Volume 1, Chapter 27: When Did I Ever Agree to That?

The afternoon sun, warm and gentle, filtered through the carved wooden windows of the Listening Rain Pavilion, casting dappled shadows upon the floor. Ye Xuan sat cross-legged on a soft couch, his eyes tightly shut. His breathing was long and steady, as if he had drifted into the deepest of slumbers. Yet, within his body, a cataclysmic transformation was underway.

The golden torrent generated by the "Human Emperor’s Prison-Suppressing Scripture" had ceased its initial, wild turbulence, transforming instead into a docile river that flowed slowly through his limbs, bones, and meridians. With every cycle of his internal energy, a trace of lingering obstruction was swept away, replaced by a newfound sense of mastery. The power of the seventh-rank Spirit Refining Realm, vast as a boundless sea, was now perfectly contained within him, not a single shred leaking outward.

He slowly opened his eyes, his gaze deep and profound, as if they held the stars and the cosmos. He lifted his hand and clenched his fist. A muffled boom reverberated through the air. An unprecedented feeling of strength surged through his heart and mind. This was power—the power that would allow him to hold his destiny firmly in his own hands.

...

Meanwhile, in Liu Yuexue’s boudoir, the atmosphere was warm and cozy. Madame Liu sat on the edge of the bed, gazing at her daughter with eyes full of tenderness. She tucked the quilt around her, whispering soft words of care. "Xue’er, do you feel better? Is there any discomfort left anywhere?"

Beside them, Su Qingxue watched the mother and daughter silently, her cold, clear eyes softened by a rare hint of warmth. Over the past few days, she had witnessed her cousin’s transformation from a sickly, listless state to one of radiant health, and her sense of the "Mr. Ye’s" unfathomable abilities grew ever deeper.

"Qingxue, you have also worked hard taking care of Xue’er. Go and have some food; don't let yourself go hungry," Madame Liu said, turning to Su Qingxue with a look of gratitude. "I shall watch over her here."

Su Qingxue nodded slightly, replied with a soft "Very well," and rose to leave. She moved with graceful, lotus-like steps. Just as she was about to step over the threshold, Madame Liu’s voice drifted from behind her, laced with a gentle sigh.

"Xue’er, while we were chatting at the meal earlier, Mr. Ye mentioned that in a few days... he will be leaving."

"Leaving? To where?" There was an imperceptible tension in Liu Yuexue’s voice.

"Beiliang."

Madame Liu’s voice was low, but those two words struck Su Qingxue’s ears like two needles of ice. *Beiliang?!*

Su Qingxue’s footsteps came to an abrupt halt. She did not turn back, but stood quietly outside the door, her breath hitching for a moment. She had assumed that Ye Xuan, using the alias Ye Qianyuan to heal Liu Yuexue, was merely seeking a safe refuge in Yunan City to temporarily evade the Crown Prince’s pursuit. This made sense; with his miraculous medical skills, as long as the Liu family was willing to provide sanctuary, Crown Prince Ye Tian would have to think twice before making a move against him in Yunan City.

But why would he go to Beiliang? That desolate wasteland known to the world as the "Cursed Land" and the "Prison of Exile"!

Su Qingxue was sharp-witted, and her mind raced. Having escaped the Crown Prince’s clutches, shouldn't he find a secure place to plot his next move? Why head to a place where the chances of survival were nine to one? Unless... A bold thought flashed through her mind. Unless going to Beiliang was part of his plan all along! He wasn't "hiding" at all—he was "advancing"!

But how could that be? A place like Beiliang, while far from the Emperor’s reach, also meant having no foundation and no support. As a deposed prince, what could he possibly accomplish there alone? Could it be that he already had arrangements in place in Beiliang? As soon as the thought arose, Su Qingxue dismissed it. Impossible. The Eighth Prince, Ye Xuan, had been frail since childhood and had been a near-invisible presence in the capital; how could he have had the opportunity or the means to lay a foundation in Beiliang?

Su Qingxue furrowed her delicate brows, her heart filled with unprecedented confusion. This man was shrouded in too much mystery. He was like a bottomless vortex—impossible to see through or predict, yet one was inevitably drawn to him, wanting to uncover the truth.

...

Two more days passed in the blink of an eye. During this time, Ye Xuan had completely solidified his cultivation at the seventh-rank Spirit Refining Realm. His every movement was now free of any loss of control, returning to a state of natural simplicity. Liu Yuexue’s health, too, had fully recovered under his daily acupuncture treatments, the "Cold Marrow" affliction that had plagued her for years finally eradicated at the root.

The day was clear and bright, with a gentle, refreshing breeze. After Ye Xuan finished the final follow-up examination and confirmed that the cold energy in her body had completely dissipated and her vitality was full, he prepared to put away his silver needles.

"Mr. Ye..." A soft voice, light as a feather brushing against his heart, suddenly sounded.

Ye Xuan paused and turned back. Liu Yuexue had already sat up at some point, dressed in a pale green silk dress that made her skin look like snow and her face glow with radiance. The sickly pallor of the past had vanished, replaced by the delicate, vibrant energy unique to a young girl.

At this moment, she lowered her head slightly, two intoxicating blushes spreading across her fair cheeks, even her tiny earlobes turning translucent and pink. Her voice was as thin as a mosquito’s hum, filled with a hint of nervousness and anticipation.

"Today... the weather is lovely today, and Xue’er... Xue’er would like to go out for a walk. I wonder... I wonder if you might..." She summoned all her courage, lifted her shimmering eyes to glance at Ye Xuan, then quickly cast them down again. To avoid any misunderstanding, she hurriedly added, "Sister Qingxue... will be coming along, too!"

As soon as she finished speaking, she seemed as if she might burst into flames, her cheeks turning so red they looked ready to bleed. Su Qingxue, who had been standing to the side in a daze, was taken aback by these words. *When did I agree to go?* However, looking at Liu Yuexue’s pleading and bashful expression, Su Qingxue’s heart softened, and the words she intended to speak died on her lips. She simply nodded silently, accepting the arrangement.

Ye Xuan’s gaze swept over the two peerless young women—one shy and charming, like a lotus flower after the rain; the other cold and transcendent, like an ice lily on a snowy mountain. His heart stirred. He had come to Yunan City but had yet to truly explore it. Now that his business with the Liu family was concluded and his departure for the north was imminent, taking a walk to familiarize himself with the city might yield unexpected rewards.

With that thought, he smiled calmly and nodded. "Very well. Since Miss Liu has so kindly invited me, I shall graciously accept."