Chapter Thirty-One: Is He Teasing Me?

In Su Xue'er's room at the Commander's Residence

"How's my mom?" Shen Zixuan asked anxiously.

"She's not seriously injured, just depleted of spiritual power. She'll be fine after resting for a few days," Yu Shi said. He was about to leave when Su Xue'er grabbed his sleeve, struggling to open her eyes and speaking with extreme weakness, word by word.

"Yu... Shi, don't... destroy... the... Tang... Family."

Yu Shi smiled faintly. "I won't. You can rest assured. Just rest for a while."

Even after hearing this, Su Xue'er didn't let go, continuing to hold onto Yu Shi's sleeve.

"I won't deceive you this time. You can sleep peacefully."

After a while, Su Xue'er finally closed her heavy eyelids.

In the main hall of the Commander's Residence, Yu Shi said to Tang Ruoyu, "Tang Ruoyu, is Xue'er serious?"

"Commander, I think Xue'er is quite kind. She really detests wanton slaughter," Tang Ruoyu replied.

"Yes, my mom is very good. She couldn't possibly be involved in anything evil," Shen Zixuan said confidently.

After pondering for a while, Tang Ruoyu asked, "Commander, do you think Xue'er is Yun Chuxue?"

"Yes, you're as smart as your mother," Yu Shi replied.

Hearing Yu Shi's praise, Tang Ruoyu was somewhat flattered but continued, "I don't think she's very similar."

"Tell me more," Yu Shi encouraged.

"Yun Chuxue, although I haven't met her, according to rumors on the continent, she is a very wicked person who associates with enemies of humanity—spirit beasts. She's a disgrace to humanity," Tang Ruoyu explained.

Shen Zixuan's head drooped upon hearing this, his eyes filled with melancholy. But what Tang Ruoyu said next gave him a renewed understanding of her.

"I think it's a misunderstanding for society to view her that way," Tang Ruoyu continued.

"Ahaha, well said," Yu Shi chuckled. "You indeed have a deeper understanding. You should know that she killed my most revered master. You're aware of that incident, right?"

"I am. I just can't believe she would do such a thing," Shen Zixuan replied.

Yu Shi fell silent. Tang Ruoyu then asked, "Commander, I have something I'm not sure if I should say."

"It's alright, go ahead," Yu Shi said.

"If one day, Xue'er really is Yun Chuxue, and she did indeed kill your master, would you kill her?" Tang Ruoyu asked.

Yu Shi remained silent. After a long while, he rose slowly and walked out without saying a word.

After Yu Shi left, Shen Zixuan asked, "Ruoyu, what's wrong with brother-in-law?"

Tang Ruoyu said she wasn't sure. Shen Zixuan then asked, "If I became the kind of person everyone on the continent hates, would you still look at me?"

Tang Ruoyu chuckled at Shen Zixuan's question, tapping his head with her hand. "You, hurry up and prepare some nourishing food for Xue'er. You're always lost in wild thoughts."

With that, she left, leaving Shen Zixuan sitting there dumbfounded, muttering to himself, "I was speaking the truth."

Shen Zixuan was indeed speaking the truth, but Tang Ruoyu was unaware.

Two days later, Su Xue'er's complexion had improved a lot, but she hadn't fully recovered yet. Due to the Continental Tournament, Yu Shi rarely came to see her, leaving Tang Ruoyu and Shen Zixuan to take care of her.

Since Shen Zixuan wasn't good at caregiving, he simply followed Tang Ruoyu's instructions without fussing over complicated tasks, sticking to simple ones.

Su Xue'er sat on the bed with Tang Ruoyu by her side, while Shen Zixuan sat at the table playing with a cup.

Su Xue'er whispered to Tang Ruoyu, "Ruoyu, you two seem like a couple now."

Tang Ruoyu chuckled. "Oh, you. Focus on your recovery."

"Don't change the subject. Tell me, how do you feel about him?" Su Xue'er persisted.

Looking at Su Xue'er curiously, Tang Ruoyu sighed. "Xue'er, I don't even know where he comes from. I need to know more about him. You're his sister, tell me about him, and don't lie to me."

"Um... How about after the tournament, I let him tell you himself?" Su Xue'er suggested.

Tang Ruoyu grew impatient. "Why wait until after the tournament? Is this more mysterious than him not being human?"

"Not human?" Su Xue'er pretended to be surprised.

Tang Ruoyu explained, "You're overthinking it. I've never heard of spirit beasts transforming into humans. Besides, those who do typically use disguises, which can be seen through by Spirit Masters at the Spiritual God Realm. He's been here for so long."

"I meant if..." Su Xue'er was interrupted by Tang Ruoyu.

"Enough, Xue'er. No 'if.' If he really is, I'll marry him, unconditionally," Tang Ruoyu declared firmly.

"Not what I..." Su Xue'er tried to interject.

"Stop. It's settled," Tang Ruoyu interrupted again.

"Um..." Su Xue'er thought, "He really is."

Su Xue'er asked why the competition hadn't started yet. Tang Ruoyu explained, "Because the top eight have been determined: two from the Spirit Master Mansion, and one each from Yun Chu Palace, Lock Moon Tower, and Spirit Roar Pavilion. There's one representative from each empire except for the Western Cloud Empire. They would've had one too, but their team clashed with Shen Yueru's, so General Yu Xun gave Commander Yu Shi some face and they forfeited."

"Why haven't there been any matches these past few days?" Su Xue'er inquired.

"Because the top eight matches require the arena to be rearranged. So, they've postponed it for a few days. After the final round, there's still an individual competition to be held," Tang Ruoyu explained.

"Individual competition?" Su Xue'er asked.

"It's when one person from each of the sixty-four teams steps forward, and they all stand on the same field. The last one standing wins," Tang Ruoyu elaborated.

Su Xue'er began to understand and said, "I remember Shen Yueru mentioned she won an individual competition before the continental tournament began, but I didn't understand what it was at the time. Now I do."

Hearing Shen Yueru's name, Tang Ruoyu's tone turned disdainful. "Her? Her championship was all about connections, not strength."

"Connections?" Su Xue'er asked.

Tang Ruoyu leaned in and whispered to Su Xue'er, "You could say that. She's a social butterfly."

Su Xue'er understood and chuckled softly. Just then, they heard Shen Zixuan's voice. Turning to look, they found him behind Tang Ruoyu.

"Sister, Ruoyu, it's not right to talk behind people's backs," he said seriously, then sat down at the bedside. "If you're going to talk, I want to listen too."

Su Xue'er and Tang Ruoyu felt embarrassed, wondering when Shen Zixuan had approached. Did he hear what they were saying earlier?

Su Xue'er awkwardly asked, "Xiaoxuan, when did you start eavesdropping?"

"When you were talking about the competition, I was playing with the cup and overheard Ruoyu telling you," Shen Zixuan replied. "What eavesdropping? You two were speaking so loudly, I couldn't help but hear."

Shen Zixuan rolled his eyes playfully, amusing Tang Ruoyu and Su Xue'er.

"Ruoyu, Xiaoxuan, are you sure Yu Shi won't destroy the Tang Family?" Tang Ruoyu asked, apologetically.

"Sorry, Xue'er, I lied to you. It was Yu Shi who teased you and made me play along," Tang Ruoyu confessed.

"He teased me?" Su Xue'er exclaimed.