Chapter 74: Impolite

The wind had stopped at the Spirit Gathering Flat at some unknown point.

An Yao’s figure had long since vanished at the end of the mountain path, but her oppressive pressure as the Saintess had not yet dissipated.

The crowd that had been whispering a moment ago had already scattered completely.

All that remained were overturned white porcelain teacups lying silently on the ground.

Lin Yueqi stood where she was, her hands and feet feeling a bit cold.

She looked at Xiao Xiao.

From the moment An Yao appeared, Xiao Xiao had fallen into a bizarre state.

She didn’t cry or make a scene; even the anger that had flared up due to Gu Chen’s provocation had vanished without a trace.

She simply stood there like an exquisite doll stripped of all emotion, her vacant gaze fixed on the direction where An Yao had departed.

It wasn’t until the last glimpse of the Saintess’s hem completely disappeared that Xiao Xiao’s eyelashes trembled slightly.

She slowly turned around, her gaze passing over Ye Chen and landing on Lin Yueqi.

“Senior Sister,” her voice was very soft and flat, devoid of any discernible emotion, “could you please go back first? The Young Master and I still have some matters to handle.”

She was politely dismissing her.

Lin Yueqi’s heart sank abruptly.

She was familiar with all of Xiao Xiao’s expressions, yet she had never seen this one before.

Beneath that calm surface lay an abyss she was completely unable to fathom.

She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but found she didn’t know what to say.

She glanced at Ye Chen.

Ye Chen’s expression was as indifferent as ever, as if the storm that was enough to shake the entire Heavenly Sword Peak was merely a ripple in a teacup that would soon settle.

A deep sense of powerlessness welled up in Lin Yueqi’s heart; it seemed she had never truly understood Xiao Xiao.

Ultimately, she just nodded, her throat feeling a bit dry.

“… All right.”

She moved her feet, pausing slightly as she passed Ye Chen.

In a voice only the two of them could hear, she whispered, “Junior Brother Ye, take care of yourself.”

After saying that, she didn’t dare look at Xiao Xiao’s expression again and quickly hurried away.

Only Ye Chen, Xiao Xiao, and a mess on the ground remained on the Spirit Gathering Flat.

Xiao Xiao shifted her gaze back, letting it fall on Ye Chen’s face.

Although he was taller than her, she straightened her back and stood on her tiptoes slightly to meet his eyes. Her pupils were pitch black, and her face was devoid of expression.

After a long silence, she uttered four words.

“Young Master, let’s go home.”

The path from the Spirit Gathering Flat to the Thirty-Six Sword Towers wasn’t particularly long, yet today it felt exceptionally arduous.

Xiao Xiao walked half a step behind Ye Chen, maintaining a distance that was neither too close nor too far.

This was the position she was most used to.

There was no conversation.

Only the sound of their footsteps echoed one after another on the cold mountain path before being scattered by the wind.

Ye Chen’s mind was working.

He was replaying everything that had just happened: Gu Chen’s challenge, An Yao’s appearance, and… Xiao Xiao’s loss of control.

In his understanding, Xiao Xiao’s behavior today fell under the category of being “rude.”

Overturning the tea table and publicly displaying hostility toward the Saintess did not conform to any social standards.

He believed this stemmed from a misunderstanding—a type of immature possessiveness.

And a misunderstanding only needed to be explained clearly.

His relationship with An Yao was perfectly clean.

Two years of Sword Discourse, and that was it.

They were “fellow Daoists,” confidants born from swordsmanship, and nothing more.

He believed that as long as he stated the facts, Xiao Xiao’s emotions would settle.

However, Xiao Xiao’s condition still hadn’t improved…

Ye Chen even had the fleeting thought of simply leaving…

The world was vast, and perhaps they would never meet again.

But that wasn’t his style; escaping was never his first choice.

Creak—

The wooden door was pushed open and then closed behind them, isolating everything from the outside world.

Inside the small courtyard, the spiritual energy was abundant, and the atmosphere was quiet and secluded.

Ye Chen turned around, preparing to speak, only to see that Xiao Xiao had already walked up to him.

The coldness and vacancy on her face had disappeared.

In its place was a smile so gentle it was almost sweet.

Her eyes curved into crescents and the corners of her lips tilted upward, looking like a flower bud blooming in early spring—pure, flawless, and carrying a touch of pitiable innocence.

It was as if the person who had overturned the tea table with a cold gaze back at the Spirit Gathering Flat was merely an illusion.

“Young Master,” she spoke softly, her voice sweet and carrying a hint of a spoiled tone, “shall we sit down and talk?”

She pointed to the stone table and stools in the courtyard.

Ye Chen nodded and sat down first.

Xiao Xiao didn’t sit immediately.

Instead, she walked to the other side of the stone table, lifted the teapot, and then set it back down.

She seemed like she wanted to pour tea, but ultimately didn’t.

She turned and sat on the stone stool opposite Ye Chen.

This position allowed her to look at him at eye level, or even slightly downward.

“Young Master,” she said, her hands folded over her knees and her posture upright like a diligent student, “isn’t it time to explain?”

Here it comes.

Ye Chen understood.

He knew this was the main topic.

He wasn’t flustered because he had a clear conscience.

