her heart. However, she quickly pushed it away as a single, arrogant thought passed through her mind.
Hmph! All men are the same. He might be saying those arrogant things now, but when he actually sees my true face, he will fall head over heels for me!