You Are the Strongest Person I Have Ever Seen

Xue Qinghe stood where she was, feeling like a completely forgotten backdrop, awkwardly planted at the side.

She cast a resentful look at Ye Feiyang and muttered inwardly, Is this bastard really planning to cut ties with me completely and never see me again?

Xue Qinghe forcefully suppressed the anger in her heart and said coldly, "Since President Ye has nothing else to do, I shall take my leave first."

With that, she sharply flicked her sleeve and turned to leave, deliberately putting on an air of utter finality.

Watching her retreating figure, Ye Feiyang could not help but smile bitterly. How could he not know that Xue Qinghe had heard Dugu Bo was coming to cause trouble and had rushed over specifically because she was worried for his safety? He had seen that concern clearly.

But with so many people present, what could he say? He could not exactly expose Xue Qinghe's feelings outright and leave her unable to save face, could he?

"Your Highness, please wait." Ye Feiyang called out in time, his tone softening somewhat. "Since you are already here, why not stay for a cup of tea before leaving?"

He looked up at the sun. After all this commotion, it was nearly noon. If he really let Xue Qinghe leave in a huff, the knot between them would only grow tighter, making it even harder to mend things later.

Sooner or later, Xue Qinghe had to understand that in their relationship, the initiative could only remain in his hands. Still, there was no need to make things so ugly that they became strangers until death, hurting the bond between them.

Xue Qinghe abruptly stopped, and the frost on her face quietly melted away a little. Heaven knew how long she had waited for Ye Feiyang to say those words!

Over the past few days, she had forced herself not to seek Ye Feiyang out, and every day had felt like a year. Even she could not understand what was so good about this bastard. He repeatedly made her lose control of her emotions, tricked plenty of tears out of her, and even appeared in her dreams.

So annoying! Yet she still desperately wanted to stay and did not want to leave just like this.

Xue Qinghe deliberately maintained the Crown Prince's bearing, her tone carrying a hint of probing. "President Ye, are you inviting me to stay for a meal?"

Ye Feiyang froze for a moment—he clearly remembered offering tea, so how had this woman skipped straight to food? Still, he did not expose her and simply followed her lead. "Uh, if Your Highness does not mind, why not stay for a simple meal before leaving?"

Seeing Xue Qinghe still pretending to hesitate rather than agreeing immediately, Ye Feiyang instantly understood—apparently, he needed to make this way down a little smoother and give her enough face.

"Your Highness came here specially today. I understand the sentiment behind it. Please do me the honor of staying for a meal. This time, I will cook personally to entertain you. What do you say?" Ye Feiyang emphasized his words, his attitude exceptionally sincere.

Xue Qinghe finally could not keep it up any longer, and the grievance in her heart instantly vanished. She cursed inwardly, This bastard really was deliberately trying to upset me! He is obviously so good at coaxing people, yet he insisted on acting all cold before.

"Then I shall impose on you." Xue Qinghe's tone softened, no longer as icy as before.

Dugu Bo stood nearby, unable to leave yet unable to stay, so awkward that he nearly felt like digging a hole in the ground with his toes. Why had no one asked for his opinion? He was a Titled Douluo, after all, a prominent figure in the world of Soul Masters!

Fortunately, his silent protest was quickly answered. Ye Feiyang spoke at the right moment and looked at Dugu Bo. "Would Poison Douluo like to stay as well?"

"Hahaha~~ Good! This old man happens to want to talk more with President Ye and seek guidance regarding cultivation!" Dugu Bo immediately beamed, his attitude so attentive that he seemed like a completely different person from when he had arrived. There was not the slightest trace of his earlier hostility.

Ye Feiyang called toward the house, "Disciples, come out and welcome the guests."

The instant his words fell, five little heads popped out from behind the door. Smiling brightly, they hurried over and warmly invited Xue Qinghe and Dugu Bo into the reception room.

Dugu Bo swept his gaze over the five girls. When his eyes fell on Xiao Wu, his face immediately took on a thoughtful expression, and there was a little more scrutiny in his eyes.

