Chapter 49: Rival

Without delaying anymore, the discussions concluded and everyone immediately set off.

But before they left, Su Chen didn’t forget to pick up Sark and bring him along.

The Zhu Clan was much less used to Su Chen’s obsession with research than the Immortal Temple. Zhu Xianyao asked, “What are you bringing him along for?”

Su Chen simply replied, “Experiments.”

Zhu Xianyao stared at Su Chen silently, somewhat in a daze.

She just couldn’t quite pinpoint where this sense of déjà vu was coming from.

It was like a word on the tip of her tongue that she just couldn’t remember.

Was Su Chen’s crazy obsession with research a part of the memories that she had lost?

She didn’t know, but the more she tried to avoid thinking about it, the more she did so.

Zhu Xianyao also didn’t understand why she felt this way.

Was it because of the interactions she had had with Su Chen in the past? Was it the seed of affection that she had planted through that kiss? Or was it one of the memories that she had lost playing tricks on her?

Zhu Xianyao didn’t know the answer to those questions, but she knew that she wasn’t willing to leave Su Chen like this.

Her reason of wanting to know more about the past was all just an excuse. Zhu Xianyao just wanted to be with Su Chen.

This was a desire that came from deep within her heart.

She had no way of resisting.

As she stared at Su Chen like this, You Tianyang’s figure appeared from behind her and quietly said, “Yaoyao.”

“What is it?” Zhu Xianyao replied without even turning around.

“My...... my bloodline has awakened.”

“Yes, I know.”

“I...... I can protect you now,” You Tianyang said as he rubbed his neck.

Zhu Xianyao glanced at him, then placed her attention back onto the Su Chen who was busily packing things up. “I don’t need your protection.”

“But...... I......” The little fatty was obviously a bit agitated and wanted to say something but couldn’t get it out.

Zhu Xianyao turned around and shot him a glance. You Tianyang could only shrink back obediently. Zhu Baiyu sighed when he saw this and patted his shoulder, trying to comfort him, saying, “Forget about it. There are some things you just can’t force.”

“Sixth Uncle, does Yaoyao not like me because I am ugly?” You Tianyang asked Zhu Baiyu, his eyes filled with tears.

Zhu Baiyu thought of the kiss that Zhu Xianyao had given Su Chen when they were opening the secret realm.

If that “You Tianyang” had been the current one, Zhu Xianyao might have chosen to give up on the secret stores rather than give him a kiss.

He sighed again, “Believe me, Tianyang, when I tell you that the reason a man cannot win a woman’s affections is not due to his appearance but rather because of his temperament.”

As he spoke, he turned around and left as well.

You Tianyang was dumbfounded. He turned to stare at Ba Lieyuan and said, “Is my temperament not good?”

Ba Lieyuan rubbed the back of his head and replied, “Young Master, you are a good person. But honestly...... If I could choose a master, I would be more likely to chose that fake Young Master.”

You Tianyang lowered his head and muttered an “Oh”, feeling very disappointed.

When Su Chen heard this, he walked over to You Tianyang and said, “Let me give you some advice; perhaps this may serve as a small apology for wronging you for so long. If I were you, I would send that guy flying just because of what he said.”

You Tianyang said, “Lieyuan is a good person. He just doesn’t think sometimes when he speaks.”

Su Chen replied, “I know, but that’s not important. He can do things without thinking, but he must respect you. Respect isn’t a disposition but a recognition and a habit, something that even a dog can learn. If you can’t even subdue your own servants, how can you subdue anyone else?”

Su Chen left after speaking his piece.

You Tianyang froze, then glanced at Ba Lieyuan.

Ba Lieyuan nodded. “I think that what he said makes sense, Young Master.”

Bang!

Ba Lieyuan was sent flying.

You Tianyang pulled his fist back, a serious expression on his fat face. “I will do my best to learn!”

————————————

Su Chen sat inside the Camel Wolf-pulled carriage, diligently reading a book.

This was a book he had obtained from Kapius’s secret stores that recorded his studies of a person’s consciousness.

Su Chen was so focused that he had almost forgotten that there was a person sitting opposite him, Zhu Xianyao.

Zhu Xianyao didn’t grow angry. Instead, she poured a cup of tea for Su Chen and said in a low voice, “You must be tired from all that reading. Have some tea and take a break for a bit.”

Anyone who saw this scene would probably rub their eyes in disbelief.

Where was any desire to seek the truth?

Where was the irreconcilable enmity?

Where had this young married woman suddenly come from?

If You Tianyang were here, he would probably be bawling his eyes out.

But You Tianyang wasn’t on the carriage - Night Demon was.

The young maiden sat right beside Su Chen, with Zhu Xianyao sitting opposite both of them. She stared at Zhu Xianyao angrily with a pout that would make a fish proud.

She didn’t know why she disliked Zhu Xianyao so much. Perhaps it was because they were enemies from the beginning? Or was there some other reason?

The simple-minded young maiden couldn’t think about too many things at once and often followed her instincts in taking action.

If she didn’t like her, then she didn’t like her. What other reason did she need?

When she saw Zhu Xianyao pour tea for Su Chen, she also picked up a fruit and handed it to him. “Here, eat this.”

Su Chen took a bite of the fruit and a sip of the tea. “Thanks.”

He lowered his head and continued to read.

Zhu Xianyao and Night Demon glanced at each other. Night Demon harrumphed and turned her head the other way.

Upon seeing her act like this, Zhu Xianyao’s eyebrows jumped.

The Zhu Clan’s women weren’t afraid of such conflicts.

Actually, Zhu Xianyao herself didn’t understand what she had been doing these past few months. She just wanted to get closer to Su Chen and understand him more. She reckoned that if Night Demon hadn’t been so hostile, she would have just let things stand as they were, but Night Demon’s behavior had sparked her competitive spirit (finally, she had an opportunity!)

Her eyes darted back and forth quickly before she asked , “Have you learned anything from Kapius’s notes yet?”

Su Chen rolled up the scroll and sighed, “Kapius was worthy of being the Spirit Race’s leader. His experiments on consciousness reached an almost godly level, and he was also very experienced. We humans are far inferior in comparison. I know now why he wanted to establish his research lab here. Apart from the Projection Void, he was also studying the secrets behind the birth of living organisms.

“The birth of living organisms? You mean the inanimate spirits?”

“Yes. He used his research on inanimate spirits to better understand a person’s soul.”

“If that’s the case, once you understand the fundamental principles of a soul more clearly, your consciousness power will increase again?” Zhu Xianyao asked.

Su Chen laughed. “This is just knowledge that helps us understand the world around us. It has nothing to do with cultivation and won’t increase my consciousness power.”

Zhu Xianyao pressed her lips together. “Then doesn’t that mean its basically useless?”

“That might not be true,” Su Chen replied mysteriously. “The way I see it, they have a lot of usefulness.”

“Like what?” An excited expression appeared on Zhu Xianyao’s face.

Su Chen continued to act mysteriously. “That’s a secret for now.”

Zhu Xianyao’s face fell, dejected.

The two of them chatted merrily, but Night Demon couldn’t get a word in edgewise. She could only sit to the side and stare with agitation, squeezing a short dagger in her hand and stabbing it into the wooden floor of the carriage.

She cursed in her heart over and over again: Stab you to death...... Stab you to death...... Stab you to death......

Crack!

The floor of the carriage gave way.