I had thought that tonight, Li Yuer would surely make a move in her heart.
But whether it was because the little girl was shy or because she never intended to trouble Xu Ping’an from the start, he actually slept quite peacefully through the night.
Only when he woke up at dawn, for some reason, his cheek felt a bit damp, and at the tip of his nose lingered a faint, delicate fragrance.
“Sir is awake? The water is ready. Please go wash up first.”
Just as he opened his eyes, Xiao Jing’s voice came through.
Perhaps it was his imagination, but he felt that Xiao Jing was somewhat avoiding his gaze now.
“Mm… where is your lady?”
Xu Ping’an nodded and got up, pulling his clothes together as he approached the basin to wash his hands and face.
“My lady is in the courtyard, enjoying tea.”
At first, Xu Ping’an didn’t suspect anything when Xiao Jing said this.
But immediately after, he sensed something was off.
Although Li Yuer was not lazy, due to her health condition, she usually wouldn’t wake up until close to the hour of Chen (around 9 AM).
Back when they lived in the small fenced yard, she would attend breakfast every day, but after eating, she’d go back for a nap.
Today, however, was obviously different. She had woken unusually early and was out in the courtyard drinking tea?
Xu Ping’an washed his face thoughtfully.
Taking the towel Xiao Jing handed him, he strode out of the room and entered the courtyard, immediately spotting the woman sitting at the stone table, staring blankly at the steaming cup of tea.
He was silent for a moment, then stepped forward a few steps and quietly whispered into Li Yuer’s ear, who was still lost in thought, “This morning, did you kiss him?”
Li Yuer’s delicate body shivered slightly, and a flash of panic appeared on her face.
“I… I didn’t!”
“No, you did.”
Sensing something was wrong, Li Yuer turned to look at Xu Ping’an, who wore a sly grin like a thief caught red-handed.
“Ah~ Sir~”
Seeing the smile on Xu Ping’an’s lips, Li Yuer spoke in a coquettish voice, swaying like a willow branch.
“How did you know?”
“How else? It’s obvious you’ve never done anything sneaky before. You kissed him, so how could you not leave any evidence on my face?”
At these words, Li Yuer’s eyes widened in surprise. Then she suddenly met Xu Ping’an’s gaze and let out a sigh of relief.
With a glance full of charm, she said, “Sir, you tricked Yuer!”
Xu Ping’an saw no hint of pretense in her expression and shook his head with a bitter smile.
“You…”
Who was Li Yuer?
With the Nine Yin Severed Meridians and Seven Apertures Exquisite Heart, did she not know how to erase evidence after secretly doing something wrong?
This was obviously deliberate.
Yet, even knowing she was playing tricks, he couldn’t get angry with her at all.
That was the true power of the Seven Apertures Exquisite Heart.
“Yuer, it’s not that I don’t like this kind of interaction, but… I don’t really like playing mind games. So can you avoid this kind of thing in the future?”
“Sir… do you not like me?”
Uh—how to answer that?
Looking into Li Yuer’s beautiful eyes, he found himself at a loss for words.
“Yuer… I am, after all, a married man. If you keep doing this, how am I supposed to face Qingxuan later?”
“If Sister Qingxuan asks, Yuer will explain.”
This was not about explaining or not—it was a matter of morality.
Looking at Li Yuer’s tender, dew-like face, Xu Ping’an opened his mouth, helpless inside.
Forget it, he thought. He didn’t even know what he had done to deserve such complicated girls, each more difficult than the last.
Speaking of which… Qingxuan should have returned to the Liuyun Sect by now, right?
Then she should be meeting Liu Yingying.
He didn’t know if the two women had met.
But the most important matter was the one at hand.
“Have you packed everything?”
He hadn’t planned to stay long at Qian Zhongyi’s house. Staying overnight was just because they had been traveling all day yesterday and night had fallen, so they needed a place to rest.
“Don’t worry, sir. I already told Old Zhao and Zhou Liang to pack. It should be almost done.”
“Good. I’ll go say goodbye to the old man. You wait here; don’t leave yet.”
“Yuer understands.”
Xu Ping’an stood, shook his long robe, and walked out of the east wing room.
Just as he stepped outside, a servant was waiting.
“Mr. Xu, you’re awake.”
“Hmm, who are you?”
“Sir, the old master ordered me to wait here. He was afraid you’d leave without saying goodbye, so he sent me to wait.”
It seemed Qian Zhongyi was afraid Xu Ping’an would slip away without notice.
Huh?
“All right, lead the way.”
“Please follow me, sir.”
He remembered yesterday going to Qian Zhongyi’s bedroom. Now it seemed they were headed to the side courtyard.
As he was still wondering, the servant suddenly stopped and called out, “Master, Mr. Xu has arrived.”
Hearing this title, Xu Ping’an immediately knew who was behind the door.
He clasped his fists and bowed slightly.
