Chapter 61: Listen to Your Sister, the Waters Are Deep, You Can’t Handle It
Mu Zhi’an took a carriage to Chaohai Inn, bought the locally famous osmanthus cakes, and before long, he arrived at the inn where Lan Mulian was staying.
Getting off the carriage and entering the inn, Mu Zhi’an knocked on the door of the guest room.
“Come in.” A clear and cold yet pleasant voice came from inside the room. This kind of crisp and pleasing sound, like ice cubes being dropped into a glass of water, had a charm that could calm even an anxious heart.
Mu Zhi’an pushed the door open and entered, seeing his Senior Sister who had come to Tianxuan City for a few days but rarely went out, still staying in the inn.
Lan Mulian seemed to have just finished meditating, slowly opening her eyes. The moon-white long dress set off her snow-white skin, giving off a semi-transparent beauty in the faint light. Her clear eyes, at first glance, were enough to make one feel inferior.
However, this didn’t affect Mu Zhi’an, nor did it make him feel respectful.
Even if Lan Mulian was a Spirit Refinement realm cultivator with a noble identity, it was useless… He was an LSP (Lust Seeking Protagonist).
Mu Zhi’an put the box he was carrying on the table and turned around with a smile, “Yesterday, I told Senior Sister in the letter that I would invite you to try the osmanthus cakes from Chaohai Inn, so today I specially brought them for you.”
“Oh right, did Senior Sister read the letter?”
“No,” Lan Mulian said indifferently.
Mu Zhi’an subconsciously glanced at the opened paper crane on the table, pretending not to know, withdrew his gaze, and said with a smile, “These osmanthus cakes taste excellent. Senior Sister can try them.”
Lan Mulian nodded slightly and said reservedly, “Just leave them for now.”
It seemed that he wouldn’t be able to see Senior Sister’s beauty under the thin veil… Mu Zhi’an couldn’t help feeling a bit regretful in his heart.
When he came to Yangfeng Inn, he had thought that when Lan Mulian ate the osmanthus cakes, she would naturally have to lift the thin veil, and then he would be able to see her true appearance.
Unfortunately, she didn’t seem to intend to reveal her true face in front of others.
“Oh right, the snow lotus from before seems to have withered too. I’ll replace it with a new one for Senior Sister.”
Mu Zhi’an noticed that the snow lotus in the vase on the side had already withered. He took out a snow lotus exuding a faint fragrance as if performing a magic trick and placed it in the vase.
“It’s a pity there’s no liuguang soil, otherwise this flower could be preserved for a few more months,” Mu Zhi’an sighed with some regret.
Lan Mulian looked at the snow lotus in the vase, her eyes showing a hint of doubt for the first time. She said, “The last snow lotus was also sent by you?”
Why did it sound like the previous snow lotus was also sent by him?
If she remembered correctly, the last snow lotus was placed here as a decoration by the waiter of Yangfeng Inn a few days ago, right?
How did it become something he sent?
Mu Zhi’an turned his head to look at Senior Sister who was sitting upright and said with a smile, “This snow lotus is only cultivated in a small pool in the Mu Manor. In Tianxuan City, probably only the Mu family has it. The snow lotus on the paper crane last time was bestowed to Senior Sister by me.”
As he spoke, he seemed to recall something and continued, “Oh, I did hear a few days ago that the owner of Yangfeng Inn also seems to be artificially cultivating some snow lotuses, but after all, they are not as good as the ones from the Mu Manor. At least in terms of fragrance, the ones from the Mu Manor are superior.”
Lan Mulian’s eyes flickered. She got up and walked gracefully to the table, looking at the snow lotus standing in the vase, appearing pure and flawless. She slightly lowered her head and sniffed it.
A faint minty fragrance wafted into her nostrils, giving a feeling that even a lethargic state could instantly become much more refreshed.
It was different from the snow lotus placed in the inn last time… The fragrance and quality of this snow lotus were even better.
So the question was… Mu Zhi’an said he had sent a snow lotus with a paper crane last time.
Then where did that snow lotus go now?
Lan Mulian’s eyes flickered slightly, as if she had thought of something. Her eyes slowly widened.
Last time, she hadn’t changed the position of the paper crane… In other words, that paper crane flew to the back mountain of the Two Polarities Sect.
Did that snow lotus eventually fall into the hands of her master…
With her master’s personality, what would he do if he received a snow lotus?
For some reason, under the thin veil of the cold beauty, a faint smile appeared on her exquisite face.
Mu Zhi’an couldn’t help but take a few more glances at Lan Mulian. Her skin was like jade, her eyes were smiling, and under the thin veil, her stunning face could be vaguely seen. Her temperament was clear and cold, with a hint of mystery.
At this moment, Mu Zhi’an had the urge to remove the layer of thin veil on her face.
