Heart

After being released from prison, Qing used the Soul Key to close the door and left without saying a word.

Every time she sees Xu Yuan, she is reminded of her ray of sunshine, and she also thinks of Xu Yuan as the child he was born from his affair with that woman. Every time she realizes this, her two hearts ache with a heart-wrenching pain.

Therefore, she hated Xu Yuan so much that she wanted to tear him to pieces.

But she couldn't do that, so she had to stay away.

Watching the tall woman in the black robe leave, Ran Qingmo silently turned her gaze to Xu Yuan.

After being released, Xu Yuan stood silently in front of his grandfather's prison cell, lost in thought.

After staring at his thoughtful profile for a few moments, Ran Qingmo instinctively wanted to take out the Source Crystal to cultivate, but then remembered his instructions and put it back. Her dark eyes wandered around the passageway before she stared at him blankly, somewhat bored.

She looked at him, while he stared at the floor tiles.

At Resting Phoenix Mountain, in the secret ancestral hall of the Feng Family, the secret passage can be opened by staining the thirteenth spirit tablet at the end of the ancestral hall with blood.

This was the clue that his grandfather gave him before he left.

As for what he could get after entering the secret passage, his grandfather simply said, "You'll find out when the time comes," and then kicked him out.

He's a seasoned riddle maker.

If Xu Yuan hadn't possessed the information from Cangyuan, he might not have known what his grandfather would give him. However, what puzzled him was that the treasure quest location left by the Nameless old man, his grandfather, in Cangyuan wasn't in the Feng Family land, but rather in the Great Desert. Otherwise, based solely on the Feng Family land, he wouldn't have waited until he entered the house to deduce his grandfather's identity.

so,

The clue given by my grandfather wasn't the direct location of the treasure, but rather a prerequisite quest for obtaining the token?

But why did this grandfather become a riddle teller?

After pondering for a few moments, Xu Yuan suddenly realized that what his grandfather wanted to do didn't have any deep intentions; his purpose even seemed somewhat simple and honest.

Without his grandfather's guidance, even if Xu Yuan obtained the token, he would most likely not know how to use it, so he would inevitably have to come back to find him.

In this way, he can spend more time with his family.

With a strange glint in his eyes, Xu Yuan murmured softly:

"... Do you just want me to get the token and then come back to spend time with you?"

He slowly raised his eyes, only to see the Big Ice Block beside him blinking and staring at him.

After a brief moment of eye contact, Ran Qingmo silently looked away.

Xu Yuan smiled slightly, raised his hand and pointed to the depths of the passageway, indicating that they should talk as they walked:

"Ask whatever you want."

"No."

Although Ran Qingmo had a lot of questions, she still shook her head, because this was Xu Yuan's family matter, and her master had said that when it came to family matters, even the closest people should not get involved.

He stared at Ran Qingmo's dark, bright eyes for several breaths:

"Real?"

Ran Qingmo pursed her lips, blinked, and couldn't help but tentatively ask:

"So, will Aristocratic Clan really turn out like your grandfather said, Xu Yuan?"

Xu Yuan was taken aback for a moment upon hearing this, then chuckled softly:

Why are you suddenly asking this question?

Ran Qingmo's eyes were very serious:

"My master's wife said that relatives and spouses should help each other, but your maternal grandfather killed your maternal grandmother and so many other relatives."

Xu Yuan pondered for a moment, then chuckled softly:

"That is indeed a problem."

The current harmony among the Xu Family brothers is largely due to their grandfather's cold-blooded ruthlessness back then.

If Feng Yuanqin hadn't cleared the way for her mother and maternal uncle with her bloodied hands, and if those direct descendants of her maternal clan had stayed, given the intensity of the purge of the high-ranking officials in the Prime Minister's Prime Minister's Mansion that night, these direct descendants of the Feng Family would inevitably have been dealt with by their mother or maternal uncle if they had made the wrong choice in their path.

Once the precedent of patricide is set, the harmonious atmosphere will be gone forever.

Feng Yuanqin's account of her past was, in a way, a warning to him, her descendant.

The right to inherit the Prime Minister's Estate's mansion fell to Xu Yuan without any obstacles for two reasons: first, his father only married his mother and had only four children, including his adopted daughter; second, none of his brothers had a strong desire for power and they all wanted to be hands-off managers.

This is true for this generation, but what about the next?

History is a cycle.

Will the children of the Big Ice Block, the Washboard Saintess, the Breast-Binding Princess, and even the shameful succubus and their ilk, also be as indifferent to rights as their generation?

If they decide to fight over it, what will become of the Prime Minister's Mansion?

Taking a deep breath, Xu Yuan looked at the girl in front of him with equally serious eyes:

"Ran Qingmo, everyone has their own way of doing things. I don't know what others would do, but I will not let this happen, even if it means breaking their legs."

"Real?"

"Real."

"But what if you can't beat them?"

"." Xu Yuan.

Don't underestimate someone who's poor and struggling.

