Picking Up Attributes In Martial World

Chapter 209: Jealousy

The crowd went completely crazy upon seeing Ye Jun win the duel.

Rarely did anyone witness a cultivator fighting someone with a full major realm higher cultivation base and actually winning it. They had witnessed his raw powers first hand. They also knew Yuan Chen wasn’t a nobody, he was a consolidated genius of a premier noble lineage.

Winning against such an opponent while strictly remaining in the Early-Stage Soul Tempering Realm thoroughly impressed everyone present in the grand plaza.

The hidden eyes watched everything silently from the shadows of the ironstone structures, recording the data and immediately relaying the information to their higher ups.

Nobody knew yet if Ye Jun was destined to be their ally or their enemy, but in the grander scheme of things, it was always better to know more about the other person.

Knowledge was power.

The northmen naturally wanted to meet Ye Jun personally after watching the epic exchange. This was the first time they had seen him properly, up close, and everything about him left a profound impact. His handsome face, his captivating smile, his smooth voice, and even the unbothered, bold way he talked—everything impressed them.

Women in the crowd, and even some men, began to harbor entirely different thoughts about him, openly wondering what it would take to spend a night or two with such a man.

As if sensing those intense, wandering gazes drifting toward her husband, Song Liangxue stepped forward and threw a freezing, razor-sharp stare of her own across the plaza.

The sudden drop in temperature was enough to warn everyone. The spectators instantly coughed, looking away as a chill ran down their spines.

They now knew it was entirely useless to harbor such desires. The man they wanted belonged to none other than Song Liangxue, their princess.

Without saying another word, Song Liangxue tightly grabbed Ye Jun’s hand and practically dragged him back toward the open-topped carriage. They were mostly done with their initial tour anyway, and they were catching far too many eyes at the moment.

Ye Jun followed her steps easily, a lazy, amused grin spreading across his face as he noticed the tight grip she had on his fingers. The moment they stepped over the frame of the vehicle and sat down on the plush fur seating, he leaned back, eyeing her with a teasing glint.

"Well, someone looks exceptionally terrifying today," Ye Jun chuckled softly, crossing his arms. "I didn’t know the ice princess of the capital could look so jealous over a few wandering eyes."

Song Liangxue didn’t even flinch. She adjusted her heavy robes, sat up straight, and openly admitted it without a single shred of hesitation. "I am jealous. Extremely so. Those women were looking at you as if you were a piece of roasted spiritual meat left out in the blizzard. I hated it."

The absolute, raw honesty of her response completely caught Meihui off guard. Sitting across from them under her dark-blue maid disguise, Meihui’s eyes widened slightly.

She kept her mouth shut, waiting patiently until the carriage driver signaled the Rhyshadiums and the vehicle smoothly rolled away from the crowded plaza before she finally spoke her doubts.

"You... you really don’t mind just saying that out loud?" Meihui asked, her voice quiet as she lowered her hand fan.

She looked at Song Liangxue, her brow furrowing in genuine confusion. "If you’re truly that possessive and jealous about strangers simply looking at him... why aren’t you jealous of me? You were completely fine with him taking me as his wife. You even helped me adjust this disguise today."

Song Liangxue turned her head, her calm gaze locking onto Meihui’s altered features. Silence settled inside the carriage for a brief moment, save for the rhythmic clattering of the obsidian hoofbeats against the white-marble road.

"Who told you I wasn’t jealous of you, Meihui?" Song Liangxue asked, a small, self-deprecating smile appearing on her lips. "In fact, I am jealous of you a lot more than you actually realize."

Meihui froze, her breath catching in her throat.

"I am jealous of how effortlessly beautiful you are," Song Liangxue continued, her voice soft but direct, entirely devoid of any noble posturing. "I am jealous of how vibrant your eyes look whenever you look at him. I am jealous of the fact that when he was going through his absolute darkest moments, when he desperately needed someone’s support, warmth, and anchor to stay alive, you were the one who was there beside him, not me."

She let out a soft, melodious laugh, though her eyes remained entirely sincere. "I am envious of your unyielding resolve, the way you didn’t hesitate to throw away your safety and risked everything just to stay by his side. And most of all, I am jealous of how easily you can get intimate with him. I also want to consummate our marriage, you know."

She leaned back against the fur cushions, looking out at the drifting snow. "I admit that at the very beginning, when he first told me about you, a part of me was deeply afraid. I was terrified that he would eventually look at your sacrifice, compare it to my position, and leave me for you. I was insecure, Meihui. But I never showed it."

"Why?" Meihui whispered, thoroughly shocked by the confession.

"Because mostly, I wanted to trust my partner," Song Liangxue said, turning her head back to smile warmly at her. "I wanted to believe that I had put my trust in the right person. I chose to believe that Ye Jun’s heart was wide enough to love us both completely, without needing to discard one for the other. My insecurity was my own problem to handle, not a reason to push you away."

Meihui sat completely paralyzed, her mind struggling to process the depth of the princess’s thoughts. She had expected the exact opposite. To her, Song Liangxue was an untouchable, flawless entity who possessed absolute confidence, the backing of a Great clan, and the legal right to stand beside Ye Jun before the entire world.

"You’re an idiot," Meihui mumbled, her voice cracking slightly as a flush of emotion hit her cheeks. She lowered her head, her fingers tightening around her silk fan. "You’re a complete idiot, Liangxue. Do you have any idea how much I have been envying you this entire time?"

Song Liangxue blinked, genuinely surprised. "Me?"

"Yes, you!" Meihui exclaimed softly, her pride melting away into pure honesty. "I am incredibly jealous of how easily you can publicly announce your relationship with him, how you can seamlessly get married to him, and introduce him to your family with the absolute backing of your clan. I am jealous of your confidence, your beautiful body, your unyielding determination to handle things... so many things. Every time I look at you standing beside him in public while I have to hide behind a male illusion or a maid’s uniform, a part of me feels completely hollow."