After showing Ri Yan around the academy, Li Fei noticed the dark sky beginning to lighten, estimating it was nearly dawn. She flew on her sword towards the small training ground. Ri Yan, unusually complimentary, remarked, “Your sword flight is quite fast. You must be outstanding among the academy students, right?”
Li Fei joked with him, “Not just in sword flight, I’m outstanding in all aspects of cultivation!”
Ri Yan’s ears twitched as he arrogantly replied, “Fool! What are you so smug about? Don’t you know who’s responsible for getting you this far?”
Expecting such a response, Li Fei felt both amused and exasperated. “Yes, it’s all thanks to your nurturing. By the way, Ri Yan, I’ve noticed you’re staying awake for longer periods now. At first, you could only talk for a short while.”
He casually responded, “Naturally. This place is rich in spiritual energy, and I’ve slept for many days. My demonic energy should have recovered somewhat.”
“What would it take for you to stay awake all the time?” Li Fei asked.
The white fox’s eyes narrowed suspiciously like green beans. “Oh? Do you want me to stay awake all the time? Why?”
“No particular reason. I just hope you can always be present. I enjoy talking with you.”
Ri Yan sneered, “That’s simple. Just jump down.”
Another mention of jumping down? Li Fei glanced at him helplessly. “If I jump down now, I’ll die before you even wake up.”
“Then why are you babbling? I don’t fall for your sweet talk!”
Who was sweet-talking him? Li Fei shook her head. Indeed, the thought processes of humans and demons were worlds apart. One cared about the process, the other only about the result.
“I’ll jump when I’m powerful enough,” Li Fei said as she landed on the training ground and leaped down from her sword.
“Little girl, are you serious about that?” The white nine-tailed fox suddenly turned serious. Although Li Fei couldn’t read a fox’s expression, his tone was unprecedentedly earnest.
Li Fei nodded, “Yes when I’m powerful enough, I’ll jump down. But why do I need to jump down? What’s down there?”
Ri Yan suddenly flared up in anger, “You don’t even know what’s down there, yet you say you’ll jump down! Are you just fooling around to make this old master happy?!”
Li Fei was stunned by his sudden outburst. “You never told me what’s down there. How am I supposed to know?”
“Then don’t talk about jumping down! Humans and demons are different. Your careless words might even invite disaster! Next time you speak nonsense, I’ll pluck all your hair out!”
Li Fei was getting irritated too. She frowned, “I’m not speaking nonsense! When I’m powerful enough to go down there, I will!”
Ri Yan coldly asked, “Why do you want to go down there?”
Were they playing a tongue-twister game?
Li Fei sighed and said softly, “Ri Yan, my master is gone. Although I have friends now, that feeling is different from having a master…”
Before, she didn’t know what it was like to have friends. Since meeting Bai Lige and the others, she had her first taste of friendship – people to laugh with, to strive with, to confide in. But she gradually realized that the family-like feeling she had with her master was different from friendship.
She wouldn’t show her vulnerable, dependent, inexperienced side to her friends. In her most helpless moments, she needed her master. Whether it was scolding or care, only that truly made her feel secure. When her master left, she met Ri Yan at her most vulnerable time.
His temper and mouth were equally bad, always cursing, easily angered, and always acting mysterious, withholding information from her. But he was also genuinely helping and caring for her, though he would never admit it, using repayment of kindness as an excuse.
“As you said, I’m human, and you’re a demon. You don’t understand me, and I don’t understand your straightforward ways. In my heart, you’re like my master, like an elder, and also like a friend. You’re someone I can rely on. I help you completely willingly, so I don’t need any reason to go down there, right? If you want me to go down, I will when I’m powerful enough. Just wait and see.”
The white fox jumped down from her shoulder, turning into mist. Ri Yan’s hoarse voice sounded arrogant, “Hmph! Sweet talk! I won’t listen!”
Li Fei shook her head, “This hardly counts as sweet talk. I haven’t even tried real sweet talk yet!”
“Not listening! Shut up! I’m going to sleep!”
“Ri Yan?” Li Fei called softly a few times, but he didn’t respond. He must have fallen asleep.
She had arrived early, and the training ground was empty. She walked to the cliff at the edge of the island and looked down. Thick fog obscured her vision, and she couldn’t see anything. Hu Jiaping had mentioned that below was a forbidden area teeming with demons and monsters. Why did Ri Yan need to go down there to stay awake?
