Su Kang caught the flicker of hesitation in Yue i's eyes. He trusted Zhu Zhihao would be able to convince her. Without a word, he turned and quietly left the room, closing the door behind him.
The mont he was gone, Yue i's fingers curled into fists."Aunt," she whispered, her voice low, "I don’t want to drag them into this. It's too dangerous."
Zhu Zhihao’s gaze softened. She gently placed a hand on Yue i’s shoulder.
"We're safe for now," she said, her tone firm yet reassuring. "Just a few more months. If we still find no clues about your body's condition, then we will leave. I promise."
“Aunt…” Yue i opened her mouth to argue, but the words caught in her throat when she t her aunt's steady, unyielding gaze.
A heavy silence settled between them before Zhu Zhihao spoke again, her voice low, almost pained.
"i’er, first you decided to leave on your own, and now you hesitate with this. Let tell you sothing—I burned hundreds of years of my lifespan in divination just to find a clue that brought you here."
Yue i froze. Her chest tightened as if a heavy stone had been pressed against her heart. Zhu Zhihao, who had shielded her since childhood, had carried her through countless storms without a word of complaint.
Guilt gnawed at her. Her aunt had already sacrificed her future and ti for her sake, and now had even lost centuries of her life.
Her throat felt dry."You..." she tried to speak but failed. Sha and sorrow twisted inside her.
Zhu Zhihao withdrew her hand and turned away, her voice distant."You're free to leave if you wish. I won't stop you."
Tears stung the corners of Yue i’s eyes, but she blinked them back. Biting her lip hard enough to taste blood, she bowed her head."Sorry for disappointing you. I will do everything to find a clue," she said softly, her voice low yet firm.
Zhu Zhihao let out a long, weary sigh and reached out to gently pat Yue i’s head, just as she had done so many tis when Yue i was a child."I understand your worries. But don’t be afraid. Nothing will happen to them because of us."
"And I did not lose my lifespan primarily because of you. Stop blaming yourself in your heart." She caressed Yue i's hair as she spoke.
Yue i usually acted indifferent, but her heart and confidence had long been shattered because of her origin. She did not want to beco a burden to others.
Zhu Zhihao had not told Su Kang everything, nor did she believe he was that naive. He had put forward this offer himself to gain their trust, though she found him praiseworthy for his courage.
Su Kang returned to the estate, his steps slow but steady as he made his way toward Su Ting's courtyard.
Inside, Su Ting sat at a small table piled with dishes, the scent of freshly cooked food still lingering in the air. At the sight of Su Kang, his face lit up with a forced brightness.
"Brother, co here! I made all this, but it's too much for alone. Help out!"
Su Kang smiled faintly and joined him, picking up a pair of chopsticks without a word. The first bite lted in his mouth with rich flavor and perfect texture.
'Was he working in Su Restaurant all these years? His cooking could rival a professional spiritual chef,' Su Kang mused inwardly.
He chewed slowly, glancing at the neatly arranged dishes. The al had clearly been prepared with soone special in mind.
"You already miss her?" Su Kang asked casually, flicking a look at him.
Su Ting stiffened slightly, then forced a laugh."No, I was just thinking about sothing else."
Su Kang set down his chopsticks, his voice dropping into a heavier tone."Su Ting, it’s ti to change. We restricted you too much before, and it affected your growth. But seeing your collection of treasures, I can tell you're talented and blessed."
He leaned in a little closer, his gaze sharp.
"From now on, I’ll personally guide your training. You can't pursue her with this weak cultivation. You understand, right?"
The weight of those words fell heavily between them. Su Ting nodded with clenched teeth.
At fifth-level Foundation Building, he stood worlds apart from her — a Core Formation cultivator. Although she looked younger than him, he had no idea about her true age. He needed to catch up—fast.
"She’ll co back soon," Su Kang said, a teasing lilt creeping into his voice. "So don’t spend tonight crying over her."
With a soft chuckle, he stood and ruffled Su Ting’s hair before leaving.
Left alone, Su Ting stared at the doorway, dazed. He didn’t know whether to believe his brother’s words anymore, but his brother was not soone who lied without reason. A new sense of expectation quietly took root in his heart.
...
In the evening, Su Kang made his way to Bai Yunxi’s courtyard. Moonlight pooled over the quiet gardens, and a faint scent of spiritual herbs hung in the night air.
She had been cultivating for the past few days, and at her current rate of progress, she would likely reach the peak of Qi Refining within six months.
Inside, Bai Yunxi opened her eyes just as he entered, finishing her cultivation session.
"You’re here," she said softly.
"Hmm. I missed you," Su Kang murmured, stepping forward to wrap his arms around her waist as she rose to greet him.
She leaned into him for a mont but soon pulled back slightly to arch an eyebrow.
"Then why didn’t you co earlier?"
"Forgive , dear," he said with a small laugh. "Sothing important ca up."
As they sat together, Su Kang told her about Yue i—though his words were careful, wrapping the truth in layers of vagueness. A heart demon oath bound him from revealing any sensitive information.
Bai Yunxi listened quietly, resting against him, her breathing deep and even. He frad it as a story about people from different backgrounds and statuses.
Before long, her eyes fluttered closed, and she slept in his arms. Su Kang remained still, staring at the lighted ceiling.
Su Ting had not been present when the demon cultivators attacked—aning he was either with Yue i or sowhere else entirely.
Either way, his destiny is stronger than I thought.
A slow, faint smile tugged at the corner of Su Kang’s lips as he tightened his embrace around Bai Yunxi.
If nurtured well, Su Ting's destiny could grow even stronger in the future.
....
The next day, Su Ting was visibly delighted. Yue i had returned — and much sooner than he had ever dared to hope. His brother’s words had co true after all.
From across the courtyard, Su Kang caught sight of his brother's restless excitent. The cloud of depression that once hung over Su Ting had lifted as if it had never been there.
"Su Ting," Yue i called softly, her voice above a whisper. "I... I ca back."
She looked even more ethereal than he rembered, her crimson eyes shimring like rare jewels. A faint smile touched her lips.
"Miss Yue," he managed, his voice slightly hoarse, "I'm glad you returned."
Relief and happiness surged through him, though a trace of confusion remained. He wanted to understand the real reasons behind her sudden departure and return.
Yet for now, he simply basked in her presence. Their conversation, hesitant at first, gradually smoothed into sothing more familiar.
anwhile, Su Kang stayed secluded in cultivation. He knew that soon, when the ti was right, he would need to consider changing his Qi cultivation technique.
Changing a technique was no small matter. All his refined Qi and even his foundation would need to be restructured — a delicate and ti-consuming process, dependent on both the difficulty of the new thod and his own talent.
That evening, after finishing his ditation, Su Kang found Su Ting approaching him — wearing a look far too serious for his usual playful self.
Before Su Kang could ask anything, a grin broke across Su Ting’s face.
"Brother, I heard a rumor," he said solemnly. "It seems there’s soone special in our manor.. a certain Miss Bai?"
Su Kang blinked in mild surprise before a soft chuckle escaped him.
Finally, this rascal is acting like himself again, he thought.
Su Ting stepped closer, his grin widening.
"And from what I hear," he added, "this Miss Bai is quite the beauty — soone who could even capture the eyes of a man like you. Perhaps it’s ti for a proper introduction, don’t you think?"
"My dear brother," Su Kang replied, deciding to play along, "your curiosity is comndable, but patience is a virtue. All will be revealed in due ti."
Without giving Su Ting a chance to bombard him with more questions, Su Kang turned and made his way toward Bai Yunxi’s courtyard.
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