C16 A Bodyguard?

Ye Bufan had just finished his task when a peculiar noise caught his attention.

"Who's there?!" Ye Bufan leaped from the tree branch, sword at the ready, and peered intently toward the source of the sound.

A lovely woman burst from the woods, her eyes landing on Ye Bufan's guarded stance. She demanded with a hint of anger, "Who are you? What brings you to this place?"

Ye Bufan glanced at the girl and replied coolly, "My identity is none of your concern. Besides, you don't own this place, do you?"

Taken aback by Ye Bufan's demeanor, the girl thought to herself, "He's not the one from before; otherwise, he would've fled by now." She then inquired, "Have you seen anyone pass through here recently?"

Suppressing a chuckle, Ye Bufan answered, "An old man on horseback passed by not long ago. Whether he's the one you're searching for, I can't say."

"Old man?" The girl's brow furrowed again, the thought of an old man spying on her during her bath making her skin crawl. Following Ye Bufan's direction, she noticed a trail of chaotic hoofprints, clearly made in haste.

"Is that elder a relative of yours?" Ye Bufan teased, pretending there truly had been someone.

"No, he took something of mine," the girl concluded, her voice softening as she realized Ye Bufan wasn't her voyeur.

"Ah..." Ye Bufan exclaimed, "To think that scruffy old man would stoop so low. I'll join you in the pursuit and ensure we get justice!" His fervor was that of a typical passionate youth.

The girl, repulsed by the thought of the old man's unkempt state, couldn't help but chuckle at Ye Bufan's earnestness, and with a playful smile, she said, "Let it be. It wasn't anything of great value."

"That's the spirit. It was just a glance, after all—no real harm done," Ye Bufan mused internally, but outwardly he expressed concern, "It's getting dark, and these woods are hardly safe at night. If it's alright with you, rest here and we'll set out together in the light of day."

"Alright, but you'll have to protect me if any wild beasts show up!" she said, her eyes lingering on the long sword at Ye Bufan's side.

Ye Bufan inwardly groaned, cursing his own loose tongue. He was well aware of the girl's abilities, and his earlier offer had been a calculated act of generosity, anticipating her reluctance to spend the late hours with a strange man. Yet, here she was, not only accepting his company but also assuming such a vulnerable role. Should they encounter a real beast, it was anyone's guess who would need protecting.

His arm, still gripping the sword, tingled with a faint numbness. Ye Bufan surmised that the girl's cultivation level was surely beyond the Qi Stage.

The Qi Stage? In this world, even a novice at the first level of the Qi Stage is regarded with respect, while a Ninth Rank of the Power Stage is considered merely an average warrior. And Ye Bufan could sense that this girl's abilities surpassed even the initial Qi Stage.

The thought of it sent a thrill through him, but he kept his excitement carefully hidden. "My name is Ye Feng. May I have the honor of knowing yours?" he asked, using a name that felt as true as any, for it was his in a past life.

"I am Yun... Yunqing," the girl replied, with a moment's hesitation.

Another Yun? Could this be more than mere coincidence?

Memories of his own name's origin came flooding back to Ye Bufan. Legend had it that at his birth, a whirlwind had swept through the Ye estate, conjuring a seven-colored cloud dragon that swirled in the sky before disappearing. Hence, he was named Ye Bufan, not Ye Tianfan.

A rainbow cloud? If the pattern held, perhaps fate would smile upon him with more encounters with girls named Yun—preferably beautiful ones.

"What's on your mind?" Yunqing inquired, noticing Ye Bufan's peculiar expression.

Snapping out of his reverie, Ye Bufan swallowed and replied with a hint of mischief, "I happen to know someone else with the surname Yun."

"Oh!" Yunqing responded, her eyes lingering on Ye Bufan's pure Jun sword. "Your sword is quite peculiar!"

Ye Bufan scanned the surroundings, detecting nothing amiss, and leaned in to whisper, "I've got a secret to tell you."

Yunqing, prompted by Ye Bufan, listened intently. Once assured of the silence, she whispered back, "What secret?"

Yunqing's discreet movements didn't slip past Ye Bufan, who inwardly noted her lack of worldly experience.

With a look of caution, Ye Bufan confided, "Back home, my father constantly pushed me to train. To get out of it, I crafted this sword. It's much lighter than a broadsword. I tricked my father into believing it was more agile and faster. He doesn't understand martial arts, so he bought it. But this must stay between us—he can never find out."

