Chapter 451: Hongluan was defeated

Back in the Cloud Dream Sanctuary, Xu Yang felt his entire being relax. Unlike being outside, his mind was constantly tense, plagued by deep-seated doubts.

He held Yuan Kouxuan's hand, not speaking, only gently kneading it.

Yuan Kouxuan didn't feel uncomfortable. She knew her master had been through trials outside and must be exhausted. Massaging her hand was just a way to relax. Besides, her master's touch was so gentle that it made her feel comfortable too. Since the others hadn't arrived yet, she chatted with Xu Yang casually:

"Master, did you know? All your disciples have made significant progress in their cultivation. Little Koi, Wan'er, Yao Yao, and even Little Beifeng have already broken through to the Sovereign realm!"

Hearing Yuan Kouxuan's words, Xu Yang raised an eyebrow, surprised, and asked, "Even Little Koi has broken through to the Sovereign realm?"

He wasn't surprised that the other three disciples had broken through to the Sovereign realm. Wan'er came from the Undying Divine Mountain, with deep foundations and a long heritage. It wouldn't be surprising if Wan'er broke through to the Great Ascension realm now, let alone the Sovereign realm. Yao Yao had the Fox Immortal heritage. Although Mount Tu had declined for a long time, the Fox Immortal heritage was genuine, ensuring Yao Yao a smooth path before reaching the Golden Immortal realm. As for Little Beifeng, it went without saying that he had transformed his past life's Dao fruit into a spiritual imprint in his sea of consciousness. Coupled with Little Beifeng's constant diligence, this level of cultivation was expected.

On the other hand, Little Koi was the laziest of all Xu Yang's disciples, working for three days and resting for two. Even when she sometimes worked hard, it was only temporary and couldn't be maintained for long. She would revert to her original form after a couple of days, dedicated to soaking in baths.

So Xu Yang really couldn't imagine that Little Koi could catch up from behind and break through to the Sovereign realm even earlier than Qing'er and Yu'er!

"Yes, Little Koi has been in secluded cultivation during your absence, diligently practicing. She must have turned over a new leaf and stopped slacking off," Yuan Kouxuan said with a smile.

"It seems she has grown up."

Xu Yang sighed. Suddenly, his gaze stopped on Yuan Kouxuan, looking at her for a long time, unable to shift his attention. Suddenly, he couldn't help but say:

"Xuan'er, did you embroider these two or three plum blossoms yourself? They look quite lifelike."

Yuan Kouxuan's eyes were like water, flowing with light, as if thinking of something. She pursed her lips, and a blush appeared on her cold face, saying:

"Master has discerning eyes. These plum blossoms were indeed embroidered by your disciple. Does Master want to feel their texture and judge whether your disciple's art of painting has improved during this time?"

Xu Yang followed suit, seriously reaching out his hand and placing it on the plum blossoms, carefully feeling them for several breaths. His expression was solemn as he commented:

"Xuan'er's art of painting has indeed improved. As your teacher, I not only felt the warmth from these blooming plum blossoms but also touched their heartbeat. All things have a spirit, and plum blossoms also have a heart."

Yuan Kouxuan blinked her eyelashes lightly. She watched her master talking nonsense with a straight face, her jade-like face faintly flushed, but she still straightened her back and said softly:

"Master, please feel it carefully again and see if there is anything lacking in your disciple's skills. Your disciple wants to go further."

Xu Yang had been behaving like a proper husband for several days outside, not randomly flirting with women. Plus, he had fought several battles, and his energy was constantly active. He could have stabilized it, but being teased by his eldest disciple made him restless:

"Xuan'er, I feel that your plum blossoms are not ordinary. They seem to have a poison!"

"What poison?"

"Naturally, it's the poison of love."

Xu Yang gently embraced Yuan Kouxuan's slender waist. How could he not have any thoughts about Xuan'er? Just as he was about to make a move, he heard faint footsteps coming from outside the building, accompanied by a familiar charming voice.

"Hmph, Xu Lang, broad daylight… are you very pleased with yourself?"

Ji Hongluan wore a purple dress, trailing more than three feet, with a slit on the side reaching her knee, faintly revealing her jade-like calves, white as jade. Looking up, the dress was very tight, clinging to her body, outlining her perfect and exquisite curves. With delicate eyebrows and light makeup, she looked full of charm, her eyes glistening with natural allure.

She walked into the Purple Cloud Tower, looking at the two embracing, her heart filled with jealousy. She frowned slightly, resentfully glaring at Xu Yang, waiting for his answer, like a woman who had been betrayed.

