"Meet Miss Yue Lan?" Faced with Zhu Bufan's request, Grand Steward Liu was caught a bit off guard; he really didn't understand why Zhu Bufan would suddenly bring up Yue Lan.

"This... young man, we're discussing whether you'll join Lanyue Pavilion, what does this have to do with Miss Yue Lan?" Narrowing his eyes slightly, a smile remained on Grand Steward Liu's face.

"Oh, actually, it's like this. Last time, I saw Miss Yue Lan hosting an auction from a distance, and was deeply impressed by her talent, so today I wanted to see Miss Yue Lan up close, I hope Grand Steward Liu won't misunderstand," Zhu Bufan responded with a light laugh upon hearing Grand Steward Liu's words. Huo Ling, in coordination, sneakily twisted a soft spot on Zhu Bufan's waist, a move hidden yet still 'caught' by Grand Steward Liu, causing Zhu Bufan's face to instantly turn a steely blue.

"Damn! She's so forceful even when acting, she thinks she's kneading dumpling filling, damn it!!" Zhu Bufan almost burst into tears and couldn't help but glare fiercely at Huo Ling, but the instigator Huo Ling appeared as if she knew nothing, staring straight ahead, with Wang Hui also giving a strange look, this trio's actions enlightened Grand Steward Liu a bit.

"That kid named Zhu Bufan, probably didn't want to meet the young mistress just because he wanted to; after all, he already has a stunningly beautiful woman by his side who is on par with the young mistress. So… could it be that this little girl, like the young mistress, has seen a beauty who could rival her own, and it sparked a competitive spirit, which made Zhu Bufan speak up? Yes! That seems very possible, seeing the aggrieved look in Zhu Bufan's eyes when he looks at the little girl, it should be the case indeed, I really don't understand what these young girls think nowadays. Our young mistress is like this, and this girl is too..."

If Zhu Bufan and his group could hear Grand Steward Liu's thoughts at that moment, they would definitely have breathed a sigh of relief. Originally, Zhu Bufan wanted to play the role of a flirtatious young man eager to catch a glimpse of beauty, but unfortunately, Zhu Bufan's acting was a bit too strained, making it obvious he had ulterior motives. After all, even the most foolish 'flirtatious young man' wouldn't propose such a suggestion in such a desperate manner, right? It's not like he's been confined in a dark prison for decades and just got released.

Luckily, Huo Ling's performance and Wang Hui's subtle expressions shifted Grand Steward Liu's thoughts. Of course, what remained most important was Grand Steward Liu's memory of when he first reported the two's situation to Yue Lan and heard Yue Lan's competitive spirit arise upon mentioning Huo Ling. Now recalling it, Grand Steward Liu unexpectedly came to such a conclusion!

Thinking of Yue Lan, who often wanted to see Huo Ling, Grand Steward Liu felt a burst of clarity and let out a laugh: "Haha, a love for beauty is something everyone possesses; well then, I'll go invite Miss Yue Lan. Although Miss Yue Lan is indeed a pillar of Lanyue Pavilion, it's not like we can summon her at will; I still have to personally invite her."

"Uh... of course, that's good, that's good," rubbing the pinched area, Zhu Bufan showed a hint of a smile. Seeing Zhu Bufan's reaction, Grand Steward Liu believed his judgment even more, laughed loudly, then stood up to bid farewell, leaving the drawing room, and soon, only Zhu Bufan and the other two remained in the room.

As soon as Grand Steward Liu left, Zhu Bufan turned his head fiercely to glare at Huo Ling, and Huo Ling continued to ignore Zhu Bufan's anger as if she regarded him as mere air, which made Zhu Bufan feel like spitting blood. However, when Zhu Bufan heard the words that were almost threadlike from Wang Hui, he really felt faint from anger.

"Look, little brother Nie, please don't scare me, alright? I'm faint-hearted and can't withstand your scares. If I'd known your acting was... this poor, I probably would have been the first to oppose this plan... Fortunately, Miss Huo Ling is astute, otherwise, we might have really had trouble at Lanyue Pavilion today..."

Wang Hui's words nearly caused Zhu Bufan internal injury, and Huo Ling, who clearly heard Wang Hui's words, subtly raised her eyebrows without making a sound, seeing her like this made Zhu Bufan feel a surge of vomiting blood. But since Wang Hui had said it, Zhu Bufan couldn't really refute, he was just churning a thought in his heart: 'Is my acting really that bad?'

"If you really want to say, it's very bad, and it's not your fault that your acting is poor, scaring people isn't so nice, you'd better not play this kind of role in the future." Emperor Yan's tender childish voice became the final blow that knocked Zhu Bufan into an abyss.

It didn't take long before Grand Steward Liu returned with Yue Lan, who was clearly dressed meticulously.