Yunqing nearly choked, realizing Ye Bufan's carefulness stemmed from fear of his father discovering his lie, not some earth-shattering revelation. She deduced from his words that Ye Bufan was likely the scion of a modest noble family—wealthy, yes, but lacking formidable martial prowess.

Despite her strength, Yunqing's interactions had been limited to her training. Curious, she asked, "So, you're not that formidable? How would you protect me from wild beasts?"

Pretend away, let's see how long you can keep it up. Observing Yunqing's woeful look, Ye Bufan reassured her, "No worries, I'm quick on my feet! If I can't win a fight, I can always run, right?"

"You think you can outrun a wild beast?" Yunqing asked skeptically.

Ye Bufan replied with a scoff, "Even if I can't outrun a beast, I can surely outrun you."

Watching Ye Bufan's feigned bravado, Yunqing paused, then burst into laughter, realizing his jest.

Her laughter was enchanting, making all other beauty pale in comparison. Ye Bufan found himself captivated by her joyful expression.

In truth, Ye Bufan's plight wasn't a reflection of his character; rather, it stemmed from his harrowing survival of a heavenly tribulation. Clinging to a sliver of his primordial spirit, he was reborn into this world. His previous life's cultivation was utterly wasted, and his mental state had significantly regressed. He could no longer view the world with the detached perspective of an outsider. Freshly reborn and confronted with such a scene, the experience had etched a deep and permanent impression on Ye Bufan's heart.

"Who knows, I might even outrun you! Then you'll be the one feeding the wild beasts!" Yunqing teased playfully.

Despite feeling somewhat weary, Ye Bufan was invigorated by the presence of the charming woman beside him, and sleep was the furthest thing from his mind.

A perfect evening, enchanting views, delightful company...

They lit a bonfire and sat down cross-legged. As someone who had lived through two lifetimes, Ye Bufan had a wealth of fascinating topics that captivated Yunqing's imagination.

He spun tales ranging from the Dream of the Red Chamber to the Butterfly Lovers, and from there to the Legend of the White Snake, leaving the young girl in tears, sobbing as if her heart would break.

Since his rebirth, Ye Bufan had been living cautiously within the Ye family, careful to keep his identity concealed. Now, in this unfamiliar place, he could speak his mind freely, the stories he shared transporting him back to his previous life...

"Which empire does that Fa Hai belong to? When I become powerful, I'll give him a thrashing and make him release the White Lady so she can reunite with Xu Xian!" Yunqing declared, dabbing at her tears.

"That Fa Hai is... a formidable figure from the far reaches of the East Sea. I'm afraid we won't get the chance to confront him in our lifetimes!" Ye Bufan said, forced to fabricate a lie as he looked at Yunqing's disheartened expression.

"The end of the East Sea..." Yunqing's energy drained at the mention of the East Sea's edge. Its vastness was unknown; it was simply recognized as a vast expanse of water bordering the eastern side of the Vast Continent. Many strong individuals had sought to uncover its secrets, but few returned, and those who did never spoke of what they witnessed, their faces etched with unspeakable terror.

The Eastern Sea gradually became a byword for mystery and terror across the Vast Continent.

His storytelling was so vivid and compelling that they were utterly engrossed, and the night slipped away. As the first light of dawn filtered through the dense forest and bathed them in its glow, they looked at each other and burst into laughter.

The two strangers, having met by chance, had spent the entire night in conversation. It was rather...

With the campfire extinguished, Ye Bufan stood up and declared, "Let's move on! We can share more stories later!"

Over the course of the night, Ye Bufan learned that Yunqing was also headed for the Northern King Province, which meant they were traveling companions. Observing the little girl's rapt attention to his tales, Ye Bufan mused that if danger arose, she likely wouldn't stand idly by. Having such a skilled protector by his side could indeed be fortuitous.

Yunqing, clearly wanting more, insisted, "You'll continue the story tonight!"

Ye Bufan nodded, and they set off. Preoccupied with his thoughts, he maintained a brisk pace, while Yunqing kept up with ease, matching his speed whether he quickened or slowed, always keeping a steady distance.

If only he had known how gullible she was, he wouldn't have cleverly sent the horse away the day before. If they still had the horse, not only would their journey be more comfortable, but the thought of riding alongside Yunqing was a delightful one.

They had been on the move since the break of day, and aside from a brief pause to eat some dry food, they pressed on rapidly. Yet, as the sun dipped below the horizon, the forest's edge was still nowhere in sight.

Suddenly, the sounds of a skirmish echoed from afar...