Separated by a Single Door

Upon hearing Ran Qingmo's words, Xu Yuan had to admit he was momentarily flustered. It was not out of fear, though; rather, it felt like running headlong into an ex-girlfriend's parents when stepping out of a hotel during his student days in his past life—an inexplicable, guilty conscience. Yet experience suggested that the guiltier you looked at times like this, the more displeased the girl's parents became—possibly even displeased enough to lose control and beat you up. Remaining calm and composed, on the other hand, might just allow one to seize the upper hand. Of course, experience from a past life could not be applied indiscriminately to this one. If Ran Jianli, that greatsword-wielding, muscular old man, saw his precious disciple spending the entire night with a profligate like him, he would probably mince him on the spot. Xu Yuan was separated from death by a single door. Of course, that was a joke. After all, this was the Prime Minister's Manor. Ran Jianli could not truly chop him to pieces, though a sound thrashing would certainly be unavoidable. Yet all of this was predicated on the old man being able to enter the inner court in the first place. The heavy courtyard gates of the Prime Minister's Manor's inner court and the protective formations engraved upon them might be nothing more than flimsy paper to Ran Jianli, but it was paper that could not be touched. The inner court was the Chancellor's Manor's true nexus of secrets. Ran Qingmo could enter because Xu Yinhe had permitted it; for anyone else, even probing the inner court with intent-soul was an act that crossed the red line. This was something Ran Jianli could not fail to understand. Therefore, in summary, as long as the door stayed closed, nothing would happen. After a brief pause, Xu Yuan asked Ran Qingmo, "How does your master know you're in the inner court?" The moment the words left his mouth, Xu Yuan realized how foolish the question was. Last night, the big ice block had rushed back to the Prime Minister's Manor without stopping. Ran Jianli, an old man who served as both father and master to her, surely would have wanted to tag along to keep an eye on her. Unfortunately, constrained by his status, he could not pay a visit on New Year's Eve. Early on New Year's Day, he must have rushed over in a hurry, only to find no one at Qingxin Pavilion. Given Ran Qingmo's disposition, she wouldn't wander off aimlessly, so he naturally came over to block the inner court's door. With that in mind, Xu Yuan changed his question before Ran Qingmo could answer: "Ahem, how is your master transmitting his voice to you?" The inner court was engraved with a top-tier Luanyin Formation to prevent intent-soul detection, and the prerequisite for voice transmission was locking onto the recipient with either intent-soul or Source Qi. Theoretically, across such a formation, Ran Jianli wouldn't even be able to lock onto Ran Qingmo with Source Qi or intent-soul, let alone transmit his voice. Hearing this, Ran Qingmo honestly reached toward her neck and drew out a jade pendant-like object from inside the lapel of her ink-black robes. "With this..." "..." Xu Yuan stared at the jade pendant, a hint of confusion in his eyes. Beside them, Xu Xinyao studied it for several breaths before remarking with slight novelty, "Brother, this seems like a portable communication artifact similar to a Heavenly Communication Crystal. Its range isn't wide, but it can bypass the Luanyin interference." Seeing Xu Xinyao's shining eyes, Ran Qingmo held out the jade pendant and softly asked, "...Do you want to see it?" "Eh? May I?" Xu Xinyao blinked, reaching out to take it while smiling. "Thank you, Sister Qingmo..." *Smack.