novelWelcome To Peace Manor
| ← Ch.324 | Ch.326 → |
Gu Xiqiao and Jiang Shuxuan had already left the Elders Association, but all the elders were still rooted to their seats, in a state of shock.
One of them suddenly stood on his feet, slamming his hands on the table."Great Elder, how could you let her leave like that?! I don't want to wait until tomorrow, our family members can come out today!"
"I've been thoroughly shocked by her, can't you give me some time to recover?" The great elder was clutching his heart. If he continued to hang around Gu Xiqiao, he would probably get a shock every single day of his life.
Another elder was disdainful as he said, "Being able to be startled into this state, and you still call yourself the great elder?"
"If you weren't shocked and I was, then you could have stopped them yourself, would you have dared to?" The great elder harrumphed as he stood."Not only have I been shocked, I also need to go recite some scriptures right now!" He looked around for the book that he needed, and really did pick up a Buddhist scripture and started reciting.
Everyone else: "..."
***
When Gu Xiqiao and Jiang Shuxuan had reached the Jiang residence living room, apart from Shu Chen, there was another person there. It was Mo Li.
"Brother, Miss Gu." Mo Li was talking to Shu Chen, but she turned around to greet them with a smile when she caught sight of them.
Jiang Shuxuan couldn't stop the furrow of his brows when his eyes landed on her, and he grasped Gu Xiqiao's hands."Let's go up."
"You go on ahead first, Brother Jiang. I'll come up in a bit, " Gu Xiqiao replied, smiling reassuringly to him.
"Oh." Jiang Shuxuan replied dully, turning around to head upstairs. He would turn around to look back at her every few steps before he finally disappeared from her sight.
Shu Chen's usually calm face cracked a little at the sight of Jiang Shuxuan's attitude. Oh my word, was this really her son?
Both Mo Li and Shu Chen were surprised by the unusual display that was Jiang Shuxuan.
Jiang Shuxuan had always been an indifferent person, ever since he was a child. No matter what happened, it was hard for him to leak even a tiniest bit of emotion on his face. And today, they were treated to such a scene?
Shu Chen felt that she couldn't hold it in anymore, picking up her phone to record a video immediately. She was feeling slightly proud along with being entertained. 'So you also have days like this, wait till you get your memories back, I can't wait to show you what you did!'
After she was done recording, she sent it to Jiang Han.
"Aunt Shu, Miss Mo Li." Gu Xiqiao sat beside Shu Chen, the smile still on her face.
Shu Chen was pulled back into reality after her little recording stint by Gu Xiqiao's words, and she looked towards Mo Li, who was not looking at her, but instead at Gu Xiqiao.
"Qiao Qiao, why don't you help me make a cup of tea?" Shu Chen touched Gu Xiqiao's head gently, her voice soft.
"Sure." Gu Xiqiao got up from her seat, her eyes turning to Mo Li."Miss Mo Li, would you also like one?"
"Thank you, but I'm fine."
Gu Xiqiao nodded her head, indicating that she understood and left for the kitchen.
"What did you want to tell me without Miss Gu listening?" Mo Li turned her head, looking at Shu Chen once again. As she ate the watermelon on the table, she asked.
She gave off the feeling of being harmless to others if they were watching her.
Shu Chen was not deceived by her outer appearance, her eyes staring straight at Mo Li. Her onyx black eyes seemed to be able to see through the hearts of the people that she looked at.
"From now on, Mo Li, don't ever come to the Jiang residence anymore, " Shu Chen said to Mo Li, her voice clear and heavy.
Mo Li paused in her actions, lowering her head. Shu Chen didn't see it because of that, but Mo Li's eyes flashed red.
"Is it because of Gu Xiqiao?" Mo Li raised her head only after she was sure that her eyes had returned to normal.
Shu Chen's face didn't falter nor change."I won't allow anything to threaten Qiao Qiao's life, even if it's just a hint of possibility."
"On what basis do you think I'd be harmful to her?" Mo Li placed down the watermelon on the table."Also, what do you think I can do to her in the first place?"
Shu Chen didn't reply, it was because of her uncertainty, that she couldn't risk Gu Xiqiao at all.
