Xiao Xun'er's Heart

"Could it be... could it be... could it be that the boy who once used Dou Qi to nourish my meridians wasn't Brother Xiao Yan, but Brother Xiao Han!"

Xiao Xun'er seemed to have been struck by a bolt from the blue. Startled, she involuntarily took a step back. Looking at the item in her hand, she knew there could be no mistake. It belonged to her, Xiao Xun'er.

After understanding everything, Xiao Xun'er raised her head and looked at Xiao Han.

Just now, in order to vent Xiao Yan's anger, she had truly shown no mercy with that palm strike. Though it was not fatal, it was enough to lightly injure Xiao Han's internal organs.

Seeing blood at the corner of Xiao Han's lips, Xiao Xun'er's heart ached. She had actually hurt someone who had once cared for her so deeply.

"Brother Xiao Han!"

Xiao Xun'er's eyes were misty. She moved toward Xiao Han, but then noticed Xiao Yan standing in the corner. In the end, she stopped.

"How did you get this?" Xiao Xun'er asked again. Even now, she was unwilling to believe that the boy who had entered her heart in her youth was not Xiao Yan, but Xiao Han.

"This thing?"

Xiao Xun'er's words aroused the curiosity of many Xiao Clan disciples present.

"Could that thing belong to Xiao Xun'er?"

"My heavens, I actually saw Cousin Xun Er's private belt. But what does she mean? Could Xiao Han have stolen Cousin Xun Er's private belt?"

"No way, does Cousin Xiao Han really have such a bizarre hobby?"

The people around them spoke over one another. Yet Xiao Han and Xiao Xun'er, the two people involved, remained calm as their gazes met.

That was right. When the previous Xiao Han had helped Xiao Xun'er nourish her meridians, he had noticed this item and casually taken it away afterward. He had chosen to treasure it.

However, whenever he saw Xiao Xun'er and Xiao Yan together, all lovey-dovey, the introverted and bashful former owner had chosen silence. Now that Xiao Han had taken his place, he no longer wished to remain silent.

"So Cousin Xiao Han is that kind of person? He's disgracing us men."

"So Cousin Xiao Han likes collecting this sort of thing. I'd heard other sisters mention it before and thought it was only a rumor. I never expected him to really be that kind of person!"

The truth would always be exposed eventually.

Faced with the accusations around him, Xiao Han remained utterly unruffled. He had expected all of this.

Cough.

Xiao Han coughed lightly and spat out a mouthful of clotted blood.

Xiao Xun'er's expression tightened, and she could not bear it. That palm strike had looked ordinary, but she had actually used the Heavenly Flame, Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame.

After looking into Xiao Xun'er's eyes for a long while, Xiao Han knew she would not return it. He said flatly, "It was yours to begin with. Since you want it, just take it back."

After saying that, Xiao Han turned and walked down from the arena.

"Wait." Xiao Xun'er suddenly called out. "Why?"

"Why what?" Xiao Han did not turn around, his back still facing Xiao Xun'er.

"With your intelligence, you must have known that I wanted to vent Brother Xiao Yan's anger. Why did you still accept the challenge?" Xiao Xun'er voiced the doubt in her heart.

Xiao Han had been able to use his silver tongue to resolve the impact Nalan Yanran's broken engagement had caused among the three factions. He was certainly no fool. Xiao Xun'er believed that Xiao Han must have guessed that her Challenge Letter had been meant to vent Xiao Yan's anger.

Yet Xiao Han had still accepted the challenge.

"Because you were the one who sent the Challenge Letter. It may have been a challenge to others, but to me, it was the first formal date you asked me on," Xiao Han said calmly.

"Uh..."

Xiao Xun'er's heart, which had always stirred only for Xiao Yan, could not help but ripple.

Even knowing that he would be hurt, he had still come to accept her challenge. Xiao Han was so devoted that it was impossible for Xiao Xun'er not to be moved.

Seeing Xiao Han prepare to leave, Xiao Xun'er seemed to think of something and hurriedly asked, "Did you not use your full strength just now?"

