Shu Linyuan had originally held back somewhat.
After all, a core disciple and eldest senior brother like Shen Qi was an expert at or above the Golden Core and Nascent Soul stages.
What kind of concealment method could go undetected by Shen Qi and the others?
But when he saw with his own eyes Shen Qi leading people into the cave, looking around, and letting his gaze sweep past where they were.
Only focusing his attention on the remains of the cultivation snake.
He knew then that Yuan Shu's methods were unfathomably profound!
Did Yuan Shu really have a way to make them invisible to others?
They were clearly only five or six steps away, yet those senior and junior brothers who entered the cave acted as if they were blind.
Unable to see their figures or hear their voices!
Since that was the case, was there still a need to hold back?
...
It was noon the next day when Yuan Shu was carried back to Qingyun Peak in Shu Linyuan's arms.
Just as they stepped onto the intersection of Qingyun Peak, their path was blocked by Shen Qi, who had rushed over upon hearing the news.
His gaze sweeping past Shu Linyuan behind her, Shen Qi's fists clenched slightly in his sleeves, yet the voice he used to speak to Yuan Shu was exceptionally gentle.
"Junior Sister Yuan, are you alright?"
Yuan Shu groggily opened her eyes, squinting for a moment. "Eldest Senior Brother? You're back?"
"Yes. Yesterday, where did you go? Who were you with? How, how do you feel now?"
At the mention of yesterday, Shu Linyuan's expression changed slightly.
Yuan Shu had been too clingy yesterday. He had originally intended to return in the afternoon, but unexpectedly lost track of time.
Dallying all the way until noon today.
In contrast, Yuan Shu's expression was calm. She slowly reached up to rub her temples. "Yesterday... yesterday I was dragged into a snake cave by a cultivation snake, and then I passed out."
"Thank you for your concern, Eldest Senior Brother. I'm fine, just a bit tired and want to go back and rest."
Yuan Shu gave him a faint smile and reached out to pat Shu Linyuan's arm.
Shu Linyuan understood. Still carrying Yuan Shu, he gave Shen Qi a slight bow, then bypassed him, preparing to head towards Yuan Shu's courtyard.
That practiced manner made Shen Qi's eyes turn red.
Others might not know, but he did.
Last night, Yuan Shu had not been found all night, and Shu Linyuan, who went looking for her, also didn't return all night!
And now, with the two of them returning so intimately, it was hard not to overthink things!
Moreover, Yuan Shu's attitude towards him...
Recalling those two nights, Yuan Shu had her arms around his neck, sitting in his lap, looking at him with a shy and timid expression, her eyes curved in a smile.
They were so intimate!
But now, Yuan Shu was being so perfunctory with him!
Ever since he ran into her on the mountain earlier, when she was with Yin Ruobai, her attitude towards him had been very cold!
She seemed too lazy to even spare him an extra glance.
Why?
Didn't Yuan Shu like him?
"Yuan Shu!"
A soft shout made the two departing figures stop in their tracks.
Shu Linyuan turned around with Yuan Shu in his arms. Yuan Shu tilted her head to look at him, her expression casual. "Is there something else, Eldest Senior Brother?"
"I have something to tell you!" Shen Qi gritted his teeth, adding at the end, "Master asked me to come and question you."
Yuan Shu raised an eyebrow. She had wanted to take this opportunity to go back and meditate, absorbing the spiritual energy fed back from the Hehuan Divine Tree.
Seeing this, she could only pat Shu Linyuan and have him put her down.
"Sixth Senior Brother, if you have matters to attend to, go handle them first. I can go back by myself."
"Alright." Shu Linyuan released her and turned his head to glance at Shen Qi. "Eldest Senior Brother, Shushu was just frightened by the cultivation snake, don't scare her again."
Shen Qi gave him a cold, distant look and said nothing.
...
In the quiet courtyard, Yun Sheng had gone out to buy things and hadn't returned yet, leaving only Yuan Shu and Shen Qi sitting face to face.
Yuan Shu poured a cup of tea for Shen Qi and pushed it in front of him. "Please, Eldest Senior Brother."
