Xun Er's Deadly Question

Xun Er's initiative had been entirely within Zhang Yuan's expectations.

Under normal circumstances, as the daughter of the Ancient Clan's patriarch—the most noble ancient Emperor Clan in this world—Xun Er would have been a heavenly maiden beyond the reach of countless supreme geniuses from the continent's top factions.

Even if her father wished to give her a simple childhood—because she had fused with the Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame from a young age and could not grow powerful early on like the strongest geniuses of her clan, making it better for her to grow up in a small place while also plotting for the Emperor Jade—the Dou Emperor Bloodline still gave her a touch of divinity, and she would not look favorably upon ordinary people.

Cool detachment was her norm. Treating others with aloofness was her true nature. She reserved gentleness only for those she cared about, while being considerate was simply in her nature.

A woman like this was the white moonlight in countless men's hearts, yet also the hardest woman for a man to pursue under normal circumstances, because there was no way to cater to her tastes or prescribe the right remedy.

However, if you could make her fall for you, she could even abandon her dignity, pride, and perhaps some of her principles for your sake.

He came riding a bamboo horse, circling the bed to play with green plums.

Living together in Changgan Village, the two children knew no suspicion.

He and the young girl had been childhood sweethearts, and he had successfully entered her heart.

"Xun Er, don't worry."

"If Dou Zong isn't enough, I'll become a Dou Zun."

"If Dou Zun isn't enough, I'll become a Dou Saint."

"If even a Dou Saint isn't enough, then I'll try for the legendary Dou Emperor."

Feeling the soft warmth in his arms, Zhang Yuan made his bold declaration with great confidence.

If certain experts heard him, they might have considered him an ignorant frog at the bottom of a well, confident despite knowing nothing.

But only he knew that as long as Xiao Yan rose smoothly, he could become a Dou Saint even while lying around at home.

Not to mention that he had a cheat and foresight from the "plot." If those two advantages working together still could not make him a Dou Emperor, then he might as well slit his throat and kill himself now.

"I believe in you, Brother Zhang Yuan."

Xun Er showed not the slightest hint of doubt. She trusted Zhang Yuan completely.

Zhang Yuan stared into Xun Er's watery eyes and at her tender pink lips, a powerful urge rising within him.

He lowered his head, intending to kiss her.

Xun Er's heart trembled, and she instinctively closed her eyes.

But in the next instant, the aura of an expert suddenly appeared, causing Xun Er to instinctively take a step back.

"Were you serious when you took that step back?"

Zhang Yuan was not hurt by Xun Er's movement. Instead, he instantly came to his senses.

Trying to kiss Xun Er in front of Ling Ying, that tool of a man, was really asking too much.

Back when they were children, he had accidentally stolen Xun Er's heart in secret, which had already driven Ling Ying mad.

"Brother Zhang Yuan, Xun Er has a question for you." Xun Er clasped her hands behind her back, her black hair drifting in the wind and making her seem even more youthful, lovely, and beautiful.

Yet the question she asked made a layer of cold sweat emerge on Zhang Yuan's back.

"Between Xun Er and Sister Xiao Yi Xian, who does Brother Zhang Yuan think is prettier?"

Good heavens, how did Xun Er know Xiao Yi Xian existed?

He had merely met Xiao Yi Xian by chance during his training in the Magical Beast Mountain Range and lived with her for a few months. They had not even officially established a relationship.

Right, it had to be Ling Ying, that errand-running tool and the Dou Emperor expert the Ancient Clan had gone to great lengths to find for Xun Er.

The reason he had dared to go out and fool around was because he had guessed that Xun Er would definitely have Ling Ying protect him in secret. He had even conducted some tests during his training in the Magical Beast Mountain Range and confirmed it.

Ling Ying had definitely tattled on him!

But there was nothing he could really say about it.

"Ahem, Xun Er, I still need to solve the problem of Little Yan being unable to cultivate. I'll leave for a while first, and we can talk again over dinner tonight." Zhang Yuan turned and fled.

Directly admitting defeat would definitely not work. That would plant hidden trouble for the future.

