CHAPTER 83: YUE XIN

Tian Lei forced himself to look away, fingers tightening faintly on his sheath. He had seen countless beauties in his journey, yet none had shaken his heart like this. Dangerous. That was the only word he could ascribe to Yue Xin.

The City Lord’s voice cut through the silence, though even she seemed slightly uneasy under the weight of the moment."Senior Tian Lei... my daughter is not ordinary. Her mask was not vanity, but necessity. She carries a physique that invites both reverence and ruin. Already, rumors have spread—whispers of her face, and the powers that covet it. That is why I entrust this sword to you. Take it, not as a weapon for slaughter, but as a bond between us. A plea... that you might protect her, if fate wills it."

Her words lingered in the air, heavy as stone.

Lin Yao lowered her gaze, saying nothing, though her hands curled tightly at her side. She too knew what it meant—handing a relic-level weapon was not just repayment. It was a gesture deeper than debt, almost like entrusting family.

Yue Xin, however, did not flinch. She stood quietly, her mask now gone, eyes calm as still water despite the vulnerability in her exposed face. She looked straight at Tian Lei, unblinking, as though trying to read the man who had torn apart a dozen bandits like parchment.

Tian Lei’s eyes flickered once more to the Blood Abyss sword, then to Yue Xin. He narrowed his gaze."...This weapon is cursed. You know that. Giving it to me—are you certain?"

The City Lord bowed deeply. "Yes. If there is anyone in this world who can suppress its malice... it is you. I am placing both the sword and my daughter’s future into your hands."

For a long moment, Tian Lei was silent. The lanterns burned low, their light trembling against the streaks of blood still staining the marble floor.

At last, he reached out. His fingers closed around the lacquered box. The weapon inside stirred faintly, its blood-red edge humming like a beast recognizing a new master.

The air shifted.

Yue Xin’s lips curved, the faintest ghost of a smile breaking her usual icebound mask. But in her heart, a question lingered, sharper than any blade:

I wonder what kind of man you truly are...

Tian Lei’s gaze narrowed as he turned toward the City Lord. His voice was calm, but edged with a blade’s threat."You place your daughter before me so openly. Are you not afraid I might harm her? That I might claim her by force?"

The City Lord did not flinch. Instead, she met his eyes with a weary, resolute calm."As you can see, even if we guard her day and night, we cannot protect her forever. Rumors spread faster than blades can be drawn. You... you are a mortal walking beyond mortal ranks, a man who slew even spirit masters as though they were weeds. Tell me—who else can I entrust her to?"

Her voice wavered, but only for a moment. Then it hardened."If fate decrees she becomes your concubine, then so be it. That is still far better than her beauty being ravaged in some filthy brothel, destroyed by men who would treat her as nothing more than a vessel."

A heavy silence fell.

Yue Xin’s eyes flickered—shock, anger, and something unnameable flashing in their depths. She opened her mouth, but no words came.

Tian Lei’s expression remained unreadable. His hand rested casually on the lacquered box, as though weighing both the cursed blade and the weight of the City Lord’s words.

Finally, he exhaled slowly."...You gamble greatly, City Lord."

His tone carried no warmth, yet neither did it carry rejection.

Tian Lei finally broke the silence."I cannot accept her," he said flatly, his eyes never leaving the City Lord. "But... I can send her back to sect. My master has the same physique as hers. Perhaps under her guidance, she will learn to control it."

The City Lord’s lips parted in disbelief. "You... you would ask your master to take her in?"

Her voice trembled, and for the first time, the steel in her composure cracked.

Tian Lei’s gaze hardened, his tone unyielding."As for the Blood Abyss Sword—" his hand pressed against the lacquered box, the cursed weapon trembling faintly at his touch, "—I will take it. And until the girl is strong enough to defend herself... I will see to it that she is not broken by this world."

His words carried no softness, yet they rang with the weight of an oath.

The City Lord exhaled, the fight draining from her shoulders. Relief and sorrow warred in her eyes.

Yue Xin, however, stood frozen. Her heart pounded violently, as though she had been bound by invisible chains.Not accept me? Yet... protect me? What kind of man speaks like this...?

Her lips trembled, but no words escaped.

