Ran Qingmo did not answer the question but instead raised her head to look towards the southwest direction of Jingjiang Prefecture, her clear and quiet eyes filled with a touch of solemnity.
Xu Yuan noticed and looked in the same direction.
Subconsciously, he thought Xu Changge had arrived.
Unfortunately, he saw nothing but the boundless blue sky.
Xu Yuan glanced sideways at Zhou Chen beside him, hoping the other would explain.
But this time Zhou Chen ignored him as well, his face also solemn as he stared at the sky in the southwest direction.
Ying'er and Sizi Yu beside him did the same.
"….."
Xu Yuan felt oddly like he was being excluded from a small circle.
Everyone around him understood, while he stood there awkwardly clueless.
However, Xu Yuan soon also began to sense something was off.
To explore one's surroundings with their Will-spirit is basically to sense the fluctuation of the Origin Qi around them.
It depends on two points.
The first point is the strength of the Will-spirit; the more condensed and powerful it is, the more detailed the sensation it can perceive.
The second point, the intensity of the Origin Qi fluctuations.
Most of the time, the Origin Qi between heaven and earth is in a relatively balanced and static state, but various activities of Cultivators utilizing Origin Qi can disturb it.
Cultivation, battle spells, fighting, and even traveling all produce different degrees of fluctuation.
The scale of this disturbance depends on the strength of the person causing it, and it decreases with distance.
Once, when Xu Yuan sparred with the Protectors at the Wuxuan Institute, it caused a disturbance in the surrounding Origin Qi, but due to their low cultivation, this disturbance could not even reach beyond the institute and would weaken to the point of being undetectable.
With his low cultivation level, Xu Yuan could not feel what was happening in the southwest direction, but he could sense the Origin Qi around him.
The Xu Residence had been turned into ruins by the battles of several Great Grandmasters, and the Origin Qi within was extremely chaotic due to the recent exchange of moves.
But at this moment, Xu Yuan faintly sensed that all the disordered Origin Qi around him was subtly flowing towards the southwest direction.
Silence enveloped the five of them.
Clearly, outside of Jingjiang Prefecture, the final moments had arrived.
Amidst the silence,
Xu Yuan noticed that the Origin Qi beside him was disturbed once again.
It was not from far away, but from Ran Qingmo right beside him.
Clad in black like ink, she suddenly gripped the hilt of her sword, stomped the ground, shattering the stone slabs beneath her, and shot towards the sky.
Followed closely by Zhou Chen and Sizi Yu.
Before Xu Yuan could react, Ying'er appeared by his side as if she had teleported.
The sudden change made Xu Yuan pause momentarily.
What had happened?
Before he had time to think further, a familiar sensation struck him again.
Someone else had come in.
The Origin Qi from Ying'er entered his meridians, following a certain route as it quickly circulated several times, and Xu Yuan felt a thin shield-like membrane forming on the surface of his body.
Then everything around him began whirling, the surroundings rapidly receding.
Ying'er, holding on to him, didn't look back as she sped towards the northeast.
Still in a state of confusion, Xu Yuan hadn't yet cleared his head of what had happened when he caught a glimpse of a figure racing towards them from the southwest part of the sky.
It was incredibly fast,
From being visible to the naked eye, to appearing above the Xu Residence in just a breath or two.
This was a mysterious masked man.
The air around him was somewhat distorted, making it hard to see his face and figure clearly, but his attire looked quite dishevelled.
His elegant robe was torn open by some sharp blades, revealing deep wounds that went to the bone, with green Origin Qi clinging on top of the wounds like maggots on a bone, hindering their self-healing.
Despite this, the man's aura still sent a chill down Xu Yuan's spine.
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Ran Qingmo, Zhou Chen, and Sizi Yu who had leaped into the air, cut through the void to confront the mysterious person.
A loud boom resounded.
In the blink of an eye.
Two figures were sent flying.
Zhou Chen and Sizi Yu were hurled back the same way they had charged in, crashing heavily into the marketplace within the walls of Jingjiang Prefecture, stirring up a vast cloud of dust and debris.
Ran Qingmo, having suffered such a heavy blow, remained above in the sky, but her form now appeared quite strained.
Qin Weijiu recognized the woman clad in black at a glance, and in that moment, veins bulged with rage.
He had come because he sensed trouble here and wanted to forcibly rescue the Saint's Remnant Soul, but unexpectedly, he was blocked by the precious disciple of the old man from Sword Sect.
"Ran Qingmo!
What is the meaning of this?!!"
"…."
Having taken a full-strength blow from someone in the Primordial Realm, Ran Qingmo coughed up a trickle of fresh blood from her lips.
She cast a glance at the severely injured mysterious figure in the Primordial Realm, her beautiful eyes pondering for a moment before she suddenly turned tail and fled.
"…." Qin Weijiu.
Watching Ran Qingmo turn into a black shadow and speed away into the distance, Qin Weijiu had no intention of pursuing her.
He didn't have much time left; he needed to quickly rescue both the Saint's Remnant Soul and Qin Mo.
But the next moment, he was absolutely furious.
This woman had taken the Saint's Remnant Soul encased in ice with her!
"Bastard!!!"
Qin Weijiu instinctively wanted to give chase, but a suffocating wave of Origin Qi already emanated from the southwestern sky.
Qin Weijiu's heart sank.
Yu Lan…..It was too late…..
He couldn't deal with the woman Ran Qingmo before Xu Changge arrived.
Qin Weijiu's breathing became hurried as he suddenly sensed a familiar presence from within the northern garden, his eyes narrowing slightly.
It was Jin Xuan.
Su Jinxuan sat inside Xu Yuan's chamber, clutching her skirt tightly in her hands.
The recent fight between Zhou Chen and others against Qin Mo in the residence had deliberately avoided the area where she was.
Now, with silence surrounding them for a long while, she adhered to Xu Yuan's instructions not to come out.
Qin Weijiu glanced towards the southwest direction, his eyes flickering for a moment.
Should he continue to leave Jin Xuan by Xu Changtian's side?
That wouldn't do,
In front of Xu Changge, Jin Xuan's Enchantress Divine Physique would hardly remain hidden….
The decision was made in an instant.
Qin Weijiu suddenly dived down, breaking the chamber's defensive formation in a flash.
Appearing inside the chamber, before Su Jinxuan could react, Qin Weijiu enveloped her in his powerful Primordial Realm will-spirit as a protective measure, then soared into the sky, speeding off into the horizon...
…
…
The crisis had come and gone swiftly.
Ying'er stopped on the roof of a building in the marketplace, gently setting Xu Yuan down.
Xu Yuan's mind replayed the recent events as he raised his hand to rub his temples.
The emergence and conclusion of the crisis happened in virtually the blink of an eye.
Even the dust raised by Zhou Chen and Sizi Yu crashing into the marketplace had yet to settle before the mysterious person took flight.
It was over.
Standing on the rooftop, Xu Yuan took a deep breath.
The common folk on the streets below were now in an uproar.
In this extraordinary world, many people had witnessed cultivators battling, but such a large-scale conflict above a prefectural city was a sight they had never seen in their lifetime.
The tremendous boom, the dark canopy that enveloped the entire Jingjiang Xu Residence, the mystical Formation Patterns visible to the naked eye in the sky above, all of it was a shock to the senses of the populace.
They didn't know the particulars of what had happened,
Only that the vast Jingjiang Xu Residence had been wiped out in less than fifteen minutes….
///89//
The Ring By the time Xu Yuan and Ying'er, having met up with Ran Qingmo midway, returned to the ruins of the Xu Residence estate, Xu Changge had already been waiting inside for quite a while.
