Ji Xuanyuan wanted to let go, but her expression gradually twisted with jealousy.
The obsession formed by the accumulation of guilt and regret during countless days and nights in the remaining 100 years of her past life could never be dissolved by a few superficial words.
She could not let go at all, yet her heart continued to deceive her.
‘As his Senior Sister from his past life, what I should do is give him the necessary support. It is best not to let him get involved in the muddy waters of the Demon Path Alliance again; I cannot let him enter the fray as he did in his previous life! The most ideal state is for him to find a place to live in seclusion with Fairy Gu and never involve himself in the affairs of the world again!!!’
Ji Xuanyuan’s thoughts became increasingly extreme. She was even willing to distance herself from Chu Yuan just to suppress that obsession deep within her soul.
‘But how can I prevent my Junior Brother from taking risks? My cultivation is not even as high as his!’
Ji Xuanyuan lowered her head with a bitter smile, thinking to herself, ‘With my Junior Brother’s current cultivation in the Domain Transformation Realm, I would be powerless even if I started catching up now. Unless there is help from the heavens… Wait! Help from the heavens? That is right! The System!!!’
At this moment, Ji Xuanyuan finally understood. The malfunctioning System had not made a mistake. Perhaps it was the Heavenly Dao that allowed her to protect her Junior Brother while also increasing her own cultivation.
Coincidentally, she and her Junior Brother had established a Spirit Contract Agreement. To increase her cultivation, she would inevitably and uncontrollably have to stay close to her Junior Brother…
As Ji Xuanyuan thought more about it, the turmoil in her heart began to soothe. She did not realize that while she had originally wanted to stay away from her Junior Brother, she had merely found an excuse to keep him by her side.
***
At the same time, a warm male voice was transmitted into Gu Qingwan’s Consciousness Sea:
【Fairy Gu, congratulations!】
When the three of them came out, Chu Yunlan’s Divine Sense reconnected to Gu Qingwan’s Command Medallion. Upon reconnecting, he happened to sense Chu Yuan giving her the gift. The atmosphere now was clearly established.
Chu Yunlan was stunned. ‘What does this mean? Has my plan succeeded? Even with the Crown Princess nearby, did Fairy Gu pretend to have an attack and win that trash’s favor?’
Chu Yunlan found it hard to believe. ‘Who gave this little crybaby the courage? Was it Liang Xinru?’
Recalling his interactions with her over the past few days, Gu Qingwan’s frailty made him wonder: ‘Does Fairy Gu really have the courage to act in front of the Crown Princess? This is simply preposterous!’
Driven by curiosity, Chu Yunlan sent a Sound Transmission to ask:
【Fairy Gu, did you succeed in acting according to the plan?】
Gu Qingwan replied with a smile:
【No! Young Master Yunlan, I did nothing. It is just that… that night, A-Yuan actually saw my condition flare up. These past few days, he worked to earn money just to bid on this Thousand-Year Lingzhi for me.】
Chu Yunlan was enlightened. 【Oh! Then it is not strange at all!】
He suddenly thought of a line from the ancient *Cao’s Art of War*: “A victorious army is arrogant, and an arrogant army will lose; a defeated army is sorrowful, and a sorrowful army will win.”
Looking back at the course of this date—
Her Highness the Crown Princess was heroic, but she was too eager for victory. By venturing deep alone, she had become the arrogant army, and an arrogant army is bound to fail.
Fairy Gu was fragile and was originally the defeated side, but a defeated army is sorrowful, and it was precisely because of this reversal that the aggrieved army won.
It made sense! It all made sense! Fairy Gu had won by doing nothing!
Years of accumulated affection drove Chu Yuan to choose his childhood friend after all. As the saying goes: Who says the childhood friend cannot win?
Chu Yunlan raised his brow: 【I believe that after this incident, Her Highness should be “wise enough to submit to the circumstances” and choose to withdraw.】
After speaking, he instinctively used his Divine Sense to probe toward the Crown Princess. He saw Ji Xuanyuan glancing at the pair of childhood friends. Her jade-like hand was tightly clutching her sleeve, and her expression was complex to the extreme.
