This Is What a Villain Is Like

The moonlight had just passed the third eave, but it was not yet 9 p.m. Jiang Lan left the Desire Immortal Pavilion, leading his guards back toward the Prime Minister’s Mansion.

After informing him about the Dragon Transformation Pool, Emperor Xia had left without explaining why she had suddenly added such a reward for the champion.

Opening the Dragon Transformation Pool required a great deal of Celestial and Earthly Treasures, and only Royal Family disciples of exceptional talent were ever qualified to enter.

Jiang Lan didn’t believe that Emperor Xia was showing him special consideration just because he was gravely injured and pale.

More than likely, she had been pressured by someone... for example, Jiang Ruxian, who had previously filled her with suppressed rage and humiliation.

This was something Jiang Lan hadn’t expected at all.

However, Emperor Xia had given him advance notice, which was a clear signal for him to prepare and send people to seize the champion’s title in Qianyuan Prefecture.

It couldn’t exactly be called a fix.

After all, she couldn’t openly open the Dragon Transformation Pool for him alone. The Prime Minister’s Mansion and the Royal Family were like fire and water. In a way, her actions were already a form of special treatment.

This was to prevent word from getting out and causing those with ulterior motives to become suspicious.

With the Southern Hunting drill imminent, if the Royal Family suddenly changed its hostile stance toward the Prime Minister’s Mansion and became ambiguously friendly, it would easily arouse suspicion. People would wonder if the two sides had struck some secret deal and were plotting something together.

Regardless of the reason, offering up a spot in the Dragon Transformation Pool for the younger generation to compete over was the best and most seemingly impartial solution.

’But do I, in this sickly state, look like someone who can fight for the title of Qianyuan Prefecture’s champion?’

’She’s just making more trouble for me.’

’But Li Mengning should be back at the Prime Minister’s Mansion tonight. It might work to have her represent the Prime Minister’s Mansion.’

’With her strength, winning the title would be a breeze.’

Inside the carriage, Jiang Lan reclined on a soft couch, lost in thought.

He had no interest in something like the Qianyuan Prefecture competition. There was no benefit in it for him, and he cared even less about making a name for himself.

Who in all of Great Xia didn’t know his name? Did he really need to become more famous?

But since Emperor Xia had come to him personally and asked him to compete for the spot in the Dragon Transformation Pool, he couldn’t very well refuse her. After all, it was, in its own way, an act of goodwill.

If he didn’t give her some kind of response, the small amount of favorability he had worked so hard to cultivate with her recently might all go to waste.

Upon returning to the Prime Minister’s Mansion, Jiang Lan had just stepped into the rear courtyard when he felt a serene, icy aura envelop everything. Though it was a summer night, it felt as if a bitter winter had descended.

The moonlight was brilliant, and the bamboo rustled softly.

A tall, slender figure stood silently before a white jade table.

She was dressed in a simple cyan gauze robe over a flowing, long skirt. Her hair was styled in a cloud-like bun, adorned with a slanted jade hairpin. A misty veil concealed her fair and flawless, otherworldly beauty.

Her pair of clear, glass-like eyes held no trace of emotion. Like an ice sculpture, she exuded a frosty aura that warned all to keep their distance.

At this moment, those clear eyes were fixed on the nervous, trembling young girl in the black dress before her. The gaze was scrutinizing, rendering the girl too scared to move a muscle.

The girl’s small, delicate hands, like white jade, clutched her sleeves tightly. She didn’t dare lift her head.

She let her waterfall of dark hair hide her face, like a little kitten trembling before a predator that had it cornered.

"Mengning, you’re back..."

Jiang Lan acted as if he had only just noticed the scene. A look of surprise surfaced on his face as he walked over.

Hearing his voice, You’Er timidly raised her head. Her amber eyes filled with joy, as if she had just seen her savior, but she still didn’t dare to move.

She didn’t know who this mysterious woman was, but for her to be able to appear so freely in Jiang Lan’s courtyard, she had to be someone very close to him.

Besides, enveloped by the woman’s powerful aura, she couldn’t move even if she wanted to.

This mysterious woman was far too strong.

Li Mengning knew Jiang Lan had returned. She heard his voice but ignored him, her gaze remaining fixed on You’Er, forcing the girl to hang her head even lower.

Jiang Lan could clearly sense that Li Mengning was unhappy.

He had anticipated this very scene back when he first brought You’Er to the Prime Minister’s Mansion.

That was why he hadn’t brought You’Er along when he went out tonight—he was afraid Li Mengning would return and think he was a little too "fond" of You’Er, keeping her by his side at all times.

"Have you eaten dinner yet? I’ll have someone make your favorite purple jade lotus seed congee..."

"You must be exhausted from your journey back from the Taiyi Sect. You should take a bath and get some rest."

He gave a helpless smile and walked over, reaching for her soft hand.

"..."

But Li Mengning only glanced at him before pulling her hand away, refusing to let him hold it.

"You look thinner after your trip back to the Taiyi Sect."

Jiang Lan kept smiling, unfazed. He reached out, wrapped an arm around her waist, and smoothly pulled her into his embrace.

Li Mengning struggled a few times, but she couldn’t break free. Seeing how tightly Jiang Lan was holding her, she relented, though she still refused to speak to him.

"You really are thinner than before. Cultivation is important, but you shouldn’t train day and night like this. You need to rest..."

"You may not worry about your own body, but I do..."

Jiang Lan shook his head slightly. Then, as if to test his own claim, he suddenly bent down, scooped up Li Mengning’s legs, and lifted her into his arms. It seemed this was the only way to properly verify if she had truly gotten thinner.