Chapter 36: Offense

Some hearts are vast enough to hold the entire world, while others are narrow, capable of holding only themselves.

Xu Yuan never believed himself to be of the first kind, nor did he think himself of the latter. His heart was neither vast nor small—it was just large enough to hold the people most important to him.

He was merely an ordinary man.

To repay kindness with kindness, to avenge wrongs with justice, and never to turn enemy’s grievances into personal gain—this was about as far as he went.

If one were to discard the divine perspective of knowing that the world was fated to descend into chaos, perhaps Xu Xinyao’s actions might have been understandable to Xu Yuan.

Her words were not empty promises; she lived them, tirelessly striving to fulfill her own convictions.

Yet her final choice was, without a doubt, a betrayal of gratitude turned into vengeance.

Were the ending to see her, when both father and elder brother had perished, choose to end her life decisively as an act of recompense for their care, then perhaps Xu Yuan’s earlier indifference—or even his resentment—toward her would vanish.

But she did not.

She remained burdened by guilt, and instead, lived out a happy, contented life alongside the main characters.

Therefore, there was no sensation.

...

...

"Third Prince... Third Prince? Third Prince!"

"......"

The voice coming from beside him pulled Xu Yuan gently back from his thoughts. He turned his gaze, and there stood Zhou Chen smiling warmly at him.

"Your complexion seems rather pale... Are you thinking about what happened a moment ago?"

The eldest prince had specifically instructed them to keep an eye on the third prince.

Originally a man of fierce and volatile temperament, the third prince had turned visibly displeased after killing someone who had insulted him—this detail was indeed thought-provoking.

"What happened a moment ago?"

Xu Yuan glanced at him, just as several guards carried a stretcher wrapped in white cloth out of the previous chamber, their steps halting briefly as they cast a fearful glance his way.

Xue Yong appeared to be dead.

Though he hadn't issued a direct order, the outcome was inevitable.

The first time he had ordered someone killed, his mind felt unsettled.

Yet Xu Yuan merely shrugged lightly:

"Perhaps so. When you mentioned that woman, it reminded me of some old memories."

With that, he said no more, shifting his gaze toward the young lady performing on the stage within the main hall.

While he was lost in thought, the dancer had already changed.

Now, a pair of striking twin sisters took the stage, their faces remarkably similar.

Perhaps due to the artistic design of "Cangyuan," the ancient attire in this world carried a faintly ethereal, otherworldly quality.

Both women wore pink bodices and high-slit long skirts, their slender waists and jade-like legs veiled by drifting, ethereal sleeves.

They possessed a seductive allure that was calculated to perfection.

Noticing Xu Yuan’s gaze, Zhou Chen suddenly let out a low, knowing chuckle.

"Third Master, has your health finally recovered?"

"Yes," Xu Yuan replied, offering no denial.

Given the severity of the latent visceral ailments he had previously sensed, Xu Yuan had originally assumed it would take at least a year or two of meticulous recuperation, yet it had taken less than a month.

It might have been due to the Blood Core Meteor Cultivation, or perhaps because of his current physical constitution.

Hearing this, Zhou Chen grinned, bringing his wine gourd a little closer as he lowered his voice.

"Third Master, those two sisters, Ziye and Zihua, are masters of their craft. I watch them dance here every day—the elder sister's waist, the younger sister's legs, tsk tsk... Though they are a bit pricey, they are absolutely worth every coin."

"What do you say, Third Master? Shall we call them up to our room?"

"......."

Xu Yuan furrowed his brow, staring at Zhou Chen with a mixture of disbelief and quiet irritation.

Sure, they were close, familiar—spontaneous, unguarded—but even a master of such prowess was pushing the boundaries of decency.

The top floor of Zui Xian Pavilion, once booked, came with a host of beautiful, delicate maids—indeed, they could summon the courtesans from the lower chambers.

Yet summoning those courtesans from the private rooms came with an extra fee.

And as in typical novels, the courtesans residing on floors nine through eleven had a certain degree of autonomy—Zui Xian Pavilion would always respect their preferences.