However, considering that this would greatly reduce favorability, he held back.
At this time, Mu Zhi’an suddenly noticed a thin booklet on the table. The booklet was open, and several names were written on it.
Mu Zhi’an was very familiar with these names: Bai Ruoxi, Gongsun Cheng, Huang Manting, Ye Yu, and even Ye Lingxuan and others…
Behind these names, the life experiences of these people were written. Although not very detailed, the basic contents were true.
Among these names, three were circled: one was Bai Ruoxi, one was Huang Manting, and the other was Ye Lingxuan.
Are these the candidates Senior Sister values more in this sect assessment? Mu Zhi’an thought to himself.
Bai Ruoxi was a given. Since merging with the bronze fragment, her strength had soared, and with the amplification of the Heavenly Dao energy, she was now invincible among her peers.
Huang Manting had always been considered the second person besides Gongsun Cheng in the past and was also an outstanding figure among her peers.
Ye Lingxuan… This girl was a bit unexpected. Except for being a bit prettier, there was nothing particularly outstanding about her.
Her personality seemed to give the feeling of a young lady… She shouldn’t be as simple as just a member of the Ye family.
Moreover, Ye Yu’s name wasn’t even circled… Could it be that the chosen one setting didn’t work on Lan Mulian?
After taking a glance, Mu Zhi’an saw his own name at the bottom of the dense text.
The introduction described his life experiences, and at the end, there was an additional sentence: Smooth-tongued, a little lecher, beware.
Mu Zhi’an raised his eyebrows slightly, feeling displeased.
He looked up and asked nonchalantly, “Senior Sister, where did you get this booklet from? Such a detailed introduction doesn’t seem like something that can be investigated in just a few days.”
Lan Mulian glanced at him and said indifferently, “I have my ways.”
Judging from her tone, she didn’t intend to elaborate… Mu Zhi’an changed the question and asked curiously, “The circled names represent the candidates you value more in this assessment, right?”
“Isn’t Ye Lingxuan only at the Qi Refinement realm? Could it be that her talent is very good?”
Lan Mulian gave Mu Zhi’an a deep look and said, “Don’t offend her.”
“Do you know her?” Mu Zhi’an asked.
Lan Mulian shook her head, “I don’t know her, but previously, an elder specifically instructed that among the candidates entering the sect this time, there must be a Ye Lingxuan.”
Mu Zhi’an glanced at the introduction about Ye Lingxuan in the booklet. It looked no different from an ordinary person. She grew up in the Ye family since childhood, then condensed her cauldron and entered the Qi Refinement realm before the age of fifteen. There was nothing special besides that.
Mu Zhi’an pondered for a moment and said, “The person who wrote this booklet has hidden agendas. It can’t be fully trusted.”
Lan Mulian turned her head to look at him, her usually calm eyes seemingly showing a hint of displeasure.
Mu Zhi’an frowned and continued, “How am I as bad as described in the booklet?”
What does it mean by indulging in beauty when young, learning to restrain his desires a little when growing up, but still being a little lecher at heart… What kind of nonsense is this?
It’s complete slander!
Unexpectedly, Lan Mulian glanced at Mu Zhi’an coldly and said, “If there’s nothing else, please leave.”
Why did she get angry… Mu Zhi’an said, “Senior Sister, in a few days, I’ll take you around Tianxuan City. We had agreed in the previous letters that I would take you out to play, but you’ve been staying in the inn and not going out. This won’t do.”
Lan Mulian gently shook her head, “I can’t leave casually. It will cause unnecessary commotion.”
Now the cultivators in Tianxuan City all knew that Lan Mulian had come to Tianxuan City. Last time, there weren’t many people at the martial arts stage, so it was fine, but if she went to a place with more people, it would inevitably attract pointing and whispering.
She didn’t like too much attention on herself.
Hearing this, Mu Zhi’an glanced at Lan Mulian, who obviously seemed a bit unhappy, and could only nod and say with a smile, “Since that’s the case, I’ll take Senior Sister around next time when there’s an opportunity.”
After saying that, Mu Zhi’an left the guest room. As soon as he got into the carriage, the corner of his eye noticed a tall beauty wearing a red cheongsam.
She wasn’t slender like a young girl, but voluptuous and alluring like a water peach, also making people’s gazes involuntarily attracted to her.
“Strange… Why has Sister Feiying been coming to Yangfeng Inn so frequently these past few days?”
Mu Zhi’an watched Lan Feiying’s back view as she walked into the inn until her figure disappeared from his sight. Only then did he mutter to himself.
He gently shook his head, not thinking too much about it. He got into the carriage and leaned on the soft couch, basking in the afternoon sunlight that shone through the curtain. Mu Zhi’an narrowed his eyes slightly in the breeze, feeling quite leisurely.
