《After Cultivating With the Enemy》 CH 1 Translator: Amber.es | Editor : Bubbles | Proofreader: musk [ Author¡¯s first chapter was updated again on 2020-06-02, hence I¡¯ve decided to translate from Chap 1. ] Immortal Domain, Hongmeng Mountain. Wind and snow fell onto the mountain, the sky vast and unbounded. A suspended stone bridge crossed between two peaks, with soft snow covering the bridge surface. Below it laid an abyss ten thousand feet deep. Under the light grey sky, a dozen figures were walking quickly in the middle of the bridge. ¡°Hurry up, if we¡¯re late we won¡¯t be able to make it to Hongmeng Academy in time for the enrolment!¡± ¡°The snow is too heavy, be careful!¡± As the wind and snow grew heavier, frost formed on the stone bridge at a speed visible to the naked eye. The sharp cold air was like a blast, dashing straight towards the young man walking at the front! ¡°Ah¡­!¡± The young man took two quick steps back. His feet slipped and his body was thrown off the bridge by the cold blast, almost falling down to the bottom of the cliff. The crowd had no time to cry out in alarm when, from the sky, a sharp blade-like sound cut through the empty void. A glowing silver dragon descended from the ether, leaping down towards the place where the youth had fallen. The next moment, the silver sheen came up and landed steadily on the stone bridge, dissipating to reveal a face as cold as frost. The individual looked a few years older than the youth. Wrapped in a simple silvery white robe of thick cloth, the lines of his face and neck were delicately fragile, tucked into that fur collar. His skin was white as snow, looking as if it was without a trace of blood, almost blending in with his surroundings. ¡°The suspension bridge is very dangerous, be careful,¡± he lowered his head and spoke softly to the youth beside him. Being so close, one could tell at first glance that the colour of his eyes was as dark as the night sky. Upon closer inspection, however, a bright glint could be seen in his ink-like pupils, akin to the refractions of snow. The young man was dumbfounded and stared blankly at his life-saving benefactor. It took him a moment to find his voice. ¡°Many, many thanks, Master Immortal!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not¡­¡± He shook his head, about to say something, but then held back his words. ¡°Today is the last day to register for admission in Hongmeng Academy, so do not waste any more time.¡± After saying these words, the white-clothed man¡¯s figure changed back into a silver glow and soared into the clouds. After a while, that plain white figure appeared in front of the gate of Hongmeng Academy. There was neither snow nor wind there, and the thick fog was blown away by a breeze, revealing a corner of the glazed green tiled roof in the distance between layers of greenery. Under the warm sunlight, the roof ridge was glazed golden, seemingly surrounded by immortal clouds. Ji Chaoyun1 gathered the lapels of his robe, as if afraid of the cold and raised his eyes to the long stone staircase, looking towards the glazed golden roof in the distance. On the other side of the long stairs, a stone tablet with the words ¡®Hongmeng Academy¡¯ stood silently. ¡°Ji Chaoyun, have you gone to save those newcomers again?¡± Suddenly, a voice came from behind him. A tall, blue-clothed man leapt down from the boulder with a smile, intimately wrapping his arm around the back of the other¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Buy me a drink and I won¡¯t report you to the Master Immortals from the Supervisory Committee.¡± Ji Chaoyun slapped his hand away, looking back indifferently. ¡°Weren¡¯t you also rescued by me in the past? Besides, we are also newcomers.¡± Once every hundred years, the Hongmeng Academy would open its doors and immortals from all over the realm would hurry to enter. Ji Chaoyun was also one of them. The Hongmeng Academy was a place for disciples of the Immortal Realm to study at. To enter, those who ascended from the mortal world had to pass the many tests on Hongmeng Mountain. ¡°Why do you have to do this? Tomorrow is the final examination. Running out at this juncture, if someone catches you in the act¡ª¡± Just as the man in blue said this, Ji Chaoyun suddenly glanced back at him. The latter gave a dry laugh and weakly finished the words that followed, ¡°I know you mean well, but it¡¯s not easy to come here. It¡¯s better to avoid trouble, right?¡± ¡°I am not breaking any rules.¡± A cold wind swept over the mountain and Ji Chaoyun tightened his grip on the lapels, his face half-hidden within the snow-white fur collar. ¡°It is not easy for anyone to get this far, I am merely doing what I can to help.¡± ¡°Alright, as you wish. I wanted to find you for another matter anyway.¡± The man in blue stopped smiling and lowered his voice. ¡°Tomorrow¡¯s final test is finalised. The person in charge of the test is¡­¡± ¡°Is me.¡± Upon hearing the voice, both of them looked up, only to see a tall figure who¡¯d come to stand in front of the mountain gate at some point of time. The speaker looked as if he was smiling. His eyes weighed Ji Chaoyun with an arrogant expression. ¡°Ji Chaoyun. This young master has said so before, I¡¯m not letting you off easily.¡± Jiang Cheng, ranked in the top ten of Hongmeng Academy, was also the man in charge of this final entrance examination. Ji Chaoyun¡¯s lips twitched in a faint manner, as if he had cursed something. Jiang Cheng¡¯s parents were both immortals and had been so since birth. By virtue of their high talent and cultivation, they were born with fewer detours than others. When a wandering immortal entered Hongmeng Academy, he or she had to go through a lot of difficult examinations, so it could be said that only one in a million would be selected. These second generation immortals, on the other hand, had no lack of resources and status; they need not go through any tests. The place where wandering immortals spent their energy and lifetime trying to enter, in their eyes, was merely a place to pass the time. The Immortal Realm had always been status-based. Nothing was fair about it in any way. The person beside him was about to say something when Ji Chaoyun calmly stepped forward and asked quietly, ¡°Does Master Immortal have something to ask us?¡± Jiang Cheng coldly snorted. ¡°Ji Chaoyun, I can give you another chance. Obediently serve me a gentle apology, and then be my attendant for the school year. Perhaps when this young master is in a good mood, he will show you compassion and let you attend school.¡± Ji Chaoyun and Jiang Cheng stared at each other. His voice was calm as he responded, ¡°Master Immortal is the chief examiner. It might be inappropriate to promise such a thing to a new student like this. If it is known by the Supervisory Committee¡­¡± ¡°You¡ª¡± Jiang Cheng¡¯s expression changed drastically. He shouted, ¡°The little demon dragon dares to be rampant? Don¡¯t be shameless!¡± Ji Chaoyun¡¯s eyes sank, and a dangerous faint light flashed in his gaze. Before anyone could see it clearly, he lowered his head docilely, and said no more. ¡°Good, very good¡­¡± Jiang Cheng gritted his teeth with anger. ¡°You just wait. If you can pass the test, this young master will kneel on the ground and kowtow to you!¡± After saying so, he angrily turned around and headed up the stone stairs. From the front of Hongmeng Academy¡¯s mountain gate, no one was allowed to fly in the air. Even if the gods were present, these 10,000 steps had to be slowly climbed, one step at a time. The two stared at Jiang Cheng¡¯s back, who was hurrying up the mountain. The blue-clothed man¡¯s expression was stiff. ¡°He walked down ten thousand steps, and is now struggling to climb back up, just to say these few words to you?¡± The man in blue shook his head and sighed. ¡°¡­He really hates you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ji Chaoyun was silent for a while. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± The two turned a corner at the gate of the mountain and walked to a side path of the road. The wandering immortals who had not yet passed the final assessment were not allowed to enter Hongmeng Academy. They could only live in temporary residences among Changqing Garden for the moment. Ten days ago, Hongmeng Academy opened the mountain for enrolment. Ji Chaoyun was the first batch of wandering immortals to come to Changqing Garden. And on that day, the news that an icy beauty arrived in Changqing Garden had spread throughout Hongmeng Academy. These second generations of immortals cared not for learning or studying. Rather, only talking about treasures and beauties could rouse their interest. In the last few days, several people had been stealthily visiting Changqing Garden, vying to catch a glimpse of Ji Chaoyun. Jiang Cheng was born with a superior background and grew up like a moon among the countless stars. He was originally disdainful of it, but upon the many whispers in his ears describing Ji Chaoyun¡¯s incomparable beauty, Jiang Cheng became increasingly curious but also wanted his face2. Hence, he secretly picked a night to sneak over a wall to enter Changqing Garden¡¯s backyard. ¡ªWhere he was then treated as a thief and beaten up by Ji Chaoyun, who was practicing swordsmanship in the backyard. That was the story of how the two of them became entangled. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind me saying, why don¡¯t you apologize to him? From now on, everyone will be classmates. Wouldn¡¯t it be easier to bear this slight?¡± The man in blue leaned against the table, the flask at his hip clanging. Under the lamp¡¯s light, Ji Chaoyun held a classic book, reading it carefully. The candlelight on the table was flickering from the movements of the man¡¯s clothes as he drank. Ji Chaoyun couldn¡¯t stand it any longer and raised his head. ¡°Ye Chenxing.¡± ¡°Here.¡± Ji Chaoyun flipped a page. ¡°Go after you finish drinking. I have not yet finished revising my homework today.¡± ¡°Working so hard before enrolling? Can¡¯t you leave a way for us lowly students to survive?¡± Ye Chenxing turned his head and teased. It was said that people under the light would appear more colourful than they actually were, and it was especially so on this person. The lamp¡¯s light and shadows outlined his features, making it more defined. His fine, black eyelashes were lowered, leaving a shallow shadow on his white porcelain face. No wonder those second generation immortals had tried their best to catch a glimpse of him. Between the Hongmeng Academy and even the Immortal Realm, Ye Chenxing was afraid there was no other who could possibly compare with him. Ye Chenxing swallowed unconsciously and turned his gaze away. His sight landed on the book in Ji Chaoyun¡¯s hands. ¡°Oh, where did this book come from? The fourth volume of the Taoist Classic. I thought this book was no longer found in the Immortal Realm.¡± Ji Chaoyun paused, then turned a page. ¡°A friend gave it to me.¡± He obviously didn¡¯t want to say more. Ye Chenxing understood. He touched his nose, took out a crystal clear spirit stone from his sleeve and threw it on the table. ¡°Here, I only have this one left,¡± Ye Chenxing said. ¡°Before the assessment begins tomorrow, send this thing to Jiang Cheng, and say something nice. It doesn¡¯t make sense for him to always seek trouble with a newcomer.¡± ¡°No need. Take it back.¡± ¡°You¡ª¡± Ye Chenxing jumped off the table and scolded anxiously, ¡°I¡¯ve inquired around and tomorrow¡¯s final assessment is the arena competition. You must win against three people before you can enroll, and you can¡¯t lose a single round! Have you ever thought about it? If Jiang Cheng really arranges a few experts for you, how would you fight tomorrow?¡± Ji Chaoyun¡¯s voice was steady. ¡°But I also remember that newcomers can choose the content of the test themselves.¡± ¡°So what?¡± ¡°That is good enough.¡± Ji Chaoyun raised his head, a bright light reflected in his eyes, just like shooting stars streaking through the night sky. ¡°I can win.¡± Ji Chaoyun did not seem to be very old, with a spring of youthfulness in his eyebrows, but he always looked calm and unaffected, as if he had never put anything in his eyes. The beauty was indeed beautiful, but certain emotions were lacking. However, at this moment, when Ye Chenxing looked down, under the lamp¡¯s light those beautifully shaped lips formed a shallow arc, and those eyes flashed with a confident look that was rarely seen in the past. ¡ªThis expression brightened Ji Chaoyun¡¯s facial features. With a smile, Ji Chaoyun repeated softly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I can win.¡± . The sky darkened. Ji Chaoyun closed his book and put it back in his Qiankun pouch. For a while, he quietly sat at the table, then took out a delicate purse from his arms. Inside it was a feather. Under the lamp, the feather glowed with a red golden luster, its each thread distinct, emanating a faint flow of strong spiritual power. Ji Chaoyun gently brushed the surface of the feather with his fingertips and closed his eyes. The fragments of memories flooded in like a tide. ¡°I heard that mortals must send gifts to each other. I have received your gift, but unfortunately I have nothing to give you at present¡­ Take this piece of phoenix golden feather. Keep it well. I cannot help if you lose it.¡± ¡°¡­Tch, what is so precious about it? If you like it, I will give you a few more. Just don¡¯t make me bald.¡± The man turned, and against the starlight, there was an indescribable gentleness in his eyes. ¡°When I come back, Little Dragon, I will never leave again.¡± ¡°Is this thing worthy enough for you to use your life to protect? Do you think he will still come back?¡± The pattering of rain, footsteps, and verbal abuse continued one after another. The vague figure of a person shrouded in the shadows. Ji Chaoyun was in so much pain, even his breath had a bloody scent. ¡°Hand it over! Or don¡¯t blame us for being rude!¡± ¡°Why are you still resisting? Even if we kill you now, no one will know you. Hand it over!¡± The feather was completely immersed in his blood. Just like what he had experienced countless times before, Ji Chaoyun tried his best to raise his head. There was nothing but blood in front of him. He couldn¡¯t even see the face of the person before him. Then, a cold wind slashed at him. A sword pierced his heart. Suffocating pain swept through his body. Ji Chaoyun opened his eyes, and it took him a long time to hear his own rapid breathing. His hands holding the phoenix feather trembled violently. At this moment, the night breeze blew open the windows. The lights went out, and the room plunged into darkness. Bright moonlight shone through the window, passing through the shadows of the trees. Ji Chaoyun turned his head, and the bronze mirror by the table reflected his current appearance. Those beautiful peach blossom eyes were misty, embarrassingly red. The ink-like colour in his eyes faded, and a pair of vertical pupils gradually appeared in their depths, as clear as glass. In front of his forehead, a pair of silver dragon horns slowly emerged, creating a shallow halo under the moonlight. Ji Chaoyun stared at his appearance and finally, slowly, he calmed down. He got up and closed the window, returned to the bed and curled up, carefully putting the phoenix feather back into his purse. In the darkness, he held his purse to his lips, and whispered a soft ¡°Good night.¡± The author has something to say: Waited a long time. As international practice, the first five chapters of the opening message all have red envelopes, thank you for your support! This article cp: Feng Qi x Ji Chaoyun Rebirth text, take the next chapter and appear. Remember to collect your favorite little cutie, and pinch Xiaolong¡¯s dragon jio to you~ Front row lightning protection¡ª¡ª This article is about giving birth to a child. In the later period, dragon eggs will be born (or phoenix eggs????). Don¡¯t ask about reproductive isolation, but the immortal world doesn¡¯t have this thing. The next copy of the ancient document ¡°Transmigrating into a Koi, a little husband.¡± Jingli traveled through ancient times and became a poor, weak and helpless little koi. The kind with red scales and long tails. Little Koi earns merit by fulfilling their wishes for others, but people in this era don¡¯t know how to make a wish to a Koi! The little koi can only wait on an empty stomach every day, waiting in the pond at the entrance of the village. Until one day, he was picked up by a famous sick rice seedling in the village and brought back home. The sick rice seedling¡¯s name is Qin Lang. He came to the village three years ago. Now he is in better health, and he runs a private school in the village to teach and educate people for a living. Looking at the two earthen rooms in Qin Lang¡¯s house, the little Koi was overjoyed. The opportunity is here! The little koi wagged his tail towards Qin Lang: You can make a wish to me. Qin Lang: Anything will do? Little Koi: Uhhhhhhhhhhh! Qin Lang smiled faintly: I want a husband. Soft cute koi attacked by x sick and weak belly black boss The ancient dan is overhead, farming and raising children to fall in love, with thick gold fingers and super cute little koi der~ CH 2 Translator: Amber.es | Editor : Bubbles | Proofreader: musk ¡°¡­The final assessment is an arena competition. Its content is up for you to decide, including usage of talismans, immortal techniques, spell formations, and beasts. You will need to select three formal disciples from Hongmeng Academy to compete against. The winner who wins three matches in a row will be admitted.¡± On the high platform carved with white jade, the appointed disciple in charge of the assessment read out the content of the competition. Under the stage, the freshmen waiting for the assessment to commence circled around. ¡°Chaoyun, that surnamed Jiang is looking at you again.¡± In the crowd, Ye Chenxing pulled Ji Chaoyun¡¯s sleeve. The examiner, Jiang Cheng, sat in the front of the viewing seats, looking in their direction with a smile. Ji Chaoyun raised his eyes; their gazes met, before he faintly retracted his own. ¡°Don¡¯t bother.¡± Ye Chenxing opened his mouth and wanted to continue persuading him, but the name of the first disciple who participated in the entrance examination was then called out from the high platform. As expected, it was Ji Chaoyun. Under everyone¡¯s watch, Ji Chaoyun rose up and landed steadily on the high platform. The appointed disciple bowed to him and asked, ¡°Immortal friend, what kind of competition would you like to choose?¡± Ji Chaoyun answered, ¡°I want to test on martial arts; no magic arts or magical weapons are allowed in the test. If the weapon falls on the ground or any part of the body leaves the white jade platform, it is a loss.¡± As soon as he said this, the appointed disciple stiffened. He subconsciously looked at Jiang Cheng in the audience. Jiang Cheng made no secret of his taunt. ¡°Not using magic arts? Do you think that the entrance examination of Hongmeng Academy is to have a mortal fight? Truly, though your mortal body has ascended, you still can¡¯t win on stage. Ji Chaoyun¡¯s expression remained unchanged. ¡°The rules did not mention this being forbidden.¡± ¡°Never mind, don¡¯t you regret it.¡± Jiang Cheng tilted his head slightly and said to the person next to him, ¡°Go, right the wrong.¡± Behind him, a handsome young man stood up, tapped his toes, and gently descended in front of Ji Chaoyun. The audience was in an uproar. As soon as Ji Chaoyun had asked to compete by using martial arts, many people present had already responded. Most of the disciples of Hongmeng Academy were born with immortal knowledge. When it came to immortal arts, they stood much higher compared to their mortal self-cultivation counterparts. Only when comparing with swordsmanship would the odds of winning be even greater. But Jiang Cheng sent Song Zhifei. This Song Zhifei had ascended from the Mortal Realm, just like them. He¡¯d created his own swordsmanship style in the world, and had established his sect with this sword method. Song Zhifei¡¯s martial style was without a doubt¡ª ¡ªToo impulsive. For a while, all those who knew the friction between Ji Chaoyun and Jiang Cheng thought so. In these hundred years, Hongmeng Academy opened their mountain to recruit wandering immortals. If Ji Chaoyun lost, he would have to wait another hundred more years to enroll. For immortals, a hundred years was nothing, but to climb up Hongmeng Mountain meant that they¡¯d gone through extraordinary hardships. Who was willing to stop right at the gate of Hongmeng Academy? But Ji Chaoyun held no concern about these. His wrist turned, and a slender immortal sword appeared in his hand, its silvery radiance quickly fading. The spiritual aura was sealed. Opposite him, Song Zhifei drew out his scimitar1 and also withdrew its spiritual aura. Song Zhifei looked at the sword in Ji Chaoyun¡¯s hand, and he seemed a little regretful. ¡°Climbing Hongmeng Mountain is not easy. Why bother to provoke that dude?¡± ¡°Provoke?¡± Ji Chaoyun mockingly repeated. He wanted to say something, but held back. He raised those dark and silent eyes, and coldly stated, ¡°I have never provoked anyone.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Ji Chaoyun saluted Song Zhifei. ¡°Master Immortal need not say much. Let us get started.¡± The golden gong sounded on the white jade stage. Song Zhifei took the lead. The scimitar whistled past the air, like a dragon darting through the sky. A white light flashed, the blade rapidly approaching Ji Chaoyun¡¯s body. An unavoidable move. Instantly, Ji Chaoyun¡¯s figure abruptly twisted. His body curved in an extremely nimble manner and dodged the incoming scimitar. Strands of blue silk fell to the ground under the blade. Jiang Cheng¡¯s expression changed. Song Zhifei didn¡¯t see how the opponent evaded his moves. His eyebrows jumped instinctively, and the opponent¡¯s sword had pierced through its cold sword force. Song Zhifei hurriedly blocked with the back of his scimitar. The shrill sounds of the blades clashing echoed on the white jade stage. Ji Chaoyun¡¯s figure was thin, even appearing a little weak, but no one expected that his swordsmanship had such a killing intent, his moves cold and harsh with a hint of cruelty. Although it was just a series of back and forth, in the hearts of everyone present, all knew. Song Zhifei would lose. ¡°Zheng¡ª¡± Above the white jade stage, a loud noise rang out, followed by a long scimitar which rolled down the stage. Before heading up the platform, Ji Zhaoyun had set the rules. Once the weapon fell on the ground, it was a loss. Silence shrouded the white jade stage. Then, a long while later, thunderous applause shook the place. Song Zhifei¡¯s expression was unexpectedly unperturbed. He straightened up and gave a ceremonial salute to Ji Chaoyun. ¡°This immortal friend¡¯s martial arts is eloquent. This one is convinced.¡± Ji Chaoyun: ¡°You are too kind.¡± Song Zhifei left the white jade stage. As Ji Chaoyun looked at his retreating back, his gaze met Jiang Cheng¡¯s. ¡°Master Immortal Jiang Cheng, are you coming?¡± His voice, though extremely soft, was deafening. Song Zhifei paused, and the cheers above and below the white jade stage halted. Among the silence, Ji Chaoyun looked at Jiang Cheng calmly and asked, ¡°You, do you want to fight me?¡± . ¡°¡­The one you¡¯re talking about is him?¡± Behind the white jade stage stood a tall and exquisitely built residence. Looking from the inside out, it had a panoramic view of the whole white jade arena, the best viewing point. Someone reclined against the cloud-shrouded canopy curtain and took a sip of the wine cup. ¡°Yes, Your Highness, it¡¯s that kid,¡± the people surrounding him hurriedly responded. ¡°There are only a few people in the academy who can compare to Song Zhifei. To be able to easily overcome him, this child seems to be worth a thing.¡± ¡°No.¡± The man put down the wine cup. Just at this moment, his sleeve was blown away by the wind, revealing a pair of slender, pale white hands with well-defined bones. The man tapped his fingertips on the table and said leisurely, ¡°Song Zhifei didn¡¯t try his best.¡± ¡°What? Did Song Zhifei go easy on him?¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be. I heard that Jiang Cheng announced yesterday not to let that surnamed Ji take one step beyond the gate of the academy. How could Song Zhifei dare to allow under his nose¡ª¡± ¡°Song Zhifei¡¯s personality is upright. Maybe he couldn¡¯t stand Jiang Cheng¡¯s bullying methods anymore?¡± This person¡¯s words stirred up a thousand waves. Up above on the exquisite storey, everyone was focused in their discussion. ¡°Who said he went easy?¡± The man raised his eyebrows, effortlessly halting the discussion. ¡°I just said that Song Zhifei didn¡¯t try his best.¡± ¡°The scimitar is for killing, with extremely evil tendencies. Once the scimitar is out, someone would bleed. In this small ring, would he dare to fight a freshman with his full strength?¡± he lazily stated. After a pause, he sneered. ¡°Jiang Cheng, this idiot, playing with the new kid but causing himself to be played in the end.¡± The exquisite building they were at was called Dengyun Tower, the tallest building in Hongmeng Academy. Dengyun Tower had a wide unobstructed view, holding a huge collection of books, but it was not open for ordinary disciples¡¯ usage. The only person who had the right to use the Dengyun Tower was the champion of each tournament of the Hongmeng Academy. And since fifty years ago, this place was the sole property of a certain person. The second prince of the Feng clan, Feng Qi. Feng Qi enrolled in the academy more than 50 years ago, and went through five top-ranking competitions, winning the top spot every single time. He was the only one who dared call Jiang Cheng, the tenth-ranked master in this academy, ¡®an idiot¡¯. None dared continue this sentence. In the upstairs of the exquisite building, it was all hush. After a moment, someone suddenly opened his mouth. ¡°Look, Jiang Cheng is on stage!¡± ¡°He actually wants to do it himself? It won¡¯t be a true victory if he wins, but if he loses, it¡¯ll be a disgrace. What is he thinking?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t rush, I just heard that it was that surnamed Ji kid who took the initiative to get Jiang Cheng to come on stage.¡± ¡°What? Isn¡¯t this asking for his own death?¡± As the people discussed, the golden gong sounded and the fighting ring was reopened. Looking down from the Dengyun Tower, the two figures flashed on the white jade platform, their movements so fast that the fight could hardly be distinguished with the naked eye. Feng Qi squinted his eyes, a look of interest gradually appearing in their depths. ¡°Who told you that the kid surnamed Ji used his full strength?¡± . There was a loud noise on the white jade stage, and the two figures jumped away from each other. Jiang Cheng staggered back a few steps, and his sword edge stabbed into the ground as he stabilized his body. Looking closely, a thin layer of cold sweat had formed on his forehead. Ji Chaoyun held his sword to the side, quietly saying, ¡°It is useless. You cannot beat me.¡± ¡°How, how could it¡­¡± Jiang Cheng¡¯s expression was extremely gloomy. He couldn¡¯t even beat a freshman kid? There was utterly no sound around the fighting ring, all eyes seemingly piercing him. Feeling this unprecedented humiliation, unwillingness churned in Jiang Cheng¡¯s thorny gaze. His glare deepened. ¡°It is not always certain who wins or loses!¡± Several imperceptible spiritual strands rose from his fingertips and sank into the long sword. Then, Jiang Cheng¡¯s body rose into the air, his sword piercing straight towards Ji Chaoyun. ¡°I have said it¡ª¡± Ji Chaoyun was about to swing his sword to meet the blade. In that instant, he instinctively sensed something. A glimmer of astonishment flashed in his eyes. But it was too late. The sword he swung couldn¡¯t be retracted. The blades clashed at each other as if on target. Ji Chaoyun abruptly stepped back before the weapon was released. His entire arm was shaken severely, pained and numbed. His mind blanked out for a moment. Before Ji Chaoyun could think of how this person suddenly reversed the situation, Jiang Cheng¡¯s final move came upon him. The sword¡¯s edge reflected the murderous intent, appearing into Ji Chaoyun¡¯s eyes. Instantly, out of the corner of his eyes, a bright, uncontrollable light flashed across. He couldn¡¯t catch this sword¡ª he was going to lose. But a golden light suddenly flew out from the crowd, unnervingly hitting Jiang Cheng¡¯s blade. Jiang Cheng was forced to deviate and Ji Chaoyun did not let this opportunity pass him by. He lifted his leg and swept out, kicking Jiang Cheng in the chest. The latter¡¯s whole body flew back with this kick. Jiang Cheng rolled back a few feet, and hurriedly stabilized himself at the edge of the white jade stage, never completely rolling off it. But most of his body was already outside the white jade stage. Jiang Cheng had lost. Not a sound could be heard. Jiang Cheng¡¯s face turned blue and then quickly red. Exhausted, he stood up and yelled, ¡°Which bastard did¡ª¡± ¡°If you cheat while fighting a newly enrolled kid, Jiang Cheng, shouldn¡¯t you be ashamed?¡± A calm and clear voice sounded out leisurely. Ji Chaoyun was startled. The blood on his face drained, and he dropped his head to look below the stage. The crowd parted on both sides, and a lone figure walked out. The speaker wore a light gold brocade robe with a red gold phoenix pattern embroidered on it, giving it a sense of grace and elegance. Among this clear and bitter winter, where disciples wore uniform attires, it seemed out of place in Hongmeng Academy. His eyebrows were strong and handsome, and under his slender and sharp eyes, there was a small red birthmark at the edge. With a lazy glance, he portrayed an indiscernible cold arrogance. ¡°Your position as the chief examiner is over,¡± Feng Qi said, ¡°I¡¯ll tell the Supervisory Committee to change the person. Scram.¡± Jiang Cheng gritted his teeth. ¡°You dead phoenix, you don¡¯t think¡ª¡± Feng Qi coldly interrupted, ¡°Little young master Jiang, if you don¡¯t scram right now, are you waiting for the Immortal Elder to personally head to Dufeng Island to explain everything to the island¡¯s master and wife?¡± Jiang Cheng¡¯s voice choked. His face flushed red, and gritting his teeth, he squeezed out, ¡°Fine¡­ I¡¯ll leave!¡± Jiang Cheng cursed and jumped off the white jade stage. The appointed disciple judged the situation and immediately announced that Ji Chaoyun had won another match. But Ji Chaoyun did not care about any of this. He stared at Feng Qi with his eyes, his pale, drained face full of disbelief. Is it you? ¡°Little Dragon, be good. I really should go.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to leave either, but¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°I will be back, Little Dragon. Wait for me to come pick you up.¡± You¡­ have returned, right? Ji Chaoyun¡¯s lips moved, as if quietly calling out a name. But no one heard what he was saying. All the freshmen waiting for the assessment were cheering and celebrating Ji Chaoyun¡¯s second straight victory. Under this heated atmosphere, only Feng Qi sensed it. He turned his head to look at Ji Chaoyun, with a slight doubt in his eyes. ¡°¡­Friend Ji, there is one last match left. Who do you want to fight with? Friend Ji?¡± Someone was calling him, but Ji Chaoyun heard nothing. He stared at Feng Qi, his eyes greedily tracing the other¡¯s face. He couldn¡¯t remember how long he hadn¡¯t seen this face. Two hundred years, three hundred years, or even longer. The long march of time was long enough to obscure all memories. He blankly stared at the person below the stage, without even noticing that the restlessness and discussion in the audience had stopped. The people beside Feng Qi stepped away silently, leaving only Ji Chaoyun and Feng Qi quietly looking at each other in front of the white jade stage. After a while, Feng Qi stretched out his hands, feeling a little amused. ¡°What, you wish to fight with me?¡± CH 3 Translator: Amber.es | Editor: Bubbles | Proofreader: musk It wasn¡¯t until Feng Qi stepped onto the white jade stage that Ji Chaoyun woke up from his daze. That face was exactly as per his memory, but other than that, it was not at all familiar. That person would never look at him in such a way. Ji Chaoyun¡¯s turbulent mood slowly calmed down. He watched the other party stand in front of him, shaking his right wrist slightly. The scarlet gold bracelet tied around his wrist fell down, turning into a long whip. The golden spiritual light of the long whip quickly faded, revealing a slender whip thong entwined with gold threads. ¡°I, I¡¯m not¡­¡± Ji Chaoyun¡¯s eyes moved slightly, about to explain something, when the golden gong sounded and the third match began. Before he could react, he felt a strong wind approaching him. Years of martial arts practice made Ji Chaoyun instinctively lift his sword to block. The whip slid against the long blade, sparks bursting from the clash of weapons. Ji Chaoyun staggered two steps back. In his heart, he instantly felt an unusual aura surging. The strength of this person was completely different from the previous two. Ji Chaoyun closed his eyes and tried to calm himself down. He couldn¡¯t go on like this. If this went on, he would truly be driven away. He needed to enter Hongmeng Academy. Ji Chaoyun took a deep breath. Flicking his eyes up, the momentum of his whole body changed. The sword that was previously brushed aside changed direction and stabbed towards Feng Qi without any hesitation. Ji Chaoyun had fought for two consecutive matches, one of which was against the tenth-ranked master of the academy. His physical exertion could be imagined. The people in the audience, however, suddenly realised that this person had not used his full strength at all in the prior matches! There was a sharp sound from the sword¡¯s blade cutting through the void, and Ji Chaoyun¡¯s movements were faster than before. Quickly, it approached Feng Qi¡¯s side. The hearts of the spectators were tense, but Feng Qi just took a half step to the side without a hurry, and gathered the long whip to protect his side, subtly dissolving the opponent¡¯s menacing sword intent. Then, Feng Qi changed his previous tactic, only defending but not attacking, forced by Ji Chaoyun to retreat step by step. In the audience, someone suddenly let out a loud laugh. ¡°Second Highness Feng, you¡¯re obviously making things easy for him.¡± The joking words were exclaimed by the same disciple who¡¯d come down from Dengyun Tower with Feng Qi. This group of people had followed Feng Qi throughout the years and unlike others who were afraid of him, they even started teasing, ¡°Your Highness has learned to pity and cherish jade.1 Although this isn¡¯t a big competition, it wouldn¡¯t look good if you lose. Don¡¯t be impulsive.¡± ¡°First defeating Jiang Cheng, then Feng Qi. Might as well change the owner of Dengyun Tower to this little newcomer.¡± ¡°Everyone, shut up!¡± Ji Chaoyun had been forced to exert all his strength. Even when facing such swift sword attacks, Feng Qi could split his attention to curse and laugh with the audience. Just as he turned his head back, Ji Chaoyun¡¯s long sword had reached his side, about to pierce Feng Qi¡¯s neck. Ji Chaoyun¡¯s eyes flashed, and the sword¡¯s edge suddenly stopped! In such a highly-focused duel, any flaws and hesitations would become fatal. The next second, Feng Qi waved the long whip in his hand, tightly wrapping around Ji Chaoyun¡¯s sword. ¡°If you didn¡¯t hesitate, it would have been your only chance to win,¡± Feng Qi spoke, with a trace of regret in his eyes. ¡°Based on the fact that you haven¡¯t enrolled yet, I gave you nine moves. It¡¯s a pity¡­ I still have something to do. Apologies.¡± As Feng Qi¡¯s voice fell, his whip suddenly tightened around the sword. Before Ji Chaoyun could react, he suddenly felt a sharp tingling pain coming from the back of his hand. Though the long whip in Feng Qi¡¯s hand looked malleable, it was in fact made of some kind of extremely scorching iron, and was extremely tough. After Ji Chaoyun bore this blow, a layer of cold sweat broke out on his back. The sword fell from his grasp. He subconsciously leaned forward, but with the wind swept out by the opponent, he stumbled a few steps back. Behind him was the edge of the ring! Ji Chaoyun¡¯s body lost its balance and fell quickly, about to completely drop off the high platform. A hand suddenly stretched out and firmly grasped his arm. The palm of the other was warm and dry. In this short distance, Ji Chaoyun could see in the other¡¯s eyes a faint smile that had never changed. This face was outstanding and handsome. When he smiled, it added a touch of seductiveness. But this smile didn¡¯t make people feel as though it were easy for them to get close at all. On the contrary, the unfamiliarity and coldness in his eyes were so dazzling that people could hardly breathe. Feng Qi looked down at him. He said softly, ¡°You lost.¡± At the same time, Ji Chaoyun¡¯s sword fell to the ground, reverberating with a crisp sound on the silent white jade platform. His body left the ring, and his weapon fell on the ground; they were rules he¡¯d set himself. There was no doubt that he lost. ¡°Your martial arts are good, but unfortunately, you met me.¡± Feng Qi raised his hand, and the sword that fell was lifted by blue smoke and returned to his hand. He held the hilt and handed it to Ji Chaoyun. ¡°Come back in a hundred years.¡± Ji Chaoyun took the sword. The person in front of him left easily, turning and walking down the stage. He hurriedly caught up. ¡°You¡­ Are you from the Feng clan?¡± Feng Qi paused, then turned. ¡°Yes. What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Then you¡­¡± Ji Chaoyun looked at this overly familiar face, his voice trembled slightly. ¡°Don¡¯t you recognise me?¡± Feng Qi looked at him for a moment. He asked, ¡°Should I know you?¡± ¡°I¡ª¡± As the two talked, a crowd had gathered. Feng Qi glanced around and chuckled. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, you are not the first person who wants to strike up a conversation with me. But you still¡­ choose a not so old-fashioned way.¡± ¡°¡­Who doesn¡¯t know that the dragon and the phoenix clans have been fighting with each other for a long time. The children of the phoenix clan are forbidden to privately befriend anyone from the dragon clan. Little demon dragon, don¡¯t hurt me ah.¡± Ji Chaoyun¡¯s voice was stuck in his throat. ¡°Feng¡­¡± But Feng Qi ignored him and turned to walk down the steps. ¡°Chaoyun, Chaoyun? Are you okay?!¡± Ye Chenxing squeezed past the crowd and came to Ji Chaoyun¡¯s side with worry in his eyes. ¡°Why¡¯s your face so pale? Are you hurt? I¡¯ll send you back to rest.¡± ¡°No need.¡± Ji Chaoyun pushed Ye Chenxing¡¯s hand away, his eyes fixed on the distance. ¡°You continue¡­ I, I shall take my leave.¡± ¡°But¡ª¡± Ye Chenxing wanted to say more, when from the high jade stage, the appointed disciple called out his name. He was the next freshman to participate in the assessment. ¡°Tsk.¡± Ye Chenxing turned to Ji Chaoyun and shouted loudly, ¡°Chaoyun, please go back to Changqing Garden to wait for me. I will come to you after I finish my assessment!¡± Ji Chaoyun did not respond. He left the ring without looking back. The test arena was located at the open square in the front mountain of Hongmeng Academy. At the end of the square was the tens of thousands steps in front of the mountain gate. Ji Chaoyun brushed past the crowd, but the light golden figure just now was nowhere to be found. The golden gong sounded again in the distance, and the white jade stage opened a new round of assessment amidst the voices. Behind the elevated platform, a towering palace carved with white jade stood on top of the mountain, surrounded by several peaks, quietly hanging beside the main summit. Gazing at the sight in front, the entire Hongmeng Mountain was shrouded in clouds and mist, as if standing amidst the clouds. Ji Chaoyun reached into his sleeves and took out the purse. The golden phoenix feather within was still exuding a slight warmth, but other than that, nothing had changed. It was really not him. Ji Chaoyun had lived two lives. In his previous life, he¡¯d stayed in the mortal realm and waited for his return, according to their agreement. But even after three hundred years had passed, instead of waiting for the person he so yearned for, he ended up waiting for a murderous disaster. The plumes of a phoenix were the rarest treasure in the world. It was also the source of his life. Fortunately, thanks to fate, he was reborn and returned to a hundred years prior to his death. In this life, he practiced assiduously, spent a hundred years splitting from his demonic body, ascended into an immortal, and finally came to Hongmeng Academy. A pity it all still fell short. Ji Chaoyun slowly tightened his fingers until he felt the tingling pain from his right hand. He looked down, and on the back of his palm, a bloody trail went from the back of his hand to his wrist bone. The injury was already red and swollen. The sharp tingling pain continued to spread into his heart. Looking at the red and swollen wound, Ji Chaoyun gritted his teeth and his eyes gradually turned red. He didn¡¯t see it, but a figure stood under the ancient pine tree not far behind him, staring quietly in his direction. Feng Qi stared at the thin figure, and was about to step forward, when a voice came from behind, ¡°Your Highness, the Honorable Immortal¡¯s discussion is over, and wishes for you to see them. What are you¡­ what are you looking at?¡± Feng Qi retracted his gaze. ¡°Nothing,¡± he brushed it off. The person next to him followed his gaze. Surprised, he asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t that the surnamed Ji¡ª¡± Feng Qi turned around and left. The man realised something and smiled as he caught up with him. ¡°That kid is really good-looking. If you also like him, then why are you so ruthless? Just let him come to enroll.¡± ¡°Stop it. Do you really think this Highness is like you, whom to men and women alike is not untouchable?¡± Feng Qi jokingly cursed as he walked forward, never turning his head. ¡°¡­What¡¯s more, it¡¯s still a dragon demon.¡± . Only when the sun fell did Ji Chaoyun return to Changqing Garden. The assessments were completely over. Inside Changqing Garden, some were happy, while others worried. The wandering immortals who¡¯d passed the assessment had been assigned an entry token to enter Hongmeng Academy¡¯s enchantment to report to the academy. Those who failed the assessment would have to pack their things and head down the mountain. Ji Chaoyun lowered his head and passed the noisy crowd, entering the room he¡¯d stayed in when he was stopped from behind. ¡°Chaoyun!¡± Ye Chenxing hurriedly ran towards him. Ji Chaoyun turned and saw an extra pass around his waist. He had passed the assessment. Ji Chaoyun¡¯s lips curled. He sincerely said, ¡°Congratulations.¡± ¡°Congratulations to you, too.¡± Ye Chenxing held his shoulders affectionately and pushed him into the room. ¡°Where have you been, I¡¯ve been looking for you for a long time. Yao Guang-jun, who just came to distribute the passes, was looking for you. Since you hadn¡¯t returned, he gave it to me. Here, it¡¯s yours.¡± He took out a pass token from his sleeve and handed it to Ji Chaoyun. Ji Chaoyun was startled. He reached out to take it. Hongmeng Academy¡¯s pass token was transparent, filled with spiritual power. Ji Chaoyun turned it around and saw that his name was indeed engraved on its back. How could¡­ Was it not a rule that only those with three consecutive victories could be enrolled? ¡°You fought so well today. It would be unfair if you were not allowed to enter the school. Yao Guang-jun said that because you performed well in the ring, the academy made an exception to allow you admittance.¡± Seeing what he was thinking, Ye Chenxing explained, ¡°I¡¯ve inquired, the disciples of Hongmeng Academy are divided into four levels: Heaven, Earth, Black, and Yellow. The disciples originally in charge of assessing the new people had to be from the ¡®Yellow¡¯ level. But today, those three people that you fought with were all at the ¡®Heaven¡¯ level. Otherwise, how could they have bullied you so much?¡± When he said this, his voice was slightly lowered, ¡°Moreover, if it were not for the Flower Peacock, you wouldn¡¯t have lost the last round.¡± ¡°¡­Flower Peacock?¡± ¡°They all call him that,¡± Ye Chenxing said. ¡°That person is Feng Qi. I heard he¡¯s the second prince of the Feng clan. He has been at the top of the rankings for the past fifty years. Not to mention, even if we all combined our forces together, we still wouldn¡¯t necessarily be able to beat him.¡± ¡°So his name is Feng Qi¡­¡± ¡°He¡¯s still a phoenix but where does he look like the ones from the legend? He swaggers through the market all day. Saying that he¡¯s a peacock is not wrong at all,¡± Ye Chenxing said. ¡°Alright, it¡¯s getting late. Pack up your things and go up the mountain with me. We¡¯re waiting for you.¡± When Ji Chaoyun arrived, they didn¡¯t bring much with them. The two of them simply packed up, climbed up the 10,000-level stone steps, and came to the square where they had previously participated in the assessment. The two of them had arrived late; the admission reporting time was almost over. The noisy crowd in the square had dispersed, and in front of the white jade stage, only two appointed disciples, one tall and one short, were still waiting for the reportees. Ji Chaoyun stepped forward, but his eyelids twitched. These two people had entered and exited with Jiang Cheng earlier. They were basically Jiang Cheng¡¯s men. However, the two disciples did not show anything unusual. They nodded at them and started to explain a few things to note after enrolment, as per usual. Then, the tall disciple took the bamboo sticks cylinder2 from the side and handed it to the two of them. In the cylinder were only two bamboo sticks. The disciple named Xu Zixing explained without hesitation, ¡°The rules of Hongmeng Academy require a draw of ballots to allocate the disciples to their courtyards. Since you two came late, the others have been taken away. Only these two are left.¡± Ji Chaoyun and Ye Chenxing looked at each other, and saw similar hesitation in each other¡¯s eyes. Ji Chaoyun shook his head imperceptibly, and took the lead in picking a bamboo stick, holding it in his hand. ¡°Pojun Peak, No. 12 Courtyard. Chaoyun, what¡¯s your number?¡± Ye Chenxing took the last stick, and immediately turned his head to ask Ji Chaoyun after reading it. Ji Chaoyun unfolded the bamboo stick in his hand, but it was a blank piece; nothing was written on it. Ye Chenxing frowned, and was about to say something, but was stopped by Ji Chaoyun. He raised his eyes to the two disciples and asked calmly, ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°You got a blank stick?¡± Xu Zixing was not surprised. He explained with a smile, ¡°There are a total of 27 new students this year, and every two will be assigned to a courtyard. There¡¯ll be one who¡¯ll be alone, and has to stay with the other single disciple of the previous enrolment year.¡± He raised his hand and waved. The bamboo sticks in the hands of the two turned into a gleam and sank into the jade tokens on their waists. ¡°¡­The two of you can now enter the teleportation circle next to us. It will take you to your respective residences.¡± ¡°You¡ª¡± ¡°Ye Chenxing.¡± Ji Chaoyun lowered his eyes. ¡°Forget it.¡± ¡°How can I forget it?¡± Ye Chenxing refused to give up. ¡°There¡¯s nothing written on your stick. Only ghosts will know where they¡¯ll assign you. Where¡¯s Yao Guang-jun? I want to see him!¡± ¡°Xianzun is busy with important matters. How can he have time to meet a freshman?¡± Xu Zixing said. ¡°Since you have entered the big gate of my Hongmeng Academy, you must act according to our rules. If you don¡¯t want to go, leave the pass token and leave Hongmeng Academy.¡± ¡°You guys¡ª¡± Ji Chaoyun interrupted him. ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯ll go.¡± ¡°Chaoyun!¡± ¡°It is a blessing to be able to go to school. It does not matter where I live,¡± Ji Chaoyun told Ye Chenxing. ¡°You and I have just entered school, don¡¯t cause trouble. I shall see you tomorrow.¡± After saying so, he raised his eyes, giving a profound stare at the two disciples. He stepped into the teleportation formation, Ye Chenxing snorting coldly as he followed into the array. The two figures disappeared. The disciple who had never spoken had a lingering fear. ¡°Brother Xu, don¡¯t you think this trick is a bit too cruel? If you annoy that one¡­¡± ¡°There is Brother Jiang here, what are you afraid of? Who told this surnamed Ji to fight Brother Jiang. He deserves it. There¡¯s going to be a good show soon.¡± Xu Zixing said triumphantly, sat back into his original position and stretched his waist. ¡°It¡¯s finally over, we¡¯re¡ª! Ouch! Fuck, what¡¯s biting me?!¡± ¡°Where? There¡¯s nothing?¡± ¡°Clothes, it got inside my clothes! Ah, it bit me again!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t move, don¡¯t move. Let me see¡ª¡± . When Ji Chaoyun opened his eyes again, his surroundings were completely different from before. The frost and snow in the mountains in front of Hongmeng Academy did not melt all year round, but the climate here was warm, nourished by the lush trees on both sides of the road. Presently, it was sunset, and the horizon was dyed red by the setting sun, the afterglow shining upon the forest, revealing a bit of unseen mountain scenery on earth. Ji Chaoyun had lived in the mortal realm for many years. After his ascension, he had never returned. When he saw such a scene, he felt a little nostalgic. But¡­ Why did they send him here? From the attitude of those two, even if Ji Chaoyun stepped through the teleportation circle and saw a simple and dilapidated thatched hut, he would not be surprised. It made no sense to be in such a good place. Ji Chaoyun continued to walk along the mountain road, until a green bamboo forest opened up in front. The green bamboo had new sprouts, and the fragrance of the bamboo leaves spread throughout the air. A courtyard stood quietly in the depths of the bamboo forest. Outside the courtyard, a wooden sign carried a few large characters: ¡°Wenqu Peak, No. 1 courtyard.¡± Was this really a disciple¡¯s courtyard? Ji Chaoyun opened the concealed courtyard¡¯s door and walked in. Though said to be a disciple¡¯s residence, it looked more like the mansion of a wealthy man in the mortal realm. Inside, the flowers and grass were lush and plentiful, a sycamore tree stood in the courtyard, while tall shrubs made shade from the sun. Under the sycamore tree, a bamboo couch was placed by the lotus pond, and a pot of wine was still being warmed on the small table beside it. There was none of Hongmeng Academy¡¯s bitter frost. The owner of the courtyard didn¡¯t seem to be at home. Ji Chaoyun stood still by the stone bridge, waiting quietly. That pool of golden-tailed koi had never seen outsiders. They curiously poked their heads from the water surface. Ji Chaoyun had always been very fond of aquariums. He grabbed the bait by the stone bridge and threw it into the water. The host here even used the freshest of small fish, shrimp and pine nuts to feed these fish. Fried with special spices, it truly smelt delicious. Ji Chaoyun squatted by the bridge, looking down at the bait in his hand, and swallowed unconsciously. A gasp of koi fish ate better than him. In his heart, Ji Chaoyun had a fight between heaven and man for a while. He hardened his heart and sprinkled all the bait in his hand into the lotus pond. At least he didn¡¯t make the embarrassing move of rushing to eat with the fish. He stood up, but heard a faint sound of running water coming from behind the houses. Ji Chaoyun followed the sound of the water, passing by the houses in front and behind the courtyard. A secluded path extended to the depths of the forest. The deeper the path went, the mistier it became. Ji Chaoyun only realised later that this path led to a hot spring. He was about to step back, when up front, he heard the sound of water splashing. ¡°Who?¡± The familiar voice caused Ji Chaoyun¡¯s mind to freeze. He subconsciously looked up. Across the overlapping limestone orchid grasses (), the person in the spring water had his back to him, showing the thin and powerful lines of his smooth back. The man turned his head, revealing the side profile of a very handsome face. Ji Chaoyun¡¯s breathing ceased. It was Feng Qi. CH 4 A-A+ Translator: Amber.es | Editor: Bubbles | Proofreader: musk Ji Chaoyun backed away in panic. The ground of the trail was made with limestone, which was slippery as it was constantly wet from the water vapor. Backing away, he happened to step on a moist limestone and slipped down. Ji Chaoyun felt dizzy as his fall was quite heavy. A pair of bare feet on the limestone ground entered his vision. The other¡¯s ankles were white and slender, and looking up he saw a pair of lean and powerful calves, with the rest hidden in the shadows underneath a wide robe. Feng Qi¡¯s robe was gathered loosely, the ends of his hair still dripping wet. A droplet ran across his delicately shaped collarbone and sank into his neckline, leaving a meandering water mark. It was truly an image full of impact. It took a long time for Ji Chaoyun to regain his breath. His gaze slowly moved upward, and he met the other¡¯s teasing gaze. ¡°Seen enough?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not¡ª¡± Ji Chaoyun hurriedly stood up, his cheeks slightly hot. ¡°I apologise, I was not aware of your presence.¡± Feng Qi looked him up and down, weighing him. There was not much anger in his expression after being spied upon. On the contrary, he even seemed a little happy. ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°Night is approaching. Sneaking into one¡¯s home, peeping at someone bathing¡­¡± The smile in Feng Qi¡¯s eyes deepened. He took a half step forward. ¡°I heard that towards such matters, your dragon clan takes¡­ much initiative. Seems like it¡¯s not mere empty talk.¡± ¡°You¡ª¡± Ji Chaoyun¡¯s breath was stuck in his throat. He shut his eyes, and tried his best to steady his tone. ¡°I went to the mountain to report, and they assigned my residence here¡­ It was the jade token that brought me to this place.¡± Feng Qi raised his eyebrows. Only then did he notice the jade token that Ji Chaoyun hung around his waist. He walked towards Ji Chaoyun, who instinctively backed up until his back met the green bamboo beside the limestone path. ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡± Feng Qi held his shoulders, leaned down slightly, and picked up the pass token with his wet hand. Ji Chaoyun was trapped, just inches away from the other. The humid warmth assaulted his senses; mixed with the unique fragrance of the bamboo leaves, it made one breathless. Feng Qi didn¡¯t notice. He lowered his head, his fingertips glimmered and the glow sank into the token. So close, Ji Chaoyun could see that his face was exactly the same as in his memory. The eyelashes that cast a low shadow when lowered, the slight curve of his eyes when he spoke, even the subtle outlines on his face were too distinctive, too similar. Even the most exquisite of illusion techniques couldn¡¯t achieve such a vision. Were there really two people so similar in this world? Ji Chaoyun suddenly found it difficult to breathe. The emotions that had been suppressed surged back, and his fingertips trembled softly. He leaned back as much as possible, forcing himself not to look at that face. It was too close, so close that it almost seemed¡­ like having a long embrace. After the three matches, Ji Chaoyun¡¯s physical exhaustion was already at its limit. At this moment, the emotional turmoil caused his immortal spirit to leak. The faint radiance within his eyes could no longer be suppressed; slowly, a pair of beautiful glass-like vertical pupils appeared ¡°Sure enough, the spell leading to Wenqu Peak was cast, but you¡­¡± Feng Qi said as he raised his head, then halted. Ji Chaoyun trembled silently. His eyes were red, and a pair of silver dragon horns appeared on the front of his forehead. In the afterglow of the setting sun, he could even see a fine layer of soft fur. ¡°¡­¡± Feng Qi cursed under his breath. His throat was suddenly dry. He had gone out a few days ago for stuff, only returning to the academy today. Then he¡¯d heard whispers of a little beauty in Changqing Garden who had hooked the hearts of half of the academy. A quick glance to the white jade stage showed that this person¡¯s appearance indeed stood out from the rest, his martial arts nimble and lithe. The rumours were true. A pity it was a dragon. Feng Qi had actually never met any from the dragon clan, but the two dragon and phoenix clans had always been at odds. He held no favourable impressions toward dragons, but now¡­ He quickly glanced at the other¡¯s forehead, at the pair of trembling dragon horns. ¡­They looked so soft, he wondered how it felt to touch? Feng Qi felt impetuous. He straightened up, licked his lips, and his voice was slightly low and hoarse. ¡°What? I¡¯m just looking at the spell on your token. Not doing anything to you¡­¡± Ji Chaoyun¡¯s back arched slightly, the line on his back stretched taut. He hardly dared to look up at the person in front of him. ¡°Why did you revert back to your original form from just a few words, hm? You¡¯re so easily frightened.