Xuanyuan Yue

When Qin Anlan saw Aunt Yun, a faint smile also appeared at the corners of his lips.

"Aunt Yun."

As for Aunt Yun saying that the Grand Princess had been waiting too anxiously,

it was probably because of Liu Ruyan's arrival.

After all, everyone in the Divine Marquis of Zhenguo's Estate knew perfectly well what kind of trash the original owner had been.

Though he possessed outstanding talent, ever since he met Liu Ruyan, he had seemed to lose his mind entirely.

It was like those melodramatic urban novels, where someone was struck by the protagonist's intelligence-reducing halo and their IQ dropped below zero.

Aunt Yun nodded in satisfaction.

She had watched Qin Anlan grow up.

From childhood, his talent had been exceptional, and he had been the focus of the entire Heavenly Flame Empire.

Only after meeting Liu Ruyan three years ago had he changed completely.

Aunt Yun had tried to persuade him several times because of this.

Yet her Young Lord had been stubborn, insisting on being a simp.

As the Grand Princess's only child and also her Young Master,

Aunt Yun could not say much more.

Led by Aunt Yun, Qin Anlan arrived before a resplendent hall of gold and jade.

Only then did Aunt Yun say with a smile, "The Grand Princess has been waiting for you for quite some time. This servant still has a few miscellaneous matters to attend to, so I shall not remain here and disturb the Young Lord and the Grand Princess as you catch up."

Qin Anlan nodded and entered the hall with a calm expression.

Others had to observe countless rules when they were in the Grand Princess's chambers.

But Qin Anlan was the Grand Princess's only son. This place was Qin Anlan's home.

Naturally, he did not need to abide by all those messy rules.

He entered the hall rather casually.

What met his eyes was a group of young, beautiful maidservants with graceful, curvaceous figures.

It had to be said that the women at the Grand Princess's side

were outstanding in figure, beauty, and aptitude alike.

Placed outside, they would still count as top-tier talents.

At the top of the hall sat a woman dressed in court robes, carrying herself with stern dignity. Her features were exquisite, and she exuded noble grace.

Though time had left faint traces upon her face, it could not conceal her beauty.

In her youth, she must have been a peerless beauty whose elegance had toppled all beneath heaven and captivated countless hearts.

Her aura was the same as Aunt Yun's, yet even more terrifying.

The Saint Realm.

The woman before him was a Saint Realm expert.

This woman was none other than

Qin Anlan's mother, the mistress of the Divine Marquis of Zhenguo's Estate, and the current Grand Princess of the Heavenly Flame Empire, Xuanyuan Yue.

Back then, the Grand Princess had been known as the number one beauty of the Heavenly Flame Empire.

Her peerless elegance had captivated thousands upon thousands of young women.

She had been the most dazzling existence in the entire Heavenly Flame Empire.

Because the Grand Princess was ruthless and merciless, and would wipe out entire families whenever someone displeased her,

no one knew how much blood had stained her hands.

Countless people had watched their families destroyed because of her.

Thus, while she was respected, she was also feared.

In secret, she was known as the Beauty with a Serpent's Heart.

When Xuanyuan Yue saw Qin Anlan, a trace of a smile finally appeared on her lips.

Only before Qin Anlan did she reveal such a sincere smile.

Qin Anlan stepped forward and gave Xuanyuan Yue a respectful bow.

"Your son greets Mother."

Xuanyuan Yue looked Qin Anlan over with eyes full of indulgent affection, letting out a soft laugh.

"Enough, enough. Do we mother and son really need to be so formal?"

As she spoke, Xuanyuan Yue took Qin Anlan's hand and led him to a seat beside her.

"Didn't I tell you? Whether you have business or not, you should come visit your mother more often."

"But look at you. Ten days or half a month pass, and there is not even a glimpse of you."

"You must have been bewitched out of your senses by that seductress Liu Ruyan."

At this point, Xuanyuan Yue's previously beaming expression gradually faded,

and an almost imperceptible chill flickered across her face.

Clearly,

her displeasure toward that prospective daughter-in-law had already reached its peak.

A woman of lowly birth, lacking all upbringing, selfish, greedy, and never satisfied—

if Qin Anlan had not defended her time and again,

Xuanyuan Yue would have long since ordered Liu Ruyan put to death.