Xu Yang smiled and waved at Ji Hongluan, saying:

"Little Hongluan, it's not as serious as you say. I was just admiring the plum blossoms on Xuan'er's body. Come quickly, I've been waiting for you for a long time."

He was telling the truth. The disciples were coming soon, and even if he lost his mind, he wouldn't do such outrageous things, at most just picking a few plum blossoms and smelling their fragrance.

Ji Hongluan couldn't help but roll her eyes at Xu Yang: "This Queen doesn't believe your nonsense. If this Queen hadn't spoken up just now, you would probably already be…"

"Already what?"

Yuan Kouxuan, in Xu Yang's arms, suddenly said, her tone cold, giving a strong sense of alienation.

"Xuan'er, what 'already'? Don't you know in your heart? This Queen doesn't want to say it so clearly," Ji Hongluan raised her eyes to look at Yuan Kouxuan, not afraid at all.

"Then please explain it clearly, Sect Leader," Yuan Kouxuan said coldly.

"Okay, then this Queen will explain it clearly. In broad daylight, you are…"

Ji Hongluan was very straightforward. She was already full of anger because of managing the incompetent disciples of the Ji family. Then, seeing her husband kissing and hugging another woman as if no one else was around, she became even more angry. So, after being contradicted by Yuan Kouxuan, she couldn't bear it anymore.

Her personality was a bit paranoid. She had always regarded Xu Yang as her private property. Later, it was only because she loved Xu Yang too much that she didn't say anything even though Xu Yang had many women around him. But deep down, she still hoped that Xu Yang could favor her a little more.

"Moreover, from a formal perspective, this Queen is Xu Lang's Dao companion."

Ji Hongluan stared at Yuan Kouxuan, adopting the posture of the first wife, wanting to make Yuan Kouxuan lower her head.

As a result, Yuan Kouxuan didn't care about what she said at all. Sitting on Xu Yang's lap, she reached out her arms to wrap around his neck, making an even more intimate gesture, not even looking at Ji Hongluan, and said lightly:

"So what?"

?!

Yuan Kouxuan's actions, in Ji Hongluan's eyes, were no different from a mistress jumping in her face. It was too arrogant. She was very angry, her chest rising and falling:

"Are you so shameless?"

"Palace Master, my master and I are in love with each other. What's wrong with admiring plum blossoms? Besides, from a timeline perspective, you are still behind me. So, logically speaking, you shouldn't be talking to me like this. You have no manners at all."

Yuan Kouxuan wouldn't normally say so much. After all, she didn't like to argue. When encountering something, she usually tried to use her hands instead of her mouth. But this time, there was no way. The Palace Master was really bullying her too much. Her relationship with her master was obvious. Even if they were really deeply in love, there was nothing to criticize. It was reasonable and justified. That's why she couldn't help but retort to Ji Hongluan.

Hearing this, Ji Hongluan's eyebrows stood on end, and she said:

"Hey, no matter what, this Queen is also the head of a sect. As a disciple of the Azure Underworld Sect, how can you talk to this Queen like this? And you say this Queen has no manners."

Yuan Kouxuan didn't take the bait at all and slowly said:

"Only those who are unreasonable will use their status to suppress others. Moreover, even if you are the Sect Leader, I am not afraid of you, because I have recently advanced to the Great Ascension realm. According to our sect's rules, my status in the sect is equivalent to that of the Supreme Elder. So even if you are the Sect Leader, you can't show off in front of me."

Hearing this, Xu Yang, who had been paying attention to the quarrel and preparing to enter the scene at any time to stop the dispute, now turned his attention to his eldest disciple. After feeling it, he found that she was indeed at the Great Ascension realm, and not just the early stage, but already at the middle stage of the Great Ascension realm. It had only been a few months, but she had broken through so quickly. With this cultivation speed, she directly crushed the group of geniuses and evildoers outside.

Seeing the smile on Xu Yang's face, Ji Hongluan felt even more jealous: "Xu Lang, quickly control your disciple. She's actually talking to this Queen like this!"

"Little Hongluan, actually…"

Xu Yang felt that his eldest disciple hadn't done anything wrong and was about to explain when he heard Xuan'er in his arms speak first, her voice cold:

"Palace Master, put your hand on your heart and tell me, from the beginning until now, what have I said to you? On the contrary, you have been aggressive, even forcing Master to intervene. Do you think this is appropriate?"

"Moreover, even if we take a step back, if it was you lying in Master's arms, not me, do you think I would inexplicably lose my temper at you?"

