Chapter 440: Seize It While You Can

Tantai Yaoyue glanced at Wang Haoran, seemingly without intent, but her gaze quickly shifted to Qin Fan, her eyes filled with disbelief.

“Master… you’re not joking, are you?”

“I’m not,” Qin Fan replied with a calm but firm voice. “I meant every word.”

Hearing this, a flicker of joy stirred in Tantai Yaoyue’s chest. She knew that Qin Fan had the ability to read faces and divine fate. If he said such a thing, it likely wasn’t baseless. Her heart fluttered slightly, and a hint of pink flushed across her fair cheeks. But even so, her lips moved with measured restraint.

“Master, your disciple wishes to focus solely on cultivating the ancient martial arts. I’ve never really thought about romance or marriage.”

Qin Fan saw through her reluctance and smiled knowingly. Her words didn’t match the look in her eyes, and he could feel the hesitation in her tone.

“Yaoyue, matters of fate and affection aren’t things you can simply ignore. When it comes knocking, you have to seize it. Otherwise, if you let it slip through your fingers, the regret might never leave you.”

She lowered her gaze, seemingly lost in thought.

Qin Fan observed her carefully, and the more he watched, the more convinced he became—there was definitely someone in her heart.

But who could it be?

Could it be… him?

That thought took root, and Qin Fan couldn’t help but try to nudge the truth into the open.

“Yaoyue,” he said, his tone softening, “I’m not an outsider. If there’s something weighing on your mind, you can speak freely to me.”

Standing to the side, Wang Haoran’s heart skipped a beat. He couldn’t help but tense up. Was she really going to confess her feelings for him in front of everyone?

Then again, that didn’t seem likely.

After all, he was right here. Even if Tantai Yaoyue did want to say something to Qin Fan, she wouldn’t choose a moment like this. If she spoke up now, it would basically be a public confession. And if it came to that, why would she ever say such a thing in front of Qin Fan? No, if she really wanted to confess, she would do it privately.

Besides, considering how much she cared about Qiu Qianwei, there was no way she would blurt something like that out carelessly.

“Life rarely goes as we wish. Most of the time, eight or nine things out of ten fall short of what we hope for,” Tantai Yaoyue said softly, her voice tinged with quiet melancholy. “Some things… It’s not just about what I want.”

Qin Fan heard her words and grew even more certain. Whoever this person was, there was something blocking the two from being together. Whether it was background, identity, or something else, the obstacle clearly weighed heavily on her.

But as far as he knew, she had been living in the secluded mountains for three years. Other than himself, she hadn’t encountered any other men. He was well-versed in countless skills, from ancient martial arts to feng shui and fortune-telling. Who in this world could possibly outshine him?

If she didn’t like him… then who else could it possibly be?

The more he thought about it, the more his heart swelled with quiet excitement.

Yes, he was her master, and there was a sensitive line between them. If they truly got together, it would definitely invite gossip and judgment. And that… that must be the very thing she was hesitant about.

She probably didn’t even know if he had any romantic interest in her.

After all, during their time in the mountains, he had maintained a righteous and gentlemanly front—mostly because of the system’s restrictions. On the surface, he treated her as nothing more than a disciple, never crossing the line. Of course, she would think he didn’t see her that way.

But the truth was far different.

There were so many nights when he lay awake, her image etched in his mind, his body aching with suppressed desire. The mountain was cold and silent, but inside, he burned.

He spent three years holding back.

In truth, he wanted nothing more than to say it now—to tell her that her master had loved her for a long time, had longed for her until he couldn’t sleep at night.

But with Wang Haoran standing right there, and with the weight of his role as her master, he couldn’t just blurt that out.

Instead, he offered her something else—gentle guidance, wrapped in wisdom.

“Yaoyue, you’re not someone bound by the conventions of the mortal world. Since you’ve chosen the path of ancient martial cultivation, you should not be shackled by worldly views either. Follow your heart. That is the true Dao. If you keep burying your feelings deep down, they’ll only become shackles that slow your cultivation.”

