Chapter 100: The Polite Xiao Xining and the Flustered Yang Wenlian

"Excuse me, do you know where Yan Chen lives?"

Although Xiao Xiting knew Yan Chen was within the estate, she did not know the exact location of his residence. Logically speaking, the directions provided by Xiao Bingyu were precise enough. However, it was a pity that she was a complete disaster when it came to navigation. Because of this, she had wasted quite a bit of time.

She had originally intended to ask Xiao Bingyu for help or send a message for her to come and fetch her, but her eyes landed on Ling Tian, who was lounging on the roof of the palace, enjoying the breeze. He looked so carefree and striking lying there that he immediately caught her attention. Seeing his handsome face, curiosity piqued within her; she figured that since he was also at the Xiao family estate, asking him would be a simple matter.

"And you are?"

Ling Tian looked the young woman over, not answering her question immediately. He couldn't help but marvel that this kid, Yan Chen, really had good luck. First, there was Xiao Ling'er, who had some connection to him, and now this woman, who had come looking for him so obediently. He had to admit, Yan Chen’s way with women was truly impressive.

"I am Yan Chen’s cousin. I came to visit my aunt, and since I haven't seen him in years, I thought I'd drop by to see him too."

Xiao Xiting held nothing back, spilling everything at once. She even made their relationship perfectly clear.

Hidden in the shadows, Xiao Xiting’s master covered her eyes. She thought to herself that she had indeed come at the right time. With her personality, she had absolutely no guile; if she were used by someone with malicious intent, she would be nothing more than a pawn. At the same time, her gaze fell upon Ling Tian, and she let out a soft exclamation of surprise, realizing she could not see through him. Doubting her own judgment, she examined him again carefully, but still found nothing. She couldn't help but sigh; the Xiao family’s foundation was indeed strong to possess such a genius.

"I see. Well, he lives right over there. You can go find him."

Ling Tian’s eyes narrowed slightly. So, she was his cousin, was she? Yan Chen, oh Yan Chen, aren't you being a bit too wicked? To keep him from being put in a difficult spot, Ling Tian had a rather clever idea... He hadn't been here for many days, or rather, the very first day he arrived, he had already scouted out exactly where Yan Chen was staying. After all, one must know oneself and the enemy to be invincible.

"Thank you, kind sir."

Having received the answer she wanted, Xiao Xiting politely thanked Ling Tian. She then took out a storage ring and handed it to him. It contained no priceless treasures, only some cultivation resources. While not incredibly valuable, it was a gesture of her sincerity. With that, she departed.

Ling Tian watched the storage ring in his palm, rubbed his nose, and muttered to himself, "You really are a kind soul... It's just a shame that sometimes, kind people don't get a good reward."

...

"Brother Yan Chen, I’ve finally found you!"

Yan Chen was still sulking in his residence over the day’s events, with Xiao Bingyu standing beside him. Neither of them had spoken, and the atmosphere was quite heavy. Yet, under these circumstances, an untimely voice broke the silence.

"Sister Bingyu, long time no see!" Xiao Xiting greeted Xiao Bingyu cheerfully upon seeing her.

"Xiting, this is your cousin..."

Xiao Bingyu’s tone toward Xiao Xiting was quite affectionate; it seemed the two of them had a very good relationship. In truth, they did. Whenever Xiao Xiting got into trouble and was scolded by her aunt, Xiao Bingyu would always be there to put in a good word for her. She gestured toward Yan Chen and introduced him.

"You are Xiting! It’s been so many years; you’ve grown into such a beautiful young woman. If not for Bingyu’s introduction, I’m afraid I wouldn't have dared to recognize you."

Yan Chen wiped the gloom from his face and flashed a sunny smile. He hadn't seen his cousin many times as a child before he was sent away. Having her called over was his mother's idea, who said that since she was now a Saintess of a Holy Land, if they could get her to help, their chances in the upcoming power struggle would be much greater. Bringing Xiao Xiting over wasn't just about the girl herself, but about the guardian behind her. After all, a Saintess of a Holy Land always had protectors. If she were injured or killed, the loss of face would be a minor issue—the true pain would be losing someone with the potential to become a Great Emperor.

"Brother Yan Chen has changed quite a bit too!" Xiao Xiting observed him and gave an objective assessment, then turned to Xiao Bingyu to share the interesting story of her journey. "Sister Bingyu, you wouldn't believe it. I got lost earlier and couldn't find your place, so I had to ask someone, and that’s how I finally found my way here."

"Oh? Who was that person? I should thank him personally when I have the chance."