Xiao Wu keenly noticed Dugu Bo's gaze and felt her heart tighten slightly. She softly said to Ye Feiyang, "Teacher, I'll help prepare the ingredients."

"Alright." Ye Feiyang nodded without asking further.

Before long, busy sounds rose from the kitchen. Chopping and washing vegetables blended together, making the place feel especially lively.

In the living room, Huo Wu quietly wrapped an arm around Ning Rongrong's and lowered her voice. "Rongrong, just how strong do you think Teacher is? He fought a Titled Douluo like he was beating up a grandson. That was way too easy!"

Though Huo Wu's voice was not loud, Dugu Bo, seated not far away, still heard every word clearly. His face instantly darkened like the bottom of a pot, but he could only awkwardly turn his head and pretend not to hear—after all, he really had lost terribly just now.

Ning Rongrong puffed out her small chest proudly and said, "Of course! Back in the Star Dou Great Forest, Teacher alone..."

She vividly recounted Ye Feiyang's past glorious achievements. Even Shui Bing'er listened with eyes full of admiration, her gaze sparkling.

Ning Rongrong's words could actually be summed up in one sentence: Teacher was not only absurdly strong, but unbelievably handsome too! The only bad thing was that he had too much principle—he insisted on waiting until they grew up before accepting their feelings.

After listening, Huo Wu secretly rejoiced. I'm already fifteen, older than Ning Rongrong and the others. That gives me a huge advantage!

Ning Rongrong saw through Huo Wu's thoughts at once. Raising an eyebrow, she deliberately reminded her, "Hey, we were here first. You latecomers need to get in line!"

Other things could be yielded, but not this. She absolutely would not back down!

Huo Wu's little face instantly flushed. Stubbornly, she said, "Hehe~~~ Senior Sister, you are overthinking it. I do not mean anything like that..."

Ning Rongrong looked at her with a teasing smile and ruthlessly exposed her. "Stop pretending. Whenever you talk to Teacher, your legs are pressed together tighter than Zhu Zhuqing's during Hell Stab. Who wouldn't notice?"

"You!..." Huo Wu was overwhelmed by embarrassment and indignation. She stomped her foot, turned, and ran away, afraid Ning Rongrong would tease her further.

Shui Bing'er's eyes darted around. Seeing Ning Rongrong's gaze shift toward her, she quickly waved her hands and said in panic, "I-I'm only one year older than you! Don't look at me. I do not have any other thoughts!"

Zhu Zhuqing could not help but burst into laughter. "That is practically a confession~~"

Ning Rongrong nodded as well. "At least you used that phrase correctly this time."

Shui Bing'er's face immediately turned crimson. Covering her cheeks, she ran away too, afraid they would continue teasing her.

After Huo Wu and Shui Bing'er had run off, Ning Rongrong winked at Zhu Zhuqing and whispered, "Pleasure working with you!"

They had long since secretly formed an alliance. They had decided to use their respective strengths, stand united, and take the initiative. They absolutely could not let Huo Wu and Shui Bing'er seize the advantage first.

After all, Huo Wu and Shui Bing'er's feelings were impossible to hide. Their greatest disadvantage, meanwhile, was their age—they simply could not compare with Huo Wu.

Besides, Teacher had seemed to say just now that he wanted to accept Poison Douluo's granddaughter into the academy. That meant another rival had appeared. Ah, winning Teacher's heart was truly a long and arduous road.

Xue Qinghe naturally heard the girls' conversation as well. She sighed inwardly, Sure enough, not one of Ye Feiyang's disciples is normal. Every one of them has improper designs on her own teacher!

After lunch, Ye Feiyang escorted Xue Qinghe out of the academy. Their relationship had finally eased after the meal. Ye Feiyang had rarely given Xue Qinghe enough face, putting her in an excellent mood. Even the name "bastard" in her heart for Ye Feiyang was temporarily withdrawn.

"Feiyang, are you preparing to go out? Where are you going?" Xue Qinghe asked curiously. She had seen the disciples packing things earlier, and they clearly intended to travel far.