Ji Hongluan was reprimanded by Yuan Kouxuan, her chest heaving with anger, feeling like her chest was about to explode. She wanted to retort, but Yuan Kouxuan's words sounded very reasonable. If she was in Xu Yang's arms, she certainly wouldn't think there was any problem. So after thinking for a long time, she couldn't think of any suitable words and could only stare at Xu Yang with resentful eyes, hoping he could come forward to stand up for her.

Yuan Kouxuan simply leaned over and blocked her master's gaze, turning her head to look at Ji Hongluan, somewhat disappointed:

"Palace Master, my master has been fighting with those upper realm beings outside for several days, and he is already very tired in body and mind. Why do you still have to force him? I sometimes suspect, Palace Master, do you really like my master, or do you just treat my master as your own private property?"

Yuan Kouxuan's words were a bit murderous. Ji Hongluan didn't expect Yuan Kouxuan to say such things to her. For a moment, her mind was a little dazed, as if she had been hit hard with a hammer. She couldn't even bother to be angry and hurriedly defended:

"This Queen didn't force Xu Lang. This Queen definitely sincerely likes Xu Lang. There's no doubt about that."

"How is there no doubt about that? If you sincerely like Xu Lang, then when you came in just now, you shouldn't have used a questioning tone, but should have stepped forward and comforted Master's tired heart with me." Yuan Kouxuan stared at her, word by word, her tone very firm.

"This… This Queen…" Ji Hongluan was so overwhelmed by Yuan Kouxuan that she couldn't find her way north. Her head was dizzy, and she didn't know what to say.

"So, Palace Master, have I hit the nail on the head?" Yuan Kouxuan asked.

"No." Ji Hongluan was annoyed, her dead brain, turn quickly! You clearly didn't think that way, why don't you have a strong rebuttal?

"…" Yuan Kouxuan stared at her, not speaking.

Ji Hongluan was stared at by Yuan Kouxuan's eyes and felt a little empty. After thinking for a long time, she couldn't think of a reasonable explanation. In the end, she simply gave up, saying:

"Okay, this Queen admits it. This Queen just can't stand Xu Lang being with other women. This Queen is narrow-minded, unlike Xuan'er, who has the capacity to tolerate others. Is that okay now? Are you satisfied, Xuan'er?"

After saying that, Ji Hongluan had a look of loneliness.

She originally thought that after saying this, she would definitely be met with Yuan Kouxuan's sarcasm.

But after waiting for a long time, the scene she imagined did not appear. She looked at Yuan Kouxuan with a surprised look.

"Palace Master, actually everyone is the same, including me. I also don't want to see Master being unclear with other women, but I know my limits. With me alone, I can never satisfy Master. So I am willing to accept other women, and I can't deprive other women of the right to like Master. Similarly, I can't stop Master from liking other women. I only have one request for Master, and that is as long as he always has a place for me in his heart, that's fine."

Yuan Kouxuan did not continue to be aggressive as Ji Hongluan had expected, but instead used a very gentle tone to confide in Ji Hongluan.

?!

Ji Hongluan's face became dim and bright. She raised her eyes to look at Yuan Kouxuan and stared for a long time. Finally, a complex emotion appeared in her eyes. She had lost this time, and she had lost completely. From the perspective of the pattern, she had lost to Yuan Kouxuan. Originally, she was still thinking about competing with Xuan'er for the position of the first wife, but now it seems that this position of the first wife is drifting away from her…

"Xuan'er, what you said makes sense. This Queen has lost."

Ji Hongluan lowered her head. Her personality made it impossible to change it immediately. This could not be done in a day. It must be accumulated over the years and constantly remind herself to make it possible.

Therefore, she is not suitable to be the first wife, because to be the first wife, she must be very generous and able to accommodate other women. On the contrary, Yuan Kouxuan has the means, the capacity, and is very generous, and is very suitable to be the first wife.

"Sister Hongluan, we are all sisters, there is no need to distinguish between winning and losing. Maybe my attitude was a bit bad just now, which made you unhappy. I apologize to you and hope you don't mind."

Yuan Kouxuan stood up, walked to Ji Hongluan, took her hand, and said from the bottom of her heart.

Ji Hongluan could feel Yuan Kouxuan's sincerity, which made her feel even more ashamed. So, she also expressed her apology to Yuan Kouxuan, saying:

"Sister Xuan'er, it's not your fault, it's mainly my problem, sigh!"

"Don't think about these things, Sister Hongluan, sit on Master's left side. My group of junior sisters should be arriving soon."

"Why don't you sit on the left side!"

"No, no, no, Sister Hongluan, you are the Sect Leader, you should sit on the left!"

"Then… then okay, then this Queen will accept it!"

"Sister Hongluan, there's no need to be so polite, we are all family!" Yuan Kouxuan smiled softly.