Her eyes shimmered slightly at those words. The confusion in them began to clear a little.

“I understand, Master,” she said solemnly. Her gaze flicked over to Wang Haoran, just for an instant, then she asked in a nervous, almost whispering tone, “Then… should I let things happen naturally? Or… should I take the initiative?”

Qin Fan fell silent.

If she chose to let things unfold naturally, it meant waiting for him to make the first move. But if he did that… wouldn’t that shatter the whole upright, gentlemanly persona he had been carefully maintaining all these years?

If he made his intentions too obvious, wouldn’t she suspect that he’d been hiding desire under a false front this whole time?

That would only make her question his sincerity.

After thinking it through, he spoke with deliberate restraint.

“Physiognomy can foresee fate, but only in the form of signs and hints. It cannot reveal the true outcome of the future. The path of fate is influenced by too many unpredictable factors. Letting things flow naturally might still lead to love, yes—but compared to taking the initiative, the chances are much smaller.”

“In short, your Love Star has stirred. This is a clear sign that romance is approaching. But whether you can grasp it… that remains uncertain.”

He chose his words carefully, hiding the deeper truth behind a veil of divination.

Even so, when Tantai Yaoyue heard him, her expression shifted subtly. A light flared in her eyes, the light of contemplation—she seemed to be seriously considering what it would mean to make the first move.

Qin Fan noticed the change and felt a quiet joy rising in his chest.

Three years in the mountains. Three years of acting the part of a perfect gentleman. He didn’t even allow himself to look at her too long, much less touch her. But inside, he had long since been consumed with craving.

There were nights when he had no choice but to relieve his frustration alone, imagining her in silence. He was a man with a healthy body, locked away in seclusion for years. If not for some form of release, it would have driven him mad.

But now, the heavens had finally shown mercy.

Once she takes the first step, he would play the part of a hesitant gentleman—refusing softly, pushing gently, then… accepting her in full.

That would be the moment his long-suppressed longing will finally be fulfilled.

All this while, Wang Haoran had been silently watching from the sidelines, listening to every word between master and disciple. He studied their expressions and tone with the eye of a tactician, and it didn’t take him long to see through Qin Fan.

That man clearly harbored impure thoughts. But what Qin Fan didn’t know… was that he completely misunderstood everything.

Tantai Yaoyue’s hesitation had nothing to do with her master’s identity. Her concern was with Qiu Qianwei’s feelings—and the complicated sibling-like bond she shared with Wang Haoran.

Yes, Wang Haoran was the one who occupied her heart.

Qin Fan had been kept in the dark, and Wang Haoran couldn’t help but smirk inwardly at the irony.

Still, he couldn’t deny the tension building inside him.

If Tantai Yaoyue really did confess… how was he supposed to respond?

If he accepted, their sibling bond would be broken, and Qin Fan would almost certainly become his enemy. That would throw a wrench in everything he’d planned.

But if he rejected her… it would be such a waste.

Tantai Yaoyue was one of the seven sisters—and not just any one. She was the eldest, the one with the strongest will and the highest Charm Halo. Becoming her man would be a goldmine of Villain Points and Halo Points.

Even better, it would be a sustained harvest. Just like cutting leeks—harvest once, and it keeps growing back.

He could gain strength while chipping away at Qin Fan’s Protagonist Halo, weakening the man’s fate from the shadows.

But the real question was… could he find a way to enjoy Tantai Yaoyue’s affection without damaging their public “sibling” bond?

Wang Haoran’s mind raced as he searched for a perfect solution—one that let him eat the meat without leaving bones behind.

But it wasn’t going to be easy.

Tantai Yaoyue wasn’t just some love-struck girl. She was the eldest of the seven sisters, a woman with strong principles and a sharper intuition than most.

If he tried to take advantage of her and then pretend nothing happened… would she really let it slide?

Unlikely.

And that was the part that made it dangerous.