CHAPTER 461: CHAPTER 461: PRETENDING TO RETREAT TO LURE THE ENEMY

A spaceship sped along.

On board were the members of the Wuji Sect, heading to the Dragon Soul Secret Realm in search of the legendary Heavenly Fire to melt the branches of the Fusang Tree. The team included Chen Pingping, Guang Xiaoyu, Scholar, Fairy, He Yitian, Jiang Ni’er, and two senior members from the Saint Realm. Lao Huang and Emperor Spirit had stayed behind in the City of Extinction, keeping Zi Ji company. Coming along were Hei, Earth Chicken, and Mao Qiu. After all, their destination was a terrifying Secret Realm where Earth Chicken and Mao Qiu would be of great use; as for Hei, his combat power was astonishing.

"Could you do me a favor?" He Yitian sidled up and whispered, not to Chen Pingping, but to Guang Xiaoyu.

She glanced at him sideways.

He Yitian added, "Ask Fairy if she’s eaten yet."

Guang Xiaoyu was speechless.

「A few days earlier.」

Under Chen Pingping’s trickery and coercion, He Yitian had been forced to join the Wuji Sect. Initially, he had planned to escape once Chen Pingping let his guard down. He never expected to encounter the people from Fairy Valley. He was stunned. Why is Fairy Valley here? What happened to Fairy Valley? Most terrifying of all, the experts from Fairy Valley were actually taking orders from Chen Pingping. He Yitian was utterly dumbfounded. In that moment, he was so shocked it felt like a dream.

Later, he met the Fairy.

"Brother Chen, from now on, you’re my big brother! I’ll go wherever you tell me to go!" He Yitian declared, suddenly thrilled. He hadn’t imagined that Chen Pingping had not only brought Fairy Valley under his wing but had also managed to get the Fairy to willingly join the Wuji Sect. Incredibly awesome! The thought of cultivating alongside the Fairy in the future made He Yitian’s blood boil with excitement. There’s a saying: "Proximity to the pavilion near the water’s edge allows one to see the moon first"—those closest get the best opportunities. He couldn’t be wrong. He decided he would win the Fairy over with love; given time, she would surely fall for him.

And so, their journey was marked by a series of peculiar requests from him.

"Do me a favor, go ask if the Fairy is thirsty."

"Do me a favor, go ask if the Fairy is cold."

"Do me a favor, go ask the Fairy..."

"Why don’t you go ask her yourself?" Guang Xiaoyu finally couldn’t hold back any longer. You like someone, but you can’t even manage the most basic way to express it? She recalled the previous night when she’d accidentally blurted out her own feelings, and that was how she’d managed to secure an opportunity. If I hadn’t spoken up, would Senior Brother ever have known?

"I... I can’t say it," He Yitian stammered.

"Give it up!" Guang Xiaoyu shook her head. "She’s not right for you. A Fairy like her is high and unattainable. She’s very clear about the path she must walk and will never let anyone become a tie that binds her, especially not someone so far beneath her."

He Yitian said helplessly, "I know, I just..."

"Can’t resist?" Guang Xiaoyu looked at him. "Throughout history, there have been many late bloomers of great caliber; that much is undeniable. But you lack an indomitable will, your Tao heart isn’t firm, and you don’t possess the conviction for Tao Verification. The gap between you two will only widen. When that time comes, you’ll be the only one suffering, while she remains unchanged."

Her words weren’t wrong. But Guang Xiaoyu had overlooked one thing: when someone truly falls for another, the feelings and longing are uncontrollable, impossible to conceal.

He Yitian opened his mouth slightly, but no words came out.

"You don’t even have the courage to speak. The sense of inferiority in your heart has already created a distance between you," Guang Xiaoyu said. "If you think I’m wrong, or if you’re still unwilling to give up, then go over there yourself."

