Chapter 98: The Ancestors’ Long-Delayed Rebellious Phase (25)

Lou Xingluo somehow managed to go fetch the Ink Snake back, and the snake was twisting itself into a knot while hurling all eighteen generations of Lou Xingluo’s ancestors at him with heartfelt enthusiasm.

“It knows that beast,” Lou Xingluo said.

The Ink Snake cursed, “Shameless!”

“That beast followed its scent,” Lou Xingluo added.

The Ink Snake kept cursing, “Despicable!”

Ling Qiong blinked. “Do those two have a grudge?”

Lou Xingluo stated the result of his questioning in a flat voice. “No. That beast likes it.”

“……”

Ling Qiong was genuinely surprised. The snake’s market value was this good?

What was this supposed to be?

A thousand-mile pursuit of a snake?

That had some entertainment value.

…

The Ink Snake wasn’t afraid of that beast. And it wasn’t refusing to talk merely because the other party liked it.

It was because, as a fellow beast, it had no reason to betray its own kind.

That was a matter of principle for a beast.

But Lou Xingluo, that damn man…

Hypocritical, despicable, shameless, and talented at putting on an act.

There were too many grievances to speak of.

The Ink Snake lay on the ground and continued serving as a cushion, while Ling Qiong sat at the base of its neck and patted its head, gossiping.

“Why don’t you like it?”

The Ink Snake was afraid of Lou Xingluo and answered unwillingly, “Ugly.”

Every beast has an eye for beauty.

“What kind of beast is it?”

“……”

The Ink Snake did not want to answer that question, but Ling Qiong kept chattering in its ear.

In the end, it could not stand it anymore and snapped, “A toad!”

“……”

Well, that was kind of ugly.

After thinking about it, Ling Qiong realized something was off. “Wait. Toads have teeth?”

“Not originally, but it evolved.”

Beasts already had cultivation.

Once they cultivated enough, they could even transform into human form.

So evolving part of their body for convenience was nothing at all.

No one knew where that toad was hiding now, and it would not be easy to catch.

Ling Qiong figured she would find another chance. After all, she was the one carrying the blame for it, and it had even killed two of her disciples. She was not about to let it go that easily.

…

Ling Qiong lay atop the Ink Snake and looked up at the stars. The surroundings were quiet, and everyone had already gone to sleep.

She turned over and saw Lou Xingluo sitting on the ground nearby, leaning against a tree trunk with his eyes closed, resting.

Ling Qiong stared at him for a while, then pulled out her compendium.

The Qilin card image had changed.

The young man had both feet off the ground, standing in midair. Beneath him, the lines of a formation flickered faintly into view.

His pale violet robes seemed lifted by the wind, drifting back together with his dark hair.

The young man had elegant, refined features. Light from the formation swept across his eyes and gathered around him, cloaking him in a soft halo.

He looked like a deity descending suddenly into the mortal world.

Every movement carried a sacred brilliance.

Yet if one looked more closely at his expression, the corners of his mouth were faintly lifted, carrying a trace of alluring, almost devilish charm.

Ahhh!

He was just too good-looking.

Ling Qiong’s heart pounding, she opened the card pool. The moment she saw her balance, her entire mood went ice-cold, and she silently closed it again.

Then she flipped over and sat up.

The Ink Snake lifted its head to glance at her, then lay back down and played with its tongue.

Ling Qiong slid off the Ink Snake and sat down beside Lou Xingluo.

He was already awake by the time she approached.

Only after she sat down did he open his eyes to look at her.

The girl leaned over naturally and lowered her voice. “Lou Xingluo, I have a plan.”

Her voice was soft and sweet, and her warm breath brushed his skin, sending little waves of heat over it.

Lou Xingluo pulled back slightly and asked cautiously, “What plan?”

He had a rather bad feeling about this.

The girl curved her eyes and smiled, looking just like a sly little fox.

…

Vast Sky City stood roughly in the center of the continent.

Over the years, the city’s power had continued to expand, and its walls had stretched farther and farther outward. Seen from above, it was quite a sight to behold.

The Lou residence sat in the very center like the jewel in a crown, the highest point in the whole city.

A carriage rolled in along the broad stone-paved avenue, its wheels leaving two faint tracks behind.

A gate disciple ran over. “Second Young Master, you’re back.”

The carriage door opened, and a young man jumped down. He had red lips, white teeth, and a proper, handsome face.

But his expression was unpleasant, his gaze vicious. The moment he landed, he kicked the gate disciple. “What did you call me?”

The disciple was kicked to the ground and hurriedly scrambled up to kneel. “Y-young city lord.”

In the Lou family, the former young city lord had not been favored, and he rarely handled anything. He came and went without a trace, and people seldom even saw him.

This one, however, was not someone easy to provoke.

But that was what happened when someone was favored.

Not to mention that the former young city lord had already been stripped of his position some time ago.

The current young city lord was Second Young Master Lou Lingyu.

People had been calling him that for so many years that it had become second nature, and sometimes they could not help making a mistake.

Lou Lingyu had a bad temper. Every time he heard it, a punishment was considered light.

If luck was especially bad and he happened to be in a foul mood, one might not even keep one’s life.

The gate disciple felt that he was doomed.

But Lou Lingyu only gave a cold snort. “Go receive your punishment yourself.”

The disciple sighed in relief and bowed his head in acknowledgment.

Lou Lingyu was about to enter the manor when a clear, ethereal voice suddenly called from behind him.

“Second Young Master Lou!”

He had only just been called Second Young Master by the gate disciple, and his temper had not yet cooled.

Now someone else was calling him Second Young Master Lou, and his anger flared instantly. He turned back furiously to see which fool was so eager to die.

Not far away stood a girl in a crimson dress, obedient and graceful, a faint smile curving her exquisitely beautiful face.

Lou Lingyu narrowed his eyes and sized her up several times.

“You called me?”

The girl nodded obediently.

Lou Lingyu’s expression turned ugly. “What do you want? Trying to throw yourself at my bed?”

He had seen this sort of person before. They came up eagerly, all for the chance to soar to the top overnight.

And now they had even dared to come to the doorstep.

A question mark slowly rose over Ling Qiong’s head.

Dream on.

You think you’re worthy of me throwing myself at your bed?

Ling Qiong could not help herself and rolled her eyes outright. Afterward, she forced out a polite smile. “I want to talk to you about something.”

Lou Lingyu said impatiently, “I’m not in the mood today to listen to your nonsense. If you don’t want to die, get lost right now—”

“Is Lou Xingluo nonsense too?”

“……”

Lou Lingyu strode over in a few steps and reached out as though to grab Ling Qiong by the throat.

Before his fingers could touch her, a folding fan pressed against his hand. Its owner smiled faintly. “If you’re going to talk, just talk. Don’t lay hands on people. That’s very rude.”

Lou Lingyu felt the fan pressing down on his wrist, as though it weighed a thousand pounds.

His wrist sank and his body took a half-step back, creating distance.

Snap.

The girl opened the folding fan and idly waved it, smiling at him with a look that was both amused and not.

“Well now, Second Young Master Lou, do you want to talk to me?”

Lou Lingyu clutched his wrist, suspicion rising in his eyes.

This little girl…

Why was her strength so great?

“You just mentioned Lou Xingluo?”

“Mhm.”

Lou Lingyu’s gaze darkened. “You know where he is?”

Ling Qiong turned her head and looked around. “You want to discuss this here?”

This was the front gate of the Lou residence, and people were coming and going from time to time. It was certainly not a good place for a conversation.

After a brief thought, Lou Lingyu said in a deep voice, “Follow me.”

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