¡± Feng Qi¡¯s hand was still on Ji Chaoyun¡¯s shoulder, and his fingertips randomly poked his cheek. Unexpectedly, the feeling was extremely soft. Ji Chaoyun stiffened, tilting his head to hide. Feng Qi smiled. ¡°Afraid of me?¡± ¡°No.¡± Ji Chaoyun lowered his head and quickly rubbed his eyes, whispering softly, ¡°Apo-apologies¡­¡± The pair of dragon horns swayed as he talked, acting like little claws itching one¡¯s heart. Feng Qi swallowed. He turned his head and walked away. ¡°Your token is indeed a spell that leads to Wenqu Peak. I believe you are not lying, but your residence is not with me.¡± Ji Chaoyun had no desire to be alone with him at all. He quickly followed up with, ¡°I must have gone the wrong way. I shall take my leave.¡± ¡°No, it can¡¯t be that you took the wrong path.¡± Feng Qi laid down on the bamboo couch and said leisurely, ¡°You didn¡¯t notice when you entered just now? The whole Wenqu Peak is my residence.¡± ¡°¡­In other words, I am the only person who resides on the entire Wenqu Peak.¡± Ji Chaoyun realised something and looked up at him. Feng Qi lifted a wine jug and poured himself a glass. He raised his head and drank until the last drop, suppressing the inexplicable restlessness in his heart. He rubbed the mouth of the cup and explained, ¡°This Highness enjoys peace and doesn¡¯t want to be disturbed. So every time one is assigned to Wenqu Peak, they will all be driven away by me. If things go on like this, they would not dare to let people enter Wenqu Peak again.¡± Ji Chaoyun: ¡°¡­¡± It was the first time he saw someone speak so arrogantly about bullying. However, this explained why the two disciples had sent him here. He closed his eyes. ¡°I understand. There is no need for you to kick me out, I shall leave by myself.¡± Ji Chaoyun quickly stepped onto the stone bridge. ¡°Wait,¡± Feng Qi called out to stop him. ¡°This Highness hasn¡¯t finished speaking yet. Are you dragons all so rude?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ji Chaoyun held back his anger. ¡°What else do you wish to say?¡± Feng Qi asked, ¡°Where will you go?¡± Ji Chaoyun kept silent. As he turned to leave, he heard Feng Qi say, ¡°The assignment of the disciple courtyards has ended. You can only go find Yao Guang-jun to re-register, but he is busy. If you bother him with such trivial things, he will say it¡¯ll take another month or so. Of course, that is if only there is still free space among the disciple courtyards in the seven peaks.¡± ¡°¡­Don¡¯t even think about finding lodging with others. One pass token is for one person. Even if someone else lends you their token, it is still impossible to enter another disciple¡¯s courtyard.¡± Feng Qi glanced at the slender figure far on the stone bridge. A smug smile appeared on his lips. ¡°It¡¯ll be curfew soon. If you leave Wenqu Peak, you¡¯ll violate the curfew. Little dragon demon, you don¡¯t want to violate the rules on your first day of enrolment, right?¡± Ji Chaoyun turned around and asked him, ¡°¡­What do you want?¡± ¡°Rather, it¡¯s what you want.¡± Feng Qi fixed his eyes on that pair of dragon horns for a moment and smiled slightly. He jokingly said, ¡°Why don¡¯t you come and beg me, make me happy and maybe I¡¯ll allow you to live here.¡± ¡ª¡±Obediently serve me a good apology, and be my attendant for the next school year. Perhaps when this young master is in a good mood, he will show you compassion and let you attend school.¡± Truly the same kind throughout. The two quietly looked at each other across the lotus pond. Ji Chaoyun¡¯s expression was cold, and his originally turbulent mood rapidly calmed down, but his true appearance was not so easy to restore. Those eyes of his which were extremely pale, making him look even more detached than before, looked a little arrogant. It really wasn¡¯t him. He laughed at himself. It had been such a long time, so long he would be truly ridiculous to treat anyone as that person. Even if the other had the same face, it was still a world of difference. Thinking clearly, Ji Chaoyun only felt relief. He looked at the person leaning on the bamboo couch from a distance, and gave an unexpected smile. Feng Qi was startled. He had seen this person¡¯s lithe posture in the fighting stage, and he had also seen his wronged look when he was scared back to his original form. No matter which kind of situation, his face was always reserved, and there was a kind of almost rigid coldness to it. But when he smiled like that, the concealed demeanor under the skin of that icy beauty could no longer be hidden. The brilliance flowing in his glaze-like eyes made one feel stunned. ¡°You¡­¡± Feng Qi¡¯s throat felt parched. But without waiting for him to say anything, Ji Chaoyun said, ¡°There is no need for me to stay. I will temporarily borrow Wenqu Peak for a short nap tonight and leave tomorrow morning. I thank Your Highness for his kindness.¡± After speaking, Ji Chaoyun no longer looked at him. He quickly headed out of the courtyard. Night descended quickly. Ji Chaoyun leaned against a tree trunk, his face almost transparent in the moonlight. ¡°I have entered Hongmeng Academy, and I also met a person¡­ who looks very much like you,¡± he whispered softly, lightly rubbing his fingers on his purse. ¡°It is strange. How could I treat others as you? I obviously know that it can¡¯t be you. No one can be you¡­¡± He raised his head and stared at the endless night sky, stars filling his sight. ¡°When I finally see you, I will once more apologize to you. You can do whatever you want.¡± ¡°¡­Good night.¡± . Early the next morning, those who had enrolled were required to test their roots in the Main Peak¡¯s Lecture Hall to rank as disciples. As the hour approached, everyone passed through the teleportation array one after another, and gathered at the open space outside the Lecture Hall. Ji Chaoyun was currently outside the hall, reading a book under the morning rays. The admission time had ended only yesterday, hence there had been no time to distribute the disciples¡¯ clothing yet. Ji Chaoyun was still wearing his silvery-white thick robe, which he tightly wrapped around himself, fearful of the cold in the morning mist. Only his slender fingers holding his book peeked out, like the new buds of willow leaves. ¡°Chaoyun!¡± Ye Chenxing quickly walked towards him. ¡°How did last night go? Where did those two bastards send you to?¡± Ji Chaoyun kept the book in his hands and shook his head. ¡°No need to mention it. I plan to look for Yao Guang-jun today.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll accompany you.¡± Following behind Ye Chenxing was a young man whom he pushed forward. He said, ¡°Why are you hiding? Didn¡¯t you always want to meet Chaoyun?¡± ¡°This is¡­¡± The young man had delicate facial features, and a bookish air, appearing very nervous. His face flushed. ¡°My, my name is Bei Ran. You may not remember me, but you saved me from the suspension bridge before. Thanks to you, I was able to¡­¡± ¡°It turned out to be you.¡± Ji Chaoyun thought for a moment, and remembered that this was the little youth he had rescued on the suspension bridge the day before the assessment. Bei Ren trembled as he confessed, ¡°Brother Ji, I really¡­ admire and also¡­¡± ¡°Okay, shut up. You¡¯re making me nervous.¡± Ye Chenxing patted him on the back of his head, making Bei Ran stagger. ¡°This kid¡¯s in the same courtyard as me. He kept pestering me all night, insisting that I introduce him to you, yet look at him now. How shameful.¡± Bei Ran made a small noise, flushing red as he touched his nose in embarrassment. Ji Chaoyun: ¡°Do not worry. We will be classmates in the future, we can keep a lookout for each other.¡± ¡°Heard that? From now on, you¡¯ll be taken care of by your big brother Ji.¡± Ji Chaoyun looked at him helplessly. ¡°Ye Chenxing¡­¡± Ye Chenxing continued on, ¡°Chaoyun, you don¡¯t know how popular you are among the freshmen. You fought so beautifully in those three matches yesterday.¡± ¡°Speaking of which¡­¡± Bei Ran raised his head and looked at Ji Chaoyun with sparkling eyes. ¡°The scimitar couldn¡¯t be used to its full ability in the fighting ring, and Jiang Cheng is said to have neglected sword practice since he was a child. Brother Ji must have considered these things to choose to test on martial arts, right?¡± Ji Chaoyun gave a noncommittal ¡°oh¡±. When the people around heard them talking, they unconsciously gathered closer. Under all these gazes, Ji Chaoyun was a little embarrassed. He mumbled the truth, ¡°I didn¡¯t think too much, but I¡¯ve fought Jiang Cheng before and found that his martial arts¡­ is relatively ordinary.¡± ¡°If the top ten masters in Hongmeng Academy are all like him, then those under him should be more or less the same.¡± Ye Chenxing: ¡°¡­¡± Bei Ran: ¡°¡­¡± Everyone: ¡°¡­¡± In the dead silence, Ye Chenxing¡¯s heavy eyes swept over his surroundings. ¡°I heard that Jiang Cheng went mad for most of the day after losing in the arena yesterday. Don¡¯t tell this to others. If he knew, he¡¯d be furious.¡± The hour had arrived, the Lecture Hall slowly and finally opened its doors. A young man in an ink-colored brocade with a bamboo scroll in hand came out. Behind him were two attending disciples. This was Yao Guang-jun, the immortal in charge of enrolment matters. ¡°Don¡¯t make noise.¡± Yao Guang-jun cleared his throat. His voice was not loud, but it nevertheless reached everyone¡¯s ears. ¡°Line up and come in with me.¡± Everyone walked into the Lecture Hall. ¡°That¡¯s the stone sundial for testing spiritual roots?¡± Bei Ran sat behind Ji Chaoyun, frowning. ¡°I don¡¯t need to be tested. I must be at the lowest level. What can I do in the future¡­¡± Hongmeng Academy was not like the mortal realm which divided disciples by school year, but rather by one¡¯s innate roots and bones. The spiritual root test after enrolment determined the ranks of the new disciples. The four levels of Heaven, Earth, Black, and Yellow corresponded to the spiritual roots of heaven, earth, high-level, and middle-level respectively. As for the lower-level spiritual roots¡­ So far there was no precedent for the successful ascent of lower-level spiritual root holders, so it was not even in the scope of the academy¡¯s consideration. Either the spirits were transformed into demons, or mortals ascended. Most of those present already knew their spiritual root level, and the test was just a formality. ¡°I¡¯m not much better either.¡± Ye Chenxing sat on Ji Chaoyun¡¯s right side and muttered, ¡°What else can I do? My spiritual root is weak. We just have to work hard the day after tomorrow. As long as one doesn¡¯t fall to the third rank, they still have a chance.¡± Ji Chaoyun turned his head. ¡°Third rank?¡± He didn¡¯t have much knowledge about Hongmeng Academy¡¯s system. Ye Chenxing was also aware that this young master didn¡¯t listen to things outside of his interests so he explained, ¡°Although the disciples of the academy train together, the assessment rules are different. Heaven-level and Earth-level disciples face one test every three years, and a big one every twelve. For the Black and Yellow levels, however, there¡¯s one test every quarter and a big one every year.¡± ¡°The top five in the assessment will obtain Rank 1, while the last five Rank 3. If you manage to obtain Rank 1 in both three tests and in the major exam, you can participate in the leapfrog assessment2. If you pass it, then you can be promoted.¡± Bei Ran then asked, ¡°Then, if the four test results all end up as Rank 3¡­¡± Ye Chenxing cast a look at him, as if saying ¡°what nonsense are you spouting?¡±. He reached out. ¡°Four exams, and Rank 3 every single time. What else can your future be besides dropping out of school?¡± Bei Ran angrily shrank back. Ji Chaoyun lowered his eyes, his expression unclear. The test for spiritual roots soon began. Disciples whose names were pronounced by Yaoguang-jun walked to the stone sundial one by one to take the test. Heavenly spiritual roots and Earth spiritual roots were extremely rare in the mortal realm. Most of the wandering immortals enrolled this time were merely of high-grade or middle-grade spiritual roots. Hence, they were divided into the Black and Yellow levels. Ye Chenxing and Bei Ran both had middle-grade spiritual roots, and were also classified under the Yellow level. Soon, it was Ji Chaoyun¡¯s turn. ¡°Brother Ji is so powerful, he must possess a high-grade spiritual root, right?¡± ¡°I think it is more than that. Enough to defeat Song Zhifei and Jiang Cheng, and even able to fight back and forth with Feng Qi. Could it be an Earth root or a Heavenly root, instead?¡± ¡°Hopefully, it¡¯s a Heavenly root.¡± ¡°But for nearly a hundred years, the Academy only had Feng Qi with the Heavenly spiritual root. The chance is too small¡­¡± As if Ji Chaoyun didn¡¯t hear the comments from the bystanders, he walked up to Yao Guang-jun and bowed. As he¡¯d missed the enrolment announcement yesterday, this was his first time meeting Yao Guang-jun. But remembering Ye Chenxing¡¯s words, it had been this Yao Guang-jun yesterday who¡¯d explained, in front of the freshmen, that due to Ji Chaoyun¡¯s outstanding performance in the arena, the elders had decided to make an exception and allowed him to enter the academy after further consideration. ¡°So you are Chaoyun.¡± Yao Guang-jun had always looked at the others with a listless and lazy appearance. Yet upon seeing Ji Chaoyun approaching, he turned more energetic. He narrowed his eyes slightly, and looked at him up and down for a while. His smile was kind and loving. ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous, just stretch your hand up.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Ji Chaoyun did as told. ¡­Nothing happened. The Lecture Hall was silent. Yao Guang-jun murmured, ¡°Is it broken? It was still okay just now¡­ Don¡¯t worry, let¡¯s try again.¡± ¡°There is no need to.¡± Ji Chaoyun pointed to the stone sundial¡¯s scale and in a low voice, reminded, ¡°The result has come out.¡± The upper stone dial was divided into five scales, namely Heaven, Earth, High-grade, Middle-grade, and Lower-grade. At this time, the scale on the stone sundial had only moved forward a tiny bit. It was even possible to miss the change if one didn¡¯t look closely. Yao Guang-jun looked at the stone sundial. The smile on his face finally couldn¡¯t be held any longer, and gradually turned into astonishment. CH 5 A-A+ Translator: Amber.es | Editor : Bubbles | Proofreader: musk Formal ¡®you¡® will be underlined. Bonus chapter: Thanks Sanji for your kofi! ¡°I¡¯ve said before that we shouldn¡¯t make an exception for him. The academy has never accepted such a poorly qualified disciple!¡± exclaimed a tall yet thin, unsmiling middle-aged taoist man in the Conference Hall. Yao Guang-jun fiddled with the bamboo slips in his hand. He persuaded, ¡°Kai Yang-jun1, don¡¯t be like this. Leaving aside how one is born with their spiritual roots, those who climb Hongmeng Mountain definitely do not have a weak cultivation base. His martial skills are obvious to all. Even with a low-grade spiritual root¡­¡± ¡°A low-grade spiritual root? His is simply a low, low, low-grade one!¡± Kai Yang-jun¡¯s beard flew in his anger. ¡°I don¡¯t understand why you¡¯re protecting that kid. Even the mortal realm¡¯s cultivation sects wouldn¡¯t recruit such a waste of a spiritual root. Can¡¯t our Hongmeng Academy choose?¡± Yao Guang-jun reasoned, ¡°How could he be trash? He defeated two Heaven-level disciples yesterday.¡± ¡°That¡¯s without the use of any immortal skills. If it were allowed, he wouldn¡¯t be able to survive even one move in the hands of those two people!¡± ¡°You are¡ª¡± In the Conference Hall, there was endless arguing. Ji Chaoyun stood in the courtyard outside it, the emotions in his eyes hidden. Faint noises kept sounding from the doors. Though unclear, he was obviously the subject of their conversation. A cold wind swept across the atrium, and Ji Chaoyun tightened his robes around himself. He gave an imperceptible sigh. Footsteps came from behind him. He looked back; an old man with a completely white beard and hair walked quickly, a tall man at his heels. It was Feng Qi. He had changed into a disciple¡¯s attire. The disciples of Hongmeng Academy wore a light blue moir¨¦ pattern on a white background. According to their level, the higher their ranks were, the more complicated the moir¨¦ was. Elegance was the word. But when the clothes were worn by Feng Qi, the temperament became completely different. This person was handsome in appearance, with a vaguely aggressive eyebrow and eye shape, similar to the sharpness of an unsheathed blade, honed and compelling. Even in plain garb, it could not be hidden. Ji Chaoyun¡¯s gaze briefly locked with Feng Qi¡¯s, before he quietly retracted his own. When the two came closer, Ji Chaoyun bowed to the old senior in front of him. ¡°Greetings to Xianjun.¡± The current principal of Hongmeng Academy, Tian Shu-jun2, paused. The eyes he stared at with Ji Chaoyun churned with mixed emotions. He quickly held himself back, and said, ¡°Get up first.¡± After he finished speaking, he continued to lead Feng Qi to the Conference Hall. Ji Chaoyun backed half a step. Feng Qi passed him by and gave him a tilted glance. How long had this person stood there? His blood-drained face was almost comparable to the snow in the mountains, looking so frozen cold. Under the cold wind, he stood upright, his back as straight as a pine tree, yet looking extremely thin. Feng Qi couldn¡¯t help slowing down, as if he wanted to say something. But Tian Shu-jun had already walked at the entrance of the Conference Hall. He opened the doors, looked back and said, ¡°What are you looking at? Quickly come inside with me.¡± Feng Qi: ¡°¡­Yes.¡± The moment the door of the hall opened, the argument inside ceased immediately. Kai Yang-jun and Yao Guang-jun were on opposite sides of the hall. They bowed towards Tian Shu-jun at the same time. Tian Shu-jun took a seat by the front and Feng Qi also followed behind him. The principal¡¯s gaze swept back and forth over the two other people present. ¡°What is the argument at hand?¡± Without waiting for Yao Guang-jun to speak, Kai Yang-jun took the lead and said, ¡°Tian Shu-jun, I supervise the entrance examination. Ji Chaoyun lost the last match yesterday and should have been sent back down the mountain, yet this Yao Guang-jun insists on making an exception for him. Now that we accepted, we detected his useless spiritual root. This is a matter about losing Hongmeng Academy¡¯s face¡­ Yao Guang-jun, please tell us, why did you want to accept this disciple? Could there be a benefit by accepting him?¡± ¡°What are you implying, that I did it because of¡ª¡± Shaking with anger, Yao Guang-jun wanted to further argue but subconsciously glanced at Tian Shu-jun. The latter was quietly drinking tea, gaze fixed down. Yao Guang-jun didn¡¯t know what he was thinking of, and could only shut his mouth in anger. Feng Qi laughed. ¡°What age is this? Why is Kai Yang-jun using spiritual roots to judge people? If spiritual roots could really doom a person¡¯s achievements, then why did the academy set up a leapfrog assessment?¡± Kai Yang-jun¡¯s face turned green. ¡°The lords are talking. Is it your turn to interrupt?¡± ¡°Okay, don¡¯t fight anymore.¡± Tian Shu-jun glanced at Feng Qi. He continued, ¡°I have called Feng Qi here as he fought with Ji Chaoyun yesterday, and thus has some understanding with that disciple. Feng Qi, you may speak. How do you find that disciple?¡± ¡°He¡­¡± Feng Qi thought for a moment, and said lazily, ¡°Martial arts are good, unsure about immortal cultivation. As for my personal opinion, he is quite¡­. energetic.¡± Kai Yang-jun: ¡°¡­¡± Yao Guang-jun: ¡°¡­¡± Tian Shu-jun scolded, ¡°Don¡¯t mess around.¡± Feng Qi innocently spread his hands. ¡°I¡¯m telling the truth.¡± Tian Shu-jun stared at him, stupefied. ¡°¡­From your view, how should we deal with this?¡± Feng Qi: ¡°Since he¡¯s been allowed to enroll, if he¡¯s driven out right now, does it not appear as if our Hongmeng Academy is erratic and disreputable? What¡¯s more, no matter how bad his qualifications are, he still defeated two Heaven-level disciples¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s because immortal techniques were prohibited¡ª¡± Without waiting for Kai Yang-jun to continue, Feng Qi interrupted him, ¡°But when Kai Yang-jun laid down the assessment rules, he didn¡¯t overrule it.¡± Kai Yang-jun¡¯s face suddenly turned blue and white. In the end, he gritted his teeth, pushing out the words, ¡°Fine, you can keep him. But my Hongmeng Academy will never accept waste, and let other immortal friends laugh at us. I suggest the Supervisory Hall uses the three-month exam to test. If he falls into Rank 3 by the end of it, it proves that his spiritual talent is indeed not good enough to stay in Hongmeng Academy. He will then drop out immediately.¡± Feng Qi wanted to say something, when Tian Shu-jun suddenly agreed, ¡°Alright.¡± Yao Guang-jun: ¡°Tian Shu-jun¡­¡± ¡°Since the establishment of Hongmeng Academy, it has never recruited low-grade spiritual root disciples. This rule cannot be broken,¡± Tian Shu-jun said. ¡°Just do what Kai Yang-jun suggested.¡± . The doors of the Conference Hall opened slowly. Ji Chaoyun raised his head as Kai Yang-jun and Yao Guang-jun walked out. Ji Chaoyun greeted the two of them. Kai Yang-jun gave a cold snort, ignoring him as he walked past. Meanwhile, Yao Guang-jun eagerly greeted him instead, and helped Ji Chaoyun stand. ¡°Tired from standing? It¡¯s all right now.¡± ¡°Immortal Elder, I¡­¡± Yao Guang-jun waved his hand indifferently. ¡°Don¡¯t pay attention to that Kai Yang guy. He¡¯s in charge of the Supervisory Examination Hall. Jiang Cheng is his proud disciple. He must have been unhappy in his heart when Jiang Cheng lost in your hands yesterday. Can¡¯t you smell such a sour flavour coming from him.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ji Chaoyun was silent. ¡°Then I¡­ I can stay?¡± Yao Guang-jun¡¯s fingers shook as he tapped the bamboo slips in his hands. He didn¡¯t rush to answer, saying, ¡°I¡¯d like to ask you, why did you come to Hongmeng Academy?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Ji Chaoyun lowered his eyes. ¡°Hongmeng Academy? Why are you suddenly asking about that?¡± Hundreds of years ago, under the starry sky, a certain man held him in his arms. Ji Chaoyun could feel his steady and powerful heartbeat and slightly vibrating chest from behind when he spoke. ¡°Hongmeng Academy is the top institution in the Immortal Realm. After graduating from Hongmeng Academy, one can go to various places in the immortal area to seek employment, or become an immortal officer guarding a region, and more importantly¡­¡± ¡°Hongmeng Academy is the only passage in the Immortal Realm connected to God¡¯s domain, the gate to heaven.¡± ¡°However, becoming a god is thousands of times more difficult than a mortal ascending to the Immortal Realm. Why would you need to go through so much trouble just to reach God¡¯s domain?¡± The man leaned close to his ear, saying with a gentle voice, ¡°When that happens, I will personally take you there. How does that sound?¡± The promise was originally vividly uttered, but neither of them could have thought that this seemingly simple oath would last so long without being fulfilled. Ji Chaoyun closed his eyes. ¡°I¡­ I do not wish to spend my whole life being just a wandering immortal.¡± This answer was not uncommon in Hongmeng Academy. Yao Guang-jun nodded. ¡°I understand.¡± Yao Guang-jun: ¡°Just now, Tian Shu-jun has decided to let you stay in Hongmeng Academy for the time being. First enter the Yellow level, and practice alongside ordinary disciples. However, Hongmeng Academy has never recruited disciples below the middle-grade spiritual root, so you have a time limit.¡± ¡°Time limit?¡± ¡°You only have three months.¡± Yao Guang-jun stretched out three fingers, seriously saying, ¡°In three months¡¯ time, you must pass the quarterly exam. If you fall to Rank 3, you will have to drop out early. Understand?¡± ¡°I will not fail,¡± Ji Chaoyun said. ¡°Immortal Elder, please rest assured.¡± ¡°Good child. By the way, your disciple uniforms have not been received yet, right? You should go do these trivial matters first, then go back to your courtyard to rest. There is no homework today, so just familiarise yourself with everything first. You can come to me anytime you need anything in the future.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Ji Chaoyun opened his mouth, but suddenly thought of something, so he swallowed it down. In the end, he bowed to Yao Guang-jun and left. . Only Feng Qi and Tian Shu-jun remained in the Conference Hall. Tian Shu-jun glanced at Feng Qi as he sipped his tea. After the latter had sent away the two immortals, Yao Guang-jun and Kai Yang-jun, they stood idly in the hall. Tian Shu-jun was surprised and asked, ¡°They are all gone. Why don¡¯t you return to your classroom?¡± Feng Qi looked more surprised than him. ¡°I thought Uncle had something to tell me once alone.¡± Feng Qi was the second prince of the Feng Clan and the younger brother of the current Patriarch Feng. Tian Shu-jun was their uncle. Tian Shu-jun¡¯s eyes flashed. ¡°I¡¯ve told you before, don¡¯t call me that while in the academy.¡± ¡°Understood, Immortal Elder Tian Shu,¡± Feng Qi happily answered, but he still didn¡¯t leave. The two waited for a while, then Feng Qi asked, ¡°So, Immortal Elder Tian Shu really has nothing to tell me?¡± Tian Shu-jun: ¡°What do you think I should tell you?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. This disciple has a small question to ask.¡± Feng Qi elaborated, ¡°I was wondering why Immortal Elder Tian Shu treats Ji Chaoyun so favorably?¡± Immortal Elder Tian Shu paused and replied, ¡°I¡¯m giving him preferential treatment?¡± Feng Qi smiled. ¡°I know exactly what kind of person Yao Guang-jun is. He¡¯d never be so caring about a new student unless he was instructed by someone. Your old wounds have not yet healed, and you have been in closed-door cultivation for so long. Yet upon hearing about Ji Chaoyun¡¯s spiritual roots today, you hurried to the meeting hall. Uncle, do you still want to keep hiding it from me?¡± Tian Shu-jun questioned, ¡°That¡¯s why you just spoke for him? Because of this?¡± Feng Qi¡¯s eyes wavered. After a moment of silence, he said, ¡°Even if I didn¡¯t speak for him, my Uncle would nevertheless keep him here.¡± Tian Shu-jun didn¡¯t answer. The Conference Hall fell silent once more. The two people stayed still, one sitting and one standing. Feng Qi raised his head slightly, waiting as he calmly looked at Tian Shu-jun. His whole body stood unwaveringly. Even in front of this elder who was highly respected in both the Feng Clan and the Immortal Realm, there was no sense of weakness. Rather, there was a faint feeling of being evenly matched. Time passed until Tian Shu-jun finally spoke. ¡°Ji Chaoyun¡­ do you really not know this person?¡± Feng Qi was startled. When they¡¯d first met yesterday, Ji Chaoyun had also asked him the same thing. Feng Qi had stayed in the Feng Clan since he was born, never taking half a step out. Upon entering Hongmeng Academy more than 50 years ago, he¡¯d started travelling the world but had never made friends with anyone from the dragon clan. Besides, there was never any incomplete memory in his mind. Feng Qi frowned, suspicious. ¡°Should I know him?¡± ¡°No, you don¡¯t know him¡­ Of course you don¡¯t know him.¡± Tian Shu-jun sat on the main seat and gazed towards Feng Qi, but it seemed as if he were seeing through him instead, somewhere deeper and far away. Feng Qi wanted to clarify further when Tian Shu-jun suddenly spoke, ¡°This person has a relationship with the Feng Clan. Whenever children from our clan meet him, they must treat him with courtesy and help him earnestly.¡± Feng Qi was surprised. The Feng Clan was of noble origin, naturally born as an arrogant race. It was not a minority in the realm of immortals and gods. However, he had never heard of anyone who could have all members of the clan ¡°treat him with courtesy and help him earnestly¡±. What¡¯s more, it was towards a dragon. ¡°Who made this order? My brother?¡± Feng Qi questioned. Tian Shu-jun shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s inconvenient for me to answer further, so don¡¯t ask anymore. Since Ji Chaoyun is staying in Hongmeng Academy, you should take care of him and not treat him badly, understand?¡± ¡°This¡­¡± For a moment, Feng Qi stayed silent. He didn¡¯t dare tell him that he had let the little demon dragon sleep out in the bamboo forest last night. Tian Shu-jun rushed him out. ¡°Okay, leave now. Tian Xuan-jun3 came to me again two days ago to file a complaint, saying that out of ten morning classes, you missed eight, and for the remaining two, you slept through all the way. I know that your cultivation talent is high, but remember that you are still in Hongmeng Academy. At least pretend to follow the rules.¡± ¡°Okay, Uncle.¡± Feng Qi was about to go out when he suddenly remembered something. He said, ¡°I have another question.¡± ¡°Speak.¡± ¡°That Ji Chaoyun¡­¡± There was a rare hesitancy in his eyes. He cautiously probed, ¡°He¡¯s really not my brother¡¯s old flame?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Tian Shu-jun blanked out. Seeing Feng Qi¡¯s hidden smile, he reacted and yelled, ¡°What nonsense! Absolutely not, so scram back to your class!¡± Feng Qi sneered and scrammed. The author has something to say: Patriarch Feng: Black-bone chicken and Spanish mackerel. I had a huge pot before I even appeared.4 It¡¯s too difficult for me. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Red envelopes were issued on the last day. As of the update of Chapter 6, all chapter comments in the first five chapters have red envelopes, and they will be sent together tomorrow after Chapter 6. Thanks to the little angel who voted for me or irrigated the nutrient solution~ Thank you very much for your support, I will continue to work hard! Name: ¿ªÑô-¾ý Name:ÌìÊà-Ïɾý Name: Ììè¯-¾ý Pot sometimes in novels may also mean like he¡¯s carrying the blame of something CH 6 A-A+ Translator: Amber.es | Editor : Bubbles | Proofreader: musk In the early morning, the distant mountains were enveloped by clouds, and the sound of morning readings could be heard from the forest. Hongmeng Academy¡¯s work and rest schedule were extremely strict: morning readings started at 9:00am every day, followed by morning, noon, and evening classes; only once the entire day was filled with work, could the disciples head back to their courtyard. The academy allowed rest every ten days, and all the various Immortal Lords would select a rest day to answer questions and give lectures. There were no restrictions and disciples were free to participate. In short, the cultivation lectures there were not comparable with the mortal cultivation schools. Right then, the morning bell rang gently, and the morning readings gradually stopped. The Yellow level¡¯s morning classes were taught by Tian Quan-jun, who had a rigid and toneless way of speaking. Due to the boringly dry Dao textbooks and his slow reading pace, it was inevitable that heads soon began to shake and sway, further lengthening this endless torture. Twenty-three of the newly enrolled disciples this year were assigned to the Yellow level. Along with the original ones, there were now no fewer than forty disciples in total, but in less than half an hour, a portion of the classroom was already lying down. Corpses were strewn all over the field; solely Ji Chaoyun was still sitting upright. ¡°Only now can I understand the true meaning that there will always be someone more talented and more outstanding than oneself in the wide sky.¡± After surviving the class, the disciples walked out of the classroom one after another. Ye Chenxing collapsed on a long bench and weakly said, ¡°I used to think there would never be a place more terrifying than my mortal teachers¡¯ classes in this world. Who would have thought¡­¡± Beside him, Bei Ran also looked like his soul had wandered too far away. ¡°Brother Ye, I have tried my best, but you best find another to help you take notes. An hour is my limit. If it goes on, I will start to wonder why I have ever wanted to come here¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, I understand.¡± Ye Chenxing¡¯s mood fluctuated wildly. ¡°Just a stick of incense¡¯s time and I¡¯m already in doubt about this.¡± After the two finished speaking, they all looked at the back of Ji Chaoyun¡¯s head. The latter was still sitting down in the front row, his head bowed as he wrote something. Bei Ran sighed. ¡°As expected of Brother Ji, listening attentively throughout the past four hours.¡± ¡°Of course. How could he compare to people like us?¡± Ye Chenxing scoffed and called out to Ji Chaoyun. ¡°Chaoyun, you¡¯re still the most reliable. Remember to lend me your notes¡­ Chaoyun?¡± Ji Chaoyun did not answer. The two looked at each other and vaguely realised something. Ye Chenxing tentatively patted Ji Chaoyun on the shoulder. Ji Chaoyun raised his head from the scroll as a faint light flashed between his auricles, and promptly removed the concealment spell. ¡°Were you speaking to me just now?¡± Ye Chenxing: ¡°¡­¡± Bei Ran: ¡°¡­¡± Ji Chaoyun impassively blinked and closed the book he was copying. From the perspective of the other two, it was not clear what book it was, but from its slightly old cover, it was clear it couldn¡¯t have been the¡¶Cleansing Scriptures ¡¤ Second Edition¡·book that Tian Quan-jun had spoke for the past six hours. Ye Chenxing slowly gave him a thumbs up. After morning class, the Yellow level disciples would head to the Swordplay Arena to practice swordsmanship. As the three of them walked out of the classroom, Ji Chaoyun told them, ¡°You both go first, I have something else to do.¡± Ye Chenxing didn¡¯t ask much, simply saying, ¡°Then be quick, don¡¯t be late.¡± Ji Chaoyun nodded, turned his head and walked a separate path. Their morning classroom was located in a pine forest to the west of the main peak; only the outline of its white walls and blue tiles could be seen among the green pine trees. Ji Chaoyun crossed the path paved with limestone behind the classroom and walked until the end of the mountain road, where stood another classroom. There was a wooden sign standing outside it, with the word ¡°Black¡± written on it. Tian Ji-jun, who taught the Black level disciples, was notoriously known for procrastinating. So when Ji Chaoyun arrived, the disciples were still in the middle of leaving the classroom. He retreated to the shadows and waited for a moment. Soon, there was the sound of footsteps behind him. Ji Chaoyun turned around and nodded to the other party. ¡°Xiao shixiong.¡± Xiao Jue1 was not a tall person, and his delicate face was filled with nervousness. Seeing that no one was around, he whispered, ¡°You¡¯re finally here. Quick, give me the items.¡± Ji Chaoyun took out a few scrolls from his sleeves and handed them to Xiao Jue. Xiao Jue counted them. ¡°Why is one missing?¡± Ji Chaoyun lowered his eyes. ¡°That¡­ I have not finished reading it yet.¡± For a moment, Xiao Jue remained silent. Not wanting to make things difficult for him, he said, ¡°No worries. However, you better return it as soon as you finish reading, so as to avoid trouble.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Ji Chaoyun hesitantly looked at him and asked, ¡°The thing that I have previously asked shixiong, is there really no way about it?¡± ¡°Chaoyun, it¡¯s not that shixiong doesn¡¯t want to help you. It¡¯s really that guy who¡ª¡± Suddenly, a voice rang behind them. ¡°Xiao Jue, what are you doing here?¡± This voice was not unfamiliar to Ji Chaoyun. His eyebrows dipped and he looked back. Indeed, that voice belonged to the appointed disciple who¡¯d assigned him to Wenqu Peak on the day of enrollment ¡ª Xu Zixing. Hongmeng Academy¡¯s appointed disciples were mostly selected from the Black and Earth level. It was not surprising to run across them here. Xiao Jue¡¯s expression froze, and he didn¡¯t know how to answer. He heard Ji Chaoyun say, ¡°Thank you, Xiao shixiong, for telling the assessment matters to this disciple. I will take my leave first.¡± Ji Chaoyun tried to walk away, but was stopped by Xu Zixing. ¡°Assessment matters¡­ Coming so early to ask about it?¡± ¡°What about it?¡± Xu Zixing looked him up and down, sarcastically saying, ¡°I almost forgot that our Ji shidi has the most rare, inferior spiritual root that the academy has seen in a century. In three months¡¯ time, if you fail the quarter exam, you¡¯ll have to drop out. Indeed, it¡¯s necessary to prepare in advance.¡± Ji Chaoyun did not rise to his taunt. He coldly questioned, ¡°Anything else?¡± ¡°What do you think?¡± Xu Zixing couldn¡¯t continue pretending, he gritted his teeth and squeezed out in a low voice, ¡°What kind of demonic magic did you do to me before, causing this laozi2 to lie in bed for a whole¡ª¡± He didn¡¯t finish speaking. He unnaturally turned his eyes away, his expression extremely ugly. Ji Chaoyun saw the shift in his eyes , and smiled slightly. A corner of his mouth raised in a mocking arc, yet no sign of mirth lurked in his eyes, only an unusual frostiness. Xu Zixing froze at the sight of his smile, to the point that his neck stiffened. ¡°What are you laughing at?¡± ¡°That is not demonic magic,¡± Ji Chaoyun leaned forward slightly, whispering towards Xu Zixing¡¯s ear, ¡°They are just a few tiny toys I have raised. They have not seen strangers for a long time and are very curious. Xu shixiong is best to remember not to get too close to me, lest¡­ they sneak out again.¡± Xu Zixing¡¯s face changed drastically. Instinctively, he took a few steps back. However, he quickly recovered, forcing himself to stop, and angrily rebuked, ¡°How dare you! Hongmeng Academy explicitly prohibits the use of sorcery, you are not afraid of me¡ª¡± ¡°Do you have evidence?¡± Xu Zixing¡¯s voice stopped abruptly. He had no evidence. Not only that, he still had no idea what exactly had hurt him. There were no traces of spells, no wounds left, and even the immortal healer could not spot any problem. But those three days of torture due to the itching were not fake. Ji Chaoyun calmly continued, ¡°There is no evidence, and I hope that shixiong will not arbitrarily frame others. As far as I know, that is also against the rules.¡± After he finished speaking, he bowed and saluted Xu Zixing. ¡°If there is nothing else, I will leave first.¡± Xu Zixing was furious but he didn¡¯t dare speak. Seeing Ji Chaoyun¡¯s back disappear at the end of the trail, he gritted his teeth. ¡°You wait and see!¡± He turned around, but saw Xiao Jue¡¯s bowed head walking outside. ¡°You, stop.¡± Xu Zixing¡¯s eyes moved slightly. ¡°What are you holding in your hand?¡± Xiao Jue hurriedly hid the scroll in his arms. ¡°No, nothing¡­¡± Xu Zixing vaguely understood something. He stepped forward, and raised his hand to hold Xiao Jue¡¯s shoulder, a smile forming at the corner of his mouth. ¡°I¡¯ll give you another chance. Did he really come to you to ask about the quarter exam?¡± . ¡°¡­This is how things are. The evidence that Xiao Jue and Ji Chaoyun have stolen from the collection of Dengyun Tower is conclusive, and I hope that His Highness will deal with it impartially.¡± In a room in Dengyun Tower, Xu Zixing stood straight with his hands tucked behind his back as he calmly spoke to the person sitting at the table. Xiao Jue stood silently beside him, not daring to lift his head. Feng Qi¡¯s gaze swept over the two of them, and his voice was calm. ¡°I see, you go back first.¡± ¡°Your Majesty, the Dengyun Tower¡¯s collection of books has never been lent to outsiders before. You¡¯re not planning to shield¡ª¡± ¡°Your name is¡­ Xu Zixing, right?¡± Feng Q¡¯s knuckles tapped on the table. ¡°I remember that you followed Jiang Cheng a long time ago, so maybe you have misunderstood me a little.¡± ¡°This Highness hates people who think they can teach me how to behave, much less give me orders straight to my face.¡± Feng Qi raised his eyes, a chill emanating from their depths. ¡°Scram.¡± ¡°You¡ª¡± Xu Zixing didn¡¯t dare to provoke him. In the end, he shot a glare at Xiao Jue, and left with a cold snort. There was a moment of silence in the Dengyun Tower. Feng Qi stated, ¡°Now that the outsider is gone, let¡¯s talk about it. What happened?¡± Xiao Jue mumbled, ¡°Your Highness, I didn¡¯t mean to steal the books from the library. I just¡­¡± Feng Qi: ¡°Just what? Did Ji Chaoyun force you with a sword, or did he kidnap your family?¡± ¡°No¡­¡± Xiao Jue hid his eyes, but Feng Qi looked steadily at him, his expression calm but like a cold stare on his back. The two stood in a stalemate for a moment until Xiao Jue finally told the truth, ¡°It is true that I took the initiative to help him.¡± ¡°¡­One of the disciples enrolled this year is my biological brother. Both my parents are wandering immortals and we two brothers cannot directly enroll in this school. We can only do so by passing the wandering immortals¡¯ assessment examination.¡± ¡°My brother and Ji Chaoyun went up the mountain at the same time, and he received a lot of help from him along the way. If it weren¡¯t for him, my brother wouldn¡¯t have been able to make it to Hongmeng Mountain. When they first arrived at Changqing Garden, I sneaked out to meet them, thinking to give Ji Chaoyun something in return, so¡­¡± ¡°So you took advantage of the fact that I was not in the academy a few days ago to steal the books, borrowing flowers to offer to Buddha?¡± Xiao Jue¡¯s legs softened, and he quickly begged for mercy. ¡°I know I was wrong. Your Highness, please forgive me! Please don¡¯t tell the Immortal Elder!¡± Feng Qi smiled, and didn¡¯t answer him. He flipped through the book at hand. ¡°He shouldn¡¯t have needed only this book. What else did he need? I¡¯ll listen.¡± Xiao Jue: ¡°In addition to these, the first and second volume of the Supreme Changqing Scriptures, and the third and fourth volume of the Supreme Chinese Scriptures. At present, except for the fourth volume of the Supreme Chinese Scriptures, everything else has been returned. But¡­¡± ¡°But what?¡± ¡°He still wanted a few other books, but¡­ After Your Highness returned to the academy, I told him that he could no longer get books from Dengyun Tower, so¡­¡± ¡°You know how to judge the situation,¡± Feng Qi mocked. ¡°What else does he want?¡± Xiao Jue paused hesitantly before taking out a folded piece of letter paper from his sleeve. He handed it over. ¡°Here is everything he wants.¡± On the paper, the names of several books were written in neat and beautiful handwriting. Feng Qi casually glanced at it and understood. ¡°The Supreme Chinese Scriptures are books for practice. He should have completed the first three volumes by now. But the fourth volume is more obscure than the previous ones. No wonder he wants these books, he plans on using these scriptures as an aid.¡± Like a trembling quail, Xiao Jue lowered his head, not daring to talk. Feng Qi took a brush, quickly added a few strokes on the letter paper, crossed out a few unnecessary scriptures, and added two more. He opened his palm, and the letter paper automatically floated in front of Xiao Jue. ¡°Fetching the books according to this is better than what he wants. Go ahead.¡± Xiao Jue raised his head in surprise. He looked at Feng Qi with a dumbfounded look, as if this was the first day he met him. ¡°This¡­¡± Feng Qi casually threw the brush on the table, and smiled. ¡°What, worried that I¡¯ll hurt him?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s just¡­¡± Xiao Jue looked at the paper in his hand, and then at Feng Qi. Suddenly, there was a glimmer of inspiration; he suddenly understood. ¡°I understand, I will do it now!¡± ¡°No, wait.¡± Now it was Feng Qi¡¯s turn to wonder. ¡°What do you understand?¡± Xiao Jue gave a wide smile to Feng Qi. He promised, ¡°Your Highness, don¡¯t worry. I will tell Chaoyun of your intentions, and he will be very grateful to you once he knows.¡± ¡°?¡± Feng Qi was taken aback. Seeing Xiao Jue excitedly walking out, he quickly stopped him. ¡°Come back!¡± Feng Qi held down his twitching brows and took a deep breath. Maintaining a steady tone, he explained, ¡°You misunderstood, to him, I¡¯m not¡­¡± ¡°Your Highness doesn¡¯t want others to know about this?¡± Xiao Jue immediately understood. ¡°I understand. Your Highness, don¡¯t be shy, I will keep the secret for Your Highness.¡± ¡°Keep secret¡­¡± Feng Qi gritted his teeth, enduring the urge to curse out loud. He was too lazy to explain anymore, and simply said, ¡°Anyway, don¡¯t tell him that I was the one behind this.¡± Xiao Jue showed a look that he, once again, ¡°understood¡± and solemnly agreed. Xiao Jue turned around to leave when Feng Qi suddenly asked, ¡°Which disciple courtyard does Ji Chaoyun live in now?¡± Xiao Jue turned around and hesitantly answered, ¡°He¡­ doesn¡¯t live in a disciple courtyard.¡± Feng Qi frowned slightly. Xiao Jue: ¡°I heard that Ji shidi stays in the classroom every night, saying that he wants to review his homework. The night watch disciple has encountered him several times during his walk, but Yao Guang-jun closed one eye and said that as long as he doesn¡¯t run around, he can stay as he pleases.¡± Staying in the classroom¡­ That pale and thin face popped out in his heart for no reason. The Yellow level¡¯s class work was the most onerous. How could he work so many days without rest? ¡°Isn¡¯t this nonsense?¡± Feng Qi frowned and added, ¡°Since Yao Guang is protecting him like this, why hasn¡¯t his disciple courtyard been swapped?¡± ¡°Disciple courtyard?¡± Xiao Jue was confused. ¡°I have never heard that Ji Chaoyun is going to change his courtyard, and¡­ no one has ever seen him return to the disciples¡¯ peak. I am unsure where he actually lives.¡± Feng Qi¡¯s eyes closed. After a while, he suddenly said, ¡°You don¡¯t need to get the books anymore. Go back to class.¡± Xiao Jue: ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t I change my mind?¡± Feng Qi didn¡¯t want to talk to him further and drove him away. ¡°If I were to discover this kind of thing again, you won¡¯t be able to enter the Dengyun Tower anymore. Get lost.¡± ¡°¡­Understood.¡± . The night was getting darker, and the disciples of the night patrol had just ended their last round. There was no one among the pine forests. It was rather quiet, only a few insects and birds out and about. The night wind passed through the forest, and the half-opened windows creaked. Amongst the pine trees was a single dim light glowing in a Yellow level classroom. Hongmeng Academy was not subject to the four seasons; only the alternation of day and night was the same as the mortal world. Immortals originally didn¡¯t need to rise and sleep according to the sunset and the sunrise like mortals did, but ordinary disciples couldn¡¯t bear the heavy workload of the academy. They were so tired that they could barely fight the sleep off their eyelids. All had already headed back to their rooms to fall asleep. A ray of light scattered into the window with the night wind, and a figure appeared silently in the classroom. Under the dim light of the oil lamp, a teenager was napping at his desk. Ji Chaoyun did not sleep well. The long bench was low and short. He had to curl up his hands and feet, with his head resting on his arms, his brows slightly wrinkled because of discomfort, making him look thinner. The dim flickering of the oil lamp reflected on his pale face. A shallow blood trail was on the back of his hand, and might have been untreated. The wound was still a little red and swollen, and it looked particularly dazzling on the almost transparent white background. It was rare for Feng Qi to see Ji Chaoyun¡¯s undefended appearance. He squatted down in front of the table, and his gaze traced across Ji Chaoyun¡¯s face inch by inch. This person was indeed good-looking. Even though Feng Qi was used to the sight of beauties, he couldn¡¯t not admit this. His gaze was fixed to the other¡¯s smooth forehead. He thought of the pair of dragon horns that had previously appeared there and his throat suddenly felt parched. He leaned down and was about to wake Ji Chaoyun up, when his gaze swept over something. In Ji Chaoyun¡¯s arms, the edge of a purse was vaguely exposed. The purse had an excellent pattern. The fabric was embroidered with light golden patterns, and though unclear, it still gave Feng Qi a vaguely familiar feeling. He must have looked at it for a long time as he subconsciously reached into Ji Chaoyun¡¯s arms to take a closer look. But as soon as his fingers touched the edge of that purse, his back chilled. Feng Qi raised his head and met a pair of cold vertical pupils. The oil lamp on the table hadn¡¯t been refilled for a long time. Its light was already very dim, but Ji Chaoyun¡¯s vertical pupils shone particularly clear and bright. They quietly looked at each other through the flickering light. After a short while, the faint radiance in Ji Chaoyun¡¯s eyes gradually faded, turning back into those black and white orbs. He lowered his head. Feng Qi¡¯s hand was still in the position of reaching into his arms. Feng Qi: ¡°¡­¡± Ji Chaoyun: ¡°¡­¡± The author has something to say: Little Dragon: Came to take advantage of me in the middle of the night. Pervert!! Phoenix: I didn¡¯t, not me¡­ Xi¨¡o Ju¨¦. Just to note, this Xiao does not mean Little. It¡¯s an actual name. Arrogant way of saying I/this one. CH 7 A-A+ Translator: Amber.es | Editor: Bubbles | Proofreader: musk Ji Chaoyun became instantly sober. He pushed Feng Qi away and moved back a few steps, vigilantly asking, ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Feng Qi casually retracted his hand, coughing slightly. ¡°I¡¯m just passing by.¡± ¡°Passing by?¡± Ji Chaoyun, who had just awakened from his sleep, was not as clear-headed as during the day. His eyes were bloodshot, and he confusedly rubbed them in discomfort. ¡°Isn¡¯t the teleportation array to the disciples¡¯ courtyards in the east?¡± He raised his head slightly, his hands instinctively protecting his front, shedding his day-time appearance of piercing coldness. At that moment, he looked a bit confused and naive. The low light flickered on his handsome face, soft light scattering towards the clothes that were slightly loosened because of his deep sleep. From Feng Qi¡¯s position, he could even see a small sliver of the other¡¯s delicate collarbone hidden underneath the lapels. Feng Qi¡¯s breathing was in disorder. He looked away. There were several scriptures spread out on the long bench. Ji Chaoyun should have been studying before falling asleep. Feng Qi gave it a rough glance. Beneath the written notes, paper, a Yellow level cultivation book, and a sweet, he accurately extracted the¡¶Supreme Taoist Scriptures and walked towards Ji Chaoyun. Emboldened, he stated, ¡°I am indeed here to look for you ¡ª because of this.¡± Ji Chaoyun was startled. With a rare guilty conscience, he probed, ¡°You.. How do you know¡­¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter how I know.¡± Feng Qi sat down on the long bench and raised his chin to look at him arrogantly. ¡°If you don¡¯t want anyone to know, don¡¯t do it. Ji Chaoyun, you managed to steal all the way to my items. Shouldn¡¯t you explain?¡± ¡°I did not steal¡­¡± ¡°Taking without asking. You took a book collection in Dengyu Tower without telling me. If this isn¡¯t a theft, then what is?¡± Feng Qi tilted his head and smiled, his handsome face uttering words that called for a beating, ¡°You dragons, you love to lie this much?¡± ¡°You¡ª¡± Furious, Ji Chaoyun was about to refute, but seeing Feng Qi leisurely knocking at the scriptures spread on the table, he forced himself to withhold his anger. He stiffly said, ¡°This is all my fault, and I apologize to you.¡± Feng Qi won an inch, and further questioned, ¡°A small apology is enough? How can there be such a good thing.¡± ¡°Then what do you want?¡± ¡°You may not know what¡¯s at stake,¡± Feng Qi slowly said. ¡°Since Dengyun Tower belongs to me, all the rules are determined by me. Violators can be regarded as violating the tower¡¯s rules, and are up to me to punish. You and Xiao Jue stole from the library. What do you think I should do with you two?¡± Ji Chaoyun¡¯s eyes moved slightly. ¡°This matter has nothing to do with Xiao shixiong. If you want someone to blame, I will bear it alone.¡± ¡°Good. Have one person bear it.¡± Although he was pursuing the issue, Feng Qi didn¡¯t have the slightest anger in his eyes. On the contrary, he even spoke with a joking tone. ¡°But as far as I know, it was Xiao Jue who cut first and then played1. When he handed over the collection to you, you didn¡¯t know that these came from the Dengyun Tower, did you?¡± Ji Chaoyun did not answer. Feng Qi: ¡°You entered the academy and learned that the Dengyun Tower¡¯s collection of books has never left its place, so you quickly contacted Xiao Jue to return the books to him. But why did you not return that single one volume? If you hadn¡¯t left behind evidence, you could have simply denied until your dying breath that you have never read these books. I couldn¡¯t have come to make trouble for you then, could I?¡± ¡°I¡­ I haven¡¯t finished reading.¡± Ji Chaoyun curled his fingers on his lap and finally told the truth. ¡°This book is good for my cultivation practice. Other than Dengyun Tower, there is nowhere else to find it. Once it¡¯s returned, it will be hard to get it thereafter.¡± Feng Qi fixedly looked at him, not knowing what he was thinking. After a while, he suddenly asked, ¡°Why don¡¯t you let Yao Guang change your residence for you?¡± Ji Chaoyun was startled, unsure of the reason for this sudden change in topic. Feng Qi: ¡°Yao Guang takes good care of you, and even agreed to let you stay overnight in this classroom. There is no reason for him to not help you change to another disciple courtyard. Why not look for him?¡± ¡°Immortal Elder has helped me a lot. He is busy with his affairs, there is no need to trouble him with this little thing.¡± ¡°Little thing?¡± Feng Qi glanced at him, seemingly uncomprehending. ¡°Then you would rather live here?¡± ¡°It is pretty good here.¡± Feng Qi couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°This shabby place is cold and gloomy. If it wasn¡¯t for the old man Tian Shu who forces me to come to class, I wouldn¡¯t want to come. How can it be good?¡± ¡°¡­¡± At this point, Ji Chaoyun was actually very frustrated after being woken up by Feng Qi¡¯s disturbance; he stewed a belly full of fire. The only reason he had not yet flared up was because he was reigning it in. Hearing Feng Qi talking on and on, however, he finally lost his temper. ¡°Your Highness, do you think everyone is like you, drinking from sweet springs underneath the shade of paulownia trees2, gold pieces aplenty for use?¡± Up till now, there was no one who dared to speak like this before Feng Qi. He was immediately silenced. ¡°¡­There are still many homeless people in this world. It is a blessing to have shelter from the rain. Do you know, this shabby place you speak of, how many people desire it?¡± Ji Chaoyun took a deep breath, and slowly stated, ¡°Forget it. How can your kind of people, who have everything from the start, understand? These words are useless.¡± The oil ran out, and the lamp extinguished; the only light in the classroom quickly disappeared. The moonlight shone past the window through the pine forest, leaving shadows of the dancing trees. Feng Qi stared at Ji Chaoyun¡¯s glowing eyes in the darkness. His heart wavered. Ji Chaoyun raised his hand to add more lamp oil, but was suddenly caught by the wrist. Ji Chaoyun instinctively broke away from him. ¡°What are you doing?¡± The skin touched by his fingertips was delicate and soft. Feng Qi froze for a moment, then tilted his head and said, ¡°Didn¡¯t I say that you have to bear it alone? Come with me.¡± . The night was silent, and the main peak of Hongmeng Academy was quietly unoccupied. Feng Qi walked slowly down the mountain road with Ji Chaoyun. Ji Chaoyun asked, ¡°Night touring is not allowed in the academy. Where are you taking me?¡± ¡°Just walk with me. Why do you have to ask so many questions,¡± Feng Qi said lazily, without looking back. ¡°I won¡¯t do anything to you. Do you really think I¡¯m interested in you?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ji Chaoyun lowered his eyes and said nothing. Feng Qi¡¯s appearance was handsome and he had a clear and nice voice, but he always spoke leisurely. When he deliberately prolonged his tone like this, it especially made people want to punch his handsome face. Feng Qi turned and asked him, ¡°Were you about to say something?¡± Ji Chaoyun: ¡°It is nothing, but I suddenly felt that it is quite fortunate you are from the Feng clan.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°To have not been beaten to death until now, you should be grateful for this bloodline advantage,¡± Ji Chaoyun glanced at him and looked away expressionlessly, ¡°¡­and this face.¡± After saying this, he quickly walked forward. Rather than being annoyed, Feng Qi stayed in a daze. He stroked his chin thoughtfully. ¡°Can I interpret this as you thinking that I look good?¡± Ji Chaoyun: ¡°¡­¡± Feng Qi smiled and caught up. ¡°Speaking of which, the first time you saw me, you must have thought I looked good, otherwise why keep staring at me.¡± Ji Chaoyun: ¡°¡­Go away.