"W-Wait… Let's not be so hasty. You haven't even given me a chance to explain the benefits…" Gu Tan immediately began panicking, as he didn't expect to be rejected so quickly.
"I don't need to hear the benefits because I won't join the Gu Family no matter what you offer me. Sorry." Yuan rejected him once again, this time being more stern, even a little brutal.
Gu Tan began sweating profusely after hearing this, and he asked, "C-Can I at least ask why you're refusing us? Did you already join another family?"
"No. I just don't want to join any families, especially the Seven Legacy Families." Yuan answered.
Gu Tan wondered if one of the Seven Legacy Families had offended him.
"I-It seems like something has happened between one of the Seven Legacy Families and you, but I can promise you that our Gu Family is different." Gu Tan tried a different approach.
However, Yuan still shook his head and said, "Don't bother. I won't join."
And without waiting for Gu Tan to respond, Yuan walked around him and continued his journey to Xuan Wuhan's living quarters.
Of course, Gu Tan wasn't willing to give up so easily, as his parents had assigned him to recruit Yuan with his head on the line.
Thus, he proceeded to follow Yuan and continue to try and recruit him.
"What do you desire, Disciple Yuan? Do you want wealth? Fame? Power? The Gu Family will do everything in their power to fulfill your dreams. If needed, we'll even get the Gu Family from the Spirit Heaven to help."
"I desire for you to leave me alone now. If you cannot do even such a simple thing, what makes you think you can help me with the other stuff?" Yuan said to him.
Gu Tan was speechless, and he immediately stopped following Yuan after hearing his response.
'Looks like I will have to give up for now and ask him again later. Maybe he's just in a bad mood.' Gu Tan tried to soothe himself.
About ten minutes after Gu Tan left Yuan alone, another individual blocked his path.
This time, it was a pretty young lady around Min Li's age.
"Hello, are you Disciple Yuan?" The young lady greeted him with a beautiful smile on her face.
"I am. How can I help you?"
"I'm Xue Yixin, and I was wondering if you have some time to spare so we can talk." This young lady spoke with an enchanting expression on her face.
"What do you want to talk about? I'm busy right now, so we'll have to do it later."
"Are you sure you can't delay it for me? It won't take long… Or it can take as long as you want it to…" This young lady then slightly lowered her body whilst spreading the clothes around her neck, revealing two large peaks without showing everything.
Meixiu frowned when she saw this, and she quickly grabbed Yuan's arm before pulling him away.
"Let's go, Yuan. This girl is a dangerous one," she said to him.
When Xue Yixin saw this, she quickly chased after them and said, "W-Wait! I'm not someone suspicious! I'm from the Xue Family, one of the Seven Legacy Families!"
Xue Yixin hoped that her background would change the situation, but to her surprise, it only made the situation worse.
"Sorry, but if you're here to recruit me to the Xue Family, I will have to decline. I have already refused to join the Gu Family a few minutes ago. My decision won't change now even if you're from a different family." Yuan stopped for a moment to reject her before walking again.
"Uhh…"
The young lady was speechless, and she stood there like a statue with a dazed expression on her face.
Sometime later, Yuan finally arrived at Xuan Wuhan's living quarters.
*Knock* *Knock*
Yuan patiently waited for Xuan Wuhan to appear after knocking on the doors.
A few moments later, the door opened.
"Hello, Yuan." Xuan Wuhan greeted him, yet something felt off about it.
It was like she had been expecting him.
And just as he'd suspected, Xuan Wuhan said, "I have been expecting you. You're here to say goodbye, right?"
Yuan nodded in a slightly dazed manner.
"My grandfather told me about it yesterday," she continued, explaining to him how she found out.
"Oh, I see…"
"Although you may be leaving soon, I am still glad that you decided to join. Your contribution to the sect has far exceeded my expectations. Thank you, Yuan." Xuan Wuhan said with a beautiful smile on her face.
"I should be thanking you. It was because of your suggestion that I decided to join. If not for you, I would've probably never entered the Dragon Essence Temple or experienced all of the things I had experienced while in the sect. Therefore, thank you. If you need anything, just let me know!"
"If you want to thank me, I have an idea." Xuan Wuhan suddenly chuckled.
"What is it?"
"Before I respond, can I ask you a question?"
Yuan nodded.
Xuan Wuhan then turned to look at Meixiu who was standing behind him.
"Is she your girlfriend?" she asked, taking Meixiu by surprise.
"N-No… I am not…" Meixiu quickly responded.
"I see, then I guess it's fine." Xuan Wuhan mumbled in a low voice before turning to look at Yuan.
"Can you do me a small favor by closing your eyes for a moment?"
Yuan nodded and closed his eyes without any questions.
The next moment, Xuan Wuhan took a step forward with her hands reaching for Yuan's mask.
Once Xuan Wuhan got ahold of the mask, she removed it slightly before approaching his revealed face with her lips, kissing him on the cheeks a second later.
"Eh?"
Yuan opened his eyes when he suddenly felt a soft sensation pressing against the left side of his cheeks, but by the time his eyes opened, Xuan Wuhan had already removed her lips and stepped back with a rosy complexion on her face.
"Goodbye, Yuan. This is the best I can do for now, but if you come back later, I might be prepared to do a little more by then." Xuan Wuhan said with an embarrassed yet bright smile on her face before running back inside the building and slamming the door shut, leaving Yuan and Meixiu speechless.