“She’s gone. She was probably drawn away by the Chief of Clear Mist Peak. Her target is Jing Tan’er, not us.”
Yun Liu replied calmly, incidentally describing the spectacular sight of the Golden Crow splitting in two and falling from the sky—thanks to that stupid crow.
Xiao Xinran didn’t feel regret for not witnessing the treasure ship’s crash with her own eyes. Instead, her face was pale with lingering fear.
“That was too terrifying… Thankfully, Senior Sister Qin was with us. Let’s hurry and find them!”
“No need. We’ll meet up naturally when we reach the Royal Capital. By the way, you can’t tell anyone about this. I have other plans.”
Xiao Xinran nodded obediently, extremely well-behaved.
“So, while I was unconscious, it was all thanks to you protecting me that I didn’t die on that wreck… Then, did you… carry me the whole way?”
“Mm.”
Xiao Xinran blinked, wondering why she hadn’t woken up earlier.
But after a moment, she lowered her head dejectedly, hugged her slender legs, and scribbled randomly on the ground with a branch.
“Uu- I’m sorry, I disappointed you again. I couldn’t help at all when it mattered most—just dragged everyone down.”
She had worked so hard to train, but why was she still a burden, unchanged from before?
If there are no expectations, how can there be disappointment?
Yun Liu teased.
“What more do you want? Fighting a Foundation Establishment against a Golden Core, killing demon cultivators across realms? That’s what Feng Aotian does—not you. Besides, it’s not your storyline. You need to find your own path and become the Female Lead of your own story.”
At this point, she should have come to her senses, right?
“What’s a Feng Aotian? What’s a Female Lead?”
“It’s… the protagonist on stage, the one with the most scenes.”
Xiao Xinran pondered, then stared blankly at Yun Liu.
“I see. If it were your story, I’d love to be the protagonist. No, please let me be the Female Lead in your story. Wait, that’s not right—I’m going to reclaim the Female Lead position that should have belonged to me!”
Punch the yellow-haired green tea, kick the villain princess!
The confession came out of nowhere. After speaking, the red-clad girl blushed, looking like a ripe little apple.
Yun Liu thought for a moment.
“Sorry, I just see you as a little sister…”
Little sister strike two!?
Xiao Xinran clutched her chest and wailed.
“Stop, stop, stop, stop! I don’t want to hear those words again! Even if we’re strangers, I don’t want to be that anymore!”
“Alright, you’re the one who said it.”
“I said it!”
Xiao Xinran peeked over.
Yun Liu was as calm as ever, as if it were a trivial matter.
Like hearing about the price of cabbage going up at the market.
So what did that mean?
Did Little Yun finally acknowledge her change and accept her repentance?
Of course not.
Then Yun Liu spoke again, shattering the ex-wife’s beautiful fantasy.
“Very well. Then we’ll part ways here. Sorry, Miss Xiao, you’re dismissed. Head back home.”
“Mm-mm, eh—? How did it come to this!?”
So the result of a confession was… getting fired on the spot!?
“You didn’t want to be a little sister, right? I also have no desire to look after children. I’m glad we agree. So, good luck to you.”
“Th-that’s true, but next time I’ll take better care of myself. I promise not to cause you any more trouble!”
The white-robed youth smiled slightly, raising an index finger and waving it gently.
“Are you sure? You were right before. Right now, you’re just a burden to me. The journey to the Royal Capital is dangerous, and a single mistake would waste all my previous investment. Even if you wanted to die, I plan to live a few more years. Do you think I’d want you holding me back?”
In other words, the genius beauty of Sunset Peak only got in because of her connections, purely for Yun Liu’s twisted amusement.
If she couldn’t even do the job of a watchdog and could be overtaken by the likes of Jing Rui, what was the point?
If not for old friendship, Yun Liu would have fired this freeloader long ago.
“I… I…”
“In the end, we don’t even have the camaraderie of fellow disciples anymore. Stripped of the sibling bond from childhood, it’s just a simple employer-employee relationship. And you, Miss Xiao, a guard who collapses before her boss—how can you protect me?”
The poison-tongued Pavilion Chief’s words were sharp and cut to the heart.
Xiao Xinran was speechless, her voice trembling as she cried softly.
“It’s my fault for failing my duty. I know I’m not strong enough, but I’ll work twice as hard to make up for it!”
“Then come back to apply again after you achieve results.”
Yun Liu extinguished the campfire and set off under cover of night, never dragging things out or letting personal feelings get in the way.
It’s not that the Female Lead was too useless—the version was just too advanced.
For an almost fifteen-year-old young lady on her first trip down the mountain to crash into an epic side quest—just not wetting herself was already impressive, especially since her exclusive weapon was still lying deep in the Sword Furnace.
Ji Shiyu had cheats, so she could barely tag along and at least not drag down her “adoptive father.”
Provoking villainous forces too early had already triggered a chain reaction, prematurely opening the [Sorrow of a Fallen Nation] arc, and Yun Liu’s task was to nip it in the bud!
In the deep forest under the moonlight, the white-robed youth and red-clad girl walked one after another, with Xiao Xinran still trailing behind.
According to Yun Liu’s mental map, the Golden Crow crashed just outside Tinglin Prefecture, near Sancha River.
To decide where to fly next, he’d have to wait for daylight and ascend to check the direction.
When a sliver of light appeared at the horizon, Yun Liu finally stopped and looked back, scratching his head in confusion.
Running around alone was dangerous—especially for a naive beauty like her. He wasn’t the caring elder sister type like Qin Xing, and had no obligation to act as a tour guide for the Shenhua Sect Representative Team.
But who told some people to insist on joining a Hongmen Banquet?
“Even if you follow me, I won’t pay you a salary.”
Xiao Xinran hugged her spirit sword and shook her head pleadingly.
“I don’t want anything. I just don’t want to be left behind again, slinking home alone. Please, give me one more chance, Mr. Yun. Don’t drive me away, I beg you!”
“You—what status are you using to speak to me now?”
Was she a willful neighborly little sister, or a loyal bodyguard? The difference was fundamental.
“Jueyun Peak Sword Guard, Xiao Xinran!”
The red-clad girl knelt on one knee, bit her lip, and bowed with her sword, as if she had made up her mind.
Oh?
Quite stubborn.
Yun Liu stroked his chin, genuinely surprised.
Well, he didn’t mind treating Xiao Xinran as a fate tool and letting her roam free, occasionally playing the big brother next door.
He certainly hadn’t been this gentle with the yellow-haired Yun Liu—he’d just slapped the shrieking brat Xuan Nu awake.
“Get this straight. I don’t need a giant baby or a clinging child by my side—I need a sharp-clawed, fanged hound. Even so, you won’t regret it?”
“The next time someone wants to touch you, they’ll have to step over my dead body!”
This time, Xiao Xinran’s reply was firm, sparks flying in her eyes.
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