¡± ¡°Also in Wenqu Peak, I simply got closer and you were so frightened.¡± Feng Qi¡¯s eyes twinkled, deliberately poking him from behind. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t tell me you like me?¡± Ji Chaoyun¡¯s footsteps slipped. Feng Qi continued chattering behind him, ¡°Is it right? If it really is¡ª¡± Ji Chaoyun turned his head abruptly, a strange light faintly glowing within his eyes. He gritted his teeth, coldly saying, ¡°If you say another sentence, I will¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Feng Qi was too carefree. ¡°You can¡¯t beat me again. What else can you do to me?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ji Chaoyun shut his eyes, forced his anger down, and nodded slowly. ¡°You are right, I can¡¯t beat you, so¡­ I can only shout for someone.¡± Feng Qi was taken aback. ¡°Shout for someone?¡± Ji Chaoyun took a step forward, a shallow arc forming at the corner of his mouth. When he was not smiling, Ji Chaoyun appeared very icy. Those many immortal families¡¯ children who were born in the immortal realm could not compare to his innate noble and cold temperament. Only when he laughed like this, would he reveal the demonic aura and danger that was synonymous and carved into the bones of demons. Feng Qi¡¯s heartbeat flattened, then galloped as if he was nailed to the spot by something. Ji Chaoyun leaned in his ear and whispered, ¡°I heard that the Feng clan pays the most attention to reputation. If I shout and say that Second Highness Feng has forcibly brought me here to do uncanny stuff, how do you think your uncle would react?¡± Feng Qi obviously didn¡¯t think that he still had this trick up his sleeve. He was stunned on the spot. Ji Chaoyun took a half step back and adjusted his clothes. ¡°We are born from demon clans, so we can only use despicable means. Your Highness has seen something funny.¡± Actually, if it was changed to someone else, Feng Qi wouldn¡¯t worry that much. At most, he would be fined a few days in confinement. The most serious punishment would only be expulsion from Hongmeng Academy. But this person was the one who caused Tian Shu to give a thousand reminders to ¡®treat him with courtesy and help with all your heart¡¯¡­ In Feng Qi¡¯s mind, it showed the picture of him being pulled out by Tian Shu and getting hanged in front of the Academy¡¯s gate by his phoenix hair as a show to the public. His body shivered. Feng Qi did not answer for a long time. Ji Chaoyun repeated his question, ¡°Where are you taking me?¡± ¡°¡­Arrived.¡± Feng Qi pointed to the front. Ji Chaoyun followed his gaze. In the distance, a sumptuous dwelling3 was brightly lit and hidden in the clouds. ¡°Dengyun Tower?¡± ¡°Correct.¡± There was an enchantment placed on the exterior of Dengyun Tower. From the outside, the upper half of this splended building was hidden by the clouds, unable to be clearly seen. Feng Qi led Ji Chaoyun inside the tower. ¡°Dengyun Tower has a huge collection of books and treasures, and it is also my second residence in Hongmeng Academy. Therefore, this is the only place on the main peak that can be bright all night without needing to be held accountable.¡± The first floor of the Dengyun Tower was used for receiving guests. Its layout was exquisite and the decoration was luxurious, home furniture arranged within. Starting from the second floor, the middle section was empty. From bottom to the top, a wooden staircase could be seen winding around the building and extending upwards. Ji Chaoyun questioned, ¡°What did you bring me here for?¡± ¡°You stole my book, shouldn¡¯t you make it up to me?¡± Feng Qi didn¡¯t answer, asking rhetorically instead. Dengyun Tower had seven floors. The second to fourth floors consisted of the book collections, while the fifth to sixth floors were the treasure pavilion; further up was Feng Qi¡¯s residence. In the library, several rows of tall bookshelves were lined up one after another, and all kinds of scripture books gave a dazzling line up, causing one to be blinded. There were a few small tables in the center of the library, which should be a place for disciples to study at. Feng Qi didn¡¯t even look at the surroundings, and straight away took Ji Chaoyun up the fourth floor. The two shuttled between the bookshelves, and at the end of the corridor was a small warm pavilion. ¡°This is where I usually read books,¡± Feng Qi said, opening the door and walking in. Second Highness Feng had never made things tough for himself at any time; even the furnishings of the warm pavilion for reading time were of the highest standard. The tables and chairs were made of rare paulownia wood, decorated with the finest silk and precious pearls. The in and out excluded a sense of nobility. The incense burner on the table exuded a faint and warm fragrance, the inner gauze tent full of shadows, and a small couch covered with a soft blanket was vaguely visible. The only flaw was¡­ In the warm pavilion, countless scriptures and books were scattered all over the floor and tables, as if they had just been looted. Feng Qi turned a blind eye to the chaos, simply sweeping the scriptures on the table to the ground. He sat down on the table. ¡°How do you feel about this place?¡± Ji Chaoyun couldn¡¯t figure out what he wanted to do, and said truthfully, ¡°Very good.¡± It was truly far better than good. There were more books here than he had ever imagined. He followed Feng Qi all the way up, and he was about to get crossed eyes. Ji Chaoyun¡¯s heart was shaken, but he still pretended to be indifferent and calmly looked at Feng Qi. Feng Qi said, ¡°Dengyun Tower¡¯s collection has more than 8,240 volumes, which is only more than 2,000 volumes less than the Jing Pavilion of the academy. However, most of the Jing Pavillion¡¯s books are related to cultivation practice. Here, there are no restrictions on the type of books. Most of these shelves were filled in by the owners of the various generations of Dengyun Tower. Many of them have even become orphaned books.¡± Ji Chaoyun endured forbearance, but he couldn¡¯t hold back. His eyes stared at the rows of bookshelves inside the warm pavilion. His throat swallowed unconsciously. Feng Qi didn¡¯t miss his impatient expression. He narrowed his eyes and smiled. ¡°These 8,000 volume collections have never been arranged since I entered the Dengyun Tower, especially the part of the collection related to cultivation practice. For those which are the most read, they need to be sorted out, and some need to be copied for keeping. This little thing shouldn¡¯t trouble you, right?¡± ¡°What do you mean by this?¡± Feng Qi said, ¡°I want you to stay in this book collection pavilion in the future, to help me organize the scripture scrolls here. Also, in order to avoid the recurrence of the previous incident, I¡¯m going to retire all the serving disciples of the Dengyun Tower, and leave the cleaning inside and outside to you in the future.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ji Chaoyun was silent for a moment and gritted his teeth. ¡°You will treat me as hard labor?¡± ¡°This is the punishment.¡± Feng Qi teasingly looked at him. ¡°If you really refuse, I can only hand this job to Xiao Jue. Unfortunately, after all his hard work in helping you, he still has to be sold to me as a hard laborer. He met a bad person¡­¡± Ji Chaoyun: ¡°Don¡¯t implicate him. I¡¯ll do it.¡± ¡°Very good.¡± Feng Qi smiled in satisfaction and said, ¡°But don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not unkind. I know that the most important thing for you now is to pass the quarterly exams, therefore, I can be a little lenient. You can do your daily homework as usual, but during your free time, you must come to Dengyun Tower. That includes at night too. Although this place is a bit simple, since you can even sleep in the classroom, there is no reason why you can¡¯t do it here.¡± Ji Chaoyun stood in the warm pavilion, which was even more richly decorated than the rich houses in the mortal world, and looked at Feng Qi as if he were a freak. Feng Qi seemed to be very satisfied with this arrangement. His fingertips flashed a golden light that streaked into Ji Chaoyun¡¯s passage token. ¡°This spell allows you to freely pass the boundary outside of Dengyun Tower. From now on, this place is given to you to take care of.¡± He smoothly grabbed a few books on the table, and slapped them into Ji Chaoyun¡¯s arms. ¡°Work well, no skiving. I¡¯m leaving.¡± Ji Chaoyun was silent for a moment and replied in a low voice, ¡°¡­I understand.¡± Feng Qi finished doing his stuff, turned around and left the warm pavilion. Only when the other party¡¯s footsteps completely disappeared, did Ji Chaoyun¡¯s taut spine relax. He sighed, and put the few books in his hands back on the table and stacked them up. It was obviously the same face, but how could the personality be so different? The brain also appeared to be not too good either. If all the descendants of the Feng clan were like this, it would be terrible, Ji Chaoyun thought resentfully. He was about to squat down and pick up the books scattered around, when out of the corner of his eye, he saw something that made him freeze. Ji Chaoyun¡¯s spiritual roots were abysmal, and his cultivation progress was extremely slow. What ordinary people could achieve in three months, it would take him at least three years. With his current cultivation level, he was indeed not sure he could pass the approaching quarterly exam. That was why he needed the¡¶Supreme Taoist Scriptures¡·. Few immortals possessed excellent roots and bones, and the cultivation of sutra scrolls varied from person to person, most of whom required extremely high level roots and fast processes, so Ji Chaoyun simply had no idea where to start. The¡¶Supreme Taoist Scriptures¡· was one of the rare books he¡¯d found suitable for cultivation, it taught from the shallow basics to the deeper knowledge. But by the fourth volume, it was still a struggle for him. That was the reason why he¡¯d asked Xiao Jue to find a few more scripture scrolls as an aid. The books Feng Qi had just handed him, though they were not what he wanted, happened to focus on the basics of cultivation as well. Even better than what he originally wanted. ¡°Poor brain, but luck is good,¡± Ji Chaoyun muttered in a small voice. Kneeling on the ground, he opened one of the books and studied it carefully. A few moments later, Feng Qi peeked out from the back of a bookshelf. Through the hidden doorway of the warm pavilion, the slim figure sitting on his knees in front of the small table could be seen. From this angle, one could only make out the other party¡¯s clearly defined and exquisite profile, and the slightly curved corners of his mouth. Not even a word of thanks, even secretly scolding me, this little dragon cub. Feng Qi stared for a long time. He lightly laughed as his figure disappeared behind the bookshelf. The author has something to say: Phoenix: He thinks I¡¯m good-looking, keeps staring at me. I leaned closer and he was scared out of his original form. He must like me. [Full marks for logic] Yunyun: ¡­Get lost! CH 8 A-A+ Translator: Amber.es | Editor: Bubbles | Proofreader: musk For the next few days, Ji Chaoyun went to class during the day and to Dengyun Tower to sort out ancient records at night. Although Feng Qi said that he would not let him slack off, that person seldom came to the pavillion, let alone supervise the progress of Ji Chaoyun¡¯s arrangement of the classics collection. Without that annoying phoenix, Ji Chaoyun was happy to locate one by one the scriptures that he had never had the chance to read, studying each scroll very carefully. But cultivation could not be accomplished overnight. Even with the collection of books from Dengyun Tower, Ji Chaoyun¡¯s cultivation progress was still far from that of ordinary disciples. The Dao class was not bad. Ji Chaoyun had already memorised the few Dao scriptures that needed to be studied in the Yellow level; it didn¡¯t take too much of his attention. In comparison, the immortal cultivation technique class in the afternoon was not so easy to muddle through. The Black and Yellow level 2 training classes had Kai Yang-jun in charge. However, the cultivation of immortal techniques focused on honing oneself. The immortal lord did not need to be there in person everyday. Therefore, the cultivation class usually sent a few high-level disciples to supervise the training. The training class of these second-level disciples was held at the back of a mountain, at the Swordplay Arena. On the grass, there stood numerous lofty stone figures. Next to each stone-shaped man were five men assisting each other in combat. Victory was won upon crushing the stone heart within a stone figure¡¯s chest, but these sculptures each had the height of two people, with extraordinary strength and nimble movement. After three days, no team had yet to successfully destroy a stone heart. With a loud bang, Ji Chaoyun took a few steps back under the last blow of the stone figure, his knees dropping to the ground. Ye Chenxing hurriedly ran towards him. ¡°Chaoyun, are you okay?¡± Ji Chaoyun¡¯s forehead dripped with a thin layer of sweat. He shook his head, and raised his hand to press it against his heart. His eyes faintly flashed with a radiant light that could not be suppressed. After a long time, he relieved the dizziness from the wasting away of his celestial power. ¡°I¡¯m fine. You continue.¡± Before them, the stone man who had been beheaded by them quickly returned to its original appearance. ¡ªOnce a disciple left the attack range of the stone man, it would be regarded as a failure of the challenge, and the stone-made adversary would automatically repair itself. Ye Chenxing exclaimed, ¡°Look at your face. Is this what you should look like? We¡¯ve been practicing for almost four hours. Let¡¯s take a break.¡± ¡°I¡ª¡± Without waiting for Ji Chaoyun to answer, a disciple beside them suddenly said, ¡°Resting again? Since you¡¯re so precious, why don¡¯t you go back and lie down. Why continue training?¡± Ye Chenxing angrily argued, ¡°What are you saying?¡± ¡°Am I wrong?¡± The man retrieved his weapon and held it, scoffing. ¡°Didn¡¯t you notice? Our team has the slowest progress, all because of his mistakes every time. And now you still want him to rest?¡± ¡°How can you blame Ji dage1?¡± Bei Ran retorted. ¡°Pinning the stone man down consumes the most energy. Why not try it yourself?¡± The disciple snorted. ¡°Isn¡¯t he the one claimed to have the best martial arts, comparable to even the Heaven-level disciples? What, he can¡¯t even deal with a stone man? Sure enough, the rumors are right, cheating to come into the academy. How good can he be.¡± Ye Chenxing rebuked angrily, ¡°What nonsense are you talking about!¡± ¡°Am I wrong?¡± The disciple said. ¡°It¡¯s spread all over the academy that he will get kicked out if he can¡¯t pass the quarterly exam. If he has no problem enrolling in school, why would the immortal elders make such a decision? A low-grade spiritual root. How he survived the Hongmeng Mountain trial and passed the entry assessment, only he knows!¡± Ye Chenxing was furious. He was about to stab the man with his sword, when he saw a white shadow flashing in front of him. The edge of a sword firmly blocking against his own. Ji Chaoyun stopped in front of him and whispered, ¡°Still in class. What are you planning to do?¡± ¡°But he¡ª¡± ¡°Can¡¯t argue so you want to fight. A guilty conscience huh, why should I be afraid of you?¡± Ye Chenxing pushed Ji Chaoyun away. The latter was so exhausted that he could not stand firmly for a while, and staggered back, bumping into another figure. The latter supported him. In a panic, Ji Chaoyun apologised, ¡°Sorry, I¡­¡± He raised his head, but then froze. The man in front of him was handsome, standing firmly upright. His expression was slightly uncomfortable, and he quickly let go of his hand like lightning. It turned out to be Jiang Cheng. The disciples who came to supervise the daily practice differed each time. Today, it was Jiang Cheng. Ji Chaoyun cursed secretly in his heart. ¡®Enemies on a narrow road indeed.¡® He stepped back when something suddenly fell out of his arms. The embroidered golden phoenix purse rolled on the grass, falling right by Jiang Cheng¡¯s feet. Ji Chaoyun¡¯s heart tensed. He was about to pick it up, when the latter bent down and picked up the purse. Jiang Cheng¡¯s action was pure instinct. After he straightened up, he realised what he had done. His hands froze in the air. The next second, the purse in his hand was pulled away forcefully. His face cold, Ji Chaoyun said, ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Jiang Cheng¡¯s lips moved, as if he wanted to say something, but he ultimately kept it down. He glanced at the few people present and coldly questioned them, ¡°What were you doing just now?¡± The disciple who had been nitpicking immediately replied, ¡°Answering to shixiong, it¡¯s all because Ji Chaoyun keeps making mistakes time and time again. This disciple simply wanted him to take note of stuff but they wanted to raise their hands against me¡­¡± Jiang Cheng¡¯s eyebrows dipped, but before he could speak, someone behind him suddenly said, ¡°I thought it was something big. So it¡¯s this little thing that caused this ruckus?¡± This voice was not unfamiliar. Ji Chaoyun followed the sound. It turned out to be Xu Zixing. Xu Zixing had partnered with Jiang Cheng for patrolling. He sneered, ¡°Do you know why you are allowed to practice with the stone figures? Because the first season¡¯s exam after enrollment is a trial in the secret realm, and the first challenge there are troops of these stone figures. The strength the stone figures are presently using less than 30% of those in the secret realm. If he can¡¯t even get through this, he might as well not even attend the exam.¡± Ji Chaoyun¡¯s eyes shook. The hands hanging by his sides gradually clenched. It would¡¯ve been better not to state this. As soon as these words came out, the disciple immediately panicked. ¡°Then what should we do? This person always drags us down. If this goes on, even with two more months of practice, we won¡¯t be able to pass. If you don¡¯t believe me, ask Qi Xuan. Am I right?¡± The little disciple who had not spoken was suddenly called. In a panic, he hugged his sword. ¡°I¡­ I¡­¡± ¡°You what you. If you fail the quarterly exam because of him, you can¡¯t even cry!¡± Ye Chenxing couldn¡¯t bear it. ¡°You shut up. How has Chaoyun affected us¡ª¡± ¡°No need to say further,¡± Ji Chaoyun interrupted. He raised his eyes to Jiang Cheng and said calmly, ¡°I withdraw from this team.¡± Jiang Cheng¡¯s eyelids twitched. Xu Zixing sarcastically said, ¡°Withdraw? This grouping will continue to be used until entry to the secret realm. What, the one who triumphed through the entrance examination using martial arts to enter the academy, also wants to be the first to pass the quarterly exam on his own?¡± ¡°You are seriously¡ª¡± Ye Chenxing wanted to say something more but Ji Chaoyun raised his hand to stop him. He shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s fine, you continue to practice. I¡­ I¡¯ll take a break.¡± He had used too much of his celestial power. At this moment he only felt dizziness, the sight in front of his eyes turning black. Ji Chaoyun turned around to leave when he suddenly heard Jiang Cheng utter behind him, ¡°Fool.¡± Ji Chaoyun slowed. Jiang Cheng continued, ¡°The stone figure formation needs to have five or six people to crack it. Even if you can do it for a while, how will you pass the quarterly exam?¡± ¡°Whatever I¡¯m going to do, does it have anything to do with you?¡± After saying this, Ji Chaoyun straightened his back and walked away. Jiang Cheng stepped forward, but was barricaded by another. Ye Chenxing stood in front of him and warned, ¡°No need to trouble Jiang shixiong. If I remember correctly, Jiang shixiong should still owe our Chaoyun an apology.¡± ¡°¡­Unsure when Jiang shixiong will honour it?¡± Jiang Cheng¡¯s complexion switched between blue and white. He ultimately glanced at Ji Chaoyun¡¯s back as he left, cursing in a low voice, before turning away. Ji Chaoyun walked under the trees¡¯ shade beside Swordplay Arena, then leaned against the trunk of a tree. He slowly exhaled, lowered his head and stared at his palm. The immortal power he managed to briefly gather was pitifully little, and gradually it dissipated. Ji Chaoyun stared for a long time before letting out a bitter laugh. ¡°Really turning into a waste.¡± At that moment, a voice suddenly sounded from behind him, ¡°You¡¯re too impulsive.¡± This voice was extraordinarily familiar. Ji Chaoyun turned around; a handsome young man was slowly walking towards him. It was Song Zhifei. He gave a warm smile to Ji Chaoyun and continued calmly, ¡°I heard everything just now. It was not your fault, but you should not be so impulsive.¡± Song Zhifei was a gentleman. Although he lost to Ji Chaoyun in the ring, he had no hard feelings towards him. Ji Chaoyun had a good impression of him so his tone softened as well. ¡°The secret to solving the stone figures lies not in cultivation techniques, but in teamwork and finding the keys to the formation. They are unwilling to cooperate with me. Their hearts are not in unison, it is useless to force them.¡± Song Zhifei obviously did not expect him to think so thoroughly. A little stunned, he shook his head. ¡°Even though the hearts of the people are not united and forcing is quite useless, it simply just needs a process. In the end, it¡¯s you who are stubborn.¡± Ji Chaoyun looked far away from Swordplay Arena and said in a light voice, ¡°If I wasn¡¯t stubborn, I wouldn¡¯t be standing here today.¡± Song Zhifei did not say anything. He was silent for a moment. ¡°It¡¯s not that there is no precedent of a single person passing through the secret realm before.¡± ¡°Who?¡± Song Zhifei stared at Ji Chaoyun and slowly uttered a name, ¡°Feng Qi.¡± ¡°Feng Qi was the only disciple who entered the Heavenly Class upon entry, and in the first year of admission, all disciples had to participate in the same secret realm trials. He was the same as you back then, he did not ask for any allies and thus entered the secret realm alone.¡± ¡°How did he do that?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Song Zhifei said. ¡°Feng Qi entered school earlier, not many people know about this matter. And what happened in the secret realm is not known to outsiders as well, so no one knows how he broke the stone man formation. If you want to know, you may need to ask him personally.¡± Ji Chaoyun¡¯s eyes displayed a complex look, and he did not answer. The little demon dragon had always been very clear. In this academy, the person he hated the most was Jiang Cheng. But ever since the appearance of His Second Highness Feng, who had the exact same face as the one in his memories and behaved in an exaggerated and indescribable manner, that person had taken the lead and became the top of the ¡®Most Hated People¡¯ list of his life. Song Zhifei saw his hesitancy and wanted to persuade him again when he saw Ye Chenxing and Bei Ran walking shoulder to shoulder from a distance. He swallowed the words that almost left his mouth, and said warmly, ¡°I will say up to here. Farewell.¡± Ji Chaoyun: ¡°Thank you, Song shixiong.¡± Ye Chenxing pulled Bei Ran closer. He looked at Song Zhifei¡¯s departing back and asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t that Song Zhifei? What did he say to you?¡± Ji Chaoyun shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Why are you both here?¡± ¡°You quit. Why would we stay?¡± Ye Chenxing grabbed his shoulders and gave a simple-minded smile. ¡°We both quit so we¡¯ll be a group of three.¡± Ji Chaoyun: ¡°Ridiculous. That stone formation requires five people and more to break. You both should stop acting like this..¡± ¡°Should we then watch you run into the trial alone? How can we be brothers?¡± Ye Chenxing interrupted. ¡°And, who said we won¡¯t pass the assessment?¡± ¡°What do you mean¡­¡± ¡°I just talked to Big Brother Ye.¡± Bei Ran raised his hand and his eyes were bright. ¡°I just thought of several ways to deal with it. Although we are short on two people now, it should still be applicable. Do we want to try?¡± Ji Chaoyun was startled, looking at Bei Ran¡¯s eager expression. He turned his head to look at Ye Chenxing beside him, and suddenly felt a soreness in his heart. He almost forgot; he was no longer alone. His gloomy mood gradually calmed down. He slightly smiled at the two of them. ¡°Fine. Let¡¯s try it once more.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, he was slapped on the back by Ye Chenxing. ¡°Try a fart! Rest first, look at your face!¡± The original emotional sentiment disappeared. Ji Chaoyun was pushed and staggered. He gritted his teeth and looked back. ¡°Ye Chenxing, you got addicted to pushing me? Even pushing me towards Jiang Cheng¡¯s direction.¡± Ye Chenxing¡¯s expression froze. He weakly explained, ¡°No, it wasn¡¯t me who pushed. Don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s the little kid who pushed you back then?¡± Bei Ran nodded firmly. ¡°No. It was you who pushed. I clearly saw it.¡± Ji Chaoyun tilted his head. The corners of his mouth curved slightly. The next moment, Ye Chenxing¡¯s screams came from under the shade of the trees. ¡°¡­Ah ah ah, sorry Chaoyun, I was wrong, don¡¯t let the bugs bite me!¡± Song Zhifei walked through Swordplay Arena and straight into the pine forest. He soon saw a tall figure standing under a tree, seeming to have waited for a long time. Song Zhifei walked behind him and asked with a smile, ¡°Are you satisfied now?¡± The man turned around. It was Feng Qi. Feng Qi leaned against the ancient pine trees. He wrapped his arms around his chest, and said in dissatisfaction, ¡°What satisfaction? I asked you to help give him a few pointers. Instead you pushed him to me.¡± Song Zhifei: ¡°I thought that His Second Highness Feng would want to personally guide him.¡± ¡°Who said that?¡± Feng Qi raised his eyebrows. ¡°As far as his cultivation base and bones are concerned, isn¡¯t it using a talented person for an insignificant use?¡± Song Zhifei had a smile on his face. Feng Qi cleared his throat, righteously speaking, ¡°However, if he really comes to plead with me, I guess I¡¯ll have to reluctantly help and teach him.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll head back to Dengyun Tower first, to avoid¡­¡± His words trailed off, not finishing the rest of his sentence. Song Zhifei¡¯s smile deepened. Feng Qi loved serenity. No matter how good Dengyun Tower was, it was not as good as Wenqu Peak. Therefore, he rarely stayed in Dengyun Tower at night. As for why he wanted to head there today, it was simply because he was afraid Ji Chaoyun couldn¡¯t find him, and would also be too embarrassed to go to Wenqu Peak Song Zhifei understood his intentions. He said, ¡°Then I will thank Your Highness on behalf of Ji shidi.¡± Feng Qi pretended not to hear. He turned and walked towards the depths of the pine forest. Feng Qi stopped when he was far away. ¡°Ji shidi¡­¡± He gently repeated this name, with a hint of sourness in his voice that he didn¡¯t notice. ¡°That little demon dragon, not even calling out shixiong and yet wants me to teach him. Must be joking.¡± The author has something to say: The vinegar phoenix is online. As a form of respectful address: Big brother Ji CH 9 A-A+ Translator: Amber.es | Editor: Bubbles | Proofreader: musk When Ji Chaoyun returned to Dengyun Tower, the night was already dark. He pressed a hand to his sore neck and stepped into the warm pavilion. His footsteps paused. Right next to the table facing the door of the warm pavilion, a figure was sitting behind it, already asleep. It was Feng Qi. Feng Qi held a few scrolls in his hand, while his right hand propped his forehead up, his eyes peacefully shut. It seemed that he was deep in sleep, not even noticing Ji Chaoyun when he entered. This was a rare thing. Feng Qi innately had a talented background, never placing cultivation in his eyes. Ji Chaoyun had almost never seen Feng Qi come here to read a book these days when he stayed in Dengyun Tower, let alone read one at night. Was the sun rising from the west today? Ji Chaoyun stood rooted outside the door for a long time, but he did not leave. He had to agree that Feng Qi, in a deep sleep, looked rather similar to what he remembered. After spending so many days together, Ji Chaoyun was almost certain that Feng Qi was not the person he knew. But now that he saw this person¡¯s appearance, he still couldn¡¯t help but feel a little despondent. The night breeze was cool, blowing into the warm pavilion through the open windows. Feng Qi frowned in his sleep, and murmured unconsciously, as if sleeping a little uncomfortably. The immortal body would naturally not get sick after sleeping like this, but it wouldn¡¯t be too comfortable. Ji Chaoyun thought for a while, then carefully stepped into the inner room, took an outer robe and walked to Feng Qi¡¯s side. They were clearly not the same person, but their looks were so similar, he was afraid it could only be explained by blood. Since it was connected by blood¡­ It was understandable that he took care of this person. Thinking like this, Ji Chaoyun knelt down beside Feng Qi and raised his hand to lay the robe on him. Under the setting sun¡¯s rays, he saw Feng Qi trembling as he forced himself to stifle a smile. Ji Chaoyun: ¡°¡­¡± It seemed that some people didn¡¯t need his care. The psychological construction he had just completed fell apart in an instant. Ji Chaoyun gently rubbed his fingers and an imperceptible light glowed from his fingertips. The next instance, a tiny bean, invisible to ordinary people, flew from nowhere, flapping its wings silently as it approached Feng Qi¡¯s side profile. Just when the little insect was about to touch him, Feng Qi suddenly raised his hand and caught it. Feng Qi twirled his fingers. The bug disappeared into a blue smoke. He angrily asked, ¡°Why are you letting bugs bite me?¡± ¡°Then why are you pretending to sleep here?¡± Ji Chaoyun¡¯s expression was faint. ¡°Your Highness seems idle. If you are bored and do not wish to sleep, you might as well organize the scriptures with me, thus finishing faster.¡± ¡°What time is it, tidying up¡­¡± Feng Qi silently swallowed back a swear word. He paused and asked again, ¡°Why did you return only now?¡± He thought Ji Chaoyun would find him after evening class was over, and waited in Dengyun Tower all night by himself. Who knew that the person didn¡¯t come until he fell asleep. Only when Ji Chaoyun passed the boundary was he awakened. His Second Highness Feng had been stood up all night, and he was almost bitten by an insect. His current mood was extremely bad. But still, there was a person who didn¡¯t understand his feelings, not realising why he was sulking. Ji Chaoyun looked at him questionably. ¡°Do I still need to report to you where I am going?¡± Feng Qi confidently stated, ¡°You are now my person from Dengyun Tower. Shouldn¡¯t you report to me?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ji Chaoyun pressed down on his anger. He picked up a few scriptures that fell on the ground. ¡°I have been at the Swordplay Arena tonight.¡± Feng Qi understood. ¡°Still practicing on how to deal with the stone figures?¡± Ji Chaoyun paused. ¡°How did you know?¡± ¡°Every time a freshman enrolls in college, they practice for it. Of course I¡¯d know.¡± Feng Qi glanced at him, pretending to adjust his lapel. ¡°Obviously, I haven¡¯t practiced it.¡± Ji Chaoyun let out a cold ¡°Oh¡±. The books were sorted and stacked, and then he went to the wooden stand on the side to arrange the brushes and inks. Feng Qi supported his chin and watched Ji Chaoyun walking to and fro, being busy. He couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°You have nothing to ask me?¡± Ji Chaoyun looked back at him: ¡°Ask what?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Feng Qi raised his eyebrows, then heard Ji Chaoyun say, ¡°Your Highness, do move your foot. You are stepping on a book.¡± Feng Qi: ¡°¡­¡± Feng Qi was so angry that he wanted to beat people up. If it wasn¡¯t for the old man Tianshu¡¯s request, would the other still have a chance to stay here? He snapped up the book by his feet and threw it in front of Ji Chaoyun, purposely making things difficult as he said, ¡°Still disliking me? Let me tell you, I am here to monitor your progress. With your dilly-dallying, it seems like it can only be done in the next few years.¡± Ji Chaoyun didn¡¯t lift his head, quietly stating, ¡°No less than three months. It should be completed before the quarterly exam.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Feng Qi choked on that sentence, feeling as if he was punching into cotton with a fist¡ªcouldn¡¯t stand nor could he sit. In the end, he walked away with a cold snort. Waiting until Feng Qi¡¯s figure had disappeared beyond the warm pavilion, Ji Chaoyun raised his head and frowned, puzzled. ¡°How did the Phoenix clan have someone like him as a descendant, talking nonsense all day, and acting so weird¡­¡± . The next day, at the Swordplay Arena. The sword in Ji Chaoyun¡¯s hand struck a sharp shadow, hitting the stone target¡¯s heart. The dust settled, leaving only a shallow dent at the spot he¡¯d pierced. ¡°Still not working.¡± Ji Chaoyun put away his sword and took a half step back. The stone figure¡¯s attacks stopped, and Ye Chenxing and Bei Ran, who were holding the stone man¡¯s hands, took the opportunity to escape. The three of them exited the attack range, and the dent at the stone figure¡¯s heart was quickly restored. Ji Chaoyun said, ¡°Two attacks at the same time can indeed contain the stone man¡¯s strikes. But the stone heart is extremely tenacious, and it can¡¯t be hurt by merely one person. I think it¡¯s better to change it back¡­¡± ¡°It won¡¯t work even if you change it back.¡± Ye Chenxing wiped the sweat off his forehead, and said, ¡°You are the only one among us who can restrict the stone figure. You have the highest martial arts skills, but doing so will consume a lot of your spiritual energy. We can¡¯t hold on for too long either.¡± He raised his eyes and looked into the distance. So far, no team had successfully defeated and dispersed the stone heart, but most of them had found a solution. Ji Chaoyun flashed a spell in his hand, putting away the stone man. He replied, ¡°I¡¯ll go to the Jing Pavilion to look up some classics and see if there is any book that tells a way to crack the stone man array.¡± Ye Chenxing nodded. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go together. Bei Ran, how about you?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll listen to you.¡± They passed through the Swordplay Area while talking. Suddenly, a thin figure hurriedly ran from a distance, as if not noticing the trio, and knocked against Ji Chaoyun. This person¡¯s build was almost the same as Ji Chaoyun who was hit by him, and almost couldn¡¯t stand firmly. Fortunately, Ye Chenxing helped him. Ji Chaoyun barely stabilized his figure and raised his eyes to see that it was the little disciple who was originally in their team, Qi Xuan. Qi Xuan enrolled with them, and was helped by Ji Chaoyun during his trial at Hongmeng Mountain. Ye Chenxing¡¯s expression sank as soon as he saw him, unhappily saying, ¡°Don¡¯t you have eyes?¡± ¡°Sor-sorry. I didn¡¯t mean it¡­¡± Qi Xuan looked very nervous and flinched in fear. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Ji Chaoyun patted Ye Chenxing¡¯s shoulder, bent down to pick up the sword that Qi Xuan dropped on the ground. He handed it back. ¡°Be careful next time.¡± Qi Xuan said nothing, quickly grabbed the sword and ran away. Ye Chenxing shook his head and sighed. ¡°That means you have a good temper and don¡¯t want to care about it. For these people who see profit and forgets morality, I¡¯ll give them a beating the moment I see them.¡± Ji Chaoyun: ¡°Better to avoid unnecessary trouble. Do you not think we have enough enemies in the academy?¡± ¡°What trouble are they, simply currying favours. I¡¯m too lazy to bother with them,¡± Ye Chenxing said. ¡°Let¡¯s go. If the evening classes end early, I will invite you for a drink.¡± Bei Ran whispered, ¡°But the rules don¡¯t allow¡­¡± Ye Chenxing glanced at him warningly, and Bei Ran timely shut his mouth. Ji Chaoyun saw their reaction and smiled. He shook his head. ¡°Everyone has worked hard these few days. Drink if you want. At worst, let us just be punished for copying scriptures together.¡± The three of them left the swordplay area, laughing as they talked. But they didn¡¯t notice Qi Xuan, who had just ran away, looking back at them, and walking straight into the woods on the other side of the arena. In the woods, someone had been waiting quietly. Xu Zixing smiled at him and asked, ¡°Have you got the things?¡± Qi Xuan¡¯s gaze dodged, and he whispered, ¡°Xu shixiong, are we really going to¡­¡± Xu Zixing: ¡°Don¡¯t continue your nonsense. Do you still want to pass the assessment?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Qi Xuan hesitated for a moment. He made up his mind, reached into his sleeve, took out something and gave it to Xu Zixing. It was a purse with a light gold phoenix pattern embroidered on it. The author has something to say: When the students are conscientious in doing things, we also know, writing to create trouble, attacking inside the novels. CH 10 At Haishi1, the evening class ended. Among the bustling crowd walking out of the classroom was Qi Xuan, who turned his head and whispered something to the disciple beside him. Suddenly, a bright glare crossed before the crowd, heading straight towards his direction. Qi Xuan perceived a plain white robe beaming in front of him before being strongly slammed by something¡ª his back collided against an ancient pine tree. He barely raised his head when a thin and slender hand strangled his throat in an instant. ¡°Where is my item?¡± It was Ji Chaoyun. Ji Chaoyun always looked cold and indifferent when dealing with others, but he had never made things difficult for anyone. But now, his pitch black, glittering eyes flashed with a luminous demonic radiance. Hints of blood gathered within their depths, looking terrifying. The hand that strangled Qi Xuan¡¯s throat tightened. Ji Chaoyun stared at him, and repeated in a cold voice, ¡°Where is my item?¡± ¡°I¡­ I¡­¡± Qi Xuan had difficulty breathing, and could not say a word due to the suffocating force. They were presently just outside the classroom, and the people walking along the forest path were all startled by the incident. Ji Chaoyun didn¡¯t realize it. His voice that clung to Qi Xuan¡¯s ear was piercingly cold. ¡°It¡¯s only you who touched me today. Did you steal my purse?¡± ¡°No, I¡­¡± Qi Xuan¡¯s face flushed. He vigorously shook his head. Ji Chaoyun¡¯s eyes flashed with a cold light, his fingers slowly tightening. Everyone woke up as if in a dream. ¡°Ji, Ji Chaoyun! What are you doing?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter, why are you suddenly fighting?¡± ¡°If you have something to say, just say it. Let him go!¡± More and more people gathered around, trying to separate the two. Ji Chaoyun¡¯s eyes swept around quickly, releasing the hand that clamped Qi Xuan¡¯s neck. He grabbed the other by the shoulders instead, and the two bodies rose into the air, turning into a white glow and disappearing into the night sky. In the middle of the night, Hongmeng Mountain was surrounded by clouds and mist; snow had begun to fall in the mountains. A dragon-like light fell from the sky, and from that radiance, Ji Chaoyun appeared. With a push, the young man in his hand fell onto the floating stone bridge. He leaned down and grabbed Qi Xuan¡¯s collar. All the while, the frost on the surface of the stone bridge swirled and fluttered into the bottomless gorge one after another. Ji Chaoyun whispered, ¡°Here is the abyss below us. Even if it is an immortal body, the bones and muscles will nonetheless fracture into pieces, thus becoming a torn body with its bones crushed. Guess if I dare to push you down?¡± Qi Xuan¡¯s face was as pale as paper. He weakly grasped Ji Chaoyun¡¯s wrist, shivering as he said, ¡°I, I don¡¯t know what you are talking about, I really don¡¯t know¡­¡± A sneer full of mockery appeared in Ji Chaoyun¡¯s eyes. Without hesitation, he raised his hand and pushed Qi Xuan directly off the stone bridge! Qi Xuan¡¯s body fell rapidly. In extreme fear, he couldn¡¯t even make any sound. But at this moment, a rope quickly leaped out of Ji Chaoyun¡¯s sleeve and, like a snake, wrapped around Qi Xuan¡¯s ankle. The other end of the rope was tied to the branch of the ancient pine tree at one end of the floating stone bridge. Qi Xuan¡¯s fast-falling body finally halted, and his whole person hung upside down between the cliffs He tried his best to look up, and saw Ji Chaoyun standing on the top of the cliff, covered in the heavy snow behind him. With the night sky melting together like dense ink, his face looked like frost solidified, his head lowered with an indifferent gaze. After which, he raised his hand, and the silver-white light transformed into his sword. The blade, bearing the sharp cold, reflected the image of the rope. Moving even a little bit would cause the rope to be severed. Ji Chaoyun: ¡°Do you still not know?¡± ¡°No, no¡­ don¡¯t!¡± Qi Xuan cried out in panic. ¡°I¡®ll speak. I¡¯ll tell you everything! ¡­It was Xu shixiong. It was Xu shixiong who asked me to steal your purse, it was he who got me to do it!¡± Ji Chaoyun moved. ¡°Where is my purse now?¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know.¡± Ji Chaoyun narrowed his eyes dangerously. Qi Xuan pleaded, ¡°Xu shixiong really didn¡¯t tell me where it went. I just stole it for him. But! But Immortal Lord Kaiyang sent him out today and he left with that purse. He said, he said¡­¡± ¡°What did he say?¡± Qi Xuan: ¡°He said that he would throw that thing into the lower realm so that you can never find it again to teach you a lesson¡­¡± The lower realm¡­ Ji Chaoyun¡¯s lips moved almost imperceptibly, as if in disbelief, and a surge of anger replaced his sadness. That was the only thing he¡¯d left for him. Ji Chaoyun¡¯s grip on his sword tightened. If one looked closely, one could see the uncontrollable shivering. Blood surged within his heart without warning; he staggered back a step, barely stabilizing himself. When he looked up again, the inky black within his eyes had completely faded away. There was a strong wind on the cliff, and Ji Chaoyun stood on top of it. His whole body temperament completely changed. Cultivating into an immortal body, there would always be a faint celestial aura lingering in his body. But at this time, his immortal aura quickly faded, replaced by another more sinister aura. At a speed visible to the naked eye, his blue silk clothes turned into a silvery white color. A pair of dragon horns grew on his forehead, and a pair of crystalline vertical pupils emerged, shining with a cold demonic glow amongst the wind and snow. Qi Xuan watched this change in astonishment. He was so frightened he choked as he asked for mercy. ¡°Qi Xuan.¡± Ji Chaoyun condescendingly stared at the person hanging upside down the cliff, his eyes chilly. ¡°I have never done anything to wrong you.¡± Qi Xuan: ¡°Chao, Chaoyun! Forgive me this once, Xu shixiong threatened me with the assessment, and I was desperate! Forgive me, please¡­¡± ¡°If you are desperate, then you must block another person¡¯s way? Based on what?¡± ¡°I¡ª¡± Qi Xuan¡¯s voice stopped abruptly. At that moment, he clearly sensed the cold killing intent radiating from the other¡¯s half-demonic vertical pupils, as though a basin of cold water poured down his head, freezing him till the depths of his core. The next second, Ji Chaoyun raised his sword and slashed straight at the rope! It was then that a golden light pierced through the night from across the sky, tightly strangling the blade of Ji Chaoyun¡¯s sword. Ji Chaoyun raised his head and met a pair of familiar eyes. Feng Qi held his whip as he stood in front of Ji Chaoyun. Seeing his current appearance, he was startled. ¡°Why are you¡­¡± ¡°Get lost!¡± Ji Chaoyun shouted hoarsely. He drew out his sword with a backhand move, condensed his power into his palm and slammed it towards him. Ji Chaoyun¡¯s demonic cultivation was much stronger than before. Feng Qi did not expect that he would be so ruthless. He was forced to move a few steps back and shouted, ¡°Ji Chaoyun! Calm down, you really want to commit murder inside Hongmeng Academy? Who do you think you are right now? How is this any different from those demons in the mortal realm?!¡± ¡°Demons¡­¡± Ji Chaoyun raised his head, and within those eyes shining with a demonic glow, a sorrowful self-deprecating expression appeared. ¡°Am I not originally a demon?¡± ¡°You¡­ ¡± Feng Qi stuttered. Before he could speak, Ji Chaoyun had already swung his sword again and tried to stab him. Feng Qi let out an imperceptible sigh. He leaned sideways to avoid Ji Chaoyun¡¯s attack. With his body inches from the sword¡¯s edge, his fingertips tapped the back of Ji Chaoyun¡¯s neck. The latter¡¯s movements suddenly stopped, and the demonic glow which had condensed on his sword dissipated instantly. Ji Chaoyun tilted his head to look at Feng Qi, regaining his clarity, albeit his eyes still appeared a little dazed. ¡°Why are you¡­¡± Before he finished speaking, his feet suddenly wavered. He was clearly about to fall. Feng Qi¡¯s instinct reacted faster than his brain. He tightly hugged the person in front of him. In that moment of contact, a ridiculous sense of familiarity expanded from the bottom of his heart. It was like¡­ He had held someone like this before. But this feeling was fleeting. Feng Qi leaned over and embraced the thin and cool body in his arms, holding the back of that person¡¯s head with one hand and pressing it into his shoulder. They maintained this stance amidst the vast snow. After a while, feeling the latter¡¯s rapid breathing finally calming down, Feng Qi raised his hand and stroked Ji Chaoyun¡¯s long silvery hair. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Sleep a little.¡± His voice fell. The long sword rolled to the ground with a soft sound as Ji Chaoyun¡¯s tense body finally relaxed, his consciousness sinking into the darkness. Seeing that the person in his arms finally felt comforted, Feng Qi raised his eyes and swept his gaze towards the rope on the edge of the cliff. A burst of bluish smoke lifted the person hanging upside down, settling him firmly in front of them. Qi Xuan¡¯s feet felt like jelly, and he plopped down with a thud. Feng Qi maintained his one-arm holding posture of Ji Chaoyun and coldly stared at him. ¡°Do you want to explain it yourself, or should I take you to the immortal elder himself?¡± . When Ji Chaoyun woke up, he had no idea how long had passed. A sharp tingling sensation in his brain made him groan out loud. When he opened his eyes, before him was a familiar face that had been magnified many times over. ¡°!¡± Ji Chaoyun instantly regained consciousness. He broke free from the other¡¯s arms2 and stood up, subconsciously reaching out for his sword but he could only feel empty space. ¡°What are you doing?!¡± His series of actions were too fast to deal with. Feng Qi raised his hands and said helplessly, ¡°Calm down, I¡¯m not taking advantage of you.¡± Ji Chaoyun did not trust him. ¡°Where is this?¡± He was not in any place he was familiar with. The sound of dripping water echoing in his ears was continuous. In the faint light, all he saw was the rugged stone wall, extending all the way to the top. The two of them were surrounded by pools of water on all sides, seemingly surrounding the clearing they were at. ¡ªThis was a stone cave. ¡°This cave is called Jingxin Cave3. This pond is called Siguo Tan4. As for this place¡­¡± His Second Highness Feng sat cross-legged on the floor, smiling nonchalantly. ¡°The disciples all call it ¡®Jinlao¡¯5.¡± ¡°Forbidden Jail? How am I¡ª¡± Feng Qi ignored him and continued on, ¡°You and I have disliked each other for a long time. You finally couldn¡¯t help but start a fight in Hongmeng Mountain; you grabbed Qi Xuan, causing us to be the witnesses. If I didn¡¯t have extra moves in my hands, I would have been beaten until I fainted. Immortal Lord Tianshu was furious, so he had us come here to calm down.¡± Ji Chaoyun silently glared at him. The demonic body he had previously shown was yet to fade away. His long silvery hair was scattered behind him, and his crystalline eyes looked colder than before. ¡°Why help me?¡± Feng Qi was confused. ¡°I helped you? Everyone saw you catching Qi Xuan when the class was over. Isn¡¯t that the case?¡± Ji Chaoyun retracted his gaze. ¡°These are actions done by myself. I do not need to implicate others. I will go to Immortal Lord Tianshu¡­¡± ¡°Ji Chaoyun,¡± Feng Qi stopped him, his voice still somewhat lazy. ¡°Do you know how the Academy deals with one rushing to murder a fellow classmate?¡± ¡°¡­Cripple the immortal bones and expel them from the academy.¡± Ji Chaoyun¡¯s eyes wavered slightly, and the atmosphere in the cave suddenly became sluggish. After a while, Feng Qi smiled lightly and broke the silence. ¡°Well, since I¡¯ve explained clearly to Tianshu, you and I will stay here obediently until tomorrow morning when we can leave by ourselves.¡± Ji Chaoyun: ¡°¡­I can¡¯t wait for tomorrow.¡± He lowered his head and clenched his hands hanging by his sides. ¡°Qi Xuan stole something from me, something¡­ important to me. I must find it. Thank you for your help. After I have found my item, I will tell the Immortal Lord everything and clear your innocence.¡± After he finished speaking, his legs began to walk. Feng Qi suddenly said, ¡°Do you know where to search for it?¡± Ji Chaoyun¡¯s footsteps stopped. Feng Qi looked at his back and slowly said, ¡°Qi Xuan only said that the thing was thrown into the lower realm by Xu Zixing, but he doesn¡¯t know where it is. You¡¯re more familiar with the lower realm than I am. Every direction has rivers and mountains winding across thousands of miles. Like finding a needle in a haystack, where do you plan to find it?¡± Ji Chaoyun lowered his head without answering. The other party didn¡¯t move for a long time. Feng Qi lifted his eyes and looked over. Ji Chaoyun stood not far away with his back to him, his shoulders silently shaking uncontrollably. ¡°Hey, you¡¯re not crying, are you?¡± His Second Highness Feng had never been afraid of anything, but he really couldn¡¯t handle this kind of thing. He hurriedly walked to Ji Chaoyun, wanting to lift his head up. Ji Chaoyun tilted his head away and avoided his hand. ¡°You stay away from me.¡± His voice was low and hoarse, his crystalline eyes red and misty, but bearing it in, tears did not fall. Feng Qi quietly swallowed. He didn¡¯t know why but he felt that this picture was more terrible than Ji Chaoyun crying in front of him. Feng Qi coughed lightly and slowly stated, ¡°I won¡¯t tease you. I¡¯ve asked someone to find out whether Xu Zixing did leave the academy with your pouch today. However, according to reliable sources, someone saw him go to the Nameless Sea6.¡± ¡°¡­Nameless Sea?¡± Ji Chaoyun questioned. ¡°Where is that place?¡± Feng Qi: ¡°The Nameless Sea runs through the four realms of immortals, demons, gods, and devils. It¡¯s a place outside the boundaries. As time goes on, it attracts many illegal traders living together in groups, relying on the four realms to resell all kinds of rare treasures for their livelihoods. Therefore, many people there call it the Sea Marketplace7.¡± ¡°He sold my purse?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Feng Qi nodded. ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s good to know the whereabouts of your item now. You can be at ease while you wait. When the restraint is lifted tomorrow, I¡¯ll find a reason to take you out of the academy and take it back.¡± Ji Chaoyun lowered his head without answering. Feng Qi thought he was still worried, and continued to persuade him, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, there is nothing in the sky and the earth that I can¡¯t find. As for those two idiots, wait until we find the item, then we¡¯ll deal with them separately. Hey, are you listening to me? Ji Chaoyun? Little crying bag?8¡± ¡°Shut up,¡± Ji Chaoyun hoarsely chided. He fell silent for a moment, before whispering, ¡°You¡­ Why are you helping me?¡± Feng Qi looked down at the young man who was very near to him. Suddenly, there was an inexplicably sour yet soft feeling in his heart. Ji Chaoyun¡¯s personality was stubborn and obstinate¡ª like a hedgehog who never let go of his vigilance, hiding behind the crowd and scrutinizing everyone, refusing to let anyone get close. But this time, he who put away all the thorns, looked so fragile and helpless that people could not help but want to take him back into the nest in order to keep him hidden and protected. And Feng Qi felt that what was presently being revealed in front of him was what this person truly was like. Feng Qi stared at him for a long while, then abruptly turned his gaze away. ¡°You are now my Dengyun Tower¡¯s person and my attendant. Ought I not help you?¡± ¡°When did I¡­¡± ¡°Alright. This lord is willing to do it. What else do you want to say?¡± Feng Qi interrupted him impatiently. ¡°I¡¯m going to rest now. You are not to make any more noise. If you make any movement, I will throw you into the water¡­¡± Ji Chaoyun originally wanted to say something, but Feng Qi had already turned around and laid down, as if he didn¡¯t want to talk to him any longer. He could only say ¡°oh¡±, resentfully walking to the side of the reef and sat down with his back to Feng Qi. Silence was restored in the cave. Only the sound of shallowly dripping water echoed in the silence. After a while, Ji Chaoyun whispered out loud, ¡°Thank you.¡± He didn¡¯t expect to get an answer, but after a while, Feng Qi¡¯s voice suddenly came from behind him. ¡°You dragon clansmen can only say thank you?¡± Ji Chaoyun turned his head. Feng Qi walked towards him and sat down beside him very naturally. ¡°¡­Weren¡¯t you sleeping?¡± Feng Qi rubbed his shoulders and neck uncomfortably and spat out, ¡°This shabby place is musty and damp. Who could possibly fall asleep?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Feng Qi squinted at him. ¡°Did you just laugh at me?¡± ??¡±No.¡± ¡°You did laugh at me.¡± Feng Qi continued, ¡°Rewarding help with evil. Are you dragons so immoral?¡± Ji Chaoyun held back a smile. ¡°Your Highness does not have to worry whether the Dragon Clan has a conscience or not. However, the Dragon Clan has never been so¡­ coquettish like Your Highness.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Be it heavens or earth, no one dared to say that His Second Highness Feng was coquettish. Feng Qi was speechless for a long time. He couldn¡¯t find words to refute, so instead, he angrily stated, ¡°You are really annoying to talk to.¡± ¡°Likewise, likewise.¡± The two sat side by side and didn¡¯t speak any more. After a while, Ji Chaoyun suddenly said aloud, ¡°When this ends, I will properly thank you. What kind of thank you gift would you like?¡± Feng Qi tilted his head to look at him. Ji Chaoyun hadn¡¯t recovered from his half-demon form. His silvery hair was draped behind him, so beautiful that one couldn¡¯t look away. A pair of dragon horns curved quietly on his forehead, and the water waves glowed with a soft luster. Feng Qi subconsciously wanted to reply that he didn¡¯t want any thank you gift. But then, his eyes fell on that pair of dragon horns. His heart was itchy; so were his hands. Quite intolerable. ¡±Let me touch your dragon horns,¡± he blurted out. The author has something to say: Yunyun: ¡­Not giving. Scram. The progress until the Highness touches the dragon¡¯s horns: 20% [A qualitative leap, my friends!] 9-11pm Bubbles: So all this time FQ was eating tofu??? Ahhh he couldn¡¯t let go of JCY lmao ¾²ÐĶ´ aka Meditation cave. ˼¹ý̶ Reflection (on past deed¡¯s) Pond. ½ûÀÎ Forbidden Jail. ÎÞÃûº£ Wuming Hai. º£ÊÐ Hai Shi. Literally little crying bag: С¿Þ°ü. CH 11.1 Ji Chaoyun was startled, and then quickly turned his head away. ¡°Never!¡± Seeing him with this appearance, Feng Qi¡¯s hands became even more itchy. He endured and pretended that nothing was wrong. ¡°If it¡¯s a no, then it¡¯s a no. Why are you blushing?¡± ¡°Am not.¡± Ji Chaoyun moved to the other side of the rock and awkwardly declared, ¡°Anyway¡­ it just can¡¯t be that. Change to something else.¡± Feng Qi retracted his gaze. His words were accompanied with a sense of loss that even he didn¡¯t notice. ¡°Joking with you. I didn¡¯t really want to touch you, I¡¯m not a pervert.¡± Ji Chaoyun didn¡¯t talk any more. Feng Qi glanced at him and couldn¡¯t help saying, ¡°I wanted to ask before. Why did you¡­¡± ¡°Why do I look like this?¡± Ji Chaoyun didn¡¯t intend to conceal it. He bent down, resting his chin on his knees, and curled himself up. ¡°You can¡¯t guess? My cultivation is not proper; the demonic body still remains. A half-demon, half-immortal body.¡± ¡°So on normal days your cultivation is limited because you want to hide your demonic spirit?¡± ¡°En.¡± Ji Chaoyun hesitated. He pursed his lips, then slowly continued, ¡°After I turn back into this demonic form, my temperament¡­ will be a little different. In the past, I would use half of my cultivation base to calm my demonic spirit, but once my emotions are agitated or affected, it becomes easier for it to leak out and show its original form.