Chapter Six: Stirred Emotions

At this moment, his mind was already clouded—he wanted nothing more than to kill the person before him. Consumed by hatred, he loathed his so-called brother, Ji Muyu, but he despised his own weakness even more.

Yinyao did not evade his attack; gripping her long whip, she went to meet him head-on. Their weapons clashed, ringing out with a sharp, metallic sound. Each of Ji Xuanyu’s moves was ruthless, showing no mercy. Though Yinyao met him blow for blow, she refrained from launching any aggressive attacks.

Ji Xuanyu interpreted Yinyao’s defensive stance as disdain, a sign that she looked down on him. His strikes grew all the more vicious, the intent to kill clear in every move—several of them were deadly techniques.

Yinyao narrowed her eyes at Ji Xuanyu, a flash of murderous intent passing through her gaze. She had come to help him, but that did not mean she would indefinitely tolerate his berserk behavior. Her mother had only asked that he not come to any misfortune; she had said nothing about forbidding him from being injured. Yinyao’s lips curled into a sly smile, a hint of mischief glinting in her eyes.

Ji Xuanyu kept a close watch on Yinyao’s every reaction. Seeing her suddenly break into a radiant smile, he was momentarily distracted. In that instant, Yinyao finally took the initiative. The long whip in her hand danced with serpentine agility.

Ji Xuanyu, wounded, felt his earlier surge of emotion swiftly vanish, his gaze regaining its former savagery. No matter how he tried to attack, he could not get close to Yinyao; in her eyes, his defense was riddled with flaws.

Yinyao observed Ji Xuanyu as he continued searching for an opening, her eyes flickering with layered emotions—admiration, helplessness, and a touch of pity.

Half an hour passed. Ji Xuanyu’s strength was waning, yet he pressed on. His eyes, however, had regained some clarity, and he no longer seemed the frenzied man he had been.

Witnessing this change, Yinyao silently applauded him. Ordinary people would not have recovered so quickly, and few possessed her level of mental fortitude. To spar so calmly in such circumstances was no small feat; if one’s skills were not strong enough, any carelessness could result in becoming a casualty to someone’s madness.

Soon after, Ji Xuanyu, exhausted beyond his limits, could no longer hold on. Just as he finally managed to get close to Yinyao—and just as she made no move to evade—he could have easily wounded her. Yet, his heart softened at the last moment. While he hesitated, his strength deserted him; his sword slipped from his grasp, and with his lightness skills spent, he began to fall.

He did not injure Yinyao. That was his final thought as he closed his eyes, a bitter smile lingering on his lips. Someone caught him midair, steadying him and lowering him gently to the ground. He knew who it was.

Yinyao glanced at the unconscious Ji Xuanyu and shook her head in resignation. With no other choice, she slung half his weight over her own shoulder and helped him back. Looking at his tightly shut eyes and the way he slumped against her, she frowned—he really was rather heavy. She couldn’t help but pity herself, a so-called “frail young woman.”

Silver Fox stood beneath the eaves, and from a distance saw Yinyao supporting Ji Xuanyu as they slowly approached. A weight lifted from her heart. It seemed the decision to send Yinyao after him had been the right one. In such circumstances, only Yinyao possessed the composure and resolve to subdue him. Though Silver Fox had never fully understood the extraordinary calmness Yinyao was born with, she had long since realized it was a gift, not a flaw.

“Mother,” Yinyao greeted softly, a faint smile at her lips. Silver Fox hurried forward and, together with Yinyao, took Ji Xuanyu’s other side, easing her daughter’s burden.

“Yinyao, what happened to him?” Silver Fox looked at her daughter. Although she could guess the general situation, she wanted to hear Yinyao recount it fully.

“Ji Xuanyu was venting his emotions in the forest and nearly succumbed to his inner demons. I arrived, saw his state, and sparred with him for a while. In the end, he collapsed from exhaustion.” Yinyao spoke with such nonchalance that it was as if nothing significant had happened. Silver Fox listened with a helpless shake of her head; her daughter truly took everything in stride. “Was anyone hurt?” Silver Fox didn’t specify who—she knew her daughter would understand.

“It’s just superficial wounds, Mother. Don’t worry, I know what I’m doing,” Yinyao replied without hesitation.

Silver Fox shook her head with a gentle laugh. She had expected as much—Yinyao was not one to get hurt. From childhood, the girl had shown rare talent in martial arts, enduring every hardship without complaint. Her achievements had long surpassed those of her teachers.

But she was still so young, lacking experience in the wider world. If she entered the martial world in the future and failed to restrain herself, trouble might follow. For now, though, that was not something to worry about. The future would take care of itself.

“Take him inside, tend to his wounds, bandage him up, and let him rest. After venting so much today, he should be able to face things calmly and reflect seriously,” Silver Fox instructed. With that, she released her hold and left for her own quarters.

Yinyao nodded, supporting Ji Xuanyu alone back to his room and helping him lie down. She went outside to fetch fresh water, filled a basin, and brought it back. Wetting a towel, she began to clean the blood from Ji Xuanyu’s face. Most of his injuries, however, were on his body; his face was only stained with a little blood. Looking at his clothing, Yinyao hesitated for a moment, unsure where to begin.

It felt awkward to undress him, but before long, Yinyao composed herself and removed his clothes with practiced calm. His fair skin bore numerous bloody whip marks. She realized she may have been a bit too harsh on him.

Still, he was a grown man—a few scars were nothing to fret over. Even so, Yinyao took out the finest Snow Skin Ointment and carefully applied it to each wound.

As she worked, Yinyao had to admit that although Ji Xuanyu’s skin was pale rather than sun-kissed, his physique was impressive, clearly honed by training.

After tending to his injuries, Yinyao wrapped them in gauze, her attention focused and unwavering. This was her way—whenever she did something, she gave it her all.

As Yinyao bandaged him, Ji Xuanyu regained consciousness but made no sign of waking. He seemed to savor Yinyao’s ministrations, a strange and wonderful emotion stirring within him—elusive, yet delightful.

Yinyao, absorbed in her task, noticed nothing. Once she had covered Ji Xuanyu with a quilt, she carried away the bloody water she had used to clean his wounds, leaving the room.

When Yinyao’s figure vanished from sight, Ji Xuanyu opened his eyes and gazed thoughtfully after her.