He didn't take those words to heart and simply pushed open the door.
Upon entering, one sees a kapok tree in the courtyard, as thick as three people could hug. The vibrant kapok blossoms are in full bloom, and the ground is covered with a light carpet of flowers. Shen Yebai is practicing his swordplay under the tree.
Horizontal slashes, chops, thrusts, and turns.
Even though Qin Moyu couldn't understand swordsmanship, she could still feel the powerful and fluid sword intent in Shen Yebai's every move. His clothes fluttered, yet not a single leaf touched him. His aura was like a rainbow, swirling up the scattered flowers on the ground and letting them fall again. His long sword was cold and sharp, and even his usually calm eyes were tinged with a bit of fierceness.
But this sharpness melted away like ice and snow when he saw Qin Moyu, leaving only tenderness and affection.
With a single sword strike, Shen Yebai stopped his sword dance.
"Ye Bai, your sword dance is so beautiful!" Qin Moyu didn't hold back her praise and quickly ran towards Shen Ye Bai.
"It's all just for show." Shen Yebai stood there, a petal gently landing on his shoulder.
If what he just did was just for show, then there are probably very few people in the cultivation world who can be called sword cultivators.
"You're just taking advantage of me because I don't know anything about swordsmanship. Besides, I didn't even know you were so skilled." Qin Moyu thought of Shen Yebai's sword strike earlier and leaned forward a little to try and brush the flower petals off Shen Yebai's shoulder.
The two were very close, and Qin Moyu was caught off guard when Shen Yebai embraced her.
Qin Moyu's eyes widened slightly, still not quite understanding.
Unlike the hugs Qin Moyu usually gave when she was happy, their necks touched, and the skin they were in contact with became scalding hot. Shen Yebai's strength felt like he wanted to meld Qin Moyu into his body.
—Too close.
Qin Moyu felt her face burning up and her heart pounding wildly.
What's going on here?
Qin Moyu's mind raced for a long time, but Shen Yebai remained silent, making Qin Moyu even more nervous. She stammered, "Yebai...you...you..."
Fortunately, Shen Yebai was not in the mood to tease Qin Moyu. In fact, Shen Yebai had already reached the edge of his patience when he saw Gu Jia and the demonic cultivators surrounding Qin Moyu.
The emotions in his heart were no longer budding seedlings in early spring, but wildly growing reeds, clamoring to devour Shen Yebai's reason, and Shen Yebai finally understood those feelings.
In a way, we should thank that demonic cultivator. He later approached Shen Yebai and said that he would not give up on Qin Moyu because of this, and that he would improve his strength to duel with Shen Yebai.
At that time, Shen Yebai asked him why he was so obsessed with Qin Moyu. Was it just because he was attracted to Qin Moyu's appearance?
The demonic cultivator replied, "Appearance is only part of it, but I mostly act according to my whims."
From the moment he embarked on the path of cultivation, the demonic cultivator vowed to live according to his heart's desires, and all his actions were based on his true inner thoughts. Therefore, he traveled thousands of miles across two continents just to see the renowned Xuanjing Zhenren of the Guanlan Sect, hoping to have the honor of fighting against Xuanjing Zhenren, even if it meant dying at Xuanjing Zhenren's hands.
But now he has a new goal: to defeat Shen Yebai.
— Do as you please.
These four short words made Shen Yebai unable to ignore his inner feelings any longer.
"I'm not happy." Shen Yebai sniffed Qin Moyu's pleasant scent and said pitifully, like a puppy abandoned by its owner.
I don't like what they said.
"I was only gone for a short while, and Mo Yu has already attracted so much attention."
"If only Mo Yu were mine alone, how wonderful that would be."
These words, which sounded like both an explanation and a coquettish tone, were certainly not something Shen Yebai in Qin Moyu's memory would say. However, this also proved that Shen Yebai had suffered a great shock.
Qin Moyu believed that Shen Yebai considered her his best friend, so when Gu Jia said those things, it made Shen Yebai feel threatened, which is why he acted so abnormally.
"Hmm... I don't like what they said either." Qin Moyu couldn't help but feel embarrassed when he thought of the demonic cultivator's inexplicable confession and Gu Jia's way of addressing him.
Although he didn't know what gender he liked—because he had never liked anyone before—only a fool would agree to be confessed to by two complete strangers.
"Is it that I don't like them, or that I don't like their words?" Shen Yebai seemed to have gotten stuck in some strange rut.
"I don't like either of them." Qin Moyu frowned with some disdain. He felt that the demonic cultivator and Gu Jia were two simpletons, and they didn't seem very smart.
"Then... does Mo Yu like me?"
Shen Yebai finally couldn't hold back and asked the question.
Chapter 20. A confession to the seemingly frail Shen Yebai...
Shen Yebai's fingertips trembled with nervousness.
Time seemed to drag on endlessly as Shen Yebai counted his heartbeats, awaiting Qin Moyu's reply.
finally--
"like!"
Shen Yebai's mind went blank for a moment after hearing just two words. Before he could even feel happy, he heard Qin Moyu's next sentence.
"You're my best friend, how could I not like you?"
Qin Moyu said with a smile.
Shen Yebai felt as if he had fallen into an ice cave. Words that used to sound incredibly sweet now sounded jarring. Qin Moyu's affection was not the kind of affection that Shen Yebai wanted at all.
"but."