Chapter 6

「Is this... am I seeing things? How could the young sect master appear together with the Holy Maiden of the Purple Yang Sect? 」 The young man in fine robes stared in disbelief, turning to ask.

「He's always been like a piece of dog-skin plaster, sticking to Sister Yanran, right? 」

「Furthermore, for Miss Lin's saying that a man should love himself before loving others, he even replaced all his personal maids with male servants。」

「In broad daylight, he's mingling with the Holy Maiden Liu—doesn't he fear that Sister Lin will get angry and ignore him? Or is he doing it on purpose, trying to provoke her? 」

「Stay back—look at her eyes, careful you don't get cursed! 」

「……」

Many female cultivators were discussing it heatedly.

Many people had already started keeping their distance, as if... Liu Liyan were a plague.

Everyone in the Eastern Wasteland knows about Su Chen's bizarre antics in pursuing Lin Jianran.

In the past, which aristocratic young lady, which noble daughter of a great clan, didn't envy Lin Jianran?

Behind her back, those who don't secretly mock Liu Liyan say she's a Heaven's Killer Lone Star—gifted with beauty and talent, yet unable to keep a man, cursed to suffer lifetime after lifetime.

Since Liu Liyan's cultivation went awry three years ago, turning her pupils into blood-red gems, she's been mocked endlessly, hardly ever leaving her home, and has never attended any festival.

The woman in a cyan-green robe frowned slightly, clenched the hem of her skirt, and immediately rose to bid farewell to the sisters: 'Sisters, I have something to attend to, so I'll take my leave.'

She needed to hurry to the Lin residence, tell Lin Jianran what she'd seen here, and casually ask what had happened.

Su Chen's audacity knows no bounds!

He's gone mad!

A wretch as low as dirt should be fawning over and indulging Sister Lin, yet he dares to consort with another woman behind her back?

The woman in the green skirt stormed into the Lin residence, indignant—clearly these years of Su Chen's forbearance and humility have made everyone in the Eastern Wasteland forget that his identity is the Young Sect Master of the Heavenly Mystery Dao Sect!

And Lin Jianran?

When it comes to family background and cultivation talent, he's only worthy of handing her shoes!

Bang!

「What did you say? 」

Lin Jianran's features twisted with anger as she stared at the green-skirted maiden who'd brought the news: 'Su Chen actually took the hand of that Heaven's Killer Lone Star, Liu Liyan, and went to the Lantern Festival?'

Seeing Lin Jianran fly into such a rage, the green-skirted woman was startled badly.

She nodded and said, 'Mm-hm, it's true—I saw it with my own eyes!'

「Sister Lin, what on earth is going on? Everyone in the Eastern Wasteland knows Su Chen loves you to death, holding you in his mouth for fear you'll melt, in his palm for fear you'll break—how dare he do something so absurd? 」

「Moreover, Liu Liyan is cursed by the Heavenly Dao, a Heaven's Killer Lone Star; besides, in the Eastern Wasteland, doesn't he know you despise Liu Liyan the most? He used to avoid her like the plague, unable to get away fast enough. 」

A layer of frost crept over Lin Jianran's lovely face, while a ball of fire surged in her chest toward her heavenly crown.

White mist billowed upward.

What else could it be?

It's nothing but to force me to agree to the engagement!

Originally, Lin Jianran just wanted to keep her distance, not let Su Chen win easily, dragging things out until her childhood friend Ye Xuan finished his cultivation, then kick Su Chen to the curb.

But now she's changed her mind.

Heh!

「Good, good, very good! 」

Lin Jianran's lips trembled from anger, her teeth chattering: 'Su Chen, I announce that from this moment on, you have completely lost me!'

The green-skirted woman jumped in fright, about to say something.

Lin Jianran impatiently raised a hand to cut her off, saying coldly: 'Not long ago, the Heavenly Mystery Dao Sect sent someone to propose marriage; I refused. Su Chen must be unwilling to accept that, so he's resorting to this trick to make me bow down.'

「But she's touched my bottom line! 」

「How dare he threaten me with such tactics—does he even deserve it? He's always clinging to me like a lapdog, licking me nonstop; he doesn't even measure up to a single leg hair of Brother Ye Xuan, and if it weren't for a few broken spirit stones, I wouldn't give him the time of day! 」

「Bi Lian, go tell Su Chen a message for me right now. 」

「Wait, no… no need to pass it on! 」

「The more I rush to confront him now, the more it shows I care about this, about him; I'd rather not give him what he wants, I'd rather pretend nothing happened, making him sit on pins and needles, feel uneasy, toss and turn unable to sleep. 」

「Then… hum! Let him chase me to my grave! 」

Seeing Lin Jianran so full of confidence and conviction, Bi Lian swallowed the words she'd been about to say.

She had just been about to speak, but seeing Su Chen's delighted, cherishing expression, it didn't look like he'd use Liu Liyan to make her jealous—rather, it truly seemed he had given up on her.

But she well knew Lin Jianran never had the slightest feeling for Su Chen; it was all to help her childhood friend, her first love and white moonlight Ye Xuan, achieve rapid cultivation.

But now… Ye Xuan has vanished without a trace; across the Eastern Wasteland, the best backup plan is undoubtedly Su Chen.

She's playing like this—doesn't she fear it'll backfire?

Moreover, Lin Jianran is so certain that Bi Lian can't help but believe her.

Mm, that's right!

It's just that this estimate is because Su Chen's acting is too good, he's pretending too convincingly.

Bi Lian let out a breath; over the years following Lin Jianran, she's gotten plenty of pills and magic artifacts—all of which Su Chen asked her to deliver kind words to Lin Jianran—and she doesn't want to give up this money tree.

