Translator: Pika
Shi Kun was displeased to hear Ji Xiaoxi’s words. “Miss Ji, don’t you find your words incredibly meaningless?”
Ji Xiaoxi’s face reddened as she knew that her analysis had been far too vague. In truth, her medical knowledge told her that it was unlikely for the Evanescent Lotus to be able to reconnect one’s ki meridians, but she chose to present the possibility forward in order to help Zu An anyway.
Before she could give her response, Jiang Luofu had already joined the scene. “She’s doing her job by pushing forward the list of possibilities clearly here, so why are you saying that her words are meaningless?”
Shi Kun belatedly realized that Jiang Luofu was Ji Xiaoxi’s little aunt and recoiled a little. He was too agitated when he saw that Ji Xiaoxi was speaking up for Zu An that he forgot about their relationship, so he quickly apologized, “Pardon me, I’ve misspoken.”
“The two of you insist on your own statements. As there are no conclusive evidence and eye-witnesses here to prove that either of you are right, I’m not in a good position on what is right or not. So, the academy will launch a detailed investigation into this matter, especially the cause of death of those who have died in the dungeon, their backgrounds, and who they associate themselves with. I trust that the truth will come to light soon,” said Jiang Luofu deeply.
As she said those words, her eyes lingered meaningfully on Shi Kun for a moment.
Shi Kun’s heart skipped a beat, but he kept his eyes firm as he replied, “Thank you for redressing my grievances, Principal Jiang.”
As long as he wasn’t incriminated on the spot, everything else was acceptable to him. He believed that the Shi clan should have enough resources to work this case to his favor.
Meanwhile, Chu Chuyan frowned in displeasure toward this verdict. She knew that there were no conclusive evidence since access to the dungeon had already closed, and that the powerful Shi clan would surely do everything it could to prevent Shi Kun from being ruled guilty.
As for Zu An, he simply shrugged casually. He had expected such an outcome since this was no minor matter. One must know that declaring Shi Kun guilty here meant sentencing him to capital punishment. Even as Brightmoon Academy’s principal, Jiang Luofu wouldn’t dare to take such a gamble unless they had definite proof on the matter.
It was also for that reason that Zu An resorted to the simplest method earlier on to resolve this matter, but he didn’t expect Shi Lezhi to be camping in the vicinity all this while.
Jiang Luofu clapped her hands and said, “Enough. All of you are to report your encounters and gains from the dungeon to the academy. Don’t worry, the academy will not attempt to confiscate anything you have acquired. This procedure simply allows our teachers to provide you some constructive advice and pointers on how you can best use what you’ve gained lest you go astray in your cultivation. Of course, we’ll also be compiling the information for your juniors so that they can refer to your experiences for guidance.
“Once you’re done, you should head back home and rest. You have three days to freshen yourself up!”
The crowd cheered in delight. They had remained tense during the period of time they were in the dungeon, worried about the unknown dangers lurking everywhere while desiring to stumble upon a fortuitous encounter that would allow them to leap ahead of the others. The accumulation of stress had made them incredibly exhausted, so this short break to let loose was more than welcomed.
As the crowd gradually dissipated, Pei Mianman made use of the opportunity where Chu Chuyan was still engaged in a conversation with Qiao Xueying to walk over to Zu An’s side and ask, “Does our agreement still hold?”
“What agreement?” Zu An blinked his eyes in response.
This woman is simply too seductive. Her peach blossom eyes twinkle as if they’re smiling, and it can easily melt the heart of any man. It’s lucky that I have the number one beauty as my wife, greatly raising my immunity toward beauties, or else I might have just fallen for her trap.
Pei Mianman sighed softly and said grudgingly, “I knew that you would have forgotten about the promise we made with one another.”
“...” Zu An.
What’s with your tone? You’re acting as if I’m an unfaithful man letting you down... though honestly, would any man really bear to abandon a woman like you?
“It looks you have no intention of finding the accounting book for me,” said Pei Mianman as she reined in her smile.
Zu An replied with a shrugged, “You didn’t help me get close to Chu Chuyan either.”
Chu Chuyan and I have gotten so close to one another that the distance between us has been negative at one point in time. Do you think that I would still need you to matchmake us now?
Pei Mianman had also thought of this point as well. “It looks like the two of you have gotten much closer after the time you have spent in the dungeon. Haaa, if I only I knew that it would turn out like this, I would have gone along with you too.”
Those words brought a weird look onto Zu An’s face. If you had gone along with us and ended up getting your ki meridians collapsed as well, wouldn’t I have to save the two of you then?
He thought about the laborious effort it would take him to save them and remarked deeply, “Ah, it would indeed be good if you had come with me.”
Pei Mianman was stunned, not understanding the meaning behind his words. She felt that there was something really weird about his expression that she couldn’t help but pull her clothes tighter around her. “I didn’t help you previously because I didn’t think that you would be able to settle Chu Chuyan so quickly. Why don’t we do this instead? We’ll continue with our previous promise, but I’ll offer you something else instead. What do you think?”
“What can I ask for?” asked Zu An with a smile.
“Your smile looks a little frightening,” said Pei Mianman despite not showing the slightest hint of fear on her face. “What do you want?”
“If I say that I want you, would you agree to it?” asked Zu An.
“You’d have to try asking for it to know,” replied Pei Mianman with a dangerous smile.
Zu An carefully assessed her seductive eyes for a moment before finally shaking his head, saying, “Forget it, I don’t want to be a scumbag who messes around with my wife’s close friend.”
“...” Pei Mianman’s smile froze up.
Why does those words sound so awkward? You’ve tried to seduce me so many times before, but all of a sudden, you’re acting like a gentleman?