¡± Feng Qi: ¡°But you have clearly risen to an immortal level. Why are you still doing this?¡± ¡°Perhaps this is the price.¡± His gaze fell to the dark pool water in the distance, his eyes seeming sad and sentimental. ¡°If you want to get something, you have to exchange it for something else. Heaven¡¯s way is always fair.¡± Feng Qi fell silent. For a while, he rubbed Ji Chaoyun¡¯s hair and said, ¡°Qi Xuan won¡¯t disclose what happened today, but you should be careful in the future. I can¡¯t come to help you out like this every time.¡± Ji Chaoyun: ¡°Thank you.¡± Feng Qi smiled. ¡°Other than saying thank you, can you say anything else?¡± Ji Chaoyun remained silent, his head lowered. He subconsciously gathered his thin clothes. It was cold and humid in Jingxin Cave. Ji Chaoyun had been in the snow for a long time today. After the snow had melted and soaked his clothes, he was blown by the cold wind in the cave, turning his lips pale. Feng Qi quickly realised that something was wrong. ¡°Cold?¡± Ji Chaoyun nodded softly, not speaking. Feng Qi exclaimed, ¡°You, a dragon, are afraid of the cold? What do you do when you go back to the sea?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t live in the sea.¡± Feng Qi had a sudden realisation. So Ji Chaoyun was still a freshwater dragon. He had no experience with dragons in the past. He continued to probe, ¡°It¡¯s all the same. When you enter the waters, won¡¯t you feel the cold?¡± ¡°A dragon body has scales to protect it. It will adjust.¡± Ji Chaoyun heard Feng Qi¡¯s tone, as if he was a rarity, and glanced back unhappily. ¡°I also want to know, as a fire phoenix, how can you not be chilled at all?¡± Feng Qi grinned. His tone was quite triumphant. ¡°I¡¯m born to be like this, unafraid of neither heat nor cold. Among the Feng clan, only I have this physique. I thought it was strange at first, but when I thought about it later, maybe this is because of my natural talent.¡± Ji Chaoyun could not rebut him. In his heart, he recalled the rumor in the academy saying that this person was a peacock. It was true; him casually saying this as he spread out his train of feathers. Ji Chaoyun resisted the urge to roll his eyes, straightforwardly saying, ¡°Then you are really amazing.¡± Feng Qi seemed to be particularly used to this flattery. Towards Ji Chaoyun, he stretched out his hand. ¡°Come here.¡± Ji Chaoyun vigilantly questioned, ¡°What are you doing?¡± Feng Qi: ¡°My body is warm. It won¡¯t be cold if you come closer to me.¡± ¡°¡­No need.¡± ¡°Why, still shy?¡± Feng Qi smiled and said, ¡°Didn¡¯t know who it was just now, when still dazed, kept sticking into my arms. Now you know how to be shy?¡± Ji Chaoyun was stunned. The earlobes hidden beneath the silvery hair flushed red. ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense, how could I¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m not talking nonsense.¡± Feng Qi raised his eyebrows. ¡°When old man Tianshu led some people over, you were pressed into my arms, acting so coquettish; I couldn¡¯t even pull you away. Tianshu was so scared that he thought I was taking advantage of you. Alright, come here quickly, or I¡¯ll catch you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ji Chaoyun clung to his clothes¡¯ lapel, cuttingly saying, ¡°If you dare to touch me¡­¡± Feng Qi smiled. ¡°Why, calling for someone again?¡± He leaned forward in a deliberate manner and whispered maliciously, ¡°You can shout. There is a sound blockage technique placed inside this meditation cave. Even if I really do something to you here, you can¡¯t do anything else.¡± Ji Chaoyun: ¡°¡­¡± Ji Chaoyun silently moved to the side. Then he shifted again, as if to draw a clear line from Feng Qi. Fortunately, Feng Qi didn¡¯t continue to say anything. After a while, Ji Chaoyun suddenly felt a warm light behind him. He looked back. Feng Qi had ignited a small cluster of warm golden flames from his palm. Feng Qi tilted his head towards Ji Chaoyun from across the flames and smiled. ¡°This should be fine, right? Come closer. Such a big man being so sensitive, not allowed to hold nor touch. Is it possible that you are a woman?¡± ¡°You¡ª¡± Feng Qi beamed and ordered, ¡°Come here. If you get sick, how can you go to the Nameless Sea tomorrow?¡± These words hit right to the bottom of Ji Chaoyun¡¯s heart. Thinking of tomorrow¡¯s affairs, he swallowed his anger and slowly moved back to Feng Qi¡¯s side. The two quietly sat side by side by the pond, golden flames flickering in front of them. His body, originally frozen and numb, finally warmed up a little bit. Ji Chaoyun turned his head to look at the flames, and awkwardly raised his head. Feng Qi¡¯s eyes reflected the flickering of the warm glow. That face of his became even more handsome and outstanding, a soft smile at the corner of his lips, adding a sense of gentleness. This appearance became very similar to the person in his memory. Too ridiculous, Ji Chaoyun closed his eyes and softly stated in his heart, impossible. It can¡¯t be him. . The Nameless Sea was located in the gap between the immortal and mortal realms. This place used to be a barren area. Three hundred years ago, the war between gods and demons spread to this place, and a gap was torn, gradually forming this boundless sea. Hundreds of years passed, and this place became an unobstructed place for the unhindered circulation of immortals, demons and gods. Feng Qi took Ji Chaoyun on an immortal carriage, travelling across the waters. Very quickly, they saw the towering city standing under the sea from a distance. Ji Chaoyun lowered the carriage¡¯s curtain, turned around and asked Feng Qi, ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be noisy. It¡¯s almost done.¡± Feng Qi got in the carriage, with a half-silver mask in his left hand and a pen in his right one, drawing a few smooth and curved lines along the outline of the mask¡¯s eyes. Ji Chaoyun patiently sat down beside him, and saw a vivid silver dragon gradually forming on the mask under a few strokes of Feng Qi¡¯s flowing brush. ¡°How is it?¡± Feng Qi raised the mask in front of Ji Chaoyun and asked with a smile, ¡°Does it look like you?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ji Chaoyun was silent for a moment, then turned his head. ¡°¡­Ridiculous.¡± Feng Qi looked very satisfied. He placed the half-mask with the little silver dragon onto Ji Chaoyun¡¯s face and said, ¡°Don¡¯t show your true face at the sea marketplace. I¡¯ll give you this mask with a mark for easy identification.¡± In his heart, Ji Chaoyun thought, just by using one¡¯s attire and the other half of the face to judge, how could one not recognise? This was obviously just a bad hobby. But even if he resisted, there was no changing the matter. He could only let Feng Qi fiddle, and muttered, ¡°¡­I see.¡± The immortal carriage quickly passed through the barrier into the Nameless Sea, stopping outside the city gate. Most of the sea water there was blocked by the barrier. It looked no different from the mortal land. People come and go in front of the city gate, all wearing special masks on their faces. One could not infer their identity. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Feng Qi patted Ji Chaoyun on the shoulder and jumped out of the carriage first. He wore a golden mask on his face. The texture and shape was the same as those on Ji Chaoyun¡¯s, except that the phoenix tail pattern was carved at the corner of his eye. Ji Chaoyun subconsciously touched the silver dragon painted by Feng Qi. A very strange feeling appeared in his heart. It was as if¡­ their masks were a pair. He shook his head, driving out some strange emotion, and followed Feng Qi into the city. CH 11.2 Note: When respectful ¡®you¡® is used, it¡¯ll be underlined. A long street ran from the start to the end of the city. Rows of shops and vendors were on either side of the street, it was all very lively. Ji Chaoyun hadn¡¯t seen such a lively scene for a long time, and he was left momentarily dazzled. But Feng Qi did not look around, he pulled Ji Chaoyun quickly as he walked in front. He walked very familiarly to where a tall building stood. Ji Chaoyun raised his eyes. The plaque overhead had three big characters written on it: Luo Huan Building. This name, no matter how one looked, was not proper. Not only that, from their perspective as they looked up and within, the second floor had layers and layers of veils shielding it from view. Looking closely, a number of delicate and graceful silhouettes were faintly visible. Ji Chaoyun¡¯s cheeks burned as he withdrew his gaze. This, this, this was clearly a place for a tryst!1 Feng Qi was just about to lift his foot to step forward when he was pulled by Ji Chaoyun. ¡°We¡­ Are we really going in?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you looking for your stuff?¡± ¡°But¡­¡± It was rare for Ji Chaoyun¡¯s expression to be so uneasy. He glanced uncomfortably at his surroundings and whispered, ¡°Can you really find it here?¡± Feng Qi: ¡°Of course. Otherwise, what would I have brought you here for?¡± Ji Chaoyun wanted to ask more questions, but Feng Qi was reluctant to explain further. He simply grabbed Ji Chaoyun by the shoulders, half-pushing and half-pulling him into the building. As the two stepped in, a beautiful woman immediately welcomed them. When the woman saw him, she was startled. ¡°Feng¡ª¡± ¡°Shh.¡± Feng Qi raised a finger to his lips to stop her words, softly saying, ¡°Bringing a friend here to have fun. Help us find a secluded place, don¡¯t say anything else.¡± The woman¡¯s eyes glanced between the two of them, nodded and turned to lead them upstairs. Luo Huan Building had a total of three floors. The ground floor was a lobby with some scattered square tables, and at the center was a theater; the stage was paved with red silk, but at the moment it was empty. The first floor was much clearer, layers of curtains separating the seats from each other, the shadows further aiding to hide them from sight. However, the third floor held several private rooms. The woman pushed open a door. Inside the private room, the window was wide open with just the best view of the place; the whole interior of the Luo Huan building was in full view. Ji Chaoyun frowned at the sweet and clogging fragrance and heard the woman say, ¡°What does Second Master Feng think of this place?¡± Feng Qi: ¡°Good, here is good.¡± The woman nodded and agreed. She guided them to sit beside the window, poured tea for them, and then whispered, ¡°Second Master Feng, who would you like to accompany you today? Would you like me to find a few young beauties 2 to dance for you?¡± ¡°Cough cough¡­¡± Ji Chaoyun wanted to drink some tea but almost choked to death instead. Not to consider the fact that he went to visit a brothel, but he also wanted someone to accompany him all the while?! Ji Chaoyun stared at Feng Qi in horror. The latter¡¯s expression remained unchanged. He took a sip of tea and said quietly, ¡°Bi Luo, is this deliberate?¡± After saying so, he suddenly leaned in and took Ji Chaoyun into his arms. At the top of the cliff last night, Feng Qi had already embraced him once, but he¡¯d been unconscious and couldn¡¯t care about it at all. Now, this was their first hug in the truest sense since he had met this person. Ji Chaoyun stiffened all over, staring at the other¡¯s close familiar figure. He couldn¡¯t produce half of his strength to push Feng Qi away. Feng Qi smiled at him, leaned closer to his ear and warmly coaxed, ¡°Hey, don¡¯t be angry, I¡¯ve never asked for any female dancers here. She¡¯s deliberately angering you.¡± Ji Chaoyun didn¡¯t understand what he was talking about, but heard the woman called Bi Luo hide her mouth as she chuckled. ¡°Second Master Feng, you may not know how many enchanting beauties here are looking forward, day and night, for you to call for them. If I don¡¯t get a confirmation from this master, I¡¯ll be torn apart by those people when I get back.¡± With one hand, Feng Qi held Ji Chaoyun, and with his other he took out a few spiritual stones from his sleeve and threw them to her. ¡°This is good enough for an explanation ba. Go.¡± Bi Luo¡¯s eyebrows lifted as she beamed. ¡°Understood.¡± The woman closed the door and left. Ji Chaoyun suddenly broke free from Feng Qi¡¯s embrace, his cheeks slightly hot. ¡°What, what is going on?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t look at me with that kind of gaze, I really don¡¯t visit brothels.¡± As soon as this remark came out, Ji Chaoyun¡¯s distrustful gaze was immediately shown. His Second Highness Feng, who had always been fearless and unafraid of both heavens and earth, felt a little guilty when he was being stared at by Ji Chaoyun. He touched his nose and explained, ¡°I have a little friendship with the boss here. Been here several times, so I recognize a few people.¡± Ji Chaoyun suspiciously asked, ¡°It is that simple?¡± ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s not that simple. Look there.¡± Ji Chaoyun followed Feng Qi¡¯s gaze. At some point in the middle of the stage, a showcase had been pushed up to it. Several wooden boxes of different sizes were thus displayed. The light in the lobby suddenly dimmed, and more than a hundred red candles around the stage lit up at the same time, illuminating that square inch of area. Ji Chaoyun suddenly understood. ¡°Bidding?¡± ¡°Not bad,¡± Feng Qi said. ¡°Luo Huan Building is not only the land of wind and moon, but also the largest auction venue in the entire sea market.¡± While the two were talking, several graceful enchanting beauties stepped onto the stage, and after a short opening remark, the first lot of the show was presented. Haishi¡¯s bidding method was different from that of ordinary folk. Everyone had a silver hand card in front of them, in which spiritual power would be injected when bidding. The enchanting beauties on stage would then automatically quote the hand card number and bidding price. The auction started. Ji Chaoyun looked down, and there was a similar silver hand card on the table in front of them. Ji Chaoyun questioned, ¡°How do you know that item is here?¡± Feng Qi propped his chin, looked downstairs with bored eyes, and said leisurely, ¡°What¡¯s so difficult about this. You underestimate me.¡± ¡°Although the Nameless Sea is a place outside the law, there are many people with eyes. Xu Zixing came here with such bold arrogance; walking through the road, there were so many people who saw him. Is it thus that difficult to know his whereabouts?¡± Ji Chaoyun nodded his head, feeling vaguely unsettled, but he said nothing. The auction went on very quickly, and within an hour, only the last lot was left on the stage. The hostess of the auction slowly opened the wooden box in her hand. A bright gold phoenix-patterned purse was lying quietly inside it. Ji Chaoyun¡¯s breathing halted. ¡°This is the last lot for today. The starting price is two thousand high-grade spiritual stones¡­¡± Everyone was in an uproar. Spiritual stones were a thing circulated among the three realms, divided into high-grade, middle-grade, and low-grade. Previously, Luo Huan Building had auctioned no less than ten magical artifacts and treasures, and the most expensive one was no more than 500 high-grade spiritual stones. But the starting price of this item had already reached two thousand. Feng Qi¡¯s expression also changed. Luo Huan Building¡¯s lots were mostly rare items. They had someone to professionally appraise it. It seemed that it was no ordinary treasure to be able to set such a high starting price. He thoughtfully turned his head to look at Ji Chaoyun, his gaze holding a certain complex meaning. He¡¯d asked Qi Xuan before and was told that the stolen item was a purse embroidered with a phoenix pattern. Traces of the phoenix was not exclusive to the Feng clan. Hence, though Feng Qi thought it was a coincidence at the time, he did not dare to hypothesize. Now, however, with such a high starting price and with Tianshu once saying that Ji Chaoyun had a relationship with the Feng clan, this thing probably had an inseparable link with his clan. What exactly was being hidden inside that purse? Downstairs, someone started to bid. Most of the people who could come here were rich and wealthy. The starting price was slowly rising. During the time Feng Qi was in a trance, it had risen by 500 spiritual stones already. ¡°Feng¡­ Feng Qi?¡± Ji Chaoyun hurriedly pulled Feng Qi¡¯s hem. Of course, he knew of the phoenix¡¯s golden tail feather¡¯s value. This item was a priceless treasure, so when he understood that it would appear in the auction, his heart became unsettled. Although Feng Qi agreed to help him, could he really come up with so many spiritual stones? Feng Qi recovered, and quietly apologised, injecting a strand of spiritual power into his numbered one auction card. The enchanting beauty who was in charge of the bidding was the previously met Bi Luo. She cast a surprised glance in their direction, and read, ¡°Number 1, three thousand high-grade spiritual stones.¡± The price increased by over five hundred spiritual stones. As soon as the price was released, there was a lot of discussion in the audience. To bid this way, it proved furthermore that this item had to be obtained. What¡¯s more, the person who could get the numbered one auction card in Luo Huan Building was definitely not one who would want to waste time. Everyone glanced at each other. The bidders who originally started it off all retracted their hands. However¡ª ¡°Number 22, three thousand and two high-grade spiritual stones.¡± Feng Qi raised his eyebrows, and lightly tapped his fingertips on his card. ¡°Number 1, three thousand and five high-grade spiritual stones.¡± ¡°Number 22, three thousand and six high-grade spiritual stones.¡± ¡°Number 1, four thousand high-grade spiritual stones.¡± ¡°Number 22, four thousand and two high-grade spiritual stones.¡± Feng Qi silently cursed. Ji Chaoyun sat quietly at the table and listened, feeling even more nervous. Hongmeng Academy gave Heaven-level disciples a monthly salary of only two high-grade spiritual stones and seven medium-grade spiritual stones. He didn¡¯t know for how many years he would have to save to pay back these four thousand-odd spiritual stones. But he had to take this item back. Feng Qi observed Ji Chaoyun¡¯s expression, deliberately making a hesitant look. ¡°Ji Chaoyun, the price is a bit high now ah?¡± Ji Chaoyun let out a ¡°En¡± and whispered, ¡°You¡­ don¡¯t have enough?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that there¡¯s not enough¡­¡± Feng Qi said. ¡°It¡¯s just that I¡¯m spending so many spiritual stones for you. Will you be able to pay me back?¡± ¡°I can.¡± Ji Chaoyun grabbed Feng Qi¡¯s sleeve and anxiously uttered, ¡°I, I still can¡¯t take out so much, but I will find a way to pay you back. No matter how many years it takes, or whatever other repayment method you want, I can accept it all.¡± Feng Qi¡¯s heart thumped. He asked, ¡°Even if you sell yourself to me?¡± Ji Chaoyun was startled. At that moment, he couldn¡¯t tell whether the other was serious or joking. Luo Huan Building¡¯s interior was totally silent. As no one raised the price, the final bid had been repeated for the second time on stage. Just before the third repetition was about to be announced, Ji Chaoyun blurted out, ¡°I promise!¡± Feng Qi smiled, raised his hand and pressed it heavily on his auction card. Five thousand high-grade spiritual stones. The author has something to say: If spiritual stones are converted into RMB, the top grade ¡Ö ten thousand, the medium grade ¡Ö one thousand, and the low grade ¡Ö one hundred. Phoenix: ? ? ? So I spent 50 million to buy my own feather? ? ? ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Let me tell you a sad news that my archives have finally been officially spent today qwq In the future, we will try to keep this time updated, so that everyone can see it at a fixed time. If you can¡¯t update on time, you will be notified in the first line of the copy. Add more and wait for v. With my speed of 500 words per hour, I feel that I am very good after writing a chapter in a day. Literal meaning for ·çÔÂÖ®µØ is ¡®Land of wind and moon¡¯. Ïɼ§: Female immortal dancers / fairy-like immortals dance CH 12 Ji Chaoyun exhaled in a rush, his heart pounding quickly. Luo Huan Building was so quiet, one could hear a needle drop. Even Bi Luo, up on stage, was stunned for a long time before reporting the latest offer by Feng Qi. This time, there was no one who dared to compete with him. After a final call from the stage, Feng Qi chuckled and patted Ji Chaoyun on the shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t forget what you promised me just now.¡± After that, he got up and walked out. After the bid was successful, he needed to follow one of the attendant girls to pick up the goods, but Ji Chaoyun didn¡¯t want to stay alone in Luo Huan Building. After promising in every possible way that he would not run around, Feng Qi finally agreed for him to wait outside. Watching Ji Chaoyun walk out of Luo Huan Building, Feng Qi followed the little beauty to the back of the courtyard. Luo Huan Building¡¯s back courtyard was much quieter than the front hall. Passing through the carved arches and the porch, there was a row of houses in a neat line, a wooden sign hanging on each door. This was the true play store of Luo Huan Building. The girl steadily led Feng Qi to the deepest room in the backyard without looking back at him. As soon as they walked to the door, it swung open. The girl bowed and left. Feng Qi stepped into the house and first smelled the faint fragrance of peach blossoms. On a soft couch within the room laid a slender beauty reclining on it. The woman wore a long, peach-pink dress, a peach blossom pin in her hair. Half of her hair was tied up in a bun while the other half was loose and scattered, giving off a sense of laziness. She raised those apricot eyes of hers, yawned, and sat up as if she hadn¡¯t yet woken up from her sleep. ¡°They told me that you were coming, and I still didn¡¯t believe it. My little beauties said that you brought a man here, and I couldn¡¯t believe it.¡± Feng Qi took off his mask and raised an eyebrow at the woman. ¡°Now you believe it?¡± ¡°I still don¡¯t dare to believe it,¡± the woman said quietly. ¡°Five thousand high-grade spiritual stones, in exchange for a purse. When did the Second Highness Feng become a fool?¡± Feng Qi chuckled. ¡°I just came to get a new item to make my family¡¯s darling happy. He wants it, so I will buy it for him. It¡¯s as simple as that. Ah Tao, don¡¯t you understand?¡± ¡°Throwing out gold for a beauty. This is indeed the style of Second Highness Feng.¡± Ah Tao opened her palm, and a purse embroidered with a phoenix pattern appeared in her hand. ¡°But¡­ Does Your Highness know what this thing is?¡± Feng Qi said truthfully, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°What a coincidence, I don¡¯t know either,¡± Ah Tao said. ¡°There is a powerful seal on this purse. I have tried many methods, but I still can¡¯t open it. Your Second Highness Feng¡¯s gain may not be worth that much this time.¡± Feng Qi frowned. ¡°But you set a high price.¡± ¡°If I could have opened this thing, I would have given it an even higher price.¡± Ah Tao threw the object to Feng Qi and said, ¡°That seal is a divine deed.¡± Feng Qi froze. Ah Tao said, ¡°Your family¡¯s beauty has good vision. Since being in Luo Huan Building, I have never come across goods from the Heaven¡¯s Domain. To think it caught his eye at a glance.¡± Feng Qi only felt that the thing in his hand weighed a thousand catties. He paused before asking in a hoarse voice, ¡°This item¡­ belongs to a certain god?¡± In fact, there was no need to ask these words at all. The moment he held the purse, he felt an extremely powerful force. That power was definitely not what an ordinary immortal would have. This was divine power. Ah Tao: ¡°Perhaps. If you can find a way to open it, you must tell me what¡¯s inside.¡± ¡°I will.¡± Feng Qi put away the purse. His expression returned to normal. ¡°The spiritual stones will be delivered in three days, thank you for that.¡± ¡°Again on credit¡­ You¡¯re taking advantage of the fact that I like you.¡± Ah Tao coldly sent him away. ¡°Won¡¯t be sending you off myself.¡± Feng Qi turned around and headed out. It was still daytime, and there was no one in Luo Huan Building¡¯s backyard. Feng Qi lowered his head and stared at the purse in his hand, his expression momentarily complicated. He stared at it for a long time. As if in a daze, he gently pulled the strings. He didn¡¯t expect that this purse, that Ah Tao had mentioned no one could open, would be so easily opened by him. In the purse, a golden-red phoenix feather laid within. Feng Qi¡¯s expression drastically changed. . On the other side, Ji Chaoyun was still standing outside Luo Huan Building as he waited. After the auction room had ended, those who had no intention of seeking pleasure left one after another. Luo Huan Building¡¯s exterior quickly returned to its original clean state. He watched the people coming and going on the long street, and sighed imperceptibly. After all the hardships to enter Hongmeng Academy, it was still unknown whether he could really stay. Now he even owed such a large debt. What was all of this about? Suddenly, Ji Chaoyun¡¯s expression shifted, and he vaguely felt something strange. Someone was staring at him. Ji Chaoyun looked around. Street vendors hawked along the streets, and pedestrians came one after another. It looked the same as before, but the feeling of being secretly spied on still lingered. At this moment, a dark shadow flashed past the narrow alley next to Luo Huan Building. Ji Chaoyun thought for a moment, then quietly followed. The alley was secluded. In the past, no one ever passed it so a lot of debris and dust had piled up on the ground. Ji Chaoyun carefully stepped over the litter, and was turning at the corner of the dark alley when he heard the sound of a sharp blade slicing through the air. He instinctively blocked the attack with his sword when he saw the person in front of him¡ª a black hooded robe and a black mask was hiding his face. Ji Chaoyun¡¯s heart pounded. Broken memories of the past emerged without warning. Rainy nights, footsteps, men in black¡­ In his previous life, in the mortal world, he had never cultivated. Facing those high-level assassins, he had no power to fight back, not even able to clearly see the face of his opponent. Was it the same person again? This thought flashed in Ji Chaoyun¡¯s heart for a moment, and he subconsciously swung his sword to counterattack. The shadows of the swords in the dark alley left dazzling sparks. The two quickly exchanged several moves, but the more they fought, the more puzzled Ji Chaoyun became. This sword style was not as murderous as the men in black that had attacked him before. This was even¡­ quite familiar? The blades engulfed in spiritual power struck each other, and the two retreated a few steps at the same time. Ji Chaoyun suddenly had the answer flash in his mind. The latter also seemed to have realized something, and any movement suddenly stopped. ¡°You¡­¡± Ji Chaoyun spoke in confusion, but before he could finish speaking, the latter turned and rose into the air, about to disappear from his sight. In the next second, a golden light flew obliquely from the alleyway, binding the black-robed man who had firmly jumped into the air. The black-robed man fell to the ground, embarrassingly rolling on the lane a few times before stopping by Ji Chaoyun¡¯s feet. The eyes of the two briefly met. Bearing a guilty conscience, the black-robed man looked away. Feng Qi strolled in from the entrance of the alley and stepped on the stranger¡¯s chest. ¡°Where did this little thief come from? Daring to act in this sea marketplace, you don¡¯t want to live anymore?¡± The black-robed man groaned after being stepped on, but didn¡¯t answer. Feng Qi exerted further force to his foot, icily stating, ¡°Speak. Who exactly are you, and what is your purpose?¡± In a weak voice, Ji Chaoyun requested, ¡°Wait¡­ Feng Qi, he seems to be¡­¡± ¡°Shut up,¡± Feng Qi reprimanded. ¡°Didn¡¯t I ask you to wait for me outside Luo Huan Building? Why are you running around by yourself?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ji Chaoyun looked very hesitant. He looked at the man in the black robe, looked up at Feng Qi, and whispered, ¡°We¡­ may know him.¡± Feng Qi suspiciously raised his eyebrows. He bent down, and pulled off the mask of the man. A familiar face appeared. ¡°¡ªJiang Cheng?!¡± Feng Qi was surprised. ¡°Are you sick, dressing like this?¡± Jiang Cheng gritted his teeth, his face flushing red. ¡°You dead phoenix, take your foot away from me!¡± 1 Feng Qi stepped back and smoothly took away the golden chain that bound Jiang Cheng. Jiang Cheng quickly got up. He had just rolled on the ground several times; his body was covered with dust, there was a footprint on his chest, and he looked particularly embarrassed. Feng Qi looked at him up and down for a long while, vaguely understanding things. He joked, ¡°What, Dufeng Island is finally bankrupt, and has to send their young master out to block the road and steal to make a living?¡± ¡°Fuck off. Even if the Feng clan goes bankrupt, we won¡¯t!¡± Jiang Cheng took back his mask, glanced at Ji Chaoyun, and said with a guilty conscience, ¡°It¡¯s just a little misunderstanding. I have something to do. Will leave first.¡± ¡°Stop.¡± Feng Qi stopped in front of him and said slowly, ¡°I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s not just a misunderstanding, right? You just came out of Luo Huan Building?¡± Jiang Cheng flatly replied, ¡°What Luo Huan Building, I don¡¯t know, I haven¡¯t been in.¡± ¡°If you haven¡¯t been in, why do you have the unique incense from Luo Huan Building on your body?¡± Jiang Cheng was startled. He subconsciously sniffed his clothes. ¡°How can there be the smell of incense¡­ Are you a dog, such a good nose?!¡± Feng Qi calmly explained, ¡°I didn¡¯t smell it, I lied to you.¡± Jiang Cheng: ¡°¡­¡± Feng Qi said, ¡°Since you admit that you have been to Luo Huan Building, things are easier to handle. Am I right, Number 22?¡± Ji Chaoyun was surprised. ¡°You are that Number 22?¡± Jiang Cheng¡¯s eyes avoided their own. He refused to admit it. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you are talking about.¡± Feng Qi was not surprised by his reaction. ¡°If you don¡¯t recognize it, do you want me to take you back to Luo Huan Building to find a little beauty as a testimony? If it¡¯s really not you, I¡¯ll return Young Master Jiang¡¯s innocence.¡± Jiang Cheng couldn¡¯t hold on to his face2. Annoyed to anger, he scolded, ¡°So what if it¡¯s me? Luo Huan Building opened its door to do business. What¡¯s the problem with me coming to participate in the auction?¡± ¡°Why is it okay?¡± Feng Qi gritted his teeth. ¡°You idiot. You have cost me more than two thousand spiritual stones in vain. Shouldn¡¯t you pay this bill?¡± Jiang Cheng said in annoyance, ¡°What shit. I didn¡¯t know that it was you! If I knew, I wouldn¡¯t have¡ª¡± His voice abruptly stopped. Usually, Jiang Cheng was used to showing off in the academy. It was rare for him to have this guilty look. His eyes shifted from left to right, not daring to look at the two people in front of him. Ji Chaoyun questioned, ¡°Why did you go and bid? And why did you attack me just now?¡± Jiang Cheng did not answer, but Feng Qi replied in his stead, ¡°Since you don¡¯t want to tell, then I will do it for you. Someone indulges his subordinate¡¯s reckless behavior. Now his conscience finds that he wants to make up for it, but he didn¡¯t expect his bid to lose to me, so he wanted to play some tricks. He might have heard about our relationship in Luo Huan Building but was unsure of our identity, so he wanted to attack you to force me to hand over the item.¡± Jiang Cheng was furious. ¡°This young master doesn¡¯t do that kind of a thing. I wanted to talk to you before buying the stuff back!¡± Feng Qi laughed. ¡°Fine. Give me six thousand spiritual stones, and I will sell it to you.¡± Jiang Cheng was shocked by his shamelessness. ¡°You rotten phoenix, how shameless can you be! Besides, if it wasn¡¯t for you who kept raising the price, I could have won it in less than three thousand!¡± ¡°Say it straight if you can¡¯t afford it.¡± Feng Qi tilted his head and smiled. ¡°Well, as I know that Young Master Jiang is poor, I¡¯ll give you a discount. Three thousand spiritual stones, how about that?¡± ¡°That¡¯s more like it¡­¡± Jiang Cheng nodded, and immediately realized that something was wrong. ¡°Wait, you both bought the item already. Why should I give you money?¡± Feng Qi spread his hands. ¡°Didn¡¯t Young Master Jiang say that he wants to buy it back? Taking your words back now?¡± Jiang Cheng didn¡¯t want to entangle with Feng Qi anymore. His head was hurting. ¡°Fine, fine. You give me two days, and I will give you the spiritual stones.¡± ¡°Will wait for the good news.¡± Jiang Cheng snorted, then turned to look at Ji Chaoyun. The latter stood silently, saying nothing. Jiang Cheng¡¯s lips moved, as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, he stayed silent and quickly left the dark alley. Feng Qi stared at Jiang Cheng¡¯s back and grinned. ¡°Look, isn¡¯t someone sending money to our door automatically?¡± Ji Chaoyun hesitated. ¡°Why would he¡­¡± ¡°Why do you care about him?¡± Feng Qi glanced at Ji Chaoyun intentionally or unintentionally, and vaguely said, ¡°He is a man who is accustomed to being domineering, and he is the most face-saving. He can make things difficult for you in front of others, but he will never endure other people¡¯s trickery. This kind of insidious trick¡­ Anyway, this person is very annoying. Keep away from him.¡± Ji Chaoyun silently looked at him. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did I say something wrong?¡± Ji Chaoyun averted his gaze, expressionlessly stating, ¡°No, I just feel that the phrase ¡®arrogant and domineering¡¯ coming out of your mouth is a bit strange.¡± Feng Qi: ¡°Are you indirectly scolding me?¡± ¡°¡­No.¡± Feng Qi looked at him suspiciously, and decided not to continue the argument. He simply took out the purse from his sleeve and handed it back to Ji Chaoyun. The purse had been re-fastened, and there was no trace of it being opened. Ji Chaoyun held his purse tightly, felt the slight heat from inside, and finally calmed down from his uneasy mood. Ji Chaoyun: ¡°Thank you.¡± Feng Qi didn¡¯t say a word. He watched Ji Chaoyun¡¯s appearance, and with a little bit of sourness, he asked, ¡°What the hell is this that makes you treasure it so much?¡± ¡°This is¡­ from a friend of mine.¡± Feng Qi asked, ¡°What friend? Who is he? Do you have a good relationship? How did you meet?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Feng Qi coughed lightly. ¡°Just simply asking.¡± Ji Chaoyun placed his purse carefully back into his sleeve and apologised in a soft tone, ¡°Sorry, his identity¡­ is not convenient to say.¡± Feng Qi¡¯s brows subtly furrowed. The feather plume in that purse was something that all Feng clan members possessed. With the faint divine power attached to the feather plume, it showed that its owner¡¯s status was extraordinary. If he really was a person from Heaven¡¯s Domain, Ji Chaoyun mentioning that it was inconvenient to say was indeed not a lie. But he was just a demonic dragon. How could he know someone from Heaven¡¯s Domain? What was their relationship? Feng Qi felt a slight displeasure in his heart, but he did not show it, only saying as usual, ¡°Well, it¡¯s late. Let¡¯s head back to the academy.¡± 3 ¡°Alright.¡± When the two returned to the academy, it was past haishi4. After the evening class ended, there was a curfew in the academy. There were no people in sight on the main peak, only a few dim lights hanging on both sides of the road. Ji Chaoyun subconsciously walked towards the direction of Dengyun Tower, but was held by Feng Qi and then led back. ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°Dengyun Tower.¡± ¡°What are you going to do in Dengyun Tower?¡± Ji Chaoyun didn¡¯t understand what he was looking for, and stared at him blankly. ¡°Should I not go to Dengyun Tower?¡± Feng Qi righteously exclaimed, ¡°Forgot what you promised me at the auction site? You sold yourself to me to pay off the debt. Before the debt is paid off, you will naturally be my attendant and serve me personally day and night.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Feng Qi walked back and smiled in satisfaction. ¡°Come. Go back to Wenqu Peak with me.¡± The author has something to say: Phoenix: Day and night. Close to the body. Serving. Remember wo~ Little Dragon: ¡­This person is indeed really annoying Cohabitation get¡Ì Amber: This and the previous chapter were the reason why I wanted to translate this novel hehee Bubbles: So he¡¯s been stepping on him throughout? LMAOOOO Aka pride. Musk: lmaooo is he jealous of himself 9-11pm. CH 13 After more than half a month, Ji Chaoyun finally set foot on Wenqu Peak again. Being dragged by Feng Qi into the familiar courtyard, Ji Chaoyun couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Do you never live with others?¡± ¡°When you live here, you can¡¯t be noisy, nor can you disturb my rest. Otherwise¡­¡± Feng Qi pointed to the lotus pond in the middle of the courtyard. ¡°I will throw you into the water.¡± Ji Chaoyun: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°There are two bedrooms here. The big one on the left is mine, while the one on the right has been unoccupied and piled up with things by me. You can clean it up yourself.¡± Feng Qi crossed the stone bridge and laid down on the bamboo couch by the lotus pond, leisurely continuing, ¡°You will take care of the courtyard in front of the house and the spiritual field behind it. It shouldn¡¯t be difficult for you, right?¡± ¡°Also, I have kept this pond of golden-tailed koi for many years. You are not allowed to eat them.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ji Chaoyun was speechless. ¡°Rest assured, I don¡¯t eat koi.¡± Done with the conversation, Ji Chaoyun walked to the bedroom on the right. Pushing the door open, a cloud of dust rose in the house. It was debatable how long this room had not been cleaned. A thick layer of dust coated the entire room; all kinds of miscellaneous junk were randomly and haphazardly placed. Ji Chaoyun stood silently in front of the door, not even able to find a spot to step onto. Seeing that he hadn¡¯t entered the house for a long time, Feng Qi came over. ¡°What¡¯s wrong¡­ cough cough cough!¡± Feng Qi was choked by the oncoming dust. He took a few steps back, clutching his nose. Ji Chaoyun glanced back at him, and was about to enter, but was held back by Feng Qi. ¡°Cough¡­ you wait¡­ cough!¡± Feng Qi pulled him back as if he wanted to flee, and raised his hand to cast a spell to close the door with a peng. ¡°What are you planning to do? It¡¯s so dirty yet you still want to go in? Cough cough...¡± Ji Chaoyun¡¯s expression was hard to read. ¡°Have you never opened this room since you moved in?¡± Feng Qi pondered. ¡°Something like that. When I first entered the academy, I asked someone to move the unwanted stuff from the courtyard to here. After that, I didn¡¯t open it again.¡± Just entered the academy¡­ So it was more than fifty years ago. Ji Chaoyun shut his eyes and said, ¡°Never mind. It will be fine to just clean up. Your Highness, step back a little, so that you won¡¯t get it onto yourself.¡± ¡°It¡¯s already this late. Until when do you intend to clean?¡± Feng Qi offered, ¡°I¡¯ll find some people to clean tomorrow. Don¡¯t do it for now.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t ¡®but¡¯ me,¡± Feng Qi interrupted him. ¡°You didn¡¯t rest last night and was out all day long today. Tomorrow you still have to head to class. Don¡¯t you get tired?¡± ¡­Either way, not as pampered as you. Ji Chaoyun criticised him in his heart as he patiently asked, ¡°I just want to ask, if I do not clean it up, where will I live?¡± Feng Qi: ¡°¡­¡± There were two bedrooms in this yard. If this one couldn¡¯t be lived in, then there was only¡­ Feng Qi¡¯s peripheral vision swept toward the right bedroom, a little hesitant. His Second Highness Feng has never lived with anyone since he was born. This layer of psychological defense was not so easy to cross. But if Ji Chaoyun were to leave now, it would be even more difficult to fool this person into Wenqu Peak for a second time. Feng Qi gritted his teeth. ¡°Sleep in my bedroom!¡± Ji Chaoyun was a little surprised, but did not refuse. It was already the main peak¡¯s curfew time. Without this fearless Second Highness Feng following him, he was afraid that just after crossing the barrier, he would be caught by the night watch disciples on their way to the Supervisory Hall. Another reason was that yesterday, his demonic body had unexpectedly appeared, and today, he had run around for a whole day. He was indeed a little tired. Feng Qi was particular about his nightly routine. Before sleeping, he first needed to take a dip in the hot spring water behind the house to relieve fatigue. He soaked for a short while as he gazed at the night sky. However, when he quietly returned to the bedroom, he found that Ji Chaoyun was not asleep either. He was only wearing a middle clothing1, his wet hair casually draped over his shoulder as he sat under the lamp, reading. The dragon race lived in the waters, not beneath the heat of the sun. Hence, they were born with a chilly and pale complexion, which was most obvious in Ji Chaoyun. Yet in this moment, under the lamp¡¯s light, the three-dimensional features of his silhouette were outlined with a layer of warm glow, making him look slightly flushed. Feng Qi leaned against the door and quietly watched him. Somehow, the originally uncomfortable emotions lurking within disappeared the moment his eyes lay on this scene, replaced by another hidden and indescribable throbbing. Feng Qi¡¯s gaze traced every inch of Ji Chaoyun¡¯s face. He suddenly felt a little regretful. If he wasn¡¯t a man¡­ As this thought flashed through his mind, Feng Qi suddenly came to his senses. What was he thinking just now? If Ji Chaoyun wasn¡¯t a man, what would he do? A pity that he didn¡¯t have time to think about it anymore. Ji Chaoyun closed the scroll in his hand and raised his head. ¡°What are you standing there for?¡± ¡°¡­Nothing much.¡± Feng Qi nonchanthly stepped forward and glanced at the book in his hand. ¡°Why did you take something from my Dengyun Tower¡¯s library collection again?¡± It wasn¡¯t once or twice that Ji Chaoyun took books from Dengyun Tower. Feng Qi pretended to not see it until now, causing the little demon dragon to get an inch, then take a foot. Feng Qi condescendingly stared at Ji Chaoyun, in the end deciding to not squabble about it with him. He raised his hand and turned off the light. ¡°Sleep!¡± The room fell into darkness. Ji Chaoyun heard the rustling sounds of Feng Qi turning on his bed in the dark. He hesitated for a moment before climbing onto the bed as well. Ji Chaoyun once said that Feng Qi drank paulownia wine to quench his thirst, and he did not understand the sufferings of the world.2 Back then, he had only said those in a fit of anger, but he didn¡¯t expect that this person was really as particular as the phoenix in the rumors. His Second Highness Feng¡¯s bed was made of fine sycamore wood, layered with soft mattresses and velvet blankets; it was extremely comfortable to lie on. Ji Chaoyun touched the silk quilt on his body and muttered in his heart, if one didn¡¯t know, one would have expected a precious little princess living here. The two laid on both sides of the bed, separated by a gap wide enough to fit one person. Ji Chaoyun turned his back to Feng Qi, and heard the other person asking behind him, ¡°Ji Chaoyun, have you always been prejudiced against people like us, born in the immortals¡¯ realm?¡± Ji Chaoyun didn¡¯t answer for a while, then asked back, ¡°Why do you ask this?¡± ¡°Felt like it,¡± Feng Qi said. ¡°I heard that when you were in Changqing Courtyard, you often went to Hongmeng Mountain to help others through the secret realm, so many wandering immortals in the academy like you very much. This is not the you I usually know.¡± Ji Chaoyun was silent. He softly answered, ¡°I come from the mortal realm, naturally being closer to those wandering immortals. Isn¡¯t it the same with the other disciples within the academy?¡± Hongmeng Academy¡¯s faction divide was very distinct. Wandering immortals either attached themselves to those disciples born from immortal families, or huddled together with themselves to keep warm. It was not at all uncommon. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, but I always feel that you don¡¯t look like the kind of person who values one¡¯s background,¡± Feng Qi said. ¡°It hasn¡¯t been long since you first came to the immortal realm, and you don¡¯t know much about it. Have you ever thought that this place is not as bad as you think? At least I¡­ am not what you think I am.¡± Ji Chaoyun fell silent again. The room fell into a long silence, so long Feng Qi thought the other party fell asleep, but then heard Ji Chaoyun suddenly say, ¡°Those words that you said, I agree with half of it.¡± An immortal realm was still like that, but you are indeed not that kind of person. Feng Qi subconsciously asked, ¡°Which half?¡± ¡°¡­Think about it yourself.¡± Ji Chaoyun took out his purse from his sleeve and put it to his lips in a soft kiss, whispering, ¡°Sleeping now. Good night.¡± Feng Qi turned his head and looked over in the dark. Only the silhouette of Ji Chaoyun covered under the quilt could be seen. He quietly looked at him for a long while, gently smiling. ¡°Good night.¡±3 . Early in the morning of the next day, Ji Chaoyun arrived on time for the morning reading class. Feng Qi hardly went to morning classes. The reason was not because of him, but because he couldn¡¯t get out of bed. When Ji Chaoyun left in the morning, he¡¯d originally wanted to wake him up, but then remembered how His Second Highness Feng had half-threateningly and half-intimidatingly told him how extremely annoyed he¡¯d get after waking up last night. In order to not be thrown into the pool by this old master, Ji Chaoyun finally decided to not wake him up. However, when Ji Chaoyun arrived at the Swordplay Arena later, he saw Feng Qi standing in the middle of the open space at a glance. Feng Qi seemed to feel something, and turned to look in his direction. The two of them looked at each other, before Ji Chaoyun subconsciously looked away. The corner of Feng Qi¡¯s mouth curved into a smile, then quickly disappeared as he shouted, ¡°Hurry up, the bell for lunch has been struck twice already. What are you doing?¡± One after another, disciples arrived at the Swordplay Arena. Ye Chenxing leaned close to Ji Chaoyun¡¯s ear and whispered, ¡°Why is this peacock here? These high-level disciples are the most annoying supervisors for our practice. We can¡¯t even hide. This peacock usually doesn¡¯t attend his own classes, and no one would possibly dare to force him to come supervise our training. Did he take the wrong medicine today?¡± ¡°If something goes wrong, it must be because of a demon.¡± Bei Ran was worried. ¡°Ji dage4, you had a fight with him earlier. Do you think he would deliberately retaliate against you?¡± Feng Qi had suppressed the news of Ji Chaoyun losing control of his demonic spirit. No one in the academy knew about it. Even Ye Chenxing and Bei Ran thought that the cause of the two¡¯s confinement was due to their fight. Just as Ji Chaoyun wanted to explain something, Feng Qi gave a tiny glance in the direction they were standing at. He scolded, ¡°What are you still whispering about? Still talking amongst yourselves? Why stand so close? Stop talking!¡± Ji Chaoyun: ¡± ¡°¡­¡± Feng Qi nonchalantly retracted his gaze. ¡°¡­I¡¯ve asked Kaiyang-jun before. Each one of you was too lazy in the past, and did not practice well. How can you pass the academy¡¯s assessment? Today, I, your shixiong, am in a good mood. I thus came to teach you some moves.¡± He raised his hand. A circular enchantment about three feet wide appeared on the grass with him as the center. ¡°Line up one by one and fight with me. Those who pass, go back and continue to practice your swordsmanship. Those who fail, I have my own punishment to give. Starting from the Black level.¡± The disciples took turns to enter the circular area and competed one-on-one with Feng Qi. Feng Qi¡¯s martial arts skills need no explanation. Even if all the disciples present joined forces, they still might not be his opponents. At this moment, however, it seemed that he really was here to instruct these disciples. He didn¡¯t release his own weapon during the whole process, and he constantly exchanged tactics to teach these disciples how to deal with the enemy. Occasionally, there were some disciples who had a poor foundation, unable to handle his moves at all, being directly beaten out of the barrier by himself, henceforth being declared unsuccessful in the exchange. Feng Qi taught in accordance with their aptitude. The time each disciple had with him could be either long or short. And after every training session, each of the disciples benefited a lot. The atmosphere on Swordplay Arena gradually became excitable, but Ji Chaoyun instinctively felt that things were not that simple. This person was here purely to instruct these disciples on cultivation practice? He subconsciously looked not far away. Since the beginning of class, Xu Zixing had been very unsettled, always hiding behind the crowd, his thoughts inscrutable. Perceiving Ji Chaoyun¡¯s gaze, the man looked away in a panic and hid behind several disciples. At this moment, Feng Qi slowly called out, ¡°Next, Xu Zixing.¡± Xu Zixing suddenly trembled, his entire face turning an ashen white. Feng Qi seemed to be unaware of this, frowning and scanning the crowd. ¡°Xu Zixing? Why aren¡¯t you answering? Did he not come today?¡± ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m here,¡± Xu Zixing responded in a low voice. He crossed the crowd nervously, and walked inside the enchantment. The corner of Feng Qi¡¯s mouth curved. Rubbing his wrist casually, the golden chain around it fell down and turned into a long golden whip in his hand. The weapon glowed with spiritual power. Xu Zixing¡¯s face further paled. He unconsciously retreated half a step back. ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous,¡± Feng Qi said. ¡°I¡¯m a little tired from all the fights. You don¡¯t mind if I use weapons, right?¡± Xu Zixing: ¡°No, I dare not¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± The smile on Feng Qi¡¯s face instantly disappeared, and he coldly instructed, ¡°Let¡¯s start.¡± The author has something to say: His Highness is going to beat someone~ Like this white garment. Let¡¯s welcome Wang Yibo: Literal meaning: ¸ÊȪΪÒûͩľΪÆÜ£¬²»¶®È˼伲¿à A sweet spring to drink from and a tung wood to dwell on, not knowing the woes of the world. Bubbles: LMAO HE THOUGHT THE GOOD NIGHT WAS FOR HIM¡­ poor dude XD Ie: Big brother Ji CH 14 Feng Qi¡¯s one-on-one tutoring was still ongoing at Swordplay Arena, but one could say it was more like a one-sided slaughtering. Once the Heaven-level disciple got serious, his weary appearance was nothing but a blur to onlookers, overwhelming Xu Zixing whip after whip. The latter could only forcefully cope with dodging at first, but his resistance gradually regressed, and he was lashed several times. ¡°Movement¡¯s too slow. Get up.¡± Feng Qi whipped Xu Zixing¡¯s bent legs, knocking him to the ground on one knee. ¡°I heard you¡¯ve been promoted from the Yellow to Black level in your first year of enrollment. If so, why can¡¯t you even bear this?¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Xu Zixing panted, raising his bloodshot eyes. Feng Qi had dealt no heavy blows. With such low intensity, even skin and flesh wounds wouldn¡¯t be left on an immortal¡¯s body, but he could clearly see that the other was just making fun of him. Qi Xuan never said anything about what had happened, but Ji Chaoyun had sought him out in front of his classroom; many people had seen it. Although Xu Zixing hadn¡¯t been present, he could roughly guess that it must¡¯ve had something to do with the stolen purse. The only thing he didn¡¯t expect was that Feng Qi actually helped Ji Chaoyun suppress the matter. And not only Feng Qi, but also Jiang Cheng. After learning about the situation, Jiang Cheng had immediately rushed to the Nameless Sea to redeem the purse he¡¯d sold. From then on, he knew he had done something wrong. What he didn¡¯t understand, however, was why these people had to support that demon dragon. That person obviously¡ª ¡°Ugh¡ª¡± Momentarily losing focus, Xu Zixing was once again knocked to the ground by Feng Qi. The latter simply flicked his long whip twice, reprimanding coldly, ¡°Fighting with me, yet becoming distracted. Xu Zixing, what are you doing all day? If you don¡¯t want to practice, get out of Hongmeng Academy as soon as possible. Get up!¡± Xu Zixing staggered to his feet. ¡°Don¡¯t push too far. You¡­¡± Before he could finish his sentence, Feng Qi striked again. Xu Zixing couldn¡¯t focus on anything else. He quickly dodged left and right, but from the beginning to the end, Feng Qi didn¡¯t even move half a step from his place. ¡°Heh¡­ That was more than 30 whips already. Can he continue to fight like this?¡± In the distance, a few Yellow level disciples sat in the shade of the trees, watching the fierce battle in the distance. ¡°So cruel. He¡¯d probably have to lie in bed for a few days,¡± Ye Chenxing exclaimed. ¡°How did Xu Zixing provoke this ancestor? He robbed his wife?¡± ¡°Cough cough¡ª¡± Ji Chaoyun choked upon hearing these words. Still coughing, he said, ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense.¡± ¡°Did I guess it wrong?¡± Ye Chenxing said. ¡°That flower peacock has always been defiant. Who dares to provoke him? Have you ever seen him concerned about another? Tsk, I¡¯m afraid Xu Zixing is banging onto the iron plate.¡± The few people behind him were still discussing in low voices. Ji Chaoyun stared at the far distance, at the tall figure standing within the barrier, and lost focus for a while. Suddenly, the barrier shattered. Xu Zixing was kicked out of the enchantment by Feng Qi, and rolled several times on the grass. He rolled until Ji Chaoyun¡¯s feet before stopping, and sturdily gave him a five-body bow. 1 The audience: ¡°¡­¡± Feng Qi put away his golden whip and walked towards the crowd as if nothing had happened. ¡°What were you all talking about?¡± Ye Chenxing guiltily shrank behind Ji Chaoyun. Ji Chaoyun couldn¡¯t avoid him, so he had to bite the bullet and replied, ¡°Nothing much.¡± Feng Qi looked down at Ji Chaoyun, his lips curled in a smile. He glanced at Xu Zixing, who lay on the grass, unable to get up. He said loudly, ¡°We¡¯ll end it here. Those who did not pass have to copy the cultivation techniques a hundred times, especially you, Xu Zixing. Copy it three hundred times, and give it to me to look through personally.¡± After Feng Qi finished saying this, he lowered his head and told Ji Chaoyun, ¡°I¡¯ll go back first. Don¡¯t go to Dengyun Tower tonight, just head back to Wenqu Peak directly. I have something to tell you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Feng Qi urged, ¡°Did you hear me?¡± ¡°¡­Got it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s more like it.¡± Feng Qi gave a satisfied smile. ¡°Continue your practice.¡± And with that, he lifted his foot across the half-dead Xu Zixing, and walked away swaggeringly. ¡°¡­¡± Ji Chaoyun gave a helpless sigh. He turned his head, and a group of Yellow level disciples all looked at him in astonishment. Ye Chenxing¡¯s expression seemed as though he were still dreaming. ¡°He¡­ he said what just now¡­?¡± Bei Ran had the same entranced look. ¡°Back to¡­ Wenqu Peak?¡± Ji Chaoyun held his forehead. ¡°¡­Both of you listen to my explanation.¡± . Feng Qi didn¡¯t head back to Wenqu Peak. At this moment, the disciples were all taking classes in the back mountain, and the square in front of the main peak was extremely empty. He went past the front mountain, and soon came outside the Wenxin Hall2 where the Academy¡¯s elders handled business. Surrounded by cedars in the front, the temple gave off a pure and elegant feeling. Feng Qi was about to knock when the door creaked open. ¡°¡­¡± Feeling strangely hesitant, Feng Qi paused before walking in. The hall was burning with faint incense, and Immortal Elder Tian Shu sat in the inner room with his eyes closed. Despite noticing Feng Qi¡¯s presence, he did not open his eyes. Feng Qi respectfully bowed to him. ¡°Uncle.¡± Tian Shu quietly asked, ¡°Why did you come find me? What trouble did you make now?¡± Feng Qi refused to mention that he went to the Yellow and Black second-level disciples¡¯ afternoon class to stir trouble. Instead, he smiled and said, ¡°Of course it¡¯s not like that. In your3 heart, I love to make trouble so much?¡± Tian Shu muttered out, ¡°¡­Say it. Why are you here?¡± Feng Qi¡¯s smiling expression dimmed slightly. He leaned beside the couch that Tian Shu was sitting on, moving slightly closer. ¡°I do want to ask my uncle about something. It¡¯s about¡­ Gods¡¯ Realm.¡± Tian Shu sucked in a breath. In the end, he raised his head. ¡°Why are you asking about this?