A warm smile.
“Treating her properly is truly kind and obviously appropriate. Chen Youde did it for the Wang family, and also for Miss Yuan Yuan. Though he came from a servant background, he has long understood the warmth and coldness of the human world. Chen Youde is quite considerate and will never mistreat Miss Yuan Yuan. As for Lan Shaoxin’s intentions…”
The old man spoke slowly, and after a long pause continued, “You probably don’t understand? Many things, you only know after trying. Without trying, how can you know whether they exist or not?”
After speaking, he looked at Yuan Di and said, “Yuan Yuan, go and serve the steward well.”
Hearing Wang Sandong’s lazy tone, Yuan Di’s fingers trembled a little.
After repeatedly confirming in her heart that killing Wang Sandong would not be worth the loss, she obediently agreed.
Chen Youde sighed, cupped his hands and said, “Since Third Young Master insists… this old servant thanks the young master for the reward.”
“Mm-hmm, you may leave.”
Wang Sandong closed his eyes and ignored the two.
Recalling Chen Youde’s days in the Wang family from memory, calling him “diligent and conscientious” was not an exaggeration. He handled all the affairs of the mansion, big and small. Although he was not a member of the Wang family, the Wang family never treated him as an outsider.
Some of the younger generation would even affectionately call him “Grandpa De.”
Unfortunately, Chen Youde planned to use Wang Sandong for artifact forging.
Sigh…
Wang Sandong sighed, feeling a little down.
She couldn’t figure it out.
‘Can’t everyone just live well, be at peace, and not harm others? Is that too much to ask?’
Recalling those who had died by her hand since she started practicing “Return to Heaven,” Wang Sandong felt a tightness in her chest and even some anger.
‘Clearly, you wanted to harm me but ended up being killed by me instead. How did I end up becoming the most heinous villain?’
“Young Master?”
Wang Tong stood beside Wang Sandong and called softly.
“It’s late. Go back to your room and rest.”
“Mm.”
Wang Sandong still had his eyes closed and replied casually.
Before they knew it, night had fallen.
What were Chen Youde and Yuan Di doing now?
Was it a precious moment of spring night, or shadows of knives within the bed curtains?
Chen Youde was skilled in artifact forging, not in combat.
He shouldn’t be a match for Yuan Di.
If everything went smoothly, Yuan Yuan should have returned by now.
Could Chen Youde have turned the tables and killed Yuan Di?
It was hard to say.
There was still no sign of them; it didn’t seem to be going well.
When Chen Youde left, his gaze seemed somewhat complicated.
Could it be that he already knew Yuan Di’s identity?
That today he was just playing along and ultimately succeeded in killing Yuan Di?
Sigh…
Whatever.
Neither of them was a good person.
They were probably both waiting for the “right moment.”
Just like a pig farmer waits until the pig is fat before slaughtering it.
So, it was just dogs biting dogs.
Who lost and who won didn’t matter.
Of course, it would be best if Chen Youde lost.
Wang Sandong was very wary of the renowned Ghost Axe’s artifact forging abilities.
It was deep into the quiet night, and Yuan Di still hadn’t returned.
Wang Sandong reminisced for a while about Yuan Di’s voice and appearance.
Just as she was about to sleep, Yuan Di finally came back, bringing the unconscious Chen Youde.
It seemed things were ominous.
Looking at Yuan Di, Wang Sandong was extremely surprised.
Yuan Di’s hair was disheveled, her garments were in disarray, and her face was flushed red.
She looked very disheveled, as if she had been forcefully pushed around.
“What are you staring at! Hurry up!”
Yuan Di urged, sat down on a soft chair nearby, closed her eyes, and slowly adjusted her breathing.
A layer of demonic qi floated on her skin, occasionally rippling like water, indicating that her aura was very unstable.
Wang Sandong shifted his gaze away from Yuan Di and noticed Chen Youde’s eyelids twitching, as if he was about to wake up.
