Chapter 1032: Gu Beiyue’s cruelty and calm (1/2)

Han Yunxi’s lips curved into a cold smile as she stared at Long Feiye and Gu Qishao. What an interesting pair of fellows. They didn’t even ask me before deciding in my place. What does this count for?

After Long Feiye and Gu Qishao came to a consensus, Tang Li happily slapped his thighs. “That works! Then when are we going to rescue them?”

“It doesn’t work!” Han Yunxi finally lost her temper. “Don’t you guys forget, Bai Yanqing’s still hiding in the shadows. We’re the ones in the light!”

As soon as the East-West Qin alliance headed north, Long Feiye’s whereabouts would be exposed. Bai Yanqing could seek him out at any time and he and Jun Yixie both knew poisons. With her and Gu Qishao gone, who was supposed to fend off poison attacks? How could she leave him without worrying? Moreover, it’d be even harder to keep the Di Clan troops in check without her there, making communications between the allies difficult. Although she had no absolute dominance over the Di Clan, her presence as the princess would keep them in check.

Han Yunxi had no idea how this group of men could come up with such a stupid suggestion!

Gu Qishao didn’t care about anything else beyond Han Yunxi’s own safety, which was why he could turn his back on the world for her sake; Long Feiye cared about many things but also Han Yunxi’s safety, which was why he chose to shoulder all of the pressure and dangers while thinking of the bigger picture and her sake. He had already mentally prepared to face Bai Yanqing and Jun Yixie alone. Before, he and Gu Qishao had talked it over. Although they couldn’t kill a man who was effectively immortal, there were ways to pin him down. When it came to Jun Yixie, his present martial arts skills would make it a challenge for the other to poison him. For things like the East-West Qin alliance and the northern expedition, the loss of Han Yunxi would bring more troubles, but he was confident he could deal with them. The Phoenix energy was an unknown existence. How could he allow it to remain so long in Han Yunxi’s body unchecked?

Faced with Han Yunxi’s wrath, Tang Li could only suppress his anxiety and didn’t dare to speak. The rest of the group had fallen silent as well.

In the end, Long Feiye remained stubborn. “This is how it’ll be!” he stated coldly.

“I object!” Han Yunxi retorted.

“Your rejection is null. The bigger picture is more important!” Long Feiye was extremely stern, but Han Yunxi grew sterner.

“If the bigger picture is more important, then I have to stay! After we quell Northern Li, we’ll head up to Celestial Mountain together!”

“Impossible,” Long Feiye refused to budge an inch. Once the northern expedition began, it’d drag on for a couple years.

“In any case, I’m not leaving!” Han Yunxi persisted.

Long Feiye didn’t speak, but furrowed his brows as he stared at her severely. Han Yunxi allowed him to glare while peering into his eyes. Still, as time passed, she saw no signs of him relenting. Such a cold and dominating Long Feiye felt like a stranger to her, almost as if they had returned to a few years ago when they first met. At most, she would fear his frostiness then, but now it only made her heart feel miserable.

“Long Feiye, these are my personal affairs. Don’t I have the right to make a choice?”

“Han Yunxi, you never listen to my words. Can’t you listen to them this once?”

Both of them spoke at the same time, each standing on opposite sides. Then they fell silence as the surrounding crowd stared on mutely. In the end, it was Gu Beiyue who made a suggestion.

“Your Highness, why not try inviting the three Honored Elders off the mountain?”

If they couldn’t go up, surely the sword sect master and honored trio could come down.

“It’s impossible for the three Honored Elders to descend the mountain,” Long Feiye replied. If they were willing to come, they wouldn’t be arguing here in the first place. Long Feiye simply gave up on fighting with Han Yunxi and made an executive decision. “It’s final. Contact Myriad Merchant Hall’s Council of Elders. Tomorrow we’ll discuss the rescue mission and the punitive expedition to the north!”

Han Yunxi didn’t argue, but stood blankly in a daze, her thoughts unknown. Long Feiye left as soon as he finished speaking, but paused by the exit to the courtyard to look back at her unmoving form.

“Han Yunxi, you’re still not leaving?” he asked coldly.

“I’m not,” Han Yunxi’s voice was cold too.

A heavier silence fell upon the yard. Even the north wind beyond the courtyard seemed to abruptly die down. Long Feiye’s chilly face grew even colder, but Han Yunxi simply turned to head for the house. “I’m tired, so I’m not going anywhere. I’m going to catch up on some sleep.”

Then she shut the door behind her. Long Feiye turned on his heel and stalked off. The people he left behind exchanged looks, but didn’t dare get involved. Did this count as a fight? No one knew what to do. Gu Qishao was the first to leave, perhaps off to catch up on sleep himself. Gu Beiyue left with Tang Li, who was quiet the entire way. Inexplicably, he ended up following the doctor to his rooms.

“Tang Clan Head, you’ve had a weary time of traveling. You should go back and rest.”

Gu Beiyue’s words stirred Tang Li to his senses as he realized he was in Gu Beiyue’s courtyard.