Chapter 395: Got you!

Yuan Yao quickly extended her spiritual sense into it and heard Xie Yan's voice coming through.

"I ran into a little trouble, so I'm late."

"Yuan Yao, where are you?"

Yuan Yao could tell his voice was hoarse and weak; she guessed he must be injured.

She was about to reply to Xie Yan, but thinking her third senior brother was nearby, she felt it inappropriate.

She countered Xie Yan: "Where are you now? I'll come find you."

"Near the city gate." Xie Yan quickly replied.

Yuan Yao looked up and saw, in the distant crowd, a gold-robed youth wearing a mask glancing left and right, as if searching for someone.

She felt a slight tension, quickly turned and headed toward the city gate.

At the same time, she used her identity token to send a message to her third senior brother: "Third senior brother, go wait for me at Fuman Teahouse first."

Cang Li, upon receiving Yuan Yao's message, felt no suspicion, answered "Sure," and headed to the nearby Fuman Teahouse.

At this moment, Yuan Yao weaved through the crowd toward the city gate.

And her figure quickly caught someone's eye.

A red-clad figure leapt down from the third floor of the tavern, causing the street crowd to gasp; upon seeing the red-clad man's face clearly, they showed a hint of astonishment.

The red-clad man weaved through the crowd, following Yuan Yao's steps.

Meanwhile, Yuan Yao also noticed someone closely following her from behind.

She suddenly stopped, turned, and looked back.

A tall figure swiftly approached and, with lightning speed, grabbed her sleeve; the red-clad man let out a light laugh.

"Yuan Xiao Liu, I've caught you."

Yuan Yao looked at Qian Yunzhou before her, felt wary, and instinctively stepped back, sensing danger.

Qian Yunzhou is truly terrifying; she dressed like this and even wore a mask, yet he could still recognize her.

This shows he has extraordinarily keen observation.

"You've mistaken the person." Yuan Yao deliberately muffled her voice, then violently pulled her sleeve free from his five fingers.

She turned to leave, but he grabbed her again, laughing: "You say I've mistaken the person? Then let it be a mistake."

Yuan Yao quickly struck out with her palm.

Qian Yunzhou raised his palm to block.

Immediately after, Yuan Yao kicked straight at his chest.

Qian Yunzhou couldn't dodge in time and was kicked squarely; with a "Thud," his chest felt a dull impact.

A shoeprint remained on his chest.

As he staggered, he saw the street crowd, as if possessed, swarm toward him, causing him to lose Yuan Yao.

Moments later, the crowd suddenly regained their senses, staring at each other blankly, unaware of what had happened.

Qian Yunzhou snorted, his expression showing a hint of helplessness.

"Yuan Xiao Liu, you kicked me so hard it really hurts."

He also realized Yuan Yao's strength had increased by leaps and bounds, and she even mastered puppet techniques.

Since parting at the Flowing Light Secret Realm, only a little over five months have passed…

Her growth rate is truly too fast.

…

On the other side, after shaking off Qian Yunzhou, Yuan Yao continued toward the city gate; just as she was about to reach it, the emerald green jade tablet in her storage space suddenly lit up.

Yuan Yao stopped, extended her spiritual sense to listen.

"In the alley on the right."

Her expression shifted slightly, then she walked toward the right-hand alley.

She turned left and right in the alley, finally seeing Xie Yan.

At this moment, Xie Yan still wore a white robe, leaning against the wall; he seemed to sense her arrival, turned his head, and revealed his handsome, bewitching face deathly pale, with a faint scent of blood.

Yuan Yao frowned, stepped forward toward him.

Her steps were a little quicker than usual.

She came before him and asked, "Are you injured?"

Xie Yan looked at her attire at that moment and gave a soft "hng."

"Where are you hurt?"

"Just a minor injury."

Yuan Yao frowned tighter, "Xie… Xie Zixu, stop answering unrelated questions."

Xie Yan straightened his body and said, "My chest, shoulders, and left hand are injured."

"Have you treated the wounds?"

"Yeah, I just simply bandaged them."

"Then have you taken any medicine?"

"Yes."

"How do you feel now?"

"Still…" Xie Yan paused slightly, then said, "It still hurts a bit."

Yuan Yao took out a fifth-grade pill from her storage space, pulled his hand over, and placed it in his palm.

"Take it."

Seeing her actually produce a fifth-grade pill for him, Xie Yan's lips unconsciously twitched upward, then he pressed them down.

"Thank you. I can hold on, so don't waste this medicinal pill; take it back."

"Xie… Xie Zixu, you're so stubborn." Yuan Yao snatched the medicinal pill from his palm, then pinched his cheek and fed the pill into his mouth, but her fingertip inadvertently touched his soft, warm lips.

Her heart skipped a beat, and she silently pulled her hand back, placing it behind her back.

Xie Yan didn't notice her small movement.

He swallowed the medicinal pill, choked a bit, and involuntarily coughed a few times.

Yuan Yao looked at his weak appearance and said, "Otherwise, don't go into the Heavenly Fire Secret Realm; right now, the most important thing is for you to rest and recover your body."

"Are you worried about me?" Xie Yan laughed, yet his phoenix eyes now gained a touch of softness, lacking their usual grim and cold severity.

Yuan Yao said, "I'm afraid you'll die inside the Heavenly Fire Secret Realm."

Xie Yan laughed even more happily.

He was born handsome, and when he smiled he looked even better; his phoenix eyes slightly curved, bearing the youthful vigor and high spirits.

"What are you laughing at?" Yuan Yao glared at him.

"Because you're afraid I'll die." Xie Yan slightly lowered his body, meeting her gaze eye‑to‑eye, "You're afraid I'll die, which means you want me to live. Naturally, I'm happy."

Even through the mask, Yuan Yao could feel his scorching breath; she stepped back half a step, "There's more than just me who wants you to live."

The youth stepped closer.

"But I only care about your thoughts."

Yuan Yao's heart pounded wildly inside her chest; she silently swallowed her saliva, looking at him disapprovingly, "How can you say that? If your relatives and friends heard it, how heartbroken they would be."

Upon hearing those words, Xie Yan's expression stiffened slightly, as if he had recalled something.

His expression shifted from bright to overcast, and he slightly turned his head away.

Seeing his demeanor, Yuan Yao realized she might have misspoken.

She tilted her head to look at him, "Xie Zixu, are you angry?"

Xie Yan caught a glimpse of her like that, and the rising dark emotions gradually faded; at this moment he found her utterly adorable.

He gazed at her earnestly, "Yuan Yao, I will not give up entering the Heavenly Fire Secret Realm. Inside the Heavenly Fire Secret Realm, you can still use the jade tablet to contact me."

Yuan Yao nodded.

She pressed on, "Just now, were you angry with me?"

"Why would I be angry with you?" Xie Yan blinked, then his tone turned slightly cold: "I'm just recalling some past unhappy matters."

After a pause, he asked curiously, "If I were really angry with you, what would you do?"

Yuan Yao crossed her arms, raised her chin in a haughty, spoiled manner, and said, "I wouldn't want to be friends with you."

Xie Yan raised his brows, "Yuan Yao is a petty person, especially vengeful."

"I love holding grudges." Yuan Yao chuckled, then stepped hard on the top of his foot, and immediately ran off.

She left without looking back, uttering one sentence.

"Xie Zixu, we'll meet in the Heavenly Fire Secret Realm."