The Words Left Unfinished

The victory banquet was held in a hall outside the palace, specifically for receiving Soul Master.

What Dong Jian found most uncomfortable in this situation was that every few steps someone would ask about his Fourth Soul Ring. Some praised his youth, while others subtly inquired about the origin of the Dark Gold Earth Vein Bear. Dong Jian answered according to the script he had discussed with Qin Ming beforehand, stating the truth as it was possible to do so openly, but refraining from mentioning anything about External Soul Bone.

Li Man stood on the other side discussing the bamboo formation with several college teachers. She explained how the basic array's cores provided repositioning routes for the Defense System. When someone asked about the fully integrated internal support structure, she stopped and reminded them, "That part isn't planned to be made public yet."

Xue Qinghe passed by the other side of the banquet hall, first chatting briefly with Yu Tianheng about the family's recent situation, and then raising a toast to the Imperial Fighting Team team. He did not mention the Dark Gold Earth Vein Bear's back bone again, but only asked Dong Jian if his body had recovered from the impact of the finals.

"It will take a few more days to recover," Dong Jian replied.

"It's impressive that young people can withstand strong opponents, but it's even more difficult to know when to rest," Xue Qinghe said.

There was no problem with what was said. Li Man stood two steps away, and after listening, she simply nodded politely. She could neither conclude that the Crown Prince was deliberately testing her based on a few casual words, nor did she intend to bring up her own guesses in this setting.

The only near-accident at the banquet came from Yu Feng. He felt the cuffs of his new clothes were too narrow, and when he picked up some snacks, they got caught on the corner of the table, causing the plate to wobble slightly. Osler quickly steadied it for him, and the two stood by the table glaring at each other for a moment.

"Next time you're treating, wear your training clothes," Osler said.

"If you hadn't reached out, I could have caught it."

"Then put the plate down and try again."

Dugu Yan laughed as she listened. She hadn't drunk any alcohol that night, only adjusting her feeding cycle according to her own poison sac. Yu Tianheng occasionally went over to talk to her, but her right arm never performed another Thunderclap attack.

As midnight approached, the banquet finally ended. Qin Ming led everyone back to the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy. Dong Jian lagged behind half a step along the way because his back ached from standing for so long. He didn't pretend to be fine and found a corridor near the railing to walk slowly.

Li Man followed behind, holding a folded route map in her hand.

"How many times did you answer the Fourth Soul Ring tonight?" she asked.

"I don't remember. Someone asked if I could show it to him again, and I said there's no Soul Fighting Arena here."

You should tell him that both releasing and withdrawing consume resources.

"See, I knew you were better at saying no than me."

Li Man placed the form on the windowsill. Several handwritten locations had been added to it, including a ferry crossing and two mountain roads, labeled "Collaboration by Ordinary People" and "Material Restrictions".

Dong Jian glanced at it. "You've already made your choice?"

"We've only screened this far. We want to go and see, but we can't just say we can definitely do something based on a map."

"I also have two places." He took his watch from his pocket. "A rocky valley and an old mine tunnel that doesn't go deep inside. I want to observe the different terrains and load-bearing structures, and then find an escort job that I can legally participate in."

The two tables are stacked together, with some lines intersecting and others branching off in completely different directions.

Li Man pointed with her finger. "We can go together here. You have to go alone here. There's another place, but the matter I'm going to has nothing to do with what you're practicing."

"Then let's each do our own thing and agree on a place to meet."

"Easier said than done." Li Man turned to look at him. "When you actually encounter something you want to deal with, do you still want to shoulder it all yourself?"

"This time I'll write the rules myself." Dong Jian flipped the form over and wrote on the back, "No high-intensity tasks if injury is unstable." "You write one too."

Li Man took the pen and wrote, "When your mental load reaches its limit, immediately retreat." The two looked at each other's writing and laughed.

Earlier in the banquet hall, Li Man had met a noblewoman who warmly inquired whether she would continue to cultivate with Dong Jian in the future. The lady meant no harm, but directly referred to the Green Jade Dragon Bamboo as "a good Martial Soul to complement the Iron-Eating Beast." After listening, Li Man first explained the independent role of the Dragon-Bamboo Formation in the Blazing Fire and Skywater Academy battles, and then politely stated that her training direction was still undecided.

Dong Jian happened to hear the second half of her sentence, but he neither answered for her nor offered any protection. After she left, he quietly asked, "Should I go and remind her that you could win by yourself?" Li Man shook her head. "I already said that. Whether others believe it or not is their business."

The two brought up this incident again tonight. Dong Jian admitted that if they traveled together for too long in the future, many people outside would probably attribute their actions to one person's arrangements. Li Man smiled and pointed to two different lines on the map, "Then let's make sure we each explain what we need to do each time. You don't need to prove anything for me, and I won't explain all your moves." Dong Jian remembered this sentence before continuing with the matter that had been dragging on for so long.

