The Scheme of the Overseeing Heaven Pavilion

Staring across the tea table at the gentle woman for several seconds, Xu Yuan's expression gradually grew peculiar. When he had first heard the Big Ice Block mention the name Tianyan, he had indeed thought it was odd. After all, as the old saying went, heaven deduces sixty—cough, heaven deduces forty-nine, and human agency claims the one remaining. Taking Tianyan as a given name seemed a bit too overbearing, though once he grew used to it, he stopped thinking about it that way. He simply hadn't expected that the washboard Saintess's name was actually a bestowed title. "The bestowed name of Tianyan?" "Naturally." Luo Xiran's tone was placid, as though speaking of the most ordinary matter imaginable. "The Overseeing Heaven Pavilion Master stands equal to the heavens, taking Tian as a surname." Seeing her matter-of-fact look, Xu Yuan grinned. The Overseeing Heaven Pavilion was even more overbearing than the ruling dynasty. The supreme sovereign of the Great Yan Dynasty was only referred to as the Son of Heaven, yet the Overseeing Heaven Pavilion Master boldly took the heavens themselves as their name. Then again, it made sense. The mortal dynasties had existed for merely a few thousand years, undergoing several dynastic changes along the way, whereas the Overseeing Heaven Pavilion was a colossal power that had truly stood for tens of thousands of years. Proclaiming themselves as Heaven was hardly surprising. Still, to think that Tianyan's name was a title bestowed by the Overseeing Heaven Pavilion. Picking up the second cup of refreshing fragrant tea she had poured for him, Xu Yuan smiled playfully. "Your Overseeing Heaven Pavilion certainly has a lot of rules. Even after becoming the Saintess, one has to change names..." As he spoke, Xu Yuan took a sip of tea while sizing Luo Xiran up and down. "Back when you were a candidate for Saintess, Xiran, what name would you have taken if you'd been chosen? Tianluo? Tianxi? Hmm, how about Tianran? That one sounds a bit better." Luo Xiran turned a frosty gaze upon him. "Is that truly all you care about?" Xu Yuan shrugged with utter nonchalance and chuckled. "I'm just teasing your pavilion's traditions. But according to these rules of yours, what is your Pavilion Master called? Also Tianyan? Aren't you afraid of mixing them up?" Suppressing her annoyance with this brat, Luo Xiran gave a cold snort and explained, "I know nothing of the contemporary Pavilion Master, but the one from ten thousand years ago did indeed share the same name as the current Saintess." "..." Silence fell. The smile in Xu Yuan's eyes instantly froze. Though her words were brief, he grasped the immense weight of information behind them. She didn't know about the contemporary Pavilion Master... In other words, the current Pavilion Master might not have fully comprehended the Heaven-Deducing Art, and thus could not be bestowed the name of Tianyan. Setting down his teacup, Xu Yuan straightened his posture, his voice taking on a touch of solemnity. "Are you saying that even an Overseeing Heaven Pavilion Master might not fully comprehend the Four Chapters of Heaven-Deducing?" Luo Xiran cast him a cold glance, sweeping her sleeve as she picked up the teapot to refill her own cup. "You are quite curious, aren't you?" "..." Seeing that look in her eyes, Xu Yuan's lips twitched. Damn it, this over-aged sworn sister wasn't going to play the riddler like Old Man Luo, was she? Fortunately, Luo Xiran was not that old fox. Letting out a soft exhale, she spoke in a measured, deliberate cadence: "The Overseeing Heaven Pavilion has endured for tens of thousands of years. Most Pavilion Masters attained the seat having mastered only three chapters. Those who grasped all four number merely forty-odd, and throughout the ages, a mere thirteen individuals have ever been bestowed the name of Tianyan." Tens of thousands of years... A mere thirteen. *Hiss.