Yan Xiao hadn’t expected that after one outing, these two would reconcile.
As he checked Ming Yi’s pulse, he couldn’t help but glance repeatedly at Ji Bozai standing nearby.
Ji Bozai frowned and kicked the stool Yan Xiao was sitting on. “Can you focus on the diagnosis?”
“Of course. Miss Ming’s pulse is much stronger than before, there’s no major issue,” Yan Xiao turned to face him directly. “I’m just puzzled, how did you suddenly change your ways?”
It had been some time since they returned to Muxing City, and Ji Bozai hadn’t taken any other women, instead constantly hovering around Ming Yi, as if he’d become a different person.
Ji Bozai raised his head proudly. “A thousand flowers are not worth one soft jade in hand. You wouldn’t understand, I don’t blame you.”
He then helped Ming Yi up. “You go teach Bai Ying and the others. I’ll join you after I have a word with him.”
Knowing there was nothing wrong with her body, Ming Yi felt relieved. She smiled and clasped hands with Yan Xiao before lifting her skirts and leaving.
Watching her retreating figure, Yan Xiao couldn’t help but mutter, “Miss Ming’s demeanor has changed quite a bit.”
Previously, she had seemed somewhat ingratiating around Bozai, but now she was like a graceful lotus, neither clinging nor dependent, with an added touch of cool aloofness.
“Yan Xiao,” Ji Bozai looked outside, his expression suddenly becoming bland.
It had been a long time since he had addressed him so formally. Yan Xiao’s heart skipped a beat, unsure of what was happening. “What is it?”
“It’s nothing. I just remembered you saying you don’t have many relatives in Muxing, so you probably have nowhere to go at the end of the year,” Ji Bozai lowered his eyes. “When the time comes, come to my manor for the New Year.”
“Alright,” he nodded. “But you’d better win the Six Cities Conference. That way, the New Year will be more lively, and I’ll get to enjoy good food and wine by following you.”
Patting his shoulder, Ji Bozai said, “I will win the Six Cities Conference, no matter the cost.”
Only by winning could there be a possibility for what comes next.
However, it seemed Prince Gong was somewhat wary of him. The young masters from the Tan family who came to the Yuan Shi Academy not only didn’t help but hindered the group training every day. If it weren’t for Qin Shangwu holding him back, Luo Jiaoyang would have come to blows with them.
“This can’t be helped,” Ji Bozai said to them in a low voice. “Just endure for one more month.”
Despite saying this, not only did they not train properly, but they also misused divine artifacts on the training grounds, injuring others without remorse.
One day, as Ming Yi was forging a new divine artifact, Bai Ying suddenly rushed in to report, “Miss, Lord Ji has been injured!”
Training injuries were common, but for her to come report so urgently, it must be serious.
Ming Yi put down her tools, untied her apron, and walked out slowly.
“Tan Zhongyue used Black Cloud Pressing City to injure Lord Ji’s left abdomen. Physician Yan has already gone over, but no one has confiscated the divine artifact yet. He’s still using it, and Lord Luo is already furious.”
Ming Yi nodded as she listened, her expression very calm. So calm that Bai Ying thought she no longer cared about Lord Ji.
However, once they reached the training grounds, Bai Ying noticed her mistress’s eyes had changed.
Tan Zhongyue was laughing loudly, using Black Cloud Pressing City to confront Luo Jiaoyang. Luo Jiaoyang wasn’t using a divine artifact, and his Yuan power was only evenly matched with Tan Zhongyue’s. Seeing Luo Jiaoyang’s strained face, Tan Zhongyue sneered, “You boasted about defeating me without using divine artifacts, but now it’s questionable whether you can even survive.”
This divine artifact was bought from the Yuan Shi Academy at a high price and was also crafted by Ming Yi. It primarily focused on control but also had concealed weapons that could kill someone trapped in its Yuan power prison.
Killing intent was not allowed on the training grounds, but Ming Yi noticed that Tan Zhongyue’s finger was already on the hidden weapon’s trigger, his fingertip starting to apply pressure.
She acted. Her pure white Yuan power rolled out like a wave, ensnaring both him and his divine artifact.
“Miss Ming!” Fan Yao and the others immediately came forward, anxiously saying, “They said it was a one-on-one match, outsiders can’t interfere.”
Tan Zhongyue also looked over, cursing loudly, “Where did this dead woman come from, daring to sneak attack!”
Ming Yi tightened her Yuan power, instantly making him cry out in pain.
“I don’t care about sneak attacks or not. I only know someone hurt my man, and I want to see what kind of creature it is,” she said coldly, snatching Black Cloud Pressing City from his hand. She glanced at it, then returned it to him before throwing him back to the ground from a height of ten feet.
The fall from that height left Tan Zhongyue’s face pale with pain. Enraged, he aimed Black Cloud Pressing City at her and pressed the mechanism forcefully.
However, the divine artifact that should have released an overwhelming Yuan power did not react at all.
“You, what did you do to it?” he panicked.
Ming Yi dusted off her hands, not bothering to answer him. She only said to Luo Jiaoyang, “Continue the match. I won’t disturb you two anymore.”
Without the divine artifact, Luo Jiaoyang wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and immediately summoned Netherworld, trapping Tan Zhongyue inside.
Tan Zhongyue’s screams soon echoed behind her as Ming Yi walked expressionlessly toward the resting chambers for the fighters.
Ji Bozai had been reading a confidential letter while letting Yan Xiao bandage him, not making a sound. Suddenly, Yan Xiao saw him quickly hide the letter, and then bite down on a strip of white cloth, groaning in pain.
Yan Xiao was confused. He looked down at his own hands – he had finished bandaging and hadn’t touched Ji Bozai at all.
The next moment, the door behind them opened, and a cool bamboo fragrance wafted in.
Ji Bozai raised his head at the right moment, frowning as he glanced at her, then glared behind her. “Didn’t I say not to disturb her?”
Ming Yi entered with a solemn face, sitting down on his couch. She looked at his thickly bandaged waist, her brow furrowing slightly.
“Don’t worry, it doesn’t hurt much. It’s already bandaged,” he smiled, squeezing her fingers. “Just a small injury.”
“To be injured by such a useless person, what were you thinking?” she said coldly.
Ji Bozai chuckled lightly, painfully shifting to rest his head on her lap. He sighed softly, “I was careless for a moment, and he got the upper hand.”
“Knowing he harbored ill intentions, couldn’t you have kept him at a distance?”
“I was considering Prince Gong’s face.”
While Ming Yi had never been given preferential treatment elsewhere, she had never been hindered in her training. For Prince Gong to not only obstruct but also send such a person to use underhanded tactics was truly unheard of.
She pressed her lips together, not saying more. She only asked Yan Xiao, “How long will it take to heal?”
“Ten days should suffice.”
The Six Cities Conference was approaching, and there weren’t ten days to spare for recovery. Ji Bozai struggled to sit up. “It’s fine, I can just wrap it with Yuan power.”
Ming Yi pushed him back down, saying firmly, “You stay put. Leave the rest to me.”
Yan Xiao was slightly surprised. He had never seen Ming Yi like this before, domineering like a man. Surely Bozai wouldn’t like this kind of behavior; he had always preferred docile, delicate flowers.
However, when he turned his head, he saw Ji Bozai gazing at Ming Yi with eyes full of stars, as if looking at some precious treasure.
Yan Xiao was utterly confused.