Chapter 259: Xu Ran, How is Your Sister-in-law?_1

```After leaving Empress Julia's palace, Xu Ran took Zhu Zhuqing for a stroll around Xingluo City. Perhaps due to a girl's inexplicable obsession with shopping, Zhu Zhuqing was extremely excited, pulling Xu Ran around everywhere, even buying some children's toys to play with.

However, Xu Ran didn't know that for Zhu Zhuqing, the happiest thing was to go shopping with Xu Ran—no outsiders to disturb them, freely opening their hearts to each other, and finding amusing joys.

As night fell, it was getting late, and Xu Ran and Zhu Zihao headed to the evening banquet together.

Due to Zhu Zhuqing's previous marriage arrangement with Dai Mubai, although the Dai family had tacitly approved of Xu Ran being with Zhu Zhuqing, it was inappropriate for Zhu Zhuqing to attend such an important event, as it would undermine the dignity of the royal household.

…

At the banquet, most of the attendees were from the royal family. Besides individuals like Davis, who were direct descendants of the royal bloodline, there were many varied clans of nobility with little to no real power. Apart from them were Zhu Zihao and a host of important court officials and military commanders.

As soon as Xu Ran and Zhu Zihao entered, countless gazes fell upon Xu Ran.

Xu Ran—a legendary prodigy, ennobled at a young age.

The status of a marquis in the Xingluo Empire was incomparably high.

Thus, naturally, countless people were interested in Xu Ran. Moreover, as rumors about Xu Ran in Xingluo City had gotten more and more incredible since he left the Xingluo Empire, they were unsure just how terrifying his talents were.

However, they could feel Xu Ran's extraordinary demeanor from his appearance alone; although he looked very young, he had a youthful vigor that none of the others possessed.

"Xu Ran pays his respects to Your Majesty," Xu Ran said, paying homage to Emperor Dai, the most authoritative and esteemed person in the great hall.

"The Marquis of Destiny is indeed a young hero; there is no need for such formalities," Emperor Dai said with a smile that seemed breezy and light but hid the tumult in his heart. For he could not fathom the depths of Xu Ran; enveloped in a mist-like presence, his "Cultivation Level" was inscrutable even to Emperor Dai.

This was truly inconceivable.

After all, although Xu Ran was strong when they last met, he wasn't to this extent.

In fact, Xu Ran's strength was now very formidable—he had nearly stepped into the realm of 'Unity of Heaven and Man,' and even a Titled Douluo would have a hard time probing his real strength.

"Brother Xu, come over here," Davis called out to Xu Ran after he had finished the salutation to the emperor. The place next to him just happened to have a seat reserved for Xu Ran. The fact that Davis reserved such a forward position for Xu Ran in the area where the Imperial Clan Relatives sat, clearly showed the regard he had for Xu Ran.

"Alright, Brother Dai," Xu Ran replied without any pretense and sat down beside Davis.

Davis drew him over as a way to indicate his affiliation to everyone at the banquet—Xu Ran was one of his people…

Xu Ran had no interest in court politics. Scanning the banquet, he noted that the Dai family princesses were quite attractive, but they paled in comparison to the Zhu family sisters.

Zhu Zhuqing and "Zhu Zhuyun" were considered among the top beauties of the entire Xingluo Empire. Empress Julia was not bad either, but she too came from the Zhu family, the most outstanding woman of the previous generation within the Zhu family.

"Brother Dai, where is Zhu Yun Jiě?" Xu Ran looked around, failed to find "Zhu Zhuyun," and therefore asked.

"Her? As the future empress, she's prepared a special performance for today," Davis said, his eyes shining with pride. "His woman," Zhu Yun, was just that beautiful. Today, with a dance that mesmerizes, Zhu Yun will be the most beautiful woman at the banquet, outshining all other women.

And Xu Ran, such a peerless genius, was his fellow Great Crown Prince's man.

It was imaginable that today, at this banquet, he, the Great Crown Prince, would be the protagonist.

The banquet today may ostensibly be to welcome Xu Ran's return and cleanse him from his past hardships, but it actually served to display the power of the Great Crown Prince. Davis was a man of both virtue and talent, flanked by a peerless talent on one side and a virtuous beauty on the other.```

Actually, Davis didn't know that his unparalleled talent in his left hand had already snatched the virtuous beauty on his right. If he had known, he would have been so angry that his face turned green and he wouldn't have been able to speak a word…

Now that Dai Mubai had been quietly taken care of by him, after a few more days without Mubai showing up, he would become the Crown Prince, the heir to the throne.

