86: Chapter 86 Ye Ruyi and Chen Xue's Feelings

The Ye Family's top brass had reached a decision. At dawn the next day, the Clan Chief Ye Qingtian personally led the Grand Elder Great Elder Ye Zhengyuan, the Second Elder Ye Wenshan, and more than half of the Family's elite forces to leave the residence, heading straight for the Black Cloud Stronghold.

Meanwhile, the Discipline Hall Elder also led another group to begin clearing out the Lin Family's various industrial strongholds in Luo City.

The entire Ye Family residence suddenly seemed much emptier.

However, the relatively secluded courtyard where Ye Tian lived remained strangely quiet.

Because Ye Tian had publicly announced that he was in seclusion to heal his injuries and consolidate his Cultivate, he declined all visitors and trivial matters, handing the daily affairs of the Family's defense to the remaining Deacon Elders, reporting only matters that truly threatened the Family's survival.

That afternoon, Ye Tian sat cross-legged on a meditation cushion, his aura deep and condensed.

The internal injuries brought about by the battle with Tu Qianshan had mostly healed under the nourishment of the Nine Revolutions Purple Heart Art and precious Medicinal Pill.

What made him even happier was that after that extreme pressure on the edge of life and death, his control over his own strength, especially his comprehension of that budding 'Martial Dao Will,' had become much deeper.

His Realm was steadily advancing toward the Peak of the first stage of the Ningyuan Realm.

"Hoo."

Exhaling a breath of turbid Qi, Ye Tian opened his eyes. The divine light in his pupils was restrained, appearing deeper than before.

Just as he was about to stand up and stretch his limbs, a light and hurried sound of footsteps came from outside the courtyard, accompanied by a crisp voice: "Little Brother Ye Tian!"

"Little Brother Ye Tian, are you there?"

"I'm coming in!"

Before the words faded, the door was pushed open, and a fiery red figure rushed in. It was none other than Ye Ruyi.

Today, she had changed into a set of red tight-fitting martial attire, which outlined her slender figure perfectly, and there was a bright smile on her face.

She was carrying an exquisite food box in her hand.

"Sister Ruyi?"

Ye Tian smiled helplessly. He had long been accustomed to Ye Ruyi's straightforward nature of "barging in uninvited."

After the Clan competition, especially during the days when he helped her expel the cold poison, the relationship between the two had become much closer, and Ye Ruyi was completely unreserved in front of him.

"Hmph, and here you said you were in seclusion to heal. I think your complexion looks just fine!"

Ye Ruyi placed the food box on the table, put her hands on her hips, and glared at him with feigned dissatisfaction, though the smile in her eyes could not be hidden. "Are you just avoiding me because you think I'm noisy?"

Ye Tian stood up, stretched his somewhat stiff joints, and laughed: "How could that be? My injuries do indeed need time to recover. Why are you free to come over today, Sister Ruyi?"

"Here, I brought you something delicious!"

Ye Ruyi opened the food box, which contained a few exquisite side dishes and a pot of steaming spirit grain porridge. "My mother made it herself, saying it's to help you nourish your body. You are our Ye Family's great hero; you can't be allowed to starve!"

As she spoke, she served porridge for Ye Tian, not stopping her chatter: "It's so tense outside right now. The Clan Chief and the others have all gone to suppress the bandits, and only your place is this quiet. Let me tell you, at the celebration yesterday, many of the sisters were secretly discussing you, saying that not only is your strength great, but you're also handsome, it's just... it's just that sometimes you're too dull, like a block of wood!"

Ye Tian was left speechless by her rapid-fire words. He took the porridge bowl and said thank you: "Please thank your mother for me. I only did what I had to do; I'm no hero."

"Ai, don't be so modest!"

Ye Ruyi sat down next to him, nudged him with her elbow, blinked her large eyes, lowered her voice, and asked with a hint of curiosity: "Seriously, Little Brother Ye Tian, now that you're so powerful, do you have... do you have a young lady you admire? I see the way Sister Chen Xue looks at you, it seems a bit different?"

She asked directly and boldly, staring at Ye Tian with burning eyes, her face full of inquiry.

Hearing this, Ye Tian was slightly startled, then shook his head with a laugh: "Sister Ruyi, what are you talking about? Miss Chen and I are just friends. The whole Ye Family is grateful for her righteous assistance this time. As for someone I admire..."

He paused, looking out the window, "With the Martial Dao not yet achieved, how can I think of starting a Family? Right now, I only want to concentrate on my Cultivate, gain enough strength to protect the Family as soon as possible, and explore the wider world."

His tone was calm and mature.

Ye Ruyi looked at his serious expression and the firm light in his eyes. Her originally playful smile faded slightly, and a trace of disappointment flashed in her eyes, but she quickly covered it up.

