A Door Apart

Upon hearing Ran Qingmo's words, Xu Yuan had to admit that he did feel a moment of panic. However, it wasn't out of fear, but rather a strange sense of guilt, much like when he and his ex-girlfriend walked out of a hotel and bumped into her parents back in his student days.

However, based on experience, the more guilty you are in this situation, the more dissatisfied the girl's parents will be. They might even lose their temper and want to beat you up. Being calm and mature might actually give you the upper hand.

Of course, one cannot arbitrarily apply past life experiences to this life.

If Ran Jianli, that muscular old man who wields a giant sword, saw his precious apprentice spending the night with this spoiled brat, he'd probably chop him up on the spot.

Xu Yuan was just one door away from death.

Of course, that's a joke.

After all, this is the Prime Minister's Mansion, so Ran Jianli couldn't really chop him up, but a beating was definitely inevitable.

But all of this is contingent on the old man being able to get into the inner courtyard first.

The heavy gate of the Prime Minister's Mansion and the protective array engraved on it might be nothing more than a thin sheet of paper to Ran Jianli, but it was a sheet of paper that could not be touched.

The inner courtyard of the Prime Minister 'Prime Minister's Mansion is the true secret location of the entire Prime Minister's Estate. Ran Qingmo was able to enter because Xu Yinhe agreed. Even if anyone else Will Soul to explore the inner courtyard, it would be considered a violation of the red line.

Ran Jianli couldn't possibly be unaware of this.

Therefore, in conclusion, nothing will happen if you don't open the door.

After a moment's hesitation, Xu Yuan asked Ran Qingmo:

"How did your master know you were in the inner courtyard?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Xu Yuan realized that the question was somewhat idiotic.

Last night, Big Ice Block rushed back to the Clear Heart Pavilion Prime Minister's Mansion, Ran Jianli to find no one there. Given Ran Qingmo's personality, he wouldn't wander off, so he naturally came to the inner courtyard to block the door.

Thinking it over, Xu Yuan changed his question before Ran Qingmo could speak:

"Ahem, how did your master communicate with you telepathically?"

The inner courtyard of the Prime Minister's Mansion is engraved with the most advanced Chaos Lineage Array to evade the detection of the Will Soul. The prerequisite for transmitting sound is to first use the Will Soul or the Source Qi to lock onto the person to be transmitted. Theoretically, with such an array in between, Ran Jianli could not lock onto Ran Qingmo with the Source Qi or the Will Soul, let alone transmit sound.

Upon hearing this, Ran Qingmo obediently reached for his neck and took out a jade pendant-like object from his black robe.

Use this.

"."

Xu Yuan stared at the jade pendant, his eyes filled with slight doubt.

Xu Xinyao, who was standing to the side, watched for a few moments, then suddenly spoke with a hint of curiosity:

"Brother, this seems to be a portable communication Law Artifact similar to the Heavenly Message Crystal. Although its range is not large, it can ignore the interference of Chaotic Yin."

Ran Qingmo looked at Xu Xinyao, whose eyes were shining, and handed her the jade pendant while gently asking:

"Would you like to see it?"

"Eh? Is it okay?"

Xu Xinyao blinked, reached out to take it, and said with a smile, "Qingmo."

"Smack."

Before Xu Xinyao's fair hand could even touch the jade pendant, Xu Yuan slapped it away without any politeness.

Xu Yuan glared at her and said:

"What are you looking at? You want to see everything? Can't you just study it yourself?"

A blush rose to the back of her fair hand. Xu Xinyao rubbed her hand in pain, her eyes filled with resentment, and muttered:

"This jade pendant doesn't belong to you, Third Brother."

Xu Yuan ignored her, took Ran Qingmo's hand holding the jade pendant, and helped her tuck it into her black robe, instructing her:

"Don't take this jade pendant out casually."

Ran Qingmo raised her eyes:

"Huh? Oh?"

Xu Yuan shook his head gently, sighing inwardly.

