Douluo Continent: The Holy Son of the Spirit Hall, who intercepted the immortal herb

Chapter 56 Healing in the Boudoir, Amidst the Fragrance of Tea and the Scent of Vinegar

The night was as dark as ink, enveloping the bustling Tiandou City in tranquility.

In the south of the city, inside Xu Tinglan's private residence, the lights were on full display.

This elegant and secluded residence, far from the hustle and bustle of the city, was where she handled official business that was inconvenient to conduct at the Ministry of Justice, as well as a place for occasional quiet meditation. At this moment, it became the safest temporary base for Su Chen and his group.

Inside the study, the candlelight flickered gently, casting swaying shadows on the walls.

Su Chen sat on the fine pear wood chair, ignoring the priceless antiques and paintings around him, and instead focused all his attention on the fragment of the "Buddha's Wrath of the Tang Lotus" painting that he had taken from the black iron box on the table.

The material of the blueprints was neither gold nor jade, but warm to the touch. The mechanisms drawn on them were intricate and exquisite, full of destructive beauty, as if they contained some kind of ultimate truth.

On his arm was a shallow cut from the hidden weapon used by the ghost hand. The wound wasn't deep, and given his constitution, the bleeding had already stopped, but he didn't treat it, leaving the bloodstain somewhat glaring against his fair skin.

He left this on purpose.

"Squeak"

The study door was suddenly pushed open, and a beautiful figure "broke" in with hurried footsteps.

It's Xiao Wu.

She carried a basin of warm water and a bottle of high-quality wound medicine. When her gaze fell on the bloodstain on Su Chen's arm, her beautiful eyes, which were already red with worry, were instantly shrouded in a layer of mist.

"Su Chen!"

She cried out in alarm, her voice trembling with tears, and rushed forward without saying a word, snatching Su Chen's arm.

"It's all my fault! If you hadn't been acting to get me out of trouble, you wouldn't have gotten hurt! You're always trying to be a hero!"

Xiao Wu's face was tense, and her voice was filled with deep self-blame and unbearable heartache.

She thought Su Chen had endured the enemy's attack to make her "poisoning" act more realistic.

Su Chen found it amusing, but he forced a helpless smile and said, "I'm fine, just a minor injury."

"You call this a minor injury?"

Xiao Wu ignored him completely, pressing his injured arm directly onto her soft and elastic thigh. Her domineering posture was undeniable, yet it also carried an extreme tenderness.

She carefully and gently wiped the wound, which was actually quite clean, little by little, with a damp, soft silk cloth.

Her movements were as gentle as if she were handling a rare treasure.

As she lowered her head, her long eyelashes cast two small shadows in the candlelight, trembling slightly, her warm breath...

Intentionally or unintentionally, it was sprayed on Su Chen's skin, bringing waves of tingling and itchy sensations that shot from his arm straight to his heart.

Su Chen looked at her quietly.

Looking at her focused expression, my initial heartache and self-blame gradually transformed into an almost obsessive dependence and adoration.

Her wiping movements became slower and slower, and she was almost pressed against Su Chen's body, as if she wanted to completely integrate him into her world in this way.

The atmosphere in the study became incredibly warm and ambiguous amidst the flickering candlelight and rising steam.

However, just as this warmth was about to overflow.

"Bang!"

A sound, neither too loud nor too soft, yet enough to shatter all the ambiance, came from the doorway.

The study door had been pushed open at some point, and Xu Tinglan stood there gracefully.

She had changed out of her smart legal department uniform and into a light purple casual dress. The soft fabric perfectly outlined her graceful figure, making her look less aloof and more gentle and charming.

She held an exquisite purple clay tea tray in her hands, on which was placed a set of freshly brewed premium tea, its aroma filling the air.

But at this moment, all her attention was focused on the scene in the study that made her heart skip a beat.

Xiao Wu practically buried herself in Su Chen's arms!

That extremely intimate posture, that ambiguous atmosphere that disregarded others, was like an invisible needle that pricked her hard.

Her steps froze instantly, and she slammed the tea tray down heavily on the table by the door, making that abrupt, muffled thud.

A blush suddenly appeared on her usually cool and composed face, an unnatural blush that she herself was unaware of.

"cough!"

Xu Tinglan immediately cleared her throat heavily, trying to use official business to cover up her inexplicable panic and loss of composure.

"Young Master Su Chen, I have drafted a report regarding that account book overnight, and it will be presented to Emperor Xue Ye first thing tomorrow morning!"

