Chapter 29: Was this a subtle way of rejecting her?

Ye Chu’s voice rang out within the sea of consciousness, carrying a rare seriousness.

“Ye Qingyi, let me take control of the body.”

Ye Qingyi froze, her eyelashes trembling.

“Huh? So sudden?”

“There might be danger soon.”

Ye Chu’s tone was grave.

Ye Qingyi bit her lip.

She wanted to ask how he knew, but swallowed the words.

Forget it.

If he didn’t want to say, asking wouldn’t get an answer.

She muttered inwardly, ‘What kind of ill-fated connection is this…?’

Without further questions, she closed her eyes and silently chanted, “Demon Mask, open!”

A dark purple light emerged from her face, with dark gold patterns weaving and condensing on the mask.

She felt her consciousness slowly recede as Ye Chu’s soul began to take over her body.

The moment the mask fully formed, Ye Chu opened his eyes.

His gaze passed through the mask’s eyeholes and landed on Qin Qiwu.

His first words were: “How’s that old man Qin Ye doing now?”

His tone was as casual as asking about an old friend.

“His lifespan should be almost gone by now, right?”

Qin Qiwu knew that it was Ye Chu speaking now, not Ye Qingyi.

Her right index finger unconsciously rubbed her sleeve cuff—talking to the person she liked made her inevitably nervous.

“Father is in seclusion at Guixu Pavilion.”

She gathered her courage and continued, “Even though Father is in seclusion, Guixu Pavilion is still operational. I found out… that you were here…”

Her voice grew softer, and before she finished the last few words, Ye Chu interrupted: “So, big niece, traveling such a long way today, is there something you need from your uncle?”

He deliberately emphasized the word “uncle.”

From a generational standpoint, Ye Chu and Qin Ye were close friends despite the age gap.

From a cultivation level, although he had fallen from grace, he had once been at the peak of Mahayana, so calling Qin Qiwu “big niece” wasn’t wrong.

More importantly, it was his subtle way of rejecting Qin Qiwu.

When Ye Qingyi heard this in the sea of consciousness, she was stunned at first, then a strange, inexplicable irritation welled up inside her.

It was stuffy, stuck in her chest.

‘Uncle?’ she muttered inwardly.

‘When did you become her uncle? … Besides, she traveled thousands of miles to find you, and this is how you treat her?’

Ye Chu replied inwardly: “Shut up. Don’t cause trouble.”

“Hmph!”

Ye Qingyi let out a snort through her nose, unsure whether it was directed at Ye Chu or herself.

“I’m not causing trouble. I just think… you’re being too harsh. She didn’t do anything wrong.”

She said that, but deep down, a small voice whispered: ‘This is good, this is good…’

….

When Qin Qiwu heard the words “big niece,” her body stiffened slightly.

Her fingers unconsciously gripped the hem of her skirt, knuckles turning white.

Her lips pressed into a thin line, the corners pulling downward.

She lowered her head, her eyelashes casting a small shadow beneath her eyes.

What had she come to find Ye Chu for today?

Qin Qiwu wasn’t sure how to respond to his question.

After learning that Ye Chu had awakened, she had rushed over immediately, hiding it from her father, because she knew he didn’t actually approve of them being together.

His lack of outright opposition came from love and guilt toward her.

Qin Qiwu suddenly recalled the expression on her father’s face when he learned that her savior was Ye Chu—an indescribable look.

He said that he and Ye Chu were close friends despite the age gap, and if she wanted to thank Ye Chu in person, he could take her to find him or invite Ye Chu over for a formal thank-you.

At the time, Qin Qiwu had lowered her head, blushing, and said it wasn’t necessary yet, because she was still a mortal then and didn’t want to meet Ye Chu like that.

Her father showed no particular reaction to her refusal, only said casually, “I heard that kid is currently chasing after some celestial maiden again. Too bad she’s ignoring him. He’ll probably be rejected soon and then start chasing a new one.”

Qin Qiwu felt as if struck by lightning.

He was pursuing someone else?

What kind of celestial maiden?

Was she like the one beside him back then?

She remembered that when Ye Chu had saved her, there was also a valiant and graceful celestial maiden by his side.

Was Ye Chu pursuing her at that time?

Would she have to be as outstanding as that celestial maiden to be pursued by Ye Chu?

What if another celestial maiden accepted Ye Chu’s pursuit before she could?

So Qin Qiwu asked: “Why did all those celestial maidens reject him? He’s such a good person…”

Her father chuckled and said, “Maybe because of his whole ‘simping gets you no house’ thing.”

“Huh? Simping gets you no good death?”

Qin Qiwu didn’t quite understand what her father meant.

After being reunited with her father, his subordinates had been teaching her the common knowledge and secrets of the cultivation world.

She knew that although Ye Chu was a Body Cultivator, his strength ranked among the top in the entire cultivation world.

The celestial maidens of the cultivation world, despite their high self-regard and picky eyes, had no reason to look down on Ye Chu.

She didn’t understand, but she fully accepted it!

Because this way, she had a chance!

Her father said that once he helped her solve her cultivation problems, she would definitely be no worse than any so-called celestial maiden!

She naturally believed her father’s words.

When she finally appeared before Ye Chu, would she be able to catch a bit of his attention?

Receive his pursuit, and then she would accept without hesitation?

So now, Ye Chu calling himself “uncle” in front of her—was he subtly rejecting her?

Was it because she wasn’t good enough yet to attract his gaze?

Or because he was worried about her father’s relationship?

Or perhaps it was because of the girl before him?

Had she arrived too late?

With these thoughts, Qin Qiwu’s expression grew increasingly sorrowful.

Her lips were slightly pressed together, her eyes reddening, but she didn’t let the tears fall.

She stood there, struggling against the depression.

She was afraid that if she took a step back in sadness, she would never have the courage to approach Ye Chu again.

Ye Chu looked at her reddened eyes, and his heart suddenly clenched.

Damn it.

He hated seeing girls cry the most.

The women who had deceived him in his past life were like that too—every time they cried, he would relent.

He hardened his heart and swallowed the comforting words that had risen to his lips.

Just then, the gentle breeze that had been brushing past suddenly turned sharp, as if an invisible sword was tearing through the air.

The leaves of the old tree in the courtyard rustled down, shredded midair by some unseen force.

Ye Qingyi shivered in the sea of consciousness.

‘What’s going on?’

Ye Chu didn’t answer.

His gaze was already off Qin Qiwu, fixed intently on the shadow behind her.

A whoosh of air sounded.

A figure appeared before Ye Chu like a ghost, drawing a sword and thrusting it straight at his throat.

The strike was fast and fierce, infused with the cultivation of a Nascent Soul peak.

The air itself screamed as it was torn apart.

In the sea of consciousness, Ye Qingyi cried out: ‘Watch out!!!’