He didn’t know how to say other things, but he knew the opening lines for picking fights.
Qin Wanwan’s requirements were simple—he just needed to use the tone of starting a fight and recite the lines Qin Wanwan gave him.
After he finished reciting the lines, he looked coldly at Cuilu. Cuilu stared at him blankly. After a moment, blood dripped from her nose. Cuilu finally reacted, sniffled, raised her hand to wipe the nosebleed, and pretended to be calm. “Alright, I’ll go tell the City Lord right away.”
“I’m the one who collapsed the women’s bathhouse,” Jian Xingzhi continued. “How do you want me to compensate?”
“Please, dig away,” Cuilu lowered her head, not daring to look at him. “The men’s bathhouse can be dug up too.”
“I want to live together with Daojun Xie. No problem, right?”
“That’s fine,” Cuilu nodded. “I’ll arrange the room immediately. What about your disciple? Where does she plan to stay?”
“She’ll stay with me,” Jian Xingzhi’s voice was flat. “Is that acceptable?”
“Yes, I’ll have someone add a bed. Please rest well. I’ll go report to the City Lord first.”
After speaking, Cuilu bowed to Jian Xingzhi and quickly left with her people.
After they left, Qin Wanwan suddenly threw off the covers and gasped for air in large gulps.
“That scared me to death.”
Qin Wanwan patted her chest. Jian Xingzhi also immediately sat up, raised his hand to start pulling his clothes back on. After fixing his clothes and standing up, he got to his feet and glared at her coldly. Qin Wanwan was stunned.
Jian Xingzhi’s appearance was originally extremely refined and handsome—phoenix eyes, sword-like eyebrows, distinct features. This made even a casual glance from him appear exceptionally cold and distant.
Actually, if he didn’t speak or fight, Jian Xingzhi was exactly Qin Wanwan’s favorite type—the cold, ascetic sword cultivator. So when she saw this look, she didn’t know if it was because he’d beaten the fear into her, or if his appearance was truly that good, but it made her heart beat a bit faster.
No wonder Cuilu surrendered upon seeing him in person. This person could clearly rely on his face to get by, yet he insisted on relying on his fists.
Qin Wanwan secretly felt it was a pity. She was about to say something to praise Jian Xingzhi and have him maintain this aloof attitude when she heard him speak. “What’s wrong with that person? Wouldn’t it have been better to do this earlier?”
No, Master, the one with problems is you.
If you’d used your real face and acted alluring earlier instead of performing chest-crushing boulder acts, we would have entered the manor long ago.
Qin Wanwan silently complained in her heart. Jian Xingzhi seemed to sense her thoughts and turned to glare at her. “Hurry up and get up to discuss things. Don’t lie in bed like you’re retiring.”
“With a face like yours,” hearing this, Qin Wanwan took a deep breath, threw off the covers and jumped out of bed, looking at Jian Xingzhi’s face with great regret, “how are you not mute?”
“Shut up! You don’t act like a disciple at all!”
Jian Xingzhi scolded her. Speaking, he turned to look at Xie Gutang and became serious.
“Did you come here specially from Heavenly Sword Sect?”
As Jian Xingzhi asked, he raised his head and immediately saw the bright “40” above Xie Gutang’s head. His movements paused. He turned to look out the window—out of sight, out of mind.
“Yes.” Xie Gutang knew what Jian Xingzhi wanted to ask and answered respectfully. “I received the Sect Leader’s permission to come here specifically to protect Miss Qin.”
“What’s there to protect about her?”
Jian Xingzhi poured tea for himself. “She can protect herself.”
“Senior doesn’t know,” Xie Gutang shook his head. “Some time ago, someone discovered Azure Dragon skeletal remains in a secret realm. The dragon core had been taken by someone. This Azure Dragon was deliberately raised by someone with the purpose of changing body constitution to prepare for opening the Ascension Gate. If I’m not mistaken, the dragon core in Miss’s body should be the one obtained from there.”
“Correct.” Qin Wanwan didn’t deny it and nodded. “It was me.”
“Anyone capable of raising an Azure Dragon cannot be an ordinary person. An Azure Dragon takes an extremely long time to raise. Now that it’s been obtained by Miss, how could the dragon raiser let this matter rest?”
