Chapter 195: Facing Each Other with Open Hearts

In the blink of an eye, the cold night once again descended.

Qian Ye, with his seasoned experience, swiftly selected a shelter and set up a circle of traps around it. When he returned, Ji Tianqing and Li Kuanglan had already prepared dinner.

During the day, they had hunted several ferocious beasts, which had filled Qian Ye’s body with vital essence, making eating unnecessary. But in appreciation of the two women’s efforts, Qian Ye still ate some of the food they had prepared.

Li Kuanglan suddenly said, “I’m sorry.”

Qian Ye, with a large piece of meat in his mouth, looked up in confusion, glancing left and right.

Li Kuanglan took a deep breath, waved her hand in front of his eyes, and repeated, “I’m sorry.”

Qian Ye’s Adam’s apple moved as the piece of meat he had just swallowed got stuck in his throat. He pointed at himself and asked, “Are you talking to me?”

“Yes.”

“But you haven’t done anything. Why are you apologizing?” Qian Ye was puzzled and then became wary, looking around, “Or are you planning to do something?”

Li Kuanglan gritted her teeth, throwing a piece of meat at Qian Ye and angrily exclaimed, “You’re asking for it!”

Qian Ye caught the flying food in his mouth, mumbled, “This is more like you.”

Li Kuanglan composed herself and said, “Since we entered the Great Maelstrom, I have been performing poorly and often dragged you down. Without Cold Moon Cage Sand, and with all the things that have happened, my heart was truly in turmoil.”

Qian Ye looked at Ji Tianqing, who shrugged, as if to say it was none of her business. Qian Ye did not know how to console Li Kuanglan, so he just listened quietly. Fortunately, it seemed she had now untangled her recent frustrations, which was a good thing.

Li Kuanglan, hugging her knees, continued, “When I first met you, you were still a young, inexperienced guy. Back then, I thought you were just ruthless and lucky. Other than that, there wasn’t much else. Well, you weren’t a bad person, and that was the most important thing.”

“Later, you became stronger, but you were still far behind me. However, Zhao Si stepping in to cancel our duel really surprised me. Everyone knows how independent and proud Zhao Si is. Besides Zhao Ruo Xi, no one in the Empire’s younger generation could catch his eye. I was no exception.”

Ji Tianqing snorted, expressing her disagreement.

Li Kuanglan smiled, “You just had a head start. If you fought Zhao Si now, you might not be a match for him.”

“He’s just been in battle longer.” Ji Tianqing muttered, still stubborn.

“Do you not know what kind of battlefield he has been on? If he’s survived this long, even if his cultivation isn’t better than yours, you still wouldn’t be able to defeat him, right?” Li Kuanglan never spared Ji Tianqing’s feelings.

“In terms of cultivation…” Ji Tianqing couldn’t continue.

Zhao Jundu’s cultivation speed was unparalleled. Among their generation, only Qian Ye truly kept up with him, while Song Zining was always just a step behind. Both Li Kuanglan and Ji Tianqing were slightly inferior. The terrifying thing was, despite the rapid cultivation, Zhao Jundu’s foundation remained solid. As everyone knew, the Evernight battlefield was the best crucible, turning iron into steel.

But once on the battlefield, life and death were out of one’s control. Throughout history, many heroes had fallen mid-way. Every peak expert’s hands were stained with the blood of countless geniuses from the opposing side.

Therefore, the noble families of the Empire had an unwritten rule: promising descendants would be sent to the main battlefield only after reaching the rank of War Captain. Even during training, the battles would be carefully chosen to avoid unnecessary casualties. Some true geniuses would start battling before reaching War Captain, but they would avoid fighting overpowering opponents.

Seeing Ji Tianqing silent, Li Kuanglan continued, “Qian Ye, every time I met you, you became stronger. Even during this short time in the Neutral Grounds, you’ve changed significantly. I think I just didn’t want to admit that I can’t win against you here anymore.”

“What’s the big deal? Hit him, see if he dares to fight back. If he misbehaves, I’ll help you beat him,” Ji Tianqing chimed in again.

Ignoring her, Li Kuanglan looked at Qian Ye and said slowly, “Actually, after losing Cold Moon Cage Sand, I’ve been thinking about what to do without this sword. For a few days, I was very anxious because I knew it was unlikely to be found. Even if I got another sword of the same grade after leaving the Great Maelstrom, it wouldn’t feel as natural as Cold Moon Cage Sand.”

Qian Ye nodded. Cold Moon Cage Sand and Li Kuanglan’s icy origin power were a perfect match. With the sword in hand, her power doubled. Without it, her combat strength had clearly dropped, creating a gap between her and Qian Ye and Ji Tianqing.