「Sister Lin, you're right—Su Chen is waiting for you to come question him; who knows what state of anxiety he's in right now? 」

「I'm sure he won't last two days… no, not even one day before he can't hold back and comes begging Sister Lin for forgiveness, hehehe…」

Their hearty laughter echoed throughout the main courtyard of the Lin manor.

Lin Jianran, Bi Lian, and indeed the entire upper crust of the Eastern Wasteland—sect and aristocratic young ladies alike—firmly believe Su Chen is playing hard to get, and that it won't be long before he returns, bows his head, apologizes, and seeks forgiveness.

But what's the reality?

【Ding!】

【Points surge to point】

【Points surge to point】

【……】

Hehehe!

Su Chen felt utterly delighted inside, holding Liu Liyan's soft, boneless little hand, not loosening his grip for even a second.

Her fair, delicate little hand was gripped by Su Chen's big hand, leaving a red imprint.

Along the way, Liu Liyan several times overheard from afar with her divine sense those people whispering behind their backs, saying things like, "The more arrogant you are now, the more humble you'll be when you beg Lin Jianran for forgiveness."

She instinctively thought that also made sense.

So she deliberately tried to keep as much distance as possible from Su Chen.

But Liu Liyan's heart was extremely unwilling, and she didn't want to, because she enjoyed the feeling of being constantly held by Su Chen.

"What's wrong? You look worried."

Su Chen inadvertently caught sight of Liu Liyan's delicate face and couldn't help but frown.

Liu Liyan's blood-red eyes were clear and pure, her appearance extremely obedient, completely unlike her former cold and fierce demeanor in the Purple Yang Sect: "I'm a bit worried!"

"What are you worried about?"

"I'm worried that after this, when you go to Miss Lin, you'll be wronged... I, I will feel heartbroken."

Su Chen stared blankly for a moment.

Only then did he realize that his three-year image of being utterly obedient to Lin Jianran had already become deeply ingrained in everyone's minds.

It seemed as if everything he had done was for the sake of pursuing Lin Jianran.

Su Chen let out a heavy sigh: "I didn't expect you to think that way too."

"Liu Liyan, I solemnly tell you that everything I do today and from now on is not to win anyone over, nor to pursue her Lin Jianran; I have no feelings for Lin Jianran whatsoever. I hold your hand simply because I want to hold your hand, I want to walk with you, not to spite anyone or make anyone jealous."

"I hold your hand because I like being close to you!"

Upon hearing that, Liu Liyan's heart felt as if pricked by something, and her body went slightly numb.

Thump thump thump...

Her heart suddenly raced.

Before she could say anything.

Not far away, a puff of laughter burst out: "Hahahaha! Su Chen, you really don't care about face anymore, still trying to regain your dignity in front of a beauty?"

"In the entire Eastern Wasteland, who doesn't know you, Su Chen, who loves Lin Jianran to death, and how many things you've done trampling the Purple Yang Sect in pursuit of her, even causing the Purple Yang Sect to lose face—surely you haven't forgotten all that?"

"Lin Jianran likes my elder brother Ye Xuan; you're not even worthy to carry her shoes! Don't you agree, Holy Maiden Liu?"

The voice came from behind him.

Turning his head, he saw that it was indeed one of the three major families of Qianyuan City, the Ye family, the second son Ye Feng.

He wore a black brocade robe with several golden patterns embroidered on the cuffs.

He wasn't particularly tall, and at that moment he looked at Su Chen with great disdain, his eyes barely concealing contempt.

"I believe in Master Su." Liu Liyan's gentleness from a moment ago vanished completely, replaced by endless coldness, a layer of frost forming on her pretty face.

She seemed intent on keeping people at arm's length.

"What a measly second-rate clan, daring to speak grandly before this Holy Maiden! Su Chen, as the young sect master of the Heavenly Profound Dao Sect, need not stoop to your level, but that doesn't mean I will forgive you—abolish your cultivation and get lost!"

Ye Feng's smile froze instantly.

He never expected that Su Chen had previously treated Liu Liyan and the Purple Yang Sect that way, yet Liu Liyan actually stood on Su Chen's side.

That shameless woman will surely regret it; waiting for his elder brother Ye Xuan to return from the Central Lands, he will definitely make her look bad.

These past years he has intentionally or unintentionally let the Purple Yang Sect know that his elder brother Ye Xuan has been taken notice of by some important figure in the Central Lands, and he wants to first win over the Purple Yang Sect.

But why does Liu Liyan always act aloof and arrogant toward him?

What good is this trash Su Chen? Aside from a slightly better background and slightly better looks, what other merits does he have? His cultivation is nothing more than being piled up with pills.

Why on earth does this idiot Su Chen have any good points, worth her defending him so much?

Ye Feng, the more he thought, the more unwilling he became, and he blurted out the words he couldn't say: "Heh! Su Chen, you won't be able to jump around for long; in just a few days my elder brother will come from the Central Lands with a great host of strong warriors to fulfill our three-year agreement, and by then you, along with the Heavenly Profound Dao Sect behind you, will die an ugly death!"

"Do you want me to do it myself?" Liu Liyan's eyes flashed with killing intent.

Ye Feng instinctively stepped back, turned and left without looking back, and as he left he still didn't forget to throw out harsh words: "Liu Liyan, if you can't protect him, my elder brother will surely avenge our family's humiliation; the strong warriors coming from the Central Lands are not something the four great sects can resist."

You good-for-nothing who only thinks with your lower half, enjoy the rest of your time!

Only after Ye Feng completely disappeared did that voice gradually fade away.