Qin Wanwan didn’t speak. She pressed her lips together, understanding that what Xie Gutang said was true.
Jian Xingzhi glanced at her. Xie Gutang continued, “Moreover, the dragon core can change a person’s constitution and even fate. Throughout the entire cultivation world, countless people covet dragon cores. Actually, the night before the Sword Trial Assembly, Heavenly Sword Sect received news that the Exquisite Jade was about to appear, and someone harboring a dragon core would enter the secret realm. At the same time, experts from other sects would also enter together. So the sect sent me to secretly infiltrate the Sword Trial Assembly. If the news was accurate, I was to secure the Exquisite Jade while also protecting this person harboring the dragon core. If Heavenly Sword Sect received this news, other sects naturally would have as well. So now that Miss Qin harbors the dragon core, she’s already in danger.”
“Then why did you come to help? What is she to you?”
Jian Xingzhi raised an eyebrow, not easily trusting Xie Gutang’s words. Xie Gutang’s voice was steady. “Those harboring dragon cores will have certain sensitivity to the Exquisite Jade. Miss Qin should be the person who can find the Exquisite Jade earliest. I protect Miss and help her find the Exquisite Jade, open the Ascension Gate, consume the Exquisite Jade’s energy, then completely destroy it to prevent those who shouldn’t ascend from having other delusions.”
Qin Wanwan understood this. Xie Gutang wanted to use her to find the Exquisite Jade. When the time came, she would ascend, he would destroy the jade—everyone happy.
However, Qin Wanwan still couldn’t figure it out. “If the Exquisite Jade has already been split into five pieces, couldn’t you just find one piece and destroy it?”
“That cannot be done,” Xie Gutang smiled. “The Exquisite Jade itself isn’t actually jade. It just places enormous energy within this stone called ‘Exquisite Jade.’ If you only destroy one piece, as long as other pieces remain, it can regenerate new fragments. To destroy the Exquisite Jade, only after it opens the Ascension Gate once, when it’s at its weakest, is there any possibility of completely destroying it.”
This time Qin Wanwan finally understood. Jian Xingzhi stared at Xie Gutang, still not understanding. “Then why does it have to be you?”
Xie Gutang’s movements stiffened. Seeing Xie Gutang embarrassed, Qin Wanwan quickly smoothed things over. “Isn’t it the same whoever comes? It must be because Daojun Xie’s cultivation is profound…”
“Because I broke my word to Miss.”
Xie Gutang spoke, raising his head to look at Qin Wanwan, saying seriously, “I said I would protect you, but in the end, you were still injured by villains. This is my failure.”
Hearing this, Qin Wanwan couldn’t help but blush a little.
She quickly waved her hand. “No, this can’t be blamed on Daojun Xie.”
Jian Xingzhi watched their interaction and scoffed lightly, interrupting them. “Fine, you can follow her from now on. So what’s next? What do we do?”
“We can have Miss Qin sense the dragon core more.” Xie Gutang answered methodically. “The dragon core will sense the Exquisite Jade’s presence. First confirm the Exquisite Jade’s location, then make the next plan.”
“Fine.” Jian Xingzhi crossed his arms and nodded, looking at Xie Gutang. “What about us?”
“You…” Qin Wanwan looked left and right. “According to the original plan, become Hua Rong’s most beloved man.”
Hearing this, Xie Gutang was bewildered, and Jian Xingzhi fell silent.
“This…” Jian Xingzhi recalled his previous setback and doubted himself somewhat. “Might be a bit difficult…”
Using his face to deceive temporarily was easy, but deceiving long-term would be hard.
“Master,” Qin Wanwan looked at Jian Xingzhi, knowing what he worried about. She looked at him, exceptionally serious. “Actually, it’s very easy for you to obtain this position.”
Jian Xingzhi looked over. Qin Wanwan raised her hand to pat his wrist, speaking earnestly. “Poison yourself mute and make sure you don’t talk.”
“Scram.”
Jian Xingzhi batted her hand away. “Don’t even think about it!”
Qin Wanwan shook her head, looking regretful, and sighed helplessly.
“Never mind.”