If Jiang Shuxuan had not lost his memory, Shu Chen would have no reason to be asking this of Mo Li. She believed that Jiang Shuxuan would have handled it, but now, Jiang Shuxuan didn't even know who this girl was. And so, before Jiang Shuxuan recovered his memories, the Jiang family had to step in to protect Gu Xiqiao.
Though Shu Chen knew that Gu Xiqiao was extremely powerful in her own right, she was still worried.
Mo Li continued to stare at Shu Chen, who was still silent, and a smile graced her lips."Or, are you not worried about your own life at all?"
"Life and death have already been predestined, " Shu Chen replied sharply, looking at her again."I don't care who you are. Bottom line is, Qiao Qiao belongs in our Jiang family."
Mo Li's smile disappeared in an instant, and after a long while, she finally said, "I see."
The two fell into a deep silence again, and this was the first time Mo Li felt uncomfortable being in the Jiang family residence. Ever since she woke up, she had felt that something was wrong in the ancient martial arts world, making her feel terrified.
The silence was broken when Gu Xiqiao returned with a cup of tea in her hands.
Mo Li felt it was pointless to linger any longer, and so she stood, stating that she was leaving.
"Wait a moment, Miss Mo Li. I'll walk you out." Gu Xiqiao also stood, and Shu Chen seemed nervous as she grasped Gu Xiqiao's hands, telling her with her eyes that she shouldn't. Gu Xiqiao flashed her a comforting smile, before gently extracting her hands and walking out with Mo Li.
Mo Li was smiling for a while, until they had walked a distance from the Jiang residence, and her smile finally dropped."You know, I actually really liked you."
Gu Xiqiao saw a tree nearby, and so she shoved her hands into her pockets, and went to lean against it. Hearing Mo Li's words, she raised an eyebrow."I see, thank you then."
"But now..." Mo Li's eyes were drawn to the fox fur coat that Gu Xiqiao had donned when they left the house, her eyes sharpening.
She had spent so many years doing so many things for the sake of the Jiang family, and had not managed to soften the Jiang family's attitude towards her. But then, Gu Xiqiao had come along, not even doing anything, and had managed to obtain the confidence and respect of the Jiang family and the entire ancient martial arts world. She didn't understand, what exactly had this girl done?
Gu Xiqiao smiled at Mo Li when she heard those words."Then I'm relieved."
Mo Li didn't say anything more, looking at Gu Xiqiao, her eyes bleeding red.
The dried leaves on the ground slowly floated up in the air, and the scent of it slowly filled the air around them.
"Charmspeak, Render Ruins." Mo Li's blood red eyes closed slowly, the words she spoke floating in the air.
The leaves that were floating around them decomposed at a slow speed, before recombining.
Both of them were quite prominent figures in the ancient martial arts world, especially Gu Xiqiao. So when they made the stop there, countless figures had gathered in the distance, watching them from afar.
"That's Miss Gu, and Miss Mo Li!"
"Sh*t, what kind of charmspeak technique is Miss Mo Li displaying there?!"
"Render Ruins, everything within the domain of her charmspeak is controlled by her, and everything within it can be made to disintegrate or revived, " someone finally said quietly.
"Render Ruins?!"
They couldn't help but exclaimed when they heard, this was an ancient curse! Once it was cast successfully, even the caster themselves would suffer a backlash to their soul.
Render Ruins of the charmspeak was an ancient technique that was forbidden. For it to have the side effect of getting a backlash to the caster's soul after casting it successfully, everyone could see how strong this forbidden technique was!
Mo Li was looking at Gu Xiqiao.
But Mo Li wasn't sure of it herself...
Charmpeak was not useful towards just anyone...
Especially...
Towards Gu Xiqiao!
The onlookers were watching the leaves disintegrate and rejoining, stopping at the moment it disintegrated or rejoining into a whole.
Everyone around them that had opened their mouths to exclaim were silent, though their mouths were wide open.
They looked towards the figure that was leaning against the tree, her face cold and indifferent.
She reached out her hand at this time, taking one of the leaves that were stagnant in the air.
Her white, slender fingers easily pinched the dead leaf that seemed to have frozen in place by Mo Li.
"Have you forgotten that I'm the one who taught you the perception of your charmspeak, Mo Li?" Gu Xiqiao said, giving Mo Li a glance.
Gu Xiqiao could reflect the normal charmspeak techniques, and forbidden techniques were useless against her!
Where the h*ll did a person like this come from?
