Chapter 61: Listen to Your Sister, You Can’t Handle This |
Mu Zhi’an rode the carriage to the Tide Sea Inn, purchased their famous osmanthus cake, and soon arrived at Lan Mulian’s inn.
After stepping out of the carriage, he entered the inn and knocked on her door.
“Come in,” a clear and cool voice responded from within. It was a voice as crisp and refreshing as ice cubes falling into a glass of water, possessing a charm that could calm even the most restless heart.
Mu Zhi’an pushed the door open and saw his senior sister, who, despite being in Tianxuan City for several days, still preferred to stay inside.
Lan Mulian seemed to have just finished meditating. She slowly opened her eyes, her moon-white robe contrasting beautifully with her snow-white skin, giving her an ethereal, translucent beauty in the dim light. Her clear and sharp eyes were enough to make anyone feel a sense of inferiority.
However, this didn’t affect Mu Zhi’an, nor did it inspire any respect in him. Even if Lan Mulian was a Core Formation cultivator with a noble status, it wouldn’t change the fact… that he was an LSP.
Placing the box he was carrying on the table, he turned to her with a smile. “I mentioned in my letter yesterday that I wanted to treat you to the osmanthus cake from the Tide Sea Inn, so I brought some over today.”
“By the way, Senior Sister, did you read my letter?”
“No,” Lan Mulian replied nonchalantly.
Lan Mulian nodded slightly. “Just leave it there.”
It seems I won’t be able to see her face beneath the veil today… Mu Zhi’an felt a twinge of disappointment.
When he came to the Rising Phoenix Inn, he had envisioned Lan Mulian lifting her veil to enjoy the cake, giving him a glimpse of her beauty.
Unfortunately, she seemed unwilling to reveal her true appearance to others.
“Oh, and the snow lotus seems to have wilted. Let me replace it for you.”
Noticing the withered snow lotus in the vase, he pulled out a fresh one as if by magic, placing it in the vase.
“It’s a shame we don’t have any Luminous Soil. Otherwise, it could last for several months,” Mu Zhi’an sighed regretfully.
Lan Mulian looked at the snow lotus in the vase, a hint of confusion in her eyes. “You sent the last one?”
Why did he make it sound like he had sent the previous snow lotus as well?
If she remembered correctly, wasn’t it just a decoration the innkeeper had placed there a few days ago?
How did it become his gift?
Mu Zhi’an turned to his senior sister, who sat with impeccable posture, and smiled. “We only cultivate a small patch of snow lotuses at the Mu Manor. In Tianxuan City, I’d say only the Mu family possesses them. The one I sent you via paper crane previously was indeed from my family.”
He paused as if recalling something, then continued, “Oh, I did hear that the owner of the Rising Phoenix Inn is trying to cultivate some snow lotuses, but they’re not as good as those from the Mu Manor, at least in terms of fragrance.”
Lan Mulian’s eyes flickered. She stood up and walked towards the table, looking at the pristine snow lotus in the vase. She bent down and inhaled its delicate scent.
A refreshing fragrance with a hint of mint wafted into her nostrils, invigorating her senses.
It was different from the one the inn had used… This snow lotus was of superior quality and fragrance.
So the question was… Mu Zhi’an claimed to have sent a snow lotus via paper crane.
Where was that snow lotus now?
Lan Mulian’s eyes narrowed as a thought struck her.
She hadn’t changed the destination of the paper crane last time… In other words, it had flown to the back mountains of the Two Polarities Sect.
Did the snow lotus end up in Master’s hands…?
What would Master do if she received a snow lotus?
For some reason, a faint smile appeared on the beautiful face hidden beneath the veil.
Mu Zhi’an couldn’t help but steal another glance at Lan Mulian. Her skin was as smooth as jade, her eyes were smiling, and her breathtaking beauty was faintly visible beneath the veil, giving her an aura of aloofness and mystery.
At that moment, Mu Zhi’an felt an urge to lift the veil and see her face.
However, considering that it would likely damage their relationship, he restrained himself.
His gaze then fell upon a thin booklet on the table. It was open, displaying several names.
The names were familiar: Bai Ruoxi, Gongsun Cheng, Huang Manting, Ye Yu, even Ye Lingxuan…
Beside each name was a brief description of their background and accomplishments. While not overly detailed, the information was accurate.
Three names were circled: Bai Ruoxi, Huang Manting, and Ye Lingxuan.
Were these the candidates Senior Sister was considering for the entrance exams? Mu Zhi’an wondered.
