Chapter 382: Call Me Xue'er
"Is there nothing you want to ask me?" Qian Renxue asked softly.
Revealing her true identity had allowed the two of them to escape Storm City's patrols. She had never revealed her true appearance to anyone before, though she was confident in her beauty. Seeing Dai Yao's silence, she felt a flicker of doubt. Additionally, by exposing her true appearance, she had also unintentionally revealed the fact that she had been concealing her injuries to allow Dai Yao to care for her.
Dai Yao looked at her steadily and responded in a calm tone,
"What would you like me to ask?"
Qian Renxue hesitated, her usual composure faltering momentarily before she replied,
"Aren't you curious about my real appearance or why I hid my injuries?"
Contemplating her words, Dai Yao began to understand Qian Renxue's thoughts. He had known her true appearance from the animated series, so her face didn't surprise him. What did intrigue him was that she had chosen to reveal it to him and had even shown affection in calling him "husband" and leaning on him during the inspection. Clearly, she acknowledged him as someone she could trust.
In the original storyline, Qian Renxue only revealed her true face to Tang San because she believed he was about to die and wanted him to die without regrets. Dai Yao had also discerned her motives from her decision to hide her recovery, intentionally allowing him to take care of her.
He decided, however, to keep his understanding to himself. With her pride, Qian Renxue wouldn't tolerate exposing her vulnerability. If he voiced his thoughts, he might sever their fragile bond.
But ultimately, this didn't matter to him. His aim in saving Qian Renxue had been to secure an alliance with Qian Daoliu and thwart the soul beast faction's schemes, which could otherwise leave him isolated in the Spirit Hall. His relationship with Bibi Dong was already strained; if he alienated Qian Daoliu as well, he would be entirely alone within the Spirit Hall.
With a subtle shift in his gaze, he looked away from Qian Renxue, focusing instead on the vast river surrounding their boat. He replied indifferently,
"Male or female, what difference does it make to me?"
The river breeze rippled over the surface, rocking their boat gently.
Qian Renxue's headscarf slipped off, letting her golden hair stream in the wind. She looked at Dai Yao, and after a long silence, a soft smile appeared on her face.
Had Dai Yao reacted differently to her appearance, she might have lost respect for him.
"Dai Yao, is it because of the way I treated you in the palace that you're so distant now?" Qian Renxue asked with a wry smile. "If that's the case, I apologize—not only for misjudging you back then but also for all you've done to help me since."
Dai Yao glanced at her. Even without her usual royal attire, her natural elegance and divine air made her beauty striking. Now that her true appearance and spirit had returned, he saw the proud Qian Renxue before him, no longer the vulnerable figure he had cared for.
With that realization, he answered bluntly,
"I haven't forgotten, but I also don't hold any grudges against you. The way I act around you has nothing to do with that—surely you know why." His tone sharpened slightly. "I'm not your subordinate or enemy, so who is it you're looking down on?"
Qian Renxue felt as though a bolt of lightning struck her mind, leaving her stunned. She had never thought about it that way. From childhood, she had treated everyone around her with a sense of superiority, and others had always accepted it.
She certainly had reason to look down on her subordinates and followers—her divine martial spirit, her powerful talents, all justified it. But she had no idea how to treat a friend.
Because she had never had one.
Seeing her lost in thought, Dai Yao sighed and continued,
"It's clear you hadn't realized it, but that's not entirely your fault. Anyway, let's focus on getting out of here. Once we reach the sea, we'll finally be safe. Now, you should get some rest and gather your strength."
Watching him row the boat, Qian Renxue fell into deep contemplation. She retied her headscarf, reclined against the wooden pillar, and gazed out at the endless expanse of water. Gradually, her eyes lost focus.
Three Days Later
They finally reached the river mouth, and before them lay the vast blue expanse of the sea. The distant shores faded away, and sails dotted the ocean, ships moving toward the deep sea with sailors' shouts filling the air.
As they reached the coast, Dai Yao's tension eased.
"We made it to the open sea. We're finally safe."
Qian Renxue joined him at the bow, marveling at the bustling sight of fishermen heading out to sea.
Dai Yao turned to her, saying,
"I'll head into the nearby port city to contact Spirit Hall's branch here and let them know we're safe. You stay here—I'll be back soon with supplies for the voyage, including fruit, perhaps some oranges."
