Chapter 65: A Nighttime Visit to Xu Ruyan

"Husband, the smell of blood on this fellow is almost overflowing."

"He walked out of the Xue residence alive, so having such a scent of blood is entirely normal."

"Then Husband, you mean..."

"Naturally, it's to enjoy the moonlight, and let me pin up your hair—this hairpin is quite pretty."

"Mm, though next time, don't buy hairpins made from willow twigs."

After Yang Le departed, Liu Shu, who had been standing quietly behind Qu Zhe, cast a glance in Yang Le's direction. That thick aura of blood made her furrow her brow slightly.

Qu Zhe, however, acted as if oblivious to it all, keeping his attention completely focused on his wife.

Chided by Liu Shu regarding the hairpin in his hand, Qu Zhe looked somewhat sheepish, nodding repeatedly to show he had memorized the style.

As for Qu Liu, she used her tender, chubby little hands to examine the cultivation manual Yang Le had given her, grinning so broadly that the baby fat on her cheeks trembled.

A moment later, Qu Zhe finished pinning up Liu Shu's hair, and the family of three walked out toward the bamboo grove.

Yet halfway through, just as the moonlight happened to shine directly upon Qu Zhe's figure,

Qu Zhe suddenly stopped in his tracks and looked down at what his daughter was holding.

"Meeting for the very first time as neighbors, and yet you bestow such a heavy gift. A lackey of the imperial court like me truly has no way to repay this."

"Husband, as the saying goes, it is shameful to accept without returning; even if we cannot repay it, we must try our best."

"Wife, I understand."

After a long moment of contemplation, Qu Zhe cast one last glance at the small courtyard atop Bamboo Mountain where Yang Le resided. Suddenly enlightened, he stepped forward once more.

Behind him, the gentle and virtuous Liu Shu held the hand of the adorable Qu Liu, following closely.

Beneath the moonlight, the trace of deep pressure hidden in the depths of Qu Zhe's eyes eased slightly.

No matter what role he had played in the eyes of others before now, at this moment...

Qu Zhe was merely a husband.

The Great Qian was far from peaceful, but peace across the entire realm was not what Qu Zhe sought. What he desired was simply the safety and stability of this tiny family.

...

"Master, Qu Zhe's wife seems to be a demon."

The moment they arrived at the courtyard, Li Qi'er put down the items she was carrying and spoke slowly. "Yet that little girl is quite strange; the demonic bloodline within her is so faint it's barely perceptible."

"Other people's affairs have nothing to do with us. Are there really so few demons in this Great Qian?"

Sensing the hint of surprise flickering in Li Qi'er's words, Yang Le remained unconcerned about whether Qu Zhe's wife was a demon or human. "Get a good rest tonight, and practice your sword tomorrow."

"Master, this..."

Li Qi'er originally wanted to explain that while demons in Great Qian were indeed numerous, a demon marrying a human was an exceedingly rare occurrence.

However, upon second thought, Li Qi'er realized her master was right.

Other people's affairs—what did they have to do with her, Li Qi'er?

Instantly dismissing the thought, Li Qi'er neatly put away the items brought back from the Xue residence, then picked up her sword and headed to her room.

Yet as she reached the doorway, she cast a stealthy glance back toward the rear courtyard.

In an instant, a flash of disappointment crossed her eyes.

The Chinese chives were gone!

Li Qi'er felt deeply aggrieved.

Because when she practiced her sword tomorrow, she wouldn't know what on earth to hack at anymore.

...

"Xu Ruyan, dropping in uninvited is hardly a good habit. Or rather, you could simply knock next time you come looking for me."

After Li Qi'er retired to her room, Yang Le returned to his own.

Gathering his breath and steadying his mind, he focused his attention on the *Soaring Dragon Footwork* and the *Art of Pill Absorption*.

Yet just as he had barely skimmed the surface, Yang Le set the books down beside the bed and turned his gaze toward the door. "If you have business, just come on in."

"I was actually discovered?!"

The moment Yang Le's voice fell, Xu Ruyan pushed the door open and stepped inside, her face tense with nervous apprehension. "Are my footsteps really that obvious?"

"The windows of my room are made of sheer gauze. Unless I've been struck blind, seeing that someone is standing outside the door is a rather simple task."

Yang Le's reply was utterly calm. He stood up and instead began to appraise Xu Ruyan. "I originally thought you would seize the opportunity to escape tonight."

"I tried, but I couldn't get out."

At the mention of this, Xu Ruyan gnashed her teeth in fury. "I don't know what kind of damned thing you left out there, but no matter what methods I used, I simply couldn't leave."

Truly, if she hadn't known she was no match for Yang Le, Xu Ruyan would have dearly loved to strangle the man standing before her.

What kind of cursed contraption had he left at the threshold?

At first, after returning to her room and finding herself the sole occupant of the courtyard,

Xu Ruyan had indeed entertained a fleeting thought of stepping outside—though not necessarily to flee,

she merely wanted to slip out to inquire about the current state of the Linghua Pavilion or establish contact with members from other branch divisions.

Yet to Xu Ruyan's utter shock...

Before she even cleared the courtyard, a towering sheet of fire materialized right in front of her, giving her no chance to react whatsoever.

It had scorched her garments straight down to nothingness.

If there had been any other living creatures around besides herself at that moment—

Xu Ruyan would have wanted nothing more than to dig a hole in the ground and crawl straight into it.

To this day...

Xu Ruyan could still vividly recall the feeling of utter exposure when a gentle breeze brushed against her completely bare skin.

Therefore,

the fundamental reason Xu Ruyan was so furious right now was that she was still brooding over that prior incident.

If he didn't want her to go out, she wouldn't go out!

Was there any need to use such mystical arrays to restrict her?

"I didn't leave any restrictions behind when I went out."

Yang Le calmly took a sip of tea, then turned his gaze directly to Xu Ruyan. "You didn't come here tonight just to question me about this, did you?"

"Wasn't it you?"

Hearing Yang Le's words, Xu Ruyan looked startled, instinctively suspecting he was lying to her. But upon second thought, given Yang Le's strength, he had no reason to deceive her.

After a brief silence, Xu Ruyan thought of someone else. "Your disciple is extraordinary; she can deploy formations I have never even seen before. At the very least, she is definitely no ordinary beggar."

"I know she's extraordinary. There's no need to speak to me in such cryptic riddles."

Yang Le looked at Xu Ruyan once more, though this time his gaze was noticeably serious. "State your business for coming to see me."

"Tonight, did the sword in Linqing City have anything to do with you?"

Sensing the warning in Yang Le's tone, Xu Ruyan immediately dropped the subject of Li Qi'er and steered the conversation back to the purpose of her visit. "This matter is of the utmost importance."

"Whether it did or not, what difference does it make?"

Instead of answering directly, Yang Le watched Xu Ruyan,

as if attempting to glean something from her expression.

Yet after studying her for a moment, he discovered nothing out of the ordinary, other than the fact that Xu Ruyan's attitude toward him seemed considerably more guarded than before.

"If it was you, the contents within this Sword Master Token can be handed over to you right now."

Xu Ruyan followed up on Yang Le's words. "But if that sword projection had nothing to do with you, then as for what's inside this token, you'll probably..."

As she spoke, Yang Le took the Sword Master Token out of his pocket, matching her cue.

And then...

A pale golden radiance completely illuminated the entire room.