Emotions are very complicated. Shen Hanyu had never been particularly interested in such topics. Most of his thoughts these days revolved around cultivation and becoming stronger.
Only when one was strong enough could they confidently pursue what they desired. That way, neither the one you love nor the one who loves you would be at risk. That was the safest path.
The two of them chatted for a while about these kinds of topics. After finishing, Shen Hanyu suddenly felt a sense of relief, as if a huge weight had been lifted from his chest.
"As expected, it's best to stay away from romance. The more you get involved, the more trouble it causes…"
Shen Hanyu sighed to himself, then leaped down from the tree. Suddenly, outside the fence, he spotted a familiar yet somewhat unfamiliar face.
Outside the fence, Shui Bing'er was looking at the youth with a complicated expression. She nervously pressed her lips together but couldn't make a single sound.
Shen Hanyu rubbed his eyes. He thought he was seeing Shui Bing'er… No, that couldn't be right. Why did it feel so real? It was as if she was actually there…
The two of them stood silently facing each other for a long while before finally confirming that the other was truly present.
"You…"
They both spoke at the same time.
Then both of them froze again at the same moment.
A flash of confusion and unease appeared in Shen Hanyu's eyes, but it quickly returned to calm. He revealed a faint smile and said,
"Long time no see, Shui Bing'er."
Shui Bing'er tightly pressed her lips together. She tried to speak several times but couldn't get the words out.
She had finally met this person again—the shameless guy who had teased her and even said he wanted her to be his child bride. Yet the moment she saw him, all the disgust and anger in her heart turned into grievance and dissatisfaction. There was something about him that attracted her, making her unconsciously want to get closer.
Inside Shen Hanyu's mental sea, Tian Meng slightly narrowed his eyes and finally spoke with some surprise:
"Hanyu, this little girl is no ordinary person. Her martial soul is an ice-attribute phoenix, and it's almost touching the barrier of Ultimate Ice. It's just that she seems unable to fully control her martial soul and can't unleash its true power. Otherwise, she should have already broken through to Soul Elder. Judging by her current state, she's clearly being attracted by the Ultimate Ice within you."
After a pause, Tian Meng added with a hint of teasing:
"You two really are fated~ Bro is very optimistic about you two…"
Shen Hanyu ignored him, his pupils shifting as he seemed to be thinking about something.
Shui Bing'er hesitated for a moment before finally speaking:
"…Won't you invite me in to sit?"
Shen Hanyu smiled innocently and made a welcoming gesture.
"Alright, don't just stand there. Come in and sit. You two little girls are hiding back there as well."
Only then did Shui Bing'er step forward and slowly walk into the courtyard.
Two sneaky little heads immediately poked out from behind. Shen Liuyu secretly made a "fighting!" gesture toward Shen Hanyu, and he instantly understood what was going on.
As for the owner of the other little head, she had already entered full brainstorming mode.
So handsome! And not just ordinary handsome—he's the super invincible number-one ultra-explosion handsome guy in the universe!
Shui Yue'er's eyes were practically shooting out hearts. Shen Hanyu smiled, not paying it much mind. Shui Yue'er's extreme fangirl nature was something he had long anticipated.
Shui Bing'er swept her gaze across the entire courtyard, a trace of amazement flashing through her eyes. She softly asked Shen Hanyu:
"Do you usually live here?"
Shen Hanyu turned back, shook his head, and brought over a few rattan chairs from the side, gesturing for the girls to sit.
Only then did he answer:
"I only moved here recently. I'll be staying in Element City with my little sister for a while…"
Before Shen Hanyu could finish, Shui Yue'er hurriedly cut in:
"Male god! Male god! I'm Shui Yue'er, Bing'er's younger sister! Who's your sister? Which academy does she go to? Maybe I know her!"
Shen Hanyu smiled and replied:
"Then you probably do know her. Quite well, in fact."
Shui Yue'er tilted her head in thought, then looked back and forth between Shen Liuyu and Shen Hanyu. Covering her small cherry-like mouth, she stammered in shock:
"N-No way… Liuyu… you…"
Shen Liuyu casually took a sip of the fruit juice on the table and laughed sweetly:
"This is my biological big brother, Shen Hanyu. 'Han' as in cold, 'Yu' as in feathers. He's four years older than me."
Shui Yue'er instantly reacted, glanced at her own sister, and immediately exclaimed:
"Male god, from now on, you're my real big brother! Aaaaaah, you're so handsome, I love—"
The corner of Shen Hanyu's mouth twitched slightly. He now had a new level of understanding for the term "fangirl."
Shui Bing'er, on the other hand, kept her lips pressed together and said nothing…
So he's actually Liuyu's real brother. No wonder I kept seeing traces of him in Liuyu…
So his name is Shen Hanyu…
Shui Bing'er's thoughts were in turmoil; her mind was a mess and clearly not focused. Shen Hanyu noticed this and secretly gave Shen Liuyu a look. As his blood sister, Shen Liuyu instantly understood and dragged Shui Yue'er toward the outside.
Shui Yue'er reluctantly stared at Shen Hanyu's face as she was forcibly pulled away by Shen Liuyu.
Once it was quiet again, Shen Hanyu turned to look at Shui Bing'er, only to find that her gaze had been fixed on him the whole time.
Caught in the act, Shui Bing'er—whether from shyness or something else—awkwardly lowered her head.
After a moment of silence, Shen Hanyu spoke:
"I wasn't doing it on purpose back then. I didn't expect you to remember me so deeply…"
Shui Bing'er licked her dry lips, not knowing what to say, and merely let out a soft "mm."
"It's been a long time. Don't you have anything you want to say?"
Shen Hanyu continued.
Shui Bing'er lowered her head, seemingly thinking about what to say. After a long while, she finally asked:
"You… how have these past three years been for you?"
Shen Hanyu was slightly taken aback, then answered:
"I went out training for a while, made new friends, and encountered new opportunities. We saw each other rarely, but there were both good and bad times."
Shui Bing'er nodded and continued:
"You… back then… why did you treat me like that?"
"It was fate, or to put it another way—I was waiting for you to grow up."
Shen Hanyu thought for a moment and realized he couldn't come up with a better excuse, so he simply went straight for it.
A faint blush appeared on Shui Bing'er's flawless white face, but she didn't say anything, seemingly accepting it by default.
Feelings are truly mysterious; they can easily change a person's thoughts and perceptions.
Shen Hanyu glanced at the two sneaky little heads outside the fence and couldn't help but find it amusing. Looking at Shui Bing'er sitting opposite him, he took out a smooth gray bead from his storage soul tool and handed it to her with a smile:
"Last time I only left you half a comb; don't call me stingy. This is a shark pearl produced by a thirty-thousand-year-old Bloodthirsty Ferocious Shark. After refining it with soul power, it can cleanse your marrow and meridians and remove impurities. You're not far from Soul Elder now—this is the most suitable thing for you. After taking it, you should directly become a Soul Elder. Take it. I don't lack something like this, and don't be polite or reserved with me. I'm Liuyu's brother. If it really comes down to it, you can just treat me as an older brother…"