Xuanyuan Yue's change in expression did not escape Qin Anlan's notice.

Not only did Qin Anlan feel no resentment, he instead felt warmth flood his heart.

Though the Grand Princess Xuanyuan Yue was cold by nature, slaughtered without mercy, and regarded human lives as no more than blades of grass, drawing countless curses,

she was extraordinarily indulgent toward Qin Anlan.

Perhaps the few emotions she possessed deep in her heart had all been poured into Qin Anlan.

Ever since he was young, no matter what Qin Anlan wanted, no matter how precious it was,

Xuanyuan Yue would exhaust every means to obtain it for him.

Xuanyuan Yue even hated Liu Ruyan to the extreme.

There was no way she could have agreed to Qin Anlan's marriage with Liu Ruyan.

Yet under Qin Anlan's bitter pleas, she could only nod and agree.

At that moment, a palace maid walked over to Xuanyuan Yue's side and whispered a few words into her ear.

Upon hearing them, Xuanyuan Yue's eyes immediately lit up.

She turned to Qin Anlan and exclaimed, "Anlan, I just heard that you beat Liu Ruyan severely, crippled her cultivation, and extracted her Skyflame Phoenix Blood. Is this true?"

"Indeed. Your son was just about to mention this matter to Mother."

"Good, good! As expected of my, Xuanyuan Yue's, fine son. You handled this matter beautifully."

The joy in Xuanyuan Yue's eyes needed no words; delight was written all over her face.

"Seeing how you were before, your mother had been somewhat worried."

"But now, all those worries are gone."

Qin Anlan was good in every way.

The only thing that dissatisfied Xuanyuan Yue somewhat was that he had the makings of a simp.

For the past three years, he had crazily groveled before Liu Ruyan.

All kinds of Heavenly Material and Earthly Treasures, all kinds of pills, cultivation methods, and techniques—he had mindlessly given them all to Liu Ruyan.

He had even secured several places for Liu Ruyan among the disciples of Heavenly Firmament Academy.

Not only had he disgraced Qin Anlan himself, he had also thoroughly disgraced the Divine Marquis of Zhenguo's Estate.

But now,

the simp had risen up.

Not only did he no longer grovel before Liu Ruyan, he had even beaten her half to death and reduced her to a cripple.

Though Qin Anlan's methods were cruel and ruthless,

Xuanyuan Yue was extremely satisfied with them.

As one in a position of power, one ought to possess a heart of iron and stone and the methods of a ruthless overlord.

As she looked at the exceptionally talented Qin Anlan, Xuanyuan Yue grew more satisfied the longer she looked.

Qin Anlan had perfectly inherited all the strengths of Xuanyuan Yue and Qin Zhenxian.

He had completely inherited Xuanyuan Yue and Qin Zhenxian's ruthlessness, cunning resourcefulness, and willingness to stop at nothing.

He also possessed the Void Saint Body.

His future achievements were beyond imagination.

"Though you crippled that bitch Liu Ruyan, the Liu Family she belongs to has sucked who knows how much blood from the Divine Marquis of Zhenguo's Estate over these years."

"The Liu Family's existence is the greatest humiliation of the Divine Marquis of Zhenguo's Estate. They must be slaughtered to the last."

As she spoke those words, undisguised killing intent surfaced on Xuanyuan Yue's face.

She had always been someone who would stop at nothing to achieve her goals.

Any stain connected to Qin Anlan, Xuanyuan Yue would use every possible means to erase it.

"Your son has already made arrangements regarding Liu Ruyan and the Liu Family."

A gentle smile rested on Qin Anlan's face.

His words seemed calm.

Yet the words he spoke brimmed with killing intent, enough to make one shudder.

Xuanyuan Yue merely smiled calmly.

"You have always been a child with your own ideas. Since you wish to personally deal with that bitch Liu Ruyan and the Liu Family,"

"then do whatever you wish. Your mother will wait here for your good news."

Xuanyuan Yue had already formed a plan.

She would let Liu Ruyan and the Liu Family become Qin Anlan's whetstone.

She would let Qin Anlan completely bid farewell to his past.

Even if Qin Anlan left behind countless loose ends after dealing with them, with her personally covering for him, he would have nothing to worry about.