Chapter 247: The Strange Lu Miaozi.

"Lu Miaozi?"

Zhu Yuyan pronounced the name with a touch of disdain.

After all, Lu Miaozi had been Zhu Yuyan's bootlicker, and his fate was horrible. He was nearly beaten to death by Zhu Yuyan. Even if he hadn't died, he'd faked his own death and stayed at Pegasus Ranch, absent from the martial arts world for years.

However, it was surprising that Lu Miaozi knew the location of Yang Gong's treasury—no, it should be said that Yang Gong's treasury itself was built by Lu Miaozi.

If she had known this information, perhaps the Evil Emperor's relic within the treasury would have fallen into her hands long ago.

She might even have achieved Grandmaster status with it.

But dwelling on this now was pointless. Besides, Ye Xiu needed Lu Miaozi right now. If Zhu Yuyan had killed Lu Miaozi now, it might have only incurred Ye Xiu's dislike.

So, Ye Xiu mentioned Lu Miaozi very early in his diary, but Zhu Yuyan never thought of going to Pegasus Ranch to beat Lu Miaozi to death.

Of course, there was another very important reason. When Zhu Yuyan was not a Grandmaster, she could easily beat Lu Miaozi half to death. Now that she has become a Grandmaster, Lu Miaozi is even less of a threat to her. That's why Zhu Yuyan was so indulgent and didn't take Lu Miaozi seriously at all.

"But the person who wrote the diary is going to Pegasus Ranch. This is a good opportunity. I hope this misunderstanding can be resolved." Zhu Yuyan's eyes flashed with anticipation. She really wanted to resolve the misunderstanding.

Because Zhu Yuyan knew that as long as this misunderstanding was not resolved, Ye Xiu's favorability towards her would definitely not improve, and she would not be able to get much reward.

With only 20 points of favorability, the rewards she received were already minimal. She was already stuck between Grandmaster and Grandmaster, so even the small amount of reward she received was just the right amount, like the last straw that broke the camel's back, allowing her to successfully break through to Grandmaster.

However, that was only at that point, which was why she was able to break through. If the rewards remained so meager, or even less than the previous match, her strength wouldn't improve at all.

With the next month's rewards approaching, Zhu Yuyan felt a surge of pressure.

With a clear plan in mind, she no longer hesitated and headed straight for Pegasus Ranch.

She probably left after Ye Xiu did.

However, Zhu Yuyan was more familiar with the territory and routes of the Great Sui Dynasty than Ye Xiu, so she arrived at Pegasus Ranch before him.

Upon arriving at Pegasus Ranch, Zhu Yuyan immediately searched for any strangers who had been there. After confirming that no one had yet met Lu Miaozi, Zhu Yuyan felt even more reassured.

So, she began making her plans, and afterward, she awaited Ye Xiu's arrival.

Meanwhile, she had no desire to see her old friend, Lu Miaozi.

On the one hand, Zhu Yuyan despised Lu Miaozi as a bootlicker. On the other, she didn't want to alert the enemy.

If she went to see Lu Miaozi, and then Lu Miaozi said something unsuitable during their meeting with Ye Xiu, further deepening Ye Xiu's misunderstanding of her, that would be disastrous.

So, Zhu Yuyan arrived at Pegasus Ranch without letting anyone know of her presence, not Lu Miaozi or the owner of the beauty farm, Shang Xiuxun.

By the time Zhu Yuyan had completed her plans, Ye Xiu had finally arrived.

Looking at the vast Pegasus Ranch, Ye Xiu didn't seem overly impressed.

Well, first of all, Ye Xiu had no particular fondness for horses. Secondly, he had no intention of building an army, so naturally, he wouldn't need so many warhorses.

At most, when the men at Pegasus Ranch were herding their warhorses, Ye Xiu would sigh at the sight of the galloping horses, his blood boiling slightly. But that was all.

Ye Xiu, once again completely transformed, his face, height, and girth completely different from his previous appearance, was so cautious that it was hard to describe him.

It was precisely because of Ye Xiu's caution that Zhu Yuyan couldn't find him at all.

Zhu Yuyan's plan to gain Ye Xiu's favor had been thwarted.

Upon arriving at Pegasus Ranch, Ye Xiu also didn't alert anyone, sneaking into the ranch. The process was incredibly smooth, alerting no one.

Even Zhu Yuyan, a Grandmaster, didn't sense Ye Xiu's arrival.

However, Zhu Yuyan already knew that Ye Xiu could block his own aura, demonstrating his remarkable ability to conceal himself. As a Grandmaster, she couldn't sense Ye Xiu's presence at all.

So, this time, Zhu Yuyan was focused squarely on the cozy home in the mountains behind Pegasus Ranch.

She didn't care how Ye Xiu got there, he was bound to come, after all, Lu Miaozi lived there in seclusion.

And from what Zhu Yuyan knew, Lu Miaozi usually lived alone in the cozy home. Aside from Shang Xiuxun, who visited once or twice a year, no one else visited the cozy home at Pegasus Ranch.

