Chapter 50: Burial Village

"Qin Mo?"

At the sound of this name, Su Jinxuan's expression remained still, yet a subtle shift flickered in her alluring peach-blossom eyes. She did not immediately reply.

Xu Yuan didn't rush to press further, but after a while, a hint of surprise began to surface in his gaze.

She had been thinking too long.

Whether or not someone knows another person is typically recalled in an instant. If one chooses not to speak, even if they are carefully selecting their words, they wouldn't hesitate for this long.

Such a fundamental performance—Su Jinxuan couldn't possibly fail to recognize it.

Therefore,

the way she reacted now—was she preparing to reveal something about Qin Mo?

If so, then this became interesting.

They had met before,

And without hesitation, willing to disclose the information about Qin Mo.

Based solely on these two points, Xu Yuan could narrow down the protagonist's storyline in this world to five possibilities at most.

After a long pause,

Su Jinxuan spoke softly:

"Three Prince, how did you come to know that I met with Master Qin? I first met him several months ago. At that time, I hadn't even met you, Three Prince—shouldn't we have been strangers then?"

Her voice was gentle, her eyes softly fixed upon Xu Yuan's, as if searching for hidden truths.

She couldn't comprehend—how could he possibly know about their meeting, when at that very time, Xu Changtian had not yet been rescued? If so, then where did he obtain this information?

Xu Yuan sensed the subtle probing in her words, yet he had no intention of revealing anything. He would say nothing at all.

Even though he knew in his heart, details involving specifics were best left unsaid unless absolutely necessary.

It might feel thrilling to appear suddenly powerful and superior, but afterward, explaining it would become a tangled mess.

Just as Xu Yuan was unwilling to write poetry or copy verses,

he could freely invent stories about Su Jinxuan, an outsider.

Outsiders, lacking full knowledge, would simply assume that this third son of the family had always been hiding his true capabilities.

That he appeared carefree and extravagant on the surface, yet orchestrated strategies from afar, secretly building up a unique intelligence network of his own.

Once the rumors spread, the nickname "Two Dragons, One Phoenix, One Mouse" from the Imperial Clan would likely evolve into something more noble—like "Two Dragons, One Phoenix, One Hidden Crocodile" or "One Hidden Phoenix."

But the problem was—

Outsiders didn’t know the truth about Xu Changtian, Xu Changge, or their cheap old father, who were fully aware of this extravagant son’s real nature.

Personality might shift due to body type, strength, or status, but you can’t just conjure intelligence out of thin air.

One might doubt his identity, but the facts must have some explanation.

Pausing briefly, Xu Yuan whispered softly:

“How I know what I know—don’t ask me, Su Jinxuan. Right now, you only need to answer my questions.”

"......."

After a moment of silence, Su Jinxuan bowed her head in a polite salute:

"The Third Young Master is right; it was Jinxuan who overstepped just now."

Xu Yuan waved his hand dismissing the matter:

"No harm done. I am merely a bit curious now—what exactly is the relationship between you and that Qin Mo?"

Hearing this, Su Jinxuan let out a soft, tittering laugh, her eyes shimmering with a seductive charm:

"Does the Young Master ask this because that Qin Mo is feeling jealous?"

Xu Yuan shook his head with a light chuckle, neither confirming nor denying:

"Perhaps so. After all, a constitution like the Soul-Charming Demon Body is something I still deeply crave."

"This servant already belongs to the Young Master now..." Su Jinxuan exhaled a breath like orchids, leaning gently against his shoulder: "If you crave it, why doesn't the Young Master just devour this servant right now?"

Xu Yuan's mind flashed with a cold laugh. He casually wrapped his arms around her shoulder and continued,

"So, Jinxuan, what is your relationship with Qin Mo?"

Xu Yuan wished to understand which path the central character had chosen, so he could adjust his strategy accordingly.

Moreover, Xu Yuan didn’t necessarily have to eliminate the central character.

After all, in some storylines, the protagonist could be even more villainous than the antagonist, more despicable than the original soul.

When goals aligned, collaboration with such a figure might well be possible.

Su Jinxuan paused for a moment, her voice light with a smile.

"If I tell you, what benefit would you offer me?"

"Benefit?"

Xu Yuan arched an eyebrow, glanced sideways, and met her eyes—deep, like autumn waters.

"Hmm..."

With a gentle curve of his eyes, Xu Yuan brushed lightly over the exquisite features of the woman before him, his voice soft and slow, like a lover's whisper:

"There are certainly benefits. Once we reach the estate, when I hand you over to Ying'er, I'll speak well of you—make her treat you with gentleness."

His tone was tender, almost sensual, like a secret between lovers. But Su Jinxuan's smile faltered slightly.

A faint, lingering hope still stirred within her.

Xu Changtian had brought her back to the estate—not to free her, but to imprison her as a forbidden possession. She knew well how irresistibly alluring her body was to men.

Though she had resisted, as long as Xu Changtian hadn't yielded and touched her, if Qin's ancient text was accurate, she still held a slim chance of turning the tide.

But now, Xu Changtian's words shattered that fragile hope—completely.

Ying'er, clearly, was the masked woman she had first seen upon waking.

That attire was clearly from the Shadow Guards of the Imperial Chancellor's household.

If she were handed over to that Shadow, her fate...

At the thought, Su Jinxuan's eyes flickered with an unspoken panic.

After a long pause, she bit gently at her lower lip and spoke softly:

"Then I shall take no benefits. But if I tell the truth, will the Third Prince grant me a fair and decisive outcome?"

Because she had not hesitated back then to choose mutual destruction, her "Mie Yuan" had been sealed deep within her consciousness by the powerful figures surrounding Xu Xiangtian. Now, even self-sacrifice was beyond her reach.

Xu Yuan stroked his chin, smirking with a sly smile:

"This depends entirely on how you perform. There are still about half an hour until we reach the estate. If you can offer something that truly stirs my interest, your proposal might just be considered."

Su Jinxuan took a deep breath:

"Alright. I'll tell you—my relationship with Qin Mo isn't complicated. We've shared a period of time together, and when we parted, we set a wager between us."

"The bet? Tell me more."

"I said to him when we parted that if within this month he could retrieve the immortal essence of the deer demon hidden in Fengya Forest, I would play a special piece for him alone."

Xu Yuan nodded slightly, a soft smile playing on his lips.

"If it's only that much information, it still won't be enough to justify a full satisfaction for Jinxuan."

Su Jinxuan's expression flickered with a moment of confusion, but quickly hardened as she bit her lower lip.

"I approached Qin Mo because he once mentioned his background might not be what it seems..."

The words instantly made Xu Yuan's eyes narrow.

Another twist. Another shift in the plot.

In his previous life, he had always believed their meeting was an accidental convergence of fate—only to discover it was actually carefully orchestrated by someone else.

Yet, even if the meeting had been premeditated, the lines of genuine love between them seemed real enough.

After all, the affection level within the game system would never deceive.

Gathering his thoughts, Xu Yuan said, "Continue."

Su Jinxuan glanced at him and sighed, speaking softly,

"Mr. Qin said that Qin Mo might be connected to a place called Zang Village."

"Zang Village?"

Xu Yuan murmured under his breath, his mind now even more certain that Mr. Qin was no ordinary member of the sect.

Su Jinxuan shook her head:

"Mr. Qin didn't elaborate further. Jinxuan only knows that Qin Mo might have come from Zang Village."