The So-Called Repaying of Gratitude

Outside the gates of the Qing family.

Upon learning that Qing Xuanyin would be returning that day, Ye Xuan had already been waiting there for three days and three nights without sleep or rest.

Clutched tightly in his hands was a defensive robe he had spent ten years painstakingly crafting, nearly exhausting his spiritual consciousness in the process. He had made it solely so Xuanyin would suffer fewer injuries in the future.

At last, a streak of azure light swept across the horizon.

“Xuanyin!”

Ecstatic joy burst from Ye Xuan’s eyes as he rushed forward without a second thought.

But when the streak of light descended and he saw the scene before him clearly, Ye Xuan’s steps came to an abrupt halt.

Qing Xuanyin did not throw herself into his arms the instant she saw him, as she usually did.

Although her face carried a hint of weariness, a faint smile curved her lips.

And standing beside that smile was a man dressed in white as pure as snow. He had handsome features, though his complexion was unnaturally pale, revealing a sickly air.

The man tilted his head to say something to Qing Xuanyin. Whatever it was, it made the woman, usually as cold as ice, give a slight nod. An exceedingly patient tenderness appeared in her eyes—a tenderness Ye Xuan had never seen before.

Standing side by side, the man was dashing and the woman breathtakingly beautiful. Together, they looked like a perfect match.

Ye Xuan felt as though an invisible hand had seized his heart and squeezed it viciously. He drew a deep breath, forcing down the discomfort in his chest, then hurried forward and managed to squeeze out a smile.

“Xuanyin, you’re back… And this is?”

Qing Xuanyin glanced at Ye Xuan. The tenderness in her eyes vanished instantly, replaced once more by her usual aloofness.

Her tone was flat as she introduced the man. “He is my brother-in-law, Lu Yanchen. My elder sister perished while saving me. From now on, Yanchen will be staying with the Qing family. I will take care of him in my sister’s place.”

Shocked by the news of her sister’s death, Ye Xuan hurriedly cupped his hands toward Lu Yanchen.

“So you’re my brother-in-law. My condolences…”

Before Ye Xuan could finish speaking, Lu Yanchen let out a soft sigh and took a step forward.

A trace of imperceptible contempt and provocation flashed through his seemingly gentle eyes. He looked Ye Xuan up and down, his voice soft but every word cutting to the bone.

“I’ve heard Xuanyin mention Brother Ye’s name before. She said you were deeply devoted to her. But seeing you in person today… I must say, you’ve exceeded my expectations.”

Lu Yanchen gave a slight shake of his head, the corners of his lips curling into a mocking half-smile.

“Brother Ye’s cultivation at the Deity Transformation Stage is truly difficult to look at. Xuanyin is a true dragon from the ninth heaven, destined to achieve the supreme Dao in the future. With cultivation as inferior as yours, forget standing alongside Xuanyin—even following her around on ordinary days would probably invite criticism and damage her reputation, wouldn’t it?”

The moment these words were spoken, Ye Xuan’s face flushed bright red.

The Deity Transformation Stage was the most untouchable scar and deepest pain in his heart.

He had cultivated like a madman, even at the cost of exhausting his origin. But how could one easily bridge the gulf between their innate talents?

Now, a man who had only just arrived had torn apart his most vulnerable pride and trampled it beneath his feet—in front of his fiancée, no less!

“What gives you the right to judge my cultivation?”

Humiliated and enraged, Ye Xuan’s Deity Transformation spiritual power erupted uncontrollably from within him. He took a fierce step forward, his eyes blazing as he glared at Lu Yanchen.

Yet the instant Ye Xuan released his spiritual power, Lu Yanchen suddenly looked like a startled rabbit. His face went deathly pale, and he staggered backward two steps, clutching his chest with an aggrieved expression.

“Outrageous!”

The icy shout rang out beside Ye Xuan’s ears like thunder from the ninth heaven.

A terrifying pressure belonging to a mighty expert of the Tribulation Transcendence Stage instantly crushed Ye Xuan’s spiritual power into nothingness.

Qing Xuanyin flashed forward and stood firmly in front of Lu Yanchen. The eyes that had once been filled with tenderness when she looked at Ye Xuan were now utterly cold.

“Ye Xuan, what are you doing?” Qing Xuanyin rebuked him harshly, her eyes filled with disappointment. “Yanchen merely spoke the truth and expressed concern for my future. Why are you flying into a rage? You even tried to attack him?”

“He has just lost his wife, and his mind has already suffered a grievous blow. How could you be so vicious?”

Ye Xuan stared at her in disbelief, his hands trembling. He pointed at Lu Yanchen, who was protected behind Qing Xuanyin, his voice hoarse and almost unrecognizable.

