Ling Qixuan quickly departed, and Yin Feng Laoren, being perceptive, did not enter to disturb them.

Dugu Qingli continued to struggle, and this time, Lu Xingzhou finally released her, allowing her to stand.

Dugu Qingli glared at him, her chest heaving. She wanted to blame him but didn’t know where to start. It seemed there was nothing to blame him for; aside from “acting,” he hadn’t taken any liberties, not even as much as last time. And the acting had been agreed upon beforehand…

So, what was there to blame him for?

But now, her heart, which had cooled for so long, was completely in disarray… And in the eyes of Yin Feng Laoren and Ling Qixuan, she was currently being “toyed with” by Lord Pan Guan inside the room.

The thought was unbearable, her reputation in ruins.

Thinking about it further made it even worse. There were already rumors outside about the Demon Empress and Tianyao Shengzhu fighting over a man, indicating this man had an affair with Tianyao Shengzhu. If rumors also spread that he was involved with Tianyao Shengzhu’s disciple, Tianyao Holy Land might as well close its doors and reopen after changing the character Yao to a homophone.

Lu Xingzhou, however, seemed completely oblivious to their embarrassment, calmly saying, “Sit.”

Dugu Qingli, holding her breath, asked, “Why didn’t you just discuss the matter directly with him in the end? Why did you extort him and make him go back to think about it before discussing further?”

Lu Xingzhou sighed, “I couldn’t appear too eager, as if I desperately wanted to send you away… That wouldn’t be logical. The more I act reluctant and wanting to keep playing, the more real it seems; the more I maintain an air of composure, the more they will implore me. Even if Ling Qixuan had some doubts earlier, I bet they’re all gone now…”

Dugu Qingli had nothing more to say. After a long pause, she said, “You truly are a disciple of the Demonic Dao.”

Lu Xingzhou smiled slightly, “Don’t you know I come from the Demonic Dao?”

If he came from the Demonic Dao, why didn’t he take advantage of the situation and push his luck? The words reached the little white-haired girl’s throat but were finally not asked. Instead, she asked, “Regarding the aftermath of this matter, if we destroy the Bingyu Sect’s formation, will it lead to a rift between Yanluo Hall and Bingyu Sect? Have you thought about how to explain it to Yan Jun?”

Lu Xingzhou leaned back in his chair, lost in thought, and remained silent for a long time.

“What’s wrong?” Dugu Qingli’s heart was incredibly complex. “Are you truly willing to… help my Shishu and break with Yan Jun for my sake?”

Lu Xingzhou shook his head, “Yan Jun and Ji Wenchuan vouched for me, asking Yin Feng Laoren to help me. They didn’t do so for me to betray them or undermine Yanluo Hall’s alliance strategy. That’s not how one should act… Bingyu Sect can be targeted, but the matter must be separated from Yanluo Hall. In the end, Zhenren Ye Tinglan will need to personally intervene to rescue her disciple. That would mean Tianyao Holy Land disrupted Bingyu Sect’s actions, and the premise is that Bingyu Sect provoked her disciple first. This way, the matter is clearly separated.”

“Since you’ve thought it through, why were you lost in thought just now?”

Lu Xingzhou looked at her strangely, then suddenly smiled, “Why do you care if I’m lost in thought? Is whether I break with Yanluo Hall for your sake important to you?”

“No, it’s not!” Dugu Qingli turned her face away, “Your death has nothing to do with me, so what’s important or not important about it!”

“Hehe, little white-haired girl, I’m investigating your background, okay? And that’s all I get in return?”

“Didn’t you say this wasn’t for my background, but for the Ice Ocean’s splendor, for someone’s brow to relax a little? Now you’re using it to demand favors!”

“Are you jealous?”

Dugu Qingli slammed the table, “I’m jealous of your big head!”

“Where’s the cool, indifferent, ice-mountain female swordswoman’s demeanor?”

“It was hugged away and kissed away by you!”

With these words, the room fell silent.

As the two exchanged glances, some light flickered in their eyes, but they both avoided the focal point.

After a long while, Dugu Qingli finally whispered, “You could have said this was all for me, making me fully cooperate, and even taken advantage, but you didn’t. I know you are… a gentleman.”

She paused here, feeling that after all this, being kissed and touched, and Tianyao Holy Land’s reputation on the line, she still had to praise him as a gentleman. It was truly outrageous.

But in fact, he really seemed to be a gentleman; no matter how she thought about it, she couldn’t find any fault with him. He said everything upfront, neither deceiving her nor holding favors over her, and he was very restrained in his acting.

Thinking of this, she finally continued in a low voice, “Anyway, anyway, you’re already with her. In the future, can you… please don’t think about me anymore? That’s not good.”

Her adorable demeanor made Lu Xingzhou find it genuinely amusing, “That won’t do.”

Dugu Qingli glared at him.

Lu Xingzhou reached out to brush away the stray hairs from her forehead, whispering, “You are the most beautiful little white-haired girl in my heart. I won’t think about others, but at least I must often see you.”

Dugu Qingli stood still, letting him brush away her hair. After a long moment, she blurted out, “More beautiful than her?”

Lu Xingzhou asked knowingly, “Who?”

Dugu Qingli tilted her head, “Never mind if you don’t know.”

“No matter who it is,” Lu Xingzhou said, “when it comes to beauty, you’ve got me completely captivated.”

Dugu Qingli’s breathing quickened. She slapped his hand away and sat far from him.

Her body language meant, you can see me from a distance, just don’t touch me.

In reality, it meant, you can look at me.

