Chapter 256 Queen Juli Press_1

"Stinky Xu Ran, get up already, the sun is about to shine on your butt." Early in the morning, Zhu Zhuqing shook Xu Ran awake.

"Why, Zhu Qing, I want to sleep a little longer." Xu Ran yawned, squinted at the outside world, then turned over and continued to sleep like a salted fish.

"It's our first day back home. Don't sleep anymore." Zhu Zhuqing pulled Xu Ran's arm, trying hard to drag him up. It was their first day at home, and she was too embarrassed to keep sleeping. It would be so embarrassing if family members found them sleeping together, especially since they weren't officially married yet.

"Also, we have to meet your aunt today, we can't be late." Zhu Zhuqing said as she pulled Xu Ran to his feet.

"Aunt? Which aunt?" Xu Ran became interested.

Since she was Zhu Zhuqing's aunt, she had to be from Zhu Zìháo's generation, following the marriage tradition of the Dai and Zhu Families. Zhu Zhuqing's aunt, isn't that the queen?

"Hmph, my aunt is the current queen," Zhu Zhuqing said, pouting her lips and tilting her head up with an air of haughtiness.

"Wow, impressive. Are we going to meet the queen today?" Hearing it was the queen, Xu Ran became quite spirited. After all, with the genes of the Zhu Clan, the queen must be a great beauty with a fantastic figure. But he didn't harbor any intentions, considering she was Emperor Dai's woman.

"Yes. Auntie's name is Julia, she's my father's cousin and the current queen. Normally, only the direct descendants of the Zhu Clan can marry into the royal household to become queen. But auntie's talent is too strong, even stronger than the other direct descendants..."

"Auntie has always cared a lot about the development of the younger generation in the Zhu Clan, often helping us. Our smooth relationship is thanks not only to Crown Prince Davis's help, but auntie played the biggest role. My father said the emperor originally intended to exterminate us, but was stopped by auntie. It was because of this that the royal household gave up on exterminating us and instead started to court you," Zhu Zhuqing said, her eyes glittering with wisdom.

Although she always stood behind Xu Ran in front of him, prudently not meddling in his decisions, she had a clear understanding of power and influence from her years in the Zhu Clan.

"My Zhu Qing darling is so amazing, you'll definitely be my wise and capable wife." Xu Ran understood everything and kissed Zhu Zhuqing's blushing cheeks, eliciting a series of coquettish gasps from her.

"This means, both emotionally and logically, I should visit Empress Zhu," Xu Ran declared. It was the combined protection of Davis and Julia that had eliminated Emperor Dai's intent to kill him. Davis alone definitely didn't have that much influence.

"Wait for me a moment."

Xu Ran yawned, then got up from the bed, washed up, dressed, donning a black robe with a white silk tassel belt at his waist, fastened with a piece of mutton-fat jade; his long hair was bundled up and smoothly draped over his shoulders with a hair crown.

His diagonally arched, handsome eyebrows and his long, sharp black eyes held a look of sharpness. The young man carrying a sword had a distinct charm of his own.

"Xu Ran, your hair is so nice, I feel like it's even better than mine," Zhu Zhuqing commented from the side, blinking her beautiful eyes, a hint of astonishment flashing through them. Her palms slipped into Xu Ran's silky smooth black hair, feeling somewhat ashamed of her own.

"It's probably because I eat well. Next time, I'll have the chef make silkworm dishes for my treasure from the Zhu Clan, and that will solve it. Besides, my Zhu Qing is so beautiful, how pretty she is," Xu Ran said with a smile. Due to the transformation wrought by the bloodline, his body was much more delicate and powerful than that of an ordinary human. This was not just in terms of strength, but a genetic improvement.

Auspicious Beasts, in The Soul Beast Realm, are considered the epitome of perfection and nobility. From the perspective of The Soul Beast Realm, an Auspicious Beast's body is the cleanest and most perfect existence.

Xu Ran now always appeared human, but he still carried the hidden Auspicious Beast Bloodline in his body, his body continuously transforming, evolving toward the perfect human form.

