Chapter 388: Yuan Yao, It Hurts

Yuan Yao walked over, her expression calm, and said, "I went to the Mission Hall."

"Mission Hall?" Cang Li raised an eyebrow and asked, "You want to go out for training?"

Yuan Yao nodded.

Immediately afterward, she told Cang Li about the Sixth Province's Heavenly Fire Secret Realm that was about to emerge.

After hearing that, Cang Li fell silent for a moment, then stared at Yuan Yao with suspicion and asked, "Where did you go this morning?"

Yuan Yao yawned, stretched, and said, "I didn't go anywhere."

Cang Li said, "The mission notices inside the Mission Hall never list places outside the Ninth Province, so who told you about the Sixth Province's Heavenly Fire Secret Realm about to appear?"

Yuan Yao hadn't expected the Mission Hall to have no mission notices for places outside the Ninth Province; her breath caught, then she looked at Cang Li and smiled.

"A friend told me."

Cang Li exclaimed in frustration, "Yuan Yao, you've actually learned to lie!"

"Third Senior Brother, I've lied before too." Yuan Yao pouted dissatisfiedly.

Cang Li curled his finger, tapped her forehead, and snapped angrily, "You lied, and you still think you're justified?! Who is that friend? Come clean!"

Yuan Yao hissed softly, rubbed her forehead, and her beautiful eyes gazed resentfully at Cang Li: "Third Senior Brother, stop asking—I won't tell. Besides, Third Senior Brother, I have my own secrets too, don't you?"

Cang Li was left speechless.

He let out a deep sigh, feigning dejection, and said, "Fine, I won't ask."

Yuan Yao asked curiously, "Third Senior Brother, do you have any desire to go to the Sixth Province's Heavenly Fire Secret Realm?"

Cang Li glanced at her and said, "You want to go?"

Yuan Yao smiled and nodded.

Cang Li: "Then you're not practicing swordsmanship anymore?"

Yuan Yao: "Third Senior Brother, I just feel it's time for us to go out and gain practical combat experience."

Cang Li pondered for a moment; naturally he wasn't at ease letting Yuan Yao go to the Sixth Province alone, so he decided to follow her.

Cang Li let out a breath and said, "If Eldest Senior Brother leaves seclusion before we set out for the Sixth Province, we'll go together; if they don't, you'll have to think carefully, because with my current strength I might not be able to protect you."

Having said that, Cang Li leaned close to Yuan Yao, lowered his voice, and added, "Besides, you still have two Heavenly Pride Tokens on you; if others find out, we'll likely become targets of everyone."

"Third Senior Brother, are you afraid?" Yuan Yao asked, looking up at him.

Cang Li replied candidly, "Yes, I'm afraid."

Yuan Yao: "I'm not afraid, hehe."

Seeing her carefree smile, Cang Li let out a cold snort, "Well, you're not afraid. After all, you still have several life-saving talismans your Master placed on you."

Yuan Yao's lips curled up involuntarily, her beautiful eyes lifted, hands on hips, chin slightly raised, she said arrogantly, "Exactly."

"Show-off." Cang Li snorted coldly.

Yuan Yao: "Third Senior Brother, if you're afraid, you can just not go."

"Who said I'm not going?" Cang Li replied, "I, Cangaotian, am naturally fearless of heaven and earth; a mere Heavenly Fire Secret Realm holds no terror for me."

He paused briefly, then said, "As for going to the Sixth Province, let's wait until the Master returns before deciding."

Yuan Yao nodded in agreement, and summoned a Phantom Spirit Sword in her hand.

The two began to cultivate.

Until evening, they each returned to their own bamboo huts.

Inside the bamboo hut, Yuan Yao thought of Xie Yan.

She wanted to send a message to Xie Yan, but hesitated, and in the end she didn't send it.

Yuan Yao took out a formation manual from her storage space and began to study and research it.

Late at night, the wind picked up.

The wind blew the windows, making them clatter loudly.

Yuan Yao rose, about to close the windows, when suddenly a torrential downpour began, large raindrops pattering down.

She hurriedly shut the windows.

She returned to her original seat and continued studying the formations.

But the rain outside grew louder, making it impossible for her to concentrate.

She inevitably thought of Xie Yan again.

Xie Yan… he should have left that forest by now, right?

She lowered her gaze, and her plump fingertips unconsciously slid a few times across the tabletop.

After a moment of silence indoors, the girl suddenly stood up, took an umbrella from her storage space, and pushed open the door.

In an instant, wind and rain lashed at her.

Accompanied by a faint chill.

Yuan Yao opened the umbrella, stepped out of the bamboo hut, and hurried toward the direction down the mountain.

On the other side, within the forest near the Carefree Sect, the white-clad youth who had been sitting cross-legged on a giant tree trunk suddenly noticed the heavy rain; he raised his hand and instantly condensed a barrier to block the rain.

Moments later, he seemed to sense something, his eyes snapped open, he leapt down, and left the barrier.

Raindrops pattered onto his body.

He walked toward a certain direction until, within his line of sight, appeared a girl hurrying along while holding an umbrella.

The girl gripped the umbrella with both hands; she had icy skin and jade-like bones, her beauty beyond description. At that moment she seemed to sense someone ahead, she lifted her eyes and revealed a pair of bright pupils.

The two locked eyes.

【Target: Xie Yan, Awakening Value reached -8.】

Immediately afterward, she broke into a light run toward Xie Yan's direction.

Yuan Yao came before him, then raised the umbrella to shield him from the raindrops.

"You haven't left?" Yuan Yao lifted her eyes, seeing him soaked halfway, her brows slightly furrowed, her large eyes tinged with reproach.

"Mm." Xie Yan gave a soft reply.

He saw her tilt the umbrella toward him to block the wind and rain, leaving half her body soaked.

He reached out and wrapped his arms around Yuan Yao's waist, pulling her a little closer to him.

Yuan Yao, caught off guard, almost fell onto Xie Yan, her breath hitching for a moment.

She wanted to pull away, but his voice came from beside her ear: "The rain is too heavy; don't get soaked."

Yuan Yao felt her ears go numb; she suspected Xie Yan had done it on purpose, but when she lifted her head, her nose brushed his chin.

Both of them froze for a moment.

Xie Yan lowered his gaze, staring at her, "Yuan Yao, you kissed me before."

Yuan Yao recalled that scene, feeling a tingling on her scalp; she glared at him angrily, "Don't talk nonsense, it was an accident. I just accidentally bumped into you."

Xie Yan let out a muffled laugh, drawing out his tone, "Oh? I see, just an accident."

Seeing this, Yuan Yao couldn't help but lift her foot and stomp hard on the top of his foot.

Xie Yan furrowed his brows slightly.

"Yuan Yao, it hurts."

"You brought it on yourself."

Yuan Yao let out a soft hum, her gaze dropping to the arm encircling her waist, "Xie Yan, let go. I don't like this; men and women should keep their distance."

Xie Yan's eyes flickered slightly as he silently released his hold.

Yuan Yao stared at him, "Xie Yan, do you treat other girls the same way?"

Seeing her seriousness, Xie Yan tilted the umbrella handle toward her to shield her from the rain, his thin lips parting, "No."