He Yitian hesitated, his mind going blank. What Guang Xiaoyu said, others had told him before, but he hadn’t been willing to listen. Now, reflecting on it, it seemed to ring true. But how can one control oneself when one likes someone so much?

After a long pause, He Yitian asked with a pained expression, "Have you ever liked someone like this?"

"I’m different from you," Guang Xiaoyu said with a laugh, a hint of pride and arrogance in her voice. Of course, she’d had her share of misfortune. For instance, in her 100,000 years of life, she had never met anyone who treated her as well as her Senior Brother did.

"How are you different?" He Yitian asked.

"I dare to speak up, dare to confess. Even if I’m rejected, I still fight for my own chances," Guang Xiaoyu chuckled.

Chen Pingping, standing on deck pondering matters of the Dragon Soul Secret Realm, hadn’t heard this exchange. If he had, he would have promptly given her a sharp rap on the head.

"You confessed?" He Yitian gasped, finding it unbelievable. "You confessed, got rejected, and still fought for a chance? My god! Isn’t that too fierce? She’s a girl, after all!"

"Who?" Jiang Ni’er leaned in at that moment, suddenly interjecting.

"Senior Brother, of course! I told him last night I wanted to sleep with him," Guang Xiaoyu declared nonchalantly.

Everyone gaped, then slowly turned their gazes towards Chen Pingping.

Just as Chen Pingping snapped out of his deep thoughts, he heard her statement and nearly tumbled off the deck. His face darkened as he looked at Guang Xiaoyu. "Xiaoyu, what nonsense are you spouting?"

"See? As soon as I say that, Senior Brother reacts and talks to me, right?" Guang Xiaoyu blinked, somehow managing to make her outrageous statement sound like a clever tactic. Yes, that was it. This was a perfect teaching moment. The gist was: don’t worry about saving face, be bold, be uninhibited, and don’t be afraid of failure.

He Yitian stood slack-jawed for a long moment before recovering. With a glimmer of understanding, he said, "I get it." Then, he walked towards the Fairy, who was standing not far off. Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid, he chanted inwardly, recalling Guang Xiaoyu’s advice. It’s just a conversation.

Behind him, Guang Xiaoyu blinked, a gratified smile like that of a proud mother spreading across her face. Such a teachable young man. Although he’s timid, there’s still potential. Go for it! Rush over, talk to her, invite her to watch the stars together!

Jiang Ni’er looked at her with a peculiar expression. "You seem very experienced."

"Not really..." Guang Xiaoyu waved her hand, her words modest but her expression smug. "It’s just a little trick. By the way, do you have someone you like?"

"No," Jiang Ni’er replied, her face darkening.

At that moment, He Yitian, having reached the Fairy, stammered out, "I want to sleep with you."

Guang Xiaoyu’s smile froze.

Jiang Ni’er’s mouth fell open again.

The crowd was petrified.

Chen Pingping stumbled.

"Are you seeking death?" the Fairy’s face was like frost, her killing intention palpable.

Seeing this, He Yitian was startled and scurried back to Guang Xiaoyu’s side. "Did I fail?" he asked.

"No... you succeeded," Guang Xiaoyu said, wiping a bead of cold sweat from her brow.

He Yitian echoed, puzzled, "Succeeded?" His mind was still blank, a nagging feeling that something wasn’t quite right.

Guang Xiaoyu pressed on, "Did you just confess to her?"

"Yes!" he replied.

"And did she respond to you?"

"It seems so."

"So, you see... didn’t you succeed?" Guang Xiaoyu said with a slight smile. "Even though your confession failed, you successfully struck up a conversation with her." I am such a clever empress!

The onlookers were dumbfounded.

He Yitian thought for a moment, then his eyes lit up with realization. "Hey, that seems true, actually!" he said excitedly. "So, what do I do now? What’s the next step?"

"You’ve successfully caught her attention. Next, ignore her," Guang Xiaoyu advised. "This trick is called playing hard to get."