Chapter 177: Chapter 40: Divine Judgment_3
After dinner, Yan Shi went alone to bid farewell to the chieftains from the three tribes before the four mounted their horses and left the oasis where the Northern Tribes were located. As a token of gratitude for their help, the Chief of the Northern Tribes bestowed them with an extraordinary present, a Xuan iron bow weighing two hundred jin. This bow, which was a relic acquired fortuitously by their ancestors, was not known for its real value by the tribe. Xuan iron, if even a small amount is integrated into a regular blade, could transform it into a sharp weapon. This precious mineral was highly prized and bought at a high price by every country in the continent. The value of such an abundant amount of Xuan iron even surpassed the worth of the few Top-Grade Magic Crystals that Ah Dai and Xuan Yue carried. Yan Shi passed the Xuan iron bow to Ah Dai, who didn’t pay much attention to it and simply stored it in the Dragon’s Blood.
Dashing across the boundless grassland gradually lifted the melancholic mood of Ah Dai. Despite his dark thoughts still lurking, he wasn’t that bothered anymore; after all, those who were killed were merciless bandits.
Considering Ah Dai’s recent recovery from injury, they didn’t push their pace too much. Even though the weather was rather scorching in the afternoon, Xuan Yue didn’t complain but just nestled herself into Ah Dai’s arms, enjoying his warm embrace.
"Ah Dai, what did you want to tell me last night? You can tell me now, right?"
Ah Dai was taken aback. While managing his horse, he mumbled, "Yue Yue, I, I’m not good with words. It’s just, it’s just that you’ve changed a lot since when we first met."
Xuan Yue giggled, "So how have I changed, according to you?"
Ah Dai said, "The first time I saw you, I realized that a girl could be so beautiful, your beauty almost took my breath away. But your temper was so fierce, and you were capricious and spoiled. You always acted like everyone should respect you. Back then, you looked down on me, a simpleton."
When Ah Dai first spoke, Xuan Yue couldn’t help but feel proud, but as he continued, her face fell. She pouted, "Am I really that bad? Who are you calling capricious? You’re making up stories." Though she knew that what Ah Dai said was true, she was reluctant to admit it. As Ah Dai said she had looked down on him, a hint of sadness showed in her eyes, causing a slight ache in Xuan Yue’s heart.
Ah Dai said with a bitter smile, "I’m not making this up. I’m just telling you my feelings."
Xuan Yue sat upright and looked at Ah Dai, "And now? How have I changed since we first met?"
Ah Dai showed a faint smile and said, "Sit tight first, then I will tell you. My riding skills are not great, careful not to fall." After finishing his words, he naturally reached out with his right hand to hold Xuan Yue close in his arms.
Despite her blushing face, Xuan Yue didn’t resist and felt a sweet sensation rise in her heart.
Remembering Xuan Yue’s unexpected gentleness last night, Ah Dai’s feelings of discomfort gradually dissipated. Holding on to the soft body of Xuan Yue, smelling her faint, captivating fragrance, he softly said, "When we first met, for some reason, I absorbed your magic. Then you accused me of bullying you and insisted that I be your servant. I didn’t want to follow you as I urgently wanted to return to my master. But when I saw your tear-streaked face, I don’t know why, my heart softened. So I agreed to your demand. Throughout our interactions, your temper would change drastically. You could be kind one minute and completely different the next. I am slow and couldn’t comprehend your changes. Therefore, I tried to keep my distance from you, to hide myself so as to avoid being hurt by your harsh words."
As she listened to Ah Dai’s words, a shiver ran through Xuan Yue’s body. She grabbed Ah Dai’s hand on her waist, lowered her head and whispered, "I’m sorry. I didn’t realize that my behavior caused you so much trouble."
Seeing Xuan Yue’s distressed state, Ah Dai felt a pang in his heart, "But then, you changed. After entering the Pu Yan Clan Territory, you began to transform. You made me see the kind side of you. You saved Yan Shi with your magic; that time, I was really grateful to you. Without your Light of Tranquility, Yan Shi might have died long ago and we wouldn’t have been able to find the killer of his wife. Since then, you changed, losing all those bad habits. Be it in the Elf Forest or the Yalan clan, you were very different from before. You learned to care for others."
Ah Dai’s sincere words deeply moved Xuan Yue’s heart. She nestled her body closer to Ah Dai and murmured, "Ah Dai, I don’t know what I was like before or what I have become now. But, I do know the reason for my change."
Ah Dai looked puzzled and asked, "What?"
Looking up at Ah Dai, Xuan Yue softly said, "Because of you. You’re the one behind my transformation. Do you like the me now?"
Ah Dai avoided Xuan Yue’s fiery gaze and nodded in confusion, thinking about why Yue Yue would change because of him. But no matter how hard he thought, he couldn’t figure it out. After all, he was still just an innocent boy, barely eighteen.
