Chapter 632: Taking Initiative
In the hall of Elder Xiao Ze's tower, Medusa and Zi Yan sat on chairs while Qing Lin served them tea before sitting down herself. The three women wore pensive expressions, their glances occasionally drifting towards Xiao Ze's closed room door. They couldn't sense anything inside, clearly due to Xiao Ze's intentional shielding.
Although they couldn't perceive what was happening inside the room, the fact that Xiao Ze and Xun Er were alone together in a room was quite telling to the three women. Zi Yan leaned back in her chair, her amethyst eyes probing as she looked towards Medusa.
"Speaking of which, Medusa, your recent encounter with Xun Er seemed a bit off, didn't it?"
Medusa's gaze flickered away briefly before she regained her composure. "There's nothing wrong, we just haven't seen each other for a long time," she responded flatly.
However, Zi Yan was not satisfied with such a dismissive response and continued to stare intently at Medusa. Medusa held her gaze without flinching.
Qing Lin, sitting on the side, watched them warily, hoping they wouldn't escalate into a conflict, knowing she wouldn't be able to stop them with her own strength. Sensing the tension in the air, Qing Lin opened her mouth to say something but stopped when Zi Yan suddenly relaxed her serious demeanor, a cunning smile spreading across her face.
She moved to sit beside Medusa and said teasingly, "Cough, Medusa sister, we can all see it. Has your relationship with Xiao Ze progressed further?"
Taken aback, Medusa glanced at Zi Yan and then at Qing Lin, noting their knowing looks. She hesitated for a moment before nodding slightly.
Seeing Medusa's confirmation, Qing Lin's eyes widened with surprise, and she quickly moved closer to Medusa, her face full of curiosity. "Medusa sister, how did you manage it?"
Medusa's face flushed as she looked at the eager faces of Zi Yan and Qing Lin. With a soft voice barely above a whisper, she shared, "When I was concluding my retreat in the Nine Serene Underworld, I took the initiative using the origin tree to summon Xiao Ze..."
Zi Yan and Qing Lin's eyes sparkled with realization. It seemed taking the initiative was the way to go! They had been with Xiao Ze for so long, witnessing each other's growth, and it was impossible for them to not have feelings for him. However, since Xiao Ze hadn't shown any intentions of taking things further, they had been patiently waiting.
But now, it seemed they might also take the initiative.
Sometime later, Xiao Ze stretched and walked out of his room. Qing Lin immediately presented him with a tray bearing a large bowl of ginseng soup. "Master Xiao Ze, I prepared this for you."
"For me?" Xiao Ze expressed surprise. Although Qing Lin had been exceedingly attentive, fulfilling her duties as a personal maid, high level cultivators like them had little need for regular food. They could go decades or even centuries immersed in cultivation without bothering about mundane needs like eating.
Seeing Qing Lin's special preparation, however, Xiao Ze didn't refuse and drank the soup in one go. His energy circulated, absorbing it completely, and any residues were incinerated into nothingness.
"You are quite considerate, little girl."
"Master Xiao Ze, I am your dedicated maid; it's only natural for me to be attentive."
Seeing Xiao Ze finish the soup, Qing Lin smiled joyfully. "Master Xiao Ze, what are your plans now?"
"I'm planning a trip back to the Ancient Realm to visit ancestor Xiao Xuan and see if I can advance my soul realm further."
Xiao Ze shared openly since those present were his closest people.
Qing Lin felt a hint of regret but still smiled and nodded. "Shall I start preparing now?"
"No need. This time I plan to take Xun Er and ancestor Xiao Chen with me. You and the others should stay to oversee the Dan Tower. If the Soul Hall makes a move, you'll be better able to respond here."
As Xiao Ze and Qing Lin walked towards the hall, they saw Medusa and Zi Yan resting with their eyes closed.
"Medusa, Zi Yan, you must have heard my earlier conversation, right?" Xiao Ze asked as they opened their eyes and nodded in unison.
"Thank you then," Xiao Ze said, and after a brief further discussion, he left the tower to find ancestor Xiao Chen.
After he left, Medusa, Zi Yan, and Qing Lin quickly entered Xiao Ze's room, finding Xun Er tidying up the bed. Her cheeks flushed with a subtle hint of spring, Xun Er was surprised to see them.
"Do you have something to discuss with me?" she asked.
The three nodded, and soon the room door closed behind them as low voices of conversation filled the air.
Later, outside the Elder Tower, Xun Er waved goodbye to Medusa, Zi Yan, and Qing Lin with a smile, then turned into a streak of light, rushing to meet with Xiao Ze.
Zi Yan and Qing Lin exchanged a look and sighed in relief. At least Xun Er had made it through. Now, whether or not they could advance their relationships with Xiao Ze was up to them.
Outside Saint Dan City, Xiao Ze stood tall in the void, with a somewhat lean figure beside him. Xiao Chen, who had emerged from the demon fire space with Xiao Ze, had regained his full health thanks to Xiao Ze's medicinal care.
A golden light streaked out from Saint Dan City, stopping in front of them as Xun Er approached with a smile, bowing to Xiao Chen. "Xun Er greets ancestor Xiao Chen."
"Hahaha, excellent! You two are indeed a match made in heaven!" Xiao Chen exclaimed with satisfaction. "Alright, let's not delay any further and head to the Ancient Realm. It's been a millennium since I last saw my cousin, and I can't wait any longer!"
After his words, Xiao Ze nodded at Xun Er, took her hand, and together with Xiao Chen, they turned into streaks of light heading towards the eastern region of Zhongzhou.
(End of Chapter)
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