Qin Li felt that he understood Xiao Muqing; he knew his fiancée had always been a conservative woman.
Therefore, after Xiao Muqing had done that with Zhou Dage, she must have been in great torment, filled with guilt towards her future husband.
He only needed to comfort Xiao Muqing now, to help her let go of the guilt in her heart, and the two of them should quickly reconcile as before, just like when they first fell in love.
But Xiao Muqing's next words completely shattered Qin Li's aspirations for a beautiful future.
"Really? Qin Li, do you truly understand me and not blame me?"
Xiao Muqing's tone was very surprised; seeing this, Qin Li also smiled and nodded.
"That's truly wonderful, Zhou Dage, I like you, can I be your woman?"
After Xiao Muqing boldly expressed her feelings, seeing Qin Li's stunned expression, she immediately said awkwardly.
"Qin Li, for my and Zhou Dage's happiness, can I ask you to cancel our engagement?"
"You're such a good person, you'll definitely understand me, right?"
Having mustered the courage to say these words, Xiao Muqing looked at Zhou Fan with eyes full of anticipation, hoping he would accept her confession.
"Muqing, you, you're joking, right?"
Qin Li found it hard to accept this cruel reality; he didn't understand.
Although Zhou Dage was handsome and dashing, strong, gentle, considerate, and had profound Cultivation, and was even a Son of Destiny as rumored, how could Xiao Muqing, as his fiancée, change her heart so easily?
"Qin Li, I'm sorry, I'm not joking, I truly want to be with Zhou Fan."
"You're a good person, Qin Li, I truly once thought about spending the rest of my life with you, but now there's no place for you in my heart."
Xiao Muqing wanted to say more, but Qin Li couldn't listen anymore at this moment.
He suddenly stood up and rushed out the door.
Nangong Wan, seeing this dramatic scene, didn't know what to say.
However, after Qin Li left, Xiao Muqing directly sat beside Zhou Fan.
She blinked her eyes, full of affection, her ample figure pressing against Zhou Fan's arm.
Today, Xiao Muqing was wearing a luxurious and elaborate long dress, with a silk ribbon tied at her waist, accentuating her already prominent and alluring curves.
Zhou Fan also hadn't expected that after just half a month of simple happiness with this Guiyuan Sect Sect Master, she would be so attached to him.
One could only say he was indeed that type of Son of Destiny; the original heroines and supporting female characters all had some issues.
He pulled his arm away, and seeing Xiao Muqing's crestfallen expression, he reached out and rubbed her cheek, saying, "Wait for me here obediently. I'll talk to Li Di about this. I've received your feelings."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Muqing's expression instantly changed from gloomy to bright. She nodded obediently and even rubbed her cheek against Zhou Fan's hand.
Zhou Fan walked out of the room; a light rain had started falling at some point.
The Xuanyuan Dynasty, whether north or south, had four seasons a year.
It was already winter in November, and the raindrops were icy cold, hitting his face like tiny pebbles.
With Zhou Fan's Physical Body strength, he could naturally ignore these hail-like raindrops. He released his Divine Sense and quickly found Qin Li on a hillside within the Guiyuan Sect.
Qin Li was currently lying flat on that hillside, spread-eagled. He stared blankly at the gloomy sky, not using any magical power to protect himself, allowing the cold raindrops to hit every part of his body.
Zhou Fan walked to Qin Li's side but didn't offer him an umbrella.
He simply lay on the damp hillside like Qin Li, quietly looking at the distant sky and the dark clouds that were no longer white.
Neither of them spoke, just lying there in silent communion.
In their ears were the sound of the wind, the sound of rain, the occasional chirping of crickets in the withered grass, and the increasingly clear sound of each other's heartbeats.
They lay there for an unknown amount of time until the rain gradually stopped and the dark clouds dispersed.
Warm sunlight once again fell upon the ground, and the lingering chill on the hillside was slowly driven away.
"Zhou Dage, am I very useless?"
Qin Li suddenly spoke, his tone filled with dejection and inferiority.
Zhou Fan didn't answer; he was still looking at the sky, seemingly transported back to his youth.
Seeing this, Qin Li gave a self-deprecating smile and said, "I am useless. No one in this world needs me."
"My mother, Ning Shuying, Aunt Xuan, Xiao Muqing—they all found better destinations. I'm just a joke, a clown who thought he could help others and protect those he loved."
"I can't protect anything, and no one needs me to protect them."
"I've gained power far beyond what I had before, but there's nothing left by my side."
The more Qin Li spoke, the more pain he felt. He didn't understand why things had turned out this way. He had worked so hard, paid such a great price to become stronger, to provide a secure future for the people he loved.
Yet, what he received in return was his mother's estrangement and his fiancée's betrayal.
Pain, such intense pain!
Zhou Fan sensed the aura of Qin Li, who was about to turn dark, and finally came back to his senses.
"Li Di, actually, you don't need to think so much."
"For us Cultivators, the most important thing is to strengthen ourselves. Only your own strength will not deceive you, nor will it betray you."
"Placing the focus of Cultivation on emotional relationships with others is truly putting the cart before the horse, a last resort."
"Li Di, you are still too young. When your Cultivation becomes higher in the future, a single closed-door Cultivation session will last for decades, even centuries."
"By then, you will realize that so-called confidantes will turn into a handful of dust in the blink of an eye; no matter how solid a relationship, in the face of the power of time, it will only be like a thread that breaks at a touch, utterly incapable of being eternal."
"..."
Zhou Fan patiently guided Qin Li, unreservedly imparting the correct mindset and understanding that a Cultivator who prioritizes the Dao and yearns for Ascension should possess.
Qin Li listened carefully, as if enlightened. The progress bar of his darkening state stopped increasing, but after pondering for a while, he suddenly asked a profound question.
"Zhou Dage, I think what you said makes a lot of sense, but why don't you do it?"
"For the past six months or so, I've basically been with you every day, and you're either flirting or engaging in physical activities every day."
"As for me, I'm either diligently practicing swordplay or Cultivating the Qing Ni Jue every day."
"In the end, my mother, confidantes, aunt, and fiancée all ran off with you."
"Zhou Dage, do you have any insights?"
Zhou Fan smiled upon hearing this. He put his arm around Qin Li's shoulder, and they both sat up from the cold, damp ground.
"Ahem, Li Di, you can't just look at the surface of many things. You have to look at the essence, at what you actually gained."