Of course, I am aware of the village burial."
Xu Yinhè, who had been silently smiling by the side, finally spoke up in a soft voice, "However, Xu Changtian, how did you come to know of this place?"
Meanwhile, Xu Changge, who had been recounting information about Qin Weijiu, furrowed his brows and remained silent.
Xu Yuan replied without any sense of burden, "It was that seductress who told me."
As his words were spoken, the huge circular crystal before him briefly fell into silence.
In the study of the Prime Minister's Mansion in the Imperial Capital, Xu Yinhè and Xu Changge exchanged a subtle glance.
When the Enchantress Divine Physique speaks, it's equivalent to Qin Weijiu himself saying it.
But there aren't many in the world who know of that burial village.
The level of danger from the other party seemed to warrant a more long-term plan.
This contemplation did not last long, however.
Xu Yinhè's tone was very gentle and steady, betraying not a hint of irregularity, "How did she tell you?"
Xu Yuan cleared his throat, his voice firm and upright, "I know she has a paramour."
"Is it that chap named Qin Mo?" Xu Yinhè directly named the main character of the plot.
This left Xu Yuan taken aback, but he quickly figured it out.
Most likely, Ying'er and others had reported his latest actions back to the Prime Minister.
After a brief silence, Xu Yuan didn't answer the all-powerful Prime Minister.
Instead, he directly retorted, "Father, are you monitoring me?"
"Heh…"
Sensing his third son's dissatisfaction, the spherical crystal emitted a light chuckle, its voice carrying a trace of mirth, "They voluntarily report to me, I can hardly be blamed."
After a brief pause,
Xu Yuan understood internally, but still spoke somewhat aggrievedly, "Without your orders, why would they report to you?"
This statement by his father effectively assigned Ying'er, Sizi Yu, and Zhou Chen, three Great Grandmasters, to him.
If you have the capability to subdue them, they become Xu Changtian's support and followers, and naturally, they'd cease their reports to the Prime Minister.
But if you lack the ability to subdue them, everything stays the same.
Damn it, even playing these riddles with one's own family.
It was then that Xu Changge spoke up,
"I was the one who gave them the order.
Xu Changtian, it seems you have quite the objection?"
"….."
Xu Yuan fell silent.
The father wouldn't hit him, but Xu Changge would.
Not to mention that Xu Changge had recently returned to Jingjiang Prefecture.
His father had already promised him cultivation resources; it wasn't worth the beating he'd get from Xu Changge.
After a few seconds of silence, Xu Yuan spat out irritably, "Fine, can't I just say it?
"Previously, a man named Fan Wencheng mentioned Su Jinxuan to me, calling her a beauty akin to a Heavenly Immortal.
But it seemed she had an acquaintance by the name of Qin Mo around Jiuyuan River.
After I returned to Jingjiang Prefecture, I arranged for people to look for them, and then Su Jinxuan came to me on her own."
Xu Yuan deftly placed the blame on a dead man.
A carefully selected dead man from memory.
According to the timeline of the plot, at that time, the story's protagonist was indeed traveling with Su Jinxuan around Jiuyuan River.
Fan Wencheng was a local strongman with significant influence in Jiuyuan River, one of the original character's lackeys, but he was killed by an infuriated Xu Changge over two months ago.
Sometimes dead men are more useful than the living, as the dead are the most suitable for carrying the blame.
"…"
Upon hearing this, Xu Changge raised his hand to massage his forehead.
There it goes, another case of jealousy.
However, his glance grew profound in a flash.
That Fan Wencheng had been able to mention the existence of the Enchantress Divine Physique several months ago.
If the State Preceptor's pupil had not taken the third brother away, it was likely that actions would have been taken ahead of time.
It's a pity he was killed too soon, else we might have been able to interrogate something out of him.
Xu Yinhè nodded lightly, his fingers gently tapping on the tea tray:
"So, is that Qin Mo related to the Burial Village?"
"Yes, previously Su Jinxuan tried to control me.
After she was captured, I used some methods to make her tell me something about Qin Mo."
Xu Yuan calmly stated the truth:
"She said that Qin Weijiu surmised Qin Mo might be connected to a place called Burial Village and specifically told her to pay attention to the other party."
As Xu Yuan finished speaking, the orb crystal suspended in mid-air within the underground space temporarily quieted down.
Inside the Prime Minister's Mansion study room.
Xu Yinhè's finger tapping on the tea tray paused slightly, breaking off communication with Jingjiang momentarily as he turned to his eldest son:
"Changge, what do you make of this matter?"
Xu Changge smiled somewhat helplessly:
"This third brother finally put his jealousy to good use for once."
A sentence tinged with a hint of relieved teasing.
Upon these words, a flicker of amusement crossed the profound depths of Xu Yinhè's eyes, but it was quickly restrained.
Seeing this, Xu Changge also composed himself, adopting a more serious tone:
"Father, according to the intelligence Ying'er relayed, Qin Mo's cultivation level is too weak to be feared for now, but Qin Weijiu might be more complicated.
"There are very few people in the world who know about Burial Village, let alone someone who can deduce Qin Mo's origin just by observation.
Qin Weijiu probably knows quite a bit about Burial Village.
"It's just uncertain whether he knows the exact location of Burial Village, or whether he is aware that Burial Village has already been annihilated."
"However, considering he was willing to use the rarely seen Enchantress Divine Physique as bait to control Changtian, the thing he's plotting must be significant."
As he spoke, a cold murderous intent flashed through Xu Changge's eyes:
"It's truly a pity that I couldn't kill him with one sword strike during the Tianyuan Assembly.
Now, if we want to make a move against him, just Ying'er and the other two won't be enough, we'll need to send additional manpower."
"…."
Xu Yinhè didn't respond immediately, his eyes downcast in silence for several breaths.
And Xu Changge waited quietly for his father's reply.
Eventually,
Xu Yinhè slowly lifted his eyes, his voice rising gently in the silent study:
"Indeed, it's not enough.
"Changge, you personally make a trip to Jingjiang Prefecture."
"….."
Upon hearing this, Xu Changge immediately furrowed his brow.
His earlier mention of going to Jiuyuan City was naturally to scare the third brother, how could he leave easily with the undercurrents churning in Imperial Capital?
And now his father was actually sending him to Jingjiang Prefecture?
After a moment of silence, Xu Changge asked:
"Father, but what about things here in Imperial Capital…."
Xu Yinhè gently shook his head:
"No matter,
"You previously killed that Seven Lives Python, and things have become much quieter in the Ancient Abyss.
"The key now lies in the war in the north.
"Although Wu Yuan has gone north, the earlier battle situation was far too chaotic.
