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Chapter 1237: Tigress

In his early years, Huo Laoban had cultivated a type of Ghost Art. This Ghost Art possessed no offensive power and offered no defensive capabilities; however, it allowed him to sense the presence of special physiques within a certain range. In other words, as long as a person remained within his sensory range, he could instantly ascertain whether they possessed a special physique without even needing direct contact.

When he first met Xu Meijing, he discovered that she possessed a special physique unlike ordinary people—her Supreme Yin Body. He was also perfectly clear about the function of this physique. Thus, his purpose in approaching Xu Meijing from the very beginning was far from simple; a large part of it was driven by a desire for the Supreme Yin Qi within her body. However, he never revealed his true intentions from start to finish, as doing so would only be counterproductive. Not only was he not foolish, even a fool wouldn't act that way. According to his plan, he intended to gradually infiltrate Xu Meijing's defenses over time, making her willingly follow him and allow him to "pluck" her. After all, in his opinion, women couldn't withstand subtle infiltration. As long as one was willing to invest time and generosity, winning a woman over wasn't difficult. Moreover, he was quite handsome, so his success rate in such matters would naturally be higher.

However, his plans were disrupted by Luo Yao. To gain greater benefits, he participated in Luo Yao's battle for the Emperor position. This struggle was brutal and perilous, but he managed to survive through his strength and cunning. Afterward, Luo Yao honored his promise and did not "tear down the bridge after crossing the river. " Without any selection process, he was directly promoted to one of the Guardians of the Jingling Continent Yin Division. This was the promise Luo Yao had made to him, and Luo Yao had indeed fulfilled it.

Because he had to help Luo Yao contend for the Imperial throne, he hadn't contacted Xu Meijing for a long time, let alone employed various schemes to infiltrate her. However, he didn't feel any psychological pressure because of this, nor did he find anything amiss with the situation. In his view, after becoming one of the nine great Guardians of the Jingling Continent Yin Division, winning Xu Meijing over would be even easier. His status as a Guardian alone would save him a lot of "infiltration" time. Therefore, he didn't believe that not meeting Xu Meijing for a long time, or even lacking the most basic Communication Talisman contact, would bring him any negative consequences. Instead, he thought that such a long period of separation might even make it easier to break through the defenses in Xu Meijing's heart.

Today, he came to An City full of confidence to find Xu Meijing. He believed that with his current status as a Guardian, even if he couldn't break through Xu Meijing's inner defenses today, he could certainly advance their relationship further. To achieve his goal faster and win Xu Meijing over in the shortest time, he decided to use his authority to transfer Xu Meijing from An City. He planned to arrange for her a position with light work, but a salary several times that of an ordinary Undertaker, along with additional "side income" to be made. He believed that doing so would make Xu Meijing profoundly grateful to him and absolutely unwilling to lose him, her "big tree" of support. In this way, he thought it would become extremely simple to win Xu Meijing over and extract the Supreme Yin Qi from her body. At that point, he felt that even if he didn't say anything, Xu Meijing might willingly throw herself into his arms, delivering herself to him and begging him to "pluck" her.

But reality was completely contrary to his expectations. After seeing Xu Meijing today, he sensed that the Supreme Yin Qi within her had already been taken, and Yang Haoran was with Xu Meijing. What concerned him most was that he had only just begun to speak when Xu Meijing looked at Yang Haoran beside her and warned him not to say things that could easily be misunderstood in the future. At that moment, he knew that the person who had taken the Supreme Yin Qi from Xu Meijing's body must be that fellow, Yang Haoran! His face had suddenly changed dramatically precisely because he had guessed this outcome—the outcome he least wished to see. Although he didn't lose control at that moment, it didn't mean he wasn't angry. Quite the opposite: he was seething with rage and even harbored thoughts of killing that shameless pair. At least, in his eyes, Yang Haoran and Xu Meijing were indeed a shameless couple. However, he ultimately suppressed the rage in his heart, not even letting it show. It wasn't until he had teleported far away from An City that he could no longer contain his fury. He descended upon the Xinyang Mountain Range and, with a single palm strike, flattened a large mountain beneath him.

“Xu Meijing, oh Xu Meijing,” Huo Laoban muttered through gritted teeth, “In terms of strength, Yang Haoran is inferior to me. In terms of status, he's nothing but a worthless dog in my eyes. In terms of looks, Yang Haoran can't even be called ugly; he's beyond that. You chose him instead of me? You must be truly blind! ” Huo Laoban spoke through clenched teeth. From his words, it was clear that the rage in his heart was still intense. Since he first met Xu Meijing, Huo Laoban had interacted with her many times. Although he didn't initially show his admiration for her, he was worried that if he acted too hastily, he might scare away the "fish that had just entered the net. " But as their interactions grew more frequent and they became more familiar, his admiration for Xu Meijing gradually became apparent, though he never explicitly stated it. He believed that Xu Meijing must have sensed his admiration, yet she chose Yang Haoran instead of him. This was why he spoke those words now.

