Chapter 117: with translation of chapter title

It seemed as if they rolled their eyes at Su Chen.

In an instant,

Zixia imagined countless miserable scenes of Liu Liyan being abused, her teeth almost grinding from anger: "Better not."

"The master once issued an order that all male disciples in the hall must not come within five meters of her, nor accompany her on any errands."

"The master has severe androphobia and mysophobia."

Hearing that, Zixia felt even more heartbroken, tears nearly spilling. She gave Liu Liyan a deep, pitying look, then quickly turned and left: "Master, you obviously despise men."

"But now she's actively getting close to Su Chen; she must have suffered greatly."

"Qingxia, the Dharma Protector, probably has never looked this bad in her life—her face alternating between green and white—likely after her cultivation was sealed, she also endured unimaginable punishment; she doesn't even dare to tear Su Chen apart as before, only able to roll her eyes to vent her anger."

"I can't even imagine what inhuman torment she suffered during the time the master vanished; I can't believe how anguished and tormented her heart must be now—I will surely rescue her from Su Chen's hands."

The two exchanged a glance, each silently resolving.

Their figures quickly disappeared.

They rushed madly toward the Xuan City branch hall.

Inside the tavern, Liu Liyan leaned against Su Chen's embrace, her fingers lightly clutching his lapel; from this angle, she could clearly sense the breaths of the two inside the alleyway through his bronze mask.

When she sensed their breaths, her eyes filled with anger……

For some reason, a bad premonition rose in her heart.

She felt as if she had forgotten something.

What had she forgotten——

Whoosh!

Liu Liyan suddenly had a flash of inspiration.

Liu Liyan recalled that, when she left the city, she seemed to have forgotten to inform the hall's disciples.

She had followed Qingxia to leave Qianyuan City via a teleportation array, all the way heading toward the outer realm border.

Because her mind was full of "A Chen", she so wanted to see him that she didn't even send back a single jade slip message.

Thus far, in the hearts of her subordinates in the hall, she has been missing for ten days.

"A Chen."

Liu Liyan, looking up at Su Chen's profile, rubbed her soft hair against his jaw; her flawless white face lifted slightly from his wide robes, and in her cool voice, tinged with a hint of numbing allure, she whispered to his ear: "I'm a bit tired."

"I don't want to go to the Chu family head's welcoming banquet; can I wait here for you?"

Su Chen stroked a handful of Liu Liyan's silky hair and said indulgently: "Okay."

"I'll have the black dog guard here; just wait obediently for my return."

When evening drew near,

Su Chen, accompanied by the black sheep and others, went to attend the banquet.

The Chu family head had indeed been on close terms with the Heavenly Mystery Dao Sect years ago, but in recent years they had almost ceased contact; now, astonishingly, at this critical juncture, he dared to invite the Su family, claiming no ulterior motive—Su Chen did not believe him.

Qingxia, full of doubt, just watched Su Chen leave.

It shouldn't be; the master clings to the young master Su—how could she let him go to the banquet so reassuringly?

"Master."

"That the Chu family head suddenly invited the young master Su surely hides some scheme! There are so many dusty women out there; shouldn't you follow and keep an eye? What if another Lin Jianran pops up—what then?"

Liu Liyan glanced at her expressionlessly and said coldly: "You think I'm deliberately not going?"

"Isn't it?"

"Did you forget something?"

"Subordinate hasn't forgotten anything,"

"Is that so?" Liu Liyan slightly narrowed her eyes and said lightly: "If you hadn't forgotten something, how could I have seen Zixia appear in Xuan City? Isn't she here to find us?"

The words fell.

Qingxia felt utterly unwell.

How could she have forgotten this…… At the start of leaving the city, she forgot to inform the Breaking Army Hall's people!! Now likely all the disciples of Qianyuan City are searching for their whereabouts.

What should be done—wouldn't this expose their identity?

If their true identity were known to the young master Su, it would likely be fatal.

Wait a moment.

Qingxia's thoughts suddenly went astray; she turned her head to glance at Liu Liyan and said: "Hall Master… Breaking Army Hall, you wouldn't have started to develop feelings for the young master Su from that time, would you?"

Liu Liyan's eyebrows twitched slightly.

"Is that not allowed?"

"Then why don't you, as the Holy Maiden of the Purple Yang Sect, stay put, but instead wander about taking in orphans and teaching them cultivation—is it all for the young master Su?"

"Even me—I was abandoned by my birth parents, and my adoptive parents were sending me to the demonic sect when you rescued me—was that also for the young master Su?"

"Even you establishing the number one assassin hall in Central Province, with intelligence organizations, assassination organizations, resources…"

"So you did all this for the young master Su, right?"

Liu Liyan silently nodded in acknowledgment.

"What's wrong with that?"

Gazing at Liu Liyan's matter-of-fact expression, Qingxia felt her heart suffer a heavy blow.

She stared dumbfounded at the woman before her, her heart pounding, shocked and unable to calm.

She had thought she already understood Liu Liyan's degree of fondness for Su Chen, but she hadn't expected……

Now thinking about it, she was still too superficial, seeing only the surface.

Even just the surface phenomena were enough to make one's scalp tingle.

"When you saved me that year, I was only ten. Master, could you tell me when you started liking Young Master Su?"

"Born this way."

"What did you say?"

Liu Liyan said in her usual tone: "I was born this way."

At this time,

On the way from Qinglong Holy Land to Xuan City.

The disciples of Qinglong Holy Land reached a wasteland, rested for a while, prepared to eat some spiritual meat, and were getting ready to continue toward Qianyuan City.

All along the way, Su Yao, who constantly worried about Su Chen, couldn't sleep at night, couldn't eat well, and couldn't calm her mind even during cultivation meditation.

Whenever she thought of her brother imprisoned in the heavenly prison, suffering endless torment, she felt waves of pain in her heart, filled with guilt and self-reproach.

"If I had known it would be like this, I shouldn't have argued with you back then..."

"Little Chen, I don't even know how you are now, or whether you still blame me; Father is far away in Yunhai City, preoccupied with himself; you used to be fully protected by the Tianxuan Dao Sect, but now the Tianxuan Dao Sect has been destroyed..."

"You are alone imprisoned in the heavenly prison of Qianyuan City; who knows how much injustice you must suffer."

Su Yao stood in the courtyard, lifted her gaze to look at the distant mountains, her expression filled with worry and prayer.

The personal maid was cleaning the courtyard; their station was the ruins of a destroyed sect, and to rest peacefully for the night, they necessarily had to clean it thoroughly.

Although cultivators usually keep things simple, now that demonic beasts run rampant, for safety's sake and to conveniently set up a large spirit-gathering array to save spirit stones, it's ultimately much better.

Taking the spatial teleportation array from Qinglong Holy Land, rushing day and night, expending spiritual power, this is the first night of rest after coming across realms; ultimately, a lot of spiritual power has been consumed and needs to be replenished.