This, Xu Yuan was not surprised by.
Just moments after Ying'er had set him down on the rooftop of a building in the marketplace, he noticed that this older brother had already appeared above the Xu Residence.
However, at that time, the other party had merely glanced at him from afar before descending directly into the residence.
At this moment, Xu Changge sat quietly on a large stone, his eyes lowered as he fiddled with an ancient ring, his robe of azure undisturbed by any dust, fluttering in the wind.
Approaching closer, Xu Yuan was drawn to a blood-stained cloth package next to Xu Changge.
He remembered that his brother seemed to possess the Sumeru Ring, so why not put it into the ring?
With slight hesitation, he extended his will-spirit to see what was inside the package.
But what he saw inside the cloth made Xu Yuan's breath catch for a moment.
It was a woman's head, her eyes closed, her death very peaceful.
His will-spirit swept over it,
then,
the woman's eyes suddenly opened.
"…" Xu Yuan.
Grass, a plant.
A head from someone of the Primordial Realm.
No wonder it wasn't placed in the Sumeru Ring.
In a moment of distraction,
Xu Yuan suddenly caught sight of Xu Changge tossing the ring in his hand to him.
Catching it, he looked down and a hint of surprise appeared in his eyes.
This was a Sumeru Ring, empty, but its internal space was actually more than twice the size of the one he originally had.
But didn't his older brother know he already had one?
What was the meaning of giving him another?
Xu Yuan opened his mouth to ask, but Xu Changge didn't give him the chance to speak, his calm gaze shifting towards Ran Qingmo behind him.
"…"
Seeing this,
Ran Qingmo instinctively tightened her grip on the sword hilt, stepping back slightly in a defensive manner.
This Xu Changge, he was very dangerous.
Xu Changge locked eyes with Ran Qingmo, his tone gentle as he spoke:
"Mr.
Ran, our last departure was quite hasty, Changtian is grateful for your care in the Wanxing Mountain Range."
"…"
Upon hearing these words, Ran Qingmo silently pushed up on the sword hilt a bit, her cultivation technique quietly beginning to circulate.
Xu Changge raised an eyebrow, his eyes lingering on her sword hilt for two seconds, a hint of regret flashing through them.
If only this woman had been born a decade earlier, it's possible that this world would have truly had someone of her generation who could stand shoulder to shoulder with him.
Such a pity.
"Mr.
Ran, I have no intention of confronting you.
Since Changtian does not intend to pursue the matter, I, as his brother, naturally will not either."
As he spoke,
amidst the silence,
Xu Changge slowly stood up, walked up to Ran Qingmo, gathered his sleeves, and bowed respectfully to the woman before him:
"Xu Changge, thank you, Mr.
Ran, for lending a hand."
Once the courtesy was concluded,
Xu Changge turned to look at Xu Yuan beside him, then glanced at the ice sculpture behind Ran Qingmo.
"…." Xu Yuan.
"…." Xu Changge repeated his earlier action.
Xu Yuan cleared his throat:
"Ran Qingmo, could you hand over the soul body and Qin Mo's corpse to us?"
Ran Qingmo blinked and then nodded:
"Alright…"
After speaking,
"Thud!"
The two connected ice sculptures were thrown onto the ground by her.
Seeing this, Xu Yuan smiled slightly, only to find that his older brother was still staring at him with a placid expression.
"….." Xu Yuan.
Xu Yuan suddenly seemed to understand what his elder brother meant by giving him the Sumeru Ring.
Although Zhou Chen and his two companions had fought with all their might for a long time, their efforts were mostly in vain, merely dragging out the inevitable.
The Saint's Remnant Soul inside the Soul Ring was almost exclusively sealed by Ran Qingmo on her own.
This was her spoils of war.
Given Xu Changge's strength, he could have directly demanded Ran Qingmo to hand it over, but because of Xu Yuan, Xu Changge, acting as his elder brother, did not feel it right to simply take the spoils of someone else.
After a slight hesitation,
Xu Yuan took off the Sumeru Ring from his index finger, emptied it, and after swapping it with a larger capacity one, he handed it to Ran Qingmo:
"Ran Qingmo, I'll exchange this with you."
"..."
Ran Qingmo's clear and tranquil eyes flickered slightly.
She stared at the ring on Xu Yuan's fingertip without speaking or reaching out to take it.
Seeing this, Xu Yuan pondered for a moment and then said with a soft laugh:
"Take it.
The favor earlier was for helping me kill them, and this Sumeru Ring is to exchange for that Remnant Soul in the Soul Ring."
Ran Qingmo pursed her lips, looking at Xu Yuan for two seconds with clear eyes that revealed nothing of her thoughts, but this time she accepted it:
"Mm, okay…"
She gently took it, placing Xu Yuan's Sumeru Ring on the index finger of her right hand.
After pausing for a moment,
she also took down the bulging travel bag from behind her back and put it inside.
Watching the two finish their exchange, Xu Changge seemed resigned as he sighed, then suddenly waved his hand.
"Crack crack——"
The ice sculpture, as ancient as the permafrost, emitted a series of fine crackling sounds, and cracks began to spread at a visible rate.
Xu Yuan immediately turned back to look.
In his gaze,
the ice sculpture that had sealed the main character shattered directly into the fine dust of the heavens and the earth.
Seeing this, Xu Yuan felt an unreal sense for a moment.
Although Ran Qingmo had informed him personally, until that opponent's head fell to the ground, a sense of unease lingered nonetheless.
After all, those two snake demons who had died in Cang Yuan could have been the female lead or just passersby in the story, but Qin Mo was undeniably the protagonist in every thread of the world line.
Now that he had turned to dust, there was absolutely no chance of survival.
Qin Mo was truly dead.
As his thoughts spread out, Xu Yuan shook his head slightly.
Indeed, there was no such thing as a plot protagonist.
Based on his experiences, Qin Mo's opportunities really fitted the protagonist template, but weren't Xu Changge, Ran Qingmo, and even his father in the Imperial Capital also the same?
The difficulty in killing Qin Mo was simply due to his hard-to-kill traits.
Whether it was his own strength to fight beyond his level, the grandfather on his back, or the aid from Qin Weijiu, all were reasons for his tenacity.
Regathering his thoughts, Xu Yuan focused on the Saint's Remnant Soul.
The Saint, having broken out of the ice, did not go mad again.
After glancing around to roughly understand his situation, he obediently returned to the Soul Ring.
Xu Changge bent down to pick up the Soul Ring and turned to ask:
"Changtian, you've done well this time.
Is there anything you want?"
On hearing this, Xu Yuan's eyebrows rose, and without hesitation, he said:
"Elixir Medicines."
Xu Changge chuckled lightly and with a wave of his hand, all sorts of Elixir Medicines, over twenty bottles of various kinds brought from the Imperial Capital, were all thrown to Xu Yuan from the Sumeru Ring:
"These are from father.
He entrusted them to me to give to you."
After a pause, Xu Changge said with a soft laugh:
"Anything else you want?"
After a brief hesitation, Xu Yuan glanced at the Soul Ring in Xu Changge's hand.
Xu Changge's eyes twitched, pretending not to see.
But after a few moments of silence, he still explained:
"Father needs that item for something else, choose another."
Xu Yuan was only testing the waters and, glancing at Ran Qingmo next to him, he then asked softly:
"Xu Changge, I'd like to take this opportunity to go out for a while, may I?"
///90///
Suggestions from the Wounded Soul The thought of going out had always been on Xu Yuan's mind, but he had never found a suitable reason.
