The proprietress, holding a round fan and clad in a crimson dress, possessed a face like a peach blossom and a waist like a willow. Her graceful figure and every smile and glance exuded a thousand charms, captivating the heart.
She approached gracefully, exuding a fragrant breeze that made one's blood surge and heart race.
At this moment, other male guests in the inn couldn't help but cast a glance before quickly averting their eyes.
These men were not exactly gentlemen, yet they dared not harbor any improper thoughts towards the proprietress.
This was because the proprietress was considered extremely unlucky. The groom had died on their wedding night, and afterward, her in-laws had inexplicably met with misfortune and passed away one after another. Her entire family had been wiped out by her, seemingly due to her curse.
Later, some lecherous men who didn't believe in such superstitions, coveting the proprietress's beauty, also met with ill omens and suffered terrible fates.
Therefore, despite her stunning beauty, those who knew her history dared not entertain any ill intentions.
Upon seeing Ji Mo and his companions as new faces, the proprietress smiled radiantly.
Her alluring gaze first fell upon Wang Wanjian. Without any pretense, she warmly linked her arm through his robust one and softly asked, "Young sir, have you taken a wife?"
Ji Mo exclaimed, "Good heavens, Wang Wanjian has struck gold."
One must know that though the Fu Lai Inn had a small facade, it was connected to a large courtyard behind it, indicating the proprietress's considerable wealth. She was undoubtedly a rich woman.
If Wang Wanjian were to get together with the proprietress, he, as a teacher, would surely benefit, enjoying a life of luxury and ease.
"Let go, or I'll chop you."
Wang Wanjian, completely devoid of romantic sensibility, drew his saber halfway and spoke with a chilling tone.
His state of "a heart devoid of women, a naturally divine blade" had been cultivated quite deeply. He viewed women as rosy skeletons, unmoved by them.
"You bore, how dull."
The proprietress gave Wang Wanjian a fierce glare, immediately released him, and turned towards Xuan Yang, saying with a smile, "Young sir, you are truly handsome. May I ask if you are betrothed?"
"Sister, you are indeed quite lovely, but your beauty is just a tiny bit lacking. We are not quite a match."
Xuan Yang flicked his hair, revealing a shallow smile. In that instant, his charm was enough to topple cities and nations.
Immediately, the surrounding male guests stared blankly, their hearts pounding.
Some even breathed heavily and swallowed audibly.
The proprietress's expression instantly soured. What was even more disheartening was that she was utterly unable to refute him. Xuan Yang was indeed more feminine than she was.
She had always been confident in her appearance, but now she felt deeply wounded.
Ji Mo sighed. "Youth knows not the sweetness of living off a woman. These two dullards are still too young. If they had just gone along with this proprietress, they would have saved decades of hard work."
He himself found the proprietress quite appealing. If only she were a little more reserved and not so unrestrained, she would have been perfect.
"Ahem..."
Ji Mo cleared his throat, waiting for the proprietress to turn and flirt with him, pondering how to appear profound without being frivolous.
However, the proprietress had indeed become reserved. She glanced at him, a look of disdain in her eyes, and had no intention of speaking to him.
Ji Mo was flustered. "I'm not bad either. What's going on? Why am I being looked down upon?"
Wang Wanjian was rough and unrefined, lacking romantic sense. Xuan Yang was too effeminate and lacked masculine vigor.
In any aspect, he considered himself outstanding. Why wasn't he noticed?
Although he had never considered living off a woman, not being approached made him feel uneasy and defeated.
"I think this woman is... off," Song Weiqian said, her eyebrows furrowed as she stared at the proprietress's retreating figure.
Ji Mo nodded in agreement. "She is indeed off. Actually, I'm not bad either, and I prefer soft food. Her taste must be questionable."
Song Weiqian glared at Ji Mo, a hint of killing intent in her eyes, and said coldly, "That's not what I meant. When she looked at Wang Wanjian and Xuan Yang, her eyes were like a wolf's and a tiger's, as if she wanted to devour them alive."
Perhaps it was a woman's intuition, or the instinct of a strong individual, but Song Weiqian sensed something was amiss.
She felt that the proprietress harbored ill intentions towards Wang Wanjian and Xuan Yang.
Ji Mo sighed softly. "Women, you know. Thirty is like a wolf, forty is like a tiger. It's normal."
This statement struck a nerve with Song Weiqian, as she was precisely in that age group.
Thus, she glared fiercely at Ji Mo, wishing she could devour him alive.
Ya Zi also harbored hostility towards the proprietress. It faintly smelled something unusual from her, but the scent on her was peculiar, preventing it from identifying it correctly.
"Sir, perhaps we should find another inn," Lin Mengmeng said, feeling that her teacher was also acting strangely, showing signs of wanting to live off a woman, fearing she might unexpectedly gain a cheap stepmother.
"Right now, the entire Chizhang City is overcrowded. I doubt there's any other accommodation available besides mine," the proprietress said indifferently, fanning herself.
A faint, ambiguous seductive smile played on her lips. Once one entered her inn, leaving would not be so easy.
"Let's settle in here for now," Ji Mo decided immediately, not wanting to be left out in the streets.
While registering their stay, the proprietress showed a hint of surprise. Her gaze swept over Lin Mengmeng, Xuan Yang, and Wang Wanjian, and she couldn't help but ask, "Are you truly from the last-ranked Langya Academy?"
"Is there a problem?" Song Weiqian retorted irritably.
"A flood dragon emerges from shallow waters!"
The proprietress casually tossed five room keys, exclaimed in admiration, and drifted away.
"What does that mean? Could she see the extraordinary qualities of Lin Mengmeng and the other two?" Song Weiqian found it somewhat unbelievable.
Wang Wanjian's blade intent was contained, reaching a state of effortless control. Lin Mengmeng possessed a special physique, and Xuan Yang had a special bloodline. If they didn't reveal themselves, even an Immortal Realm cultivator might not be able to discern their true nature.
Why did this person seem to have seen through everything?
Ji Mo and his group settled into the Fu Lai Inn.
With three days remaining until the academy ranking competition, they could rest well and face the upcoming contest in their best condition.
Subsequently, Ji Mo finally realized that the proprietress was indeed acting rather strangely.
She often appeared near Wang Wanjian's and Xuan Yang's rooms, intentionally or unintentionally, even peeking at them secretly, with impure motives.
The next night, the proprietress could no longer hold back. She intended to sneak into Xuan Yang's room under the cover of darkness to commit an indecent act.
As she stealthily reached for the door handle, a figure silently approached and firmly patted her shoulder.
The proprietress was startled to her core. When she turned around and saw it was Ji Mo, she was even more dumbfounded.
She had never imagined that someone could approach her so silently, let alone that this person would be Ji Mo, whom she had initially dismissed.
She had thought that only Song Weiqian could pose a threat to her.
Unexpectedly, she had misjudged. It turned out that this seemingly ordinary fellow was the most insidious and cunning existence.
"Proprietress, Xuan Yang is still just a child. If you have something, come at me," Ji Mo said softly.