Chapter 13

Lin Jianran had only her childhood sweetheart, Ye Xuan, in her heart from beginning to end; she accepted Su Chen's gifts and fawned over him merely to give Ye Xuan's rise an extra boost.

She knew that Ye Xuan had now married a princess of the Zhongzhou Dynasty, while her own status could only be that of a concubine.

Principal wife??

Given her identity as the daughter of a second-rate power, she logically wasn't even worthy to hand shoes to the Profound Heaven Dao Sect, let alone be the prince consort of the Zhongzhou Dynasty, were it not for their childhood sweetheart bond.

Bi Lian, knowing Lin Jianran would surely care about the Ye family, leaned in and said, "Apothecary Wang said Ye Feng's severed tongue, crippled meridians, and severed hand and foot tendons are unlikely to heal; he may become a total cripple."

"What—what?" Lin Jianran's face turned deathly pale as she collapsed to the ground, eyes full of loss, a hint of worry hidden deep within.

She had promised Ye Xuan that in his three-year absence she would watch over the Ye family; now Ye Feng had met this disaster, she truly feared her Ye Xuan brother would be disappointed in her.

"Elder Sister Jianran, don't worry too much; Apothecary Wang said there's still a turning point—if we find the healing holy medicine Nine-turn Golden Pill and Black Jade Continuing Ointment within today, recovery is still possible."

"The Black Jade Continuing Ointment has already been sent from Zhongzhou, but we still lack the Nine-turn Golden Pill; the Ye family has already gone to the Treasure Gathering Pavilion and various auction houses, hoping to learn its whereabouts."

"If some power were to send help in the snow at this moment, the Ye family would likely owe this favor a lifetime."

Bi Lian sighed, a barely concealed yearning flashing in her eyes.

Lin Jianran, standing nearby, took those words to heart.

Exactly!

Ye Xuan and Ye Feng are as close as brothers.

Ye Xuan's marriage to the Zhongzhou Dynasty means, given his status, he has no chance of becoming principal wife; after all, a mere second-rate family could never aspire to be the young lord of the Star Pavilion.

But what if… what if I saved Ye Feng, the Ye family's young master, at this critical moment? That would not only earn the Ye family patriarch's gratitude, but perhaps my Ye Xuan brother, indebted to me, would even seek me as his principal wife!

Does Su Chen really think a few petty tricks will make me bow and submit?

Hah!

Lin Jianran refused to comply; she vowed to make him regret to the point of tearing his intestines, make his intestines turn green with regret, and return to forever losing his lifelong love.

"What Little Lian said is right," Lin Jianran's face flashed with determination.

In her mind she kept imagining Su Chen, after losing her, kneeling and weeping bitterly, begging for her forgiveness; she immediately asked, "Do you know if there is any force in the Eastern Wasteland that possesses the Nine-turn Golden Pill?"

Bi Lian heard this, her expression somewhat complicated; she lifted her eyes and glanced at Lin Jianran: "Elder Sister Jianran, today Su Chen still hasn't come to beg your forgiveness, has he?"

"Don't mention him—even if he kneels at the Lin family gate for three days and three nights, I will never forgive him, nor will I utter a single word to him; he pursued me, a lowly despicable dog, and now he dares to put on airs with me!"

"Elder Sister Jianran…" Bi Lian opened her mouth: "Su Chen today bought a Nine-turn Golden Pill from the Hundred Treasures Pavilion; I thought he was bringing it to apologize to you, seeking your forgiveness. That's why I specially told you about what happened to the Ye family."

Upon hearing this, Lin Jianran's expression changed drastically and she couldn't hold it in on the spot.

She sprang up instantly.

Her beautiful eyes widened, she asked with an air of self-evident certainty: "You say Su Chen bought a Nine-turn Golden Pill today? Just today?"

"Correct, Elder Sister Jianran, are you two really just throwing a petty tantrum?"

"It's been almost two days; given Su Chen's usual temperament, he should have already come bearing heavy gifts to beg forgiveness, yet this time there's no movement." Bi Lian began to feel a faint unease in her heart.

If Su Chen truly gives up on Lin Jianran, then we sisters won't be able to get any good things afterwards.

Moreover, why would he give up?

He pursued Elder Sister Jianran for three years, these three years he gave his all, was meticulous, responded to every request; could it be just because Elder Sister Jianran refused the engagement that he turned to seek out Liu Liyan, that woman cursed with an unknown curse, destined never to marry?

If he can't even withstand this test, what right does he have to pursue Elder Sister Jianran?

"So that's it!" Lin Jianran's face darkened like water, she puffed her cheeks, and said angrily: "This young lady finally understands why he didn't come today to apologize; it turns out to be this."

"He's waiting for this young lady to personally go to the Heavenly Mystery Dao Sect to demand it!"

"Why must you make things difficult for me? I never said I wouldn't give him a chance to pursue me; even if I have someone I like, I never said I wouldn't let him like me. Why must you twist something as pure as feelings into something so offensive? Why can't you just treat me well, wait until I marry Brother Ye Xuan, and then bless us properly?"

