"Did he send you to be his lobbyist?" Ruan Tang's brows furrowed.

"Sort of, but not really."

Could I really say I only agreed to play the lobbyist to score a free meal? That would make me sound like such a glutton, and how embarrassing would that be?

She then said seriously, "At this point, I can't keep hiding it any longer. Sis, you need to prepare yourself mentally and not be scared by what I'm about to say."

Ruan Tang took a deep breath and, once she felt ready, nodded solemnly.

"Actually, I'm the mortal incarnation of the divine Matchmaker on Earth, specially tasked with connecting those fated to be together—you get it!" Ruan Lan said slowly and deliberately in a mockingly aged voice.

"THUMP!"

Ruan Tang, her expression dark, thumped her sister on the head.

Life is so hard. I've been under so much pressure lately. Not only do I have to take care of little Yiyi, but also this grown-up child, Ruan Lan. Can't she just give me a break?

"Wow, you dare to hit an immortal? That's a grave sin! I'll immediately…"

"If you keep up that dramatic act, you can go back to living in the school dorms."

"I'll immediately get you a glass of water, Sis. Do you prefer it warm or cool?"

Ruan Tang was so exasperated she had to laugh. Her sister truly had no shame.

"But Sis, I was serious just now. If you really don't like Xu Lai, then give him to me," Ruan Lan muttered, "I didn't understand my brother-in-law before and thought he wasn't great, but now… he's such a good man!"

A vein pulsed on Ruan Tang's forehead. "You dare!"

Ruan Lan's eyes twinkled with a sly smile as she sighed dramatically. "Fine, fine, I won't try to persuade you anymore, Sis. Matters of the heart can't be forced. Since you don't like Xu Lai, rather than letting such a good catch go to some other woman, it would be better if…"

"Then I'll castrate him!" Ruan Tang gritted out through clenched teeth.

Xu Lai: "…"

He was just passing by the door, wanting to ask the two of them what they wanted for dinner, but he had unexpectedly overheard something shocking.

He suddenly regretted asking his sister-in-law for help. Her professional skills were on par with Taotie's—utterly worrisome.

"Well, if you won't marry him, I will," Ruan Lan said, throwing caution to the wind.

"I won't marry you."

Xu Lai's quiet voice drifted into the room, startling both women.

Ruan Lan flung the door open and exclaimed, "Xu! I'm trying to help you here! And in what way am I not good enough for you?"

Xu Lai said nothing, just gave her a meaningful look. "I really envy your optimism. Most people couldn't manage it."

"That's right." Ruan Tang exhaled in relief. "Everyone else has a curvy figure, but you're flat all over. Don't get any funny ideas and just focus on your studies."

Ruan Lan fled in tears.

"Flat all over" was too cruel. She was, at the very least, flat-then-curvy!

"Please, little sister-in-law, stop trying to 'help' me." Xu Lai patted Ruan Lan's shoulder earnestly. "Asking for your help earlier was my mistake."

Ruan Lan was livid. "You two are ganging up on me! That's too much!"

With that, she snorted coldly and turned to leave.

After her sister had left, Ruan Tang fixed Xu Lai with a stern gaze and spoke word by word, "If you dare to lay a single finger on my sister, I will definitely castrate you. No one will be able to stop me!"

"Don't worry, I'm only interested in you."

"I can't trust what you say."

Ruan Tang was still very worried. After all, five years ago, Xu Lai had been able to casually spend the night with her, a complete stranger. Now— Hmm? Wait, something seems off about that. In any case, that girl Ruan Lan is incredibly stubborn; she might actually do something reckless.

So, after much hesitation, Ruan Tang finally made up her mind. "I'll try to find your good qualities, but as for whether we can end up together, I can't make any promises. Also, you must swear that you absolutely will not have any ulterior motives toward Ruan Lan!"

But you were the one who said this afternoon that oaths are just lies children tell, Xu Lai silently retorted, though he covertly apologized to Ruan Lan in his heart. He had thought his sister-in-law was a liability, but it turned out she was a master strategist. With just a few sentences, she had already changed Ruan Tang's attitude.

Taotie, you need to learn a thing or two! Even Ruan Lan knows how to use strategy, but you're tens of thousands of years old and all you know how to do is charge in recklessly.

"ACHOO!"

The Divine General Taotie, who had been handling affairs in the Heavenly Court for days without sleep, sneezed.

Exhausted, he suddenly perked up. "I haven't sneezed in twenty thousand years! It must be The Supreme Emperor thinking about me. The Supreme Emperor really does still care about me…"

In that instant, Taotie was moved to tears. He felt he absolutely could not let down The Supreme Emperor. After all, of the one hundred Divine Generals in the Heavenly Court, The Supreme Emperor had entrusted its management to him alone.

What was this?

This was trust!

Taotie took a sip of invigorating immortal wine and continued to review the Jade Slip before him.

***

Night fell.

The lights of East Sea City were dazzling, but the night air was a bit chilly.

In a rented room at the foot of Mount Haitang, Tan Chang's eyes snapped open.

A killing intent!

It was incredibly strong and disturbingly familiar.

So, they've finally come.

Tan Chang's expression was complex. From the moment Xu Lai had wiped the Jiang Family's shadow brand from him, he knew this day would come. He just hadn't expected it to be so soon.

"Come on out," Tan Chang said. "I know your methods of concealment."

Four faint shadows materialized in the room, from which four men who appeared to be in their thirties stepped out. Outside the room and in the hallway, more figures materialized.

"Four, two, two, and two… a total of four groups, ten people. All of them peak Sixth Grade shadows. The Jiang Family really underestimates me," Tan Chang muttered to himself, shaking his head.

"Tan Chang, the wind is strong today. Be careful your big words don't sprain your tongue," a cold voice called from outside.

A shadow inside the room added lightly, "That's right. Although you've become a Martial Ancestor, the shadows were originally created to hunt those in the upper three grades. You know best how many initial-stage Seventh Grade experts we've killed."

"But don't forget, I was once a shadow myself. I know all your tricks," Tan Chang declared arrogantly, his hands clasped behind his back.

As a Martial Ancestor, he certainly had the right to be arrogant. Facing his former colleagues, even ten of the Jiang Family's most elite shadows, he wasn't the least bit flustered. In fact, he was eager for a fight. Only through this battle could he completely sever the ties to his past. Only then could he truly be Tan Chang, and not just an escaped shadow of the Jiang Family.

"Tan Chang," one of the shadows spoke coldly, "we made an unexpected discovery while investigating you. Xu Lai is the Martial Artist who killed the Ye Family's Ye Wuxuan, correct? If you repent now, you can spare yourself some physical suffering. You know better than anyone what the shadows' interrogation methods are like."

"I gave the best years of my life and my very longevity to the Jiang Family," Tan Chang retorted. "I'll give you one chance. If you withdraw now, I won't kill you!"

"Ridiculous!"

"Kill Tan Chang, then go take Xu Lai's head! Move out!"

As the shadows finished speaking, all ten of them attacked simultaneously.

Tan Chang felt a tinge of regret. This was just how the shadows were; they had to carry out their master's orders with all their might.

Even if it meant death.

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