Now that all matters had been taken care of, all he needed to do next was to wait for the sect assessment to begin and directly enter the Two Polarities Sect through the back door.
As for other matters… they were just appetizers before the sect assessment.
The carriage unknowingly passed by Chaohai Inn. He slightly opened his eyes, and the corner of his eye happened to fall on a girl standing at the entrance of the inn.
That face, as pure and sweet as a first love, was particularly bright and charming in the light. Her figure was slender and graceful, and the thin belt around her waist outlined a slender waist that could be held in one hand. Her long hair swayed in the wind, giving a classical beauty.
It was none other than Ye Qian.
“Stop for a moment,” Mu Zhi’an gestured for the coachman to stop, then lifted the curtain and got off the carriage.
Not far away, Ye Qian, dressed in a light blue short jacket and skirt, stood at the entrance of the inn, looking like she was in a daze.
At this moment, she suddenly felt a shadow quietly enveloping her. She slightly raised her head, and when she saw the young man’s appearance clearly, she immediately exclaimed in surprise, “Young Master Mu, why are you here?”
“I happened to pass by here while taking a walk just now and saw you. Come to think of it, maybe this is also a kind of fate.”
Mu Zhi’an glanced at the bustling crowd inside Chaohai Inn and said with a smile, “Miss Qian’er, what are you doing here in such hot weather? Could it be that you came to eat alone?”
Ye Qian looked up at Mu Zhi’an, and after a long while, she gently nodded, “In the morning, I told Sister Lingxuan that the osmanthus cakes here are delicious. She didn’t believe me, so I wanted to bring a portion back for her to try, but…”
She glanced at the crowd inside and couldn’t help but let out a soft sigh.
The business of Chaohai Inn had always been very good, and if one didn’t make a reservation in advance, it was basically impossible to buy their osmanthus cakes.
Ye Qian obviously didn’t know about this because it was always the servants of the Ye Manor who went to buy them in the past. This was the first time she came by herself.
Mu Zhi’an thought for a moment and said with a smile, “Wait here for a moment.”
Under Ye Qian’s puzzled gaze, Mu Zhi’an walked into Chaohai Inn.
Before long, Ye Qian saw him walk out of the inn with a box of osmanthus cakes and hand them to her.
Ye Qian blinked her eyes and subconsciously glanced at Mu Zhi’an, saying, “Young Master Mu, why were you able to buy the osmanthus cakes…?”
She had just asked the waiter, and at that time, the other party’s answer was that they were sold out for the day.
As a result, Mu Zhi’an went to the inn for less than the time it takes to burn an incense stick, and he bought it…?
Mu Zhi’an showed a mysterious smile and said, “I have my ways.”
Mu Zhi’an was able to directly buy the osmanthus cakes purely because he was Mu Zhi’an, and behind him was the Mu family… Even if the osmanthus cakes in this inn were all reserved, they would find a way to prepare an extra portion for Mu Zhi’an.
But others didn’t have such special treatment.
Ye Qian hesitated for a moment and politely refused, “Sorry, I can’t accept your gift.”
“Miss Qian’er, these osmanthus cakes aren’t anything precious. I simply wanted to treat you and Miss Lingxuan to enjoy them. There’s no need to mind so much,” Mu Zhi’an said with a smile.
Seeing that Ye Qian’s face still carried a hint of hesitation, Mu Zhi’an asked, “Did someone say something to you?”
Logically speaking, the Qi Refinement Pill yesterday should have been enough to make Ye Qian let down her guard against him, but today she was so hesitant. It seemed that something must have happened after she went back.
Ye Qian hesitated for a moment and said softly, “Sister Lingxuan and Brother Ye Yu both told me not to get close to you.”
Ye Yu was one thing, but unexpectedly, Ye Lingxuan specifically reminded her sister after going back… Mu Zhi’an sighed, “Sister Qian’er, do I look like a bad person?”
Ye Qian slightly raised her head and peeked at the young man in front of her, as well as his warm and friendly smile that seemed like a boy next door.
“You don’t look like one…”
“Then that’s enough. I indeed have some conflicts with your Brother Ye Yu, but that has nothing to do with you,” Mu Zhi’an said with a smile.
Ye Qian’s originally tightly knitted brows gradually relaxed. She held the small wooden box containing the osmanthus cakes with both hands, shyly nodded, and softly said “Mm.”
Under the sunlight, a faint smile appeared on that pure and lovely face.
Although mature and charming older sisters are great, it seems that this kind of delicate girl who can cry for a long time after being punched is not bad either… Mu Zhi’an thought to himself.
“Sister Qian’er, you can come to my manor next time when you’re free. I’ll treat you to the osmanthus cakes made in our manor.”