That Big Ice Block is really stupid; he can just casually show him such confidential information.

If we compare the Heavenly Message Crystal to a mobile phone, then the jade pendant in Ran Qingmo's hand can be considered a short-range radio.

While such an object may not be of much use at the strategic level, it can be used to launch surprise attacks at the tactical level. After all, there is no communication Law Artifact in the Prime Minister's Mansion that can ignore the "full-screen channel blocking interference".

In this light, the people of the world are truly not to be underestimated; the forces striving to climb the array pattern technology tree in preparation for war are far more than just the Prime Minister's Mansion.

Just as I was thinking,

"Tap tap tap--"

A heavy knocking sound suddenly came from the courtyard gate, Xu Yuan instinctively jumped back half a step.

Although he thought it was impossible, based on the description of Ran Jianli's personality in "Cangyuan", he was really a little afraid that the muscular old man would just break down the door and enter.

However, Ran Jianli outside the door remained rational. After all, in his view, the Third Young Master of the Xu Family had already been assassinated. Even if his disciple had stayed in the inner courtyard of the Prime Minister's Mansion for a night, at most he had just had a private chat with the adopted daughter of the Prime Minister's Mansion.

After knocking on the door, Ran Jianli simply coaxed in his deep voice:

"Qingmo, I know you're inside. Open the door, I've come to get you."

Ran Qingmo glanced back at Xu Yuan:

"Um, can I open the door for my master?"

Xu Yuan gave an awkward smile:

Do you want to go back now?

Ran Qingmo's gaze lingered between Xu Yuan and the doorway for a moment, then she shook her head slightly.

Do you want me to go back?

Xu Yuan chuckled softly, instinctively reaching out to embrace the girl, but she warily dodged him.

She stared at him:

"Xu Yuan, what are you doing?"

Being held by Xu Yuan gave her a strange feeling, which made it difficult to enter a meditative state for a long time, thus affecting her efficiency.

Reaching out but finding nothing, Xu Yuan wasn't embarrassed. He said softly:

"Of course I don't want to either, so why don't you tell your master to go back first?"

"Good."

Ran Qingmo nodded, her footsteps crunching through the snow as she walked to the courtyard gate. Through the heavy wooden door, she replied in a clear voice:

"Master, Xu Yuan asked me to tell you to go back first."

"." Xu Yuan.

"." Xu Xinyao.

"." Xu Changge.

There was a deathly silence outside the door.

Ran Qingmo turned her gaze to Xu Yuan, whose expression was blank, and asked softly:

"Xu Yuan... Master isn't responding, what should we do?"

"."

Xu Yuan's eyes twitched. He glanced at the deathly silence behind the courtyard gate, and instead of immediately replying to Ran Qingmo, he quickly and quietly asked Xu Xinyao:

"Xin Yao, Ran Qingmo doesn't have the Soul Key to the inner courtyard's formation, so she shouldn't be able to hear what she's saying outside, right?"

The sound-blocking array engraved in the inner courtyard is one-way; sounds from outside can be heard inside, but if a sound inside is not intended to be transmitted, it cannot be heard at all outside.

Xu Xinyao glanced at Xu Yuan, rubbed her hand that had just been slapped, and said quietly:

"I can't hear you."

Xu Yuan immediately breathed a sigh of relief, then heard Xu Xinyao add:

"They might be able to hear it, after all, the State Preceptor is a sage."

"." Xu Yuan.

As her heart began to race, Xu Xinyao calmly added:

"However, since the Source Reflection Array in the inner courtyard didn't react just now, the State Preceptor probably didn't use his internal energy, so he still didn't hear it."

"." Xu Yuan.

This Fourth Sister has actually gone astray.

"Bang!"

He flicked the Fourth Sister's forehead with a sharp, forceful flick, causing Xu Xinyao to stumble back two steps, clutching her forehead and squatting on the ground, her pitiful, beautiful eyes glaring resentfully at Xu Yuan.

They dared to be angry but dared not speak out.