She patted Ye Tian on the shoulder and said with feigned maturity: "Alright, alright, I know you have high aspirations! But the path of Cultivate is long; having someone who knows your warmth and cold to accompany you would also be quite nice! Don't learn from those old antiques who only know how to practice hard and turn yourself into a real block of wood!"

She rambled on about some interesting things in the clan and, after urging Ye Tian to rest well, left with the empty food box.

She came in a rush and left in a rush, but that seemingly joking question seemed to have revealed a ripple in the young girl's heart.

Seeing Ye Ruyi off, Ye Tian shook his head, not taking her words to heart.

He sat cross-legged again, preparing to continue his Cultivate.

However, not long after he had calmed his mind, footsteps were heard outside the courtyard again.

These footsteps were gentle and silent, completely different from Ye Ruyi's hurried manner.

Ye Tian's heart moved slightly, and he quietly extended his Divine Sense. Under the moonlight, a cold and fairy-like figure was standing quietly outside his courtyard gate, dressed in white like snow, with an ethereal temperament—it was Chen Xue.

She seemed a bit hesitant and, unlike Ye Ruyi, did not barge in directly, but just stood there quietly.

She seemed to be holding a small jade bottle in her hand.

Ye Tian got up, walked to the courtyard gate, opened it, and said with some surprise: "Miss Chen? Why are you here?"

Seeing Ye Tian, a ripple seemed to pass over Chen Xue's cold face, but it returned to calm in an instant.

She nodded slightly: "I heard Young Master Ye was in seclusion to heal, so I came to visit rashly. I apologize for the disturbance."

"It's no trouble, Miss Chen, please come in."

Ye Tian stepped aside to let her into the courtyard.

Chen Xue stepped into the courtyard, her gaze quickly sweeping over Ye Tian. Seeing that his aura was stable and his complexion ruddy, she felt a little more relaxed.

She handed over the jade bottle in her hand, her tone still calm: "This is the 'Snow Lotus Flesh-Generating Pill' secretly made by my Chen Family. It has miraculous effects on repairing injuries to the Meridians. Young Master Ye turned the tide this time and consumed a great deal of energy; this pill might be of some help."

Her concern was expressed implicitly, completely different from Ye Ruyi's direct and enthusiastic way.

Ye Tian felt grateful. He took the jade bottle, which was warm to the touch, and could feel the pure medicinal power contained within—it was definitely no ordinary item.

"Thank you, Miss Chen. This pill is precious; Ye is ashamed to accept it."

"Young Master Ye, there is no need to be polite. This is only what is proper."

Chen Xue shook her head slightly, her gaze turning to the lush ancient tree in the courtyard. After a moment of silence, she said slowly, "Young Master Ye... what are your plans for the future?"

Her question was not like Ye Ruyi's girl-like gossip, but focused more on the future.

Ye Tian pondered: "For now, the priority is to restore my strength and consolidate my Realm. Once the Clan Chief and the others return triumphantly and the Family situation stabilizes, I plan to go out and travel. Beyond Luo City, there must be a wider world."

Hearing this, Chen Xue's jade hand moved unconsciously, and there seemed to be a moment of distraction in her eyes. She turned her head, her gaze falling on Ye Tian's face. Her voice was still cold, but it seemed to hold a hint of indescribable meaning: "The path of the Martial Dao is dangerous and long. Young Master Ye is of extraordinary talent, and your future is limitless. It's just... the Jianghu is full of storms, so I hope you take care."

Her words were concise but contained sincerity.

After saying this, she seemed to feel there was nothing more to say, or perhaps she was unaccustomed to expressing too much emotion, so she bowed slightly: "The Medicinal Pill has been delivered. I will not disturb Young Master's quiet Cultivate any further. Farewell."

Having said that, she turned and wanted to leave, her white clothes fluttering, her figure cold and elegant.

"Miss Chen," Ye Tian called out to stop her, saying sincerely, "Ye Tian and the Ye Family will never forget this kindness of your assistance. If there is anything Ye Tian can do for you in the future, I will certainly not refuse."

Chen Xue paused, did not look back, just gave a soft "Hmm," then floated away and disappeared into the moonlight.

She came suddenly and left decisively, leaving only a faint, lingering cold fragrance.

Holding the jade bottle, Ye Tian watched the direction where Chen Xue disappeared, feeling moved.

Chen Xue and Ye Ruyi—one as cold as snow, the other as passionate as fire—had completely different personalities, but it seemed... both showed extraordinary concern for him.

"Someone I admire?"

Ye Tian recalled Ye Ruyi's words, and then thought of the subtle ripples that occasionally flashed in Chen Xue's cold eyes, and couldn't help but smile bitterly and shake his head.

He was not a slow-witted person, but just as he had said, at this moment, his heart was only filled with the pursuit of the Martial Dao and uncovering the secrets of the chaos bead.

"For now, improving my strength is the most important thing."

He cast aside the distracting thoughts, turned back into the house, closed the door, shut out everything from the outside world, and entered into his Cultivate.