Hearing that young girl solemnly say this and repeating it once more, Lin Yuan's expression did not look too good. Then, he looked somewhat disappointed. Why did you reclaim the dilemma that was originally already resolved by that youth in black with a slash of his saber?
Being so incapable of retaining your composure, how could you become the Xie Clan's family head?
Or was it that in your mind, you never had the idea of becoming the Xie Clan's family head?
For some time, Lin Yuan's mind was full of doubts. Just what ideas did this teenage girl who was highly regarded by both White Deer's Xie Clan and the Divine Capital's Xie Clan have in mind? Or did countless people from both White Deer's Xie Clan and the Divine Capital's Xie Clan misjudge her?
But even if he had many doubts, Lin Yuan did not overly express them. He just said softly, "Since Miss has spoken, then I believe you can bear the consequences."
He was pointing out that what happened today would definitely transmit back to the Divine Capital.
At that time, it could not be blamed on me, Lin Yuan.
Xie Nandu nodded her head slightly without a care. Since she dared to say this, then she naturally would not be worried about the so-called consequences.
Lin Yuan straightened up and asked, "Miss, it has been delayed for a long time now. Will you be leaving this place with us right away and heading to the Divine Capital?"
Xie Nandu frowned and did not speak immediately, Instead, she looked toward Chen Chao.
Chen Chao was already sitting in front of the stove at this time. He could not say that he liked these two uninvited guests, but he naturally did not detest them either. He was not stupid, he was very clear that this one elderly and one youngster in front of him were not from the same camp as that Xie Boan whom he killed.
Xie Nandu asked, "After I leave, will the Divine Capital stop in time and not take action against him?"
Although these few tests were directed at her, the one who resolved them was all Chen Chao. Xie Nandu was also worried that after she left, there would still be people from the Divine Capital who would take cheap shots. Facing a behemoth like the Divine Capital's Xie Clan, no matter how talented Chen Chao was, he would ultimately be at a disadvantage.
"Please rest assured, Miss. Since Miss has already passed the tests, then the tricks from the Divine Capital will no longer continue too. This young man naturally won't be implicated anymore..."
Lin Yuan thought about it, but he still did not finish the remaining half of the sentence. Firstly, he felt that it was meaningless. Secondly, he also felt that based on someone as clever as Xie Nandu, she would definitely understand the latter half of the sentence whether he said it or not.
Xie Nandu nodded her head and then said, "You guys go outside and wait for me."
Lin Yuan nodded his head and did not say anything either. Turning around, he brought that young man who did not talk the entire time out. The two arrived at the doorway and just happened to see the man opposite walking out of his courtyard while carrying a big bowl of rice as he sat on his doorstep.
Lin Yuan looked at the man with some interest. Who would have expected that the man carrying a large bowl would speak rudely the moment he opened his mouth, "What the hell are you staring at?!"
The young man furrowed his brows and laughed coldly. He thought to himself, barren hills and turbulent waters indeed produced troublemakers. He was just about to open his mouth but was stopped by the Lin Yuan in front of him with a wave of his hand.
This cultivator whose realm was not low just smiled slightly as he looked at the man in front of him and asked, "Is this bowl of rice tasty?"
Although he seemed to be asking about that bowl of rice in the man's hand, the young man faintly sensed that there was some deeper meaning. But sadly, the man seemed to have a natural dislike for Chen Chao who was staying opposite of him. Even the people who walked out of his door were also snubbed by him, "If you want to eat, go home and ask your wife to cook!"
His words were still completely blunt.
The young man was already filled with rage and almost losing control of himself.
But Lin Yuan still did not get angry. He just smiled slightly and said, "May I eat a meal of yours with a piece of skygold currency?"
The man sneered and said, "Who wants your filthy money!"
Lin Yuan let out a sigh and shook his head with some regret as he stopped talking to the man opposite.
Then, he went to the horse carriage at the end of the alley.
……
……
Watching the two people leave the courtyard, Xie Nandu looked at Chen Chao and was silent for a while. She wanted to say something, but it also seemed like she did not know how to start.
A moment later, she took a money pouch out of her bosom and passed it to Chen Chao as she said softly, "The money pouch isn't an ordinary item, there are only ten thousand pieces of skygold currency inside, it's all for you. After I reach the Divine Capital, I'll get more money and send it to you. Or if there are any spirit medicines that you have difficulty in purchasing, you can also write a letter to tell me..."
Chen Chao received the money pouch that had Nandu two characters engraved on it with gold thread and did not decline. He was very clear that to Xie Nandu, the ten thousand pieces of skygold currency inside were virtually insignificant. But to the present Chen Chao, it was different.
