"That little rascal…" Qian Renxue's face flushed instantly when her forbidden zone made close contact with Lan Si's cheek. She knelt down, placing Lan Si's head on her lap pillow, and infused her soul power into his body. After confirming that he had merely passed out from exhaustion and wasn't seriously injured, she let out a sigh of relief.
Clapping her hands, the iron door opened automatically, and two titled Douluo, She Long and Porcupinefish, entered. Upon seeing the wrecked state of the hall and Lan Si lying on Qian Renxue's lap, they couldn't help but exclaim, "Young Master, what is going on?"
Qian Renxue, maintaining her composure, said, "Uncle Porcupinefish, Uncle She, quickly treat Ah Si." The soul power of a soul master could promote healing, especially the robust soul power of titled Douluo, which had an even more potent effect than some healing-type soul masters.
Though using such power here seemed a bit like overkill.
"Yes," Snake Spear Douluo and Porcupinefish Douluo exchanged glances, nodded, and got to work. Normally, even if Qian Renxue had ordered it, they might have felt a bit dissatisfied. But Lan Si was an exception. Not only because of Qian Renxue's interest in him, but also due to the shocking talent he had displayed.
While unconscious, Lan Si vaguely sensed two powerful streams of soul power healing him. When he opened his eyes, he realised that the dark, ruined hall had been replaced by an unfamiliar room, one that could only be described as luxurious beyond anything he had seen in two lifetimes.
Yet, the room had a unique warmth. The air carried the faint scent of camellia, as if this was a woman's private chamber.
"You're awake!" A crisp and ethereal voice echoed in the room. Following the sound, Lan Si saw Qian Renxue, dressed in a simple white gown, standing by the vanity, brushing her golden hair.
Lan Si glanced at the unfamiliar clothes on his body, then back at Qian Renxue. A strong sense of déjà vu hit him, and scenes began to play in his mind: Qian Renxue knocking him out, then… Oh crap! Something good happened, and he missed it!
"You seem to be thinking something inappropriate?" Qian Renxue paused her brushing and turned her cold gaze toward Lan Si, a glint of frost flashing in her blue-golden eyes.
"No, not at all." Lan Si swallowed, forcing a sheepish smile. He jumped out of bed, barefoot, and walked over to Qian Renxue, taking the comb from her hand to start brushing her hair himself.
Qian Renxue raised a slender brow in slight confusion, but then recalled Lan Si's words from before he passed out, "Xue'er, domestic violence is wrong." Her face flushed again, but she didn't stop him and casually said, "You seem quite skilled. Have you brushed other girls' hair before?"
"Why would you think that?" Lan Si froze, a bad feeling creeping over him. Could she already know about him and Little Kitty? Was she jealous and that's why she attacked him?
It was possible. And if Qian Renxue was jealous, that would actually make him quite happy.
But then again, they weren't even friends, let alone anything more. They'd only met three times, and this was the fourth if he counted waking up after fainting. How could she develop feelings for him? Was his charm really that overwhelming?
Could he have captivated someone as proud and pragmatic as Qian Renxue at first sight?
"Why ask? The entire Heaven Dou Imperial Academy is talking about how you're dating that girl from the Nine Hearts Begonia family," Qian Renxue said with a hint of jealousy, closing her vanity and putting it away in a storage soul tool.
Lan Si paused, an odd look flashing in his eyes. He chuckled, walking over to stand in front of Qian Renxue. "Xue'er, could it be that you're jealous? Is that why you attacked me when we met?"
"Jealous?!" Qian Renxue's eyes flickered with panic, and she hastily pushed his hands away. She stood up, back to him, placing her hand on her chest to calm herself. Taking a deep breath, she retrieved a white pouch from her soul tool and tossed it to Lan Si, saying, "If you don't want to explain, then fine. This is the soul tool you asked me to find, capable of storing living creatures. It's called the Eternal Satchel. Figure out how to use it on your own. Now take it and leave—I don't want to see you right now."
Watching Qian Renxue's reaction, Lan Si caught the pouch and smiled knowingly. By now, it was clear what was going on. He casually hung the pouch at his waist, then slowly walked up behind her and embraced her, breathing in the fresh scent of her neck as he whispered, "Xue'er, what would you do if I married someone else?"
Qian Renxue's body trembled. Her chest tightened with anger. As a proud and controlling woman, she couldn't tolerate anyone else claiming what she recognized as hers—and Lan Si was the only man she had ever acknowledged. She wouldn't allow anyone else to touch him.
Just as she was about to lash out, Lan Si's voice whispered again in her ear, "Ye Lingling isn't my girlfriend. She's my cousin. My mother is her aunt."
"Your cousin?" Qian Renxue turned around, her eyes lighting up with surprise. "But I thought you were an orphan? How do you have a cousin, and one from the Nine Hearts Begonia family at that?"
Lan Si smiled faintly, holding her hand as they sat down together. She didn't resist, and he began telling her about his past.
When Qian Renxue heard that Lan Si's father was from the Clear Sky Sect and his mother from the Nine Hearts Begonia family, she fell silent. She hadn't expected Lan Si's parents' deaths to be connected to her father's death and the Martial Soul Hall's involvement. If possible, she didn't want Lan Si to become an enemy of the Martial Soul Hall.
With trepidation in her heart, Qian Renxue asked, "Do you hate the Martial Soul Hall now?"
Lan Si smiled softly and asked in return, "Do you think I should?"
Qian Renxue slowly shook her head.
Lan Si shrugged slightly. "Then that's settled. The Martial Soul Hall never hunted my parents. They weren't killed by the Martial Soul Hall. On the contrary, if not for the Martial Soul Hall, I wouldn't have awakened my martial spirit or become a soul master. Why would I hate them? If anything, I should be grateful for the resources I've received. Without them, I wouldn't even be here."
"If I have to hate someone, it would be the scum from the Clear Sky Sect who abandoned my grandmother and father, and the one who killed the Martial Soul Hall's Supreme Pontiff, Tang Hao. If it weren't for them, my parents wouldn't have had to live in hiding."
Of course, he didn't mention the real villain—Qian Xunji. But since Qian Xunji was already dead, Lan Si thought he might as well marry his daughter and take over his inheritance as a form of revenge.
"You're surprisingly open-minded," Qian Renxue sighed with relief, then asked curiously, "But why are you telling me all these secrets?"
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