Now that the Jingjiang Prefecture Residence had been reduced to ruins, Ran Qingmo's arrival had given him this opportunity.
Although his cultivation speed was extremely fast now, the time left for him was too short.
Xu Changge had taken twelve years to cultivate to the Third Grade Great Grandmaster level with the same resources.
Even if his Innate Taoist Body could be faster, by how much more could it be?
Xu Yuan did not have the advantage of leveling up by fighting monsters like in Cang Yuan, and ten years later, it would all be for naught.
He needed to go to certain places to obtain certain items, to enter some Secret Realms.
With these, his cultivation progress could be faster.
It would be very inconvenient for his father's men to follow him, but without anyone accompanying him, it would be dangerous.
Initially, Xu Yuan planned to snatch the Soul Ring from that old grandpa at Qin Mo's place.
But now that Ran Qingmo had arrived, this problem could be perfectly resolved.
Besides, Xu Yuan genuinely wanted to go out and see the world.
The current situation was like the calm before the storm, with all parties maintaining relative restraint.
To come to this world and not make a journey would be truly regrettable.
And after listening to Xu Yuan's request,
Xu Changge's answer was simple and clear.
Two words.
"Not allowed."
"…."
Xu Yuan frowned and stared at Xu Changge:
"Why not?"
Xu Changge spoke very softly:
"The situation is unstable, dangerous."
On hearing this, Xu Yuan sighed and glanced at the ruins of Xu Residence:
"Where is it not dangerous?"
As he spoke, he cracked a smile: "It's not dangerous to go to the Imperial Capital, but can you take me back now?"
Xu Changge stared at Xu Yuan for a couple of seconds, his eyes carrying a hint of a weird smile:
"Why can't you go back to the Imperial Capital, don't you know?"
Xu Yuan recalled briefly:
"I was bewitched at that time."
Xu Changge's eyes held a trace of that weird smile, calm and unhurried:
"Back then, you might indeed have been bewitched, but Changtian, do you know?
There are many methods in this world to take over someone's body and control it, but there is not a single method that can completely control a person's mind and spirit.
Even the Enchantress Divine Physique's spell can only make someone fall in love with her, thereby influencing a person's judgment.
"The decision you made back then, wasn't it because you wanted to make it?"
"…" Xu Yuan fell silent at that.
In his memory,
he had indeed been bewitched, but the decision was also indeed his own.
It was because Mu Zhiyun, the Commandery Princess, was indeed very beautiful, which led to the little brain controlling the big brain.
Knowing he had no retort, Xu Yuan asked directly:
"Yes, you're right, so the question is, can I go to the Imperial Capital now?"
"…."
Xu Changge couldn't help but laugh in exasperation, glancing at Ying'er beside him.
When Xu Yuan noticed, he immediately pointed again to the ruins of Xu Residence:
"Xu Changge, I know you mean well for me.
But in fact, it's all the same wherever I am.
Anyone capable of killing me can do it anywhere.
"You've seen these ruins.
A Primordial Realm expert can move in and out of Jingjiang City at will.
If Ran Qingmo hadn't come, that person who attacked earlier would have made a move against me…"
"He had no chance to make a move," Xu Changge said softly, interrupting.
"You were held up by her," Xu Yuan sneered, glancing at the blood-stained cloth bag containing a head.
Xu Changge watched this presumptuous younger brother for several breaths, not bothering to explain, only softly repeating,
"He had no chance to make a move."
"..."
Xu Yuan fell silent, his skeptical gaze flicking across before he reluctantly nodded:
"Alright, since you've said so, let's assume he won't have the chance to make a move," Xu Yuan remarked.
"…." Xu Changge's eyes twitched.
Xu Yuan didn't continue to provoke, but instead asked in a low voice,
"Then can you, Xu Changge, stay in Jingjiang Prefecture all the time?
Or can you have an Origin Initial look after me?
If a Primordial Realm expert wants me dead, isn't it all the same wherever I am?"
"…." Xu Changge fell silent.
For a time, the two brothers both lapsed into silence.
Within this quiet,
a middle-aged man's voice, as if equipped with a subwoofer, rang out,
"Origin Initial kid, if you're worried about your brother, this old man can protect him,"
The Saint's Remnant Soul, which had consciously retracted into the Soul Ring earlier, slowly drifted out at this moment and softly said,
"If you can provide enough soul-nourishing treasures of heaven and earth, this old man is confident in fleeing from those under Second Grade Origin Initial,"
Xu Changge's expression remained flat, without making any immediate response.
Xu Yuan glanced at the old man.
A middle-aged scholar with handsome features – he indeed closely resembled Cang Yuan in the portraits.
Thinking this, Xu Yuan chuckled and said,
"Old man, we've just killed your disciple,"
The Saint's Remnant Soul shook its head upon hearing this.
Towards Qin Mo's tragic death, it simply responded lightly,
"Indeed, you did kill him, but all I want is a successor for the mantle.
It doesn't matter who that successor is."
Hearing the other party's rather cold-blooded answer, Xu Yuan wasn't the least bit surprised.
The inherent coldness and purposefulness in this Remnant Soul was one of the reasons he dared to bargain for the Soul Ring.
Children talk about feelings; adults are all about interests.
Moreover,
whether this Saint's Remnant Soul could still even be called human was an unknown.
Is it not somewhat disrespectful to expect such an ancient being to help you wholeheartedly out of emotion?
It was certain that this Saint's Remnant Soul would not seek revenge for Qin Mo.
After a pause, Xu Yuan smiled and said,
"Successor for the mantle?
So are you planning to take me as your disciple?"
Upon hearing this, the Saint's Remnant Soul gave Xu Yuan a serious look, then a hint of surprise appeared in its eyes,
"Innate Taoist Body?"
After speaking, a smile formed on the lips of the Saint's soul form,
"If you're willing to switch to cultivating the technique I've created, then I am indeed willing," it said.
Xu Yuan laughed aloud upon hearing this.
This Saint's Remnant Soul was not the typical omnipresent old man; while it treated its disciples very well, this kindness was more like an investment to help the disciple grow.
Staying by Qin Mo's side wasn't out of necessity due to being a constrained soul form, but rather a carefully planned cultivation strategy.
After all, it could come out and confront a Third Grade Great Master with just its soul form.
Would it not be a piece of cake to leave Qin Mo's side?
Qin Mo was just one of many disciples over its long lifetimes; now that this investment had failed, it simply needed to find the next one.
Of course, since there's an investment, the Saint naturally expects a return.
The return the Saint's Remnant Soul wanted was simple:
Take over the body to be reborn.
Once a disciple reaches level ninety, also known as Mortal Transcendence in this world, the Saint's Remnant Soul would begin its own actions.
After helping the disciple cultivate to this point, it's not excessive to ask for your body in return, is it?
Thinking this, Xu Yuan composed himself,
"I'm not planning to switch my cultivation technique for the time being."
The Saint's Remnant Soul, feeling somewhat regretful but not overly disappointed, communicated telepathically,
"If you're unwilling to switch your cultivation technique, then we can still make a transaction…."
///91///
The Inescapable Sword As Qin Mo's bones turned cold, his Saint teacher directly proposed his cooperation plan to the Xu Yuan and Xu Changge brothers.
The ancient soul, having lived countless years, held no airs of a Saint, because he knew that he was no match for this mysterious Primordial youngster, and he was even more aware of his current status as a prisoner at their mercy.
He straightforwardly presented an offer to the Prime Minister's Mansion that was almost impossible to refuse.
Intelligence, cultivation techniques, secret techniques, and entrances to some hidden secret realms.
