The One-Year Promise

The moment Ye Xiu said that, Queen Medusa froze.

In all her years alive, she'd never imagined something like this would happen to her.

Queen Medusa's expression turned cold at once. She fixed Ye Xiu with a frosty stare. "Say that again?"

Ye Xiu wasn't afraid. He looked her straight in the eye. "I said, be my wife."

"Outrageous!"

The aura of a Dou Zong erupted from Queen Medusa, freezing the air around them. She glared at Ye Xiu and said coldly, "Who do you think I am? How dare you provoke me again and again!"

Ye Xiu wasn't intimidated by her aura. Instead, he flew a few steps closer.

"Your Majesty, don't get angry just yet. Can you hear me out first?"

Queen Medusa didn't reply. She simply stared at him.

Ye Xiu continued, "Look at us. Everything that was supposed to happen—and everything that wasn't—has happened. You chased me for over a thousand miles to find me. If you really felt nothing for me, would you believe that yourself?"

Queen Medusa's expression faltered, but her words were still sharp. "I came to settle a score with you!"

"Fine, fine. You came to settle a score." Ye Xiu waved a hand. "Now that you've settled it, what are you going to do next? Kill me? Could you really bring yourself to do that?"

Queen Medusa gritted her teeth and said nothing.

Seeing her like that, Ye Xiu knew he was onto something. He continued, "Your Majesty, let's be frank. You know your own situation. The Snake-Person Race is holed up in the desert, the Jia Ma Empire is eyeing you covetously, and the neighboring kingdoms don't have your best interests at heart. You've become a Dou Zong, and no one in the Jia Ma Empire can match you—but that also makes you a target. There are several Dou Zongs in the neighboring empires!"

Queen Medusa's expression darkened. "What are you getting at?"

"It's simple," Ye Xiu said. "If you're with me, then I'll be one of the Snake-Person Race. I'm fifteen, a Seven-Star Dou Huang, and it won't be long before I break through to Dou Zong. Once we're both Dou Zongs, with your people at our side, who would dare lay a hand on you?"

Queen Medusa said nothing, but her gaze shifted.

Seeing her expression soften, Ye Xiu pressed on. "And think about my potential. You can see it for yourself. A Seven-Star Dou Huang at fifteen—can you find another one anywhere in the Northwest Continent? Breaking through to Dou Zong is a sure thing. Even reaching Dou Zun won't take me long. You wouldn't be settling if you were with me, would you?"

Queen Medusa looked at him, her expression complicated.

The man was right. With talent like his, he'd be a rare prodigy not just in the Northwest Continent, but even in the Central Plains. His future achievements would certainly go beyond Dou Zong.

But she was the queen of the Snake-Person Race, proud by nature. How could she agree so easily?

"Are you so sure I'll accept?" Queen Medusa asked coldly.

Ye Xiu smiled. "I'm not sure. But I want you to know how I feel. If you're willing, we can give this a proper chance. If you're not..."

He paused and looked her in the eye. "Then I'll pursue you until you are."

Queen Medusa froze for a moment, then turned her face away.

"You're all talk."

Seeing her reaction, Ye Xiu knew he had a chance. He flew one step closer.

"Your Majesty, give me a year."

Queen Medusa turned to look at him.

Ye Xiu spoke seriously. "Give me one year. A year from now, I'll come to the Snake-Person Race and ask for your hand in marriage myself. I'll bring betrothal gifts and come openly and honorably. Then you can give me a definite answer."

Queen Medusa stared at him for a long while.

His eyes were clear, free of any ulterior motives. He was simply serious.

She was silent for a long time before finally speaking.

"We'll talk about it in a year."

With that, she turned and left.

Ye Xiu called after her, "I'll take that as a yes!"

Queen Medusa didn't look back, but she flew away noticeably faster.

Ye Xiu hovered in the air, watching her red figure grow smaller and smaller until it disappeared on the horizon. He couldn't help grinning.

