At this moment, a sarcastic voice echoed by her ear.
“Big Sister Shiyu is really rich, huh? Unlike me, who only knows how to throw tantrums and make my brother angry. No wonder he likes you so much.”
The girl in red leaned against the wall, her sneer full of contempt.
The once fiery, lively innocence was gone, as if she’d become a different person altogether.
“So it’s my fault? Are you satisfied now!”
Ji Shiyu stomped her foot, having long since given up on explaining herself.
With Xun Ran’s extreme temperament, nothing she said would make a difference now.
“Satisfied? This is nowhere near enough!”
Xiao Xinran strode up to Ji Shiyu, lifted her chin, and stared straight into the other girl’s shining Star Pupil, her Red Eyes blazing.
“Whether you’re tempting him with Reversion Pills or flaunting your seductive, silver-tongued body to lure Xiao Yun, do whatever you want—I don’t care! Maybe he’s fooled by you now, but that’s only because I made a fatal mistake. From now on, I won’t give you another chance like this.”
“Seductive… How rude! This is called being sexy, okay? With my charm, do I even need to seduce anyone?”
Ji Shiyu puffed out her chest and thrust it forward, bumping into her rival. The impressive R-volume stretched her thin blouse taut, a striking sight—she even seemed rather proud, as if she took it as a compliment.
“You’re focusing on the wrong thing entirely…”
Ao Tian rubbed their forehead and sighed. Two patients swapping symptoms across disciplines, if they could make sense of each other, it’d be a miracle.
The overwhelming R-pressure made Xiao Xinran take two steps back. She glanced down; her own budding curves seemed pitifully lacking in comparison. Her cheeks flushed bright red.
“Big-busted airhead!”
“Washboard!”
“Green tea schemer!”
“Shorty!”
“So you’re done pretending, huh? Fine, fine. Since you dare show up in front of me, that means you’re ready. The Foundation Establishment Pill is yours—I don’t want it. In three years, I’ll show you the price of mocking me!”
After all that haggling, she said she’d just give it away.
Ji Shiyu fumed, still burning from the auction’s embers, and blurted out without thinking, “Who’s afraid of who!”
As soon as she spoke, the blonde regretted it.
Why can’t I control this cherry little mouth of mine?
Just like a stone in a latrine—stinky and stubborn!
Doesn’t this mean… Isn’t this just like a real catfight!?
“We’ll see!”
Xiao Xinran curled her lips, brimming with fighting spirit.
The future ferocious Extreme Dao Female Yao was beginning to show her fangs.
This early plot kill seemed to have caused an irreversible impact on the heroine—she’d awakened early, and sooner or later, she’d become the one-and-only Fire Spiritual Root Big C.
But none of this was within Yun Liu’s concerns. With the Pension Fund in hand—minus a small service fee—it was still a tidy sum. Sometimes, a man’s happiness really is this simple.
The youth in white strode out of the Mist Tower, feeling refreshed.
The thought that this money had come off the blonde made him breathe even easier.
Behind him, the girl in purple waved enthusiastically.
“Please come again next time ♪”
The two girls at the entrance, locked in their standoff, turned in surprise.
Seeing Yun Liu here was unexpected.
Miss You, whom both the gentry and rogue cultivators treated with utmost respect… seemed to be rather deferential to the young man?
Yun Liu, seeing his two most valued customers had come to support him, smiled brightly.
He stepped forward and shook each of their hands, as if a superior greeting the grassroots.
“You’ve worked hard, comrades! Not only are you here to see me off, you brought such a big gift. You’re too kind—makes me feel all embarrassed.”
“Eh?”
These two plastic sisters—if even one of them weren’t here, they wouldn’t be resting so peacefully.
“Boss is so generous, he could have ten thousand wives!”
Yun Liu patted the unlucky one’s shoulder, then ruffled the assist queen’s hair, murmuring to himself with a mysterious air.
“And you, my superman—I really didn’t dote on you all these years for nothing.”
