Xun'er's initiative was completely within Zhang Yuan's expectations.
Under normal circumstances, as the precious daughter of the Gu Clan's patriarch, the most noble ancient imperial clan in this world, Xun'er would be a peerless heaven-favored beauty that countless top geniuses of the continent could never hope to obtain.
Even though her father wanted to give her a relatively simple childhood because she had fused with the Gold Emperor Incinerating Heavenly Flame from a young age and could not grow rapidly like the strongest clan prodigies, and thus sent her to grow up in a small place while also planning for the Ancient Jade, the Dou Di bloodline within her still endowed her with a trace of divinity that made her naturally look down on most people.
Coldness was her norm, distance her true temperament. She was gentle only toward those she cared about, retaining that last shred of humanity, while being understanding and considerate was simply her nature.
A woman like this was the white moonlight in the hearts of countless men, yet also the hardest type to pursue under normal circumstances, because there was no way to cater to her preferences or prescribe the right remedy.
But once she truly fell for someone, she could even abandon her pride, her dignity, and even certain principles for that person.
A childhood spent riding bamboo horses, circling the bed with green plums. Living together in Changgan, the two small ones knowing no suspicion.
He and the girl were childhood sweethearts, and he had indeed managed to walk into her heart.
"Xun'er, don't worry."
"If Dou Zong isn't enough, then I'll become Dou Zun."
"If Dou Zun still isn't enough, then I'll become Dou Saint."
"If even Dou Saint isn't enough, then even the legendary Dou Di, I'll still give it a try."
Feeling the softness in his arms, Zhang Yuan spoke his bold declaration, his tone filled with confidence.
If certain powerful experts heard this, they might think he was ignorant and arrogantly confident like a frog at the bottom of a well.
But only he knew that as long as Xiao Yan rose smoothly, he could lie flat at home and still become a Dou Saint.
What was more, he had a cheat and foreknowledge of the plot. With the two complementing each other, if he still could not reach Dou Di, he might as well slit his throat right now.
"I believe you, Brother Yuan."
Xun'er showed not the slightest doubt. She trusted Zhang Yuan completely.
Zhang Yuan stared into Xun'er's watery eyes and her pink lips, a strong impulse surging within him.
He lowered his head, wanting to kiss her.
Xun'er's heart trembled, and she instinctively closed her eyes.
But in the next instant, a powerful aura suddenly appeared, causing Xun'er to instinctively retreat half a step.
Zhang Yuan was not hurt by her movement. Instead, he instantly sobered up.
Trying to kiss Xun'er in front of Ling Ying, that background toolman, was simply wishful thinking.
Back then, accidentally capturing Xun'er's heart during childhood had already driven that man nearly mad.
"Brother Yuan, Xun'er has a question she wants to ask you." Xun'er clasped her hands behind her back, fingers intertwining. Her black hair fluttered in the wind, making her appear even more youthful and beautiful.
But the question she asked made cold sweat break out on Zhang Yuan's back.
"Between Xun'er and that sister Xiao Yixian, who does Brother Yuan think looks better?"
'Good grief, how did Xun'er even know about Xiao Yixian?'
He had merely gone to the Magic Beast Mountain Range to train and, by accident, gotten to know Xiao Yixian and lived together with her for a few months. They had not even formally established a relationship.
'Right, it had to be Ling Ying, the errand-running tool assigned to Xun'er, a Dou Huang expert painstakingly found by the Gu Clan.'
The reason he dared to go out and fool around was precisely because he had guessed that Xun'er would definitely have Ling Ying secretly protect him, and he had even conducted some tests during his training in the Magic Beast Mountain Range to confirm this.
It had to be him reporting behind his back.
Yet he could not really say anything about it.
"Ahem, Xun'er, Yan'er's inability to cultivate still needs me to handle it. I'll step away for now. We'll talk again during dinner tonight." Zhang Yuan turned around and fled on the spot.
