Chapter 33

PS: Still desperately begging for recommendations! Tears streaming down my face...

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The Cloud Peak City's boat sailed westward. This time, it did not head to the frigid land of the Ten Thousand Mile Ice Cap but instead skirted the coastline of the continent and continued toward the western continent where Cloud Peak City was located.

Along the way, they encountered many ships, but there were no troubles. All the ships gave a wide berth to the flag of Cloud Peak City, clearly indicating that no one knew about Ximen Wuya's situation. The feared ambush by the Xuantian Sect on the sea route, which Yang Dingtian was worried about, did not happen.

It was unknown whether it was due to the two-year agreement proposed by Yang Dingtian, but Ximen Yan did not cause any more trouble along the way. However, he was openly and unreservedly trying to win people's hearts.

Ximen Yan Yan did nothing every day except stay by her father's side, not eating, drinking, or speaking a word, completely enveloping herself in ice.

Every time Yang Dingtian brought food, she would let it cool and untouched.

For several days without eating or drinking, and almost without sleeping, Ximen Yan Yan quickly became emaciated. Her beautiful large eyes turned red and swollen, and her previously plump and exquisite face became gaunt, with a sharp chin, presenting a different kind of supreme beauty.

Ximen Yan Yan was burning her life away.

Yang Dingtian knew that any words of his would not move Ximen Yan Yan, and she was unwilling to speak to him. But this could not continue; otherwise, Ximen Yan Yan would die.

So, Yang Dingtian did not try to persuade her. He just sat by Ximen Yan Yan's side, accompanying her without eating, drinking, or sleeping. His injuries were not yet healed, and this was a matter of life and death. After just two days, his face turned ashen.

Seeing Yang Dingtian on the verge of collapse, Ximen Yan Yan said, "You don't have to do this. You still have important missions."

Yang Dingtian asked, "What missions?"

"To battle Dongfang Bingling, reclaim everything, and help Cloud Peak City regain its rightful place in the Yin-Yang Sect," Ximen Yan Yan said.

"That's right, there are these missions, but there is a more important one," Yang Dingtian said. "To protect you from harm."

"This is the first mission Ximen Shifu gave me. If I can't complete this mission, the others will lose their meaning," Yang Dingtian said. "I am very weak now and can't protect you at all, so it's fine to die with you."

Ximen Yan Yan's completely dark eyes flashed with a glimmer of light, but she still did not speak.

After thinking for a while, Yang Dingtian said, "When I came to this world, I had nothing, no reason to strive. I lived just to live. Later, I met my master, and we were like father and son, so his expectations became my goals and missions. Then I joined the Yin-Yang Sect, and you know what happened. So the hatred and unwillingness toward Dongfang Bingling became my reason to live and my mission. Later, because of Ximen Shifu... his instructions became my mission and reason to live."

"Later, when I saw your tears, your sorrow..." Yang Dingtian looked at Ximen Yan Yan's exquisite face and said, "The old you was very arrogant and domineering, even almost beating me to death, but I still liked that Ximen Yan Yan. That was the real Ximen Yan Yan."

Ximen Yan Yan shook her head and said, "Now, what right do I have to continue being arrogant? The person who could protect and tolerate my arrogance is no longer here."

"So..." Yang Dingtian looked at Ximen Yan Yan seriously and said, "Making you arrogant and domineering again, making you domineering and commanding again, is also my mission, my reason to strive, because it's what I owe you..."

"Master is gone, and Ximen Shifu is also..." Yang Dingtian continued, "I don't want hatred to completely fill my heart, so your happiness has become my last and most important reason."

"Protecting someone is more meaningful than hatred, and more meaningful than an abstract mission," Yang Dingtian said.

Ximen Yan Yan lifted her head, her large eyes staring at Yang Dingtian for a while, and the ice around her seemed to crack.

"You are very good at winning girls' favor, but unfortunately, my heart is already..." Ximen Yan Yan lifted her emaciated and exquisite face and said, "But at least I don't hate you as much as before, and I don't dislike you as much..."

Then, Ximen Yan Yan started eating.

"But please rest assured, I will fulfill my duties as a wife, but I really can't give you more. I'm sorry!"

******

After more than two months of sailing, Yang Dingtian spent most of his time soaking in medicinal baths to heal his injuries and reading various books. Before formally learning the martial arts of this world, he needed to have a sufficient understanding of them.

The last conversation between Yang Dingtian and Ximen Yan Yan seemed to have exhausted all their goodwill. Ximen Yan Yan no longer spoke to Yang Dingtian, spending every day in the cabin, by her father's side, only leaving to bathe.

Yang Dingtian did not want to see her like this and tried to find various reasons to talk to her, but she would only respond with a hum at most.

So, Yang Dingtian sat by Ximen Yan Yan's side every day, reading carefully. When he encountered something he didn't understand, he would ask, no matter how childish the question. Finally, one day, Ximen Yan Yan couldn't help but say, "How can you be so stupid, not even knowing something so simple?"

