Chapter Forty: I'm Sorry, I Cannot Accept

Third Young Master? Xuan Xuan’s heart skipped a beat as well. Could it really be such a coincidence? She looked up and saw the man entering the room: tall, with a striking and upright figure, clad in a black casual suit. The soft indoor lighting fell across his features, and beneath his fine cropped hair, his face looked even more refined. Xuan Xuan’s mind was in turmoil. Who else could this be but her own father?

She clenched her hand unconsciously, crushing the pastry to crumbs.

Wanqi Lianhao entered, his gaze falling on Xuan Xuan, who was sitting there in a white cloak and matching veil, leaving only a pair of azure eyes visible. He raised an eyebrow. Such a thorough disguise?

He nodded at Wanqi Wu, who stood aside. “Sit down.”

Wanqi Wu sat with a hint of nervousness. In the Wanqi family, it was said that Wanqi Yi was the most authoritative, Wanqi Lianshen the most domineering and difficult, and Wanqi Lianjun the most solemn. But if one spoke of the most inscrutable, the most enigmatic, it was their Third Young Master—Wanqi Lianhao.

Wanqi Lianhao took a seat on the sofa directly across from Xuan Xuan, frowning slightly. She was already so tightly wrapped up—he was growing suspicious. And now, even as he approached, she neither stood up nor even looked at him.

“Hello, I’m Wanqi Lianhao of the Pearl Pavilion,” he said, extending his hand toward Xuan Xuan.

Xuan Xuan stared dazedly at her father. What was he doing?

She hadn’t been here long, and was utterly unfamiliar with the social etiquette among people. Her time with Zhan Yu had left her indifferent to such conventions.

Seeing her stunned, Wanqi Lianhao merely smiled and withdrew his hand without the slightest sign of awkwardness. “Shall we discuss your potion?”

Xuan Xuan looked at her father. When had she ever noticed him being so detached? Though he smiled, she could sense a subtle rejection, or rather, a distance in his demeanor.

She nodded slightly, inwardly wailing. Wasn’t her father supposed to be very busy? How did he find the time to come to this?

What if she was discovered?

In truth, Xuan Xuan was worrying needlessly. The two personas were so utterly different that no one would ever connect them.

“I’ve already heard about the effects of your ‘Source of Mana’ potion,” Wanqi Lianhao began. “But with only one bottle, we are unable to conduct proper tests. Do you have any more?”

If there was only a single bottle, it would be of little real use. Since she dared to put it up for auction, he hadn’t expected to be able to research much from it.

Xuan Xuan opened her mouth, feeling the pressure from her father and growing nervous, afraid he would see through her. In her anxiety, she could not utter a word.

After coughing lightly, she finally managed, “Of course, there’s more than one bottle. How many do you need?”

Such confidence! Wanqi Lianhao drew a sharp breath. Was this potion really available in unlimited supply?

As he hesitated, Xuan Xuan continued, “This potion can be mass-produced.”

Wanqi Lianhao paused. Mass-produced? Had he heard correctly? “Mass-produced?”

“Certainly. I don’t have much time to make these potions myself, but I can provide you with the formula, and even help you train a team of people,” Xuan Xuan said.

A single bottle of ‘Source of Mana’ had limited effect, and she knew it. On the Mata Continent, it had always been produced in bulk due to high demand.

So by handing over the formula and helping to train personnel, she could clearly demonstrate she had no malicious intent.

“Train?” Wanqi Lianhao wondered if Xuan Xuan had left him so bewildered lately that his mind was spinning.

Wasn’t this like a gift from the heavens?

“Yes, training. Perhaps at first, it would be difficult to achieve intermediate-level ‘Source of Mana,’ but within three months, producing the basic version should be no problem. If someone already has a foundation, a few days’ training would suffice,” Xuan Xuan explained.

She now wanted to show greater sincerity to Wanqi Lianhao.

“Forgive me—intermediate? Basic? Are there advanced versions as well?” Wanqi Lianhao asked, voice trembling. He had always considered himself calm, but today’s revelations had shattered his composure.

Xuan Xuan nodded. “Yes. The advanced version benefits S-levels just as the intermediate benefits A-levels. There are even higher ranks, but for now, they aren’t necessary.”

Wanqi Lianhao took a sharp breath. Was his brain even capable of processing this? And Wanqi Wu, sitting nearby, was already dumbstruck. Someone ignorant might not be fazed, but for him, who had some understanding, the impact was shocking.

Forcing himself to calm down, Wanqi Lianhao closed his eyes, steadying his racing heart before saying to Xuan Xuan, “I’m sorry. I cannot accept.”

His words seemed to still time itself within the room.

Even Wanqi Lianhao was astonished at his own refusal. To reject such a beneficial offer—was he mad?

Wanqi Wu, only just recovering from his earlier shock, was once again stupefied.

Xuan Xuan was equally stunned. Rejected?

