33: I'm already a villain, do I still need to cultivate myself?

"That Wang Ming is just some wild brat who popped up out of nowhere. Relying on a bit of talent, he's become insufferably arrogant. How can he compare to Xiao Ce, whom we know through and through and who has a boundless future?" Zhang Wanyi said disdainfully.

She completely failed to notice that Ouyang Yaoxi's lowered eyes had gradually grown cold.

So that was it.

No wonder Revered Master felt such hostility toward Wang Ming.

No wonder Revered Master wanted her to void her marriage contract with Wang Ming.

The root of everything... Xiao Ce!

He was actually Zhang Wanyi's nephew!

At this moment, the gratitude Ouyang Yaoxi felt in her heart for her Revered Master's years of teaching was extinguished as if doused by a bucket of cold water.

Doing it for her own good?

Perhaps a tiny bit.

But more likely, it was for the sake of her precious nephew, wasn't it?

Treating her, Ouyang Yaoxi, as a gift to be presented to her nephew?

Or perhaps as a chess piece to consolidate their status within Qingxin Palace?

What Revered Master?

What 'Revered Master for a day, father for a lifetime'?

It was nothing more than... that!

However, she didn't show the slightest abnormality on her Face.

Her years of cold temperament had long accustomed her to burying her emotions deep.

"Revered Master..." She slightly lowered her eyelids, "This Disciple understands."

Seeing that she seemed to have taken it to heart, Zhang Wanyi's expression softened, and a hint of a smile appeared: "It's good that you understand my painstaking efforts. As for Ce'er's side, I will..."

"Revered Master." Ouyang Yaoxi interrupted her, "This Disciple has just returned to the palace and has been through some trivial family matters. My mind is somewhat unsettled, and my cultivation seems to be stagnating. I wish to return to my quiet room first to adjust my breathing and sort things out."

Zhang Wanyi's words were cut off, and her brow furrowed imperceptibly, but seeing her Disciple's appearance of being single-mindedly devoted to the Dao, she couldn't very well force her to keep talking about Xiao Ce.

"Mm, cultivation is important. It is very good that you can reflect on yourself like this."

Zhang Wanyi nodded and waved her hand: "Go then, meditate well. As for Wang Ming... he will be settled for now until the Palace Master returns. You... should also not get too close to him."

The last sentence already carried a clear tone of warning.

"This Disciple obeys."

Then, she turned and walked out of Yaoguang Hall, heading toward her Immortal Cave... The West Wing Guest Courtyard was a quiet and elegant environment.

Steward Zhao brought Wang Ming to a spacious and tidy guest room and pushed open the door. Inside, tables, chairs, and a bed were all provided; the windows were bright and the room was clean, indeed meeting the standards for an honored guest.

"Young Master Wang, this is your temporary residence. If you have any needs, you can call for the servants outside at any time." Steward Zhao's attitude was polite, with a smile on her Face, but her eyes were inconspicuously sizing up Wang Ming.

"Thank you." Wang Ming nodded and was about to enter the room.

"Young Master Wang, please wait a moment." Steward Zhao slightly turned her body and asked seemingly casually, "Forgive this old one for being nosy, but how did Young Master Wang and Martial Niece Ouyang... meet? Seeing Young Master's extraordinary bearing, I wonder which great family or clan you hail from?"

It had started.

The indirect probing.

Wang Ming paused his steps, glanced at her, and with the corner of his mouth slightly hooked, he spoke bluntly: "I'm her man."

The smile on Steward Zhao's Face froze for a moment before quickly spreading again. "Young Master Wang must be joking. It's fine for young people to joke around, but it's better to be cautious with such jokes within Qingxin Palace."

She clearly didn't believe him at all.

She simply thought the young man was speaking recklessly for the sake of Face or because he had improper designs on Ouyang Yaoxi.

Wang Ming: "..."

He was a bit speechless.

No one believed the truth, yet they insisted on chasing after lies?

