These fairies want me to deal with them every day.

She still seemed somewhat resentful, saying, "I already told you I wouldn't eat anymore."

Wei Tu immediately finished the hot porridge in his bowl, then casually wiped his lips with his hand, and then stood up by supporting himself on his thighs.

"Alright, whether you eat or not is your business. I'm going back now. Remember to wash the dishes... Learn to cook when you have time. Living alone and not even knowing how to cook, are you expecting to be offered food as a sacrifice?"

Wei Tu easily left Ran Xinxue's sight, and the carefree and relaxed manner as he walked out the door seemed to perfectly illustrate the relationship between the two.

There was no lingering attachment or longing, just like a brief pause in the wind.

Ran Xinxue wouldn't think so sadly and sorrowfully. If he can do it, why can't she?

Hmph, let him pretend to be cool, I can be cool too.

It's like he's the one who helped me, even though this bastard is the one who put me in this predicament...

What a despicable man! All the bad luck in the world should befall him!

I stepped in dog poop as soon as I went outside!

If you've got the guts, turn around!

Ran Xinxue looked at the gate.

"They don't even care about the door! Don't ever come back!!"

The more she thought about it, the angrier she became, and the angrier she became, the hungrier she got. Feeling that she hadn't eaten enough, Ran Xinxue picked up the bowl and gulped it down in a blast.

Glug glug—

These sounds are so embarrassing, is it really from hunger? Or is it from something else...?

This is just a small guess, and it may not be correct.

"clang!"

The bowl was placed on the table.

The woman, now dressed in a pure white dress, stood up.

Looking at the empty rice bowl, which hadn't even held any scraps, I realized it was completely empty.

"Hmph, is that all? Nothing special."

-

Wei Tu wasn't so carefree once he stepped outside, because he was somewhat afraid of being seen leaving Ran Xinxue's room so early in the morning.

Although I always say I don't care about other people's opinions,... rumors and gossip will definitely reach some people's ears.

For example, Su Mi.

For example, Lu Qingyan.

Take Mu Xitong for example... It's fine for others to gossip, but if these people come to question her face-to-face, the situation will become difficult to manage.

It turns out that everyone in this world is bound by constraints to some extent; some constraints come from the outside world, and some come from within your own mind.

His fondness and favoritism towards these women, however, was a constraint on his own heart.

There's nothing wrong with it; everyone loves freedom, but nobody likes being a wanderer.

After taking a bath at the Medicine King Pavilion and helping Mu Xitong with her prescriptions, Wei Tu had nothing to do and nowhere in particular he wanted to go, so he returned to where the dream began, which was the Sword Practice Area.

There are always many young men and women here, full of vitality. Every time Wei Tu sees the moves of these young disciples, he thinks of the first time he held a sword.

The small hands held a massive wooden sword.

At the time, I thought it might be something I would never be able to control in my entire life, but I never expected that later on, I would be able to handle it with ease and with perfect fluency.

The sword that seemed so big back then now feels small and easy to use, and most of the time you don't even feel its presence.

Wei Tu now seems to be looking at these young disciples with the mindset of someone who has been there all along, as if ignoring the fact that he himself is also a young person. Perhaps the sword fights of his past life are still vivid in his mind, and he can no longer feel the emotions of those thrilling battles.

Now, the boy can only stand on the sidelines, watching these young people wield their swords and practice diligently day after day, all for the sake of one day making a name for themselves and gaining the ability to protect those around them.

There's nothing shameful about it, and Wei Tu didn't look down on anyone just because they seemed to work particularly hard despite having less talent.

Sword cultivator.

He practiced swordsmanship, but he was cultivating himself.

"Wei Tu".

A voice appeared beside him, which surprised Wei Tu. It was none other than Li Hanyang, who had always been at odds with him and had tried to suppress him, but seemed to have hidden away when this young man showed his talent.

He is also the future successor of Qing Tingfeng, whom Yuan Wei treats like a son.

This was something everyone knew a long time ago, as could be seen from Yuan Wei's attitude. However, in the eyes of many, Li Hanyang lacked some experience.

But then he appeared beside me and greeted me.

What's going on? Do you think you've grown up and can finally challenge others?

Wei Tu looked at the other person.

"Hey, is something the matter?"

Li Hanyang hesitated for a moment after seeing Wei Tu, but still decided to sit down next to him.

The two were sitting on two rocks; there couldn't possibly be any seats for spectators here.

