Trust

"......" Straightening up, Li Qingyan looked askance at Bai Muxi. The response could be considered barely watertight; its only flaw was that she had not informed Xu Yuan in advance. However, Li Qingyan had no intention of interrogating her on that point. She could already anticipate how Bai Muxi would answer: Excuses like lacking any opportunity to contact Xu Yuan privately, or lacking the confidence to communicate with him right under her nose using rudimentary voice transmission techniques. Pondering this, Li Qingyan half-narrowed her phoenix eyes. "So you mean you wanted to help Changtian control me?" "Yes." Bai Muxi knelt on the ground, holding her slender waist—accentuated by her purple gauze robe—completely erect, dignified and serene. "You and the young master appear close on the surface, Princess, but there should be a rift between the two of you. Since Muxi serves the young master, I must naturally look out for his interests." "......" Hearing this, the slender fingers Li Qingyan had been tapping against her arm paused. A strange glint flashed through her phoenix-like eyes. They had barely exchanged a few words, so why did it suddenly feel as though she were the outsider? "Muxi, apologize." Xu Yuan's cold voice suddenly cut into the conversation between the two women. The look in his eyes as he regarded Bai Muxi was slightly chilled. "I hope this is the last time you show disrespect to Qingyan." Hearing Xu Yuan speak in her defense, Li Qingyan actually furrowed her willow-leaf brows instead. She glanced sideways at him. "Oh? Our Changtian is in quite a hurry to protect her, aren't we?" "Who's protecting her?" The ice on Xu Yuan's face melted instantly. Stepping forward, he walked up beside Li Qingyan. "Come now, Qingyan, you're not the petty sort." As he spoke, he bent down, took her hand, and said in a slightly disgruntled tone: "What kind of discernment could a woman from a tiny place like this possibly have? What does she mean, a rift between us? "Is there a rift between us? None at all! We've slept in the same room for nearly half a year now. Is a bond as deep as ours something an outsider like her can sway? "Let's not let this woman drive a wedge between us." At that point, Xu Yuan squeezed Li Qingyan's hand slightly and shot a glance at Bai Muxi, who remained kneeling on the ground. His voice turned cold once more: "What are you waiting for? Apologize!" At his command, Bai Muxi immediately lowered her lovely head like an obedient pup. "Muxi overstepped. I beg Your Highness to spare my life." "......" Li Qingyan quietly watched their double act, saying nothing right away. Though all the words favored her, this dead man was actually helping Bai Muxi out of a tight spot. Regardless of whether Bai Muxi spoke the truth, the mere act of attempting to control an imperial princess was enough to have her executed a hundred times over. With indisputable evidence and an outright confession, as long as nobody flipped the game board, within the rules, not even Duke Xu himself—let alone the Third Young Master—could brush it off without paying a price. And yet this dead man actually wanted to brush it all aside with a simple apology? Finding it somewhat amusing, Li Qingyan withdrew her hand. "If I truly wanted to kill her, I wouldn't have asked her for an explanation. Besides, I told you that everything in this underground palace would be up to you, Changtian. Have you forgotten?" Translated: Inside the underground palace, she wouldn't hold anything against them, but if this kind of stunt happened once they were outside, don't blame her for being ruthless. Hearing this, Xu Yuan immediately smiled, but his expression promptly shifted again as he glared at Bai Muxi, his voice deliberately cold and loaded with unspoken meaning: "Hurry up and thank Qingyan! What you did would be enough to get you killed a hundred times in the outside world—it would even drag me down with you! Have you got that through your head?" "......" Bai Muxi slowly pressed her smooth, pale forehead against the cold floor, a contemplative flicker passing through her beautiful eyes. Though gleaned from mere fragments of conversation, she had already formed a rudimentary understanding of the Great Yan Dynasty in the upper realm. The supreme power in the imperial court was held not by one person, but shared between the Prime Minister and the Emperor. Yet a nation could not have two masters; the Prime Minister and the Emperor could never coexist in harmony. Which meant the relationship between the young master and this princess was likely an exchange of interests. It seemed her gamble just now had paid off. Lost in thought, Bai Muxi said respectfully, "Muxi thanks Your Highness for sparing my life." "......" Li Qingyan did not speak at once. Lowering herself into a half-kneeling crouch, she propped one jade arm against her knee while her other hand pinched Bai Muxi's chin, tilting her face up. "......" Meeting her