Ye Feng's Lecture

Looking at Xie Yuyan curled up in a ball, Ye Feng couldn't help but click his tongue. It seemed the wounds on his body had also been treated by her. Who would have thought they’d reunite like this after so many days? It was completely unexpected.

Ye Feng glanced at his injuries, then at the trembling Xie Yuyan, and let out a helpless sigh.

"What was the point of all this? If we could’ve just talked things out, why did I have to take a beating? Now I’m covered in pain and nearly lost my life."

In his hazy memories before losing consciousness, Ye Feng faintly recalled hearing that one of his substitute puppets from his inventory had been consumed. Just as he was about to check his inventory again, Xie Yuyan’s quiet sobbing reached his ears.

"Great... Looks like I won’t get a moment of peace anytime soon. Guess I’ll have to deal with Xie Yuyan first."

Taking a deep breath, Ye Feng turned his head toward Xie Yuyan. Coincidentally, she was peeking at him with one teary eye, looking utterly pitiful. The moment she noticed him looking back, she immediately hid again, like a child caught misbehaving.

"Xie Yuyan."

"......"

"Are you ignoring me?"

Ye Feng raised his voice slightly, but still got no response. It dawned on him—she wasn’t ignoring him; she was too scared to speak. Why did it feel like he was the one who’d done something wrong here?

After a long pause, a timid voice finally came from the corner.

"I... I heard you..."

"If you heard me, then come here already. What are you doing, growing mushrooms over there?"

Ye Feng’s tone was exasperated. Now she was acting all meek and guilty, but when she refused to listen to his explanation earlier, she was throwing punches left and right. So she was just using him as a punching bag, huh?

"I... I don’t deserve to..."

"Stop dawdling and get over here! You were fine stabbing me earlier, and now you’re saying you don’t deserve to? Are you trying to piss me off?"

"I... I... I’m sorry..."

Xie Yuyan slowly lifted her head from where it had been buried in her arms. Her once-clouded eyes were clearer now, though her pale blue irises still shimmered with tears.

"Sigh."

Seeing her like this, Ye Feng felt a twinge of gloom, but he knew this wasn’t the time to scold her. Adjusting his tone, he continued.

"About my injuries—"

"I’m sorry!"

"At least let me finish speaking first... cough..."

Ye Feng had raised his voice too much, aggravating his wounds and sending him into a fit of coughing.

"Ye Feng!"

Xie Yuyan panicked at the sight and rushed from the corner to his bedside.

"Are you okay?! Did your wounds reopen? I’ll take you to the hosp—"

"No need. It’s just a bit of pain. Nothing serious."

"O-oh... Then I’ll just... go back to my corner..."

Just as Xie Yuyan turned to retreat to her little nest of guilt, Ye Feng reached out and grabbed her wrist.

"Ye... Feng?"

"Enough. Stop running away. What’s done is done—we just have to face it. At least things didn’t get worse."

Ye Feng gave her a reassuring look and motioned for her to sit beside him.

"I..."

"Sit."

When Xie Yuyan hesitated again, Ye Feng cut her off.

"Mm... Don’t be so harsh... You might hurt yourself again."

Seeing how stern he was, Xie Yuyan had no choice but to obey. Now, every word and movement of hers was cautious.

"Pfft."

Ye Feng couldn’t help but laugh at her remark.

"And who was it that gave me these wounds, huh?"

"......"

Xie Yuyan hung her head, not daring to speak. Even sitting beside him, she was trembling.

"Alright, let’s set today aside for now. What I really want to know is—what did you do after we parted ways last time?"

"I... I traveled the world..."

"Oh, traveled the world, did you? Are you seriously not going to tell me the truth? Fine. From now on, I won’t bother with you anymore."

Xie Yuyan, who had been trying to dodge the question, froze at his words. Her emotions surged, and she suddenly gripped Ye Feng’s hand, her pupils shaking violently.

"No! Don’t! Ye Feng, don’t say things like that... I’m sorry... I’ll tell you everything. Whatever you want to know, I’ll say it."

"Xie Yuyan..."

Ye Feng hadn’t expected his words to rattle her so much. Quickly, he changed the subject.

"Then tell me—what did you do?"

"I... I..."

Xie Yuyan’s delicate face twisted slightly, as if wrestling with something inside.

"I destroyed the Dark Palace..."

"Oh, you destroyed the Dark Pal—wait... what?! You destroyed the Dark Palace?!"

Ye Feng nodded thoughtfully at first, but after processing her words, he nearly coughed up the blood stuck in his throat.

Xie Yuyan pressed her lips together, confirming with a firm nod as she watched his shocked expression.

"......"

Ye Feng wondered if he’d misheard. He repeated slowly, enunciating each word:

"You’re saying... you alone... wiped out the Dark Palace?"

"Mm..."

"You—I—ugh...!"

Ye Feng pulled a hand out from under the blanket and pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to calm himself. But honestly, who could stay calm after hearing something so insane?

"I’m sorry, Ye Feng..."

Seeing his reaction, Xie Yuyan realized she’d messed up again. At this point, all she could do was apologize.

The room fell into an awkward silence until Ye Feng finally collected himself and spoke.

"Xie Yuyan, do you know why I’m angry?"

"Because I hurt you..."

Xie Yuyan answered honestly.

"No."

Ye Feng shook his head, freed his hand from her grip, and flicked her forehead hard.

"It’s because I promised to help you! What if something had happened to you going off alone like that?!"

His sharp tone stunned Xie Yuyan. The last traces of darkness in her pale blue eyes were swept away by his concern.

"Not only did you not consider my feelings, but you also made me feel like all my efforts were wasted! When I saved you from that alley, it was so you could live safely and never suffer again. What you did just threw all that protection away! And you—"

"Ye Feng..."

Under Ye Feng's lecturing, Xie Yuyan's eyes gradually softened into obedience. With every word he spoke, she nodded in agreement, as if the two had returned to those brief, blissful days of the past.