But for now, he did not have the confidence to act domineeringly, so he could only employ the art of delay.

Fortunately, Xun Er did not pursue the matter. With a smile on her face and teasing eyes, she watched him leave.

Once Zhang Yuan's figure disappeared, a black-robed person abruptly appeared beside Xun Er, dropped to one knee, and said, "Miss, there is something I do not understand."

"Speak." Xun Er turned to look at the rolling clouds, her temperament turning cool and distant, her eyes as still as ancient wells.

"Why did you not pursue the matter of Xiao Yi Xian?" Ling Ying asked.

By asking that question, he had already overstepped his bounds and displayed a disregard for rank.

If they were still in the Ancient Clan, punishment under clan rules alone would have been enough to make him suffer.

Yet Gu Yuan had personally assigned him to "protect" Xun Er, and through one moment of negligence, he had allowed Xun Er's heart to be captured by a "country boy." That was an even graver offense.

When Zhang Yuan went out to train, Xun Er had sent him to protect Zhang Yuan in secret. Heaven knew how delighted he had been when he discovered Zhang Yuan flirting with another woman. He had immediately reported it, hoping Xun Er would be disappointed in Zhang Yuan and sever her feelings for him.

Instead, Xun Er had sent word ordering him to protect Zhang Yuan diligently and observe whether the woman Zhang Yuan was flirting with was reliable. If she was reliable, he was to leave her alone. If she was not, he was to kill her.

Why was she being so tolerant?

"Why should I pursue it?" Xun Er ignored Ling Ying's overstepping and said calmly, "When I come of age, I will return to the clan. By then, how likely do you think it is that Brother Zhang Yuan will appear before me?"

Xun Er was the daughter of the Ancient Clan's patriarch, a Peak Nine-Star Dou Saint, and she was destined to stand at the pinnacle of the Dou Qi Continent in the future.

To see her in the future, one would need at least the strength of a Dou Zun. To marry her, one would need the strength of a Dou Saint.

If the Xiao Clan had not declined, and Zhang Yuan were a direct descendant of the Xiao Clan, he might still have had some chance.

But now, it was practically impossible!

"This subordinate understands." Ling Ying felt that he had grasped the key to the matter.

Xun Er liked Zhang Yuan, that was true, but she rationally understood that the two of them were not of equal status and could not ultimately be together.

That was why she did not care if Zhang Yuan found other women.

"Mhm." Xun Er answered casually.

Ling Ying understood?

He understood nothing!

She would never give up on being with Zhang Yuan.

If Zhang Yuan could become a Dou Zun or even a Dou Saint in the future and go to the Ancient Clan to propose marriage, that would naturally be best.

If Zhang Yuan's strength was insufficient, that did not matter either. She would keep cultivating and grow stronger until no one in the Ancient Clan dared oppose her. Then she could naturally marry Zhang Yuan.

Of course, confidence and plans were good things, but she also had to face the difficulty of realizing either possibility.

If Zhang Yuan was not capable enough and she was not strong enough either, then at least there would still be women by Zhang Yuan's side to accompany him.

She did not pursue the matter only because she did not know whether she could be with Zhang Yuan in the future.

"After cousin Zhang Yuan leaves, continue protecting him in secret," Xun Er said gently.

"This subordinate obeys." Ling Ying readily accepted.

After learning that his young miss merely wanted a pure first love, the burden in his heart was lifted by more than half.

After a moment's thought, he said, "Miss, if this subordinate is not overthinking it, Young Master Zhang Yuan has already noticed this subordinate's presence."

Ling Ying sincerely admired Zhang Yuan's cultivation talent and intelligence.

If the Xiao Clan still existed, Zhang Yuan might truly have been able to win the beauty's hand.

"It does not matter." Xun Er smiled faintly. "Brother Zhang Yuan did not say it outright, which means he tacitly accepts it. Just treat yourself as his protector."

Naturally, Ling Ying did not dare object, nor was he concerned about Xun Er's safety.

