One month later...
Bright Star City welcomed the new day with blissful faces and a festive mood. The Martial Exchange was upon the city, which brought tons of people, making every citizen very happy.
Faces full of nervousness, anticipation, and excitement could be seen everywhere in this crowded city.
The air smelled of new fragrances mixed with vendors selling all kinds of food. Other traders and shop owners also brought out their best things to sell.
This was also the day Bright Star City celebrated its Yearly Spring Festival, which was usually celebrated after the year's coldest winter.
The winter here was also bizarre compared to other places, as it was brought by the strange and mysterious black winds of the wilderness. They brought thick blankets of snow with them, along with cold winds that could freeze anything.
The citizens called it the Black Winter, so this Spring Festival was special. The Black Winter had ended only a few days ago, but there wasn't a sign of snow in the entire city.
This was how the city lived. One day, it would have so much snow that people would find it hard to walk, and the next day, all of it would be gone, carried away by the terrifying cold black winds.
As such, the spring period after the Black Winter ended was also known as the Festival of Returning Light. It showed people's gratitude for surviving the dangerous cold winds and their warm welcome to the returning light of the sun.
While everyone was enjoying the festival, going through traditions and waiting for the Martial Exchange to start, on the eastern side of the city, bordering the Black Wind Wildlands, stood a small hut.
A young man sat in the courtyard's center, bare-chested. His body was tall and slightly muscular, with broad shoulders that seemed to carry immense burdens. Many scars on his front and back clearly showed his background.
His long black hair was tied behind, revealing his chiseled, handsome face that could easily rank among the most handsome in the northern states.
The young man had his eyes closed, air flowing smoothly around him as he took slow and long breaths. The calm atmosphere around him helped his concentration.
All of a sudden, his eyes snapped open as a gust of wind knocked the leaves away from him. With a confident glint in his eyes, Ye Jun stood up and clenched his fists.
'Never thought I'll get stronger by sitting around,' he thought in amusement. 'Cultivation is a heaven-sent opportunity for shut-ins.'
Of course, he couldn't become a shut-in. His system made sure he was always tempted to roam around. By sitting down to cultivate, he would progress much slower.
Shaking his head, he looked up at the sun and smiled. From the day he got the Yang Seed Innate Physique, he began to like the sun as it gave a boost to his cultivation. This was why he was cultivating outside.
'Today is the day I get my revenge,' Ye Jun thought, his smile fading away. 'For everything they've done, I will make sure they pay for it.'
He couldn't do anything to the Ye Clan since he was still weaker compared to the top echelon of it. But he wasn't so helpless anymore.
Today, he would show the world what happens when you touch his loved ones. Today, Ye Chen would learn the consequences of his actions.
Ye Jun raised his hand, palm facing him, and slowly brought it down across his face. 'Weaver is out for a hunt tonight.'
"Are you ready?"
He heard a soft, melodious voice behind him, and a smile automatically formed on his lips. He had become too used to it after spending a month with her.
Turning around, he faced the woman who had accompanied him on his worst day and provided the warm embrace he needed at that time. The woman who stayed in such poor conditions for him.
Meihui stood at the hut's entrance, wearing a beautiful green dress matched with soft silk stockings reaching her thighs. She looked absolutely stunning, as she let a blonde lock cover one side of her face, while the rest fell like a waterfall down her back.
She caught him staring and looked away, her ears turning red. "Quit staring at me, you creep."
"I can't help myself," Ye Jun threw his hands back. "You're looking too beautiful today. As if the black winds have removed all the impurities from your appearance."
Meihui couldn't keep a straight face any longer as her face flushed in embarrassment. Clearly, she wasn't good at taking compliments and praise, so Ye Jun enjoyed teasing her.
"S-Shut up! Stop saying this nonsense to every girl you meet," Meihui snorted and looked away. "I don't need your sweet words. Besides, you're engaged, so have some respect for your fiancée."
'Oh, I forgot to tell her about the acceptance of a harem,' Ye Jun smiled. 'Hmm, I can use this to tease her too.'
He shook off those thoughts and said, "Are you planning to accompany me like this?"
"What's the problem with this? Didn't you say I'm looking beautiful?" Meihui asked, still not looking at him. "I'll enter the sect alongside you, since I can't remain in the shadows forever. I'll be your fellow disciple."
That was the solution they had come up with so that she could protect him openly. It would also make people guess that she was the reason for his sudden rise.
"You're beautiful. I didn't lie. But that's exactly the problem," Ye Jun sighed. "Being beautiful is also a curse, you know. As a handsome man, I can assure you of that."
Meihui gave him a glance, but then looked away again.
"With your appearance and the situation, you'll surely attract too much attention. That also means many stupid and lustful men," Ye Jun explained. "Are you prepared to deal with those young masters? It's just useless trouble."
Meihui thought about it for a bit and nodded in understanding. Then, her eyes lit up as she smiled widely. "Wait here! I have a perfect solution for this. Then we can go together to the Martial Exchange."