Chapter 510: My Eyes Didn't Dart About!
"Lingxi... you'll have to hold on tight to that Young Master Yun. I can tell that the situation isn't looking good for you. Lady Shangguan is a big threat, a formidable foe..."
Yue Rulan was tightly wrapped in a blanket, talking animatedly to Ji Lingxi.
"How can I hold tight to something like this?" Ji Lingxi fumed the moment the topic was brought up. "That Yun Yang is basically a dim-witted log... He doesn't take any hints at all, he doesn't know and doesn't even understand anything!"
"Also, we'll have to start looking for Supreme Cloud after this and ask him about your brother's whereabouts..." Yue Rulan's eyes shone with the light of hope. "Maybe your brother isn't dead yet... As one of the Nine Supremes, how could he have perished so easily?"
"Mm!" Ji Lingxi nodded in agreement.
"If we can find him this time..." Yue Rulan bit her lips and said, "I - I won't go anywhere else. I'll follow him. I don't need a ceremony or a wedding... we won't consider our families and anyone else... I'll just keep him... company... along the way."
"He wants to become one of the Nine Supremes, he will want to serve the country. I can accompany him through all of that. Whenever he's tired, I will go with him to roam the world and experience what it has to offer. Whenever he wants to settle down... I'd find a quiet place and become a recluse with him... he can farm, while I weave..."
Yue Rulan's gaze was filled with hope and longing.
Ji Lingxi felt her heart ache for the lady; she hugged her and said devoutly, "Brother has to be fine. How can anything happen to him when he has such a great sister-in-law waiting for him? He will surely be reunited with us... with you waiting for him, he won't dare to let anything happen to him!"
"Yeah, he will definitely come back to us..." Yue Rulan's voice sounded like she was praying like she was certain, but there was also a sense of an endless desolation in the echoes of her words...
...
Early in the morning, Yun Yang began his journey, with Reddie leading the way.
To all appearances, it seemed like he was running away, intending to quickly leave the troop far behind. It was a pity that he was caught after only traveling a few dozen miles.
Ji Lingxi and Yue Rulan looked ice cold as they blocked his path.
"What a coincidence." Yun Yang chuckled dryly. "On this journey of a thousand miles during these chaotic times, I have the opportunity to meet two beautiful ladies. I am truly blessed..."
Yue Rulan's stony expression indicated clearly that she was unmoved by his flattery. "Blatant liar. Wasn't it you who caused this discolored stains on our faces? May I ask Young Master Yun where did you dredge these beauties from? Is this a blessing as well?"
Yun Yang chortled and said, "Both ladies are ravishing and innately enchanting, like goddesses. Now there is only a slight taint of jade, unworthy of mention. Even without looking at the face but only the silhouette, the peerless grace, and captivating aura can barely be covered by a simple disguise."
Ji Lingxi rolled her eyes. "What a bootlicker. What other pandering words do you have? Speak them now, don't stop! This journey is a long one anyway, about tens of thousands of miles to Tiantang City. We'll listen to your flattery all the way, we must be delighted by your words. We'll interrogate you after we're tired of hearing your compliments. Go on!"
Yun Yang shut his mouth bitterly.
I am complimenting you both, but I still have to be interrogated? Go on? Go on about what? Just ask me what lies on your minds! I don't know anything anyway, I don't know anything about what you're going to ask!
"Firstly, it's this thing on our faces... No, actually, it's fine, we're too lazy to ask you about it now. It will shed itself after some time anyway, there's no point wasting time asking about it."
Yue Rulan's eyes were like the deepest pools trained on Yun Yang's face, her gaze inspecting him closely. Yun Yang coughed, turning away instinctively; he dared not meet her unrelenting gaze.
"Turn back here, look at my eyes! You're not allowed to avoid me!" said Yue Rulan vehemently.
Yun Yang coughed as he said rubbed his nose, "Sister Lan... You... Staring into each other's eyes... I'm embarrassed..."
Yue Rulan was amused as much as she was exasperated. She replied loudly, "I'm not embarrassed, what's there for you to be embarrassed about? Turn your head back quickly and look at me!"
"What do you two want to know? Just ask me already! I'll say anything I can!" Yun Yang said decisively, spreading his hands in appeasement.
"Good. Where is Ji Lingfeng now?" Yue Rulan asked.
"What?" Yun Yang was taken aback by her sudden question.
"Are you acting dumb? Tell me where Ji Lingfeng is!" Yue Rulan said angrily.
