Chapter 330

The evening banquet was still hosted by Division Head Xu Zhengfeng. Compared to the lunch banquet, the evening banquet was much more formal, and the number of attendees was significantly higher; people from various Families in Jinling City and the City Lord's Mansion all came.

These people were not worth mentioning. Seeing that Lin Yi looked somewhat displeased, they each offered a glass of wine as an apology and then left one after another. They could tell that Lin Yi did not enjoy such things.

As for Division Head Xu Zhengfeng, Lin Yi did not give him a hard time, as he was, after all, Xu Ruanyao's father. The arrival of these people was not his own wish. When one is in the officialdom, some things cannot be hidden or stopped.

It is worth mentioning that Aunt, who had been silent during the lunch banquet, now wore a slightly happy smile, and there was more joy in Xu Ruanyao's eyes.

They were both immersed in the futures they had constructed in their minds. Before those futures arrived, they were happy. This was not necessarily a bad thing; after all, happiness is always pleasant, while pain is not worth savoring.

After the banquet ended and the crowd dispersed, only Division Head Xu Zhengfeng and Xu Ruanyao remained in their seats. The wine had gone cold, the dishes had turned cool, and the two seats opposite them were already empty.

Aunt had already dragged Lin Yi away, saying that there was news from the Shenxing Division. The subordinates sent to the other major cities had returned, bringing back information related to the Mystic Spirit Python.

Xu Ruanyao did not mind; this was official business. Even though she could see that Aunt's intentions were not pure… although Aunt was not acquainted with Young Master as she had imagined, and Young Master had denied that Aunt had any so-called "attraction" to him.

But the two of them were still becoming somewhat ambiguous. She did not know if it was Aunt who initiated it, or… No, it was definitely Aunt who initiated it! Young Master was not that kind of person!!

No wonder, no wonder Aunt had pulled her away back then, forbidding her from looking at Young Master. When the three of them were under the umbrella, it turned out she was the only one outside the umbrella. Perhaps Aunt even thought she was in the way back then!

"Ruanyao, you…" Division Head Xu Zhengfeng hesitated for a moment before speaking. Having pondered all afternoon, he could not avoid the worry in his heart and wanted to try to persuade his daughter.

Before the banquet, he had wanted to talk to her, but his daughter had been with Senior the entire time, so he had not found an opportunity. Now, the opportunity had finally arrived.

"I understand." Xu Ruanyao shook her head gently, not giving her father time to finish his words. "I understand, Father."

What exactly do you understand? Division Head Xu Zhengfeng opened his mouth. He could tell at a glance that his daughter not only did not understand but had also fallen into it.

He stammered for a long time but still failed to persuade Xu Ruanyao. As a father, he could not accompany his daughter with the same meticulous care as a mother could. If only her mother were still here…

Division Head Xu Zhengfeng sighed. He felt he needed to go find Aunt. Thinking of this, he felt another headache coming on. Would they end up fighting? And what about the relationship between Aunt and Senior…

Division Head Xu Zhengfeng rubbed his temples, feeling that these matters were not as easy as fighting a Void Return Great Cultivator. He would rather choose to fight a Void Return Great Cultivator than get involved in these affairs!

"Father, if there is nothing else, I will take my leave." Xu Ruanyao stood up and bowed.

Division Head Xu Zhengfeng nodded powerlessly, watching Xu Ruanyao head toward the door. In a short while, she left him with only a pink-white silhouette, her steps appearing somewhat light and impatient.

He sighed again. What a disaster!

Xu Ruanyao, who had already left, did not know of her father's pain. Her figure flashed, and she appeared at the end of the road. She had to find Aunt and Young Master as soon as possible, otherwise… Aunt, how dare you steal a bite!!

Xu Ruanyao wore a smile, but it was chilling.

Chapter 440: Aunt, be gentle, don't hurt him.

"…Near Snow Moon City, traces similar to a Mystic Spirit Python Yao Beast have been discovered recently, but they dare not confirm it; there is only such a faint trace."

"It might also have been left by other Yao Beasts. There are several types of Yao Beasts in the Northern Territory that are similar to the Mystic Spirit Python. Look, for example…"

To Xu Ruanyao's surprise, Aunt and Lin Yi were actually doing official business at this moment. Aunt spread the files out on the table, her jade fingers sweeping across them one by one. She picked up a projection stone from the side and projected the image engraved within it into mid-air.

