Chapter 39: Possible Existence

Rui Jiang, this woman, Xu Yuan had long suspected might possess some cultivation power.

It was clearly unrealistic for a mere woman to sustain such a grand establishment as Zui Xian Lou.

Now, looking at her closely, it was evident—she was indeed a master.

The reason why the original body could barely endure three strikes under her control had finally been revealed.

Most likely, at that moment, Rui Jiang had activated a dual-path cultivation technique.

Unfair.

With her neck firmly constricted, Rui Jiang could not respond to Xu Yuan's words.

Staring at her pale, wan face for a few seconds, Xu Yuan gently raised a hand in signal.

At that moment, Zhou Da Zongshi also showed great courtesy, releasing her immediately, giving her a deep, lingering glance before slowly stepping back and standing behind Xu Yuan, eyes lowered.

Unlike other cultivators who preferred to display airs of superiority, Zhou Chen had risen from the very bottom, step by step.

The Great Master, it can be done.

But when it comes to playing the underling, he's also a professional.

A tranquil garden alley, with green tiles and blue tiles, silent and still. Right now, the smooth wall has been slightly dented by the delicate form of Yue Meng.

Once Zhou Chen released his grip, Yue Meng immediately collapsed, lifeless and weak, her pale face making her appear pitifully vulnerable.

Xu Yuan, seeing this, felt a flicker of surprise, glancing sideways at Zhou Chen.

Did you really strike so hard?

Zhou Chen shook his head helplessly.

Just now, Yue Meng had only intended to suddenly appear and intercept the Third Prince, giving him a warning.

She hadn't made any actual attack, so Zhou Chen had only responded with a similar display of intimidation.

Xu Yuan understood immediately, turned his gaze back to Yue Meng, and a hint of amusement flickered in his eyes.

No wonder it was the land of fireworks, where only the strong survive—these women, refined by the tide, could even act with such authenticity.

"Miss Yue, what is this suffering for?"

Yue lowered her gaze, gently pressing her lips together, then lifted her eyes—already shimmering with a trace of sorrow:

"Master San, if only this Zhui Xian Pavilion were my own property, and you wished it, I would gladly give it to you... But the rules were set by Mr. Qin, and I can only follow them."

"Mr. Qin?"

The unfamiliar name stirred a whisper from Xu Yuan.

Though Xu Changtian ruled with unbridled arrogance, in such a place as the land of fireworks, he remained generous.

Jealousy and rivalry were common, yet due to his status and willingness to spend lavishly, no great disturbances had ever erupted.

Thus, this was the first time Xu Yuan had ever heard of Mr. Qin.

He must be the silent master behind Zhui Xian Pavilion.

Xu Yuan tried to find a character in the plot of "Cangyuan" who might match the Qin gentleman, but came up empty-handed.

The name "Qin gentleman" sounds familiar, yet it probably doesn't belong within the world of Cangyuan.

Still, whoever this Qin gentleman is, he must be of considerable standing—someone capable of backing up a business like Zui Xian Lou behind the scenes.

After all, in Xu Yuan's memory, there had once been a Zui Xian Lou in the Imperial Capital.

Pausing briefly,

Xu Yuan turned his gaze to Zhou Chen, his eyes carrying a subtle inquiry.

Zhou Chen hesitated slightly, whispering a message directly into Xu Yuan's ear.

Upon hearing this, Xu Yuan roughly understood the nature of the Qin gentleman.

A noble-born, born with a natural swordbone, renowned throughout the Jiangnan region, even rumored years ago to be on par with the eldest son of a prime minister.

An involuntary flicker of eccentricity flashed through Xu Yuan’s eyes.

If this Mister Qin truly was as Zhou Chen described, why had he never once encountered him within the framework of the plot?

“……”

Yueniang could not overhear the transmission, yet she could well discern the shifting expressions upon their faces; weighing her words for a fleeting second, she resumed in a soft, murmuring tone:

“Third Young Master, this newly arrived daughter of mine was delivered by Mister Qin’s own hands, and he personally dictated the arrangements regarding her. Surely you would not have me go against the explicit wishes of Mister Qin, would you?”

Xu Yuan snapped back to reality upon hearing this, his brows instantly arching high.

He paid no heed to the latter half of Yueniang’s plea.