Yun Yang felt absolutely maligned by her attitude. "Sister Lan, you're putting me in a tough spot. How can I know where Ji Lingfeng is? It's my first time hearing this name! Say, if we were in Tiantang City, I would still have some connections and can help in the search. However, we are on our thousand miles journey back, we are in an absolutely unfamiliar territory. What would you have me say? How am I supposed to look for this person? How would I know where he is?"
When he said the last line, Yun Yang felt his heart suddenly ache. He deeply wished he knew where his eighth brother was as well. He truly did not know where he was. Oh, how he wished to know where all his brothers were!
Yue Rulan snorted in anger. "Being brazen now, are you? You're not going to turn back until you hit the wall!"
Yun Yang erected a bold front then, trying to put himself in the ladies' shoes, and said ever so sincerely, "Sister Lan... I really... really... truly - genuinely... do not know this."
Ji Lingxi broke in from the side, "Do you realize that your eyes are darting around? Not only does Sister Lan not believe you now, I don't believe you either."
"Did my eyes dart around?" Yun Yang was stunned at her observation.
"They did," Ji Lingxi said, her mouth a thin line of disapproval.
Yun Yang widened his eyes and looked at Ji Lingxi. "Are they still darting around now?"
"Not anymore. Why are you opening your eyes so wide? Are you trying to prove that your eyes are big?" questioned Ji Lingxi.
"How about now? You saw my eyes darting around earlier, how did they dart around?" Yun Yang asked in return.
"Something like this..." Ji Lingxi answered.
Then, her eyes darted about as she began to emulate Yun Yang's mannerisms before she was suddenly struck with realization and stopped in embarrassment, "Psh, I was being kind and smoothing things for you, but you took me for a fool to divert the topic instead! You would do well to answer the question truthfully."
Yun Yang said with absolute certainty, "All the same, my eyes didn't dart about, absolutely not!"
"Yes, they did!" Ji Lingxi said furiously.
"No, they did not!"
"Did too! They darted around!"
"No means no!"
"Yes means yes! Your eyes darted about! They made, at the very least, seven to eight circular motions!"
"Words have no weight, show me the evidence!"
Ji Lingxi was stumped by his challenge.
Yun Yang then spoke righteously, "Would I not know what is going on with my own eyes? On what basis are you saying that my eyes darted around? Show me the evidence then! Making irresponsible remarks... you'll need proof before you start blaming innocent people!"
Ji Lingxi almost fainted, her lips quivering. "Your eyes... your eyes... they darted around... Like this... like..."
Yue Rulan rolled her eyes furiously, gazing into the sky.
Oh, sister, we were interrogating him! Why are you distracted by his words? Is it of utmost concern whether his eyes darted about or not? This isn't the time to dispute these trivial things!
"Let's just consider it a fact that your eyes didn't dart about, alright? Sister Lingxi must have been mistaken. Now, answer my question." Yue Rulan immediately mediated the situation and re-corrected the course of the conversation.
However, when she saw how Ji Lingxi was trembling in anger, she was utterly at a loss for words.
"No can do! What you mean let's just consider? What do you mean by it's ok?" Yun Yang was relentless. "You have both accused me with no solid basis to fall back on! Are you putting this insult to an end with just a single line? Things aren't as simple in this world! I insist that my eyes didn't dart about just now!"
Yue Rulan was shocked speechless.
We are already being nice to you! What do you want to achieve by behaving like this? Are you f*cking insisting as well? Do you seek an early death?
"I'm talking seriously to you. I'm asking you, Ji Lingfeng..."
"I'm answering seriously, my eyes didn't dart around! I'm not lying! All I have said is the truth!"
"I'm asking..."
"I didn't move them about! I am an honest man! You are both accusing an honest man!"
"Oh, just beat him up!"
Ji Lingxi could no longer endure the insolence, charging forward and attacking with both her fists and feet. Yue Rulan was flushed with anger as well, following closely behind. She was already well aware that nothing would be resolved if they were entangled in Yun Yang's argument. It was easier to just start a brawl to end the fight.
However, with Yun Yang's current cultivation base, it was a piece of cake to handle both the girls. Even without doing much, he could stop both the ladies by just depending on his protective mystical Qi.
Clang!
Yue Rulan held her sword up, the blade gleaming icily.
"Weapons. Both of you won't be able to subdue me using weapons either." Yun Yang was triumphant but his expression immediately changed, his voice cracking with fear, "You, you.... You - you... what are you doing... don't be reckless!"
Yue Rulan turned her sword, not going for Yun Yang, but placed it right against her neck. She looked resolutely at Yun Yang.
"I know that we are unable to fight you. However, if you make any move to avoid us or to counterattack, I will slit my own throat right here. Come on, let's see if I dare do it!"
Yun Yang had no defense against that ultimatum.