"Take care." Chen Chao smiled and could not say anything else.
Xie Nandu thought about it and asked, "Don't you have anything else that you want to say to me?"
Her face had some anticipation and she did not hide it. Although the two people merely spent a little over a month together, counting the entire sequence of events, Chen Chao was present for the three tests. The first was in the mountain god temple. Without Chen Chao, she would have died there. The second was that cultivator who was adept in rearing demons. If not for Chen Chao, she would have died too.
But this final choice, even though it was still because of Chen Chao, it still more or less lied with her in the end.
"Just who in the Divine Capital doesn't want you to go over there safe and sound?"
Chen Chao placed both hands on the stove. Then, he casually took a sweet potato and placed it by the stove.
Since they were parting, then some idle conversation would not be a problem, right?
"A bunch of cowards who ate too much and don't have courage. Those people are not who I have to be worried about. Those people who can truly be my opponents haven't taken action yet." Xie Nandu had some resolve on her petite face and she said softly, "But I'm confident that I won't lose to them."
Without waiting for Chen Chao to speak, the young girl said softly, "But, I've never thought about being the head of the Xie Clan before."
Chen Chao lifted his head to look at the young girl in front of him, aware that she had greater ambitions. She was currently heading north, but it was not to the Divine Capital. Instead, it was even further north, north of the northern frontier, north of the northern desert.
"You shouldn't stay here for the rest of your life too."
Xie Nandu's expression was full of high spirits, "Chen Chao, you should let the world know your name."
Chen Chao rubbed his hands and shook his head as he said, "There's no meaning in these things. Staying alive is the most important."
A hint of emotion flashed across Xie Nandu's eyes, no idea whether was it disappointment or something else. But, the light in her eyes could be visibly seen dimming considerably.
Chen Chao saw it, but he did not say anything.
Very soon, she recollected her emotions. Revealing a beaming face anew, the young girl reached her hand out to remove that silver hairpin that had accompanied her for many years. Then she looked at Chen Chao.
Chen Chao hesitated for a moment, but he still stretched out his palm.
Hence, the young girl placed that silver hairpin in his palm. Her petite face was slightly red as she whispered, "Carry it with you. If you encounter a problem that you can't resolve one day, find someone to give it to me. Even if I, Xie Nandu, pay with my life, I absolutely won't decline too!"
Chen Chao raised his eyebrows and asked, "This silver hairpin probably has quite the background, right?"
Xie Nandu shook her head and said softly, "It's an ordinary silver hairpin. Keep it well."
Chen Chao frowned. Thinking about it, he still kept it in his bosom.
Seeing how Chen Chao looked, the young girl seemed very satisfied. Hence, she sat in front of the stove again. Of course, it was still that old chair.
These few days, Chen Chao was already used to letting this young girl in front of him have the only chair in the house.
"How many demons have you killed these few years?"
It was actually already getting late. But, the young girl wanted to stay a little longer here, just a little longer.
She was very clear that this place was more comfortable than White Deer ancestral shrine and definitely more comfortable than the Divine Capital too.
Chen Chao flipped the sweet potato on the stove before saying, "Can't remember anymore."
Xie Nandu smiled slightly and said, "It's fine, I don't remember how many books I've read too."
Xie Nandu suddenly asked, "Do you think that studying or cultivation is more painful?"
"I don't know whether or not cultivation is painful. Either way, being a martial artist is really very painful. Presumably, no matter how hard studying is, it can't be worse than being a martial artist."
Having cultivated these few years, he really felt that there was nothing more painful in this world than being a martial artist.
Xie Nandu smiled and did not say anything. She just remembered these few years in the White Deer ancestral shrine for no reason and was somewhat absentminded. After leaving this small courtyard, it seemed like it would really be leaving home.
Seeing that it was getting late, Xie Nandu stood up. But before she could turn around, that youth who was sitting already handed out the sweet potato that had already been cooked on the stove.
Looking at the sweet potato, Xie Nandu's eyes narrowed like crescents.
After sending her out of the door, Chen Chao was silent for a while as he stood at the doorway. Suddenly, he said, "Miss Xie, actually, when we first met, I thought that you were like a flower."
A pear blossom.
Xie Nandu smiled. Holding the sweet potato in her hand, she peeled the skin seriously and took a bite before saying somewhat regretfully, "In the future, I won't be able to eat such delicious sweet potatoes."
Then, she waved her hand and just stepped across the door sill without holding an umbrella, walking forward. Soon, she was covered by wind and snow.
Chen Chao stood where he was and silently sent her off.
