Invincible Soul Emperor

Xiao Xiao stood there, as though isolated from the world around her, her thoughts like a turbulent sea, impossible to decipher.

Her eyes lacked focus, seemingly pondering an unspeakable secret, or awaiting a decisive moment.

Her demeanor starkly contrasted the tranquility of her surroundings.

Ye Qingchen gazed softly at Xiao Xiao, slowly approaching, a trace of concern welling up in his heart.

He knew Xiao Xiao had been worrying too much lately; seeing her like this, she must be exhausted.

"Xiao Xiao," Ye Qingchen called softly, his voice gentle and affectionate, "What are you thinking about?"

Upon hearing Ye Qingchen’s voice, Xiao Xiao shivered slightly and slowly turned around.

Her eyes regained a hint of clarity from the haze but still carried a trace of hesitation and unease.

Her hands twisted together, gaze shifting erratically, seeming to have words to say but struggling to articulate them.

"Young master, I..." Xiao Xiao began softly, then paused, her eyes flickering, appearing somewhat anxious and uneasy.

She lowered her head, seeming to arrange her thoughts, but every time she tried to continue speaking, the words got swallowed back down.

"Young master, I... um..." Xiao Xiao attempted once more, but her voice turned halting and stammering, evidently hiding something difficult to express.

Her brow furrowed tightly, cheeks slightly flushed, fingers clenched together, fingertips nearly turning white.

In truth, she wanted to talk about the Clan’s Guardian Stone incident.

Recently, no one had mentioned this matter to Ye Qingchen.

Yet, Xiao Xiao felt guilty towards her young master.

If not for him, her young master wouldn’t have been caught in danger.

But, Xiao Xiao feared speaking up would make the young master dislike her.

Seeing Xiao Xiao in such a predicament, Ye Qingchen couldn’t help but feel a tinge of puzzled concern.

He gently furrowed his brow, slowly approached her, and gently patted her shoulder, his voice soft, "Xiao Xiao, don’t rush, speak slowly. What’s going on? You can tell me."

He gently patted Xiao Xiao’s shoulder, signaling her to sit down.

Xiao Xiao glanced up at Ye Qingchen, eyes filled with complex emotions.

But within his tenderness and concern, she finally relaxed a bit.

She obediently sat down on the stone bench in the courtyard, took a deep breath, and tried to calm herself.

Ye Qingchen sat beside her, his eyes full of laughter: "Xiao Xiao, whatever it is, just say it. Have you taken a liking to some lad?"

"No, no, no, young master, it’s not..." Xiao Xiao shook her head repeatedly.

Her face blushed slightly, eyes full of guilt and unease.

She lowered her head, voice trembling slightly, and slowly began, "Young master, actually... in truth, when Xue Wei used the Clan’s Guardian Stone to suppress you, I was the one helping him from the outside."

"At the time, I didn’t know he was harming you. I thought he was saving you, so I helped him. Later, when I learned the truth, I’ve been feeling guilty, but didn’t know how to tell you."

Her voice was filled with remorse and self-blame, her eyes avoiding Ye Qingchen’s gaze.

Moreover, her hands clenched tightly in her lap, fingers turning slightly pale from exertion.

Xiao Xiao hung her head, corners of her eyes slightly reddened, evidently regretting her ignorance and mistakes deeply.

Ye Qingchen heard Xiao Xiao’s words, a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes.

No one expected such a backstory behind those events.

No wonder Xiao Xiao seemed odd during that time.

Turns out Xue Wei had already targeted Xiao Xiao back then.

Xue Wei, that guy, truly is vicious!

"So that’s how it is." Ye Qingchen patted Xiao Xiao’s head.

He let out a soft sigh, then laughed heartily, a voice full of cheerfulness and relief.

His expression carefree.

He looked at Xiao Xiao, eyes warm, tone light and casual.

"Xiao Xiao, if you hadn’t helped, I wouldn’t have had such a great opportunity, nor would I have obtained the Buddha’s Relic. So, Xiao Xiao, I should be thanking you."

He spoke these words casually, as if narrating an ordinary matter.

His smile sincere and generous, without a trace of reproach.

Regarding the past experience, he obviously didn’t see Xiao Xiao as at fault.

Xiao Xiao heard Ye Qingchen’s words, immediately widened her eyes, filled with surprise and disbelief.

Her mouth slightly open, hands trembled slightly from excitement.

She looked at Ye Qingchen, eyes sparkling with complex emotions, both astonishment and deep gratitude.

"Young master, you... you really don’t blame me?" Xiao Xiao’s voice trembled slightly, evidently shaken by Ye Qingchen’s words.

She always thought her actions would disappoint or even anger the young master, but now, seeing his tolerance, a warmth surged in her heart, eyes slightly moist.

Ye Qingchen nodded with a smile, his tone gentle: "Of course, I don’t blame you, Xiao Xiao. It was an unconscious mistake, and besides, all this ultimately benefited me. So you don’t need to carry guilt any longer; it’s all behind us now."

Tears gradually brimmed in Xiao Xiao’s eyes, but those tears contained surprise and gratitude.

A joyful smile appeared on her face, her voice tender and light: "Thank you, young master, thank you for forgiving me."

Xiao Xiao took a deep breath, as if releasing a heavy burden from her heart.

Ye Qingchen gently patted Xiao Xiao’s shoulder, laughing: "Alright, Xiao Xiao, don’t worry about past events anymore. Xue Wei’s a real menace; you were caught off guard and used by him, naturally, I don’t blame you."

Xiao Xiao’s expression gradually calmed down, yet her eyes still flickered with a trace of anger.

Thinking of Xue Wei’s deceitful schemes, she couldn’t help but clench her teeth, a hint of indignation surfacing on her face.

Her voice carried strong discontent, appearing somewhat agitated: "Yes, it’s that Xue Wei! Young master, you must be cautious of Xue Wei; he’s truly a bastard!"

Her brow furrowed tightly, fists clenched, evidently brimming with disgust and anger toward Xue Wei.

"That Xue Wei, he’ll resort to any dark measure. To achieve his goals, he’ll stop at nothing, regardless of the harm done to others. Last time he deceived me, and in this upcoming match, he’ll certainly seize every chance."

Xiao Xiao spoke with eyes burning with anger, and her voice becoming increasingly impassioned.

"He appears upright on the surface, but he’s actually a hypocrite, engaging in all those unspeakable acts. He has no bottom line or conscience, always scheming to use the most despicable methods against us."

She took a deep breath, striving to calm herself, yet the anger remained evident in her tone.

"So, young master, you must be extra careful. Don’t give him any chance. No matter what tricks he employs, we mustn’t let him succeed. By the way, young master, you should also remind Xue Zhao."