Chapter 4000 — Do Me a Favor
The Blossom Guardian · Page 1 of 2
Seeing Little Curly Bear snatch up the giant shears meant for trimming the mansion's oversized bonsai and wave them wildly about, liable at any moment to wound itself, Shangguan Lan'er had no choice but to chase after it and soothe it. Yet before she could reach it, a knife-hand struck the back of her neck; her eyes rolled up and she collapsed, dead to the world.
In the same breath, the newcomer did not spare Little Curly Bear either, kicking it into a corner with a single boot.
Wei Zhao, sitting in meditation some distance away, felt his eyelid twitch at the sight, and the corner of his mouth lifted into the faint curve of one whose expectations had been met. The arrival was none other than Xu Lingchong.
"Young Hero Lin, I daresay you never imagined we would meet again so soon?" Xu Lingchong kicked Little Curly Bear aside, then cast a glance at the insensible Shangguan Lan'er on the floor and seated himself, eyes brimming with greed, upon a broad armchair, every inch the man in command.
Wei Zhao raised his head to look at him, wobbled his head in imitation of Little Curly Bear's earlier antics, his gaze vacant, and said nothing.
Xu Lingchong burst out laughing. "Oh, right—this young master nearly forgot. Young Hero Lin has just been drinking, so his senses must be muddled by now, no? A country bumpkin from the secular world like you has surely never tasted spirit wine of such fine vintage, and must have assumed all spirit wines pack such a delayed punch. Hahaha! Immortal's Stupor can fell even immortals. For a weed-gnawing ant like you to taste Immortal's Stupor before dying—I'd say your life has not been wasted!"
Wei Zhao still made no response. To Xu Lingchong's eyes, his mind was wholly adrift, forcing his eyelids open to cling to the last shred of consciousness—and perhaps the next moment he would hold out no longer.
Never mind Wei Zhao's paltry cultivation; even a fine hand like Xu Lingchong, at the great consummation of the Foundation Establishment stage, privately admitted he could not withstand the potency of Immortal's Stupor.
Xu Lingchong sneered, and his gaze slid lewdly back and forth over Shangguan Lan'er's lithe, shapely figure, fairly drooling.
At first glance Shangguan Lan'er seemed a little girl who had never grown up, her figure nowhere near as ripe and alluring as Murong Zhen's—yet she carried an extra measure of fresh, innocent temptation, and her lofty status as Shangguan Tianxia's only granddaughter besides. Even a veteran of the pleasure quarters like Xu Lingchong could hardly restrain himself now.
Seeing Xu Lingchong reach out to touch Shangguan Lan'er, Wei Zhao suddenly gave a muffled groan, as though struggling to clamber to his feet—but his limbs would not obey, and he staggered up and fell back time and again, unable to gain his footing.
"Ho there! After downing Immortal's Stupor, you can still cling to the last sliver of awareness at this hour—Young Hero Lin, you really are a somebody. This young master has underestimated you all along!" Xu Lingchong laughed mockingly and came over to crouch before Wei Zhao. "Very well. In honor of that rare showing, this young master will let you die with your eyes open."
"You… what do you mean to do?" Wei Zhao said, rolling his eyes and slurring his words.
"What do I mean to do? Isn't it plain enough? Fine wine and a fair maiden set out before me—a little wine-fueled passion, that's only human nature, wouldn't you say, Young Hero Lin?" Xu Lingchong shot a smug glance at the unconscious Shangguan Lan'er and could not help swallowing hard.
"Wine-fueled passion…" Wei Zhao's heart gave a jolt. He had suspected as much before, but hearing Xu Lingchong say it with his own lips was still somewhat staggering.