"Xiao Yan, compared to that useless senior brother of yours, you do have some redeeming qualities. You are not as useless as he is, at least you have a strong capability to withstand setbacks. But forget about Xun Er, she and I..."
"Xiao Yan, you should know what I am talking about. Xun Er has already become accustomed to me; she can't leave me now," Xu Ran said with a wicked smile, whispering into Xiao Yan's ear.
It is like a worker using a tool, once they become accustomed to it, as long as it doesn't have any major issues, they are unlikely to change it.
And Xun Er had long been used to Xu Ran; without him, they would even feel an empty void in their bodies, a profound emptiness.
It can be said that, both rationally and emotionally, Xun Er had already become inseparable from Xu Ran.
Xiao Yan now had no chips to compete with Xu Ran.
"However, I still have to thank you. If it weren't for you, getting Xun Er would have required some despicable means. Otherwise, there would have been no chance. Xun Er isn't someone who would cling to power and prestige."
Among the Xiao Family's Three Daughters, Xiao Mei was the most thoughtful. Naturally admiring the strong, she hoped to follow a powerful figure. Thus, after Xiao Yan's decline, Xiao Mei left him. Although not as obvious as Xiao Mei, Xiao Yu also had a penchant for strength in her bones.
Xun Er was born into the Gu Clan, her status naturally noble; the other half of her lineage was a bonus to her, not a necessity.
Once Xun Er was devoted to someone, she would not mind their status or position, not even their talent. Like meant like, a pure fondness. This was also what Xu Ran admired most about Xun Er.
In the original story, Xun Er was just so, becoming Xiao Yan's wise and virtuous helper. Even when Xiao Yan was still weak, she always stayed by his side, never leaving him.
But now, Xun Er belonged to him, her heart hung up on him.
"Xu Ran, I will take back Xun Er."
"Oh? I hope you can do it quickly, or else I can't guarantee when Xun Er might carry my child. With Xun Er and I in such an intimate relationship, we might hit the jackpot any moment," Xu Ran said teasingly, kicking Xiao Yan over ten meters away.
"Furthermore, you are not even worthy of standing at the same height to talk to me. Even your senior brother is just one of my dogs; you're not much better than him."
"Xu Ran!!!"
"You're ruthless!"
Thanks to the legacy of Yao Lao, Xiao Yan's strength had grown beyond comparison. Even so, he was still kicked hard by Xu Ran, causing him severe pain and substantial internal injuries.
Xiao Yan clenched his fists tightly; he was furious but no longer as impulsive as before.
He constantly remembered the advice Yao Lao had given him.
The Soul Hall was teeming with experts, and even the few strong ones that Xu Ran had killed were just part of its vast power.
This time Xu Ran had slain a Dou Sheng, and in the days to come, the Soul Hall would surely deploy even more powerful Dou Sheng to deal with Xu Ran. Even the Lord of the Soul Hall might take action; he didn't believe Xu Ran could keep being so strong forever.
Xu Ran was but one person, whereas the Soul Hall was a formidable power.
However strong an individual might be, could he really handle countless experts at the same time and not be at a disadvantage?
"Canaan Academy is nothing but Xu Ran's lapdog. That academy is not worth staying at."
"Zhongzhou..."
"When I come back next time, I will have changed beyond recognition, and everyone at Canaan Academy will be beneath my feet."
Xiao Yan dragged his despondent figure away, his silhouette appearing exceptionally lonely.
...
"Xun Er?"
At the door, Xun Er was wearing the Canaan Academy's student uniform, a blue, brown, and white plaid skirt, with a pair of black over-the-knee socks. The delicate skin of her thighs, pale with a hint of pink, peeked out between the over-the-knee socks and skirt, making her look irresistibly attractive.
Her long black hair, as smooth as spilled ink, cascaded down her back.
Under the setting sun, Xun Er was bathed in a golden glow. At that moment, she looked like a beauty stepped straight out of a manga.
With her long straight black hair and her gentle, endearing personality, who wouldn't fall in love?
"Brother Xu Ran, you still haven't had your fill of looking?"
Xun Er crossed her legs daintily and folded her arms bashfully in front of her, shyly lowering her head under Xu Ran's gaze, yet unable to resist occasionally lifting her eyes to gauge his reaction.
It was quite a long while before Xun Er finally couldn't help but break the peaceful air.
"How could I ever get enough? My Xun Er is so beautiful, I could look at you for a lifetime and it wouldn't be enough. Just now, you really did look like the female lead from an anime," Xu Ran said as he embraced her from behind, his hands wrapping directly around her slender waist. Xun Er's waist was so fine that he could distinctly feel the bones of her pelvis.
Even though her figure was delicate, Xun Er's physique left nothing to be desired, and visually, it was flawless.
"Brother Xu Ran always knows how to make me happy."
"By the way, Brother Xu Ran, about Han Feng, and Xiao Yan..." Xun Er was very curious.
"Decades ago, in Zhongzhou, there was an exceptionally talented alchemist named Yao Chen. Han Feng was Yao Chen's disciple, and so was Xiao Yan..." Xu Ran explained the story of Yao Chen and Xiao Yan to Xun Er without a hint of impatience.
"So that was the reason for Xiao Yan's lost talents. Yao Lao's spirit was in a deep slumber and needed energy, so all the Dou Qi Xiao Yan cultivated over those years was absorbed by Yao Chen. After Yao Chen awoke, Xiao Yan's talents naturally returned. Moreover, Xiao Yan obtained a mentor who is an Eighth-grade Pharmacist, making his cultivation speed even faster than before."
It dawned on Xun Er, and she finally understood the root of all those past events.
So it turned out that everything was caused by Yao Chen; there was never anything wrong with Xiao Yan's body.
"I did deceive you back then; now you know all about it. It was, in fact, my trick on Xiao Yan that brought you to my side. Do you regret being with me now?" Xu Ran said with a smile.
"Not at all!"
"My heart only has Brother Xu Ran. Even though Brother Xu Ran deceived me, it was for my own good. If it weren't for Brother Xu Ran, I would have been with Xiao Yan, and I definitely wouldn't want to be with that person. Besides, I now belong to Brother Xu Ran in every way; I have no feelings for Xiao Yan anymore," Xun Er said, her black eyes fixing seriously on Xu Ran.
From the moment she and Xu Ran became intimate, she had determined that he would be her husband. Even if Xu Ran made a grave mistake, she could forgive him. There was absolutely no way she could love another after being with Xu Ran.
As for Xiao Yan, she had grown to detest him completely.
Back in Wu Tan City, she had been too naive, unaware of how shameless and irritating Xiao Yan could be. Had she known what kind of person Xiao Yan was then, she certainly wouldn't have felt any affection for him.