Xue Lingxun was no ordinary woman. As a princess of the Dou Ling Empire and the aunt of its reigning emperor, she carried an air of nobility from birth. Even after marrying into the Xuanyuan Sect, her status as a royal lady remained untouchable, further bolstered by the sect's powerful backing.
Never in her life had she encountered such indignities as she did today.
Everyone, from strangers to her closest allies, had treated her with the utmost respect. But Qian Ran? This detestable scoundrel!
Xue Lingxun had assumed that her unparalleled beauty would surely captivate Qian Ran. Once she closed the gap between them to within striking distance and caught him off guard, taking his life would be effortless. Her vengeance would finally be complete.
If only she had known Qian Ran's "appetite" would be so shamelessly direct, she would have chosen another approach entirely.
His lack of tact was beyond infuriating.
Was she not even worthy of a bit of conversation over coffee first? Was Qian Ran so crude as to skip all pretense and go straight for the "meat"?
Such vulgarity!
And yet, Xue Lingxun could tell that Qian Ran wasn't faking it.
In matters like this, he had no need to pretend.
Qian Ran's close female companions at the Sun-Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy included Nana, Keke, Juzi, and Meng Hongchen. Occasionally, he'd invite a few "mood-setters" to his parties for added excitement. Those women were so carefree and uninhibited that Qian Ran didn't even bother to learn their names.
Xue Lingxun, suppressing her mounting fury, briefly considered two options: activating her martial spirit and striking Qian Ran down on the spot, or fleeing immediately.
Both options, however, were unwise.
Any sudden move risked drawing Qian Ran's attention to her identity, which would make it impossible for her to approach him in the future. Qian Ran was already monstrously talented; give him just a few more years of cultivation, and she would stand no chance against him.
Xue Lingxun had no illusions about Qian Ran's potential. She had been tracking him since his early days at Shrek Academy's outer court, and she knew just how extraordinary his talent for cultivation was.
Clutching the outfit Juzi had given her, Xue Lingxun reluctantly retreated to the restroom to change.
When she emerged, she was wearing the bunny-girl costume: a black fishnet bodysuit paired with matching stockings and high heels. A pair of bunny ears crowned her head.
Because the outfit belonged to Juzi, it was slightly tight on Xue Lingxun, accentuating her flawless curves even further.
With deliberate grace, Xue Lingxun leaned against the vanity, her hands resting on the edge as she provocatively arched her back, her shapely hips swaying side to side. The soft, rhythmic motion of her movements was nothing short of incendiary.
Unlike Juzi, who had kept her dance relatively modest, Xue Lingxun, with her sharp mind, had already deduced the essence of this provocative art form. Once she understood the principles, the rest came naturally.
"Damn."
Qian Ran couldn't help but swallow audibly. If this were Earth, he thought, a short video of this performance would easily rack up millions of likes.
Compared to the slightly inexperienced Juzi and the others, a mature woman like Xue Lingxun brought an entirely different energy to her dance.
Her seductive gaze—despite her best efforts to suppress it—was irresistibly captivating. The mature charm she exuded was fully realized in her performance, leaving Qian Ran utterly entranced.
As Xue Lingxun danced, she bit her lip, her mind a storm of conflicting emotions.
Though she longed to strike now and end Qian Ran's life, she knew she had to wait just a little longer to completely lower his guard.
With an elegant twist, Xue Lingxun turned to face Qian Ran. Her hands slid up to her shoulders as she gazed at him through half-lidded eyes, her expression a perfect blend of allure and mystery.
Whether she was acting or not, in that moment, Xue Lingxun radiated an irresistible charm.
Qian Ran's thoughts wandered: if he could keep Xue Lingxun by his side, he could enjoy such mesmerizing performances anytime he wanted.
Her aptitude for this kind of dance far exceeded Juzi's and the others'. After watching only a brief demonstration, she had managed to innovate and add her own flair. If she became the leader of his "private dance troupe," Qian Ran could scarcely imagine the joy awaiting him.
As Xue Lingxun continued her performance, she picked up a glass of wine from the table and took a long, deliberate sip. Then, with a calculated movement, she straddled Qian Ran's lap, leaning in as if to offer him a kiss.
This feels like something out of a movie with an assassin disguised as a seductress, Qian Ran thought.
For Xue Lingxun, this was the moment she had been waiting for. Her heart surged with rage as memories of Xu Sanshi's suffering flooded her mind. Now, finally, she could avenge him.
Summoning her immense soul power, Xue Lingxun activated her martial spirit and struck out with a powerful palm, aimed directly at Qian Ran's chest.
"Boom!"
The force of the blow was devastating. As a scion of a prestigious family, Xue Lingxun had enjoyed resources beyond what ordinary people could imagine. Her cultivation was formidable, and this strike could easily have killed any Soul Sage outright.
She didn't believe Qian Ran could have survived such an unguarded attack.
"Qian Ran!"
Juzi, witnessing the scene, gasped in horror, her face pale with shock. But when she saw that Qian Ran had vanished from the room, she let out a sigh of relief.
She knew that Qian Ran could teleport into the micro-world within his Sumeru Ring, his ultimate trump card.
Even so, her heart pounded with lingering fear. The idea that Qian Ran, as reckless as he sometimes was, could one day be caught off guard by such an attack terrified her.
"Who are you? Why did you try to kill Qian Ran?" Juzi demanded, her voice trembling with anger.
"This is none of your business," Xue Lingxun snapped, her tone icy.
"Wait... where's Qian Ran?"
Xue Lingxun's initial satisfaction at landing the strike quickly turned to panic as she realized Qian Ran had vanished.
"How? I hit him—I know I did. So how is he gone?"
"Miss Xue Lingxun, isn't such a fiery temper unbecoming?"
Qian Ran reappeared beside Juzi, pulling her protectively behind him.
Xue Lingxun's face darkened at the sight of Qian Ran, unharmed and as composed as ever.
Impossible! she thought, trembling with frustration. I hit him! How could he be completely fine?
In truth, Qian Ran had teleported away the instant before her attack landed. With his exceptional spiritual power and reflexes, evading such an assault was child's play for someone like him.
"Damn it!"
Enraged, Xue Lingxun lunged at Qian Ran again, unleashing another devastating strike. But just as before, Qian Ran vanished before the blow could connect.
After missing twice in quick succession, Xue Lingxun began to falter.
Even an ordinary Soul Douluo wouldn't be her match, so she had assumed this confrontation was a guaranteed victory.
But Qian Ran's elusive abilities had completely upended her expectations.
With such an extraordinary power at his disposal, Xue Lingxun realized that unless she had the strength of a Titled Douluo, defeating Qian Ran would be nearly impossible.
(End of Chapter)
Notes-You can read advanced chapters in patreon.com/Shadow_D_X