Preparation

Tianyan left, and left decisively.

Before leaving, she didn't even glance back at him.

The faint fragrance of incense still lingered in the room, and although the person before me had left, the tea had not yet cooled.

Staring at the still steaming porcelain cup that had just been poured, Xu Yuan's emotions finally turned into a soft sigh:

"It really is exactly the same as I remember."

Tianyan's decisive departure was not beyond Xu Yuan's expectations.

Twenty years of illusion

For him, Tianyan has changed a lot.

She learned to care, to be gentle, and to soothe his emotions like a clear spring when he was down.

But this doesn't mean that Tianyan is no longer the proud young girl she once was.

Her arrogance, her sharpness, and her dazzling talents that could wound others still remain.

But she kept all these things hidden deep in her heart, in order to win his love.

Fragments of memories from the illusion flooded his mind, Xu Yuan unconsciously reached out and touched the still-warm porcelain cup in front of him.

What Tianyan has always wanted is actually very simple.

She hoped he could settle down and stay by her side exclusively.

Even if it's just an ordinary life, even if it's just a thatched cottage in the countryside.

Xu Yuan finished the remaining tea in the porcelain cup in one gulp, then slowly stood up, supporting himself on his knees.

Tianyan's request was not excessive; in fact, it was somewhat humble.

But unfortunately

He can't do it.

At least, it's not possible right now.

The ghostly Spirit Sight swept over every corner of the room again, but it could no longer sense Tianyan's presence.

Xu Yuan casually took out a ribbon and tied up his long, disheveled hair at the back of his head. He suppressed the complex emotions spreading in his chest and silently walked towards the door of the side room.

He needs to inform Lou Ji now.

According to Tianyan's habits in the illusion,

Every time Tianyan suffered injustice and left heartbroken, he would never go too far.

She would always linger around him, and then one morning, one night, or after cooking a meal, she would suddenly return to his side with a cold expression on her pretty face.

She waited for him to say a few comforting words, and then they would walk together again.

But this is not what Xu Yuan wants to see right now, so he has to ask Lou Ji to completely shake off Tianyan.

Only by doing this can Tianyan avoid facing difficult choices in the future.

after all,

The people from the Heavenly Oversight Pavilion were already preparing to assassinate him.

"Squeak--"

As soon as the door opened, Xu Yuan stopped in his tracks.

A woman was standing in the hallway outside.

A plain white, loose-fitting ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress) draped over her delicate body, her ample breasts pushed up high, revealing her collarbones and fair skin.

Upon seeing Xu Yuan emerge, the woman immediately bowed in greeting.

"Young Master."

Xu Yuan glanced at her, not in the mood to appreciate the woman's beautiful appearance, and casually asked:

"Mu Xi, where is Lou Ji?"

Upon hearing this, Bai Muxi's eyes flashed with a strange light. She quickly glanced towards the door, and after not finding the Holy Maiden, she immediately replied:

"Reporting to Young Master, Chief Lou just went to the lowest level of the attic."

bottom layer?

Xu Yuan narrowed his eyes slightly, and the image of Jing Xuelan, who had contracted an unknown plague, flashed through his mind.

It seems Lou Ji and Luo Xiran gone to tinker with that Little White again.

Thinking to himself, Xu Yuan looked at the Little White in front of him and asked in a low voice:

"I understand. Mu Xi, what are you waiting for me here for?"

Bai Muxi's bright eyes flickered for a moment, then she lowered her head and whispered:

"I sensed that the Holy Maiden had left, so... so I came to see you, young master."

"Are you worried about me?"

".. Um."

"Heh~"

Xu Yuan looked at the unusually well-behaved Little White with her head down, reached out and ruffled her hair, and smiled:

"Don't worry, it's just a small disagreement. Go back to your room and continue your cultivation."

After saying that, he turned to leave, but Bai Muxi grabbed his sleeve.

Little White secretly raised her eyelids to glance at his expression, and tentatively asked:

"Young Master, would you like Mu Xi to go and comfort the Holy Maiden?"

"."

