Jian Shisan cared deeply for Yue Xi, but he was also terrified of her.
He had once mentioned this to his friend, the tofu seller, and had asked for advice on how to get closer to her.
The answer he received was to become stronger.
So he focused on getting stronger, all while avoiding Yue Xi.
It wasn’t until he reached Tier Seven that he finally stopped hiding from her and could occasionally exchange a few words.
Of course, it also made it easier for him to watch her secretly from a distance.
Standing here so openly now truly made him a little anxious.
Just then, Jiang Zuo replied, "It’s not as dramatic as you think. But what did you do to provoke Yue Xi?"
Jian Shisan immediately said, "I didn’t provoke her. I just got back."
Jiang Zuo said, "If you didn’t provoke her, why won’t she see you?"
"She just said she was going into seclusion and even had Xuanwu tell me specifically."
"By name?"
"More or less."
Jiang Zuo said with a sigh, "Isn’t that just her blatant way of telling you she doesn’t want to see you? If anyone else had gone, the Little Turtle wouldn’t have needed to say she was in seclusion."
Jian Shisan was taken aback. "Is that what it means?"
Jiang Zuo said, "Definitely."
Jian Shisan asked, "Then what should I do?"
Jiang Zuo thought for a moment. "It’s best if you two meet."
Jian Shisan said bitterly, "But she won’t come out."
"Okay, how about this? Just wish for some kind of accident to happen, something that would be just enough to draw her out.
When Su Qi refused to see me back then, I had the same thought. By sheer coincidence, an earthquake happened, and she got so scared she ran right out," Jiang Zuo suggested.
Jian Shisan was a little baffled. Finally, he said, "Why don’t you help me think of something, Fellow Jiang? I’m not very good at this sort of thing."
Jiang Zuo nodded. "I’ll do my best. If it doesn’t work out, you’ll just have to keep waiting."
After hanging up, Jian Shisan stood there anxiously. The faint, imposing aura he’d had at first was now completely gone.
He kept glancing toward Yue Xi’s room.
Inside, Yue Xi watched Jian Shisan with curiosity. ’Who was he just on the phone with? His whole demeanor changed in an instant.’
’A moment ago, he had the proud look of a guardian. Now he looks like he’s been caught doing something wrong.’
Yue Xi rested her chin in her hand, watching Jian Shisan outside. ’So he’s capable of knowing he’s in the wrong?’
’Jian Shisan rarely talks to anyone. He’s a man who lets his sword do the talking, his presence usually overwhelming. Him, admit he’s wrong?’
’How difficult must that be?’
Still, Yue Xi had no intention of going out. ’If he wants to stand there, let him. It’s better than him leaving for a few hundred years and not returning.’
Just as Yue Xi was wishing for some quiet, Jingjing herself appeared.
"Master, Master, quick, catch me!" Jingyue’s voice suddenly rang out.
"Me too, Master!" came Su Qi’s voice.
Along with their voices came a wild, immense aura, far beyond what Tier Three cultivators like Jingyue and the others could produce.
Yue Xi jumped in alarm and rushed outside. By the time she got there, she saw Jingyue and Su Qi landing, completely unharmed.
The powerful aura had also vanished.
She didn’t even have to think to know what had happened. Her senior brother had intervened.
And here she’d rushed out, worrying for nothing. She felt a sudden urge to wring Jingyue’s and Jiu Xi’s necks.
Then she shot her two unfortunate disciples a cold glare. "What was that all about?"
Jingyue looked up at the sky, feigning ignorance. "The weather’s probably bad," she finally said. "Slippery roads."
Su Qi nodded. "My senior sister is right."
BONK. BONK.
A moment later, Jingyue and Su Qi were standing quietly to the side.
Both of their foreheads were red.
"We got a spear recently, so we wanted to try riding it to fly. But we found out one person couldn’t control it," Jingyue explained.
Su Qi added, "So I got on with my senior sister. Everything was fine at first, but then we suddenly lost control, and... well, here we are."
Yue Xi was speechless.
This was why she always felt her two disciples were in desperate need of more discipline.
’Do they think they can just ride someone else’s Magical Treasure whenever they feel like it?’
’And such a powerful one, at that.’
From the aura she’d felt, Yue Xi knew it was no ordinary Magical Treasure.
Meanwhile, Jian Shisan, who had just brought the spear under control in the sky, was filled with admiration. ’Fellow Jiang really knows his stuff.’
’He said he’d find a way to draw my junior sister out, and he did.’
’No wonder he was able to win over the Saintess. The man has genuine talent.’
’But is this really how you’re supposed to court a Saintess?’
Jian Shisan didn’t quite get it. For him, matters of the heart were more difficult than achieving Enlightenment, especially since he could never figure out what his junior sister was thinking.
Jian Shisan descended and handed the spear to Yue Xi.
Taking the spear, Yue Xi said to Jian Shisan, "Thank you for the trouble, Senior Brother."
Jian Shisan said nothing, given his stutter.
Yue Xi frowned as she held the spear. She realized it was even more powerful than she’d imagined. "Where did you two get this Magical Treasure?"
Jingyue whispered, "The male Candidacy Saintess sent it through the mark. It’s something someone left for the Saintess."
Jian Shisan paused. ’A male Candidacy Saintess?’
’Since when could a Candidacy Saintess be a man?’
He didn’t ask any further, though. It was a secret of the Saintess, and it wasn’t his place to know.
Yue Xi asked in surprise, "Do you know who he is? Or can you contact him now?"
Jingyue shook her head.
His authority was too high; there was no way for them to find out unless he revealed himself.
Then, Jingyue added, "Master, we actually came here specifically to discuss something with you."
Jingyue then explained her idea.
She then glanced at Jian Shisan before asking Yue Xi, "Can we borrow Senior Uncle for a moment?"
Yue Xi was silent.
’Why is she asking me?’
Nevertheless, Yue Xi turned to Jian Shisan. "Are you free these days, Senior Brother?"
Jian Shisan nodded, indicating that he was.
Yue Xi then asked, "In that case, could you help me look after a few of my disciples for a while?"
Again, Jian Shisan nodded to show it was no problem.
Yue Xi looked at him. "Are you so seriously injured you can’t speak, Senior Brother?"
Jian Shisan immediately stammered, "N-No."
"Then I’ll have to trouble you, Senior Brother. If there’s nothing else, I’ll be returning to my room." Yue Xi started to walk away, but after just a few steps, she turned back to Jian Shisan. "I heard you had someone bring back some Yongxi Flesh."
"Was it meant for me?"
Jian Shisan nodded. "Y-You... d-don’t like it?"
Yue Xi shook her head. "It’s not that. I just hope you’ll deliver it yourself next time, Senior Brother. I don’t accept things from other people."
Jian Shisan didn’t quite understand what she meant, but he had no chance to ask, as Yue Xi had already closed the door behind her.
Off to the side, however, Jingyue piped up. "Senior Uncle, Master’s meaning is obvious. She just wants you to—"
Before Jingyue could finish, the spear came flying and smacked her right on the forehead. She didn’t even have time to dodge.
With a loud THUD, Jingyue collapsed to the ground, out cold.
She twitched a couple of times on the ground and then lay still.
Su Qi was scared half to death. She grabbed Jingyue and shot a wary glance at Yue Xi’s room. Once they were a safe distance away, Su Qi hoisted Jingyue onto her back and fled as fast as she could.
Jian Shisan felt utterly helpless. It looked like his only option was to ask Jiang Zuo again.
After all, Jiang Zuo was a man with firsthand, successful experience. In this day and age, he was probably the only one.