* Before Xu Xinyao's fair little hand could touch the jade pendant, Xu Yuan unceremoniously swatted it away. Xu Yuan glared at her. "Look at what? Wanting to see everything—can't you research it yourself?" A reddish mark bloomed on the back of her fair hand. Xu Xinyao rubbed it with a wince, casting a resentful glance at him as she muttered, "It's not like the pendant belongs to you, Third Brother..." Too lazy to pay her any mind, Xu Yuan took Ran Qingmo's hand holding the pendant and helped tuck it back into her robes, instructing her, "Don't take this jade pendant out so carelessly." Ran Qingmo looked up. "Ah? Oh..." Xu Yuan shook his head gently, sighing inwardly. This big ice block was truly dense, taking out confidential gear like this so casually for others to see. If the Heavenly Communication Crystal was likened to a cell phone, the jade pendant in Ran Qingmo's hand could be considered a short-range radio. While such an item held little strategic value, on a tactical level it could catch people off guard. After all, the Prime Minister's Manor did not yet possess a communication artifact capable of ignoring "all-channel jamming." From the look of it, the people of the realm were not to be underestimated; the Prime Minister's Manor was far from the only faction diligently climbing the array-formation tech tree in preparation for war. While he was still lost in thought, *Knock, knock, knock—* A heavy knocking suddenly came from the courtyard gate. Xu Yuan instinctively shuddered and took half a step back. Though he considered it impossible, based on the depiction of Ran Jianli's temperament in *Cangyuan*, he was genuinely a little afraid that the muscular old man would burst through the doors. Yet outside the door, Ran Jianli still retained his sanity. After all, as far as he knew, that profligate Third Young Master of the Xu family had already been assassinated. Even if his disciple had stayed overnight in the inner court of the Prime Minister's Manor, she had at most spent the night having intimate chats with the manor's adopted daughter. After knocking, Ran Jianli simply coaxed in a deep voice, "Qingmo, Master knows you're inside. Open the door. Master has come to pick you up." Ran Qingmo looked back at Xu Yuan. "Um... can I open the door for Master?" Xu Yuan gave an awkward smile. "Do you want to go back right now?" Ran Qingmo's gaze drifted back and forth between Xu Yuan and the gate. Pondering for a moment, she shook her head gently. "Do you want me to go back?" Xu Yuan smiled softly and instinctively reached out to wrap his arm around her, but she vigilantly dodged aside. She stared at him. "Xu Yuan... what are you doing?" Being held by Xu Yuan gave her a strange feeling inside. When that happened, it took her a long time to enter deep meditation, which would affect her efficiency. Missing his embrace, Xu Yuan was not embarrassed in the least. He whispered, "Naturally, I don't want to either. Then will you tell your master to go back first?" "Okay." Ran Qingmo nodded. Crunching through the snow, she walked over to the courtyard gate and answered clearly through the heavy wooden door: "Master... Xu Yuan told me to tell you to go back first." "..." Xu Yuan. "..." Xu Xinyao. "..." Xu Changge. Beyond the door was a dead silence. Ran Qingmo turned back, looking at the stunned Xu Yuan, and asked softly, "Xu Yuan... Master isn't answering. What should I do?" "..." Xu Yuan's eye twitched. Glancing toward the deadly silence behind the courtyard gate, he didn't answer Ran Qingmo immediately, instead hurriedly whispering to Xu Xinyao, "Xinyao, Ran Qingmo doesn't have the soul key to the inner court's formation. Outside shouldn't be able to hear her, right?" The sound-isolation formation engraved in the inner court was one-way; sounds from outside could be heard inside, but if those inside did not wish their voices to travel out, not a peep could be heard from the outside. Xu Xinyao glanced at Xu Yuan and rubbed the back of her hand, which had just been slapped, saying flatly, "He can't hear." Xu Yuan immediately breathed a sigh of relief, only to hear Xu Xinyao add, "Then again, he might. After all, the Imperial Preceptor is a Saint." "..." Xu Yuan. Just as his heart began to race, Xu Xinyao added at an unhurried pace, "However... since the Source-Reflecting Formation in the inner court didn't react just now, the Imperial Preceptor most likely wasn't circulating his cultivation, so he still didn't hear it." "..." Xu Yuan. This fourth sister had actually learned to be naughty. *Thwack!