If you aren’t that kind of person, are you trying to say that I’m the one who is trying to seduce you then?
You have successfully trolled Pei Mianman for +256 Rage!
“How about this? I haven’t thought of my condition yet, so I’ll inform you after making up my mind. For the time being, I’ll try to keep a lookout for the accounting booklet on your behalf,” said Zu An.
Since Chu Chuyan was officially his wife now, there was no way he would allow an outsider to undermine the Chu clan’s businesses. However, he was worried that Pei Mianman would try to work together with others if he turned her down, and that would make it much harder to guard against her.
Since that was the case, it would be better to go along with him for the time being and see what she was up to.
Yeap! That’s my intention. It’s definitely not because she has huge breasts!
“That’s a wise decision~” Seeing that Chu Chuyan and Qiao Xueying were making their way over, Pei Mianman directed a flying kiss toward him before leaving with a seductive smile.
“What did you tell her that made her so happy?” asked Chu Chuyan doubtfully.
“I said that I would take her in as my concubine in the future so that she can call you ‘big sister’ in the future. That made her so happy that she simply wouldn’t stop smiling. Ah, I guess she really lusts over my body,” remarked Zu An.
“...” Chu Chuyan.
“...” Qiao Xueying.
This fellow is sure as shameless as ever!
Chu Chuyan hesitated for a moment before remarking, “It would be best for you not to rile her up. Despite her gentle and amicable appearance, she’s actually incredibly vicious. Her black flames can easily reduce you to ashes, so make sure not to let your guard down around her.”
She was afraid that Zu An would accidentally provoke Pei Mianman. If the latter really chose to burn him down on a whim, there would be nothing she could do to save her.
However, she belatedly realized that her words sounded a little too naggy, so she quickly added, “I’ve already spoken to Snow, and she’ll be bidding her farewell soon.”
“Bidding her farewell?” Zu An was surprised.
Qiao Xueying nodded in response. “I’m thankful to Miss Chu’s care and concern over the years, but my identity is a little sensitive. It’s not suitable for me to continue remaining here.”
“Why are you only thanking her? What about me? I also took good care of you too!” remarked Zu An in displeasure.
“...” Qiao Xueying.
She gritted her teeth furiously and said, “If anything, you should be the one thanking me instead!”
Zu An smiled sheepishly and said, “Fine fine, we’re both thankful to one another, alright? Besides, you didn’t make much of a loss anyway. As long as you work hard in your cultivation, you should be able to recoup the loss in your lifespan.”
Qiao Xueying fell silent. She knew that he was speaking the truth. The enhancement of her aptitude would allow her to cultivate much faster, thus recouping some of her lost lifespan.
In truth, she didn’t mind having used her Half Life’s Fate anymore. Whenever she thought about Zu An rising from a puddle of blood to protect her back at the dungeon, she felt that it wasn’t that bad of a decision for her to give him half of her lifespan. It was just that Zu An had far too foul of a mouth that she always ended up bickering with him whether she wanted to or not.
“What are the two of you talking about?” Chu Chuyan looked at them doubtfully.
“Nothing much,” replied Qiao Xueying with a shake of her head. Somehow, she didn’t want to let Chu Chuyan know about this matter.
Zu An also reined in his smile and asked, “Are you really leaving?”
Qiao Xueying nodded. “There are things I need to settle back at the capital. I have many brethren whom I need to save.”
Zu An sighed deeply and said, “What a pity. It hasn’t been long since we got to know one another once more, and all of a sudden, we’re already parting ways. Oh well, I wish you a smooth journey then.”
Qiao Xueying had a complicated look on her face. She looked at him and Chu Chuyan for a moment before offering her blessing, “I wish you and Miss Chu a happy life together.”
“Why are you suddenly bringing me into this?” Chu Chuyan’s face swiftly turned red. She initially intending to just be a couple in name with Zu An, but who could have thought that they would end up consummating their marriage in the dungeon. This unexpected development derailed her plans, leaving her at a loss as to how she should face Zu An in the future.
So, when she heard Qiao Xueying’s words, she stomped her feet furiously and walked away out of embarrassment.
Qiao Xueying hesitated for a moment before saying, “The young miss might look cold on the surface, but she’s actually a little girl who harbors many fantasies. She tends to be very shy when it comes to such matter, so don’t pay too much heed when she suddenly gets angry. Give her some time, and I believe that she’ll come to accept you with time.”
The two of them had spent many years together, so she had a good grasp of Chu Chuyan’s character too.
A gentle smile curled on Zu An’s face. He hadn’t known Chu Chuyan for a long time, but he already had a rough idea as to what kind of person she was. “I know. Let’s not talk about her now. Will we meet again in the future?”
“If fate permits, we’ll meet again.” Qiao Xueying had no idea what brought her to say those words, but her face quickly turned bright red. Then, she turned around and left in a fluster, leaving behind just a trace of her fragrance.
Not too far away, Shi Kun looked at the trio and spat coldly, “How dare Qiao Xueying betray me!”
“I’ll get rid of that traitor for you tonight,” said Shi Lezhi.
However, Shi Kun shook his head as a chilling smile appeared on his lips. “No, it would be far too much of a pity to simply kill her. She’s a rare beauty after all, not to mention that she’s an elven princess. It’s only because she has given her all to serving me thus far that I have never laid my hands on her before. However, since she has chosen to turn her back on me, there’s no reason for me not to make full use of her assets.”
A smile that was implicitly understood by all men emerged on Shi Lezhi’s face. Clearly, he had done plenty of such stuff over the years. “I understand. I’ll capture her and bring her before you.”
😉