Old Servant Ling Ying Prays to Lie Flat

"If you revealed a little more, maybe I could come find you."

In Green Mountain Town, Xiao Yi Xian, who had returned to her residence and was sorting medicinal herbs, lightly bit her pink lips.

"So it really is in the Jia Ma Empire. My familiarity with that name wasn't an illusion."

At a frontline fortress somewhere in Northeast Province, Yun Yun paused after finishing her discussion of defensive arrangements with the person in charge. She decided against returning to her room here to rest and instead hurried back to the sect.

The imperial capital of the Jia Ma Empire lay in the empire's northern provinces. It was a vast mountain range, sprawled like a giant dragon and overlooking the entire south, surrounded by soaring Spiritual Qi.

The Misty Cloud Sect, meanwhile, was located on floating mountains even farther north of the imperial capital. It could be said to stand at the northern border of the Jia Ma Empire, naturally blocking the Chu Yun Empire's route south.

With Yun Yun's strength as a Dou Huang, she needed only a few hours of flight to return from the Northeast Province fortress to the sect.

She could not wait to investigate Chu Xiao's identity. She had a feeling this would be a stroke of fortune.

"You've exposed yourself!"

Within the Wind and Thunder Pavilion of the Central Plains, a sharp glint flashed through Feng Qing Er's eyes.

"The remote Jia Ma Empire, is it?"

"Send people to investigate immediately."

"The one who made me serve as a mount for a hundred years... Master."

With a direction to follow, she could better arrange people to investigate.

Once she found him, she wanted to see exactly what sort of man this was, the man who had made her his mount.

If she was not satisfied...

"Though this young lady doesn't have that sort of hobby, don't blame me if I turn you into a human pet!"

The Women's thoughts stirred.

Meanwhile, Chu Xiao and Xiao Yan had arrived at Xiao Zhan's residence.

As the Xiao Family's patriarch, the residence he lived in was not particularly grand or magnificent. Instead, it was fresh and elegant.

Given Chu Xiao and Xiao Yan's status, the guards before the courtyard naturally did not stop them. The two made their way to the rear courtyard, where the scenery was even more refined.

"This garden's architectural design is truly wonderful. Every time I see it, I can't help but feel calmer," Xiao Yan said with a deep breath and a grin. "Cousin, when will you design one for me too?"

The design of this garden had indeed been Chu Xiao's work.

Though he had not recovered his memories over the past fifteen years, he had still been influenced by them without realizing it.

In his previous life, he had lived in a Jiangnan water town and had always been fond of garden design. So when his aunt mentioned wanting to rebuild the rear courtyard, he had offered quite a few ideas.

"You think you're worthy of making Brother Chu Xiao waste his time?"

Before Chu Xiao could speak, a cool voice suddenly sounded from beside them, carrying faint disdain.

"You think you're worthy of controlling me?" Xiao Yan instinctively retorted. Turning toward the source of the voice, he raised his chin. "I'm Brother Xiao's blood relative. You, Xun Er, can't compare to me."

"Cousin." Xun Er expressionlessly spat out the word, then took small steps to Chu Xiao's other side. Tilting her head, she revealed a sweet smile. "Brother Chu Xiao, Aunt asked me to come get you."

Mm, take a good look at the future Heavenly Emperor. I'm going to be the Empress, after all.

"Cousins still share blood!" Xiao Yan clenched his fists and shouted angrily. "You can't compare at all."

After saying that, he turned to Chu Xiao. "Brother, look at her. She has two faces. You need to be careful."

"Hmm?" Xun Er shot him a displeased look.

"You think I'm scared of you?" Xiao Yan glared back.

"Little Yan Zi, aren't you afraid of getting beaten up?" Old Yao's voice sounded.

"What's there to fear? Once my talent returns, I'll catch up soon enough." Xiao Yan was extremely confident.