"I need to talk to you about something."

Wei Tu laughed.

"That's really rare. Does Senior Brother Li have something to discuss with me?"

Hearing the slight sarcasm in the boy's words, Li Hanyang still felt awkward and frowned slightly. However, the biggest change in him after the sect crisis was that he could suppress his emotions so quickly. He sighed and said...

“I admit that my targeting of you before was somewhat deliberate... but the incident with the sect made me understand a lot.”

Wei Tu didn't comfort the other person. He wasn't the other person's father or a heater, and he didn't like to please others or make himself feel disgusted.

Smiling, he looked at Li Hanyang and said, "Oh? What do you understand?"

Li Hanyang sighed and looked into the distance.

“I’ve always thought of myself as the chosen one, with no one able to compare to me. Everyone in the sect is just a stepping stone to make me stand out in the future. Even Qiao Zhiheng, I always thought that given time, my talent would surpass his sooner or later. So although I was close to him, I was arrogant towards everyone else.”

Wei Tu was somewhat surprised that Li Hanyang, at his age, had the courage to analyze himself so thoroughly. Analyzing himself takes courage, but speaking out about it takes even greater courage.

"so what?"

Wei Tu continued to ask.

Li Hanyang chuckled self-deprecatingly.

"Later I found out that things weren't as I thought. I wasn't as naturally gifted as I thought. Strangely enough, I felt that I was also very talented and seemed to work hard enough. But then, there were always monsters around me, as if forcing me to face reality, like you."

"I don't think I look like a monster."

Wei Tu touched his face.

Li Hanyang shook his head.

"You are a true genius. It seems I have to admit it now, though I know you don't need my approval. But you've felt it yourself; everyone in the sect, from the young disciples to the respected elders, and even the sect leader, treats you with great favor and kindness."

Sigh... What I want to say is that I'm not making excuses for my past behavior; I just believe everyone has the opportunity to grow. Although I still dislike and resent you, those are just instinctive jealousy now, and you should know that I have no hostility towards you anymore.

Wei Tu laughed and looked at Li Hanyang.

"That's really a good thing. Although I'm not afraid of enemies or foes, it's always better to have one less trouble."

"I apologize for what happened before. Of course, I can't bring myself to apologize more. We're both men, you should understand... this ridiculous pride. But if you want anything, I can compensate you. I'll find a way to get resources or secret techniques. You can even beat me up to vent your anger."

Wei Tu shook his head.

His eyes were calm, without much hatred for the boy. Since his rebirth, he had regarded the boy as a child who liked to show off and gain recognition from others, and who regarded outstanding people as enemies. That was just how children were.

There is no right or wrong, no weighing of options. It is precisely because of this that children are honest and straightforward.

"Just treat me to a drink when you have time. You can keep the other things for yourself. I've always taken what I want myself."

Watching Wei Tu prop himself up on his knees to stand up, Li Hanyang's eyes flickered slightly, then he gritted his teeth.

"Please...give me a chance."

Wei Tu turned his head.

"What opportunity?"

"I... want to participate in the Dragon Slaying Tournament."

Wei Tu suddenly laughed, the sunlight shining on his white teeth like sparkling diamonds.

He reached out and patted Li Hanyang on the shoulder.

"Next time, you're not good enough now."

……

52 A strand of black hair tied to your wrist

Wei Tu had actually anticipated Li Hanyang's purpose.

After all, there is no such thing as a sudden awakening in this world without a reason; it's either because someone has come to understand some shocking truth.

Or perhaps they suddenly realize their own position.

Having desires leads to reflection.

This is normal and there is no intention to look down on the other party. What Wei Tu said was also objective.

Although Li Hanyang acted like a man during the sect's crisis, it wasn't enough for the Dragon Slaying Tournament... or even the trials in Nan Jian Prefecture.

He seems to have matured, but his mindset hasn't fully settled, and his strength isn't accumulated enough. The Dragon Slayer Realm is the lowest threshold... and he's still a step away from that.

Even if he can break through now, he has less than a month left to consolidate his gains.

So all things considered, this is the most rational choice. Of course, it's Li Hanyang's business how he feels, and Wei Tu doesn't really care that much.

Some people may seem like they've turned over a new leaf, but it's not genuine; they'll likely revert to their old ways soon.

After Wei Tu left the sword-training ground, Li Hanyang looked at the large open space in front of him and watched his younger disciples practicing their swordsmanship with great effort.