Bai Ruoxi was a given. Her strength had skyrocketed after merging with the bronze fragment, and with the Heavenly Dao Aura’s amplification, she was currently invincible among her peers.
Huang Manting had always been considered the second strongest after Gongsun Cheng, a formidable talent in her own right.
Ye Lingxuan… Her inclusion was surprising. Aside from her beauty, he hadn’t noticed anything remarkable about her.
She seemed like a spoiled young mistress… She was probably more than just a Ye family disciple.
And Ye Yu’s name wasn’t circled… Did the “Chosen One” status not work on Lan Mulian?
After glancing at the other names, Mu Zhi’an noticed his own at the bottom of the page.
It included a brief summary of his past, followed by a single sentence: Smooth talker, a lecherous young man, be cautious.
Mu Zhi’an raised an eyebrow, displeased.
He looked up at Lan Mulian, his voice calm. “Senior Sister, where did you get this booklet? Such detailed information… it’s not something you could gather in just a few days.”
She glanced at him, her voice indifferent. “I have my methods.”
She wasn’t going to elaborate… He changed the subject, his curiosity piqued. “Those circled names… are those the candidates you’re considering?”
“Ye Lingxuan just reached Foundation Establishment. Is she truly that talented?”
Lan Mulian looked at him, a hint of displeasure in her usually calm eyes. “Don’t offend her.”
“Do you know her?” he asked.
She shook her head. “No. But the elders specifically instructed me to include her in the group of disciples joining the sect.”
He looked at the information about Ye Lingxuan in the booklet. It seemed ordinary. She had grown up in the Ye family and reached Foundation Establishment before turning fifteen. There was nothing remarkable about her background.
He frowned. “Whoever wrote this… they’re hiding something. Don’t trust everything you read.”
Lan Mulian’s expression turned colder.
He continued, his voice defensive, “I’m not… as bad as they make me sound.”
Obsessed with women in his youth, learning to control his desires as he matured, but still a lecher at heart… What nonsense was this?
It was slander!
She glanced at him, her voice cold. “If you have nothing else to say, you can leave.”
Why is she angry…? He tried to salvage the situation. “Senior Sister, let me show you around Tianxuan City in a few days. We agreed to explore the city together, but you’ve been cooped up in this inn. It’s not healthy.”
She shook her head. “I can’t leave so easily. It would cause unnecessary commotion.”
The cultivators in Tianxuan City knew she was here. It hadn’t been a problem at the sparring arena, where the crowd was small, but if they went to a more populated area, people would stare, whisper…
She disliked attracting attention.
He sighed, seeing her displeasure. “Alright, I understand. Perhaps another time.”
He left the room and was about to enter his carriage when he noticed a tall and alluring woman in a red cheongsam.
Her figure wasn’t slender and delicate like a young girl’s. It was voluptuous, like a ripe peach, drawing his gaze irresistibly.
“Strange… why is Feiying visiting the Rising Phoenix Inn so often these days?”
He watched as she entered the inn, a puzzled expression on his face.
He shook his head, dismissing those thoughts, and climbed into the carriage, leaning back against the cushions, enjoying the warmth of the afternoon sun streaming through the curtains.
Everything was in place. All he had to do now was wait for the entrance exams and… use his connections to join the Two Polarities Sect.
Everything else… it was just… pre-exam entertainment.
As the carriage passed by the Tide Sea Inn, he opened his eyes, his gaze falling upon a young woman standing by the entrance.
She was as beautiful and innocent as a first love, her figure slender and graceful, her waist cinched by a thin ribbon, her long hair swaying gently in the breeze.
It was Ye Qian.
“Stop here,” he instructed the coachman, then stepped out of the carriage.
She seemed to be lost in thought.
Then, she felt a shadow fall over her and looked up, her eyes widening in surprise. “Young Master Mu, what are you doing here?”
“I was taking a stroll and happened to see you. Perhaps it’s… fate,” he replied, smiling.
He glanced at the bustling crowd inside the inn. “What are you doing here on such a hot day, Miss Ye? Are you dining alone?”
She looked at him, then nodded hesitantly. “I told Sister Lingxuan that the osmanthus cake here is delicious, but she didn’t believe me. I wanted to bring her some… but…”
She sighed, looking at the crowd inside.
The Tide Sea Inn was always busy, and their osmanthus cake… it was usually sold out unless you pre-ordered.
She hadn’t known that. The Ye family servants had always handled such errands. This was her first time coming here herself.
He smiled. “Wait here for me.”
He entered the inn, leaving her standing there, confused.
Moments later, he emerged, carrying a box of osmanthus cake. He offered it to her.