¡± Feng Qi: ¡°Previously, I read this random book in Dengyun Tower, which talked about my Feng clan¡¯s predecessor who had ascended to the sky, and I was a little curious. Since the Feng clan once had a god, why haven¡¯t I seen them?¡± ¡°Of course you haven¡¯t seen them before. That was before you were born.¡± Tian Shu seemed to relax at this, further explaining, ¡°Three hundred years ago, gods and demons battled. The god faction suffered heavy damage and had to recuperate, and could no longer step out of Gods¡¯ Realm. My old wounds were also from that time.¡± Feng Qi frowned and questioned, ¡°That is to say, since three hundred years ago, there has been no god in the immortal realm?¡± ¡°As far as I know, none of them.¡± Feng Qi¡¯s eyes flickered and he continued to ask, ¡°Then does uncle know about a god¡¯s deed? Tian Shu said, ¡°A deed is a god¡¯s unique imprint. After the deed is bestowed, only the person who has made the bond with him or someone from the same blood as the god can open it. It¡¯s a form of a guardian seal. If you really want to know about the realm of gods, I¡¯ll arrange an Immortal Lord to lecture a class with you disciples one of these days.¡± ¡°Thank you, Uncle.¡± Feng Qi pondered for a moment. ¡°This disciple won¡¯t disturb Uncle in your cultivation anymore.¡± He then bowed towards Tian Shu. As he was about to leave, Tian Shu suddenly called out behind him. ¡°Feng Qi,¡± Tian Shu said, ¡°You were at the Heaven level when you enrolled. We, as Immortal Elders, actually can¡¯t teach you many things. You should have been able to finish your cultivation and leave, but do you know why I wished to keep you here until now?¡± Feng Qi¡¯s eyes wavered. He answered truthfully, ¡°This disciple doesn¡¯t know.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know, so why don¡¯t you ask?¡± Tian Shu stared into his eyes and slowly recounted, ¡°You haven¡¯t been in class or practicing cultivation in the past few years. Relying on your high level of cultivation to oppress the others was just you wanting me to drive you out of the academy.¡± ¡°¡­This disciple dares not.¡± Tian Shu snorted. ¡°You were raised by me. Your thoughts, how could I not know? ¡­I keep you here because you are a disciple from the younger generation, and among them, the most promising one to go beyond the gates of heaven. ¡°Thousands of years ago, the two realms of immortals and gods were originally one. Later, the gods used their boundless divine power to form a realm of their own. Since then, only the heavenly gates of Hongmeng Academy can allow immortals to ascend to become gods,¡± Tian Shu said. ¡°The heavenly gates have endless karmic fires left by the gods. Only after enduring the pain of the karmic fire can one successfully ascend to the sky. For hundreds of years, you are the first person I have hoped to ever succeed.¡± The room was dim. Feng Qi stood where light and shadow met, his expression unclear. Then, he chuckled. ¡°I thank you for Uncle¡¯s high hopes, but this disciple has never had any great ambitions. I¡¯m afraid to disappoint Uncle.¡± Tian Shu obviously did not expect such an answer from him. He was stunned. ¡°You¡­¡± Feng Qi: ¡°Let¡¯s stop here. This disciple will retire first.¡± Feng Qi turned and left Wenxin Hall. The door slowly closed, and the inside returned to silence. For a long time, in the dim temple, only an imperceptible sigh could be heard from the headmaster. . Haishi4. Evening classes ended. When Ji Chaoyun went back to Wenqu Peak, Feng Qi was sitting by the lotus pond feeding the fish. Hearing footsteps, Feng Qi raised his eyes and smiled, waving at him. ¡°Come here.¡± ¡°Why are you looking for me?¡± Ji Chaoyun asked. ¡°Can¡¯t I just look for you?¡± Feng Qi didn¡¯t answer directly, instead replying, ¡°Today, I have helped you release such a huge resentment. Shouldn¡¯t you properly express your thanks to me? Or do you think it¡¯s not enough? However you plan to deal with him, I¡¯ll help.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ji Chaoyun was speechless. ¡°No need.¡± ¡°Really no need?¡± Feng Qi supported his chin, observing his expression. He half-jokingly asked, ¡°I obviously helped you, but I don¡¯t think you seem to be happy.¡± ¡°It is not that.¡± Ji Chaoyun stood by the stone bridge and replied softly, ¡°I am¡­ very happy. Feng Qi, for so many years, you are the first person to help me retaliate after being bullied. I used to think¡­ in this world, there would be no one willing to help me.¡± ¡°Then why are you¡­¡± ¡°But next time, please, don¡¯t do this again.¡± Ji Chaoyun stared at the koi splashing about in the waters as they scrambled for food. With difficulty, he elaborated, ¡°Xu Zixing previously wanted to help Jiang Cheng vent his anger. I was bitter, so I hurt him with the spiritual gu5. But in the end, his bad attitude only intensified. This world is like this, repaying resentment with the same kind, creating more and more incidents.¡± ¡°Then you would rather bear this injustice?¡± ¡°No, I did not mean that¡­ ¡°Ji Chaoyun shook his head. ¡°I have encountered something worse than this. Analysing it all, it just means I am not strong enough. It is good to depend on another, but there are some people, though able to protect you for a while, that cannot protect you for a lifetime. In the end, you can only rely on yourself. I have understood this since three hundred years ago.¡± Feng Qi was startled. Ji Chaoyun raised his hand, brushing against the purse that was still emitting the slightest heat from his clothes. ¡°Feng Qi, I am very grateful for your help, but really¡­ let us stop here.¡± Don¡¯t give him hope. This kind of thing, experiencing it once was enough. Feng Qi stared at him. The stars in the sky shone, and the moonlight¡¯s brilliance was reflected brightly in the water, also reflecting Ji Chaoyun¡¯s particularly pale face. After a while, Feng Qi threw the remaining bait in his hand into the water, patted his clothes and stood up. ¡°I understand what you mean, and I appreciate your thoughts, but there is something you said that is wrong.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Feng Qi suddenly leaned forward. Ji Chaoyun instinctively leaned back, his back hitting the stone bridge¡¯s wall. The distance between the two of them instantly became only a few hairs apart. Ji Chaoyun stared at those dark yet clear orbs, playfulness and self-confidence shining within them. ¡°I don¡¯t know who you encountered to cause you to become so worried about gains and losses, and be unable to trust others. But I¡¯m different from other people. For those people whom I, Feng Qi, want to protect, they will not be left unprotected.¡± He straightened up and rubbed Ji Chaoyun¡¯s hair. ¡°So, concentrate on cultivating and don¡¯t think too much about it. For every day you stay in Hongmeng Academy, I won¡¯t let you be wronged. When you can leave this place, you¡¯ll become strong enough, naturally not needing me to protect you.¡± He stepped back slightly, and the familiar domineering aura surrounding Ji Chaoyun disappeared. Only then did he gradually regain his breath. Feng Qi turned and walked towards the bedchamber. Ji Chaoyun called out to him, only to realize that his voice was shockingly hoarse, ¡°Why are you helping me?¡± Feng Qi paused. ¡°Because¡­¡± He lowered his head and narrowed his eyes as a soft smile appeared on his lips, but when words left his mouth, they changed. ¡°Of course it¡¯s because someone wants me to help you.¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°Just leave it alone.¡± Feng Qi didn¡¯t turn back, simply waving his hand and said, ¡°I don¡¯t plan on getting someone to clean the left bedchamber. You can settle it yourself whenever you have time. But before finishing it, I¡¯ll allow you to sleep in mine.¡± The author has something to say: Little Dragon: Some people speak nicely, but behind, give me an amnesia backstory, ha ha. There is no bug in the timeline of this chapter. It is foreshadowing=w= CH 15 Just like this, Ji Chaoyun stayed at Wenqu Peak. With Feng Qi¡¯s deterrence that day, fewer people in the academy were against Ji Chaoyun. The latter could finally have some peaceful days thereafter. As the quarterly exam approached, Ji Chaoyun practiced harder and harder. Every night, Feng Qi had to fetch him from his classroom before he would willingly return to Wenqu Peak for rest. It wasn¡¯t that he was making a big fuss, but Ji Chaoyun honestly didn¡¯t know what was wrong with his body during this period. He was often tired and lethargic. After checking with the Immortal Physician, nothing could be found; the old man simply suggested it might be due to his too strenuous cultivation training and told him to get a good rest. Early in the morning, Ji Chaoyun rubbed his eyebrows tiredly and slowly stepped into the classroom. Since he started feeling more lethargic, it had become more and more difficult for him to get up in the morning. The disciple who arrived first in the classroom had the task of ringing the first bell to enter the room. But upon walking in, Ji Chaoyun noticed an unusual atmosphere. At this hour, the sky had just started to brighten, and the first bell for morning reading had already rang. The disciples should have returned to their seats to prepare for it, but instead everyone was gathered in a circle, so loud and noisy that he had no idea what they were talking about, completely uncaring of the bell¡¯s ring. Furthermore, intentionally or not, Ji Chaoyun¡¯s seat was occupied. ¡°What is going on?¡± Ji Chaoyun asked. Everyone jumped at the sound of his voice, though upon seeing it was merely Ji Chaoyun, they relaxed again. ¡°Don¡¯t you know? A newcomer has arrived at the academy, and everyone is talking about him,¡± someone in the crowd explained. ¡°Have any of you really seen what that person looks like? I heard that he¡¯s a very beautiful young master.¡± ¡°Can he be as beautiful as Ji Chaoyun?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. There¡¯s Chaoyun here. This year¡¯s top appearance ranking among the academy disciples definitely belongs to our Yellow class.¡± ¡°Very promising. The top three must be us!¡± ¡°What, must we add you in too?¡± The person this comment was targeted to was a little fatty. His face flushed with shame, and he hit the offender. Everyone burst into laughter, and the atmosphere turned momentarily warm. ¡°¡­¡± Ji Chaoyun sighed and said helplessly, ¡°I would like to remind you all that the first bell for morning reading has already rung. Today, the teacher is going to test us on the third volume of the Heaven and Earth text that was explained yesterday. Has everyone memorized it yet?¡± As soon as he said this, cries of complaints filled the classroom, everyone immediately scattering back to their seats. Ji Chaoyun returned to his desk and took out the scrolls, paper and writing stationary needed for morning reading. Ye Chenxing poked him from behind. ¡°Chaoyun, are you not curious about the newcomer?¡± ¡°New people come to the academy from time to time. What could I be curious about?¡± The children of immortal households had no need to take an assessment for enrollment, only needing to go through a few simple trials to enter. Therefore, it was not uncommon for newcomers to enter the academy at any time throughout the year. ¡°But that person is different.¡± Ye Chenxing leaned forward, unconsciously lowering his voice. ¡°I heard that he is from Lingyuan Sea.¡±1 Ji Chaoyun¡¯s hand trembled, the tip of his brush leaving a winding trace on the paper. Ye Chenxing didn¡¯t notice any anomaly, and continued saying, ¡°Lingyuan Sea has always been disdainful of other immortals, and has never sent anyone to Hongmeng Academy for hundreds of years. However, there have been rumors these past few years saying that Lingyuan Sea has been suffering from several internal struggles, and their strength is not as comparable to before. It seems that unfortunately, there¡¯ll be no one to succeed.¡± Bei Ran also elaborated, ¡°I heard that Lingyuan Sea was once as famous as Fengming Valley2. It¡¯s the place legends say the dragon clan gathered and lived in. It would be a pity if it really ended up like this.¡± Ji Chaoyun lowered his eyes, clenched the pen in his hand, and shivered imperceptibly. ¡°¡­Speaking of dragons, Ji dage3 is also a dragon. Have you ever been to the Lingyuan Sea?¡± Bei Ran asked from behind him. Ji Chaoyun did not answer. Ye Chenxing said, ¡°Do you even need to ask this? Chaoyun came from the mortal realm just like us. How could he have been there? I heard that the dragons there are descendants of gods, commanding the numerous seas, and encompassing the four directions in the mortal realm. It really wouldn¡¯t be a bad thing to visit such a place.¡± Ji Chaoyun suddenly asked, ¡°Who is the person Lingyuan Sea sent?¡± ¡°This matter is not clear, but I heard¡­¡± Before Ye Chenxing could finish speaking, footsteps suddenly came from outside the classroom. He quickly sat back in his original position, pretending to be sitting upright. A young man followed behind Immortal Lord Tianquan, slowly stepping inside. The youth had handsome eyebrows, his long hair tied in a crown. As he had just enrolled, there was no time to change into the disciples¡¯ attire; hence he was still in a white brocade robe with silvery-white dragons stitched on them, adorned with brocades, revealing a sense of extravagance. Tianquan said, ¡°This disciple was newly enrolled in the Academy today. As Yaoguang-jun went out recently and is thus unable to conduct the root bone test, he will stay here at the Yellow level for the time being in order to familiarize himself with the schoolwork. From now onwards, you will be classmates, so make sure to take care of one another. Ruzhuo, why don¡¯t you introduce yourself.¡± The young man politely bowed towards Tianquan and respectfully agreed. ¡°Understood, Immortal Elder.¡± He turned to face the dozens of students in the classroom, his expression not having the slightest sign of anxiousness, his gestures elegant and self-confident. ¡°I am named Jun Ruzhuo, from the Lingyuan Sea dragon clan, nephew of the Lingyuan Sea Dragon King. It is fortunate to be in the same class as all of you. In the future, I hope¡ª¡± His gaze fell upon Ji Chaoyun who was sitting in the lower part of the hall, and his voice suddenly stopped. In that instant, the blood on his face suddenly drained, and his eyes were full of consternation. However, that strangeness lasted for only a moment. Jun Ruzhuo closed his eyes, thus concealing his turmoil, though the faint tremble in his voice remained slightly noticeable. ¡°In the future, I hope to be able to get along peacefully with you all, and to help each other along the way.¡± Tianquan briefly explained a few more things, and Jun Ruzhuo took a seat in the classroom. His position was exactly in front of Ji Chaoyun, and from Ji Chaoyun¡¯s perspective, he could see the slender and clear profile of the young man¡¯s face. Ji Chaoyun dazedly stared at his silhouette, not even noticing when the morning reading finally started. During the entirety of the morning reading and the morning class, for a total of six whole hours, not a single word passed through Ji Chaoyun¡¯s ears or eyes. When class ended, he slowly cleaned up his things. Jun Ruzhuo took the lead in exiting the classroom, surrounded by the rest of the disciples. From beginning to end, his gaze never strayed towards Ji Chaoyun even once. Jun Ruzhuo was born superior, treated people politely, and possessed pleasant and outstanding looks; he was easily likable. In addition, the Lingyuan Sea dragon clan had always been mysterious. Even Ye Chenxing and Bei Ran wanted to talk to him. Along with the other two, Ji Chaoyun walked past the pine forest outside the classroom. Seeing the two being absent-minded, he muttered, ¡°I just remembered that I have left a book in the classroom. You can go to Swordplay Arena first.¡± ¡°Alright. Come as soon as possible.¡± The two didn¡¯t think much of it, and quickly headed towards the arena. It wasn¡¯t until the two figures disappeared inside the pine forest path that Ji Chaoyun sighed softly, turned around and walked towards the classroom. Lunch break was about to begin. The classroom should have been empty, but when Ji Chaoyun walked inside, he heard a familiar voice speak. ¡°¡ªBe it bandits or gentlemen, polishing through debates amongst one another, seeking never ending knowledge.¡±[mfn]It¡¯s from a poem from ¡¶Ê«¾­¡¤ÎÀ·ç¡¤ä¿°Â¡·. I took the liberty to be similar but if you have a better translation, please let me know! The raws are here: ¡°¡ª¡ªÓз˾ý×Ó£¬ÈçÇÐÈç´è£¬Èç×ÁÈçÄ¥.[/mfn] Ji Chaoyun¡¯s footsteps stopped. He raised his eyes and saw the young man sitting in his seat. Jun Ruzhuo leaned lazily on the side of the table and propped his chin. Just like that, his previously pleasant gentleman¡¯s attitude that was displayed to outsiders vanished. He tilted his head to look at Ji Chaoyun, his lips curved up in a playful arc. ¡°These disciples of Hongmeng Academy are nothing more than this, can¡¯t even see past such a simple substitute technique.¡± Ji Chaoyun¡¯s hands slowly clenched beneath his long sleeves, his cheeks so pale it seemed there was no blood left. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t I be asking that to you instead?¡± Jun Ruzhuo picked up the book on the desk and turned a few pages, idly asking, ¡°Why are you here again?¡± Ji Chaoyun: ¡°Cultivation.¡± ¡°Cultivation?¡± Jun Ruzhuo seemed to have heard some great joke. He laughed until his waist was bent forward. Finally controlling himself, he asked, ¡°So you still need to cultivate? What do you need to learn? How to be a demon?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ji Chaoyun closed his eyes and whispered, ¡°I was born from a demon clan. Young master, why are you making things difficult for me?¡± Jun Ruzhuo suddenly got up. He rushed to Ji Chaoyun, grabbed his robe, and cruelly stated, ¡°Don¡¯t layer gold on your face. This young master is from the Lingyuan Sea dragon clan, why would I make things difficult for you?¡± ¡°Ruzhuo¡­¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Jun Ruzhuo interrupted coldly. ¡°Did you think that I would not dare do anything to you in Hongmeng Academy? Don¡¯t forget, the Lingyuan Sea dragon clan has never¡ª¡± His voice was abruptly cut off. A golden light flew obliquely from outside the classroom, unbiasedly heading towards Jun Ruzhou¡¯s face. Jun Ruzhuo pushed Ji Chaoyun away. As he made a quick retreat, his hand flew out, defeating the golden light with only one blow. Ji Chaoyun staggered back and fell into a familiar embrace. From behind, Feng Qi held onto Ji Chaoyun to stabilize him, then let go of his hand in discomfort. ¡°What are you two doing?¡± Jun Ruzhuo adjusted the front of his clothes, and looked at the unexpected guest vigilantly. Feng Qi narrowed his eyes, and looked him up and down. He asked, ¡°Are you the new disciple from the Lingyuan Sea dragon clan?¡± Jun Ruzhuo: ¡°Who are you?¡± The corners of Feng Qi¡¯s mouth curled upwards, but there was no smile in his eyes. ¡°From Fengming Valley, Feng Qi.¡± Jun Ruzhuo¡¯s expression changed. He quickly returned to the unflustered persona he showed in front of outsiders. ¡°It turned out to be the second prince of the Feng clan. An honor.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t dare to bear it,¡± Feng Qi answered coldly. ¡°What was Young Master Jun doing just now?¡± The dragon and the phoenix clans had always been at odds. Jun Ruzhuo¡¯s attitude towards Feng Qi was not any better. He indifferently mentioned, ¡°Nothing much. As a newcomer, I found that this academy is not particular enough. Even people from such an inferior dragon clan are apparently worthy to be a classmate of this young master. The recruiting standards of your academy truly amazes me.¡± Feng Qi¡¯s eyes sank, and he was about to say something when Ji Chaoyun gently tugged his sleeve. He imperceptibly shook his head at Feng Qi, and said in a low voice, ¡°It¡¯s almost time for lunch, let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°¡­Fine.¡± Feng Qi took Ji Chaoyun out of the classroom. Jun Ruzhuo gritted his teeth as he caught up. ¡°Hey, they said your name is Ji Chaoyun.¡± Ji Chaoyun paused. Jun Ruzhuo: ¡°My Lingyuan Sea dragon clan has never associated themselves with low-level demonic dragons. Let¡¯s duel. If you lose, you will get out of Hongmeng Academy. Same goes for me. How about it?¡± Feng Qi scolded, ¡°Are you finished?¡± Jun Ruzhuo ignored him. He looked at Ji Chaoyun, his eyes full of elation. ¡°How about it, Ji Chaoyun? Do you dare?¡± Ji Chaoyun sighed slightly and shook his head. ¡°Private fights are forbidden in the academy. I will not fight with you, nor will I agree to such a boring gamble. The afternoon class¡¯ bell has already rung once. Young Master Jun should be careful not to be late on his first day.¡± After he finished speaking, he quietly told Feng Qi, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Jun Ruzhuo stood in front of the classroom, staring at the two figures walking far away. After a long time, he icily muttered, ¡°Fine. We shall wait and see.¡± The two walked out of the pine forest path. Feng Qi tilted his head to look at Ji Chaoyun¡¯s expression. As if the prior events had never happened, he asked, ¡°That surnamed Jun¡­ why would he make things difficult for you?¡± Ji Chaoyun indifferently answered, ¡°What else can it be? The Lingyuan Sea dragon clan has noble blood and has always been arrogant. Naturally, they look down on those demonic dragons from the mortal world like myself.¡± ¡°I think you are much better than him.¡± Feng Qi snorted. ¡°That little bastard, I will teach him a lesson another day.¡± ¡°Little bastard?¡± Ji Chaoyun raised his eyebrows, a smile flashing in his eyes. ¡°He seems to be¡­ nearly a hundred years older than you.¡± Feng Qi awkwardly averted his gaze. On a normal day, His Second Highness Feng would get incredibly annoyed when people mentioned something about his age. The children from immortal households had to reach two hundred years old to be considered an adult, and they could only enter school at about two hundred and fifty years old. However, when Feng Qi had first enrolled, he directly skipped to the highest level. Even after spending so many years in the academy, if calculated by age, he was younger than most disciples of the ¡®Heaven¡¯ and ¡®Earth¡¯ levels. Ji Chaoyun didn¡¯t seem to notice the displeasure of His Second Highness Feng and continued, ¡°Speaking of which, even I seem to be older than you¡ª¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Feng Qi was both frustrated and annoyed. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have told you this.¡± Ji Chaoyun bore with his own laughter until his shoulders shook, his mood having improved a lot. The two walked side by side towards the back mountain when Ji Chaoyun¡¯s feet softened without warning, and he almost fell. Feng Qi quickly gave him a hand, and just as his palm touched the narrow waist of the other, he immediately let go. He coughed. ¡°What¡¯s the matter with you, your body hasn¡¯t recovered yet?¡± ¡°I do not know.¡± Ji Chaoyun didn¡¯t realize his oddity. ¡°I have never been like this before¡ª¡± While saying so, he suddenly seemed to have thought of something. Ji Chaoyun frowned slightly, his lips pursed shut. Feng Qi looked at his pale face. ¡°I¡¯ll help you get leave for your afternoon class, so don¡¯t go to it.¡± ¡°How could I do that? The assessment is about to begin, I¡­¡± ¡°Listen to me,¡± Feng Qi couldn¡¯t help but interrupt him. ¡°Could you even practice if you go like this? It¡¯s the quarterly exam soon. If you don¡¯t recover before it starts, do you plan to faint in the secret realm and wait for someone to rescue you?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ji Chaoyun was made speechless. Feng Qi rubbed his hair. ¡°Come somewhere with me. It should help.¡± The forest was filled with mist, and with the humidity, the ground made of limestone slabs was slippery. In the distance between the overlapping bluegrass was warm spring water. Ji Chaoyun asked, ¡°What did you bring me here for?¡± ¡°The spring water here is taken from the abyss of the far north by using immortal techniques. It can relax the muscles, refresh the body, relieve fatigue, and promote the effect of cultivation.¡± Feng Qi continued, ¡°You can meditate in the water for two hours a day. I guarantee that within seven days, you¡¯ll be alive and kicking again.¡± Ji Chaoyun looked at him in surprise. Feng Qi: ¡°What?¡± Ji Chaoyun shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, it just feels like¡­ you are different from when I first met you.¡± ¡°Just different?¡± Feng Qi leaned over and asked with a smile, ¡°Don¡¯t you think I am a good person with powerful martial arts and such a good appearance that you can¡¯t help but be so moved that you desire to give your body to me?¡± Ji Chaoyun had long seen beneath this man¡¯s skin. He expressionlessly replied, ¡°No, scram.¡± ¡°You really are too boring¡­¡± Feng Qi shook his head and sighed. ¡°Slowly soak. I¡¯ll be outside. Call me if you feel unwell.¡± ¡°¡­Understood.¡± Feng Qi turned and left. Ji Chaoyun turned his head to see his back disappear in the forest before slowly untying his belt. After soaking himself, Ji Chaoyun discovered that the water was actually unlike ordinary hot spring water. The temperature in this pool was neither high nor low, and could change according to the human body¡¯s natural warmth, precisely maintaining the most comfortable climate. ¡°Really knows how to enjoy oneself most¡­¡± Ji Chaoyun murmured, sitting cross-legged in the center and meditating with his eyes closed. Perhaps because he¡¯d been too sleepy these past few days, after sitting for a short while, Ji Chaoyun felt drowsy. His body unconsciously stretched out, a pair of dragon horns revealing themselves without warning along with silvery dragon scales slowly covering his bare body. ¡°Ji Chaoyun, have you drowned in the pond?¡± His Second Highness Feng waited in the courtyard for almost four hours. Seeing no one coming out, he had to personally go look for the other. ¡°If you seriously drowned, you can shout, I would never laugh at you, you¡ª¡± He bypassed the limestone road, and his voice fell abruptly silent. Ji Chaoyun was leaning on the side of the pool, already asleep. His long silver hair was floating randomly in the water, and his bare arms, shoulders, neck, and even face had several crystal clear, silvery dragon scales. A long dragon tail lay mostly above the water, glittering under the sunlight and the pool¡¯s water. ¡°¡­¡± Feng Qi¡¯s throat felt parched, a sinful fire rushing through him from the top of his head all the way down, igniting the place it shouldn¡¯t have gone to. The author has something to say: Little dragon¡¯s identity is about to be revealed. As for his body, do you know that there is a saying called ¡®Nature of Dragons¡¯4¡­then what cannot be indescribable? I changed my column avatar, click in the author column in the upper right corner of the copy, and you can see it, nothing else, I just want you to see how beautiful my new avatar is. By the way, it would be better to click on the author¡¯s collection [This is the real purpose.] ÁéÔ¨º£ ·ïÃù¹È Dage also means Big brother but can be not related. Where dragons are the most lewd ÁúÐÔ±¾: http://www.360doc.com/content/17/0330/01/16534268_641285277.shtml CH 16 Feng Qi froze in place. Ji Chaoyun¡¯s semi-demonic appearance made his skin so pale it almost seemed transparent. In addition, as he¡¯d been soaking in the hot spring for too long, a faint pink dusted his body. The sound just now didn¡¯t wake Ji Chaoyun up. He murmured something in his sleep, and buried half of his face in his arm. Feng Qi¡¯s heart burst into flames. He cursed silently, and turned his eyes away. ¡°Quickly wake up. If you want to sleep, go back to your room.¡± The cause of the other¡¯s recent discomfort was still unknown, and sleeping under the wide open sky like this was bound to make him even more uncomfortable upon waking up. Ji Chaoyun didn¡¯t respond. Feng Qi stepped forward and nudged his arm. ¡°You hear me? Go back inside to sleep.¡± The texture beneath his fingertips was soft and delicate, mildly warm, completely different from the usual bone-cold touch; it made one a little reluctant to let go. Feng Qi¡¯s mood became more irritable, and he squeezed Ji Chaoyun¡¯s face. ¡°Are you getting up?¡± ¡°Hurts¡­¡± In his sleep, Ji Chaoyun wrinkled his nose in pain. He instinctively wanted to pull away from the annoying hand, but he couldn¡¯t muster up enough energy. He thus raised a hand to put it on Feng Qi¡¯s wrist. His wet fingertips grabbed the other¡¯s sleeve, leaving a few droplets of water on the cuff. ¡°¡­¡± Feng Qi¡¯s breathing suddenly became heavier. This little demon dragon was doing this deliberately, right? Feng Qi lightly gritted his teeth and firmly pulled back his hand. His gaze then fell on Ji Chaoyun¡¯s clothing by the pool. He took a few deep breaths, picked up the robe and wrapped it around the sleeping man. There was a splash of water in the depths of the steam-filled bamboo forest. After a while, Feng Qi walked out with a gloomy face while carrying the half-human and half-dragon Ji Chaoyun. Having left the comfortable water source, Ji Chaoyun shifted in mild discomfort, but quickly noticed the familiar embrace around him. He hooked both hands around Feng Qi¡¯s neck, and with his eyes closed, snuggled intimately in the other¡¯s arms. His drooping dragon tail, just like a snake, obediently and firmly wrapped itself around Feng Qi¡¯s body. This action was done with pure instinct, but Feng Qi¡¯s expression became even more difficult to describe. With their clothes serving as a barrier, he lightly patted the other¡¯s dragon tail and admonished, ¡°Be good, don¡¯t move.¡± The slender dragon tail flinched in response, and obediently stopped moving. Feng Qi entered Ji Choayun¡¯s bedroom with the latter in his arms. It had only taken two days for Ji Chaoyun to sort out the originally dusty and filthy bedroom. According to him, all furnishings in the house were simple enough to accommodate people, but Feng Qi couldn¡¯t bear to have such a dilapidated house in his yard, so he rearranged it according to the standards of his own bedroom. Feng Qi laid Ji Chaoyun on the bed, about to pull the quilt to tuck him in. However, who knew that the latter¡¯s dragon tail would suddenly sweep out and drag him onto the bed. Feng Qi fell against Ji Chaoyun, and quickly put his hand by the other¡¯s side to stabilize himself. ¡°What are you doing¡ª¡± Feng Qi gritted his teeth, but the sleeping man didn¡¯t notice his irritation at all, the dragon¡¯s tail vigorously climbing up to press him down firmly. Feng Qi: ¡°¡­¡± The two were very close. Feng Qi could almost smell the warm water vapor on Ji Chaoyun¡¯s body, and the faint fragrance of a forest, soaked by rainwater that was then warmed by sunlight after a heavy drought. The smell made Feng Qi even more restless, as if some kind of uncontrollable impulse was breaking through his rationality. He held his composure and peeled the tail off his body with a calm face. Before he could get out of bed, however, he found that his sleeves were caught. Ji Chaoyun lay on the soft bed, his long silvery hair spread around him; like this, he looked soft and delicate. Even so, he was still frowning in his sleep, unable to hide his exhaustion. He seemed to be a little aggrieved. ¡°Don¡¯t go¡­¡± Feng Qi¡¯s heart suddenly softened. He lowered his eyes to watch Ji Chaoyun hold on to his sleeves tightly. He leaned down, and gently asked in his ear, ¡°Not letting me go?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ji Chaoyun whispered something, and shifted towards him. Feng Qi stopped avoiding him, letting Ji Chaoyun lean closer, rubbing and snuggling like a small animal, finally arching completely into his arms where he settled comfortably. He finally stopped moving, and continued his deep slumber. ¡°You¡¯re sick right now. Wait until you¡¯ve healed, then see how I deal with you,¡± muttered Feng Qi, gritting his teeth. Tightly hugging this person in his arms felt both sweet and like a burden. After less than a stick of incense, Feng Qi began to regret his decision. For a whole afternoon, His Second Highness Feng was energetic one moment, then stifled on another. This repeated countless times, to the point he almost tortured himself to insanity. When Ji Chaoyun completely woke up, he was all alone. As the sun began its descent towards the horizon, he sat up in a daze and realised that he was in his bedroom. His clothes had been changed, and he was neatly dressed, his dragon scales and tail having long disappeared. He couldn¡¯t remember what had happened before, but perhaps that hot spring was really effective. Ji Chaoyun only felt that his body was very relaxed, wiping away his previous fatigue. So¡­ how did he go back to the bedchamber? Ji Chaoyun straightened his clothes and opened the door. Feng Qi was sitting in the pavilion with his back turned to him, reading a book in his hand. It was the first time Ji Chaoyun had seen His Second Highness Feng working so hard since he started living here. He stepped forward and asked, ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Feng Qi closed the Qingxin Sutra on his hand and looked up at him with a calmed heart. ¡°You¡¯ve woken up. Still uncomfortable?¡± ¡°Much better.¡± Ji Chaoyun then said, ¡°Thank you.¡± Thank you? For holding you in your sleep? Feng Qi sensitively asked this question in his heart. Before the Qingxin Sutra he had just read became invalid, he said coldly, ¡°¡­No need for thanks.¡± Ji Chaoyun nodded, unaware of the other¡¯s hyperactive mental activities. ¡°If I rush back now, I should still be able to attend the evening class. I shall go back to the classroom first.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ji Chaoyun: ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± Feng Qi¡¯s expression was calm, but there was a slight gnashing in his words. ¡°You go, the exams are coming soon. You really should work harder, and not sleep all afternoon. I know you¡¯re skiving.¡± Ji Chaoyun: ¡°?¡± Ji Chaoyun was inexplicably reprimanded by His Second Highness Feng ¨C the one who had forcibly asked him to take leave for his afternoon class ¨C with a single ¡®I know you¡¯re skiving¡¯ phrase, and left with a blank expression on his face. . Wenqu Peak¡¯s hot spring water was very effective. Since that first time, Ji Chaoyun would meditate there for an hour every day; his spirit core obviously became much better, and the previous situation never appeared again. Five or six days later, once the afternoon class ended, Ji Chaoyun, Ye Chenxing, and Bei Ran walked to the Depository.1 The quarterly test was divided into two parts: the Daoist scripture test and the secret martial arts test , which was further divided into breaking arrays and warding against evil spirits. Breaking arrays naturally referred to the stone-man formation which everyone had been practicing on for several months, while warding against evil spirits simply relied on their own abilities in the secret realm. For most of the disciples, although the martial arts test was difficult, it was no longer a problem. Nowadays, it seemed that the boring Daoist scripture test was even more difficult. ¡ªEspecially for Ye Chenxing. This particular uncle had never been able to comprehend a single lesson in the Daoism class. After every lecture, he would find Ji Chaoyun for tutoring. Whatever could be stuffed, was stuffed inside. Those unable to were left in scatters. One in, two out. An ongoing owing process, leaving him to grasp Buddha¡¯s feet before the exam. In the few days before the exams, after every evening class, Ji Chaoyun had to take them to the Depository to review the Daoism text. The three of them had just walked out of the pine forest outside the Swordplay Arena when they saw a disciple approaching them. ¡°Ji Chaoyun, His Second Highness Feng is looking for you.¡± Ji Chaoyun asked: ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not too sure about that. I¡¯m just here to pass a message.¡± The disciple continued, ¡°He¡¯s waiting at the back mountain of Jiutian Cliff2 , saying that there is something very important for you to see and wants you to go there quickly.¡± Ji Chaoyun frowned hesitantly. This Feng Qi was indeed a perverse person, but he knew that Ji Chaoyun was quite busy reviewing these days and would never seek him out before class. The disciple urged him to go as soon as possible, then quickly turned and left. Ji Chaoyun instinctively felt that it was weird. Before he could make a decision, Ye Chenxing gave him a light poke from behind. He looked back. ¡°Why are you laughing like this?¡± Ye Chenxing almost couldn¡¯t hold back his smile filled with meaning, only saying, ¡°That¡¯s the Jiutian Cliff. Why did that Flower Peacock ask you to go there?¡± ¡°How would I know? Is something the matter with Jiutian Cliff?¡± Bei Ran explained: ¡°Jiutian Cliff likely got its name from Milky Way Falling Nine Heavens. Climbing to the top of Jiutian Cliff, you can have a panoramic view of the entire Hongmeng Mountain. It¡¯s the most beautiful scenery in the academy.¡± Ye Chenxing added the key point, ¡°It¡¯s also the best place for lovers to meet in private.¡± Ji Chaoyun: ¡°¡­¡± He pinched in between his eyebrows, helplessly stating, ¡°I have nothing to do with him. What are you both thinking?¡± ¡°Even if you feel nothing, it doesn¡¯t mean that the peacock is on the same page,¡± Ye Chenxing whispered in his ear, ¡°It¡¯s been spread throughout the academy. If he doesn¡¯t like you, how can he let you go in and out of Dengyun Tower freely and live on Wenqu Peak?¡± Ji Chaoyun said in his heart, It is obviously because I owe him a large debt and am now his coolie3 to work. Ji Chaoyun then changed his mind as he thought about it. Recently, he was busy preparing for the quarterly exam. He truly did not do anything that a servant should do. Saying this reason, these two people probably wouldn¡¯t believe it. Ji Chaoyun didn¡¯t explain any more, simply saying, ¡°You both head to the Depository first. I will return shortly.¡± Ye Chenxing¡¯s expression was clear. ¡°Have fun. If you can¡¯t make it back, you can send me a message. I¡¯ll ask for a leave for you!¡± Ji Chaoyun: ¡°¡­¡± The Swordplay Arena was originally in the back mountain, not far from Jiutian Cliff. Ji Chaoyun quickened his pace, quickly passed through the pine forest and climbed up the cliff. It was time for the sun to set. The sky was a bright red, and when one looked at it, they could see the numerous mountains set amongst the misty clouds, along with the beautiful afterglow of the setting sun. There was already a person waiting on Jiutian Cliff, but it was not Feng Qi. Ji Chaoyun gave an imperceptible sigh. He stepped forward. ¡°Why are you looking for me?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve already guessed it was me?¡± The person turned his head. It was Jun Ruzhuo. Ji Chaoyun did not answer. Jun Ruzhuo smiled. ¡°You knew it was a trap, yet you still came. I see that you¡¯re still as stupid as before.¡± ¡°Just tell me whatever you want to say. I still have to hurry back for evening class.¡± The smile on Jun Ruzhuo¡¯s face instantly fell. He said coldly, ¡°You know what I want to do.¡± Ji Chaoyun stared into his eyes. A moment passed, and he shook his head. ¡°I won¡¯t fight you.¡± After he finished speaking, he turned to leave. Jun Ruzhuo raised his hand, and a curtain of water appeared out of thin air from all sides, surrounding the two of them. Jun Ruzhuo: ¡°Take your sword out. We¡¯re going to have a proper fight, otherwise I won¡¯t let you go.¡± Ji Chaoyun fell silent. He stared at the curtain of water in front of him, and suddenly smiled softly. ¡°I taught you this trick back then. After hundreds of years, I cannot do it anymore.¡± Jun Ruzhuo thundered, ¡°Stop talking nonsense. Draw your sword!¡± ¡°You just wish to know how much of a trash I currently am. I am already standing in front of you. Is this not enough?¡± Ji Chaoyun turned around and looked at him calmly. ¡°I have no need to lie to you. If you used your full power against me, I would not last more than three blows.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Ji Chaoyun said softly: ¡°Bearing a gentleman¡¯s name, being sharp yet polished, just like a well-rounded gem. This is the name I gave you, do you still remember?¡±4 Jun Ruzhuo trembled violently; his eyes instantly turned red. ¡°Ah Zhuo, I used to think that we would never see each other again in this lifetime. To be able to meet you once more, and seeing you being well, I am very happy.¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± Jun Ruzhuo¡¯s voice shook uncontrollably. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to see you at all. I didn¡¯t want to¡­ see you like this at all¡­¡± Ji Chaoyun looked away, his breathing slightly faltering. ¡°If I had known you would come to Hongmeng Academy, I would not appear here.¡± ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have appeared at all!¡± Jun Ruzhuo hissed. ¡°What did you promise me previously? You said you¡¯d come back soon. You said you wouldn¡¯t leave me alone, that you wouldn¡¯t leave Lingyuan Sea. For three hundred years, I¡¯ve waited for you like a fool. Everyone said that you had defected to become a demon, but I didn¡¯t believe it. But what did I wait for? A demon dragon crippled with no root bones!¡± Ji Chaoyun¡¯s eyes trembled slightly, and bitterness burst into his throat. ¡°I am sorry. It was me who broke my promise.¡± Jun Ruzhuo suddenly gave a tight smile. ¡°It¡¯s been three hundred years. Using only one sentence, ¡®I¡¯m sorry¡¯, to explain it all?¡± ¡°I have nothing to say about anything else,¡± Ji Chaoyun said. ¡°What happened back then was not as simple as you thought. But since it has passed, I do not want to mention it again. It is my fault for not fulfilling my promise. If you want to vent your anger, I am here. Come on.¡± He closed his eyes and waited quietly for the other party¡¯s decision. But there was nothing. The sound of splashing water from the water curtain behind him suddenly disappeared, leaving only a circle of shallow water marks on the grass. Jun Ruzhuo looked away, his voice icy. ¡°I¡¯ll go to Immortal Lord Tianshu tomorrow to help me change class. I don¡¯t want to see you again in the future. Scram.¡± Ji Chaoyun hesitated for a moment before softly saying ¡®Sorry¡¯ once more. He turned and left Jiutian Cliff. The sunset finally settled down. Jun Ruzhuo slowly squatted down, his palms resting on the ground, his fingertips sinking deep into the grass and mud. On Jiutian Cliff, only a grieving, subtle sob was heard. The last ray of light on the horizon disappeared, and the sky full of stars and moonlight shone on the pine forest. Jun Ruzhuo walked slowly on the mountain path. His footsteps suddenly stopped. The next second, a ball of fire fiercely fell from the sky, a small cluster of flames igniting half an inch before him. He raised his head. A man was sitting on the branch, facing the moonlight, his features unclear. Jun Ruzhuo icily warned, ¡°Feng Qi, don¡¯t provoke me.¡± Feng Qi leaned on the branch, half of his clothes hanging down, and turned his head to look at the youth beneath the tree. ¡°Who provoked you? Don¡¯t say it so ambiguously, it¡¯ll make people misunderstand.¡± ¡°What are you planning?¡± Feng Qi: ¡°You bullied my person. I naturally want to ask you for an explanation.¡± Jun Ruzhuo chuckled. ¡°When did he become yours?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t concern yourself with it,¡± Feng Qi said. ¡°Let¡¯s talk. What did you talk about on Jiutian Cliff?¡± ¡°Why should I tell you?¡± Jun Ruzhuo bypassed the flames at his feet, and was about to walk forward when another flame fell, almost smashing straight into him. ¡°You dead Phoenix. Don¡¯t go too far!¡± Feng Qi gave a leisurely smile. ¡°You lied to him by using my name. Why can¡¯t I know the truth? If you don¡¯t say it, it¡¯s fine too. Either way, you can¡¯t beat me. We might as well just spend it like this, and see who is more patient, you or me. Can you last till the end?¡± Jun Ruzhuo fell silent. His hands hanging by his sides slowly spread out, and a silvery light appeared from his palms. ¡°Are you going to retaliate?¡± Feng Qi raised his eyebrows, calm and steady. ¡°You¡¯ve got to think clearly, Young Master Jun. After all, the Lingyuan Sea Dragon King sent you to the academy to cultivate. He doesn¡¯t want you to be banned right after enrolling, does he?¡± ¡°¡­¡± The atmosphere in the forest stagnated for a while. The spiritual power gathered in Jun Ruzhuo¡¯s hand dissipated. He sighed softly, and compromised. ¡°What do you want to know?¡± Feng Qi: ¡°Who is Ji Chaoyun? What happened in the past?¡± ¡°He¡­ is my cousin,¡± Jun Ruzhuo said in a low voice, slowly speaking. ¡°His real name is Jun Yan5. He¡¯s the eldest son of the Lingyuan Sea Dragon King. Among these hundred years, he should have been the most talented and outstanding heir in the clan.¡± The author has something to say: The other dragons all coil around pillars. Our little dragon is different, he can coil around a phoenix ¡¾? ? ? Previously translated as Jing Pavilion (¾­¸ó), now will be the Depository ¾ÅÌìÑÂ: Nine Heavens Cliff ie a unskilled native labourer in India, China, and some other Asian countries. Like a underpaid servant ahaha Óз˾ý×Ó£¬ÈçÇÐÈç´è£¬Èç×ÁÈçÄ¥Y¨¯u f¨§i j¨±nz¨«, r¨² qi¨¨ r¨² cu¨­, r¨² zu¨® r¨² m¨®. Oh shucks. Need help to translate this naming pattern. If anyone knows a better phrase, please let me know. ¾ýêÌ CH 17 MERRY CHRISTMAS~ Translator: Amber.es | Editor: Bubbles | Proofreader: musk ¡°When I was still a dragon egg, my parents lost their lives in an unfortunate accident. It was Jun Yan who brought me back to the Dragon Palace and took good care of me.¡± Moonlight penetrated through the swaying leaves of the forest. Jun Ruzhuo leaned against the trunk of a tree, his expression hidden in the darkness, unable to be seen. ¡°He was the first person I saw when I was born. He named me, taught me how to read, and then martial arts. He said that he would always be my elder brother, and would always protect me.¡± ¡°Then why did he¡­¡± Feng Qi swallowed, his voice slightly hoarse. ¡°Why did he¡­ become like this?¡± Jun Ruzhuo did not answer. He curled his lips in mockery, with a hint of ridicule in his voice. ¡°Jun Yan is extremely talented, and a proud child of heaven since birth, possessing an unlimited domain for him to conquer. In the entire immortal realm, none dared to not respect him as the crown price. Speaking of which, he was almost the same level as the current status of Your Second Highness Feng.¡± ¡°But in terms of appearance, behavior, or cultivation, you are far behind the him of those years.¡± Feng Qi didn¡¯t care about the mockery in this person¡¯s words. He asked, ¡°What happened to him?¡± Jun Ruzhuo said, ¡°Three hundred years ago, he left the Lingyuan Sea to travel to the lower realm. After three mere months, when he returned, he had lost his dragon pearl and lived like a half-dead person.¡± Feng Qi¡¯s eyes suddenly shrank. ¡°Dragon Pearl? How could a Dragon Pearl be lost?¡± ¡°No one knows. He refuses to say anything about it.¡± Jun Ruzhuo continued, ¡°A Dragon Pearl is located within the spiritual core; it cannot be taken unless it¡¯s torn out. At that time, Jun Yan¡¯s cultivation base had reached its peak. Who do you think has the capability to take away his Dragon Pearl?¡± A chill ran through Feng Qi¡¯s back to the base of his head, and he muttered, ¡°You mean¡­ he gave his Dragon Pearl to someone else?¡± ¡°Other than that, I can¡¯t think of other possibilities.¡± Jun Ruzhuo sneered. ¡°Do you know what it means for a dragon to lose its own Dragon Pearl? It means that he¡¯s completely destroyed, his cultivation completely lost, and he can no longer cultivate martial arts. He can no longer return to his former strength. Utterly ridiculous. The best descendant of the Dragon Clan in hundreds of years has become this useless person. Really too ridiculous¡­¡± ¡°Just because of this, you drove him out of the Lingyuan Sea?¡± Jun Ruzhuo fell silent, then continued, ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened during that period of time. Something seemed to have happened to Lingyuan Sea, but I was too young and was sent away from the Dragon Palace. I heard that Elder Brother¡­ heard that Jun Yan had an accident. I rushed back, and happened to run into Jun Yan striking down his bodyguard, trying to flee to the mortal realm.¡± ¡°I stopped him. I begged him to stay, begged him to get his Dragon Pearl back. Do you know what he said to me?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°He said, Lingyuan Sea can no longer tolerate him.¡± Jun Ruzhuo closed his eyes and took a deep breath. ¡°After what happened to him, Uncle1 grieved. He did not divulge the location of his Dragon Pearl, hence Uncle searched all over the world and tried his best to save him. I don¡¯t understand why he thought that way. But maybe he was really such a silly person, trusting another person so easily.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Because he told me that he was going to meet up with someone.¡± That day, a young Jun Yan had stood on the coast, gazing at the sea and sky in the distance. His pale and sallow face carried a vivid expression that Jun Ruzhuo had never seen in his life. ¡°Ah Zhuo, I¡¯m waiting for someone.¡± His eyes reflected the blue Lingyuan Sea, his smile soft and peaceful. ¡°When he comes back, everything will return to what it should have been.¡± ¡°Who are you waiting for? Who did you give your Dragon Pearl to?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t tell you,¡± Jun Yan told him, ¡°But believe me, I know what I am doing. I will definitely come back.¡± ¡°At that time, he had no means of cultivation left. Escaping from the Dragon Palace had exhausted the last of his strength. It was I who led away the soldiers after him and sent him to the mortal realm. I thought he would come back.¡± Jun Ruzhuo scoffed. ¡°Thinking back now, I was as stupid as him to have actually believed his story. I had actually believed that the person who had only known him for less than three months, deceiving and ruining his cultivation, would come back for him.¡± Jun Ruzhuo¡¯s eyes were red. His hoarse voice was full of hatred. ¡°His Dragon Pearl was the supreme treasure. The moment anyone got it, they would immediately have the spiritual power of the heavens and the earth. How could he be so stupid? To believe that person would return it to him?¡± Feng Qi¡¯s heart was pierced without warning. The subtle pain almost made him breathless. But Jun Ruzhuo didn¡¯t notice his strangeness, and sneered, ¡°I forgot to ask just now. I wonder if he regrets his stupidity after waiting for three hundred years in vain.¡± No, he had no regrets. Feng Qi closed his eyes. In his mind¡¯s eye, the image of how Ji Chaoyun took back the phoenix plume feather appeared. That kind of expression, nurturing such a cherished and relieved emotion, was definitely not the appearance of regret. He waited for three hundred years in vain. Yet, until now, he still believed that the person who took his Dragon Pearl would return. What could make him believe this throughout all this time? Jun Ruzhuo buried his face in his palms, as if wanting to conceal a certain emotion through this action. After a long while, he finally calmed down and continued slowly, ¡°After Jun Yan defected, the Dragon King ordered for him to be expelled from the Dragon Clan, and he will never be allowed to return to Lingyuan Sea.¡± ¡°I used to go to the mortal realm to search for him these past years, but I couldn¡¯t find him. Later, there were rumors that Jun Yan defected to the mortal realm as a demon, and some people said he was dead.¡± Jun Ruzhuo suddenly smiled lightly. His voice was heavy and sorrowful. ¡°¡­I would rather have him dead than watch him struggling on death¡¯s door.¡± But he didn¡¯t. The scarred young man who had lost his cultivation skills had been in the world for more than three hundred years. He¡¯d changed his name and surname, shedding his immortal bones, degenerating from an immortal to a demon, before ascending once more to stand in this immortal realm. . When Feng Qi returned to Wenqu Peak, the curfew had long passed. He walked into the familiar courtyard and stood by the stone bridge, looking across the water at the closed door of Ji Chaoyun¡¯s bedroom, the candlelight dancing on the window. Before Jun Ruzhuo had told him the truth, he actually had a vague suspicion in his heart. Ji Chaoyun¡¯s innate temperament, his rejection and dislike of the immortal realm, and Jun Ruzhuo¡¯s extraordinary attitude towards him shouldn¡¯t be the result of a demonic dragon who first climbed into the immortal realm. But the truth was still beyond his imagination. Feng Qi didn¡¯t dare imagine how this person had survived the three hundred years after his exile from the Dragon Clan with his root bones completely destroyed. What was it that had supported him until now? Who was he waiting for? An inexplicable and sharp tingling spread from his heart. Feng Qi frowned, raised his hand and pressed it firmly against his heart, his breathing hard. Since he was conscious, he had never felt such an out-of-control emotion. It was unfamiliar, but it seemed like it was ought to be. A faint noise came from the back of the room, pulling Feng Qi back from his chaotic thoughts. He followed the sound around the house, and a thin figure stood in the spiritual field behind it, bending over to water the spiritual grass. Ji Chaoyun only wore a thin short outer garment. His cuffs were rolled up, revealing his slender white wrist. His half-loose long hair was tied behind his head with a strap, and only a few strands fell from the front of his forehead, which was a bit neater than before. His plain clothes and hands were stained with mud, as if in a difficult situation. Feng Qi looked at him from a distance, only to feel that his eyes were dry and heavy, and not a word escaped his lips. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Ji Chaoyun straightened up and asked suspiciously. Feng Qi looked away to gather his bearings. In a hushed voice, he questioned, ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Watering your precious spirit grasses, can¡¯t you see?¡± Ji Chaoyun bent down and resumed his actions. ¡°You haven¡¯t taken care of the spirit field for a few days. These spirit herbs are so delicate. How do you plan to raise them like this?¡± ¡°Why do you worry so much? Even if they don¡¯t survive, I wouldn¡¯t ask you to pay.¡± Feng Qi asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you go practice your cultivation tonight?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t calm down, might as well find something to do,¡± Ji Chaoyun replied vaguely. ¡°In any case, I¡¯m here to do hard work for you to pay off my debts. As you said earlier, taking care of the spiritual field is three spiritual stones. Don¡¯t renege on your words.¡± Feng Qi whispered softly, ¡°I didn¡¯t really want you to pay it back.¡± ¡°What?¡± Feng Qi: ¡°It took five thousand spiritual stones to redeem your purse. Jiang Cheng came out with three thousand. I asked Xu Zixing for the remaining two thousand. He sold your purse for one thousand, and the remaining one thousand is to teach him a lesson. We have already settled things. You don¡¯t owe me.¡± Ji Chaoyun actually knew about this. His Second Highness Feng never let himself suffer. From the very beginning, he never planned to pay the money himself. It was just that, according to his previous statement, blackmailing Jiang Cheng and Xu Zixing for compensation was his own method, while the debt Ji Chaoyun owed him was another matter and could not be counted together. For this reason, Ji Chaoyun even felt that if in the future, His Second Highness Feng had spent all his savings, he could live on as a profiteer in the Sea Marketplace. Ji Chaoyun was still wondering why this person had changed his attitude towards him, when he suddenly thought of something. A sense of crisis developed from the bottom of his heart. He cautiously asked, ¡°Are you going to drive me away?¡± ¡°¡­No.¡± Feng Qi frowned. ¡°What are you thinking about all day long? Am I this kind of person?¡± ¡°It is hard to say.¡± Ji Chaoyun¡¯s hands kept moving, but his tone was obviously lighter. ¡°Do you not know it is recognized in the whole academy that the most difficult person to fathom is you? Who knows what you are thinking about.¡± Feng Qi smiled slightly. ¡°Then do you want to know what I am thinking now?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You come here, I¡¯ll tell you.