After a brief moment of silence, Yuexin grabs my hand and looks at me with a concerned expression. Her brows furrow as her violet eyes stare right into mine.
''Ye... The Mayor doesn't have a good reputation.''
Her grip tightens as she continues,
''He's from a Shen family, but even there, he's an outlier.''
With a sigh, her gaze turns downward, as if expecting the worst.
''He's the second son of the Duke, but his views differ from the rest of his family. He's... ambitious.''
Her violet eyes drift back up as she continues,
''And dangerous. Many people that visited him never came back. But because he's from a Duchy, no one dares to say anything.''
With a soft smile, I place my hand on hers and slowly pull my other hand away. With a nod, I speak with a reassuring voice.
''Don't worry, Yuexin. I will speak with my father, and he will certainly find a way out.''
My inner thoughts betray my words. Comparing the worth of the Han family to my goals...They are just too insignificant.
What I must do now is to find a talented cultivators from orthodox sects and bring their heads to the Eternal Night Sect.
If the Han family falls, so be it. There's only so much a small family can offer me, and raising it up and making it a powerhouse is too much work for not enough benefit.
My thoughts naturally hidden behind a gentle smile, I let go of her hand and continue,
''I'll need to visit my father now. Is our family's butler Wenji still within the estate?''
Yuexin shakes her head, a hint of sorrow flashing through her eyes. After a deep breath, she quickly replaces the sorrow with a forced smile and speaks,
''We have a few carriages on standby. You can depart at any moment. Leave it to us, Ye.''
''N-...''
Thanks to a rather interesting thought, I stop myself from denying her outright.
''Thank you, Yuexin. I'd like to depart as soon as possible.''
I scratch my head in an awkward way as I continue, my voice slightly softer than before,
''Can you provide me with a few guards? I probably made some enemies this time around, and I'm not fully recovered...''
Her expression turns blank for a moment, as if I asked the obvious.
'Don't give me that look... I had to make sure to make things work.'
''Of course, you will be accompanied by the best. You will be safe on the way back...''
Despite her best efforts, her reassuring tone was interrupted by a crack, which was especially noticeable near the end.
''Thank you, Yuexin. I appreciate it.''
With a nod, we begin to walk towards the carriage. Yuexin walks nervously next to me, her eyes shifting to me every few seconds.
''You will be fine, right?''
She breaks the silence, no longer trying to hide her worries. Looking at my chest, she gives me a concerned look.
''Your wound nearly killed you. You walking right now is basically a miracle. Going on a trip in this state-''
I place my hand on her shoulder, my voice as reassuring as ever.
''It was you who said I will have the best guards just moments ago. Don't worry too much.''
I gently pat my chest, a hint of 'pain' flashing through my face as I quickly 'cover it' with a soft, forced smile.
''See? I'm completely fine. Even if something happens, I can take care of myself.''
Her expression worsens quickly, the 'pained' expression not escaping her beautiful violet eyes.
''What are you doing?! Don't hit your wound!''
She grabs my hand and pushes it to the side, holding on to it for slightly longer than necessary.
''You don't have to pretend that you're fine...''
She shakes her head and gives a defeated sigh,
''I want to go with you, but I can't. I need to take care of my father.''
You're still useful, Yuexin. You can't go with me.
After all...
Only one person is allowed to survive this trip...
.
.
[STATUS]
[Name: Han Ye]
[Age: 18]
[Cultivation: Terror Manifestation Realm - Late Stage ▸ Qi condensation - Early Stage]
[Fear Points: 3 113]
[Trauma: +520/day]
[Fear Points needed for the next stage: 6 000]
[Techniques: Shadowless Step, Thousand Faces Arts (incomplete), Silent Pulse Breathing, Crow Shroud Technique]
Authors note: If you're enjoying the novel so far, please add it to your collections! Every single one goes a long way. Honest review will be Great too!