Chapter 198: Parting Ways

Having said that, Yuan Yao was about to step away.

"I'm leaving." Suddenly, Xie Yan spoke.

Yuan Yao's steps paused slightly, she lifted her head to look at him; in fact she had long guessed that Xie Yan was not a person of the Ninth Province, his appearance in the Heaven and Earth Domain was merely for the male lead Xu Yanzhi.

Now, that Xu Yanzhi should have left.

So, Xie Yan naturally had no need to stay here.

"Oh." Yuan Yao replied indifferently, "Then go well, I won't see you off."

Seeing her so cold, Xie Yan felt a hint of loss well up in his heart; he gazed deeply at Yuan Yao, the hand that had just shaken hers unconsciously clenched.

He and she…

They weren't even friends.

Xie Yan spoke: "Congratulations, you've obtained sixth place on the Ninth Province disciples' ranking."

Upon hearing that, Yuan Yao instantly pictured the ugly youth seated in the spectator stands; she couldn't help asking: "Did you use a disguise to enter the grand competition venue to watch the match?"

"No." He answered bluntly.

"Then how do you know I'm sixth?" Yuan Yao asked, then immediately regretted it, for the question was truly foolish.

The ranking of the top hundred disciples of the Ninth Province had long spread throughout the Heaven and Earth Domain, even to every corner of the Ninth Province.

So, how could Xie Yan, who was staying in the Heaven and Earth Domain, not know?

Yuan Yao glanced at him, "Thanks."

The two fell silent once again, facing each other.

Yuan Yao suddenly received a transmission from her senior brothers and sisters; upon learning they were looking for her, she prepared to bid farewell to Xie Yan.

But as she lifted her head and met Xie Yan's deep gaze, her heart fluttered with a moment of panic.

She fell silent for a second, then asked: "Will you still come to the Ninth Province?"

Xie Yan replied: "What difference does it make whether I will or won't?"

"How can you keep throwing the question back at me? Can't you just give a straight answer?"

"If nothing unexpected happens, I probably won't set foot in the Ninth Province again within ten years." As he said this, Xie Yan stared intently at Yuan Yao's brows and eyes.

Yuan Yao froze for a moment.

Ten years?

That's far too long!

She still hadn't completed her conquest task for him.

She probed: "What if something unexpected happens?"

Xie Yan did not answer that question.

"If you don't want to say, forget it. If we're fated, we'll meet again!" Seeing his reaction, Yuan Yao then said: "Xie Yan, now that you're leaving the Ninth Province, let's wipe clean all past grudges. Let's shake hands and make peace!"

Xie Yan lowered his eyes to look at her outstretched hand and said: "Do you treat everyone else this way?"

Yuan Yao was still puzzled when the youth's warm hand, like a venomous snake coiling, climbed up and immediately gripped her hand tightly.

This handshake made her heartbeat quicken a bit.

She instinctively sensed danger, lifting her eyes to meet Xie Yan's cold, dark gaze, which hid an emotion she couldn't fathom.

【Target: Xie Yan, Awakening Value reached -65.】

"Xie Yan…"

"Here, take this transmission token." Xie Yan pulled a transmission token from his bosom and handed it to her other hand.

Yuan Yao vaguely felt his attitude toward her had overstepped some boundary; she furrowed her brows, clenched the transmission token in her palm, and quickly withdrew her hand from his grasp.

She stepped back a few paces.

Sensing her resistance, Xie Yan unconsciously pressed his lips together.

After a few seconds of silent staring, he turned; his scarlet curls fluttered in the breeze, lightly brushing Yuan Yao's shoulder and leaving a hint of fragrance.

Yuan Yao watched his gradually receding figure, a mixture of complex feelings rising in her heart.

This parting might last years, or perhaps even longer.

Yuan Yao steadied her mind.

Xie Yan was merely one of many targets she needed to conquer.

Moreover, this guy Xie Yan had bullied her many times; once she became stronger, she would surely make him repent properly!