Admitting defeat outright was definitely not an option. That would plant future troubles.
But for now, he did not yet have the capital to be domineering, so he could only resort to the tactic of delay.
Fortunately, Xun'er did not pursue the matter further. She watched him leave with a faint smile and a teasing gaze.
After Zhang Yuan's figure completely disappeared, a black-robed man abruptly appeared beside Xun'er and knelt on one knee. "Miss, there is one thing this subordinate does not understand."
"Speak." Xun'er turned her head to look at the rolling clouds. Her temperament turned cold, her eyes calm like an ancient well.
"Why did you not pursue the matter of Xiao Yixian?" Ling Ying asked.
This question was already somewhat overstepping his bounds, a sign of disrespect.
If this were within the Gu Clan, clan law alone would have been enough to punish him severely.
But having been personally appointed by Gu Yuan to protect Xun'er, he had nevertheless allowed Xun'er's heart to be captured by a 'country bumpkin,' which was an even graver offense.
When Zhang Yuan went out to train, he had been sent by Xun'er to secretly protect him. Heaven knew how happy Ling Ying had been when he discovered Zhang Yuan flirting with another woman. He had immediately reported it, hoping Xun'er would be disappointed and cut off her feelings.
Yet Xun'er had instead sent word telling him to protect Zhang Yuan wholeheartedly and observe whether the woman he was involved with was reliable. If she were reliable, ignore it. If not, kill her.
Why such tolerance?
"Why should I pursue it?" Xun'er did not mind Ling Ying's overstepping and said calmly. "After I come of age, I will return to the clan. At that time, how likely do you think Brother Yuan will be able to appear before me?"
Xun'er was the daughter of the Gu Clan patriarch, a 9-Star peak Dou Saint. She was destined to stand at the peak of the Dou Qi Continent.
In the future, to even see her would require at least Dou Zun's strength. To marry her would require Dou Saint's strength.
If the Xiao Clan had not declined and Zhang Yuan were a core descendant of the Xiao Clan, there might still have been some chance.
As things stood now, it was almost impossible.
"This subordinate understands." Ling Ying felt that he had grasped the crux of the matter.
Xun'er liked Zhang Yuan, yes, but rationally knew that their statuses were mismatched and that they would ultimately be unable to be together.
That was why she did not care whether Zhang Yuan sought other women.
"Hm," Xun'er responded casually.
Understood?
Understood, my foot.
She would never give up on being with Zhang Yuan.
If Zhang Yuan could one day become a Dou Zun or even a Dou Saint and come to the Gu Clan to propose, that would naturally be best.
If his strength was insufficient, that would also be fine. She would continue cultivating tirelessly, growing strong enough that no one in the Gu Clan would dare oppose her. When that day came, she could naturally marry Zhang Yuan.
Of course, having confidence and having ideas was one thing. She also had to face the difficulty of realizing either scenario.
If Zhang Yuan failed, and she was not strong enough either, then at least Zhang Yuan would still have other women by his side to accompany him.
Her lack of pursuit was simply because she did not know whether she and Zhang Yuan could be together in the future.
"After Brother Yuan leaves, you will continue to protect him in secret," Xun'er said softly.
"This subordinate obeys." Ling Ying agreed readily.
Learning that his young miss only wanted a pure first love eased the burden in his heart considerably.
After a moment's thought, he said, "Miss, if this subordinate is not mistaken, Young Master Zhang Yuan has already sensed this subordinate's presence."
Ling Ying genuinely admired Zhang Yuan's cultivation talent and intelligence.
If the Ancient Xiao Clan were still around, Zhang Yuan truly might have been able to embrace the beauty.
"It does not matter." Xun'er smiled faintly. "Since Brother Yuan did not say anything outright, it means tacit approval. Just treat yourself as his guardian."
Ling Ying naturally had no objections and was not worried about Xun'er's safety.
