More than ten days passed in the blink of an eye.
Every morning during those days, Ye Wen practiced a set of his 108 Forms Boxing and Kicking Martial Skill. This left Old Ghost Wu and Tuo Yan next door utterly baffled. You're a Martial Artist at the Innate Third Rank. Why aren't you diligently cultivating your techniques, strengthening your Origin Energy, and expanding your meridians? Why have you practiced a Houtian Martial Skill until you know it by heart? What are you trying to do?
Every day, once Ye Wen finished practicing his martial skill, Zhang Jingyi would come to his courtyard. She would hand Ye Wen a damp towel to wipe away his sweat, then bring him a cup of hot tea. At times like this, Ye Wen could only grin foolishly.
All the single men in the Innate Mansion were green with envy. Even Old Ghost Wu, who already had a wife, was filled with jealousy. Who in Demon Suppressing City didn't know that it had two beautiful flowers? One was Grand Princess Mo Ruxue, and the other was Zhang Jingyi.
Faced with everyone's teasing, the two of them remained utterly unfazed as they calmly walked past the crowd. After they left the Innate Mansion, Zhang Jingyi suddenly stopped and said to Ye Wen,
"Today, we're not going to read. Come with me somewhere, all right?"
Ye Wen agreed at once. He had already learned everything he needed to during these days and had long since lost the desire to keep reading. Yet every time, he enjoyed the way Zhang Jingyi gazed at him with worship in her eyes and praised him without end, until he completely lost himself in it.
When he suddenly heard Zhang Jingyi say they were not going to read, Ye Wen's happiness was written all over his face. Staying every day with an astonishing beauty who worshiped him was certainly the envy of all. But remaining forever in the quiet, dilapidated Library Pavilion—especially with Old Man Zhang occasionally barging in without warning—was exhausting in its own way!
"Jingyi, where are we going today?"
Ye Wen finally couldn't hold back and asked.
"Today, I want to go out—somewhere more than fifty li beyond the city. I rarely went out alone before, and I didn't dare to, either. But now I suddenly have an Xiantian Master by my side, don't I? I want to enjoy what it feels like to have an Xiantian Master as my bodyguard!"
As she spoke, Zhang Jingyi cheerfully headed toward the city gates.
"Haha, if this beautiful Jingyi needs a bodyguard, I'd be happy to protect Miss Jingyi around the clock, twenty-four hours a day."
Ye Wen followed closely behind Zhang Jingyi and spoke to her with a sly grin.
"Hmph, hmph. Someone wants to protect me around the clock, and even stay glued to my side? I'm afraid I wouldn't be safe all day long, you big bully! Hmph!"
The two walked down the main street, truly a handsome man and a beautiful woman. They drew frequent glances from quite a few people. Ye Wen suddenly said to Zhang Jingyi,
"For a place more than fifty li outside the city, we should rent a carriage or a horse. I'm a Martial Cultivator, so this distance is nothing to me. But if you walk there and back today, your whole body will be sore and you'll be utterly exhausted by the time we return tonight."
Zhang Jingyi also thought that made sense. She had never had the chance to go out before, so she knew nothing about such things. Only after hearing Ye Wen mention it did she think of it.
"But I don't want to ride in a carriage. Sitting inside feels even more tiring than walking. Let's just rent one horse. I'll ride, and you can lead it! All right?"
Ye Wen looked at Zhang Jingyi's beautiful, wide eyes and her delicate features. So this was what it felt like when a beauty acted spoiled with you. For a moment, Ye Wen felt his entire body go soft, and before he could even answer, that electric sensation struck again.
Zhang Jingyi was tugging at Ye Wen's arm with both soft little hands, shaking it back and forth. Her sweet, soft voice rang out once more.
"Pleeease?"
Could Ye Wen possibly say no? Today, Zhang Jingyi seemed like a golden bird released from its cage. A charming smile often blossomed across her face.
And so, Zhang Jingyi rode the horse while Ye Wen led it, and they slowly made their way to the destination Zhang Jingyi had mentioned. After dismounting, Zhang Jingyi was no longer the excited young girl who had set out on an outing. Instead, she grew somewhat silent, her expression tinged with sorrow and grief.
Ye Wen accompanied her to two tiny mounds of earth. Zhang Jingyi took out the small bamboo basket she had brought with her, removed food and wine from inside, and neatly arranged them before the mounds.
"Father, Mother, your daughter has come to see you. How quickly time has passed—ten whole years already. Your daughter has missed you so much! I've missed you both so much. I miss Mother's embrace, and Father's shoulders..."
Watching Zhang Jingyi cry and sob through her words, Ye Wen finally understood why she had come today. When they left the city, he had seen the food and wine in the bamboo basket and assumed she had brought lunch for an outing!
Ye Wen didn't go over to disturb her. He simply let this normally strong girl pour out her heart to her parents a little longer.
After a while, Ye Wen saw that Zhang Jingyi had stopped crying. He hurried over, wiped away her tears, and plopped down beside her. He truly didn't know how to comfort a girl, so he could only ask,
"How did your parents die?"
After a while, Zhang Jingyi slowly began to speak.
"Ten years ago, we lived in a small city. My grandfather was a teacher renowned far and wide, but my father had never liked studying since he was young. He was extremely fond of the Martial Dao, though, and his aptitude in the Martial Dao was fairly good. When I was eight, he also broke through to the Innate Second Rank."
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