Chen Lanlan was still lost in thoughts of the future when a panicked voice suddenly interrupted her reverie.

"Sister Lanlan, something terrible has happened! Someone has attacked the Chen Family!"

It was a young maid from the Chen Family. Though pretty, she paled in comparison to Chen Lanlan.

Chen Lanlan's thoughts scattered at the urgent tone. She frowned at the girl and said, "Xiao Ling, don't talk nonsense. The Chen Family is the strongest power in Stone Mountain City. Everyone else avoids us. Who would dare attack?"

Though she spoke sternly, her words were also meant to protect the maid. If the family elders heard such talk, punishment would surely follow.

"I'm not lying, Sister Lanlan!" Xiao Ling insisted. "It's chaos outside. Many Chen Family elders have already been killed. We need to escape now!"

Chen Lanlan's brow furrowed deeper. Her cultivation talent was poor. Even with the many treasures Chen Xuan had given her, she had yet to reach the Spirit Gathering realm. She had only vaguely sensed some commotion outside.

Still, she refused to believe anyone would dare assault the Chen Family. In her eyes, the Chen Family was untouchable.

"Why are you so flustered? Our ancestor is a Spirit Sea realm expert. If anyone dares invade, he will handle it…"

"What audacity! You dare attack my Chen Family!"

The Chen Family's Spirit Sea realm ancestor—now the undisputed strongest expert in Stone Mountain City after Chen Xuan's departure—had taken action.

Yet in the next instant, the ground shook violently as two powerful experts clashed. A figure shot through the air like a cannonball, smashing through countless buildings.

Chen Lanlan's eyes widened in horror. It was the Chen Family ancestor.

The number one expert of Stone Mountain City had been defeated in a single exchange.

Chen Lanlan's mind went blank. The Chen Family members felt as if the sky itself had collapsed.

Dongfang Yunxing never forgot the principle of eradicating roots and leaves. With a formation arranged by Su Chen, he had sealed off all escape routes. He charged into the Chen Family like a tiger into a flock of sheep, slaughtering without mercy.

The Chen Family ancestor was merely at the first layer of Spirit Sea. Although Dongfang Yunxing was also at the first layer, the difference in their techniques and martial skills was vast. The ancestor could not even withstand a single move.

Dongfang Yunxing left no survivors. The entire Chen Family was wiped out.

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Just as he prepared to leave, Su Chen's voice sounded in his mind.

"Foolish disciple, two fish have slipped through the net."

Dongfang Yunxing immediately stopped and turned back.

There were still two survivors!

...

Chen Lanlan trembled uncontrollably. Everyone else in the Chen Family was dead. Only she and Xiao Ling remained alive. They had survived thanks to a treasure Chen Xuan had given her before leaving—a mirror containing a protective array.

She remembered his instructions clearly: "Lanlan, if you encounter danger, activate the array in the mirror immediately. It will hide you from detection. Don't worry. Once the array is activated, I will sense it right away and return before its energy runs out."

Fortunately, the murderer who had annihilated the Chen Family had not noticed them.

Just as Chen Lanlan breathed a sigh of relief, the footsteps that had been fading into the distance suddenly returned.

This time, they were growing closer. That person had come back!

After countless hardships, Chen Xuan finally arrived at the imperial capital of the Great Wind Dynasty with Yun Mengyan.

Although Yun Mengyan remained somewhat wary of him, he had saved her life after all. Her favorability toward him still stood at 60.

Thanks to his connection with the most favored imperial princess, Chen Xuan quickly gained fame in the capital. Countless high officials and nobles flocked to visit him. With the help of his system, he rose rapidly and became a renowned young prodigy.

Recently, he had stunned the capital by reciting ancient poems he remembered from his previous life as a horse slave. This earned him the admiration of Tao Wan, the daughter of a great contemporary scholar.

Tao Wan was renowned for her beauty across the capital and ranked among the Four Great Beauties of the Great Wind Dynasty. Her looks were in no way inferior to Yun Mengyan's. Chen Xuan fell in love at first sight with this graceful, intellectual woman.

When he saw the invitation Tao Wan had sent him, a smug smile spread across his face. He had casually recited a few verses, yet her favorability toward him had already risen to 80.

At 80 favorability, he could establish a romantic relationship. With just a little more effort each day, he could easily win her over—gaining both a beauty and the support of the powerful Tao clan.

Chen Xuan was still grinning foolishly when his smile suddenly froze.

[Ding! The host's one-time artifact, the Ghost Shadow Mirage Mirror, has been activated.]

The Ghost Shadow Mirage Mirror was the treasure he had left with Chen Lanlan. Its activation meant she was in dire danger—perhaps facing a life-or-death crisis. The entire Chen Family might already be dead.

[Ghost Shadow Mirage Mirror countdown: 6 days 23 hours 59 minutes 59 seconds.]

Staring at the system notification, Chen Xuan wished he could return to Stone Mountain City immediately. He stood up, but his gaze fell on the invitation lying on the table.

Tao Wan had invited him to the Four Nations Poetry Gathering.

[If the host wins first place in the Four Nations Poetry Gathering, rewards: Random Spirit Physique 1, cultivation +3 minor realms, Random Sovereign-grade technique or martial skill 1.]

[If the host abandons the Four Nations Poetry Gathering, Tao Wan's favorability -80.]

Chen Xuan looked at the rewards and the warning. He picked up the invitation once more.

A drop of 80 favorability was a price he could not afford.

"Lanlan…"

He gripped Tao Wan's invitation so tightly that his knuckles turned white. In his heart, he had already made his decision.

...

Chen Lanlan realized the figure was drawing closer and closer. With every second, her heart and Xiao Ling's rose to their throats.

Suddenly, the ground trembled.

In that moment, what filled Chen Lanlan's mind was not the fear of death, but the scene of Chen Xuan handing her the artifact before leaving with the woman from the imperial capital—without the slightest hesitation or reluctance.

At that moment, she had felt deeply hurt. She had felt like a discarded toy, a burden Chen Xuan had grown tired of.

"If Young Master were here… He would never see Lanlan as a burden."

Chen Lanlan smiled, as if a weight had been lifted from her heart. It was a smile as beautiful and fleeting as a poppy in bloom. Perhaps, for her, this was the best ending.