Xiao Qingruo's body stiffened slightly.
Xue Yi was asserting his authority here, not allowing others to get close to her so that she would have no chance to secretly tell someone she was being threatened.
Although she didn't dare to speak up anyway, doing so would make things even worse for her...
But this way, wasn't she completely under this man's control?
And right now she couldn't refute him either, otherwise she would be going back on her own words about him being her personal attendant.
The maids looked at their young miss, seeing her stay silent as if in acquiescence, they quickly responded: "Yes, we understand!"
"Mm, good, go bring some food over, the young miss is hungry."
Xue Yi nodded in satisfaction, patting one of the maids' bony shoulders as he gave out his first order since becoming a personal attendant.
"Yes, Brother Xue Yi..."
The maid obediently went to fulfill the order.
The other maids who didn't receive any orders dispersed, some trimming the branches of flowers, some feeding the carps, some sweeping fallen leaves, each busying themselves.
Xue Yi followed Xiao Qingruo into her residence.
The young miss's quarters were very spacious, almost like the bedchambers of royalty. Opening the door, there was first a wide hall, filled with many bookshelves that could be called a sea of books. Further in were the inner bedchambers, with gauze curtains, emitting a faint fragrance.
The left and right wings off the front hall were also rooms, originally meant for personal maids to live in. But she didn't have any personal maids, only calling for service when needed, not allowing anyone to stay close by for fear of exposing her secret of being useless.
Seeing the extra rooms, Xue Yi said: "Later I'll have a maid bring my belongings over, from now on I'll live in the left wing."
"You..."
Xiao Qingruo bit her lip.
There wasn't even a door between the wing and the inner chambers, it was all connected. If Xue Yi lived here, wouldn't he be able to freely go in and out of her bedroom?
Seeing her awkward expression, Xue Yi calmly said: "Or should I sleep in your bedroom instead?"
"Forget it."
Xiao Qingruo could only accept it, sitting down in the chair with an unhappy expression.
Being threatened, monitored in her own home, anyone would feel unhappy in this situation.
Xue Yi said: "From now on we'll cultivate in the mornings and evenings, and can go out in the afternoons. I'll try not to affect your quality of life, so don't think about getting rid of me. Without me, your circumstances won't get any better, perhaps even worse."
Xiao Qingruo remained silent.
She didn't have the right to choose, everything was now under Xue Yi's control.
All she could do was secretly grow stronger, and wait for the day she could break through and scheme again!
"Every month on the first, I need to go see the Sect Master to inspect my cultivation progress. Every seven to eight days, I need to go to the abandoned garden once. During those times you can't follow me, other times are fine." Xiao Qingruo said.
"No, that would be too dangerous for me." Xue Yi firmly shook his head.
If she secretly said something to the Sect Master, the Sect Master would surely kill him in anger for being a wicked servant.
As for the abandoned garden...what was she going there to do?
"I won't say bad things about you to the Sect Master. The Sect Master is also wary of me, I don't have anyone here I can trust." Xiao Qingruo said, trying to persuade him.
Xue Yi was puzzled: "Aren't you the Sect Master's personal disciple? Why is he on guard against you?"
Xiao Qingruo explained: "Each of the Eight Great Clans of the Founding Dynasty of the Ancient Divine Dynasty has a nation-protecting divine weapon passed down through the generations. Only the Sect Master knows where it's hidden. I'm from a side branch, my ancestors have no illustrious lineage, yet I've displayed such astounding talent. The Sect Master suspects I may be a spy planted by foreign enemies, wanting to gain trust by showing my abilities, take over as Sect Master, and then steal away the nation-protecting weapon."
"Then why did he accept you as his successor?" Xue Yi didn't understand.
Xiao Qingruo: "He has no proof, after all I'm not actually a spy. To convince the masses, and to continue observing me, he had to acknowledge my status. After all he's still very young, I wouldn't succeed him as Sect Master for at least a hundred years, enough time for him to thoroughly investigate me. If I'm not a spy, Holy Might Manor gains an super expert, a win-win."
"If the Sect Master suspects you so much, it's only a matter of time before you're exposed. Aren't you afraid he'll kill you for playing such a big game?" Xue Yi was even more confused.
Xiao Qingruo closed her mouth, no longer speaking.
Seeing her expression, Xue Yi knew she must have other contingency plans, surely she had an escape route for the future.
This little minx, indeed not so simple!
"Fine, I can not follow you to see the Sect Master. But the abandoned garden, you have to explain clearly, exactly what are you going there for?" Xue Yi continued questioning.
Xiao Qingruo clenched her fist: "I'm afraid I can't say."
"Hm? Looking to be beaten?"
Xue Yi raised a brow, standing up and walking behind her, raising a hand as if to punish her.
Xiao Qingruo bit her lip and solemnly said: "I have my secrets, you can't pry into everything! We have a cooperative relationship, not a master-servant one!"
"To cooperate requires sincerity. You're not telling me anything, how can I trust you?" Xue Yi's hand did not come down.
"What about your secrets then? What are you doing at the abandoned garden?"
Xiao Qingruo also thought of a problem and questioned back.
"I'm going there to slack off, and take a piss while I'm at it." Xue Yi replied.
"You're lying! No need to be so cautious just to slack off and relieve yourself, you attacked me with your full strength as soon as you heard my footsteps, clearly with killing intent. I absolutely won't believe it if you have no secrets!" Xiao Qingruo stood up, craning her head to look straight at him, not conceding one bit.
"Tsk tsk, as expected of the young miss, truly intelligent as snow and ice."
Xue Yi's face showed admiration as he looked at her exquisite unmatched beauty, nodding his head and saying: "Not bad, I do have secrets too. I go to the abandoned garden to cultivate a special martial art, one I can't let anyone know about."
Xiao Qingruo realized: "Then with you living here, I can witness your cultivation any time, no matter if you tell me or not, your secret will be exposed."
"Right, so I'll watch you even closer. If you dare betray me, I don't mind..."
Xue Yi's mocking gaze roamed over her body from top to bottom, avoiding no area.
Then he said: "Now, can you tell me your secret?"
"I can't."
Xiao Qingruo decisively replied, still refusing to answer.
After speaking, the corners of her mouth twitched slightly as she sat back down: "I didn't say I would exchange secrets with you. You need to cultivate in front of me, I'll find out sooner or later. But not me, so there is no need to exchange at all."
"Hm? You're playing me!" Xue Yi couldn't help getting angry, immediately grabbing her fragrant shoulder with one hand, the other hand raised up high.
"That's right, playing you. What can you do about it? No matter what I'm still the young miss, you still dare to touch me?" Xiao Qingruo didn't back down at all, confronting him head on.
"Heh, you're rebelling against me now!"
Xue Yi had really seen it all now, didn't expect this little minx that he already had under control would actually still dare resist.
"I'll show you whether I dare or not!"
He decided to go all out. Grabbing Xiao Qingruo, he pressed her upper body down onto the table, bent over. His big hand landed hard on her pert little butt.
Slap!
The sound was loud.
"Ah, you, you actually..."
Xiao Qingruo's face immediately turned red, her tone full of shame and anger.
Slap!
Xue Yi slapped her again.
She was even more excited!
"Hit me more, more, my energy is almost full!" she shouted in her heart.
Out loud she cursed: "Scoundrel, slave, I won't let you off!"
Just then...
Knock knock knock
Someone knocked on the door.