The first light of dawn crept over Floating Cloud City, casting a soft glow through the wooden windows of the Xiao Clan's guest room.
Yun Che opened his eyes.
He didn't need sleep. Not really. But he had allowed himself a moment of stillness, letting his body relax while his mind replayed the events of the night.
His gaze shifted slightly.
Xia Qingyue sat at the small table near the window, sipping tea in silence. Her expression was as serene as ever, yet Yun Che knew better now.
She was thinking.
Good.
He stretched lazily, making sure to be just loud enough to break the silence. "Morning, wifey."
Xia Qingyue didn't react immediately. She took another slow sip before setting her cup down.
Then, with a glance in his direction, she spoke. "You woke up late."
Yun Che smirked. "I was enjoying the peace. You know, since my lovely wife didn't try to freeze me in my sleep."
Her gaze lingered for a brief moment before she turned away. "You talk too much."
He chuckled, swinging his legs over the bed. "And you think too much."
She didn't respond, but he could feel it. The way her aura shifted ever so slightly. Last night had left an impression on her.
As he stood and stretched, voices outside the courtyard grew louder. The Xiao Clan was waking up, and with it came the expected whispers.
"Did she really stay the whole night?"
"Impossible! There's no way she acknowledged him!"
"Maybe she pitied him?"
Yun Che rolled his eyes. Typical.
Xia Qingyue, however, seemed entirely unaffected. She rose gracefully and made her way toward the door.
"Where are you off to?" he asked.
She paused briefly before replying, "Training."
Yun Che smirked. Of course.
As she stepped out, he followed, hands behind his head. It was time to deal with whatever the day had in store.
And with a certain icy beauty now watching him a little more closely than before…
As Yun Che and Xia Qingyue stepped into the courtyard, the quiet morning atmosphere was disrupted by the murmurs of Xiao Clan members gathering in small groups.
Their gazes flickered between Yun Che and Xia Qingyue, eyes filled with disbelief, curiosity, and, in some cases, jealousy.
"She really stayed?"
"Maybe she just doesn't want to embarrass him publicly?"
"Hah! What difference does it make? He's still trash!"
Yun Che's hearing caught every whispered word, but his expression remained as relaxed as ever. He had dealt with worse.
However, what amused him most was the fact that none of them dared to address Xia Qingyue directly. Her presence alone was enough to silence even the most arrogant disciples.
And yet, despite the obvious attention, Xia Qingyue moved as if she heard nothing. Her gaze remained forward, her expression unreadable.
Yun Che smirked. What an ice queen.
He was about to step away when a loud, mocking voice cut through the whispers.
"Yun Che!"
Xiao Yulong.
Yun Che turned lazily, already expecting trouble. The young master of the Xiao Clan approached with a confident stride, his usual arrogant smirk plastered across his face.
"Good morning, Young Master Yulong," Yun Che greeted, his voice light, almost lazy.
Xiao Yulong's eyes twitched slightly at the casual tone, but he kept his smirk. "You seem to be in a good mood. Had a wonderful first night, I take it?"
Some of the surrounding disciples chuckled.
Yun Che tilted his head. "Why? Are you asking for tips?"
The laughter immediately stopped.
Xiao Yulong's smirk faltered for a split second before he recovered. "Hmph, enjoy it while you can. No matter how long she stays, you're still the same useless waste. I wonder how long it'll take before even she gets tired of pretending?"
Yun Che smiled lazily. "And I wonder how long it'll take before you stop compensating for your insecurities by pretending to be important."
Xiao Yulong's expression darkened.
A few disciples gasped. Someone even stifled a laugh.
Xia Qingyue, however, didn't react at all.
Yun Che took a step forward, his eyes locking onto Xiao Yulong's. "I don't have time for your nonsense. But if you really want my attention, go ahead—say something actually interesting."
For a brief moment, Xiao Yulong didn't move. He could feel it—the weight of Yun Che's gaze.
It was unsettling.
Finally, Xiao Yulong scoffed. "Tch. Keep talking while you can." He turned sharply and walked away, his face betraying just a hint of frustration.
As the crowd dispersed, Yun Che stretched lazily and glanced toward Xia Qingyue. "I take it you're not impressed?"
She met his gaze, her expression as cold as ever. "No."
He chuckled. "Fair enough."
Without another word, she turned and walked toward her training grounds.
Yun Che watched her leave, hands behind his head.
Yun Che made his way toward the Xiao Clan's dining hall, his expression relaxed as if he hadn't just verbally dismantled Xiao Yulong moments ago.
Breakfast in the Xiao Clan was a mostly routine affair, but today, the atmosphere was laced with tension. The whispers hadn't stopped—if anything, they had grown louder.
Xiao Lingxi sat at a small table, her brows slightly furrowed as she absentmindedly poked at her food. The moment she spotted Yun Che, she brightened.
"Little Che!" she called, waving him over.
Yun Che smiled and made his way to her table, plopping down across from her. "Morning, Little Aunt. You look troubled."
Xiao Lingxi sighed, resting her chin on her hand. "Everyone is talking about you and Qingyue… they keep saying things like 'she's only pretending,' or 'she'll leave soon.' It's so frustrating!"