So, if anyone other than Shang Xiuxun came to the cozy home, it was most likely the diary writer she was looking for.

"Hmm?" He'd come?

Zhu Yuyan's eyes suddenly lit up, and she turned her head, not looking directly at Ye Xiu, but observing him from the corner of her eye.

For a master like Ye Xiu, if Zhu Yuyan's gaze was too direct, he would most likely sense it.

Zhu Yuyan was now almost certain that the person who had arrived was none other than the diary writer she had been waiting for.

Before she laid eyes on Ye Xiu, she hadn't sensed any trace of his aura.

Ye Xiu was the only person Zhu Yuyan knew who could do that.

Based on this alone, Zhu Yuyan was certain of Ye Xiu's identity.

Confirming that Ye Xiu had indeed arrived at Pegasus Ranch, Zhu Yuyan inevitably felt a surge of nervousness and excitement.

Whether Ye Xiu's misunderstanding of her could be overturned, whether her fate could be changed, depended on this one opportunity.

...

Ye Xiu looked at the cozy home before him, unable to help but let a hint of admiration cross his eyes.

Well, Ye Xiu didn't know much about architecture. He didn't understand why Lu Miaozi's cozy home was built this way, nor did he understand the underlying principles.

But Ye Xiu simply found the cozy home pleasing to the eye, a comforting, soothing feeling.

It was as if every detail of the building was harmonious and perfectly proportioned.

Not to mention living here, even just looking at it would make people feel comfortable and fall in love with the architecture.

Ye Xiu even wanted to bring Lu Miaozi back to the Ming Kingdom and have him design a similar home for him on Mount Hua.

As Ye Xiu entered the building of Anlewo, he felt a gaze directed at him.

And this gaze, how should I put it, was a bit confusing, as if Lu Miaozi had somehow managed to monitor every location in Anlewo.

So, the moment Ye Xiu entered, Lu Miaozi had already spotted him.

"May I ask, young friend, what brings you to my Anlewo?" Lu Miaozi's voice echoed, as if whispering into Ye Xiu's ear. Lu

Miaozi's method wasn't some kind of Qi-based telepathy, but rather a more common mechanical device that could transmit sound over a distance, with exceptional clarity and stability.

"Master Lu Miaozi, you have a truly remarkable skill," Ye Xiu said, bowing.

"Huh? You actually knew I was here? It seems you're really here for me?" Lu Miaozi's voice was a little chilled.

After all, Lu Miaozi didn't think anyone would come looking for him in his half-dead state.

Especially since he had taken a false name and faked his death.

"I came here this time, in fact, because of Master Lu Miaozi's injuries," Ye Xiu said confidently and calmly.

"My injuries?" Lu Miaozi sneered. "Boy, no matter where you got the news, you're lying when you say you're here because of my injuries. Do you know how serious my condition is?" "

Of course I do. Not only do I know that Master Lu Miaozi's condition is extremely critical, but I also know that you were injured by the Yin Queen Zhu Yuyan using the Heavenly Demonic Technique. Furthermore, the Yin Queen Zhu Yuyan has left her Heavenly Demonic Qi within Master Lu Miaozi's body, exacerbating his condition to the point where he's practically dying." Ye Xiu spoke eloquently, outlining Lu Miaozi's situation.

"So, you were sent by that Demon Queen Zhu Yuyan?" Lu Miaozi paused for a moment before asking.

His voice, however, became unusually agitated, subdued, and even tinged with a hint of madness.

"Not really," Ye Xiu shook his head. "I was able to obtain this information through other channels. But I have no connection to Zhu Yuyan," Ye Xiu said calmly.

"...Hey, I don't know if what you say is true, but in my current situation, even if you're one of the Yin Queen Zhu Yuyan's followers, I can't do anything to you. Come in," Lu Miaozi called out.

Hearing this, Ye Xiu began to walk inside.

On his way to Lu Miaozi, Ye Xiu encountered numerous traps, designed to trigger instantly should Ye Xiu show any ill will.

You have to know that these traps were originally designed specifically for Yin Queen Zhu Yuyan.

In other words, these traps could threaten even a peak-level Ninth-Level Grandmaster. This was the reason Lu Miaozi could remain here with peace of mind.

However, for Ye Xiu, already a Grandmaster, this wasn't a big deal. Of course, Ye Xiu had no intention of clashing with Lu Miaozi.

After a smooth journey, Ye Xiu arrived before an old man.

The old man wore a goose-shaped hat and a wide belt, his features were strange and majestic, towering like pine trees and cypresses... These words, which would normally suffice to describe a person, were repeated in Lu Miaozi's description, as if they were reserved just for him.

Of course, compared to Ye Xiu, he was still far behind.

However, Ye Xiu had already changed his appearance. While his disguise wasn't ugly, it wasn't particularly outstanding either. So, upon seeing Ye Xiu, Lu Miaozi didn't exclaim in admiration.