¡± Ji Chaoyun glanced at him suspiciously, feeling that there was something wrong with this person tonight. But Feng Qi¡¯s expression didn¡¯t show the slightest clue. He pondered for a moment, put down the things in his hands, and walked across the spiritual field towards Feng Qi with big and quiet footsteps. ¡°Say it. What are you¡ª¡± Before he finished his words, he was suddenly embraced. Feng Qi bent down and tightened his arms, as if to cage Ji Chaoyun into his arms. He actually didn¡¯t know why he wanted to do this, but it seemed like this was the only way to counteract the lingering pain that was almost as piercing as that of a thousand cuts in his heart. Ji Chaoyun froze in place. For some reason, he did not push the other away. After meeting an old friend, he was far from being as calm as before. After so many years, those things were already in the past. He could let himself not think about the freedom of wandering amongst the sea of ??clouds, to not miss the superior life of living in the deep sea¡¯s Dragon Palace, to not regret the impressive talent that could never be retrieved again. But¡­ even if over the years, these old wounds that had been unable to heal had become a habit, to suddenly be torn apart by another, it would still hurt to the brim. To have a hug during the time it hurt the most, was something that couldn¡¯t be better. Ji Chaoyun let himself be buried in Feng Qi¡¯s arms, breathing deeply. The gloom that lasted all night was finally wiped out. Nonetheless, Feng Qi remained still, and didn¡¯t let go. With doubt, Ji Chaoyun frowned. He spoke softly, his voice a little dull as his mouth was partially covered. ¡°Feng Qi.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Ji Chaoyun thought about it. There was only one possibility for this person¡¯s mood to be so abnormal. He broke free from Feng Qi¡¯s arms and looked up at him. ¡°Is Immortal Lord Tianshu finally determined to drive you out of the academy?¡± Feng Qi: ¡°¡­¡± He let go of the other, his ears slightly red. ¡°No, what are you thinking about?¡± ¡°I would also like to know what you are thinking about.¡± Ji Chaoyun took a half step back, his expression slightly uncomfortable. ¡°Why, out of nowhere, are you doing these kinds of actions.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Feng Qi coughed and said vaguely, ¡°Nothing much. Seeing you work hard in the middle of the night, I wanted to reward you.¡± Speechless, Ji Chaoyun could only look back at him. The two stood in a stalemate for a while, and Ji Chaoyun said helplessly, ¡°Forget it, I will never understand your thought process. I will return to my room first.¡± ¡°Wait a minute,¡± Feng Qi said. ¡°Come with me first.¡± Feng Qi took Ji Chaoyun to the door of his bedroom, entered, and took a thin book from the desk. He walked out, and handed it over. Ji Chaoyun asked, ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°The solution to the secret realm¡¯s trial.¡± Ji Chaoyun was about to flip through the book when he paused. ¡°The secret realm¡¯s trial needs the participation of two Black and Yellow-level disciples. When you enter the Secret Realm, according to the initial pre-allocated team, you will enter the first level, Breaking Formation. The stone array usually requires five to six people to break. You only have three people, even if all of you are able to cooperate perfectly, be it time or spiritual power loss, it¡¯ll be twice as much as the others.¡± Feng Qi pointed to the book in Ji Chaoyun¡¯s hand and continued, ¡°Unless you use my method.¡± Ji Chaoyun¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Song shixiong told you?¡± Feng Qi did not answer. He continued, ¡°Previously, I alone broke the array, and it even took a shorter time than with a team, but it requires a strong enough spiritual power. However, the three of you¡­¡± His voice stopped abruptly, and he couldn¡¯t say the words ¡°lack spiritual power¡±. Feng Qi looked away. ¡°The three of you can use this method to cooperate. If you all don¡¯t make a mistake, you should be able to shorten the breaking time to the same as a usual team.¡± ¡°After defeating the Stoneman Array, you¡¯ll be teleported to a different place for the second stage ¡ª Punishing Evil.¡± Feng Qi stated, ¡°There are countless monsters scattered in this secret realm. Every one kill is counted as one point. In addition, there are five mysterious areas. Either alone or with cooperation to behead the five fierce guarding beasts, the Secret Realm assessment will end and the ranking will be based on the final score.¡± ¡°¡­In addition to the method of cracking the stone array, there¡¯s also a secret boundary map, which shows all the maze formations, traps, evil spirits, and the possible haunts and solutions of five mysterious boundaries.¡± Ji Chaoyun was silent for a moment and asked, ¡°When did you prepare this?¡± Feng Qi didn¡¯t expect him to ask this. Without even thinking about it, he answered, ¡°I wrote it a long time ago. I wrote it for myself. Can¡¯t I?¡± With his cultivation and talent, he naturally didn¡¯t need to write it for himself. This clumsy lie was slightly ridiculous. Feng Qi quickly realized this. He said vaguely, ¡°Anyway, take it back. Write down a few key points. Even if your final ranking is not high, it¡¯s unlikely you¡¯ll fall to the third rank.¡± However, Ji Chaoyun shook his head. He handed the book back to Feng Qi. ¡°I can¡¯t accept it.¡± ¡°You¡ª¡± Feng Qi instantly understood what he was thinking, and persuaded, ¡°I know your concerns, but the secret realm assesses the teamwork and cultivation skills of the disciples. Many disciples will go to the higher level disciples before the assessment to ask about the secret realm¡¯s situation. This is not a violation of the rules.¡± ¡°Then the solution of the Stoneman Array can also be disclosed at will?¡± Ji Chaoyun asked. Feng Qi was startled. Ji Chaoyun said, ¡°I understand your kindness, but I can¡¯t keep relying on others to go on.¡± From leaving Lingyuan Sea, to the three hundred years of wandering about in the mortal realm, to turning into a demon, and ascending through adversities, he had always survived by only relying on himself. Feng Qi hated iron for not becoming steel. ¡°Don¡¯t forget that if you fail in your quarterly test, you are leaving the academy. Haven¡¯t you always wanted to stay here?¡± ¡°I just believe that I can stay here by my own strength.¡± Ji Chaoyun touched the purse exuding heat through his clothes. The corners of his mouth curved slightly. He raised his head, his gaze crossing over the roof and onto the sky shining with stars, awashed with the radiant moonlight. He knew that above this night sky, separated by a distance of ninety-nine heavens, was the realm of God. ¡°Feng Qi, what I want to do is not just stay,¡± Ji Chaoyun said softly with the starlight reflected in his eyes. ¡°I used to think that as long as I stood and waited, I would definitely be able to wait for what I wanted and the person I wanted to see¡­ but then I realized that besides waiting, I had another choice, and that was to find them personally.¡± ¡°I want to go further. If I can¡¯t handle it right now, how can I get what I want?¡± ¡°Even if you can take a detour, you won¡¯t regret it?¡± Ji Chaoyun shook his head. ¡°In this life, I have only regretted one thing.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Ji Chaoyun: ¡°Not coming here three hundred years ago.¡± Feng Qi fixedly looked at him. He finally showed his first heartfelt smile tonight. ¡°Understood. Then I wish you what you want.¡± Five days later, the quarterly exams officially started. The author has something to say: Things in the previous life will slowly unfold, and the behavior of the characters will be explained. If you can¡¯t stand it, you can discard the article, please don¡¯t scold others without seeing the truth, thank you_(:§Ù¡¹¡Ï)_ Father¡¯s younger brother Ê常. CH 18 Translator: Amber.es | Editor: Bubbles | Proofreader: musk Five days later, the quarterly exams officially started. From chen shi1 to noon, the disciples were faced with the Daoism scripture test in the classroom. Ji Chaoyun was diligent and eager to learn, and he had long been familiar with the Daoism that Yellow-ranked disciples needed to be proficient in. This assessment was not at all difficult for him. After the literacy test, everyone took a break and went to the Swordplay Arena for the secret realm assessment. In the past where areas for practicing swordsmanship were divided out, it was now replaced by a teleportation circle. The assessment time had not yet arrived, and the teleportation circle were still unopened, but many disciples waiting for its beginning were already gathered around. ¡°I have never heard of the last two exam questions before!¡± ¡°If I had known, I would have memorised more. I can¡¯t pass the exam now.¡± ¡°What is this, at least you have me gracing the bottom. I don¡¯t know how many times I left them blank.¡± ¡­¡­ The sounds of wails echoed among the disciples. In contrast, Ye Chenxing was as cheerful as a spring breeze. He lowered his voice, saying, ¡°Chaoyun, you¡¯re really too good. You taught me more than half of the exam¡¯s questions. I should have no problem with this assessment.¡± Ji Chaoyun smiled. ¡°A coincidence.¡± ¡°What coincidence? This is strength.¡± Ye Chenxing hooked an arm around Ji Chaoyun¡¯s shoulders and grinned. ¡°After tomorrow¡¯s quarterly exam, there¡¯ll be a break. Let¡¯s go to the lower realm and have a good time, how about that?¡± ¡°This¡­¡± Ji Chaoyun was about to answer, when he suddenly felt a chill from his back. He raised his head. Feng Qi was walking quickly from the front, staring at them intently. Ye Chenxing decisively let go of Ji Chaoyun, and quickly explained, ¡°I suddenly remembered that Chen shixiong of the Black level wanted to find me for something. I¡¯ll head there first!¡± Bei Ran: ¡°Wait, I will go too!¡± ¡°You both wait¡ª¡± Before Ji Chaoyun could finish speaking, the two ran fast, and soon disappeared. He gathered his confidence turned around. Feng Qi raised his brows slightly, his eyes flashing with a victorious smile. ¡°Why were you looking for me?¡± Ji Chaoyun asked, standing beside the pine forest surrounding Swordplay Arena. Feng Qi moved forward half a step, dropped his head, and lowered his voice as he told Ji Chaoyun, ¡°I will give you a final chance. You¡¯re really not reading the cheats I¡¯m giving you? The secret trial is not as simple as you think.¡± ¡°Not reading.¡± Feng Qi ¡®tsk¡¯-ed. ¡°Stubborn.¡± Although he said so, his face showed no anger. Feng Qi lowered his eyes to look at the person close at hand, and couldn¡¯t hold back; he raised his hand and squeezed that face. ¡°Want to help you, yet you give me no chance. Really too¡­ Why is your face so hot?¡± Ji Chaoyun turned his head and avoided his hand. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me so casually.¡± Ji Chaoyun¡¯s body temperature was lower than that of normal people, and even if there was some abnormal warmth on his body, it was still much lower compared to others. Though his temperature change was not obvious, Feng Qi still noticed it. Feng Qi rubbed his fingertips, and smiled. ¡°I¡¯m being too close to you. Shy?¡± ¡°Ridiculous.¡± From some distance, Immortal Lord Kaiyang¡ªwho was in charge of supervision¡ªarrived, which meant that the assessment was about to begin. Ji Chaoyun turned to leave. ¡°Wait, I haven¡¯t finished speaking.¡± Feng Qi raised his hand and pressed onto Ji Chaoyun¡¯s shoulder, but the latter avoided him. However, in that instance, a tiny glow emerging from the tip of Feng Qi¡¯s fingertips concealed itself into Ji Chaoyun¡¯s hair bun. This spiritual power was too weak, so the latter did not notice it. Turning serious, Feng Qi warned, ¡°There are many traps in the secret realm. Once you get caught in one, it is difficult to get out, and very easy to get injured. You have to be careful.¡± Seeing his good intentions, Ji Chaoyun nodded. ¡°I understand. Thank you.¡± Ji Chaoyun returned to Swordplay Arena. Immortal Lord Kaiyang announced the start of the assessment, and everyone split up, entering the secret realm at the same time. He opened his eyes. They were teleported within a stone forest. 2 Rugged stone pillars and pinnacles stood before them. The three of them looked at each other and stepped into the centre cautiously. The so-called stone formation was naturally not as simple as defeating a stone man. There were thousands of strange rocks in this stone forest, which unpredictably changed and it was easy to get lost within. Yet, the real stone man was hidden amongst all that, which meant they had to decipher between real and fake. It was silent until Ji Chaoyun suddenly stepped on a loose stone slab. His heart was startled. ¡°Beware!¡± He dragged the other two back a few steps, as when he¡¯d stepped on that area, the stones were dislodged. Rubble rolled down, and they were blown to pieces by the hidden weapons in the deep pit. Ye Chenxing looked down at the pit and swallowed. ¡°This, this secret realm¡­ shouldn¡¯t really cause deaths, right?¡± Ji Chaoyun: ¡°¡­Best to be careful.¡± As Feng Qi had warned him, there were many traps in the stone forest. The three of them were avoiding the traps while looking for the stone men, and their progress was extremely slow. Ji Chaoyun stopped. He raised his hand and touched his forehead, and the unusual heat caused his brows to slightly frown. At the same time, another imperceptible warm sensation was faintly radiating from his body. ¡­It shouldn¡¯t be so coincidental ba? ¡°Chaoyun, what¡¯s wrong with you, are you uncomfortable?¡± Ye Chenxing asked. Ji Chaoyun shook his head. ¡°Nothing.¡± He raised his head and looked into the air. Hanging above their heads, the glowing number was still ¡®Seventeen¡¯. This represented the seventeen teams that had already entered the stone formation. This place was not the true secret realm. Only when the stone formation was broken would it transport the team to the place where the real assessment was located. And the sequence of breaking the stone formation would determine the order of entering the secret realm. There were a total of 1,500 evil spirits in the secret realm. Each victory against one evil spirit was worth one point, and the beings would not be reborn. That was to say, the later they entered the secret realm, the more disadvantaged their situation would be. If Ji Chaoyun¡¯s assessment results this time fell to the bottom five in the Yellow level, he would be kicked out of the academy. His two companions noticed Ji Chaoyun¡¯s worry, and Bei Ran asked, ¡°Ji dage, what should we do now?¡± Ji Chaoyun pondered for a moment. ¡°You go to the stone¡¯s summit. Follow our plan.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± The two nodded, leaping up and down towards the top of two pinnacles, one east and one west. Ji Chaoyun retrieved some talisman paper from his sleeves. He whispered the incantations and raised his hand, several talisman papers soaring out to stick to the center of the stone wall. ¡°Break!¡± Ji Chaoyun retreated quickly. Almost at the same time, several stone summits in front of him exploded. As he backed up, he continued to take the talisman papers from his sleeve. In a blink of an eye, he blew up everything in the vicinity. The rocks splashed across the stone forest, and amidst the billowing dust waves, there was a very unusual movement. ¡°Chaoyun, I saw it. North-west!¡± Ye Chenxing called out loudly, and the three of them rushed north-west all at once. After the billowing dust dissipated, the three of them surrounded a stone pillar. The stone pillars that were originally dead suddenly twisted and changed, and the rugged stone walls continued to grow and elevate, eventually forming a tall stone figure. Simultaneously, the number on the screen finally changed. Fifteen. Two teams had entered the secret realm. Ji Chaoyun only glanced at the number without paying much attention. Participating in the secret realm assessment were the Black and Yellow disciples at the same time. More than half of them were not entering the secret realm for the first time. Hence, the speed of breaking through the formation was naturally quicker than their own. He glanced at the two beside him, nodded to them, and together they raised their swords and rushed towards the target. . Outside the secret realm, several high-level disciples surrounded Swordplay Arena. Every time the assessment day came, the academy would give a day off. However, most disciples used to only care about quiet cultivation, and even during their rest time, they had nowhere to go, so they could only come to watch the battle and join in the fun. In Swordplay Arena, several light mirrors floated in the air in a semi-arc shape, projecting the situation in the secret realm. At this moment, there were only two teams left inside, both of which were Yellow-ranked disciples. From the distance, Feng Qi sat leaning on a branch, looking at the light screens from a distance with a slight frown on his face. Unsure why, he felt a little uneasy today, but he couldn¡¯t tell exactly where this anxiety came from. Nothing was going to happen, right? Feng Qi leaned on the branch, vexed. He closed his eyes to regain his composure. A voice rang from under the tree. ¡°I guessed that His Second Highness Feng would come. Why, can¡¯t rest assured?¡± Feng Qi opened his eyes, and said with dissatisfaction, ¡°Song Zhifei, why aren¡¯t you accompanying Jiang Cheng to oversee the exam and instead came here to find me?¡± Song Zhifei replied, ¡°Jiang Cheng fell ill today and did not participate in the examination.¡± Feng Qi had been worrying all day and he really didn¡¯t notice whether Jiang Cheng had come. He snorted. ¡°He simply doesn¡¯t want to see Ji Chaoyun.¡± Song Zhifei smiled. ¡°I like that little dragon¡¯s temperament very much. It¡¯s no wonder that Your Highness cares for him, but such a pity he doesn¡¯t seem to understand Your Highness¡¯ deep consideration.¡± ¡°Deep consideration?¡± Feng Qi¡¯s eyes wavered and he asked, ¡°What makes you think I have deep consideration for him?¡± Song Zhifei: ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter how I feel. The important thing is whether Your Highness is aware of your feelings.¡± Feng Qi¡¯s breathing stagnated. His heart seemed to be tapped lightly by something, and the subtle and unspoken emotions were revealed to the sky without warning. Feng Qi did not refute, nor did he show the slightest peculiarity. He stared at the person beneath the tree for a long time, and meaningfully said, ¡°Song Zhifei, you really deserve to be the first disciple in the academy, and a mortal ascending to the Heaven-level. Regardless of how one cultivates, when it comes to doing things for people, Jiang Cheng is incomparable to you.¡± ¡°Thank you for your compliment,¡± Song Zhifei said. ¡°I¡¯ll stop here. I¡¯ll head back to supervise the examination.¡± He turned to leave before suddenly hearing Feng Qi speak softly, ¡°I heard that Jiang Cheng will go back to succeed as the Master of the Island once the school year is over. If you have nowhere to go, you¡¯re welcome to Dengyun Building.¡± Song Zhifei paused, and said politely and respectfully, ¡°This person is doing well at the Supervisory Hall. I am grateful for your kindness, Your Highness.¡± Feng Qi gave a cold snort in response, its meaning unknown, and said nothing as he leaned back against the tree trunk. . In the Stone Forest, Ji Chaoyun and his party were still dealing with the Stone Man. The stone men in this formal assessment were several times stronger than the ones they had encountered before. Even though the three of them cooperated tacitly, the challenge was still difficult. With the loss of spiritual power, Ji Chaoyun¡¯s discomfort became clearer, and even his reaction speed was much slower. ¡°Chaoyun, beware!¡± Ye Chenxing shouted. Ji Chaoyun had yet to react when he suddenly saw a figure rushing towards him. Ye Chenxing stood in front of Ji Chaoyun, and received a punch from the stone man in the back. He groaned, and the two staggered back, rolling into a piece of rubble. The side of Ji Chaoyun¡¯s face was pierced by a stone, but he didn¡¯t care about it. He quickly threw out two talisman papers to restrain the movement of the stone man, and lifted Ye Chenxing up. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± Ye Chenxing¡¯s face was pale, and he silently cursed before making a sound. ¡°¡­This thing¡¯s actions are just too ruthless. Fortunately, I resisted it.¡± ¡°Ji dage!¡± Bei Ran called out loudly in the distance. ¡°We can¡¯t go on like this. What should we do?!¡± The two looked at the light screen above their heads at the same time. The number on it had become an ¡®Eight¡¯. The teams participating in the assessment this time had eight Black-level teams and nine Yellow-level teams. That was to say, at least one team of yellow-level disciples had entered the secret realm. ¡°There must be another way¡­¡± Ji Chaoyun whispered. How did Feng Qi do it when he was first assessed? Freshmen were required to participate in the assessment three months after enrollment. Feng Qi enrolled late at the beginning of the year, and it was less than a month before the quarterly exam. Immortal Elder had originally intended to put him on hold for a few months, but Feng Qi had been arrogant and decided to participate in the assessment either way, easily winning first place in the test. Ji Chaoyun originally thought that he might be able to force a breakthrough by relying on his advanced cultivation. But not long ago, Feng Qi had wanted to tell him the secret of the stone formation. Was there really another solution? The three of them stood in a stalemate, and the number of light screens above their heads gradually decreased, and the speed was getting faster and faster. Seven. Six. Five. Four. Three. There were only three teams left. Physical discomfort and time constraints cleared Ji Chaoyun¡¯s thoughts. He calmed down and looked around. In the past three months, he had thoroughly studied the stone man. If there were other solutions, it would only be in this stone forest. Strange rocks in the stone forest. The roads, rough and difficult to walk. Even having countless traps hidden around¡­ ¡°There are many traps in the secret realm. Once you fall into it, it is difficult to get out, and it is very easy to get injured. You have to be careful.¡± Ji Chaoyun suddenly remembered what Feng Qi had told him before entering the secret realm. Traps. It was as if a beam of light broke through the clouds. Enlightened, Ji Chaoyun said loudly, ¡°It¡¯s the trap! Lead it into the trap, use the terrain to jam it, and trigger the hidden weapon mechanism to deal with it!¡± An incense stick had passed and the number on the light screen above the stone forest returned to zero. The last three teams entered the secret realm at the same time. The contiguous towering cedar trees hid the sky, and the moisture in the forest compensated for it, leaving it extremely cold. A ray of light shone in between the foliage of the trees, and Ji Chaoyun stepped out of the teleportation circle, a thin layer of sweat on his forehead. In the distance, water gurgled, and a winding creek ran through the forest. Ji Chaoyun walked over slowly, half-kneeled on the ground, and washed his face with the water. Upon closer inspection, his fingers were already trembling slightly. Ji Chaoyun wiped off the water droplets on his face, and raised his hand to unfold a light screen. On the light screen, there were two scoring lists, which recorded the current rankings of the Black-level and Yellow-level disciples respectively. The first disciple of the Yellow-level now had seven points. Of the three teams that finally entered the secret realm, a total of 13 people, at the moment had a zero next to their names. Ji Chaoyun stared at his name at the end of the leaderboard. He gave a light laugh and closed the scoreboard, got up and walked towards the forest. CH 19.1 In the hours after that, the rankings on the scoreboard changed rapidly, the scores constantly refreshing. Amongst them, the fastest to ascend was Ji Chaoyun. A sharp howl rang in the forest. With an unchanging expression, Ji Chaoyun¡¯s sword pierced through the beast¡¯s heart, the scoreboard floating beside him changing once more under the splash of blood. Ji Chaoyun, eight points, rank 10. In just an hour, he¡¯d jumped from the original forty-third position to the tenth. Ji Chaoyun took a deep breath, retracted his sword, and continued to walk forward. Inside the secret realm, he was not alone in paying attention to the constantly changing rankings. ¡°Fuck, Ji Chaoyun is in the top ten?¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t he the last to enter the secret realm? What are the Yellow-level dregs doing?¡± ¡°Going by this speed, he might even win the first place in the end.¡± ¡­¡­ ¡°All of you, shut up.¡± Xu Zixing stood with his sword in his hand, his cold eyes withdrawing from the scoreboard. ¡°We haven¡¯t found a fierce beast yet, do you still have time to care about others here?¡± For a moment, the forest was silent before someone smiled and said, ¡°Xu shixiong, aren¡¯t we just here to vent your anger for you? Do you want Ji Chaoyun to stay in the academy?¡± ¡°To vent my anger?¡± Xu Zixing glanced over the several people one by one and smirked slightly. ¡°I have an idea, you all come over.¡± A few people gathered around. Xu Zixing lowered his voice and whispered something in their ears, the words covered by the rustle of the wind blowing through the dense forest. . At Swordplay Arena, as the competition in the secret realm became fiercer, the atmosphere between those watching the game became more and more heated. Several people sat cross-legged on the grass, pointing at the light mirror and discussing. ¡°It was really fast this time. Five fierce beasts appeared and two were quickly killed. It seems they can complete the assessment before dawn.¡± ¡°That Yellow-level disciple still didn¡¯t grab onto it. Inexperienced, after all. Letting the newcomers compete with those experienced veterans feels like bullying the young.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate the new students. Who didn¡¯t come here like this? Besides, aren¡¯t there many great ones this year?¡± ¡°Speaking of which, what happened to Ji Chaoyun? In the first hour, I thought he was going to be the Yellow-level¡¯s number one, but even after so long, his points basically haven¡¯t moved?¡± As soon as this remark came out, everyone noticed Ji Chaoyun¡¯s ranking on the scoreboard. Three hours had now passed, but Ji Chaoyun¡¯s score had only increased by three points, and he had fallen behind from tenth to more than thirty. ¡°Really? But I heard that as long as he does not fall to the third rank from the bottom, he will pass the level. He is still far from the bottom five, and it is understandable.¡± ¡°But this test is only halfway through, and the scores are so tight in the end. How dare he relax?¡± ¡°I heard that his cultivation base lacks spiritual power. Isn¡¯t it because¡­¡± ¡°No,¡± a voice sounded behind them, startling everyone. They looked back. It was unknown how long Feng Qi had been standing there. He raised his eyes and stared at the image reflected on the light screen, stating icily, ¡°Someone is targeting him.¡± ¡°Your Second Highness Feng?!¡± Those few people stood up and saluted him. ¡°Your Highness also came to see the assessment?¡± Feng Qi gave a light response. He had been staying in the woods not far away, so no one had noticed him. Someone asked, ¡°Your Highness mentioned someone was targeting Ji Chaoyun? How did you manage to see it?¡± Feng Qi: ¡°In these three hours, Ji Chaoyun did not slack off. Nonetheless, he did not find any monsters at all. Someone has been following him to clear away the monsters around him in advance. The record on the light screen is clear. If you don¡¯t believe it, you can go to the Supervisory Exam Hall to check after the assessment is over.¡± Everyone looked at each other. No one dared to ask why Feng Qi was so clear about what was happening to Ji Chaoyun in the secret realm. There were more than fifty sides of the light screen transcribing the secret realm¡¯s situation. To understand so clearly, was it because he¡¯d been staring at Ji Chaoyun from beginning to end? ¡°But¡­ who would do this?¡± Feng Qi snorted coldly and kept silent. This answer was actually self-evident; there could be no one other than Xu Zixing. When Xu Zixing had stolen Ji Chaoyun¡¯s purse, Feng Qi had only taught him a lesson, and let the other party lose money without escalating the situation. Even Xu Zixing himself couldn¡¯t figure out why Feng Qi didn¡¯t tell the Immortal Elder of the matter. Feng Qi wanted to hold on to Ji Chaoyun. If the purse-related matter was spread, the fact that Ji Chaoyun had forced Qi Xuan at Hongmeng Mountain and lost control of his demonic form could no longer be hidden. Therefore, he had kept Xu Zixing loose until now. Ji Chaoyun was right. Retribution of grievances would cause nothing but trouble. If it wasn¡¯t for him not being able to bear his temper, Xu Zixing would not have done this kind of manipulation in the secret realm assessment. Feng Qi stared at the light mirror. In the image, Ji Chaoyun lifted his head and looked over with a cold stare, as if able to see him through it. After three full hours of nothing, Ji Chaoyun obviously couldn¡¯t restrain his temper. He even forgot to hide the traces of ill-will in his demonic eyes. His brows were slightly wrinkled, several veins appearing from the end of his eyes to his cheeks, revealing a dangerous and eerie beauty. Feng Qi¡¯s eyes softened and he whispered, ¡°Will let you see, whether I can protect you or not.¡± . Ji Chaoyun walked slowly in the dense forest, his eyes sweeping around at all corners when suddenly, a shadow flashed in front of him. His eyes flickered slightly, and he quietly stuck close to a tree. A figure poked his head from behind a tree. ¡°¡±Hey, where¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Are you looking for me?¡± coldly asked Ji Chaoyun as he walked out from behind him. The disciple trembled with fear. ¡°Chao, Chaoyun!¡± It was Qi Xuan. Ji Chaoyun held his sword and weighed him up and down. ¡°Did Xu Zixing send you here?¡± Qi Xuan hurriedly explained, ¡°No, no! Since that incident, I haven¡¯t listened to him once. I really am not¡ª¡± Ji Chaoyun interrupted impatiently, ¡°Then what are you doing here?¡± ¡°I-I just wanted to tell you that Xu Zixing has been sending people to secretly keep an eye on you.¡± Qi Xuan continued, ¡°I know some shixiong close to him, and I just bumped into them by accident. I heard them talk, that¡¯s why¡­¡± Ji Chaoyun¡¯s expression was not surprised. ¡°I know.¡± ¡°You know? True, you are so powerful, how could you not know¡­¡± Qi Xuan hesitated for a moment before saying, ¡°Chaoyun, I¡¯ve been wanting to apologize to you, I didn¡¯t know that thing was so important to you. No, it doesn¡¯t matter. No matter what, I shouldn¡¯t have done that. But Xu Zixing, he¡­¡± Qi Xuan: ¡°A hundred years ago, I participated in Hongmeng Mountain¡¯s assessment but¡­ I didn¡¯t pass it. If I was kicked out, I would have had to wait another hundred years. I really didn¡¯t want to wait any longer, and in my confusion¡­¡± Ji Chaoyun closed his eyes and interrupted, ¡°I accept your apology.¡± Qi Xuan was startled. Ji Chaoyun: ¡°Everyone has a reason to come here, and it is not easy. I almost made a big mistake before as well, so we are even.¡± ¡°Thank you, thank you, Chaoyun.¡± Ji Chaoyun said ¡°en¡± and continued, ¡°By the way, would you be willing to do me one more favor?¡± After a while, on the other side of the cedar forest. Xu Zixing had been searching around for a long while. This was his third time participating in the secret realm assessment, and according to experience, the place the next ferocious beast was most likely to haunt was near this spot. A strange noise came from the depths of the forest. He drew his sword and chased after it, but merely saw a red-clothed wandering spirit floating in the woods. The wandering soul noticed him, and his lips widened in a strange arc, blood gushing out. Just an ordinary demon. Xu Zixing gave a ¡°tsk¡± and was about to slash it with his sword when a sharp wandering sword spirit came from behind, piercing her1Nope. No error as that¡¯s what the author wrote. throat. Xu Zixing abruptly halted his movements. He staggered back a few steps, almost getting hurt by the lingering sword intent. The wandering soul then dissipated in front of Xu Zixing¡¯s shocked face, revealing the sword-wielding man behind. It was Ji Chaoyun. Xu Zixing¡¯s expression changed drastically. He forced himself to calm down and asked, ¡°What are you doing?¡± Ji Chaoyun said in a low voice, ¡°You robbed me of so many monsters, and I robbed you of one, is it too much?¡± Xu Zixing looked away. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, you do not dare admit it.¡± Ji Chaoyun withdrew his sword, and a sarcastic curve appeared on his lips. ¡°But do you really believe you didn¡¯t leave any evidence behind?¡± As early as half a shichen ago, when he had not encountered any demons, Ji Chaoyun had noticed that something was wrong. However, the road in the dense forest was winding and rough, and the enemy was in the dark while he in the light. He¡¯d searched for a long time but couldn¡¯t find the mastermind in the shadows. But that didn¡¯t mean he did nothing. ¡°¡­What evidence did I leave behind?¡± Ji Chaoyun: ¡°During the three shichen that you were staring at me, I couldn¡¯t kill any monsters, only able to do other things, such as¡­ observing the light mirrors that recorded the situation in the secret realm¡ª where they were all at.¡± Xu Zixing¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°I purposely led the people you sent to follow me, so that all their actions may be recorded. Even if the disciples who are inspecting and watching the battle outside the secret realm currently have no clue about this, they only need to turn it over and verify the facts afterwards. The truth will be out, ¡± Ji Chaoyun recounted. ¡°Xu Zixing, you should know the consequences of cheating in the assessment, am I right?¡±2musk: i love how Chaoyun and Feng Qi are so in sync. After being driven out of Hongmeng Academy, one would never be allowed to take another half step in. TL by Amber.es Nope. No error as that¡¯s what the author wrote. musk: i love how Chaoyun and Feng Qi are so in sync. CH 19.2 Xu Zixing finally couldn¡¯t hide the fear on his face, and he hurriedly took a step forward. ¡°No, I can¡¯t be kicked out of the academy. Ji Chaoyun, you¡ª¡± Before he could finish speaking,an unexpected faint echo sounded from beneath his feet. Their expressions changed instantly. In the next second, the ground beneath Xu Zixing sank without warning. He stepped in the air, but before he could make any sound, he stumbled and fell. ¡°¡­¡± Ji Chaoyun silently looked at the cave in front of him, sensing the unusual evil spirit rushing towards him with a hint of hesitation in his eyes. This should be what Feng Qi had told him about¡ª the mysterious area where the ferocious beast lurked. There were five ferocious beasts in the secret realm, each of their deaths with a value of ten points. These kinds of beasts were extremely powerful, and it would take four to five people to kill one. Therefore, once a disciple discovered the location of a ferocious beast, they would usually send a signal to notify others. But¡­ Ji Chaoyun opened the scoring list, counting the points he¡¯d taken from Xu Zixing just now. His current score was 12, ranking 30th. It was too low. A faint light flashed in Ji Chaoyun¡¯s eyes, and he made a decision right then and there. He put away the scoreboard and jumped into the cave. The ground returned to its original state after he entered, and there was no trace of its existence. It was extremely dark inside. Ji Chaoyun quietly landed on the ground, and in front of him was a long and narrow corridor. At the end of it was a stone cave, and before it was Xu Zixing, looking carefully within. Ji Chaoyun walked over, raised his hand and patted the other¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Hey.¡± ¡°Shh!¡± Xu Zixing lowered his voice. ¡°It¡¯s a black-spotted python. Don¡¯t wake it up. How many people did you bring in¡ª¡± He turned around, yet only saw Ji Chaoyun alone behind him. Xu Zixing froze. A long time passed before he questioned in surprise, ¡°You¡­ you came in alone?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Ji Chaoyun said lightly. ¡°Xu Zixing, let¡¯s make a deal.¡± The cave was dark and damp, and a giant python was lying on the flat ground deep in its depths, sleeping lightly. Ji Chaoyun and Xu Zixing walked forward quietly. The latter whispered, ¡°Ji Chaoyun, think about it once more. We have to send a distress signal. How could you and I, the two of us, be able to fight¡ª¡± Ji Chaoyun threatened in a low voice, ¡°If you dare to notify anyone, I will reveal about your cheating and harming me.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Xu Zixing was speechless. After a while, he murmured, ¡°Really a lunatic¡­¡± Ji Chaoyun¡¯s current ranking was too low; he dared not rashly signal and give the chance to score to any Yellow-level disciple. However, the Black-level and the Yellow-level results were ranked separately. This cooperation with Xu Zixing was his best choice. Ji Chaoyun asked, ¡°Do you remember what I just told you?¡± ¡°I remember,¡± Xu Zixing replied with a headache. ¡°The black python is afraid of fire. First destroy its eyes with it, then let you engage it in battle, after which I will pierce its heart core, right?¡± Ji Chaoyun: ¡°Good that you remember. We only have one chance.¡± ¡°Of course I know, the question is how you¡¯ll deal with¡ª¡± Before he finished speaking, Ji Chaoyun raised his hand and threw out two talismans. The talismans exploded the moment they touched the black python¡¯s pupils, burning them up. The beast screamed in pain, its body rolling and entangling when its tail suddenly slammed against the stone wall, causing the entire cave to shake wildly. Ji Chaoyun stepped forward, pulled out his sword and stabbed the black python¡¯s head with force. But this black python was covered in hard scales, and Ji Chaoyun¡¯s attack, despite all his strength, did not hurt it at all, but was instead thrown out by the opponent¡¯s violent struggle. Ji Chaoyun¡¯s back slammed onto the stone wall, and an intense pain engulfed him. He slightly blacked out, unable to see the sight in front of him. Xu Zixing loudly scolded, ¡°I¡¯ve told you that you can¡¯t do it. Based on your cultivation level¡ª¡± His voice stopped abruptly as the black python¡¯s struggle ceased. It was startled by the voice, raised its head and turned towards Xu Zixing¡¯s direction. The fire in its eyes subsided, leaving only two cauterized holes, which looked extraordinarily eerie and terrifying. One person and one python looked at each other. Xu Zixing was seemingly pinned to the spot by some force, a layer of cold sweat forming on his back. The black python opened its jaws, let out a roar and immediately rushed towards him! At that moment, Xu Zixing even sensed the stench of hot breath from the black python¡¯s mouth. Yet the expected pain did not come; Xu Zixing looked at the giant python that was close at hand, almost swallowing him up, before he realized something. He tilted his head to look. Ji Chaoyun was standing in the depths of the cave, his hands tightly clutching the tail of the black python, his pair of vertical pupils as transparent as a ceramic glaze. In the next second, his appearance changed. The silver dragon scales quickly covered Ji Chaoyun¡¯s skin, and a dragon tail stretched out from behind him, coiling tightly around the black python¡¯s body. His body changed rapidly in the dazzling silver light, extending as his clothes fell to the ground. After the brightness faded, a slender and mighty silver dragon was revealed. The scales were crystal clear and glowed with a dazzling silvery sheen, its body slender, and the tail tightly wrapped around the black python¡¯s body. One dragon and one python were closely entangled. The latter kept rolling over in severe pain, but it couldn¡¯t escape the restraint no matter what. Xu Zixing stared blankly at the scene in front of him, and even his breathing almost stopped. This was¡­ Ji Chaoyun? ¡°What are you doing?¡± Ji Chaoyun¡¯s voice sounded as the silver dragon grabbed the struggling python¡¯s head and lifted it up, revealing the weakness hidden amidst the scales. ¡°Attack it. Pierce it seven inches deep. Hurry!¡± Xu Zixing sobered up, took out his sword and jumped, the blade instantly impaling the beast¡¯s body. The black python let out a painful roar, and under the hold of the silver dragon, finally stopped moving. ¡°Is¡­ is it dead?¡± Xu Zixing asked in a trembling voice. The silver dragon maintained his hold and didn¡¯t move. Xu Zixing opened the scoreboard and saw that both of their scores had indeed increased by ten points at the same time. ¡°Look, we succeeded, we¡ª¡± ¡°Xu Zixing.¡± Ji Chaoyun¡¯s voice was a little hoarse, as if he was suppressing something. ¡°You go out first.¡± ¡°Why are you¡­¡± ¡°Go out!¡± Ji Chaoyun shouted angrily. Along with the sound of the dragon¡¯s roar, Xu Zixing stopped moving closer. In front of the real deal, even if a person¡¯s cultivation base was not low, the pressure of a real dragon was still terrifyingly strong. Xu Zixing unconsciously swallowed, and he hesitantly gazed at the silver dragon lurking in the depths of the cave. A long time passed before he said, ¡°In any case, thank you for saving my life.¡± Ji Chaoyun did not answer. ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry for what happened before. When I head out of here, I will admit it even if you don¡¯t intend to reveal my wrongdoings.¡± After Xu Zixing finished speaking, he turned around and left. The sound of footsteps disappeared, and the tense body of the silver dragon finally relaxed. With a flick of his tail, he threw the black python¡¯s corpse into a corner of the cave, and then turned back into a human body. Ji Chaoyun picked up a piece of clothing and draped it over his body. This action seemed to consume the last of his strength, and he fell to his knees, slowly curling up on the cold ground, his face flushed abnormally. So hot¡­ The Dragon Clan would regularly have a heat period. Perhaps he had been overextending himself, for Ji Chaoyun didn¡¯t notice it beforehand. It was not until entering the secret realm that he found out his heat had come earlier. During these past few hours, he¡¯d forcibly suppressed his cultivation. If there were no accidents, he should be able to last until the end of the assessment. But in order to deal with this black python, he had to show his true form. The abnormality of it could no longer be restrained under the rapid consumption of spiritual power. Ji Chaoyun¡¯s consciousness gradually became chaotic, and he was engulfed by the surging tide of passion. While in a trance, a golden light flew out from the clothes scattered on the ground, and turned into a slender figure in front of him.1Bubbles: omg r they going to papapapapap omg omg pls pls yes The image before Ji Chaoyun was fuzzy. He called out a name in a low voice, ¡°Feng¡­ Feng Xiao.¡± The author has something to say: Sorry for the late update, this chapter made my hair bald orz From the next chapter to enter v, there will be big fat chapters falling. But you also know that I write slowly. I can only guarantee the quality of this article at a speed of 500 per hour. To write 10,000 words, I have to sleep for 20 hours = = I want to take a day and a half off with you. I will not update it on Monday, and I will update Chapter V at 6:00 pm on Tuesday. During this period, I will find time to refine the previous article. There will be red envelopes dropping in the first three chapters of v. I hope everyone can support the genuine version, thank you, and bow. Amber: Next chapter is VIP~! Bubbles: There better be papapa in the next chap or I¡¯ll combust. Looking forward to ML¡¯s reaction Bubbles: omg r they going to papapapapap omg omg pls pls yes CH 20.1 Ji Chaoyun¡¯s consciousness was already very blurred, and he couldn¡¯t even see the familiar outline in front of him. He raised his head with all his might. The man before him leaned down and gently embraced him.¡±It¡¯s alright, don¡¯t be afraid, I¡¯m here.¡± ¡°Feng Xiao¡­¡± Ji Chaoyun whispered the name softly, even the ending syllable was trembling. ¡°¡­Is it really you?¡± The person beside him didn¡¯t answer, only maintaining his embrace and sighing imperceptibly. Ji Chaoyun was hot all over. The warm touch eased the pressure, and he couldn¡¯t help but want to take in more of it. He uncontrollably approached the heat source, grabbed the front of the other¡¯s clothes with both hands, and cried out, ¡°It¡¯s so uncomfortable, Feng Xiao¡­¡± But without waiting for him to do anything else, the other party gently held his wrists and stopped him from moving. Feng Qi¡¯s eyes were slightly red. His voice was startlingly hoarse, as if trying to restrain something. ¡°Calm down, Ji Chaoyun. Can you hear me? Chaoyun?¡± Ji Chaoyun¡¯s entire body froze, as though someone had poured cold water on his head. His originally chaotic consciousness miraculously awakened. ¡°Feng¡­ Qi¡­?¡± ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± Feng Qi forced himself not to look at him. He quickly picked up Ji Chaoyun¡¯s clothes and wrapped them around him. ¡°Even forgetting your heat period. You idiot.¡± Ji Chaoyun instinctively wanted to push him away, but his hands and feet were weak and he couldn¡¯t exert any strength at the moment. The next second, his body was pulled up from the ground. Feng Qi picked him up. Ji Chaoyun muddle-headedly fell into Feng Qi¡¯s arms. ¡°Where are you taking me¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Feng Qi gritted his teeth and said bluntly, ¡°Taking you to solve your damn heat period!¡± He was always worried about what would happen in the secret realm. So before Ji Chaoyun entered it, he separated a ray of divine consciousness from himself and hid it on Ji Chaoyun. When Ji Chaoyun and Xu Zixing had dealt with the giant python moments before, he¡¯d felt the abnormal fluctuation of spiritual power in Ji Chaoyun¡¯s body. ¡ªAnd then he saw this scene. The youth was curled up on the ground. His clothes were messy, his body was abnormally feverish, and the airtight cave was filled with the lingering sweetness that came with his heat. Feng Qi held his breath and forced himself to calm down. There were light mirrors everywhere outside, so he naturally couldn¡¯t just go out with Ji Chaoyun. He listened carefully and vaguely heard the sound of water coming from the depths of the cave. Without further delay, Feng Qi carried Ji Chaoyun to the place where the sound originated from. Bypassing the long and narrow corridor, there was a smaller cave on the other side with a deep pool in it. The water was crystal clear, though it was unclear where it came from. Feng Qi knelt on its edge and supported Ji Chaoyun until he was inside. The water was bitingly cold. Ji Chaoyun curled up as soon as he touched the surface. He grabbed Feng Qi¡¯s sleeves with both hands, sticking close to his embrace. ¡°Cold¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be coquettish. Isn¡¯t it better to be cold? Will get you awake,¡± Feng Qi said with a calm face. ¡°Hurry and go down.¡± Ji Chaoyun raised a pair of misty eyes, and held Feng Qi tightly, refusing to let go. If he was awake, he would have definitely not done this, but he had been in a daze since earlier. It was already uncomfortable and now, he even had to go into cold water. His eyes were turning red with grievance. When Feng Qi saw the emotions in his eyes, he could hardly hold back the restless agitation in his heart. He felt like he should also go in to sober up. He took a deep breath, put Ji Chaoyun on the ground beside the pool, removed his robe, and bent over to hug him once more. The sound of water in the depths of the cave clattered out; Feng Qi jumped into the pool with Ji Chaoyun in his arms. The icy pool water drowned them instantly. Ji Chaoyun shivered from the cold, and put his arms around Feng Qi¡¯s neck in a tight hold. The latter closely hugged him back and held him up against the reef at the pool. ¡°It¡¯s alright, it¡¯ll be alright soon.¡± Feng Qi leaned close to Ji Chaoyun¡¯s ear to comfort him, at the same time grabbing his wrist to slowly inject spiritual power. Under the injection of spiritual power and the coldness of the water, Ji Chaoyun¡¯s rapid breathing slowly calmed down, and he gradually gained consciousness. But this external force was extremely ineffective; after some time had passed, Ji Chaoyun¡¯s heat could no longer be calmed down. Feng Qi hesitated for a moment, before reaching into the waters. Ji Chaoyun grabbed him suddenly.¡±What are you doing¡­¡± Feng Qi¡¯s expression was a little unnatural. He turned his head and looked away. ¡°The black python you killed is the fourth vicious beast that appeared in this secret realm assessment.¡± Ji Chaoyun blankly looked at him. His confused mind didn¡¯t understand what he meant. Feng Qi said, ¡°No one knows if the fifth beast has appeared, and when it will. But if the fifth beast is beheaded, all the disciples who remain in the secret realm will be automatically sent out.¡± He paused, his voice difficult. ¡°You probably don¡¯t want everyone to see you like this.¡± Unaware if it was because of the cold or what, but Ji Chaoyun¡¯s fingers trembled slightly, almost like he was unable to continue grasping Feng Qi¡¯s hand. Feng Qi sighed. He pressed Ji Chaoyun¡¯s head against his shoulder. He softly consoled him, ¡°Close your eyes, I¡¯ll help you.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Ji Chaoyun¡¯s consciousness soon blurred again, as if sinking into a turbulent wave, ebbing and flowing with nothing sturdy to rely on. A subtle splashing of water rang from the depths of the cave, and it continued for a long time. ??? March 2022: If you have found this translation anywhere except on Dummynovels (https://dummynovels.com/novel/after-cultivating-with-the-enemy/), it has been stolen. ??? When Ji Chaoyun woke up again, the dryness and heat all over his body had faded. He got up from the pool, his clothes neatly folded on the reef beside it, and dried himself. He dressed himself and walked out of the smaller cave. Feng Qi was sitting in the open space where the black python had been beheaded, a fire burning in front of him. It was unknown how long the fire had been burning. The whole cave was warmed up, utterly different from the cold and dampness it emanated when they had just entered. Was it for fear that he¡¯d be cold when he woke up? This thought suddenly flashed through Ji Chaoyun¡¯s heart when Feng Qi turned his head. ¡°Finally awake. How do you feel now?¡± Thinking of what had happened, Ji Chaoyun¡¯s face was slightly hot. He looked away awkwardly. ¡°It¡¯s all right.¡± He paused, then said, ¡°Thank you.¡± When he said this, Feng Qi also felt a little uncomfortable. He coughed lightly. ¡°It¡¯s fine, come over and warm up.¡± ¡°En.¡± Ji Chaoyun walked to the fire and asked once more, ¡°Why are you here?¡± Feng Qi was silent for a moment, then truthfully confessed, ¡°Before you entered the secret realm, I put a ray of divine consciousness on you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that. I didn¡¯t help you cheat.¡± Feng Qi dodged his expression and argued, ¡°You have been feeling unwell for the past few days. Can¡¯t I be afraid that something will happen to you? See this result? Really what I¡¯d expected. Tell me, you don¡¯t even know what¡¯s wrong with your body. What would you do if I wasn¡¯t here?¡± Ji Chaoyun was left speechless by Feng Qi¡¯s non-stop interrogation. He squatted beside the fire in silence, the flickering of the firelight adding a bit of blood to his face. His hair was slightly damp and messy, and he looked extraordinarily well-behaved and gentle. After a long while, Ji Chaoyun softly thanked him, ¡°Thank you, I will pay attention in the future.¡± Feng Qi frowned, displeased. ¡°Why are you always being so polite to me?¡± ¡°¡­Ah?¡± ¡°Forget it, it¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The atmosphere in the cave became strange for no reason. Ji Chaoyun raised his eyes and looked at Feng Qi. The latter¡¯s face was gloomy and he stared straight at the fire. Ji Chaoyun was unsure why he was being depressed. He silently retracted his gaze, and cast a spell to open the scoring list. Through the killing of the black python, his points had been increased by ten. Now, his current score was twenty-two, ranking fifteenth in the Yellow-character level. It had been five or six hours since the opening of the secret realm. The common evil spirits in the place had been cleared already. At this stage, it was almost impossible to change the rankings on the scoring list. To forge forward, every point was paramount. Ji Chaoyun put away the scoreboard and stood up. Before he could say anything, Feng Qi asked sensitively, ¡°What are you going to do?¡± ¡°The assessment is not yet over.¡± ¡°You still want to continue?¡± Feng Qi looked at him in disbelief. ¡°You¡­ It will take at least another four to five days to completely get over your heat. What you need now is a good rest. Why do you want to make trouble?¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Feng Qi couldn¡¯t help but interrupt, ¡°You are already in the fifteenth place. Not to mention, there would be no issue with your literary test. Now, no matter what, you won¡¯t be expelled from the academy. There is no need to continue.¡± ¡°It¡¯s necessary,¡± Ji Chaoyun said seriously. ¡°I haven¡¯t made it to the top ten yet.¡± Feng Qi was startled. The assessment system of Hongmeng Academy was extremely strict. The quarterly exams¡¯ top five were ranked 1, while the bottom five were ranked 3. Those ranked 3 would directly combine the scores of the literary test and the martial arts test, to take the bottom five places. However, the determination of those who ranked 1 was much more complicated. After the secret realm assessment was over, the academy would select the top ten disciples with the combined scores of the literary test and the martial arts test to enter the second round of the assessment. In the second round, ten disciples would draw lots in pairs, and finally five winners from there would be selected and be elected as the top rank. So long as one stood out as first-class in the four assessments in one academic year, one could continue to participate in the promotion assessment the following year. As soon as Ji Chaoyun said this, Feng Qi immediately understood what he meant. From the very beginning, his goal was not just to stay in the academy; he wanted to get the first grade, he wanted to ascend to the promotion assessment. Feng Qi looked at Ji Chaoyun¡¯s silhouette and softly questioned, ¡°Do you want to go to Heaven¡¯s Domain?¡± Ji Chaoyun¡¯s expression was a little stagnant, and he didn¡¯t answer. Feng Qi: ¡°Hongmeng Academy¡¯s Gate of Ascension is the only place in the Immortal Realm that can lead to Heaven¡¯s Domain. According to the gate rules, only the disciples of the Heaven-level are eligible to enter the Gate of Ascension. This is the purpose of your coming to Hongmeng Academy. Am I right?¡± Ji Chaoyun subconsciously avoided his gaze. ¡°Why would you think so?¡± Feng Qi smiled. ¡°Just now when you were hugging me, you kept calling an unfamiliar name. Why? You took me as him? We look alike?¡± Unexpectedly, Ji Chaoyun did not refute. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t know just now.¡± Feng Qi took a deep breath and continued, ¡°Your purse has a very special imprint on it. That mark contains divine power. I have confirmed it with someone, and it belongs to one of the gods.¡± Ji Chaoyun: ¡°There are thousands of treasures in this world, and it may be that I got it by accident.¡± Feng Qi said softly, ¡°Jun Ruzhuo has already told me.¡± Ji Chaoyun¡¯s expression finally showed a flaw. His eyes narrowed. Half of his face was hidden in the dark, and when he spoke again, his voice was a little hoarse, ¡°What did he say?¡± Without waiting for Feng Qi to speak, Ji Chaoyun took the lead and stateed, ¡°Never mind, treat it as though I¡¯ve never said that. Seeing that his temperament can¡¯t hide things, he probably told you everything.¡± ¡°¡­Yes, I wish to go to Heaven¡¯s Domain.¡± Feng Qi¡¯s heart sank, then a burst of unspeakable sourness appeared. He couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°That person made you wait in the mortal world for three hundred years in vain. Even now, you still believe in him?¡± Ji Chaoyun raised his head, looking as if he didn¡¯t quite understand why he¡¯d said that. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I believe?¡± Feng Qi¡¯s voice was stuck in his throat. ¡°Three hundred years ago, the gods and demons fought, and the gods suffered heavy damage. Hence, they had to close the doors of Heaven¡¯s Domain to recuperate, never appearing before the world again,¡± Ji Chaoyun elaborated. ¡°It is normal that he cannot come out. Since he can¡¯t, I will go to him.¡± Feng Qi lowered his head, feeling rather gloomy. ¡°You are so sure that he didn¡¯t violate the meeting with you for other reasons?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know him, Feng Qi.¡± Ji Chaoyun raised his hand and touched the purse in his arms, feeling a slight warmth through his clothes. ¡°He is not that kind of person.¡± Feng Qi¡¯s voice felt like a lump in his throat, and after a while, he muttered, ¡°What kind of man is he, if he can¡¯t even fulfill his promise. If it were me, I would never let you¡ª¡± His voice stopped abruptly. His eyes moved towards Ji Chaoyun¡¯s expression before changing the subject. ¡°Do you know how dangerous it is to ascend to the Heavenly Gate? There is the Heavenly Fire left by the gods on it. Once the Heavenly Fire burns one¡¯s body, the pain is unbearable. And once you fail, your spiritual consciousness will be destroyed, and your immortal body along with it. Are you confident you can ascend?