* Hearing secrets that even Old Man Luo had never known, Xu Yuan could not help drawing a sharp breath. That punching-bag Saintess was actually that formidable? Amidst the quiet, Xu Yuan asked out of curiosity, "If it is so rare, what are the contents of the Heaven-Deducing Art's fifth chapter?" "I do not know." "Hm?" "Do not look at me like that. I am not deceiving you, brat." Under Xu Yuan's suspicious stare, a trace of reminiscence surfaced in Luo Xiran's eyes. "Even among the ranks of Holy Venerables within the Overseeing Heaven Pavilion, the Heaven-Deducing Art is a strictly guarded secret. I only learned this much because I was once a candidate for Saintess. As for anything deeper... the Pavilion Master never disclosed it to me back then." Hearing this, the maidenly, clear face of Tianyan instinctively rose in Xu Yuan's mind. If Luo Xiran didn't know, then Tianyan surely did, right? As the contemporary Saintess of the Overseeing Heaven Pavilion and the woman who had cultivated all five chapters of the Heaven-Deducing Art, Tianyan undoubtedly knew the answer. If he asked her directly, would she tell him? After a moment's silence, Xu Yuan dismissed the thought. He was reluctant to use sentiment to manipulate that punching-bag Saintess. Having reached this point in his thoughts, Xu Yuan shook his head and murmured, "What a pity, then. Why did you fail to be chosen back then, Xiran?" Luo Xiran made no attempt to hide it. "Back then, across three attempts to comprehend the Heaven-Deducing Stele, I only managed to grasp a single fragmented page of the Heaven Character True Words. The technique could not be brought into full operation." At those words, Xu Yuan was suddenly reminded of Old Man Luo and asked out of curiosity, "What about your brother? His talent shouldn't have been lacking, right?" "..." Luo Xiran fell silent for a breath before shaking her head. Her tone was flat, devoid of any emotional ripple when mentioning her kin. "He lost to me during the Spirit Assessment Ceremony, and our Luo clan had only one quota. But if you are asking about Luo Daofan's talent, the fact that he ultimately became a Holy Venerable shows he was naturally not weak." Xu Yuan sensed that this sworn sister of his seemed to hold some distaste for Old Man Luo. "In other words, his talent was inferior to yours?" "Naturally." "Yet he knows the Heaven Character True Words." "..." Luo Xiran froze. A strange glint flashed through Xu Yuan's eyes. "You didn't know?" After a brief pause, Luo Xiran's delicate voice carried a hint of complexity. "I did not. The Pavilion Master never disclosed the details to me back then." Saying so, she lifted her gaze to meet Xu Yuan's eyes, her voice tinged with hesitation as she sought confirmation: "Does he truly know the Heaven Character True Words?" Xu Yuan recalled briefly before giving an affirmative answer: "I saw him use them with my own eyes to dispel Tianyan's Heaven Character True Words. Um... it seems that when the aberrant ghost calamity arrived, the front lines were hard-pressed and the Overseeing Heaven Pavilion was empty. He snuck in and comprehended the Heaven-Deducing Stele in secret." "..." Luo Xiran let out a soft sigh. The timing and circumstances lined up perfectly; the brat was not lying to her. The place where the Heaven-Deducing Stele resided was the secluded cultivation sanctuary of the Overseeing Heaven Pavilion Master. When he defected back then, it was precisely the moment the Pavilion Master had gone forth to encircle and slay a Saint-level aberrant ghost. She remembered that the Pavilion Master had only been gone for about a month. Which meant that his time contemplating the Heaven-Deducing Stele had been less than a month... With that realization, Luo Xiran slowly lowered her bright eyes. The morning breeze drifted gently through the window curtains. Looking at her own reflection in the teacup, she sighed softly in her heart. Comprehending the Heaven Character True Words in less than a month. *Heh. So that fellow deliberately threw the match to me back then...