The smoke and dust slowly dispersed.
A shaky figure, pale as gold paper, once again appeared before everyone's eyes.
"Miss Tian, junior sister, stop, you all... stop fighting."
Xu Yuan clutched his chest, a trace of fresh blood at the corner of his mouth, and spoke with a pained expression.
"Especially for me; it's not necessary."
"Senior brother..." Lin Qingque hurried over, supporting him, and choked up, "I, I was wrong, I'm sorry."
"It's okay, cough cough... This isn't your fault; I'm the one who barged in."
Though Xu Yuan wished in his heart that the two women would perish together, he still had to put on a faint smile, "As long as you are both fine, that's what matters."
"No, senior brother, it's me, I shouldn't have been so impulsive."
"Don't blame yourself, I'm not seriously hurt."
Seeing Lin Qingque holding Xu Yuan's arm, Tian Liuli felt a wave of annoyance and irritation in her heart; however, seeing his tattered and pitiable state, her heart softened, and she suppressed the killing intent within, snorting coldly, "Just like before, always meddling in others' affairs."
Seated in the place of honor, Mu Qianyan felt somewhat inexplicably guilty.
'Could it be that I overdid it? That shouldn't be the case, right? At the last moment, I should have neutralized both of their moves, so how... did Yuan'er still get hurt? This is bad, Mu Qianyan, oh Mu Qianyan, I told you to read fewer of those novels but you wouldn't listen, you wanted to act like those protagonists who intervene at the last moment, and now you see what happened? Oh—Yuan'er shouldn't blame me, right?'
Fortunately, Mu Qianyan always had a subdued expression, so even though her heart was screaming in terror, almost to the point of crying, her outward appearance remained calm and unruffled, which meant that few could see the turmoil in her heart.
The two Protectors who had come with Tian Liuli, although curious as to why she seemed so distracted and lacking her usual composure, wisely chose not to inquire.
As long as Tian Liuli was unharmed, that was enough.
"Alright, what's done is done, the commotion has been made, now... can we talk about the marriage between you two again?"
The still sharply edged killing intent emanating from Tian Liuli forced Mu Qianyan to speak up.
Her voice, though light, was cold, like the crisp water just thawed at the foot of a snowy mountain, flowing and seeping into everyone's hearts.
The inexplicable restlessness in Tian Liuli's heart miraculously disappeared, and the eager killing intent also subsided.
She knew it wasn't because Mu Qianyan's voice was particularly pleasant to the ear, but because she had used the Heart Methodology, yet she didn't say much and kept her gaze fixed on the two before her, faintly asking, "What do you suggest?"
"I think..."
Mu Qianyan pondered briefly, then continued, "Fighting to death over this, why bother? Why not let Yuan'er make the choice?"
"Oh?"
Hearing this response, both Tian Liuli and Lin Qingque were taken aback.
"That's fine."
Lin Qingque smiled in relief, as if she held a winning hand.
Tian Liuli thought for a moment and then, with narrowed eyes, followed with a laugh, "I can accept that condition."
Xu Yuan knew the critical moment had arrived.
If this were a game, at this juncture, two choices would emerge.
The first was to choose Lin Qingque, which would symbolize Tian Liuli's descent into darkness, and it was very possible that her Heart Demon would come out to cause havoc, revealing the darkness hidden in her heart.
The second was to choose Tian Liuli, but equally, if he chose her, Lin Qingque's descent into darkness would intensify.
The face beneath that mask would come forth.
If this were still the previous main storyline mode, he would just need to choose the corresponding heroine.
But now it wasn't any of the main lines, but a special one, meaning he couldn't choose either!
But if he chose neither, would they be content?
If both of them were rejected together.
Perhaps what he would receive would not be reassurance from two psychologically twisted individuals, but their resentment.
The Master had indeed presented him with a difficult problem.
Xu Yuan took a deep breath.
He knew that one misstep could likely lead to the end of this game.
No, this could be an early end to his life!
Facing the earnest gazes of two beautiful and fragile fairies cast his way.
Xu Yuan looked at the two women in front of him and started to speak in a gritty voice, "Junior sister, you are very good."
Lin Qingque's complexion changed.
Tian Liuli's indifferent expression seemed unchanged, but her lips curved up ever so slightly, things were indeed as she had expected.
"Miss Tian, you are good, too."
The slight arc that had formed on her lips suddenly disappeared.
Lin Qingque wasn't in the mood to take pleasure in Tian Liuli's loss, her gaze fixed solely on Xu Yuan.
"I feel that I'm not worthy of either of you right now."
Xu Yuan bowed his head, as a gentle breeze slowly brushed over his somber brows.
As soon as he said these words, both women were momentarily stunned.
"Senior brother, what do you mean by that?"
Lin Qingque felt the dejection radiating from him and was tempted to switch targets and use her ability to read his Heart Voice, but the killing intent directed at her from Tian Liuli kept her from acting on the thought.
She wasn't sure if Tian Liuli might suddenly lash out and attack her, sparing him from further dilemma.
For she thought the same.
Tian Liuli also furrowed her brow.
"You might think that I am making excuses, but in fact, this is what I truly believe."
Xu Yuan let out a sigh, his expression defeatist as he said, "You... have already reached the late stage of Foundation Establishment, haven't you?"
Upon hearing his words, Lin Qingque and Tian Liuli both paused for a moment before falling into a silence as if understanding what he meant.
"..."
"But I have only just reached the Foundation Establishment Stage."
Xu Yuan lifted his head, his expression desolate and wistful as he said, "If there comes a day when you encounter danger, and I am powerless to help, do I really have the right to be your Dao Companion?"
At this moment, he placed himself entirely in a perspective that was wholeheartedly considerate of both of them.
"I... I don't need you to protect me, senior brother, as long as you can be by my side."
Lin Qingque said timidly, her head down as she tugged at the hem of his clothes.
"It's okay, I will protect you for a lifetime."
Tian Liuli looked at him, as though she glimpsed a shadow of a past life in his eyes, her voice unusually gentle, yet still imperious in tone.
"But my Dao Heart is uneasy."
Xu Yuan's voice revealed a steadfast resolve, "I'm too weak. Not to mention protecting you, what if one day, I get captured and am used to threaten you? What would you do then?"
"This..."
In that moment, Tian Liuli and Lin Qingque unexpectedly looked at each other, then immediately averted their eyes.
They both knew each other's choice, and their own.
And their choice would definitely not be what he wanted to hear.
"Moreover, even without enemies, if my cultivation is too low and my lifespan is short, when we are as distant as heaven and man, what then? Shall I leave you both alone in this world? If you find another Dao Companion, I certainly wouldn't be willing; if you don't, I worry about you being lonely and desolate. Neither option is what I want to see."
"Therefore, to me, cultivation is the most important thing at present. Until I'm strong enough to protect you both, I won't hold you back!"
Xu Yuan declared with a resonant voice.
Although he had more reasons, the "genuine emotions" he had shown were enough. Any more would seem insincere and might arouse their suspicions.