* Exasperated, he flicked his fourth sister directly on the forehead. The force was great enough to make Xu Xinyao stumble back two steps before crouching on the ground, clutching her forehead. Only a pair of pitifully resentful eyes peered up at Xu Yuan. Angry, but not daring to speak up. Xu Yuan snorted softly. "Hah, enjoy teasing your broth—" *Thump!* Before he could finish "brother," another muffled thud rang out as a solid palm smacked right into the back of Xu Yuan's head. Completely caught off guard, he plunged with a *thud* straight into the snowdrifts on the ground, kicking up a flurry of snow dust. Xu Changge slowly withdrew his hand and said with a cool snort, "The moment you gain a bit of cultivation, all you know is how to bully Xinyao. Typical." "..." Xu Yuan. "Pfft..." Crouching nearby with her head clutched, Xu Xinyao looked at their suddenly appearing eldest brother and her third brother buried in the snow, breaking into stifled giggles. "Hehehehe~" "..." Hearing the laughter nearby, Xu Yuan lay flat in the snow without a word, playing dead. It wasn't that he was angry but dared not speak; mainly, Ran Qingmo was watching, and he needed to preserve what little dignity he had left. "Hmph." Glancing at his third brother lying motionless in the snow, Xu Changge suppressed the urge to give him a kick, turned around, and looked toward Ran Qingmo by the gate. "..." The moment their gazes met, Ran Qingmo immediately went on high alert. Just as she was hesitating over whether she should draw her ink sword to help if Xu Yuan stood up and fought his eldest brother, Xu Changge suddenly tossed her a token. "This is a temporary soul key for the inner court. It's best you don't mention to your master that Xu Yuan is still alive; otherwise, he really might die." Catching it deftly, Ran Qingmo looked puzzled. But after glancing at Xu Yuan sprawled on the ground, her gaze remained vigilant and guarded as she watched Xu Changge. Seeing this, the corners of Xu Changge's eyes curved slightly, and he said in a low voice, "If you want to help him, wait until you reach the Origin Realm before you try." With that, the snow remained, but the green robes were gone. "..." "..." "Third Brother, Eldest Brother is gone." Xu Xinyao tugged at the corpse's hem on the ground and teased with a giggle, "You can get up now. Hehehehe~" *Rustle—* Snow slid off him. Xu Yuan glared fiercely at Xu Xinyao, but did not strike her again this time. Climbing to his feet with a cold huff, he ignored her. Xu Xinyao sensibly stopped laughing. She helped Xu Yuan brush the lingering snowflakes from his back and long hair, rubbing the back of his smacked head in passing. After brushing off the snow, Xu Yuan turned his gaze to Ran Qingmo, only to find the big ice block staring quietly at the brother and sister: "Xu Yuan... are you all right?" Xu Yuan shook his head. "Xu Changge knows how to pull his punches. Use the soul key to tell your master to go back." "Oh, okay." Lowering her eyes, Ran Qingmo turned around, activated the soul key with her intent-soul, and said softly toward the gate: "Master, I don't want to go back yet." This time, a voice sounded from outside. Ran Jianli was thoroughly baffled: "Why? That kid isn't even in the manor." "Um... I..." Ran Qingmo wasn't good at lying. After stumbling over a few stammered sounds, she turned her eyes back and looked helplessly at Xu Yuan. Xu Yuan rolled his eyes and pointed straight at Xu Xinyao beside him. Ran Qingmo caught on and whispered, "I... I want to keep Xinyao company." After a brief silence, the muscular old man outside began playing the pity card: "Qingmo, your master's wife isn't here, and Master is just an old sack of bones with you as my only family in Di'an. I've been waiting to have a meal with you on New Year's Day." Ran Qingmo thought for a moment and replied earnestly, "But Master, didn't you say last night that you were going to attend the New Year banquet at noon?" "..." Ran Jianli. "Ahem, Master meant dinner." "But the New Year banquet has an evening feast too." "How about this, Qingmo, open the door first, okay?" "Master, I know you," Ran Qingmo said quietly. "What?" Ran Jianli asked, confused. "Um... as soon as I open the door, Master, you're going to drag me away by force." "..." Ran Jianli suddenly felt the urge to smash the door down.