Chapter Seventy-Nine: Why Have You Come Only Now

Watching the group depart into the distance, Xu Zhe finally allowed a smile to surface on his face.

Did they really think I’m a fool?

I deliberately chose someone with a much higher ranking—this means the gap is so great, there’s no way she would ever come to see me.

They must think I’m clueless, that the low-grade spirit stone they handed over would be wasted. In truth, I just don’t want any of them coming down here to disturb me.

If this isn’t thinking ahead, I don’t know what is—I may not be flying in the stratosphere, but I’m at least on the fifth floor.

Once he was sure no spiritual sense was spying on him, Xu Zhe wasted not a moment and sprang into action.

Bang!

He stepped forward; the ground trembled slightly underfoot, and a hidden fissure in the earth instantly appeared.

A surge of earthen spiritual energy began to churn, shifting the sand and soil beneath to widen the crack further and further.

Guided by the flow of spiritual energy, the fissure snaked toward the mountain’s base, burrowing deep below the heart of the peak before abruptly changing direction and heading upward.

Xu Zhe drew a deep breath, braced his stance, and thrust upward with all his might.

Thud!

Earthen spiritual energy surged from below, blasting open a spacious passageway through the heart of the mountain. Yet high above, the aura was clearly blocked by a barrier; before it could get close, it dissipated instantly.

“So, there’s a formation set at the mountainside!” Xu Zhe’s eyebrow arched. He’d almost thought the foundation of the Jade Lake Sanctuary was left unguarded. Turns out, there was a formation after all.

Still, the location was concealed enough—the formation could be dismantled with a little effort.

“Everything’s going as planned!” Xu Zhe grinned, spiritual energy swirling as he prepared to earth-shift into the tunnel.

Whoosh!

Suddenly, the sound of someone slicing through the air came from above.

A woman from the Jade Lake floated down gracefully, her pale and delicate face carrying a chill elegance. With immortal grace, her robes billowed as if she were a goddess descending to earth.

But behind her, a young man followed, his expression shadowed and sullen.

You’ve got to be kidding me.

Xu Zhe was dumbfounded, yet curiosity tugged at him as he glanced at the man trailing behind. Weren’t men supposed to be barred from the Jade Lake Sanctuary?

“Young Master Xu, why did you wait until now to come see me?” The woman landed before Xu Zhe and asked with a gentle smile, her eyes clear and refined, her bearing otherworldly.

Xu Zhe remained silent.

“Liu Lanxu, is this the one you claimed to be your beloved?” The man behind also alighted, his eyes icy as they fixed on Xu Zhe, his tone low and grim.

“That’s right. Young Master Xu and I have known each other for years. Our hearts are as one, devoted to each other, though we’ve never spoken of it to outsiders. Brother Mo, I’m afraid I cannot accept your kind intentions. I hope you’ll forgive me.” Liu Lanxu smiled softly as she came to stand beside Xu Zhe.

“Lanxu, do you take me for a fool? If you wished to refuse a marriage alliance with my family, you need only say so; why find some random person to fob me off?” Mo Shaowen shook his head, his face clouded with anger.

“If Brother Mo refuses to believe me, there’s nothing I can do.” Liu Lanxu sighed, her beautiful eyes turning to Xu Zhe. “Young Master Xu, this is Mo Shaowen, the sixth young master of the Mo family. He didn’t know that you and I are already like two birds sharing a branch. He came to the Jade Lake to propose to me, so I had no choice but to reveal our relationship. You’re not angry, are you?”

As she spoke, she donned a pitiful look, gazing at Xu Zhe with wide, pleading eyes.

On the side, Mo Shaowen’s expression grew even darker, barely restraining his fury.

“Young Master Xu, why won’t you say anything? Are you really angry with me?” Liu Lanxu continued.

“Abba abba abba…” Xu Zhe grinned foolishly, waving his hands to show he wasn’t offended.

Whoosh!

Instantly, the atmosphere dropped to freezing.

Liu Lanxu’s body visibly stiffened, her expression frozen as well.

Mo Shaowen’s eyes widened, his face blank with shock.

Mute… he’s mute?

He turned to Liu Lanxu, his look a mixture of confusion, anger, and wounded pride.

Liu Lanxu was stunned as well. She’d heard from her junior sisters that yet another admirer sought a meeting, and immediately concocted a plan—to use this would-be admirer as a shield to fend off the Mo family’s marriage proposal, thus offending neither side nor drawing blame from the Jade Lake elders.

But she never imagined that after staging such a scene, her supposed admirer would turn out to be a mute—worse still, a fool!

This was mortifying!

Who would believe that Liu Lanxu, second beauty of the Jade Lake, would fall for a plain-looking mute simpleton?

“Junior Sister Liu, I’ll say it again—if you wish to turn me down, just say so. Why humiliate me like this?” Mo Shaowen’s voice was tinged with sorrow and indignation.

If she’d chosen someone outstanding as a shield, he might have felt better about it.

But she’d found a mute fool—this was tantamount to shaming him, telling the world he, Mo Shaowen, was inferior to a mute fool.

“No… no, Brother Mo, you’ve misunderstood, I…” Liu Lanxu stammered, flustered and at a loss for explanation.

She knew full well that things had gotten out of hand. If she continued to brazen it out, she would only anger the sixth young master further.

But if she stopped pretending, what could she say?

“Enough. No need to say more.”

Suddenly, Mo Shaowen’s voice was filled with resignation. He sighed. “I understand. You didn’t mean to hurt me. In truth, you don’t even know this person, do you?”

Liu Lanxu lowered her head in silence, tacitly admitting it.

“Lanxu, you needn’t feel guilty. I don’t know why, but I can’t bring myself to resent you, nor truly be angry with you. Don’t worry, I won’t speak of today’s events to anyone. When I return to the Mo family, I’ll tell the elders to cancel the betrothal.”

Liu Lanxu looked up in surprise, her eyes widened at Mo Shaowen.

Mo Shaowen smiled gently. “Whatever happens, I genuinely like you. I don’t want to see you in distress, or embarrassed, or unhappy. I’ll wait for you, until the day you change your mind and wish to marry me.”

Liu Lanxu trembled softly, her eyes growing moist. “Thank you, Brother Mo,” she murmured.

“You don’t need to thank me—it’s my choice,” Mo Shaowen replied with a smile.

Xu Zhe’s eyelid twitched as he barely suppressed the urge to retch, marveling inwardly: bootlickers really are everywhere!

“Lanxu, you should go back now. As for this man… leave him to me.”

Mo Shaowen spoke again, his gaze returning to Xu Zhe, a chilling gleam in his eyes.

Xu Zhe froze. Was this about to turn violent?

“Young Master Xu, may I have a word with you?” Mo Shaowen smiled, gesturing for Xu Zhe to follow him into the nearby woods.

“Abba abba abba…” Xu Zhe waved his hands again in refusal.

“Come now, don’t worry, it won’t take long.”

Mo Shaowen said, placing a hand on Xu Zhe’s shoulder and forcibly steering him toward the grove.

Xu Zhe looked helplessly at Liu Lanxu, silently pleading for help.

Liu Lanxu’s expression was blank; she didn’t spare him another glance, but turned and soared away, back to the Jade Lake.

Alas.

Xu Zhe gave up resisting, letting Mo Shaowen drag him into the trees, sighing inwardly.

What’s the point of all this?

…