Two of the corridor lights swayed in the wind, and Dong Jian adjusted his posture by holding onto the window railing. Li Man noticed his shoulders were a little stiff, so she didn't rush him to continue walking with her. She placed the medicine she had brought on the windowsill and reminded him to take it as prescribed when they got back. Dong Jian deliberately asked, "Are you planning to check my injury every time you ask me out?" Li Man replied, "I will when it's not healed. After it's healed, it's up to you."

This ordinary conversation put Dong Jian at ease. He had rehearsed the unfinished sentence in his mind several times, but when he actually stood in front of Li Man, he felt awkward reading it out as prepared. She stood just two steps away, fully aware of his shortcomings, and never demanded that he first become someone who would never get hurt.

The corridor quieted down. The sound of waiters clearing away glasses was very soft in the distance, and the night breeze stirred the thin curtains by the window.

"There's one more thing," Dong Jian suddenly said.

Li Man closed the pen cap. "Is it the half-finished sentence you said last time?"

"Yes."

"I'm listening."

Dong Jian straightened up a little. His back was still a bit sore, so he didn't deliberately put on any solemn posture.

"I like you."

Li Man held the route map, glanced at him first, then bent down and folded the paper. Dong Jian didn't urge her, nor did he say the jokes he usually used to ease the awkwardness.

"Are you sure you want to say it now?" she asked.

"Now you can answer for yourself: Senior Dugu is not here, and neither are the flowers."

"It's not that I'm afraid of them."

"I know."

Li Man placed the paper on the windowsill and took a step closer to him. "I like you too."

Dong Jian was speechless for a moment. He had understood and hoped for the words she had said before, "I'll stand where I can catch you," but hearing them with his own ears still made his heart flutter.

"After that..." he began.

Li Man interrupted, "You still need to recover from your injury. Just because I like you doesn't mean someone will always be there for you when you act impulsively."

Can't you just let me be happy for a little while?

"Can."

After she finished speaking, she took his hand. She didn't Green Jade Dragon Bamboo, nor did she activate any of the array's cores. The night breeze was slightly cool on Dong Jian's palm, so she held his hand more firmly.

"I don't intend to hand over my own path to you just because I'm traveling with you," Li Man added.

"I know. You were more meticulous in choosing the location than I was in choosing the Soul Ring."

"You can only choose a few Soul Ring, but you can still choose your path."

Dong Jian thought for a moment, then asked softly, "What if we have to be separated for a while in the future?"

"There will be times like that," Li Man replied. "Write down the meeting place, and make things clear if anything happens. Don't use 'I'm afraid of holding me back' as an excuse to disappear."

You never liked it when I waited until there was no way out before telling you.

I don't like it now either.

Dong Jian nodded. Li Man held his hand, and the two walked slowly down the corridor. When they reached the stairwell, she let go of his hand to hold the railing, and waited for him to descend the steps before taking his hand again.

There was no fluctuation of Soul Power, and no one testified for them. It took the two of them many matches to learn how to maintain their own judgment around each other, and the few words they spoke now still need to be put into practice in the days to come.

When they arrived at the dormitory area, Ye Lingling had just picked up her things from the infirmary. Seeing the two of them return together, her gaze lingered on their clasped hands. Instead of making jokes, she simply asked Dong Jian, "Does your back still hurt?"

"Walking is no problem."

I'll check it tomorrow morning.

I will go.

Ye Lingling then looked at Li Man: "You shouldn't stay up all night writing the route map either."

Li Man agreed, and only after Ye Lingling left did she whisper, "Now there are two people watching you."

"I think it's more than that," Dong Jian said. "Teacher Qin is keeping an eye on it too."

The next morning, when Dugu Yan heard that they were planning to go to Sunset Forest again, she first asked if the poison sac needed to be examined again. Li Man said that this time they were going to see the flower. Dugu Yan narrowed her eyes and asked, "Have you two thought this through?"

Dong Jian looked at Li Man. Li Man didn't look away, only saying, "I've thought some things through, we'll talk about the rest ourselves."

Dugu Yan raised the corners of her mouth. "Alright, then I'll tell Grandpa to stop making fun of you."

"Can you control Senior Dugu?" Dong Jian asked.

"Can't be controlled."

Her answer was so straightforward that all three of them laughed.

Li Man put the two route maps into the same file bag, but placed them in two separate inner pages. Before setting off in the afternoon, she drew the bamboo frame that had been repaired next to the herb garden on paper, intending to take it to Dugu Bo to see if there was anything that needed to be repaired.

Dong Jian lifted the toolbox for her. She didn't try to take it from him, nor did she let him carry the heavier side. The two waited for the bus at the college gate; there were two empty adjacent seats on the bus.