Lu Xingzhou finally laughed out loud.

Meanwhile, Ye Tinglan inspected Su Yuan’s recent progress and was very satisfied. Si Han also arrived upon hearing the news and said, “Shengzhu, I have a request.”

Ye Tinglan slightly raised her head, her gaze lowered, her expression cool and noble, “Guozhu, there’s no need to be polite, please speak if you have something to say.”

Su Yuan sighed beside her. The Zongzhu seemed unchanged, still the same.

All those earlier wild thoughts about her getting tangled up with a “little milk dog” were nonexistent. Good, good.

Si Han also felt the oppressive aura and instinctively lowered his gaze, not daring to meet her eyes. “Um, our country hopes that Tianyao Holy Land can also publicly declare itself a Holy Land of our country.”

Su Yuan interjected, “Are you hoping we’ll immediately turn on Gu Zhanting when we return?”

“That’s not what I mean,” Si Han whispered, “The main thing is that the disciples who join the Holy Land through the assessment trials are uneasy and unsure of their status and treatment within the sect…”

Ye Tinglan smiled slightly, “You’re unsure about the extent of Tianyao Holy Land’s support for you, and you want reassurance.”

Si Han gave a placating smile, “Shengzhu’s mind is as clear as moonlight; nothing can be hidden from you.”

Ye Tinglan said, “In principle, we naturally won’t object to this, but we need to return to Dagian to discuss it. There are some loose ends that need to be cleared up, so don’t rush.”

Si Han felt a little relieved.

Ye Tinglan was not purely a politician and wouldn’t offer empty promises. She had a certain air of following through on her words. At most, the timing might be delayed, but the matter itself should be fine.

Little did they know, Ye Tinglan was also sighing in her heart at this moment.

Sure enough, the young man was right. Being sought after to become a Holy Land, with the initiative in hand, felt wonderful. It was countless times more dignified than when she eagerly proposed to become a Holy Land herself.

Following this pattern, Tianshuang Kingdom might become the most closely associated secular power with Tianyao Holy Land, even surpassing Dagian, and becoming the most effective tool to restrain Dagian.

“Elder Su, your work is steady and excellent,” Ye Tinglan nodded approvingly, “Once things here are done, you can enter the Holy Mountain for a year of advanced study and choose one treasure from the Cangbing Pavilion.”

Su Yuan was overjoyed, “Thank you, Zongzhu.”

“That’s enough for now,” Ye Tinglan dismissed everyone, her heart impatiently wanting to check on the man and her disciple again.

Her divine sense swept over. Her disciple and Lu Xingzhou were sitting across a table, drinking tea. They were close yet maintained a proper distance, which made Ye Tinglan even more satisfied. With a “swish,” she flashed into their room.

This was a branch of Yanluo Hall, with its own grand formation and strict defenses, but it was like nothing before the world’s number one Shengzhu.

Even Lu Xingzhou and Dugu Qingli, who were talking inside, were startled and stood up together: “Why did you just appear here…”

“Shishu…”

“What, can’t I come myself? Are Yanluo Hall’s defenses a problem for me?”

“…That’s true, you’re Yan Jun after all.”

Dugu Qingli: “…”

Ye Tinglan smiled and sat next to Lu Xingzhou, slightly raising her chin in a gesture.

Lu Xingzhou understood her meaning and poured her a cup of tea.

Ye Tinglan was very pleased with the man’s unspoken understanding. She happily picked up the teacup and drank, her eyes curving into crescent moons: “So well-behaved.”

Dugu Qingli lowered her head, propping it with her hand, not wanting to speak.

Did you know that half a cup of tea ago, he was holding and touching your disciple all over, and even kissed her cheek?

Did you know that just now I was asking him not to think about me, and he refused?

Now it felt like she had just had a secret affair with Shifu’s man, and Shifu had arrived, pretending as if nothing had happened… The little white-haired girl felt incredibly awkward.

Ye Tinglan asked, “How are things going with you two? Do you need my cooperation?”

What “things”? Your disciple’s marriage to your man? Do you need parental consent? The little white-haired girl mentally retorted in a chaotic mess.

But then she heard Lu Xingzhou seriously reply, “There is indeed one thing that requires your cooperation now.”

Ye Tinglan asked, “What?”

“Now, I need you and me to make a little smooching sound inside…”

“Get out of here!”

“Are you asking Qingli if it’s true?”

Ye Tinglan looked at her disciple. Dugu Qingli thought it seemed true; they needed to create an impression inside that he was “toying with Tianyao Saintess.” So, she nodded blankly.

Then, Tianyao Saintess watched as Tianyao Shengzhu was held in the man’s arms, being kissed with loud smooching sounds.

The little white-haired girl’s mind was completely fried, losing all coherent thought.

Ye Tinglan was still playfully hitting the man’s chest: “What are you doing? Qingli is still watching…”

So, should I leave?

Lu Xingzhou said, “She has nowhere to go; she can’t show her face outside.”

Ye Tinglan said, “It’s fine, I’ll lock her up first…”

She looked around, about to point to a spot, when Dugu Qingli, with a blank expression, actively stood up and walked behind the room’s screen: “I understand…”

Fortunately, this was a luxurious large room with a screen. If it were a small room, the little white-haired girl wouldn’t know where to hide.

Under the bed?

The little white-haired girl pitifully went behind the screen, squatting there with her knees hugged, suddenly missing Anuo very much.

Back in the volcanic cave of Jiangmoyuan, when Anuo’s Shifu and Sheng Yuanyao were passionately kissing, what were her insights?