Chapter 129: To Take, One Must First Give

"I snuck out to find you, so let’s head back quickly while there’s still time! If they discover you’re missing, they’ll turn the entire Ancient City of Biluo upside down. That wouldn't be the worst of it, though—the real danger is if they get anxious and come looking for us, only to run into this kid. Then, there would truly be no explaining this mess!" Xiaoyin said softly, supporting the heavily injured Yushang. His implication was perfectly placed.

On one hand, he was urging Yushang to return to the Yanlan Academy to tend to his wounds, avoiding any unnecessary complications. On the other, he was hinting to Ye Wangchen not to follow them, lest someone else see them and create a misunderstanding that could never be cleared up. Truth be told, Xiaoyin could never understand why Yushang took such an interest in this boy, who seemed capable of every kind of villainy. If it were him, knowing this person would soon be an enemy, he would have seized the chance to kill him immediately rather than remain so intimate.

"It is indeed getting late, so let us part ways here. We shall settle our score once and for all on the tournament grounds in a few days! But you must promise me to heal quickly; don’t die so soon. I am still waiting to savor the joy of defeating you!" Ye Wangchen was not a man who lacked self-awareness. Since they had spoken as they did, why should he linger? Besides, he had learned what he needed to know; there was no point in wasting more time. He needed to return and prepare for the upcoming competition—his opponent was no simple man.

"You had better look after yourself first. I’m actually worried you won't last until the day of the competition and will pass before me; that would be a true pity. After all, an opponent like you is rare. If I don’t take this opportunity to thoroughly crush you, it would be a complete waste," Yushang retorted, refusing to yield even in a war of words. He wielded his sharp tongue without mercy. While others might hear these words as hostile attacks, they both knew this was their own twisted way of showing concern.

It was a care buried deep within, never needing to be spoken aloud. They could brawl, curse, and wish ruin upon one another, yet in the end, they remained the ones who understood each other best. Perhaps, apart from Xiaoyin, Ye Wangchen was the person who understood Yushang the most. In Ye Wangchen’s eyes, Yushang was the only opponent who could walk into the depths of his heart and glimpse his secrets. Why not a friend? Because he dared not, nor was he sure of their relationship. Perhaps being opponents was for the best; at least, when it came time to hurt or betray each other, they wouldn't feel quite so guilty. They could always lie to themselves, telling themselves that the other was an enemy, not a friend.

"Farewell," Ye Wangchen said with a faint smile, turning and walking away. Perhaps their next meeting would be the day only one of them would survive. He knew well how much of a threat Yushang posed to his Master, and he understood how much his Master longed to kill him. Yet, he couldn't find the heart to do it. What a perfect opportunity he had just missed—or rather, thrown away. He told himself he wouldn't allow anyone else to kill Yushang; if it were to be done, it would have to be by his own hand. But even then, he wasn't sure he could truly bring himself to strike the final blow.

"Good riddance," Xiaoyin said with contempt, watching the receding figure. He truly couldn't stand Ye Wangchen and longed to teach him a lesson to vent his frustration on behalf of Yan. More importantly, Xiaoyin always felt that this person had some ulterior motive in approaching the kid. He would never allow anyone to hurt Yushang, not even an ancient deity. If anyone dared to touch him, the consequences would be far beyond what those with malicious intent could imagine.

"Xiaoyin, don't be so harsh on him. If you observe him closely, he’s not all that bad. Perhaps, as Yuanshen said in a past life, there is some misunderstanding in all of this. My intuition tells me he isn't the type to hurt Yan Xuesu," Yushang said thoughtfully, looking in the direction Ye Wangchen had gone. Although they hadn't spent much time together, they had shared adversity. Given Ye Wangchen’s character, he certainly wouldn't harm the woman he loved. It seemed there was a secret here they had yet to uncover.

"Fine, let’s set aside the matter of the girl for a moment. Just consider his intentions in approaching you. Don't be blinded by appearances. You treat him well, but he might not return the favor. Be careful not to die because of your own good intentions!" Xiaoyin said furiously. Why wouldn't this kid listen? Did he really have to wait until he lost his life to regret it? He didn't know what kind of love potion this Ye Wangchen had fed him to make him unable to distinguish between a friend and a foe.

"Don't you know me by now? How could I possibly hand over my heart to a stranger I've only just met?" Yushang gave a mysterious smile toward Xiaoyin, who failed to grasp the situation. Even if he were curious about the man, he wouldn't risk his life on him. Yushang never liked doing things without certainty, let alone trusting someone he wasn't sure about. Aside from Xiaoyin, he couldn't fully trust anyone—not even his friends at Yanlan Academy. How could he harbor good intentions toward someone who wanted to eliminate him?