As she finished speaking, she was about to withdraw her hand when Shen Qi suddenly grabbed it.
Yuan Shu raised an eyebrow, glanced at her tightly held hand, and looked up at Shen Qi with a smile, her tone polite and calm.
"Eldest Senior Brother? I know Master asked you to come question me. Ask whatever you want, there's no need to hold on so tightly."
"Junior Sister Yuan, do we have to be so distant?"
Shen Qi's voice carried a hint of painful trembling.
"What does Eldest Senior Brother mean by this? Am I not polite enough? Not respectful enough? Or have I offended Eldest Senior Brother in some way?"
Yuan Shu raised her eyes, blinking her innocent and beautiful phoenix eyes at him.
Shen Qi's throat choked up. "Shushu!"
"Eldest Senior Brother, let's keep things strictly proper and courteous between us, alright? The name Shushu is not very appropriate."
Yuan Shu struggled with her hand and finally pulled it back from Shen Qi's grasp.
"Yuan Shu, you..."
Feeling his hand empty, Shen Qi wanted to get angry, wanted to question Yuan Shu why she was treating him this way.
But meeting Yuan Shu's bright eyes, he couldn't bring himself to say anything harsh. He swallowed hard. "Junior Sister Yuan, you know my heart..."
"I don't know, Eldest Senior Brother. Your heart is safely tucked inside your chest, hidden behind your skin. How would I know?"
Yuan Shu's eyes curved slightly. She rested her chin on one hand, her voice lazy and uninhibited.
She was basically clapping back at every word he said.
Weren't you so noble?
Didn't you run away twice?
Yuan Shu had her own temper too. Once or twice, but not a third time!
So what if he had a supreme spiritual root?
There was more than one person in the Falling Immortal Sect with a supreme spiritual root besides Shen Qi.
He was not irreplaceable.
She was, by nature, a heartless woman.
Shen Qi's breathing quickened a bit, feeling stifled.
It was only now that he finally knew to panic.
Yuan Shu was truly angry!
But he had only run away because he was afraid Yuan Shu would be angry.
Shen Qi stood up, walked quickly to Yuan Shu's side, grabbed her hand, and dropped to one knee on the ground.
His handsome features visibly carried a trace of anxiety. "Shushu, don't treat me like this, don't..."
"Eldest Senior Brother, you are the most majestic Eldest Senior Brother of Qingyun Peak. Don't do this, people will misunderstand if they see."
Yuan Shu pressed down on the back of his hand, forcefully and slowly pulling his hand away from hers, her voice distant and cold.
It seemed as if the intimate contact of those two days was merely a fleeting illusion?
Shen Qi couldn't believe Yuan Shu was truly this heartless?
Clearly, during those two days, Yuan Shu's attitude towards him was intimate. Clearly, during those two times he lost control, her eyes showed she cared about him.
Clearly, she should like him!
Why, why was it like this now?
"Junior Sister Yuan, must you carve out my heart like this?" His Adam's apple bobbed, his eyes staring painfully at Yuan Shu.
Yuan Shu's heart skipped a beat, and she instinctively wanted to retreat.
Just as she turned around, Shen Qi reached out to block her path.
He leaned over, his hands gripping the armrests of the chair on either side, trapping Yuan Shu in the middle.
He leaned forward, getting close to her, looking down at her from above.
The atmosphere was somewhat eerily quiet.
Yuan Shu frowned. Seeing that she couldn't escape, she simply looked up, meeting his gaze fearlessly, her eyes bland and calm.
After a long time, Shen Qi finally spoke. "How far have you gone with Shu Linyuan?"
Yuan Shu, "..."
For a split second, Yuan Shu really thought Shen Qi was going to take the initiative to do something.
But it seemed she had overthought it again.
The self-restraint and adherence to propriety in this guy's bones weren't so easily diluted.
Yuan Shu lowered her eyes and said nothing.
Shen Qi closed in again, their noses almost touching. A dark tide surged in his deep eyes as he stared at her, "Has he kissed you?"
