Chapter 4219 — Shangguan Tianxia's Suspicion
The Blossom Guardian · Page 2 of 2
Barring the unexpected, it should already be dark outside by now. If this girl did not hurry back, there was no telling whether Shangguan Tianxia, Master of the Skyward Pavilion, might really grace them with his presence. And that would be more than just an honour to the household—if he learned what had happened today, it might well be a raging storm, for this was, after all, his one and only precious granddaughter.
"Oh." Shangguan Lan'er answered obediently, and could not help heaving a sigh of relief—though it came with a trace of inexplicable disappointment. Why she should feel that way, even she could not understand.
Huang Xiaotao had already thoughtfully prepared hot water and towels. After wiping Shangguan Lan'er down, she helped her dress, while Wei Zhao cautioned from the side, "Little Senior Sister, you must keep today's matter absolutely secret—you can't tell even your grandfather."
"I know, I know! Your senior sister's lips are sealed, Little Junior Brother, so don't you worry!" The moment she was dressed, Shangguan Lan'er immediately regained her spirited manner, leaving Wei Zhao and Huang Xiaotao struggling not to laugh.
By the time she took her leave of the two of them and returned with Little Curly Bear to Hualan Residence in the Skyward Pavilion, the sky had gone completely dark—and Shangguan Tianxia was in his study practicing his calligraphy while waiting for her to come home.
Sure enough, one look at his precious granddaughter, and Shangguan Tianxia—a top-tier figure who remained unruffled no matter what—was startled half out of his wits.
"Little Lan'er, what's happened to you?" Shangguan Tianxia could not even be bothered with his calligraphy; throwing down his brush, he hurriedly looked her up and down, his face tense with alarm.
"I just got back from Little Junior Brother's place. I didn't stay the night there, so what are you so nervous about, Grandfather?" Shangguan Lan'er said, blinking. She had wanted all along to move in with Huang Xiaotao, but Shangguan Tianxia would not allow it, so she had had to give up the idea.
"Er—that's not what your grandfather means." Shangguan Tianxia was somewhat choked off by his naïve granddaughter, and with a bitter smile he said, "I mean your strength—how did it suddenly surge to Foundation Establishment Great Perfection?"
"Oh, that. I ate lots and lots of Foundation Establishment Golden Cores at Little Junior Brother's place, so of course my strength went up, hee hee!" Shangguan Lan'er said, her eyes rolling craftily.
"Ate Foundation Establishment Golden Cores?" Shangguan Tianxia was struck dumb for a moment, then shook his head with a laugh of helpless exasperation. His precious granddaughter was trying to fool him as though he were a child! Could one casually eat a few Foundation Establishment Golden Cores and jump straight from mid-stage Foundation Establishment to Great Perfection? If such cores were that easy to come by, every cultivator in the world who toiled away in seclusion would have gone mad.
"That's right! Little Junior Brother is a fine alchemist—he can refine loads of them," Shangguan Lan'er said, still thinking she had spun her lie rather well. She put out her tongue cutely and went on patching up her story.
"Well, all right—but Little Lan'er, you must still cultivate diligently and lay a solid foundation, or else you'll end up with rank but no real strength, a thing of empty show," Shangguan Tianxia said with a resigned nod.
Though his heart was full of doubts, he had no intention of digging to the bottom of it. He trusted that Wei Zhao would not do his granddaughter any harm; besides, in that brief moment just now he had unobtrusively examined Shangguan Lan'er from head to toe, and apart from the rise in her strength there was nothing at all out of the ordinary—only then was he finally at ease. (To be continued) R466