Yao Ranran swept a careless glance at Yu Zhenyan's expression, but inside, she was secretly delighted.
This trick really worked.
"Amitabha. The Yan family fortress is filled with strange and ever-changing mysteries. For Fairy Ranran to maintain such a pure heart is truly rare. Yu Daoyou's fellow disciples have fallen, and today we found no trace of the Yan family fortress's secrets. I can understand the resentment in your heart.
But what matters most now is uncovering the truth behind this fortress and the cause of death. Then Yu Daoyou can give an explanation to her fallen companions." Mu Jialing spoke in a calm, measured tone.
Yu Zhenyan bit her lip, sorrow clouding her eyes.
"They refuse to say anything. What information could we possibly uncover? I say we kill them all and make the Yan family fortress pay for Zhao Jiu's death!"
The more Yu Zhenyan spoke, the more agitated she became, and the more the idea seemed reasonable.
"Fózǐ, if they will not speak, then we should pry open their mouths and force them to reveal the secret of the Yan family fortress!"
"Absolutely not." Mu Jialing shook his head, refusing her reckless proposal.
But Yu Zhenyan was beyond listening. "That statue of Master Mingzhi has been sealed for tens of thousands of years. How could a living person possibly reside inside? They must be monsters, abominations!
And abominations should be annihilated without mercy!" She suddenly whirled around and stormed back into that family's home.
Mu Jialing's figure flickered like the wind as he rushed to intercept her.
As he chased, he sent a hurried sound transmission to Yao Ranran: "Fairy, please return home at once. The Yan family fortress hides too many strange dangers. With your shallow cultivation, it is unwise to wander outside."
"Sister Yan, have you eaten yet?"
Inside Yan Fang's house, Yu Zhenyan stood frozen, as if she had seen something terrifying.
"Yu Daoyou, do not act rashly. Impulsiveness is the devil. You are not her match!" Mu Jialing arrived in haste, golden light leaping in his palm, ready to strike.
"Fairy Ranran?!"
When had she come in?!
The golden light in Mu Jialing's palm slipped from his control, nearly striking Yan Fang, the lady of the house.
The beam swept past her shoulder instead, splitting a bucket of water into shards. Droplets scattered across the floor.
Yan Fang's eyes widened in surprise, yet a strange smile curved at her lips.
"Fighting is forbidden in the Yan family fortress."
She spoke cheerfully, raising a hand hidden in her sleeve.
Yao Ranran cried out, "It's a water rat! Fózǐ killed the rat that was stealing food!"
"What water rat?" Yan Fang faltered.
Yao Ranran held up a limp, long-tailed rat by its tail, dangling it for everyone to see.
"This one! A thieving little beast that dares steal food. It broke the rules of the Yan family fortress!"
She scolded the creature fiercely, wagging a finger at it.
Yan Fang rubbed her eyes. Somehow, she seemed to really see a water rat in Yao Ranran's hand.
Mu Jialing and Yu Zhenyan both stared in shock.
There was no such thing as a water rat. What Yao Ranran held was nothing more than a simple illusion technique.
What defied belief was that Yan Fang, who clearly possessed mid Foundation Establishment cultivation, could not see through such a crude trick.
Instead, she brightened with sudden clarity and smiled. "Thank you, honored guests! You actually killed the water rat. Now I no longer need to worry about my grain being stolen."
Mu Jialing froze.
Had he misjudged the woman's cultivation? Or had he misjudged the rat?
Yan Fang took Yao Ranran's hand warmly. "If not for the Fairy finding this rat, I might have misunderstood our guests. You've done me a great kindness!"
Yao Ranran tossed aside the water rat and gripped her hand in return. "Sister-in-law, there's no need for formality. Everything is for the Yan family fortress. I will never allow any creature to break its rules."
Yan Fang's eyes brimmed with emotion. "The Fortress Lord did not misjudge you. Fairy truly wishes to join our fortress wholeheartedly!"
"Of course! Everyone here is a cultivation genius, and they all speak so kindly. It feels just like family. I really love this place!"
"Fairy…" Yan Fang laughed and cried at once, moved to the core.
Mu Jialing and Yu Zhenyan were left speechless.
So this was how she kept herself alive?
What a shameless bootlicker.
"Oh, how foolish of me. I was so busy crying, I forgot to invite our honored guests to sit!" Yan Fang cheerfully beckoned them to take seats inside.
Yao Ranran accepted without hesitation, sitting close beside Yan Fang.
Mu Jialing and Yu Zhenyan sat stiffly opposite them.
"Fairy, have you grown accustomed to life here these past days? Is the house comfortable? Do you like the taste of this spiritual tea?" Yan Fang asked with a face full of warmth, as if Yao Ranran were her own sister.
Occasionally she would glance at the other two and ask, "And you?"
Mu Jialing and Yu Zhenyan exchanged glances. "We? We feel…"
But before they could finish, Yan Fang turned back to Yao Ranran, completely uninterested in their words.
Yu Zhenyan nearly choked on her rage. She had been noble since childhood. Never once had she endured such humiliation.
Just as Yao Ranran and Yan Fang were chatting happily, Yu Zhenyan suddenly shot to her feet.
"Yao Ranran, did you drag us here just to watch you grovel? We came to seek answers, yet you have not uncovered a single thing. Why waste time here?"
"Oh? Then what questions do you want answered?" Yao Ranran tilted her head.
Yu Zhenyan sneered. "Even if I told you, do you think you could ask them out?"
Yao Ranran calmly turned back. "Sister-in-law, where were we just now?"
Yan Fang replied, "You said you wanted to ask the Fortress Lord for a few plots of farmland…"
"Oh right, yes!" Yao Ranran nodded eagerly. "Do you think if I ask for ten mu of land, the Fortress Lord will agree?"
Yan Fang looked troubled. "…Probably not."
Yu Zhenyan: "…"
Was this woman serious? She was still talking!
"Fairy Ranran…" Mu Jialing finally spoke up after holding back for so long.
She looked at him. "Does Fózǐ have something to say?"
Mu Jialing hesitated. It was clear that Yan Fang's attitude toward them was vastly different. Despite calling them honored guests, she clearly understood their true intentions.
Perhaps Fairy Ranran's simple sincerity struck a deeper chord with her.
He weighed his words carefully. "Fairy Ranran, it seems Sister-in-law has been in poor health recently…"
Yao Ranran gave him a quick glance, then slyly extended one finger under the table in his direction.
Mu Jialing's brow twitched. He lowered his eyes, then nearly winced.
Was she suggesting what he thought?
Their gazes met. She smiled and gave the faintest of nods.
He understood at once and sent a voice transmission: "One thousand spirit stones per question. If Fairy can draw out an answer, once we leave here, I will settle the payment."
Yao Ranran's mouth parted slightly in astonishment. She turned her head aside to hide her expression.
This was too effective.
She had only planned to ask for one hundred spirit stones. Who would have thought this monk was so wealthy?
She made up her mind then and there. From now on, whenever she discussed business, she would say nothing at all. She would simply raise one finger and test the other party's bottom line.