Ex-Wife is a Big Villainess
Chapter 310 - 180: Love Rival?

Chapter 310: Chapter 180: Love Rival?

Qingzhou, inside the compound of the Liushan Division.

The crescent moon, shaped like a comb, slantedly inserted atop the trees by the house, seemed casually placed there by an immortal’s hand -- silky and delicate, softly blanketing the entire courtyard.

Inside the study, the lamplight flickered, casting a glow that reflected the fragrance of books and ink.

Adorned in simple and elegant blue attire, Ran Qingchen sat upright at her desk, gazing at the letter in her hands with her delicate brows tightly furrowed.

Besides her in the study, there were four others.

They were Yuan Anjiang, Li Nanshuang, Shan Dongchuan, the person in charge of Qingzhou’s Liushan Division, and a young man.

The man wore a simple and elegant white robe, carrying himself with a remarkable grace. His skin was as pale and smooth as jade, his features distinct and sharp, and a faint scholarly air could be seen through his eyes, adding to his bright and handsome appearance.

Like a modest gentleman stepped right out of a painting, his demeanor was extraordinary and otherworldly.

A scroll was slantedly carried on his back, the roll antiquated, with both ends held together with delicately carved wooden cloud patterns bound by silk ribbons that fluttered lightly in the night breeze, adding a touch of scholarly elegance befitting a literati.

Even Yuan Anjiang, who had seen many graceful and talented handsome men in the Capital, couldn’t help but admire him whenever his gaze fell upon him, unable to mask his admiration.

"Embroidered within the chest, rivers and mountains fill the belly..."

Yuan Anjiang silently marveled, "Truly worthy of being called ’Celestial Brush of the Heavens,’ Shangguan Yunjin."

Possessing the number one academy in the world, Wanshou Mountains and Rivers, all of its disciples are elites strictly selected for their exceptional talent and excellent roots for cultivation.

Any single one of them, if taken to another sect, would be nurtured as a pillar of the community.

Among them, the most notable were the "Four Gentlemen of the Academy."

These four represented the arts of zither, Go, calligraphy, and painting.

Before them was Shangguan Yunjin, representing the "painting" among the "Four Gentlemen of the Academy."

His mastery over painting was nothing short of magical.

With brush in hand, his strokes seemed to traverse the ethereal realm, bringing to life the figures on the paper, as though they were poised to leap off the surface.

Whether it was landscapes, flowers, birds, or characters and objects, anything touched by his divine strokes came alive with vivid spirit and vibrancy, as if real scenes were being reproduced on paper.

He had rightly earned the praise of "Celestial Brush of the Heavens."

And he was the most powerful contender for the future Sect Leader’s position.

With his striking looks, amiable character, and splendid talent, possessing a divine skill in painting, he had no shortage of admirers, whether they were daughters of noble families, heroines of Jianghu, prodigies from Sects, or talented ladies and servants.

Even the emperor’s eldest princess once nearly joined Wanshou Mountains and Rivers to cultivate because of him.

Yuan Anjiang was aware of this.

However, over the years, Shangguan Yunjin had never been rumored to be close to any lady, showing no trace of any romances. He always remained indifferent, pouring his emotions into his paintings and sharpening his cultivation.

But Yuan Anjiang remembered a rumor.

It was said that Wanshou Mountains and Rivers’ deputy Sect Leader personally went to the Xuanji Sword Sect to arrange a marriage, but without success.

As for who the match was intended for, the rumors did not specify.

However, in the Xuanji Sword Sect, there was only one distinguished female prodigy, Ran Qingchen.

And the deputy Sect Leader’s most proud disciple was none other than the Shangguan Yunjin before them.

Whether it was them or not, both parties kept silent, and naturally, no one went on to guess. But one could validate a thing or two based on the changed attitude of the eldest princess towards Ran Qingchen.

Originally, when the two ladies were young, their relationship was quite good, with the eldest princess often playing at the Ran Family’s estate.

Even after they grew up, they would sometimes travel together.

But after the marriage proposal rumor surfaced, their relationship cooled.

"Sacrifice..."

Ran Qingchen tapped lightly on the desk with her fingers, the faint candlelight casting shadows over her figure, dyeing the blue more profound, reminiscent of a serene and beautiful lake surface under the night sky.