Her voice was no longer coquettish as before, but cold and calm. Her expression carried a hint of indifference, and she had fully entered the state of a Division Head. As she spoke, she projected one Yao Beast after another into mid-air.

Lin Yi pondered. His Divine Sense had already traveled thousands of miles, enveloping the area around Snow Moon City. Immediately, he found the location of the traces in the projection.

As time passed, these traces had long been washed away. Lin Yi did not find any unique aura here. Even if these traces had truly been caused by the Blood God, they had long since worn away.

Perhaps… it was really caused by some Yao Beast similar to the Mystic Spirit Python?

Lin Yi left a trace of Divine Sense around Snow Moon City, just in case there was any abnormality, so he could discover it immediately. This was no burden for him; even if he were to cover the entire Human Realm with his Divine Sense, he could do it, just not with precise operations.

"There is also this kind of Yao Beast…" Aunt projected another Yao Beast into mid-air. She swiped her hand, and several different types of Yao Beasts arranged themselves in order.

Lin Yi listened quietly without interrupting, appreciating the special charm Aunt revealed. These things were already useless to him. Even if he knew the Blood God had appeared around Snow Moon City, that information was already from a year ago.

There were no other special discoveries afterward. The files only mentioned it briefly, as part of routine recording. Only a few lines of text described it; if one really wanted to search for it, it would be impossible.

Aunt tapped her finger on the table and straightened her body. "…I have already instructed the Shenxing Division in Snow Moon City to pay close attention, and I have asked the other cities to keep watch as well. If there are any subsequent discoveries, they will inform us immediately."

Lin Yi nodded casually. Aunt let out a long sigh of relief and stretched, displaying her plump and well-proportioned figure wrapped in a red dress to the fullest. She turned around, her pert buttocks half-leaning against the edge of the table. The indifference on her face melted like snow, turning into a faint, alluring charm.

"At least there is a clue. Please rest assured, when the Shenxing Division takes action, there are always various ways to find the whereabouts of that Mystic Spirit Python!"

Aunt breathed like an orchid and leaned a little closer to Lin Yi, smiling as she looked into his eyes.

Lin Yi knew clearly that she wanted him to stay here until they truly found the whereabouts of that Mystic Spirit Python. But they didn't stop to think that since he, a "Void Return Great Cultivator" in their eyes, could not find the whereabouts of that Mystic Spirit Python, what ability did they have to find it?

Even if they found it, were they not afraid that the Mystic Spirit Python would succumb to its beastly nature and devour them all?

Of course, there was also one possibility—it was not that she didn't know, nor that they didn't know, but that they were just acting under her arrangement and had no choice but to do so.

She never intended to find that Mystic Spirit Python; she just wanted to keep him here. Therefore, she gave them false information and let them continue searching. If they didn't find it, it didn't matter; this was her goal all along.

As for pretending to search… there was no need. If they couldn't find it even when searching for real, there was no need to pretend. If he found out, wouldn't her favorability rating drop? She was a smart person and would not do such useless things that were actually harmful to herself.

"Besides… Young Master, I am very sorry…" Aunt became a bit more serious and apologized sincerely. "Division Head Xu has confirmed your identity with the higher-ups. I thought I needed to inform you of this."

Lin Yi sat down. This was already within his expectations. Setting other things aside, for the sake of his daughter and sister-in-law's safety, any normal person would do this.

What if he were an evil cultivator from the Six Paths Sect? What if that jade pendant was stolen or robbed from who knows where? Did they really think the plot of an imperial envoy could be easily staged?

"It is fine." Lin Yi shook his head and then looked at Aunt with curiosity. "What did they say?"

Aunt's expression became a bit strange. She pondered and said, "They only replied with one phrase: 'Big figure.' Also, this is an edict issued by Her Majesty the Empress, ordering us to cooperate with all your actions."

"Heh, Mingzhu, oh Mingzhu." Lin Yi smiled and shook his head. Although he had only said a word, Her Majesty the Empress, who was still in the Imperial Capital, was clearly paying attention to this side at all times.

