A hand caught the gourd. Mo Nian was startled. “How did you recognize me? I used the Dark Night race’s stealth art.”

Mo Nian had gained a new technique recently while tomb-robbing. It was the technique he was currently most proud of, and his efficiency in tomb-robbing had increased immensely from it.

He had been hoping to scare Long Chen with this move, but Long Chen noticed him as soon as he was a few hundred meters away.

Long Chen smiled faintly. He had noticed Mo Nian because he had been adjusting his 108,000 stars, seeing if he could connect them to heaven and earth. “That’s because your wretched air disturbed me.”

Seeing his expression, Mo Nian immediately understood Long Chen was being sarcastic. Drinking a mouthful of wine, he spat out, “Wretch.”

“Are you shouting your own name?” Long Chen shook his head.

“Fuck, you’re such a conner.” Mo Nian laughed. “Long Chen let me tell you about a certain something. Don’t get mad though.”

“Why would I get mad?”

“Hehe, this blessing came very quickly, so quickly that I’m unprepared… Ah… how do I say this…” Mo Nian suddenly became bashful.

“Damn, based on your wretched appearance, I’d say that you’ve brought calamity onto some family’s younger daughter…”

“What nonsense. Am I, Mo Nian, that kind of person? Fine, I’ll tell you the truth. But first tell me that you won’t get angry.”

“Tell me first!” said Long Chen impatiently.

“Alright. That matter between myself and Ye Lingshan, I might be about to pull it off. So don’t get angry.”

“Really? I don’t believe it.”

“Hehe, I know you have some interest in her, but my attraction is simply greater than yours. Ah, but don’t blame me for not being a good brother. After all, that flower had no owner, and we have to use our own abilities…”

“Wait, wait. First, let me say this. I have no romantic feelings for Ye Lingshan. Heaven and earth can testify to that, with the sun and moon bearing witness. I also understand Ye Lingshan’s character, and she is absolutely loyal to the Martial Heaven Alliance. She will not marry out to anyone. She has already married the Martial Heaven Alliance. Your only option would be to marry into her family, but considering your old man’s temper, if you dare to consider it, he’ll sever your five limbs. Last, and this is the aspect that I find most inconceivable, are you telling me that she is actually attracted to you? I always thought that she liked the kind of person who’s steady and mature. As for you? I’m not trying to give you a blow, but I really don’t believe it.” Long Chen looked up and down Mo Nian, and then shook his head.

He really couldn’t believe it. Based on his rich experience, this boasting of Mo Nian’s was very likely false.

“Hehe, you’re viewing me from the angle of a man, so how could you tell how attractive I am? Don’t think that you’re so attractive just because you have so many beauties. Let me tell you, each woman’s eyesight is different. Ye Lingshan likes my type, so what can you do about it?” Mo Nian laughed. “Just look at this! You don’t want to accept it? Well, too bad!”

Mo Nian took out a rolled-up little scroll. There was even some fragrance coming from it. It seemed there was something written on it.

“Do you see? This is the love letter that Ye Lingshan personally wrote to me! That smiling appearance of hers when she gave it to me, I will never be able to forget it in this lifetime!” declared Mo Nian, taking a deep breath of the scroll’s fragrance. That appearance gave Long Chen chills. He even got goosebumps.

However, he was truly startled to find that this fragrance was truly the same as Ye Lingshan’s. What was going on? Had Ye Lingshan gotten water in her head?

“Open it and look. Let me see just how amazing my brother Mo Nian’s divine pick-up abilities are.” Long Chen wanted to see what Ye Lingshan had written.

“Am I a badass?”

“Definitely a badass.”

“Am I handsome?”

“Alright!”

“What is alright supposed to mean?”

“If your face was skinnier, it’d be better.”

“You’re saying I’m not handsome? Fine, I’m not letting you see what’s written inside. Hey! Don’t pull it, you’ll tear it! Fine, I’ll let you see…”

Mo Nian jumped, and only when he saw that Long Chen wasn’t going to pull it did he slowly unfurl a corner of it. Even his hands were trembling.

“Why are you so nervous?” asked Long Chen.

“How can I not be nervous? Who knows what’s written inside?”

“What? You didn’t even read it before bragging to me? You made it sound like you were about to get married tomorrow, you wretch!” raged Long Chen.

“Isn’t it because I view you as a real brother and wanted you to be here when I read it?” Mo Nian tactfully pivoted.

“Give it up. As I see it, you didn’t have the courage to even read it,” guessed Long Chen.

“Are you even my brother? Be nicer. Fine, let’s see what’s inside. Hopefully, the heavens will bless me with a beautiful woman.” Mo Nian prayed before slowly unfurling it. A character quickly appeared: As.