Besides that, if needed, he could also offer protection for the Third Young Master of the Prime Minister's Mansion and guide his cultivation.
In return, all that the Prime Minister's Mansion would need to do later was to use their influence to find a successor for him to nurture.
As his voice faded,
both the Saint's Remnant Soul and Xu Yuan looked towards Xu Changge.
The twilight over the ruins held a kind of forlorn beauty.
Xu Changge sat on a large rock, his eyes lowered expressionlessly as he pondered over the other's proposal.
He hadn't expected this so-called Saint to be so aware of the times, but it did make him somewhat understand the words his father had said to him before leaving the capital.
A Saint?
Nothing but a craven stray dog.
After a long silence, he made up his mind.
Xu Changge slowly stood up, his blue robe moving without any wind, and a three-foot green blade longsword somehow appeared silently in his hand.
The slender tip of the sword scattered a sky full of red light under the afterglow of the setting sun.
Seeing this, the Saint's Remnant Soul's pupils slightly constricted, realizing what the youngster intended to do.
But it was too fast.
No, it was not that Xu Changge's movement was fast, but unavoidable.
Even with Xu Yuan's cultivation, he could clearly see Xu Changge's sword strike.
It was a very ordinary sword strike.
Upon seeing this sword strike, Ran Qingmo's hand, which held the Black Sword, began to uncontrollably tighten and tremble, her beautiful eyes filled with a serious expression.
Raise hand, thrust out, and then hit the target.
Everything seemed as if it were only to be expected.
An unavoidable sword…
With the sword strike, the previously serious aura instantly dissipated into nothingness.
The pierced Saint's Remnant Soul touched the center of his soul's brow, as if resigned, and smiled, rather at ease:
"Primordial youngster, this old man isn't prohibiting you from setting up the sealing spell, aren't you making too much of a fuss?"
Xu Changge's three-foot green blade disappeared from his hand, his aura noticeably disrupted somewhat, and he replied with a light laugh:
"The teacher in his lifetime was honored as a Saint, it was necessary to treat him with importance."
The Saint's Remnant Soul shook his head, looking deeply at Xu Changge, and transmitted a message in a tone full of implications:
"Heh…
youngster, the thing you're cultivating, if you're slightly careless, could lead to irreversible disaster, do you understand this?"
Hearing this, Xu Changge's long and narrow eyes slightly narrowed, glancing at him with an indifference:
"My affairs do not require the teacher's concern."
The Saint's Remnant Soul also wisely refrained from saying more, shaking his head and laughing:
"The restrictions are set, are you planning to have me follow this youngster with the Innate Taoist Body?
Your family really is a group of monsters."
Xu Changge did not deny it:
"But before that, my father will likely have many questions to ask the teacher.
Please come with me."
…
…
Seeing Xu Changge's reaction just now, Xu Yuan felt that the Soul Ring should be in their possession.
But what he was thinking about more at the moment was the sword Xu Changge had thrust earlier.
He had seen that sword before, but it was in his past life.
It was the ultimate skill of the opponent when acting as the boss, an ultimate skill that could be called defying the heavens.
No matter how far the player-controlled character ran, as long as they were still in the boss room, when Xu Changge raised his hand and gripped the sword, damage would be dealt directly.
An unavoidable sword.
There were two ways to survive it.
The first was to increase one's health a bit and endure it, as Xu Changge would only use this abnormal skill once in the boss fight.
The second was to use the invincibility frame of the Step Forward Slash to dodge it.
Xu Yuan, being a high-level player, generally preferred to dodge using the invincibility frame.
Upon this realization, Xu Yuan suddenly paused, then felt a sudden surge of emotion.
Step Forward Slash, Invincible Frame, Saint's Remnant Soul….
Perhaps, he could later seek the Saint's Remnant Soul to learn the secret sword technique of Invincible Frame.
After all, with the Saint's insight, mastering such a thing shouldn't be a difficult task.
And moreover,
perhaps he could also learn that sword strike from his older brother.
It was worth a try.
Xu Yuan made up his mind and glanced sideways at the young girl beside him, then slightly started.
Big Ice Lump was still in the same posture as before, staring blankly at the spot where Xu Changge had thrust his sword.
Xu Yuan waved his hand in front of her.
Ran Qingmo came back to her senses and looked over.
Xu Yuan gently asked,
"What's wrong?"
Ran Qingmo bit her lip, clenching her fists:
"Your brother…
is very strong."
Xu Yuan glanced at her hand holding the sword and lightly chuckled to comfort her,
"Xu Changge is more than a decade older than you, when you reach his age, it's not so clear who would be stronger."
Ran Qingmo's beautiful eyes drooped slightly, she shook her head without saying a word, visibly dejected.
Xu Yuan noticed this and his gaze slightly firmed.
He suddenly realized what Big Ice Lump was thinking about.
Sword Sect…..
From the beginning, Ran Qingmo, as a disciple of the State Preceptor, had captured him with the intent of blackmailing his father.
Although her private relations with him were quite good now, Xu Changge remained the enemy in her eyes.
Ever since she came to the Xu Residence, she harbored a vague hostility towards his older brother.
And considering how that older brother dealt with enemies, Xu Yuan shivered slightly.
He somewhat understood from where Ran Qingmo's dejection stemmed.
According to the plot's timeline, the destruction of Sword Sect should be within the next two years.
Ran Qingmo had no time to grow.
And with her current strength against Xu Changge, instantaneous defeat was inevitable without any room for negotiation.
After a brief contemplation, Xu Yuan sighed and lifted his gaze towards Ying'er standing by:
"Ying'er, you can go down first, I want to stay alone with Miss Ran for a while."
Ying'er glanced at Ran Qingmo and nodded before leaving.
Once Ying'er had completely vanished from view,
Xu Yuan looked at the sunset on the horizon and spoke softly:
"Ran Qingmo, I have something to tell you."
"Mm..go ahead," Ran Qingmo nodded.
After waiting two seconds,
Xu Yuan cleared his throat, glanced in the direction where Xu Changge had left, then fixed his gaze on Ran Qingmo.
Ran Qingmo also glanced in the direction where Xu Changge had left, then tilted her head, her eyes filled with confusion as she met Xu Yuan's gaze.
Xu Yuan suddenly felt a headache coming on and sighed,
"Do you know how to cast a Silencing Spell?"
"Oh."
Ran Qingmo nodded, the Origin Qi surged, and a semi-transparent layer of ice formed around the two in an instant.
Seeing this, Xu Yuan took a deep breath,
"Ran Qingmo, you came to me because you don't want the forty thousand disciples of Sword Sect to perish, right?"
"Mm," Ran Qingmo nodded.
"May I ask why?"
Xu Yuan softly inquired.
He remembered that in that easter egg timeline, Ran Qingmo did not concern herself with the fate of Sword Sect but instead directly went overseas.
Ran Qingmo thought for a moment, her voice earnest,
"Because Master said that I will become the leader of Sword Sect in the future, and it's my responsibility to protect Sword Sect well."
///92///
The Cause The crimson afterglow filled the sky, dazzlingly beautiful as it scattered across the ice crystal coating, reflected in her dark pupils.
Xu Yuan fell silent for two seconds before continuing to ask softly,
"Are there other reasons?"
"Other reasons?" Ran Qingmo queried.
"Reasons for wanting to protect the Sect, like for the Sect itself, or for your fellow disciples?"
Ran Qingmo's beautiful eyes looked somewhat puzzled as they flitted about,
"Fellow disciples?"
