After spending a good amount of time with Zhu Ying, she finally left Qianran's side, albeit reluctantly.
Meanwhile, in Mingdu, Xu Tianran was becoming increasingly anxious.
Qianran's two-day disappearance had left him on edge. If Qianran fled, wouldn't all his investments and plans go up in smoke?
When word finally came from his spies that Qianran had reappeared on the streets of Mingdu, Xu Tianran breathed a sigh of relief.
"That scoundrel probably holed up with Juzi for two days, indulging himself," Xu Tianran muttered, his face darkening. Juzi's beauty was undeniable, and Qianran must have been thoroughly captivated.
But even as his face darkened, a shameful excitement welled up within him at the thought.
He glanced down and cursed himself silently.
"Juzi, could you have truly fallen for Qianran?" Xu Tianran murmured, recalling Juzi's recent changes in demeanor toward Qianran.
Back at the academy lab, Qianran and Juzi's newfound closeness didn't escape Keke's sharp eyes.
"So, you two are a thing now?" Keke teased with a knowing grin.
Juzi blushed but didn't deny it.
"Well, that's great! When we graduate, we can all stay together!" Keke said cheerfully. She and Juzi had always been close friends.
"One on each arm, huh? Convenient for you," Keke added with a playful smirk.
"Dream on!" Juzi huffed, her face reddening as she gave Qianran a sideways glare.
Keke, meanwhile, was already used to Qianran's antics. She and Nana had long since acclimated to his shameless left-and-right embraces.
After spending some time at the lab, Qianran sensed something unusual in the area. A powerful yet concealed aura seemed to be observing him.
Excusing himself, Qianran left the lab, following the faint trace of the presence into a nearby forest.
"Who's there? No need to hide—show yourself," Qianran called out as he ventured deeper, his tone calm but firm.
A deep, resonant voice responded, "Impressive perception."
A spatial rift tore open before him, and two figures stepped through.
"Ye Xishui? Long Xiaoyao?" Qianran's eyes narrowed, his tone betraying his surprise.
The man on the right was an imposing figure, his tall frame and immaculate grooming lending him an air of authority. His face was smooth and ruddy, exuding vitality, and his hands were clasped calmly behind his back as he hovered effortlessly in midair, exuding an aura of unshakable power.
The woman on the left was cloaked entirely in black, her mature and slightly stern features barely visible beneath her hood. Despite her age, her figure remained alluring, with curves that hinted at the beauty she must have been in her youth.
Qianran couldn't help but recall descriptions from the original story. Ye Xishui's beauty in her prime was said to rival Tang Wutong's—undeniably breathtaking.
But now? Time spared no one. Even though Ye Xishui had taken great care of her appearance, faint lines betrayed her age. She was no longer the radiant young woman she once was.
Still, Qianran couldn't help but wonder: just how stunning had Ye Xishui been at her peak?
"Ding! Congratulations, Host! You have successfully signed in with Ye Xishui."
"Ding! Reward: One Divine Beast—Light Phoenix; One Bottle of Snow Glow Elixir. [Note: The Snow Glow Elixir restores the user to their most radiant and youthful state.]"
Qianran's thoughts raced. Another divine beast for the Sumeru Ring, huh? Sure, why not? The place already had an Evil Demon God Tiger, so a Light Phoenix would fit nicely. But the real prize here was the Snow Glow Elixir.
Would it work on Ye Xishui? Qianran mused, curious to see her at her prime.
"You know who we are?" Long Xiaoyao asked, his deep voice laced with surprise.
"Indeed," Qianran replied. "Before coming to the Sun and Moon Empire, I conducted thorough research. The Holy Spirit Cult's two Limit Douluos—your identities aren't exactly a secret."
The two were taken aback. How could Qianran recognize them so easily? And more importantly, why didn't he show any fear?
"You're quite bold for someone in such a precarious position," Ye Xishui remarked, her voice cold but tinged with intrigue.
"Why don't you seem afraid? Do you not understand what we're capable of?"
"Oh, I understand perfectly," Qianran said with a nonchalant shrug. "If you wanted to kill me, you'd have done it already. Why waste time talking?"
Ye Xishui and Long Xiaoyao exchanged a glance, their interest in the young man deepening.
"You've been quite… carefree," Long Xiaoyao said, his face darkening. "Do you think your playboy antics have gone unnoticed?"
Ever since the academy's competition, Long Xiaoyao and Ye Xishui had been observing Qianran from the shadows.
But what they saw left Long Xiaoyao stunned.
Qianran wasn't plotting or scheming. He was either with one woman or on his way to meet another. It was so blatant, so audacious, that it left Long Xiaoyao questioning everything.
This kid… Long Xiaoyao thought, his mind racing.
As someone who had pined for Ye Xishui for decades without ever overstepping, Long Xiaoyao couldn't fathom Qianran's audacity.
And yet, Qianran's carefree indulgence didn't repel women—it attracted them.
Long Xiaoyao wasn't envious of the number of women around Qianran. If he wanted, his status as a Limit Douluo could draw countless admirers. But they wouldn't love him for who he truly was.
What Long Xiaoyao envied was Qianran's ability to inspire genuine affection, even as he lived a life of unapologetic hedonism.
"Kid," Long Xiaoyao said with a heavy sigh, "your carefree days are making the rest of us look bad."
Qianran couldn't help but chuckle. He could sense Long Xiaoyao's frustration, rooted more in his own regrets than in any real anger.
If you had moved faster with Ye Xishui back then, maybe you wouldn't be feeling this way now, Qianran thought, amused by the irony.
(Chapter End)