The Heart

After stepping out of the cell, Qing locked the door with the soul key and departed without uttering a single word. Every time she saw Xu Yuan, she was reminded of her ray of sunlight, and even more so of the fact that Xu Yuan was the child born from his union with that woman. Each time that realization struck, a tearing, agonizing pain flared across both of her hearts. And so she despised Xu Yuan, despised him enough that she wanted to tear him to shreds. Yet she could not do so, and thus her only choice was to keep her distance. Watching that tall, black-robed elder sister leave, Ran Qingmo quietly turned her gaze toward Xu Yuan. After emerging, Xu Yuan had remained standing before his maternal grandfather's cell door in silent contemplation. After staring at his thoughtful profile for several seconds, Ran Qingmo habitually moved to take out a Source Crystal to cultivate during this spare moment, but remembering his earlier admonition, she tucked it back in. Her dark, obsidian eyes wandered once around the corridor before returning to rest somewhat boredly upon him in a daze. She looked at him, while he stared down at the floor tiles. Mount Xifeng, the Feng Family Secret Ancestral Hall; stain the thirteenth ancestral tablet at the very end of the hall with blood, and the secret passage would open. That was the clue his maternal grandfather had given him before sending him away. As for what could be obtained upon entering the secret passage, the old man had simply said, "You will know when the time comes," before summarily chasing him out. A classic riddler. If Xu Yuan had not possessed intelligence from Cangyuan, he truly might not have known what this grandfather intended to give him. What puzzled him, however, was that Wuming—this very grandfather—had left the treasure quest location in Cangyuan out in the great desert, not at the Feng family's ancestral lands. Otherwise, based on the ancestral lands alone, Xu Yuan would not have had to wait until entering the room to deduce the old man's identity. So, was the clue his grandfather provided not the direct location of the treasure, but rather a prerequisite quest to obtain the token? Still, why play the riddler? After pondering for a few moments, Xu Yuan suddenly realized what his grandfather wanted to do. There was no deep, convoluted scheme behind it; the motive was almost ingenuously plain. Without his grandfather's guidance, even if Xu Yuan obtained the token, he most likely would not know how to use it, meaning he would inevitably have to come back. And in doing so, the old man would be able to spend a bit more time with his kin. With a strange glint in his eyes, Xu Yuan murmured softly, "...Did you just want me to come back and keep you company once I get the token?" Slowly lifting his gaze, he saw the big ice block beside him blinking her eyes as she stared at him. Their eyes met for an instant, and Ran Qingmo quietly averted her gaze. Xu Yuan smiled faintly and pointed deeper down the corridor, gesturing that they should talk as they walked. "If you have anything you want to ask, go ahead." "No..." Though she had a belly full of questions, Ran Qingmo still shook her head. This was Xu Yuan's family matter, and Master had said that when it came to domestic affairs concerning kin, even the closest people were best off staying out of it. Staring into Ran Qingmo's clear, dark eyes for a few seconds, he asked, "Really?" Ran Qingmo pursed her lips, blinked, and ultimately could not hold back, asking tentatively, "Um... do aristocratic clans always end up like your grandfather described, Xu Yuan?" Xu Yuan was momentarily taken aback, then chuckled softly. "Why ask that all of a sudden?" Ran Qingmo's eyes were utterly earnest. "Mistress said that family and spouses are supposed to help each other, but your grandfather killed your grandmother, and he killed so many of his own kin too." Xu Yuan fell silent for a moment before letting out a wistful chuckle. "That truly is a question..." The current harmony among the Xu brothers largely owed its existence to the cold-blooded slaughter carried out by this grandfather of his back in the day. If Feng Yuanqin had not used his own bloodstained hands to clear the path for Xu Yuan's mother and uncle, and if those direct-line elders of the maternal clan had remained, given the sheer scale of the Prime Minister's Manor's purge of the upper ranks that night, those Feng direct-line figures would inevitably have had to be eliminated by his mother or uncle the moment they chose the wrong path. And once the precedent of slaughtering kin was set, that harmonious atmosphere would be gone forever. Feng Yuanqin's recounting of his past was, in a sense, a warning to this descendant of his. The right of succession to the Prime Minister's Manor was able to fall onto Xu Yuan without the slightest resistance partly because his father had married only his mother in his entire lifetime—leaving only four children, including their adopted daughter. Secondly, none of the brothers harbored a strong lust for power; all of them competed to be hands-off and idle. This generation was like this, but what about the next? History was a circle. Would the children of the big ice block, the flat-chested Saintess, the chest-bound princess, or even the disgraceful succubus and the others remain as indifferent to power as their current generation? If they fought when the time came, where would the Prime Minister's Manor stand? Taking a deep breath, Xu Yuan looked at the young woman before him, his gaze equally serious. "Ran Qingmo, everyone has their own way of doing things. I don't know what others would do, but I will never let such a thing happen. Even if I have to break their legs, I won't allow it." "Really?" "Really." "What if you can't beat them?" "......." Xu Yuan. *Never underestimate a cheater just because he's down on his luck.