After a moment of silence, Xu Yuan chuckled and said:

"Isn't it because you're here to help?"

"."

Ran Qingmo's eyes flickered, as if she realized something. She lowered her eyes, pursed her lips, and seemed to be smiling.

Seeing this, Xu Yuan didn't say much, but said in a low voice:

"Let's go then, let's go find Xin Yao."

"Um"

After he finished speaking, the only sound in the passageway was the flickering firelight.

Entering the Black Prison from the outside involves several layers of strict checks, but entering from the inner courtyard is free of these cumbersome procedures. A quarter of an hour later, the two arrived at the secret room where Xu Xinyao was without any hindrance.

The secret chamber was illuminated by Inscription Lamp powered by Source Qi energy. Some strange jade bottles and pipes were scattered haphazardly on the floor. The chamber was likely still constructed of a spirit-repelling material, but the inner walls were inscribed with visible array patterns using some unknown method.

Xu Yuan wasn't quite sure how his Fourth Sister made the "insulator" conduct electricity, and he didn't bother to ask. He casually pulled Ran Qingmo along and walked to the experimental table where Xu Xinyao was.

Hearing the door open behind her, Xu Xinyao put down the jade bottle in her hand, turned around, and her gaze lingered for a moment on the two people's clasped hands before she smiled sweetly:

"It's been so long, I Third Brother you and Sister Qingmo weren't coming. What happened just now?"

"Go! Go! Go."

Xu Yuan waved his hand dismissively and said with some disdain:

"Children shouldn't pry into adults' affairs."

"Eh"

Xu Xinyao's beautiful eyes darted around before settling on Ran Qingmo's face.

Third Brother won't say, but Sister Qingmo is rather simple-minded; she'll probably tell.

Their eyes met for a moment, Ran Qingmo's red lips parted slightly:

"Xin Yao, Xu Yuan and I were just here."

"Ignore her."

Xu Yuan interrupted her directly, and Ran Qingmo thought for a moment, then glanced apologetically at the Fourth Sister opposite her, and shut her mouth without saying a word.

Xu Yuan looked around and asked in a low voice:

What are you doing right now?

Xu Xinyao pouted, staring at the two holding hands, a little annoyed, and muttered:

Even if I told Third Brother Third Brother, you wouldn't understand.

Xu Yuan raised an eyebrow and grinned:

"Looks like you've forgotten who put the money in your account again, haven't you?"

As he spoke,

Xu Yuan's gaze swept over the strange, millstone-shaped instruments in the secret room:

"Are you researching the Soul Ring, Emperor Xien's Spirit-Repelling Robe, or his heart?"

Xu Xinyao pouted and whispered:

"My master took the Spirit-Repelling Robe; I'm currently researching the Soul Ring."

Xu Yuan pondered for a moment, then asked:

"And what about the saint's heart?"

"Your heart is with your older sister."

Before Xu Xinyao could speak, a seductive voice came from behind her, tinged with a hint of languor. "On the first day of the Lunar New Year, Changtian, how could you bear to come down to a place like the Black Prison?"

"."

Upon hearing this, the three people inside all turned their gazes toward the doorway, where a slender figure dressed in a purple gauze dress slowly stepped into the secret room.

Lou Ji's arrival instantly overshadowed the two women in the room. Her eyes exuded a lazy nobility, and her fair legs occasionally revealed glimpses of skin as she walked, her high-heeled Lotus Boots clicking on the ground.

Young people don't know how good their aunts are, and mistake a young girl for a treasure.

Xu Yuan stared at it for a moment, then looked away.

Men are boys until they die, and they cherish young girls like treasures.

That damned woman probably came here to swindle him out of his money because she smelled something.

As she approached, Lou Ji casually tossed her long hair behind her back, glanced at Ran Qingmo beside Xu Yuan and the two holding hands, and a smile unconsciously crept onto her lips.

After a brief eye contact, Ran Qingmo's gaze remained calm and serene, showing no reaction.

She remembered who this aunt was.

She's the woman Xu Yuan mistook for last night.

Although Xu Yuan later explained, she still felt something was amiss.

Lou Ji let out a soft exclamation, her eyes conveying a profound meaning, and smiled slightly:

"Wow, your father actually let her into the inner courtyard. It seems he's accepted this marriage. But Changtian, are you ready?"

Xu Yuan chuckled and changed the subject:

"Sister, what brings you here?"

"I came to see your adopted sister, and I just happened to run into you here."

Lou Ji shrugged, answering casually. Glancing at the messy objects on the tables in the secret room, she said softly, "Honestly, you have money to build these meaningless things for your sworn sister. You should leave them for your older sister; perhaps we could get some more crucial intelligence that way."

"."

Upon hearing this Xu Xinyao's beautiful eyes widened instantly, staring at Lou Ji like a chick guarding its food. However, when Lou Ji's gaze swept over her, their eyes met for a moment, like those of a beautiful snake, before she silently looked away.

A snake can eat a chick in one bite.

Xu Yuan instinctively took a step to the side, shielding Xu Xinyao behind him.