"Master Shangguan, are you certain the Mengyao Pavilion massacre... involves someone behind the scenes causing trouble?" Ran Qingchen asked, frowning at Shangguan Yunjin.

She had thought the case of the Mengyao Pavilion bloodbath to be clear, but now, this gentleman from Wanshou Mountains and Rivers had brought news that the "Mengyao Pavilion massacre" was a conspiracy.

This surprised her greatly.

Shangguan Yunjin’s demeanor was calm and composed, his smile as warm as the sun in spring, his voice carrying a hint of magnetism,

"Indeed, I am not trying to absolve the Sky Demon Sect protector of guilt, for he indeed committed murder, which is undeniably proven. But our investigation reveals that he was merely being used as a pawn. Even without him, there would have been deaths at Mengyao Pavilion."

Ran Qingchen’s lips parted slightly, "According to this secret letter, a mysterious organization is to conduct six sacrificial rituals. Besides the one at Mengyao Pavilion, where and when will the remaining five take place?"

Shangguan Yunjin sighed wryly, "I do not know the details, as I had sent three juniors to investigate, but they’ve gone missing. I’ve just learned they died in Muling County. However..."

Shangguan Yunjin’s tone changed slightly, "If there are no surprises, the second sacrifice should involve a ’sunken ship.’"

"Sunken ship?" Ran Qingchen raised her delicate eyebrows lightly.

"Yes, as for which ship and when, that I do not know," said Shangguan Yunjin with a helpless look.

Ran Qingchen fell into thought.

The country had no lack of passenger ships; it would be impossible to investigate them one by one.

"Do you know what the purpose of the sacrificial rituals by this mysterious organization might be?" Ran Qingchen asked curiously.

Shangguan Yunjin spoke cautiously, his tone even, "From the fragmented clues we’ve investigated, it seems to be related to Demon Energy. It appears they are trying to unlock... the secret of the resurrection of Demon Energy."

The secret of the resurrection of Demon Energy?

Ran Qingchen was quite astonished.

The matter of the resurrection of Demon Energy had always been a mystery. Despite investigations by both the court and various Sects, they had never found anything conclusive. Of course, some forces might already have some clues, but she was unaware.

But now, someone was carrying out sacrificial rituals to unravel this secret.

Who could be so desperate?

Ran Qingchen lightly pressed a hand to her forehead, a trace of weariness quietly surfacing on her pure face.

She was just too tired.

For some reason, she found herself missing Jiang Shouzhong.

Perhaps if he were here, he could share some of her burden.

Ran Qingchen forced a smile, her lips curling into a tired but grateful expression, "This matter will be thoroughly investigated by the Liushan Division. Thank you, Shangguan, for promptly providing us with the clues.

Once the case investigation is concluded, I will record Shangguan’s contribution in the report and present it to His Majesty for review. I believe the Emperor will grant you the reward you deserve."

Shangguan Yunjin replied with a smile, "It’s nothing."

Noticing the fatigue on Ran Qingchen’s face, Shangguan Yunjin said softly, "It’s getting late. I won’t impose any further. Lord Ran, please rest early."

"Yes, take care Shangguan. If you encounter any troubles in the future, you can ask the Liushan Division for help." Ran Qingchen rose to see off her guest, her delicate figure blending into the dancing candlelight, like the moon through pines.

"All right."

Shangguan Yunjin nodded lightly with a smile and left the study.

Shan Dongchuan followed to see off the guest.

Watching Shangguan Yunjin disappear into the distance, Yuan Anjiang chuckled, "I heard that Shangguan originally planned to go to Muling County, but on learning that you were in Qingzhou, he made a special trip to inform us of this important clue."

Ran Qingchen ignored Yuan Anjiang’s jest and said indifferently, "If the Mengyao Pavilion murder case involves deeper issues, we cannot continue with such a simple investigation. We will need assistance from the Capital."

Yuan Anjiang frowned and slowly nodded, "Indeed, the case is too big. We’ll need the Wenxin Department to conduct a thorough investigation."

The two agreed on some plans for the investigation, and then Yuan Anjiang left.

When Li Nanshuang was about to leave, Ran Qingchen suddenly called out to her, "Hey, if it were Jiang Mo, how would he investigate this case?"

"Hey, who are you calling?"

A hint of displeasure flashed across Li Nanshuang’s pretty, cute face.

