Rising Jealousy! . . .
Cha Eun Xiao remained oblivious to the subtle shifts in Xuan Bing's demeanor. He had no inkling of the impending crisis looming over him. Instead, he continued discussing the topic of women, attempting to gain some favor. He believed that by elucidating his significance to Misty Cloud Palace, he could dissuade Xuan Bing from casually disposing of him.
"Heh, heh... Don't flatter me... The two ladies, one is Bing Xinyue, Lady Bing, and the other is Wenren Chuchu, Lady Wenren," Cha Eun Xiao smiled, adding, "Oh, by the way, Lady Wenren is Lady Bing's disciple. Heh, heh."
Xuan Bing's eyes sparkled with interest, and she responded, "They belong to my sect. So what?"
Cha Eun Xiao's smile took on an air of modesty, as if he were downplaying a great accomplishment. He casually explained, "I met them in my world and helped them with certain issues, which led to us becoming friends..."
Gritting her teeth, Xuan Bing inquired, "Issues? What kind of issues?"
Cha Eun Xiao replied nonchalantly, "Nothing significant. It's just that there was a minor issue with your martial art during the upgrading process. When you attempted to advance the Ling Xiao Ice Art, it resulted in a reverse impact and left a hidden threat within your bodies..."
He continued with indifference, "Although I may not possess great strength, I happened to come across a method to resolve the problem. That's how I assisted the two ladies back then... It wasn't a major matter, heh, heh. Not worth mentioning."
After subtly laying the groundwork, Cha Eun Xiao finally articulated what he most wanted to convey. 'First, I have aided your disciples. As the Great Elder of the sect, you can't repay kindness with enmity and kill me. Second, I possess the knowledge to address the issue in your martial art. You require my assistance to resolve this problem!'
'Now, perhaps this journey with you will be less arduous, right?'
'No matter how ruthless you are, you wouldn't bite the hand that has helped you, would you?'
Such were the thoughts circulating in Cha Eun Xiao's mind.
Proud of himself for tactfully delivering this message, he felt a sense of safety. However, his complacency was abruptly shattered as he found himself enveloped by an immense, bone-chilling aura that seemed capable of freezing the entire world. He was rendered speechless, overpowered by an overwhelming coldness that penetrated every inch of his being, as if even his soul was being congealed.
Baffled by this sudden turn of events, Cha Eun Xiao was met with a furious Xuan Bing. The flames of her anger raged within her.
"Ling Xiao Ice Art? Reverse impact? Help?" She enunciated each word slowly.
Although her eyes remained concealed beneath the brim of her hat, Cha Eun Xiao could feel the piercing intensity of her gaze.
[Heavens! What's happening? What I said was supposed to secure my safety! How has it suddenly turned into a death sentence?]
[This is perplexing! It's utterly irrational!]
Xuan Bing was gasping heavily, her fury barely contained.
["Scoundrel!"]
She was well aware of the reverse impact of their martial art.
In fact, she had endured the most severe consequences of this martial art.
She had nearly lost her life due to it.
Who had saved her?
Cha Eun Xiao!
The man standing before her!
What truly concerned her was the manner in which he had resolved the issue.
Each time she recalled his method, her face flushed with embarrassment.
How had he achieved it?
Following Xuan Bing's arduous battle against Xue Danru, during which she emerged victorious but sustained severe injuries that resulted in memory loss, she had transformed into Bing'er, Cha Eun Xiao's maid. She attended to him and shared his bed daily. Cha Eun Xiao had done something to help her, and her recovery occurred before she even realized it. She had not only regained her health but had also ascended to become the second most potent figure in the Qing-Yun Realm.
Yet, the crux of the matter lay in how he had cured her. Xuan Bing surmised that he must have employed the same method with Bing Xinyue and Wenren Chuchu. She needed no further explanation; it was apparent. He had undoubtedly used the same approach.
As she observed Cha Eun Xiao, who spoke casually as if he expected nothing in return for his aid and appeared rather smug and content, she seethed with inner turmoil. Her emotions were in disarray.
[Does this mean that he has taken advantage of several of our people?]
[And so what? Do you expect me to be grateful?]
Bing Xinyue's master was a generation younger than Xuan Bing, and Wenren Chuchu was Bing Xinyue's disciple.
"I see. If that's the case, I suppose our sect, including myself, should be grateful for what you've done," Xuan Bing muttered through gritted teeth.
Cha Eun Xiao was blissfully unaware that he had unleashed the most potent negative force in the world: the jealousy of women. He continued to smile casually and responded, "It's not worth mentioning. No big deal... Elder... Miss Xuan, you're welcome. We are friends."
["You're welcome?"]
["Friends?"]
["I am not your friend!"]
Xuan Bing seethed with anger, nearly on the brink of losing consciousness. She clenched her hands within her sleeves to prevent them from trembling uncontrollably. The urge to deliver a powerful punch was nearly overwhelming.
["You... You've caused a rift within our sect now, fanning the flames of lust... And you... You act as though it's a trifling matter?"]
["Who is your friend? Wenren Chuchu? Bing Xinyue? Bing'er? Or... Me?"]
["This is... utter nonsense!"]
"Friends? Oh. Our third-generation disciple, Bing Xinyue, must be quite close to you, Master Ye," Xuan Bing spoke through clenched teeth, her anger simmering.
Cha Eun Xiao waved his hand and continued to speak modestly, "No, she's a wonderful person, beautiful, elegant, and intelligent. I would never draw any closer to her. I did help her, but she also helped me. I am not extraordinary. We are acquainted."
Xuan Bing's heart quaked.
["What do you mean by 'acquainted'? What is your intent? Are you going to deny that there's something between you two?"]
["You know each other, huh? What's your plan? Are you going to stroll away after taking advantage of her? You're the one who did it! You exploited her! And you intend to simply walk away like this?"]
["No way!"]