"To Falling Moon Forest. Dugu Bo has a medicinal garden there, and it contains something I need." Ye Feiyang did not hide it and answered frankly.

"What is it? Are you taking your disciples with you too?" Xue Qinghe continued asking, a faint sense of anticipation rising in her heart.

Ye Feiyang did not intend to conceal it from her either. "There is a Yin Yang Well there. Its environment is very unusual, and it is filled with all kinds of Immortal Herbs. Not only can they help increase cultivation speed, but the Ice and Fire spring eyes inside can also temper the body. They will be very beneficial to the girls' cultivation."

Watching Ye Feiyang's strength soar day by day, and seeing even his disciples progress so rapidly, Xue Qinghe could not help feeling a trace of crisis—if she were left too far behind by them, would she not have even less of a chance in the future?

She asked somewhat hesitantly, "Is there really such a wonderful place? I have been tied down by trivial matters all these years, and my cultivation has progressed slowly. Among the Immortal Herbs you mentioned, are there any that could help me break through my bottleneck?"

"Of course." Ye Feiyang answered without hesitation. Then, looking at Xue Qinghe, he said seriously, "Brother Qinghe, in my opinion, with your talent, if you were willing to spend more time cultivating, you would definitely make tremendous progress in the future. You would not be inferior to anyone."

Hearing this, Xue Qinghe grumbled inwardly, Progress in the future? Progress where? My thoughts are not all on cultivation anymore.

"Ah, I cannot help myself..." Xue Qinghe sighed softly, her face revealing a measure of helplessness. She had planned for so many years, and her great undertaking was still unfinished. How could she easily give up and spend all her time cultivating?

Ye Feiyang knew Xue Qinghe's difficulties and did not expose them. Instead, he smiled and teased, "Brother Qinghe, what do you think of my strength?"

"Very strong. At your age, you are the strongest person I have ever seen, without question." Xue Qinghe answered without the slightest hesitation. A hint of barely noticeable admiration flashed through her eyes.

A sly gleam flashed through Ye Feiyang's eyes as he said with a faint smile, "Then, if I wanted to accept you as my disciple, would you be willing?"

Xue Qinghe was instantly stunned. Her rosy lips parted slightly, and her face was full of disbelief. She had never imagined Ye Feiyang would suggest such a thing—he actually wanted to accept her as his disciple?

This was far too unexpected! Yet somehow, a trace of temptation arose in her heart. What was going on?

Though she already had Ning Fengzhi as a teacher, Ye Feiyang was younger, better-looking, and stronger than Ning Fengzhi. Thinking about it carefully, becoming Ye Feiyang's disciple did not seem impossible...

But if they took on the title of teacher and disciple, the reluctance in her heart emerged again—what she wanted was not merely a teacher-disciple relationship.

Should she find an opportunity to be honest with Ye Feiyang and tell him her true identity and feelings?

Xue Qinghe truly could not understand what kind of magic Ye Feiyang possessed that made her unable to pull herself away. It was not just her—she was already certain that each of Ye Feiyang's five disciples harbored improper thoughts toward him...

If she did not think of something soon, even Tang Yuehua might be "eaten" by Ye Feiyang. Moreover, if her information was correct, Ye Feiyang had already won over Liu Erlong.

Did she really have to share one man with so many women?

Although Xue Qinghe knew all this, she did not dare say it aloud now. If she did, the relationship they had worked so hard to ease might become tense again, perhaps even break apart completely.

"Feiyang, did you just say that you wanted to accept me as your disciple?" Xue Qinghe still could not quite believe it and asked again to confirm.

"Of course it is true. Do I look like I am joking?" Ye Feiyang looked at Xue Qinghe seriously, with no hint of jest in his eyes.

"Not exactly..." Xue Qinghe's heartbeat began to accelerate, and a faint blush appeared on her face. "It is just too unexpected. I never thought about such a thing."

"So, will you agree or not? I can guarantee that once you enter my school, I will make you feel so good you will soar, and your cultivation progress will far surpass what it is now." Ye Feiyang continued tempting her.

