However, it must be said that Lu Xingzhou’s precise strike was very effective.

Mr. Mama, whose maternal instincts surged for little puppies, how could he possibly resist a sweet and soft little dumpling?

Before, calling her “Niang” (mother) was unbearable… What kind of relationship was that then, and what kind of relationship is it now?

A’nuo was essentially Lu Xingzhou’s adopted daughter, so the core meaning of her calling her “Niang” needs no further explanation, right? Had Shen Tang ever been called that?

Ye Tinglan’s slight displeasure, if not entirely gone, was at least genuinely suppressed. She smiled and carried A’nuo out the door.

Lu Xingzhou and Shen Tang were already waiting in the courtyard, with several dishes laid out on the table.

Ye Tinglan mused that the cooks of Tianxing Jianzong must have it tough, probably having to fly across a mountain on a magical artifact just to deliver meals… all so that the Sect Master and his male companion could conveniently hide away on a mountain to be intimate. So how could such a Sect Master possibly lead a team well?

She put A’nuo down, and the four of them sat around the stone table. Ye Tinglan hadn’t eaten anything and immediately said, “You returned to Xiazhou to bring A’nuo back to the capital. How long do you plan to stay now?”

Having just returned, she was already planning to take Shen Tang’s husband away. Shen Tang’s heart, which had just calmed down, flared up again. With a poker face, she said, “I heard that you are the only first-rank master in the Dan Academy besides Qin Yuanzheng. Surely, you have the power to decide your own trial period?”

Ye Tinglan calmly replied, “While that’s true, we have already doubled the original trial period. I shouldn’t disrupt the rules of the Dan Academy too much. This is also for Xingzhou’s good, so he doesn’t always stand out and attract gossip.”

Shen Tang was stuck, and after a moment, she said, “Then a day or two won’t make much difference. Since there are no urgent matters and no rush, why not let A’nuo accompany you for a stroll?”

“It’s fine to return a day or two later. After all, this is Xingzhou’s hometown and the location of his sect, so I can’t be completely unreasonable,” Ye Tinglan said indifferently. “But I have two disciples. Why only let one accompany me? Sect Master, do not put Xingzhou in an unrighteous position.”

Shen Tang: “…”

Palace intrigue might win against this old woman, but this old woman’s constant use of her status to pressure others was too frustrating. Whether it was as the Grand Preceptor or a master of the Dan Academy, her reasons were always well-structured. How could a young wife refute them?

Lu Xingzhou quietly picked up a piece of food for Ye Tinglan: “Master, please eat first, eat first.”

It was truly difficult to mediate. Without thinking, one could imagine how the Master had self-destructed in the room that morning.

Great people are always great. Did the person who played with fish on the phone ever consider this day?

Ye Tinglan glared at him, but she certainly wouldn’t squabble endlessly like a common village woman. She calmly began to eat, saying, “After these two months, the spiritual energy in Xiazhou is denser than I last saw. Have you prepared how to respond to the imperial court’s inquiries?”

Shen Tang said, “Currently, no one else has reported it. Father… His Majesty probably hasn’t noticed this yet.”

Ye Tinglan thought for a moment and shook her head. “He has many secret agents here collecting information. It’s impossible that no one is paying attention and reporting. If he hasn’t reacted, it means either his measures haven’t started to show results yet, or he’s preoccupied with other matters and temporarily unable to deal with relatively less important affairs.”

Lu Xingzhou nodded. “After Gu Shaoli returned, Gu Zhanting should know that some of his schemes have been exposed. His top priority right now should be responding to Tianyao Shengdi’s questions. Perhaps just figuring out how to deal with the Grand Preceptor could make his head swell three sizes.”

Ye Tinglan glanced at Shen Tang, thinking to herself, *This is me taking the hit for you. It’s one thing if you’re not grateful, but you’re still playing the ‘current lover’ game with me.*

Shen Tang coughed twice and lowered her head to drink soup.