That woman had been delivered by this Mister Qin?

Sinking into contemplation for several breaths, Xu Yuan smiled and asked:

“Yueniang, you claim Jinxuan was brought here by that Mister Qin—is there truth to these words?”

Yuejiang's eyes flickered with a moment of confusion, yet she spoke truthfully nonetheless:

"Of course, I would never deceive the Third Prince. Jinxuan was indeed brought here by Master Qin himself, just half a moon ago."

"........."

Xu Yuan's thoughts stirred like ripples in still water.

If, as Yuejiang had said, the woman had been personally delivered by Master Qin, then this detail carried significant weight.

Back in "Cangyuan," when Xu Yuan had manipulated the protagonist to eliminate the original body of the Third Prince across several worldlines, though it had been no easy feat, he had not encountered any force beyond comprehension.

The strongest antagonist had been Xue Yong—a guard at the peak of the Sixth Rank Iron Body.

Now, as the narrative had become reality, the implications were far more troubling.

After eliminating an opponent of Xue Yong's caliber, the original body had been instantly erased—cut down by the protagonist controlled by Xu Yuan's narrative.

At the time, Xu Yuan had not given it much thought.

After all, it's become a deeply ingrained tradition for the brainless villainous noble to send his underlings one by one to eliminate the target. And the Iron Body peak boss? Indeed, he's a formidable opponent.

Now, reflecting on it more closely, both Zhou Chen and Ying'er—both Grand Masters—stand right beside the protagonist. Can the current protagonist, at this stage of power, simply step forward and strike down the original self?

Even someone as skilled as Yue Meng would be swiftly eliminated by Zhou Chen in a single move if they approached too quickly. How could the protagonist, at this very moment, possibly defeat Xu Changtian?

Can you believe it? Zhou Chen's mere glance could kill you instantly?

Indeed.

Perhaps due to the butterfly effect caused by Xu Yuan's innate Dao body, Xu Changge has strengthened the protection around him.

Yet, after the incident involving Ran Qingmo's kidnapping, shouldn't Xu Changge at least have retained one Grand Master to guard the original self?

Yet, in the plot, this is not the case.

The Grand Master meant to protect the original self—must have been caught up in some other matter...

Thinking of this,

Xu Yuan's eyes took on a strange look; a slightly absurd thought began to creep into his mind.

Or... perhaps this entire plot is just a bug?

After all, even the most meticulously constructed fictional world will always have logical inconsistencies—especially when designing a game that must cater to player experience.

The moment this thought formed, the oddity within Xu Yuan's heart grew even stronger.

Since his arrival, the world's self-correction had become nothing unusual to him.

If this were truly the case, then the sudden appearance of Mr. Qin would be entirely comprehensible.

Because the plot involving the protagonist killing the Third Prince contained a bug, the world had self-corrected, generating a fixer to resolve that flaw.

Assuming this premise holds true, let us follow this line of reasoning further.

Then, what was Mr. Qin's motive? Which faction within Changyuan did he belong to?

The Duke of Wu Cheng?

This Marquis, though at odds with the Imperial Chancellor's household, has always acted with integrity—no one would dare move against his third son.

The Prince's faction?

His father holds the position of Chancellor, one of the Three Great Offices, and serves as the Prince's tutor. When the Emperor fell ill, it has always been the Chancellor's faction that has backed the Prince.

At this precise moment, the Chancellor's household and the Prince's loyalist faction remain in a period of harmonious alliance.

What about the regional sects?

If they intervened, why would Ran Qingmo—the sole disciple of the Sword Sect's master—have risked everything to capture him?

"...

The intricate web of power relations within *Cang Yuan* flashed through Xu Yuan's mind swiftly, yet ultimately yielded nothing.

Factions with motive lack strength.

Factions with strength lack motive.

A force with both capability and motive—such as that ancient abyss—wouldn't dare extend its hand into a provincial capital like Jingjiang City.

As always, if something didn't make sense, he simply set it aside for now. He could always meet with Mr. Qin directly later, gather more information, and then reconsider.

Xu Yuan was just about to let this matter rest when, suddenly, a flicker crossed his eye.

A thought surged into his mind.

If this world can reconstruct a figure like Mr. Qin,

then—could it also reconstruct a hidden power lurking in the shadows?