As he turned around, he saw a graceful young woman standing there.
Chu Yunlan was taken aback for a moment before realizing this was the Fox Venerable in disguise. Compared to the flamboyance of her nine tails swaying during her first appearance, the young woman before him had retracted her tails. Even disguised as an ordinary female disciple of the Chu Clan, the innate charm bone cultivated through the [Way of Desire and Emotion] still made her every smile and frown attract the attention of many.
Su Xuanxuan smiled charmingly. “Don’t worry, Young Master! Leave that person to me! You focus on other matters!”
As she spoke, a hint of killing intent flickered in her gaze toward Chu Yuan. Currently, she was still unsure whether her Holy Son had possessed him or not. Today, Chu Yuan was supposed to return to the Chu Clan. Su Xuanxuan knew she had to find a way to test his true nature.
Seeing the Fox Venerable share his enmity, Chu Yunlan felt slightly reassured and also sent a sound transmission: ‘Then I’ll trouble the Fox Venerable!’
Watching that trash disappear with the Crown Princess into the depths of the corridor at the end of the venue, a playful arc curled at the corner of Chu Yunlan’s lips. The morning breeze blew past the crimson lanterns under the eaves, the light and shadows swaying, falling on his face, alternating between light and dark.
Chu Yunlan lowered his eyelashes once more, hiding that bit of shadow in the deepest part of his eyes. ‘Fine! The Fox Venerable has already been invited by me anyway. With the methods of this Supreme Guardian, a mere branch family trash is nothing more than an ant she can crush with a flick of her finger.’ Chu Yunlan even felt this was a bit like using a cannon to kill a mosquito—overkill. However, since the Fox Venerable had agreed to help, he naturally had to make full use of her.
Just then, a confidant quickly approached, sending a sound transmission: ‘Young Master, the Second Princess has arrived!’
‘Good!’
With that, Chu Yunlan bid farewell to the Fox Venerable. When he raised his eyes again, his face was full of spring-like warmth. He stepped forward, unhurriedly entering the venue. The confidant followed closely behind, not forgetting to give the Fox Venerable a meaningful look. Su Xuanxuan nodded slightly, her graceful figure disappearing into the bustling venue.
Hiding in the shadows, she took out the Demonic Path Alliance token: ‘Great Elder, the person is heading your way! Also, there’s one more thing. I wonder if you’d be interested?’
Hearing this, the old man on the other end of the token was curious: ‘What is it?’
Su Xuanxuan quietly told him a secret. Instantly, the old man’s turbid eyes widened: ‘This is truly an extraordinary matter! I never expected [Daji] you to even reveal such secrets of the Holy Domain. Your loyalty to our Demonic Path Alliance is as clear as the sun and moon!’
Su Xuanxuan smiled charmingly: ‘Heh! What loyalty or not? This venerable one just wants to make things more fun, that’s all!’
Having been a mole planted by the Holy Domain into the Demonic Path Alliance for many years, she was well aware that the Demonic Path Alliance was by no means a monolithic bloc, but merely a conglomerate of various interest groups seeking personal gain. Therefore, compared to deliberately showing loyalty, establishing a “person who seeks amusement” persona was more fitting for the image of an evil cultivator. After ending the communication, the Fox Venerable’s gaze toward Chu Yunlan, who was deep inside the venue, held a bit more amusement.
Inside the auction venue’s inner hall.
Led by his confidant, Chu Yunlan passed through a long corridor and finally stopped before a private room door. The confidant then sent a sound transmission: ‘Young Master, the Second Princess is in the private room next door. Although separated by a wall, the partition is specially made. Infusing it with spiritual power will open it. At that time, the two rooms will become one, and outsiders will never notice anything amiss.’
As he spoke, he directly pushed open the private room door for the Young Master. Chu Yunlan nodded and entered, seeing the elegantly furnished room with a window facing the auction exhibition stage outside, offering an excellent view. However, his gaze fell on the wall beside him. The wall was adorned with exquisite carved wooden panels, with intricate patterns showing no abnormalities.