After a brief recollection, she gently shook her head,
"I've always been on Tianfeng Mountain, seldom seeing them."
Upon hearing this, Xu Yuan seemed to realize something, his gaze growing increasingly strange as he asked,
"Ran Qingmo, how have you lived from childhood until now?"
Ran Qingmo's reply was very simple,
"Cultivating."
"And besides cultivating?"
"Practicing swordplay."
"Besides practicing swordplay?"
"Hmm…
Before, there was also sleeping and eating."
"Anything else?"
"Does practicing calligraphy count?"
"…" Xu Yuan.
No wonder Big Ice Lump has this personality.
Clearing his throat softly, Xu Yuan took a breath and asked again,
"Are you doing this just because you will be the future Sect Leader?"
Ran Qingmo's eyes showed a hint of confusion,
"…Otherwise?"
"…."
Xu Yuan cast his gaze downwards in silence.
A pure reason, devoid of any impurities.
Not because of a sense of belonging, not because of fellowship with the Sect, simply because that's how it's always been.
Ran Qingmo was born for the Tianyuan Sword Sect.
Ran Qingmo watched Xu Yuan, her eyes flickering with a certain light as she tentatively probed,
"Xu Yuan, you said you could help me, is that true?"
For this question, Xu Yuan did not answer immediately this time.
The fall of the Tianyuan Sword Sect was a major event in Cang Yuan, but the plot of Cang Yuan had long since veered off the predestined path, like a wild horse that had broken free, careening towards an unknown direction far from Xu Yuan.
The main advantages Xu Yuan now had were the fortunes that had not yet appeared and some characters' personalities and pasts.
As for saving the Sword Sect, he no longer had the certainty he once had.
Ran Qingmo, seeing him lower his eyes without speaking for a long time, watched as the brightness in her beautiful eyes gradually dimmed,
"Is it not possible…?"
"It's not that it's not possible."
"….." Her beautiful eyes widened slightly.
Xu Yuan looked up at her, smiling as he said,
"I now wish to travel, and the desire to help you is one of my reasons for doing so."
Ran Qingmo, instinctively stepping forward, grabbed the gold-trimmed hem of his blood-colored garment,
"…Really?"
Xu Yuan glanced at the hem she was holding, meeting her gaze as he asked seriously in return,
"But, do you trust me?"
Could she trust him?
He was currently the Third Young Master from the Prime Minister's Mansion, a core figure of the force that would cause the fall of the Tianyuan Sword Sect.
If he chose to deceive her, the Sword Sect would collapse all the quicker under the manipulation of various pieces of information.
Ran Qingmo hesitated, her gaze fixed on Xu Yuan for several breaths,
"But you are Xu Yuan."
"I am also Xu Changtian." Xu Yuan.
"….."
Ran Qingmo bit her lip lightly, her eyes downturned in prolonged silence, yet her hand that clutched his hem did not let go,
"I…
I have no other choice…."
"…."
Hearing this, Xu Yuan sighed softly and raised his hand to brush aside the loose strands of hair beside her temple, tucking them behind her ear, and smiled gently at her:
"Ran Qingmo, I can try to provide you with an opportunity, but even I cannot be certain if I can secure it, and even if I do, ultimately, it still depends on your master's decision.
"Of course, his decision isn't necessarily the final word either."
The name of the Prime Minister's Mansion determined that all its power was concentrated in the hands of his father alone, but the Sects didn't work the same way.
After a thousand years of evolution, the Sects had long become a complex compound of intertwined interests.
The Elders Council, various major Sect families underneath, and even burgeoning grassroots factions at their peak could all influence the final decision-making of a Sect.
What Xu Yuan could do, at most, was to seek an opportunity on behalf of Ran Qingmo from his father.
Whether the matter could ultimately be accomplished remained an unknown.
Listening to his equivocal response, Ran Qingmo nodded without hesitation:
"Okay, good!"
Xu Yuan withdrew his hand and chuckled, shaking his head.
It seemed that Big Ice Lump was indeed out of options and had likely tried everything she could think of before coming to him.
Since the promise had been given, he needed to know the corresponding intelligence.
Xu Yuan asked:
"Ran Qingmo, let me ask you a question."
"What is it?" Ran Qingmo's mood seemed to brighten considerably.
Xu Yuan asked in an unhurried manner:
"What have you been up to since we last parted?"
"I went to Qingfeng Mountain and Biluo Valley, and…
I also returned to Tianyuan Mountain once," Ran Qingmo disclosed her itinerary honestly.
Thinking back,
Xu Yuan remembered that Qingfeng Mountain and Biluo Valley were the locations of the Sect gates for two major Sects in the region:
"Did you go there to lobby them?"
"Yes, but they didn't believe what I told them."
"…" Xu Yuan fell silent.
If these people had been convinced, that would have been surprising.
Over these days, Xu Yuan had learned a lot through reading internal reports within his family.
The relationships between the Prime Minister's Mansion, The Imperial Court, and the Sects all had discrepancies from what he knew in his previous life.
The State Preceptor didn't believe the Prime Minister's Mansion intended to eradicate the Sword Sect, not for the superficial reason that the older gentleman was friends with his father, but because such events had happened before.
It was the matter Zhou Chen had mentioned, the establishment of the Tian'an Martial Hall.
It was a preliminary trial conducted by the Prime Minister's Mansion together with the current Emperor, but the Sects weren't fools and reacted vehemently.
At the peak of the tension, the Protective City Formation of the Imperial Capital was activated, and Marquis Wucheng was ordered to be ready to lead his troops back to the capital at any moment.
But in the end, no battle took place.
Because the Emperor fell ill,
Because the chairman of the Tian'an Commerce Assembly passed away,
And since then, over so many years, the Prime Minister's Mansion, indeed, had been continuously proposing to regulate the Sects, but in reality, it was all a lot of sound and fury achieving nothing substantial, ending abruptly and inconclusively.
The Sects would never compromise; reform could only be enforced through military might.
But who would dare?
Now the influence of the Sects had grown deep and intricate, almost permeating every vein of the Dayan Empire.
At this time, whoever dared to rashly move military forces would be committing a grave and heinous offense.
Under such circumstances, if Ran Qingmo suddenly appeared claiming that the Prime Minister's Mansion was planning to move against Tianyuan Sword Sect and all the Sects across the realm, if Xu Yuan were one of these Sect members, he would treat it as a joke, or might even think Ran Qingmo came to spread frightening rumors and sow discord.
After all, the relationships between Sects were far from harmonious.
Therefore, Xu Yuan was very curious as to why Ran Qingmo was so certain about believing this matter, and where her source of information came from.
This issue had been weighing on his mind for a long time.
With that thought,
Xu Yuan didn't hesitate any further and asked directly:
"How did you come to know about the Prime Minister's Mansion planning to destroy Tianyuan Sword Sect?"
Ran Qingmo's expression changed slightly, she hesitated for two seconds, and then softly asked in a probing manner:
"Is it possible to leave this matter unspoken?"
"No," Xu Yuan replied succinctly.
Ran Qingmo asked in a low voice:
"Is this matter important?"
Xu Yuan's response was non-committal: "It might be important, but it might also not be."
Ran Qingmo stared at Xu Yuan for a few moments before finally saying softly:
"Alright, I'll tell you.
"Um…
a little girl named Tianyan told me about it."
///93///
The little girl…
Xu Yuan was taken aback upon hearing this and began to search his mind for any memories related to this name.
But after a full circle, there was not even a mention of a little girl, let alone a female one.
However, although he didn't find the person, he did find a cultivation technique called Yantian Art.
Tianyan, Yantian.