It will take some time to conclude the conflict with the Barbarian Tribes, and that time should be enough for you to make the round trip from Imperial Capital."
Xu Yinhè looked at his eldest son, his profound gaze seemingly as unfathomable as a deep pool, his voice gaining a little more weight:
"The matter concerning Changtian should be handled first and foremost."
"…."
Xu Changge heard the words and fell silent.
He, of course, understood his father's words.
Many things had already reached a point of no return; any destabilizing factors that could be eliminated must be dealt with promptly.
This Qin Weijiu was too deeply hidden.
Knowledgeable of Burial Village, willing to sacrifice the Enchantress Divine Physique, and also plotting to control Changtian.
If it weren't for Changtian possessing the Innate Taoist Body, he might be under the control of the Enchantress Divine Physique by now.
If it weren't for the chance encounter by Changtian that exposed him, such a man lurking in the shadows would indeed send chills down one's spine.
///60///
Emphasis Inside the study, only the quietly burning sandalwood filled the air with its scent, and all was tranquil.
Deep in thought, Xu Changge slightly shook his head.
Though it was again a matter involving a woman, Changtian had finally given people some peace of mind this time.
The original situation of the enemy hidden and me exposed had surprisingly turned into the enemy exposed and me hidden due to that third brother.
Without alerting the enemy, if he were to quietly make his way to Jingjiang Prefecture now, he might catch the other party off guard.
Thinking about it, Xu Changge slightly nodded and said,
"Good, I will set off for Jingjiang Prefecture today."
Xu Yinhè didn't speak further, but stood up slowly, walked to the window lattice of the study, and looked out along the window.
Dayan's Imperial Capital was built atop the Seven Dragons Mountain, but after a millennium of construction and transformation, the massive mountain had already become an imposing giant city.
From the marketplace streets and house rooftops at the foot of the mountain to the Imperial City at the mountain's peak, three towering walls—the outer city, the inner city, and Imperial City—divided the vast Imperial Capital.
The Prime Minister's Mansion was situated right next to the Imperial City on the mountain peak, overlooking from above, time rendering the dense and tiered residential buildings of the Imperial Capital end to end.
After quietly watching for a moment, Xu Yinhè still uttered a word of caution,
"Changge, if the matter becomes unmanageable, then take Changtian back to the capital to plan for the long term.
Do not force it."
Hearing the caution, Xu Changge smiled faintly and replied,
"Father, rest assured, if I could gravely injure that Qin Weijiu with a single sword strike back then, I can certainly do the same now."
In recent years, that Qin Weijiu might have really encountered some fortuitous opportunity, but this would not hinder his actions.
You may have grown stronger,
But,
What does that have to do with me killing you?
This was the confidence that resided in Xu Changge's heart, he who once stood peerless in his generation.
Xu Yinhè turned to look deeply at his eldest son but did not smile,
"Changge, the world is vast."
"Naturally, Changge is aware of this."
"Hmph."
Xu Yinhè let out a slightly dissatisfied snort, but did not dissuade him further, simply giving a level instruction,
"If you come across that boy named Qin Mo on the way, remember to personally eliminate him."
Xu Changge lifted his eyes slightly, revealing a trace of surprise.
That Qin Mo barely reached Eighth Grade Refining Vessels near his twentieth year; why would such a worthless person require Father's special attention?
After a second's gaze,
Xu Yinhè started explaining softly:
"Most likely, Qin Mo was raised along with that group of scourges.
There were even several Primordial entities in that burial village, and for him to have such a cultivation level at such an age is not normal; perhaps he has been practicing some Secret Technique that allows for rapid accumulation and breakthrough, which could cause some trouble if he grows rapidly."
Pausing for a moment,
Xu Yinhè's eyes carried a connotation within them:
"Moreover, he may have in his hands one of the secret treasures from that burial village."
Secret treasure?
Xu Changge raised an eyebrow.
"Soul Nourishing Ring."
Xu Yinhè uttered three words and continued, "When that burial village was destroyed, I searched the entire forest and still couldn't find this item; perhaps this Soul Ring is in Qin Mo's hands."
"Soul Nourishing Ring?"
Xu Changge's eyes clouded with confusion; his father had never mentioned this item to him before.
When dealing with his eldest son, Xu Yinhè had no intention of playing the enigmatic sage, and he explained directly:
"This ring can house and nurture the spirit.
If that ancient book is correct, this item should contain the Will-spirit of a Saint."
"A Saint?" Xu Changge's frown deepened.
When it came to the word "Saint," Xu Yinhè's tone was not very serious, and his gaze even had a hint of disdain:
"You don't need to worry too much; even Saints cannot overcome the ravages of time, let alone as just a lingering spirit."
"Besides, this so-called Saint who chose to hide within that Soul Ring and cling to life up until now is no more than a craven dog, afraid of death."
"If you exert your full strength, killing him will be as easy as flipping your hand."
"Alright, you can go now."
With that,
Xu Yinhè turned his back.
Seeing this, Xu Changge rose, bowed respectfully, and turned to walk out of the study.
As he reached for the door intending to leave swiftly,
"By the way."
"….."
Xu Changge paused in his steps and immediately turned to look.
"Before you leave, remember to take some Elixir Medicine from the mansion to bring with you."
"….."
Stunned by the words, Xu Changge quickly bowed and said with a light chuckle,
"Yes, Father."
…
…
The vast underground chamber was empty except for the communication sphere that emitted bursts of white light.
Xu Yuan had already been standing there alone for several minutes.
This thing doesn't have a call alert, so there's no way to know if the person on the other end has hung up.
However, since the other side wasn't speaking, Xu Yuan was content to enjoy the quiet, gently probing the complex communication formation patterns below the sphere with his Will-spirit.
When it came to new things, he always had a strong urge to explore.
He wanted to see how this formation could achieve long-distance communication, but after toying around for a while, he was only left confused by the intricate patterns.
The logic was completely impenetrable.
After his urge to explore was spent, he had no intention of delving deeper and promptly withdrew his Will-spirit back into his Sea of Consciousness.
Don't ask how communication is achieved.
If you ask, the answer is Origin Qi, the answer is Formation.
However, speaking of formations, some information he had seen previously in the library came to Xu Yuan's mind.
The formations in this world were not only used for offense and aiding in cultivation; they were also deeply integrated into every aspect of the lives of the dawn population.
The Imperial Court even set up specialized agencies for the study of civilian-use formations.
The Bright Pattern Lamps on the streets for lighting up the night market,
The Soundproofing Formations carved into homes to isolate noise,
The Heater Formations that could gather heat for warmth during winter,
And even some high-end carriages had special Stabilization Devices to reduce vibrations.
