Chapter 578: The Journey to South Mountain 2

Servants stood in two rows, flanking a heavy, soft pure wool carpet laid down the center. Nangong Liuyun led Su Luo through, acting as if no one else was present.

It truly was luxurious and grand, giving one an inexplicable feeling of floating on air.

The garden was vast.

Pavilions, terraces, and towers were arranged in picturesque disorder, with artificial mountains and winding streams murmuring incessantly.

As Su Luo walked on, nearing the artificial mountain waterfall, she suddenly felt an unusual sensation.

"This place…" Su Luo stopped and looked up at Nangong Liuyun, "seems different."

"Different how?" Nangong Liuyun, his features handsome and bright, looked at her with a smile.

"Spiritual Qi." Su Luo nodded with certainty. "South Mountain is already rich in Spiritual Qi, but this spot… the Spiritual Qi here is denser than the surroundings. Cultivating here would surely yield twice the result with half the effort."

Hearing this, Nangong Liuyun's eyes crinkled with a smile. He patted Su Luo's head dotingly. "As expected of the girl I've set my sights on. Your sensitivity is high indeed, spotting the key point at a glance."

"Did I guess right?" Su Luo looked at him with pleasant surprise.

"Mm-hmm." Nangong Liuyun pulled Su Luo to sit on a nearby Huanghuali wood chair. "The Spiritual Qi here is indeed slightly denser than elsewhere. If you Cultivate here from now on, your progress will be divinely swift."

"I haven't decided if I want it yet," Su Luo said lightly.

Such a magnificent, imposing palace complex occupied a full quarter of South Mountain's territory. She couldn't afford it.

Nangong Liuyun's eyes, bright as diamonds, gazed at Su Luo with a smile. He seemed to have read her inner thoughts and said with a laugh, "It's not for sale. Consider it a gift from me, alright?"

Alright?

The esteemed Prince Jin, Your Highness, who always did as he pleased, who always spoke in a declarative, certain, commanding tone, never considering others' opinions, had never before asked anyone 'alright?'.

Only Su Luo received such special treatment.

"That makes it even more unacceptable," Su Luo flatly refused, speaking her mind bluntly. "Such an expensive gift… if we were to separate in the future, wouldn't I have to return it? That's too troublesome. Better not."

As soon as these words were uttered, the brilliant smile on Nangong Liuyun's face instantly darkened. His starry eyes glared fiercely at Su Luo, and flames of anger began to spread.

"Ahem—" Knowing she was in the wrong, Su Luo cleared her throat, pulled at Nangong Liuyun's sleeve to apologize, "It was just a figure of speech, why take it so seriously? I was joking."

Nangong Liuyun snorted, but his broad hand turned over to clasp Su Luo's fair, delicate hand. He held it tightly, with such force that Su Luo sucked in a sharp breath.

"Joking?" Nangong Liuyun's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Never joke about such things!"

"Mmm… I know, let go quickly, it hurts," Su Luo pleaded, her brows furrowed in pain.

"Does it hurt now?" Nangong Liuyun's eyes were deep and dark, containing hidden anger. "It needs to hurt for you to remember."

"I know, I know. The memory is carved into my heart, profoundly deep. Let me go, you're squeezing me to death," Su Luo apologized with remarkable speed.

However, she rolled her eyes inwardly.

He got this angry over a mere analogy. If they really broke up in the future, wouldn't he… Su Luo stole a fearful glance at him, only to find Nangong Liuyun's gaze had also turned her way, and their eyes met directly.

Guiltily, Su Luo quickly averted her eyes. But faster than her gaze was Nangong Liuyun's hand.