106: Chapter 106: Give it to him, or not to me?

Xiao Ran stood where he was, a smile still on his face.

Poison Lady walked up to his side.

"What did he mean by that?"

Xiao Ran thought for a moment.

"He was testing me!"

"Testing what?"

"Testing whether I know about him sending people to spread rumors, testing my attitude toward him, testing how intimate I am with you..."

He paused.

"And testing whether I'll make any new moves next."

Poison Lady frowned.

"Then what are your thoughts?"

Xiao Ran smiled.

"Senior Sister, have you ever heard a saying?"

"Once a war begins, it won't stop easily."

"It's the same for me, and the same for him."

"We have to be careful from now on."

Poison Lady looked at him, a flash of realization crossing her eyes.

Then she couldn't help but complain helplessly.

"Xiao Ran, the two of you..."

"Hmm?"

"Are both quite good at putting on an act."

Xiao Ran laughed.

"This isn't acting, this is... adult decency."

He picked up his teacup and took a sip.

"Some things are best understood in one's heart; there's no need to have an open fallout."

"Cultivation isn't just about cultivating magic power, but also about cultivating one's brain."

Poison Lady thought about it and found it made sense.

Xiao Ran looked toward the distant sky.

"This White Bone Scholar is indeed not simple."

"Even though he clearly wants to kill me in his heart, he can still smile on the surface like we're brothers."

"And he changes faces incredibly fast. Not long ago in the ruins, we were still cooperative and friendly partners, but the moment we left the ruins, we instantly became enemies."

"He doesn't hesitate when he makes a move; such an enemy is quite terrifying."

Poison Lady looked at him.

"Are you scared?"

Xiao Ran smiled.

"What's there to be afraid of? Someone like him makes me even more interested."

Xiao Ran stood up and stretched his muscles.

Only with challenges is there motivation.

White Bone Scholar had given him just the right amount of pressure to spark his drive.

He was now looking forward to raising his cultivation more and more.

"Alright, enough thinking about this."

"Sleep when it's time to sleep, do what needs to be done."

"When he figures out how to deal with me, I'll figure out how to return the favor."

Poison Lady looked at him, a strange light flickering in her eyes.

How did she not see it from the start... that this man has such a sharp edge?

...

White Bone Peak.

White Bone Scholar returned to the hall, the smile on his face slowly fading.

Ghost Shadow followed behind him without saying a word.

After a long time, White Bone Scholar suddenly laughed.

"Interesting."

He said softly.

"Xiao Ran is indeed Xiao Ran; he really has something to him."

Ghost Shadow stood to the side and couldn't help but ask upon hearing this.

"What do you mean by 'something to him'? Weren't you two just making small talk back and forth?"

"Besides, Xiao Ran didn't admit he did it."

"How can you be sure?"

Ghost Shadow was a bit confused.

His Physique was special, destined for him to rarely interact with others.

So he was a bit slow to catch on in this regard.

White Bone Scholar wasn't at all surprised to hear this.

He had long known Ghost Shadow's personality, which was why he had successfully recruited him by tailoring his approach.

Can't understand?

It's only right that you can't understand.

"How I'm sure isn't important."

"The more he acts like this, the more it proves it was him."

White Bone Scholar walked to the window, looking at the night outside.

This made him look more shrewd.

Ghost Shadow didn't understand.

White Bone Scholar then turned his head to explain.

"If he really knew nothing, he should have been curious and asked questions when he heard the rumors, but he didn't."

"He acted like it was nothing, too much so."

Ghost Shadow fell into thought.

"So he's playing dumb?"

White Bone Scholar nodded.

"And he has Poison Lady by his side. She's been very close to him lately and surely helped him do many things."

This was his primary goal.

Since he already knew Xiao Ran was behind it, his reason for going there was still to confirm a few questions.

"Today's probing confirmed at least two things."

"First, he spread the rumors; it's his counterattack."

"Second, Poison Lady has already sided with him, and I'm afraid it's a bond of both benefits and the body."

This kind of bond was the most troublesome.

As a professional at forming factions, White Bone Scholar knew all too well the solidity of such a bond.

Unless it touched upon their life and safety, the cooperation between Xiao Ran and Poison Lady would not end.

White Bone Scholar fell silent.

Because he remembered the scene when he tried to recruit Poison Lady himself.

He had also planned to use a cooperation method of body and benefits.

In the end, Poison Lady didn't say a word and directly spread her legs.

