BTTH: REBORN AS HALF-SAINT

A short while later—

Yun Yun's long lashes trembled slightly as she slowly opened her bright, clear eyes. Rising gracefully to her feet, she flexed her shoulder, where the deep wounds inflicted by the Spirit Serpent's fangs had once been.

To her amazement, not even the slightest scar remained—her flesh had completely healed, and her Dou Qi had been restored to its peak state.

Such was the miraculous power of a Seventh-Tier Healing Pill.

She turned toward Xie Tianxiao, her expression composed and respectful. With a deep bow, she said, "Senior, Yun Yun offers her deepest gratitude for saving my life."

Xie Tianxiao studied her for a moment, amusement flickering in his eyes.

"Oh? And here I thought you'd want to interrogate me about my identity first."

Yun Yun's lips curled into a faint, knowing smile.

"Senior must be joking. Yun Yun is not so foolish."

"No matter what reason Senior had for stepping in, the fact remains that you saved my life. If not for your intervention, I would have perished at the hands of those Snake-People."

She paused for a brief moment, then continued, her calm gaze unwavering,

"Besides, Senior did nothing inappropriate to me. Not only did you rescue me, but you even gifted me a Seventh-Tier Healing Pill. If I were to nitpick and question your intentions after all that… wouldn't I be ungrateful?"

Having fully regained her composure, Yun Yun once again embodied the elegance and grace of the misty cloud Sect's leader.

Regardless of who Xie Tianxiao truly was, he had saved her life, and she would never forget such a debt.

Xie Tianxiao's smirk deepened slightly.

"Good. Then tell me—how do you plan to repay me?"

"This…"

Yun Yun hesitated for a moment before replying earnestly,

"At the moment, I do not carry any rare treasures on me. However, if Senior requires any form of compensation, as long as it is within my ability to give, I will not refuse."

She genuinely had no idea what someone of Xie Tianxiao's caliber could possibly need from a mere Dou Huang like herself.

"Hahaha…"

Xie Tianxiao suddenly laughed, shaking his head.

"You're quite amusing, Sect Leader Yun Yun. You don't even know what I want, and yet you're already agreeing to give it to me. Aren't you afraid that you'll regret it later?"

Yun Yun, however, remained firm.

"I will not. Senior stepped in to save me, so I do not believe you would ask for anything excessive or unreasonable."

Her gaze remained calm and unwavering as she spoke.

While she might not have been the strongest, Yun Yun was not naive.

Xie Tianxiao had not shown any ill intentions toward her. Apart from holding her for a moment during her rescue, and calling her ignorant, he had done nothing improper.

He had not demanded anything from her, nor had he spoken arrogantly or condescendingly.

Instead, he had been unexpectedly… polite.

This gave her a strange sense of comfort—which was rare, considering how cautious she usually was around men of great power.

Xie Tianxiao nodded approvingly.

"You're not wrong. I wouldn't make things difficult for you… nor am I interested in whatever trinkets a Dou Huang might carry."

His lips curved slightly as he added,

"However… I am quite interested in something else of yours."

Yun Yun frowned slightly, a flicker of confusion in her eyes.

"Something of mine?"

"Senior, please speak openly. If it is within my means, I will not refuse."

She made the promise without hesitation.

However, instead of answering, Xie Tianxiao shook his head slightly.

"No rush. What I want from you… isn't something I can reveal just yet. When the time is right, you'll understand."

Yun Yun blinked in surprise.

"I… see."

Her confusion only deepened.

What could she possibly possess that a Dou Zong-level powerhouse would covet?

Not to mention, something so important that he wouldn't even mention it now?

Xie Tianxiao saw the puzzlement on her face but made no effort to clarify.

Instead, he smiled faintly and said,

"Don't think too much about it. When the time comes, I'll let you know."

After a brief pause, Yun Yun exhaled lightly and nodded.

"Very well, since Senior has chosen not to elaborate, I will not press further."

After all, what could she do?

For someone as powerful as Xie Tianxiao, if he had truly wanted something from her, he could have simply taken it—instead of speaking to her so calmly.

This realization reassured her somewhat.

After a moment of silence, Xie Tianxiao changed the subject.

"By the way, I haven't asked yet—why were you being pursued by those Snake-People?"

His voice was casual, yet his sharp gaze lingered on her intently.

"Their combined technique was somewhat interesting, but for a Dou Huang like yourself to end up in such a dire situation… seems rather unusual."

This situation didn't match what he remembered from the original timeline.

In the novel, Yun Yun only clashed with the Snake-People because Gu He had led her there in search of the Green Lotus Core Flame.

However, the Three-Year Agreement hadn't even begun yet, and more importantly—

The Heavenly Flame was already his.

So why had Yun Yun ended up hunted by the Snake-People this early?

If he hadn't passed by, she would have died.

Hearing his question, Yun Yun let out a soft bitter laugh.

"I… encountered Queen Medusa."

Her voice held a trace of lingering unease.

"If not for her ambush, I wouldn't have been forced into a situation where even a few Dou Wangs could put me on the defensive."

Xie Tianxiao's brows rose slightly.

"Queen Medusa? Can you explain in detail?"

Yun Yun hesitated only briefly before nodding.

"Of course, Senior. The situation is as follows…"

She then recounted the full events—

How she and Jia Xing Tian had been investigating rumors of a mysterious Dou Zong near the Jia Ma Empire's borders, suspecting it might be an enemy from Mulan Valley.

How they had sensed two overwhelming presences fighting in the Tager Desert, prompting them to investigate.

And how they had unexpectedly run into Queen Medusa, who had just emerged from the magma depths after a battle.

Though Jia Xing Tian, as a Nine-Star Dou Huang, had been able to hold Medusa back for a time—

The arrival of the Snake-People's Eight Great Chiefs, all Dou Wangs, had tipped the scales.

Yun Yun, being only a Three-Star Dou Huang, had suffered a severe injury in the battle.

Realizing the dire situation, she and Jia Xing Tian had split up and retreated separately.

Medusa, along with three Dou Wangs, had pursued Jia Xing Tian—

While Elder Yinshi and his four Dou Wangs had targeted her.

That chase had continued until she ran into Xie Tianxiao.

Xie Tianxiao tapped his chin in thought.

So… the reason Yun Yun had ended up in trouble was indirectly his own fault.

Because he had taken the Green Lotus Core Flame, the timeline had shifted, leading to this premature clash.

Before he could ponder further, Yun Yun's voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Senior, I have a question. May I ask?"

Xie Tianxiao smirked knowingly.

"You want to know if the 'mysterious Dou Zong' from the Jia Ma Empire's borders was actually me, don't you?"

Yun Yun's eyes widened slightly.

"Yes…"

She had not expected him to see through her thoughts so easily.

Xie Tianxiao chuckled.

"You're right. That was me."

He glanced at her briefly and added,

"I had just arrived in the Jia Ma Empire at the time. I even saved a certain Six-Tier Alchemist while I was at it."