Ran Qingchen mustered an awkward smile, "How about calling you Mr. Li? Is that alright?"

Li Nanshuang snorted coldly and left a remark, "I’m not a pot of stew, how would I know? Ask him yourself when he comes," and with that, she flicked her high ponytail, slung her broad blade over her shoulder, and left the study humming a tune.

Ran Qingchen clenched her teeth in frustration.

But upon thinking about the clue Shangguan Yunjin had brought, she heaved a long sigh.

The green porcelain teacup on her desk still emitted a curl of steam; the aroma of the tea and the ink mingled but could not dispel the troubled furrow on her brow.

Ran Qingchen collapsed weakly on the desk.

The two papayas almost flattened into pancakes, spilling out of her clothing, carrying a refreshing, distinctive scent.

"Damn Jiang Mo, why hasn’t he come yet."

...

Shangguan Yunjin and Shan Dongchuan stepped out of the Liushan Division.

Pause beneath the willow shade outside the gate, Shangguan Yunjin stopped and said warmly with a cupped fist, "Mr. Shan, this is where we part ways."

"Safe travels, Shangguan." Shan Dongchuan hurriedly responded with the same gesture.

Looking at the scroll carried by Shangguan Yunjin, Shan Dongchuan couldn’t resist his curiosity and asked, "Shangguan, the scroll you’re carrying... is it the ’Zodiac Demon Chart,’ one of the top ten Divine Artifacts in the world?"

"Indeed, it is."

Shangguan Yunjin nodded with a smile.

Shan Dongchuan was shocked to find his guess to be true, his voice trembling with excitement,

"It is said that the Zodiac Demon Chart possesses boundless mysteries and mighty divine powers. It can unleash immense strength once the demons representing the twelve zodiac animals are collected within it. Shangguan, have you managed to collect all the demons representing the twelve zodiac animals?"

Shangguan Yunjin shook his head, albeit candidly,

"Ordinary demons can’t bring out its full power; it must contain more special demons, preferably the original demons revived by the resurgence of Demon Energy. So far, I have only collected four, such as the Rat Demon, which are rather difficult to find."

Shan Dongchuan nodded softly, "A brother of mine once said the same. He was fascinated by the various Divine Artifacts of the world and knew much about them. He also told me a lot about the Zodiac Demon Chart, claiming there were originally thirteen zodiac animals depicted, including a phoenix..."

"Oh?"

This took Shangguan Yunjin by surprise.

Knowing about the thirteen zodiac animals in the chart was a rare feat.

Shangguan Yunjin asked curiously, "Where might Mr. Shan’s brother be? Is he still in Qingzhou?"

A tinge of melancholy appeared on Shan Dongchuan’s face as he spoke hoarsely, "My brother passed away more than a year ago. We were assigned a mission by the higher-ups, and he didn’t make it back alive.

I brought his body back, but unfortunately, his Identity Token was lost. His name was Chu Qi."

"Condolences."

Shangguan Yunjin expressed his apologies.

Shan Dongchuan waved his hand with a smile, "It’s alright, it’s in the past."

Not wanting to continue the subject, Shangguan Yunjin bid farewell once more, turned, and disappeared into the night.

...

Back in his inn room, Shangguan Yunjin changed out of his clothes and walked to the window, gazing out at the bright moon in silence for a long time.

The moonlight outside washed over everything, casting a lonely shadow over his shoulder.

After a moment, he flicked his wrist, and a brush appeared in his palm, emanating a subtle scent of ink that wafted on the breeze.

Shangguan Yunjin painted in the air, as if dragons and snakes danced through his stroke, each line brimming with boundless meaning.

In an instant, the figure of Ran Qingchen, beautiful and peerless, emerged as if a fairy stepping out from the distant mountains and waters of an ink painting.

Outlined by the ink, her appearance gained more grace and a touch of enchanting elegance.

Lifelike as if alive.

But in the blink of an eye, the woman of ink began to fade away, eventually dissolving into wisps of smoke that vanished into the air.

Leaving only Shangguan Yunjin alone with the silence of the room and an indefinable emotion in his heart.

All was as ephemeral as dreams and illusions.

Shangguan Yunjin quietly looked out the window at the clear moon, a bitter smile on his lips as he mocked himself:

"I once devoted myself to the bright moon, but alas, the moon illuminates the ditch..."