209: Chapter 209 A stunningly beautiful woman with captivating charm! She takes the initiative to come to your door…

As his voice faded, he charged up again.

This time, his Move had clearly changed.

It was no longer just recklessly fierce and head-on; there was now more room for maneuvering between his strikes, and the way he controlled his strength was more than a step smoother than before.

Although still quite raw, it already bore a hint of the Samsara Dao.

The appreciation in Zhou Liangan's eyes grew a little more.

Good Comprehension Ability; he understands with just a hint.

The two clashed again.

This time, Zhou Liangan did not just dodge without retaliating; occasionally, he would parry. With every Move, he used the simplest actions to demonstrate the application of the Power of Reincarnation to Yue Zhong.

Yue Zhong was like a sponge, frantically absorbing knowledge he wouldn't have dared to imagine before. He fought more and more smoothly; although he still couldn't touch the hem of Zhou Liangan's clothes, his own combat power had increased by a large margin in a short amount of time.

After fighting for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Zhou Liangan felt it was enough.

If they continued, it would do Yue Zhong no good; instead, it would be easy for him to bite off more than he could chew, shaking his Foundation.

He spotted an opening and gently struck out with his palm.

This palm strike looked unremarkable, and the speed was not fast, yet Yue Zhong felt that no matter where he dodged, he could not escape the range of this palm.

He simply stopped dodging, held his heavy hammer horizontally in front of him, and poured all his spiritual power into defense.

With a soft "bang."

The palm landed on the body of the hammer.

A gentle yet irresistible force came through. Yue Zhong could no longer stand; he flew backward, retreated a dozen steps with a "thud, thud, thud," and finally sat on the ground. His chest felt turbulent, and his throat tasted sweet, but he forcibly swallowed the blood back down.

Although he had been sent flying, he knew in his heart that his opponent had held back.

This palm strike looked intimidating, but in reality, it had no lethality; it merely pushed him back and didn't even damage a fraction of his Meridians.

Yue Zhong caught his breath and stood up, leaning on his heavy hammer.

He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and looked at Zhou Liangan, his eyes full of sincere admiration.

He cupped his hands and bowed respectfully, his voice loud and clear: "Your Excellency is truly formidable! I am not Your Excellency's match, so I will not humiliate myself further. I concede this match."

The audience was silent for a few seconds, and then thunderous applause and cheers erupted.

Although they had long guessed the result, seeing Yue Zhong concede with their own eyes still made everyone feel overwhelmed with excitement.

More importantly, the match just now was less of a battle and more like guidance from a master teacher.

Anyone with a discerning eye could see that after this match, Yue Zhong's strength had actually improved significantly. Such a feat was truly terrifying.

Zhou Liangan looked at Yue Zhong standing opposite him, his eyes full of appreciation.

He nodded and said: "Your Heart-Nature is good, and your Foundation is solid. What is rare is that you are willing to strive and learn. Go back and ponder the Power of Reincarnation carefully; it will be beneficial for you. If you have anything you cannot figure out in the future, you can come to me."

Yue Zhong's eyes lit up, and his face showed an excited expression. He hurriedly cupped his hands again, his voice trembling slightly: "Thank you, Your Excellency! I cannot thank you enough for such great kindness!"

He knew that in this battle, he had lost the match but won a massive Opportunity.

Being able to receive guidance from such a powerhouse who had mastered the Dao of Samsara was far more precious than a seat as a council member.

On the light screen of the martial arts arena, the words indicating Zhou Liangan had advanced lit up.

There was a buzz of discussion in the stands, and everyone's gaze toward Zhou Liangan had changed; there was awe, wariness, and deep curiosity.

Zhou Liangan walked off the stage slowly, his expression calm.

To him, this was just an insignificant little match.

What he cared about more now was the person who had quietly slipped away this morning.

Ruan Yufeng, she ran quite fast.

He curled his lips, and a trace of playfulness flashed in his eyes.

Ruan Yufeng, on the referee's stand, seemed to have noticed the slightly playful smile that curled at the corner of Zhou Liangan's lips.

Ruan Yufeng's delicate, fair, and beautiful face was now flushed with color, and when her beautiful eyes looked at Zhou Liangan, there was a faint shyness on her face.

Zhou Liangan just smiled and walked off the stage with a leisurely pace.

When the night fell, Ruan Yufeng returned to her residence, stepping on the starlight.

Today was the main competition day for the second round of the Human Council Tournament, and as the Chief Referee, she had been buried in the venue since dawn.

Standing by the martial arts stage all day, she had to keep an eye on whether the matches on the field violated any rules and deal with inquiries from various forces off the stage; her nerves were taut the entire time.