The little girl looked up at him. When Mu Zhi’an’s gaze came over, her beautiful apricot eyes shyly flashed, as if covered with a layer of mist. She lowered her eyelids and nodded like a little chick pecking, her heart’s vigilance already relaxed.
“The weather is hot. I’ll have the coachman send you back,” Mu Zhi’an continued.
Ye Qian’s small mouth opened slightly, and she looked at Mu Zhi’an in surprise. She quickly said, “No need. If that’s the case, won’t Brother Mu have to walk back by himself?”
“Just consider it a walk. It’s not a big deal for me,” Mu Zhi’an said with a smile.
The fifteen-year-old pretty girl slightly lowered her eyelids, hiding the shyness and joy in her eyes. She said in a clear and sweet voice, “Then I’ll trouble you.”
This feeling of being meticulously cared for really made her very happy.
…
Ye Manor.
Ye Yu slowly opened his eyes, feeling the mixed spiritual energy filling his body. The cauldron in his body had already taken initial shape.
The bottleneck of the peak Qi Condensation realm!
As long as he refined the Qi Refinement Pill today, he would probably be able to break through the Qi Condensation realm within two days!
Ye Yu was quite satisfied with this result.
Unexpectedly, after losing the Heavenly Dao energy, he actually possessed an even stronger cultivation talent than before.
Although this path was more arduous, as long as he could become stronger, it was worth it no matter how hard it was.
On the day of the sect assessment, he would defeat Mu Zhi’an fair and square, resolving a matter in his heart, and then he could begin his adventure outside.
Thinking of this, Ye Yu’s mood instantly became cheerful. He pushed open the door, feeling that even the unchanging scenery had become exceptionally beautiful.
The disciples of the clan were sparring in the courtyard. Ye Yu’s gaze swept the surroundings, and his eyes quickly fell on the pavilion not far away. In that pavilion, a girl wearing a light purple gauze skirt was sitting on a stone chair, revealing a small section of her snow-white calves, seeming to be resting.
Ye Lingxuan.
Lingxuan’s appearance probably isn’t inferior to Bai Ruoxi…
Come to think of it, since he lost his talent, it seemed that he hadn’t talked with her for a long time… Thinking of this, Ye Yu wanted to take the initiative to greet her.
At this moment, his gaze suddenly fell on the snow lotus in Ye Lingxuan’s hand.
Ye Yu’s body slightly stiffened, his eyes staring at that snow lotus.
In Tianxuan City, the only place that artificially cultivated snow lotuses was the Mu Manor. Although Yangfeng Inn also cultivated snow lotuses, they ultimately had form but no soul.
Yesterday, he heard from his clansmen that Ye Lingxuan had gone to the Mu Manor, and this snow lotus… was probably brought from the Mu Manor.
A hint of coldness appeared in Ye Yu’s eyes. He turned around and left the courtyard.
As soon as he arrived at the entrance of the courtyard, he saw a carriage parked in front of the Ye Manor.
“The Mu family’s carriage…?” Ye Yu stared at that carriage and the pure girl who gracefully got off the carriage after lifting the curtain.
Ye Qian slightly raised her head, holding a box of osmanthus cakes. When she saw Ye Yu with an unpleasant expression, she hesitated for a moment, then forced a smile and said, “Brother Ye Yu, do you want to eat osmanthus cakes?”
“No need.”
Ye Yu answered coldly, staring at the Mu family’s carriage, and said in a deep voice, “You just went to the Mu Manor?”
His tone didn’t sound like a brother’s concern for his sister, but more like an interrogation.
Ye Qian obviously noticed Ye Yu’s abnormality and couldn’t help but take a few more glances at her cousin. Then, she gently shook her head, “I happened to meet Brother Mu when I went to Chaohai Inn to buy osmanthus cakes. He had the coachman send me back.”
“Stay away from him in the future. That person definitely doesn’t have any good intentions,” Ye Yu said indifferently.
Ye Qian lowered her head, and her originally cheerful mood instantly became much heavier.
“Oh.”
She lowered her head and silently held the box of osmanthus cakes as she walked into the Ye Manor.
Thinking back to her cousin’s indifferent attitude when she met Ye Yu at the door just now, Ye Qian hugged the box of osmanthus cakes, feeling very aggrieved.
Originally, she was in a good mood, but as soon as she arrived at the manor, she was lectured by her cousin. Anyone’s mood would turn sour.
Ye Qian stepped on her deerskin short boots and walked into the courtyard of the Ye Manor. It wasn’t until she saw the girl with an extremely beautiful appearance in a purple dress in front of the pavilion that the light in her eyes gradually recovered.
She stepped forward and took the initiative to call out, “Sister Lingxuan.”
She wanted to share everything that happened today with her sister.
