The conversation between the master and disciple of the Ran clan was hilarious. Separated by a wooden door, the old and young pair were practically acting out Little Red Riding Hood right there.
Ran Jianli, that wretched old man, discarded any pretense of a Saint's dignity outside, coaxing and cajoling Ran Qingmo and stopping just shy of bursting into tears for his disciple. Yet the Big Ice Block remained completely unmoved.
Listening to the exchange between master and disciple, however, the smile playing at the corners of Xu Yuan's lips gradually faded, and a sense of vigilance rose within him.
He had noticed a problem.
Whenever Ran Qingmo made up her mind about something, no matter how sound your reasoning was, she would always find a novel angle to refute you.
Even more importantly, if you tried to deceive her, she could pinpoint the exact motive behind your lie.
The former was manageable, but the latter was rather dangerous.
After a protracted tug-of-war across the inner court gate, it finally ended with Ran Jianli leaving—departing while cursing up a storm.
Yet the person Ran Jianli cursed was not Ran Qingmo. He couldn't bear to scold his precious disciple, so he directed his curses at Xu Yinhe instead.
Calling him out by name.
Once he finished cursing, he didn't forget to kick a snowdrift by the path, sending it blasting dozens of meters into the air right before the inner court gate. It was hard to imagine this was the magnanimity of the Imperial Preceptor of Great Yan.
Staring at the waterfall of falling snow mist, Xu Yuan was about to turn away when he suddenly realized Ran Jianli's display was not merely to vent his anger.
Right now, the Emperor was still visiting the Prime Minister's Manor. With such a massive commotion kicked up here, it was impossible for someone of his cultivation not to detect it. The manor's inner court was a forbidden sanctum where no outsider could tread, yet Ran Jianli's disciple had been allowed inside. How would Li Yaoxuan view this?
At the thought, an intriguing glint flickered across Xu Yuan's eyes, and the corners of his lips curved upward unconsciously.
Ran Jianli coming to retrieve Ran Qingmo this morning was genuine, but putting on a show for Li Yaoxuan was just as real. Once the seed of suspicion was planted, it would only take root and sprout.
That old man appeared rough and boorish, but he didn't lack wicked cunning in the slightest.
After a brief contemplation, Xu Yuan shook his head gently and let the thought go.
When his old man allowed Ran Qingmo into the inner court last night, he might well have intended to use it as a subtle message for the imperial family as well. After all, the Emperor's recent actions had truly crossed the line.
Still...
The Chancellor's Manor was undeniably lively this New Year's Day. The Emperor had come, the leader of the Sect Alliance was here—in a sense, Great Yan's Big Three had gathered.
"..."
After all the fuss Ran Jianli had made, Xu Yuan no longer intended to head straight back to his courtyard to rest. Looking at Ran Qingmo as she slowly walked over from the gate, he asked softly, "Your master's gone. What are you planning to do next?"
Ran Qingmo stopped before Xu Yuan and pondered for a moment. "Cultivate... What about you?"
Naturally.
True to the Big Ice Block's archetype.
Xu Yuan waved his hand, turned around, and began walking toward the depths of the inner court, saying casually, "I'm planning to head down to the Black Prison with Xinyao."
"The Black Prison...?" Ran Qingmo's cool, quiet eyes showed a hint of surprise.
"Yes, the very one you're thinking of."
Xu Yuan pointed beneath their feet and explained, "The headquarters of the Black Prison is right under us. Do you want to come along?"
Hearing the invitation, Ran Qingmo didn't answer immediately. Hesitation filled her eyes, and she followed him for a good while before saying softly, "I think I won't go. I'll just return to my room to cultivate..."
Xu Yuan glanced back and grinned. "If you want to go, just come along. As far as things stand right now, the fact that I'm alive is already the greatest secret in the manor. The things inside the Black Prison are nothing compared to that. My father letting you in last night was already an implicit acceptance of you..."
Hearing this, Ran Qingmo clearly seemed tempted. But after blinking her dark eyes, she still insisted, "I... I'll go back to my room to cultivate."
