"Hmm?"
Stepping out of Ye Tian's embrace as a gentle breeze brushed past, Jin Yue'er couldn't help covering her flushed cheeks and timidly retreating two steps. She stared at Ye Tian, unable to comprehend the sensation she had just experienced.
Ye Tian remained unaware of Qian Renxue and Jin Yue'er's inner thoughts, simply assuming Jin Yue'er's actions were purely out of gratitude. "Speaking of which, how effective is your Soul Skill enhancement, Yue'er? It should be quite impressive, right?"
Before Jin Yue'er could respond, Qian Renxue answered on her behalf. "Yue'er's First Soul Skill doubles her resistance to negative status effects and her defense, while increasing her speed and strength by over sixty percent."
"Yes, Sister Xue is right," Jin Yue'er nodded repeatedly.
"Truly remarkable!" Ye Tian exclaimed with genuine surprise, his eyes widening in amazement. He vaguely recalled that Dai Mubai, who also possessed an Advanced Martial Soul, only achieved similar doubling effects with his third Soul Skill—a Thousand-Year Spirit Ring at that. For Yue'er to accomplish this with her First Soul Skill was already terrifyingly impressive. One could only say this was the power of a Thousand-Year Spirit Ring.
"It is indeed powerful, fully comparable to most Soul Masters' third Soul Skills," Qian Renxue nodded impartially.
Her unusually ungentle tone finally caught Ye Tian's attention. He couldn't help but glance at Qian Renxue, who subtly avoided his gaze, refusing to meet his eyes. Though she had seen the surprised expression she wanted on Ye Tian's face, she found herself unable to feel happy about it.
"?" Ye Tian blinked in confusion. Had he offended Qian Renxue somehow? It didn't seem so. Could it be that she felt unbalanced because he promised pills to Yue'er but made no similar offer to her?
Ye Tian shook his head. There was no time to dwell on this—noon was approaching fast. He decided to explain through action.
"Little Xue, Yue'er," Ye Tian called out as two large porcelain bottles materialized in his hands. "These contain twenty Marrow Cleansing Pills each—today's portion. We'll meet again tomorrow."
"Huh? Twenty pills?" Jin Yue'er stared in bewilderment. This was more than the terms she had proposed!
"Ye Tian, did you make a mistake?"
"No mistake. Consider it a deposit for hiring you as a bodyguard," Ye Tian chuckled, pressing the bottle into Jin Yue'er's hands.
"Haha, great! Thank you, Ye Tian. I'll work hard to become stronger!" Jin Yue'er beamed, grinning from ear to ear.
Ye Tian smiled warmly and handed the other bottle to Qian Renxue. "Little Xue, as friends, I always treat everyone equally. What Yue'er receives, you naturally get your share too~ My feelings for you both carry equal weight," he said with a cheerful grin.
Qian Renxue stared at him, caught completely off guard, filled with confusion and bewilderment. What did he mean by "equal feelings" for them?!
"Sister Xue, what's wrong?" Jin Yue'er asked, puzzled by Qian Renxue's prolonged hesitation. She immediately stepped forward with a laugh, snatched the bottle, and pushed it into Qian Renxue's hands. "Just accept what Ye Tian gives you!"
"But... how can I? One shouldn't accept rewards without merit..." Qian Renxue stammered, hurriedly pulling her hand back.
Hearing this, Ye Tian grew even more convinced that his earlier speculation about Qian Renxue's displeasure was correct.
"What do you mean by 'not accepting rewards without merit'?"
"Isn't introducing me to Ye Tian the greatest merit, Sister Xue?"
Pfft!
Jin Yue'er's words pierced through Qian Renxue's heart like a steel needle.
"Don't worry about it."
"Without Sister Xue, Yue'er wouldn't have become Ye Tian's teammate either."
The more Qian Renxue listened, the tighter her frown became!
What nonsense was all this!
"Anyway, whatever share Yue'er gets, Sister Xue gets too! If Ye Tian didn't do this, Yue'er would still split everything he gives me equally with Sister Xue!"
Jin Yue'er declared earnestly, without the slightest hint of falsehood.