If someone had told Mo Li that she would be in this kind of situation, she would definitely slap that person to death, but now, she was in that position!
Mo Li stared at Gu Xiqiao with disbelief written all over her face. A sense of frustration that was unprecedented growing inside her heart!
Nothing seemed to faze Gu Xiqiao at all!
During this silence, Gu Xiqiao's phone rang. She pulled it out of her pocket, and found that it was a text message sent by Shu Chen.
She replied to the message, putting her phone away again before lifting her foot to leave. But then she stopped when she reached Mo Li's side.
"The Dragon Tribe's charmspeak is indestructible and immortal, " Gu Xiqiao said in a low voice."Although Aunt Shu Chen is the same as you, do you think you'll be able to remain that way all the way, Miss Mo Li?"
Having said her piece, she left without another look back.
Mo Li, who had been left behind, raised her head and turned to look at her retreating back, horror in her eyes now."You... who the heck are you?"
Gu Xiqiao ignored her question.
Gu Xiqiao didn't actually know who Mo Li was, the information that she had Jiji find only told her that Mo Li had appeared out of nowhere. There was nothing about her, only that she and Shu Chen were intertwined, that one couldn't live without the other.
However, Jiji did find one piece of information, and that was that members of the ancient Dragon Tribe were capable of charmspeak.
Upstairs in the Jiang house, Jiang Shuxuan was in the study, looking at the computer and some documents in hand. These were all related to the ancient martial arts world.
Gu Xiqiao had also brought a computer in, sitting next to him. But she wasn't typing furiously on her keyboard or anything this time, logging into her game and started playing instead.
"Who is that?" Jiang Shuxuan couldn't help but ask when he saw Gu Xiqiao chatting with someone on private mode.
Gu Xiqiao was silent for a while, before answering, "Your mother."
Just as she said that, a few more lines appeared in the private chat.
A Blooming Dawn: Daughter-in-law! Come and save me, I'm dying from the wild mobs!
Gu Xiqiao tapped a few keys immediately, flying to Shu Chen's side, killing the monsters in a few strikes.
A Blooming Dawn: Daughter-in-law is the mightiest!
Jiang Shuxuan: "..." He silently returned to his seat and took a book to read.
He was immersed in his reading, until the butler came knocking on the door."Miss Gu, a Mr Zhuge is looking for you downstairs."
Zhuge Yan? Gu Xiqiao put down her computer, she hadn't had the chance to talk about the matter previously with him."I'll be right down."
She stood up, glancing at Jiang Shuxuan to find the other deep into his book, and so she closed the door softly.
***
Downstairs, Zhuge Yan was sitting on the sofa, a cup in one hand. He had a thoughtful look on his face, and when he saw Gu Xiqiao coming down, he stood up. He flashed her a brilliant smile, his eyes sparkling, his expression happy as he greeted her, "Miss Gu."
His voice felt like a caress of a bright breeze, making people who heard it feel at ease.
"Mr. Zhuge." Gu Xiqiao looked around, not seeing Wei Xi beside him, and couldn't help but ask in a slightly puzzled voice, "Wei Xi didn't come with you?"
Zhuge Yan smiled softly."That girl is browsing around the ancient martial arts world."
Gu Xiqiao touched her nose, expressing her understanding, before she suddenly remembered something, raising her head to look at him."Did you bring Wei Chenyan with you?"
"Of course." Zhuge Yan nodded his head."The main reason we came was also because of him."
"In his body..." Gu Xiqiao frowned.
Zhuge Yan was not surprised by her words, and only gave a sigh."I know."
Butler Jiang was listening secretly from the sidelines, but he soon discovered that the two were only talking in half sentences, and he... he didn't understand a single thing they were saying?!
The person standing opposite him was communicating with him through his eyes—[Butler, if you don't understand then don't bother listening in on them. Don't embarrass yourself. ]
Butler Jiang—[Although I don't understand, I can run interference if needed. This kid feels dangerous!]
The opposite person—[... ]
"Let him come to Peace Manor tomorrow, it's a bit more dangerous for him to stay outside." Gu Xiqiao said, narrowing her eyes."As for the address, you can ask anyone for it, they'll know."
"Then, thanks very much?" Zhuge Yan couldn't help but smile.
Gu Xiqiao: "..." What was with the question mark at the end of his sentence?