But given Xu Yuan’s status, those preferences became mere afterthoughts.

Ordinary princes or noble sons might do such things, but most refrained—fearing reputational damage.

Yet did Xu Yuan, Xuan Changtian, need to tarnish his name?

Not even the courtesans from the lower floors, nor the refined, elderly madam who still retained her charm, would be summoned—there was no room for negotiation.

It's all just about paying more money, isn't it?

Steal a bit more of the family's calligraphy, antiques, and take them out to buy—after all, the study room at home still has a pile of drafts left over from your old father's days of practicing calligraphy.

The handwriting of the Prime Minister's manuscripts is a prized commodity in the world of calligraphy—wealthy merchants and officials who merely pretend to appreciate art all covet such things.

Smiling faintly, Xu Yuan exhaled softly:

"Mr. Zhou, I've already told you—I don't want to be on the same path as you."

Zhou Chen clearly felt disappointed, chewed his lip, and murmured quietly:

"Then if we're not allies, can I still find a backdoor way in?"

"........" Xu Yuan.

Seeing the subtle twitch in Xu Yuan's eye corner, Zhou Chen cleared his throat, his gaze playful and mischievous:

"Hmm, Third Prince, are you planning on staying celibate forever and becoming some ascetic monk? Seriously, that doesn't sound like you at all~"

"A rigorous cultivation path?"

Xu Yuan murmured softly, then lowered his gaze to his own hands. He said nothing, instead quietly asking:

"Mr. Zhou, may I inquire about your innate cultivation aptitude?"

"Oh?"

Zhou Chen seemed utterly surprised that Xu Yuan would suddenly ask such a question. After a brief pause, he replied:

"One hundred and twenty-seven meridians—by birth, I've naturally opened ninety-six. My spirit essence is also of the upper tier."

Saying this, he ran a finger over his beard, then grinned:

"Perhaps I can be considered a true prodigy."

"So it seems, Mr. Zhou is indeed a prodigy."

"Hehe, well, that's alright," Zhou Chen waved his hand, smiling cheerfully.

Xu Yuan did not smile. He quietly offered a single praise, then fixed his gaze on Zhou Chen's smile and suddenly asked:

"If you dare call yourself a genius, then Master Zhou—has your cultivation made any progress lately?"

"..." Zhou Chen.

A stare. A silence.

If Zhou Chen were truly stuck at a dead end, unable to advance even an inch, then Xu Yuan's words would amount to nothing short of open mockery.

"..."

And indeed, as soon as Xu Yuan spoke, the cheerfulness on Zhou Chen's face began to stiffen, then fade away.

Clearly,

Zhou Chen's cultivation had truly hit a bottleneck—and he had been struggling with it for a long time.

Zhou Chen's originally lazy gaze grew increasingly meaningful as the third prince's mockery seeped in.

Xu Yuan's eyes gradually hardened, locking onto his.

They stared at each other for a long while, before Xu Yuan finally spoke:

"Zhou Chen, you have no need to look at me like that. Having reached this point, you must not be someone naturally idle—yet now you spend your days indulging in unchecked abandon. It's not difficult to deduce that you're stuck at a bottleneck, unable to move forward."

Xu Yuan had never before directly called Zhou Chen by name.

As he spoke, the long, narrow slits of his eyes slowly narrowed:

"I've spent over two months with Ran Qingmo—she has been training without cease, every moment of every day."

"Zhou Chen, I'm actually quite curious."

Just the right amount of irony shimmered in Xu Yuan's eyes—curiosity, dressed in mockery.

If you could cultivate without bottlenecks like Ran Qingmo, would you still indulge yourself as recklessly as you do now?

As the words fell,

Zhou Chen understood Xu Yuan's meaning and fell into silence.

The lively clamor echoed below, while the top floor remained cold and still.

Xu Yuan stared into Zhou Chen's eyes, enunciating each word:

Zhou Chen, answer me.

.......

Zhou Chen's eyes flickered for a moment before he lowered his gaze, bowing slightly with hands clasped:

Third Young Master, just now, this subordinate was out of line.