"It’s strange, really. I never thought we’d be able to get along so peacefully." Ye Lanshan let out a soft laugh. She still remembered the grudges she held against Mo Ran, but now she had also witnessed all the help he had given her. Even if she wanted revenge, she couldn’t bring herself to do it. In the end, she couldn’t truly act like an immortal.
Mo Ran smiled too. On such a tranquil night, even the most restless thoughts could find calm. The feelings for his brother, the hatred for his father—after so many years, he had seemed wild and unrestrained, but he was tired. Now, perched on this secluded tree branch, he finally had a moment to breathe, free from the weight of all those emotions and vendettas.
"Is Ye Yutian badly injured? Who could be so formidable?" Ye Lanshan still felt a bit of concern for Ye Yutian.
"Probably someone from over there. But even if I told you, you wouldn’t know." Mo Ran’s thoughts drifted. He rarely indulged in such melancholy, but now he had to admit that, despite his own strength, he was still weak compared to the people from that continent. Fortunately, those who came here were suppressed by the laws of this world, or else chaos would truly reign.
"There’s no place in this world I don’t know about. Just say it." Ye Lanshan felt he was underestimating her. Having come here from the cultivation world and encountered one miracle after another, she really couldn’t think of any place she hadn’t heard of.
"Fine, it’s no harm telling you. It’s the Jade Soul Continent." Mo Ran glanced at her and, sure enough, saw a flicker of confusion in her eyes.
See? No matter how extraordinary you are, you’re still a frog at the bottom of a well. How could you possibly know where the Jade Soul Continent is?
"So it’s the Jade Soul Continent? What a coincidence." Ye Lanshan gazed steadily at the moonlight, bright and soft, yet shrouded in a thin mist that made it hard to see clearly. Behind that mist, it felt as if a pair of great hands were manipulating everything.
Thinking of this, she couldn’t help but recall the novels she used to read for fun in her idle moments. The unease in her heart settled slightly. Even if fate had been preordained, she would still find a way to escape. No one could truly control her.
"Oh? So you do know about the Jade Soul Continent." Mo Ran hadn’t expected Ye Lanshan to be aware of it.
"What’s so strange about that? The Moon Kingdom’s royal family, the Night Kingdom’s royal family, the Star Kingdom’s royal family, even the Holy Land—aren’t they all from the Jade Soul Continent?" Ye Lanshan naturally wouldn’t reveal Wu Jiao and Shangguan Xin, but fortunately, during her confrontation with Yue Jinghong, she had learned about all the forces belonging to the Jade Soul Continent.
"You know quite a lot." Mo Ran thought about it and figured it made sense. After all, she had caused a ruckus in the Moon Kingdom, yet the Yue family still held their position. Though the bloodline was impure, it still carried the Yue family’s blood. Plus, with Ye Yutian cherishing her so much, he must have told her everything.
"Why would someone from the Jade Soul Continent want to harm him?"
"Because they’re afraid he’ll go back, of course." Mo Ran answered casually. He didn’t know the exact reason himself, only having overheard bits and pieces. The gist was that Ye Yutian in this continent was incomplete, and they feared he would return to the other continent to find the missing part of himself.
"Is that so?" Ye Lanshan lowered her eyes, deep in thought. Suddenly, she let out a self-deprecating laugh. Her own affairs were a mess—why bother worrying about others? She should focus on taking down the Sikong family first.
"Shanluo gege, Shanluo gege." Liu Chunsheng came running over again, her voice as familiar as ever—no, even more affectionate than before.
Ye Lanshan had thought that after yesterday’s rejection, Liu Chunsheng would be upset for a few days. But instead of sadness, the girl’s brows were even more spirited. If she had a whip at her side, she would truly look like a bold and heroic female warrior.
Lan Yexin followed behind her, calling out nervously, "Slow down."
"Oh, I know." Liu Chunsheng shot him a coy glance, her eyes shimmering like autumn waves.
"What’s going on with you two?" Ye Lanshan had some guesses but found it hard to believe. Just yesterday, this girl had confessed to her, and now she was already in someone else’s arms?
"We..." Liu Chunsheng seemed shy, her face flushing red as she closed her eyes and covered her face with her hands.
"We’ve come to an understanding. Last night, we confirmed our relationship. Now all that’s left is the betrothal." Lan Yexin smiled warmly, but when he looked at Ye Lanshan, there was a hint of wariness, as if afraid she might snatch Liu Chunsheng away.
"Really? That’s wonderful." Ye Lanshan was genuinely happy for Liu Chunsheng. She had been worried about how to face her, and this saved her from an awkward situation.
"You didn’t even test him, and you agreed just like that? Is this how you act as a brother? If I brought back some rough, burly man, would you agree just as easily?" Ye Lanshan might not be awkward anymore, but Liu Chunsheng was angry. As she spoke, her eyes reddened, as if she had suffered a great injustice.
"That’s not what I meant. It’s just that I trust Lan gongzi’s character. Whether in looks or family background, you two are a perfect match."
"Besides, Lan gongzi is gentle and thoughtful. He would never hurt you. And you said yourselves that you’re in love. My agreement was well-considered. If you had brought back anyone else today, I would have made things difficult. But since it’s Lan gongzi, I’m at ease."
Ye Lanshan looked to Lan Yexin for help, unsure how to console a girl. Seeing Liu Chunsheng cry like this gave her a headache. She didn’t understand love, but they seemed so well-matched, and the deep affection in their eyes was undeniable. Shouldn’t she be offering blessings instead of causing trouble?
Lan Yexin pretended not to notice Ye Lanshan’s pleading look. Though he tried not to mind that Liu Chunsheng’s heart had once belonged to someone else, it still stung. He was confident he could make her truly fall for him, but he feared that before that happened, Shanluo might steal her away.
"Shanluo gege, do you really mean that?" Liu Chunsheng sniffled, wiped her tears with a bold swipe, and looked at him with sparkling, expectant eyes.
"Of course. You’re my only sister. How could I not want what’s best for you?" Ye Lanshan patted her head again, a hint of gentle indulgence in her eyes, as if she truly saw her as a little sister.
...
"There are quite a few parasites in this valley, but with just a bit of gossip, we’ve eliminated most of them. It shows how deeply Sikong Cheng has been corroding this Medicine Valley." Yun Di had acted swiftly and decisively. In just a few days, he had cleared out the miasma that had been festering in the valley.
Why wasn’t Ye Lanshan the one doing this? Because the future head of the Sikong family wasn’t her—it was Yun Di. If he wanted to truly secure his position as the Sikong family head, he needed allies.