Hearing Lin Yi's words, Aunt's expression stiffened slightly. The "Mingzhu" in Lin Yi's mouth was naturally Her Majesty the Empress, and to address her so intimately…

But thinking about it, it was normal. A "Void Return" cultivator was already the highest combat power in the Human Realm; they were either serving as an honored guest in the Five Great Immortal Sects or were the Old Ancestors of those first-class sects.

"Since Young Master said he came from the Imperial Capital, and there is no Lin Family among the Four Great Immortal Clans of the Imperial Capital, he can only be some kind of retainer. Possessing a Xuanyuan Clan jade pendant, the Xuanyuan Clan is indeed the most likely possibility."

"Young Master might just be the type who watched Her Majesty the Empress grow up… As for the rest, she dared not think, nor was she willing to think about it. Being an ostrich is useless, but it is also very useful; at least she won't feel depressed."

Aunt's expression returned to normal. She moved slightly closer to Lin Yi. To fulfill her "understood" from the afternoon, after the banquet, she took advantage of a gap while retrieving documents to specifically change into a bolder outfit in the inner chamber.

The red dress remained vibrant and alluring, the hem barely reaching mid-thigh. Her legs were wrapped in black silk stockings, delicate and sheer. The black and red color scheme added a hint of a wicked aura to her.

The tops of the stockings slightly pressed into her skin, revealing a faint layer of plumpness. Especially between the hem of the skirt and the top of the stockings, the flash of fair skin revealed as the skirt swayed accentuated her allure, making her appear much more beautiful and seductive.

This outfit deliberately softened her maturity, adding a touch of coyness. She wanted to appear younger to be a better match for Lin Yi, but in truth, she was already beautiful enough on her own; that mature, seductive charm was also quite good.

Aunt leaned against the edge of the table, one foot supporting her on the ground, crossing her beautiful legs. The other leg brushed slightly against Lin Yi's knee. "Young Master, do you still remember that street?"

Her expression became somewhat dignified, but it didn't match her actions at all. The slightly high-heeled shoe dangling from her toes fell to the floor with a clatter.

"I remember. What about it?"

Lin Yi's expression remained unchanged, watching with great interest as Aunt performed this somewhat clumsy seduction. She was referring to the street where they had met that morning.

"Hmm… Before meeting Young Master, I actually already had a faint premonition, always feeling uneasy…"

Aunt spoke thoughtfully, describing how she had felt at the time.

She didn't react as strongly as Xu Ruanyao, but there was still some reaction. This was an instinctual response from her, as a supporting character, wanting to escape the Inner World.

Lin Yi understood and waited for Aunt to continue.

"You said you came here because of that vague attraction, and it just so happened that we met on that street…"

Aunt lowered her head slightly, looking into Lin Yi's eyes. Her gaze held a smile and tenderness.

…

Outside the window, after asking the maids and rushing over here, Xu Ruanyao looked at the brightly lit room, her heart tightening slightly. The room door was tightly shut, and calculating the time, it had been over half an hour.

They wouldn't be… Xu Ruanyao quickly shook her head, telling herself it wouldn't happen.

She hesitated for a moment, not knocking directly or pushing the door open to walk in. If it had really reached that point, her actions would only bring embarrassment to all three of them.

She turned to the side and pressed her ear against it, wanting to hear the movement inside.

"…Young Master, you were looking for me."

Aunt's affirmative words came from inside the room. Xu Ruanyao held her breath. She didn't know what had been said before, but the meaning of this sentence… Was Aunt the person Young Master was looking for? But Young Master had said before that it wasn't her; wasn't she the person he was looking for?!

No, no, no, it's also possible that… Young Master was comforting her, right? He was so gentle; seeing her sad, it was possible he was just comforting her…

The guesses that Xu Ruanyao had previously overturned were quickly re-established, especially now, hearing Aunt's affirmative words while Young Master did not deny them…

Xu Ruanyao pursed her lips. She didn't feel much sadness, just a sense of emptiness in her heart. She covered her mouth and nose to prevent herself from making a whimpering sound.

"…Aunt understands Young Master's feelings, oh~ Young Master also understands Aunt's feelings, right? Hehe, although it's a bit unbelievable… Love at first sight, does such a thing really exist in this world?"