“As? Not good, what if it says as if she would like me?” Mo Nian’s heart shuddered.

“Keep going!” pressed Long Chen.

“If?”

The second word was if. Mo Nian was about to think about what it could mean when Long Chen grabbed at the scroll. Mo Nian hastily protected it. “Don’t rush me!”

Mo Nian slowly opened the rest of the scroll. Seeing the next few words, Mo Nian laughed delightedly.

“As long as you’re well… it’s like spring. Hahaha, Long Chen, do you see! The meaning is all too clear, hahaha!”

Mo Nian was so emotional that his whole body shook as he looked. Long Chen looked at the rest of the scroll. He had an urge to say something, but he didn’t.

“Hehe, Long Chen, do you submit? Do you see? This is my attraction! Just because you couldn’t achieve it doesn’t mean that I can’t! Eh, why are you looking at me like that?” Mo Nian finally sensed something off.

Long Chen pointed at the scroll. “Keep reading. There should be more.”

Mo Nian looked and realized that he hadn’t reached the end. Continuing to open it, another word entered his gaze: thunder.

Mo Nian was dumbfounded. “As long as you’re well, it’s like spring thunder? Isn’t this a letter of hate?”

Seeing Mo Nian staring at him directly, Long Chen hastily shook his head. “Don’t look at me. To use your words, the meaning is all too clear. You… have failed.”

Mo Nian wilted, looking like he wanted to cry. He howled in grief. “I spent so much effort on her though! I kept fighting despite continual setbacks. That kind of toughness should have allowed me to succeed based on probability!”

Could such a thing be measured by probability like that? Long Chen was forced to pat Mo Nian on the shoulder. “If failure is the mother of success, then you… might be infertile.”

“Your comfort makes me want to die,” wept Mo Nian.

“Brother, there’s a good place of feng shui three thousand miles northeast of the city. Face the south and look at the three bowls of water before you. The Azure Dragon is to the left, the White Tiger is to the right. It’s a beautiful place to be laid to rest. That’s all I can help you with,” sighed Long Chen mournfully.

“Wretch!” raged Mo Nian.

“Are you shouting your own name?” Long Chen looked at him disdainfully.

“Tch, I’m not talking about this with you any longer…” Mo Nian began to walk away but was grabbed by Long Chen.

“Stop the act. I know you don’t have the slightest sincerity in pursuing Ye Lingshan. Even I could see it, so do you think she didn’t notice? You only did it to act badass and have fun. And don’t act pitiful now. Tell me what your plans are for the future,” said Long Chen.

Mo Nian had always liked to be free. He definitely didn’t want to be restricted, and so there was no way he could end up with Ye Lingshan. He had purely been joking by pursuing Ye Lingshan, and Ye Lingshan didn’t mind playing a joke back on him. Things between them could end here.

“What could I possibly do? You’re already so powerful. I have to hurry up and restore the Five Element Sun Hunting Bow, or I won’t be able to fully awaken my manifestation. I don’t want you to get too far ahead of me. I’m also missing my family. I want to go back, and it just so happens I can bring a Heavenly Dao Fruit back to her. I suddenly find that she is the only one who treats me best in this world. Although she’s fierce, I’m always in her heart,” sighed Mo Nian. The her he was speaking of was naturally his fiancée, Liu Zongying.

“Long Chen, do you think that women with the Ying character in their name are vixens?” asked Mo Nian suddenly.

“Are you looking to die?” Long Chen jumped in shock, hastily looking around. Only upon seeing that there was no reaction did he quietly curse, “If you want to die, don’t drag me down with you. This is the Martial Heaven Alliance.”

“Ah, my mistake. I’ll pay attention next time.” Mo Nian also jumped upon realizing what he had said. If Qu Jianying had heard this, the two of them would definitely be beaten.

“That’s called being unyielding and domineering. Such people are definitely perfect as friends. They’ll accompany you through life and death, fighting alongside you. But as companions… well, it’s alright.” Long Chen could only comfort him this way. Thinking of the squabbles that erupted every time the old man interacted with Qu Jianying, he could only sigh sorrowfully.

“Fine, perhaps this is just my fate. I accept it. I’m going now. Let’s meet again.” Mo Nian rose.

“Yes, let’s meet again, Western Wretch.” Long Chen also rose.

“Wretch.”

“Are you shouting your own name?”

“...”

Once Mo Nian left, a disciple came to Long Chen to report that Qu Jianying was looking for him. That shocked him. She couldn’t possibly have overheard it, right? Long Chen swore that if Mo Nian had conned him again, he wouldn’t let him off even in death.