Xu Yuan was stunned for a moment, then Wan'er inwardly, his mood improving slightly.

If only Tianyan Li Qingyan, that Big Ice Block, were as sensible as Little White.

With Little White's intelligence, he would never do anything foolish at this time. If it's meant to be comforting, then it must be.

Under normal circumstances, having Little White comfort Tianyan might actually have a good effect.

But for now... let's forget about it.

"No need, go back to your room and continue cultivating. Strive to cultivate your Dao essence as soon as possible."

". yes."

Bai Muxi noticed Xu Yuan's bad mood, bowed again, and said respectfully, "Mu Xi... will certainly not disappoint you, young master."

Having said that, she stood respectfully in place, motionless, watching the young master's figure disappear around the corner of the corridor.

She has achieved what she wanted to do.

She knew she couldn't compare to others in the young master's heart, so she needed to put more effort into these details.

Little by little, perhaps one day she will catch the young master's eye for a little longer.

After parting ways with Bai Muxi, Xu Yuan went straight to the secret room on the ground floor of the Mystic Eagle Pavilion to find Lou Ji.

As Xu Yuan passed by Li Yunqing's room, he was about to greet the young man and warn him to be prepared for assassination, but he found that all the arrays used to avoid detection in the room were activated.

Judging from the fact that the kid was indulging in debauchery again during the day, I temporarily gave up on the idea.

Continuing downwards, past the narrow passage where the servants lived, we arrived once again before that secret room.

Without knocking, Xu Yuan simply pushed the door open with one hand.

As far as the eye could see, Jing Xuelan, one of the female protagonists of Cangyuan, was still tied to the stone bed, barely clothed, but she was no longer as frantic as before.

With his eyes closed, he lay quietly on the stone bed in the secret chamber.

It's likely that he was drugged and rendered unconscious by Lou Ji and Luo Xiran, the two "medical experts".

As for Lou Ji and Luo Xiran, they were arranging bottles and jars of medicinal liquid in front of several stone platforms in the corner of the secret room.

When Xu Yuan entered, he also heard some academic terms that he didn't understand.

However, Lou Ji didn't seem very surprised by Xu Yuan's arrival. With her back turned, she kept moving her hands, and a clear, delicate, teasing voice, like a secluded spring, drifted over:

"In such a short time, Changtian, you and that girl have already had a falling out?"

"."

Xu Yuan entered the secret room, staring at his older sister's sexy and slender back:

"Sis, I have something important to tell you."

"Is this serious business?"

Lou Ji raised an eyebrow upon hearing this, pondered for a moment, then put down the bottle in her hand, turned around, leaned her buttocks against the table behind her, and asked with interest, "What important matter?"

Xu Yuan pondered for a moment, then looked up at the ceiling and asked as if to confirm:

"Has Tianyan really left?"

A hint of confusion flashed in Lou Ji's beautiful purple eyes:

"Is this the important matter you mentioned?"

However, after saying this, Lou Ji glanced through the layers of barriers towards the tail of the Mysterious Shadow Pavilion and replied softly:

"That girl didn't leave; she's still hanging behind us."

Just as I expected.

Xu Yuan felt a little uneasy, but his eyes remained calm.

"Can you completely conceal our presence and then shake her off?"

"It is possible."

Lou Ji agreed, then smiled and asked in return:

"But Changtian, were the things you said to the girl just now meant to provoke her?"

Those words?

Upon hearing this, Xu Yuan immediately realized that Lou Ji had been eavesdropping again.

This woman can have really weird tastes sometimes.

In that tense atmosphere where the gun was already loaded, they were still eavesdropping, weren't they afraid of overhearing things they shouldn't have?

They have absolutely no sense of responsibility as elders.

"Changtian, don't be angry~"

Seemingly sensing Xu Yuan's displeasure, Lou Ji glanced almost imperceptibly at the extra Willowwood Ghost Blade at Xu Yuan's waist, and explained with a hint of resentment:

"Just now I sensed something strange about the Qi in your room, so I took a look."

Upon hearing this, Xu Yuan understood.