Xue Qinghe's face grew even hotter—could this man not explain exactly what kind of good he meant? He was making her thoughts run wild.

Seeing Ye Feiyang's serious expression and personally witnessing the transformation of his five disciples, Xue Qinghe was indeed somewhat moved. She knew very well that becoming his disciple was not the goal. The most important thing was using this chance to get closer to Ye Feiyang.

She had mocked those girls before for trying to seduce their teacher, but now such an opportunity was right in front of her... Should she try seducing her teacher too?

"Hey, what are you spacing out for? Give me a straight answer..." Seeing Xue Qinghe remain silent for so long, Ye Feiyang could not help urging her.

Xue Qinghe suddenly came back to her senses. Taking a deep breath, she spoke as though she had made up her mind. "Take me to see that Yin Yang Well first. If everything you said is true, I will tell you a secret."

Ye Feiyang raised his brows slightly—a secret? Was Xue Qinghe preparing to be honest with him and reveal her true identity? No way, was this woman really trusting him that much?

"Fine, I'll take you. But should you return to the palace first and arrange its affairs? So your proper business will not be delayed." Ye Feiyang asked, being rather considerate.

"Give me half an hour. I will be back quickly," Xue Qinghe said, already beginning to make plans in her heart.

"Alright, I'll wait for you at the academy. Oh, remember to prepare carriages. There are many of us, and walking would take too much time," Ye Feiyang reminded her.

Xue Qinghe nodded and turned away, her figure soon disappearing into the shadows at the street corner.

She did not go far. Instead, she found Ci Xue in a secluded place and briefly arranged the palace's affairs for him to handle in her stead. The two Titled Douluo responsible for protecting her initially wanted to accompany her to Falling Moon Forest, but Xue Qinghe waved them off.

With Ye Feiyang at her side, what could possibly be unsafe? Even if danger arose, Ye Feiyang would surely protect her.

After arranging the affairs, Xue Qinghe did not forget Ye Feiyang's instruction and specifically had two spacious carriages prepared.

Before long, the group had assembled. The two carriages left Supreme Academy one after the other and headed toward Falling Moon Forest.

With the plan changed, Ye Feiyang no longer intended to make his five disciples travel by movement technique. Besides, Dugu Bo's injuries had not fully healed. The depletion caused by his Soul Power backlash had not been replenished, and his old ailments had not been cleared away either. He simply could not endure a long journey.

The five girls rode together in one carriage, while Ye Feiyang, Xue Qinghe, and Dugu Bo shared the other.

Among the three, Dugu Bo clearly had the highest apparent cultivation, yet inside the carriage, he was the most restrained. He sat ramrod straight, barely daring to breathe loudly.

Xue Qinghe, meanwhile, still maintained the Crown Prince's reserved and modest demeanor. Most of the time, she kept her eyes closed to rest and said little, appearing especially quiet.

Seeing the atmosphere inside the carriage was somewhat stifling, Ye Feiyang took the initiative to tease Dugu Bo. "Dugu Bo, I have been waiting for you for days. Why did you only come to cause trouble at my academy today? Did you just return from the Yin Yang Well not long ago and have not yet recovered?"

Dugu Bo's mouth twitched. Ye Feiyang's words truly made it hard for him to keep his old face. Even his visit to Supreme Academy to cause trouble had been predicted by Ye Feiyang. It seemed Ye Feiyang had never taken his provocation seriously at all.

Am I really that weak, that utterly incapable of putting up a fight? Dugu Bo silently asked himself. Thinking back on what had happened before... it seemed he really was!

"Ahem, this old man did indeed return from Falling Moon Forest not long ago. I did not expect that after only one day, I would have to return again." Dugu Bo coughed awkwardly, trying to hide his embarrassment.

Ye Feiyang chuckled. "There are many things you did not expect. For example, did you expect that I keep a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast at my academy?"

Dugu Bo's heart jolted. He instinctively glanced at Xue Qinghe beside him—did His Highness the Crown Prince know about this as well?

