Chapter 411: Take Me as Your Disciple

Seeing Ye Yuan again, Xiao Ruyan's tears once again flowed uncontrollably.

Ye Yuan chuckled, "What's the big deal? Is it worth dying over? Such a beautiful woman, countless people would fight to have you. What a pity to die—you'd make a fine vase at home!"

"Pfft!"

With one remark, Xiao Ruyan was amused, her tears turning into laughter. She rolled her eyes at Ye Yuan and said coquettishly, "Can't you ever speak seriously? So frivolous!"

That glance was brimming with charm, captivating enough to bewitch anyone, and even Ye Yuan felt a momentary daze.

"Haha, I just thought the atmosphere was a bit awkward, so I wanted to lighten it up," Ye Yuan said with slight embarrassment.

But Xiao Ruyan's expression darkened, and she said resentfully, "You shouldn't have saved me!"

"Oh? Saving someone is a bad thing now? Heh, you silly girl, was it worth it?" Ye Yuan laughed.

Xiao Ruyan sighed, "It's not about worth, only willingness. I didn't want to defy my father's wishes, nor did I want to become someone else's appendage. This was the best choice... Ah! What are you doing?"

Just as Xiao Ruyan was lost in self-pity, a face suddenly loomed before hers, startling her, and she quickly stepped back.

Ye Yuan laughed heartily, "You're lying!"

This moment made Xiao Ruyan's little heart pound wildly. She looked flustered, her eyes darting away as if she had been caught stealing.

"I... I'm not!" Xiao Ruyan said softly.

"Your eyes gave you away! The eyes of someone who's given up on life are lifeless, but you... you're full of attachment to this world!"

"So... so what? I have no choice!" Exposed by Ye Yuan, Xiao Ruyan said with a mix of shame and anger.

Of course she was full of attachment to this world!

She was attached to her alchemy, to her parents and brother, and to... Ye Yuan.

At this moment, Xiao Ruyan was very sensitive. She felt that Ye Yuan had feelings for her, yet he paid her no attention, knowing full well that the martial arts contest for her hand was imminent, and still went into seclusion to cultivate.

In despair, she had chosen this extreme course of action.

"Heh, if you don't want to die, then don't," Ye Yuan said with a smile.

Summoning unknown courage, Xiao Ruyan suddenly shouted at Ye Yuan, "Easy for you to say! Do you know how powerful a first-rank noble family is? Do you know the situation the Xiao family is in now? Do you know my situation? Not die? What about the contest? Are you going to defeat Huang Wenqiu and Xue Zaihe and marry me?"

Having said it all in one breath, Xiao Ruyan stared intently into Ye Yuan's eyes, looking very angry, but her heart was pounding in her throat.

She feared Ye Yuan would say no, feared he would turn and leave.

The two stared at each other, and for a moment, only their breathing filled the room.

"Alright." After a brief silence, Ye Yuan suddenly broke into a smile and said.

"What?" Xiao Ruyan didn't react in time and blurted out instinctively.

"I'll help you deal with those two guys, but... I can't marry you." Ye Yuan felt it was best not to beat around the bush on such matters.

"You... what do you mean?"

Xiao Ruyan had been pleasantly surprised, but Ye Yuan's latter words doused her like a bucket of cold water.

"I mean, I'll participate in the contest and take care of those two for you, but... I can't marry you..." Ye Yuan said.

Though he knew these words would hurt, he had to say them.

Ye Yuan had entered the Hurricane Realm only to rescue someone; whether he could return alive to the Boundless Realm was uncertain.

Even if he returned to the Boundless Realm, the two sides were destined to be enemies.

Can enemies be together?

Of course Ye Yuan liked beautiful women, but he wasn't in a position to enjoy them now. He could only treat Xiao Ruyan as a friend.

Since he regarded her as a friend, he couldn't cause her greater harm.

This was Ye Yuan's principle!

He hadn't agreed to Nanfeng Ruoqing and Nanfeng Zhirou for the same reason.

"Can you tell me why?"

Strangely, Xiao Ruyan had calmed down by now.

Ye Yuan smiled bitterly and shook his head, "I have my own difficulties. Sorry."

Xiao Ruyan nodded, then unexpectedly smiled radiantly, "As long as I don't have to marry those two! Ji Qing, thank you!"

Seeing Xiao Ruyan like this, Ye Yuan felt a little relieved. To be honest, handling emotional matters was not his forte.

Ye Yuan laughed awkwardly, "Thank me for what? Serving Miss Ruyan is the dream of countless men in the royal city! Others beg for it but can't get it, while I've hit the jackpot, ha... haha."

Ye Yuan himself thought the joke wasn't funny at all, but Xiao Ruyan giggled incessantly.

No matter how you looked at it, there was a hint of bitterness in that laughter, but Ye Yuan didn't know how to dispel it.

"Ah! Ji Qing, you... you've already reached the seventh level of Crystal Condensation?" Xiao Ruyan suddenly noticed something, and her laughter stopped abruptly.

"Mm, this month of seclusion was to break through," Ye Yuan said calmly.

"... I find you more and more unfathomable! Your skill in alchemy is despairingly strong, and you have such exceptional talent in martial arts. What kind of existence are you?"

In Xiao Ruyan's eyes, Ye Yuan was a man like a mystery. Perhaps it was this that deeply attracted her.

"Heh, I am what I am, a firework of a different color."

"So frivolous! But... even if you've broken through to the seventh level of Crystal Condensation, you're still far behind them. If... if you can't do it, don't force yourself!" Xiao Ruyan said worriedly.

Ye Yuan laughed, "Don't worry, they're just two mid-stage Sea Transformation cultivators. I don't take them seriously!"

"Really?" Xiao Ruyan said skeptically.

"Of course it's true!" Ye Yuan said confidently.

"Alright, but I have one more favor to ask, and you must not refuse!" Xiao Ruyan suddenly said seriously.

"Tell me first, and if I can, I'll agree!" Ye Yuan wasn't about to be tricked; he decided to hear her out first.

Xiao Ruyan looked at him with a resentful expression, "You really have no sense of chivalry toward the fairer sex!"

"Ha... haha." Ye Yuan laughed awkwardly.

"If you really defeat Huang Wenqiu and Xue Zaihe, you don't have to marry me, but... I want to follow you from now on!" Xiao Ruyan said.

"Huh? Follow me?" Ye Yuan looked astonished.

"Yes! If you defeat them in front of the entire royal city and then refuse to marry me, how can I ever marry anyone else? So... I'm going to cling to you; I'll follow you! If you refuse, I'll die again—I've already died once!" Xiao Ruyan threatened.

Ye Yuan's head throbbed, and he waved his hand, "What does it mean for you to follow me? I told you, I have my own difficulties!"

"That's easy—just take me as your disciple!" A hint of cunning flashed in Xiao Ruyan's eyes.