Let Me Explain, Fairy
Chapter 421 - 284 Exam Questions

Chapter 421: Chapter 284 Exam Questions

In the crackling of the burning,

the figure wrapped in black flames tried to struggle, immense Origin Qi scattering from around him, whipping up gusts of wind.

But regrettably, all efforts were in vain.

The black flames clung to him like maggots on bones, relentlessly devouring his vitality...

No one saved him,

a hint of regret flashed in Yi Kui’s eyes, but his lips curled into a smile.

Bai Muxi looked somewhat reluctant to witness this, yet she cast her gaze downward and said nothing.

As the executioner, Qin Yuan simply knelt quietly, head bowed, waiting.

The three high-level figures of the Underground City silently watched as Li Xing burned amidst the black flames.

Eventually,

Li Xing within the flames fell.

He struggled to look in Bai Muxi’s direction, seemingly trying to raise his hand, but he no longer had the strength.

All returned to calm,

leaving only the flickering light of the flames drifting gently in the silent and empty stone hall....

"......."

After gazing at the charred human figure for several breaths,

Xu Yuan took a deep breath and gently smacked his lips.

To be honest, he was somewhat surprised by the events unfolding before his eyes...

"You... seem a bit surprised?"

The gentle voice of Li Qingyan sounded in his ear.

Upon hearing this, Xu Yuan turned back and looked into her cold and calm eyes.

After a moment’s gaze, Li Qingyan asked,

"Isn’t this the outcome you wanted to see?"

Xu Yuan sighed softly,

"The things I said earlier did indeed have an implicit meaning, but more than that, I was fanning the flames to set a test for the three of them."

"A test?"

Li Qingyan murmured, her crimson eyes flickered, catching on quickly, "A training in obedience?"

Xu Yuan nodded in acknowledgment, "You could say that."

The test he had intended for the three Great Grandmasters who remained to guard the Underground City was indeed a training in obedience.

For Bai Muxi, he had the perspective of a former god and knew of her feelings for the citizens of the Underground City, which he could leverage to ensure her loyalty.

But as for the others, Xu Yuan was not so certain; though they spoke pleasantly, who knew what their true intentions were?

Using Li Xing’s feelings for Bai Muxi as a provocative taunt was just the beginning.

Li Xing was the exam paper he presented, as well as a candidate taking the test.

Although this man, because of his feelings for Bai Muxi, refused to follow him and only wished to serve as the subordinate of his subordinate,

Xu Yuan didn’t actually care.

People’s personalities are varied and complex, and even his mighty father couldn’t ensure that all his subordinates were loyal and grateful, but that didn’t stop him from using them as needed.

Moreover, were subordinates of his subordinates not still his subordinates?

You may not listen in name, but in reality, you must act.

Xu Yuan wanted to see how the provoked Li Xing would choose after he left.

Would he choose to rationally hand over power, react emotionally and defy orders, or engage in sneaky actions behind the scenes?

If Li Xing chose the former, it would mean he was still of use.

If it was either of the latter two, then the test of obedience was actually for Qin Yuan and Yi Kui.

Would they conspire with Li Xing to defy orders, or would they follow his command to find a way to force Li Xing to relinquish his power?

The method they used to deal with the conflicts that arose during this period would become material to assess the two.

Now the examiner had not yet left, but someone had already submitted their answer.

Thinking this, Xu Yuan looked towards the stern man kneeling with bowed head, a thoughtful glint in his eyes.

This Qin Yuan... was very interesting.

Grown up together, practiced together, overthrown the so-called "sacrifice" ruler together—after so many years of shared convictions, he simply killed him...

After a long while,

Xu Yuan let out a breath and gestured to Li Qingyan and Bai Muxi,

"The problem is solved, let’s go."

With that, Xu Yuan walked towards the exit of the stone hall.

Bai Muxi immediately rose and followed behind the two, their footsteps echoing in the vast stone hall.

Watching the departing figures of those from the Upper Realm, Yi Kui slowly lowered her gaze and exhaled softly.

But the next moment,

the footsteps in the stone hall suddenly came to an abrupt halt.

Looking up, she saw the robed young master from the Upper Realm standing beside Qin Yuan.