Qian Renxue nodded and watched him disembark. After securing the boat's mooring rope, Dai Yao donned his bamboo hat and entered the chaotic port city.
Once he left, Qian Renxue returned to the cabin and pulled the door curtain shut.
Just then, a dark figure emerged—a shadowy version of Qian Renxue herself, lounging with a mocking smile on the bed where Qian Renxue had been resting.
The dark figure cast a sly look around the cabin, her eyes landing on the half-eaten meal. Then, she grinned, her voice dripping with mockery.
"Well, well, who would've thought the proud guardian angel could stoop so low? Didn't you say you were going to conquer Dai Yao? Or has he conquered you?"
Qian Renxue remained seated, her gaze fixed through the curtain toward the lively streets of the port city. Her voice remained calm,
"I haven't forgotten."
The shadow clone chuckled, as if hearing a joke.
"Then why do I see someone who can move just fine pretending to be weak for someone else's care? Are you sure you're not the one who's been conquered?"
Qian Renxue turned and fixed the dark clone with an icy stare. The shadow merely kept smiling.
"My intentions are clear to you," Qian Renxue replied coldly. "Speak of this again, and I won't let it slide."
The dark clone leaned closer, her voice silky,
"Now, that's more like it. In this world, I'm the only one who truly understands you. Do you really think Dai Yao gets any of it? Remember, it's been you and me all along—and it'll stay that way."
Her laughter echoed through the cabin before she vanished.
The moment the shadow disappeared, Dai Yao returned to the boat.
Opening the cabin door, he called to her,
"All set. Let's get going."
He untied the rope, rowed them back into the current, and then raised the sail as they continued southward.
After handling everything else, Dai Yao tossed an orange to Qian Renxue with a smile.
"Here, have some fruit."
Qian Renxue looked down at the orange in her hand, feeling an odd sense of mischief behind the gesture. Still, she peeled it and took a bite. She couldn't quite explain it, but this simple orange tasted surprisingly good. She was used to dining on the most exquisite foods, yet this orange seemed to have a charm of its own.
The dark figure's words from earlier lingered in her mind, and she glanced at Dai Yao, who was still busy organizing their supplies.
"When you visited the Spirit Hall's branch, what did you learn about the current situation on the continent?"
Dai Yao responded, "After the incident at the Heaven Dou palace, Emperor Xue Ye officially passed the throne to Princess Xue Ke, and Tang San was appointed as Lan Hao King, the Empire's Regent. However, because Tang San was so focused on tracking us down, he hasn't fully consolidated his power. Technically, Tang San and his faction are recognized as the legitimate authority, but Xue Ke has yet to formally ascend the throne."
He continued, "Besides that, the chaos in Heaven Dou City has left some former prince's loyalists convinced that Tang San and the Clear Sky Clan staged a coup, so they're resisting his influence in secret. But with your disappearance, their efforts are ultimately futile."
In reality, Dai Yao's visit to the Spirit Hall branch had served not only to signal that he and Qian Renxue were alive and well but also to gather news on the situation with the Qinglian Clan and Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan.
To Dai Yao's relief, the turmoil in Heaven Dou City allowed the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan and Qinglian Clan to safely withdraw to Hanhai City in the west. Once Dai Yao and Qian Renxue had left Heaven Dou, Tang San finally lowered his guard and allowed the two clans to leave, having recognized their strength.
"After all," Dai Yao explained, "the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan has two Titled Douluos, and with Ning Fengzhi's support, they're as powerful as four Titled Douluos. Add in the Qinglian Clan, with the Poison Douluo and Yang Wudi of the Breaking Clan, and they have a fighting force of six Titled Douluos. Tang San knows how dangerous they are.
"With one of the Clear Sky Clan's Titled Douluo elders injured and missing an arm, Tang San has only five Titled Douluos to command, and he's focused on hunting down us. He has no choice but to let the clans go."
"It was the only choice he had."
Dai Yao paused before adding, "Besides that, when you launched your palace coup, the Spirit Hall took advantage of the turmoil to completely wipe out the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. With that, the last of the continent's top three clans has fallen: the Clear Sky Clan has resurfaced, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan has withdrawn from the world, and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan has been erased from existence. There are barely any forces left to oppose the Spirit Hall."