With such devices, no matter how much the carriage shook inside, everything would remain as stable as ever, more durable than a bed, heh…
"Third Young Master."
In the silent chamber, a sudden soft call from behind startled Xu Yuan, who was thinking about serious matters.
He turned his head slightly to look.
As expected, it was Ying'er, that woman again.
And by her side, a little old man with half-white hair.
The steward of Jingjiang Prefecture's residence.
His cultivation level wasn't high, just barely into the grades, not even reaching Ninth Grade, but he held considerable power here in Jingjiang because he was good at management, a standard managerial talent.
Xu Yuan took a deep breath and said to Ying'er:
"Next time you appear, make some noise; don't be like a ghost."
"Oh."
Ying'er lowered her eyes and nodded, not sure if she really listened, but she said evenly,
"Communication with the Prime Minister has been cut off.
Do you have any more messages for him?"
Great, the other side had hung up the communication without saying a word, again.
Without a word, Xu Yuan turned and headed towards the ground.
His purpose had been achieved.
He had managed to bring the story's main character and that hidden Qin Weijiu into his father's field of vision, and as a person, he would surely take notice.
So whatever happened next had nothing to do with him anymore.
And just as he turned, the half-white-haired steward immediately followed, his tone humbly ingratiating:
"Third Young Master, Third Young Master…"
Xu Yuan glanced sideways at the half-white-haired steward.
Low in power, but heavy in authority.
A typical case of having great responsibility without much rank, and in his memory, this little old man always knew his place well.
Ever since he arrived at Jingjiang Prefecture, this little old man never stopped offering money and women.
"What do you need, Steward Li?"
The obsequious tone remained in Steward Li's voice:
"Heh heh, Third Young Master, regarding the internal reports you had ordered, they have all been delivered to your chamber this past ten-day period."
"Is that so?
I got it," Xu Yuan nodded.
But it seemed the little old man had no intention of stopping; he crept closer with a secretive air and pulled out a scroll from his sleeves:
"Third Young Master, here is a secret report that came from Jin City in Jiangnan Prefecture the day before yesterday.
Please take a look."
///61///
The Traditional Skills of the Villain Xu Yuan glanced at the cylindrical paper secret report in front of him, feeling slightly surprised.
Surprised by the efficiency of the staff below him,
and surprised that it wasn't Zhou Chen who handed him this secret report, but this steward instead.
He had ordered Zhou Chen to handle this matter, and given Zhou Chen's current idle working state, he would most likely not miss such an opportunity to show diligence.
Yet, the fact was that the secret report wasn't delivered by Zhou Chen.
So, there was only one reason left.
The procedure was not right; Zhou Chen had no authority to interfere with the Black Scale Guards, let alone the intelligence system of the Prime Minister's Mansion.
In this way, the matter became somewhat interesting.
The intelligence system of the Prime Minister's Mansion was extensive, and the Black Scale Guards from which Ying'er came was just one of them.
Under the Tian'an Commerce Assembly, places like Hook Bars, wine shops, and various pawnshops and money houses also had the function to collect intelligence.
Commands were issued from above, intelligence was gathered below, and after layer-by-layer filtration to eliminate the useless and retain the useful, the summarized information would be encrypted and transmitted back.
Surprisingly, the person in charge of receiving these contacts was a mere estate steward.
The power was greater than he had imagined.
However, Xu Yuan soon came to terms with it.
The influence of the comics and anime he saw in his previous life was still somewhat deeply ingrained.
It made him subconsciously believe that in an extraordinary world, the power in one's hands must be equal to one's own strength.
Yet real-life cultivation talent and management ability were not necessarily linked; if a bunch of muscle-headed laymen were to manage an industry, even the largest family business might be squandered away.
This kind of power structure was quite stable for the upper echelons; the stewards of the various industries of the Sects were like the eunuchs in a royal court from his previous life, possessing no cultivation and could only blindly rely on their masters, with almost no chance of becoming independent and powerful.
Reaching out to take the scroll of the secret report, Xu Yuan prepared to open it, but found that there was a faint layer of Origin Qi fluctuating on it, along with some simple Formation Patterns flowing.
After carefully sensing the Formation Patterns on the surface of the scroll, Xu Yuan's gaze became somewhat strange.
This was…
A cipher lock?
Seeing Xu Yuan take the scroll without any hesitation, the old steward immediately smiled obsequiously and said,
"Third Young Master, if the secret report is directly opened or forcibly broken into, it will automatically shatter.
It requires a special method to be opened."
Xu Yuan gave him a glance, "Can you unlock it?"
Formations could be used in this way, interesting.
The steward rubbed his hands together:
"You're joking, how could this old man know how to unlock the Black Scale Guards' cipher?
Besides, I only handle these secret reports for safekeeping."
With that,
he cast a sideways glance at Ying'er, who was following behind.
It seemed that the secret reports were only handled by these mortal stewards for categorization and storage, without any authority to access them.
This was probably to prevent these mortal stewards from divulging information after being enchanted.
Xu Yuan casually tossed the secret report to Ying'er who was behind him;
"Open it."
Ying'er silently took it, not minding Xu Yuan's Will-spirit observation, and directly unlocked the Formation, then handed it back to Xu Yuan.
As Xu Yuan retrieved the secret report, Origin Qi entered his eyes, and his pupils flashed with blood, browsing while casually asking the old steward:
"The Elixir Medicine from the mansion, is it retrieved from you?"
His Elixir Medicine was gone, and without the little green bottle, he could only ask for it from his father, the Prime Minister's, possessions.
"Indeed, the finances and Elixir Medicine within the mansion are indeed managed by me," the steward said, his eyes darting around as he replied in a low voice with a smile, "But Young Master, everything in the storeroom belongs to the mansion, and I dare not tamper with them…"
"Don't be nervous."
Xu Yuan glanced at him, knowing that the steward was worried that he, the Third Young Master, was about to make another unwarranted request.
He spoke softly,
"My father's orders will come down soon.
You go check the inventory in the storeroom to see if there's the Elixir Medicine that I need."
Hearing this, the steward could not deny and sheepishly smiled:
"Alright, Young Master, just tell me what you need."
Xu Yuan casually listed several types of Elixir Medicine he currently needed.
Steward Li's face turned dark with displeasure.
Those items were such that even the Protector of the Prime Minister's Mansion at the Integration Body Realm, Fourth Grade, couldn't get his hands on more than a few grains a year, yet the Third Young Master was asking for them by the bottle.
Deciding in his heart, the best outcome would be if the Prime Minister indeed issued such an order.
If not, he would have to avoid the Third Young Master for some time.
With this in mind, Steward Li's tone remained humble:
"This old servant will go and fetch them for you.
Is there anything else you wish to instruct?"
