As it turned out, the appearance of ‘Li Tian’ did not particularly draw Zhan Tianlei’s attention. He had a complete set of information on Yin Ruobing and knew that besides her biological brother that she was closer to, there was only this cousin of hers that she was on better terms with. Li Tian had stayed with the Yin Clan for a few years when he was young and had grown up together with Yin Ruobing; it was normal that they had a good relationship.
Of course, since her ‘cousin’ had arrived, Zhan Tianlei could not just do nothing. He personally came over to Yin Ruobing’s Heaven Fate Canopy that afternoon, stating that he was going to host a banquet for Li Tian to welcome him.
Yin Ruobing naturally rejected, saying that Li Tian had come a long way and was very tired and that he should rest well for a few days. She also indicated that Li Tian had a quieter nature and did not like to party like the rest of the young masters. She asked for Zhan Tianlei to not come and disturb that often.
Zhan Tianlei walked away embarrassed, a stomach full of fire. However, he had also grown used to Yin Ruobing’s temperament and did not dare to defy her. However, two hours after Zhan Tianlei had left, Yi Chan came to pay a visit. Yin Ruobing heard the news and smiled bitterly. She said, “Jiang Yi, I can help you to push away Zhan Tianlei, but as for Big Sister Chan, that will be up to you.”
Yin Ruobing personally went and welcomed Yi Chan. Jiang Yi turned back into Li Tian’s looks and helplessly sat in the hall on the second floor, drinking his tea depressively. He was not sure how to face Yi Chan.
Yi Chan was his life savior; Jiang Yi would rather face Yin Ruobing than face Yi Chan. However, since Yi Chan had come knocking, Jiang Yi did not have any reason not to see her.
Stomp! Stomp! Stomp!
Footsteps could soon be heard on the steps. Jiang Yi rose up in welcome as Yin Ruobing brought Yi Chan up the stairs. Jiang Yi exchanged a look with Yi Chan and immediately revealed a bitter smile. Yi Chan’s expression was too profound; she saw through him immediately, and he could hide nothing from her.
“Greetings to Lady Yi.”
Jiang Yi cupped his hands and bowed with hands folded in front. However, Yi Chan ignored that, found a seat, and sat down immediately. She did not wait for Yin Ruobing to pour her tea but did it herself. Yi Chan did not say anything.
“Hehe. The two of you can talk first. I will go and take a nap.”
Yin Ruobing gave Yi Chan a look, smiled slightly, and walked gracefully up to the third floor. She also activated the restrictions on the second floor for the two of them.
Yi Chan kept quiet and continued drinking her tea. Her red lips under her mask looked exceptionally fresh. She lowered her head and did not say a single word. Jiang Yi did not know whether to stand or to sit; he stared for a second, then gritted his teeth, and sat down. He looked at Yi Chan and said, “Lady Yi, I…”
“I? What I?!”
Yi Chan lifted her head and stared slightly angrily at Jiang Yi, saying, “Young Master Jiang, you are indeed good. You had me twirled around your finger. Did you think it was amusing? That day at the Desolate East Sea, you said that you would definitely repay my kindness one day; is this how people from the Stellarsky Continent repay people?”
“Hehe!”
Yi Chan was indeed still angry about this. Conversely, Jiang Yi did not feel awkward. He bitterly smiled and said, ‘Lady Yi, it was indeed my bad regarding this matter. I apologize to you! However, you should know the difficulties that I was facing. I had entered Sin Island before; if my identity was to be exposed, the whole East Imperial Continent would be wanting my head. Could I have revealed my identity to you? Of course, no matter what, it was indeed my fault. If you want to hit me or punish me, please do so. I will definitely not bear any grudges.”
Yi Chan looked at Jiang Yi and continued talking indignantly, “In your heart, am I such a lousy person? Did you think that I would sell you out? Expose you? This time round, you’d rather trust Yin Ruobing over me and ask her for help instead? Right… what is your relationship with Ruobing? She is now betrothed to someone else; if you continue to be entangled with her, are you not afraid that Zhan Tianlei would destroy you?”
Not good!
Jiang Yi silently said to himself, feeling that things were heading south. He could hear a sour tone in Yi Chan’s voice. It was possible that Yi Chan was now so angry partly because he had looked for Yin Ruobing for help instead of her. Could it be that this heavenly prodigious lady had fallen for him? He was already entangled with one Ruobing; if he were to have something messy going on with Yi Chan as well, his troubles would only multiply.
