Chapter 1869 — 1869: Meeting Ren Xia Again(2)

The moment the sect elder noticed Ren Xia's abnormal reaction, her instincts flared. Without hesitation, she moved swiftly to Ren Xia's side, her expression sharp with vigilance.

In a single motion, she drew her weapon, the cold gleam of her blade reflecting the gentle light of the cherry blossoms.

She leveled the tip of the sword directly at Tian Yang, her voice filled with suspicion and authority.

"Who are you?!"

Her stance was unwavering, her aura surging as she prepared for any possible threat.

Before Tian Yang could even react, Ren Xia swiftly intervened.

She reached out and pressed her hand firmly on the sect elder's, forcing the blade to lower.

"It's okay," she said, her voice calm but still shaky. "He's nobody suspicious. Can you give us some privacy?"

The sect elder's eyes flickered with hesitation. Ren Xia's reaction had been far from normal, and now she was suddenly vouching for this stranger?

After a brief moment of tension, the sect elder reluctantly sheathed her sword, though her sharp gaze remained locked onto Tian Yang.

"…As you wish, Lady Ren."

With that, she stepped away, though it was clear she wouldn't go far.

Now, only Tian Yang and Ren Xia remained beneath the cherry blossom tree.

Once Ren Xia had full control over her emotions again, she sat back down and spoke, "Is it really you?"

Tian Yang sat down and calmly responded, "Two weeks."

His answer to her question was the exact amount of time it took him to learn the technique.

"I see… So it really is you…"

Ren Xia's voice was soft. She exhaled slowly, as if releasing a weight she hadn't realized she was carrying.

"How long has it been since then? I thought you would never make it out of that place alive."

She had never expected to see him again after learning about his situation with the Immortal Clans, and yet… here he was.

However, Tian Yang ignored her question and went straight to the topic, "I didn't come here to reminisce. Kulas. What happened to him after I entered the mountain? Where is he now?"

Ren Xia's body trembled again after being reminded of someone she'd forced herself to forget.

"Sorry, but I do not know."

"Do you really expect me to believe that?" Tian Yang frowned.

"Why do you expect me to know?"

"Because you're his fiancee."

"Ex-fiancee. We broke our engagement at the tomb. Did you forget?"

"That doesn't mean anything, nor does it change the fact that your clans are close enough to engage the two of you. There's no way you wouldn't know about his situation."

Ren Xia let out a quiet sigh, her gaze drifting slightly as if recalling a distant memory.

"I truly don't know what happened to him," she said, her voice genuine, devoid of pretense. "All I know is that he was taken away by the Patriarchs of the other Immortal Clans. I haven't heard from or about him since then."

"And you never bothered to ask about him?" Tian Yang frowned.

"Why would I?" Ren Xia shrugged, her expression indifferent. "Besides our forced engagement, our relationship could barely be considered more than acquaintances. Even now, I couldn't care less about his situation."

Tian Yang didn't doubt Ren Xia's claims.

From the way she spoke, from the casual indifference in her tone—he could tell that she truly didn't care about Kulas.

Even if she were to learn that Kulas had died, Tian Yang had a feeling that she wouldn't grieve, nor would she feel any sorrow.

To her, he was nothing more than a name from the past, a person she had once been tied to by obligation rather than choice.

"But what is this?" Ren Xia suddenly said, a hint of amusement creeping into her voice. "We haven't seen each other in over half a century, and the first thing you talk about is another person—my ex-fiance, no less?"

She leaned slightly forward, her sharp gaze locking onto Tian Yang, her expression unreadable—profound, teasing, yet carrying an undertone of something more.

"Why don't you ask about me?" she continued, her tone light yet deliberate. "Like how I've been doing… or whether I've found another partner or not?"

"I'm not interested in your affairs," Tian Yang coldly responded.

However, this only made Ren Xia more aggressive.

"You know, I would occasionally think about you, even though I was confident you were dead or would be soon. I knew you were a special individual, but even I couldn't have anticipated how special you were. How did you escape the tomb? I know the Immortal Gu Clan has that place watched around the clock despite how long it's been."

Yet, Tian Yang didn't play into her game. His expression remained calm and unwavering as he replied,

"I'll tell you if you help me acquire information on Kulas."

Ren Xia blinked before a playful smirk appeared on her lips. Leaning back slightly, she crossed her arms in amusement.

"I don't want to~," she said in a teasing, sing-song tone, her eyes gleaming with mischief.

Even the coldest of men would have had their demeanor soften at the sight of Ren Xia acting so playfully. Her teasing tone, her mischievous smirk, and the way she carried herself with effortless charm could easily smite any man.

Yet, Tian Yang only frowned.

"If I recall correctly, you still owe me a favor for helping you acquire the Ethereal Blossom Sword Dance. I am here to claim that debt."

After being reminded of her debt to him, Ren Xia's playful demeanor vanished.

Her expression hardened, the amusement in her eyes fading as she straightened her back, exuding the cold, commanding presence that befitted her status.

She stared at him with an icy gaze, her voice devoid of the lighthearted tone she had moments ago.

"And what are you going to do if I refuse?" she challenged, her words sharp and deliberate.

"Since you don't want to have anything to do with me, I no longer have a reason to keep you around."

A pause.

Then, her next words carried a thinly veiled threat.

"Hell, I might even capture you right now and gift you to the Immortal Gu Clan as a present."

Tian Yang didn't immediately respond, but the atmosphere around them had changed drastically.