Yantian Art wasn't just one of the only three blood-colored cultivation techniques, it was the last one, because the Yantian Art wasn't actually implemented, and it hadn't even appeared in the game; it was only briefly mentioned in the manual.
What was the description of Yantian Art again?
Xu Yuan frowned in recollection.
After pondering for a long while, he vaguely remembered the manual's description of it.
It was simple, but also very domineering.
Forecast the machinations of heaven.
After a moment of silence, Xu Yuan asked in a low voice,
"A little girl named Tianyan?
How do you know her, and why would you believe her words?"
Ran Qingmo recalled for a moment and described simply,
"After I reached the Third Grade in my cultivation, my master sent me down the mountain to travel.
I saved her near Jiuyuan Gorge, and while I was with her, she told me many strange things."
"Strange things?" Xu Yuan furrowed his brows.
"The earth dragon will stir in the West Zhou Prefecture, it will snow in August in Jiu Hua City, the northern frontier will be attacked by the Barbarian Tribes all the way to Hanbei City…"
"All of these things came to pass?"
"Mhm." Ran Qingmo nodded.
Xu Yuan's eyes gradually grew solemn as he now roughly understood why Ran Qingmo was so certain.
He asked softly,
"Since she said that the Sword Sect would be destroyed, did she mention anything else?
Um…
about the future?"
"Yes, there is one more thing." Ran Qingmo nodded.
"What is it?"
"Emperor Jiaying will die next year."
"….."
Xu Yuan's breathing became sharply strained as he clenched his fist slightly and asked in a deep tone,
"Then do you know where she is now?"
Ran Qingmo shook his head:
"Mhm…
She disappeared while I was cultivating."
Xu Yuan found this quite troubling.
Now, the things he had always been curious about in his former life were resolved.
The source of Ran Qingmo's information wasn't an internal traitor from the Prime Minister's Mansion, but a direct deduction through the use of a cultivation technique that spies on the machinations of heaven.
Damn it, he, a transmigrator who once had a god-like perspective, didn't know about these things, yet this little girl named Tianyan did.
The more he learned and understood, the stranger Xu Yuan felt about this world.
First, it was Qin Weijiu lurking in the shadows, and now Ran Qingmo had mentioned a mysterious little girl named Tianyan.
To be able to disappear unnoticed by Ran Qingmo while she was cultivating, if it wasn't for some special effect of Yantian Art, then this little girl's level of cultivation must have been at least a large grade higher than Ran Qingmo's at that time.
Even if we put aside her level of cultivation, there's a lot to be wary of.
What was this Tianyan girl's purpose in telling Ran Qingmo these things?
Was it intentional, or was it merely to give Ran Qingmo a chance?
And does this mysterious little girl harbor any malice towards the Prime Minister's Mansion?
All this was unknown.
In this moment, Xu Yuan suddenly understood why, in those novels from his previous life, the old characters liked to be riddle makers in front of the main characters.
When your strength is insufficient, even if you know some things, you can only look up helplessly.
This feeling is truly suffocating and despairing.
Of course,
Xu Yuan was not in the least bit despairing, because he could shake people up.
It so happened that Xu Changge was also in Jingjiang Prefecture, so he could leave this headache to him.
If this older brother can't handle it…
Dad will!
Thinking this, Xu Yuan suddenly turned to Ran Qingmo and asked,
"By the way, may I tell Xu Changge about this?"
Upon hearing this, Ran Qingmo immediately stared at Xu Yuan and shook her head:
"Can we not mention it?"
Xu Yuan said in a low voice,
"I'm just talking about the matter concerning the girl named Tianyan."
Ran Qingmo stared at Xu Yuan, hesitated for a moment, but still spoke up:
"But…
but I'll still be discovered by him."
Xu Yuan thought for a moment, roughly understanding what Ran Qingmo was worried about, and asked directly:
"Are you worried that Xu Changge will find out that you already know about our Prime Minister's Mansion's plan to overthrow the Sword Sect?"
Ran Qingmo slightly processed the meaning of the words, looked down at her toes, barely able to see, stayed quiet for a few breaths, then gently replied:
"Yes, that's right…."
Xu Yuan heard this and smiled:
"You actually don't need to worry about that."
"Why?" Ran Qingmo lifted her gaze.
"Because he has known about it for a long time."
"…."
Ran Qingmo blinked her beautiful eyes twice quickly, realizing what he meant, and immediately gripped the Black Sword, thinking of running away.
However, Xu Yuan didn't give her the chance, pulling her wrist immediately after saying that sentence.
This situation was easy to deduce.
Xu Changge obviously knew that the person who had kidnapped him was Ran Qingmo, but he did not delve into her motives at all.
Is that normal?
It's not normal, it could even be considered abnormal.
He, Xu Yuan, was excluded from the Prime Minister's Mansion's decision-making circle because of his past glorious achievements, but this older brother was definitely a part of the Prime Minister's Mansion's decision-making circle.
In other words, he must have been aware of the Prime Minister's Mansion's plan to topple the Tianyuan Sword Sect.
Since he knew, then at this time, Ran Qingmo, the Sword Sect's head disciple, kidnapping him, Xu Changtian—was the specific purpose really that hard to guess?
This serious breach of confidentiality, they looked the other way because of me, Xu Yuan?
What a joke.
If my importance was truly so great, in my memory, this older brother wouldn't have hung me up and beaten me.
And for such an abnormal situation, there was only one possibility.
Dear old dad and big brother were plotting something behind my back, and it was not yet time to completely tear our faces with the world's Sects.
So, Xu Changge chose to bide his time.
Just like back on Tianmen Mountain's Hanging Cliff, where he used the excuse to let the Big Ice Lump escape.
Xu Yuan, holding Ran Qingmo's snow-white wrist, smiled and consoled:
"Don't panic, Xu Changge won't make a move against you right now."
Ran Qingmo's eyes still held some wariness as she glanced in the direction where Xu Changge had gone:
"Why?"
Xu Yuan said carelessly:
"Because we're not yet prepared for a war with the Sects, and we won't tear apart our facade."
Ran Qingmo suddenly fell silent, pursing her lips slightly:
"Why do you tell me all this…"
She could roughly understand that his words were the secrets of the Prime Minister's Mansion.
Xu Yuan laughed and said:
"Didn't you just tell me about Tianyan?"
He paused, then suddenly changed the topic with a cynical laugh:
"Besides, even if you told others, no one from your Sect would believe it."
Ran Qingmo, knowing the truth, tried to alert her Sect, but no one within the Sect wanted to believe her; in the end, those willing to believe her were from the Prime Minister's Mansion, the Sect's adversary.
He found it quite ironic.
"…."
Ran Qingmo fell silent upon hearing this.
After waiting quietly for a moment and seeing that she still didn't speak, Xu Yuan softly said:
"If you die at his hands now, I, Xu Yuan, would lay down my life for you."
Ran Qingmo's delicate body relaxed slightly, and she shook her head:
"There's no need for you to lay down your life for me."
Xu Yuan smiled lightly, then asked again:
"May I talk to Xu Changge about the matter concerning Tianyan?"
Ran Qingmo thought for a long time, then finally nodded:
"Alright…."
///94///
The Scent on the Bed After dismantling the Soundproof Array, Xu Yuan started walking toward the Northern Garden with the Big Ice Lump.
Xu Yuan had matters to discuss with Su Jinxuan.
Moreover, it was an excellent opportunity to introduce Su Jinxuan and Ran Qingmo to each other.
However, before he had gotten far, Zhou Chen and Sizi Yu, who had been sent flying earlier, finally returned to the residence, albeit somewhat late.
