"But what brings you to my courtyard this morning?" Yoriichi asked. "Shouldn't you be cultivating, or perhaps hanging out with your Xiao Yan ge-ge?"
He knew she had spies. He didn't care that Ling Ying was likely watching right now. But he was genuinely curious why the untouchable goddess of the Xiao Clan was standing on his porch.
Xun'er was slightly taken aback. The old Xiao Ning would have stuttered, blushed furiously, and desperately tried to explain himself to stay in her good graces. This Xiao Ning simply deflected the scandalous accusation like rain off a slanted roof and immediately countered with a sharp question.
She half-believed his explanation about the guard duty, though the visual of them in the same bed remained striking.
With a graceful flick of her wrist, a pristine jade bottle magically appeared in her delicate palm, pulled from her spatial ring. She held it out toward him.
"I heard about your... accident at the Smithing Hall," Xun'er said, dropping the teasing tone for a more diplomatic one. "Take this. It is a gift from a cousin. You will need it for your recovery, if not now, then for the future."
Yoriichi looked at the jade bottle. He didn't need to open it to know its value. The faint, incredibly pure medicinal fragrance seeping through the jade spoke of Blood Lotus and Marrow-Washing Grass.
"A Peak Tier 2 healing pill," Yoriichi analyzed instantly. "The purity is exceptionally high. It rivals a low-grade Tier 3 pill. As expected of her mysterious background."
He knew taking it meant accepting a string attached to the Gu Clan princess. But Yoriichi was a pragmatist. A samurai did not turn down a masterwork shield before a battle out of mere pride. Furthermore, building a bridge with her could prove beneficial when the time came to confront larger threats.
He reached out and took the cold jade bottle, his large, calloused fingers briefly brushing against her soft, pale skin.
"Hmm. Thank you, Cousin," Yoriichi said, looking her dead in the eye. His expression grew incredibly serious, carrying the heavy, unbreakable weight of a warrior's vow. "I will remember this debt. If you ever need my sword in the future, do not hesitate to ask."
Xun'er's delicate eyebrows rose. She felt a strange chill run down her arms. It wasn't the arrogant boasting of a teenager trying to impress a girl; it sounded like an ancient oath. For a brief second, she felt as though she wasn't looking at a 9-Star Dou Disciple, but a towering, dormant titan.
"Hmm... okay then," Xun'er replied, masking her surprise with a serene smile. "Don't forget what you said today, Cousin Ning."
Yoriichi simply nodded. He was a man of few words; his actions would always speak louder.
After a few more brief pleasantries, Xun'er turned and walked gracefully away, leaving the courtyard. Yoriichi closed the door quietly behind her, ensuring the click of the latch didn't disturb the sleeping Xiao Yu.
As Xun'er strolled down the winding stone paths of the estate, her serene smile faded into a look of deep contemplation. She walked into a shaded corridor, entirely devoid of other clan members.
Without turning her head, she unhesitatingly asked the question that had been burning in her mind since she saw the bed.
"Uncle Ling," Xun'er whispered to the empty air. "Have they... done the deed?"
From the shadows cast by the corridor pillars, the darkness seemingly rippled. Ling Ying, utterly invisible to the naked eye of any passerby, responded. His raspy voice sounded incredibly awkward, clearly uncomfortable discussing the bedroom habits of teenagers with his young, noble miss.
"Umm... Young Miss," Ling Ying coughed dryly from the void. "The boy spoke the truth. I observed their auras briefly. Both of them still possess their primal Yang and primal Yin auras respectively. Their vital energies are entirely unmingled."
Xun'er blinked, a small, quiet "Oh" escaping her lips.
"Hmm," she mused, adjusting a stray lock of hair. "It is uncommon for a man of his age to show such restraint with a beautiful woman in his bed, sister or not. But then again, such things still happen in the top clans when bloodline purity is paramount."
She paused, her golden eyes narrowing slightly. "What do you think of him, Uncle Ling?"
There was a long silence from the shadows. When Ling Ying finally spoke, his voice held a trace of genuine bewilderment rather than alarm.
"He is... a contradiction, Miss," Ling Ying whispered softly. "His breathing just now was perfectly rhythmic, utterly devoid of any panic or lingering trauma from the explosion. Furthermore, for a mere 9-Star Dou Disciple to survive that localized blast with only a shallow surface cut... his physical foundation is as dense as iron."
Xun'er nodded slowly, her violet dress swaying softly as she resumed her walk. Her heart didn't race with caution, but rather hummed with a newfound, quiet intrigue.
"And his eyes," Xun'er murmured, a faint, genuinely amused smile touching her lips. "He didn't even try to curry favor or act flustered. He looked at me not as the clan's golden jewel, but simply as a warrior acknowledging a trade. He accepted that Tier 2 pill as an equal."
"Should I increase my surveillance on his courtyard, Miss?" Ling Ying asked dutifully from the void.
"No," Xun'er shook her head gently. "That would be a waste of your time, Uncle Ling. He is not a threat, merely a stubborn blacksmith forging his own unique path. Just maintain the usual perimeter for my safety. Let us simply wait and see if this iron foundation of his can truly weather the coming storms."
Back in the quiet confines of the courtyard, Yoriichi remained completely oblivious to the shockwaves he was sending through the upper echelons of the continent's hidden powers.
He sat at the wooden table, popping the cork off the jade bottle. He observed the perfectly round, deep red pill inside. He marveled at the energy it released—a soothing, vibrant pulse of life-force.
"A masterpiece of alchemy," he noted. He re-corked the bottle securely and placed it into his own small pouch. He would not consume it for a mere scratch; it would be saved for a true emergency.
He turned and looked at the bed. Xiao Yu had shifted, hugging his abandoned pillow tightly, dead to the world.
Yoriichi didn't wake her. He quietly stripped off the loose sleeping robe and changed into his heavy, dark training robes.
The failure of the Katana still lingered in the back of his mind, but it was no longer a heavy anchor dragging him down. It had been transmuted in the crucible of his sister's care into pure, unadulterated fuel. If the steel rejected the beast core, he just needed to find a different path.
He opened the door and stepped out into the bright morning sun.
With purposeful, silent strides, he is heading straight toward the distant, steaming location of the hot springs, his mind clear, his breathing steady, and his purpose more determined than ever. Today was not a day for hammers and anvils. Today was a day to push the vessel.
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Ah, guys i released my novel comic in patreon. First four free chapters.
Pls try it and any feedback, it took a long time to create it. I will make next free also if u want it to be continue.