* After a beat of silence, Xu Yuan gave a dry chuckle and said, "Won't I have your help then?" "......." Ran Qingmo's eyes flickered slightly as though she had realized something. She lowered her gaze and pursed her lips, seemingly smiling. Seeing this, Xu Yuan said no more, speaking in a low voice: "Let's go, then. Time to find Xinyao." "Mm..." With those words, the corridor lapsed back into silence, broken only by the flickering glow of the torches. Entering the Black Prison from the outside required passing through several layers of strict inspections, but entering from the inner courtyard involved none of those tedious formalities. A quarter of an hour later, the two reached the secret chamber where Xu Xinyao was located without hindrance. The interior of the secret chamber was illuminated by inscribed rune lamps powered by source qi. Strange jade vials and conduits lay scattered somewhat messily across the floor. The chamber itself seemed to be constructed from spirit-nullifying material, yet through some unknown means, visible array patterns had been inscribed onto the inner surface of the walls. Xu Yuan had no idea how his fourth sister had managed to make an "insulator" conduct electricity, nor did he intend to pry. Taking Ran Qingmo's hand, he walked over to the square laboratory desk where Xu Xinyao was working. Hearing the sound of the door opening behind her, Xu Xinyao set down the jade vial in her hand and looked back. Her gaze lingered briefly on their clasped hands, after which she offered a bright, lovely smile. "It took you so long, Third Brother, I thought you and Sister Qingmo weren't coming. Did something... happen just now?" "Shoo, shoo." Xu Yuan waved his hand dismissively, speaking with mild annoyance: "Grown-up business isn't for kids to pry into." "Eh?" Xu Xinyao's pretty eyes darted around before settling onto Ran Qingmo's face. *Third Brother won't say, but Sister Qingmo is an airhead, so she probably will.* Their eyes met, and Ran Qingmo parted her red lips slightly. "Xinyao, Xu Yuan and I were just—" "Pay her no mind," Xu Yuan cut in directly. After a moment's thought, Ran Qingmo offered the younger sister an apologetic glance and fell silent. Xu Yuan surveyed the surroundings and asked in a low voice, "What are you working on right now?" Xu Xinyao pouted, staring at their clasped hands with a trace of petulance as she grumbled, "Even if I told you, Third Brother, you wouldn't understand." Xu Yuan arched an eyebrow and grinned. "Seems you've forgotten who's financing your work again, haven't you?" With that, Xu Yuan swept his gaze over the peculiar, millstone-like apparatuses within the secret chamber: "Are you researching the soul ring right now, or the Emperor of Sien's spirit-shunning robe, or his heart?" Xu Xinyao pressed her lips together and murmured softly, "Master took the spirit-shunning robe. I'm researching the soul ring here..." Xu Yuan pondered for a moment, then asked, "What about the Saint's heart?" "The heart is with me, you know." Before Xu Xinyao could speak, an enchanting voice drifted in from behind them, carrying a trace of languor: "On the first day of the New Year, Changtian, how could you bear to come down to a place like the Black Prison?" "......." Hearing this, all three people in the room instinctively turned their eyes toward the doorway. A curvaceous figure clad in purple gauze stepped leisurely into the secret chamber. Lou Ji's arrival instantly subdued the presence of the other two women in the room. Languid nobility resided between her brows, her pale jade legs occasionally bared as she walked, and her high-heeled lotus boots clacked rhythmically against the floor. *In youth, one knows not the charm of a mature woman, mistaking young maidens for treasures.* After staring for a moment, Xu Yuan withdrew his gaze. *A man remains a youth until he dies, forever treasuring young maidens.* This damned woman had most likely caught wind of something and come to fleece him of his money. Approaching, Lou Ji casually raised a hand to sweep her long hair behind her shoulder. Glancing at Ran Qingmo beside Xu Yuan and their held hands, the corners of her lips curved upward instinctively. When their eyes met, Ran Qingmo's gaze remained calm and detached, without the slightest reaction. She remembered who this woman was. She was the one Xu Yuan had mistaken her for last night. Although Xu Yuan had explained afterward, she still felt there was something fishy going on. Lou Ji let out a soft exclamation, a meaningful smile playing on her lips. "Oh my, your father actually let her into the inner courtyard. It seems he's acknowledged this match after all. But Changtian, are you prepared?" Xu Yuan laughed it off, deliberately changing the subject: "Elder Sister, what brought you here?" "I came looking for your adopted sister and just happened to run into you here." Lou Ji shrugged, answering casually. Glancing over the cluttered objects on the worktables of the chamber, she murmured softly, "Honestly, spending so much money letting your adopted sister build these utterly meaningless contraptions—why not give it to your elder sister instead? I might even be able to unearth some crucial