During the strength test a few days ago, Xun Er had already broken through to Dou Zhe. But he had achieved that at twelve years old. If his talent had not vanished, he might have reached Dou Master by now, just like his cousin.

"That may be a little difficult," Old Yao's voice sounded again. "That little girl's identity is definitely extraordinary. Her true cultivation has already reached seven-star Dou Zhe."

"What!?" Xiao Yan's pupils shook.

Xun Er was even a year younger than him, yet she had already entered the late stage of Dou Zhe. Wouldn't that mean she could break through to Dou Master before even Chu Xiao?

Old Yao was also secretly astonished. He could sense that Xun Er's foundation was extremely solid. Even her current realm was not her limit; if she wished, she could continue breaking through.

This was nothing like the kind of genius a small family in a remote place like the Jia Ma Empire could produce.

However, he did not tell Xiao Yan any of this. He merely sighed inwardly that the Xiao Family truly was not simple.

Neither Xun Er nor Chu Xiao knew of their conversation. Seeing Xun Er narrow her eyes, the latter immediately took her little hand and smiled gently. "Xun Er, don't stoop to Little Yan Zi's level. He's in a bad mood today."

The warm touch against her hand brought a blush to Xun Er's cheeks.

Yet she did not argue. Instead, she nodded and smiled. "Brother Chu Xiao is right."

If this had been before, Xiao Yan would already have shouted, "Cousin, look at how good she is at pretending."

But he was still in shock, so he unusually did not spout nonsense.

Ling Ying, hidden in the shadows, was on the verge of tears.

He was an old bachelor of ten thousand years and had no idea how Xun Er's relationship with Chu Xiao had developed into what it was today.

If word of this got back to the clan... he would not even get another chance to guard the gate in the future.

"I can only hope Miss and Young Master Chu Xiao grow stronger and look after this old servant a little," Ling Ying thought to himself.

Since things had come to this, he would go all in on this pair and pray that they reached a good ending.

"Uncle, Aunt!"

Chu Xiao and the other two crossed the waterside pavilion and arrived at a gazebo.

Xiao Zhan and a woman with heroic features tempered by a hint of capability were seated there. More than a dozen small dishes and a cake had been laid out on the stone table.

There was no custom of eating cake for birthdays on the Dou Qi Continent. Chu Xiao had come up with it on a whim when Xun Er celebrated her birthday as a child, and it was after that day that their relationship had grown even closer.

It was all an unintentional mistake~ Chu Xiao thought.

What do the things I did before recovering my memories have to do with the me who has recovered them now?

Karma!

"Xiao Er, sit down quickly. Yan Er, come too. Xun Er, sit between your aunt and Xiao Er." His aunt, Fang Yi, called the three over with a radiant smile. She certainly did not look like her own son had just had his engagement broken off by the other party.

"Today brings three joys at once. The five of us haven't eaten together in a long time. It's rare indeed." Fang Yi took Xun Er's hand, her gaze at her nephew's future wife completely undisguised.

"Aunt, where did three joys come from?" Xun Er smiled brilliantly, making the surrounding scenery seem to fade.

"The first joy is Xiao Er's birthday, and the second is Xiao Er breaking through to Dou Master." Fang Yi shot Chu Xiao a look. "Such a major matter, and you hid it from us."

"I only luckily broke through a few days ago. My cultivation hadn't stabilized yet, so I thought I'd wait until it did." Chu Xiao drank tea to hide his embarrassment.

In truth, he had previously been afraid that saying it would upset Xiao Yan. But now that he had recovered his memories, he did not think much of it. When his little cousin turned eighteen, he would be able to break through to Da Dou Shi.

"We'll talk about that later." Fang Yi understood perfectly what her nephew, whom she had personally raised like a son, was thinking, so she did not press the matter. She continued, "The third joy is Yan Er and Nalan Yanran dissolving their engagement."

Xun Er looked at Chu Xiao in confusion: ?

What kind of logic was that?

Who exactly had broken off the engagement?