Even Xu Ran could clearly notice that his demeanor and appearance had drastically changed. Although the changes to his face were not major, under the influence of the Auspicious Beast Bloodline, every modification was just right, making Xu Ran's already very handsome face look even more elegant and dashing.

"I don't believe you. Eating too much would turn me into a big fat pig head," Zhu Zhuqing said, hooking her arm through Xu Ran's, wrinkling her cute nose in annoyance. Compared with Xiaowu and Rongrong, because her figure was fuller, she appeared plumper. What if she really got fatter?

"Then I like her too. Even if our Zhu Qing really got fat like a pig's head, I'd still like her." Xu Ran chuckled, knowing that girls are always concerned about their figure, unlike men, who just eat and drink without worry.

"Hmph, I don't believe you." Zhu Zhuqing rolled her eyes. A man's mouth is a liar's mouth. Very little of what Xu Ran says is true, especially when he's not being serious, it's unreliable.

"It's true, what I like is you yourself, not anything else. In my heart, Zhu Qing is the most important." Xu Ran spoke directly, gently running his fingers through Zhu Zhuqing's long hair that cascaded down her back. Every word he said was genuine, with not a hint of falsehood.

"Oh," Zhu Zhuqing responded. Even though she knew Xu Ran's character, maybe he said these things to every girl. But she was still very happy.

A common scene from movies and dramas can explain this phenomenon: the heroine stands in the pouring rain, her body soaked, hair disheveled, eyes swollen from crying, and in the end she says, "Why won't you even lie to me?"

Girls are emotional creatures; coddle them, and they'll naturally accept anything. Without pampering, even if everything is done right, it's not pleasing.

…

Xingluo Empire.

"Harem."

Empress Julia sat above, a thin veil of white gauze separating her from the grand hall below, making it difficult to discern her details. This was to prevent any impropriety by dividing the people of the "harem" from outsiders.

But through that almost transparent thin veil, one could still sense the remarkably enchanting form of Julia.

"Brother, is what you said truly?" The shocked yet exceedingly pleasant and charming female voice came through the veil, as Julia listened to Zhu Zihao's account, utterly astounded.

She simply couldn't imagine that such a terrifying and boundless talent existed in this world.

That even a figure like Zhu Ao, an elder ancestor, had been injured by him. And the elder had said that even if he made a full-effort attack, he might not be able to defeat Xu Ran. Doesn't that mean Xu Ran possessed the strength of a top-notch Soul Douluo?

Such strength, when considered within the Xingluo Empire, could rank him among the top three!

That is to say, although Xu Ran is young, he could already be called a powerful expert of his generation.

"Of course it's true. I and many elders witnessed it with our own eyes. Xu Ran's talent is too defying, and it's precisely because of this that I worry if the royal household learns of Xu Ran's talent, they will fear his impact on their status and thus make a move against him," Zhu Zihao said gravely. Xu Ran's talent was so defying that once he grew up, not even the royal household could suppress him.

He feared that Emperor Dai, wary of Xu Ran's talent, might strike at him before he had fully grown.

Before, they had wanted to win over the talent that was Xu Ran. But now, Xu Ran's talent shone too brightly, and it was beyond what the royal household could enlist.

"Brother, Liya knows what to do. Although I, Julia, have married into the Dai family, my bloodline belongs to the Zhu Clan. If His Majesty decides to move against Xu Ran, I will surely do everything in my power to stop it," Julia declared. The Zhu Clan's peerless talent must not fall by the hands of the Dai family... for the sake of the stability of imperial power, His Majesty is capable of anything.

"Later, Zhu Qing and Xu Ran will come to visit you, and it will be a good opportunity for you to meet these juniors," Zhu Zihao said, his heart lightening as he felt as if a weight had been lifted. With Julia there, as long as Xu Ran didn't stand out too much, he should be fine. Give Xu Ran a bit more time, and once he fully rises, the Dai family will no longer have a chance to target him.

"All right, I haven't seen Zhu Qing, that girl, in a long time," Julia said with a light laugh, her lips parting gently, her eyes shimmering with a gleam, eager to see for herself what the clan's exceptional talent looked like.