Qian Renxue's gaze hardened at this news, and a glint of cold anger emerged in her eyes. Even though the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan had been far from Heaven Dou City, located by a river in another region, Bibi Dong had deployed some of the Spirit Hall's strongest fighters. When Qian Renxue had been in grave danger, none of these fighters had come to her aid, yet they had been sent to annihilate the Blue Lightning Clan.
"To that woman, my life means nothing compared to her ambition," Qian Renxue thought bitterly.
Seeing Qian Renxue's reaction, Dai Yao felt a pang of disappointment himself. He had also been in Heaven Dou Empire during the coup. When it failed, and Heaven Dou's wrath came down, he and Qian Renxue were both left to fend for themselves. Not only had Bibi Dong refused to help Qian Renxue, but she also hadn't bothered to save him.
After a sigh, Dai Yao continued,
"Since your disappearance, six of the seven great elders from the Worship Hall—excluding the Grand Worshiper—have appeared at Jialing Pass and are pressuring the Heaven Dou Empire to return you. The situation is on the brink of war. If you don't return soon, the Worship Hall may declare war on Heaven Dou."
The emptiness in Qian Renxue's eyes faded slightly, and she replied seriously,
"Then we should return as soon as possible."
Dai Yao nodded.
He resumed the southward journey, guiding their small boat down the river. Since hearing of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's destruction, Qian Renxue had become withdrawn, spending her days in silent contemplation, her gaze fixed out toward the vast sea.
Day after day, Dai Yao prepared her meals and placed them beside her, knowing she was grappling with a deep sense of betrayal. On this boat, it was only the two of them, so he had to take care of her. Still, Qian Renxue would simply sit by the window, refusing to eat or drink.
Whenever the food grew cold, Dai Yao would take it away and quietly finish it himself. Even a simple meal reminded him of the cold palace days when he had considered a crust of bread a precious gift. Though life had improved since, those hungry days were etched in his memory.
Wasting food was something he would never do.
Days passed, with Qian Renxue's figure by the window as still as a stone. Dai Yao sighed, knowing her feelings could only be resolved by herself. Yet on this particular day, he prepared a fish soup as a change.
Setting the bowl beside her, he noticed that, as usual, Qian Renxue ignored it. He waited a while, and when it had cooled, he went to retrieve it. Just as he was about to take the food away, she slowly turned her head, the movement stiff and mechanical, as if it caused her physical pain.
Pale and visibly weakened, she stared at him with a distant, resigned look. Her voice was hoarse as she asked,
"Why eat food that's gone cold?"
Dai Yao smiled, "You and I are different. You've had the finest things all your life, but I grew up in the cold palace, where food wasn't always a guarantee. Though things are better now, I could never forget those lean years."
"Even if it's cold, I can't waste it."
Qian Renxue stared at him, silent, then looked at the bowl of fish soup. A trace of something stirred within her, and she asked quietly,
"If I remember correctly, your mother passed away when you were young, and your father is a stranger. Don't you resent them?"
Dai Yao paused, contemplating before he replied,
"I don't resent my mother. As for my father, I don't feel anything at all. To me, he's just a stranger."
She was visibly taken aback, her voice rising sharply as she exclaimed,
"Why don't you resent them? How can you not? If it weren't for her, you wouldn't have suffered so much!"
A faint smile touched Dai Yao's lips as he recalled his previous life and the gentle expression of his biological mother, whom he had met only once.
"Why would I hate her? She may have left me early, but I believe she loved me."
Qian Renxue fell silent, stunned by his answer. Why was he so certain his mother had loved him, while her own mother seemed to treat her as an enemy?
Her father had died young, just as Dai Yao's mother had; her mother, like his father, had been a stranger, indifferent and distant. For the first time, she looked at Dai Yao with a flicker of sympathy and murmured,
"No, we're the same. From now on, call me Xue'er…"
She took the bowl from his hands, surprising him, and began to eat. At first, she took small bites, but soon her movements became more intense, devouring the food as though it were an enemy.
Finally, she broke down, her restrained emotions shattering. For the first time, she let herself cry, her sobs filling the cabin as she released all the pain she had carried alone.
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