Lou Ji and her Fourth Sister had never gotten along.

Having witnessed the darkness firsthand, she loathed Xu Xinyao's ridiculous idealism, while Lou Ji, this great succubus, was essentially a dimensional inferior to all women except for the Big Ice Block and the Breast-Wrapped Princess.

With a soft chuckle, Xu Yuan said in a low voice:

"I've carefully considered the Soul Ring project. Even if we can only develop a batch of semi-finished products, it will still be a trump card for the Prime Minister's Mansion's residence."

As he spoke, Xu Yuan's gaze suddenly sharpened as he stared at Lou Ji, and he said slowly and deliberately:

"Besides, I remember you've already swindled a storage ring full of supplies from me, and the value of those supplies seems to be..."

"Okay, okay."

Lou Ji, knowing she was in the wrong, blinked pitifully, then reached out and ruffled Xu Yuan's hair, smiling sweetly:

"Sister knows Changtian loves her the most, so she definitely won't hold it against her, right?"

"."

Ran Qingmo, standing to the side, stared silently at the large-breasted woman's hands.

Xu Yuan felt the gaze on his side and immediately raised his hand to open it:

"Alright, what brings you here to see Xin Yao?"

"Of course, it's for Emperor Xien's heart. I'm now preparing to peel the Realmspace Stone off that heart."

As she spoke, Lou Ji smiled at Xu Xinyao, her eyes crinkling, "Xin Yao, my sister needs you to maintain the formation. Are you free?"

Bad women are like this; their skin is thicker than a city wall.

Just a moment ago they were eyeing someone's research funding, and now they're shamelessly asking for help.

He silently muttered to himself, Xu Yuan said softly:

"I can go help in a bit."

Lou Ji raised an eyebrow upon hearing this, her tone amused:

"Oh? Changtian, do you know formations or pharmacology?"

Before she could finish speaking, Lou Ji suddenly felt a cool sensation as if she had been stripped naked. Looking closely, she saw that the brat in front of her had a bloodshot glint in his eyes.

Those bizarre investigative methods.

"Bang!"

A flick on the forehead.

Lou Ji crossed her arms and rubbed her exposed, fair arms, then hummed softly:

"I told you not to use this kind of thing to probe my sister, it's like you've seen everything."

Gripping in pain, Xu Yuan whispered:

"I'm showing you how I can help; my Source Qi can stimulate Emperor Xien's heart."

Lou Ji's purple eyes flickered, but she then smiled sweetly and said:

"Forget it, it's unnecessary. With your cultivation level, you'd only be a hindrance."

"Yes."

Xu Xinyao then whispered in agreement, "I'll go with Lou Ji."

If my maternal uncle hadn't been there that night, my Third Brother might have been killed by that corpse.

As she spoke, Xu Xinyao tidied up the table slightly and prepared to go out with Lou Ji:

"Third Brother, you and Sister Qingmo wait here for me. Xin Yao will be back soon."

"You don't want the money anymore, huh?"

Xu Xinyao froze.

Xu Yuan released Ran Qingmo's hand, stepped forward slowly, and whispered to Lou Ji:

"Sister, you should know about the special nature of my body right now. Aren't you going to try to transplant that heart? Maybe I'm the most suitable recipient?"

Lou Ji frowned, her flippant voice taking on a serious tone as she said:

"I'll take that as a joke, but please don't say things like that again."

"Why not? We witnessed the power of this heart tonight. If we could use it for our own purposes..."

"Changtian, this heart seems to be sentient."

"Ah?"

"Call"

Lou Ji gently rubbed her temples and whispered:

"After studying with Luo Xiran for so many days, we discovered a gland inside that heart that resembles a sea of consciousness."

Xu Yuan frowned:

"Glands? But isn't the sea of consciousness devoid of physical form?"

"That's why I say it's a similar existence."

Lou Ji's voice carried a hint of seriousness:

"The bodies of the Xien are somewhat different from those of the Great Yan. Whether it's transferring Essence Blood or directly transplanting a heart, it's all for the purpose of stimulating that gland for testing."

At this point, Lou Ji raised her eyes and stared at Xu Yuan, saying:

"Your method of probing is similar to the Will Soul. If it were injected into that gland, no one could guarantee that nothing unexpected would happen."

Xu Yuan murmured in deep thought:

Is that so?

Lou Ji said:

"So, Changtian, you'd better not go and cause trouble for now."

"Sister, there's actually a way to solve this."

"Um?"

"."

Xu Yuan silently took out the Willowwood Ghost Blade from the Sumeru Gate, and an ominous aura instantly spread and swept through the spacious secret room.

Holding the hilt of the Ghost Blade, Xu Yuan said with a smile:

"I can temporarily connect my Will Soul with this ghostly blade, guiding the essence of this Saint-level Yingui to envelop my Spirit Sight and stimulate that gland. Even if it is attacked, it will be this Yingui that suffers the backlash."

Thirteen consecutive days of updates