"Why?"
"I can't beat your elder brother right now."
"Huh?"
Xu Yuan's lips twitched, and his footsteps instinctively came to a halt. His brain failed to make the connection.
Ran Qingmo looked at Xu Yuan with earnest eyes and said very seriously, "Xu Yuan, your elder brother is actually really strong."
*I get beaten by him every single day, as if I wouldn't know he's strong?*
Voicing a silent complaint in his mind, Xu Yuan clicked his tongue, weighed his words for a moment, and asked in a low voice, "Why are you thinking about beating that guy?"
"Because when he hit you, it looked like you wanted to hit back."
"..."
Xu Yuan was stunned for an instant, and then amusement blossomed within his chest. Looking at the earnest little face of the Big Ice Block before him, he deliberately asked softly, "Then when Xu Changge beat me just now, why didn't you help?"
"I couldn't beat him..."
Ran Qingmo pressed her lips together and pointed to the spot on the left where Xu Yuan had been pinned to the ground earlier, murmuring, "If I intervened to help you, he would knock me down right there too. And then... and then he would beat you even harder."
"..."
The corner of Xu Yuan's eye twitched uncontrollably.
To be fair, for his sake, Xu Changge wouldn't beat Ran Qingmo, but that pretentious bastard would definitely add Ran Qingmo's share onto him.
If Ran Qingmo had rushed in to help just now, on top of that slap, he probably would have caught two solid kicks before it was over.
Determination shone in Ran Qingmo's clear, dark eyes. "Xu Yuan... once I break through to the Origin Realm, I should be able to help you."
"..."
They stood gazing at each other in silence.
Right at that moment, an ill-timed series of snickers sounded from beside them.
"..."
Xu Yuan glanced at his fourth sister, who was trying hard to hold back her laughter. Resisting the urge to flick her forehead, he said softly to Ran Qingmo, "If you want to help me, the Origin Realm might not be enough."
Ran Qingmo nodded without any surprise. "I know. Your elder brother is very strong. Even if I break through to the Origin Realm, I might not be his match..."
"That's not what I mean."
"...Eh?" Ran Qingmo's crimson lips parted slightly.
Xu Yuan said gloomily, "He isn't the only one who beats me."
"There's someone else?" Ran Qingmo asked softly.
"Yeah. My maternal uncle."
"Maternal uncle?"
Ran Qingmo murmured, her quiet eyes searching her memory for who Xu Yuan's maternal uncle might be.
Xu Yuan pointed directly toward the sky and reminded her, "The one who slashed open the heavens that night."
"..."
Ran Qingmo instinctively shrank her neck.
Xu Yuan leaned in closer and asked softly, "If he wants to beat me and I want to hit back, will you help then?"
"..."
Ran Qingmo pursed her lips, remaining silent for a long while under Xu Yuan's smiling gaze before finally murmuring, "Then... then that might have to wait a bit longer. But I'll cultivate hard..."
"Pfft... hehehe..."
Laughter rang out once more, interrupting their conversation. Xu Xinyao's fair little face had already flushed bright red from holding it in, but as a chilling gaze swept over, the laughter abruptly cut off.
Xu Xinyao blinked, lowering her voice obediently. "What is it...?"
"..."
Xu Yuan eyed his fourth sister without speaking.
Knowing she had someone backing her, Xu Xinyao whispered, "Third Brother, what's wrong?"
"Is there any chance you could go down to the Black Prison and wait for me first?"
"It's fine, Xinyao can wait..."
"By the way, how many tens of thousands of taels of silver did the Tian'an Chamber of Commerce allocate for the research and development of the soul ring again?" Xu Yuan asked out of nowhere.
"..." Xu Xinyao froze.
Xu Yuan raised a hand, brushing aside the long hair by Xu Xinyao's temple to lightly pinch her delicate earlobe, his voice gentle and sweet: "Xinyao, you wouldn't want to see your brother take that silver and spend it on other things, would you?"
Chapter 531