“Two years ago, shortly after I joined the sect, I used to practice my sword at the Stargazing Platform,” his tone was calm, showing no hint of panic.

“At that time, a masked woman appeared and was very interested in my swordsmanship. Thus, we made an agreement to meet once a month—only for Sword Discourse, nothing else.”

Xiao Xiao listened quietly, her long eyelashes drooping.

She would occasionally give a soft “mm” to indicate she was listening.

“It wasn’t until today that I learned she was the sect’s Saintess, An Yao,” Ye Chen concluded.

“Between us, that is all.”

He had finished his explanation.

It was simple, clear, and without a single lie.

The courtyard fell into a brief silence, broken only by the rustle of the wind blowing through the bamboo grove.

Xiao Xiao slowly raised her head, her beautiful eyes gazing at him.

She tilted her head slightly to one side in an innocent and playful gesture.

“Is that all?” she asked, her voice still gentle.

“Has the Young Master… lied to me?”

Ye Chen instinctively reached out, wanting to grab the teapot on the table.

Just as his fingertips touched the pot, Xiao Xiao’s gaze followed his movement, landing flatly on his hand.

That gaze held no emotion, yet it caused Ye Chen’s movement to pause for some reason.

He withdrew his hand.

“No.”

He met her eyes, his tone calm and frank.

“What I said is the truth. She and I are merely ordinary fellow Daoists of the sword. I have nothing to hide.”

“Fellow Daoists…”

Xiao Xiao chewed on the word.

The smile on her lips faded slightly before deepening again.

“Then, Young Master, why didn’t you tell me? In these two years, you never mentioned it once.”

To Ye Chen, this question seemed somewhat unreasonable.

He frowned slightly and said, “This is just an ordinary social interaction. Do I really have to explain every minute detail to you?”

As soon as he spoke, he saw Xiao Xiao’s gaze suddenly tighten.

Her gentle smile almost cracked; she seemed ready to argue back immediately.

“But…”

However, she only uttered those two words before stopping.

Her lips pressed together tightly as if she were fighting a fierce battle with some internal impulse.

A flash of struggle and grievance flickered through her beautiful eyes, but it was quickly replaced by something deeper and more resolute.

‘There’s no need… Why should I make the Young Master say it himself? As long as… as long as no second person appears by his side for him to “interact” with… won’t that be enough?’

All problems would be solved.

That thought was like a cold seed quietly breaking through the soil in the depths of her heart, quickly taking root and sprouting into a giant tree.

All hesitation and wandering were severed in that instant.

Her heart became more settled than ever before.

The smile on her face became perfectly flawless once again, even sweeter than before.

She shifted her approach, using a self-deprecating yet heavily sour tone to ask.

“Is it because the Young Master… likes that Saintess? She is so beautiful, her status is so high, and her cultivation is much stronger than Xiao Xiao’s. Being with her must be very prestigious, right?”

Hearing this, Ye Chen shook his head, his expression even carrying a trace of helplessness.

“First of all,” he began to analyze logically, “she is the Saintess of the Purple Cloud Sword Sect. Her status is incredibly noble, and her future prospects are limitless. Why would she take an interest in an ordinary disciple like me?”

“Secondly, she only noticed me because my swordsmanship is unique. There is nothing between us, and it is absolutely impossible.”

He recalled the conversation An Yao had with him that night, but he didn’t think too much of it.

An Yao was simply too lonely; if he overthought it, he would just be acting narcissistic.

His logic was clear, and his conclusion was definite.

After speaking, he shifted the topic, his gaze turning serious and carrying a clear sense of reproach for the first time.

“On the other hand, you, Xiao Xiao—this time, you were truly rude.”

Xiao Xiao’s smile froze on her face.

She was stunned, her eyes filled with bewilderment.

‘Eh? Me…?’

Ye Chen didn’t notice the change in her expression, or perhaps he believed this reprimand was necessary.

He continued, “An Yao and I are just ordinary friends. You knew nothing, yet you sat there overthinking things and even publicly overturned the tea table. To act in such a manner…”

“Is this how you treat my friends?”

“…”

Xiao Xiao’s mind buzzed, turning completely blank.

‘What… what is this? Is it… my fault?’

She looked at Ye Chen’s calm and slightly reproachful eyes.

There was no trace of affection or bias in them, only business-like reasoning.

This was the first time she had seen the Young Master look at her like that.

He was blaming her for being rude.

He was blaming her for not treating his “friend” well.

A chill rose from the deepest part of her heart, instantly sweeping through her entire body.

But immediately following that, amidst the cold ruins, she grasped onto a lifeline.

— “Ordinary friends.”

So… Saintess An Yao was just an “ordinary friend.”

Then what was her panic, fear, and despair just now?

Xiao Xiao’s mood was like a runaway flying boat, plunging from a ten-thousand-foot cliff only to be caught by an unknown force and suspended in mid-air the moment before she was smashed to pieces.

‘I see… so she’s just the Young Master’s ordinary friend.’

In that case, her behavior just now… truly was a bit over the top.

She had clearly made up her mind to change herself…

Yes.

She had been too impulsive.

Slowly, very slowly, she convinced herself.

The bewilderment in her eyes gradually faded, replaced by a hint of realization, a touch of regret, and… a deeply hidden grievance.