She blinked, staring at him. “How did you…?”
She had just asked the innkeeper, and he had told her it was sold out.
But Mu Zhi’an had acquired a box in less than fifteen minutes…?
He smiled mysteriously. “I have my ways.”
He had been able to buy the cake simply because he was Mu Zhi’an, the young master of the Mu family… Even if it was sold out, the inn would find a way to accommodate him.
Others weren’t so fortunate.
She hesitated, then politely declined. “I’m sorry, but I can’t accept this.”
“It’s just a small gift, Miss Ye. I simply wanted to treat you and Miss Lingxuan. Don’t worry about it,” he said, smiling warmly.
Seeing her continued hesitation, he asked, “Did someone say something to you?”
The Foundation Establishment Pill he’d given her yesterday should have eased her apprehension. Her reluctance today… something must have happened.
She hesitated, then spoke softly. “Sister Lingxuan and Brother Ye Yu told me to… stay away from you.”
Even Ye Lingxuan… He sighed. “Miss Ye, do I look like a bad person?”
She looked up at him, studying his handsome face, his kind and gentle smile.
“No…”
“Then that’s all that matters. I might have some… issues with your brother, but that has nothing to do with you,” he said, smiling.
Her frown softened, and she nodded, clutching the box of cake.
She smiled shyly, her youthful beauty radiant in the sunlight.
Mature and alluring women were great, but these delicate, easily flustered girls… they had their own charm… he thought to himself.
“Come visit me at the manor sometime. I’ll treat you to our homemade osmanthus cake,” he offered.
She looked up at him, her eyes wide and innocent, a hint of shyness in their depths. She nodded, her guard lowering.
“It’s a hot day. Let my coachman escort you back,” he said.
She gasped, staring at him. “No, that wouldn’t be right! You would have to walk back!”
“I don’t mind. It’ll be a good stroll,” he replied with a smile.
She blushed, hiding her delight, her voice sweet and melodious. “Thank you.”
She enjoyed being pampered.
…
Ye Manor.
Ye Yu slowly opened his eyes, feeling the impure spiritual energy coursing through his body, his Vessel taking shape.
He had reached the bottleneck of peak Qi Condensation!
Once he refined the Foundation Establishment Pill today, he would break through within two days!
He was satisfied with his progress.
Losing the Heavenly Dao Aura… it seemed to have… enhanced his talent.
The path was arduous, but as long as he became stronger, it was worth it.
He would defeat Mu Zhi’an at the entrance exams, settling the score once and for all, then embark on his own adventures.
His mood brightened, and as he left his room, even the familiar scenery seemed more vibrant, more beautiful.
Several disciples were sparring in the courtyard. He scanned the area, his gaze landing on a young woman sitting beneath a pavilion, her legs crossed, seemingly resting.
Ye Lingxuan.
She was almost as beautiful as Bai Ruoxi…
He hadn’t spoken to her in a while… since losing his talent… He was about to approach her when he noticed the snow lotus in her hand.
He froze, his gaze fixed on the flower.
In Tianxuan City, only the Mu Manor cultivated snow lotuses. The Rising Phoenix Inn had some, but they were inferior.
He had heard that she went to the Mu Manor yesterday… That snow lotus… it must have come from there.
His eyes narrowed, a cold anger rising within him. He turned and left the courtyard.
As he reached the entrance, he saw a carriage parked outside.
“A Mu family carriage…?” He stared at the carriage, then at the young woman who stepped out, her beauty as pure and innocent as a spring blossom.
Ye Qian looked up at him, holding a box of osmanthus cake, a hesitant smile on her lips. “Brother Ye Yu, would you like some cake?”
“No,” he replied coldly, his gaze fixed on the carriage. “Did you… go to the Mu Manor?”
His tone was accusatory, not concerned.
She sensed his displeasure and shook her head quickly. “I went to the Tide Sea Inn to buy some cake and happened to run into Brother Mu. He had his coachman escort me back.”
“Stay away from him. He’s not a good person,” he said, his voice flat.
Her heart sank, her earlier joy evaporating.
“Oh…”
She lowered her head and walked inside, clutching the box of cake.
His coldness… it stung.
She had been so happy, but his words… they had ruined her mood.
She walked through the courtyard, her deerskin boots tapping softly against the stone path, until she saw Ye Lingxuan, sitting gracefully beneath the pavilion, her beauty as captivating as ever.
She hurried towards her friend, calling out, “Sister Lingxuan!”
She had to tell her everything.
Chapter 61: Listen to Your Sister, You Can’t Handle This