“Shuiyan girl…” Youyou quickly called her up and got straight to the point, “Master Kui wants to propose to you, what do you think?”
"A marriage proposal?!" Shuiyan was stunned and turned to look at Wei Bi beside her in shock.
Kui Bi's previously composed face suddenly turned completely red, but his eyes remained fixed on Shui Yan, filled with a mixture of anticipation and nervousness. "Shui... Shui... Shui Yan, I... I..." He stammered for a long time without being able to utter a single word.
"You want to become my Daoist partner?" Shuiyan spoke first.
"Yes...yes, yes." Wei Bi answered quickly, his expression becoming even more nervous. "I...I...I love..."
Shuiyan was stunned for a moment, but instead of joy, her face showed a few traces of confusion and distress. After a while, she turned to Youyou and said, "Sect Master, you called me here because you want me... to be his Daoist partner?"
You You was taken aback for a moment, then quickly explained, "I called you here to ask what you think. After all, Master Kui has been in the sect for quite some time, and you've been helping out in the alchemy room, so you should know each other better. He said he's fond of you, but I don't know what your feelings are for him?"
Shuiyan lowered her head and fell silent for a moment. Then she glanced at Wei Bi, who was too nervous to speak, and tightened her grip on her side. After a while, she raised her head, clasped her hands, and said, "Shuiyan, I will follow the sect leader's arrangements!"
She neither agreed nor refused.
Kui Bi, standing nearby, was overjoyed, his eyes practically gleaming with excitement, looking utterly at a loss for what to do. No rejection meant there was hope!
“I…I…I will treat you very, very well, I…” He then turned to You You and said, “Please rest assured, Sect Master! I will never let Shui Yan suffer the slightest grievance in my life.”
Kui Bi spoke with a serious expression, even intending to make a heavenly oath in front of them. Shui Yan, on the other hand, stood still the whole time, her face showing no joy but rather a somewhat absent-minded expression.
Youyou frowned, looked at the silent Shuiyan, and then spoke up, "Master Kui, marriage is a major event, after all, it concerns the lives of both of you. I don't think it can be decided in just a few words. Both Shuiyan and you need to consider it carefully! How about this, you both go back and think about it for a few days, and come back to me when you have made a decision."
Kui Bi glanced at Shui Yan, then at You You, and nodded, saying, "Alright, Your Excellency is right. This matter must be handled with utmost care. I...I can...can wait."
"Okay, then you go ahead and get busy, think about it slowly." You nodded.
"Thank you, Your Excellency!" Kui Bi then bowed and took his leave, while Shui Yan also bowed and turned to leave the main hall.
"Hookah, stay here for a moment!" Youyou quickly stopped the person.
The hookah girl stopped and silently turned around.
Only after Wei Bi had walked away did You You get up and walk to Shui Yan's side. Glancing at her tightly clasped head, she sighed and said, "Shui Yan, do you not like Wei Bi?"
Shuiyan was taken aback, then abruptly raised her head, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes. After a moment of panic, she hurriedly replied, "How could that be? Sect Master... True Person Kui is a Nascent Soul cultivator, and also a seventh-level alchemist, with a limitless future. How could Shuiyan not..."
"Then let me rephrase my question," You You changed her words, "You don't want to marry him at all, do you?"
Shuiyan froze for a moment, her eyes dimmed, and she slowly lowered her head, saying, "Kuibi... very good! I have no complaints, and the sect does indeed need an alchemist like him. This marriage is quite... good! Shuiyan is willing..."
"Hookah!" You You took a step closer, unable to resist reaching out to gently lift her chin, looking directly into her eyes. "Look at me when you speak!"
“Sect…Master…” Shuiyan was stunned and forced to raise her head, which made the misty tears in her eyes clearly visible.
"..." She was almost crying, but she still said she was willing.
Youyou felt inexplicably irritated, as if she had done something wrong with good intentions. She let go of his hand and said in a deep voice, "I didn't mean to force you to marry him, don't misunderstand. When it comes to matters of the heart, unless you are willing, no one has the right to make decisions for you, not even me. I hope you think it through and don't make a hasty decision because of external reasons. You just need to ask your heart if you really want to spend your life with this person."
“But…” Shuiyan paused, her eyes welling up with tears, and a look of grievance appeared on her bewildered face. “He is a seventh-level alchemist… The sect needs him, the sect leader needs him… I’m alright…”
"So that's why you're planning to agree to this marriage?" You You was startled, her brows furrowing immediately. "Do you think I'm a sect leader who uses my disciples as bargaining chips in marriage alliances?"
"No! Of course not!" Shuiyan shook her head vigorously, explaining in a flustered manner, "That's not what I meant. It's just... it's just that the sect leader has been so good to us, rescuing us from the demon cave, taking us into the sect, and even bringing out treasures like the Seven Soul Leaves for us disciples whose foundations have been destroyed. That's why... that's why I wanted to repay the sect leader, even if... even if it could bring the sect just a little bit of benefit. That's what I and the other sisters all think."
You You was taken aback, and immediately felt a pang of heartache. These girls were different from the other noble ladies and female cultivators who were cherished in the world. They had suffered too much, experienced too much malice and despair. So even a small act of kindness from her could make them want to repay her with everything they had, even if it meant marrying someone they didn't love at all.
“Shuiyan…” she sighed, patting her shoulder. “I hope you understand that from the moment you joined the True Exploration Sect, I have considered you as one of my own. Nothing is more important than you yourselves, whether it’s cultivation techniques, secret manuals, cultivation resources, or top-grade pills. These are all important because of your importance. Without you, they are all worthless!”
"But……"
"I do value Kui Bi's alchemy skills, but it's not like I can't do without him. Whether he joins our sect or not makes no difference to me. If the sect runs out of pills because of this, it's my dereliction of duty as the sect leader, and you don't need to take that responsibility upon yourself. You don't need to exchange yourself for anything, because nothing can replace you!" She said, word by word, "Shuiyan... you've already escaped the demon's lair. No one and nothing can force you. Just be yourself. My Zhenyan Sect is a celestial sect, a home for all disciples, not another demon's lair."
"Sect Master..." Shuiyan froze, as if she had just realized something. Tears streamed down her face uncontrollably. She hugged the person in front of her tightly, sobbing and crying out. All the overwhelming grievances welled up inside her. "Sect Master... Sect Master... I don't want to! I don't want a Daoist partner... I don't like him now! I don't like someone like him..."
"good……"
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