"What? Assassins? Shaluo, are you alright?" As soon as Liu Chunsheng heard that assassins had come, she hurriedly circled Ye Lanshan a few times, and only breathed a slight sigh of relief after finding no injuries on him.
Mo Ran watched this scene, feeling not sympathy but a hint of schadenfreude instead. He could already foresee the scene of Ye Yutian grimly pruning peach blossoms only to find them multiplying. He certainly wouldn't tell Ye Yutian that the admirers around Ye Lanshan weren't just men—there were women too.
"I'm fine. But you came rushing over to find me—did something happen?" Ye Lanshan's eyes flickered with helplessness. This person, usually so bold and chivalrous, why did she turn into such a clingy little woman around her?
"Oh, right. Cangzhu asked me to tell you that Yun Di probably won't be back for a few days, and he won't be back either. He said not to worry—they'll return when it's time. And whatever you do, don't tell anyone in the Medicine Valley that they're gone."
"I see. Thank you." Ye Lanshan nodded faintly, her expression unreadable, still maintaining that gentle, refined, and ethereal demeanor.
"Mm, Shaluo, I didn't even eat before rushing over to tell you this. Shouldn't you treat me to a meal?" Liu Chunsheng bit her lip, her face reddening as she spoke loudly.
"So Miss Liu hasn't eaten? Coincidentally, neither have I. Let's go together." Ye Lanshan was usually quite sharp, but this time she completely failed to notice Liu Chunsheng's interest in her.
"Calling me Miss Liu is so distant. We're this close now—just call me Xiaosheng." Disappointment flickered in Liu Chunsheng's eyes, but she quickly rallied. It's fine—someone this outstanding having low emotional intelligence is understandable. There'll be plenty of chances later.
"Alright then, Xiaosheng, let's go." Ye Lanshan didn't overthink why Liu Chunsheng insisted on being called that; she simply addressed her casually.
"Have you two forgotten about me? I haven't eaten either." Mo Ran sat on the wall, exuding a sinister aura, his eyes brimming with displeasure. Yes, extreme displeasure—no one had ever ignored him so thoroughly.
"You're Mo Ran?" Liu Chunsheng's voice trembled slightly, but her eyes showed no fear—she was eerily calm.
Had his intimidation factor dropped this low? Even this little girl wasn't afraid of him. Mo Ran pondered silently, considering whether to kill a few more people to bolster his fearsome reputation. Who should he kill? Maybe start with a few people his father cared about. After all, he already had the capital to oppose him, didn't he?
Mo Ran's sinister smile made Liu Chunsheng's skin crawl. Truly, the Young Master of the Demon Sect lived up to his name—even a smile like that could send chills down one's spine.
"Whether you've eaten or not has nothing to do with me." Ye Lanshan wasn't so magnanimous as to forgive repeated offenses. Not attacking him on sight was already merciful enough.
"How heartbreaking. I did guard you all night, you know." Mo Ran blinked, his expression showing no sign of actual sadness.
"That's your business, not mine." Ye Lanshan ignored him from then on, leading Liu Chunsheng off to eat.
...
In the Sikong mansion, within an extravagantly decorated courtyard, an aged voice rang out: "Heh, do they take me for a dead man? Boldly trying to snatch my Medicine Valley like this. Truly fitting for Sikong Kuang's capable helpers. But do they really think they can take the Valley from me? How naive."
"Patriarch, you mustn't be careless. After all, they've even turned Feihe Gongzi against us." The speaker was a man of effeminate, handsome features, but his snake-like eyes made him utterly unlikable—that cold, reptilian gaze ruined his otherwise beautiful face.
"Hmph, that rebellious son has always wanted to revolt. With someone above him keeping things in check, no one dared to strike at the Sikong family, so he stayed put. Now he's finally baring his fangs. But let's see just how capable the man I trained really is."
The aged voice sounded unconcerned about these youths trying to challenge or provoke the Sikong family. Just a few greenhorns. But since they had the nerve to act, they'd better not regret the consequences.
Perhaps years of sitting in the patriarch's seat had inflated his confidence, making him less cautious. He probably never imagined that these so-called greenhorns could actually shake him and bring him to a humiliating end.
"And what does the Patriarch intend to do?"
"Let them play for a while first." Sikong Cheng said this casually, as if he truly didn't take this group seriously—including the son he had personally raised.
"Yes." The effeminate man's heart leaped with joy. Sikong Feihe, aren't you proud? Confident? Didn't you always overshadow me? Now I'll show you that I, Sikong Feiyu, am the true heir of the Sikong family, while you're only fit to be my prisoner.
Ye Lanshan and the others knew nothing of this. In the Medicine Valley, everything proceeded smoothly—including her becoming the new Valley Master and hosting all the guests—until everyone left, leaving only Mo Ran, Liu Chunsheng, Lan Yexin, and Lan Youli, who stayed in the Valley without leaving.
Liu Chunsheng continued to cling to Ye Lanshan as always, and Lan Yexin, smitten with Liu Chunsheng, stuck by her side, with Lan Youli naturally following along.
But while Liu Chunsheng was happy, Sikong Feihe was not. He still couldn't understand the unfamiliar emotion in his heart and spent his days in confusion.
On what was otherwise an ordinary day, with the Sikong family unusually quiet and the Medicine Valley's forces mostly under her control, Ye Lanshan was lounging comfortably in a tree, listening to nature's whispers, when she suddenly heard a very familiar voice: "Shaluo, I'm back."
"Peak of the Xuan General realm, just shy of breaking through to Xuan Emperor. Yun Di, did you eat some heavenly treasure? Advancing this fast is faster than a rocket."
Ye Lanshan had been lazily squinting, but sensing Yun Di's unusual aura, she shot up in surprise.
"Consider it as if I ate some heavenly treasure." Yun Di was neatly dressed, his hair meticulously combed, but faint scars could still be seen on his exposed neck.
It seemed his rapid advancement had come at a great cost. Thinking this, Ye Lanshan floated down from the tree and, without allowing refusal, took Yun Di's pulse. Fortunately, his pulse was normal—just exhaustion, nothing serious.