She might not be the brightest.
But she would give her life for Ye Tian, and was equally willing to die for Qian Renxue!
Simply because she was the granddaughter of the Second Worship of Spirit Hall—this was her inherent, unquestionable duty!
Because of this,
under Golden Crocodile Douluo's lifelong teachings,
she had never conflicted with Qian Renxue, nor ever thought to compete with her for anything.
After this rapid-fire speech,
Qian Renxue felt her mind in complete disarray.
Only two sentences stuck with her:
Ye Tian's feelings for them were equal,
and Yue'er was willing to share anything Ye Tian gave her equally.
Connecting these two points
was nearly enough to make Qian Renxue's brain short-circuit at this moment!
Somewhat numbly, she grasped the twenty pills.
"Haha, that's more like it~"
Jin Yue'er cheered happily, immediately about to open the bottle and eagerly take two,
when Ye Tian suddenly spoke up: "Alright, it's getting late. Little Xue, you should head back soon. I need to go attend the banquet too."
"Eh? A banquet?"
The pills she'd just poured out were promptly put back in.
Jin Yue'er exclaimed with delight:
"Ye Tian, where's the feast? I've never been to a banquet before!"
"Heh, it's not that kind of feast. Elder Chrysanthemum invited me to his home to admire flowers and dine. He sent invitations to both me and my teacher, but my teacher didn't want to go."
Ye Tian chuckled lightly,
taking out the invitation scented with golden chrysanthemums from his Soul Guidance Device.
The floral fragrance wafted,
and embroidered in gold thread were the words:
Hundred Flowers Banquet!
"An invitation? Then it is a banquet! How about taking me along?!"
Jin Yue'er proposed enthusiastically.
"Uh..."
Ye Tian was speechless, politely declining:
"Wouldn't that be too presumptuous? The invitation didn't mention bringing guests."
"I guess that does put you in a tough spot..."
Jin Yue'er frowned briefly, then quickly came up with a brilliant idea and couldn't help laughing.
"Haha... Ye Tian, I've got a solution!"
"Sister Xue and I hold high status. What if we just 'coincidentally' run into you at his doorstep? Would that elder dare refuse us?"
"??!"
Ye Tian was baffled. Since when did this lass learn to throw her weight around?
He certainly hadn't taught her that!
No longer needing Ye Tian's invitation, Jin Yue'er promptly set him aside,
hugging the distracted Qian Renxue and asking:
"Sister Xue, let's go to the Hundred Flowers Banquet together? The name sounds lovely. We'll head back right after we eat."
"Go back? Sure, that's fine."
All Qian Renxue wanted now was to return home and find a quiet place to collect her thoughts,
so she agreed immediately.
But soon,
Qian Renxue sensed something amiss.
"Perfect! Ye Tian, you heard that, right? Sister Xue wants to go to the Hundred Flowers Banquet too!"
Jin Yue'er cheered gleefully.
With Qian Renxue present, in this Spirit Hall City, aside from those three limited individuals, she truly feared nothing in the world!
"What? What Hundred Flowers Banquet?"
Qian Renxue was somewhat bewildered.
Yet no one offered her an explanation, only hearing Ye Tian's reminder.
"Sigh~ Alright then."
"But Yue'er, you must promise me to eat more and speak less!"
"No problem!"
"Sister Xue, let's hurry! Ye Tian, you lead the way quickly!"
"Yue'er, wait! Where are we going?"
"To the banquet!"
"Sigh~"
Watching Qian Renxue being dragged downstairs, Ye Tian sighed helplessly.
He regretted speaking up earlier.
He had originally hoped to use this gathering as an opportunity to obtain the herbal compendium.
But there were pros and cons to this situation.
His close relationship with Qian Renxue and Jin Yue'er would, to some extent, make Chrysanthemum Douluo value him more.
Though borrowing others' prestige wasn't his preference,
He still preferred making friends with genuine sincerity.
"Ye Tian! Hurry up!"
Jin Yue'er's call came through, and Ye Tian didn't hesitate any longer, responding:
"Coming right away!"