As they spoke, the three of them had already emerged from the basement, into the vast, azure sky.
Xu Yuan narrowed his eyes, glanced at the Protector outside the secret chamber, and asked softly after a short pause:
"I arranged for someone to look for a man named Qin Mo.
Do you know of this?"
"….."
Upon hearing this, Steward Li's eye twitched.
The Iron Body Peak talent Xue Yong was killed because of this matter.
How could he, as the steward, not be aware?
After a moment of silence, Steward Li replied cautiously:
"I'm aware."
"Any progress?"
"..There is."
His answer was affirmative, but his tone was weak.
Understanding the situation, Xu Yuan let out a slight sigh:
"Did you take action?"
He remembered that the initial order was only to monitor and track.
Steward Li explained lightly:
"The man was quite vigilant.
Upon realizing he was being tracked, he attempted to escape, and our men had no choice but to act."
"And the result of your action was to let him escape?"
"…Yes." Steward Li watched Xu Yuan's expression.
But Xu Yuan's face showed no particular emotion, and his tone remained even:
"Explain the process to me in detail."
Steward Li chose his words carefully, and spoke softly:
"After receiving your instructions, this old servant immediately set about making arrangements.
During the days you were in seclusion, we located the man in the eastern part of the city.
However, this person was quite troublesome, as the several Bone Tempering Protectors who found him were no match for him at all.
By the time the rest of the Protectors from the mansion arrived, the man had already vanished."
"And there's been no news since then?" Xu Yuan's voice was gentle and calm.
"There was one more time…." Steward Li said begrudgingly.
"Go on."
"We tracked the man to Changhong Valley, over a hundred and twenty li outside the western city.
But…
his strength was formidable.
Despite only being an Eighth Grade Bone Tempering cultivator, he was not someone even two Seventh Grade Bone Tempering experts leading a team could handle."
"Wiped out?"
"One escaped back."
"….." Xu Yuan.
After a quiet second, Xu Yuan looked at Steward Li and asked with genuine puzzlement:
"Why not send Sixth Grade to reinforce?
I recall that there are no few Sixth Grade Peak among my guards, and there should also be Fifth Grade Soul Condensation Realm experts within the mansion."
At this question, Steward Li's cheek twitched, and he explained in a low voice:
"Third Young Master, although the old servant is in charge of distributing the monthly wages of the entire Jingjiang Prefecture, I do not have the authority to directly dispatch Protectors above the Bone Tempering Realm, and your guards are not supposed to leave your side according to the rules.
"Moreover…
who could have predicted that this foe was capable of killing beyond his level?"
As he said this, Steward Li hesitated, then coughed lightly:
"But rest assured, young master.
There is only one exit from Changhong Valley.
I have already reported this matter to the main mansion.
Once permission was granted, three Iron Body Realm experts have now been dispatched to wait for him outside the valley entrance."
///62///
Hundred Punishments of the Black Scales Hearing Manager Li's quite confident words, Xu Yuan felt a headache coming on.
Wait?
Wait for what?
Wait for the protagonist to come out of the Changhong Valley instance and kill you all?
Xu Yuan felt somewhat helpless.
To say that these subordinates were brainlessly foolish would not be entirely fair, after all, they did not have the God's-eye view that he once had.
Lack of information, rules, and some conventional wisdom made their current judgment seem normal.
Xu Yuan did not yet know how big the gap was between Eighth Grade and Seventh Grade, but he had a rough idea of the gap between Ninth Grade and Eighth Grade.
Not considering physical improvement, the storage of Origin Qi at Ninth Grade was only one third of that at Eighth Grade, and the speed of cultivation technique operation was half as slow.
With such a disparity, two Seventh Grade leaders and a group of Eighth Grade followers being wiped out could only mean that Qin Mo truly deserved to be the protagonist.
However, Qin Mo's visit to Changhong Valley did let him confirm which path the other was taking.
The Grandfather Route.
Murphy's Law did not deceive me.
He sighed softly.
The reason for the protagonist's trip to Changhong Valley this time was simple,
Guidance from the grandfather.
Within Changhong Valley, there was a secret realm, and inside that realm, there was a spiritual medicine that could help the grandfather recover his Soul Power.
Of course,
Besides helping the grandfather with him, following the protagonist's principle of never leaving a dungeon empty-handed, Qin Mo would also greatly enhance his own strength after fighting monsters, consuming medicines, and leveling up inside that secret realm.
According to the Cang Yuan plot, this power was just enough to confront those Xu Residence guards blocking the door.
Fighting all the way through, using all sorts of methods, ultimately leading to a confrontation with the original self waiting at the entrance of the valley.
Yes, Changhong Valley was one of the places where the original self's bones were buried.
In the Cang Yuan storyline of the Grandfather Route, the original self took Su Jinxuan and his followers to wait for the protagonist at the entrance of Changhong Valley.
The plan was to kill Qin Mo in front of Su Jinxuan so she would give up on him.
Then he ended up getting killed instead.
As the thoughts flashed through his mind, Xu Yuan promptly gave an order:
"Have those guards return."
"Ah?" Manager Li was somewhat stunned.
Xu Yuan stared at him for two seconds and repeated:
"I said, have them come back."
Manager Li did not understand but quickly bowed and responded:
"Yes, Third Young Master."
Xu Yuan snorted coldly and pointed towards the gate in front.
Seeing this, Manager Li knew this was the Third Young Master instructing him to carry out the order, and with a bow, he said:
"Third Young Master, this old servant will take care of it right away, and I shall take my leave for now."
After speaking, Manager Li bowed again and quickly left.
Watching the other vanish around the corner, Xu Yuan walked forward with his eyes downcast.
He felt somewhat nauseous.
The Qin Mo of the Grandfather Route was like a hedgehog, and now, there was also the unknown Qin Weijiu lurking in the dark.
Even with Ying'er and three other Great Grandmasters following him, trying to block the door and forcibly kill the other was not very realistic, and there was even a chance he would get counter-killed.
Unless…
An image of a large black ice lump unconsciously surfaced in Xu Yuan's mind.
Unless Ran Qingmo came to find him at this point in time.
After all, he had said when they parted that if she found no other way to save the Sword Sect, she could come find him in Jingjiang Prefecture.
Using a favor to get her help, he estimated that they could then directly head to Changhong Valley to block the door.
Of course, that was just a thought.
Expecting Ran Qingmo to come to him, Xu Yuan might as well hope that the old man in the Imperial Capital would be more appreciative of Qin Mo.
After all,
That "grandfather" was a revered Saint in his lifetime.
In this world,
One must transcend beyond the supreme to become a Saint.
…
He proceeded in silence from the northwestern courtyard to the lakeside wetlands.
