Chapter 123 - Resentment

“The relationship between you pair of manly men really makes one envious.” Lan Xueruo laughed softly. She spoke of “envy” lightly, but it felt a few hundred times heavier in her heart. Although they were kin, they could only be considered distantly related, yet they still had such a close relationship. As for her, whenever she thought of her own brothers, she could only feel an internal bitter disappointment and sadness.

“Xueruo, I can finally be relieved after seeing that you’re alright.” Murong Ye walked over, a look of bland surprise and happiness on his face, “Hearing that you’d fallen into the Ten Thousand Beast Mountain Range a month ago, I was so scared and worried that I lost my appetite and couldn’t sleep at night. I could only hate myself for being so powerless, otherwise, even if I had to risk my life, I would definitely go into the Ten Thousand Beast Mountain Range to save you.”

“I’m grateful for brother’s concern.” Lan Xueruo smiled politely. Regarding Murong Ye’s appearance here, she didn’t seemed surprised at all. Every year, Blue Moon Profound Palace would accept three of the most distinguished disciples from each Profound Palace within Blue Wind Empire and Murong Ye happened to be one of those selected from New Moon Profound Palace this year. Coincidentally, the time for him to come forth to Blue Wind Profound Palace was also this month. Presumably, Murong Ye should have arrived with Qin Wuyou.

“Xueruo, are you going to stay in Blue Wind Profound Palace in the future? If that’s so it would be great, we can be at the same place to cultivate profound energy and get along together again.” Murong Ye smiled.

Lan Xueruo didn’t nod but calmly answered, “In the future, I will indeed be staying at Blue Moon Profound Palace.” After her simple response, she didn’t pay any more attention to Murong Ye. She asked Qin Wuyou, “Palace Chief Qin.... Oh right, I should be calling you Instructor Qin now. Yun Che has just arrived at Blue Wind Imperial City and has nowhere to go to, so I’ll have to trouble you to make arrangements for him to enter Blue Wind Profound Palace.”

“Hehe, this is not a problem, of course.” Qin Wuyou nodded his head warmly, “What about you? Do you want to as well? Your name still hangs within the Middle Palace.”

Name hanging within the Middle Palace? Murong Ye stared..... How could this be! Within the Middle Palace, even the lowest-leveled were at the third level of the True Profound Realm. At the eighth level of the Nascent Profound Realm, there was already nobody of the same age within New Moon Profound Palace who could defeat him, but at Blue Moon Profound Palace, even in the lowest Outer Palace, he could only achieve an upper-middle rank. Lan Xueruo’s profound energy was the same as his, so how could her name be in the Middle Palace?

Blue Wind Profound Palace and New Moon Profound Palace were different. A person could get into New Moon Profound Palace through personal relations, but this was absolutely not possible in Blue Wind Profound Palace! There were distinct differences between the Outer Palace, Middle Palace and Inner Palace. The only way to enter the Middle Palace from the Outer Palace was to defeat a disciple from the Middle Palace. The only way to enter the Inner Palace from the Middle Palace was to defeat a disciple from the Inner Palace.... Other than this, there was no other path. Even if the Palace Chief were to appear and allow a disciple from the Outer Palace enter the Middle Palace due to favoritism, it was also absolutely impossible.

The only exception that could be slightly accommodated was to let a disciple who didn’t quite meet all the criteria to enter the Outer Palace. However, only important figures who were at least instructor-level could have that kind of privilege, and this could only be for a maximum of three people per year.

“I will check in frequently. But I’ve left for too long and am slightly worried about my father, so I need to return first. Therefore, I’ll be leaving Junior Brother Yun to you, Instructor Qin. Junior Yun, Palace Chief Qin is now an instructor at Blue Wind Profound Palace. You should settle down within the Palace with Instructor Qin first, and after I make a trip home to settle issues there, I will come back immediately to visit you.” Lan Xueruo said as her eyes flashed with slight worry and melancholy upon mentioning “father”.

Murong Ye, who was beside her, frowned angrily... Settle Yun Che down.... Visit Yun Che.... Anyone who wasn’t a fool could hear her care and concern for Yun Che in Lan Xueruo’s simple words, yet she didn’t even give half a shit about him.