Huo Laoban was quite adept at managing his emotions. After venting, he gradually calmed down, and the rage in his heart was slowly replaced by rationality. However, his expression remained stern, unlike his usual smiling demeanor.

“If Xu Meijing had followed me,” Huo Laoban thought, “I certainly wouldn't have taken the Supreme Yin Qi from her body at this time. I would have at least nurtured her until she opened her Earth Soul before taking it. Because the stronger her power, the more Spirit Power can be gained from extracting her Supreme Yin Qi. At that point, my strength would have increased terrifyingly. But I never imagined that Yang Haoran would 'get there first' and take the Supreme Yin Qi now. This is simply a waste! That country bumpkin Yang Haoran probably doesn't even understand what a Supreme Yin Body is, or what Supreme Yin Qi is. What a terrible squandering of natural resources! ” Huo Laoban, now calm, no longer shouted. These words were not spoken aloud, but were his internal thoughts. It wasn't strange that he had such thoughts, as he didn't know Xu Meijing's true strength. In his opinion, Xu Meijing probably hadn't even opened her Earth Soul before losing her Supreme Yin Qi. Taking the Supreme Yin Qi before opening the Earth Soul was, to him, a waste, which was why he considered Yang Haoran an ignorant country bumpkin.

Just as this thought arose in his mind, Huo Laoban suddenly seemed to recall something, and his expression changed again.

“Perhaps Yang Haoran actually knows Xu Meijing has a Supreme Yin Body and understands the purpose of Supreme Yin Qi,” he mused. “The reason he took the Supreme Yin Qi from her body at this time must be to allow himself to open his Earth Soul as quickly as possible. His goal is obvious: it must be for the martial arts competition a month from now! ” At this thought, Huo Laoban's eyes narrowed slightly, a cold glint flashing through them as his face instantly darkened.

“Given Yang Haoran's strength, even if Xu Meijing hadn't opened her Earth Soul yet, the Supreme Yin Qi within her body would be enough for Yang Haoran to successfully break through to the Earth Soul realm and stabilize at that level. And with Yang Haoran opening his Earth Soul in such a short time, he'll have more time to refine Soul Pills and enhance his strength. This way, his chances of standing out in the martial arts competition a month from now will be much greater. Yang Haoran, oh Yang Haoran, what clever tactics! I, Huo, truly underestimated you! ” From an outsider's perspective, Huo Laoban's analysis was logical and well-reasoned, appearing sound in every way. However, Huo Laoban had no idea that his entire analysis was completely off the mark.

Nevertheless, even if his analysis was entirely divorced from reality, what he intended to do next would have a significant impact on Yang Haoran, regardless of whether his analysis was accurate or not.

“Originally, I hadn't intended to interfere with this competition,” he thought. “But now, it seems I have no choice but to get involved. Yang Haoran, I won't give you the chance to become a Guardian! ” Thinking this, Huo Laoban felt he needed to make arrangements quickly, otherwise, it might be too late. Thus, he didn't intend to stay any longer and, with a wave of his hand, opened a spatial rift. However, just before he entered the spatial rift, he inexplicably launched another palm strike downwards. A massive black palm descended from the sky, and the unfortunate mountain he had flattened earlier was struck again, turning into a colossal deep pit with a deafening roar.

Huo Laoban departed. As for where he went, that remained unknown.

...

At Xu Meijing's villa, after Huo Laoban left, the two didn't just stand there foolishly. They immediately returned inside the villa. “Heh heh, our newly appointed Guardian seems quite interested in our Xiao Jing! ” As soon as they returned to the living room, Yang Haoran laughed and spoke to Xu Meijing. Although his expression was the same as usual and his smile natural, the meaning behind his words and his tone revealed a considerable amount of jealousy.

“Hmph, plenty of people are interested in me. Who is he? ” Xu Meijing sneered, speaking with disdain.

“He's a Guardian now, not just an Undertaker anymore. That status is quite significant. I told you to keep your distance from him back then because I could tell he was interested in you, but you wouldn't listen, saying you knew your limits. Look, he even came knocking today! It's a good thing I was here, otherwise, who knows what extreme things that brute might have done. ” Yang Haoran smiled faintly, but his words carried an even stronger hint of jealousy than before.

Xu Meijing's face grew cold. She turned her gaze to Yang Haoran and shot him a fierce glare. Under Xu Meijing's glare, Yang Haoran's body trembled slightly, and the smile on his face became less natural, replaced by a hint of fear.

“The things a 'brute' does, you, Yang Haoran, not only did last night, but you did again this morning! How dare you criticize others? Besides, there was nothing between us to begin with. Even if there were something ambiguous between us, isn't the victory yours now? Please, can you stop acting like a woman who's overturned a vinegar jar? ” Xu Meijing's expression was cold, her voice was cold, and she sounded a bit impatient. Moreover, a powerful aura emanated from her, pressing down on Yang Haoran until he could barely breathe.