Upon hearing this, Xue Qinghe immediately opened her eyes, which were filled with confusion. Clearly, she did not know about it.

Before Xue Qinghe could ask, Ye Feiyang beat her to it. "She is my disciple, Xiao Wu. Neither of you should get any improper ideas about her, understand?"

His tone was relaxed and natural, yet it carried an unquestionable authority that instantly suppressed both Dugu Bo and Xue Qinghe.

How could Dugu Bo dare entertain any improper ideas now? He hurriedly waved his hands. "This old man already knows Miss Xiao Wu's identity, but I have no designs on her at all. President Ye, please do not misunderstand me!"

Ye Feiyang had beaten him so badly earlier that even if he knew Xiao Wu was a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, he would not dare have any thoughts about her.

Xue Qinghe was actually in a rather good mood—Ye Feiyang was willing to tell her such a secret and had not deliberately excluded her, which meant he still cared about her.

"Feiyang, who exactly is this Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast you are talking about?" Xue Qinghe asked curiously. She had not quite understood just now.

Since Xue Qinghe already intended to be honest, Ye Feiyang did not plan to hide it from her anymore. He said openly, "It is Xiao Wu."

Looking at Xue Qinghe, he asked with a smile, "His Highness the Crown Prince would not want to become my enemy and lay hands on my disciple, would you?"

Xue Qinghe sighed softly. Staring into Ye Feiyang's eyes, she said seriously, "Feiyang, what sort of person do you take me for? Would I ever harm a junior?"

She thought inwardly, If I really become Ye Feiyang's disciple, would I have to call Xiao Wu Senior Sister? Just thinking about that makes my chest feel stifled.

"That is for the best." Ye Feiyang smiled, then seemed to remember something and deliberately added another jab. "Perhaps the two of you will become fellow disciples in the future~"

Xue Qinghe narrowed her eyes slightly, and the corner of her mouth twitched—this bastard was starting again! Would it kill him not to tease her?

Dugu Bo, listening beside them, had bright eyes as he exclaimed inwardly, This is some juicy gossip! From the sound of their conversation, was the Crown Prince also going to become Ye Feiyang's disciple? Then would his granddaughter Dugu Yan not gain another powerful rival?

He quickly asked, "President Ye, you previously said you wanted to accept my granddaughter as your disciple. Does that still stand? Are you truly willing to accept her and guide her cultivation?"

Ye Feiyang did not answer directly. Instead, he said, "Whether I accept a disciple depends on both sides being willing. I have not even met your granddaughter yet, so it is too early to discuss this. Once I meet her, we can ask what she wants."

He suddenly recalled something and instead asked Dugu Bo, "By the way, Dugu Bo, your medicinal garden has so many rare flowers and herbs. How many of them do you recognize?"

Dugu Bo's old face instantly reddened. Somewhat embarrassed, he said, "To be honest, this old man... does not recognize most of them. I only know that a few are poisonous."

Ye Feiyang laughed inwardly. Even saying 'I recognize most of them' would sound better than 'I do not recognize most of them.' At least it would not be this embarrassing.

A crafty gleam flashed through his eyes as he continued, "Then do you know that growing around the outskirts of the Yin Yang Well is a Bilin Seven Absolute Flower?"

Dugu Bo was somewhat confused. He thought carefully and remembered that there really was a strangely shaped poisonous plant growing there. So that flower was called the Bilin Seven Absolute Flower? He had never known its name before.

"President Ye, if you have something to say, please say it plainly. There is no need to beat around the bush with this old man." Dugu Bo was becoming anxious. He knew Ye Feiyang must have an important reason for asking.

With a smile at the corner of his lips, Ye Feiyang slowly said, "This Bilin Seven Absolute Flower is a tremendous opportunity for your granddaughter, Dugu Yan. It would be a terrible pity to miss it."