The cold winter breeze from the lake brushed against his face,
As Xu Yuan walked ahead, looking at the secret reports, with Ying'er following behind.
Suddenly,
A light smile appeared on the corner of Xu Yuan's lips.
After reading the secret report, his mood suddenly improved a great deal.
The situation on Su Jinxuan's end was almost exactly as he had guessed.
Moreover, he discovered the species known as 'useless teammates' was not unique to his side.
There were quite a few greedy fools among Mr.
Qin's subordinates as well.
With a thought, he stored the secret report in the Sumeru Ring and Xu Yuan asked aloud,
"Ying'er, did you go see that seductress just now?"
Ying'er replied softly, "I haven't seen her yet, but I have asked the maidservant who looks after her."
"How is the situation?"
"It seems like there are some mental issues, even if you remove the restraints, she just shrinks in the corner of the bed without speaking."
"Is that so…."
Hearing this, Xu Yuan wasn't too surprised.
It could only be said to be as expected.
In his previous life, someone confined in an active punishment cell for three days could be driven mad, let alone being unable to move while deeply sunk into a soft bed.
The deathly silence of such seemingly endless solitude driving one mad was not strange at all.
After a pause, Xu Yuan said quietly,
"The duration of this torture shouldn't be too long; it can drive people insane."
Ying'er nodded slightly, her voice fluctuating a bit,
"Mmm, I just asked the maidservant who feeds her the Spiritual Spring water.
She said the one with the Enchantress Divine Physique has been in extreme pain this past ten days, constantly twisting and struggling on the bed until exhaustion provides her brief respite."
After a pause,
Ying'er looked into Xu Yuan's eyes, very seriously,
"This punishment is devious; it could be placed among the Black Scale Hundred Punishments."
"…." Xu Yuan.
Without waiting for a response, Ying'er continued,
"I have reported this method of punishment to Lady Lou Ji.
According to the rules, a reward will be issued to the Third Young Master."
Xu Yuan's eyelids twitched.
Lou Ji, one of his father's fiercely loyal subordinates, was in charge of the Black Scale Guards.
A figure depicted as scantily clad, but with a seductively enchanting appearance.
He remembered seeing her in the Imperial Capital at the Prime Minister's Mansion; indeed, she was enchanting and indeed, scantily clad.
However, what Xu Yuan didn't expect was for a torture method to be rewarded within the Black Scale Guards.
Exhaling softly, Xu Yuan asked quietly,
"What reward?"
"Lady Lou Ji said once the Young Master returns to the Imperial Capital, she will personally give it to you."
"…"
Upon hearing this, some unpleasant memories surged in his mind, and Xu Yuan smirked with amusement,
"Heh…
Tell that old aunt Lou Ji that this young master isn't interested in her reward."
Ying'er was briefly silent but nodded nonetheless,
"I will convey it to Lady Lou Ji."
Xu Yuan waved his hand dismissively,
"Alright, let's not talk about this.
Where is that seductress now?"
"In the northern garden over there."
"Take me to see her, I have something to ask of her."
"…"
Silence heralded their way.
Half a quarter of an hour later, the northern garden's secret chamber.
Only by infusing Origin Qi into his eyes could Xu Yuan barely make out the pitch-black stairway.
Ying'er did not follow him down.
The narrow stairway ended at a small cubic chamber where, with the aid of Origin Qi, Xu Yuan could vaguely see a large bed in the center of the room.
"Tap…
tap…
tap…"
The sound of footsteps seemed to bring hope to the person on the bed.
"Rustle rustle…."
A faint rustling sound gradually emerged from the bed.
Eventually, Xu Yuan stopped at the edge of the plush bed.
Standing quietly for a long while, Xu Yuan let out a slight breath and gently caressed the woman's tear-streaked cheek with the back of his hand.
Unexpectedly,
She did not resist.
Instead, like a person drowning in the sea who grasps a plank of wood, she rubbed her cheek against the only tangible sensation she could touch….
////63///
The Drowning Person Walking along the narrow passageway leading to the surface, the surroundings were as dark as death itself.
Their footsteps were so light that Xu Yuan could clearly hear the disordered breathing of the woman beside him.
She was clutching his wrist.
Both hands were clinging, holding on very tightly, as if terrified that this tangible feeling would suddenly dissipate.
Xu Yuan silently continued climbing upwards.
Su Jinxuan's charming brows and eyes no longer held the seductive allure they had at first sight, only a pitiable trace of helplessness.
"In such a serene environment, has Miss Su been sleeping well these days?"
The man's voice, gentle and refined as jade, suddenly echoed in the silent extended corridor.
This time,
he did not call her Jinxuan.
After a two-second silence,
her slightly trembling voice came through:
"Xu…
Xu Changtian, you, you're just a devil, if you have the guts, just kill me directly."
She no longer called him Third Young Master.
In this roundabout display of superficial affection, there was no use.
She was afraid,
she loathed,
she wanted to kill the devil-like man beside her.
Hearing her words, Xu Yuan was not annoyed; he chuckled softly:
"If I am a devil, then why is Miss Su holding onto me so tightly?"
"…" Su Jinxuan fell silent, but she did not let go.
Seeing this, Xu Yuan casually pulled his wrist free from her tight grasp.
"Ah…."
The sense of solidity her hands had held onto vanished, and Su Jinxuan immediately let out a panicked cry, then began to frantically search for his presence.
Xu Yuan controlled his footsteps, silently stepping to the side, Origin Qi entering his sight, silently watching the woman groping in the dark corridor.
Was her reaction exaggerated?
It was not exaggerated.
In the beginning, when he went to the experience hall to do this, even including the time he slept, he only lasted a few hours.
The first few minutes felt quite novel, quite inconsequential, even the softness surrounding him was rather comfortable.
But as time passed, the soundless darkness caused the restlessness in his heart to rapidly spread.
To persevere during such times, one must divert attention, thinking about things from the past.
Xu Yuan had done just this in the experience hall back then, and while reminiscing, he even fell asleep due to fatigue from the day before.
But do you think everything is fine after you fall asleep?
Not at all.
It was after waking up that the real ordeal began, the kind of silence all around, the feeling of struggling helplessly in softness, unable to make a sound, as if eternally falling into an abyss, that's the despairing stuff.
And these complicated negative feelings of despair occurred even though Xu Yuan had mentally prepared, knowing he could release himself from the restraints at any time.
When Su Jinxuan woke up, there was no professional staff to help her loosen the binds as she struggled.
She didn't know how long she would be tied in this place.
All that awaited her was struggle, struggling until she was tired and dozed off, and after waking up being devoured again by the deathly silence without knowing the time or space.
Over and over again.