“If the Qian Patriarch wishes to see me, I would never refuse. Why use the old master’s name?”
“Mr. Xu, you’re undervaluing yourself. You’re no longer the same as before. You’ve climbed quite high now. Maybe soon this old bone of mine will have to bow to you.”
Xu Ping’an’s heart sank. That tone was sarcastic, laced with resentment.
“Haha~ I haven’t climbed any high branches. Rather than living in a jade tower too cold to bear, I’d rather stay in a humble hut by the fire.”
“Oh? Didn’t expect, Mr. Xu, that not only is your medical skill outstanding, your tongue is top-notch as well. You really startled this old bone of mine.”
Xu Ping’an’s brow furrowed; the words sounded even worse.
“Seems the Qian Patriarch doesn’t welcome me. If that’s the case, so be it… I will take my leave.”
Since the other party was so rude, Xu Ping’an wasn’t one to be bullied.
He had already backed down once, why be pushed further?
He turned to leave.
Just then, two figures suddenly appeared, blocking his path.
“Mr. Xu, why be in such a hurry? I see you have no pressing matters. Why not stay in our Qian family for a while so I can show some hospitality?”
Looking at the two blocking him, Xu Ping’an sighed inwardly.
Both had full bloodlines, strong auras, temples bulging with light — clearly third-tier warriors at the Bright Strength stage.
In this world, there was a vast gap between martial artists. Some could reach the level of cultivators, while others barely scratched the surface of martial arts in the mortal world.
These two men were at the first stage of the third realm, Bright Strength.
Next stages were Dark Strength, then Primordial Unity Strength.
Reaching Primordial Unity Strength was like touching the threshold of true cultivation. Beyond that, distinctions were unclear to Xu Ping’an.
But one thing was clear: reaching Bright Strength meant one had some accomplishment in this mundane world.
Bright Strength allowed external release of inner power, a stage where martial artists were most arrogant.
Dark Strength could manipulate inner power softly to overcome hardness, striking through mountains and oxen without damaging the skin—only the internal organs.
At Primordial Unity Strength, one could freely adjust inner power to wound both inside and outside with a single move.
To put it simply: a person killed by Bright Strength looked like they were shot by a bullet.
A person killed by Dark Strength showed no external wounds but had shattered internal organs.
Primordial Unity Strength could attack both inside and outside simultaneously.
Ordinary martial artists rarely reached Bright Strength.
Yet these two stood before him at that level.
“Qian Patriarch, I’ve heard the Qian family is hospitable to friends far and wide. Is this really how you entertain guests?”
“Heh~ If they’re just guests, our Qian family would welcome them. But some people aren’t just guests. Mr. Xu, since my father is seriously ill, why don’t you stay and help our Qian family by curing his illness first?”
“And what about my womenfolk?”
“They can leave first. After all, saving lives only requires Mr. Xu’s presence.”
So that was it. Qian Guoshun planned to use the excuse of curing illness to keep him here and separate him from Li Yuer.
“Qian Patriarch, I already diagnosed Old Qian’s illness yesterday and prescribed medicine. As long as the prescription is followed, Old Qian will be able to move freely within a month, without any serious problems.”
“As for your womenfolk leaving first, that’s not up to me. My wife is afraid of giving birth; if she leaves on her own, I would be uneasy.”
“So you’re saying no matter what, Mr. Xu, you must stay today?”
Silence filled the room for a moment before the door opened, and Qian Guoshun walked out slowly.
Seeing him open the door, Xu Ping’an noticed dozens of ancestral tablets arranged behind him.
Good heavens, this was the Qian Family Ancestral Hall?
“Qian Patriarch, are you planning to forcibly detain me?”
“Yes.”
Qian Guoshun didn’t hesitate and laid his cards on the table?
He really didn’t take him seriously at all!
“Well then, if I insist on leaving?”
“Then it means our Qian family did not entertain you well. You’ll just have to stay a few more days so we can treat you properly.”
Treat me?
This was just a soft imprisonment!
“Qian Patriarch, I will take my leave. I originally wanted to say goodbye to Old Qian today. Since you’re willing to appear in person, I’ll take my leave and thank you for your hospitality yesterday.”
Qian Guoshun shouted loudly, “Wait!”
But Xu Ping’an didn’t even glance back and continued forward.
However, the two warriors at the door weren’t just for show. As soon as Qian Guoshun finished speaking, they flanked him from left and right.
They intended to detain him here!
But Xu Ping’an smiled faintly, raised his hand, and drew a folding fan from his sleeve, flicking it open lightly.
With a sharp “snap,” the fan half-opened.
In the next instant, the two warriors who were almost reaching out to grab him suddenly stiffened, as if hit by an invisible pause button, frozen in place.
Xu Ping’an smiled broadly and turned back, folding his arms.
“Qian Patriarch, your hospitality is truly overwhelming. I find it hard to accept. I’ll take my leave now.”
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