She didn’t dare hesitate and directly used “Soul Snatching.”
A tidal wave of memories surged in, and all kinds of artifact forging knowledge was instantly claimed by Wang Sandong.
So, during Ghost Axe’s years of seclusion in the Wang family, he had been compiling “Ghost Axe Techniques”–a monumental work recording Ghost Axe’s artifact forging insights.
Unfortunately, “Ghost Axe Techniques” was not yet complete before Ghost Axe kicked the bucket.
The old man’s artifact forging skills were excellent, but his combat abilities were simply too poor.
Even with all his scheming, he ultimately couldn’t defeat Yuan Di, who was no longer at her peak.
But…
Looking at Yuan Di, who was breathing with closed eyes, Wang Sandong had a bold idea.
At this moment, Yuan Di had been severely wounded by Ghost Axe’s Tianjue Flower poison, like a lamb waiting to be slaughtered.
If he attacked with “Soul Snatching,” she should have no power to resist.
Strike while the iron is hot!
Take her life!
Wang Sandong actually used “Soul Snatching” again without hesitation.
A black figure identical to her own appearance floated in midair, came before Yuan Di, and fiercely struck.
The black hand reached straight for Yuan Di’s chest.
“You little beast!”
Yuan Di suddenly opened her eyes and cursed while chopping at the figure’s arm with a hand blade.
The hand blade even revealed a blade glow.
The blade glow, condensed from demonic qi, carried a chilling murderous intent.
Wang Sandong was greatly alarmed.
She had never imagined that after being poisoned by Tianjue Flower, Yuan Di could not only fight back but also perform “Soul Severing Slash”–a technique that was exactly the bane of “Soul Snatching.”
Regretting the rashness was too late.
She had to burn his bridges!
Wang Sandong did not retreat; instead, she desperately tried to thrust the figure’s arm into Yuan Di’s chest before it was cut off by “Soul Severing Slash.”
Unfortunately, the gap in strength was too great.
Although Wang Sandong reacted quickly, his speed was still much slower.
Both arms of the black figure were directly severed by “Soul Severing Slash.”
Wang Sandong stared in shock, mouth wide open.
She felt as if his own arms had been cut off.
The heart-wrenching pain made her want to scream, but no sound came out.
Then, her beautiful eyes rolled back, and she fainted directly.
This increasingly frail body of hers simply couldn’t withstand such intense pain.
When she woke up again, it was already the afternoon of the next day.
She had slept well and felt in good spirits.
She stretched happily, opened her eyes, and saw Yuan Di sitting by the window reading a book.
“Why are you in my room?”
Yuan Di’s gaze shifted from the book to Wang Sandong’s pretty face, the corners of her mouth lifting into a faint smile.
Then, her expression froze.
She realized that her good mood was because Wang Sandong was in a good mood.
“Good morning, Yuan Yuan.”
Wang Sandong closed his eyes again and said lazily, “Last night I had a dream, dreamed that I ambushed you…”
The empathy of “Soul Hooking” was truly impossible to guard against.
Wang Sandong kept his eyes closed, a smile on his face, her voice growing softer, but his expression turning uglier.
The smile didn’t disappear–it transferred to Yuan Di’s face.
Yuan Di smiled and said, “In broad daylight, stop dreaming.”
Wang Sandong opened his eyes to look at Yuan Di, then sat up.
“Tsk, I’m hungry. Wang Tong, prepare for washing up.”
With that, she got out of bed, without even looking at Yuan Di, and walked straight out.
The midsummer afternoon was still hot and sultry.
Cicadas chirped tirelessly in the woods.
The sky was cloudless, deep and blue.
A carriage was parked in Anzhi Courtyard.
The carriage was pulled by two Treading Cloud beasts with horns on their heads.
These horses looked nice, but were all show and no use.
Basically no one would use them to pull a carriage, because they couldn’t run at all, and they were also somewhat stupid and slow to react.