Once she started speaking, she couldn't stop. Yang Dingtian had a thick skin and kept asking questions, very seriously, about things he didn't understand. Thus, Ximen Yan Yan became his half-teacher.

By the time Yang Dingtian finished reading over a dozen books, the sea voyage finally ended, and they set foot on land again. They landed on the western continent, and the people of Cloud Peak City all switched to riding horses and carriages, needing to travel another three thousand miles to reach Cloud Peak City.

Along the way, Yang Dingtian was worried about enemies attacking on land, as Cloud Peak City had made many enemies in the western continent over the years. But they were overthinking it. Not only did they not encounter any attacks, but all their old enemies avoided them.

It turned out that no one knew about Ximen Wuya's situation. However, many had heard about his astonishing battle at sea, where he defeated several grandmasters. So even before they set foot on the western continent, Ximen Wuya's name was already as bright as the sun. Although the forces on the western continent did not dare to offend the Xuantian Sect and the Yin-Yang Sect to curry favor with Cloud Peak City, they also did not dare to offend Cloud Peak City, fearing that it might use this opportunity to expand again in the western continent.

They traveled safely for several thousand miles, and they were only three hundred miles away from Cloud Peak City.

The closer they got to Cloud Peak City, the less fragile Ximen Yan Yan's eyes became, but her occasional unease increased.

Moreover, the closer they got to Cloud Peak City, the deeper the mutual vigilance between Ximen Yan and Yang Dingtian and Ximen Yan Yan became. In the last few days, Ximen Yan even monitored Ximen Yan Yan and Yang Dingtian constantly, not allowing them any movements.

On the last night, they were less than two hundred miles away from Cloud Peak City and would arrive the next evening.

A black bird flew out of the camp and headed toward Cloud Peak City.

Ximen Yan Yan walked restlessly in the tent, finally stopping and looking at Yang Dingtian, saying, "We will reach Cloud Peak City tomorrow. Our real danger is coming. On this journey, you only had Ximen Yan as an enemy. But in Cloud Peak City, you will have many enemies, much stronger than Ximen Yan."

"Even with my father's strength, when he inherited the leadership of Cloud Peak City, much blood was shed, many people died, and many were expelled," Ximen Yan Yan said. "So, you need to be mentally prepared."

Yang Dingtian said, "It can't be worse than the situation at the Yin-Yang Sect."

"Maybe not, but at least Dongfang Bingling didn't really want to kill you, while the people of Cloud Peak City might," Ximen Yan Yan said. "However, as your wife, I will do everything to help you. This is my promise to Father."

Then, Ximen Yan Yan walked to the tent door and looked at the sky outside, saying, "The key is that person. Will he be willing to help me, willing to stand by your side?"

"As long as he is willing to be loyal to you, we will have succeeded halfway."

...

The next morning, the group continued their journey, and they were only a hundred miles away from Cloud Peak City.

Suddenly, a deafening sound of hooves came from the road ahead, and dust rose into the sky.

Immediately, Ximen Yan Yan ordered the entire group to stop and enter a defensive state.

A moment later, over a hundred iron-clad riders galloped toward them, each carrying a large sword and wearing red capes, looking mighty and imposing. Although there were only a hundred riders, they looked like a thousand-strong army. The leading rider, wrapped in dark armor, was as imposing as a mountain, exuding a powerful and domineering aura.

Before they reached the convoy, the hundred riders rolled off their saddles and knelt on both sides of the road, their movements perfectly synchronized, as if they were one person. The leading rider dismounted, planted his large sword in the ground, and knelt on one knee, saying, "Ximen Lie, commander of the Black Blood Cavalry, greets his adoptive father."

His voice was loud and powerful, shaking the sky.

"Big brother," Ximen Yan shouted loudly, then rode out, dismounted, and warmly embraced Ximen Lie, saying, "I've missed you so much these past six months."

"Good brother, you've had a tough time on this trip, but you've also gained a great reputation," Ximen Lie responded warmly.

Ximen Yan Yan pushed open the carriage door and poked her exquisite face out, saying, "Big brother."

"Ximen Lie, greets Miss," Ximen Lie immediately bowed, still addressing Ximen Yan Yan as "Miss" rather than by her name, as he was also Ximen Wuya's adoptive son.

"Big brother, come up here, I have something to say to you," Ximen Yan Yan said.

"Yes," Ximen Lie replied, then stood up and walked toward Ximen Yan Yan's carriage. Ximen Yan's expression changed slightly, and he opened his mouth to speak but said nothing.

Ximen Lie was truly imposing. Once he got into the carriage, the spacious carriage seemed small.

After getting in, Ximen Lie placed his large sword to the side, removed his helmet, and revealed his heroic and resolute face.

His long golden hair flowed, and his thick golden beard was like steel needles. His deep-set eyes, prominent nose, and chiseled face made him look like a mighty lion.

After getting in, Ximen Lie's first glance was at Yang Dingtian, who was sitting beside him. He was slightly taken aback, frowned, and then looked away, never glancing at Yang Dingtian again.

"Big brother," Ximen Yan Yan said to Ximen Lie, "This is Yang Dingtian, my... husband."