Xun Er carried means left behind by Gu Yuan. Even if she encountered a Dou Saint, she could escape. He was merely there to assist, not to serve as her bodyguard.

Meanwhile, on the official road from Wutan City to the Jia Ma Empire's Imperial Capital, Nalan Yanran sat in a carriage, staring blankly at the longsword in her hand.

This sword was a gift from her master, Yun Yun, when they first met, but the leather cord on its hilt, the sword frontier, was something Zhang Yuan had casually given her half a year ago.

A scholar's sword was paired with a tassel; a warrior's sword was paired with a sword frontier.

"Junior Sister, that man was far too arrogant. Shall I think of a way to stand up for you?"

A voice suddenly came from beside her, interrupting Nalan Yanran's thoughts.

She frowned and said, "Thank you, Senior Brother, but there is no need. What he said was not wrong. The way I handled the annulment was indeed improper. If one makes a mistake, one must accept punishment."

The young man shook his head. "You cannot put it that way. You have already become a disciple of the Misty Cloud Sect and are even the Sect Leader's personal disciple. He was insulting our Misty Cloud Sect."

"And he kept saying that this empire does not bear the surname Yun. Clearly, he looks down on our Misty Cloud Sect."

Hearing this, Nalan Yanran felt even more irritated.

She really wanted to ask whether Zhang Yuan had said anything wrong.

The Misty Cloud Sect's old Sect Leader, Yun Shan, had been in closed-door cultivation for years, and rumors outside claimed that he had already fallen. The strongest person in the Misty Cloud Sect now was her teacher, Yun Yun, who could not compare to Jia Xingtian of the Jia Ma Empire Royal Family. The overall strength of the two factions also differed greatly, not to mention that the Jia Ma Empire had more than just one royal family.

But as a disciple of the Misty Cloud Sect, she could not say such things.

"Why did Senior Brother not reason with that man earlier?" Nalan Yanran changed the subject.

"At the time, I thought I was an outsider and should not interfere in your private matter, Junior Sister." The young man spoke eloquently. "But after thinking it over carefully, his words were full of belittlement toward our Misty Cloud Sect. We should not let it end like that. I ought to teach him a lesson."

Nalan Yanran studied the young man's expression, and a trace of mockery suddenly rose in her heart.

She understood. This senior brother was deliberately saying these things to win her favor.

"Senior Brother, you are truly so kind." Nalan Yanran smiled.

The young man was dazzled by that smile and secretly rejoiced at his own cleverness.

But in the next moment, his expression froze.

"We have not traveled far from Wutan City yet. It is not too late to go back."

"Please, Senior Brother, challenge that man and let him learn how formidable our Misty Cloud Sect is."

"Does he think that being a squad captain of the Black Armored Guard means he can look down on everyone?"

Nalan Yanran looked as though her fighting spirit had been rekindled.

The young man swallowed and asked, "You said that man is a squad captain of the Black Armored Guard?"

Zhang Yuan did not even appear to be an adult yet, but he was already a late-stage Dou Master?

"Yes." Nalan Yanran nodded. "He was already a Seven-Star Dou Master half a year ago. He might be an Eight-Star Dou Master now, but I believe he is definitely no match for you, Senior Brother."

"Come to think of it, Yan Ran has never asked. What is your cultivation realm, Senior Brother?"

The young man: "..."

His master, Ge Ye, was only a Da Dou Shi. He himself was merely a pathetic Eight-Star Dou Zhe.

"I'll go speak with Master about this matter." The young man felt too embarrassed to remain in the carriage.

"Heh." Nalan Yanran curled her lips lightly and continued staring blankly at the sword frontier.

Zhang Yuan seemed to have a good relationship with Xiao Yan. Should she go easy on him three years later?

Meanwhile, Zhang Yuan returned to the Training Room and let out a long sigh of relief.

Facing Xun Er, who was wholeheartedly devoted to him, he did feel somewhat guilty about flirting around outside.

He was truly afraid that Xun Er would say, "I'm betting the entire Ancient Clan on you, and you treat me like air while going after some poison girl."