54: Chapter 54 What?! The Mu Ri Clan wants to marry Yan Jingjing to me!

"Ah? What? Brother Ye has already married two wives?"

Yan Jingjing's face, which had been flushed red from shyness, instantly turned deathly pale, and the light in her eyes quickly dimmed.

Although she had lived on the sun ship for a long time, that did not mean she was ignorant of worldly ways.

In a place like The Great Ruins, where the strong prey on the weak, it was common for men to have several wives and concubines.

But the Sun-Herding Clan had quite high requirements for partners, so…

More importantly, a deep-seated sense of inferiority welled up in Yan Jingjing's heart once again.

She was a Sun Guard, a harbinger of misfortune, a torch destined to burn until nothing remained.

Since he already had beautiful wives, how could he fancy a "monster" like her who might scald her bedfellow at any moment?

"Um… I'm sorry…"

Yan Jingjing lowered her head, her fingers tightly twisting the hem of her fire-red skirt, her voice as faint as a mosquito's hum.

"It's… it's Clan Chief Grandpa who is senile…"

"Brother Ye, please don't take it to heart…"

Watching Yan Jingjing, who had instantly transformed from a shy young girl into a pitiful, self-deprecating creature right before his eyes, Ye Xiu wished he could kick Qin Mu, this "big sieve," right off the ship.

This kid usually seemed quite sharp; why did he always undermine things at critical moments?

What did he mean by "married the old woman from that village"?

Si Youyou was the Heavenly Demon Sect Leader, a peerless beauty—how did she become an old hag in your mouth?

"Ahem! Muer, no one will think you're The Mute if you don't speak."

Ye Xiu glared fiercely at Qin Mu, and the latter shrank his neck.

Although he didn't know what he had said wrong, his survival instinct made him decisively choose to shut up and pretend to look at the scenery.

"Miss Yan, don't listen to this kid's nonsense."

Ye Xiu turned his gaze back to Yan Jingjing, his eyes becoming incredibly sincere and affectionate.

He reached out and once again gently lifted Yan Jingjing's chin, forcing her to look into his eyes:

"First of all, I am indeed married, and not just to one person."

"But I, Ye Xiu, am an open and honest man; I never hide things."

"My wives are all one-of-a-kind, extraordinary women in this world.

They are broad-minded, and if they knew there was such a heart-wrenching, good girl like you in this world, they would surely treat you like a sister."

These words were spoken with such righteous indignation.

He turned "playboy" into "philanthropy" and a "harem" into a "sisterhood."

If Si Youyou were here, she would probably roll her eyes and then smile while pinching the soft flesh on his waist.

But for the innocent young girl Yan Jingjing, who had never experienced the outside world, this was like opening the door to a new world.

"Re… really?"

Yan Jingjing blinked her large eyes, somewhat unable to believe it.

"They… won't they mind that I'm hot to the touch?"

"Of course not."

Boom! Yan Jingjing felt as if something had exploded in her head.

This man… he… how could he say such embarrassing things?

However… her heart felt so sweet, so warm.

"Roar—!!!" Just as the atmosphere between the two was ambiguous, the Flame Giant Clan Chief, who had been staring at Ye Xiu the whole time, suddenly let out another low roar.

This roar carried a hint of urgency, and even a trace of pleading.

Along with the roar, a crimson wave of Divine Thought went directly into Ye Xiu's mind.

It was an ancient and vicissitudinous form of consciousness communication; it didn't need language, only direct understanding.

[Young man… within your body… there is Life Qi… there is Wood… there is Water…]

[Jingjing… is not going to make it… her fire… is too strong… it needs… neutralization…]

[Please… save her… save… the Sun-Herding Clan…]

Ye Xiu's heart skipped a beat. Is the Clan Chief trying to force a match?

Wanting me to save Jingjing, and incidentally help their clan leave behind offspring? That's what it means, right!

The special nature of Ye Xiu's body—the Dao Palace Five Qi Converging to the Origin, especially Liver Wood (Life Qi) and Kidney Water (Harmonization).

For the Sun Guard clan, who were born with fire bodies and suffered from premature death due to excessive Yang Qi, he was simply a walking "human-shaped miracle medicine"!

"Old Clan Chief, I understand what you mean," Ye Xiu responded in his mind, his attitude neither humble nor pushy:

"Although I, Ye Xiu, am no Saint, since I have encountered this, I naturally will not stand by and watch someone die."

"However, matters of the heart must be mutual."

"I cannot wrong Miss Jingjing just because I want to save her."

These words were spoken beautifully; they both stated his position and established his persona.

When the Flame Giant Clan Chief heard this, a trace of admiration flashed in its huge eyes.

It slowly nodded and extended a finger, which was like a pillar, and gently tapped the center of Yan Jingjing's forehead.

"Hum!" A red light flashed. Yan Jingjing seemed to have received some information, and her already rosy face was now as red as a ripe tomato.

She glanced at Ye Xiu in a fluster, then lowered her head, her fingers twisting even tighter.

"Ye… Brother Ye…"

"Clan Chief Grandpa said… if you are willing…"

"You can… you can try… to perform Dual Cultivation… with me…"

By the last two words, Yan Jingjing's voice was even quieter than a mosquito's hum. If Ye Xiu's hearing hadn't been extraordinary, he wouldn't have heard it at all.

"Dual Cultivation?!" Although Qin Mu on the side had been gagged, these two words made his ears perk up instantly.

Good heavens! This is truly "driving" (taking it to the next level)! Is this sun ship even a ship? It's clearly a pleasure boat!

Ye Xiu looked at the young girl before him, who was so shy she wanted to crawl into a crack in the ground. Besides the bit of amorous thoughts a man might have, he felt more of a sense of responsibility.

For Ye Xiu, this was actually also a stroke of fortune.

Solar True Fire was the most Yang substance in the world; if he could absorb a wisp of it through Dual Cultivation and integrate it into his "Heart Divine Treasury (Fire),"

then his Azure Emperor Scripture and fire-type Divine Ability would achieve a qualitative leap! This was a win-win situation. It was also a redemption.

"Jingjing." Ye Xiu put away his joking expression and became exceptionally serious. He gripped Yan Jingjing's shoulders with both hands, his eyes firm: "If this is the only way to save you."

"If… you don't dislike me either." "Then, I, Ye Xiu, will not shirk my duty."

"I… I don't dislike you…" Yan Jingjing raised her head, her red-gold eyes reflecting Ye Xiu's shadow. Inside them were shyness, anticipation, and a sense of peace from finding a place to belong.

"Brother Ye's scent… is very pleasant…" "And… he isn't afraid of the heat at all…"

Seeing that the atmosphere was just right, Ye Xiu's hands had already rested on Yan Jingjing's scorching yet slender waist. Just at this moment, that damn, teeth-grinding coughing sound rang out again.

"Ahem! Um… Brother Ye, although I am young, Clan Chief Grandpa taught me the rules."

Once this kid Qin Mu set his mind on something, nine cows couldn't pull him back. He poked his head out from behind Ye Xiu with an earnest expression that said, "I'm doing this for your own good."

He pointed to the brightly lit Xianglong City below. "For such a big event as taking a concubine, shouldn't you ask the old woman first?"

"After all… the old woman is watching from below." "If we act first and report later, and the old woman gets angry and skins you to make clothes, what then?"

"I heard that the old woman used to love turning unfaithful men into clothes…"