The Crown Prince was very satisfied with this puppet.

He suddenly recalled something and asked, "What happened to that woman Jing Ke brought to Earth all those years ago?"

"She is still suppressed in the prison in Harbour City."

The man in the black robe paused before continuing in a low voice, "However, a Dragon Vein has appeared in East Sea City, where Xu Lai lives. It was established by No-Face's subordinate, Li Sanbai."

"What did you say?" Ji Gui's expression changed drastically. "A Dragon Vein?!" he exclaimed, losing his composure.

"Yes." The man in the black robe's tone was thick with confusion. "I have met Li Sanbai once. His Boundary is low, and it should be impossible for him to successfully set up a Great Array, so I suspect..."

"That the Dragon Vein is fake?" the Crown Prince asked, raising an eyebrow.

"No, I investigated it personally. It's a real Dragon Vein," the black-robed man said. "I suspect that Hua Country has produced a genius Array Master."

"Could it be that Xu Lai?" the Crown Prince suddenly interjected. He couldn't imagine how such a prodigy in Formations could emerge from the spiritually barren Earth.

"Crown Prince," the man in the black robe said with a wry smile, "as you know, achieving anything in Artifact Refining or Formations is as difficult as ascending to the heavens. Setting everything else aside, Xu Lai's Boundary alone is not high enough to meet the requirements for establishing a Dragon Vein."

Ji Gui nodded, understanding his subordinate's meaning.

Xu Lai's Boundary might be at the Peak of the Golden Core Realm or perhaps even the Nascent Soul Realm, but he couldn't possibly be a Divinity Transformation Realm expert capable of setting up a Dragon Vein! Someone at that level could thrive in any Star System; there would be no need to come to a trivial place like Earth.

"A Divinity Transformation Realm expert on Earth? I don't believe it. It's probably just this planet's destiny manifesting. In any case, all of this will be mine in the end." Ji Gui sneered, not considering it a major issue.

Rubbing his temples, he said, "If there is nothing else, you may leave. I want to be alone for a while."

"Yes."

As the voice faded, the figure of the man in the black robe vanished like a popped bubble.

「And on Earth.」

A silent undercurrent was surging, its target unmistakably Xu Lai, yet he was utterly oblivious.

His daily life was monotonous, yet fulfilling—

Going to work.

Picking Yiyi up from school.

And holding Ruan Tang as he slept.

However, with the establishment of the Mount Fu Dragon Vein, students were falling ill far less often. The common fevers and coughs of the past had vanished.

Now... they were completely gone!

The students of Dongli inexplicably felt their physical constitution gradually improving. Especially those who studied until two or three in the morning—they didn't feel tired. In fact, some even wanted to study for another three hours...

East Sea City was also quite beautiful at five in the morning.

...

"I'm so bored," Liu Nanwei complained, slumping over her desk in the school's medical office. "Why isn't a single student coming for treatment? My medical skills are going to get rusty!"

Xu Lai and Zhou Feng ignored her. One was reading a geography magazine, while the other was absorbed in a publication about Go.

Feeling neglected, Liu Nanwei asked expectantly, "Director Xu, are you going to the get-together in a couple of days?"

With the year coming to an end, the school board had not only prepared generous bonuses for the staff but also a group trip abroad as a reward for a year of hard work.

"I'm not going," Xu Lai refused flatly.

What's the fun in traveling with a bunch of old men and women? There's a high probability I'd be pestered by Li Shouzhong and the others to lecture them on medicine. Wouldn't spending that time at home cuddling with Ruan Tang be better?

"Then I won't go either," Liu Nanwei said with regret.

"Oh right, Director Xu," Zhou Feng said, suddenly slapping his forehead. "A female student named Yun Xi came looking for you this morning, but you hadn't arrived yet."

"Yun Xi?" Xu Lai raised an eyebrow. What could that little rabbit demon want with me?

Liu Nanwei's expression was complicated. "Director Xu, your luck with women is just too good. One female student after another... It's a pity I'm not a student."

"Pfft—"

Xu Lai nearly spat out his tea.

Luckily, Ruan Tang isn't around; otherwise, if she heard this, I'd definitely be sleeping on the couch tonight.

Speak of the devil and she shall appear.

The door to the medical office was cautiously pushed open, and a timid face came into view. It was Yun Xi.

She blinked her large, bright eyes. Upon seeing Xu Lai, her somewhat droopy ears suddenly perked up. She said in a soft, sweet voice, "Brother-in-law, are you busy? There's something I want to talk to you about."

"Go ahead," Xu Lai said offhandedly.

Yun Xi hesitated. "There are... too many people here."

Zhou Feng: "..."

Liu Nanwei: "..."

"Should we leave then?" they both asked at the same time.

"Just sit still."

Xu Lai glared at the two gossips before following Yun Xi out of the medical office. They walked down a small path through the woods and, to his surprise, left the school campus entirely.

They ended up on the pedestrian street outside the school.

Seeing Yun Xi remain silent the whole way, as if she were wrestling with a decision, Xu Lai frowned and asked, "What is the matter?"

Yun Xi's eyes gradually reddened. She clutched the hem of her shirt, looking as if she were about to lift it again.

Xu Lai stopped her. "...Just say what you have to say. Don't lift your clothes."

The street was bustling with people, most of them students. If anyone saw this, he would never be able to clear his name.

"Thank you, Brother-in-law. I'll remember your great kindness for the rest of my life," Yun Xi's voice began to choke with emotion.

Xu Lai was baffled as to what he could have possibly done to move this young girl so deeply.

No, that's not right. I haven't actually done anything, have I?

"The East Sea Wushu Association approved my parents and me to move into the Mount Fu mountain range," Yun Xi said, her face flushing as she spoke.

The news about the Dragon Vein had been causing a huge stir lately. Even though her Boundary was low and she was a monster, she had heard about it. She had initially thought the Dragon Vein had nothing to do with her. She never imagined she would be the first monster permitted to live within the Dragon Vein. What an incredible honor and stroke of luck!

And Yun Xi knew this was all because of Xu Lai.

Because Gao He looked at her as if she were his boss's wife, and he even seemed to casually suggest that she put in a few good words for him with Xu Lai. This left her mind in a complete mess. Although she had been prepared for this, she still felt terribly bashful. And so, today, she had finally gathered the courage to see Xu Lai.

"..." Xu Lai's temple throbbed. Is this another case of Tan Chang overthinking things and taking matters into his own hands?

Actually, this time it had nothing to do with Tan Chang. It was Gao He who had proposed the idea, and Tan Chang had even tried to argue against it.

"Brother-in-law, let's go inside," she said in that same soft voice.

Xu Lai looked up and realized that, at some point, they had arrived at the entrance of a couples' hotel.

A series of question marks popped up over Xu Lai's head. "What are we doing at a hotel?!"

"You have taken such great care of me, Brother-in-law. I have nothing to repay you with except myself," Yun Xi said, lowering her head. She added softly, "In our Demon Race, this is called *attachment*."

DING.

The hotel elevator, which faced the main entrance, opened at that moment, and a beautiful young woman walked out. She was wearing headphones and humming a little tune. When she saw Xu Lai and Yun Xi at the entrance, she couldn't help but freeze.

"Brother-in-law? Yun Xi? What are you two doing here?" the woman asked. It suddenly dawned on her that this was a hotel, and she snapped, "You rotten brother-in-law! How could you do this to my sister and your own niece?!"

The woman was none other than Ruan Lan.

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