Her long moon-white embroidered gold silk cheongsam perfectly outlined her beautiful figure; a small silver fox fur draped over her delicate shoulders, giving her an air of elegant nobility. Her casually styled black hair was adorned with a simple white jade hairpin, adding a touch of lazy charm to Yue Lan.

Her delicately made-up face showed just the right amount of healthy blush, and the crystal blue gold jade earrings dangling from her right earlobe added a bit of playfulness to her charm. Today's Yue Lan could be said to be a goddess of varying styles; each look is different, and each look brings a different sentiment.

When Yue Lan entered the reception hall, her beautiful eyes immediately fell on Huo Ling. As if sensing her gaze, Huo Ling looked up and met Yue Lan's eyes. The moment Yue Lan saw Huo Ling, even she, who was always proud of her beauty, couldn't help but gasp.

Huo Ling's makeup-free face bore a tranquil and indifferent expression that wasn't feigned to attract attention but was rather her natural demeanor. Her features were picturesque, her lips brightly tinted, and her fair skin made even more striking beneath her snow-white dress. Without lavish clothes or fine jewelry, Huo Ling's innate perfect temperament and her pure beauty tinged with a hint of bewitching charm made everything else seem insignificant. At this moment, Huo Ling looked just like a fairy descended to the mundane world.

Between the two women, one was ethereally beautiful, like a fairy descended to earth, and the other regal and luxurious, like a coquettish damsel. The instant their gazes met, the three men present felt a strong sense of competition emanating from them, which surprised Zhu Bufan who was used to Huo Ling's indifference.

Upon their entrance, the scene of their confrontation was fully observed by Grand Steward Liu, confirming his suspicions. After laughing heartily, Grand Steward Liu said to Zhu Bufan: "Alright, young man, Miss Yue Lan is here as I promised. Now, can you answer my question?"

"There is no mistake, those Jade Talismans were refined by myself." Now that Yue Lan had appeared, Zhu Bufan did not hide anything. Seeing Yue Lan meant that half of today's plan was already successful.

Hearing Zhu Bufan's straightforward admission, Grand Steward Liu showed a fervent smile, and Yue Lan, who had been smiling at Huo Ling, turned her gaze to Zhu Bufan for the first time.

"Hehe, such a young man possessing such superb Artifact Refining skills must surely be the disciple of a great master. Since you have already entered the tower, you must have learned something about this place. How about it, young man? Why not consider staying with us at Lanyue Pavilion? We at Lanyue Pavilion will naturally provide you with the highest standard of treatment, and all materials needed for Artifact Refining will be provided by the merchant association."

"I'm sorry." Shaking his head slightly, Zhu Bufan didn't concern himself with Grand Steward Liu's suddenly strange expression and said: "Grand Steward, our visit this time is actually not to join Lanyue Pavilion, but to go to the Second Layer of the tower with Master Wang Hui."

After listening to Zhu Bufan's words, Grand Steward Liu's face stiffened a bit, and Yue Lan also sat aside, seemingly very interested in the unfolding events.

"Young man, you jest. The gate to the Second Layer is jointly controlled by the Three Great City Lords, I'm afraid I have no way to assist. To reach the Second Layer one must get the imprint from one of the City Lords, so there's nothing I can do to help you." Although he still smiled, Grand Steward Liu's tone had evidently changed, becoming somewhat formulaic.

"Hehe, Grand Steward is joking, right? Didn't Grand Steward once promise to facilitate Master Wang Hui's passage to the Second Layer? Now it seems Grand Steward speaks otherwise?" Wang Hui, sitting aside, also said with a smile.

"Hehe, Master Wang is teasing. Indeed, I discussed with Master Wang before, but that was just because Lord Hei Qing gave me some face. But if it's so many people, I can't help everyone. Moreover, given how strictly the Three Great City Lords control talents, even if I personally intervene, they likely won't let the young man go to the Second Layer." Grand Steward Liu showed a helpless look, shaking his head with a sigh, while Yue Lan, sitting silently, seemed to be deep in thought.

"No, I still believe Grand Steward can help us." Zhu Bufan shook his head and looked steadfastly at Grand Steward Liu, his expression making it hard for Grand Steward Liu to guess what he meant.

"Since the gentlemen have significant matters to discuss, Yue Lan shouldn't hinder the distinguished guests. Please allow Yue Lan to take her leave first." Just then, Yue Lan elegantly stood up, intending to leave. But as she did, Zhu Bufan looked at her with a smile and said: "Miss Yue Lan, there's actually no need to hurry because the next events must have Miss Yue Lan present to proceed."

"Oh? What exactly is going on?" Hearing Zhu Bufan's words, Yue Lan also smiled, but her smile carried a distinct implication.

"It's very simple. From this moment on, Miss Yue Lan, you are kidnapped by us, please help us leave the First Layer." Zhu Bufan flashed a slight smile, instantly performed the Thunderbolt Step, and dashed towards Yue Lan. Sensing something was amiss, Grand Steward Liu immediately made a move to intervene but was blocked by Wang Hui.

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