The Brewing Conflict
The immediate crisis with the Blood Serpent Sect's Feng Xiu had passed, but the air remained thick with tension. Han Yu was once again hiding—this time in the library, claiming to be "researching ancient courtship rituals," while actually just reading a martial arts manual with his feet up on a priceless scroll.
Lin Mei, looking furious, found him.
"You're unbelievable, Han Yu. Feng Xiu just tried to kill you, and you're reading about—" She snatched the manual. "—'The 72 Hidden Kicks of the Drunken Immortal'? Is this how you plan to rule the world?"
Han Yu yawned. "Relax, Lin Mei. If I let every little skirmish ruin my mood, I'd have wrinkles by next Tuesday. Besides, Feng Xiu didn't even get close enough for me to worry."
"It's not Feng Xiu I'm worried about right now," Lin Mei hissed. "It's the two latest disciples you've charmed. Ying Li and Qian Ru are about to tear the Peach Blossom Courtyard apart."
Han Yu's eye twitched. Ying Li was a junior disciple, timid and devoted, who had sent him a meticulously folded origami crane every day for a month. Qian Ru was an arrogant, high-ranking rival from the Southern Peak who openly declared Han Yu should marry her for political alliance.
"What is the misunderstanding this time?" Han Yu sighed, finally sitting up.
"Ying Li accidentally spilled tea on Qian Ru's new silk robe," Lin Mei explained. "Qian Ru, always looking for an excuse, declared it a challenge to the death for your hand. She's waiting by the peach tree now."
Han Yu groaned, throwing his head back. "A challenge to the death over spilled tea? And they say my antics are chaotic. Lead the way. I need to stop this before I accidentally harvest a Love Crystal Diamond from a fatality."
The Embarrassing Intervention
The Peach Blossom Courtyard was already crowded. Disciples, attracted by the drama, formed a wide circle. The air smelled of sweet blossoms and rising spiritual energy.
Qian Ru, striking and haughty, stood poised with her shimmering silver rapier.
Ying Li, small and shaking, clutched a simple wooden practice sword, tears already pooling in her eyes. Her devotion, though, was evident in her shaky stance.
"Yield now, girl," Qian Ru sneered. "You are clearly unworthy of Han Yu's attention. I'll only take one of your fingers as forfeit."
"I—I... I cannot," Ying Li squeaked, but she didn't run. "My admiration is pure! I will fight for the right to serve Senior Brother Han Yu!"
Han Yu watched from the gate. Pure devotion, he thought. A potential high-quality Love Crystal Diamond if I nurture it right. I can't let Qian Ru shatter that with her arrogance.
Qian Ru lunged. Her rapier, fueled by sharp Wind Qi, was lightning fast, aimed not to kill but to slice and humiliate.
Just as the blade was about to nick Ying Li's shoulder, Han Yu moved.
He didn't use a powerful blast of Qi. He didn't use a subtle flick of the wrist. He used the most ridiculous technique in his arsenal.
With a blur of movement, he darted between the two girls, landing directly in front of Ying Li. Instead of blocking the rapier, he seized Qian Ru's wrist, spun her around, and dipped her low.
"The Drunken Immortal's Serenade!" Han Yu shouted dramatically.
He held Qian Ru in a theatrical dip, her blade dangling harmlessly. He flashed the crowd his most dazzling, infuriatingly handsome grin.
"Ladies, ladies," he called out, his voice smooth as silk. "I appreciate the passion. But fighting over me? That's what a date is for! You've ruined the surprise!"
Qian Ru was paralyzed—not by his strength, but by the sheer, mortifying embarrassment. She was the proudest disciple on the peak, and he was holding her like a prize at a village fair.
"Han... Han Yu! Put me down, you brute!" she stammered, her face turning crimson.
"Nonsense!" Han Yu chuckled. "This is far more romantic than a duel. Qian Ru, your passion is fierce. Ying Li, your spirit is unmatched! I am honored to be the cause of such... spirited affection!"
He quickly set Qian Ru back on her feet, who promptly stumbled backward, her focus utterly shattered by the public spectacle.
The Aftermath and the Tiny Diamond
The entire courtyard erupted in laughter and gasps. Han Yu had stopped a deadly duel not with power, but with sheer, baffling charm.
Qian Ru, humiliated beyond measure, sheathed her rapier and fled the courtyard, tripping over a tree root in her haste.
Han Yu turned to Ying Li. The girl, still shaking, stared up at him. She was overwhelmed by the relief and the fact that Han Yu had touched her, saved her, and looked right at her.
"Senior Brother Han Yu," she whispered, her eyes shining.
Han Yu leaned in close, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial murmur. "You were very brave, Little Li. Very brave indeed." He patted her head gently. "Now, go get cleaned up, and I'll accept that tea ceremony challenge later, alright?"
Ying Li nodded numbly, her face now a bright shade of peach blossom pink. She floated away on a cloud of giddy devotion.
Han Yu stood alone, the crowd slowly dispersing, buzzing about the "Drunken Immortal's Serenade."
He sighed, his playful expression immediately fading, replaced by the calculating focus of a merchant assessing his ledger.
He casually rubbed the back of his hand, where the Divine Matchmaker's Seal rested. He looked in the direction Ying Li had floated away.
He saw it: a small, transparent, shimmering Love Crystal Diamond floating in the air where Ying Li had stood, no bigger than a grain of rice. It was pure, yet impossibly tiny.
Han Yu snatched the diamond, his expression devoid of emotion as he crushed it into his palm, instantly feeling a barely perceptible surge of Qi.
"Pure devotion yields a pure crystal," he muttered to himself. "But only a trickle of power. It's the complete surrender of a strong-willed woman that makes a harvest worthwhile."
He glanced at the gate where Qian Ru had fled. Anger and humiliation. Useless.
He then looked to Lin Mei, who had been watching the entire spectacle with a familiar mixture of disgust and grudging admiration.
Lin Mei marched up to him, her arms crossed tight. "That was the most ridiculous thing I have ever seen. You could have just blocked the sword."
Han Yu's charming smile instantly snapped back into place. He leaned in close.
"But where's the fun in that, Lin Mei? Besides," he whispered, his eyes gleaming with ambition, "why risk getting myself injured, when I can cultivate her love just by being embarrassing?"
Lin Mei felt a sudden, confusing surge of heat in her chest. She looked away quickly, hiding the strange flutter he caused.
Han Yu knew the sensation well. He was slowly chipping away at her defenses. She's a strong one, he thought, a tough shell. Her crystal will be worth an entire cultivation stage.
"You're a monster, Han Yu," Lin Mei finally managed, walking away quickly.
Han Yu watched her go, tossing the empty air where the tiny diamond had been.
"No," he murmured, turning to face the setting sun over the courtyard, his handsome features cast in shadow. "I'm a genius. And the Love War has only just begun."