Proud Goddess Falls in Love with Me
Chapter 1409: 1368: Quarrel

Chapter 1409: Chapter 1368: Quarrel

“The Southern Border, huh…”

Lu Chuan furrowed his brows slightly upon hearing this. If he remembered correctly, he had once obtained a Fortune Devouring Gu from the Ye Family of Luocheng, which most likely originated from one of the small nations in the Southern Border. Come to think of it, he seemed to share an uncanny connection with the Southern Border.

“Got it. I’ll set out tomorrow.”

“Also, let me give you some advice, Lu Chuan. If you come across anyone with the surname Miao in the Southern Border, it’s best not to provoke them. It won’t do you any good.”

“Anything else I should know?”

“Just good luck. I’ll be waiting for your good news.”

With that, Yun Yan didn’t give Lu Chuan a chance to ask further questions, directly ejecting his Divine Sense from the Demon Suppression Pagoda.

As he gradually regained consciousness, Lu Chuan stepped into the courtyard. The New Year’s Eve dinner had already ended, but everyone had gathered around in the courtyard chatting, their laughter and warmth filling the air. He smiled knowingly and strode over to take a seat beside Yun Ji.

Out of the corner of her eye, Yun Ji noticed Lu Chuan and exchanged a knowing glance with him. Lu Chuan responded with a faint smile.

“I have some news I need to share with everyone.”

Scratching his head awkwardly, Lu Chuan gave a wry smile and said, “I might… need to leave soon.”

The moment he said this, the expressions of all the women present shifted slightly.

“You’re leaving already?” Han Qingci asked, her tone laced with displeasure.

“Yeah… I just received word that the forbidden seals in the Old Lands of Qingqiu in the Southern Border have suddenly broken. An old acquaintance has asked me to make a trip and retrieve something for her. In return, she’s promised me a supreme treasure.”

“When will you leave?”

Mu Nanqing, though visibly reluctant, knew better than anyone that such a life of separation and brief reunions was an inevitability. Lu Chuan had his own responsibilities, ones that couldn’t be put aside. This was something all of them had come to understand.

“Tomorrow. This came up very suddenly, and I need to set out as soon as possible to prevent that item from falling into someone else’s hands. Yun Ji, you’ll come with me tomorrow. After all, it’s the Old Lands of the Qingqiu Nine-tailed Fox Tribe. I think it makes sense for you to come along.”

“I’ll have Fuxiang make the necessary preparations.”

“Good… As for the rest of you, I’m afraid you’ll have to stay here. The fewer people involved in this, the better. Given the situation, it’s certain that many forces will converge on the Old Lands of Qingqiu. It could get extremely dangerous.”

Lu Chuan had used this reasoning so many times that even he was starting to grow tired of it. But it was the truth, and there was no other way around it.

Combat at the Nascent Soul level wasn’t something everyone could participate in. All things considered, only Yun Ji, Nalan Xuan, Xiu Niang, and Situ Qinghuan truly had the ability to handle such battles.

If Nanqing and Ling’er could awaken the full extent of their powers, it might be a different story. But for now, the two of them weren’t quite there yet.

As for the others, they would barely be able to ensure their own safety.

But knowing of the impending separation still brought a bittersweet reluctance.

“Then… tomorrow, I’ll return to the Profound Sect.”

Situ Qinghuan stood up with an expressionless face and added, “Or maybe… we’ll meet again in the Southern Border.”

“I should head back to the academy as well. Without me there, who knows what unscrupulous individuals might set their eyes on the treasures of my academy,” Nalan Xuan said lazily as she rose to her feet, her aura no less captivating than Yun Ji’s.

Ever since that intimate night with Lu Chuan, Nalan Xuan’s demeanor seemed to have undergone another transformation. Every gesture she made exuded an air of mature allure.

“I’ll be leaving too. Let’s hope we can meet again,” Han Qingci said wistfully.

After all, the reason they had all gathered in Cloud City in the first place was because of Lu Chuan. Now that he was leaving, there was no reason for them to stay.

As for Ye Jiaxin, after much hesitation, she decided to return to the Ye Family of Luocheng to take care of her pregnancy. Staying here would mean troubling Ms. Nanqing to take care of her, and she felt a bit embarrassed about that.

As everyone expressed plans to leave the next day, Lu Chuan couldn’t help but let out a small sigh.

The sudden turn of events had left him completely unprepared. Though he felt reluctant to part ways, this seemed to be the only option for now.

….

That night.

Lu Chuan sat alone in the courtyard, lost in thought, oblivious to Yun Ji quietly approaching him from behind.

“You’re feeling the sting of these romantic entanglements now, aren’t you?”

Lu Chuan turned around, visibly relieved to see it was Yun Ji. Offering a wry smile, he said, “Yeah, it’s not a good feeling. Sending only one or two people away already felt tough. This time, saying goodbye to eight or nine people at once is just…”

“You should’ve seen this coming. It’s impossible for you to always be there for everyone, all the time,” Yun Ji said, as she sat down beside him and gently took his hand into hers. With a serious expression, she asked, “Lu Chuan, tell me—was this information something Yun Yan gave you?”

Lu Chuan didn’t try to hide it, knowing it was pointless to do so. He nodded and said, “She was the one who told me. She asked me to retrieve the Qingqiu Fox Tribe’s greatest treasure. In return, she promised to help me three times and let me keep all the spoils of the trip, including that treasure.”

“And you believe her?”

“I… Shouldn’t I?”

“The Old Lands of the Qingqiu Fox Tribe have long been reduced to ruins. Even I don’t know where they’re buried. She’s been sealed within your body—how could she possibly know that the seals on the Old Lands have been broken? If you ask me, she’s clearly lying to you!”

Yun Ji’s words had barely landed when Yun Yan’s discontented voice rang out. “Little girl, I’m still your elder, no matter how you put it. Though the Qingqiu Fox Tribe declined because of me, it also rose to prominence because of me. I suggest you adjust your attitude and show some respect.”

Detecting Yun Yan’s presence, Yun Ji furrowed her brows, her tone dripping with sarcasm. “Oh, yes—elder. For the sake of one Human Clan man, you dragged the entire Demon Tribe into an irreversible catastrophe. For the following millennium, the Demon Tribe could barely catch its breath.”

“So what? Coming from someone else, that might have some weight, but do you think you’re any better than me? Didn’t you also travel thousands of miles to Cloud City for Lu Chuan, leaving your people behind?”

“At least I did better than you! I gave them a chance to survive!”

Seeing the tension rise sharply between the two, Lu Chuan quickly took control of the situation, his tone laced with exasperation. “Can we not argue right now? We’re leaving tomorrow. If we’re not going to properly plan things, the least you could do is not waste time bickering!”

“I have nothing to discuss with her—a sinner of the Demon Tribe who shamelessly calls herself an elder!”

“Then let me ask—why can I sense the changes in the Old Lands of Qingqiu while you can’t? Doesn’t that suggest that I’m still acknowledged by the Qingqiu Fox Tribe?”

“You’re just twisting the truth!”

“I’m simply stating facts.”

Lu Chuan felt utterly exasperated.

These two women, both normally so rational, seemed to revert into petty squabblers the moment they were in the same space. It was like watching schoolchildren argue.