"Every time I see Young Master, I feel a little happier in my heart. It's so strange. If it were before, I probably wouldn't have thought I would become like this, right? But that's fine… I don't unexpectedly hate myself like this."

"Young Master, why are you so lovely? Whether it's your personality, your appearance, or even your aura, your scent… Hehehehe…"

Listening to the love talk constantly coming from inside, Xu Ruanyao leaned against the door, staring blankly at the courtyard outside the corridor. How could it be like this… Aunt, how could you, how could you do this…

It was clearly she who sensed Young Master's arrival first, she who pushed through the crowd to see Young Master first, and she who greeted Young Master first…

Young Master didn't speak up to object, didn't refuse, which means… Is this real? Ah, ah, my Young Master—

Xu Ruanyao lifted her head. Under her gaze, the snow in the sky stopped completely. So that was what was meant by leaving when the snow stops? The snow stopped, and the beautiful lie he had created was about to shatter.

Inside the room.

Lin Yi looked with a strange expression at Aunt, who was immersed in her own world. She continued to speak syrupy love words. Didn't she know that her little niece outside was about to despair?

He didn't believe that Aunt, a Nascent Soul, wouldn't know of a Foundation Establishment's arrival. So, were these words of hers deliberately spoken for her to hear? Did she want her little niece to give up her thoughts of him?

There might be those factors involved, but more than that, perhaps it was just her own desire to say it? After all, this intoxicated look couldn't be acted out. It was only possible that the emotions within her heart were surging, and she simply decided not to hide or conceal them!

"Aunt…"

Just as Lin Yi spoke, Aunt interrupted him. She tapped her black-stockinged toes slightly against his thigh, her skirt lifting slightly, making her appear even more alluring. She didn't mind if Lin Yi noticed a bit of temptation; that was her goal.

Aunt smiled. "You are a gentle person, but also a hateful one. You are not as indifferent as you appear; you are simply enjoying our helplessness."

"You enjoy this kind of pleasure, our entanglement, our pain… But everything has two sides. Why don't you enjoy the entanglement and pain of other women? Hehehehe, it must be because we have left a mark in the bottom of your heart, right?"

"Although it is somewhat arrogant to say this, valuing myself too much, but… my dear Young Master, if I say this, would you object? If you don't object… Hehehehe…"

Lin Yi was somewhat surprised that Aunt could deduce their special status like this. But then again, he hadn't really hidden his thoughts about them.

Aunt didn't give Lin Yi a chance to answer. She leaned down. After hesitating for a moment, Lin Yi didn't dodge, letting her look at him from up close. After a slight pause, she kissed him gently and swiftly.

Outside the door, Xu Ruanyao listened to the intertwined, sticky sounds of breathing echoing in her ears…

Even as a Foundation Establishment, she had already transcended the realm of Mortals. Her senses were greatly enhanced, and without Aunt or Lin Yi blocking it, she naturally conjured a scene in her mind.

It can't be, it can't be, it can't be…

Xu Ruanyao bit her lip with her pearly white teeth, her body trembling slightly. Her hand covering her mouth and nose felt slightly cool. What was this?

Xu Ruanyao blankly touched the corner of her eye with her other free hand. Moist tears were continuously flowing out.

I, am I crying?

No, I can't cry!

Xu Ruanyao gritted her teeth and fiercely wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes, but the sadness in her heart surged out endlessly. In the end, she gave up, letting the tear tracks cover her pretty face.

Sob, sob…

Aunt, let go of my Young Master!!

Even if you are my Aunt, I won't forgive you, sob, sob…

Aunt, be gentle… Don't, don't do that, sob, sob…

At this moment, Xu Ruanyao was sobbing uncontrollably.

Chapter 441: I Surrender.

Dressed in a wide, long robe, the Young Miss nun lowered her footsteps, silently taking advantage of the night to leave the City Lord's Mansion. Along the way, she avoided other passing nuns, sentries on guard, brightly lit areas, and crowded places…

Finally, after half an hour, she arrived at her destination. She let out a slight sigh of relief, looked left and right, and used her keen perception to check, discovering that no one was following her and no one was paying attention to this area. Only then did she curl her finger and lightly knock on the door.