Seeing his silence, Steward Zhao thought she had seen through him and that he was embarrassed, so she smiled again.

"Young Master Wang might not be aware, but in our Qingxin Palace, everyone knows that Martial Niece Ouyang and Martial Nephew Xiao Ce are a match made in heaven. Both are top Disciples under the Grand Elder, with comparable talent and matching looks."

She deliberately paused and lowered her voice slightly, "Furthermore, Senior Brother Xiao Ce is the Grand Elder's biological nephew. The Grand Elder treats him as her own and dotes on him immensely. If this Disciple and nephew can become even closer, why would the Grand Elder not be happy to see it happen?"

She looked at Wang Ming, her smile carrying a bit of deep meaning: "So, some things and some people are just for looking at. It's better to put away thoughts that shouldn't be there early on, to avoid... looking for trouble."

These words were already very blunt.

It was both a nudge and a warning!

She wanted him to recognize reality, not to have fantasies about Ouyang Yaoxi, and especially not to provoke Xiao Ce, lest he bring trouble upon himself.

After listening, Wang Ming had no expression on his Face.

He understood what she meant.

But he couldn't be bothered to care.

Xiao Ce, the Grand Elder's arrangements, matches made in heaven... what did any of that have to do with him?

Ouyang Yaoxi was his lawfully wedded wife.

Did he need someone else to tell him whether he should have 'improper thoughts'?

He glanced at Steward Zhao with a flat gaze.

Then, without saying a word, he turned around and walked directly into the guest room.

With a bang, the door closed gently behind him.

Clean and decisive.

Standing outside the door, the smile on Steward Zhao's Face gradually disappeared, and her brow furrowed.

This boy... is actually so rude!

"A brat who doesn't know the heights of the heavens. Just wait until Martial Nephew Xiao Ce comes knocking, you'll have your fill of bitterness!" she muttered in a low voice, flicked her sleeves, and turned to leave.

Inside the guest room.

Wang Ming walked to the bedside and lay directly on the bed.

With his hands pillowed behind his head, he stared at the carved ceiling of the bed.

Cultivate hard?

Suffer through closed-door meditation?

That was the path for a Child of Destiny like Ye Chen who needed a counterattack.

Who was Wang Ming?

The Great Villain of Destiny!

With the System at his side, he specialized in shortcuts and snatching Opportunities!

Cultivate?

He would wait for the next choice to trigger, or wait for the experience packs from Ye Chen's side to be delivered to his door, and his cultivation would naturally rise.

For now... He closed his eyes and adjusted to a more comfortable position.

He would take a nap first to recharge his spirit!

...Qingxin Palace, Xiao Ce's private courtyard.

The Spiritual Qi here was dense and the layout elegant, showing the owner's status in the palace.

Zhao Kui kept his head down and described what he had seen at the mountain gate with added color, emphasizing how Ouyang Yaoxi and Wang Ming rode in the same carriage and how intimate they were.

"Senior Brother Xiao, that kid is clearly no good! Senior Sister Ouyang must have been temporarily blinded by his flowery words! In this Qingxin Palace, who doesn't know that you and Senior Sister Ouyang are the ones who..."

"Enough." Xiao Ce interrupted him, his voice calm, yet it made Zhao Kui immediately fall silent.

Xiao Ce stood by the window, his back to Zhao Kui.

Dressed in a moon-white long robe, his figure was tall and straight, and his profile was well-defined; he could indeed be called handsome.

Only at this moment, a faint haze shrouded that handsome Face.

He toyed with a warm jade pendant in his hand, but his knuckles were slightly white.

Coming in the same carriage... a friend?

What kind of friend required such closeness?

"You did well." Xiao Ce turned around, his Face having returned to its usual gentleness, though the depths of his eyes remained cold.

He casually took out several Low-Grade Spirit Stones from his Storage Pouch and tossed them to Zhao Kui: "Take these Spirit Stones for some tea. Continue to keep an eye on the movements over there. If there is any new news, report it at any time."