The words "Bilin" immediately roused Dugu Bo's spirits. He seemed to think of something, and his eyes instantly turned eager. Yet the Bilin Seven Absolute Flower was poisonous throughout, and it happened to grow at the outskirts of the Yin Yang Well, preventing many Soul Beasts from mistakenly entering the Yin Yang Well. That was why he had never deliberately removed it.

Ye Feiyang had specifically mentioned the Bilin Seven Absolute Flower and said it was an opportunity for his granddaughter? Though Dugu Bo had some guesses, he did not dare be certain, afraid he might be wrong.

This concerned his granddaughter's future, so Dugu Bo took it extremely seriously. He hurriedly clasped his hands and said respectfully, "Please enlighten me, President Ye! This old man truly does not know what opportunity the Bilin Seven Absolute Flower can bring Yan Yan."

"The Bilin Seven Absolute Flower itself is incomparably poisonous. Even an ordinary Titled Douluo would die immediately if carelessly exposed to it. But the constitution of your Dugu family is precisely the opposite—you can withstand this poison."

Ye Feiyang paused before continuing, "If your granddaughter consumes the Bilin Seven Absolute Flower, there is a very high chance that her Martial Soul will evolve into... the Azure Serpent Emperor. You should understand what it would mean for her if her Martial Soul evolved into the Azure Serpent Emperor."

After hearing this, Dugu Bo shot to his feet in excitement. His head struck the roof of the carriage with a thud, but he completely ignored the pain, his voice trembling. "What? Is that true? You are not deceiving this old man?"

He had guarded a garden full of treasures without knowing what they were for. His current feeling was like finding gold but treating it as an ordinary stone all along, only now learning its true value.

"Of course it is true. What benefit would I get from lying to you?" Ye Feiyang said with a smile. "Unfortunately, your granddaughter is still away and has not returned. Otherwise, on this trip to Falling Moon Forest, you could personally witness her Martial Soul Evolution."

Dugu Bo was so excited that his face flushed red. He continuously rubbed his hands together, appearing exceptionally thrilled. "She should be back soon! If this succeeds, this old man—this old man will owe you a tremendous favor! If there is ever anything you need help with, President Ye, just say the word!"

Ye Feiyang waved his hand and said indifferently, "There is no need for favors. As long as you do not cause trouble for me and the academy in the future, I will be satisfied. I am not afraid of trouble, but my disciples are still young. I am afraid they will be frightened."

Dugu Bo immediately understood. He laughed heartily and said, "Rest assured, President Ye! Once I return, I will spread the word that anyone who dares cause trouble for Supreme Academy or President Ye is making an enemy of me, Dugu Bo! I would like to see who is blind enough to dare!"

He spoke with exceptional solemnity, but his eyes were also exceptionally sincere. Clearly, he genuinely wanted to repay Ye Feiyang.

Ye Feiyang snorted and deliberately teased him. "Then what if Prince Xue Xing tells you to deal with me again? Which side will you stand on then?"

Dugu Bo immediately became hesitant, his gaze darting away as he said, "Ah, well, that... Naturally, I will stand on President Ye's side! As for Prince Xue Xing, I will find a way to refuse him. I will never become President Ye's enemy again!"

Xue Qinghe, who had quietly listened to their conversation, felt somewhat dazed. She had exhausted herself trying to recruit talented people, yet Ye Feiyang had won over a Titled Douluo with just a few words. All the benefits involved were merely verbal promises; he had not even offered any real gain.

What kind of magic did this man possess? He could charm both men and women, making so many people willingly serve him?

"Feiyang," Xue Qinghe softly sighed, curiosity in her eyes, "I never knew you were so knowledgeable about medicinal herbs. You even recognize a rare poisonous herb like the Bilin Seven Absolute Flower."

Ye Feiyang grinned, blinked, and said with false modesty, "I would not call it expertise. I only know a little, just a little~"

Then he changed the subject. "Everyone has their own strengths. The political affairs and planning Your Highness excels at would leave others running around like headless flies, not knowing where to begin."

Xue Qinghe repeated Ye Feiyang's words thoughtfully. "Ex... pert?" Her eyes gained a few complicated emotions, and no one knew what she was thinking.