Having endured ten days, Xu Yuan was deeply impressed that Su Jinxuan had not gone mad.
After groping for a while and failing to find his body again, Su Jinxuan simply hugged her arms across her chest and crouched down on the ground, curling up.
She did not beg for mercy; she just stubbornly bit her lip, hugging her legs and curling up against the wall.
After quietly watching for a few moments, Xu Yuan rubbed his brow.
Seeing her like this, why did it feel like he had become some kind of villain?
It was this woman who had attacked him for no reason first.
If it wasn't for his Innate Soul Body's will-spirit being firm and consolidated, he would have already become her dog by now.
"Hmph."
A soft snort.
Su Jinxuan immediately looked in the direction from which the sound came, her alluring peach blossom eyes misty with a trace of haze.
But she had no cultivation, and the bizarre will-spirit spores of the Enchantress Divine Physique had all been sealed away, she could not even introspect, let alone see in this darkness.
Xu Yuan watched her thus and no longer controlled his footsteps.
Maybe she was acting, maybe she truly was frightened.
But none of that mattered.
The secret report from Jin City was enough for him to do a lot to her.
He walked slowly to Su Jinxuan's side and crouched down:
"Miss Su, stop being so stubborn, alright?"
As he spoke, he slowly reached out his hand and gently placed it on her curled-up knees:
"Hold on to me, we're going up."
"..."
"..."
...
Changhong Valley, Secret Realm.
This was already the third day since Qin Mo had entered this particular Secret Realm space, and the first day his injuries had healed.
Hiding in a cave, he stealthily peered outside.
Blood-red and eerie mist pervaded the entire Secret Realm, with vague and elusive shadows drifting through the fog.
Besides that,
There was the "boom—" "boom—" of the earth's trembling that accompanied it.
Those were footsteps.
Looking up, he could faintly make out some huge and hazy figures wandering aimlessly through the blood fog.
"Old man, old man…"
Qin Mo called out with his will-spirit in his mind.
Soon, a deep voice, as if it came with its own bass, lazily responded to him:
"Hmm?
What's up?"
Qin Mo's inner voice was a tad exasperated:
"You didn't mention these monsters; what are these damned things?"
The middle-aged voice chuckled, unfazed: "Don't make a fuss; they're just Demonic Beasts that have been mutated by foreign ghosts, containing Demon Crystals.
These things are a great supplement for your Cultivation Technique."
Qin Mo couldn't hide his irritation, and he sneered with frustration in his mind; "Supplement your own head, I'll be thankful if I'm not squashed dead by these things!"
"Hehe~"
The middle-aged voice laughed lightly: "Don't be hasty.
This Secret Realm was once breached by foreign ghosts; there should have been some ordinary people taking shelter here.
With your current strength, you should be able to kill these mutated ordinary people.
"Moreover, if you desire my power to rescue your beloved, you must take some risk.
However, I'd still like to advise you, taking offense on behalf of a beauty is a foolish thing to do."
He paused for a moment,
And then the middle-aged voice reminded him casually:
"The man you saw last time driving the carriage should be a Third Grade Great Master, and the person behind that Third Young Master should be reasonably powerful too.
If you kill him, you'll really spark a major vendetta."
Qin Mo gathered his spirit, exhaled softly and asked in a low voice:
"Miss Su saved me, she was forced, I can't just sit by and do nothing.
Besides, old man, as you saw earlier, even if I don't kill that dandy, he surely won't let me off."
The middle-aged voice sighed slightly, and chuckled inappropriately: "If you had taken my advice earlier and gone for that Great Yin Yang Joyful Powder, you wouldn't be having all these troubles.
One dose of the Joyful Powder and you'd have her in bed already."
"…." Qin Mo fell silent.
Seeing his silence, the middle-aged voice stopped teasing and said in a low voice:
"Just kidding, don't get angry.
That girl has the Enchantress Divine Physique.
I reckon by now that Third Young Master has already fallen under her control.
As long as they don't notice anything odd about that so-called Third Young Master, she is safe."
Qin Mo breathed a sigh of relief:
"Old man, you say these things are Demonic Beasts mutated by foreign ghosts?
What are foreign ghosts?"
"You don't know what foreign ghosts are?"
The middle-aged voice seemed surprised, but then he sighed deeply: "It seems a lot has happened over these few thousand years; ah, back in the day…"
"Old man…
can you cut the chatter?" Qin Mo interrupted with a complaint.
The middle-aged voice seemed a bit wronged: "Stuck in this Soul Nourishing Ring for thousands of years with no one to talk to, I could only delve into Cultivation Techniques.
Now that I've passed the techniques on to you, you won't even humor an old man with a brief chat…"
"…." Qin Mo.
"Hahaha." The middle-aged voice burst into laughter, then swiftly composed himself and spoke seriously: "Alright, no more jokes.
Foreign ghosts come from the depths of the Great Desert, a very dangerous kind of existence.
If it hadn't been for the surge of Origin Qi and the emergence of heroes, these foreign ghosts might have already wiped out our human race."
Qin Mo furrowed his brow.
Dayan is bordered by the sea to the east, the Barbarian Tribes to the north, the Great Desert to the northwest, and the Ancient Abyss to the southwest, with only the south being the most stable.
Because it shares its border with the Great Desert.
According to the information he knew, the Great Desert was nothing more than a barren land unsuitable for any living creature.
"Is the Great Desert that dangerous?"
"Or what?"
The middle-aged voice said with some emotion:
"Kid, only a Saint can create a space.
"Yet, this Secret Realm space was breached by foreign ghosts.
What does this imply?
Surely you can figure that out, right?"
///64////
The Profound Corridor In the dark corridor,
Xu Yuan didn't speak or urge her on, he simply placed his hand in front of her gently.
Su Jinxuan's breathing was the only sound in this place, slightly hurried.
Biting her red lips tightly, her small canine tooth pierced the skin at the corner, blood oozing out without her noticing.
Xu Yuan watched her in silence.
Watched her struggle,
Watched her anger,
Watched her unwillingness,
And,
Watched her wavering.
Having experienced it himself, Xu Yuan knew what Su Jinxuan needed at this moment.
Long silence passed.
Su Jinxuan took a deep breath and slightly loosened the arms that were hugging her legs.
It's okay…
This isn't surrender, just a ploy to deceive this bastard…
Make him lower his guard towards her…
Yes, just to make him lower his guard, not to surrender…
As long as she wasn't dead, as long as she could stay by his side, she still had a chance…
Thinking this, Su Jinxuan slowly reached out her trembling hand, attempting to grasp the only person she could touch.
But before she could make contact, the person in front of her drew back his hand.
"If Miss Su is unwilling, then let it be."
"…." Su Jinxuan.
