Jiang Kai returned once again to the Kunlun Guild.
The gatekeeper, who'd been called out by the sound of his knocking, immediately flared up the moment he saw Jiang Kai.
"Why is it you again!"
"Brother, could you please ask Chang Siyu to come out for a moment?" Jiang Kai said.
The man glanced at him, shook his head, and said, "You really are something… wait here!"
Jiang Kai was a little surprised that the man agreed so readily.
Not long after, the man came back with Chang Siyu.
"Yaoyao, hurry and deal with this. The conference is still waiting for you," the man said, then turned and went back through the gate.
Now, on the deserted street, only Jiang Kai and Chang Siyu remained.
"Why did you say I'm not your friend?" Jiang Kai asked in surprise, looking at her.
Chang Siyu didn't meet his gaze, turning slightly to the side. "Just go…"
"So, about the question I asked you last time—your answer is…" Jiang Kai looked at her nervously.
Chang Siyu gave a helpless smile. "Surpassing Shot—means you can fire hidden weapons really, really far away… I don't like your so-called Surpassing Shot!"
"No, I'm being serious. What does that even mean?" Jiang Kai was completely bewildered. What on earth was this woman thinking?
"Don't play dumb. You were hinting at me!"
"I—I really don't get it!"
"Didn't you want me to stay as far away from you as possible?" Chang Siyu glared at him angrily.
"When did I ever say that?" Jiang Kai protested, feeling wronged.
His confession had been perfectly normal! He'd just asked if she'd be his girlfriend—how had she twisted that into something like this?
"You didn't say it, but your actions showed it!" Chang Siyu said. "On the Snowy Mountain, you knocked me out just so you wouldn't have to bring me along. Then in the Fallen Mine, you asked me that question—and right after that, you threw me hundreds of meters away!"
"Big Sis, I did that on the mountain because I was worried about your safety! I admit, asking you that question back at the mine was a little abrupt, but—well, I didn't have any experience with that stuff either!"
"And besides, why don't you mention that I kissed you?"
Chang Siyu's eyes widened in disbelief. "You kissed me? Wh—when?"
Jiang Kai quickly turned to the little creature perched on his shoulder. Didn't this little guy say he'd already told her about the stolen kiss?
The creature immediately leapt off his shoulder and bolted away like lightning.
"Damn it—you little rascal! You tricked me!"
Chang Siyu glared furiously at Jiang Kai. "When did you kiss me, huh?! I didn't expect you to be such a pervert!"
The scene turned chaotic in an instant. Jiang Kai's mind buzzed—every word he said only made things worse.
Chang Siyu's bright eyes lingered on him, emotions tangled, tinged with sorrow. She sighed softly. "Just go. This isn't a place you should be. I… I don't want to have anything to do with you anymore."
Then she turned and walked through the gate, closing it behind her.
Watching her leave, Jiang Kai's heart was in turmoil. He sat down in front of the Kunlun Guild's entrance.
He didn't know how long he'd been sitting there when he suddenly noticed the little creature had somehow reappeared, sitting quietly by his side.
Once he'd calmed down, Jiang Kai didn't scold it anymore. Maybe it had just been playing a prank before—not realizing how much trouble it would cause today.
"Let's go, little one. She's made it clear. There's no more hope."
"Squeak, squeak, squeak." The little creature hopped back onto his shoulder and rubbed its face against his cheek, as if comforting a heartbroken man.
"Don't worry, I'll be fine. I'm not falling apart—just… a little sad."
Lowering his head, Jiang Kai prepared to leave this place of heartbreak.
Just then, a few people coming from the other side bumped straight into him.
"Hey friend, walking with your head down?" one of them said, good-naturedly.
"Sorry," Jiang Kai muttered, still not lifting his head, and continued walking.
"Huh? Jiang Kai?" the man suddenly called out his name.
Jiang Kai looked up.
