Dao Companion Crippled, Coveters Move

Chapter 355 342: Ye Liyuan: Sister Miaoyan came to my house today, why is she so exquisitely dressed?

"Master, we're finally back."

Qing Yueqiu stepped off the Spiritual Ship, gazing at the magnificent and majestic jade-like palaces of the Xuanyuan Dao Sect. She took a deep breath, a long-absent smile gracing her lips.

"Yes, we're back."

Compared to Qing Yueqiu, Ji Xichan seemed rather listless.

After all, the trip to the Northern Desert she had organized had been a fruitless endeavor, yielding absolutely nothing.

Now that she was back at the Dao Sect, she was about to be kicked out...

Ji Xichan's gaze involuntarily fell upon Pei Yuhang, who stood before her, a complex emotion flashing in her eyes.

The sight of his back, clad in white, was still as straight and proud as a pine tree. He was standing right in front of her, yet he seemed to be drifting further and further away, becoming unreachable.

Her lips trembled slightly, as if she wanted to say something, but in the end, she remained silent.

Before returning to the Dao Sect, Ji Xichan had considered faking a pregnancy to capture Pei Yuhang's attention.

But after Lin Qianyan had summoned her for a meeting that night, she abandoned the plan.

Now, she had nothing. Leaving Pei Yuhang's side seemed to be her only choice.

'Yu Xiaoyan had been right. When it came to competing for Pei Yuhang's affection, every woman around him had her own unique advantage,'

'and I have nothing.'

'The "entry ticket" I schemed so hard to get seems to be expiring now.'

'I can only hope Lin Qianyan keeps her word and brings me back into the game after I've done what she asked...'

Ji Xichan lowered her gaze, retracting the last lingering trace of her sight from Pei Yuhang.

She picked up her luggage, and without a word of farewell to anyone present, silently summoned her Spirit Sword and flew off alone, piercing through the sky.

"Master, Ji Xichan left with her luggage. She's not heading toward the Cold Palace Sword Mansion."

Qing Yueqiu stood beside Pei Yuhang, her eyes following Ji Xichan's receding figure. Her voice was so soft it was almost a whisper to herself.

Her impression of Ji Xichan still wasn't good, especially when she remembered how the woman had gone behind her back to bully her master. A trace of resentment still lingered in her heart.

But after surviving the life-and-death battle against the Cyan Demon siege, her animosity toward Ji Xichan was not as intense as before. At least now, seeing Ji Xichan didn't spark an impulse to kill the woman.

At this moment, watching Ji Xichan leave all alone, Qing Yueqiu actually felt a sense of relief. She hoped that this would finally put an end to the "ill-fated bond" between her master and Ji Xichan.

Pei Yuhang stood to the side, his gaze deep as he watched Ji Xichan's back, silent for a long time.

It wasn't until Lin Qianyan announced she had to return to the Jade Pool Sacred Land's Special Envoy's Office to handle some official business that Pei Yuhang snapped out of his reverie.

"Brother Pei, although I left an avatar in the Dao Sect, there are still many matters that require my personal attention.

Especially the matter of the Dragon Corpse appearing in the Northern Desert. I need to report it to both the Dao Sect and the Jade Pool Sacred Land."

"Mm, this trip to the Northern Desert was really hard on you, Qianqian."

"It wasn't hard at all, Brother Pei. In fact, I'm glad I went. Otherwise, without that long and bitter dream, you and I wouldn't be where we are now."

Lin Qianyan brushed back a strand of dark hair from her forehead, her pink lips curling into a meaningful smile.

Standing between the two, Qing Yueqiu looked from one to the other, suddenly feeling like an outsider.

As the silver-haired girl who considered herself closest to her master, she naturally disliked this atmosphere. She coughed lightly twice and said,

"Ahem, Master, we should get going too."

As she spoke, Qing Yueqiu tugged on Pei Yuhang's sleeve. The usually calm and reserved girl felt an inexplicable sense of anxiety and impulsiveness when facing Lin Qianyan.

Lin Qianyan, of course, understood what the girl was thinking. She smiled faintly, waved to Pei Yuhang, and summoned her Spiritual Ship, preparing to take her leave.

But before she left, she had one last thing to say to Pei Yuhang.

[Brother Pei, from now on, you don't have to submit to that woman anymore. If she tries to force you again, just tell her about me. Qianqian will always be your backer.]

With that, Lin Qianyan steered her Spiritual Ship and rode the wind away, leaving Pei Yuhang to watch her fluttering robes, a subconscious smile tugging at his lips.

The observant Qing Yueqiu naturally noticed this, but she just pressed her lips together, ultimately not daring to say anything more.

"Master, let's head back to the Sect as well."

The young woman took Pei Yuhang's hand, naturally sliding her fingers between his to interlace them.

"Alright."

Pei Yuhang nodded, then led the girl away toward the Cold Palace Sword Mansion via Sword Control.

He hadn't seen his Dao Companion in a long time. Although they communicated every night with a Transmission Token, the longing in his heart only grew stronger.

He had deliberately not told Liyuan he was coming back this time, precisely to give her a surprise!

...

...

"Sister Miaoyan, you're here."

Ye Liyuan gestured for the tall beauty who had just entered to sit, a hint of confusion in her heart.

Shang Miaoyan possessed a Natural Charm; even without a touch of makeup, she was a peerless beauty. In fact, whenever Ye Liyuan saw her, the Saintess of the Yin Yang Sacred Land rarely wore any cosmetics.

'But why is she so exquisitely and gorgeously dressed today?'

As if sensing Ye Liyuan's confusion, Shang Miaoyan's red lips curled slightly. "Liyuan," she said softly, "I just came from an important meeting and haven't had a chance to change into my regular clothes, so I came straight here..."

"Oh, I see."

Ye Liyuan nodded, sighing inwardly. 'Being a Saintess must be so busy. Endless meetings, big and small, every day. It must be exhausting.'

Sitting opposite her, Shang Miaoyan lifted her teacup and blew a gentle, fragrant breath across the surface, cooling the steaming tea to a suitable temperature.

After taking a sip, she asked softly,

"Liyuan, did your Ah Han say when he'll be back from the Northern Desert? There's been some trouble with the Northern Desert Demon Court lately. I hear they've declared martial law across the entire region."

"Martial law?"

Ye Liyuan's expression grew tense.

She fiddled with her fingers, saying worriedly, "Ah Han and the others should be fine, right? I heard from Ah Han that he left the Northern Desert a few days ago, but it might still take some time for him to get back to the Dao Sect.

Besides, Saintess Lin is with him. Ah Han will definitely be alright."

"Pei Yuhang told you he'd be back in a few days?"

"That's right."

Shang Miaoyan's beautiful eyes lit up. Astute as she was, she immediately guessed that Pei Yuhang hadn't told his Dao Companion his exact travel plans, clearly intending to surprise her.

'If that's the case...'

'Then maybe I can get to him one step ahead of Ye Liyuan, lure him to my residence for some... quality time, and then return him to my sweet, naive Sister Liyuan~!'

At this thought, Shang Miaoyan put down her teacup, stood up, and said,

"Liyuan, I've just received word of an urgent Sect matter. I have an emergency meeting to attend now."

With that, Shang Miaoyan started walking out.

"Ah, another meeting? But Sister Miaoyan, you just got here."

"Can't be helped. That's how it is for a Saintess. The meetings never end~"

Shang Miaoyan gave Ye Liyuan a smiling wave goodbye, then rose into the air and flew away.

'Calculating the time... Pei Yuhang should be arriving just about now, right?'

'In that case, of course Xiaohan should see me first before he goes to see his Dao Companion~'