Xu Yuan snorted softly:

"Heh, you like teasing Xion."

"Bang!"

Before the word "brother" could be uttered, another muffled thud rang out. A thick slap landed directly on the back of Xu Yuan's head, catching him completely off guard. He was slammed into the snow with a thud, kicking up a cloud of snow.

Xu Changge slowly withdrew his hand and said with a soft hum:

"With just a little cultivation, all he does is bully Xin Yao. What a disgrace!"

"." Xu Yuan.

"Puff"

Xu Xinyao, who was squatting to the side covering her head, looked at her eldest brother who had suddenly appeared and her Third Brother was embedded in the snow, and smiled as she suppressed a laugh, "Kukukuku~"

"."

Hearing the laughter beside him, Xu Yuan silently lay down on the snow and pretended to be dead.

It wasn't that she dared not speak out against her anger, but mainly Ran Qingmo was there, and she had to save face for herself.

"Snort."

Xu Changge glanced at his third brother, who was lying motionless in the snow, and resisted the urge to kick him. He turned around and looked at Ran Qingmo at the door.

"."

The moment their eyes met, Ran Qingmo felt an instant sense of impending doom. She hesitated, wondering if she should draw her Ink Sword to help if Xu Yuan got up and started fighting his elder brother, when Xu Changge suddenly tossed her a token.

"This is the inner courtyard's temporary Soul Key. It's best not to mention to your master that Xu Yuan is still alive, or he might really die."

Ran Qingmo caught it, her eyes filled with doubt, but after glancing at Xu Yuan lying on the ground, her gaze towards Xu Changge remained wary and guarded.

Upon seeing Xu Changge's eyes unconsciously curved into a smile, and she said softly:

"If you want to help him, try again when you reach the Origin Beginning."

After saying that, the snow remained, but the woman in green was nowhere to be seen.

"."

"."

"Third Brother, eldest brother has already left."

Xu Xinyao tugged at the hem of the dead body's clothes on the ground, smiling as she reminded him, "You can get up now, kukukuku~"

"Splash--"

As the snow slid down, Xu Yuan raised his eyes and glared fiercely at Xu Xinyao, but this time he didn't attack her again. He got up, gave a soft snort, and ignored her.

Seeing this, Xu Xinyao was very sensible and stopped laughing. She helped Xu Yuan pat the scattered snow crystals off his back and long hair, and also rubbed the back of his head where he had been hit.

After cleaning up, Xu Yuan turned to look at Ran Qingmo, only to see the Big Ice Block staring intently at the two siblings.

"Xu Yuan, are you alright?"

Xu Yuan shook his head:

"Xu Changge with restraint. Use the Soul Key to call your master back."

"Okay."

Ran Qingmo lowered her eyes and turned around, activating the Soul Key with her Will Soul power, and whispered towards the door:

"Master, I don't want to go back yet."

This time, a sound came from outside the door.

Ran Jianli was very puzzled:

"Why? That kid isn't in the manor."

"Mmm... me."

Ran Qingmo wasn't good at lying, and after stammering out two "ohs," she turned her eyes and looked at Xu Yuan expectantly.

Xu Yuan rolled his eyes and pointed directly at Xu Xinyao standing to the side.

Ran Qingmo understood and whispered:

"I want to stay with Xin Yao."

After a brief silence, the muscular old man outside the door immediately began to play the victim:

"Qingmo, with your wife gone, you're my only family in Di'an. I'm waiting to have dinner with you on New Year's Day."

Ran Qingmo thought for a moment and replied seriously:

"But Master, didn't you say last night that you were going to the New Year's banquet at noon?"

"." Ran Jianli.

"Uh, Master, you mean dinner."

"But the New Year's Eve banquet also includes an evening feast."

"Qingmo, would you please open the door first?"

"Master, I know you," Ran Qingmo said softly.

"What?" Ran Jianli, puzzled.

"Yes, as soon as I opened the door, Master, you tried to forcibly take me away."

Ran Jianli suddenly felt an urge to bang on the door.