Suddenly, someone called from behind, “Li Fei, you’re here so early today!”
It was Bai Lige and the others. Li Fei turned to greet them, and a new day of cultivation began.
The morning class was with Lin You. In the past two months, apart from teaching the water-based Ice Condensation Technique at the beginning, she hadn’t taught any other spells. Even now, her class still involves endlessly using the Ice Condensation Technique on practice dummies. The children could perform it with their eyes closed, yet she wouldn’t teach anything else. Everyone felt helpless about this situation.
However, today this unpredictable Lin You seemed very unusual. After Master Mo Yanfan took leave, her mood improved, and she kept smiling. When a child accidentally arrived late, she didn’t scold him but gently told him to quickly take his place. It was too abnormal. As the saying goes, when things are unusually different, there must be a catch. The children, far from feeling honored by this special treatment, were instead on edge.
“Did she take the wrong medicine today?” Bai Lige whispered. “Look carefully, is that her?”
A female disciple giggled, “Could it be that Master Mo gave her a kind look? Impossible, right?”
Just as they were talking, Lin You suddenly turned her head towards the main hall. Several golden lights flashed on the horizon, accompanied by a whooshing wind. The children covered their faces, and when the wind subsided, they saw several people had appeared on the large training ground. In the center stood a man with silver-white hair and an expansive aura. Li Fei immediately recognized him as the long-absent Master Zuo Qiu.
Several people stood beside him, including Mo Yanfan, who had just left yesterday morning. His leave of absence was surprisingly short, returning after just one day. Next to Mo Yanfan was Hu Jiaping, who seemed distracted, staring at something with an absent-minded expression.
Beside Master Zuo Qiu was a young man in cyan robes, with a righteous and otherworldly presence. His face was stern as if carved from ice. Li Fei found him familiar – wasn’t he one of the immortals chasing Ri Yan in Qingqiu that day? His name was… Zhen Yunzi?
When Lin You saw Mo Yanfan, she was both surprised and delighted. She stepped forward and said, “Mo… Master Zuo Qiu, who is this?”
Master Zuo Qiu calmly replied, “This is Master Zhen from Xingzheng Hall. I encountered Master Zhen on my way back to the academy. He heard that the academy has several prodigies this year and came to have a look.”
Upon hearing the name Zhen Yunzi, Lin You’s expression subtly changed, and she glanced at Mo Yanfan again.
Zhen Yunzi nodded slightly. His voice was like a deep spring, causing the disciples to shiver involuntarily when he spoke: “I feel uneasy about this sudden intrusion, but I’m grateful that Master Zuo Qiu is willing to satisfy my curiosity. That disciple with the single earth attribute spirit root… I presume it’s this young lady?”
Li Fei trembled involuntarily when his ice-cold gaze fell on her. She still remembered this person and the unpleasant feeling he gave her. She instinctively shrank back, avoiding his gaze.
Zhen Yunzi said, “What a coincidence, I’ve met this young lady before.”
Master Zuo Qiu asked curiously, “Oh? Where did Master Zhen encounter this disciple?”
Zhen Yunzi smiled faintly, “Just a few months ago when I was pursuing that nine-tailed fox demon, we happened to meet. I’m ashamed to say that I completely failed to notice her extraordinary talent at the time. Otherwise, this young lady would be a disciple of our Xingzheng Hall today. The workings of fate are truly unpredictable.”
Master Zuo Qiu said, “Master Zhen needn’t feel regretful. The academy’s disciples are cultivated for all immortal sects. Talent is rare, and when the time comes for selecting new disciples, you’ll surely have the opportunity to recruit her.”
Zhen Yunzi looked around and asked, “I heard there are two other disciples with single attribute spirit roots. Which ones are they?”
Ji Tongzhou stepped forward with a complex expression and bowed. Hu Jiaping introduced, “This is the disciple with the single fire attribute. There’s also a disciple with a single metal attribute, but he’s currently bedridden with a cold…”
“A cold?” Master Zuo Qiu seemed surprised. “How can an immortal disciple catch a cold?”
Hu Jiaping sighed. How would he know?