She tried her best to make her voice sound steady and professional, but her shifty eyes and slightly tense voice betrayed her inner turmoil. She didn't even dare to look at the two people who were so deeply in love.

Startled, Xiao Wu raised her head in displeasure and glared fiercely at Xu Tinglan, her eyes filled with hostility at the invasion of her territory.

However, Su Chen's reaction only added fuel to the fire.

Instead of restraining himself because of Xu Tinglan's arrival, he deliberately adjusted his posture to make Xiao Wu, who was practically hanging on him, more comfortable.

He slowly raised his head, his gaze passing over Xiao Wu's shoulder to the stunningly beautiful woman at the door, who looked completely flustered. A playful smile curled at the corner of his lips.

His voice wasn't loud, but it was like a feather, precisely touching Xu Tinglan's most sensitive nerves.

"Deacon Xu, why are you blushing?"

The moment Xu Tinglan's beautiful eyes widened in shock at those words, Su Chen slowly uttered the second half of his sentence.

"Is it because it's so late at night, making you feel hot and bothered? Or is it because the jealousy in my study is too strong, irritating you?"

boom!

Xu Tinglan felt her cheeks burning hot enough to fry an egg. All her composure and pretense were shattered by Su Chen's lighthearted teasing at that moment!

"You—you're talking nonsense!"

She stomped her foot in embarrassment and turned her head away abruptly, not daring to look at Su Chen's eyes that seemed to see right through people.

Seeing her defeated appearance, Xiao Wu triumphantly raised her chin at her, like a proud little peacock that had won a battle, silently declaring her dominance.

However, just as this silent battle reached its climax, Su Chen gently patted Xiao Wu's back, signaling her to calm down.

In an instant, his entire demeanor transformed from that of a languid man enjoying a gentle embrace to that of a chess player with deep eyes and a composed aura.

His deep eyes gazed at Xu Tinglan, whose chest heaved slightly with embarrassment and anger. His tone was calm, yet carried an undeniable and absolute power.

"No matter how well your report is written, it's useless."

"What?" Xu Tinglan turned around abruptly, her face still flushed, but more than anything, she was confused and a little resentful. She had put a great deal of effort into this report; every word was precious, the logic meticulous, enough to nail those people to the spot.

Su Chen ignored her questions and instead slowly revealed a logic that struck her like a thunderbolt.

"The account book is a nuclear bomb. Giving it directly to the emperor is like handing over the detonator to someone else. You think it can flatten a mountain, but in reality, they will only use it to kill a few troublesome rabbits, then declare victory and shelve the nuclear bomb."

His voice was calm, yet it caused Xu Tinglan's face to gradually turn deathly pale. She instantly understood Su Chen's meaning: in the cutthroat world of officialdom, with its collusion and power struggles, Emperor Xueye, for the sake of balance, would never uproot such a massive interest group based solely on a single account book!

"Then—then what should we do?" Xu Tinglan's voice already carried a hint of something she herself hadn't even realized.

The meaning is to ask for advice.

Su Chen's gaze swept over the two women's pretty faces, which were somewhat stunned by the shock, and a cold, extremely sharp smile slowly appeared on his lips.

"A truly clever hunter is one who can dismantle a nuclear bomb into countless poisoned throwing knives."

He spoke each word carefully, uttering the final decision that would make the entire Heaven Dou City tremble.

"We don't inform on others, we only 'leak secrets'."

"Tomorrow, find the most insignificant nobody, but one with ties to Prince Xuexing's faction, and casually, subtly, drop his incriminating evidence onto the Censorate. I want to turn everyone on the list in Tiandou City into a caged bird, terrified and watched by hungry wolves!"

"Let them bite themselves to death in endless fear!"

After he finished speaking, the entire study fell into a deathly silence.

Xu Tinglan's red lips parted slightly, her clear, cold eyes filled with unprecedented shock! Looking at the man before her, she felt for the first time how childish and laughable her pride and joy in intelligence and methods were in his presence.

Xiao Wu, though only half-understanding what Su Chen was saying, could clearly feel the supreme domineering aura emanating from him, a power that seemed to command the world and stir up storms! She looked at Su Chen's profile, his large eyes already sparkling with tiny stars.

Su Chen didn't look at them again.

His gaze had already pierced through the window frame, looking out at the myriad lights sleeping in the night, as if he were looking down at the chessboard of heaven and earth that was about to be stirred up.