Why?

Was her offer not good enough?

Or was it that she still didn’t understand enough about the Federation? Was ‘Source of Mana’ not particularly useful here?

That couldn’t be. Judging by Zhan Yu’s situation, ‘Source of Mana’ ought to be in high demand and of great value.

She frowned, unable to fathom the reason. She asked, “Why?”

Wanqi Lianhao looked at her. “Forgive me, but I still don’t know your name.”

“I…” Xuan Xuan hesitated. She didn’t want to lie to her own father, so she replied, “You may call me Xuan.”

“Xuan,” Wanqi Lianhao repeated, frowning slightly. A single syllable; if one spoke of sincerity, there was little to be found.

But he nodded and said, “Forgive me if it seems rude, but with such generous terms, I have to question your motives.”

“Question?” A slight smile curled Xuan Xuan’s lips beneath her veil. While her emotional intelligence was not particularly high, she did understand the basics of social interaction—especially since she was already aware of the suspicions held by Wanqi Yi and Wanqi Lianhao. She understood his meaning now.

“Or perhaps you’re more suspicious about my relationship with your daughter.”

Wanqi Lianhao’s eyes narrowed, a hint of danger flashing within.

Since things had reached this point, it was best to speak plainly. Wanqi Lianhao smiled. “Indeed, it may be presumptuous, but I must ask—what is your relationship with my daughter? And what exactly is that blue potion?”

“As you’ve guessed, she is my newly accepted disciple,” Xuan Xuan replied, setting down what she held.

“My guess?” Wanqi Lianhao relaxed a little, leaning back.

Xuan Xuan nodded. “Wasn’t it? As for that potion, its name is ‘Defy the Heavens.’ It was given to Xuan Xuan to improve her innate gifts. You needn’t worry about any side effects. As for increasing mental power and breaking through the S-level, that’s simply a limitation of your testing instruments. Xuan Xuan’s mental strength is beyond what your machines can measure.”

After a brief pause, she glanced at her father, who seemed somewhat shocked, and continued, “Moreover, Xuan Xuan’s mental strength was already above S-level. She merely lacked the physical constitution. ‘Defy the Heavens’ improved her body, allowing her mental strength to be displayed above the S-level.”

Wanqi Lianhao drew another sharp breath. The audacity of something called ‘Defy the Heavens’! He knew Xuan Xuan’s mental strength was formidable, but to say it went far beyond S-level—he could hardly believe it.

“She is my daughter, after all. I hope you’ll forgive me for not being able to fully trust you,” Wanqi Lianhao finally said, after a moment’s pause.

Given what she had revealed, he had little choice but to believe her. None of those who knew Xuan Xuan’s situation would ever leak it.

Xuan Xuan frowned, dusting off the remaining crumbs from her hands. “Your Wanqi family may hold considerable power in the Federation, but if I wished to harm anyone, do you really think you could stop me?”

She saw that soft words would never win Wanqi Lianhao’s trust. She needed to show strength—just as Wanqi Yi had assumed. She possessed power beyond what the Wanqi family could imagine.

Only then would Wanqi Lianhao believe her.

The smile on Wanqi Lianhao’s lips faltered. “Are you threatening me?”

“No,” Xuan Xuan shook her head. Now that she was establishing herself as a teacher, she couldn’t let her reputation suffer.

After a moment’s thought, she said, “There’s no need for threats. I value Xuan Xuan’s high mental strength and talent. You all treat her well, so there’s no conflict between us. As for the generous terms, you may consider them my gift to her as her new master.”

A master’s gift—Wanqi Lianhao weighed this carefully. It seemed to align with his father’s suspicions.

Seeing that Wanqi Lianhao was moved, Xuan Xuan tossed him a bottle of advanced ‘Source of Mana.’ “You can test this. It’s the advanced version—perfect for you.”

Wanqi Lianhao caught it, but did not try it. He simply placed it on the coffee table. “Just from ‘Defy the Heavens,’ I already believe in your strength.”

Xuan Xuan nodded. It was always easier dealing with clever people. Since he believed her, everything else would go smoothly. As long as Wanqi Lianhao was convinced of her goodwill, more interaction would only bring greater trust. And with the shrewd Wanqi Yi around, she had no worries.

“This is the basic ‘Source of Mana’ formula.” After several days of studying, she could now write the recipe. She wondered if focusing all her efforts on learning to read and write was why Zhan Yu had surpassed her, but at least she was no longer illiterate.

Wanqi Lianhao took the paper she handed over, his lips twitching almost imperceptibly. Did all those with strange abilities have some unique trait? For instance, the one before him—her handwriting was atrocious.

Xuan Xuan was oblivious to his inner complaints. On the Mata Continent, her calligraphy was superb—but could they even read it?

She pursed her lips, pretending not to notice Wanqi Lianhao’s gaze.

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[bookid==“Red Chamber System”]