Half a month ago, Xiao Xun'er had tried to use the pressure created by her Heavenly Flame to force Xiao Han into making a fool of himself in public. Yet Xiao Han had effortlessly resolved it.

Xiao Xun'er had always believed that Xiao Han also possessed a Heavenly Flame.

During the fight just now, she had used a Heavenly Flame, but Xiao Han had not. Clearly, Xiao Han had not used his full strength. He had gone easy on her.

"Is that... important?" Xiao Han neither confirmed nor denied it as he walked out of the Fighting Technique Hall.

Looking at Xiao Han's lonely figure, Xiao Xun'er felt a jumble of emotions.

Because she had sent the Challenge Letter, Xiao Han had accepted it without condition. He had treated it as a date.

Even though he knew Xiao Xun'er would not hold back, Xiao Han had kept something in reserve for fear of hurting her, choosing to let himself be injured instead.

Moreover, for years, someone so deeply devoted to her had watched her and Xiao Yan together every day. How cruel must that have been for Xiao Han?

Thinking of this, Xiao Xun'er felt a pang of sorrow. She shifted her steps, wanting to catch up to Xiao Han.

"Sister Xun'er!"

A young man stepped in front of Xiao Xun'er. It was none other than Xiao Yan, who had been watching outside the arena all along.

"Brother... Brother Xiao Yan!"

Xiao Xun'er froze slightly. After a pause, as if making up her mind, she asked, "Brother Xiao Yan, back when we weren't playing together yet... one night several years ago, did you visit my courtyard?"

One item she had used was not enough to prove that the person who had nourished her meridians was Xiao Han.

"Yes." Xiao Yan frowned slightly, not knowing why Xiao Xun'er had suddenly asked about this. "Several years ago, I did go to your courtyard one night. Sister Xun'er..."

Xiao Yan seemed to make up his mind and said, "I'll be honest. Yes, I like you. From the first moment I saw you when you entered the Xiao Clan, I liked you. I didn't know how to express my feelings. I wanted to confess many times, but I was young then and lacked the courage. Once, I even entered your courtyard, but in the end, I still did not dare confess. Fortunately, you seemed to understand my feelings afterward."

Xiao Yan wanted to take Xiao Xun'er's hand. This time, however, Xiao Xun'er resisted him and involuntarily took a step back, distancing herself from Xiao Yan.

"Brother Xiao Yan, are you saying that after you entered my courtyard, you immediately left again?" Xiao Xun'er asked once more. Back then, it was precisely because she had seen Xiao Yan enter the courtyard that she had mistakenly believed he was the one who had been nourishing her meridians.

"Yes." Xiao Yan's frown deepened as he asked in confusion, "What's wrong?"

"No... nothing!" Xiao Xun'er instinctively looked toward Xiao Han's retreating back.

"Sister Xun'er, I'm free today. How about coming with me for a walk around the streets?" Xiao Yan invited.

"No, Brother Xiao Yan. I'm a little tired today. I want to go back and rest."

Without waiting for Xiao Yan's response, Xiao Xun'er went around him and walked down from the arena.

Xiao Xun'er's heart was in turmoil.

All along, she had mistakenly believed that the boy who had nourished her meridians was Brother Xiao Yan. Because of that, even knowing Xiao Yan had an engagement, even knowing he was a lecher who had been chased all over the mountains by Xiao Yu after touching her foot, Xiao Xun'er had still chosen to tolerate and forgive him.

Everything had been built on the belief that Xiao Yan was the boy who had entered her heart when she had been at her most helpless.

Now, even that foundation was gone. Suddenly, someone had told her that she had been wrong—that someone else had done it all.

How could Xiao Xun'er possibly accept that?

After spending all these years together, she was not made of stone. She and Xiao Yan had developed feelings for each other.

Yet today, upon seeing Xiao Han's back, her heart had stirred once again.

A devoted man who would appear by her side without hesitation even when he knew he would be hurt—who could possibly remain unmoved?

Chaos, chaos, chaos. Xiao Xun'er's heart was truly in complete chaos.

"Ding dong!"