"What performance?" Xu Ran became interested and couldn't help but ask. Seeing the excitement on Davis's face, he patted his shoulder. Zhu Yun Jiě was his wife; what did Davis have to do with her that he was so excited?

Davis didn't understand what Xu Ran meant. Seeing Xu Ran patting his shoulder, he thought Xu Ran was treating him like a brother, cherishing their bond, and was overjoyed. Perhaps in the future, he might even be able to keep Xu Ran at his residence to deepen their exchanges, which would be greatly beneficial for him to control Xu Ran.

"Brother Xu, just watch and see how stunning your sister-in-law looks today. She's absolutely dazzling today," Davis said, clinking glasses with Xu Ran a few times.

The surrounding crowd was amazed to see Xu Ran and Davis slinging their arms over each other's shoulders, intimately clinking glasses and drinking.

It seems that the relationship between Xu Ran, this legendary genius, and the Great Crown Prince is not so simple.

Up at the top of the hall, Emperor Dai and Empress Zhu nodded to each other in private as well. If one set aside their identities, Xu Ran and Davis definitely seemed like close friends.

It is indeed strange that a member of the Royal Household could have such friendship with an outsider, especially a peerless genius like Xu Ran.

After much thought, the only conclusion that could be drawn was: Xu Ran was indeed a person of genuine character.

"Empress, what do you think of Xu Ran?" Emperor Dai asked, looking at the Empress in front of him, eager to hear her opinion.

"It's clear that Xu Ran is pure-hearted by nature, and he also shares a close friendship with Wei Si. He will surely be the backbone of talent for our Xingluo Empire," Julia said, her beautiful eyes lingering on Xu Ran for a moment. Xu Ran really was an interesting young man... She had only been pressed by him for a brief moment, yet now her body felt remarkably comfortable, cleansed throughout, free of all ailments. If there's a chance in the future, she might summon Xu Ran more often to press and relieve her of her maladies.

"I feel the same," Emperor Dai nodded, agreeing with Julia's statement. Before, he had been undecided about whether to get rid of Xu Ran, but seeing the substantial friendship between Xu Ran and Davis, he let go of that idea.

The Martial Soul Hall had been increasingly active in recent years, the Hao Tian Clan announced their retreat from public affairs, and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan was also at its weakest state in nearly a hundred years, with the strongest, Yu Yuan Zhen, only at "Cultivation Level" 95... With the upper three families weakened, the Martial Soul Hall was incredibly powerful.

The Martial Soul Hall might take this opportunity to target both major empires...

In both emotion and reason, the Xingluo Empire needed a genius like Xu Ran to boost morale.

Xu Ran and Davis were sipping wine when suddenly a group of girls with beautiful faces and soft figures appeared in the hall, with the one in the lead wearing a red dress, looking incomparably glamorous.

That, of course, was "Zhu Zhuyun".

The red dress was enticingly bright, clinging to Zhu Zhuyun's body, drawing the gaze of countless onlookers with her magnificent figure.

However, everyone knew that she was the Great Crown Prince's fiancée and the eldest daughter of the Zhu Clan, so they dared not harbor any disrespectful thoughts. But their eyes would still glance in her direction from time to time.

For Zhu Zhuyun's beauty was truly stunning, with a figure that surpassed nearly all other women. Such curves could drive countless men mad. She truly was a rare gem.

At this moment, even Davis was captivated, his gaze towards Zhu Zhuyun full of fascination.

This was his woman, the splendor of being with Davis.

"Brother Xu, what do you think? Your sister-in-law is quite something, right?" Davis said somewhat proudly. She was his woman, Davis's woman, and though he had yet to savor her, the more exquisite she was, the more he wanted to cherish every moment with her, slowly savoring the taste. Once he became the Crown Prince and married Zhu Yun, he would enjoy all her beauty.

"Sister-in-law is not bad, incredibly charming," Xu Ran answered without hesitation. His eyes too were full of admiration. At that moment, Zhu Zhuyun, dressed in a solemn red dress, stood in the center of the great hall, dancing gracefully—making even the beautiful girls around her mere background to her prominence.

At that moment, Zhu Zhuyun was indeed the star.