Sob... You're Bullying Me

Chen Yi frowned. It seemed that was not the case.

First, he could be certain that the visitor did not know him. Otherwise, she would not have asked those questions earlier.

Second, the visitor had likely come looking for him because of his wife, Xiao Jinghong.

Second Miss Xiao's enemy?

Perhaps. After all, Xiao Jinghong was a general who guarded Shuzhou, and she had no shortage of enemies.

Chen Yi's brow furrowed unconsciously. How strong would a Martial Path cultivator have to be to bypass the Marquis's Mansion Guards and reach Chunhe Garden?

With that thought in mind.

Chen Yi slowly shifted his feet, placing his back against several stalks of Purple Bamboo as he warily surveyed his surroundings.

Just as he was about to continue probing, he sensed a gust of wind behind his head.

At the same time, a crisp giggle rang out. "Hehehe..."

Before he could think further.

Chen Yi stomped down, lowered himself, braced one hand against the ground, and flipped sideways. His eyes locked onto the visitor, but all he caught was a small figure drifting past.

What swift Body Movement Technique.

The thought had barely crossed his mind when the shadow closed in again. Bells seemed to hang around her neck, chiming tinklingly.

"Since you called me a heroine, this heroine will let you suffer a little less."

The voice arrived, followed closely by a pale, jade-white palm.

Chen Yi stared intently. In an instant, every sound around him vanished, leaving only that incoming palm in his sight.

The Qi within him began to circulate instinctively, rushing from his Dantian and Qi Sea through his sinews, bones, skin, flesh, and every limb.

Then, instead of retreating, he advanced. He brought his wrists together, lowered his body, and raised his hands to block—Collapsing Mountain · Heaven Supporting Style!

Smack!

The instant he made contact with that palm, Chen Yi clamped down on her wrist, about to twist both hands and snap her arm while driving his elbow forward with Collapsing Mountain force.

Yet before he could finish, the visitor seemed to have been frightened by him. Her body suddenly went limp, and she simply hung from him.

"Stop, stop, stop... It hurts, it hurts..."

"..."

Chen Yi's elbow stopped just before her chest. His hands still gripped her arm as he examined her by the lantern light outside the Wooden Tower.

She was a young woman with many tiny braids woven into her hair ornaments. Her face was round, rosy, and glossy, while a ring of silver bells hung around her neck.

Her clothes were strange as well, much like those worn by the mountain Tribes he had seen on the road before. Red and blue dominated the outfit; the neckline plunged low, and even the slit in her dress ran above her knees.

"Who are you?"

"I-I'm Pei Guanli..."

"Why did you try to assassinate me?"

"A-assassinate?"

The woman tilted her head up and looked at him pitifully. Her large eyes swept toward her wrist. "I wasn't trying to assassinate you. I was just playing around with you."

"Pei Guanli?" Chen Yi naturally did not believe her so easily. He twisted her arms behind her back and pressed a knee against her back.

"You can attack me just because you're playing around?"

"If you still refuse to tell the truth, I'll hand you over to the mansion guards. I'm sure those burly gentlemen from the military will be very fond of a delicate little girl like you."

"Don't, don't, don't... I'm telling the truth... I really was just playing around. Before I came, I had just seen Sister Jinghong."

Pei Guanli hastily explained herself, wanting only to get free as soon as possible.

At the same time, she was deeply puzzled. Her brother had clearly said that Sister Jinghong's husband was a frail scholar, an embroidered pillow, a complete good-for-nothing.

Why was this man's strength so great? His Cultivation Base had to be at least Ninth Rank, Upper Stage.

More importantly, his Martial Path techniques were not weak either. Not only could he evade her attacks, he could subdue her in the blink of an eye.

Had she known this earlier, Pei Guanli would certainly have poisoned him several times before making a move.

You met my wife? Chen Yi was only half convinced. "What else?"

"And, and Sister Jinghong and my Grandma have known each other for years. Our Tribe's lives only improved because of Sister Jinghong. Later, we're going to establish a Mutual Market with her to exchange what we have for what we need."

