Bai Yunxi didn't step out of the cabin for an entire day.
Su Kang chose not to disturb her. He gave her space, letting her sort through her emotions in solitude.
Outside, the flying boat sliced through the sky like a silent arrow, cutting through the clouds at full speed. If nothing unexpected happened, they would reach their destination in five days.
By the next morning, he decided to check on her.
He knocked.
No response.
Frowning, he pushed the door open, already aware of her state through his spiritual consciousness.
Inside, Bai Yunxi sat on a chair, her posture composed, her expression unreadable. When he entered, she spared him a single glance before looking away, offering no words.
"How are you feeling?" he asked.
Silence.
Su Kang didn't press her for an answer. Instead, he pulled out a chair and sat across from her, meeting her silence with his own.
She continued to ignore him, her gaze fixed on some distant point in the cabin. Yet he remained, his presence unwavering.
The weight of his stare made her uneasy. Closing her eyes, she decided to give him the cold shoulder.
If she didn't, she wasn't sure what he might try next.
He needed to understand—things wouldn't go as he planned.
Better to let him face rejection now than allow him to build false hopes, only to see them crumble later.
And so, the hours passed.
In the end, Su Kang let out a quiet sigh and stood. Without another word, he turned and left, closing the door behind him.
The moment he was gone, Bai Yunxi slumped in her chair, exhaling a heavy sigh.
How long can I keep this up?
Her eyes flickered with complicated emotions. She wasn't sure how much longer she could avoid him in this confined space.
Su Kang remained outside until evening before deciding to visit her again.
Stepping into the cabin, he sat down and quietly observed her expression.
"Are you feeling well?"
She didn't respond. Instead, she closed her eyes once more, treating him as if he weren't even there.
His brows furrowed.
"You promised me a week," he said, a hint of resignation in his voice. "Yet you're acting like this. Ignoring me completely… is that really giving me a chance?"
Still, she said nothing.
A heavy silence followed before his voice turned lower, firmer.
"If you keep this up, I might be forced to take bold steps."
The weight in his tone sent a shiver down her spine.
Hidden beneath her sleeves, her fingers curled into fists. Then, she heard it—his slow, deliberate steps closing in on her.
Panic rose in her chest.
Suddenly, a warm breath brushed against her right ear. A low whisper followed.
"I should've said this before… but you are breathtakingly beautiful."
Her eyes snapped open.
In an instant, she pushed herself to her feet, heart hammering in her chest—only to find him standing just three hands away, a knowing smile on his lips.
"Su Kang, this is inappropriate," she said, forcing anger into her tone, masking the unease stirring inside her. "You shouldn't do this."
"If teasing you is the only way to make you talk, then I'll do it again," he replied, completely unbothered.
"You…" She gritted her teeth. "This isn't right. Why don't you understand that?"
He met her gaze directly.
"You're not even trying to explain anything," he countered. "How am I supposed to understand your thoughts when you refuse to say a single word?"
A tense silence stretched between them before she finally let out a sigh.
"Fine."
Su Kang nodded, stepping back slightly. "Come outside with me."
Without waiting for a response, he turned and led the way.
Outside, under the dimming evening sky, he retrieved a small table and placed a cushion for her to sit. Then, he took out a few spiritual ingredients and began preparing tea, his movements steady and unhurried.
Bai Yunxi sat down, watching him in silence before finally speaking.
"Where are we going?" Her voice was light, almost casual.
"Rift Valley." Su Kang smiled confidently. "It's one of the best gifts I could give you."
Bai Yunxi hesitated, then said quietly, "You don't have to do this. My decision won't change, no matter what you do."
His expression remained unchanged.
"I understand," he said.
"But this isn't about changing your mind. I'm doing this to ease your burden—untangle at least one of your regrets. I believe it might bring a little peace to your heart. Maybe even a few smiles."
She blinked at his words, confused. One of her regrets? There were too many for her to even begin guessing which one he meant.
"Why are you even doing this for me?" she murmured, her voice barely audible.
He frowned slightly, then met her gaze with quiet intensity.
"Let me rephrase that," he said. "Even if you don't return my feelings and reject me, my feelings for you won't change."
He exhaled softly, then added, "I admire you. I want you to be happy. Whether you accept me or not, I'll still do everything in my power to see that happen."
She looked at him, then closed her eyes, his words pressing heavily on her heart.
"You already know… we can't be together," she muttered.
"No," Su Kang said firmly. "We can be together. You're just searching for reasons to deny it."
He slid a cup of tea across the table toward her.
She frowned at his persistence, her tone turning heavy.
"You're Li Fang's friend. And I'm his mother. This would ruin his reputation—destroy the Li family's standing. It's against the ethics of society."
Su Kang exhaled softly, shaking his head.
"I met you long before I met your son. If that's the issue, I'll speak to Li Fang myself. He will understand—he's broken these so-called morals and ethics plenty of times already."
"For example, Li Fang fought and nearly crippled Junior Sister Ying'er's fiancé on the day of their engagement. Then took her away, right in front of everyone?"
Bai Yunxi's breath caught in her throat. "This..."
"See?" Su Kang said softly. "The Li family's reputation isn't your burden to carry."
His eyes sharpened, tone still calm but firm.
"And let's be honest. If the Bai family had been stronger, you would have been remarried long ago."
He leaned back, speaking plainly.
"If I had pursued you years ago—if I had offered to help and support Li Fang back then, the way I did now—wouldn't you have accepted my proposal back then?"
His tone remained calm, almost indifferent, yet each word carried undeniable weight.
Bai Yunxi's fingers tightened further. Her heart was in turmoil.
If Su Kang had truly done this five years ago… she likely would have agreed.
But she couldn't admit that now. Couldn't speak it aloud.
He saw the silence in her posture, the way her gaze dropped.
He continued, voice quieter now.
"Your marriage should have secured the Bai family's standing in Qin City—should have brought you status and resources. Instead… look at what happened."
"Your cultivation was severed. Your family was suppressed. Even your parents weren't spared. Instead of gaining anything, you became a broken bird."
He stopped speaking, giving her space to absorb his words. He took a sip of tea, quietly watching her as she sat there, clearly contemplating something.
"But... still, it's against the societal norms," she said at last, her voice weak.
He could see the hesitation in her eyes—and he wanted to shatter it completely.
"Let me show you how the so-called ethics of society work in the cultivation world— with this one example." Su Kang said, his voice unwavering.
"There's a famous woman in the Central Plains who's single-handedly repelled countless demonic incursions and slain many of their elders."
"People admire her. They respect her strength—even though she has five husbands. No one dares to insult her, because they don't have her strength."
Bai Yunxi's breath caught.
"Five?" she repeated, stunned.
He nodded. "It's said her physique is special, so many covet her. But no one dares to insult her. Power makes its own morality."
She swallowed, her beliefs crumbling piece by piece.
She had always believed that remarriage for women was something shameful—something done only under desperate circumstances.
But this? This shattered that belief entirely.
"It's always those with power who rewrite the rules others are forced to follow," Su Kang said, his voice firm and unwavering. "That's how the cultivation world works—strength and benefits decide what's acceptable."
He leaned forward slightly, eyes locking onto hers.
"Men can have many women, but a woman must stay chaste for a husband long dead or gone?"
His eyes pierced through her doubt.
"That's not morality. That's hypocrisy."