Human nature is sometimes like that; one-sided giving will never be rewarded, instead it will be taken for granted by the other party.

Other young masters and gentlemen casually give a little something, and Lin Jianran feels both surprised and moved.

And no matter how sincerely Su Chen opens his heart to Lin Jianran and treats her candidly, she never gives him another glance, nor feels even a bit moved, because his kindness over these years has become a habit, making her feel that all his efforts are simply expected.

Unfortunately—

Lin Jianran didn't realize she had completely lost that man who was filled with her in heart and eyes!

"Elder Sister Jianran, what should we do now? After today there's no remedy; Su Chen really, the gift was something he forced you to accept, his pursuit of you was his own initiative—what does that have to do with you!"

"What right does he have to silently give you the cold shoulder? … Now the young master of the Ye family desperately needs the Nine-turn Golden Pill to save his life; if he were sensible, he should bring the pill to apologize to you and beg your forgiveness."

Bi Lian's resentful words were heard by Lin Jianran.

At this moment she was completely ashamed and angry!

She is angry! The consequences are something Su Chen cannot bear!

However, time waits for no one; in order to win Ye Xuan's favor, Lin Jianran no longer wants to continue the cold war with Su Chen, and she has decided to strike Su Chen from the list of backup husbands!

She announced! From this moment on, Su Chen will completely lose her!

She is utterly disappointed in Su Chen!

"Steward, immediately prepare the unicorn; this young lady will immediately go to the Heavenly Mystery Dao Sect."

"Since he so wants me to lower my head and yield, then I will do as he wishes, only hoping he won't regret it." Lin Jianran now hated Su Chen to the core.

But for the Nine-turn Golden Pill, and to make Su Chen regret bitterly, this trip she must make.

After the time it takes to burn an incense stick.

The carriage stopped outside the sect-protecting grand formation of the Heavenly Mystery Dao Sect.

Lin Jianran wore a sky-blue gauze skirt, with a purple-gold jade article tied at her waist that Su Chen had forced her to accept.

Feeling wronged, she arrived at the Heavenly Mystery Dao Sect, lifted her bare hand, and lifted the carriage curtain.

This carriage and the unicorn were also gifts from Su Chen, speeding like the wind; the unicorn looks extraordinarily handsome.

"\"Greetings, Miss Lin. \" The guards of the Heavenly Mystery Dao Sect, upon seeing the Lin family's carriage, felt their hearts tighten, dared not be negligent in the slightest, and hurriedly bowed and knelt to pay respects."

Normally, the guards of the four great sects, when seeing visitors of lesser power than their own sect, need not kneel to pay respects.

They can even look down on people with dog-eyed disdain, completely ignoring them, after all the fame of the four great sects is known to all.

But Lin Jianran is especially an exception.

She claims to despise those who bully with power and fawn on the mighty, yet she herself guiltlessly enjoys the highest treatment, letting the Heavenly Mystic Dao Sect's guards kneel before her—this would bring her great fame if spread.

"Get Su Chen out here, and tell him I'm looking for him!" Lin Jianran sat in the carriage, lifting her snow‑white chin, her eyes full of contempt.

After waiting a moment, there was still no movement from the guards.

Lin Jianran flew into a rage, slamming her sword sheath into the guard's forehead, her aura terrifying; over the years, Su Chen has plentifully taken heavenly treasures and earthly riches to wash his marrow and refine his body.

Although Lin Jianran lacks cultivation talent, she has still been pushed to the Martial Spirit Realm.

She shouted angrily: "Are you deaf? You didn't hear my words—you must have eaten a bear's heart and leopard's gall to dare be so lax toward me! Hurry up and go call Su Chen out for me!"

The guard's forehead was split by the sword sheath, his voice trembling as he said: "Please forgive me, Miss Lin—it's not that I refuse to go, but… the Young Sect Master simply isn't in the sect."

"The Young Sect Master left early this morning and hasn't returned yet."

"Did he say where he went?" Seeing the guard's hesitation, Lin Jianran grew even more dissatisfied, now even a gate‑keeping lackey dared not take her seriously: "How dare you deceive me? Just wait until Su Chen comes out—I'll have him skin you alive!"

How could a mere sect guard dare to offend the Lin Miss whom the Young Sect Master holds dear.

Everyone saw how deeply Su Chen once doted on Lin Jianran; although his attitude toward her has shifted these past days, to the lowly servants it looks like nothing more than lovers' petty squabbles.

"Please calm down, Miss Lin—the Young Sect Master seems to have gone to the Purple Yang Sect." The guard hurriedly fell to his knees, begging for mercy.

The words fell!

The three words "Purple Yang Sect" hit her like a swarm of ants devouring her heart, driving Lin Jianran mad.

Her chest heaved, her features twisted, and she shouted without regard for decorum: "Su Chen! Ahhh! You dare betray me to see that woman Liu Liyan!!"