* "..." Lost in thought with downcast eyes, Luo Xiran suddenly sensed something drawing close before her. Lifting her gaze slightly, she met the brat's half-smiling face. Rubbing his chin, Xu Yuan teased, "What? Only realizing your brother's good points after ten thousand years?" As he spoke, Xu Yuan reached out and patted her shoulder with a grin. "Still, you don't have to suffer the regret of wanting to care for kin who are no longer around. Misfortunes linger for millennia—Old Man Luo is still very much alive. Call me elder brother right now, and this young master will reunite you two the moment we return to the Imperial Capital." Staring at his roguish face, Luo Xiran slapped his hand away with a crisp *smack* and refused coldly: "No need." Xu Yuan clicked his tongue, a teasing glint in his eyes. Tsundere had fallen out of fashion ages ago—didn't this woman know that? Before he could speak, Luo Xiran's businesslike voice cut in: "I told you these things today solely because the Saintess imparted the Heaven-Deducing Art to you." *Right, she thinks I'm trying to recruit her.* Xu Yuan had no intention of exposing her thoughts. Shaking his head, he asked in a low voice, "Alright, alright. So how exactly do I comprehend this Heaven-Deducing Art?" Luo Xiran glanced at him. "Did you not already comprehend it once just now?" Xu Yuan started, asking hesitantly, "I just recall it directly?" The corner of Luo Xiran's lips curved. "Do not ask me. I do not know either. What I said before was merely an inference based on the aura around you." Xu Yuan frowned. "Didn't you comprehend the Heaven-Deducing Stele back then?" Her eyes like clear green lakes, Luo Xiran smiled gracefully. "Indeed. And as you know, brat, what I comprehended back then was the Heaven-Deducing Stele." "..." Xu Yuan fell silent. Figures. Both Old Man Luo and his sister shared the exact same temperament—utterly clueless the moment you asked them anything. Seeing his reaction, Luo Xiran offered gentle consolation: "Do not worry, brat. With the comprehension of an Innate Dao Body..." "Don't lump this young master together with past Innate Dao Bodies. I'm special." "..." Luo Xiran went quiet. Rolling her eyes at the insufferable brat, she said leisurely, "Brat, actually, compared to—" "Wait, can you stop calling me brat?" "Are you angry?" "No." "Then I shall not stop." Luo Xiran smiled sweetly, her lips parting with radiant amusement. Xu Yuan stared at her for several seconds, nodded, and flashed an ambiguous grin. "Fine. I recall my sworn sister still has a physical shell lying in that underground palace. In the future, I'll go..." Luo Xiran's smile froze, her willow brows knitting sharply. "You dare?!" Seeing the anger in her eyes, Xu Yuan laughed. "Call me brat one more time, and you'll find out whether I dare in the future." "..." Luo Xiran clenched her jade-like hands until her knuckles cracked. After a long moment, she let out an extended breath. "Xu Yuan..." "What?" Xu Yuan chuckled. "Not calling me brat anymore?" *Give him an inch and he takes a mile. A brat is still a brat.* With a quiet snort in her heart, Luo Xiran ignored his provocation and softly reminded him, "Rather than focusing on the Saintess imparting the technique to you, you ought to consider the reason she did so." Xu Yuan narrowed his eyes slightly and smiled. "Xiran, if you can think of it, your elder brother naturally can as well." Luo Xiran let out a soft huff. "The Saintess likely imparted the technique to you to make you remember certain things. But do you know that she did so with the Pavilion Master's consent?" "..." Xu Yuan's heart sank abruptly, his tone instantly turning grave. "Tianyan told Li Qingyan this after I passed out last night?" "Yes," Luo Xiran nodded. "Even if I did not tell you, Wuyuan would likely inform you shortly." Silence fell over the room. Xu Yuan's eyes narrowed into slits. He could roughly guess Tianyan's motive, but why had that Pavilion Master permitted him to comprehend the Heaven-Deducing Art? Given how tightly the Overseeing Heaven Pavilion guarded the technique—keeping it hidden even from their own Holy Venerables—there was no reason to let an outsider lay hands on the foundational pillar of their sect. Tianyan might be naive, but could the Pavilion Master be equally naive? So... was she preparing to acknowledge him as a son-in-law? The moment