Gongsun Xiangyi did not want to cry; she had almost forgotten the sensation of tears. Ever since she had personally poisoned her cousin and fled the Gongsun household, it seemed she had never wept again...

Yes, she had dealt with poisons since childhood; she had lived alongside a host of venomous snakes since she was young. She was a serpent woman, one whose coldness permeated her very soul...

But she was not truly a serpent woman; she was merely a person, a living, breathing woman...

Indeed, she had long grown accustomed to that tone, long accustomed to the gazes that mingled contempt with a flicker of fear...

Many had perished by her hand. Those who lived offered only disdain. She had witnessed and heard this tone, this indifference, countless times; she had become utterly accustomed to it...

Never mind crying, she no longer even felt the stir of anger...

But why, then, was she weeping? Why did her heart ache so profoundly?

Yes, this particular ache—she hadn't felt anything like it since her parents died, not for a very, very long time...

Yet, this discomfort felt somehow different? How so?

There was none of the crushing grief of the past, but rather an ineffable, sharp sorrow...

Was it a sense of injustice?

Gongsun Xiangyi did not understand, could not comprehend, knew nothing; she only knew she was deeply miserable right now. Crying felt like the only path to ease the turmoil within...

Xiao Hua remained still beside Gongsun Xiangyi, puzzled by its mistress's distress. Though it had attained Saint-level power and possessed its own intelligence, it still failed to grasp, much less comprehend, such human emotions. It only knew that its mistress seemed to have been this way for an age...

Watching Gongsun Xiangyi’s slight, trembling form, Ye Jingyu felt a deep, unsettling pang in his own chest, the weight of guilt growing heavier...

Although he had only known this woman for a few days, and had even intended to kill her previously, the drop of blood from Little Tao Tao had given him absolute command over this eerie, captivating woman...

Initially, he certainly could not trust Gongsun Xiangyi completely, despite the tragic story of her background. However, the shared days had allowed Ye Jingyu to gain a deeper understanding of this woman who emerged from a viper’s nest...

Perhaps because she had never known friendship, perhaps because she had long since lost her kin, she treasured the opportunity to remain near Ye Jingyu and his company. The poisonous cruelty she once possessed was entirely gone, replaced instead by a tender gentleness. She personally helped the soldiers treat their wounds and climbed mountains to gather various herbs. While a significant portion of this diligence was due to Ye Jingyu’s control, her effort was undeniably sincere...

Gazing at the slender figure not far off, Ye Jingyu let out a soft sigh...

He murmured an incantation, and an invisible shadow drifted out from his mind, merging directly into Gongsun Xiangyi’s body... He had returned that fragment of her soul to her...

Whether one called it pity or guilt, the fact remained: he did not wish to control such a pitiable woman through coercion. Furthermore, the most crucial point was that Ye Jingyu’s current strength meant he no longer feared Gongsun Xiangyi...

The instant that piece of soul rejoined her, Gongsun Xiangyi’s entire body shuddered. Her spirit surged with unprecedented fullness, and her expression shifted rapidly. The gaze she held fixed forward snapped around to turn toward him...

She saw Ye Jingyu being supported by Ying Xiaoxiao, standing not far away...

“Young Master... Your injuries haven't healed. How can you be walking about?” Gongsun Xiangyi hastily wiped the tears from her eyes and moved toward Ye Jingyu, her gaze filled entirely with concern...

That trace of sorrow vanished without a trace...

In a few strides, she reached Ye Jingyu’s side and started to reach out to support him, then seemed to recall something, causing her expression to dim slightly as she drew her hands back...

“What? Now that I’m not controlling you, you won’t bother taking care of me anymore?” Seeing her hesitation, Ye Jingyu knew instantly why, and he teased her playfully...

“No, Young Master...” Gongsun Xiangyi finally realized Ye Jingyu had returned that piece of her soul. Her gratitude deepened, and just as she was about to explain, Ye Jingyu cut her off...

“Then hurry up and help me inside. This brute stinks; he’s unbearable...” Ye Jingyu said, already extending a hand toward Gongsun Xiangyi...

Gongsun Xiangyi’s eyes lit up. She was no fool; she recognized Ye Jingyu’s gesture as an indirect apology. A mix of joy and surprise surged through her, and she quickly extended both hands to support him...

“Damn it, General, you’re prioritizing romance over friendship...” Ying Xiaoxiao grumbled indignantly after Ye Jingyu had insulted his smell...

“So what if I prioritize romance over friendship? Care to challenge me on that?” Ye Jingyu shot back immediately...

Ying Xiaoxiao’s face shifted. It was a joke; a few months ago, he might have stood a chance of defeating Ye Jingyu. But after these past months, even though he was close to breaking through to the Grandmaster realm, everyone knew this monster could treat Grandmasters like children. He stood absolutely no chance against Ye Jingyu...

He let out a disgruntled sigh but dared not press the matter further...

Ye Jingyu ignored him, allowing Gongsun Xiangyi to help him back toward the military tent. Yet, after the exchange they just had, Ye Jingyu had lost the inclination to bathe...

Gongsun Xiangyi felt a slight shadow within her heart, but seeing Ye Jingyu’s effort to apologize, she decided not to be angry about it, continuing to serve him quietly...

Another seven or eight days passed like this, and Ye Jingyu’s internal injuries finally recovered. It was time to return to Yunjing...

On this particular day, the sunlight was exceptionally bright. The contingent of over three hundred men was prepared for their journey back to Yunjing. Before setting off, Ye Jingyu summoned his few most trusted confidants to the main tent...

Chi Yixiu, Hu Yanqi, Hu Yanmeng, Ye Longyi, and Ying Xiaoxiao stood within the tent, looking at the smiling Ye Jingyu with a sense of bewildered curiosity...

They were about to leave; was he perhaps organizing a farewell ceremony?

Seeing their curious expressions, Ye Jingyu felt a surge of amusement...

“Meng, come here...” Ye Jingyu ignored their scrutiny and beckoned to Hu Yanmeng, who stood on his left...

Hu Yanmeng felt a flicker of anger at Ye Jingyu’s overtly flirtatious gesture, but she couldn't openly react in front of the others. After all, Ye Jingyu was her master...

She approached him resentfully, ready to speak, when she suddenly saw Ye Jingyu pull a short bow from behind his back—a weapon nearly three feet long, exquisitely crafted, and utterly crystalline in appearance...