Yun Che chuckled. "Let them talk. It doesn't change anything."
Xiao Lingxi pouted. "But still! You're my Little Che. I don't want them looking down on you."
Yun Che smiled warmly. "Then how about this? Instead of worrying, just watch."
She blinked. "Watch?"
He nodded, taking a sip of tea. "People talk when they think they understand something. But soon enough… they won't understand me at all."
Xiao Lingxi stared at him for a moment before sighing. "Hmph. You're acting mysterious again."
He smirked. "Always."
Just as Xiao Lingxi was about to respond, another presence approached.
Xiao Lie.
Yun Che's expression softened slightly as he turned toward his grandfather, who regarded him with calm, knowing eyes. "Yun Che… you seem different today."
Yun Che smiled. "Good different, I hope?"
Xiao Lie chuckled. "We shall see." He placed a hand on Yun Che's shoulder. "No matter what others say, as long as you walk your own path with confidence, nothing else matters."
Yun Che's eyes flickered for a moment. He could tell—Xiao Lie wasn't simply offering encouragement.
He was watching.
Measuring.
And Yun Che didn't mind.
He smiled. "I'll keep that in mind, Grandfather."
As breakfast continued, the tension in the air didn't fade completely, but Yun Che didn't care. The Xiao Clan could whisper all they wanted.
Sooner or later, they'd realize just how little they understood.
After breakfast, Yun Che stepped outside, the fresh morning air filling his lungs. The Xiao Clan's training grounds weren't far, and he knew it wouldn't be long before another challenge found him.
And sure enough—
"Yun Che!"
The voice was laced with arrogance, and Yun Che didn't even need to turn around to know who it was.
Xiao Yang. One of Xiao Kuangyun's bootlickers.
Yun Che sighed inwardly before slowly turning, his expression lazy. "What do you want?"
Xiao Yang sneered. "I don't know what trick you pulled last night, but stop pretending. There's no way Xia Qingyue would willingly stay married to a useless cripple like you."
The surrounding disciples chuckled, emboldened by Xiao Yang's words.
Yun Che raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And what do you plan to do about it? Lecture me to death?"
Xiao Yang's face twitched. "Hah! That mouth of yours won't save you forever. If you're so confident, why don't we spar? Or are you afraid?"
The other disciples immediately perked up at the challenge.
A fight? Now this was worth watching.
Yun Che smirked. "Afraid? No. Bored? Absolutely."
The crowd murmured, some laughing, others waiting for Xiao Yang's reaction.
Xiao Yang gritted his teeth. "Then stop talking and prove yourself!" He stepped onto the training ground, adopting a stance. "Or do you need permission from your wife first?"
Yun Che sighed dramatically. "You know what? Fine. Let's get this over with."
He stepped onto the field, hands still in his pockets.
Xiao Yang grinned. "I'll make this quick."
Yun Che smiled. "You'd better."
The moment the words left his lips, Xiao Yang lunged forward, his fist wrapped in profound energy—
—only to find himself hitting air.
Before he could even react, Yun Che's foot lightly tapped his ankle, disrupting his balance. In the next instant, Xiao Yang was sent flying backward, crashing into the ground with a loud thud.
Silence.
The gathered disciples stared, stunned.
Xiao Yang groaned, clutching his rib
Xiao Yang groaned, clutching his ribs as he struggled to rise. "Y-you—"
Yun Che tilted his head. "Are we done here?"
Xiao Yang's face twisted in humiliation. "Y-you just got lucky—"
Before he could finish, Yun Che took a step forward.
Xiao Yang flinched.
The watching disciples held their breath.
But Yun Che merely chuckled. "If that's what you want to believe, go ahead." He turned, walking off. "Next time, try making it interesting."
As he left the training ground, he could feel the eyes of the Xiao Clan on him—some filled with shock, others with wariness.
And one, from a distance, watching more carefully than the rest.
Xia Qingyue.
But Yun Che didn't turn back. He had more important things to do.
As Yun Che strolled away from the training grounds, the murmurs of the Xiao Clan disciples still lingered in the air. Some were stunned by how easily he had humiliated Xiao Yang, while others whispered that it must have been a fluke.
Yun Che, of course, didn't care.
He had long since stopped worrying about the opinions of people who couldn't even begin to fathom the true nature of strength.
But someone was watching.
Xia Qingyue stood in the distance, her expression unreadable as she observed the scene.
She had no intention of interfering, nor did she particularly care about the petty squabbles of the Xiao Clan's younger generation. But as she watched Yun Che walk away, her thoughts remained troubled.
Last night's conversation with her master lingered in her mind.
"This boy is far more than what he appears. You must be careful."
Careful?
Xia Qingyue had spent her entire life in pursuit of strength. She had trained relentlessly, surpassing every expectation placed upon her. At sixteen, she stood at the tenth level of the Elementary Profound Realm, a feat no one else in Floating Cloud City could match.
And yet, last night, Yun Che had sensed her master before she did.
This morning, he had effortlessly evaded and countered an attack that should have at least looked difficult.
No wasted movement. No hesitation.
It was precise. Too precise.
A coincidence?
Her instincts told her otherwise.
Her instincts told her otherwise.