Chapter 172: The Bootlicking Immortal Lord Who Wants to Live Off a Woman (38)

Ning Cui asked with a dark expression, “You did that on purpose.”

It wasn’t a question—it was a statement.

Wang Gang gave her an awkward smile. “Senior Sister, you saw through it, huh.”

Ning Cui smacked him hard on the head. “Nonsense!”

Wang Gang rubbed the sore spot. “Oww, Senior Sister, what were we supposed to do, just stand there like statues? Just give Little Junior Brother a chance. Look how perfect they are together!”

“Perfect? Perfect my ass!” Ning Cui chased after him, fists flying.

Seeing things take a turn for the worse, Wang Gang quickly bolted, shouting as he ran, “Blocking someone’s love life will get you kicked by a horse, Senior Sister! Don’t do this!”

Ning Cui fumed, “I’m not blocking anything! I’m saving him!”

“What do you mean by that?” Wang Gang came to a sudden stop and turned—only to have Ning Cui crash right into his chest.

“Why’d you stop so suddenly?!” Ning Cui grumbled, rubbing her forehead.

As she looked up, their eyes met. Their faces were barely an inch apart—so close they could hear each other’s breathing.

In an instant, both their faces turned bright red, and they leapt apart like startled cats.

“S-Senior Sister, w-what did you mean just now?” Wang Gang clutched his wildly beating heart, quickly trying to change the subject.

Ning Cui turned her head to avoid looking at him, then stammered, “From what I’ve observed, the A-Ancestral Master… he also likes Senior Sister…”

Wang Gang: “!!!”

“Don’t lie to me!”

Ning Cui spun back around. “Why would I lie about something like this?!”

Wang Gang slapped his forehead with a sigh. “Then Senior Sister must really be something.”

Ning Cui scoffed, “You think you’re helping Little Junior Brother, but you’re actually hurting him. Trying to compete with the Ancestral Master? He must have a death wish…”

Wang Gang protested, “Senior Sister, that’s not fair. Little Junior Brother is such a good guy—sweet, gentle, and thoughtful. You like him too! And when it comes to love, it’s not just about status. Just because the Ancestral Master is powerful doesn’t mean he’ll win.”

Ning Cui curled her lip. “No matter how good he is, he’s still no match for the Ancestral Master. The Ancestral Master treats Senior Sister so well—he’s given her so many amazing gifts, and his attitude? Don’t even get me started. He’s like a completely different person around her. How do you know Senior Sister doesn’t like him back?”

That fleeting moment of heart-pounding emotion between them vanished like smoke in the wind—completely gone.

“No, Little Junior Brother is still a better match. Senior Sister wouldn’t feel any pressure being with him.”

“Pfft, the Ancestral Master is better. If she’s with him, who would dare pressure her?”

“Junior Brother’s better.”

“Ancestral Master’s better.”

“…”

“Hmph~”

After arguing for ages, neither could convince the other. They turned away, arms crossed, refusing to look at each other, acting like they’d never speak again.

This was a showdown between two diehard stans.

Neither one was willing to back down first.

After a while, Ning Cui dusted off her clothes and walked off in another direction. She had to find Senior Sister quickly and stop Little Junior Brother’s devious plot.

Wang Gang immediately called out, “Senior Sister, where are you going?”

Ning Cui rolled her eyes at him. “To find Senior Sister.”

Wang Gang said, “Wait up, I’m coming with you.”

Ning Cui looked at him in disgust. “Don’t follow me.”

“No can do. I promised Little Junior Brother I wouldn’t let anyone mess things up.”

“You think you can stop me?”

“…”

Bickering all the way, the two of them headed down the only remaining path ahead.

*

Shen Xiuyan held Su Mingyue’s hand with a cheerful smile, clearly in an excellent mood.

Suddenly, he pointed to a spot ahead. “Senior Sister, I think we’ve found the way out.”

In the direction he pointed, they could vaguely see flowers, trees, and grass beyond.

Su Mingyue quickly tugged him toward it. “Let’s go, then!”

Feeling the strength in her grip, Shen Xiuyan couldn’t help but smile. He looked down at their hands, still tightly clasped.

How wonderful.

When the two of them finally stepped out, they found themselves among the pavilions and towers behind the Misty Area.

Just moments ago, the buildings had seemed far away, barely visible in the distance. Yet after only a few steps, they were suddenly right in front of them.

A pleasant male voice called out from nearby, “Junior Sister Mingyue.”

Su Mingyue looked over—it was Chu Suxing.

She nodded in greeting. “Senior Brother.”

Chu Suxing smiled, his tone filled with familiar warmth.

“I remember you were supposed to depart later. I didn’t expect you to arrive here so quickly. Were you hurt at all?”

He had been part of the first group to set out and had struggled through a tough journey to reach this place.

He hadn’t expected Junior Sister Su to arrive so fast. Maybe Elder Su had given her some kind of Magic Treasure? If so, teaming up with her would definitely be to his advantage.

But to his surprise, Su Mingyue shook her head. “No injuries. It wasn’t far. We just passed through the Stone Array at the entrance and ended up here.”

Chu Suxing’s smile froze. “…”

“That easy?” He looked incredulous.

“Yep, just that easy,” Shen Xiuyan replied flatly, clearly annoyed by the way Chu Suxing was looking at Mingyue.

Please. With him around, how could he let his wife go through the same dumb challenges as the rest of them?

Sure, he didn’t know exactly what was inside this Ancient Secret Realm, but if anyone knew the fastest way through, it was him.

All it took was a little spiritual sense to scout ahead—finding a path was child’s play.

Not to mention, he had to keep an eye on Wang Gang and the others too.

Chu Suxing gave a bitter smile. “Junior Sister’s luck really is something. We took nearly two hours to get here, and someone even got injured along the way.”

Even though Shen Xiuyan was the one who spoke, Chu Suxing continued addressing Su Mingyue, clearly choosing to pretend Shen Xiuyan didn’t exist.

Su Mingyue asked, “Someone got hurt? Who was it? Do you have any medicine?”

“We’ve got medicine. It was Mei Lan—she’s resting over there now.” Chu Suxing pointed.

From that direction, the sound of a heated argument could be heard.

“You did it on purpose! I dodged just now, but you pushed me back!”

“Why are you slandering me like this? I didn’t do anything.”

“You know perfectly well whether you did or not.”

Seeing the tension, the other three hurried over. Chu Suxing frowned. “What’s going on?”

Mei Lan shot him a glare. “Ask your precious little junior sister. If it weren’t for her, how would I have gotten hurt?”

Ruan Xi’er’s eyes brimmed with tears. “Senior Brother, I didn’t! I was right beside you the whole time—you saw everything I did. How could I possibly dare?”

Mei Lan scoffed. “Hah, what wouldn’t you dare? Who can keep an eye on you every second?”

Ruan Xi’er clutched Chu Suxing’s sleeve. “You have to believe me! It was her—it’s all her! She’s jealous of me because you treat me well. That’s why she tried to frame me, to make you hate me!”

Mei Lan stood up with a cold snort. “Are you out of your mind? What would I be jealous of? And Chu Suxing, you’re the one who came to us asking to team up. What’s the meaning of this now?”

Chu Suxing quickly tried to smooth things over. “Sorry, sorry, it’s all Xi’er’s fault.”

Ruan Xi’er looked at him in disbelief. “Senior Brother…”