After that, the youth bounded away, lively as ever, not a trace of injury. Even the whole canceled engagement mess was tossed to the wind—it clearly wasn’t on his mind at all. No one could stop a bit player from clocking out on time.
One Middle-Grade Spirit Vein wasn’t much, but over twenty? That was about right!
“…….”
Another one’s gone mad?
The blonde was baffled, just hearing Ao Tian sighing again.
That brat sure got to enjoy himself.
Xiao Xinran touched her flushed cheeks, her earlier overbearing look vanished, replaced by bashful shyness.
In her heart, she was secretly delighted, taking it as encouragement from her beloved.
I knew it—Xiao Yun would definitely forgive me. He must want me to win after all.
It’s alright, Xun Ran.
There’s still a long road ahead.
You’re just behind for now.
Sooner or later, you’ll expose that giant-R cow’s fake facade!
The leading lady secretly cheered herself on.
Three years from now, the race for love, victory is the only option! Failure is not allowed!
Ji Shiyu and Xiao Xinran locked eyes for a moment, snapped back to their senses, let out a simultaneous “hmph!”, and turned away.
***
Inside the high tower of the Mist Tower, Xiao Wang was still troubled.
He’d hoped to stake out the Mystic Apothecary and make their acquaintance.
Many shared his idea, but no one ever spotted a suspicious figure.
For a Heavenly Dao Alchemy Master, you’d expect an immortal elder with white hair and a sage’s aura.
Xiao Wang watched the youth’s departing figure, then glanced at Miss You, who looked reluctant to see him go. His heart began to race, an uneasy feeling rising.
No way, right?
Surely… not?
Could it be, besides Shiyu and Xun Ran, the rest of them all misjudged?
If so, this deal was a huge loss!
Tonight was a time for fantasies.
The unlucky one let his mind wander, the heroine brimmed with confidence, and the blonde was left frustrated and heartbroken.
The three each dreamed of their own bright futures on different servers. The one thing in common—no one else to mess things up.
***
In the inn, Lord Ao Tian was still scolding the useless, fallen Celestial Maiden, who showed not a hint of a Child of Destiny.
Though it was a win today, it felt like a loss—her momentum completely crushed by a little girl. With all the Fortune of the stars, the appearance of the Heaven-grade Foundation Establishment Pill was proof enough.
“Have you noticed? This wager isn’t bad for us at all. On the contrary, it could be the key to breaking the stalemate—if you can win.”
“Huh?”
Ji Shiyu poked her head out from the bed, her face full of disbelief.
No more fangirls, ruined reputation, empty pockets—how could this be anything but a loss!?
“After these past few days, I’m certain: the Child of Destiny of East Pole Province is among those two. I just don’t know who’s benefiting from whom, as if blessed by the heavens.”
Military advisor Phoenix Hatchling tucked both wings behind its back, pacing back and forth on its tiny claws, almost human-like.
To confront the Fortune of an entire province in the Nine Realms of Mist is no easy task. Ao Tian was already prepared for hardship; this little trouble was nothing in comparison.
The blonde and her servant were here to collect the Fortune of the Nine Provinces.
To put it nicely, they were borrowing. Less kindly, they were freeloading. If they could form a good bond, all the better.
If not, then when paths cross—may the brave win!
“One’s got overwhelming dominance, the other a frightening ambition. If the Fortune is with Xiao Xinran, in three years, when the time comes, you’ll be able to seize her Fortune. If not, then it must be Yun Liu. The engagement is yours either way—become Dao Companion, pursue Great Dao Dual Cultivation, and East Pole’s Fortune will be within your grasp.”
“No way!”
Ji Shiyu’s cheeks flushed as she kicked her smooth little legs, shaking her head like a rattle-drum.
She didn’t exactly like the slick kid, but she didn’t dislike seeing him, either.
Sometimes, Ji Shiyu even felt Yun Liu was quite reliable, someone she could trust—completely different from other men.
Maybe this is what they call Nan Tong—the best confidant for female cultivators. Only Nan Tong could ignore her astonishing, uncontainable charm~