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The electricity on people she disliked was murky, malicious, and nauseating.

The electricity on her older sister was warm, inclusive, and reassuring.

The electricity on Gu Chengyin was the best: clean, pure, and carrying a magnetism that made people want to draw closer.

But the electricity on Shangguan Yunying...

Lin Qingyan furrowed her brows slightly.

On the surface, the electricity on Shangguan Yunying seemed perfectly normal.

Gentle and soft, exactly how an ordinary female official should be.

But in that brief moment just now, the instant Shangguan Yunying looked at her, Lin Qingyan caught a trace of something unusual.

That anomaly was very faint, so faint it was almost imperceptible.

If she hadn't been keeping her guard up, if she hadn't been observing in secret, she might have actually missed it.

It was calculation—a deeply hidden, unknown intention.

Lin Qingyan's heart sank.

She realized she might have underestimated this Chief Female Official.

She originally thought Shangguan Yunying was just a mischievous young lady of a noble house, a woman who liked Gu Chengyin, an arrogant junior who didn't know the immensity of heaven and earth.

Even if Gu Chengyin protected Shangguan Yunying and stopped her from making a move, Lin Qingyan still felt there was absolutely no need to care about her.

Perhaps to others, Shangguan Yunying's status as the lofty Chief Female Official and the eldest miss of the Shangguan Manor was impressive.

But in front of Lin Qingyan's status and position, it was simply negligible.

Not to mention in terms of strength, she was merely at the Foundation Establishment realm. What kind of waves could she possibly make?

But now, Lin Qingyan no longer thought so.

This Shangguan Yunying was not simple.

At least, not as simple as she appeared on the surface.

Every one of her movements, every word, every seemingly mischievous action might have been thoroughly calculated.

Just like Gu Chengyin.

Shangguan Yunying had known Gu Chengyin for so many days; even if she just watched him, she would have learned a thing or two.

Lin Qingyan still remembered what Gu Chengyin had told her about Shangguan Yunying.

Because he had used her, he felt a bit of guilt.

But based on Lin Qingyan's understanding of Gu Chengyin, this man was not the type to feel guilty at all.

Therefore, between him and Shangguan Yunying, there must be something else she didn't know about...

Lin Qingyan paused slightly as she remembered.

When Shangguan Yunying provoked her, she had mentioned that Gu Chengyin had bullied her.

Yet Gu Chengyin had never mentioned this to her.

No wonder he protected Shangguan Yunying.

Lin Qingyan's expression remained impassive, but she couldn't help coldly scoffing in her heart.

Now she finally understood.

Shangguan Yunying calling him Master last night was to provoke her and test her bottom line.

The provocation this morning was to see if she would lose control and to test Gu Chengyin's reaction.

Her obedience after being taught a lesson just now was to lower her guard, making her think this was just an ignorant young miss.

If it weren't for the fact that she could sense the electricity on people, she might have actually been fooled by Shangguan Yunying.

She would have thought this was just a minor character not worth her attention.

Thought this was just a jealous young lady incapable of making waves.

Thought...

Lin Qingyan's eyelashes fluttered slightly.

She remembered a term.

Playing sweet.

This term was taught to her by Gu Chengyin.

Some people look docile and obedient on the surface, but in reality, their hearts harbor countless calculations.

They put on a harmless facade just to make you lower your guard.

Then, at the most crucial moment, they deliver a fatal blow.

Luo Zhao might have been playing sweet.

Now, Shangguan Yunying might also be playing sweet.

Lin Qingyan's breathing quickened for a moment.

The women around Gu Chengyin were each more complicated than the last.

Each of them had their own schemes, and each was laying out their plans in the shadows.

And what about her?

As the Celestial Master Mansion's Jingzhe, what advantage could she gain in the face of these schemes?

Lin Qingyan's fingers tightened slightly.

She suddenly felt somewhat fortunate, fortunate that she possessed the ability to sense electricity.

Otherwise, she might never have known that the seemingly gentle and obedient Chief Female Official sitting opposite her hid so many twists and turns in her heart.

Lin Qingyan pretended to glance casually at Gu Chengyin.

He was leaning against the carriage wall with his eyes closed, seemingly asleep.

Sunlight filtered through the carriage curtains and spilled onto his face, outlining his handsome features.

His eyelashes cast faint shadows on his eyelids, and his breathing was steady and drawn out.

Was Gu Chengyin really asleep?

Or was he also thinking about something?

If a certain situation arose, would he choose her? Or this Shangguan Yunying?

Or would he choose neither, his mind set solely on cultivating immortality?

Lin Qingyan withdrew her gaze and closed her eyes again.

Regardless, she knew now.

She knew that Shangguan Yunying wasn't simple, and she knew that this Chief Female Official might be playing sweet just to stab her in the back in the future.

But since she knew, she would no longer let her guard down.

Even without the invincible combat power of a Golden Core cultivator, in terms of sheer intelligence and wit, she had never been weaker than anyone.

Why could latecomers surpass those who came before?

Because the predecessors were incompetent, neither fighting nor competing.

The corners of Lin Qingyan's mouth curled up slightly.

As long as she could obtain Gu Chengyin, what did propriety, justice, integrity, and honor even matter?

If she truly cared about those things, she wouldn't have knocked Gu Chengyin out with electricity.

So now, she was going to play sweet too.

She would pretend not to know, pretend not to care, pretend she had been fooled.

She would let Shangguan Yunying think she had succeeded, let her lower her guard, and let her continue her schemes.

And then, at the crucial moment.

Declare her sovereignty.

Lin Qingyan's breathing returned to a steady rhythm, and the expression on her face remained cold and aloof.

It was as if that momentary fluctuation had never existed.

Inside the carriage, the breathing of the three people rose and fell, intertwining.

The carriage wheels rumbled as it continued forward.

After an unknown amount of time, Shangguan Yunying suddenly lifted her head and glanced at Lin Qingyan.

Lin Qingyan kept her eyes closed, looking as if she were truly asleep.

Shangguan Yunying's gaze lingered on her face for a second before shifting away to land on Gu Chengyin.

This man also had his eyes closed, breathing evenly.

A complex gleam flashed through Shangguan Yunying's eyes.

She recalled the look Lin Qingyan had given her just now.

That glance made her somewhat uneasy.

Had Lin Qingyan discovered something?

After all, this was a Golden Core fairy. What if she possessed certain abilities she didn't know about?

No, that's impossible.

Shangguan Yunying told herself.

She had hidden it very well. These thoughts were buried in the deepest parts of her heart, and no one had ever noticed them.

Although Lin Qingyan was strong, it was impossible for her to see through her mind.

That glance must have been a coincidence, just a matter of chance.

Shangguan Yunying took a deep breath, calming the fluctuations in her heart.

She lowered her head again, maintaining that gentle and submissive appearance.

But in her mind, she had already begun to calculate her next steps.

After returning to the Divine Capital, she would need to find Luo Zhao first.

She would say what needed to be said, and temporarily suppress what shouldn't be mentioned.

Although Luo Zhao had to maintain a hypnotized state in front of Gu Chengyin.

She didn't need to do so around Lin Qingyan.

Therefore, as long as she could make these two fight against each other.

She, Shangguan Yunying, would stand in an invincible position.