¡± ¡°No,¡± Ji Chaoyun said truthfully. ¡°But I have to try, and do my best.¡± ¡°Thank you for saving me. Divine consciousness leaving the body is extremely draining of spiritual power. You shouldn¡¯t stay here for too long,¡± Ji Chaoyun said. ¡°I can handle the rest myself, so go back first, and don¡¯t waste your spiritual power in vain.¡± Feng Qi whispered, ¡°I¡¯m happy to.¡± Ji Chaoyun didn¡¯t hear clearly. ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°¡­Nothing. I¡¯ll stay with you for a while. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t speak, and I won¡¯t interfere with you.¡± Feng Qi stood up, not waiting for Ji Chaoyun to stop him. His figure turned into a golden light and flew to Ji Chaoyun¡¯s front. Ji Chaoyun stretched out his hand, and a light-gold baby bird that was less than the size of a human hand flew out of the light and landed on his palm. The little phoenix was ??covered with light golden feathers, and its body was small and exquisite, like a round ball with long tail feathers dragging behind it, reflecting brilliant colors under the firelight. The phoenix shook his feathers, and gave a low cry to Ji Chaoyun, his voice clear and pleasant. Ji Chaoyun looked at him, a little dazed. ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°¡­What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°This form of yours¡­¡± Ji Chaoyun hesitated for a moment, then said carefully, ¡°..is much cuter than I thought.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The feathers all over Feng Qi exploded instantly, almost jumping out of Ji Chaoyun¡¯s palm. ¡°The original form of This Highness is very majestic, no worse compared to yours. Don¡¯t look down on people! Aren¡¯t I just worried others can tell who I am if I use my true form?!!¡± Ji Chaoyun could no longer bear to hold in his smile; his shoulders trembled, and he quickly soothed Feng Qi. ¡°I understand. Don¡¯t get too excited.¡± ¡­Once excited, he became even cuter. Ji Chaoyun decisively stopped laughing before His Second Highness Feng blew his feathers once again. He placed him on his shoulder, and stepped out of the cave. Ji Chaoyun soon discovered that to get what he wanted was more difficult than he¡¯d thought. The cedar forest the secret realm was located in was huge, the mountainous road easy to get lost in. Searching for the few remaining demons in such an environment was tantamount to looking for a needle in a haystack. But Ji Chaoyun didn¡¯t care about this at all. He quickly shuttled through the forest, searching all over, not missing any place where evil spirits might lurk. One shichen, two shichen, three shichen¡­ Time creeped forward bit by bit. Ji Chaoyun¡¯s score slowly increased, before finally jumping to the eleventh place. But it was still two points away from the tenth place. Although it was only two points away, Ji Chaoyun had already encountered nothing for a shichen. His physical strength had not yet recovered from his sudden heat upsurge. Even if Feng Qi had previously injected him with spiritual energy, it was only a drop in the bucket. Ji Chaoyun swayed slightly, stopped under a stone wall, and lightly gasped. ¡°Ji Chaoyun, don¡¯t go anymore. Your body¡­¡± Feng Qi whispered in his ear. ¡°It was a surprise this time. Even if you can¡¯t pass this year, there¡¯s still the next one. Why push yourself so hard?¡± Ji Chaoyun rested on the stone wall with one hand, and a fine layer of sweat oozed from his forehead. Must he really call it off? Even if he located another¡­ Ji Chaoyun¡¯s eyes turned black, his fingertips slowly tightened on the stone wall, but a trace of disobedience flashed in his heart. He raised his head, and the stone wall in front of him was rugged and steep, but there was no dust on the surface. Ji Chaoyun vaguely realized something, and his heartbeat accelerated. He took two steps back and swung his sword towards the stone wall. The moment the sword light touched it, a crisp sound came from the stone wall¡¯s surface, as if there was an incredibly hidden and invisible barrier being shattered, showing the insides to the naked eye. What was hidden behind the stone wall was a cold and dark cave filled with evil spirits. Half a shichen later, the light mirrors in front of Swordplay Arena were all extinguished, and the portals opened. The disciples who participated in the assessment were sent back one after another. The sky had completely darkened. The full moon hung high in the night sky, and the disciples watching the battle in groups of twos and threes on the grass had already dozed off. Everyone was awakened by the movement and asked questions in a daze. ¡°It¡¯s over?¡± ¡°Who won?¡± ¡°Did anyone see who found the last ferocious beast?¡± The light of the teleportation formation dissipated, and Ji Chaoyun stepped onto the lawn. His figure was in an extremely bad condition. The three fresh scratches on his left arm were still bleeding, blood trailing from his fingertips onto the grass. He staggered and wanted to walk forward, but was suddenly pulled into a hug. Ji Chaoyun raised his head, looked at the familiar face, and said softly, ¡°I succeeded.¡± ¡°Yeah, it worked.¡± Feng Qi hugged the emaciated body of the young man tightly in his arms. The atmosphere was enthusiastic, everyone was asking how the result was, and no one noticed the two people embracing within the crowd. Ji Chaoyun¡¯s consciousness gradually sank, and he vaguely mumbled, ¡°So tired¡­¡± ¡°Sleep for a while, I¡¯ll take you back.¡± Feng Qi stroked Ji Chaoyun¡¯s hair and lowered his head, almost like he¡¯d kissed the hair softly. However, Ji Chaoyun could no longer pay attention to any of this, his body completely slackened and he let himself fall in Feng Qi¡¯s arms. The final score finally lit up once more on the light mirror. Ji Chaoyun¡¯s score instantly increased by 10 points, and the final score was 35, making him the number one in the Yellow-character ranking. CH 20.2 A-A+ Translator: Amber.es | Editor: Bubbles | Proofreader: musk The next day, Ji Chaoyun woke up just as the sun was setting. Its light shone into the room through the window, where Ji Chaoyun opened his eyes to the sight of a familiar but slightly off canopy veil above his head, feeling a little dazed. The door was pushed open, and a slender figure walked in. ¡°Are you finally awake?¡± Ji Chaoyun sat up and finally understood where the sense of offness came from. ¡°Why did you bring me to your bedroom?¡± Ji Chaoyun¡¯s bedroom had been decorated by Feng Qi himself. Though the style of furnishings was the same, there were some subtle differences. Feng Qi¡¯s eyes uncomfortably evaded his, and he said, ¡°You were in a coma. It¡¯s rude to enter someone else¡¯s bedroom without permission, so I could only bring you here to take care of you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ji Chaoyun opened his mouth, but didn¡¯t know how else to refute. Out of the corner of his eye, a blood-stained disciple¡¯s uniform was piled on the low stool beside the bed; he then realized that he had already been changed into a brand new one. Taking him back to the other¡¯s bedroom, helping him wash up and changing his clothes, then letting him rest on his own bed¡ª his Second Highness Feng¡¯s original obsession with cleanliness and tranquility were mostly discarded because of him. Ji Chaoyun softly responded, ¡°Thank you.¡± Feng Qi¡¯s footsteps paused. He didn¡¯t say anything as he walked to the bed with a few medicine bottles, drawing the bed¡¯s curtain aside. ¡°It¡¯s time to apply the medicine.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do¡ª¡± Ji Chaoyun simply wanted to say that he could do it himself, but with a raise of Feng Qi¡¯s eyes, he quietly swallowed it down. When staying under someone¡¯s roof, it was better to be obedient. Ji Chaoyun willingly allowed Feng Qi to lift his sleeves and take off the well-wrapped bandages, revealing the three scratches that were so deep the bone beneath was almost visible. His complexion was fair, and hence, those bloody scars made a ghastly sight. Feng Qi took his hand, took out the medicinal powder and sprinkled it on the wound, feeling the person beside him suddenly shrink back. ¡°Now you know it hurts?¡± Feng Qi glared at him. ¡°If it had shifted a little bit more, it would have taken your arm off. Didn¡¯t you think about the pain at the time?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ji Chaoyun knew that he was in the wrong and dared not object. Feng Qi snorted coldly, but his movements became gentler. Ji Chaoyun was silent for a moment, then asked again, ¡°The results of the assessment¡­¡± ¡°It came out in the afternoon.¡± Feng Qi helped him bandage the wound, and after appreciating Ji Chaoyun¡¯s restless and nervous expression for a while, he finally smiled. ¡°Congratulations for being the first in both examinations. The academy hasn¡¯t seen one in many years.¡± Ji Chaoyun was temporarily stunned, then he sighed in relief. ¡°That¡¯s great¡­¡± He suddenly thought of something and asked, ¡°The person who took first place in both examinations the last time¡­ It couldn¡¯t also be you, right?¡± Feng Qi¡¯s expression froze for a moment, before he avoided his eyes and evaded the question. ¡°Why are you asking this, why should I tell you?¡± Ji Chaoyun understood. ¡°Then it should not be.¡± Feng Qi gritted his teeth angrily. ¡°That¡¯s because I was not willing to learn the Daoist scriptures! I was always first in the martial arts exams!¡± He lowered his head, angrily picked up the bandages he had replaced, and declared unconvincingly, ¡°I-I¡¯ll show you the first place in the double exam next time.¡± Ji Chaoyun curved the corners of his mouth. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll wait for your good news.¡± When Feng Qi looked up, he happened to see his smile. His mind couldn¡¯t help but sway. He looked away awkwardly. ¡°Tomorrow morning, you will go to the Supervisory Exam Hall to draw lots for the second stage. The second stage will be three days after the lottery. So these days, you focus on healing. Don¡¯t randomly run around.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°Also¡­¡± Feng Qi glanced at him with a slightly uncomfortable expression. ¡°Your heat period¡­ hasn¡¯t passed yet. The hot spring water at the back of the house can be used for calming, so remember to meditate there when you can.¡± Ji Chaoyun pursed his lips. ¡°¡­I understand, thank you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Feng Qi was hesitant to continue. In the end, he didn¡¯t utter anything, only saying, ¡°You have a good rest.¡± He then turned around and left the bedroom. The next day, Ji Chaoyun arrived at the Supervisory Exam Hall on time, but unexpectedly met someone he hadn¡¯t seen for a long time. Immortal Lord Yao Guang. ¡°Greetings to Immortal Elder Yao Guang.¡± Ji Chaoyun bowed to him. ¡°You can dispense with the ceremony.¡± Yao Guang made him lift his head up with a beaming smile. ¡°I went out a few days ago, and I heard about the exam results as soon as I got back. I was specially waiting for you here. Congratulations on getting first place in both exams. Congratulations, too, for finally being able to stay in the academy.¡± Ji Chaoyun: ¡°Thank you, Immortal Elder.¡± Yao Guang looked left and right before taking out an exquisite wine jug from his Qiankun bag. He lowered his voice and said, ¡°I brought this back from Penglai Immortal Mountains. I don¡¯t have much myself, so treat this as a congratulatory gift for you.¡± Ji Chaoyun hesitated for a moment. ¡°But the academy doesn¡¯t allow drinking¡­¡± ¡°What does it matter? Can¡¯t you secretly drink it?¡± Yao Guang said. ¡°This is fine wine from Penglai. I don¡¯t even have a few jugs of it myself. Now that I¡¯m willing to give it to you, don¡¯t hesitate to take it.¡± Ji Chaoyun couldn¡¯t say no, he had to accept it. ¡°Then thank you, Immortal Elder.¡± ¡°Good boy.¡± Yao Guang smiled in satisfaction. ¡°Go in and draw your lots ba. If you need my help in the future, just ask. Understand?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Yao Guang walked away contentedly, leaving Ji Chaoyun confused. Although Yao Guang had always taken good care of him since he entered the academy, he had never overstepped his bounds. Ji Chaoyun looked down at the jug in his hand, feeling a little puzzled. He hadn¡¯t seen him for a few months. What had changed? He didn¡¯t think much about it, put the jug of wine away, and walked towards the entrance of the Supervisory Exam Hall. There was still a long way to go before the stipulated lottery time. Before all the people arrived, the Supervisory Exam Hall¡¯s door would remain open. The voices of people talking came from within the hall. ¡°What¡¯s going on with the Supervisory Exam Hall? This result seems to be fake, even actually announcing that he was the first in both exams.¡± Ji Chaoyun paused, stopping outside the door. ¡°That¡¯s right, there must be something wrong with his grades. We¡¯ve all seen how he cultivated in the past. How could he perform exceptionally well in the assessment?!¡± ¡°You have no evidence, how can you say that?¡± ¡°I still need evidence? Don¡¯t say anything else. With his weak cultivation, he killed two ferocious beasts. How could anyone believe this?¡± Ji Chaoyun shook his head and sneered. He was about to push the door open when he heard another familiar voice. ¡°Shut your months!¡± ¡°¡­The first ferocious beast was beheaded by him and me. Could it be that you think I also cheated for him?¡± The hall was silent for a moment before someone continued to speak, ¡°Xu shixiong, that¡¯s not what we meant.¡± ¡°Yes, Xu shixiong. There is no problem with your testimony, but no one can guarantee that he indeed killed the second ferocious beast alone.¡± ¡°What are you doing here?¡± A familiar voice sounded behind Ji Chaoyun. He turned his head; it was Jiang Cheng and Song Zhifei. Ji Chaoyun didn¡¯t answer. He lowered his head and greeted, ¡°Jiang shixiong, Song shixiong.¡± The discussion inside the hall was still ongoing. Jiang Cheng heard it clearly as soon as he neared. His face suddenly sank, and he said coldly, ¡°You come in with me.¡± Jiang Cheng pushed the door open, and the discussions in the hall stopped abruptly. Jiang Cheng¡¯s eyes swept towards everyone; he slowly walked in, and leisurely said, ¡°I just heard from outside, some people questioned my unjust scoring in the Supervisory Exam Hall?¡± Everyone looked at each other, and no one dared to speak. Song Zhifei stood beside Ji Chaoyun and sighed. He walked in. ¡°The Supervisory Exam Hall has always acted impartially. If you have any objections, you can report it to me, and use the supervisory light mirrors in the secret realm for re-examination. It¡¯s just that ¡­¡± He paused for a while, then said, ¡°If there is nothing unusual, I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll have to bother you all to go to the Hall of Discipline to seek punishment on your absurd comments about the Supervisory Exam Hall.¡± As soon as he said this, everyone swallowed their fire. No one dared to object again. Jiang Cheng glanced back at Ji Chaoyun, then quickly retracted his gaze. ¡°Zhifei, let them draw lots. Once done, quickly have them scram.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Song Zhifei raised his hand and summoned two fortune stick sets, each containing ten identical bamboo sticks within. ¡°The bamboo sticks are numbered from one to five. The ones who draw the same numbers will be opponents for the second stage.¡± Song Zhifei cast a spell to let the sticks fly to each disciple one by one and explained, ¡°Three days later, the second stage will be conducted at Qianshan¡¯s White Jade Platform, starting with the Yellow-level. The order will be from low to high, and a round of competition will determine the winner.¡± When the lottery cylinder came to Ji Chaoyun, he picked one out and opened it to take a look. ¡°Five.¡± After everyone finished drawing the bamboo sticks one after another, Song Zhifei continued, ¡°No classes are mandatory for the few days before the start of the second stage. Gentlemen, you may arrange your own timetable. If anyone wants to re-examine the secret realm assessment, you may come to me now. Please.¡± The few people who had been arguing about it the most didn¡¯t dare to say anything right now. They all bowed to Song Zhifei and Jiang Cheng and excused themselves. After everyone went out of the Supervisory Exam Hall, the atmosphere became slightly livelier. ¡°Chaoyun, what number did you draw?¡± Someone called out to Ji Chaoyun from behind, another Yellow-level disciple. This person¡¯s name was An Tianyi, and he was one of the few disciples who spoke to Ji Chaoyun during the discussion in Fangcai Hall. Though his facial features were slightly feminine, his overall appearance was nevertheless outstanding, and his manner of speaking gentle. His presence among the disciples was not strong. This time, he entered the second stage with the tenth rank. Ji Chaoyun showed him the bamboo stick in his hand. ¡°Number Five? I¡¯m Number Three. Unfortunately, we can¡¯t be in a group anymore,¡± An Tianyi said. ¡°But it doesn¡¯t matter who you are in a group with. My cultivation base is so low, I¡¯ll likely lose this match.¡± The two chatted while passing through the open space outside the Supervisory Exam Hall, where they heard a few Yellow-level disciples gather around and loudly ask, ¡°Who is Number Five? Where is Number Five?¡± Ji Chaoyun followed the sound, and happened to meet someone¡¯s gaze in the crowd. The man was extremely tall, with deep facial features that bore a sense of exoticism. He walked towards the two of them and asked, ¡°Which one of you is Number five?¡± Ji Chaoyun: ¡°Me.¡± An indescribable look flashed in the man¡¯s eyes, but he quickly concealed it. The few people behind him were not as calm as him; the gloating in their eyes was palpable. ¡°It turned out to be the first in the last two exams, so interesting. Jin shixiong has won the first place in the Yellow-level martial arts test several times. Now that he¡¯s met a newcomer who came first in the double exams, Jin shixiong, you should be more careful.¡± This disciple¡¯s name was Jin Ting, and he entered the academy a few years earlier than Ji Chaoyun. Jin Ting¡¯s background was far inferior to Feng Qi, Jiang Cheng and such. Though his cultivation base was mediocre, he practiced hard, and his grades had been among the best since he entered the academy. It was a pity that, for several years, he either missed or failed the promotion test, and never reached the Black-level. But looking at this Yellow-level disciple, this person¡¯s cultivation base was indeed a first-class one. Jin Ting remained calm, giving Ji Chaoyun a slight smile. ¡°No matter who my opponent is, I will do my best. I¡¯ll see you in the arena.¡± Ji Chaoyun nodded. ¡°See you in the arena.¡± Ji Chaoyun bid farewell to An Tianyi, and was about to head back to the teleportation array of the Disciple¡¯s Peak when he saw Ye Chenxing and Bei Ran waiting not far away. ¡°Chaoyun, this way!¡± Ye Chenxing flew towards Ji Chaoyun and familiarly hooked an arm around his shoulder. ¡°Chaoyun¡¯s so awesome, the first in both exams. I knew you would do it.¡± Ji Chaoyun¡¯s arm injury had not yet healed. Being accidentally pressed by Ye Chenxing¡¯s movements, he frowned. ¡°What did you find me for?¡± Ye Chenxing said, ¡°Today¡¯s a rest day. Didn¡¯t we agree we would go out to play?¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°No buts. There¡¯s still three days before the second stage. Take this opportunity to relax, don¡¯t push yourself so hard.¡± Ye Chenxing continued, ¡°You don¡¯t plan to go back to practice swordsmanship ba? You still have injuries on your body. You can¡¯t practice for a few more days.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t intend to practice. Just¡­¡± Ji Chaoyun held back. Before he¡¯d managed to sneak away in the morning, Feng Qi had endured his sleepiness to block him by the door, vehemently getting him to promise to return to Wenqu Peak as soon as possible after he drew a lot, and that he wouldn¡¯t go elsewhere. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we won¡¯t go too far, only to the bottom of Hongmeng Mountain to play. It¡¯ll only take at most half a day. Alright?¡± Ye Chenxing got closer and whispered, ¡°I heard there are several beautiful immortal fairies at the foot of Hongmeng Mountain. Don¡¯t you want to go see?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ji Chaoyun looked at him incomprehensibly. Bei Ran supported his forehead. ¡°Ji dage, just agree ba. Because of this matter, Ye dage has been jabbering in my ear for several days. If we don¡¯t let him go, I¡¯m afraid there will be no rest.¡± ¡°¡­¡± After half a stick of incense, the three stepped out of the teleportation array and appeared in front of the market town at the foot of Hongmeng Mountain. The immortal realm was not as crowded as the mortal world, so it was unlike the market towns there. However, there were many immortals who went to the foot of Hongmeng Mountain. Every hundred years, when the mountain was open for recruitment, there would be countless wandering immortals who tried to pass the Hongmeng trial. Those who failed the assessment were reluctant to leave, and some simply stayed there. One came while two left, that¡¯s how it became a market town. And the liveliest spot in the market town was a place called Changyuan Pavilion. The Changyuan Pavilion was built by the shore, with three-storey high-rise buildings. There were tables and chairs by the water¡¯s edge, where guests could drink and chat. A high stage was built in the center of the water surface, meant to entertain with different dance performances, storytelling and singing every day. Even three hundred years ago, Ji Chaoyun couldn¡¯t understand these mortals¡¯ ways of passing time. But for most of the people living at the foot of Hongmeng Mountain, they had ascended from mortals, and this was what they enjoyed the most. Because of this, the market town under Hongmeng Mountain was also regarded as the most similar to the mortal world in the immortal realm. Changyuan Pavilion had performances at the end of every day. The three of them wandered around the market town for a long time before finally reaching this place. The three of them had just set foot on the second floor when they saw a person sitting by the window, holding his chin and looking at the distant stage across the water. Ji Chaoyun¡¯s footsteps stopped, and he turned to leave. Ye Chenxing and Bei Ran went upstairs behind him. When Ji Chaoyun suddenly turned around, Ye Chenxing asked, ¡°Chaoyun, why don¡¯t you go up? What¡¯s at the top¡ª¡± His voice stopped abruptly, and he saw the person behind Ji Chaoyun. Feng Qi leaned against the wall and looked down at Ji Chaoyun¡¯s back. His smile was kind and gentle, yet all the while bearing a simple expression of gnashing his teeth. ¡°Yeah, didn¡¯t you come here to see the immortal fairies¡¯ performance? Why don¡¯t you come up?¡± In fact, the moment he¡¯d turned around, Ji Chaoyun had already regretted coming there. Even he couldn¡¯t tell what he was feeling guilty about. He slowly turned his head back and greeted in a soft voice, ¡°Such-such a coincidence.¡± ¡°Yeah, what a coincidence.¡± Feng Qi stepped forward with a smile that was not a smile and brought Ji Chaoyun to his side. ¡°I have reserved a seat in the private room on the third floor. Let¡¯s go up and take a seat.¡± Feng Qi dragged Ji Chaoyun upstairs. Ye Chenxing and Bei Ran looked at each other, and they had to follow with their hearts pounding in fear. Afterwards, Feng Qi arranged for them to sit in the private room with the best view on the third floor. Before the grateful eyes of the two disciples, Feng Qi was expressionless. He grabbed Ji Chaoyun and pulled him out, turned around, and entered the private room next door, slamming the door shut. Ji Chaoyun: ¡°¡­¡± CH 21 A-A+ Translator: Amber.es | Editor: Bubbles | Proofreader: musk Before one knew it, the sound of a pipa came from the distant stage. Looking out from the private room¡¯s window, several immortal fairies descended from the sky, resulting in a burst of cheers. On the other hand, inside the private room was dead silence. The room was filled with the burning scent of incense. Ji Chaoyun quietly sat opposite Feng Qi, his eyes unconsciously sweeping over the plates of delicate and refined cakes in front of him. He wanted to move but didn¡¯t dare to, and could only stay still in a well-behaved and quiet manner. Feng Qi leaned on the back of his chair, stretched, and looked at Ji Chaoyun¡¯s appearance. The corners of his mouth could hardly hide a smile. ¡°Eat what you want, I bought it specially for you.¡± ¡°¡­No need.¡± Feng Qi did not force him. He raised his hand to pour tea for the two of them, and fell silent once more. Ji Chaoyun stared at the curling water vapor emanating from the tea and softly asked, ¡°Why¡­ why are you here?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t go home, shouldn¡¯t I come to you?¡± Feng Qi raised his brows and said sourly, ¡°After you left, I didn¡¯t fall asleep, steadily waiting for somebody at Wenqu Peak for two shichen before I conversed with someone1. And then I realized that the person I¡¯d been waiting for had already gone down the mountain to have fun. What else could I do other than chasing after that person?¡± He leaned forward and stared at Ji Chaoyun. ¡°What did I say to you this morning?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Feng Qi urged in a low voice, ¡°Speak. What did I instruct?¡± ¡°After the lottery drawing, I will return to Wenqu Peak, wake you up to help me change my medicine, and then go to the hotspring behind the house to meditate quietly for two shichen.¡± Ji Chaoyun pursed his lips and whispered, ¡°But I¡¯ve already recovered.¡± Feng Qi snorted coldly, and stayed silent. ¡°I didn¡¯t lie to you, I was always like this before,¡± Ji Chaoyun explained. ¡°As long as I don¡¯t waste my spiritual power, there won¡¯t be any side effects. It was just an accident during the secret realm.¡± Feng Qi thoughtfully looked at him. ¡°In the past¡­ when you had that, you used your cultivation to suppress it?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Feng Qi: ¡°What about that Phoenix clan ancestor of yours? He doesn¡¯t care about you?¡± ¡°What nonsense are you talking about, I didn¡¯t know him before¡ª¡± Ji Chaoyun frowned, his cheeks were slightly hot, and he couldn¡¯t continue on. That meant there had never been anyone before. There was a hint of secret joy in Feng Qi¡¯s heart. Ever since he¡¯d heard the unfamiliar name in the secret realm, that lingering annoyance within him only now finally eased. He suddenly felt his mouth dry and he took a sip of tea. Behind the teacup, he quietly smiled. ¡°Sorry, I was just asking.¡± Ji Chaoyun lowered his head and didn¡¯t answer. His complexion was cold and pale, and he rarely displayed any sense of warmth. Only when he was shy would the tip of his ears slightly blush with a pink hue before slowly spreading to the entirety of his face with varying deepness, looking particularly good-looking. Feng Qi¡¯s heart trembled. He said, ¡°Don¡¯t you want to change the way you suppress it?¡± Ji Chaoyun had just made up his mind to reach out to touch the cakes when he heard Feng Qi speak. His hand paused in midair. ¡°What did you say?¡± Feng Qi stared at the clear and ignorant eyes of the other party, resisting the urge to blurt his thoughts out. He took another sip of tea and said expressionlessly, ¡°¡­Nothing. Quickly eat and go back with me afterwards.¡± ¡°¡­Oh.¡± Ji Chaoyun touched a piece of sweet-scented osmanthus cake and ate it quietly. Immortals did not need food, but no one stipulated that immortals couldn¡¯t have the desire to eat. Changyuan Pavillon was well-known far and near for their wide variety of pastries, which were brought here from the mortal world. The sweet-scented osmanthus cake was soft and glutinous, yet not greasy. When one bit into it, the taste of sweet osmanthus would overflow between one¡¯s lips and teeth. Ji Chaoyun ate slowly, and occasionally the residue stuck to his lips, so his tongue reached out to swipe at it. The tip of the pale pink tongue flashed past then hid inside those soft and luscious lips. A crack appeared on Feng Qi¡¯s flawless expression. Ji Chaoyun didn¡¯t notice the other party¡¯s abnormality at all. He ate the sweet-scented osmanthus cake slowly, and his eyes were still quietly looking at the table. Feng Qi paid close attention to the other¡¯s eyes that roamed back and forth between the lotus candy cake, the hibiscus cake, the taro paste pastry, and the sweet-scented osmanthus cake. Finally, after eating the last bite of the sweet-scented osmanthus cake, he reached out towards the taro paste pastry. Feng Qi couldn¡¯t hold back and laughed softly. Ji Chaoyun looked up at him. ¡°What are you laughing at?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Feng Qi endured it, but couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Did that guy never buy these for you?¡± In the cave that day, he didn¡¯t clearly hear the name Ji Chaoyun had called out, and neither was he interested in asking for his rival¡¯s name. Ji Chaoyun stopped and said helplessly, ¡°We haven¡¯t seen each other for three hundred years.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right,¡± Feng Qi responded. That¡¯s fine too, Feng Qi thought proudly in his heart, at least I am the only one who can make him eat these things. I am much better than that bastard who disappeared without saying anything for three hundred years. After another half an hour, Ji Chaoyun had enough to eat and drink. Under Feng Qi¡¯s half pressure, he went to the door next to them and said goodbye to Ye Chenxing and Bei Ran, bringing along several more snacks before returning to the academy with Feng Qi. The teleportation formation unfolded in front of the mountain gate, and as the two stepped out, they saw a figure standing in front of it. It was Jun Ruzhuo. Feng Qi¡¯s face immediately sank. When Jun Ruzhuo noted his presence, his expression also turned displeased. He frowned, staring at the two people at the foot of the stairs. After a while, he said, ¡°As one from the dragon race, what are you doing all day with a phoenix?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ji Chaoyun was silent for a moment. Before he could answer, Feng Qi sneered, ¡°He is happy to be with me. We even eat and live together. Why, bothered?¡± ¡°You¡ª¡± ¡°Feng Qi.¡± Ji Chaoyun tugged at Feng Qi¡¯s sleeve. He shook his head and looked up at Jun Ruzhuo. ¡°Why are you looking for me?¡± ¡°Who is looking for you!¡± Jun Ruzhuo avoided looking at him. ¡°I am, I am simply passing by¡­¡± Ji Chaoyun: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Oh, it turned out you were only passing by.¡± Feng Qi saw the light and nodded his head. He took Ji Chaoyun straight towards the mountain gate. ¡°Then I have to trouble this gentleman to move aside. We have to go back.¡± The two brushed past Jun Ruzhuo, and when they were about to approach the stone steps, Jun Ruzhuo gritted his teeth in anger and shouted, ¡°Wait!¡± Ji Chaoyun paused. He turned his head and saw Jun Ruzhuo raise his hand, throwing something. He was about to pick it up, but Feng Qi took the lead and stepped forward to catch it. It was an exquisite jade bottle. Feng Qi looked at it for a moment and asked, ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°Lingyuan Sea¡¯s wound medicine for the Dragon Clan.¡± Jun Ruzhuo turned his head away from them, and quickly said, ¡°It is useful for external injuries.¡± Feng Qi was slightly startled, then turned to look at Ji Chaoyun. Ji Chaoyun took the jade bottle. The dragon pattern was engraved on the bottle, which was the unique mark of the Lingyuan Sea Dragon Clan. He rubbed the familiar dragon pattern with his fingertips and said softly, ¡°Thank you.¡± Jun Ruzhuo looked extremely uncomfortable, and blurted out, ¡°Not, not me specially giving it to you. It¡¯s because they sent too much, I can¡¯t use it all up!¡± After he finished speaking, he felt that these words were like burying his head in the sand. His face flushed red and he turned around to quickly run towards the mountain gate, his figure soon disappearing on the mountain road. In front of the mountain gate, only Feng Qi and Ji Chaoyun were left standing. After a long while, Feng Qi asked dumbfoundedly, ¡°You Dragon Clan¡­ are all so frank?¡± Ji Chaoyun shook his head and sighed. ¡°Let¡¯s return.¡± The two returned to Wenqu Peak, and Ji Chaoyun was forced by Feng Qi to return to his room to rest. Ji Chaoyun had previously used a lot of spiritual energy in the secret realm and being injured once again, he had to focus on meditating and cultivating. But from the second stage, there were only three days left and Jin Ting was very difficult to deal with. Lying on the bed, Ji Chaoyun couldn¡¯t rest well with his thoughts flying chaotically in his mind. In the end, he took his sword and stood up. Pushing open the door a slight gap, he peeped out. There was no one in the courtyard. His Second Highness Feng was disturbed by him today. It seemed that he¡¯d gone back to his room to make up for his lost sleep. Ji Chaoyun was a little relieved. He quietly stepped out of the door, and walked across the courtyard. Just as he was stepping onto the stone bridge, he heard a voice behind him say, ¡°Where do you intend on going?¡± Ji Chaoyun paused and turned back helplessly. ¡°Why are you always staring at me?¡± Feng Qi leaned against the door. Hearing what he said, he laughed happily. ¡°Because you look good. I¡¯m happy to stare at you, can¡¯t I?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ji Chaoyun said, ¡°Ridiculous.¡± Feng Qi smiled disapprovingly, walked towards him, and glanced at the sword in his hand. ¡°Want to go out to practice your swordsmanship again? I told you, your injury has not yet healed, and your spiritual power has not fully recovered. You can¡¯t overexert yourself. Why are you so disobedient?¡± Ji Chaoyun lowered his head and said truthfully, ¡°I can¡¯t sleep.¡± ¡°Worried about the re-examination?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Feng Qi nodded and said, ¡°You are justified in worrying. In the second stage¡¯s competition, the focus is on the cultivation of the body and the skills of responding against attacks. When it comes to these, Jin Ting is the strongest in the whole of the Yellow-level class. As far as I know, he has never been defeated in the elimination matches.¡± Ji Chaoyun¡¯s eyes darkened. Feng Qi continued, ¡°Jin Ting was born in Baizhang Territory, and was originally the son of an immortal servant who worked under the lord of the territory. The lord of Baizhang Territory had no children or relatives, so he took him as his adopted son and taught him carefully. But his root bone was not as good as the prestigious family¡¯s, and¡­ his luck was also not very good. That¡¯s why he¡¯s been in the Yellow-level all this while.¡± ¡°Now that you are against him, the winning rate is almost zero.¡± Ji Chaoyun¡¯s hand hanging by his side unconsciously clenched, increasing the strength of his grip onto his sword. ¡°Therefore, I cannot slack off.¡± Feng Qi asked with great interest, ¡°You don¡¯t believe you will lose?¡± Ji Chaoyun shook his head and seriously stated, ¡°The competition has not yet started. Who wins, who loses, it is still unknown. I never make such assumptions.¡± ¡°Well said.¡± Feng Qi looked down at him with a hint of tenderness in his eyes. ¡°I seem to suddenly understand why you believe so much that that person will come back.¡± 2 ¡°What?¡± To have such a dazzling person who deeply loved him and would wait for him ¡ª if it had been him3, he would also never give up. Even after going through all kinds of hardships and dangers, he would do everything to return back to his side. Feng Qi smiled without saying anything. He rubbed Ji Chaoyun¡¯s hair, softly and slowly saying, ¡°¡­Because you are such a stubborn fool, ah.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Feng Qi stood upright, then righteously stated, ¡°I didn¡¯t lie to you just now, you really have no chance of winning against Jin Ting unless¡­ someone tells you the secrets of Baizhang Territory¡¯s moves and how to deal with them.¡± ¡°You mean to say¡­¡± Feng Qi smiled and said, ¡°First call me shixiong and I will teach you.¡± In an open space in the bamboo forest, Feng Qi held Ji Chaoyun¡¯s sword and stabbed a spot in the air, bringing forth a clear sword energy. Ji Chaoyun stood expressionlessly and quietly on one side, and couldn¡¯t help but have admiration in his heart. This person used to wield a whip as a weapon in the past, but he did not expect that his swordsmanship would also reach the pinnacle of mastery. Even if Feng Qi had switched to a sword in the entrance examination, he would probably not have a chance to win. No wonder he was known as the academy¡¯s once-in-a-century martial arts genius. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Have you memorized the main points?¡± Feng Qi withdrew his sword stance and turned his head to ask him. Ji Chaoyun nodded quickly. ¡°I remember.¡± Feng Qi walked towards him, but did not return his sword immediately, raising his eyebrows as if waiting for something. ¡°¡­¡± Ji Chaoyun bit his lip and said awkwardly, ¡°Thank you, Feng¡­ shixiong.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Feng Qi returned the sword to him, feeling extremely happy. ¡°¡­Why do you look like that? Jiang Cheng and Song Zhifei can be called shixiong by you. Will calling me shixiong cause any loss to you?¡± ¡°¡­No.¡± Feng Qi nodded with satisfaction. ¡°The way I¡¯m teaching you how to deal with it is based on the moves Jin Ting has used in the arena battles over the years, but I can¡¯t guarantee that he won¡¯t have a secret move. Even if you remember these, you have to be careful. Beware, don¡¯t be careless.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Ji Chaoyun paused and asked again, ¡°Do you remember how to counterattack everyone in the academy?¡± Feng Qi vaguely sensed the deep meaning in Ji Chaoyun¡¯s words. He lowered his head, smiled and looked into those clear eyes. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Now you know I¡¯m very powerful?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ji Chaoyun stepped back subconsciously, but his back touched the slender green bamboo behind him. The smile in Feng Qi¡¯s eyes deepened, and he said gently, ¡°Want to learn? We still have a long time together. If there is time in the future, I can gradually teach you everything.¡± He was so close that Ji Chaoyun could even feel that internal strong aura of his. Ji Chaoyun tilted his head back, trying to avoid the breath that made his heart beat faster. ¡°Feng Qi¡­¡± Feng Qi stared at him. After a moment, he straightened up and took a half step back. ¡°I won¡¯t tease you any more, let¡¯s continue practicing. I¡¯m here to accompany you. If you have any questions, ask in time. You¡¯ve promised in advance that you will only practice for two shichen a day.¡± ¡°¡­Okay.¡± Three days later, the second round began. Ji Chaoyun was originally accomplished in swordsmanship, and Feng Qi¡¯s careful guidance over the past few days made him even more confident. On the day of the competition, even Feng Qi got up early for the first time and accompanied him to White Jade Platform in person. ¡°Why don¡¯t you talk? So nervous?¡± On the side of the square, Feng Qi asked with a smile. The first round of the competition in the distant arena had already begun. Ji Chaoyun¡¯s draw was the fifth round of the Yellow-level, which was still a while away before his turn. Ji Chaoyun¡¯s expression was tense; he wanted to deny it, but in the end, he nodded truthfully. ¡°A little bit.¡± Feng Qi smiled and opened his arms towards him. ¡°Come here.¡± ¡°For what?¡± Feng Qi: ¡°I heard that hugs can relieve tension. Let me try and see if that¡¯s true.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ji Chaoyun turned his head away, unable to cry or laugh. ¡°Feng Qi, stop joking with me.¡± ¡°Which part was a joke?¡± Ji Chaoyun was silent. In the past few days, Feng Qi had been very considerate to him as if he had changed his personality. Anyone with a discerning eye could see that something was wrong with him. And this person still asked which part of his request was a joke? Could it be that he knew the older generation of the Phoenix clan had relations with him, and hence, wanted to restore back the disrespect given to him before? With such a serious look on the other¡¯s face, it really made him reluctant to expose it. Ji Chaoyun sighed. ¡°It is nothing, you better stay away from me, I am even more nervous when you act like this.¡± Feng Qi¡¯s eyes wavered. He blurted out, ¡°Ji Chaoyun, I actually¡ª¡± But at this moment, a figure sounded from behind the two, ¡°Ji shidi, here you are. The elimination match just ended, you ought to prepare.¡± He was the attendant disciple in charge of the second stage¡¯s supervision. ¡°Okay.¡± Ji Chaoyun nodded to indicate that he understood. He turned around and asked Feng Qi, ¡°What did you want to say?¡± Feng Qi meaningfully glanced at the attendant disciple, but it flew above the other¡¯s head. He then looked at Ji Chaoyun again, his head throbbing and he pressed a hand onto his eyebrows. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. You go on first.¡± Ji Chaoyun was confused and was about to turn around to leave when Feng Qi called him from behind. ¡°Ji Chaoyun.¡± Feng Qi stood under the ancient pine trees, facing him as his lips curved. ¡°Fight well. When you win this match, I¡¯ll satisfy one of your requests.¡± ¡°¡­Whatever it may be.¡± The author has something to say: Little Dragon: Then you fly to Heaven¡¯s Domain and find Feng Xiao for me? Feng Qi: ¡­Only that is impossible! Editor Bubbles: lmao. You insulting yourself Proofreader musk: Wanna see Feng Qi¡¯s face when he¡¯ll realise that he himself is the bastard Bubbles: Like a loyal and dutiful wife Amber: I was listening to this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKhZDLWCYio just when I translated to this part. Feng Qi CH 22 Soon, it was Ji Chaoyun¡¯s turn to take the stage. His current attire was a disciple uniform which was easy to move in; it had narrow sleeves and a cinched waist that displayed his thin and slender figure. He slowly walked up the White Jade Platform, Jin Ting doing the same on the other side. Finally standing opposite each other, they bowed in greeting when the golden gong on the platform rang. The moment the third gong fell, the two immediately drew their swords! Baizhang Territory¡¯s moves were arrogant and powerful. They had always used force to win, and focused on quickly ending their battles. Though Jin Ting¡¯s roots were not the best, once he took the lead against an opponent with low spiritual power like Ji Chaoyun, it would be an easy win. Jin Ting¡¯s thrust was as straightforward and blunt as can be, and his raw sword intent flared towards Ji Chaoyun. Unexpectedly, in the face of such a fierce move, Ji Chaoyun did not retreat. He walked towards the shrewd and fierce sword, his lips slowly curving into a confident arc. ¡°What the¡ª Ji Chaoyun¡¯s so powerful now that he can counterattack that move?¡± ¡°I thought it would be easy for Jin shixiong to beat him, but now it seems the two are clearly evenly matched.¡± ¡°What evenly matched? Don¡¯t you see that Ji Chaoyun came here prepared? Jin shixiong is being suppressed to death. It¡¯s not good to go on like this.¡± ¡°Hey, Jin shixiong is really unlucky. If he loses this duel, he¡¯ll have to wait another year to be promoted.¡± There was a lot of discussion under the White Jade Platform. Feng Qi stood behind the crowd, a smug smile on his lips. How could the person he personally taught lose? He stared at the thin and slender figure on the White Jade platform, and suddenly remembered the scene when he¡¯d first met this person three months ago. It was also here that the seemingly weak young man, relying on his superb swordsmanship and martial arts technique, defeated two Heaven-rank disciples and attracted his gaze. Feng Qi still remembered the way Ji Chaoyun had looked at him when he¡¯d first seen him. Those clear eyes of his were no longer calm, the shock and sadness in his eyes almost overflowing. Likely seeing him as that person ba? It was just that he hadn¡¯t understood the turbulent emotions in Ji Chaoyun¡¯s eyes. At that time¡­ what had he been thinking about? ¡ª¡ªHe wants to fight this little dragon. He wanted to know the true strength of someone who could defeat both Song Zhifei and Jiang Cheng without exerting all of their strength. He wanted to know how much power this beautiful and almost seductive little demon dragon possessed. Feng Qi subconsciously touched the gold chain in between his wrists. For the first time, the thoughtless Second Highness Feng felt a little regretful. It must¡¯ve been painful at the start. How could he have done it? If it had been now¡­ he would¡¯ve just stood there and let him stab both swords towards him. Feng Qi was still in a daze when he suddenly heard the disciples around him talking. ¡°Aren¡¯t they fighting a little too fiercely? Killing to win the match?¡± Feng Qi was startled and looked up at the platform. Ji Chaoyun¡¯s swordsmanship became swifter with every second that passed, and his moves were ruthless, forcing Jin Ting to retreat step by step, almost unstoppable. In the arena competition, it was stipulated that leaving a fatal wound on the opponent¡¯s body would mean victory. After all, the competition was not normally like a life-and-death confrontation. Usually, as long as one side completely broke through all the defenses of the other and spilled enough blood, the winner and loser could be determined. But now, though Ji Chaoyun had clearly defeated Jin Ting, the two still hadn¡¯t stopped. Feng Qi assessed the situation for a moment, frowning tightly. The problem didn¡¯t lay with Jin Ting, but with Ji Chaoyun. Ji Chaoyun didn¡¯t stop, every move of his destined to kill. Jin Ting didn¡¯t dare to stop! ¡°Ji Chaoyun, what are you doing?!¡± On the stage, Jin Ting¡¯s pitiful figure finally couldn¡¯t help shouting loudly as he dodged the other¡¯s attacks. What answered him was an oncoming sword. Between the shadow of the sword, Jin Ting clearly saw a sinister, murderous light flashing in Ji Chaoyun¡¯s eyes. He was startled, and his defense couldn¡¯t help but slow down by half a second. Ji Chaoyun¡¯s moves were merciless, and Jin Ting¡¯s absentmindedness almost became a fatal mistake. He watched the sharp edge of the sword approach his neck, and before he even had time to close his eyes, he was suddenly roughly pushed back. Stab!¡ª¡ª From the platform came the sound of a sword piercing flesh. Jin Ting fell to the ground, and when he looked up, a slender figure stood in front of him, the blade of a sword piercing through his shoulder. This misfortune happened very quickly. Continuous exclamations arose from the audience, as though they wanted to rush on stage. ¡°Don¡¯t come here!¡± Feng Qi shouted loudly. His clothes were stained red with blood, which dripped down the blade of the sword. But he just frowned slightly. Raising his hand, he held the weapon tightly before Ji Chaoyun could draw it back. He looked at the pair of demonic eyes in front of him, and softly said, ¡°Calm down. Ji Chaoyun, can you hear me?¡± The glazed vertical pupils in Ji Chaoyun¡¯s eyes had completely faded. Hearing this voice, he froze. What am I doing? I¡­ I stabbed him? ¡°Feng¡­ Feng Qi¡­¡± Ji Chaoyun¡¯s eyes regained a little clarity. He had no idea why things had turned out this way. While he¡¯d competed with Jin Ting, as his spiritual power gradually depleted, not only did his strength not weaken, but another more powerful and reckless force was born within his body. The power was like a prairie fire, instantly igniting the demon power he had been suppressing for a long time. It also made his rationality out of control. Ji Chaoyun was only conscious for a short while before he was devoured once more by the clamouring killing intent within him. He suddenly pulled out the sword and stabbed Feng Qi again. ¡°Chaoyun!¡± Feng Qi turned to avoid the attack, but before he could make a move, a ray of spiritual power flew from a distance and instantly hit the back of Ji Chaoyun¡¯s head. The flow of spiritual energy on Ji Chaoyun¡¯s sword dissipated. The moment his body relaxedd, he fell. Feng Qi subconsciously caught him, looked up, and didn¡¯t know when Immortal Lord Kai Yang had come to White Jade Platform, his eyes surprisingly cold. ¡°Hongmeng Academy has never had anything like this happen since its establishment. Ji Chaoyun must be severely punished!¡± ¡°The matter has not been investigated clearly, why should Kai Yang-jun rush to judgement?¡± ¡°Investigation? Now that the evidence is conclusive, what else ought to be investigated?!¡± Feng Qi happened to be outside the Council Hall. Hearing these words, he paused slightly then stepped inside. In the Council Hall, all seven immortals of the academy were gathered together, a rare occurrence; it caused the atmosphere to be particularly sombre. Feng Qi¡¯s expression didn¡¯t flicker, and he bowed to the crowd. ¡°Greetings to all the Immortal Elders.¡± Tianshu sat at the head of the table with a serious expression. ¡°How is your injury?¡± Feng Qi had changed into a clean disciple robe. The wound underneath was bandaged, but his expression was normal, almost as though he was not injured at all. ¡°It¡¯s just a skin injury, there¡¯s no issue.¡± Tianshu nodded and questioned, ¡°You live with Ji Chaoyun. Do you know what¡¯s been wrong with him recently?¡± Feng Qi discretely frowned. ¡°This disciple does not know what Immortal Elder means. This disciple has been with Ji Chaoyun every day. He concentrates on practising swordsmanship regularly, which is no different from before.¡± As soon as he said this, Kai Yang ¨C who was beside him ¨C snorted coldly, noncommittally. Feng Qi pretended not to hear him, and asked, ¡°Ji Chaoyun, is he¡­¡± Tianshu: ¡°The Immortal Doctor has already treated him. Before the second stage, he took some kind of secret medicine to promote spiritual power. Perhaps the dose was too large, which caused his spiritual power to go out of control.¡± Feng Qi was startled, his face changing suddenly. ¡°Impossible, he would never¡ª¡± ¡°How do you know he wouldn¡¯t?¡± Kai Yang suddenly stood up and said coldly, ¡°Before he won the first place in the secret realm, I heard someone secretly talking about him using some tricks in the assessment. It¡¯s just that when I rewatched the light mirrors in the Supervisory Exam Hall and found no problems, I let him go. Thinking about it now, he might have already started taking these secret medicines since before the secret realm examination!¡± Kai Yang turned to face Tianshu and said sternly, ¡°Tianshu-jun, Hongmeng Academy has never shielded anyone who cheated for personal gain. This time, he must be severely punished!¡± Feng Qi¡¯s eyes flickered slightly, but his thoughts quickly calmed down. Ji Chaoyun would never cheat. Where did the secret medicine come from, and who wanted to harm him? ¡°Kai Yang-jun, calm down. Let¡¯s discuss it first,¡± Yao Guang-jun said. ¡°To me, it¡¯s better to wait for Chaoyun to wake up and ask again. Chaoyun doesn¡¯t seem like someone who could do such a thing. What if he was really framed? Our Hongmeng Academy cannot wrong people like this.¡± ¡°Could it be that when you ask, he will tell the truth?¡± Kai Yang-jun said. ¡°He takes secret medicine, loses control of his spiritual power, and hurts his fellow disciple in the arena. All these together are not enough to prove his crime? Still not enough evidence?¡± ¡°Not enough.¡± Feng Qi stood up straight and said calmly, ¡°You have no evidence to prove that he took the medicine himself.¡± ¡°You¡ª¡± Feng Qi bowed to Tianshu and said, ¡°The secret medicine issue is definitely not that simple. This disciple is willing to vouch for Ji Chaoyun, requesting to thoroughly investigate the matter and prove his innocence.¡± ¡°You¡¯re protecting Ji Chaoyun, and you even want to do a thorough investigation yourself. Why?¡± Feng Qi: ¡°If Kai Yang-jun doesn¡¯t trust me, he can send the disciples of the Supervisory Exam Hall to investigate.¡± ¡°Fine¡­ Fine!¡± Kai Yang-jun sneered. ¡°I¡¯ll see how long you dare to act recklessly! Didn¡¯t you say you wanted to vouch for him? If it is found out that he indeed did so, what will you do?¡± Feng Qi stared into the other¡¯s eyes, and word by word, he firmly declared, ¡°I am willing to follow him, have my cultivation abolished and be expelled from the academy.¡± In an empty dark room, Ji Chaoyun curled up in the corner, not yet awake. His wrists were in a pair of shackles, one end extending to the wall. These chains could both restrain his spiritual power and limit his movements, but the same couldn¡¯t be said about the surging demon power in his body. Ji Chaoyun only felt that his whole body was hot and cold. The rampant spiritual power could not be vented, and hence, it turned into a bone-piercing pain that swept through all of him. He tried his best to curl up his hands and feet, pressing his forehead against the cold rough ground. It felt so bad. Could someone help him¡­ At this moment, the door of the dark room was pushed open, and a figure came in. Feng Qi quickly walked to Ji Chaoyun¡¯s side and picked him up, causing the chains to collide against each other. Feng Qi¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°Who asked you to chain him, unlock it for me!¡± The two disciples who¡¯d followed Feng Qi hurriedly stepped forward, and rushed to untie the shackles on Ji Chaoyun¡¯s wrists. ¡°Your, Your Highness, this was an order from Immortal Elder Kai Yang. It¡¯s none of our Precept Hall business, so don¡¯t¡ª¡± Feng Qi ignored them. He took off his robe, wrapped an arm under Ji Chaoyun¡¯s shoulders and the other beneath his knees, then strode out of the cell. The series of movements were smooth like water, extremely natural, and unexpectedly fast. A moment passed, and only the two disciples were left inside.They looked at each other blankly. The teleportation circle lit up on the dark mountain road. Feng Qi stepped out of the circle with Ji Chaoyun in his arms. ¡°Hold on a little longer, we¡¯re almost there.¡± Ji Chaoyun¡¯s body became hotter and hotter; Feng Qi lowered his head and whispered in his ear, walking forward along the mountain road. In just a short distance, Ji Chaoyun had changed back to his half-demon appearance. He leaned against Feng Qi¡¯s arms, his long silver hair scattered behind him, and a pair of dragon horns on his forehead, glowing with a soft halo under the moonlight. His body was so uncomfortable, and under the torture of the rampant spiritual power, he couldn¡¯t even realise that there was another more turbulent and almost uncontainable upsurge within him, which was making a rapid comeback. A sweet clogging scent emanated from him uncontrollably. Feng Qi¡¯s footsteps froze, and his breathing became chaotic. ¡°Ji, Ji Chaoyun, restrain your scent.¡± Ji Chaoyun couldn¡¯t hear what he was saying at all, and even if he¡¯d clearly heard, such an act was impossible. The secret medicine that came from who-knew-where stimulated not only the demon power that was still suppressed in his body, but also the heat that had been forcibly suppressed by his cultivation for hundreds of years. Both dragon and phoenix were immortal beasts. Like other beasts, during their heat period, their bodies would unconsciously release a specially inducing scent, which was enough to stimulate other beasts to fall into heat together. The gate of the disciple courtyard was kicked open, causing the koi in the lotus pond to scatter away. Feng Qi¡¯s eyes stayed focused. Holding Ji Chaoyun, he strode towards the bamboo forest behind the house. The forest was misty with water vapour. Feng Qi put Ji Chaoyun by the pool and bent over to help him unbutton his clothes, only to find that his hands were shaking uncontrollably. With Feng Qi¡¯s current cultivation, he was not easily influenced by others. But today, he was injured and weakened. In addition to that, the person in front of him was Ji Chaoyun¡­ Feng Qi¡¯s eyes were red, and he forced himself to calm down. His voice was hoarse and shaky. ¡°Chaoyun, you can¡¯t go on like this anymore. Can you change back to your original form?