I Have My Eye on You

In the courtyard.

Wu Changqing and Yun Yun left the sect hall one after the other.

On the surface, they were each returning to their own courtyards.

But their courtyards were next to each other, so they took the same path.

"Elder Wu, there's something else I need to tell you. Come with me," Yun Yun called out to Wu Changqing.

"Does the Sect Leader still have something left unsaid?" Wu Changqing looked at her with a smile.

"You... come with me!"

For some reason, Yun Yun felt irritated whenever she saw him now.

She had to call him over and scold him a few times to vent her frustration!

"Yes. Since the Sect Leader has spoken, I can hardly refuse."

Wu Changqing followed her back to her room.

There were usually no maids in Yun Yun's courtyard, except at the entrance.

It had been this way for several years now—because back then, she had been afraid someone would discover Wu Changqing's existence.

Now that Wu Changqing had taken human form, she still maintained the habit.

After all, the two of them were occasionally alone together in the same room.

Once they entered the room, Wu Changqing teased her, "What's wrong? You looked all puffed up with anger from the moment we left the sect hall. Who upset you?"

"You know perfectly well!" Yun Yun gritted her teeth in anger. "Tell me, back in the hall, were you planning to agree to Old Jia's terms and marry Princess Yaoye?"

"I already made it quite clear in the hall. I have no such intentions for the time being, but if I change my mind in the future, that may not be the case," Wu Changqing said.

"Even if you change your mind later, you can't!"

"Why not?"

"You're an elder of the Misty Cloud Sect. You can't collude with the Jia Ma Imperial Family. Even if you want to marry, you can only marry someone from the Misty Cloud Sect!" Yun Yun said.

"Where in our sect is there a suitable woman for me to marry? Will you find one for me?" A smile curled across Wu Changqing's lips as he deliberately asked.

He found it rather amusing to tease Yun Yun like this.

"A suitable woman... find one yourself. Whoever catches your eye is fine, but in any case, you can't marry a princess of the Jia Ma Imperial Family." Yun Yun was beginning to be unreasonable.

She did not know whether she was anxious because of the Jia Ma Imperial Family, or because of Wu Changqing.

Wu Changqing raised a brow. "Whoever catches my eye is fine? Then what if I have my eye on you?"

As he spoke, he suddenly stepped forward and slowly closed in on Yun Yun.

Hearing those words, Yun Yun's heart fell into a panic. As she watched Wu Changqing approach, she instinctively backed away. "W-what do you see in me?"

What was this guy saying?!

Saying something like that... wasn't he embarrassed?

Wu Changqing said nothing and merely kept moving closer.

Until Yun Yun had nowhere left to retreat, their bodies drew close together—so close that they could smell each other's scent.

Yun Yun carried a faint, elegant fragrance, warm and sweet like flowers.

Her heart was pounding furiously. She had never felt this nervous before.

Wu Changqing stood right before her. With the two of them so close, she could sense the masculine aura around him, making her heartbeat quicken.

"W-why are you standing so close?"

She spoke weakly, none of her earlier imposing manner remaining.

If Wu Changqing did something to her now, she would not refuse.

"Because I wanted to take a closer look at you." Wu Changqing reached out and brushed a stray lock of hair from her forehead, then slowly lowered his head.

Yun Yun's heart nearly leaped out of her chest, and her hands instinctively clenched together.

In that instant, countless thoughts flashed through her mind.

But in the end, she did nothing. She merely slowly closed her eyes.

Yet after quite some time, the thing she had imagined did not happen.

The breath before her also grew farther and farther away.

She opened her eyes in surprise and saw that Wu Changqing had already stepped away.

In an instant, her heart was filled with disappointment.

"Sword Spirit Senior, you..."

She wanted to question him, but she did not know what to ask.

"Don't worry. What I said to Old Jia just now was merely courtesy, and I truly have no interest in Princess Yaoye. I'm now an elder of the Misty Cloud Sect, so naturally I won't abandon you to join the Jia Ma Imperial Family," Wu Changqing said.

"Oh."

Yun Yun looked dejected.

She did not know whether she was disappointed by Wu Changqing's answer, or by what had failed to happen just now.

"Don't overthink it. I'm heading back."

Wu Changqing left Yun Yun's room.

Leaving her standing there, fuming.

"Stupid Senior, stupid Senior!"

The atmosphere had been so perfect just now. She had clearly already prepared herself.

Yet this guy had actually done nothing... it was infuriating!

Knock, knock, knock!

A sudden knock sounded outside.

"Who is it?!"

She spoke impatiently, startling Yun Leng outside the door.

Why did it sound like Yun Yun was so angry?

Still, he delivered the message. "Sect Leader, the Old Sect Leader has asked you to go see him immediately."

"Teacher wants to see me?"

The moment she heard that Yun Shan was looking for her, Yun Yun suppressed her anger.

"I understand."

After briefly composing herself, Yun Yun headed to the back mountain.

Misty Cloud Sect's forbidden grounds in the back mountain.

Although Yun Shan was in seclusion, that did not mean he was completely cut off from the outside world.

Yun Yun and Yun Leng would occasionally go see him.

"Teacher, you summoned me?"

Upon arriving at the bamboo forest's forbidden grounds, Yun Yun bowed to Yun Shan.

"Yun'er, you're here." Yun Shan slowly opened his eyes. He looked even older than he had a few years ago. "Sit."

Yun Yun obediently sat down.

"How has the sect been recently?"

"Everything has been peaceful."

"I heard from Yun Leng that a new elder has joined the sect, and that he is a Dou Huang. Is that true?" Yun Shan asked.

Yun Yun had not told him about this matter.

But apart from Yun Yun, Yun Leng was also Yun Shan's informant and regularly reported the sect's affairs to him.

Therefore, even if Yun Yun did not mention certain things, Yun Shan would still know about them.

"Yes, Elder Wu recently joined our sect," Yun Yun answered truthfully.

"What is this person's background? Is he reliable?"

"This disciple trusts him." Yun Yun directly stated her position.

She knew that Yun Leng had certainly already told Yun Shan about Wu Changqing, so she did not explain further.

"I heard from Yun Leng that Jia Xing Tian came today and publicly offered to marry the princess to Elder Wu in an attempt to win him over. Is that correct?" Yun Shan remained calm, his tone barely fluctuating.

"Yes, but Elder Wu did not agree, and I believe he will not agree either," Yun Yun said.

She knew Yun Shan was suspicious of Wu Changqing.

Therefore, she firmly expressed her trust in Wu Changqing.

Sure enough, seeing how much Yun Yun trusted Wu Changqing, Yun Shan nodded. "I trust your judgment."

"Thank you, Teacher."

At that moment, Yun Shan sighed. "Yun'er, you've reached the age to marry. I've mentioned several times that I wish to bring you and Gu He together. Do you still refuse?"

Although Gu He was an honorary elder of the Misty Cloud Sect, their relationship was more like a partnership.

And a partnership meant there was a chance it could fall apart.

That was why Yun Shan wanted to use Yun Yun to bind Gu He and the Misty Cloud Sect together completely.

Yun Yun lightly bit her thin lip. "Teacher, I truly have no feelings for Elder Gu He at all."

This was not the first time Yun Shan had brought it up, nor was it the first time she had refused.

But this time, Yun Shan was not as forceful as he had been before.

"Then what about Elder Wu? Do you like him?"