"Then why are you putting on this act?" Xiaoyin was confused. He didn't understand why Yushang had to pretend there was mutual respect between him and Ye Wangchen. He understood even less what secret the boy possessed that made Yushang go to such lengths to extract it. If it were just to help the girl find the truth, the explanation didn't convince him. Xiaoyin knew Yushang too well; he wouldn't go to such trouble for anyone but himself.

"Xiaoyin, have you never heard the saying, 'To take, one must first give'? If I want to get what I want from him, I must first offer something of equal value. And what I have that he lacks—what he yearns for but dares not touch—is affection. The affection I am showing now is merely a means to pry secrets from him. It’s a fair trade, and I won't let myself get trapped in it," Yushang said, leaning toward Xiaoyin and speaking in a voice only the two of them could hear.

"You really have a lot of devious tricks, don't you? Even I was almost fooled," Xiaoyin laughed, suddenly enlightened. Yushang was still Yushang, no matter how much time passed. He was as calculating as ever, never letting himself suffer a loss or get hurt. It seemed he had worried too much; Yushang would never be easily deceived. Even when faced with the tricks of the woman he loved, he had the ability to decipher them and find a solution.

"Alright, let's head back. Do you really want to watch me bleed to death here? If I die because of this, what will you do?" Yushang said with a smile, looking at Xiaoyin, who was acting like a child. Only with him could Yushang show his true self. He could be reckless, willful, or mischievous, and no matter what, Xiaoyin would never complain and would always accompany him in his madness. Even if he felt comfortable in front of others, nothing compared to the ease he felt with Xiaoyin. Only Xiaoyin allowed him to rely, trust, and care without reservation.

"We can talk on the way. I still don't know why the two of you ran out here without saying a word!" Xiaoyin supported Yushang as they began to walk slowly. He didn't intend to let him off the hook. He had always been inseparable from Yushang, and now that he had been cast aside for someone else, he felt a strange, hollow bitterness in his heart—like losing something that had been by his side for a long time, only to see it suddenly become someone else's possession.

"A while back, a woman was prowling around Yanlan Academy at night. I happened to run into her, but due to a moment of carelessness, she escaped. This time, I saw her again—or rather, Ye Wangchen and I saw her together. Out of curiosity, we followed her here. We didn't find her, but we encountered another woman. I suspect they are working together. We fought, but she was no match for me, and I didn't want to make things difficult for her, so I spared her life. We ended up here and ran into that little butterfly; she demanded my life after only a few words," Yushang recounted calmly, as if describing someone else's ordeal.

"So, the person who saved that butterfly is likely the same woman you fought earlier!" Xiaoyin guessed, piecing it together. No wonder he felt something was wrong. If the kid was right, then there was definitely a trap. Regardless of whether the butterfly knew those two women before, they were likely close now. If they teamed up, it would be a real headache.

"I think it was the same woman who kept sneaking into the academy. But why save the butterfly? She must know that the butterfly wants me dead. Why risk her life to get involved in this?" Yushang murmured, puzzled. Did this woman have a grudge against him too? In his memory, he hadn't offended that many women. Why were so many people trying to kill him now? It was truly a headache.

"In my opinion, you really need to be careful from now on. If you aren't careful, you are destined to fall because of your 'woman trouble.' The relationships here are far too complex. Although I haven't figured it all out, I know their goal: your life. As for the reason, we'll have to investigate. But did you notice that the woman who saved the butterfly looks exactly like..." Xiaoyin trailed off, wanting to see Yushang's reaction.

"She looks exactly like Ling Huanying, doesn't she? So, it wasn't just me; you noticed it too. Actually, the first time I clashed with her at the academy, I had the illusion that she had truly returned. But when I saw her again, I dismissed the idea. Yes, she looks like her, but it is definitely not her. No matter how well she mimics Ying-er’s posture, or even her face, she lacks that certain quality—the quality that belonged solely to Ying-er. I won't be mistaken; she looks like her, but she is not her," Yushang said, trying to steady his heart and keep his composure.

"I trust your intuition. After all, no one knows that woman better than you. But since they know to use her likeness to lure you, it means they have been planning this for a long time and understand you well. This enemy is different from the past, so be careful. I don't know why, but I have a sinking feeling that something terrible is going to happen in the near future," Xiaoyin said helplessly, looking at the pale-faced Yushang.