“I’m vicious? Xuanyin, didn’t you hear how he insulted me just now? I’m your fiancé!”

“So what?”

Qing Xuanyin snorted coldly. There was not the slightest trace of hesitation or pity in her gaze.

“If this so-called fiancé of mine is nothing more than a narrow-minded, petty, mediocre man who knows only how to be jealous, then I think it would be better to dissolve this engagement altogether!”

The words “dissolve this engagement” were like four sharp blades, plunging viciously into Ye Xuan’s heart.

He stared blankly at the woman before him, a woman who had become utterly unfamiliar. It was as though all his strength had been drained from his body.

For the sake of a man she had only just met, she was actually threatening him with the dissolution of their engagement?

“Now apologize to Lu Yanchen at once!” Qing Xuanyin demanded relentlessly, her tone cold and commanding.

“Apologize to him?” Ye Xuan bit through his lip, blood dripping down his chin. He would rather die than endure such humiliation!

“So you refuse?” Qing Xuanyin’s eyes turned cold, and the pressure of her Tribulation Transcendence cultivation grew even heavier. “If you won’t apologize, then from this day forward, you are forbidden from entering the Qing family’s gates again!”

Under the crushing pressure, Ye Xuan’s knees began to bend.

He looked at Qing Xuanyin’s merciless gaze, then at Lu Yanchen standing behind her, the corners of his lips faintly curled in smug satisfaction.

At that moment, all his pride and dignity were crushed to pieces.

“I’m… sorry…”

Ye Xuan clenched his teeth and forced the three words out through the gaps between them. His fingernails dug deeply into his palms, drawing blood.

Only after seeing Ye Xuan lower his head did Lu Yanchen step out from behind Qing Xuanyin. He wore an expression that was both self-righteous and magnanimous.

“Forget it, forget it. Brother Ye is simply an emotional man who acted impulsively. Naturally, I won’t hold it against him. Xuanyin, don’t be angry with him either.”

Seeing Lu Yanchen’s magnanimity, admiration and guilt flickered through Qing Xuanyin’s eyes. But when she turned back toward Ye Xuan, all that remained in her gaze was disgust.

From that moment on, Ye Xuan’s hell officially began.

Over the following months, Lu Yanchen became an inescapable shadow, completely monopolizing Qing Xuanyin’s attention.

As long as Lu Yanchen sent her a message, Qing Xuanyin would leave whatever she was doing without hesitation—even if she were in secluded cultivation—and hurry to his side.

What drove Ye Xuan to despair most of all was his birthday.

That night, Ye Xuan was filled with anticipation. He had spent nearly all his savings arranging a starry formation across Falling Blossom Valley in the rear mountains of the Qing family. He had also prepared Qing Xuanyin’s favorite spirit fruits and immortal wine.

He sat at the table, waiting from sunset until the moon rose high in the sky.

Just then, Qing Xuanyin arrived. She was dressed in full finery, and a trace of apology showed on her exquisite face.

Ye Xuan’s heart leaped. He hurried forward to greet her.

“Xuanyin, you’re finally here. Come, sit—”

Before he could finish speaking, the communication jade slip at Qing Xuanyin’s waist suddenly emitted a dazzling red light.

Qing Xuanyin’s expression changed. She immediately read the message contained in the jade slip. The next moment, all traces of apology vanished from her face, replaced by extreme anxiety and concern.

“Ye Xuan, I can’t stay and celebrate your birthday with you.” Qing Xuanyin did not even look at Ye Xuan as she turned to leave.

“Why?” Ye Xuan clung desperately to her sleeve, his voice trembling. “Can’t you stay just for tonight? I’ve been waiting for you for so long…”

“Let go!” Qing Xuanyin shook off his hand, her tone edged with impatience and reproach. “Yanchen just sent word that his chest is hurting terribly. He started thinking about my sister again and coughed up a lot of blood. I have to go see him immediately!”

“His chest hurts?” Ye Xuan let out a bitter laugh. “He’s a cultivator! What kind of chest pain could possibly be more important than your fiancé’s birthday? He’s clearly doing it on purpose!”

“Ye Xuan! You’re being completely unreasonable!”

Qing Xuanyin flew into a rage and shoved Ye Xuan away with all her strength. “Yanchen is all alone. I’m the only one who can take care of him right now. Can’t you stop being so selfish and quit being suspicious of everything? You can celebrate your birthday next year, but if something happens to him, how could I ever face my dead sister?”

With that, she left without the slightest hesitation or reluctance, transforming into a streak of azure light that vanished into the night sky.

Ye Xuan was knocked to the ground. He stared at the starlight filling the valley and the immortal wine that had gone cold on the table, his heart twisting with savage pain.

Bitterness, despair, and fury intertwined into a single mass of poisonous fire.