She silently pulled out a piece of paper from her pocket, and then a pen, writing some words on the paper—
Outsider, calamity, and turning point!
Gu Xiqiao handed the paper to Zhuge Yan once she was done.
Zhuge Yan took the offered paper from her, and like many people before him, looked at the handwriting first, which was vigorous and bold.
"Huh?" After admiring the penmanship, he studied the words that were on the paper with surprise on his face."Miss Gu, is this what you wanted to ask me?"
From the moment Zhuge Yan had met Gu Xiqiao, he knew that she had something to ask him, but he didn't expect that it was this kind of question?
"Is there a problem?" Gu Xiqiao asked him."What can you see from that? I heard that this was a prophecy that was left behind by the first generation of the Greedy Wolf Star Lord."
He was silent.
Gu Xiqiao raised an eyebrow."Go ahead and just tell me, I'll be able to take it."
Zhuge Yan still remained silent after her words, his eyes looking at her, motionless.
The air seemed to become heavier by the second, and Gu Xiqiao felt the words getting stuck in her throat as she finally rasped out, "No way, the calamity is really referring to me?"
"You're so smart, how can you not see?" Zhuge Yan turned away, pointing his finger at the 'turning point' on the paper."Those people had wasted so much effort on getting a divination on you, and there is someone who paid a heavy price to change your fate, how can you feel that you're the calamity?"
Gu Xiqiao's eyes fell on the words that his finger was on, and she shook her head."The current generation Dubhe was the one who said it."
Zhuge Yan: "..." The current generation's Dubhe is a little out of his mind.
At the same moment, a guard came in from the outside."Miss Gu, there is a Mr. Tengen waiting outside."
"Tengen?" Why did he come today? Gu Xiqiao narrowed her eyes."Please invite him in."
"Since there is a guest, I'll take my leave first, Miss Gu." Zhuge Yan stood up from his seat, just in time to see Butler Jiang coming in to add water into his tea cup."I almost forgot, thank you for the medicine last time, it really helped."
It really was effective, the weakness that he had always felt in his body had lessened a lot compared to what it had been.
Tengen, who was standing outside in his gray robes, fiddled with his robes slightly as he waited nervously.
"Mr. Tengen, please come in." A person came out of the house, giving him a smile as he gestured.
The closer he got to the person in the house, the more anxious his heart felt. He straightened his clothes, and couldn't decide where to put his hands after that.
"Miss, here is the person, " The man who led him in said to the young woman who was sitting on the sofa.
The girl was looking at a piece of paper in her hands, and she raised her head when she heard the man's words.
Tengen finally had a look at the girl's face, it was an extremely beautiful, jaded face that glowed with a cold light. She looked at him, her clear black eyes like black jade, and Tengen was captivated. He straightened his back immediately."Master!"
Gu Xiqiao was in the middle of standing up, and she stiffened."... Mister, are you joking with me?"
"Master, I finally found you!" Tengen was looking at Gu Xiqiao, his eyes trained on her, excitement in them.
Butler Jiang immediately stood in front of Gu Xiqiao, looking at Tengen with serious eyes. This person was strange, coming here without any notice, and calling Miss Gu 'Master'. Where the heck did this coquettish b*tch come from?
Tengen was afraid that Gu Xiqiao wasn't able to recognize him, and he started to feel anxious again, hurriedly trying to explain his identity."Please believe me, Master. I've been waiting for you for a thousand years..."
"Baby Gu!" A voice came from upstairs suddenly, a tall, lean figure walking down the steps, Gu Xiqiao's phone in his hands."Auntie Zhang called, saying that Jiji took Haha back."
His appearance cut off whatever Tengen was going to say.
Tengen had indeed stopped talking, looking at Jiang Shuxuan with something akin to shock on his face."Y-Y-You... weren't you still in the snow world?! Have you succeeded in obtaining the inheritance?"
Jiang Shuxuan naturally didn't remember who Tengen was, so he remained silent, just looking at Tengen with a pair of cold, chilly eyes.
Tengen could already feel the aura that exuded from Jiang Shuxuan, even at this distance. He felt as though his legs were about to give way, not able to support his weight. Being alive for so many years, he never heard of anyone who was able to leave halfway through receiving their inheritance. What the heck was Jiang Shuxuan a reincarnation of?!