Especially during the semi-final in the afternoon, where Zhou Liangan faced Yue Zhong, she stood in the front row of the referee's stand, watching that man in black nonchalantly dismantle Yue Zhong's killer Moves, and with a few casual words of guidance, he stunned the entire audience into silence; her heart rate had never been steady.

It wasn't that she was worried about the fairness of the competition, but she couldn't help thinking about last night.

Fortunately, Zhou Liangan didn't look at the referee's stand once the whole time, as if what happened last night had never occurred. For some reason, thinking of this, she felt an indescribable sense of loss in her heart.

She shook her head, suppressing the messy thoughts.

She opened the door of the villa, and the sensor light in the entryway lit up.

She took off her crisp referee uniform and hung it on the coat rack, revealing the plain silk undershirt inside. She walked to the living room in soft velvet slippers, poured herself a glass of lukewarm water, tilted her head back, and drank it in one go, finally making her dry throat feel a bit more comfortable.

Leaning her back against the leather sofa, she closed her eyes and rubbed her swollen temples. She was truly tired, but her heart was even more exhausted.

The pace of the tournament these past few days had been fast, and news kept coming from the Ruan Family, all of which were troublesome matters that made her feel a bit suffocated.

Just as she was resting with her eyes closed, the private communicator on her wrist suddenly vibrated, and the exclusive low-frequency notification sound rang out—it was the private line of Old Ancestor Ruan Qingxuan.

Ruan Yufeng's heart skipped a beat, and she opened her eyes instantly.

The Old Ancestor rarely contacted her at this hour, especially during the tournament; she always reported good news and not bad news. If she initiated a call, it must be a major event.

She dared not delay, immediately sat up straight, tapped the communicator on her wrist with her fingertip, and connected the line.

A pale blue light screen unfolded before her eyes, revealing the background of the study in the Ruan Family's old mansion. In front of a wall full of bookshelves filled with ancient books sat the white-haired Ruan Qingxuan.

The old woman was wearing a dark-colored traditional robe, her hair bun was styled meticulously, and she wore an old, plain silver hairpin. Her face had deep wrinkles, her eye sockets were slightly sunken, and her skin had a sickly, withered look.

Only her eyes still faintly retained the clear charm of her youth, but at this moment, those eyes were filled with an unresolvable exhaustion and helplessness.

Seeing the Old Ancestor in this state, Ruan Yufeng's heart tightened, and she leaned forward, her tone carrying undisguised worry: "Old Ancestor, why are you calling at this time? Has the poison in your body flared up again? Or has something happened in the Family?"

Ruan Qingxuan did not answer immediately, but first let out a long sigh.

That sigh was heavy and deep, as if bearing a thousand-catty burden; even through the light screen, one could feel that helplessness.

After several seconds, she spoke with a hoarse voice: "Yufeng, the Gongmen Family just sent a message. It was ordered by Semi-Emperor himself."

"Semi-Emperor?" Ruan Yufeng's brows instantly furrowed, and a trace of disgust flashed in her eyes. "What does he want? Last month he took 30% of the output from our No. 3 mining vein; how long has it been, and he's reaching out again?"

The Gongmen Clan is a top-tier First-Class Family of the Human Race. They hold control over seven resource Star Domains and have occupied three council seats in the parliament for years, wielding immense power.

A hundred years ago, their Ruan Family could still be considered a top-tier Second-Class Family, but ever since the Old Ancestor was poisoned and the Family fortunes declined, they had gone from bad to worse. Eventually, they had to attach themselves to the Gongmen Clan. It was called cooperation, but in reality, they were living under someone else's shadow, having to hand over a large amount of resources as tribute every year and wait for orders at any time.

"This time, they don't want resources." Ruan Qingxuan shook her head, her face looking even worse. "They want you to use your status as someone who can contact the contestants to find an Opportunity to poison Zhou Liangan."

She said this sentence very slowly, and every word was like a cold stone, heavily striking Ruan Yufeng's heart.

The color on her face instantly drained away, and her eyes widened sharply. Her beautiful eyes first showed an undisguised panic, and her fingertips subconsciously gripped the sofa cushion so hard her knuckles turned white.

She spoke almost immediately, her voice trembling with gravity: "Old Ancestor, this is absolutely impossible! Who is Zhou Liangan? Standing behind him is the Ancient Emperor of Reincarnation! If we really dare to poison him, the day the matter is exposed, the Ancient Emperor of Reincarnation will absolutely not let our Ruan Family off! When that time comes, no one in the entire Family will be able to escape!"

"How could I not know the severity of this?" Ruan Qingxuan gave a bitter smile, her aged face full of helplessness. "But do we have the qualification to say no right now?"

