Chapter 229 - A New Plan (1)

The room fell silent.

At the news, Ran Qingmo merely parted her lips and gave a soft, “Oh.”

Xu Yuan, however, frowned instinctively.

Ran Jianli was the Sect Master of the Sword Sect, Imperial Preceptor of the Great Flame Empire, and the nominal leader of the Sect Alliance.

For him to summon Ran Qingmo back to the sect at a time like this, and to have Lou Ji personally deliver the message, was something that invited deeper thought.

As Xu Yuan pondered this, Lou Ji’s gentle voice drifted over. “What’s wrong? Is our Changtian reluctant to part with his dear Momo?”

Xu Yuan snapped out of his thoughts and looked at her, his expression turning serious. “That isn’t what I’m worried about.”

Seeing the look in his eyes, Lou Ji immediately understood. Her voice carried a teasing note. “Don’t think too much into it.”

She paused, then shifted her gaze toward the black robed woman opposite her and smiled playfully. “That old man is probably calling Qingmo back because he doesn’t want his precious disciple getting ruined by you.”

Ran Qingmo blinked her beautiful eyes, seeming to understand and yet not quite.

Xu Yuan froze for a moment before realization dawned on him. News of the proposed marriage had probably reached the old man’s ears.

Thinking back to Ran Jianli’s portrait in Azure Point, with all bulging muscles, wild beard, and barely restrained violence... it was entirely possible.

Xu Yuan fell silent for a moment, then coughed lightly. “If that’s the case...”

“It’s already too late,” Ran Qingmo cut in abruptly.

Xu Yuan fell silent.

So did Lou Ji.

The corner of Xu Yuan’s eye twitched as he turned to look at Ran Qingmo.

Ran Qingmo remained perfectly calm. Looking at Lou Ji, she said with complete seriousness, “Xu Yuan and I have already done what only a husband and wife should do.”

A rare look of shock flashed across Lou Ji’s beautiful face. She immediately turned to stare at Xu Yuan.

Xu Yuan opened his mouth, but for once, no words came out.

Ran Qingmo’s expression remained as calm as ever. Her eyes were clear as spring water, and her voice did not fluctuate in the slightest. “Xu Yuan, when I return this time, I will explain everything clearly to my master.”

Lou Ji seemed to understand at last. Approval appeared in her beautiful eyes, and she discreetly raised a thumb at Xu Yuan. Well done.

A moment later, however, she gracefully and walked over to Ran Qingmo. She lifted the girl’s chin with one finger and said with a sweet smile, “You can’t let your master know about that just yet~”

Ran Qingmo was silent for a moment. “Why?”

At the question, Lou Ji straightened up and folded her arms across her chest. Tapping one finger against her chin, she narrowed her eyes with a smile. “Qingmo, you wouldn’t want your master to chop our Changtian in half with a single sword strike, would you?”

The image of Ran Jianli’s enormous two-meter long greatsword appeared in Xu Yuan’s mind, and he shuddered.

Ran Qingmo’s delicate brows drew together as she thought it over. “Big Sister, do you mean my master will try to kill Changtian? Why?”

Lou Ji fell quiet for a moment and rubbed her forehead. “He probably wouldn’t go as far as killing him, but a few beatings would be unavoidable.”

Ran Qingmo frowned. “I’ll stop Master.”

“Ahem.” Xu Yuan cleared his throat, drawing her gaze to him, then smiled faintly. “Ran Qingmo, I think this is something I should explain to him in person. What do you think?”

Ran Qingmo considered it for a moment, then replied softly, “Mhm. I’ll listen to you.”

She left and settled into the guest room next to Xu Yuan’s.

As a first-meeting gift, Lou Ji mysteriously slipped her a packet of medicinal powder and two source crystals before she went.

It was nothing compared to Xu Changge. His eldest brother might have been a little too fond of using his fists, but he was always generous when giving gifts. Unlike this auntie, who pinched every coin until it squealed.

Once again, only the two of them remained in the room.

Xu Yuan rubbed his brow and looked at Lou Ji, who had just seen Ran Qingmo out. “What did you give her?”

“Joyous Union Powder. Your other sweetheart brought it back a month ago.”

Xu Yuan stared at her in astonishment.

Noticing his expression, Lou Ji giggled and waved a hand. “I’m only joking. If she wanted to force herself on you, you wouldn’t be able to resist anyway. Besides, Big Sister isn’t nearly that generous.”

“You sound proud of that.” Xu Yuan gave the stingy auntie an approving thumbs-up.

Lou Ji snorted softly. “Joyous Union Powder has already vanished from the world. Its main ingredient, the Beguiling Sakura, simply no longer... what is that?”

Her voice cut off abruptly.

The next instant, she practically teleported from the doorway to Xu Yuan’s side and snatched the Beguiling Sakura Flower from his hand. She examined it from every angle with painstaking care.

Seeing the beautiful auntie lose her composure like this, Xu Yuan slowly leaned back in his chair and smiled. “A Beguiling Sakura Flower. Haven’t you seen one before? Ah, right. It’s extinct. I suppose it’s only natural that you haven’t.”

Without the slightest change in expression, Lou Ji slipped the flower into her Sumeru Ring. “Changtian...”

Then she slipped behind Xu Yuan and began gently kneading his shoulders. “Big Sister specializes in poison. With a Beguiling Sakura Flower, if everything goes smoothly, I might even be able to eliminate a Transcendent without anyone noticing. So, how about...”

Xu Yuan tilted his head back against her soft stomach. Enjoying the massage, he spoke in a weary voice. “Big Sister, perhaps you should take a look at all this paperwork first...”

The corner of Lou Ji’s eye twitched, but her smile remained sweet. “Big Sister will help you.”

“But aren’t you supposed to be the examiner?” Xu Yuan asked with a grin.

Lou Ji’s fingers pressed down a little harder. “It doesn’t matter. You won’t tell, I won’t tell. How would that old man Xu Yinhe ever find out?”

Seeing that he had pushed far enough, Xu Yuan wisely stopped there. He stood, stretched, and patted the shoulder of the infamous Blackscale Femme Fatale twice. “Then I’m going to sleep. Big Sister, keep an eye on things for me.”

With that, he threw himself onto the soft couch and waved lazily at Lou Ji, who was still standing there. “I’m counting on you, Big Sister~”

Then he closed his eyes and went straight off to sleep.

Lou Ji stood there, torn between anger and amusement. In the end, she could only sigh helplessly and rub her brow. “What a troublesome little devil...”