intelligence for you." "......." Xu Xinyao's pretty eyes widened instantly at those words. Like a little chick guarding its food, she glared at Lou Ji. But when Lou Ji's gaze swept over, meeting hers with the cold intensity of a serpent, Xu Xinyao quietly looked away. When a serpent eats a chick, it swallows it in a single gulp. Xu Yuan instinctively took a step sideways, shielding Xu Xinyao behind him. Lou Ji and his fourth sister had never seen eye to eye. Accustomed to darkness, Lou Ji despised Xu Xinyao's laughable idealism. Moreover, this grand succubus was essentially an overwhelming force against almost any woman other than the big ice block and the chest-bound princess. With a light chuckle, Xu Yuan said in a low voice, "I considered the soul ring project carefully. Even if we can only manufacture a batch of semi-finished products, it will serve as a trump card for the Prime Minister's Manor." Saying so, Xu Yuan's gaze sharpened, fixing on Lou Ji as he spoke at an unhurried pace: "Besides, if I recall correctly, you've already fleeced a whole storage ring's worth of supplies from me, and the value of those supplies seems to be..." "All right, all right." Knowing she was in the wrong, Lou Ji blinked with an exaggeratedly pitiful expression, then reached out to ruffle Xu Yuan's hair with an enchanting smile: "Your sister knows Changtian dotes on her the most, so you definitely won't hold it against me, right?" "......." To the side, Ran Qingmo stared silently at the buxom elder sister's hand. Feeling the gaze beside him, Xu Yuan immediately raised a hand to swat Lou Ji's away. "Enough. What did you come looking for Xinyao for?" "For the Emperor of Sien's heart, of course. I'm preparing to extract the Boundary Void Stone from that heart now." With that, Lou Ji arched her eyes into a smile at Xu Xinyao: "Xinyao, I need you over there to maintain the array. Do you have time?" *Wicked women are just like this—thicker-skinned than city walls.* Just moments ago, she had been eyeing someone else's research funds, yet now she could turn around without missing a beat and ask for help. After grumbling inwardly, Xu Yuan said softly, "I can come help in a bit." Lou Ji raised an eyebrow, her tone laced with amusement: "Oh? Changtian, do you know array formations, or do you understand pharmacology..." Before her words could finish, Lou Ji suddenly felt a chill wash over her as though she had been stripped bare. Looking closely, she saw a crimson glow welling within the brat's eyes. That bizarre scouting technique. *Smack!* A flick to the forehead. Lou Ji crossed her arms over her chest, rubbing her exposed fair arms, and huffed, "I told you not to use that kind of thing to peek at your sister! It feels like you're stripping me bare." Grimacing in pain, Xu Yuan said softly, "I'm showing you where I can help. My source qi can stimulate the Emperor of Sien's heart." Lou Ji's purple eyes flickered, but she soon smiled brilliantly once more. "Forget it, forget it. There's no need. With your cultivation, going over would only be getting in the way." "That's right," Xu Xinyao softly chimed in at this moment. "It's enough for Sister Lou Ji and me to go together." That night, had Uncle not been at his side, Third Brother might have already been slain by the corpse's sneak attack. As she spoke, Xu Xinyao tidied up the tabletop a bit, preparing to leave with Lou Ji. "Third Brother, wait here with Sister Qingmo for a bit. I'll be back soon." "You don't want your silver anymore, do you?" "......." Xu Xinyao froze in place. Xu Yuan released Ran Qingmo's hand, stepped forward slowly, and said softly to Lou Ji, "Sister, you ought to know the unique nature of my body right now. Weren't you trying to transplant that heart? Perhaps I'm the most suitable vessel." Lou Ji's brow furrowed, her playful tone taking on a thread of gravity: "I'll take those words as a joke from you. Don't ever say such things again." "Why not? We all witnessed the power that heart carried that night. If it could be used by me—" "Changtian, that heart seems to have a consciousness." "What?" *Sigh...* Lou Ji gently kneaded the bridge of her nose, murmuring in a low voice, "Luo Xiran and I have studied it together for so many days, and within that heart, we discovered a gland resembling a sea of consciousness." Xu Yuan frowned. "A gland? But doesn't a sea of consciousness lack a physical form?" "That's why I said an entity resembling one." Lou Ji's voice carried a hint of solemnity. "The bodily structure of the Sienese is somewhat different from that of our Great Yan. Whether channeling refined blood or directly transplanting the heart, it's all to stimulate that gland for testing." At this point, Lou Ji lifted her gaze to look at Xu Yuan and said, "Your method of perception is similar to a conscious soul. If you pour it into that kind of gland, no one can guarantee that an accident won't occur." Xu Yuan muttered thoughtfully, "Is that so..." Lou Ji said, "So, Changtian, you'd better refrain from causing trouble for now..." "Sister, there's actually a way to resolve this." "Hmm?" "......." Xu Yuan silently drew the willow ghost blade from his Sumeru ring, and an ominous aura instantly swept across the spacious secret chamber. Gripping the hilt of the ghost blade, Xu Yuan smiled and said, "I can temporarily link my conscious soul to this ghost blade, guiding the Saint-tier yin ghost's source essence to envelop my spiritual vision to stimulate that gland. Even if it attacks, the one bearing the backlash will be this yin ghost."