Xu Yuan stood there, gazing down at him.

Qin Yuan made no moves, merely kneeling in silent salute.

All was still.

In the silence, Xu Yuan raised his hand and patted Qin Yuan’s shoulder again.

"Thud! Thud!"

Without any words, the two hefty iron-bound wooden chests hit the ground, and the two women followed Xu Yuan straight out of the stone hall, disappearing into the darkness of the Underground City......

...

...

...

"Tap....."

In the princess’s embrace, Xu Yuan and the other two returned to the cliff outside the passageway.

Upon landing,

Xu Yuan brushed off the non-existent dust from his robe and casually asked,

"What do you think?"

"......" Bai Muxi wisely kept her mouth shut.

Li Qingyan walked toward the passageway and purposely asked,

"Is the gentleman asking Qingyan?"

Xu Yuan gave her a look,

"If I’m not asking you, could it be that I’m asking the fate-calling deity?"

"The fate-calling deity?"

Li Qingyan squinted her eyes with a smile, "Aren’t you calling her Mu Xi anymore?"

"Tch...."

Xu Yuan clicked his tongue, took slow steps to catch up, glanced at her profile, and murmured in a low voice, "You say you’re not jealous, so why do you insist on pretending to be?"

Li Qingyan turned her face towards him, her phoenix eyes smiling,

"How do you know that this palace is not jealous?"

"....."

After a moment of silence, Xu Yuan looked at her with a weird expression, hooked around her slender waist, and said with a smile, "A Princess Wu Yuan who has battled her entire life being jealous... If it were said out loud, it’s likely to make people laugh their heads off."

Speaking of which,

Xu Yuan leaned a little closer to her translucent earlobe, breathing warmly, his voice soothing,

"Besides, even if you really are jealous, Bai Muxi wouldn’t be the subject."

"....."

Listening to their unabashed conversation, Bai Muxi followed behind them, her eyes cast down, as if the conversation did not involve her.

After a moment of close eye contact,

Li Qingyan chuckled, pushed Xu Yuan away, rubbed her slightly reddened earlobe and said leisurely while looking into the dark end of the passageway,

"Changtian, it seems you hold that person in high regard?"

"It’s okay."

Xu Yuan looked down at the Sumeru Ring on his fingertip, "It’s just a casual investment, he seems to be someone with potential."

"Indeed, not bad."

Li Qingyan slightly nodded her crested head, "If he were under my command, as a general, barely enough, but to be a commander on his own... that remains to be seen."

Hearing this, Xu Yuan slightly smiled and said in a low voice,

"Well said, I hope he can fulfill the promise he made to me."

To be a general only requires the capability to handle matters.

Qin Yuan’s decisiveness, judgement of the situation, as well as his ruthless methods have all proven his capabilities.

But to be a commander, besides all the aforementioned, one also needs the power to manage the whole picture.

Having only the former, no matter how strong the ability to handle affairs is, and no matter how much training, most likely one can only be a trusted messenger.

It equates to a clever and relatively empowered high-level enforcer.

But if one is prepared both before and after, then it is completely different.

It implies that Qin Yuan is being cultivated in the direction of people like Hua Hong and Lou Ji.

Li Qingyan looked at the smile at the corner of Xu Yuan’s lips and said with a meaningful expression,

"Changtian, actually, besides that Qin Yuan, there is another person with potential within this Underground City."

With that,

Li Qingyan silently looked towards Bai Muxi, who was following quietly and peacefully behind them.

Bai Muxi’s calm and delicate face showed a hint of hesitation, her large purple-sleeved robe coming together as she saluted and said crisply,

"Princess, I wonder..."

Before she could finish,

a red figure flashed by,

"Bang!"

A muffled sound came from within the passageway, with stones flying about.

With the sleeves dancing,

Li Qingyan’s hand was around Bai Muxi’s fair neck, pinning her against the passageway’s inner wall, her phoenix eyes curving as she said in a low chuckle,

"Feigning simplicity is a very clever choice, but if it’s to conceal a desire for something that doesn’t belong to you, that would seem very foolish.

"Don’t you agree, Mu Xi?"