The carriage compartment was lined with cloud cotton, soft and fluffy, sitting in it felt like being on clouds.
Wang Jinghong patted the carriage and said, “Give it a try? As long as you like it. And that soft chair.”
Wang Sandong climbed in and tried it, and her whole body sank into it.
“Ha! Very nice. This sofa is good.”
“Sofa?”
Wang Yunteng asked, “This kind of soft chair is called a sofa?”
Wang Sandong laughed and said, “You misheard. I said comfortable, not sofa.”
Wang Yunteng looked doubtful, but didn’t press it, and asked again, “Brother Hong, is this thing expensive?”
“Money is a small matter,” Wang Jinghong said.
“The main thing is that cloud cotton is hard to find. I got this much in total, made a soft chair for Sandong, lined the carriage, and there’s none left.”
Wang Yunteng was a little disappointed.
He was thinking of making a similar soft chair for his father, Wang Zhongxin.
His father had been having back pain lately; sitting in such a soft chair would surely be more comfortable.
“If I get more later, I’ll give you some,” Wang Jinghong said.
Wang Yunteng smiled and agreed, then began browsing the other items sent from the New Capital.
Besides the carriage and soft chair, there were also heavenly silk garments for Wang Sandong’s wife, Barbarian Wasteland fruits, and various snacks that Wang Sandong liked to eat.
The items were varied, some expensive, some cheap, but all were carefully selected.
Wang Sandong picked up a garment and found it was as light as nothing, overall lustrous and translucent, emitting a faint soft glow.
When the wind blew, it gently rippled.
Touching it with fingertips, it was cool, smooth, soft, like clouds, like morning mist, semi-transparent and half-covered, faintly visible.
“So transparent…”
Wang Sandong hesitated, “Isn’t it too… worldly?”
She believed that Zheng Xiao would definitely not wear such a garment.
Or could she “reward” it to Miss Yuan Yuan?
Better forget it.
Last night’s failed scheme; provoking her again would be asking for death.
Wang Jinghong was about to reply when he suddenly heard a loud noise.
The sound came from the direction of Steward Chen Youde.
Following the loud noise, a plume of smoke rose into the sky.
“Not good!”
Wang Jinghong’s expression turned stern, and with a “Skywalk” technique, he leaped into the air and swiftly dashed toward the source of the sound.
“Yunteng, protect Third Brother!”
“What’s happening?” Wang Yunteng said, “It seems like something exploded.”
“Brother Teng, you should also go take a look,” Wang Sandong said.
“No need, I’ll protect you.”
“What’s there to protect me from?”
Wang Sandong said self-deprecatingly.
“I’m just a sickly person, harmless to humans and beasts.”
This remark was only half the story, but the meaning was self-evident–no one would be interested in harming a worthless burden.
Hearing this, Wang Yunteng also thought it made sense.
“Then… I’ll be back soon.”
With that, he hurried away.
Wang Sandong sat lazily on the cloud cotton soft chair, closing his eyes to rest.
After a moment, Yuan Di came over and stood beside her, asking:
“Aren’t you curious?”
“You’re curious about why I’m not curious?”
Wang Sandong asked back with closed eyes.
Yuan Di glanced at her, raised an eyebrow slightly, and actually felt a sense of frustration.
She felt that Wang Sandong’s “master of wisdom” expression was particularly asking for a beating, and she wanted to slap that little face swollen.
Then she thought of Wang Sandong’s foolish attempt to smash an egg against a rock the night before, and her mood improved a little.
But…
She still had to ask.
“Do you know the reason for the explosion?”
“Roughly know,” Wang Sandong smiled.
“The reason is?”
Hearing this, Yuan Di gritted her teeth and clenched her fists.
Demonic qi flowed within her, and she almost kicked Wang Sandong, chair and all, flying.
“Forget it, I won’t say. Tired, I’ll sleep a bit.”