Within the carriage, a faint, sweet fragrance lingered in the air, and some pink decorations hung around, transforming the interior into a temporary boudoir. It was hard to imagine that the outwardly cold Han Xue had a bit of a delicate, womanly charm within her. Inside the carriage, Xiao Yan sat rather awkwardly on a chair. Across from him, Han Xue picked up a teacup, personally poured a cup of tea, and then, with a slightly stiff manner, gently pushed the cup towards Xiao Yan. From her demeanor, it was clear that this young lady of the Han family rarely did such servile tasks. Yet, precisely because of this, Xiao Yan felt even more awkward. Used to Han Xue’s aloofness, he was somewhat taken aback by her sudden display of warmth, making it difficult for him to adapt.
Holding the teacup and feeling its gentle warmth and lingering fragrance, Xiao Yan looked up and inadvertently locked eyes with her. He couldn’t help but chuckle ruefully, “Miss Han, if there’s something you need, just say it.”
“Call me Han Xue; I can hardly bear the title of ‘Miss’.” Han Xue slowly sat down, glancing at Xiao Yan and said softly, “I didn’t expect that a person we randomly saved in the desert, who was on the brink of death, would turn out to be a hidden powerhouse. Regardless, thank you for your two rescues along the way.”
“It’s nothing. If not for your assistance, I might have already become wolf food. Helping each other is only natural. You don’t need to trouble yourself over these matters; I don’t expect any repayment,” Xiao Yan waved his hand, smiling.
Han Xue smiled, her usually frosty face blooming with a charming smile. After a moment of hesitation, she asked, “When we reach Tian Bei City, will you be leaving?”
“If nothing unexpected happens, then yes,” Xiao Yan paused before nodding.
Hearing this, Han Xue’s beautiful eyes flashed with a tinge of disappointment. She caressed the teapot for a moment, then, as if gathering courage, she said, “Mr. Xiao Yan, could I ask you to help us with something?”
“About the Han and Hong families?” Xiao Yan gently set down his teacup, his voice calm.
Han Xue bit her lip and nodded slightly.
“You may be giving me too much credit. The Hong family has dominated Tian Bei City for so many years; their strength must be formidable. With my singlehanded effort, what kind of help can I provide?” Xiao Yan said slowly. As a newcomer to the Central Plain, he did not want to start off by offending people, especially since the Hong family was connected to the Wind Lightning Pavilion, a very powerful force. With his current strength, he might find it difficult to stand against them.
“Mr. Xiao Yan, you are an alchemist, right?” Han Xue said urgently. “And I’m sure you’re of high rank. A high-tier alchemist, even the Hong family wouldn’t dare to offend easily. So, if you can help, the Han family will definitely be much better off.”
Xiao Yan lifted his eyes, looking at the urgency and plea on Han Xue’s face, and couldn’t help but groan. This was indeed troublesome.
“Mr. Xiao Yan, if you help the Han family through this crisis, we will offer you a satisfactory reward. If… if you still think it’s not enough, I am willing to become your concubine, and I beg you to lend your hand once!” Han Xue’s cheeks turned red, and she gritted her teeth as she spoke.
Cough…
Her words nearly made Xiao Yan spit out his tea. He stood up hastily and waved his hands, “No, I’m used to being alone; having someone follow me would be very uncomfortable. I’ll consider it, for now, farewell.”
With that, Xiao Yan quickly turned, pulled open the carriage door, and dashed out. He hadn’t expected that the usually cold Han Xue would be so bold, even to a point where it was overwhelming for him.
Watching Xiao Yan flee the carriage in such disarray, Han Xue was momentarily stunned. Then, she smiled faintly. Since the first time she saw him, she had never seen this enigmatic youth show such a reaction. It was truly amusing.
“He’s not a bad person. But he seems like someone who avoids trouble. Sigh, and the Hong family is powerful; dragging him into this might be a hassle for him. I was too rash…” Smiling, Han Xue gradually calmed down, sighing softly.
After Xiao Yan demonstrated his strength, as he had expected, the others in the caravan also showed him a bit more respect. The carefree joking that had happened a few days earlier no longer occurred. Although he had anticipated this, he still couldn’t help but feel a bit rueful. His power was simply too great for Han Chong and the others.
This change made Xiao Yan somewhat uncomfortable, but fortunately, the remaining journey was short. As dusk approached, a grand city loomed on the horizon, catching the eyes of Xiao Yan and the others.