It turned out the man was one of the four people he'd rescued back in the Fallen Lands.
"It's you?"
"You came to Kunlun?" The man looked excited. "Why didn't you go inside?"
"There's no need to," Jiang Kai said weakly.
"No need? Wait—you're not here for the tournament?"
Jiang Kai frowned. "What tournament?"
"Our sect leader invited several outstanding young extraordinary-level fighters to come and spar within the sect," the man explained. "Actually, it's also to help Yaoyao find a suitable partner. She's not young anymore, and hanging around with us senior brothers all day, cursing and calling herself 'old man' all the time—it's not very ladylike."
"What? It's this day and age and you're still doing marriage-by-tournament?" Jiang Kai asked in astonishment.
The man said, "The Kunlun lineage has a long history. Some old customs are still preserved, though slightly modernized. It's not direct marriage anymore—but only those who earn both the sect leader's and junior sister's approval are qualified to court her."
"Those invited are all prominent figures in our world—status worthy of Kunlun, and strength among the best of their generation."
"But with so many pursuing Yaoyao, the duels are fierce. Several contestants have already died and gone offline in the earlier rounds!"
"If you ask me, it's all because our junior sister is too beautiful—beauty brings disaster. No matter who wins or loses this time, these martial heirs are bound to bear grudges afterward."
Jiang Kai's eyes widened.
So that's why Chang Siyu told him to leave—she was afraid he'd get dragged into the ancient martial clans' rivalries.
"How should I address you, brother?"
"Oh, I'm Zhu Hai."
"Zhu Hai?" Jiang Kai suddenly remembered the introduction letter He Shishi had given him. He quickly took it out. "This is from He Shishi—for you."
"Shishi?" Zhu Hai hurriedly took the letter and read it.
After a while, a wistful look appeared on his face. "Time flies… ten years already… Shishi, you still remember me…"
Jiang Kai narrowed his eyes slightly. As he thought—there was something between Zhu Hai and He Shishi.
"Brother Zhu, I want to take part in the tournament. Can you help me figure something out?"
Zhu Hai snapped out of his memories, carefully folded the letter, and studied Jiang Kai. "You're not from a martial family. You're not one of us."
"Let me put it this way—our duels in this circle affect the real world. Even if you win, as an outsider, you'll never gain the sect leader's approval."
"Even if Yaoyao likes you, if the leader doesn't agree, you won't have a future together."
"I… I understand. But this time, I have to make Siyu understand!" Jiang Kai said firmly.
"So you truly like Yaoyao?"
Jiang Kai hesitated for a moment. In his mind appeared that snowy night—a beautiful young woman warming him with her body.
He remembered the girl who always called herself "old man," fighting beside him on the Snowy Mountain; remembered how terrified she'd been when he took on his ghost form; remembered all their moments together in that unknown region.
He had once been fond of Su Nuannuan, but his feelings for Chang Siyu were completely different.
She was the first girl who'd ever given him the courage to confess.
"I like her," Jiang Kai said with certainty.
Seeing how resolute he was, Zhu Hai took a deep breath. "I understand. But let me remind you—everyone invited here is exceptionally strong. And once you enter the tournament, you'll be entangled in the martial world's conflicts."
"As far as I know, you don't have any powerful backing."
Jiang Kai narrowed his eyes slightly. "My backing… is myself. Brother Zhu, I'll be in your debt!"
Zhu Hai exhaled slowly. "Ahem, well, there's one more thing you need to know. Even if you want to show your feelings to Yaoyao… it might not work this time."
"You can't enter the tournament under your own identity."
"What? If I can't use my real identity, then how do I even compete?"
Zhu Hai said, "I'll get you a fake one. Otherwise, outsiders have no right to take part. It's the only way you can join."
"At least then, you can keep Yaoyao from falling into someone else's hands."
Hearing that, Jiang Kai immediately understood.
It seemed… he'd have to take the lesser option.
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