"Didn't you have any backlash from that?" Tengen asked, his tone incredulous.
Jiang Shuxuan still remained silent, his eyes trained on Tengen.
During the time this was happening, Gu Xiqiao had made her way to Jiang Shuxuan, taking her phone from his hands. She unlocked it and looked at the screen, noting that in addition to Auntie Zhang's call, there was also an unread text message sent by Boss Bai—[There's been some changes in the Bai Gang's state in America, Miss Gu. ]
There were no changes to Gu Xiqiao's face when she read it, she simply tapped her phone to reply—[I understand. ]
After that was done, she turned her head to look at Tengen again, her brows furrowed. When Zhu Yuan had informed her that the guardian of Delxun Forest was looking for her, she had anticipated what he would do to her once he found her.
But the only thing she didn't expect was for this person to call her 'Master' when they met?
Her lips were downturned when she thought about it.
Jiang Shuxuan lowered his head to look at her face, and catching sight of her downturned lips, he informed the butler, "Butler, see the guest out."
***
"So you were driven out by Jiang Shuxuan, just like that?" Dubhe looked at Tengen, who was in front of him, his eyes a deep sea that seemed to have condensed into a layer of ice.
The hand that clutched the jade flute paled."Can you stop making trouble? I'm scouring the entire world to look for the turning point, and just when I finally found some hint of it, you called me back for such a small matter?"
"You don't understand, I'm really depressed." Tengen took out a gourd, taking a sip of the wine inside it.
A pure, white fire emerged from Dubhe's body, and his tone was ice cold as he said, "You won't be sad anymore if I burn you to death."
Tengen gave him a glance."This body was made by Master's hands, you think you can burn it just because you want to?"
Having said that, he continued to drink from the gourd.
Suddenly, he saw a bunch of people on the road in the ancient martial arts world, chattering away excitedly. He threw the gourd to the side, and picked up his phone."It's only five o'clock, what are these people doing?"
Tengen stealthily followed behind the group.
He followed them all the way, reaching Peace Manor at the end of the road. Tengen looked up at the manor that was covered in formations, and was startled."This formation, this energy fluctuation... it's Master's!"
As he talked, he blended himself into the group of people.
The group of elders from the ancient martial arts world had been looking forward to this day. When they had gone back initially, they were anticipating that the youth of their clans would be reluctant to come, but they didn't expect the youngsters of the clan to be so excited once they opened their mouths to explain."Elder, we've envied the people from Peace Manor for a very long time now!"
"I never even dreamed of the day that we would be able to enter Peace Manor!"
There were countless comments on similar lines.
The elders probably had expected this, but they didn't expect that Gu Xiqiao's prestige would be so strong across the entire ancient martial arts world!
The doors to Peace Manor were open, and apart from a handful of elders, everyone else had never been inside before. When they entered, the first thing they saw was a big mountain, and the long, purple dragon that hovered above it, exuding a terrifying aura that frightened people who looked at it.
Once they finally calmed themselves down, they then found countless people training at the entrance of the cave. They had thought that at such an early hour, there would be no one awake in Peace Manor, but they didn't expect that the training grounds would be full of people!
"Blue fire?! Do they not want to live anymore!" They watched as a gigantic firebird spat out blue flames at a team from the Peace Squad, their faces were horrified, their hearts flinching as they thought of what was going to happen.
Everyone in the group knew that blue flames were the hottest flames ever to exist, and it could burn a person to ash if you got too close.
The next second, the horror on their faces changed to disbelief, because the people in the Peace Squad actually forced the flames back?!
Xixi's beady eyes caught sight of the people from the ancient martial arts world, and it turned around, opening its beak to spray them with fire.
Horror and fear once again appeared on everyone's faces, and even the great elder was shocked by the sudden turn of events, summoning his magic weapon immediately. Oh my god, they didn't have the terrifying strength that the Peace Squad had!
Just as the group was in panic and a mess, Gu Xiqiao walked out from the inside, flicking Xixi's head with her fingers, and he was knocked back at least two meters just like that.
"Welcome." Under the bright lights of Peace Manor, it highlighted her slender silhouette, making her look beautiful and mysterious. She turned around, looking at the dumbfounded group of people from the ancient martial arts world, the corners of her lips lifting up."To Peace Manor."
| ← Ch. 324 | Ch. 326 → |