Seeing the city in the distance, Han Chong and the others let out a sigh of relief. From their reactions, Xiao Yan understood that this must be the famous Tian Bei City.
Sweeping his gaze, Xiao Yan took a few steps back, stopping beside Han Chong. Seeing him approach, Han Chong hurriedly wanted to bow, but was gently stopped. A resigned voice echoed in his ears: “Brother Han, don’t be so formal. You saved my life, so don’t call me ‘sir’. Just call me by my name, like before.”
“Xiao Yan br… Brother, you’re too kind. With your strength, even without our help, you would have been fine,” Han Chong hesitated and laughed, though his tone still carried a hint of reverential awe.
Xiao Yan, sighing, flicked his finger, silently sending a pill into Han Chong’s hand. “Keep this pill. It will increase your chances of breaking through to Dou Wang.”
Hearing this, Han Chong trembled, his eyes flashing with excitement. He had been stuck at the peak of Dou Ling for years. He knew that high-grade pills could aid in breakthroughs, but they were extremely expensive. How could he afford them?
“Xia… Xiao Yan brother, this gift… is too much…” Han Chong’s eyes turned red with emotion, his voice trembling.
“Is it heavier than my life?” Xiao Yan smiled wryly.
“Xiao Yan brother, are… are you leaving?” Han Chong carefully put away the pill and suddenly asked.
Xiao Yan fell silent, unsure how to respond.
“Ha ha, Xiao Yan brother, there’s no need to hide anything. You and the Han family have no deep connection, but you saved us twice on this trip. Even if you want to repay us, it’s more than enough. The Hong family is powerful, and getting involved might not be good for you…”
Seeing this, Han Chong chuckled, trying to console him.
Xiao Yan remained silent.
Dap! Dap!
In the midst of their conversation, the sound of galloping horses came from the direction of the city gate, approaching rapidly. Han Chong and the others, already on edge, quickly gripped their weapons. However, after a moment, someone cried out in recognition, “It’s one of ours!”
The horse stopped in front of the caravan, and a figure leapt off. The man appeared to be in his early twenties, dressed in neat attire, and looked quite handsome. He was tall and carried himself with confidence. However, when Han Chong and the others saw him, their eyebrows furrowed.
When the sound of the horse hooves reached them, Han Xue stepped out of the carriage. Her eyes landed on Xiao Yan, but he seemed oblivious, chatting with Han Chong. Biting her lip, she turned to look at the man who had just arrived, her brows slightly knitted.
“Snow sister, are you alright?” The man’s eyes lit up with joy when he saw Han Xue, and he approached her, concerned.
“I’m fine,” Han Xue replied casually, her eyes catching Xiao Yan as he slowly backed away. She turned abruptly and called out, “Stop!”
Seeing Han Xue’s gaze, Xiao Yan had no choice but to stop, shrugging apologetically at Han Chong.
Han Xue fixed her gaze on Xiao Yan. After a while, her eyes dimmed, and she said softly, “I was being willful. Mr. Xiao Yan, if you want to go, please do. Thank you for your help along the way. I hope we meet again in the future.”
Hearing this, Xiao Yan could only laugh bitterly. If he left now, he would certainly be despised.
“Sigh, I’ll stay and see, but don’t hold too much hope…” Xiao Yan sighed.
“Really?” Han Xue’s previously melancholic eyes now sparkled with delight.
Seeing her face, illuminated by joy, Xiao Yan nodded, inwardly sighing again. The weight of gratitude… it was heavy as a mountain.
“Snow sister, who is this person? He seems unfamiliar. Is he one of our guards?” The handsome man, jealous of the way the usually cold Han Xue treated the ordinary-looking young man, asked casually, his words dripping with disdain for the position of a guard.
“Xie Lin, show respect to my guest. He is not a guard, but a guest I invited to help the Han family. If you speak rudely again, don’t blame me for being harsh!” Han Xue turned, her face icy, and scolded him coldly.
Facing Han Xue’s cold reproach, Xie Lin’s face paled and whitened. Unable to suppress his anger, he sneered, “An honored guest? Snow sister, I think you’re mistaken. According to our clan rules, the first condition for being an honored guest is to have Battle Emperor strength. Even as the daughter of the clan leader, you can’t ignore these rules, can you?”
Han Xue’s previously cold face suddenly broke into a stunning smile. She waved her hand, and two guards brought two figures, tossing them in front of Xie Lin.
“He captured the two elders of the Hong family, Hong Mu and Hong Lie. Do you think he’s qualified?”
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