Chapter 45 : Chapter45
Chapter 45. A Sense of Loss
Time passed quickly.
In the blink of an eye, half a month had gone by.
Xu Yuan’s life as a martial instructor gradually fell into a steady rhythm, and he became increasingly familiar with his duties.
His relationship with Ye Qing’er and Li Hua also grew closer.
At some point, Ye Qing’er had unknowingly changed the way she addressed him—from “Instructor Xu” to “Brother Yuan.”
Although Xu Yuan corrected her several times, she only pressed her lips together in a smile and refused to change it. Eventually, he let it be.
After all, the closeness of a beautiful woman was always pleasing, especially since she behaved with proper restraint. How could he possibly dislike it?
As usual, after teaching the laborers and martial trainees—which did not take much time—Xu Yuan went to the quiet chamber to cultivate.
Although many were dissatisfied with his approach, they still admired his diligence.
After all, if they themselves had broken through to the Second Meridian, they would likely have gone out to indulge in pleasure long ago. Who could endure staying in that dark room day after day?
After an hour passed and Xu Yuan had exhausted his medicinal supply, he went to the two maidservants’ stall and bought a bowl of Vein-Nourishing Soup.
He immediately drank it in one gulp. Warmth spread through his abdomen, and his depleted strength began to recover.
“Refreshing!”
Xu Yuan picked up a piece of rough paper, preparing to wipe his mouth.
“Brother Yuan, wait.”
Before he could move, Ye Qing’er suddenly took out a clean white silk handkerchief and gently wiped the medicinal residue from the corner of his lips.
Xu Yuan froze.
His gaze fell upon her face at close range. Today, she wore light makeup; her skin was smooth and fair. Under the bright sunlight, she looked like polished jade—radiant and flawless. Even the fine hairs on her skin seemed to shimmer with a golden glow.
“It is done, Brother Yuan.”
Her bright eyes flickered slightly. After finishing, she quickly stepped away, leaving behind only a faint, refreshing fragrance of camellia.
All around them, the other trainees felt their hearts shatter. Envy and jealousy nearly overflowed from their expressions.
Ye Qing’er was pure and charming, gentle in her demeanor—a goddess in their eyes. Yet this delicate flower now seemed to be about to be plucked.
After all, in this society, women were bound by strict conventions. Her taking such initiative was practically a confession of her feelings.
Even though their dissatisfaction toward Xu Yuan deepened, none of them dared to act.
He was a Second Meridian martial instructor at such a young age—what about them? Most of them could not even break through the First Meridian. They were not even in the same world.
Challenge him?
That would be courting death.
“Focus on your training!”
Seeing the looks directed at him, Xu Yuan turned and barked, suppressing the ripples in his heart before walking back toward the quiet chamber.
…
By evening, Xu Yuan was drenched in sweat. After completing another round of stance training, he finally stopped and looked at the panel in his mind.
[Skills: Tai Chi Exercise (Major Mastery 21%), Stone Platform Stance (Major Mastery 32%), Benlei Fist (Minor Mastery 11%)]
[Aptitude: 11 (Naturally Gifted)]
“At this rate, I should be able to break through to the Third Meridian in about another month.”
Xu Yuan picked up a cloth, wiped himself clean, changed clothes, and walked out of the quiet chamber.
Ever since agreeing to reconcile with Quan Xiong, nothing else had happened.
During this time, he had occasionally run into Liu Yue. The man maintained a friendly attitude and often greeted him with a smile.
However, Xu Yuan knew that the matter was not truly over. While he himself did not care much about what Quan Xiong had done, his elder brother could not simply ignore it.
For their peace of mind, Xu Yuan would eventually have to resolve this grudge.
At that thought, Xu Yuan suddenly frowned.
“According to the Shangyang Residence’s customs, once a martial artist reaches the Fourth Meridian, the main family will select a maidservant for him to marry, in order to strengthen ties.”
And this kind of arrangement was not easy to refuse.
After all, it was a marriage bestowed by the main family—a benefit granted from above.
If he refused, it might be seen as ingratitude or even disloyalty, as if he were unwilling to stand with the family. The consequences could range from minor to severe.
After some thought, Xu Yuan decided to let things take their course and deal with it when the time came.
Lying on his bed, he suddenly recalled the brief touch with Ye Qing’er earlier that day. His thoughts stirred restlessly.
‘I have been suppressing myself…’
Unable to sleep, Xu Yuan finally got up and poured cold water over himself outside. Only then did those wandering thoughts subside, and he drifted into a deep sleep.
…
The next morning.
Xu Yuan arrived at the training ground, his gaze instinctively drifting toward that familiar corner.
But today, Ye Qing’er was not there.
Only Li Hua stood there, accompanied by another unfamiliar maidservant.
When Xu Yuan asked about it, Li Hua gave him a strange look.
“Did you not hear? Recently, the inner courtyard held a selection for maidservants.”
“Qing’er went to try her luck—and she was chosen. She has now been promoted to a three-striped maidservant and transferred to the inner courtyard…”
Xu Yuan was momentarily stunned. A sense of emptiness rose in his chest. It took him a while to regain his composure.
‘So she went to the inner courtyard of her own accord… chosen by someone important. Better treatment and higher status—it is only natural she would climb higher.’
‘I really have not learned my lesson.’
Xu Yuan let out a self-mocking smile. In his previous life, he had stumbled over this very thing. He had nearly repeated the same mistake.
His mood did not remain low for long. He quickly regained his calm.
Carefully recalling their interactions over the past days, Xu Yuan realized that her actions had been somewhat deliberate—subtly drawing closer to him.
It was only because he had a favorable impression of her that he had not paid attention to those details.
‘As expected, there is no such thing as affection appearing out of nowhere.’
Xu Yuan’s eyes grew deeper as he understood the truth:
‘She likely saw my potential and treated me as a possible path forward. When a better opportunity appeared, she left without hesitation.’
After figuring it out, Xu Yuan actually felt relieved.
At least she had not intended harm. Otherwise, he might have fallen into a trap.
Knowing that she left for her future, Xu Yuan did not feel disappointed.
Although maidservants held a status comparable to retainers—and sometimes even advanced faster—their ceiling was limited. At best, they could become a concubine to a young master, which was far below the status of a martial artist.
Of course, the martial path was far more difficult.
‘With no distractions of women in my heart, the blade will move freely. In this life, I have the chance to pursue the martial path—why bother with such trivial matters?’
Xu Yuan’s gaze gradually hardened with resolve.
…
“Where is she?”
The trainees on the field also felt disappointed at not seeing Ye Qing’er today. But when they saw Xu Yuan approach, they immediately suppressed their thoughts.
Although his expression was calm, they inexplicably felt that he carried a stronger sense of pressure than before.
It was like staring into a bottomless, silent abyss.
The trainees held their breath unconsciously, not daring to speak, and became noticeably more disciplined.
…