gaze at such close quarters, Bai Muxi's eyes flickered slightly. The two women were very close—so close they could feel each other's fragrant breath. Xu Yuan had already done everything he needed to do; standing off to the side, he had no intention of stepping in again. Scheming little green tea biddy meets overbearing female CEO. If he didn't seize the chance to enjoy the show now, he probably wouldn't get another opportunity once they got out. Gazing at the serene yet seductive face before her, Li Qingyan let an aggressive, murderous intent flash through her phoenix eyes. "Bai Muxi, you're very clever." Like a little white rabbit caught in the talons of a fire phoenix, Bai Muxi let the other woman have her way, her voice soft and delicate: "Muxi... wouldn't dare." "Your decisiveness, your scheming, your shrewdness, and your foresight—whichever one it may be, even across my Great Yan, it would be one in ten thousand." Li Qingyan applied a little more force to the chin she held. "Ngh..." Wincing in pain, Bai Muxi furrowed her brows, a patch of red welling up on her fair jaw. Yet Li Qingyan did not care in the slightest about Bai Muxi's pain, remarking in an unhurried drawl, "And yet, none of those four traits are as important as knowing your place. Do you understand?" "Muxi understands..." Bai Muxi gave a strained nod. Hearing this, the corners of Li Qingyan's lips curved faintly. Instead of letting go, Source Qi surged around her, and several silk-like tendrils crept out from the red robe enveloping her. Before Xu Yuan's eyes, those silky strands crawled along Li Qingyan's pale, alabaster fingers toward Bai Muxi, slithering past her swan-like neck and dipping beneath the purple gauze gown... A soft rustling drifted through the silent passage. Perhaps out of sensitivity, an alluring blush crept across Bai Muxi's snow-white cheeks as she bit her lip, remaining silent. "......" Xu Yuan watched without blinking, his gaze growing increasingly peculiar. Black death armor could be used like this too? With that thought, Xu Yuan looked down at his own suit. He channeled a sliver of energy—no reaction whatsoever. Tsk. Common gear really couldn't compare to Li Qingyan's purple epic tier. After a while, Li Qingyan casually released Bai Muxi. Immediately noticing Xu Yuan watching with keen interest, she shot him a sidelong glance: "Enjoying the view?" As she spoke, several fiery-red silk ribbons rose from her palm. "If you think it looks nice, I can give you one as well." Xu Yuan gave a dry cough and said, "It's all right, but what are you doing?" Li Qingyan answered as if it were obvious: "Giving her a suit of fungal armor, naturally." Xu Yuan glanced at Bai Muxi, whose blush had yet to fade, faintly discerning an extra layer of lining beneath her gauze dress. He replied, "Did you have to use your own?" At that, Li Qingyan glared at him exasperatedly. "Third Young Master Xu, have you forgotten that you're wearing fungal armor too? With my cultivation, I don't need to fear her taking control, but can an esteemed expert of the Soul Condensation Realm like you say the same?" "......" Xu Yuan was speechless. Li Qingyan took a deep breath, then let it out: "Hmph. I don't know where your trust in this woman comes from, but I hope you won't let her play you for a fool in the future. If you end up under the thumb of a woman like her, it will reflect very poorly on me." With that, Li Qingyan crossed her arms over her flat chest, walked aside, and fell silent. She looked as though she were jealous, but Xu Yuan knew that was impossible. Li Qingyan was merely worried that Bai Muxi would turn on her master, or rather, dissatisfied with his showing such trust in someone he had known for only a day. Still, Xu Yuan had no intention of explaining, because there was no way to explain it. His trust in Bai Muxi came from Cangyuan—from how she had relentlessly humbled herself and cast aside her dignity countless times, courting the strong to seek protection for the people of the subterranean city. Amid the silence, Xu Yuan reached down and pulled Bai Muxi up from the floor, then turned to Li Qingyan with a smile: "All right, don't be angry anymore. We're getting ready to head to the deepest part of the Blood Nest. You need to be prepared for battle." Li Qingyan glanced back, cool and glamorous. "Do you know the way to the Blood Nest?" "......" Xu Yuan shrugged and nudged his chin toward the sweet-faced, dark-hearted little rabbit. Seeing this, Bai Muxi immediately spoke in a soft voice: "Your Highness, for thousands of years, our subterranean city has been exploring this Blood Demon Cave. Although we have never reached the deepest depths, we have compiled a relatively comprehensive map." Li Qingyan looked Bai Muxi up and down. "Where is it? I don't recall you carrying any map on you." Bai Muxi's face flushed slightly, but she soon pointed to her head and offered a serene, faint smile: "It is stored in my head, naturally."