¡± Ji Chaoyun finally opened his eyes. Those glass-like vertical pupils stared at him blankly, as if they didn¡¯t understand what he was talking about. Feng Qi was unable to bear it the more he looked at him. Some kind of innate instinct was eating away at his sanity little by little. He suddenly got up, turned his head and walked away. ¡°Don¡¯t go¡­¡± Feng Qi took another step. He turned his head. Ji Chaoyun was sitting by the pool, his red eyes under the moonlight filled with mist. In the steaming water, those lost eyes seemed to be looking at Feng Qi, as if unable to see anything else. He made a low-pitched, helpless cry, born from his indescribable pain and desire. ¡°Help me¡­Help¡­¡± ¡°Feng Qi¡­¡± With a roar in Feng Qi¡¯s mind, the string of reason was finally and utterly broken. He turned around and walked to the pool, grabbed Ji Chaoyun¡¯s robe and pulled him up, lowered his head, and kissed him fiercely. CH 23.1 What happened next, even Feng Qi¡¯s memory was not very clear, let alone Ji Chaoyun¡¯s, who was already unconscious at that time. Since the moment of that kiss, everything went haywire. The two had only known each other for a little more than three months, and had never once made any move to overstep. However, they seemed to be innately compatible, the scalding touches of intimacy seemingly so familiar. It was like falling into an endless and confusing dreamland, years of longing burning all sense of reason. Spending a crazy and frantic night together, under the bright moonlight, they embraced. The night wind passed through the forest and blew the bamboo leaves all over the place, while the koi shyly disappeared in between the lotus leaves. Only amongst the deep depths of the path filled with water mist, did the sound of water never end throughout the night. ¡­ The next day, the high sun shone into the room through the window, shining on the embracing form of a couple sleeping in the bed. Feng Qi woke up bathed in the sunlight. He closed his eyes and raised a hand, the tulle bed curtain soon falling to shield them from the disturbing light. He turned over and hugged the warm and soft person in his arms even tighter. Just as he was about fall back asleep¡ª ¡­Hm? Feng Qi abruptly opened his eyes, at once waking up. Ji Chaoyun lay quietly in his arms, not yet awake. He seemed to be extremely tired, frowning in his sleep; the edges of his eyes were slightly red and swollen, his eyelashes still damp. Feng Qi was caught off guard by such an expression. The memories of last night returned little by little. Last night, the young man was lying in his arms just like this, his eyes red. With no way for release, he could only let out a weak cry that seemed both pleased and pained. As if sensing that the heat source beside him was leaving, Ji Chaoyun murmured unconsciously, rubbed himself against him, and tried to cuddle into his arms again. The thin blanket on his shoulders slipped off during the action, revealing some vague red marks that could not be concealed. Feng Qi¡¯s body stiffened¡ª he couldn¡¯t move forth nor retreat. Though he¡¯d been cultivating for many years, this experience was still the first for him. Before this, he had already planned what the future would be like in his mind. No matter who the person in Ji Chaoyun¡¯s heart was, in the end, three hundred years had already passed. His Second Highness Feng had never planned to surrender just because of a never-appearing rival in love. Even if there was one, he would take it step by step and let this little dragon accept him bit by bit. But who knew Ji Chaoyun¡¯s heat period would come by so quickly and violently, leaving all of Feng Qi¡¯s plans messed up at once. What could be done¡­ Feng Qi pinched the area between his eyebrows in despair, unable to enjoy the sensation of warmth and joy of the fragrance in his arms. This little dragon was so stubborn. Should he wake up now, Feng Qi was afraid he would be so angry that he would directly strike him with a sword, then pull out his plumes, and hang him at the gate of Hongmeng Academy for all to see. Feng Qi shivered uncontrollably. He looked down at the person in his arms, and thought whether he should leave as soon as possible while the other was still asleep. Ji Chaoyun finally found the most comfortable position in his arms, and buried his head in satisfaction. The soft hair was swept across Feng Qi¡¯s neck, as if bearing a strong attachment and tenderness, making Feng Qi¡¯s heart soften into a puddle of water. ¡­How could he be willing to leave. Feng Qi sighed, pulled up the quilt, carefully wrapped the little dragon properly, and enclosed Ji Chaoyun in his arms. If plucking his feathers could make him feel relieved, it was not impossible for him to allow Ji Chaoyun such a thing. It was certainly better than ignoring him in the future. Support Author-sama here: http://www.jjwxc.net/onebook.php?novelid=4317191 Feng Qi was thinking about this when he lowered his head and met a pair of bewildered and watery eyes. ¡°¡­¡± Ji Chaoyun had just woken up from a deep sleep when he felt his whole body aching, as if he was falling apart. He rubbed his eyes uncomfortably. His expression then went from bewildered to sober, before settling into consternation as his consciousness returned. Boom! Feng Qi didn¡¯t have time to say a single word before he was kicked out of bed. In the more than three hundred years since he was born, no one had ever dared to kick him like this. His Second Highness Feng painfully rolled twice on the ground before he stopped and stood up straight. He was a little dazed by the dull pain in his chest. Why did this little dragon seem to have grown stronger? ? Ji Chaoyun was unaware of his own change. He sat up from the bed and looked at Feng Qi coldly, trembling uncontrollably. ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°Chaoyun, you¡ª calm down.¡± This situation was indeed what Feng Qi thought it would become. He didn¡¯t dare to get closer. He sat on the ground and recounted slowly, ¡°Yesterday was a misunderstanding, we¡­ I was caught in your heat period. I, I don¡¯t know why things turned out like this¡­¡± ¡°The heat period¡­¡± Ji Chaoyun closed his eyes, his tense expression relaxing slightly. He had lived for so many years. How could he not know the inductiveness of a heat period. Yet because of his heat, he actually, with the person in front of him¡ª Ji Chaoyun¡¯s thoughts churned, leaving not a trace of blood on his face. He tilted his head, hid the mist from his eyes, and softly said, ¡°¡­I apologise.¡± Feng Qi was still ruminating on how to persuade him. He didn¡¯t hear what was just said. ¡°What did you say?¡± Ji Chaoyun closed his eyes for a moment. When he looked at Feng Qi, his gaze fell on his shoulder. ¡°Your injury¡­¡± The originally bandaged wound had been messed up ever since last night¡¯s chaos. Feng Qi accidentally tore the wound when he rolled out of bed, and his plain white inner wear instantly stained with blood, which looked quite shocking to the eye. Feng Qi casually glanced at it, not paying it much attention. ¡°It¡¯s okay, this little injury is nothing.¡± ¡°How can that be? I shall take you to the Immortal Physician¡ª¡± Ji Chaoyun lifted the quilt and intended to get out of bed. When he touched the ground, however, his legs went soft without warning, and he almost fell. Feng Qi was so frightened that his heart abruptly stopped. He rushed forward to catch him. But Ji Chaoyun keenly avoided him before Feng Qi could touch him. Feng Qi¡¯s hand froze in the air. With a pause, he turned his eyes away as naturally as possible. ¡°No need. To the Immortal Physician with this appearance?¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Ji Chaoyun didn¡¯t understand what he meant, and raised his head suspiciously. Upon walking in, he then found that under Feng Qi¡¯s loose clothes, from the shoulders to the neck, and at his collarbone, there were deep and shallow wounds. At first glance, the scratches could be clearly seen. ¡°¡­¡± Ji Chaoyun looked away in a fluster, his ears flushed red. Feng Qi didn¡¯t let go of this momentary change of behaviour. His heart felt a little itchy, so he couldn¡¯t help but say softly, ¡°Little Dragon¡¯s claws are quite powerful. Really hurts to death.¡± Ji Chaoyun: ¡°¡­¡± Ji Chaoyun did not dare to answer, nor did he dare to look up at the person beside him. Even after living for so many years, going through two lifetimes, no one had ever told him how to deal with such a thing. He stared at the ground, ill at ease, casting his gaze around. He couldn¡¯t stand the atmosphere, and hesitantly said, ¡°Then I, I¡¯ll help you re-bandage.¡± Feng Qi stared at the other person¡¯s red ears for a while, then nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± The room was silent, except for the sound of the fabric rubbing against each other. Ji Chaoyun was neatly dressed and stood beside the bed, helping Feng Qi change his dressing. Feng Qi tilted his head and watched his movements quietly. After a long silence, the two suddenly spoke at the same time: ¡°Last night you¡­¡± ¡°My apologies.¡± Feng Qi was startled. Ji Chaoyun didn¡¯t lift his head and continued, ¡°What happened last night was because of me, I apologise to you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Feng Qi seemed to think he¡¯d heard wrong. He asked in surprise, ¡°You¡¯re apologising to me?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ji Chaoyun¡¯s movements did not pause and his voice remained steady. ¡°I know it is impossible for you to pretend that nothing happened, but¡­ last night was indeed an accident. If you don¡¯t want to see me again, I can leave Wenqu Peak.¡± Feng Qi didn¡¯t know whether to laugh or cry. ¡°Why do you think so?¡± Ji Chaoyun was puzzled and asked, ¡°Then how should I feel?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Feng Qi didn¡¯t answer. He had considered many situations, but he¡¯d never expected Ji Chaoyun to have such an attitude, yet¡­ This was indeed his temperament. For him, it was best if they all acted as if nothing had happened. But could he really pretend like so? Feng Qi felt a surge of acid in his heart. He turned his head to look at Ji Chaoyun. The latter looked calm, but upon closer inspection, his fingertips were clearly trembling slightly. Under those lowered eyelids, the emotion that could not be hidden almost overflowed. This was by no means the lightheartedness he showed. For a moment, Feng Qi stared at Ji Chaoyun, then helplessly looked away. He said, against his conscience, ¡°True. In any case¡­ you and I are both men. Even if we occasionally solve a heat period together, there¡¯s no trouble, so don¡¯t worry about it. ¡° These words sounded quite harsh. If it changed to Feng Qi and someone else had dared say that to him, he would have used a golden whip to trash that person three hundred miles away. But Ji Chaoyun seemed relieved and quietly agreed, ¡°Okay.¡± Feng Qi sighed in his heart, feeling stuffy with nowhere to vent. He could only pull out the so-called Feng family¡¯s senior who had disappeared three hundred years ago, and scolded him fiercely in his heart. After he finished his mental tirade, Ji Chaoyun also helped him deal with his injury and continued, ¡°You have a good rest, I will go back to my room first.¡± Feng Qi stopped him. ¡°Wait.¡± ¡°Is there anything else?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Feng Qi nodded and told him what happened in the Council Hall yesterday. Ji Chaoyun was still suspected of cheating. Since this was a big deal in Hongmeng Academy, if the suspicion was not cleared as soon as possible, he would be facing the punishment of having his cultivation base abolished and expelled from the academy. ¡°Tianshu gave us three days. Within this period of time, we must find out the truth,¡± Feng Qi said. ¡°Think about it, have you eaten anything in the past few days, or used something of unknown origin? You can¡¯t miss anything out.¡± CH 23.2 Ji Chaoyun fell silent. He pondered for a moment, and recounted, ¡°I stayed in Wenqu Peak from the end of the secret realm trial until the lottery draw. Except for the wound medicine you gave me, I didn¡¯t touch anything else. On the day of the draw, I went down the mountain with Ye Chenxing and the others. Chang Yuanxie¡¯s pastries were the only thing I ate.¡± Feng Qi: ¡°I also ate the pastries, so it shouldn¡¯t be the problem.¡± ¡°En.¡± Ji Chaoyun nodded and continued, ¡°Apart from these, there is only¡­¡± ¡°The medicine Jun Ruzhuo gave you.¡± Feng Qi¡¯s eyes sank, and he asked, ¡°Is there any leftover medicine?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ji Chaoyun took out the bottle of wound medicine from the spiritual storage ring he carried, about to hand it to Feng Qi when he suddenly remembered something. His hand paused mid-action. Feng Qi frowned sharply. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°There is one more thing.¡± From inside the spiritual storage ring, Ji Chaoyun took out an item and an exquisite wine jug appeared in his hand. ¡°On the day of the lottery draw, I met Immortal Lord Yao Guang in front of the Supervisory Exam Hall and he gave this to me, saying I could count it as a congratulatory gift for obtaining first place in the two exams.¡± Feng Qi took the wine jug and became suspicious. ¡°Yao Guang has always loved wine like his own life depended on it, and he is notoriously stingy. He actually gave you such good wine?¡± Ji Chaoyun: ¡°I also felt it to be strange at the time. Since I don¡¯t like drinking, I have yet to open it.¡± Feng Qi thought it through. ¡°Understood, I will find someone to check if there is anything unusual in these two things. Also, after the Immortal Physician diagnosed and treated you, they only judged that it was some kind of secret medicine that had caused your spiritual power to go out of control, but didn¡¯t manage to find out what it was. So we¡¯ll have to think of something else.¡± ¡°What way?¡± ¡°The Sea Market.¡± Feng Qi explained, ¡°The Nameless Sea¡¯s Sea Market connects the four worlds of immortals, demons, gods and devils alike, hence there being many capable people around. If the Immortal Physicians in the Immortal Realm can¡¯t find out what the secret medicine is, we can only ask others for help.¡± Ji Chaoyun frowned slightly, and suddenly understood what Feng Qi meant. ¡°You mean¡­ that medicine might not be one of the Immortal Realm¡¯s?¡± Feng Qi: ¡°It¡¯s just a guess, I can¡¯t say for sure yet. But¡­¡± Before he could finish speaking, Ji Chaoyun¡¯s expression changed, and he suddenly turned to look outside the door. ¡°Someone is here.¡± Feng Qi was stunned, and only then did he realise that someone had just passed through the barrier of Wenqu Peak. The enchantment amongst the disciples¡¯ peaks could only allow entry to those who had the transmission token in hand. Furthermore, each one was unique, unable to be lent to others; only the Inspector¡¯s Hall¶½²ìµî , which Immortal Lord Yao Guang was in charge of, held a special token pass issued by him that allowed one anywhere in the academy. Those who were able to pass through the barrier of Wenqu Peak were most likely the deacon disciples sent by Tianshu to investigate the incident together. These days, Tianshu had explained to Feng Qi that he had already prepared in advance. And yet¡­ He looked at Ji Chaoyun thoughtfully, a hint of doubt flashing in his heart. When did this little dragon¡¯s sense of power become so sharp? Ji Chaoyun didn¡¯t notice Feng Qi¡¯s weirdness. He said, ¡°I¡¯ll open the door¡±, turned and walked outside the house. Ji Chaoyun quickly strode across the stone bridge to the courtyard door, opening it before the other party could even knock on it. The person in front of him was wearing a high-level disciple uniform. Tall and slender, it was Jiang Cheng. Ji Chaoyun frowned slightly. ¡°Why is it you?¡± Jiang Cheng obviously hadn¡¯t expected Ji Chaoyun to open the door. His face immediately stiffened. He looked away in discomfort, and bluntly stated, ¡°I¡¯m looking for Feng Qi.¡± Ji Chaoyun turned sideways and replied in a cold voice, ¡°Come in then.¡± On the other side, Feng Qi had also pushed the door and walked out. He was dishevelled, with his hair free and unbound, looking casual and rambunctious. Compared to before, he randomly wrapped a robe over him to cover up those ambiguous marks on his body. Feng Qi walked to the reclining chair beside the lotus pond and sat down. Seeing Ji Chaoyun leading Jiang Cheng through the door, displeased, he asked, ¡°Why is it you?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Being demanded the same exact question by these two people caused Jiang Cheng to deeply feel how unpopular he was in Wenqu Peak. Annoyed, he declared, ¡°You think I wanted to come? If it were not for Immortal Elder Kai Yang requesting me to assist you both, I would have been happy not to be here at all!!¡± ¡°To assist?¡± Feng Qi sneered, ¡°Or for surveillance?¡± Jiang Cheng turned his head and did not answer. Feng Qi narrowed his eyes and looked at him. After learning that the ¡°Feng Clan senior¡± existed, he suddenly realised something. Feng Qi asked sensitively, ¡°Why did Immortal Elder Kai Yang send you here? What about Song Zhifei?¡± Jiang Cheng: ¡°Zhifei has something important to do.¡± ¡°Then, as the chief disciple of the Supervisory Exam Hall, why are you so idle?¡± Feng Qi probed, feeling suspicious. ¡°Could it be that you asked to come here?¡± Jiang Cheng¡¯s face flushed red, and he shouted, ¡°You dead phoenix, what nonsense are you talking about! Why should I take the initiative to take this kind of spoiled thing?!¡± Feng Qi smiled but did not answer. Jiang Cheng¡¯s face was incredibly rosy. He changed the subject, ¡°Immortal Elder Tianshu gave you three days to find out the truth. More than half a day has already passed yet you¡¯re still not investigating, instead enjoying yourself here?¡± Feng Qi said casually, ¡°How is it related to you?¡± ¡°You¡ª¡± ¡°Stop arguing.¡± Ji Chaoyun got a headache from the quarrelling pair. Towards Jiang Cheng, he said, ¡°Before you came, we were discussing investigating the source of the secret medicine, and that we might have to leave the academy.¡± He briefly summarised their guesses. Jiang Cheng nodded in agreement. ¡°Okay, then let¡¯s set off right now.¡± ¡°What leaving? Did I say we¡¯d go?¡± Feng Qi hooked his fingers at Ji Chaoyun. ¡°Come here.¡± Ji Chaoyun frowned and compliantly walked over. ¡°What is the matter now?¡± Feng Qi sat up straight, and glanced at Jiang Cheng standing beside the stone bridge. He said softly in a voice that only the two of them could hear, ¡°You didn¡¯t sleep well last night, and it¡¯s not suitable for you to expend your energy today. I¡¯ll check those two things you told me about. You stay at Wenqu Peak to rest. We will go to the Sea Market tomorrow.¡± Ji Chaoyun shook his head. ¡°Let¡¯s go as soon as possible, otherwise the night will drag with much thoughts.¡± Feng Qi¡¯s ears were a little hot. He softly reminded, ¡°But your body¡­¡± Ji Chaoyun stiffly turned his head away. ¡°I am really fine, trust me.¡± ¡°¡­Alright. I¡¯ll listen to you.¡± After a stick of incense¡¯s time, a chariot departed from the front of the mountain gate of Hongmeng Academy and headed towards the Nameless Sea. Inside the chariot, Ji Chaoyun touched the seat under his body, which was exaggeratedly covered with several layers of velvet blankets. He then looked at Feng Qi, who was calm. Together with the movements of the transport, which was quite comfortable to sit on, Jiang Cheng, who was brought up on luxury and comfort, was silent. ¡­Did it need to be so exaggerated? Ji Chaoyun had been brought to the Sea Market by Feng Qi before, and this time he was quite familiar with it. The three put on their masks, got off the chariot at the gate of the city, and swiftly walked inside. ¡°Why are you going to Luo Huan Building again?¡± Ji Chaoyun asked suspiciously, looking at the familiar building in front of him. Revisiting the old place, Feng Qi had a guilty conscience¡ª like being caught by his wife while visiting a brothel. He didn¡¯t dare to look at the people beside him, and explained in a low voice, ¡°I don¡¯t want to go either, but the boss of Luo Huan Building is very knowledgeable, and most of the secret medicines can be recognised by her. I really don¡¯t come here often on weekdays. I¡¯ve never done anything with the immortal ladies here¡ª¡± Feng Qi turned his head as he spoke, and saw that Ji Chaoyun had already taken the lead in walking towards Luo Huan Building, leaving only Jiang Cheng standing beside him with a look of incomprehension. ¡°¡­Why are you explaining so much to me?¡± Feng Qi: ¡°¡­¡± He turned his head expressionlessly, and quickly followed Ji Chaoyun into Luo Huan Building. An immortal fairy greeted them as soon as the three entered the door. Before Ji Chaoyun could speak, Feng Qi took the lead in explaining the purpose of the visit and requested an audience with the boss. The three waited for a while in the lobby, and soon she came back to lead them to the backyard. Passing through a corridor, the three entered the innermost wing. The door opened automatically in front of them. Feng Qi motioned Ji Chaoyun to advance first. Jiang Cheng wanted to follow him, but Feng Qi raised his hand and stopped him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, the rules here are that the boss only sees one guest at a time.¡± Jiang Cheng gritted his teeth. ¡°¡­Then why are you able to go in?¡± ¡°As I said, the boss and I are friends.¡± After he finished speaking, he closed the door with a snap, leaving Jiang Cheng alone in the empty yard. Jiang Cheng: ¡°¡­¡± @ Found at https://dummynovels.com . TL by Amber.es The interior furnishings were no different from the last time Feng Qi had come. Ah Tao, the owner of Luo Huan Building, sat at the back of the table, covering her mouth and chuckling in the green smoke of the incense. Her eyes couldn¡¯t stop looking back and forth between the two of them. Feng Qi frowned. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Ah Tao showed a smile filled with meaning. ¡°It¡¯s just that the smell on your body is really¡­¡± Ji Chaoyun immediately understood what she meant, his cheeks burning hot at once. Feng Qi¡¯s expression was also a little uncomfortable. With a light cough, he changed the subject. ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about anything else. Ah Tao, I have something very important to trouble you with. My family¡¯s¡­cough, my friend was drugged, which caused his spiritual power to be out of control. But even the Immortal Physicians in the immortal realm can¡¯t find out why. Can you check it for me? What¡¯s exactly the cause of it?¡± ¡°Ah, I knew it was never a good thing for you to come to me.¡± Ah Tao raised her eyes slightly, leaning lazily at the table like a weak willow and waved to Ji Chaoyun, motioning him to sit beside her. Ah Tao put her hand between Ji Chaoyun¡¯s veins and then said, ¡°Just to inform you in advance, I can¡¯t guarantee that I can find it out. If you¡ª¡± Her voice stopped abruptly, her expression changing instantly. ¡°Im-impossible. How could this be¡­¡± Feng Qi quickly asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Ah Tao¡¯s eyes narrowed. She didn¡¯t answer, but her original teasing expression had already subsided. She checked the pulse again, and after a while, she finally let go of Ji Chaoyun¡¯s hand. Ji Chaoyun asked, ¡°Lady Ah Tao has already reached a conclusion?¡± Ah Tao didn¡¯t answer, but instead asked, ¡°Have you already found out who gave this medicine?¡± Feng Qi answered, ¡°No. If we did, we wouldn¡¯t have come such a long way to trouble you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, if you had found out, you wouldn¡¯t be here asking me.¡± Ah Tao raised her eyes to look at Feng Qi and said slowly, ¡°If my judgement is correct, the medicine that this gentleman was given should not belong to the immortal realm.¡± ¡°¡­That medicine seems to belong to the Demon Race.¡± The author has something to say: Feng Qi: After the first night, other people will be very affectionate and huggy, but I was the only one who was kicked out of bed by the wife. CH 24.1 ¡°¡­I have heard about this medicine before. It is a kind of medicinal herb called Blood Lotus Fungi1. It has extremely strong spiritual power and is used by demons to promote cultivation. If a normal immortal were to take it, the pure immortal energy within one¡¯s body would be repelled, bearing no effect and be completely undetectable. It¡¯s just¡­¡± Ah Tao paused for a while, and looked at Ji Chaoyun thoughtfully. Ji Chaoyun immediately understood the deeper meaning in her words. It¡¯s just that he had a half-immortal and half-demon body. Hence, his immortal power was inherently impure, causing him to be stimulated by the Blood Lotus Fungi and losing control of his demonic power. Feng Qi noticed something. ¡°This person¡­ knows his physique very well?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± agreed Ah Tao. ¡°Although this little gongzi is half-immortal and half-demon, he hides it very well. If it wasn¡¯t for the pulse diagnosis, I wouldn¡¯t have even seen it. But the person who prescribed the medicine seems to know gongzi very well, even his weaknesses, hence using the Blood Lotus Fungi in the end.¡± Ji Chaoyun¡¯s eyes trembled. He asked, ¡°Blood Lotus Fungi¡­ Where can one find it?¡± ¡±Nearly impossible to find.¡± Ah Tao shook her head. ¡°Blood Lotus Fungi is extremely difficult to cultivate, and requires a large supply of magical energy to grow. Once the source of supply is lost, it will die within three days. Other than on the Demon Realm¡¯s soil, there¡¯s nowhere else the Blood Lotus Fungi can grow.¡± ¡°Demon Realm?¡± Feng Qi asked with a frown. ¡°You mean, someone brought the Blood Lotus Fungi out of the Demon Realm? How is this possible?¡± ¡°Indeed, how could this be possible¡­¡± Ah Tao tapped the table with her fingertips, and said softly, ¡°Three hundred years ago, the demons had launched an aggressive invasion and had almost conquered the Immortal Realm. The Immortal Realm was forced to plead to the gods for help. Thus they came into the world and fought a hard battle with the demons. The demons were defeated, and completely sealed away. Thereafter, not one demon could take half a step out of their realm.¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s been three hundred years. How could the Blood Lotus Fungi suddenly appear in the Immortal Realm?¡± The atmosphere in the room suddenly became solemn, and only Ji Chaoyun was sitting quietly at the table. His eyes gazed low, his expression unclear. After a long while, Feng Qi opened his mouth, his voice harsh. ¡°Could it be that the seal on the Demon Realm has been loosened?¡± Ah Tao raised her head, and there was no humour in her eyes. ¡°If that is the case, the Immortal Realm will suffer a catastrophe. I¡¯m afraid none of us will be spared should that ever happen.¡± Because the God¡¯s Realm had been closed three hundred years ago. This time, there would be no one to help them. If so, it would really be a catastrophe. Feng Qi and Ah Tao stared at each other. After a while, he took out two things from the storage ring and put them on the table. Feng Qi said, ¡°Since you¡¯re knowledgeable about this, please help me find out if the smell of blood lotus fungi lingers in these two items. ¡° ¡°Alright.¡± Ah Tao put away those two things, and said, ¡°But what I said just now is merely guesswork, it may not be accurate. If there is someone who is truly idle and has nothing to do, it is not impossible to cultivate the Blood Lotus Fungi using a magical artefact. ¡° Ji Chaoyun suddenly asked, ¡°Do you know someone with such an ability?¡± Ah Tao obviously didn¡¯t expect him to be so keen. Her expression changed a little as she answered, ¡°There is a half-demon race in the Sea Market. During the melee, that person was left in the Immortal Realm and with nowhere to go, he hid in the Nameless Sea. That guy can¡¯t let go of his homeland, and spends all day tinkering with some messy magic tools and magic arrays. You may find something to gain by finding him.¡± Ah Tao pointed out a place for them. Ji Chaoyun stood up and saluted Ah Tao. ¡°Thank you, Lady Ah Tao.¡± Ah Tao nodded. The latter turned around and went straight out the door. Feng Qi was about to follow when he heard Ah Tao say behind him, ¡°Your little beauty doesn¡¯t seem to be a simple person.¡± Feng Qi glanced at Ji Chaoyun who had already walked out of the room, and turned back to Ah Tao with a smug smile. ¡°How¡¯s he? Isn¡¯t the person I¡¯m attracted to rather good?¡± Ah Tao snorted with a sour expression. ¡°Bearing a half demonic and half immortal body, one should better be cautious. If you are so unrestrained, are you not afraid that he will drain your essence?¡± Feng Qi was startled, and the strange feeling that had been haunting him ever since he¡¯d woken up was finally vaguely answered. He only felt enlightened and smiled. ¡°Thank you, Ah Tao. If there is a chance another day, I will introduce you to a beauty.¡± ¡°Scram! Laoniang doesn¡¯t need it!¡±2 Feng Qi smiled, turned around and walked out the door. The three of them went out of the Luo Huan Building and followed Ah Tao¡¯s guidance to look for the place where the half-demon lived. On the way, Feng Qi briefly recounted what Ah Tao said to Jiang Cheng. While he was talking, he focused all his attention on Ji Chaoyun. Ever since meeting Ah Tao, Ji Chaoyun looked haunted, seeming to have other thoughts in his mind. After listening to Feng Qi¡¯s words, Jiang Cheng pondered, ¡°So, the person who started it is not just trying to frame Ji Chaoyun for cheating? Then he should be¡­ Hey, you dead Phoenix, are you listening to me?!¡± Feng Qi looked away from Ji Chaoyun and asked, ¡°Are you talking to me?¡± Jiang Cheng gritted his teeth in anger, and icily forced out, ¡°¡­No. Scram.¡± Ji Chaoyun listened to the two arguing behind him while his thoughts drifted away. Why was it the Demon race? Has the seal on the Demon Domain really weakened? Or¡­ was there actually someone else behind the scene? ¡°The demons came well prepared this time. They know our plan well. I think there may be inner spies in the Immortal Realm. The Immortal Realm is at stake, no one can be trusted. Little Dragon, wait obediently for me in the mortal world. I will come back to pick you up when I seal the Demon Realm.¡± ¡°¡­I will definitely return.¡± Ji Chaoyun raised his hand subconsciously. The moment he touched the familiar purse through his clothes, like lightning, he immediately released his hand. This action was purely instinctive, and he was taken aback for a moment. Before he could understand why he did this, a dangerous strangeness suddenly flashed in his heart. Ji Chaoyun took a step and stopped the two behind him. ¡°Wait, something is not right.¡± Feng Qi and Jiang Cheng were currently arguing with each other. Hearing his words, they stopped and noticed something strange. They now reached a remote and narrow alley. This alley extended in all directions with many twists and turns. This was where the half-demon dwelled. The three of them raised their heads together as several black-clothed shadows fell from above the roof ridge, surrounding the three of them. Black clothes, long sword on a rainy night. Ji Chaoyun¡¯s pupils shrank, and his gaze passed over several men in black, ending at the back of the alley, where a faint shadow flashed by. ¡°I will leave these to you both!¡± Ji Chaoyun quickly explained, and with a swing of his sword, its intent ripped open the encirclement. Without any hesitation, he flashed into the distance. His sword was too fast, and the men in black who attacked them had no time to react. As they prepared to chase, a slender figure blocked his way. Feng Qi flicked his golden whip and neatly threw those people in front of Jiang Cheng. Only then did he look back at Ji Chaoyun¡¯s departing back, a tiny smile in his eyes. The little dragon didn¡¯t realise that his spiritual power had increased a lot overnight. ¡°Fuck, Feng Qi, why are you in a daze. Help me!¡± Jiang Cheng shouted angrily, the only one left in the narrow alley fighting the enemies. Feng Qi retracted his gaze, and his tone was unhurried. ¡°I¡¯m injured, so I can¡¯t use force. Island Master Jiang is strong and awesome. Can¡¯t you beat these little bastards?¡± While speaking, someone attempted to stab Feng Qi. Feng Qi dodged and kicked the person to the front of Jiang Cheng, the two almost colliding head-on. As Jiang Cheng scolded him, Feng Qi calmly replied, ¡°You fight first. I¡¯ll find Chaoyun.¡± ¡°You dead Phoenix¡ª¡± He ignored Jiang Cheng and turned to chase in the direction of Ji Chaoyun. At the other end, Ji Chaoyun was chasing after the shadow. He did not know how many corners he had turned before his steps suddenly stopped. In front of him was a house with a courtyard. The outdated door was shut, and it was impossible to see what was inside. Ji Chaoyun considered his options for a moment before raising his hand and pushing open the door. Blood flashed in the courtyard right then. The man who was pierced by a sword slumped to the ground, his unextinguished eyes passing over the man in black before him. He was caught off guard by Ji Chaoyun¡¯s gaze outside the upper courtyard door. The blood on Ji Chaoyun¡¯s face faded, and the memory of his previous life¡¯s death made a comeback. ¡°Heaven¡¯s Realm is already closed, and it cannot be opened in a thousand years. What¡¯s the use of keeping the golden phoenix feather? Do you think he will come back?!¡± ¡°No one will know even if we kill you now. Hand over the item!¡± The bloody, broken memories finally merged into a complete scene at this moment. Ji Chaoyun raised his head¡ª the past and the reality overlapping in front of him. The back of the man in black turned around, and a string of blood beads rolled from the sword edge at his feet. Ji Chaoyun finally saw at once¡ª what was hidden under the black hood was a pure white mask with only the eyes showing. ¡°¡­It¡¯s really you.¡± Ji Chaoyun was breathless. His voice was so low that he could hardly hear it. The man in black didn¡¯t hear what he¡¯d said, and only smiled softly. ¡°If I were you, I would never chase someone alone.¡± Ji Chaoyun: ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°¡­The one who will kill you.¡± As soon as the man in black finished speaking, he raised his sword and made to strike Ji Chaoyun. It was only then that Ji Chaoyun realised the long sword in his hand was covered by a layer of black mist; he couldn¡¯t see it clearly. Ji Chaoyun subconsciously retreated. The familiar sight of the interlaced past and present left him in a trance, and his movements couldn¡¯t help but slow down by half a minute. The sword edge was coming in an instant, it was too late to escape. Ji Chaoyun only had time to protect his vital point, prepared to suffer an injury. ѪÁ«Ö¥Xue Lianzhi Laoniang = female way of saying Laozi. CH 24.2 The sword edge was coming in an instant, it was too late to escape. Ji Chaoyun only had time to protect his vital point, prepared to suffer an injury. But at this moment, a golden light hit the side of the sword, and Ji Chaoyun was pulled hard from behind, crashing into a chest. Feng Qi held Ji Chaoyun and retreated slightly. He hurriedly asked, ¡°Are you okay? Are you injured? Who told you to catch up, couldn¡¯t you wait for me?¡± Ji Chaoyun looked up at the person in front of him with a dazed expression. For the golden phoenix plume, those people in his previous life had chased him, the only one who could open the purse that housed the plume within. That was why he was not killed by those people in his first life. Like a hunter teasing his prey, he was chased by those men for days, leaving him exhausted. At that time, he had prayed in his heart that someone, no matter who that was, would come and save him. But up until he¡¯d died, none ever came. Ji Chaoyun lowered his eyes, his throat a little dry. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I was afraid he would run away¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take care of you later.¡± Feng Qi pulled him to behind his back, and raised his eyes to look at the person in front of him. A strange sense of familiarity flashed in his heart. ¡°You¡¯re¡­¡± Before he could finish speaking, the man in black suddenly crushed a talisman, and his figure turned into a ray of light, disappearing in place. ¡°¡­¡­¡± A teleportation talisman. Only Feng Qi and Ji Chaoyun were left in the courtyard looking at each other. After a while, Jiang Cheng came panting. ¡°What happened? Have you caught that person?¡± Feng Qi spread his hands and said innocently, ¡°Ran away.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ji Chaoyun stepped forward and squatted beside the corpse that had gradually started to chill. ¡°This should be the half-demon person that Lady Ah Tao mentioned. He was silenced.¡± ¡°A killing strike of a sword, leaving no room for struggle,¡± Feng Qi declared. ¡°I don¡¯t know whether that person is too strong, or if this half demon is too weak.¡± ¡°Very strong.¡± Ji Chaoyun raised his eyes to look at Feng Qi and said, ¡°If we really fight, the man may not be beneath you.¡± Feng Qi snorted. Jiang Cheng asked, ¡°So who is he? How did he know that we found this place and still be able to ambush us beforehand? Damn it. I thought it was one of the Academy¡¯s disciples who wanted to make a stumbling block for Ji Chaoyun. What¡¯s going on in the end?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What are you both looking at me for? Am I wrong?¡± Ji Chaoyun lowered his head and stared at the dead body. He suddenly reached out his hand and closed the other¡¯s eyes gently. Feng Qi looked away and patted Jiang Cheng¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Little Island Master Jiang, stop asking and hurry up to find out if there is anything useful. The Sea Market is not safe. We should head back to the academy as soon as possible.¡± The three of them almost turned the courtyard upside down, yet they found no valuable clues; they had to return empty-handed. When they returned to the academy, the sky was already dark, so Feng Qi declined Jiang Cheng¡¯s request to return to Wenqu Peak with them. He then re-analysed the current clues they got and ensured that Ah Tao would immediately notify him of the result before driving the other away, only bringing Ji Chaoyun back to Wenqu Peak. The two walked slowly on the mountain road of Wenqu Peak. Ji Chaoyun¡¯s eyes were down, no words left his mouth. Feng Qi wanted to reach out and pulled him. ¡°Chaoyun.¡± Ji Chaoyun instinctively shrank back and avoided his hand. Feng Qi¡¯s hand froze in the air, Ji Chaoyun looked away and asked, ¡°I apologise. What were you saying?¡± Feng Qi calmly retracted his hand, and said with a natural expression, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, I just wanted to chat with you about the person we met.¡± Ji Chaoyun: ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that because there are no clues now, there is nothing to say?¡± ¡°That was to answer Jiang Cheng¡¯s questions.¡± Feng Qi smiled and said, ¡°Come with me if you¡¯re not tired. I¡¯ll take you somewhere.¡± The two diverted their way up the mountain and into the depths of the bamboo forest, walked halfway up the mountain before quickly reaching the peak. When they reached the top, the sun was just setting, and the rays of sunshine in the sky had not yet dissipated, reflecting on the distant peaks. ¡°It¡¯s not bad here, right?¡± Feng Qi greeted the glow and said proudly, ¡°It is said that Jiutian Cliff1 has the most beautiful scene in the Academy. But that¡¯s because they have never been to my Wenqu Peak. I cast a spell on Wenqu Peak. The changes of the four seasons are the same as in the mortal world: spring, summer, autumn and winter, the sun and the moon alternating. Isn¡¯t this scenery much prettier than the Jiutian Cliff, which has been unchanged since thousands of years?¡± Ji Chaoyun was in no mood to joke with him. He questioned, ¡°You brought me here just to see this?¡± ¡°Well, not really.¡± Feng Qi sat down on the limestone on the top of the cliff, observing Ji Chaoyun¡¯s expression. He probed, ¡°Have you guessed what the other party¡¯s purpose is?¡± Ji Chaoyun fell silent. After a long time, he said softly, ¡°I think¡­ they might just want to kick me out of the Academy.¡± ¡°¡­When I was in the mortal world, I met the men in black. They wanted to steal my purse.¡± Feng Qi: ¡°Why didn¡¯t they succeed?¡± Ji Chaoyun¡¯s eyes evaded, and he said slowly, ¡°I was lucky. Someone rescued me.¡± Feng Qi nodded, and didn¡¯t ask any further. He elaborated, ¡°So the reason they made a comeback this time should be for this item. They drugged you to kick you out of the academy because they can¡¯t do anything in the Academy?¡± ¡°Perhaps.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°But I still don¡¯t understand. Why do they want to rob the phoenix plume?¡± Ji Chaoyun was surprised. ¡°How do you know there is a golden phoenix plume inside? Have you opened this purse before?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ji Chaoyun turned his head to look at him. The latter¡¯s expression was erratic. After a long while, Feng Qi sighed and said truthfully, ¡°I admit, I did open this thing. At that time, I redeemed the purse from Luo Huan Building, and I was a little curious about what was in it, so¡­ I accidentally opened it. I really didn¡¯t mean to see your secret.¡± Ji Chaoyun was so startled, his mouth open. ¡°But, but he said, this thing is only for me and him¡­¡± Feng Qi interrupted, ¡°I know that there is a divine deed on it, it¡¯s only you and him, and those who share the same bloodline as him, can open it.¡± Blood is blood. No matter if it was father, son, brother or kinship descendants. The more Feng Qi thought about it, the more unhappy he became. He furrowed his eyebrows, and his voice was a little weak, ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about it anymore, I really don¡¯t want to know at all what kind of blood relationship I have with that person.¡± The author has something to say: After I was jealous of myself and I scolded myself, our Highness finally developed a new idea, and treated myself as a son. [facepalm] ¾ÅÌìÑ Alternatively, Nine Days Cliff. CH 25 Ji Chaoyun knew about the divine deed. When Feng Xiao initially gave him this item, he¡¯d said that the golden phoenix plume was the most precious treasure in the world. Their existence couldn¡¯t be known by others, otherwise disasters would befall them. Therefore, he imposed a divine deed on the purse, which only the two of them and his blood relatives could open. But Feng Qi¡­ Wasn¡¯t he the prince of the Feng clan? Ji Chaoyun asked, ¡°But you are obviously the prince of the Feng clan. How could you¡­¡± Feng Qi showed a strange expression. He hesitated for a moment, leaned in Ji Chaoyun¡¯s direction, and admitted softly, ¡°This is a secret. My brother and uncle would never let me tell others. If I tell you, can you keep it a secret for me?¡± Ji Chaoyun nodded. ¡°En.¡± ¡°I am not my father¡¯s biological son,¡± Feng Qi said. ¡°In the battle between gods and demons, my father led the Phoenix clan to fight the enemy, and he picked me up from the battlefield. My father regarded me as how a parent does to a son, and he was seriously injured later. When he passed away, my elder brother took over as the patriarch, and according to my father¡¯s last wish, he named me as the second prince and took good care of me.¡± ¡°From the battlefield¡­¡± ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t know who my biological parents are. When I was picked up by my father, I was still a phoenix egg, and I don¡¯t remember anything.¡± Feng Qi smiled and said, ¡°But I don¡¯t care about that, my emperor king, brother, uncle, and all the clansmen treat me very well. Fengming Valley is a good place to live. Why should I be trapped in the past?¡± Ji Chaoyun: ¡°It turns out¡­ the Phoenix clan has such a secret.¡± His eyes dropped low, and an unspeakable sourness filled his heart. He knew that Feng Xiao had no wife and children, but he didn¡¯t know whether he had siblings. They met too hastily. Just three short months. It was already not easy to stay together, let alone having the time to ask these questions. But after all, that person¡¯s lifespan was long and he held an extraordinary identity. It was not impossible that he still had blood relatives in this world. In fact, when he first met Feng Qi, he¡¯d thought about whether this person was the descendant of that man. Now, that seemed to be the case. Then wouldn¡¯t he, with the descendant of Feng Xiao doing¡­ This was really too ridiculous. ¡°I asked about your secret before. So now I¡¯m telling you my secret. It¡¯s only fair.¡± Feng Qi looked at the other party¡¯s face, but Ji Chaoyun¡¯s eyebrows were always downcast, bearing an unreadable expression. Feng Qi paused, before warmly exclaiming, ¡°However, my origin is not important, is it? My father has passed away, and my uncles and brothers do not know my origin. Whether I am blood related or not, it will not hinder¡­¡± It won¡¯t hinder me from liking you. His last few words were extremely soft. With Ji Chaoyun deep inside his thoughts, he was unable to hear clearly. ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°¡­Nothing.¡± It was not the right time to say it. Feng Qi closed his eyes, resisting a certain urge to talk further, thinking silently in his heart. Ji Chaoyun hadn¡¯t accepted him yet. The absurdity of last night made their relationship more slippery than before. If he was careless, he would completely destroy that. He could not stimulate him further. Feng Qi looked at Ji Chaoyun¡¯s profile again; the latter¡¯s expression was so cold that he couldn¡¯t see any emotions. It had always been this way. He would never show any emotion to outsiders ¡ª the heavier his thoughts were, the deeper he hid them. The afterglow of the setting sun finally dimmed little by little. Under the lead-grey sky, Ji Chaoyun faced the vast and boundless mountains, his body thinner than before. Feng Qi suddenly regretted mentioning this matter today. He rubbed his eyebrows and said, ¡°Chaoyun, it¡¯s getting dark, shall we go back?¡± Ji Chaoyun woke from his daze. He mumbled, ¡°I¡­I¡¯m going to practice my swordplay.¡± Feng Qi frowned and subconsciously pulled him back. ¡°Your body just recovered, you can¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°It will be fine.¡± Ji Chaoyun never looked at him, struggling slightly, yet he couldn¡¯t move away. Ji Chaoyun¡¯s eyes turned sour, and he turned his head to the side. ¡°Today¡¯s homework¡­ I haven¡¯t done it yet, I have to make up for it. You let me¡­ let me have some quiet, please.¡± Throughout the whole day, he¡¯d suppressed his emotions, constantly hiding them. He knew that this was not the time to think about this, and he had no time to blame himself. What he should do was to do his best to clear those grievances and to stay in the academy. But now, all those perfectly hidden emotions seemed to surge up at this moment. Ji Chaoyun¡¯s voice trembled slightly, and there was even a hint of plea in his tone. Feng Qi froze in place. He subconsciously loosened his strength. Ji Chaoyun broke free from his hold, softly apologized before turning his head and walking quickly away from the cliff. The sky quickly darkened, and in the dim light, it was almost impossible to see the back of the young man leaving, as if burdened by thoughts. The crescent moon was like a hook, and the everlasting and deserted moonlight sprinkled onto the clearing among the bamboo forests. In the center of the open space, a plain white and thin figure danced, flashing with a sword¡¯s intent, not stopping for a long time. One was unsure how long it took when the sword momentum suddenly paused. The sword energy had cut down the bamboo forest in front, dissipating instantly afterwards. Ji Chaoyun landed on one knee. He took a deep breath, his trembling hand no longer able to hold the hilt. He fell weakly to the ground. There was a fine layer of sweat on his forehead, his breathing rapid and trembling slightly. His cheeks flushed from his excessive training. Ji Chaoyun reached into his sleeves with trembling hands and took out the purse. He stroked the delicate phoenix pattern on the purse with his fingertips. He could still remember how the man had sat in front of the house and sewed it stitch by stitch. Those hands that were used to holding divine weapons and had the ability to penetrate the sky and the earth, were doing this kind of meticulous work ¡ª it was so breathtaking that one was reluctant to look away. ¡°How can you even do this?¡± ¡°If you live a long time, you will naturally be able to do anything. Come and see, do you like it?¡± ¡°¡­Like.¡± Ji Chaoyun knelt on the ground, his eyes were flushed, and he whispered, ¡°I really¡­ like you. But I seem to have done something terrible. I¡­ what should I do?¡± He put the purse close to his heart, as if just like that, he could feel the breath of the other party. After a long while, Ji Chaoyun said softly, ¡°But I still want to see you.¡± Even after so many years, even if he made such a ridiculous mistake, he still¡­ wanted to see him. So, he must stay. No matter how much effort and difficulty it took, he had to stay here and pass through Heaven¡¯s gate. Self-pity was the most useless thing of all. After a long time, Ji Chaoyun¡¯s breathing gradually calmed down. He opened his eyes again and took a deep breath, his fingers no longer trembling. He put away his purse, picked up the accompanying sword that had fallen on the ground, and stood up. His eyes touched the bamboo forest that was messed up by him, and he was left stunned. When he usually practiced swordsmanship¡­ was it always like this? At the other end, Feng Qi was sitting in the courtyard, in a state of anxiety. His eyes couldn¡¯t help looking outside the door, his expression anxious. Almost six hours had passed since Ji Chaoyun had left, but the person still hadn¡¯t returned. Feng Qi had the intention to head out and search for him, but with Ji Chaoyun¡¯s current state, his appearance would be counterproductive. Feng Qi paced around the courtyard anxiously, Ji Chaoyun¡¯s pale face appearing over and over again in his mind. He had just lost control of his spiritual power yesterday, and he was tossed all night in his heat. Today, he ran around all day and went to practice swordsmanship. How could his body stand it? Did he treat himself as iron? The more Feng Qi thought about it, the more uneasy he felt, and finally he couldn¡¯t bear it anymore. He got up and walked out of the courtyard. ¡°£¿¡± As soon as he opened the courtyard door and walked out, he saw Ji Chaoyun slowly walking towards the courtyard from a distance with a strange look on his face. Their eyes met, caught off guard, and Feng Qi looked away with a guilty conscience. ¡°That¡­ I wasn¡¯t going to find you. I was just opening the door to get some air!¡± ¡°?¡± In the courtyard¡­ to open the door for ventilation? ¡°¡­¡± Feng Qi¡¯s words were completely out of his mind, and only after speaking did he realize how foolish his words were. His face couldn¡¯t be hung, and he retreated into the room as if nothing had happened. After a while, Ji Chaoyun pushed open the hidden door and walked in. Feng Qi carefully looked at the other party¡¯s expression. The flush on his face that the sword practice gave had not yet dissipated. His hair was soaked, while his dark eyes had been cleared, translucent and beautiful. Although his expression was still that icy cold usual, his eyes seemed to have lost the burden of a heavy heart. Instead, he seemed to have a hint of hesitation and a guilty conscience. ¡­Guilt? Feng Qi¡¯s heart sank for no reason. Hesitating, he asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter with you?¡± Ji Chaoyun didn¡¯t dare to look at him. He whispered, ¡°Did you say before that the bamboo forest outside this yard was transplanted one by one by your own hands, and they were an extremely rare breed of immortal bamboo.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Ji Chaoyun asked further, ¡°Did you also say that every green bamboo in this forest is worth a fortune, and it takes hundreds of high-grade spirit stones to buy one, and they are all priceless?¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s right.¡± Ji Chaoyun pursed his lips and very softly continued, ¡°If¡­ I broke your immortal bamboo¡­¡± Ji Chaoyun took Feng Qi out of the door. When Feng Qi heard him ask this question beforehand, he already knew something was up. It hadn¡¯t been easy to find those immortal bamboo seeds. From the seedling to the current bamboo forest, he did not know how much spiritual energy was spent on them. To say that he didn¡¯t care would be a lie. If it was someone else, Feng Qi would probably fight them till death. But who made this person Ji Chaoyun? Feng Qi sighed, holding back his heartache and said, ¡°It¡¯s okay, don¡¯t take it to heart. One or two bamboo trees are still¡ª¡± He raised his head as he consoled the other, and his voice abruptly cut off. The green bamboo forests that were originally lush, now centered on a certain area. Within a radius of several meters, it was all barren. Nearly 100 green bamboos were cut off from the waist and were scratched by the sword intent. Dead until they couldn¡¯t be further dead. Obviously, they couldn¡¯t be saved. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± Ji Chaoyun lowered his head guiltily, his voice weak. ¡°Many, many apologies. I don¡¯t know why¡­ I usually practice swordsmanship here, and this kind of thing has never happened. When I found out, it was already¡­¡± Feng Qi didn¡¯t answer. Ji Chaoyun glanced at him under his lashes, and offered without confidence, ¡°¡­I¡¯ll pay you back.¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s okay.¡± Feng Qi struggled to squeeze those few words out of his teeth. ¡°¡­Really?¡± ¡°En, really.¡± Feng Qi pressed the corners of his throbbing brows, trying his best to make himself look as carefree as a cloud. ¡°These are things outside one¡¯s body. If you destroy it, you destroy it. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± ¡°But you said before¡­¡± ¡± ¡°No. I was lying to you,¡± Feng Qi interrupted and reasoned, ¡°It¡¯s just a bamboo forest. Though they were a little expensive, and it¡¯s not that precious. I¡¯ll find someone to clean it up later, and transplant some more. As long as you¡­as long as you don¡¯t continue to be upset.¡± Ji Chaoyun was dazed. He understood what he was talking about, and shook his head. ¡°I am fine now.¡± Feng Qi finally let go of the tendril in his heart. He gave a soft sigh, and said, ¡°Then that¡¯s good. We¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention it again,¡± Ji Chaoyun gently interrupted him. ¡°Let¡¯s treat it as if it never happened, let¡¯s not mention it again.¡± ¡°¡­Alright.¡± It was already dark, and the two of them walked slowly amidst the bamboo forest one in front of the other. Feng Qi looked up at Ji Chaoyun¡¯s back, and finally sighed helplessly. Although the bamboo forest was destroyed, luckily this person was coaxed. As long as he was happy, let alone a bamboo forest, Feng Qi was even willing to let him pluck all the feathers on his body. Although in Ji Chaoyun¡¯s heart, they might still be lower than a feather left by a bastard. ¡­That bastard Feng Xiao. His Second Royal Highness Feng felt that there was probably no one in this world who was more aggrieved and distressed than himself. He swore in his heart that if he could see that bastard one day, he would definitely beat him up to vent his anger. What a blood-related ancestor. Even if it was his own father, he would trash him. Feng Qi thought about it all the way back, and felt a little more at ease. When the two walked to the gate of the courtyard, they suddenly heard a bird chirping in the forest. The two turned around at the same time and saw a magpie flying from a distance. Feng Qi and Ji Chaoyun looked at each other. Feng Qi raised his hands, and let the magpie fall to his fingertips. On the slender ankle of the magpie, a spirit storage ring was tied. ¡°It¡¯s Ah Tao,¡± Feng Qi explained briefly, took off the spirit storage ring, and touched the feathers of the magpie. He told it, ¡°Thank you, you can go back.¡± The magpie didn¡¯t hear his words, and rubbed against his fingertips affectionately, chatted non-stop, and tried to drill into his arms, refusing to leave. Feng Qi gave it a warning look. The magpie stopped its movement. It hummed aggrievedly, before turning and flying away. Feng Qi patted the magpie¡¯s feathers that had been rubbed onto him. ¡°I told Ah Tao not to send these little birds to deliver letters. Each one being more entangled than the other.¡± Ji Chaoyun said: ¡°Phoenixes are the king of birds, it¡¯s normal for them to like you.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care whether they like me. I only want¡­¡± Feng Qi glanced at Ji Chaoyun and didn¡¯t say more. But the latter¡¯s attention was only on the Spirit Storage Ring in his hand, and he didn¡¯t pay attention to his hesitant words. The two hurried back to the courtyard, opened the Spirit Storage Ring, and took out a bottle of elixir and a jug that Ah Tao had placed within it. At the same time, there was a secret letter inside. Feng Qi unfolded the letter and scanned the words quickly. His eyes sank. Ji Chaoyun¡¯s heart pulsed uncomfortably. ¡°Lady Ah Tao has investigated the situation?¡± Feng Qi nodded his head, his expression gloomy. ¡°Ah Tao said that this bottle of wound medicine that came from Lingyuan Sea had a little remnant of Blood Lotus Fungi within.¡± The author has something to say: Feng Xiao ¨C a virtuous little expert at home. Feng Qi ¨C a life idiot, can¡¯t clean the room. Feng Xiao: I am worried about your youth education in Fengming Valley I don¡¯t know if you will feel abused in the first half of this chapter. I was very worried that I forgot to warn yesterday when I was coding ORZ. Gong¡¯s identity is basically ready to be revealed. Gong met Shou three hundred years ago. The things about the Dragon Clan will be explained soon. This paragraph will not be very cruel~ Recently, a little cutie asked when the horse would fall off. It will not be too fast, everyone please wait a little. But for a little spoiler, Shou will know his identity a little earlier than Gong.