Upon seeing Xu Yuan, the two of them immediately flew over.
Zhou Chen landed and grinned, bowing with his fists clasped:
"Third Young Master, are you alright?"
Xu Yuan glanced at Zhou Chen and frowned slightly.
At that moment, Grandmaster Zhou looked extremely disheveled, covered in blood, his aura feeble, and Xu Yuan even faintly sensed the Origin Qi leaking from his body.
He was leaking Qi.
"Your wounds…"
Zhou Chen shook his head and cast a sidelong glance at Ran Qingmo, speaking in a low voice:
"Thank you for your concern, Third Young Master.
Our injuries are of no concern, heh heh…
Most of the force from Primordial's attack just now was taken by Mr.
Ran."
Xu Yuan gave Ran Qingmo a concerned look.
Ran Qingmo shook her head, indicating that she was fine.
Zhou Chen, seeing this, chuckled and said:
"Mr.
Ran is a peerless talent just like the Third Young Master, we ordinary folks cannot compare with her."
"…" Xu Yuan.
With a light cough, Xu Yuan nonchalantly tossed half a bottle of Elixir Medicine to Zhou Chen and another half-bottle of a slightly lower grade to Sizi Yu:
"You two have worked hard this time, this is a token of appreciation from Changtian."
Zhou Chen's eyes lit up when he received the Elixir Medicine, and he immediately thanked Xu Yuan.
After thanking him, he also cast a sidelong glance at Sizi Yu, who was posing as a martial master beside him.
Sizi Yu rolled his eyes but seemed somewhat tempted.
Both being Great Grandmasters,
The difference in treatment between one who fawns and one who doesn't is so obvious.
Perhaps…
to fawn a little?
Xu Yuan noticed their expressions and simply chuckled:
"Mr.
Zhou, I might set out on a journey in some time.
I thank you for your assistance during these days."
Zhou Chen was stunned by these words, while Sizi Yu was still hesitating, Zhou Chen had already bowed deeply:
"Ahem, it will certainly be exhausting for the Third Young Master to travel the world.
Zhou is willing to drive your carriage and lead your horses."
Zhou Chen had little respect for such hesitance in his old friend.
What's the worth of face?
Even a fine bird chooses a tree to nest in.
Zhou Chen had been watching all the changes in the Third Young Master; following him ensured not just a bright future, but also a profitable one.
Moreover, with the situation so tense, leaving the Third Young Master to take on other assignments could very well turn a brave man into a martyr.
Having said this, Zhou Chen lowered his head, waiting for Xu Yuan's reply.
"…"
Xu Yuan was somewhat surprised by Zhou Chen's reaction.
After contemplating for a moment, he figured out the pros and cons.
If it had been before, such an offer from a Grandmaster would have been irresistible to him.
But for now, it was better not to.
Having Zhou Chen around would make many things inconvenient.
And in terms of strength, the Big Ice Lump was clearly much stronger than Grandmaster Zhou.
After a long silence,
Zhou Chen tentatively looked up at Xu Yuan:
"Third Young Master…"
Xu Yuan did not speak but cheerfully glanced at Ran Qingmo beside him.
Ran Qingmo, seeing this, also glanced at Zhou Chen.
As her tranquil gaze swept over him, Zhou Chen's eyelid twitched.
Alright, the Third Young Master no longer needed his services.
Zhou Chen cleared his throat and, with a composed face, changed his tune:
"Ahem…
but I am currently too grievously wounded and powerless, temporarily unable to protect the Third Young Master completely.
I ask for your understanding."
Xu Yuan smiled and shook his head:
"No worries, I'm fully aware of Mr.
Zhou's intentions."
Zhou Chen tucked the Elixir Medicine into his sleeve and, looking at the path Xu Yuan had come from, asked in a low voice:
"Is the Third Young Master heading to the Northern Garden?"
Xu Yuan did not hide his intent and replied:
"I plan to find Su Jinxuan to explain some matters before I leave."
"…."
Zhou Chen remained silent upon hearing this.
He looked at Xu Yuan,
then at Ran Qingmo,
and then in the direction of the northern gardens,
ultimately, his expression became somewhat strange.
Seeing Zhou Chen's expression, Xu Yuan did not say anything unnecessary.
He understood what Grandmaster Zhou was thinking but didn't care much about it.
It was probably because he thought that having the two women meet was a move of someone with low emotional intelligence.
He got it.
Friends, not girlfriends.
If Su Jinxuan could survive her undercover mission and return alive, they would have to meet sooner or later anyway.
Xu Yuan gestured with his hand, preparing to leave.
But at this moment,
Ran Qingmo suddenly spoke softly:
"She has been taken away."
Xu Yuan looked back.
Ran Qingmo's serene eyes stared at him calmly.
After two seconds of eye contact,
Ran Qingmo's voice remained tranquil:
"If you're referring to the woman in bluish-white attire, she has already been rescued by that mysterious Primordial just now."
Xu Yuan frowned:
"Rescued?"
He had only managed to see the instant the Primordial attacked before Ying'er set him down, and by the time he was released, that mysterious Primordial had already vanished into the sky.
Ran Qingmo explained softly:
"Yes, that Primordial was originally trying to save that remnant soul, but Xu Changge had already locked onto him, preventing him from dealing with me, so he went down and rescued the woman instead."
Hearing this, Xu Yuan fell silent, his gaze slightly complex.
Ran Qingmo looked at him with downcast eyes and softly hummed for a moment before asking in a low voice:
"What's wrong… with you?"
Xu Yuan regained his composure, sighed, and chuckled lightly:
"Nothing much, just feeling a bit regretful."
He had originally thought that Su Jinxuan would be sent on the undercover mission after systematic training by the Shadow System someday in the future.
But it turned out that she had been forced to go after just a few days of training.
With this foolish woman's capacity to withstand pressure…
At this thought, Xu Yuan gently shook his head:
"Since she's already gone, then so be it."
At this point, all he could do was hope that the Enchantress would live up to the investment he made in her.
On the bright side,
although he hadn't made it explicit, he had already informed the Enchantress of the whereabouts of the Great Harmony Yin-Yang Technique.
People are often forged by necessity.
If she was clever enough and fortune favored her, she might obtain that magic skill perfectly suited for the Enchantress Divine Physique…
The devouring nature of the Great Harmony Yin-Yang Technique, combined with the silent, enchanting allure of the Enchantress Divine Physique, might make her even stronger than him by the next time they met.
There could be a dramatic scene where he, the Third Young Master, faces peril, and the demonic enchantress comes just in time to save the day…
Of course, this was just wishful thinking.
For now, he just hoped she would survive.
After bidding farewell to Zhou Chen and Sizi Yu, Xu Yuan brought Ran Qingmo back to his loft.
With no ulterior motive.
Given Ran Qingmo's disposition, it was certain she would want to cultivate.
Since the training room at the Wuxuan Institute was destroyed, the only Spirit Gathering Array in the entire Xu Residence was carved into the floor of his loft.
Upon entering the room,
after catching up with Ran Qingmo for a long time, Xu Yuan directly left.
Before leaving, he also placed a Source Crystal above the core of the Spirit Gathering Array for Big Ice Lump to use for cultivation.
Ran Qingmo surveyed the layout of his room.
Soon, her gaze fixed on the black ice Cold Jade Bed on one side of the room.
It was the same one from the cave dwelling,
and the two Cold Jade Pillows on top were also as before.
She moved gracefully to the bed and stood still at its side.