However, it was undeniable that Jiang Yi secretly felt a little happy; to be able to make Yi Chan jealous. Was this not something that any man in the world would be secretly elated about? He looked straight at Yi Chan, and she seemed to have regained her senses, knowing that her tone was a tad too sour. She hurriedly lowered her eyes and looked slightly flustered.
Yi Chan had a relatively strong temperament and managed to calm herself down with a few breaths. She lifted her head again and looked at Jiang Yi, her eyes burning. This made Jiang Yi slightly uncomfortable as he hurriedly lowered his head and sipped his tea. He said, “Lady Yi, you are my life savior. I still owe you two favors. Although I am not someone of importance, I am a righteous man and will not go against my word. I will definitely not dare to forget about these two favors. I looked for Yin Ruobing’s help… actually because I had met her in the Divine Sonar Valley, and she had recognized me.
“And what else? Oh, yes. Lady Yin and I are just friends. Lady Yin is a heavenly prodigious lady while I am a spy sent from Sin Island, a street rat that everyone is clamoring to beat. How could I have any feelings for her?”
Speaking of Sin Island, Yi Chan’s eyes dimmed visibly. She lowered her head and pretended to drink her tea to hide her uneasiness. She took a long time before she sighed and said, “Jiang Yi, not bringing you back to the Yi Clan that day was the greatest mistake I have ever made. Since things have come to past, there is no point in raising it again.
“You should head back to Sin Island. It is too dangerous here on the East Imperial Continent. Even if you managed to obtain the Mystic Divine Palace, you would also be killed by the Battle Thearch and the North Thearch. When you have gone back to Sin Island, you should never come back here again…”
Jiang Yi’s heart moved. From these few sentences, he could feel that there were many emotions deep inside of Yi Chan.
Indeed, she admired Jiang Yi and even had some affection for him. If not, she would also not have said that it was her greatest mistake not bringing him back to the Yi Clan. However, she was a very principled person. Since Jiang Yi had gone to Sin Island and was on good terms with Ao Lu, these were things that Yi Chan could not accept. She was very conflicted internally. Hence, she wanted Jiang Yi to leave. Only if he left and if she never saw him again, could she forget Jiang Yi with the passage of time… could she stop feeling so conflicted and painful.
To be able to hear the sincerest farewell from this lofty-minded lady, Jiang Yi was very satisfied and grateful. He deeply bowed with hands folded in front and said, “No matter where Jiang Yi came from, one thing will never change. I will never be enemies with the Yi Clan. Also, if Lady Yi has any tasks for me, I will not shy from them.
“My apologies, Lady Yi, I cannot leave this time. I have to enter the Mystic Divine Palace to obtain a treasure. Once I have gotten this treasure, I think I will head back to Sin Island. Perhaps… I will never return in this lifetime! Of course, I have a blood feud with the North Thearch Clan; if I managed to attain the prowess of a nine-star martial expert, I will definitely return here to seek revenge!”
“En, in that case, I wish you all the best.”
Yi Chan suddenly did not have the mood to continue talking. She slowly stood up and walked down to the first floor, looking nerve-wracked.
At the top of the staircase, she suddenly paused and remained silent for a long while, before turning and looking at Jiang Yi. She asked very seriously, “Jiang Yi, if I ask you to completely cut ties with Sin Island and not have anything to do with Ao Lu—! If I ask you to forget everything in the past, part with the past, and enter the Yi Clan. Would you be willing?”
“Everything?”
Jiang Yi became silent. He was quite clear of what Yi Chan meant. She wanted him to give up his past and enter the Yi Clan using a new identity. After that, she would ask the Buddha Thearch to mediate between him and the North Thearch, to completely become a member of the Yi Clan, and become… her husband!
If it was any other person, that person would probably have agreed on the spot. After all, becoming a son-in-law of the Yi Clan and marrying a heavenly prodigious lady like Yi Chan was the dream of countless men.
However, would Jiang Yi be willing? Could he abandon Jiang Xiaonu, Qian Wanguan, Zhan Wushuang, Situ Yixiao, Huangfu Taotian, Feng Luan, Qing Yu, and Nangong Qi Ling? If he did that, would he still be Jiang Yi?
“I understand!”
Yi Chan saw that Jiang Yi remained mum, slightly shook her head, closed her eyes, and headed down the stairs. All she left behind was a slight sigh.
…
