Xiang Yu and Li Yao sat together in comfortable silence, the gentle breeze rustling through the nearby trees. Despite the tranquil setting, tension hung in the air between them. Each ti Li Yao shifted as if to leave, Xiang Yu would quickly interject with another topic, another question—anything to keep her there a mont longer.
Li Yao noticed his unusual behavior, how his eyes darted anxiously toward her whenever she tried to leave. Was her senior brother so hesitant about her departure? The thought ward her heart, even as she knew what had to be done.
"I'm really leaving this ti," Li Yao finally announced, rising to her feet with reluctance evident in every movent.
"Wait," Xiang Yu called out, his voice unusually urgent.
She paused, turning back to face him. "What is it?"
Xiang Yu opened his spatial ring and carefully withdrew five identical pills that glead with spiritual potency. He gently placed them in her palm, his fingers lingering for just a mont longer than necessary.
"They're seventh-grade healing pills," he explained, his voice softening. "Use them if you get hurt."
Li Yao stared at the pills, recognizing their extraordinary value. "Thank you," she murmured, clutching them carefully before turning away again.
Before she could take a step, Xiang Yu's hand shot out, catching her wrist in a gentle but firm grip. Surprise flickered across her face as she looked back at him.
"Is there anything else?" she asked, her heart racing unexpectedly at his touch.
"Do you really have to leave?" Xiang Yu asked, vulnerability seeping into his voice.
"What do you an?"
"I an..." he began, a flush spreading across his face. He lowered his gaze before continuing. "If I asked you to, would you stay?"
His expression had transford into one of such pitiful pleading that Li Yao felt her resolve wavering.
Holy cringe, Xiang Yu thought internally, mortified by his own behavior. But this was his final trump card. Every instinct scread that disaster would strike the mont she left the sect, and he was desperate to prevent it.
"Umm...well," Li Yao stamred, her cheeks reddening to match his own.
[No! We have to go. If you don't get stronger, you won't be able to protect him,] the Empress's voice resonated firmly within her consciousness.
Li Yao placed her hand gently on Xiang Yu's shoulder. His head lifted hopefully—was she actually going to stay?
What happened next left him completely stunned. In one swift motion, Li Yao leaned forward, pressing her lips against his. The soft, sweet sensation overwheld his senses completely.
Wait a minute! Who am I? Where am I? His thoughts scattered like leaves in a windstorm.
Thirty seconds passed before she finally pulled away, her face crimson with embarrassnt. She couldn't bring herself to et his eyes—not that he dared look at her either.
"I'm really going this ti," she whispered.
"Mh," was all Xiang Yu could manage in response, still dazed from what had just happened.
In the next mont, she launched herself skyward, her slender form dissolving into the clouds.
High above the earth, Li Yao covered her burning face with her hands, her thoughts tumbling over each other in chaotic disarray.
"What have I done?" she fretted internally. "Senior brother just looked so cute at that mont, I couldn't help myself. I hope he doesn't think I'm that kind of person." Her inner monologue continued its frantic spiral.
[Hey, what are you doing? Pay attention to the road,] the Empress chided sharply.
Li Yao snapped back to awareness just in ti to notice an enormous floating boat directly in her path. She twisted sideways with supernatural agility, barely avoiding collision as she streaked through the sky.
"i i?" a young woman's voice called out from within one of the boat's ornate carriages. "Is sothing wrong?"
Inside the carriage, an older-looking woman responded with evident irritation, "It's Elder Liu," she corrected, her tone suggesting this wasn't the first ti she'd made this clarification.
"Okay, i i," the younger woman replied cheerfully, prompting Elder Liu to sigh in resignation.
Elder Liu gazed out the window, her eyes following Li Yao's rapidly diminishing form. "That direction... that cultivator seems to be coming from the Azure Cloud Sect," she observed thoughtfully.
She silently assessed the incredible speed of the departing figure. It exceeded even her own. If they were to fight, she wasn't certain she could win. They needed to accelerate their plans.
"Azure Cloud Sect?" the younger woman perked up with interest. "Isn't that the place where you said your old lover lives?"
"Lover? What lover?" Elder Liu sputtered, her cheeks suddenly flushed.
Internally, her thoughts betrayed her. That insensitive jerk, she fud. Who would be his lover?
"Ah, I think his na was Guo Shantian..."
...
Xiang Yu touched his lips gently, the sensation still lingering like a phantom presence.
"Did she already leave?"
The sudden voice behind him startled him, causing him to quickly turn around. Elder Huang stood there, it seed she was still mad. As for Elder Guo, well, he was still alive so that's sothing.
"What's with that reaction?" Elder Huang asked, one eyebrow raised in suspicion.
Xiang Yu quickly composed himself. "Li Yao? She just left," he replied, deliberately keeping his tone casual.
He reached into his sleeve, withdrew another ring, which he placed carefully in Elder Huang's palm. "These are the resources for both yesterday and today," he explained, grateful for the change of subject.
Without pausing, he produced several intricately carved formation disks and arranged them on the ground before them. The symbols etched into their surfaces pulsed with barely contained spiritual energy.
"I've engraved a seventh-grade defensive and attacking formation in these disks," Xiang Yu explained, his voice taking on a more professional tone. "If you place them around the sect, they should be able to protect us in case of an attack."
Elder Huang's expression brightened considerably as she examined both the ring of resources and the formation disks. The craftsmanship was exceptional, especially considering Xiang Yu's relatively brief experience with these disciplines.
"I'll check them out right away," she said, her previous irritation giving way to genuine appreciation. She glanced sideways at Elder Guo, who seed to be trying his best to blend into the background. "I'm not done with you, hmph!" she declared firmly before launching into the air in a graceful arc.
Left alone, Xiang Yu and Elder Guo exchanged awkward glances. A mischievous smile slowly spread across Xiang Yu's face as he walked toward his master and casually draped an arm around the elder's shoulder.
"Master, check this out," he said with exaggerated secrecy, producing a small crystal vial containing three vibrant red pills. The label affixed to the container read "Yang Nourishing Pill" in elegant calligraphy.
Xiang Yu could barely suppress his amusent. He had refined these eighth-grade pills purely as an experint, never expecting to find such a perfect recipient so quickly.
"If you use these, Martial Aunt will definitely reconcile with you," he whispered conspiratorially. "You can trust , I definitely won't scam you."
"You brat!" Elder Guo roared, raising his hand threateningly.
Xiang Yu flinched instinctively, arms lifting to shield his head from the anticipated blow. But the expected impact never ca. Instead, he felt the vial disappear from his fingers.
Opening his eyes, Xiang Yu discovered that Elder Guo had snatched the pills with remarkable dexterity. The elder quickly tucked them into his sleeve with practiced nonchalance.
"Ahem," Elder Guo cleared his throat with exaggerated formality. "It's inappropriate for a youngster to have these sorts of pills," he declared, straightening his robes with dignity. "Let this elder keep them for you." Without waiting for a response, he turned and walked away, his steps noticeably lighter than before.
Xiang Yu watched his master's retreating figure with a knowing smile.
Reality suddenly reasserted itself as Xiang Yu realized how much ti had elapsed. He still needed to practice formations and talismans before nightfall. With a burst of speed, he raced back toward the spirit vein, his mind already calculating how to maximize his remaining hours.
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