Without hesitation, Chu Yunlan mobilized the spiritual power within his body and infused it into the panel. With a ‘click’, the panel folded and slid open to the left and right. The next moment, the lamplight from the adjacent private room shone through.
In the dim candlelight, he caught sight of a graceful figure sitting upright in the other private room. The young woman wore a goose-yellow dress, her hair casually styled, and was fiddling with a round fan in her hands. The moment he clearly saw her jade-like face in the candlelight, Chu Yunlan’s dark eyes widened slightly. “Your Highness the Crown Prin… No! That’s wrong! It’s the Second Princess!”
The resemblance was uncanny. Whether in her brows and eyes or her figure, she was exactly like that Crown Princess. If not for the completely different attire and temperament, he might have almost thought they were the same person.
But upon closer inspection, the differences became apparent, perhaps due to practicing different paths of emotion—Ji Xuanyuan was like frost, the biting north wind of winter, commanding respect without anger, making one feel suffocated; the young woman before him had a temperament like spring water, the gentle south wind under the warm sun, making one involuntarily feel close.
Sensing Chu Yunlan’s gaze, the Second Princess, Ji Yumeng, stood up and gave a graceful bow, the round fan held before her ample chest, revealing her slender jade arms. When she smiled, her eyes curved into two crescents, carrying a hint of a young girl’s charming naivety. “I have long heard of Young Master Yunlan’s great reputation. Seeing you today, you truly live up to your name.”
“Second Princess, you flatter me. Yunlan is merely a disciple of the Chu Clan. I do not deserve such praise from the Princess.” Chu Yunlan stood up to return the courtesy, a gentle smile on his face.
Ji Yumeng chuckled lightly. “Young Master Yunlan, what are you saying! You are the future Sacred Lord of Taixu, not just a mere disciple of the Chu Clan!” Her eyes, curved into crescents, reflected the candlelight, bright as stars.
As they spoke, the Chu confidant presented tea and refreshments before silently withdrawing. As the door closed again, only the two of them remained in the private room. As the host, Chu Yunlan politely gestured. “Second Princess, please have a seat.”
Ji Yumeng nodded and took her seat, holding the teacup, lowering her head to blow on the floating tea leaves, and taking small sips. Her manner of drinking tea was very refined, like a kitten lapping water, making it impossible to feel any guard against her. Seeing her like this, Chu Yunlan thought to himself: ‘This Second Princess seems much easier to talk to than that Crown Princess.’
Thinking this, he got straight to the point. “Second Princess, you asked to meet Yunlan here today. May I ask for what instruction?”
Ji Yumeng set down her teacup, her voice soft and gentle. “Young Master Yunlan, what do you think of my elder sister as a person?”
Facing the Second Princess’s question, Chu Yunlan gave a polite answer. “Her Highness the Crown Princess possesses exceptional talent, with sound strategies for governing and administering the state. She is a rare genius for the Immortal Dynasty in a hundred years.”
“Is that so? But I think… Her Highness the Crown Princess is too cold. Governing the state with her Path of Emotion will likely make it so cold people can’t breathe.” Ji Yumeng lowered her gaze, her fingertips lightly rubbing the edge of the teacup. As she spoke, the shadow cast by her eyelashes in her eyes was like an undercurrent hidden beneath spring water—calm on the surface but already turbulent beneath.
Chu Yunlan did not immediately respond. Both were intelligent people; he immediately guessed the purpose of the Second Princess’s visit. It was important to know that Empress Wu Yue had many children, but most were princes. The ones truly possessing inheritance rights were undoubtedly only this pair of sisters born first, Ji Xuanyuan and Ji Yumeng. For Ji Yumeng to dare express dissatisfaction with the Crown Princess’s rule now undoubtedly indicated she had developed “succession” ambitions. Understanding this point, the purpose of the Second Princess seeking him out was also clear—an alliance!