"I've smeared lethal poison down there. If you have the guts, come at me."

White Bone Scholar had chickened out immediately.

So the recruitment failed in the end.

But that wasn't all.

White Bone Scholar thought that since Poison Lady had such a fierce temper, she would be perfect for dealing with Xiao Ran.

So on the way back from the ruins...

He had casually given Poison Lady a few hints, implying that Xiao Ran possessed the Legacy of the Myriad Poison Heavenly Venerable.

This was what caused the scene of Poison Lady going to the Eternal Night Palace to find Xiao Ran at the first opportunity.

He didn't expect... Poison Lady actually gave herself to Xiao Ran.

"F*ck!"

White Bone Scholar couldn't help but curse under his breath at the thought.

You'd give it to Xiao Ran but not me?

Where the hell am I lacking?

To the side, Ghost Shadow looked over in surprise.

He didn't know what was wrong with White Bone Scholar.

Seeing this, White Bone Scholar seemed to realize he had lost his composure and immediately coughed.

Only then did Ghost Shadow ask.

"Then what do you plan to do?"

White Bone Scholar thought for a moment.

"Stay still for now."

"Stay still?"

"Yes."

White Bone Scholar nodded.

"I admit I was reckless before. His alertness is at its peak right now. Moving against him now would easily alert the enemy."

He looked at the moon outside the window, a cold light flashing in his eyes.

"There's still some time before the Heavenly Pride Competition."

"There will be plenty of opportunities then."

White Bone Scholar stood in the hall, his gaze deep.

"Xiao Ran..."

He softly whispered the name, his lips curling into a meaningful smile.

"We have a long time ahead of us."

...

Eternal Night Palace.

The night was deep.

Xiao Ran sat cross-legged in the cultivation room, eyes closed as he regulated his breathing.

Poison Lady had already left.

Before leaving, she asked him,

"Aren't you afraid White Bone Scholar will pull some dirty tricks in secret?"

Xiao Ran smiled.

"What's there to be afraid of? If he actually dares to make a move, I'd instead respect him for being a real man."

"I'm only afraid he won't make a move and instead play mind games with me every day."

Poison Lady was stunned for a moment.

"Xiao Ran, I didn't realize you had this kind of perverted mentality."

"Thanks for the compliment."

Xiao Ran didn't feel the pressure at all.

Poison Lady immediately got wet; she wanted to stay the night, but was rejected by Xiao Ran on the grounds of having no ammunition.

In the end, she left helplessly.

Xiao Ran, meanwhile, threw himself into cultivation; he felt his cultivation was about to break through again.

After a long time.

He opened his eyes and looked at the void in front of him.

His cultivation was only one step away from the Late Nascent Soul Stage.

One must know that it had been less than four months since his Breakthrough to the Nascent Soul stage.

This speed of promotion was simply terrifying.

"Once my main cultivation breaks through to the Late Stage, it will be enough to contend with White Bone Scholar."

Xiao Ran murmured softly.

Although the confrontation with White Bone Scholar during the day seemed evenly matched on the surface...

He knew that in terms of cultivation, he was not White Bone Scholar's match.

If he broke through to the Late Nascent Soul Stage, it would be different. That would be when the real contest begins.

White Bone Scholar would not let things rest.

Of course, neither would Xiao Ran.

He suddenly found himself liking this feeling of undercurrents surging.

Just like in his previous life in the workplace, pitting his wits against those old schemers.

Only this time, the stakes weren't bonuses and promotions.

But life.

"Why does this feel a bit exciting?"

Xiao Ran whispered to himself.

In the Soul link, Li Changsheng's voice came through:

"Xiao Ran, how are things on your end?"

Xiao Ran briefly recounted the events of the afternoon.

After listening, Li Changsheng was silent for a while.

"The two of you... are both quite good at putting on an act."

Xiao Ran had already heard this sentence once.

"Poison Lady said the same thing."

Li Changsheng sighed upon hearing this.

He knew his brother's character.

"Fine, as long as you know what you're doing. Anyway, I can't help with the matters on your side, so be careful yourself."

Xiao Ran: "I know. What about your end?"

"Same as usual."

The two chatted for a few more sentences before cutting the link.

Xiao Ran stood up and walked to the window.

Outside, the moonlight was like water.

In this setting, he couldn't help but want to recite a poem.

Ah~ Tonight's moon is so big... so white...