Yuan Yao withdrew her gaze, turned, slightly clenched the transmission token in her hand, then stepped away.

The two went off in opposite directions.

That ghost-faced youth suddenly halted his steps, turned his head, and gave Yuan Yao's direction a deep look.

The youth vanished instantly from the spot.

In the night, a ghost-faced youth appeared outside the Heaven and Earth Domain, riding his sword toward some direction.

He did not look back.

The youth's sword‑riding speed was extremely fast.

After half an incense stick's time, he seemed to sense something, and took out his own identity token from his storage space.

After infusing it with spiritual power, a line of words appeared on the surface of the identity token——

"The sect master summons—return swiftly!"

Xie Yan's eyes deepened slightly; he replied with a single word: "Good."

…

Inside the Heaven and Earth Domain.

Yuan Yao had originally planned to look for Weng Mingshu, then meet up with her senior brothers and sisters, but on the way she discovered a person collapsed in a dark alley.

Yuan Yao remained wary as she drew near.

When she got close, she saw that the unconscious person lying on the ground was actually Weng Mingbi!

Yuan Yao's expression changed in surprise; she hurried to Weng Mingbi's side and reached out to check his breath.

Fortunately, he still had breath.

But how could he be so badly injured? He was actually bleeding from all seven orifices.

Yuan Yao sent a message to Weng Mingshu: "Mingshu, I've found your brother; wait for me outside the Seven Spirits Pavilion, and I'll bring your brother there right away."

Upon hearing the message, Weng Mingshu immediately agreed.

Yuan Yao looked at Weng Mingbi, then fed him a Healing Wound Pill, and then reached out to pull him up.

She didn't have time to worry about anything else, directly hoisting Weng Mingbi into a horizontal carry.

Holding Weng Mingbi, she sprinted wildly toward the Seven Spirits Pavilion.

Because she was running so fast, it jolted Weng Mingbi awake, and he almost vomited.

"Are you awake?!" Yuan Yao exclaimed, seeing this, and immediately let go of her hold.

Before Weng Mingbi could react, his buttocks slammed hard into the ground, making him grit his teeth and yell in pain.

"What are you doing!" Weng Mingbi shouted through clenched teeth.

Yuan Yao nodded, "Your vital energy is still quite strong."

It should be nothing serious.

She asked, "Why did you suffer such a severe injury just now?"

"What does it have to do with you!" Weng Mingbi said, rubbing his sore spot as he got up, in an unfriendly tone.

"Huh?"

Weng Mingbi's arrogant aura instantly died down; he said, "I… I was beaten by someone. Are you satisfied now?"

"What kind of person could beat you until you bled from all seven orifices?" Yuan Yao said dubiously.

The injuries on Weng Mingbi's body don't look like they were from a beating; rather, they seem like a backlash of power.

Weng Mingbi put on a fierce front but was timid inside, saying, "I've already said it—I was beaten! Don't think that just because you're my sister's friend you can be so fierce with me! I'm your friend's brother; you should speak to me nicely!"

Yuan Yao: "……" She had never seen such a shameless person.

Weng Mingbi turned around and tried to run.

But Yuan Yao grabbed him with one hand and yanked him back sharply.

"Ahhh! It hurts! It hurts! It hurts!" Weng Mingbi felt his shoulder about to be crushed by her grip, and tears instantly welled up.

Yuan Yao stared, dumbfounded.

She hadn't even used much force.

How did this kid start crying?!

"Wuu…" Weng Mingbi cried his heart out.

Yuan Yao looked at the boy before her, who was the same age as her, and for a moment felt something subtle, the corners of her mouth twitching slightly.

Yuan Yao said helplessly, "Stop crying; I'll take you back to the Seven Spirits Pavilion. Your sister is very worried about you."

Weng Mingbi hastily wiped his tears with his sleeve, "Then you can't tell my sister that I got injured from going into deviation while secretly cultivating!"