She paused, her tone carrying heavy exhaustion: "Our Ruan Family still appears to have two mining veins and three colonial stars, but our lifelines are all held in the hands of the Gongmen Clan. Medicinal Pill supply, Magical Artifact channels, and the right of passage through Star Domains—which one of these can we have without their nod? If they want to choke us to death, they just need to stop the supply of Medicinal Pills, and the Juniors in the Family who are at critical stages of Breakthrough would, at best, suffer a regression in cultivation, and at worst, explode and die. When that time comes, we won't need to wait for the Ancient Emperor of Reincarnation to settle accounts; our Ruan Family will be finished on its own."

Ruan Yufeng's lips moved, but she could not utter a word of rebuttal.

She knew that everything the Old Ancestor said was the truth. Over the years, the Ruan Family had seemingly maintained the dignity of a noble Family, but in reality, they had long been hollow on the inside.

The powerhouses of the older generation in the Family had either died or been injured, and there were few among the younger generation with top-tier talent; they were all relying on past glory to hold on.

If they really broke ties with the Gongmen Clan, they wouldn't last three months if the other side just flicked a finger.

"In the end, it's all my fault." Ruan Qingxuan suddenly spoke, her voice filled with deep self-reproach. She looked at Ruan Yufeng, her eyes full of guilt. "If I hadn't been so stubborn back then and insisted on exploring that ancient ruin outside the territory, I wouldn't have been hit by that insidious 'Withered-Glory Curse,' and I wouldn't have dragged the entire Family into this predicament today."

The Withered-Glory Curse is an insidious curse technique of the alien races outside the territory.

Those afflicted by the curse have their life force constantly devoured, their cultivation regresses year by year, and their appearance ages rapidly, just like flowers and grass going from glory to wither; there is no cure.

"When I was at my Peak, I was one step away from stepping into the Half-Emperor realm. At that time, I always felt invincible and didn't take the curse techniques of the alien races seriously." Ruan Qingxuan smiled self-deprecatingly, her wrinkles bunching together, making her look even older. "And what was the result? The curse mark entered my body, and I spent three hundred years trying to clear it completely to no avail; instead, it slowly exhausted my Foundation bit by bit. Once I fell, the sky of the Ruan Family collapsed."

"Yufeng, the reason I forced you to apologize to Zhou Liangan, and even told you to spend more time with him instead of working against him, was actually to leave a way out for the Ruan Family."

She sighed, the wrinkles between her brows so deep they looked carved in. "I know you feel aggrieved and think I pushed you out like a pawn. But Old Ancestor is truly out of options. Zhou Liangan's momentum is so fierce, and he has the backing of the Ancient Emperor of Reincarnation. If we can establish a connection, the Ruan Family might still have a chance to turn things around. I was desperate and grasping at straws; I hope you don't blame me."

Listening to the Old Ancestor's self-reproach, Chief Referee Ruan Yufeng felt a slight sting in her nose.

She looked up, gazing earnestly at the old woman in the light screen, and shook her head gently. Her voice was soft but firm: "I don't blame you, Old Ancestor. I understand your difficulties."

"The matter at the Human Council Tournament was something I started to begin with. I caused this trouble, so naturally, I should be the one to take responsibility for it."

She recalled the scene when she first met Zhou Liangan.

"You have grown up and become sensible." Old Ancestor Ruan Qingxuan looked at her, her eyes filled with both relief and heartache. If she had a choice, how could she bear to let her beloved granddaughter do such demeaning things? But currently, the Ruan Family could only rely on Chief Referee Ruan Yufeng. Among the younger generation, she had the highest talent and was beautiful. Perhaps... she could win a sliver of leeway from Zhou Liangan.

Chief Referee Ruan Yufeng remained silent, her gaze fixed on the Old Ancestor's face, feeling more distressed the longer she looked.

In her childhood memories, the Old Ancestor had never looked like this.

When she was five, the Old Ancestor had not been poisoned so deeply. Although her cultivation had already begun to decline, she was still exceptionally graceful and elegant.

Back then, the Old Ancestor would hold her while sitting under the osmanthus tree in the courtyard, telling her stories of her adventures across the Star Domain when she was young.

She told her how she had slain the space bandits terrorizing the region with a single sword strike, how she had battled an alien king for three days and three nights in a Secret Realm, and how she had rejected the marriage proposals of countless young Geniuses, living a life of freedom and abandon.

The elders in the Family often said that when the Old Ancestor was young, she was truly peerless in beauty and talent.

Dressed in a moon-white gown, wielding the Qingshuang Sword, her reputation for both beauty and martial might had spread across more than half the Star Domain.