Lu Xingzhou said, “Additionally, what Gu Zhanting did has angered the demon race. I wonder if the demon race has any other moves besides capturing Chen Yu?”

“Yes,” Shen Tang interjected. “In just over a month, there have been several battles at the border. Currently, the war situation hasn’t reached Xiazhou… Xiazhou is quite remote, after all, far from the core.”

“In the current situation, you should have already placed people in the capital specifically for transmitting messages.”

“Arrangements have been made. Besides those who went to the capital for business, disciples have also been arranged to participate in the martial arts examination. We will try to infiltrate yamen like the Zhenmo Si.”

Lu Xingzhou said, “Knowing their origin is Tianxing Jianzong, can they truly infiltrate?”

Shen Tang secretly glanced at Ye Tinglan, but still said, “I originally had some old connections in the capital. Some officials supported me, but the situation was not good before, so I couldn’t contact them. Now, contact has been re-established. I’ll give you a list, which you can use when you go to the capital again.”

This might be the only contender for the throne who openly revealed her political power in front of the Grand Preceptor, which was truly defying common sense. Ye Tinglan was filled with strange emotions but didn’t know how to express her exasperation.

*Am I your person now, that you would do something like this?*

*Seriously, aren’t I your enemy, little princess?*

Thinking back to when she first met this little princess, who was then a soft and sweet little dumpling just like A’nuo, and seeing her now, Ye Tinglan felt the merciless passage of time.

Shen Tang seemed to guess what she was thinking, and inwardly thought, *Isn’t it even more embarrassing for you to snatch a man from a little dumpling you watched grow up?*

Lu Xingzhou didn’t notice the strange tension between the two women at all and was seriously looking at the list. After reading it, he nodded slightly: “Actually, it’s much stronger than I imagined…”

Ye Tinglan said with a stern face, “Of course it’s not weak. This one is the eldest daughter. Although she’s illegitimate, she’s quite capable and looks presentable, which makes many people remember her.”

Shen Tang smiled slightly: “Including the Grand Preceptor?”

Ye Tinglan said, “You could say that.”

*Otherwise, you would have died long ago. How could you still act like the main wife in front of me?*

Shen Tang suddenly remembered that she truly owed this old woman a life-saving grace, and for a moment, she felt a little guilty and short of breath. She said, “Master doesn’t seem to be eating much. Is it not to your taste?”

Ye Tinglan thought to herself, *I can’t eat looking at your foxy face,* but she said aloud, “I don’t need to eat; I’m merely socializing.”

*Did you hear that? Socializing. Be sensible and get lost quickly.*

Shen Tang was still not sensible, pretending not to understand, and lowered her head to drink soup.

Ye Tinglan finally laid her cards on the table: “Xingzhou, take your master out for a walk. I’ve been cooped up on the mountain and it’s stifling.”

Lu Xingzhou quickly put away the list, stood up, and said, “Xiazhou indeed has some other sights. I’ll take Master for a tour.”

Shen Tang wanted to speak but decided against it, thinking, *This is truly a life-saver.* *Wuwuwu…*

A’nuo pointed at her own nose, watching the old woman take her master away, unable to utter a single word.

*Didn’t you say you had more than one disciple? Didn’t you say letting only A’nuo lead you would put Xingzhou in an unrighteous position?*

*So what are you doing now? Putting A’nuo in an unrighteous position?*

Shen Tang painfully rubbed A’nuo’s head: “Do you know what the biggest difference between us and her is?”

A’nuo said, “Age? Strength?”

Shen Tang sighed: “Thick skin.”

A’nuo felt that wasn’t right. The old woman was actually the most concerned about her reputation that she had ever seen. The truly shameless one was currently at the Pei family in the capital. She hoped Shiniang (master’s wife) would be able to handle it when she met her in the future.

The scenery in Xiazhou was indeed beautiful. With the spiritual energy revival, the mountains and rivers appeared even more picturesque, and the quality of crops significantly improved. Unfortunately, Ye Tinglan wasn’t there for the scenery at all. She strolled with Lu Xingzhou for half the afternoon, finding it as tasteless as chewing wax, completely forgetting what she saw or what Lu Xingzhou introduced.