Xun'er carried methods left behind by Gu Yuan. Even if she encountered a Dou Saint, she could still escape. He was merely an assistant, not a bodyguard.
At the same time, on the official road from Wu Tan City toward the imperial capital of the Jia Ma Empire, Nalan Yanran sat inside a carriage, staring blankly at the long sword in her hand.
This sword was the meeting gift bestowed by her master, Yun Yun, but the leather tassel on the hilt had been something Zhang Yuan had casually given her half a year ago.
Literary swords are paired with tassels, martial swords with leather straps.
"Junior sister, that person was quite arrogant. Do you want your senior brother to think of a way to stand up for you?"
A voice suddenly sounded from beside her, disrupting Nalan Yanran's thoughts.
She frowned slightly and said, "Many thanks, senior brother, but there is no need. What he said was not wrong. It was indeed my fault for how I handled the annulment. If one is wrong, one should accept punishment."
The young man shook his head. "That is not how it should be said. You are now a disciple of the Yunlan Sect and even the Sect Master's personal disciple. His actions were slapping the face of our Yunlan Sect."
"Moreover, he kept saying that this empire does not bear the surname Yun. That is clearly looking down on our Yunlan Sect."
Hearing this, irritation grew within Nalan Yanran.
She very much wanted to ask whether Zhang Yuan had said anything wrong.
The old Sect Master, Yun Shan, had been in closed-door cultivation for many years, and rumors outside said he had already fallen. The current strongest of the Yunlan Sect was her teacher, Yun Yun, who could not compare to the Jia Ma imperial family's Jia Xingtian. The overall strength of the two factions differed greatly, not to mention that the Jia Ma Empire had more than just one imperial family.
But as a disciple of the Yunlan Sect, she could not voice such thoughts.
"Why did senior brother not seek him out for a debate at the time?" Nalan Yanran changed the subject.
The young man spoke confidently. "At the time, I felt I was an outsider and should not interfere in your private affairs. But upon careful reflection, his words contained repeated belittlement of our Yunlan Sect. That should not simply be let go. I ought to teach him a lesson."
Observing the young man's expression, a trace of mockery suddenly arose in Nalan Yanran's heart.
She understood now. This senior brother was deliberately saying these things to curry favor with her.
"Senior brother, you are truly too kind." Nalan Yanran smiled.
The young man was momentarily dazzled by that smile, secretly delighted at his own cleverness.
But in the next instant, his expression froze.
"We are not far from Wu Tan City yet. Turning back would still be possible."
"Senior brother, please go and challenge that person, letting him know the might of our Yunlan Sect."
"Does he really think that being a mere Black Armor Guard squad leader allows him to act so arrogantly?"
Nalan Yanran looked as if her fighting spirit had been rekindled.
The young man swallowed and asked, "You are saying that person is a Black Armor Guard squad leader?"
That Zhang Yuan did not even look like an adult yet, yet he was already a late-stage Dou Shi?
"Yes." Nalan Yanran nodded. "Half a year ago, he was already a 7-Star Dou Shi. Now he may be 8-Star, but I believe he is still inferior to senior brother."
"By the way, Yanran has never asked before. Senior brother, what realm are you in?"
The young man: "..."
His master, Ge Ye, was merely a Da Dou Shi. He himself was nothing more than an 8-Star Dou Zhe little weakling.
"I will go speak with Master about this matter." The young man found it impossible to continue staying in the carriage.
"Heh." Nalan Yanran curled her lips slightly and continued staring at the sword tassel in a daze.
Zhang Yuan seemed to be very close to Xiao Yan. Should she hold back three years later?
At the same time, Zhang Yuan returned to the training room and let out a huge sigh of relief.
Facing a Xun'er who was wholeheartedly devoted to him, his wandering affections outside truly made him feel a bit guilty.
He was genuinely afraid that Xun'er might suddenly say, 'I'll wager the entire Gu Clan on you, and you treat me like air while going to play around with a poison girl.'
(End of Chapter)
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