That woman was stubborn from head to toe—especially with her words.

Ye Xiu descended from the sky and returned to the inn.

He pushed open the door. Xiao Yi Xian was sitting inside, and she stood up as soon as she saw him.

"Master! Are you all right?"

Ye Xiu waved a hand. "I'm fine."

Xiao Yi Xian examined him and, seeing that he wasn't hurt, finally breathed a sigh of relief. But she still looked like she wanted to ask something and was afraid to. After holding back for a long while, she finally blurted, "Master... what exactly happened between you and that queen of the Snake-Person Race?"

Ye Xiu glanced at her and casually said, "You can call her your mistress from now on."

Xiao Yi Xian's expression instantly froze.

She stood there, mouth open, unable to say a word.

Several seconds passed before she managed to stammer, "M-Mistress?"

"Mm."

Xiao Yi Xian felt her mind go blank. She was completely overwhelmed.

Her mistress?

Was the queen of the Snake-Person Race, a Dou Zong, going to become her mistress?

She stood there in a daze, her little face slowly turning pale, all the light vanishing from her eyes.

Ye Xiu stared at her, confused. "What's wrong?"

Xiao Yi Xian shook her head and forced a smile more painful than crying. "N-Nothing, Master. I'm happy for you..."

She said she was happy, but her eyes were already reddening.

She lowered her head, bit her lip, and desperately tried to keep the tears from falling.

Seeing her like this, Ye Xiu couldn't fail to understand.

This girl had feelings for him.

He sighed, walked over, and ruffled her hair.

Xiao Yi Xian shuddered and looked up at him. At last, she couldn't hold back her tears, and they began to fall.

"M-Master... I..."

Ye Xiu looked at her and said earnestly, "You're my disciple. No matter how many mistresses you have in the future, no one can ever take your place in my heart."

Hearing that, Xiao Yi Xian cried even harder.

Ye Xiu patted her on the head. "All right, don't cry. Get your things ready. We still have to hit the road tomorrow."

Xiao Yi Xian wiped her tears hard and nodded.

What Ye Xiu didn't know was that the events of that night in Mo City had already spread like wildfire.

The people hiding in the city hadn't dared to come out, but they hadn't gone deaf. Quite a few powerful figures below had heard at least some of what the two people in the sky had said.

Especially the words, "A year from now, I'll come to the Snake-Person Race and ask for your hand in marriage myself." They'd heard those loud and clear.

So early the next morning, all of Mo City was in an uproar.

"Have you heard? That young man in black fought the queen of the Snake-Person Race, and after the fight, he said he was going to marry her!"

"Marry her? He said he was going to ask for her hand!"

"Good heavens, that's Queen Medusa! She's been a nightmare for the Jia Ma Empire for years, and now some kid of fifteen or sixteen is going to take her home?"

"That kid's no ordinary person! I heard he's a Seven-Star Dou Huang! A Seven-Star Dou Huang at fifteen!"

"Holy shit!"

Similar conversations were happening all over the streets and alleys of Mo City.

The news spread faster than the wind.

By the next day, Heiyan City knew.

By the third day, Wutan City knew.

A week later, the entire Jia Ma Empire knew.

Jia Ma Holy City, Misty Cloud Sect.

Yun Yun was sitting in her room, drinking tea, when the door suddenly flew open and a disciple hurried in.

"Sect Master! Something terrible has happened!"

Yun Yun frowned. "What's got you so flustered?"

The disciple panted as she spoke. "Everyone outside is saying that... that someone named Ye Xiu is going to ask for the Snake-Person Race queen's hand in marriage!"

The teacup in Yun Yun's hand hit the floor with a sharp crack and shattered into several pieces.

She stood frozen, unable to move.

The disciple watched her nervously. "Sect Master? Are you all right?"

Yun Yun came back to herself, her face a little pale.

"I'm fine... You may leave."