As the sun began to set, Lu Xingzhou was still diligently acting as a local guide, introducing various places, when Ye Tinglan suddenly spoke, her voice wistful: “Tell me, what did you two do all morning?”

Lu Xingzhou: “…”

*I’ve been diligently working as a tour guide, and all Master can think about is this…*

Lu Xingzhou felt more wronged than Dou E: “I really didn’t do anything, just talked about the experiences of these past two months.”

“Just talking about experiences, and she would make those sounds?”

“What sounds?”

“Just, just those…” Ye Tinglan stamped her foot. “Don’t I know when I myself would make those sounds?”

“But Master didn’t do anything either…”

Ye Tinglan froze for a moment. *So, you two were just having a chaste encounter too?*

*Then why are you acting like the main wife in front of me?*

Ye Tinglan’s anger instantly dissipated significantly, but she still turned her head: “Lu Xingzhou…”

“Hmm?”

“I want to take you away sooner, not to compete with her for anything. On the contrary, I don’t want to compete with anyone, do you understand?”

Lu Xingzhou understood what she meant. It was truly unsightly for the Grand Preceptor and a princess to contend for a man. So far, both of them had been very restrained. By avoiding meeting, there would naturally be nothing to contend over.

“You’ve ruined me,” Ye Tinglan leaned her forehead against his chest. “I am a cultivator who practices abstinence… now my mind is so muddled that I don’t even know what I’m cultivating anymore. I know you can’t bear to leave Shen Tang, but if you force me to stay here any longer, I’ll have to leave first.”

Even though Lu Xingzhou was eloquent, he was at a loss for words at this moment, fully understanding Master’s feelings.

He could only cautiously negotiate: “How about staying one more night?”

Ye Tinglan glanced at him, then a dangerous smile suddenly appeared on her face: “Of course, just one night, it’ll pass with a meditation session.”

“En, en.” Lu Xingzhou was just letting out a sigh of relief when Ye Tinglan grabbed his ear: “But who said I’ll be the one meditating?”

Lu Xingzhou: “?”

In the courtyard of Lingquan Mountain, Shen Tang was restlessly waiting for her husband to come home, like a helpless wife who had sent her husband out to entertain guests. Finally, as the sun began to set, the two returned. Shen Tang happily went to greet them: “Tonight…”

Before she could finish, Ye Tinglan interrupted: “I discovered a slight problem with my disciple’s cultivation today, and I need to help him sort it out tonight. Sect Master Shen might as well guard outside?”

Lu Xingzhou tried to say something, but only made muffled sounds, as if he had been put under some spell.

Shen Tang knew something was wrong. She gritted her teeth and said, “What kind of problem can’t be said directly? Perhaps I can also offer some insight.”

“What would a mere third-rank like you know?” Ye Tinglan leaned her head over and whispered in her ear, “Princess, you wouldn’t want your imperial father to know you’re living with a man, would you?”

Shen Tang: “?”

*No, didn’t you say before that you don’t play dirty tricks, that you’re not that kind of person?*

*What is this now?*

But with this ultimate weapon unleashed, Shen Tang truly dared not object. She watched as Ye Tinglan dragged the man into the house, and the door slammed shut with a “bang.”

Soon, muffled “wuwuwu” sounds came from inside the room. One could only wonder what kind of inhumane steel wool treatment he was enduring.

A’nuo, hugging her knees, squatted by the mountain edge, playing with ants. She looked up at Shen Tang sympathetically: “Shiniang, want to squat together? I’ll save you a spot.”

Shen Tang sniffed, then, feeling wronged, squatted beside A’nuo in the same knee-hugging posture.

It was truly karma. She had just made the Grand Preceptor listen in on her bedroom in the morning, and the Grand Preceptor immediately returned the favor tonight.

Was this the retaliation of the world’s number one?

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