Looking up at the night sky, Li Kuanglan murmured, “This sword used to be my sister’s. Later, she stopped using it. I thought it was because she no longer needed it after entering the palace, so she passed it on to me. After I mastered it, I believed I had surpassed my sister in swordsmanship. But after losing Cold Moon Cage Sand, I gradually understood why she gave it up. My sister’s swordsmanship was always advancing, not stagnating.”

Ji Tianqing interjected, “Don’t tell me you’re going to say the sword is in your heart, with or without the physical sword. That’s such a cliché!”

Li Kuanglan chuckled, “I’ve already had the sword in my heart, don’t need to remind me. Now, I think whatever is available should be used. If I could get another good sword, that would be the best. If you’re willing to give me one, I won’t refuse!”

Ji Tianqing rolled her eyes, “Dream on! A sword like Cold Moon Cage Sand, do you think it can be bought with money? If I had one, I’d switch to practicing swordsmanship myself, and then where would you be? Hmph, you even lost Cold Moon Cage Sand. Such a wasteful person, who would dare to take you in the future?”

Li Kuanglan snorted disdainfully, “Too stingy to even part with a sword! You shame your grandfather!”

Ji Tianqing retorted, “Is that just any ordinary sword? Come on, Cold Moon Cage Sand, count how many exist in the entire Empire? I merely touched you a few times and slept with you for two nights. Is that worth all this? Of course, if you’re willing to dedicate your next life to me, I might consider getting you a makeshift sword.”

Li Kuanglan gritted her teeth, “You’re asking for it!”

“Come and get me!” Ji Tianqing taunted.

Unable to bear this, Li Kuanglan lunged at her, only to be forcibly pushed back and pinned to the ground. Li Kuanglan, known for her speed and sword skills, was at a disadvantage in a close-quarters fight without a sword, especially against Ji Tianqing.

“Want a sword? Easy! Go find the person who’s seen and felt everything. With me here, do you think he’d dare deny it? We have curves and legs, do you think we’re inferior to anyone?” Ji Tianqing laughed.

Qian Ye, who was quietly eating, choked and started coughing. But with only the three of them, how could he escape?

“Qian Ye! Don’t hide, I’m talking about you! Get a sword out, Kuanglan needs it.”

Qian Ye sighed, “I only have East Mountain, and she can’t use it.”

“Just get it out. Even if she can’t use it, having it here is good enough,” Ji Tianqing said, reaching out. Qian Ye, with no choice, drew East Mountain and handed it over.

Ji Tianqing took it, but upon touching it, she gasped, her face changing colors. The weight of East Mountain far exceeded her expectations, almost slipping from her grasp.

Each change in her expression signaled the activation of a secret technique. After stacking several techniques, she barely managed to hold East Mountain, though her wrist trembled with the effort.

She turned and planted East Mountain beside Li Kuanglan, saying, “This sword is quite nice. In my opinion, it’s enough to trade for you. Since he agreed to exchange the sword for you, your next life belongs to him.”

Startled, Qian Ye quickly said, “Tianqing, stop joking!”

Ji Tianqing smiled, released Li Kuanglan, and stepped back, “Not fun at all.”

With her calming down, Qian Ye breathed a sigh of relief. Ji Tianqing’s words and actions were unpredictable, making it hard to discern her true intentions, a real headache.

As the night deepened, Qian Ye felt surprisingly relaxed facing the cold, silent darkness. The gravity here felt a bit lighter, less than ten times, which reduced the harshness of the freezing night.

For Qian Ye, even a slight reduction in burden meant his endurance could double. Li Kuanglan and Ji Tianqing, continuously taking White Fruits, were also subtly enhancing their vitality. Although Qian Ye still couldn’t fully support both, taking care of one was now easier, no longer a constant tightrope walk.

It was time to decide how to spend the night. Ji Tianqing silently brought out a jug of wine, clearly indicating her intentions. Qian Ye frowned, wanting to protest. While Ji Tianqing appeared unaffected by the medicinal effects of the wine, Qian Ye sensed it wasn’t so simple. It was just a hunch.

“Tianqing, we still have White Fruits, no need to save them.”

“No, I need to keep them.” Ji Tianqing refused. Before Qian Ye could argue further, she opened the jug and took a large swig.

Sighing, Qian Ye turned to Li Kuanglan, “Let’s use the White Fruits tonight. It’s beneficial anyway.”

Without a word, Li Kuanglan stood before Qian Ye, stripping off her armor, clothes, and innerwear, standing bare and composed, without any attempt to cover herself.

Although Qian Ye had seen her before, he was still taken aback. The previous occasions were out of necessity, not like this.

“Hold me,” Li Kuanglan said calmly.