The evening wind blew through the stone corridors of the Xiao Clan estate, carrying the chill of the coming night and the faint, mocking echo of laughter.
Xiao Yan stood frozen in the shadows of an alleyway, his black auctioneer robes blending perfectly with the darkness. His hood was still pulled low, but beneath the fabric, his face was twisted in a mixture of confusion and raw, burning pain.
He watched them go.
He watched the violet silhouette of Xiao Xun'er walking side by side with the robed figure of Xiao Ning. They moved with a synchronized rhythm, their shoulders occasionally brushing as they walked under the warm glow of the clan lanterns.
"Hehe..."
A soft, bell-like giggle drifted back on the wind. It was Xun'er's voice.
That sound, which usually brought peace to Xiao Yan's heart, now felt like a dagger twisting in his gut.
For the past three years, ever since his cultivation had collapsed and he had fallen from a genius to a cripple, the world had turned cold. The clan ridiculed him. His fiancé had humiliated him. Even the servants looked at him with disdain.
Only Xun'er had remained.
She was his beacon. She was the only ray of warm sunlight in his frozen world. She treated everyone else with a polite, icy indifference—especially the arrogant Xiao Ning, whose clumsy attempts at courtship were a running joke in the clan.
"So why?" Xiao Yan thought, his breathing becoming ragged. "Why is she laughing with him? Why is she walking with him in the dark?"
He remembered that day when he had defeated Xiao Ning in the arena. He had proven his strength. He thought that would cement his place. But now, seeing Ning casually chatting with the girl he cherished, a dark, ugly flame ignited in his chest.
It was jealousy. Pure, corrosive jealousy.
His hands, hidden within his large sleeves, clenched into fists so tight that his fingernails dug into his palms. The Fire-attribute Dou Qi in his body began to fluctuate wildly, responding to his erratic emotional state.
"Xiao Ning..." Xiao Yan grit his teeth, his eyes bloodshot. "You trash. You think because you learned a few tricks you can take her?"
Just as his anger threatened to boil over, a cool, ethereal sensation washed over his mind.
"Kid."
The voice was old, calm, and carried a weight of authority that cut through the red haze of anger. It resonated directly in his soul.
"Calm down your emotion. You have more important things to do. Don't waste your mental energy on a girl."
Xiao Yan stiffened. He took a deep, shuddering breath, forcing his fists to unclench. The cool energy from the black ring on his finger helped stabilize his erratic Qi.
"Master," Xiao Yan whispered, his voice hoarse. "I... I know. But didn't you see them? She never laughs like that with anyone but me."
A sigh echoed in his mind. Then, a translucent figure drifted out of the ring, hovering beside Xiao Yan. Only he could see the spirit of Yao Chen.
The old man floated in the air, his white beard flowing, looking at the direction where Yoriichi and Xun'er had disappeared. His eyes, ancient and wise, narrowed slightly as he analyzed the lingering energy trails.
"You are young," Yao Chen said softly. "Your eyes see what your heart fears. But my eyes see the truth."
"The truth?" Xiao Yan looked at his master, confused.
"Besides from the conversation, look at their body language," Yao Chen lectured, floating higher to get a better view of the empty path. "They were walking together, yes. But their spacing was precise. Defensive. There was no intimacy in their aura."
Yao Chen stroked his beard. "They were guarded with each other. It was like two diplomats walking to a negotiation, or two predators circling each other. They were likely playing a game of who could get more information from the other."
"Information?" Xiao Yan frowned.
"The girl was likely interrogating him," Yao Chen deduced accurately. "That boy, Xiao Ning, has changed much quickly. She is suspicious. And that boy... he was also cautious. He didn't lean in. He didn't flirt. He held his ground."
Xiao Yan listened, his rational mind trying to accept the logic. It made sense. Xun'er was intelligent; she wouldn't suddenly fall for a brute like Ning.
"But..." Xiao Yan argued weakly, the image of the scene still burning in his mind. "What about that relaxing aura? That giggle? Master, she sounded happy. She used to show me only that side of her."