“Your Highness?”
Standing beside her, Fang Henian spoke with a worried tone. From a moment ago until now, the Crown Princess’s expression had shifted between joy and pain. What remained constant was the lingering bitterness at the corners of her lips. She looked as though she had suffered some kind of blow, but he was in no position to ask.
Seeing that it was almost dusk, Fang Henian could only suggest, “Your Highness, it is late. Why do we not return to rest?”
Ji Xuanyuan nodded, then walked toward Chu Yuan, who was currently teasing his childhood friend. “Young Master Yuan, come back with me!”
“Huh???”
Chu Yuan frowned in confusion. “Return? Your Highness, why would I go back with you?”
A playful smile appeared on Ji Xuanyuan’s beautiful face. “Naturally, it is to assist me in my affairs. Do not forget what you promised before.”
Gu Qingwan looked suspicious. “A-Yuan, what did you promise the Crown Princess?”
Regarding this, Chu Yunlan, who was peeking through the Command Medallion, also pricked up his ears and listened intently.
Chu Yuan felt depressed. “Uh…”
In his hesitation, he looked at the red-haired beauty. ‘What is Her Highness trying to do now? Have we not already established a Soul Covenant? What else do you need to be wary of?’
Ji Xuanyuan’s eyes flickered slightly. She remembered that after her Junior Brother died in her past life, her Dao Heart had shattered, and she had become half a cripple. Except for insisting on leading the charge when crusading against Su Daji, she mostly hid behind the scenes, watching her friends and juniors fall one by one.
Now that her Dao Heart was clear, it was exactly when she needed to improve her cultivation. And because they had established a Soul Covenant, she had to hold her Junior Brother firmly in the palm of her hand. She wanted to watch him and keep an eye on him, ensuring that every step he took was under her gaze. Only in this way could Ji Xuanyuan ensure that the tragedy of her past life would not happen again.
‘What do you mean “wary”? Young Master Yuan, have you forgotten the last condition I proposed? Now that I need to cultivate, I naturally have to trouble you to be my cushion again. Do not worry! There is absolutely no danger to your life! Whatever benefits you want afterward, you may just ask!’
Chu Yuan was dumbfounded. ‘Good heavens! So this is where the trap was waiting for me? This is great; I am going to be handled by this wicked woman!’
He glanced at Ji Xuanyuan’s curved phoenix eyes, which clearly displayed four words: No escape for you.
Chu Yuan’s throat moved as he could only swallow this bitter pill.
Seeing his face full of misery, Ji Xuanyuan’s smile became even more playful. Turning around gracefully, she walked toward the door with her hands behind her back. “Let us go! Young Master Yuan, I will be troubling you in a moment!”
The Crown Princess’s steps were light, and her skirt trailed a long shadow in the sunset. It was a rare rebirth; in this life, she would definitely protect her Junior Brother! In the future, her Junior Brother only needed to stay beneath her; she would handle everything else!
There was no other way! It was all for the sake of the greater good of the world!!! Ji Xuanyuan’s smile grew even wider.
In contrast, Chu Yuan sighed helplessly and turned to Gu Qingwan. “Wan’er, let us end it here for today.”
Gu Qingwan clutched the jade box tightly. “But…”
Chu Yuan soothed her, “Do not worry! Working for Her Highness pays well. You do not need to worry.”
After saying that, he left with Ji Xuanyuan.
Watching their figures gradually distance themselves, Gu Qingwan hesitated to speak. A cold wind brushed against her hair, bringing her back to the day Chu Yuan gave her the jade hairpin. On that day, the youth had also turned and left like this, and she had also stood in the same spot, watching his back.
The difference was that there was now another beautiful silhouette beside the youth. Perhaps after this parting, she would never be able to see him again.
Gu Qingwan lowered her head and looked at the jade box in her hands. The Spirit Reishi inside was still glowing faintly. Chu Yuan had risked his life to get this for her; she should be happy.
But why? Why did her heart feel so empty now?