"Hmm? What a wonderful disguise! But, you're still using it in my presence? Are you looking down on me? Do you think I can't see through your disguise?" Lu Miaozi was taken aback upon seeing Ye Xiu, and almost instantly realized that Ye Xiu's face wasn't real. Speaking of disguise,

Lu Miaozi was also proficient, but it was still slightly inferior to Ye Xiu's current one.

Even if it were just a matter of judging the disguise, Lu Miaozi might not be able to discern anything.

But Lu Miaozi was a profound scholar. He was well-versed not only in disguise but also in physiognomy, astronomy, geography, and other subjects.

Ye Xiu's disguise was truly so masterful that Lu Miaozi could barely detect a flaw.

However, when Lu Miaozi used physiognomy on Ye Xiu to gauge his personality, he discovered that Ye Xiu's face was too chaotic, even contradictory, from a purely physiognomic perspective.

Furthermore, Ye Xiu's face was utterly disjointed with his current figure. His face shouldn't have looked like this.

A normal person's face couldn't possibly look like this.

Lu Miaozi concluded that Ye Xiu's current face wasn't his true appearance, but a disguised one.

"Master Lu Miaozi, you're worthy of seeing through my disguise!" Ye Xiu exclaimed in amazement, then removed the disguise, revealing his true face.

At least Lu Miaozi wasn't one of Pang Ban's followers. There was even some animosity between Lu Miaozi and Zhu Yuyan, so Lu Miaozi wouldn't leak his information.

When Ye Xiu removed his disguise, revealing his true face, Lu Miaozi stared at him in astonishment.

"Your face, your face, how could it be so, so—strange?" Lu Miaozi's words were a little shaky.

Lu Miaozi had only glimpsed a small portion of information from Ye Xiu's face, but that small portion was enough to astonish her.

She had never imagined that someone's destiny could be so predictable.

"Face?" Ye Xiu heard Lu Miaozi mention face, and he immediately understood why Lu Miaozi had seen through his disguise. He also understood that if he truly wanted to master his disguise flawlessly, he would need to learn physiognomy.

Ah Zhu's disguise technique actually involved some aspects of physiognomy, but Ah Zhu herself wasn't particularly interested in physiognomy, so she hadn't seriously studied it.

Therefore, Ah Zhu's disguise was imperceptible to the average person, because she hadn't encountered a skilled fortune teller or physiognomist yet. If she had, Ah Zhu's disguise would have been revealed.

"Hehehe, young man, come, take a seat, and try this Six Fruit Wine I brewed myself." Lu Miaozi's attitude towards Ye Xiu had completely changed. He greeted Ye Xiu with a smile, even his voice seeming to take on a touch of friendliness.

This change in Lu Miaozi's demeanor made Ye Xiu feel a bit uneasy.

What did Lu Miaozi see in his face? Or was he just a face-chaser? Seeing such a handsome man like him, he couldn't help himself? Of

course, Ye Xiu only speculated and didn't show it.

As for the Six Fruit Wine that Lu Miaozi poured Ye Xiu, Ye Xiu was also a little curious. What did it taste like?

In the Legend of the Twin Dragons of the Tang Dynasty, this Six Fruit Wine was probably the best fruit wine in the world.

This Six Fruit Wine not only tastes divine, but also has healing and even invigorating properties. Lu Miaozi developed this wine specifically because his daughter, Shang Xiuxun, is a foodie. He created it in the hope that Shang Xiuxun would visit him more often.

Furthermore, it was because it nourished his body, allowing him to survive the effects of the demonic qi for several more years.

Ye Xiu took a gentle sniff of the Six Fruit Wine. It was incredibly sweet, and it contained more than one flavor: the aromas of several fruits, blended together by Lu Miaozi's unique method. The

blend of these various fruit flavors, tempered by the aroma of alcohol, created a uniquely sweet aroma.

Ye Xiu took a sip from his glass, his eyes instantly lighting up.

Ye Xiu could say this was the best fruit wine he had ever tasted.

Ye Xiu himself wasn't averse to alcohol, but he wasn't particularly fond of it either. Therefore, he'd never craved it.

But when faced with this Six Fruit Wine, he felt like he was about to be captivated.

"Hehe, my friend, how about this Six Fruit Wine of mine?" Lu Miaozi laughed, with a bit of complacency on his face.

Ye Xiu gave him a thumbs up without hesitation: "Very good, this is the best wine I have ever tasted. After drinking this Six Fruit Wine today, I am afraid that other drinks will be hard to drink in the future."

"In that case, I can give you the recipe of this Six Fruit Wine." Lu Miaozi stroked his beard and said with a smile.

"Huh?" Ye Xiu was stunned for a moment, looking at Lu Miaozi with some confusion.

He gave him the recipe of the Six Fruit Wine as soon as they met? What did Lu Miaozi see in his face?

Was he the destined prince or something? Why did Lu Miaozi treat him like this, or did Lu Miaozi know that he could save his life, so he tried to curry favor with him?