The suitors lined up from the Ruan Family gate all the way to the starport, and even the legitimate sons of first-rate noble clans came in an endless stream. Yet, the Old Ancestor did not fancy a single one of them, dedicating herself entirely to Cultivate, hoping to lead the Ruan Family to greater heights.

At that time, the Ruan Family was truly glorious.

Geniuses emerged one after another within the clan, resources were abundant, and even first-rate noble clans had to show them some respect.

But what about now?

The female cultivator who once stunned the Star Domain had been tortured by a mere curse for nearly three hundred years. Her vitality was slowly draining away, her skin was sagging, her hair had turned completely white, and she felt exhausted even after sitting for a short while.

The once glorious Family was struggling at every step, forced to live at the mercy of others, lacking even the confidence to refuse.

Thinking of this, Chief Referee Ruan Yufeng felt both sour and bitter, and a surge of defiance suddenly welled up from the bottom of her heart.

Why?

Why should a single word from the Gongmen Clan force their Ruan Family onto a path of destruction?

This poisoning matter was a dead end from the very beginning. If it succeeded, the Ancient Emperor of Reincarnation would be furious, and the entire Ruan Family would be executed. If it failed, the Semi-Emperor would vent his anger, and the Ruan Family would still be drained dry. Either way, it was death. Why should they obediently accept their fate and serve as stepping stones for others?

Since the Semi-Emperor is unjust, he cannot blame them for being unrighteous.

She took a deep breath, looked up, her eyes filled with a sense of breaking the cauldrons and sinking the boats, and looked at Old Ancestor Ruan Qingxuan: "Old Ancestor, since they want to use us as a tool and force us into a dead end, there is no need for us to hold onto that thin veneer of attachment. In my opinion, we should take this Opportunity to defect completely to the side of the Ancient Emperor of Reincarnation."

Upon hearing this, Old Ancestor Ruan Qingxuan's eyes flashed with surprise, clearly not expecting her to say such a thing.

She immediately frowned, her tone heavy with concern: "Defect to the Ancient Emperor of Reincarnation? It's not that simple. Not to mention whether a dignified Ancient Emperor would even look at a small Family like ours. Even if we did defect, the Gongmen Clan would be the first to not let us go. By then, the Ancient Emperor of Reincarnation is busy with myriad affairs; why would she waste effort protecting our tiny Ruan Family? If she couldn't be bothered, we would offend both sides and die even faster."

The Old Ancestor's concerns were not without reason.

What was the status of the Ancient Emperor of Reincarnation?

She was the guardian deity of the Human Race, a legendary top-tier Emperor who wielded the Dao of Samsara. If she stamped her foot, the entire territory of the Human Race would tremble.

In her eyes, the Ruan Family was probably not even considered an ant.

To go up against a deep-rooted first-rate noble clan like the Gongmen Clan for the sake of a tiny vassal Family was, by any measure, not worth the cost. If it were her, she might not be willing to meddle in such a trivial matter either.

Chief Referee Ruan Yufeng also knew that this was difficult and the probability of success was extremely slim.

But she knew even more clearly that if they didn't try, they wouldn't even have a sliver of a chance.

"Old Ancestor, we have no other path now." She bit her thin lips with her pearly white teeth, her fingertips turning white as she clenched them. She spoke, weighing every word: "The Semi-Emperor asking us to poison him is inherently malicious. He knows full well that Zhou Liangan's background is extraordinary, yet he still forces us to do it. It is clear he is sending us to our deaths. If it succeeds, he reaps the benefits; if it fails, he pushes all the responsibility onto us, and it will have nothing to do with the Gongmen Clan."

"If we don't do it, we die slowly; if we do it, we die immediately. Since it is death either way, why not take a gamble?"

She paused and continued: "Zhou Liangan is currently vying for a seat in the Human Council Tournament; this is the time he needs manpower and information. Although the Ruan Family has declined, we have operated in the Central Star Domain for so many years. Our underground information channels, connections across various Star Domains, and the mineral resources in our hands are not entirely useless. If we go to him voluntarily and reveal the entirety of the Semi-Emperor's conspiracy, it can be considered a pledge of allegiance."

"Moreover..." Chief Referee Ruan Yufeng's voice lowered, but it carried a trace of hope, "I saw him guiding Yue Zhong in the semi-finals; he does not seem like the type of person who is ruthless or ungrateful. He has a heart that cherishes talent and the magnanimity to tolerate others. If we sincerely defect, he might not be unwilling to accept us."

Most importantly, she kept a thought hidden in her heart that she had not voiced.