Xu Yuan slightly lifted his hand, and the Blood Essence Meteoring Art silently activated, a flame rising from the palm of his hand.
The weak yet bewitching blood flame illuminated the gloomy and narrow corridor, the sudden light causing Su Jinxuan's eyes to feel discomfort, but it was weak enough for her to still see the smile in the man's slender eyes.
"….." Su Jinxuan clenched her fists immediately.
Xu Yuan glanced at Su Jinxuan, who was crouching by the wall.
Without a word, he chuckled and walked away.
Su Jinxuan lowered her beautiful eyes, her breathing erratic and rapid, her fingernails unknowingly digging into the skin of her palms.
She was being toyed with by the man before her.
The complexity of her thoughts made her breathing even harder for a moment.
Yet Xu Yuan's steps didn't falter with her distraction, moving upward steadily and unhurriedly.
Slowly, the light and the footsteps both faded, and just as darkness was about to engulf Su Jinxuan again, she suddenly snapped back to reality.
Glancing at the despairing darkness below, she bit her teeth and got up, quickly chasing after the receding light…
A moment later,
Hearing the footsteps that had been following not far behind, Xu Yuan suddenly spoke with a light laugh:
"Seeing Miss Su not moving just now, I thought you had taken a liking to this secret chamber."
"….."
Silence for two seconds.
Su Jinxuan's clear voice traveled up from ten or so meters down the corridor:
"Rumors are indeed true…
Xu Changtian, your character is truly despicable."
"Despicable?
Miss Su shouldn't talk nonsense, I consider myself to be quite mild-mannered."
Su Jinxuan's voice trembled:
"Mild-mannered?
Xu Changtian, you dare say you are mild-tempered after devising such sinister punishments?"
"What conflict is there between the two?"
Xu Yuan's tone remained unchanged, still smiling: "Does researching punishments mean my character is despicable?
Also, Miss Su, haven't you mistaken something?"
"The relationship between us is far from that of kindred or friends."
He paused,
His voice carried a touch of mockingly playful scorn:
"You wouldn't expect this young master to return evil with kindness and treat you, who almost killed me, like a friend, would you?"
The long corridor dragged out his voice.
Su Jinxuan, who was following far behind, fell into silence at those words.
There was no further conversation,
and the two of them, one after the other, walked along the narrow passageway to the platform at its end.
The platform wasn't large, but it had a stone door.
Su Jinxuan stopped two meters behind Xu Yuan.
Xu Yuan slowly turned around, looking at Su Jinxuan, who was silently looking down, and tossed a long black silk ribbon to her with a casual command:
"Put it on."
"…."
Su Jinxuan caught it subconsciously, glanced at the ribbon in her hand, then looked up again, her gaze carrying a hint of wariness.
But Xu Yuan's gaze was only calm as he looked back at her.
Eventually,
Su Jinxuan shifted her gaze away and began silently winding the black silk ribbon around her wrists...
"…."
Xu Yuan watched her actions with a strange look in his eyes.
He couldn't understand what she was doing.
"What are you…
doing?"
Su Jinxuan raised her eyes and coldly retorted:
"Aren't you telling me to tie myself up?"
Her voice was quite cold, but due to her innate Enchantress Divine Physique, her words carried an unintentional trace of allure.
Xu Yuan looked helpless and shook his head:
"Who asked you to bind yourself?
The silk ribbon is for covering your eyes."
Su Jinxuan's gaze grew more vigilant upon hearing this.
Xu Yuan simply stared at her with an indifferent smile:
"You have no cultivation to protect your eyes; it would be for the best to listen to me if you don't want to go blind, especially since it's sunny outside today."
"…."
Su Jinxuan pursed her red lips and looked away.
She realized what he meant.
After a few moments of silence, without speaking or thanking him, she just silently wrapped the long black silk ribbon over her eyes.
Darkness once again enveloped the surroundings.
The light before her eyes vanished once more, and the pervading darkness slowly brought back the creeping fear in her heart.
"Is it on?" he asked.
"Mm," she replied.
"Then I'll open the door."
As Xu Yuan finished speaking,
the next moment,
the stone door at the entrance to the secret chamber rumbled open.
Sunlight streamed through the stone door into the dark passageway, unfortunately, Su Jinxuan couldn't see it.
In the lonely darkness, waves of a suffocating feeling, like drowning, swept over her.
She forced her body not to tremble with fear and groped forward according to her memory.
"You're not thinking of walking out with your eyes covered, are you?"
A voice tinged with laughter came from in front of her.
Then, that person reached out and grabbed her wrist which was slowly feeling along the stone wall.
The comfortable warmth from his palm made Su Jinxuan involuntarily clench her hand.
Xu Yuan glanced at the noticeably tenser face of this Enchantress Divine Physique and said with a smile:
"Relax a little, I'll let you know in advance if there are stairs, no need to be so tense."
After saying that,
he led her out of the dark and silent secret chamber...
////65///
Persuasion Due to the curtains being drawn across the windows, the entire room appeared somewhat dim.
Wafts of food aroma gently drifted out from the gap under the door.
Three meat dishes, one vegetable, and a soup—the heavenly delicacies crafted by the head chef of the Jingjiang Xu Residence.
The black silk blindfold that had covered Su Jinxuan's eyes had already been removed, her charming peach blossom eyes cast low as she sat beside the wooden table in the side room, delicately picking at the food with bamboo chopsticks.
Xu Yuan had sipped from the Spiritual Spring during his cultivation yesterday, and wasn't hungry yet, so he sat quietly to one side with an amused expression, waiting for her.
Su Jinxuan's movements were gentle, like a lady of a noble household, chewing slowly and deliberately, yet her expression while eating was resolute.
As if she were having a final meal before execution.
Ever since he had brought her to his side room, this Enchantress Demoness had maintained a look as though she were prepared to meet her death with dignity.
He guessed that this woman probably intended to remain tight-lipped to the end, not revealing a single piece of information.
Looking at her expression now, she had most likely steeled herself for being thrown into that secret chamber.
But this wasn't unexpected for Xu Yuan.
If one's most esteemed benefactor could be betrayed so trivially, then Su Jinxuan certainly didn't deserve to be one of Cang Yuan's female leads.
The side room was silent except for the occasional soft clink of bamboo chopsticks touching the porcelain bowl.
After slowly and thoroughly finishing her meal, Su Jinxuan set down the chopsticks and glanced around.
Xu Yuan casually retrieved a black brocade handkerchief from the Sumeru Ring and tossed it to her:
"Here you go, no need to return it."
"…"
Su Jinxuan didn't catch it.
The black brocade handkerchief floated gently down, landing on her thighs wrapped in semi-transparent white silk stockings.