Suddenly, Ran Qingmo delicately sniffed with her petite nose, her eyes puzzled as she stared at the bed for two seconds, then she silently turned around, sat down on the floor, and began to cultivate.
///95///
The setting sun had sunk in the west, and night had fallen.
The Xu Residence no longer possessed the serene beauty under the moonlight of bygone days, only a stretch of ruinous desolation.
However, compared to when Xu Yuan had entered the attic two quarters of an hour earlier, there was now a trace more vitality within the residence.
Martial scholars from the Tian'an Commerce Assembly and the Tian'an Martial Hall had been urgently dispatched and were methodically searching the collapsed rubble for possible survivors.
But beyond that, Xu Yuan also saw many bodies still steaming in the cold winter night.
Some were martial scholars, but most were ordinary people.
The circumstances of their deaths varied, which was slightly nauseating.
As he walked by, Xu Yuan roughly guessed what had happened in the Xu Residence during that half-hour period.
When disaster strikes, there is always a group of people who like to seek fortune amidst peril.
With the walls of the Xu Residence collapsing on all sides, there would certainly be no shortage of looters.
All it took was one person to lead,
and both the greed and the herd mentality would sweep through the crowd like an avalanche…..
…
…
The Wangjiang Tower was a seven-story building located on the edge of the northwest courtyard of the Xu Residence, from which one could overlook the bustling street scenes on both sides of Jingjiang and the scenic view of the flower boats on the river.
It was also one of the few buildings in the Xu Residence that had thankfully not fallen victim to the disaster.
The Protector said the elder young master was resting here,
Walking alone up to the attic, without even knocking, Xu Yuan pushed the door and entered.
The moonlight poured in like a waterfall,
and the night market streets along the tributary of Jingjiang were hardly less lively due to the misfortune that had befallen the Xu Residence.
It was hell inside, and paradise outside.
The man in green stood with his hands behind his back, gazing over the entire river view and the ruins, with the night breeze fluttering his sleeves and black hair.
Seeing this scene,
Xu Yuan's eyelids twitched imperceptibly.
"Without you, Xu Changge, fate would have left the world in everlasting night."
After standing at the door for a second,
Xu Changge said nothing,
and Xu Yuan made himself comfortable at the room's tea tray, poured a cup of tea for himself, and began to drink unhurriedly.
Absolute silence reigned over the attic,
while the hustle and bustle of the market and the cries from within the residence drifted over faintly from afar.
The silence between the two brothers lasted for about half a quarter of an hour,
until Xu Changge turned around and was the first to speak:
"Changtian, what brings you here?"
Xu Yuan glanced at him, put down his tea cup with deliberate slowness, and said bluntly,
"Xu Changge, do you know the Yantian Art?"
"…."
Xu Changge furrowed his brows, his gaze on Xu Yuan a bit strange.
It seemed his younger brother had come to know something again?
After a brief pause, Xu Changge shook his head slightly:
"I don't know."
Xu Yuan didn't immediately respond, but gestured to the cushion opposite, indicating Xu Changge to sit down first.
Xu Changge was silent for a few breaths, then walked over to the cushion and sat down, asking in a low voice,
"This Yantian Art sounds like a cultivation technique.
Is it the one you practice?"
Xu Yuan shook his head:
"No, it's a cultivation technique that can deduce the secrets of heaven."
"Deduce the secrets of heaven?"
Xu Changge narrowed his eyes thoughtfully, pondered for a long while, then asked in a low voice,
"How did you come to know of this?"
Xu Yuan replied casually:
"Of course, from Ran Qingmo."
Xu Changge looked somewhat surprised, and asked in a low voice:
"Is it alright for you to tell me this?"
Won't it affect your relationship with that woman?
Xu Yuan smiled faintly:
"Rest assured, she doesn't mind."
Xu Changge looked at the smile on his youngest brother's face, hesitated for a moment, and still spoke up to remind him:
"Changtian, having read so many internal references, you should know what Father wants to do.
Be sure to measure it properly, Ran Qingmo is after all someone from the Sects."
Xu Yuan's eyes turned sharp as he heard this, and he let out a slight sigh:
"Let's talk about this matter later."
Xu Changge's tone raised slightly:
"Oh?
It seems like you have quite a lot to tell me?"
Xu Yuan gave a light laugh, intentionally flaunting just the right amount:
"Xu Changge, the discovery of the Saint's Remnant Soul that Qin Mo brought was thanks to me."
Upon hearing this, Xu Changge fell silent for a moment, a look of gratified amusement appearing in his eyes:
"Yes, indeed it's thanks to you, Changtian."
The way Qin Mo handled that Soul Ring was simply a waste.
The Saint's Remnant Soul is a treasure.
The information it holds, the cultivation techniques it knew, the entrances to secret realms it was aware of – no single person could possibly digest it all by themselves.
The information just acquired from the other party would take some time to be fully assimilated even with the influence of the Prime Minister's Mansion.
The cultivation techniques and secret arts will become rewards exchangeable within the Mansion's Martial Armament System and would also become a source of income for the Tian'an Commerce Assembly's sale of cultivation techniques.
The entrances to the various secret realms would be developed under the influence of the Prime Minister's Mansion, and all the cultivation resources within them would flow into the Mansion's treasury like water.
Even within some secret domains, it might be possible to find and supplement some of the strategic resources that the Prime Minister's Mansion was lacking.
And all this started,
because the youngest brother had brought news about that Qin Mo.
Thinking of this,
Xu Changge smiled faintly and once again asked:
"Changtian, well done."
Xu Yuan raised a hand to interject:
"Enough of that, let's talk about the Yantian Art first, but I think it's best to inform Father about this matter."
Xu Changge's gaze grew sharp, and he nodded slightly:
"Alright."
Seeing this, Xu Yuan prepared to rise and go to the underground chamber, but Xu Changge simply raised his hand and pressed him down onto the cushion with Origin Qi.
While Xu Yuan looked on in confusion, a small, crystal ball-like object appeared in the middle of the room.
Xu Yuan frowned slightly.
His will-spirit probed briefly, and his pupils suddenly shrank.
This…
This is the formation from the Communication Crystal in the secret chamber.
The original communication formation patterns had almost filled a hundred square meters of the ground, but now these intricate patterns were condensed into such a small-sized crystal ball!
A portable Communication Crystal…
As Xu Changge was operating it, he explained to Xu Yuan:
"The Tianxun Crystal Orb, crafted by the Geometry Institute of Tian'an Commerce Assembly, there are currently only two prototypes, made specifically for the military."
Upon hearing this, Xu Yuan's pupils shrunk.
Prepared for the military…
If such portable Communication Crystals could truly be mass-produced, real-time communication over long distances could completely transform the war model of this world…
After a silent pause of two seconds,
Xu Yuan stared at the Source Crystal, licking his lips:
"Cough, big brother, about this item…"
Xu Changge noticed Xu Yuan's gaze and let out a somewhat helpless chuckle:
"You rascal.
"This thing is still under development.
You can't use it yet.
When you reach Second Grade, or when the Geometry Institute has perfected it, Father will naturally give you one."
Xu Yuan closed his mouth and said no more.
Because he sensed that the energy supply for this Tianxun Crystal Orb came from the boundless, ceaseless Origin Qi of Xu Changge.
If it were him, he would be drained in an instant.
And a moment later,
The steady voice of Dayan's Prime Minister echoed in the room:
"Changge, what else is there?"
It was clear that the father and son had already discussed the Saint's Remnant Soul earlier.
Xu Changge's voice was gentle and relaxed:
"Father, Changtian was wondering if you might know of a Cultivation Technique called the Yantian Art."