Zhen Yunzi stepped forward and nodded slightly to Ji Tongzhou, his tone somewhat gentler: “Duke Ying, it’s been a while.”
Ji Tongzhou frowned and said softly, “Immortal Zhen is too polite… How is Master Xuan Shan faring?”
Zhen Yunzi replied, “Senior Brother Xuan Shan has greatly improved his cultivation and his injuries are not serious. Thank you for your concern, Your Grace. Senior Brother Xuan Shan has always regretted not being able to bring Your Grace into Xingzheng Hall. Now that he knows Your Grace is diligently cultivating, he would surely be pleased and comforted.”
Ji Tongzhou’s expression changed slightly, but he finally lowered his head and said, “I see.”
Master Xuan Shan, does he mean that Xuan Shanzi? Li Fei pondered. Isn’t he from the Yue Kingdom’s royal family? He was injured? Although Zhen Yunzi said his injuries weren’t serious, the fact that he couldn’t directly recruit Ji Tongzhou into Xingzheng Hall indicated that his injuries must have been extremely severe, likely affecting his standing in the sect. This Zhen Yunzi wasn’t being entirely truthful… No wonder Ji Tongzhou’s expression was so complex. If people confirmed Xuan Shanzi’s true condition, the once-mighty Yue Kingdom would immediately lose its backing, becoming like Gaul in the past.
Zhen Yunzi continued, “Let’s allow the disciples to continue their cultivation. I shouldn’t intrude for too long. Master Zuo Qiu, shall we go see that disciple with the metal attribute spirit root? For an immortal disciple to catch a cold, their constitution must be weak and in need of proper care.”
Master Zuo Qiu thought for a moment, then nodded, “Indeed, let’s go.”
As the group turned to leave the training ground, Lin You, who had been silent, suddenly called out softly, “Mo Yanfan… sir.”
Mo Yanfan turned back to look at her and said calmly, “Does Master Lin have any instructions?”
Lin You didn’t speak, just looking at him. Mo Yanfan lowered his head and said, “If there’s nothing else, I’ll take my leave first.”
Hu Jiaping smiled and said, “Brother Mo, since she called you, there must be something. Why not stay?”
Mo Yanfan didn’t answer and gradually walked away. The children were horrified to see that Lin You, who had been gentle and kind all morning, suddenly had a cold glint in her eyes, making them all tremble with fear.
Their ominous premonition came true. After Master Zuo Qiu and the others left, Lin You didn’t speak again. When the disciple who had been late earlier accidentally misdirected his Ice Condensation Technique, she unexpectedly broke her stone sword and smashed it on his head, saying coldly, “How can a fool like you hope to become an immortal? All of you are forbidden from eating at the northern canteen for ten days! Class dismissed! There’s no point in continuing this lesson!”
With that, she left first, leaving a group of anxious children looking at each other in bewilderment.
“How can the academy let such an emotional person be a teacher!” Bai Lige complained quietly. “She’s always punishing us by not letting us eat. We didn’t even do anything wrong! This is completely irresponsible!”
Her words sparked the children’s long-suppressed anger towards Lin You. A male disciple loudly exclaimed, “Exactly! She claims to teach us water-based immortal techniques, but after two months, we’re still using the Ice Condensation Technique! She hasn’t taught us anything substantial, and she likes to vent her anger on us with punishments! What kind of teacher is that!”
“Let’s go tell Master Zuo Qiu! We don’t want this kind of teacher!”
Someone took the lead, and the children excitedly gathered to find Master Zuo Qiu. They had heard he was going to the disciple quarters to see Lei Xiuyuan, so a group of disciples flew on their swords toward the quarters in a grand procession.
“Li Fei, let’s go too!” Bai Lige, excited at the prospect of excitement, quickly pulled Li Fei along.
“Impeaching a teacher is unheard of, and it’s unlikely to succeed. We’d better not go,” Ye Ye tried to stop her.
Bai Lige was so anxious she kept jumping up and down. Not letting her see the excitement was truly torturous. “I must go! Haven’t you heard of safety in numbers? They can’t expel all of us, right?”
Bai Changyue said, “I want to go too. This Lin You, her heartbeat always gets very fast when she sees Mo Yanfan. Strangely, when Mo Yanfan saw her earlier, his heartbeat also increased, which hadn’t happened before. Let’s follow and see if anything interesting happens.”