The Ancient Emperor of Reincarnation wields the Power of Reincarnation and is versed in all laws. Perhaps... she could undo the Curse of Withering and Flourishing on the Old Ancestor.

Over these years, the Ruan Family had searched for famous doctors and scoured ancient texts, but they had never been able to find a way to break the Curse of Withering and Flourishing.

If she could establish a connection with the Ancient Emperor of Reincarnation, even if there was only a one in ten thousand chance, she wanted to try.

Old Ancestor Ruan Qingxuan looked at her and fell silent. In the light screen, the old woman's expression shifted, showing hesitation, worry, and a trace of unwillingness.

She had lived for nearly two thousand years and had seen all kinds of storms, but this time, she truly could not make up her mind.

On one side was a certain slow death, and on the other was a gamble with a nine-in-ten chance of death. Either choice was too difficult.

"Old Ancestor, please just let me try." Seeing her silence, Chief Referee Ruan Yufeng quickly spoke again, her tone filled with pleading and determination, "Perhaps, there is still a turning point in this matter."

"But it is too dangerous." Old Ancestor Ruan Qingxuan frowned, her voice heavy, "The Semi-Emperor has planted spies within our clan. If you go to see Zhou Liangan in private and the news leaks, the Gongmen Clan will Move against us before Zhou Liangan even makes a statement."

"I will be careful, Old Ancestor." Chief Referee Ruan Yufeng smiled gently, but her eyes were exceptionally serious, "I will go quietly tonight; no one will know. As for Zhou Liangan... I believe he is not that kind of person. Even if he refuses to take us in, I have a way to retreat unscathed and will absolutely not cause trouble for the Family."

She paused and said, word by word: "All the Karma and consequences of this matter will be borne by me, Chief Referee Ruan Yufeng, alone. If it succeeds, it is the Ruan Family's blessing; if it fails, I will shoulder it alone and will absolutely not implicate the Family in the slightest."

She spoke with ironclad certainty, without a shred of hesitation.

Old Ancestor Ruan Qingxuan looked at the light in her eyes, that stubborn and firm spirit, which was so much like herself when she was young.

She sighed inwardly, ultimately saying nothing more.

After a long silence, she merely looked deeply at Chief Referee Ruan Yufeng, whispered a reminder to "be careful in everything and protect yourself," and then raised her hand to cut the communication.

The light screen dissipated, and the living room returned to deathly silence.

Chief Referee Ruan Yufeng maintained her sitting posture on the sofa, remaining motionless for a long time.

She had spoken with such determination just now, but now that she had reached this point, she still felt panicked in her heart, along with a sense of unspeakable shame.

She was going to see Zhou Liangan not just to inform and defect, but to use herself as a bargaining chip to trade for a way out for the Ruan Family.

She and Zhou Liangan had already had that ambiguous encounter that night. Now, actively showing up at his door late at night, to put it bluntly, what was the difference between this and offering herself to him?

From childhood, she, Chief Referee Ruan Yufeng, had been held in the palm of the Family's hand. With high talent and beauty, she was the focus of everyone's attention wherever she went. When had she ever needed to rely on such methods to seek a way out?

But upon thinking of the Old Ancestor's aged face, the Juniors in the clan still worrying about their Breakthrough, and the branch Family members who had followed the Ruan Family for dozens of generations, her insignificant self-esteem seemed worthless.

Compared to the safety of the entire clan, what did her bit of face matter?

She took a deep breath, stood up, and walked into the bedroom.

The closet was filled with all kinds of dresses: dignified gowns, professional-looking uniform skirts, and casual styles for daily wear.

She stood in front of the closet for a long time, her fingertips grazing over the fabrics one by one, finally stopping at a black spaghetti-strap maxi dress at the very back.

The dress was a gift from her best friend on her birthday last year; it was made of silk with an excellent drape.

The style was not revealing. The thin straps outlined her delicate collarbones, the cinched waist design accentuated her slender waist, and the hem reached the middle of her calves. A slit on the side, neither too high nor too low, revealed a section of her fair calf while walking, creating a subtle, alluring effect. It was sexy yet not vulgar, instead making her appear cold yet charming.

When she received it, she had laughed and said it was too flashy to wear out, so it had been hanging in the deepest part of the closet ever since.

Today, however, it was just right.

She took out the dress and walked into the bathroom.

Hot water poured down from the showerhead, soaking her long hair and washing away the fatigue from her body.

In the misty steam, she looked at her body in the mirror, her cheeks burning slightly.

She did not know what the outcome tonight would be, but she knew this was the best method she could think of.

After showering, she came out wrapped in a bath towel, stood in front of the full-length mirror, and slowly put on the black maxi dress...