203: Chapter 203 Why Don't You Dare Look at Me

If word of this got out, how would the Sect view him?

And how would they view her?

Besides, he was several years younger than her, possessed outstanding talent, and had boundless prospects.

In the future, he would meet many, many women who were better than her.

Right now, she had only blocked a palm strike for him and been poisoned, and he had only done this out of necessity to save her.

She did not want him to shoulder a responsibility he shouldn't have to because of this.

"Junior Brother, there is no need."

Han Qingxue's voice softened, carrying a slight nasal tone.

"Last night was to save me; you don't need to feel like you owe me anything because of it. Once we return to the Sect, you and I will still be Senior Sister and Junior Brother. There is no need to mention this again."

Ye Yun looked at her, staring for a long time.

Then, he reached out, wrapped his arm around her waist over the quilt, and pulled her—quilt and all—into his embrace.

Han Qingxue let out a soft cry of surprise. She pressed both hands against his chest and tried to push him away through the quilt, but she couldn't budge him.

"Senior Sister."

Ye Yun's voice drifted down from above her head, deep and steady.

"Listen closely. It is not because of a sense of debt, nor is it out of guilt. Last night, you asked who it was, and I said it was me. You said if it was me, it was fine. It is the same for me. Only because it was you was I willing."

Han Qingxue's hands pressing against his chest froze.

She buried her face in the quilt, and only after a long while did she speak in a muffled voice.

"But... I am older than you."

"So what?"

"I am your Senior Sister."

"So what?"

"Revered Master will be angry if they find out."

Ye Yun paused for a moment, then said, "I will be the one to speak to Revered Master."

Han Qingxue fell silent.

After a long time, she said in an extremely soft whisper:

"Are you really not afraid?"

"Afraid of what?"

"Afraid of what others will say. Afraid of the rumors and gossip within the Sect."

Ye Yun lowered his head, resting his chin against the crown of her head.

"I'm not afraid. Every single step I, Ye Yun, have taken to get where I am today has been trodden through rumors and gossip. What difference does one more or one less make?"

Han Qingxue's eyelashes fluttered gently.

She did not argue further, nor did she push him away again.

She simply leaned quietly in his embrace, her fingers lightly clutching the lapel of his robe at his chest.

After another long moment, she squirmed slightly.

"It's time to get up. We still need to go see if those people left behind any traces."

Ye Yun did not let go immediately, looking down at her.

"Senior Sister."

"Mhm."

"Were you saying those things just now because you were shy?"

Han Qingxue's body stiffened for a brief moment.

Then, the pink hue that had finally faded from the base of her ears flared up again, spreading from her ears down to her neck.

"No."

Her voice was muffled.

"Really?"

"Really."

"Then why do you dare not look at me?"

Han Qingxue remained silent for quite a while.

Then she suddenly raised her head, staring straight at him.

Her gaze was still as cold and aloof as ever, but the two patches of blush on her cheeks completely betrayed her.

Seeing her trying so hard to maintain her cold demeanor while unable to suppress her shyness, the curve of Ye Yun's lips widened a bit more.

"Senior Sister, you are much cuter now than you usually are."

Han Qingxue's cheeks flushed even redder.

She wanted to break free from his arms, but after struggling twice without success, she could only bury her face back in the quilt.

"You weren't like this before."

Her voice drifted out from under the quilt, muffled and carrying a trace of some indescribable grievance.

"How was I before?"

"Before, whenever you saw me, you would always call me 'Senior Sister' in a proper and respectful manner, and you never dared to speak out of turn."

"That's because I couldn't beat you in a fight before. Now, I can."

Han Qingxue was stunned for a moment, and then she let out an extremely soft chuckle.

It was very soft and brief, but Ye Yun heard it.

That was the first time he had ever heard Han Qingxue laugh.

He released his arms, letting her crawl out from the quilt.

Wrapping herself in the quilt, Han Qingxue sat up. With her back to him, she began searching for her clothes.

Her dress and undergarments were scattered beside the dry straw.

The pure white undergarments and long skirt were piled together, with a few bits of dry straw clinging to them.

She reached out to grab them, but the quilt was wrapped too tightly. As soon as she reached out, the corner of the quilt slid down, revealing a section of her bare back.

She hastily pulled the quilt back up and cast a backward glance at Ye Yun.

Ye Yun tactfully turned around.

The rustling sound of dressing came from behind him, the movements very slow.

Listening to the sound, Ye Yun could not help but picture what she looked like at this moment.

Taking a deep breath, he also began putting on his own clothes.

His grey robe was covered in bloodstains and dust, with several tears sliced by blades, but it was barely wearable.

"Alright."

Han Qingxue's voice came from behind.

Ye Yun turned around.

Han Qingxue had already dressed. Her gown was pure white like snow, and her long hair was simply pinned up with a hairpin.

Her face had returned to its usual cold and indifferent expression.

Except for the two patches of blush on her cheeks that had not yet fully faded.

And the few hickeys on her collarbone that she couldn't hide no matter how she tried, which betrayed her.

Ye Yun stepped forward, reaching out to help tidy her collar. He pulled it up slightly to cover the marks on her collarbone.

Han Qingxue stood still, her eyes downcast, letting his fingers gently adjust her collar.

"Let's go and clean up the mess over there."

Ye Yun withdrew his hand.

Han Qingxue nodded.

...

When the two of them walked out of the cave, the entire valley was completely bathed in the morning glow.

Han Qingxue followed half a step behind him, her pace considerably slower than usual.

Her waist was faintly stiff, and there was an almost imperceptible awkwardness in her gait.

Ye Yun glanced back at her, his gaze lingering briefly on her waist, and the corners of his lips curled up slightly.

"Senior Sister, would you like me to carry you on my back for a bit?"

Han Qingxue raised her eyes, her cold gaze sweeping lightly across his smiling face.

"No need."

"Are you sure? It seems quite inconvenient for you to walk."

A faint crimson quietly crept onto the tips of Han Qingxue's ears, yet her face remained cold and calm, showing not the slightest ripple of emotion.

"I said, I don't need it."

Ye Yun chuckled softly. No longer teasing her on purpose, he actively slowed his pace to walk alongside her.

The two of them made their way through the dense shrubs in the valley, retracing their steps along the dried-up creek bed they had come by.

The morning forest was shrouded in a thin mist, and the green grass and leaves were covered with sparkling dewdrops.

The cool moisture dampened the hem and corners of Han Qingxue's skirt.

As they approached the old battlefield near the official highway, Han Qingxue suddenly spoke up.

"Why did the people from Tianyang Academy know of your whereabouts?"

Ye Yun pondered slightly, then slowly explained the reason.

"They did not come all this way specifically to assassinate me."

"That old man is already at the Martial Spirit Realm. If he were intent on taking my life, he would never have brought only three Half-step Martial Spirits with him."

"Based on my speculation, they were originally performing a mission here. Only after receiving the distress signal sent by Zhou Heng before his death did they rush over to intercept me."

"Tianyang Academy..."

Han Qingxue murmured those words softly, her brow furrowing slightly.

"Ranked first among the Four Great Sects and backed by royal support, their Sect's foundation is unfathomably deep. When did you form a grudge with them?"

"I have never actively provoked them," Ye Yun said calmly.

"The Zhou Heng I killed had deep ties with the Wu Family of Qingzhou. The old family head of the Wu Family was a close friend of his father's generation."