The entire Mystic Eagle Pavilion was covered by her normal Dao Domain, with almost no blind spots. It would be abnormal if she hadn't sensed the Qi that he revealed when he devoured the Saint-level Yin Source.

Xu Yuan took a deep breath and replied in a low voice:

"I wasn't angry, after all, I'm used to it."

Lou Ji immediately put on that languid smile again:

"It's good that you're not angry. So you deliberately made Tianyan angry and leave?"

Yes and no.

What kind of answer is that?

Lou Ji chuckled and sat down on the stone table behind her. Her two plump, jade-like legs intertwined, and she crossed her legs, her beautiful eyes, gleaming with a bewitching purple light, gazing at Xu Yuan.

Xu Yuan gave a light snort and explained:

"Some things need to be prepared in advance, otherwise it will be difficult to deal with when they erupt."

"Bedding?"

Lou Ji's beautiful eyes widened for a moment, then she realized the meaning behind the words and chuckled softly.

"Changtian, getting these privileged young women to get along won't be an easy task."

Xu Yuan shrugged:

"In the illusion, Tianyan and I depended on each other for nearly twenty years. It's not easy for her to accept other people, but everything is possible with effort."

"You don't even try to hide your womanizing ways, do you? But... what did you just say about illusions?"

Lou Ji teased him lightly, then her voice suddenly turned serious. Although her beautiful eyes still held a smile, they now held a hint of earnestness. "Changtian, have you really remembered those so-called memories from the illusion?"

"Um."

"Is it really just memories?" Lou Ji narrowed her phoenix eyes slightly.

"You suspect that I've been implanted with some kind of ideology?" Xu Yuan asked with a light laugh.

"We must be on guard." Lou Ji did not deny it. "Changtian, you also know your current status."

"Don't worry," Xu Yuan chuckled, indicating that the other party was alright. "I'm perfectly conscious right now."

"People who have their thoughts implanted will feel that they are very clear-headed."

"."

After a brief eye contact, Xu Yuan chuckled and shook his head, then whispered:

"Sister, you don't need to worry about this. The Heavenly Oversight Pavilion does have a plan, but you're suspecting the wrong thing."

Lou Ji's eyes narrowed instantly, and a chilling killing intent unconsciously emanated from her.

"So, the Heavenly Oversight Pavilion really does have ulterior motives?"

"Yes, that's why I've come to find you."

What is it?

"Assassinate me."

"."

After he finished speaking, the room fell silent.

Even Luo Xiran, who was engrossed in fiddling with the medicinal stones, raised her eyes upon hearing this.

A very strange expression appeared on Lou Ji's enchanting and exquisite face.

There was surprise, understanding, and even anger, but ultimately these emotions dissipated into a sense of doubt.

The myriad pieces of information in her mind connected in an instant, but even she couldn't understand the purpose of the Heavenly Oversight Pavilion's actions.

unreasonable.

There are many people in the world who want Changtian dead, but it is not the Heavenly Oversight Pavilion that should take action.

From the perspective of the Heavenly Oversight Pavilion, it would be far more profitable to wait for the powder keg to explode and cause chaos before selling off one's goods at a higher price.

She looked at him, her voice very soft:

"Are you sure?"

"It's almost certainly true." Xu Yuan nodded. "Moreover, at least one of the assassins was a Mortal Shedding expert."

Lou Ji let out a soft breath, her delicate brows furrowing slightly.

"If it were truly an assassination attempt, there would be no need to go to such lengths to implant special ideas into you."

"But Changtian, how did you learn of this?"

Xu Yuan did not hide anything from him and explained directly:

"In the illusion, I learned some secrets of the Heavenly Oversight Pavilion. They have a rare treasure that can locate the location of the owner of the Yantian Divine Soul."

Speaking of this,

Xu Yuan raised his finger and gently tapped his head:

"And my Spirit Sight is able to detect this energy."

"You sensed this Qi just now?"

"Yes."

"But just now, my Daoist aura didn't detect any detection methods descending upon your room."

"."

These words left Xu Yuan speechless for a moment. He smacked his lips, pondering how to explain to his older sister.