the thought crossed his mind, Xu Yuan found it utterly absurd. Unless the Overseeing Heaven Pavilion chose to throw its full weight behind the Prime Minister's Manor, such an idea was sheer nonsense. Yet the chasm of conflicting interests between the Overseeing Heaven Pavilion and the Prime Minister's Manor was far deeper than that between the manor and the imperial clan—virtually bottomless. His thoughts raced, conjecture after conjecture surfacing in his mind, only to be promptly discarded. Time ticked away in the stillness. Ultimately, Xu Yuan abandoned the train of thought. He couldn't figure it out. The most likely possibility he could come up with was that Tianyan's master wanted his memories restored so she could leverage the bond forged through a decade of shared trials to accomplish something. Yet even this possibility was dismissed by Xu Yuan himself. Back when he had shattered the illusion and emerged from the Qionghua secret realm, his attitude toward Tianyan had already proven that this path was a dead end. His rationality was more than capable of suppressing his sentimentality. Watching the slightly dejected brat, Luo Xiran gave a soft chuckle. "Well?" Xu Yuan rolled his eyes. "No clue." Seeing his carefree, resigned demeanor, Luo Xiran frowned slightly and warned, "So you are simply going to ignore it? You should already know how crucial the Heaven-Deducing Art is to my Overseeing Heaven Pavilion. If this scheme is handled poorly, your life could be forfeit." Xu Yuan drained the fragrant tea before him in a single gulp and countered, "Even if I know, what of it? The information currently available is far too sparse—nowhere near enough for me to deduce what Tianyan's master wants. I can hardly expect to shoot an arrow and draw the bullseye around it afterward, can I?" At this, Xu Yuan slowly rose to his feet. Waving a hand behind him, he walked toward the door. "Once I see Tianyan again, I plan to ask her directly. That's the simplest and most straightforward way." Watching his retreating back, Luo Xiran asked, "Where are you going?" "To find Li Qingyan. You said yourself that she stood guard over me all night; the least I can do is thank her." Reaching the door of the chamber, Xu Yuan rested his hand on the handle and glanced back over his shoulder. "Are you coming?" A knowing, ambiguous smile crossed Luo Xiran's lips. "For a matter of such importance, would you trust me to come along?" Hearing this, Xu Yuan smiled cheerfully, pointing a finger toward his sworn sister in midair. "Sensible. Your elder brother is deeply gratified." With that, he casually unfastened the Blood God Jade Pendant from around his neck and tossed it to Luo Xiran. "Your elder brother will be back shortly." Catching the pendant with ease, Luo Xiran shot him a chilly sidelong glance. "Nothing but glib talk. Just hurry and go." With that, she paid him no further mind and quietly sat by the tea table, sipping tea on her own. Stepping out of the private chamber, Xu Yuan found himself facing a long, circular corridor. Looking along the plush fur rug lining the floor, there was not a soul in sight. At this sight, a hint of confusion flickered in Xu Yuan's eyes. Judging by the furnishings in the chamber just now, this pleasure house was clearly of the most opulent tier. Normally, in an establishment of this caliber, maidservants or attendants would be standing by in the corridor outside the private rooms at all times, awaiting the guests' orders. For no one to be present now meant they had likely been dismissed... It seemed it truly was the Crown Prince's senior attendant. But why hold the meeting in a pleasure house? His boots stepping on the plush rug, Xu Yuan fastened the open inner lining of his brocade robe while shouting loudly: "Someone come here! This young master is awake and wants breakfast!" "..." No one responded. Seeing this, Xu Yuan understood that there was likely a Sound-Muffling Array in place. Pondering briefly, the corners of his lips curved into a smile. "Refusing to come out, are you? Someone come! This young master wishes to see the Crown Prince's senior attendant!"