“You can be at ease, I will immediately arrange for Yun Che to enter the Outer Palace and similarly, will also give him the greatest amount of care.” Qin Wuyou nodded. He was the only one who clearly knew the reason for Lan Xueruo’s kindness towards Yun Che...... Even though he didn’t look favorably upon Yun Che, and only somewhat admired him, since it was Lan Xueruo’s decision, he could only obey.

“Senior sister, are you going home alone? How about I send you back first?” Yun Che ventured. Deep down in his heart, he really wanted to know what sort of concept Lan Xueruo’s “home” was.

Lan Xueruo smiled and shook her head. Her actions were light and she didn’t say anything, but her expression was soft yet resolute.

“Just relax. This is Blue Wind Imperial City, nothing will happen to me.” After throwing such a line, Lan Xueruo smiled gently and turned her back towards him as she left with light footsteps.

But the instant she took a step and moved forward, a miserable emptiness, as if she had lost something of great importance from her side, suddenly surfaced in Lan Xueruo’s heart... With a short sigh, she came to understand what this feeling of emptiness was....

Because at this moment, Yun Che was no longer at her side.

Escaping together, facing hardships together, even experiencing brushes with death; it was such a long period of daily interaction that she didn’t realize she had unconsciously gotten accustomed to Yun Che’s existence. When in New Moon Profound Palace, Murong Ye would cling to her side every day and keep at it for a very, very long time. But what it brought her was two starkly different feelings. Murong Ye’s pestering, even though she took it all in stride calmly and politely, internally, she felt annoyed and harassed. But with Yun Che by her side, what sprouted in her heart was a deepening feeling of reliance.... and an even more dangerous feeling of attachment.

Even sleeping in the same bed as him and waking up in his embrace in the morning had silently become a sort of habit.

When returning to Blue Wind Imperial City, she anxiously wanted to return home to visit her father. But what she felt the moment she left Yun Che, the moment Yun Che was no longer at her side, was simply too uncomfortable. It was as if a part of her soul had been forcefully removed and it caused the steps she took to become very heavy.

“Senior sister!”

Yun Che’s sudden shout came from behind. It stopped her in her tracks and made her feel like she didn’t want to leave anymore.

Yun Che rushed in front of Lan Xueruo, took out two items from the Sky Poison Pearl and placed them in Lan Xueruo’s hands, “Senior sister knows of the Sky Tremor Bombs so you should also know of the Poison Fire Rod from the Xiao Sect. When I’m not by senior sister’s side, senior sister must learn to protect herself well. When you meet someone who intends to harm you who cannot be defeated, you must not be too soft-hearted and end him with this Poison Fire Rod. Also, this incense was taken from Black Demon’s spatial ring. It’s a special type of Beast Repelling Incense, and the ingredients it was made from do not come from Blue Wind Empire. Black Demon probably acquired it after attacking a foreign businessman. After lighting it, it can disperse all Profound Beasts at the Sky Profound level or lower. They had also used this to enter the Ten Thousand Beast Mountain Range. If you have to enter any dangerous area with Profound Beasts, light this immediately.”

The corner of Lan Xueruo’s lips curved up, hooking into a smile of incomparably moving beauty, “I’m only making a trip home, not going on a trip of life and death....” She put away the Poison Fire Rod and the Beast Repelling Incense and then softly said, “Thank you, Junior Brother Yun.”

“Hehe.” Yun Che gave a cheap laugh, “After all, we’re people who sleep together every day, what are you still thanking me for, and to even be this polite.... AOW OW OW OW OW!”

Lan Xueruo’s face flushed so red that it spread to her snowy neck. She pinched the back of Yun Che’s hand in embarrassment and with a stomp, ran away as if she were fleeing.

It was unsure whether Yun Che’s last line was intentional or not but he didn’t suppress his voice; Qin Wuyou, Xia Yuanba and Murong Ye all heard it clearly. It left them all shocked in unison, making them gape so widely that their jaws almost fell to the floor.