But before he could speak, Lou Ji's voice, tinged with regret, reached his ears:

"Alright, no wonder you sent that girl away beforehand. I know about this, Changtian. What are you going to do about it?"

"."

Xu Yuan immediately turned his head, a hint of surprise in his eyes.

It's incredibly strange that he sensed an Soul Condensation that even a half-saint's Dao Domain couldn't detect.

Knowing this woman's personality, she will definitely investigate the reasons thoroughly before making a judgment.

And now, without any explanation, she just believed it?

Seeing his questioning gaze, Lou Ji smiled broadly.

Sitting on the edge of the stone table, leaning slightly forward, Lou Ji rested her elbows on her thighs, her hands supporting her chin as she gazed at him, her voice as clear and melodious as an orchid in a secluded valley:

"Changtian, you don't need to be too surprised. You will eventually take over the Prime Minister's Mansion, so I will trust your words and your judgment, just as I trust your father."

"As for now, you just need to tell your sister your plans, and then she can carry them out."

"."

As Qingyou's words fell, Xu Yuan's expression became slightly serious.

He felt an inexplicable pressure.

After a few breaths, Xu Yuan asked with slight hesitation:

"You'll do whatever I say, sister?"

Lou Ji smiled, her eyes crinkling:

"Of course, this time your sister won't question your decision."

Hearing these affirmative words, Xu Yuan chuckled and took a deep breath, his expression indeed becoming more serious.

He understood what Lou Ji meant.

Giving him the decision-making power over this assassination attempt was practically equivalent to handing him the power to manage the relationship between the Prime Minister's Estate and the Heavenly Oversight Pavilion.

This time, Lou Ji was testing him, the Crown Prince, as a high-ranking member of the Prime Minister's Mansion Prime Minister's Mansion, rather than showing concern for her younger brother as an older sister usually does.

The Prime Minister's Estate remains as powerful as ever, but in the current turbulent situation of the Great Yan, under the watchful eyes of other forces, every step it takes is like walking on thin ice.

Lou Ji wanted to see his choice.

Let's see if his emotions will affect his decisions as the Crown Prince of the Prime Minister's Mansion's residence.

At this point in his thoughts, Xu Yuan's narrow eyes unconsciously narrowed slightly, and he softly uttered his first sentence:

"At this stage, it is not appropriate for us to break ties with the Heavenly Oversight Pavilion."

Lou Ji maintained that alluring pose, her slender index finger tapping her cheek gently, her voice ambiguous:

"Hmm, and then?"

"So, when they were investigating me earlier, I gave them some warnings."

"Remind?"

"I made contact with that probing Qi, letting the people at the Heavenly Oversight Pavilion know that I've discovered their spying."

"You actually possess such abilities?"

Lou Ji's eyes showed a hint of surprise, but that surprise quickly turned into genuine joy. "That's a good idea. If they back down when faced with difficulties, there's no need to worry about things falling apart at this stage."

"Yes, but we still need to prepare for the worst. We should use the Heavenly Message Crystal to notify Di'an City and have Father arrange for someone to come and meet us."

"That's natural."

Lou Ji smiled and agreed, then asked casually, "But Changtian, what if those people still insist on coming to assassinate us?"

"."

Standing in the center of the secret room, a chilly autumn wind, carrying the scent of autumn, rushed in through the holes in the window frames beneath the dome.

Xu Yuan's mind was filled with a jumble of thoughts.

He didn't think the people from the Heavenly Oversight Pavilion would be so stupid as to insist on taking action when the assassination plot had already been exposed.

But since this older sister has already asked the question...

"If they still insist, then send them on their way."

"."

Lou Ji slowly stretched and stood up from the stone table. Looking at the man who was half a head taller than her, she asked with interest and a light laugh:

"But that brings us back to the original problem. It's not a good time for us to openly confront the Heavenly Oversight Pavilion, Changtian."

Xu Yuan shook his head and said quietly:

"Assassination is already an act that has crossed the line for me."

"Avoiding their sharp edge is not a sign of weakness. One reminder is enough. Any more and they'll just keep pushing their luck, won't they?"