"Then why didn't you say so from the start?"

"She... Sister Jinghong wouldn't let me attend the Old Marquis's birthday banquet, so... so I wanted to tease you a little and make her angry..."

After saying that, Pei Guanli struggled to turn her head toward him. Tears glimmered at the corners of her eyes as she whimpered, "Brother-in-law, I know I was wrong, sob..."

Hearing that, the corner of Chen Yi's mouth twitched slightly. He now believed her.

"Get up."

Even after releasing her, however, Chen Yi cautiously stepped back two paces, just in case.

Pei Guanli got up while rubbing her aching arm. Looking at the bruises on her wrist, tears streamed down her face in great drops.

"Just you wait. I'll... I'll tell Sister Jinghong that you bullied me."

"I'll tell my brother and Grandma too, and have them come beat you up, sob..."

Chen Yi looked at her tearful state with a headache.

It was not because of her crying, nor because of her brother or Grandma. Rather, he had suddenly realized—

If this girl knew Xiao Jinghong and was close to her, then would not the Martial Path Cultivation Base and techniques he had concealed be exposed?

"Stop crying. Get up and talk."

"I won't—mmph... Huh? Huh? Where are you taking me?"

Chen Yi had no patience to coax her. He dragged her straight into another side room of Xiao Jinghong's Wooden Tower and tossed her onto a stool.

Pei Guanli looked at the dark room, then at the irritated Chen Yi. At last, fear welled up in her heart.

"B-brother-in-law, y-you... what are you going to do?"

"Don't do anything reckless. I-I-I'm warning you, the girls of our Tribe are implanted with a special kind of Gu worms from childhood. If you do that, your end will be miserable."

Pei Guanli forgot all about crying and panicked as she "threatened" him. "Everything I said is true. And Sister Jinghong definitely won't let you off if she finds out."

"..."

What was she even talking about?

Chen Yi looked her over. Though she was pretty, she was clearly not enough to make him shatter his peaceful life for her sake.

With that thought, he sat down to one side and said evenly, "How about we make a deal?"

Pei Guanli crossed her arms over her chest and asked warily and fearfully, "W-what deal?"

"I can let tonight's matter slide, but you cannot tell anyone anything that happened tonight."

"Th-that's all?" Pei Guanli looked at him carefully.

Chen Yi nodded. "That's all. Pretend none of this ever happened."

I just have to keep quiet. Keep quiet...

Thinking of the rumors she had heard earlier, Pei Guanli suddenly had a flash of insight.

"You're afraid people will find out that you know martial arts? You want to hide it from Sister Jinghong, right? So you deliberately concealed it. Are you planning something against Xiao Manor?"

At that, Chen Yi shook his head helplessly. What an idiot.

"If you refuse, I'll hand you over to the Marquis's Mansion Guards right now on the charge of attempted assassination."

"Then your Martial Path skills will be exposed too."

"Who would believe you?"

"Sister Jinghong would." Seeing how calm he remained, Pei Guanli was still somewhat frightened and shifted her stool a little farther away.

Chen Yi said seriously, "I have only practiced martial arts for a little over ten days. Who would believe that?"

"Ten days... Impossible!" Pei Guanli abruptly stood and pointed at him. "Y-you... you're lying to me, aren't you?"

How could anyone cultivate the Martial Path to such a level in only ten days?

If it were that easy, then what was the point of her being stuck at Ninth Rank, Upper Stage for so many years, unable to achieve a breakthrough?

Chen Yi shot her a glance. "That is the truth. Believe it or not."

"In any case, if you refuse, then we'll go our separate ways with one clap. Perhaps one of the guards will take a liking to you, and you can enter the bridal chamber tonight."

"..."

Pei Guanli glared at him for a long while, as though she were looking at a monster.

After a while.

Her eyes rolled several times. She edged a little closer, and a flattering smile appeared on her round face.

"Brother-in-law, how did you do it? Can you teach me?"