Jian Xingzhi waved his hand. “First, whoever needs to heal should heal, whoever needs to rest should rest. Your injuries haven’t healed yet, right?”
Jian Xingzhi turned to look at Xie Gutang beside him. Receiving Jian Xingzhi’s concern, Xie Gutang smiled. “Thank you for Senior’s concern. I’ll still need some time.”
“Perfect,” Jian Xingzhi nodded. “Then I’ll compete for favor, you heal, and you…”
Jian Xingzhi looked at Qin Wanwan, hesitated for a moment, then urged her, “Cultivate properly!”
“What about me?”
Nanfeng poked his head out, somewhat excited. “What’s my task?”
“Cultivate!”
As soon as Jian Xingzhi finished speaking, a maidservant’s voice came from outside. She stood respectfully at the door, bowing to Jian Xingzhi. “Young Master, your room has been prepared.”
Jian Xingzhi nodded, waved at Xie Gutang, and called to Qin Wanwan. “Beicheng, let’s go.”
Qin Wanwan stood up and bowed to Xie Gutang. “Daojun Xie, my master and I will take our leave first.”
Xie Gutang returned the courtesy. Qin Wanwan stood and walked to Jian Xingzhi’s side. Jian Xingzhi glanced at her sidelong. “You’re so refined and proper with everyone else. How come you’re so wild with me?”
“Well, everyone else treats me well,” Qin Wanwan answered matter-of-factly. “You’re the only one who hits me.”
Jian Xingzhi choked on these words and hurried to explain. “But I’m doing it to teach you!”
“But it still hurts.” Qin Wanwan glared at him. “Who’s like you…”
As Qin Wanwan spoke, looking at his face, she somehow couldn’t continue and softened her tone. “Who’s like you?”
“What’s wrong with you?”
Seeing her even soften her speech, Jian Xingzhi frowned. “Why are you stammering?”
Qin Wanwan looked away, not looking at his face, and finally became more normal. “I’ll stammer if I want. What’s it to you?”
“Oh, I know.”
Jian Xingzhi nodded. Catching her off guard, he suddenly leaned close, moving near Qin Wanwan. Startled, Qin Wanwan stepped back and pressed against the wall. She looked at Jian Xingzhi’s face so close at hand and involuntarily remembered last night when he bit her. Her heart skipped a few beats, and her mouth started hurting too.
She didn’t dare move, her body stiff like a bristling cat. Jian Xingzhi stared at her for a moment, then suddenly smiled. That smile was like bathing in spring breeze, his cold handsome face showing some childishness. “Are you stammering because you think I’m too good-looking?”
“You’re sick!”
Hearing this, Qin Wanwan instantly became embarrassed and angry. She shoved him hard and rushed forward. Jian Xingzhi crossed his arms behind her and laughed. “It’s fine, it’s human nature. I understand.”
“What do you understand?”
Qin Wanwan rushed into the room to wash her hands, trying to calm herself down. Jian Xingzhi strolled into the room, following behind her. “When I first saw Nujun of Jishan, I was mainly fighting at the time. If not for the fighting, I would have stammered too.”
Qin Wanwan’s movements paused. For some reason, her anger dissipated considerably.
It seemed people all liked hearing nice things. She was no exception.
Jian Xingzhi entered the room, found a cushion, sat behind her, raised his hand to meditate, and continued speaking. “Good thing hatred supported me. Otherwise, with you wearing that face, I wouldn’t even dare look.”
“You…” Qin Wanwan’s mood was sent up and down by him. She hesitated. “You… you think Qin Wanwan is beautiful?”
“Beautiful.” Jian Xingzhi admitted openly, then warned Qin Wanwan. “So normally you should look in the mirror more often. Get used to good-looking people so you won’t be distracted during fights. Back then, I just hadn’t seen anyone better-looking than me. I was a bit shocked for a moment. If I’d gotten used to it early, my sword could have been even faster!”
No need for that.
Hearing this, Qin Wanwan’s heart ran cold.
She really wanted to tell Jian Xingzhi—it’s enough, his sword doesn’t need to be any faster.
—
**Author’s Note:**
Jian Xingzhi: Today I secretly confessed my feelings (achieved)