Xu Yuan said with a neutral smile:
"Don't worry, I haven't used it."
"…"
Only after hearing this did Su Jinxuan silently pick up the modest-sized black brocade handkerchief from her thigh.
She had a proper demeanor, and began using the handkerchief to carefully dab at the corners of her mouth when suddenly:
"Ah, my mistake, I seem to have used this black one."
"…" Su Jinxuan.
After a two-second stare,
seeing her chest heave with indignation, Xu Yuan chuckled:
"Don't look at me like that, it was just a joke.
I haven't had a proper meal these days."
That was the truth.
With something like the Spiritual Spring, akin to a Fasting Pill, one could stay indoors and cultivate for twenty-four hours without even the need to relieve oneself.
These past days, Su Jinxuan had been 'fed' with this Spiritual Spring as well.
Su Jinxuan took the black handkerchief away from her lips and held it tightly on her lap:
"Xu Changtian, do you find it amusing to toy with me?"
"If it weren't amusing, why would I toy with you?"
"….."
For a moment, Su Jinxuan felt an urge to rush forward and fight Xu Changtian to the death.
But as this impulse just started to surge,
Xu Yuan gently tapped the wooden table in front of him, smiling with curved eyes:
"Of course, if I didn't have use for you, I'd actually prefer to just kill you rather than toy with you."
A look that suggested direction, the domineering Xu Changge.
A tone that suggested guidance, the Grandmaster Zhou who kills without batting an eye.
"….."
Panic flitted through Su Jinxuan's eyes, but it was swiftly replaced by a cold sneer:
"Then just kill me…."
"Stop talking nonsense."
Xu Yuan waved his hand impatiently: "You know I won't kill you.
Now you have two choices, first, I send you back to the secret room to continue being locked up; second…."
"I choose one," Su Jinxuan interrupted, jutting her chin defiantly.
"…."
The air was still for a moment.
Xu Yuan raised an eyebrow.
He could clearly see how Su Jinxuan's body trembled slightly from fear.
Their gazes met,
and then,
Xu Yuan didn't argue with her, simply nodding his head:
"Alright."
His goal was clear from the start—to coax information about that Qin Weijiu from Su Jinxuan.
If he could advance further, he would make the most of the Black Scale Guards to uncover something significant in Jin City and then turn this Enchantress spy.
Since there is nothing to discuss now, he might as well detain her for a longer period before negotiating again.
He was in no hurry anyway.
Rising slowly, Xu Yuan walked up to her and placed a black silk ribbon on the wooden table:
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"Since you don't even want to hear the second option, then take this with you.
But I'm really curious, what makes you trust Mr.
Qin so much?"
"…"
Despite having mentally prepared herself repeatedly just moments before, Su Jinxuan's steady breathing slowly became erratic.
Yet she still picked up the black silk ribbon, trembling as she put it on herself, and said coldly:
"Mr.
Qin has shown great kindness to me…a kindness as heavy as mountains."
"Pfft…"
Xu Yuan couldn't hold back and laughed out loud, "Kindness as heavy as mountains?"
"What…what are you laughing at?"
Fear of returning to despair, along with her respect for her benefactor, made Su Jinxuan lose control of her emotions.
Xu Yuan replied in a calm and measured manner:
"Don't get excited.
Mr.
Qin's kindness is indeed as heavy as mountains since, after all, he killed your whole family and then raised you from a young age."
"…."
After a moment of silence, Su Jinxuan spoke up:
"Low-level instigation."
"If it's really low level, why did you react so strongly when I first mentioned it in the carriage?"
"False accusations will anger anyone."
"…."
After pondering for a short while, Xu Yuan pulled down the black silk ribbon and looked into her eyes:
"If it's slander, then why did you not retort earlier and chose to remain silent or lie to avoid this topic?"
Su Jinxuan also looked at Xu Yuan, unyielding:
"Your words were unfounded and baseless claims that anyone can make.
What's the point of refuting conjectures built on thin air?"
"You're right, it was all built on thin air at first."
Xu Yuan took out a secret report from the Sumeru Ring and nonchalantly tossed it onto the table in front of Su Jinxuan:
"But it's not the case anymore."
"…."
Her pupils contracted slightly as Su Jinxuan looked at the seal of the report, her gaze hesitant, but in the end, she remained still.She couldn't trust it, or rather, she didn't want to believe it.
The chamber was dimly lit, the sunlight outside blocked by the curtains.
After a few moments of silence,
Xu Yuan softly asked:
"Aren't you going to take a look?"
Su Jinxuan's response came quickly and coldly:
"Xu Changtian, you've gone to great lengths to stage this whole scene.
Do you think I would believe these fabricated pieces of evidence?"
Xu Yuan shook his head:
"First, you complained about a lack of evidence.
Now that I've found evidence, are you too afraid to even take a glance?"
At this point, Xu Yuan let out a soft sigh:
"And Su Jinxuan, you think too highly of yourself.
Judging by the fact that Qin Weijiu was unwilling to pass on his cultivation technique to you, you're just a pitiable tool to him.
The information you know doesn't actually touch on the core.
Even if my Prime Minister's Mansion were to act against Qin Weijiu, having your intelligence is just the icing on the cake."
"Oh, right."
Xu Yuan's footsteps were slow as he paced around the room:
"Do you want to know why Qin Weijiu wouldn't impart the cultivation technique to you?"
"….."
As Su Jinxuan's beautiful eyes flickered, she continued to stare at Xu Yuan, remaining silent.
After a few moments without any response, Xu Yuan didn't mind playing the solo act:
"Because he dares not.
The unpredictability of the Enchantress Divine Physique is too great."
"Even if you purposely restrain yourself and don't use your Enchantress Body's talent on your own people, as your cultivation level increases, the Enchantress Divine Physique's natural charm will still affect those around you.
Qin Weijiu's high cultivation level makes him immune to your influence, but his subordinates aren't."
As he said this, Xu Yuan smiled slightly:
"If just one informed person among his subordinates were to fall for you because of your physique, then you could potentially learn the true events of the past."
While talking, Xu Yuan took out a precious tome from the Sumeru Ring:
"This is a book about the Enchantress Divine Physique.
Take a look and see if what I'm saying is true.
After that, you can decide whether or not to look at the intelligence the Black Scale Guards found in Jin City."
Hearing the words "Jin City," Su Jinxuan's expression visibly wavered.
Xu Yuan gently patted her shoulder:
"I'll give you half an hour.
I'll be back in half an hour, and if your decision remains the same, then I won't say any more."
Having said that, Xu Yuan turned and walked out of the room, gently closing the door behind him, leaving Su Jinxuan alone to stare blankly at the ancient books and secret report on the table…..