Yan Chen wasn't annoyed; his immediate priority was to build a good relationship with Xiao Xiting and gain her trust. If he had known that the person who gave directions was Ling Tian, he probably wouldn't have said that. Unexpectedly, upon hearing Yan Chen’s words, Xiao Xiting frowned slightly. She was simple-minded, but she did have one pet peeve: she hated it when people interrupted her while she was sharing a story. It was not only impolite but also killed her enthusiasm.

Yan Chen seemed to notice something was wrong and quickly looked at Xiao Bingyu to smooth things over.

"You certainly should thank him. By the way, Xiting, are you in a rush to head back? If not, I can take you to a fun place. Your aunt isn't around, you know."

Receiving the signal from Yan Chen, Xiao Bingyu began to mediate. Xiao Xiting had been a little apprehensive at first, but once she heard her aunt wasn't around, that apprehension vanished. That sounded wonderful! She was just about to agree on the spot.

However, before she could, a figure appeared. It was Xiao Xiting’s master, Yang Wenlian. She felt a sense of helplessness; her disciple was wonderful in every way, except for being a bit brainless. If she had agreed to that, she would have been sold off and ended up counting the money for the person who sold her!

"You go play with your sister first; I have something to discuss with your cousin." Yang Wenlian glanced at Xiao Xiting, not allowing her to stay. She was deeply conflicted. Xiao Xiting had never seen the ugliness of human nature. With a mind free of distractions, her cultivation progressed twice as fast with half the effort. Yet, this same innocence meant she didn't know what the outside world was truly like. It was a double-edged sword. If she forced her to see the reality of the world, she feared the girl wouldn't be able to handle it and her Dao heart would shatter. It was agonizing. Forget it, she would wait. Perhaps a better opportunity would arise.

Xiao Xiting didn't suspect anything and followed Xiao Bingyu out of the room. In truth, she was used to this; whenever something important came up, her master would always send her away.

Once they left, Yang Wenlian’s body erupted with the aura of a Sage. The powerful pressure made Yan Chen’s expression shift slightly, though his eyes remained calm, devoid of fear. After all, this was the Xiao family; no matter how bold Yang Wenlian was, she wouldn't dare kill him here.

"A decent temperament," Yang Wenlian remarked, retracting her pressure.

"You are too kind," Yan Chen replied with a smile. But in the next second, Yang Wenlian’s face hardened. "It is your methods that I truly dislike!"

Yang Wenlian straightened her expression, exposing Yan Chen. With her level of experience, if she couldn't see through his schemes, she would have lived all these years in vain.

"I had no choice. This matter is too important to me. Once it is done, I will certainly not let you work in vain, Senior." Yan Chen spread his hands. Since Yang Wenlian had pierced the veil, there was no need for him to hide anything; he might as well be direct.

"Boy, you don't actually think you have anything that could tempt me, do you?" Yang Wenlian let out a cold snort. Was he trying to offer her empty promises? She wasn't a naive girl like Xiao Xiting who could be fooled by such tactics.

"That is not necessarily true..." As Yan Chen spoke, two different flames ignited, one black and one dark, appearing exceptionally eerie. Yet, the power they contained was undeniable.

"Exotic flames?" Yang Wenlian looked at the flames in Yan Chen’s hands and narrowed her eyes. With her vision, she could tell that these two flames likely ranked very high.

"So what? You aren't a Grade Nine Alchemist." Yang Wenlian took a few deep breaths, suppressing her emotions. She told herself that the person before her was merely a young man carrying exotic flames, with nothing truly extraordinary about him.

"Since you know that, you should understand the uses of these flames. For instance... clearing away curses?" Yan Chen stepped closer to Yang Wenlian, stopping at a polite distance. Looking at the flames in his hands, he uttered words that sent a chill down Yang Wenlian’s spine.

Yesterday, when Yan Chen had gone out to handle affairs, he had encountered Xiao Ru and his sister leaving the estate. Shen Yan had immediately sensed something wrong and told Yan Chen that the curse on Xiao Fanling had vanished! Yan Chen had been stunned. Shen Yan had stated that even he might not be able to break it. He hadn't expected someone to be capable of such a feat. Both of them had thought of Ling Tian, but they doubted if he could truly be that powerful.

However, that didn't stop Shen Yan from finding the culprit! Shen Yan’s soul power was incredibly strong. He had remembered the scent of the curse on Xiao Fanling, and when Yang Wenlian appeared, he sensed the exact same aura on her. It was a magical technique of scent tracking that Shen Yan had paid a heavy price to master, and he hadn't expected it to come in handy today.

Yang Wenlian was panicking internally, but since the stakes were so high, she had to keep up a brave front. "What curse? I have never even heard of such a thing. I..."