"What benefit do you want?" Upon hearing Ye Jingyu ask for something tangible, Qin Yuting immediately showed a look of disdain...

"Heh, since you're so beautiful, how about you pledge yourself to me instead..." Ye Jingyu kept up his roguish smile...

"You..." Qin Yuting was just about to flare up...

"What? Are you going to strike your savior?" Before Qin Yuting could ignite her temper, Ye Jingyu cut her off directly...

"Hmph, I, Qin Yuting, am not that kind of ungrateful person, but don't even dream about it; even if every man in the world died out, I would never marry you," Qin Yuting fiercely suppressed the rage bubbling inside her and sneered coldly...

"Heh, do you really think you can get married?" Ye Jingyu maintained his wicked smirk...

"Why wouldn't I be able to marry?" Qin Yuting lifted her chin, always supremely confident in her own beauty. So many male disciples at the Villa adored her; how could she possibly not find a husband?

"What do you think?" This time, Ye Jingyu looked straight at Qin Yuting's pear-blossom face, his gaze drifting slightly downward toward her jawline...

Seeing Ye Jingyu's gaze, Qin Yuting suddenly recalled the recent incident, and a flush instantly crept across her cheeks...

For all these years, no one but her father had ever touched her body—not even her closest senior brother, Qin Yunxiao, who hadn't even dared to hold her hand. Yet, just moments ago, this scoundrel had touched that part of her. Though it was while saving her life, it had happened. Even if no one else knew, she knew, and how was she supposed to face her future husband now?

When all was said and done, Qin Yuting was still a maiden of sixteen or seventeen summers. Growing up in this world, her thinking was exceedingly conservative, unlike some modern girls who might have slept with several men by that age...

For Qin Yuting, her upbringing dictated that her entire life, her body, her ZenC, everything about her, could only be touched by one man...

That man... should be the one she loved deeply...

That man... should be a heroic figure who stood tall against the heavens...

But Qin Yuting never imagined that the first man to touch her body would be this ruffian, Ye Jingyu...

What made it even more infuriating was that it happened while he was saving her. If it had been any other circumstance, she could have killed him to assert her principles. This situation left her even without the excuse to strike him down...

Ungrateful—Qin Yuting was incapable of such a thing.

"Junior Sister, Junior Brother, what are you two chatting about?" Just then, a clear male voice drifted over from nearby, pulling the thoughtful Qin Yuting back to reality...

"Hehe, Senior Brother Yunxiao, we were just discussing your mighty and awe-inspiring display just now. Sister Yuting was saying how handsome and distinguished you look," Ye Jingyu said casually upon seeing the newcomer, though inwardly he cursed: Damn it, didn't he see the Young Master was having a pleasant chat with the beauty? Why interrupt?

"What are you saying?" Hearing Ye Jingyu drag her into the conversation, Qin Yuting replied with a playful pout...

"Hehe, look, Senior Brother Yunxiao, Sister's face is all red; she’s too shy to admit it," Ye Jingyu chuckled lightly...

Qin Yunxiao took a look. Indeed, Qin Yuting’s jade-like face was flushed. Seeing her evasive expression, he genuinely believed they had been discussing him. A surge of smugness filled him. He was, after all, the most outstanding disciple of White Cloud Villa; how could this fellow possibly win Junior Sister Yuting's affections? He must have been overreacting a little.

For Qin Yunxiao to still have the presence of mind to be jealous at this moment—it had to be said, his thought processes were uniquely skewed. It was a genuine mystery how he had managed to cultivate his Innate Martial Master realm...

"Ah..." At that moment, a piercing scream echoed from the distance, causing the expressions of everyone present to shift once more...

The difference was that Ye Jingyu and the others looked puzzled, whereas Qin Yukuan's face dramatically changed. As for Qin Yan, an inexplicable sliver of a smile flashed in his eyes...

"This is bad! That’s Senior Brother’s voice! Is there something out here in the periphery that could wound him? Qin Yan, you all stay here; I'll go check," Qin Yukuan decided quickly...

Before Qin Yan could speak, Qin Yukuan’s figure had already shot out, disappearing from sight within a few breaths...

The remaining few exchanged confused glances. What was happening? Could even Grandmaster Qin Fengbao be injured?

Silence descended upon the scene. After a short while, the sounds of clashing swords and blades rang out from not far away, making everyone's faces grim. This was already the Heavenly Dipper Mountain Range; encountering wild beasts was normal, but the sound of clashing blades clearly indicated a duel between humans. How could they encounter other people here? Could it be experts from the Imperial Court?

"Ah..." Another scream echoed from afar—it was Qin Yukuan’s voice. Could even someone as powerful as Qin Yukuan be outmatched?

A chill rose from the hearts of everyone present. Moments later, a figure came tearing back at full speed—it was none other than Qin Yukuan. A feathered arrow was embedded in his back...

"Martial Uncle..." Qin Yan’s face filled with worry upon seeing Qin Yukuan injured. He quickly rushed over and helped steady him...

"Quickly, run... it's the Imperial Court’s lackeys..." Qin Yukuan’s pale face was mottled with blue and purple, as if poisoned. It seemed the arrow was coated with a potent toxin...

"The Imperial Court’s lackeys? How... how is that possible? Then what about Martial Uncle Fengbao?" Shock registered on Qin Yan’s face, and everyone else looked equally stunned...

"When I arrived, he was already ambushed, pierced by ten thousand arrows. Run, this arrow is highly poisonous... I can't hold on much longer... Go!" Qin Yukuan spoke with grief and indignation. He and Qin Fengbao had been martial brothers for years, and now he watched his closest brother murdered, ambushed by a group whose strength peaked only at the Martial Master realm. How could his heart remain calm?

But he understood: this group represented the final elite of White Cloud Villa, the hope for its revitalization. They absolutely could not fall into the hands of the Court...

"Tch..." Just then, a thin blade pierced straight through Qin Yukuan’s heart, the hilt grasped firmly in Qin Yan’s hand.

A spurt of bright red blood shot out, once again freezing everyone’s expressions...