Tian Lei pushed the box aside, as though dismissing both the sword and the heavy air that lingered in the room. "Do not mistake this for kindness. I simply have no patience to babysit anyone."

The City Lord bowed her head low, her voice breaking.

"...Then, for this mercy, I owe you a debt beyond measure."

The City Lord’s voice softened as she turned back to Tian Lei.

"You may rest for tonight. Tomorrow, I will give you the formation seal and a flying treasure. With them, you can return here whenever you need."

Tian Lei gave a firm nod and left without another word, his figure vanishing into the dim corridor.

Silence fell over the hall. The City Lord lingered, her gaze falling upon her daughter. Her lips parted, a whisper escaping before she could restrain it.

"Forgive me... I cannot protect you."

Her head dipped low, trembling.

Yue Xin shook her head quickly, eyes shining with unshed tears.

"Don’t say that, Mother. I bear golden eyes... but I’ve only ever disappointed you."

The City Lord raised her head at that, her own golden eyes glimmering faintly as she studied her daughter. Slowly, she shook her head.

"No, child. Your eyes are not a curse—they are sight. They see fortune and ill fortune alike."

Her gaze drifted to the path Tian Lei had taken. When she had looked upon him through her golden sight, the truth had shaken her to her core.

All she saw was him—standing bathed in radiant light, a golden dragon of luck unfurling for miles around him. A destiny so boundless, so rare, she had never witnessed its like in her entire life.

Tears welled at the edges of her vision as she whispered, almost to herself,

"Such fortune... never before have I seen it. If your path entwines with his, perhaps it will not be chains you carry... but wings."

And with that, her heart decided—Yue Xin would follow Tian Lei.

The next morning, Tian Lei stepped out of the guest chamber, his expression calm and steady as always. His aura carried the crispness of dawn, as though the world itself had been sharpened overnight.

Waiting for him in the courtyard were the City Lord and Yue Xin. The City Lord’s robe shimmered faintly with dew as she inclined her head toward him, her voice level yet heavy with meaning.

"She is ready to leave with you."

Yue Xin stood beside her mother, dressed in travel garments instead of the silken attire she had worn yesterday. Her golden eyes lifted for a brief moment, nervousness and resolve intertwining within them.

Tian Lei’s gaze swept over her once before he gave a short nod. "Good. Then let’s depart without delay."

The City Lord extended her hand, a jade-like token and a sleek flying treasure floating above her palm. Her eyes lingered on her daughter for a breath longer, the strength in her demeanor cracking just enough to reveal the sorrow beneath.

"Take care of her," she said softly, though the words were more prayer than command.

Yue Xin tightened her grip around her bundle, lowering her head. But when she looked up, her eyes sought only Tian Lei’s back, as if already preparing herself to follow wherever his steps would lead.

The City Lord lifted her hand, and with a wave of spiritual power, a treasure manifested before them. It was a majestic construct in the shape of a great white swan, its feathers gleaming with flowing spiritual light, wings wide enough to blot out half the courtyard.

Tian Lei raised a brow, momentarily impressed despite himself. A flying treasure of this grade... truly worthy of a City Lord’s foundation.

Without hesitation, he leapt onto its back, steady as a mountain. He extended his hand, pulling Yue Xin up beside him. She clutched her bundle tightly with one arm, the other holding onto him as though the ground beneath her feet had vanished forever.

From below, the City Lord stood tall, though her fingers curled faintly at her sides. "Xin’er... take care of yourself."

"Mother..." Yue Xin’s voice trembled. She bit her lip and bowed low from atop the swan. "I will not shame you."

The swan spread its radiant wings. A gust of spiritual wind surged, lifting the two riders into the sky. As the city below grew smaller, Yue Xin kept looking back, her golden eyes shimmering with unshed tears.

Tian Lei, arms folded, tilted his head toward her and said casually, "It’s not like you can’t return. Don’t treat it like the end of the world."

His tone carried no softness, yet in its stead was a steady calm, like unshakable stone. Yue Xin glanced at him, stunned for a moment, before nodding slightly. Her shoulders eased just enough to draw her gaze forward, toward the horizon where Azure Feather Sect awaited.