Yao Chen looked at his disciple. He saw the insecurity written plainly on the boy's face. He knew that for a teenage boy, logic often lost to hormones.
He decided to be blunt.
"Boy," Yao Chen said firmly. "From what I have seen over the past year, when you and that little girl are near each other, her emotions are genuine. She likes you very much. Her guard drops completely."
Xiao Yan blinked, his face flushing slightly in the darkness. "S-she likes me?"
"It is obvious to everyone but you," Yao Chen chuckled dryly. "But what you saw just now? That laughter? That 'pleasant' chat? That was fake. She is a master of social masking. She comes from a background where hiding one's intent is necessary for survival. Even you didn't notice the deception because she is that good."
Xiao Yan stood there, processing this. The tight knot in his chest began to loosen.
If Master said it, it must be true. Master was a supreme alchemist, a man who had seen the world. If he said Xun'er was just acting, then she was just acting.
"I see..." Xiao Yan exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck, a small, shy smile touching his lips. "So she was just probing him. It was her way of doing things."
"Exactly," Yao Chen nodded, glad to see the boy calming down. "She was likely passing time, or perhaps trying to figure out if he is a threat to you or the clan."
Xiao Yan's shyness faded, replaced by a renewed sense of protectiveness. But then, his mind twisted the narrative again. The jealousy didn't disappear; it just changed targets.
If Xun'er didn't like Ning, then why was she walking with him?
"She must have been forced to be polite," Xiao Yan rationalized, his eyes darkening again. "Xiao Ning is the First Elder's grandson. He probably cornered her in the library. He probably kept bothering her until she had to walk him out to get rid of him."
The thought made his blood boil again.
"Wait..." Xiao Yan whispered, his voice turning furious. "Xiao Ning... you are disturbing her so much. You force her to put on a mask? You force her to waste her time on you?"
He clenched his fist again, staring at the empty road.
"I will teach you a heavy lesson next time," Xiao Yan vowed, the flames of his resolve burning hotter than before. "Just wait. The next time we meet, I won't just beat you. I'll break that arrogance so you never dare to approach her again."
Yao Chen watched this shift in emotion and sighed internally. "Youth. They always need an enemy."
"Don't think of hate too much, Xiao Yan," Yao Chen consoled him, his spirit drifting back toward the ring. "Hate clouds the judgment. It ruins the cultivation state. If you have doubts, just ask the girl about it tomorrow. It will clear your head. Make sure you are both honest with each other."
"I will," Xiao Yan nodded. "I will ask her."
He adjusted his robes, ensuring his disguise was secure, and began walking toward his own living quarters. He needed to have dinner with his father, Xiao Zhan, and pretend that he hadn't just made a fortune selling elixirs.
As Xiao Yan walked away, Yao Chen remained silent in the ring, his thoughts turning darker.
"That girl..." Yao Chen thought, recalling the terrifying pressure he sometimes sensed from the shadows around Xun'er. "Her background is not simple. The Ancient Clans... If she is truly from one of them, then her 'acting' is a survival skill trained from birth."
He looked at the mental projection of his disciple, who was now striding with a mix of love and vengeance.
"The forces behind her are powerful, boy. Monstrously powerful. If you really love her, you will have to become a monster yourself to stand by her side. Xiao Ning is the least of your worries."
Xiao Yan reached his dorm room. He opened the door, the warm yellow light of his room spilling out into the dark night.
He stepped inside and closed the door with a heavy thud.
He sat on his bed, removing the black robe. But the image of the violet dress and the red robe walking together didn't leave his mind.
He couldn't see the truth—that Yoriichi had no interest in Xun'er. He only saw a rival encroaching on his territory.
A seed of hate had been implanted deep inside Xiao Yan's heart tonight. It wasn't just a rivalry over strength anymore; it was personal.
And in the dark, fertile soil of the Xiao Clan's politics, that seed would grow. We will see how this unfolds when the Dragon and the Sun meet again.
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Also, for short chapter it's 2chs/day and for long it's 1ch/day. I know u feel bitter but to be consistent and same quality, i need time also for thinking these plots so that u guys enjoy it.