Yang Haoran was considerably startled. In this situation, he quickly thought on his feet, recalling the shameless Xiang Chuan's behavior when trying to curry favor with him. He immediately imitated it, letting out a "heh heh" laugh, his face full of flattering smiles, and even proactively offered to massage Xu Meijing's shoulders and back. “Heh heh, don't be angry, don't be angry. Anger makes you age fast. I was just a little territorial; I didn't mean anything else, and I never doubted you. I swear to Heaven! ” As he spoke the last words, Yang Haoran even made a swearing gesture, but before he could utter the oath, he was interrupted by Xu Meijing's aloof voice.

“You’re a dog, but I’m not a bone to be protected. If you want to swear, make it a strong one. With your power, I doubt even a 'heavenly thunder strike' could finish you off. ” Upon hearing this, Yang Haoran withdrew the hand he had raised to swear. He let out another "heh heh" laugh, but this time, he said nothing more.

Since Yang Haoran said nothing, Xu Meijing stopped needling him. She plopped onto the sofa, leaned her upper body back, and then pointed to a few spots on her shoulders. “Here, here, and here. Give me a good massage. Oh, gentle now. My skin is delicate, I can't take much pressure. Don't leave me bruised. ” Xu Meijing gave very precise instructions, yet Yang Haoran showed no hint of resistance, instead wearing a face full of fawning smiles.

“Alright, consider it done. I guarantee your satisfaction. ” Yang Haoran knew nothing about massage, so his shoulder rub for Xu Meijing was completely devoid of technique; he just kneaded blindly. However, he didn't forget the specific spots Xu Meijing pointed to, nor her request for gentle pressure.

Xu Meijing wasn't picky. Although Yang Haoran's massage wasn't particularly comfortable, she felt quite content inside, and a faint smile appeared on her face. “When I first met Huo Laoban, I didn't like him. It was just like when I first saw you; he made me feel quite disgusted, because the smiles on both your faces were equally false. ”

Upon hearing this, Yang Haoran was instantly displeased. He thought, "When I first met you, I also found you to be an utterly arrogant and annoying woman. " However, these words, he only dared to think to himself now. He wouldn't truly dare to utter them. If he did, he didn't know what the consequences would be, but they certainly wouldn't be good for him. Therefore, he decided not to speak the truth, but rather to say something flattering to change his image in Xu Meijing's heart.

“Heh heh, I'm not like him. . . ” “I'm speaking. Can you not be so eager to interrupt? ” Yang Haoran's words were cut off by Xu Meijing's displeased interruption.

“Yes, yes, yes. Please continue, please continue. ” How would Yang Haoran dare to resist? He paused for a moment, then hurriedly assented, a full smile plastered across his face.

“When I first met him, I just disliked him a little; I didn't discover any other sinister motives. Plus, he helped me once back then, so I didn't speak ill of him just because I disliked him. ” After a slight pause, Xu Meijing continued.

“Later, after several more interactions with him, I realized he seemed to have a certain agenda concerning me. I had felt this same sensation from Deng Feng before, but it was just a feeling; I had no proof. It wasn't until you told me Deng Feng's true purpose in cultivating me that I thought it through and connected him to the matter as well. I believe he was targeting the Supreme Yin Qi within me. As for how he knew I had a Supreme Yin Body, or how he knew I had Supreme Yin Qi, that I don't know. ” “Actually, even if you hadn't warned me back then, I was already wary of him. Afterward, he sought me out two or three more times, and his admiration for me became quite obvious, but I never reciprocated. I made my stance clear through my words as well. Whether he understood or not, my attitude was firm. ” “His coming to find me today, even showing up at my doorstep, made me very unhappy. Even if nothing had happened between us last night, I wouldn't have given him a pleasant look today. I would have directly 'broken the window paper' and stated my position, making him give up and stop pestering me. ”

At this point, Xu Meijing's expression turned serious. She sighed softly and gently shook her head.

“Sigh, in the end, it was my beauty that caused all this trouble. A true femme fatale, indeed. ”

After these words fell, Xu Meijing said no more, and Yang Haoran likewise remained silent. The entire living room instantly fell quiet.

Several seconds later, Xu Meijing turned her head to look at Yang Haoran behind her. Yang Haoran was massaging her shoulders quite contentedly. Seeing Xu Meijing suddenly turn to face him, he subconsciously assumed his tender thoughtfulness was about to earn him praise from Xu Meijing, and so he flashed her a brilliant smile.

“Are you mute? Why aren't you speaking? ” Xu Meijing asked, a look of displeasure on her face.

Yang Haoran's smile stiffened. He had expected praise from Xu Meijing, but instead, this was the outcome.

“But. . . didn't you, esteemed elder, tell me to shut up and not speak? ” Yang Haoran felt incredibly wronged inside, but he still squeezed out a faint smile, though it looked comical no matter how one viewed it.

“Hmph, I tell you what, I tell you to shut up and you just shut up? Are you even a man? ”