“You... What did you just say!” Murong Ye’s chest heaved as he suddenly rushed forward like an enraged mad dog. He clutched Yun Che’s collar with a pair of completely red eyes, and roared, “Repeat what you had just said again.”

With a *slap*, Yun Che slapped the Murong Ye’s hand, which was clutching his collar, glanced at him from the side, and indifferently asked, “Who the hell do you think you are? You want me to repeat what I’ve just said?”

Qin Wuyou stammered, “Yun Che, y-y-y-you..... you really.... with Xueruo..... slept together?”

In return, Yun Che stared at Qin Wuyou with an undecipherable expression, “That... Senior Sister Xueruo and I, were alone for over a month...... Mn. In addition to my good looks, her beauty, and the mutual consent of both parties, dry branches can become a raging fire.... Isn’t sleeping together very normal?”

“This this this this...” Qin Wuyou’s moustache trembled violently, as his eyes stared widely; his brain had completely stopped functioning. Thinking again to what Yun Che had just said and Lan Xueruo’s response..... She didn’t ruthlessly cuff his ears; rather, she had run away in embarrassment after pinching him coquettishly....

Qin Wuyou suddenly had the urge to bow to Yun Che there and then......

“Ah ah ah ah!” Xia Yuanba’s mouth gaped for a long time before finally resuming its original position, “Brother-in-law, you actually slept with Senior Sister Xueruo..... I really respect you!”

“Impossible! This is impossible! How could Xueruo possibly like you! Xueruo is as clear as ice and as pure as jade, how could it be.... How could it be....” Murong Ye’s breathing became labored and both his eyes were red. Mentally, he was near collapse and madness. Suddenly, his hands flashed and a thin longsword appeared clutched in his hands. He suddenly pierced towards Yun Che, ”You mongrel, who tainted Xueruo, I’ll kill you!!”

“Stop!” Murong Ye’s actions caught Qin Wuyou and Xia Yuanba off guard. In addition to that, Murong Ye was too close to Yun Che, so other being able to give a startled cry, they were completely unable to do anything to stop his assault.

Yun Che didn’t dodge, and actually stretched out his right hand slowly, reaching towards the long sword that Murong Ye was piercing at him. This action shocked Qin Wuyou and Xia Yuanba... Using his hand to catch the sword? Murong Ye had profound energy at the eighth level of the Nascent Profound Realm after all, did Yun Che not want his hand anymore!?

Clang!!

Before Murong Ye could reveal a manic smile, the instant Yun Che’s fingers made contact with Murong Ye’s long sword, it was already completely nullified. He felt as if his sword had pierced into incomparably sturdy hard rock, and was incapable of moving even half an inch forward.

But what was pinching the tip of the blade, was only Yun Che’s thumb and middle finger.

Murong Ye was stunned; Qin Wuyou and Xia Yuanba were also completely dumbfounded. At this point, Qin Wuyou finally noticed Yun Che’s profound energy. In a voice of thick disbelief, a cry sprang from his lips, “Nascent Profound Realm.... Tenth level!? How.... How is this possible!!”

The last time he had met Yun Che, he was only at the first level of the Nascent Profound Realm. Only a month and a half had passed since then, yet he was already at the tenth level of the Nascent Profound Realm!

This sort of speed.... could only be described within those fantastical sort of stories.

“Whaa? What did you say? Tenth level Nascent Profound Realm?” Both of Xia Yuanba’s circular eyes stared widely, and he thought there was something wrong with his ears.

𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Yun Che stretched out his right hand and clutched the sword blade with his entire palm. With a violent shake, a strong blast of profound energy ran down the blade’s body and hit Murong Ye’s arm, which had been tightly clutching the sword. He let go of the blade with an anguished roar. With the blade held in hand, Yun Che flung his arm and the hilt of the blade ruthlessly hit Murong Ye’s face, causing him to fall to the ground and roll.

Murong Ye sprawled on the ground. The entire right half of his face was swollen and splattered with fresh blood. Yun Che threw the sword in his hand away, and looked down while coldly saying, “Whatever happens between me and Senior Xueruo has nothing to do with you. Guard your identity as a toad who daydreams everyday well, got it?”