Lei Xiuyuan, who had been in pain all over, was back to his lively self the next day, while Li Fei, having had a restless night, spent the entire day yawning. Zhen Yunzi never returned; the bloodstains he left after being injured by the twin swords were washed away by Lei Xiuyuan. As Li Fei yawned and shelled edamame, she murmured, “Do you think those twin swords are still hiding in the shadows?”
Lei Xiuyuan, shelling Edamame at a rapid pace beside her, replied, “I suppose the twin sword spirits will continue to protect us in secret until we return to the academy. If something were to happen to us academy disciples, it would affect the academy’s reputation. Mr. Zuo Qiu is always cautious and meticulous, so we shouldn’t worry.”
After all the thrilling events of last night, it felt a bit odd to be leisurely shelling edamame this morning. But what else could they do? Return to the academy? That would seem like admitting defeat, relying on the academy’s protection even after completing their training. At this point, working hard on cultivation wouldn’t help much; they had learned what they could, and the rest would have to wait until they joined a sect.
After much thought, the two continued shelling edamame.
“If we join a sect in the future, we won’t have it this easy,” Li Fei sighed. At least now, if they encountered danger, they could return to the academy, and Mr. Zuo Qiu would arrange for someone to protect them. The next time they faced Zhen Yunzi, they wouldn’t have the same luck as last night.
Moreover, Ri Yan had fallen into a deep sleep after reclaiming the demon energy, and it was uncertain whether it would last months or years. She truly had to face all the chaos alone.
“Xiuyuan, are you going to Wuyue Court with me?” she asked, feeling more at ease with Lei Xiuyuan by her side.
Lei Xiuyuan responded with a simple “Mm,” adding, “I’m not going to Xingzheng Pavilion or Lantian Sect.”
Li Fei laughed heartily. She understood why he didn’t want to go to the Lantian Sect. Mr. Luo Chengji of the Lantian Sect had been overly enthusiastic, trying to win over Lei Xiuyuan, a child with a single metal spiritual root, to serve the Lantian Sect. When he heard Lei Xiuyuan wanted to go to Wuyue Court, he nearly cried. If Hu Jiaping hadn’t dragged him away, he might have tried to snatch Lei Xiuyuan back to Lantian Sect on the spot.
With their training at the academy coming to an end, the disciples had to start considering which sect to join. Most of them only knew about the famous ones like Wuyue Court and Xingzheng Pavilion, but no one had a clue about how new disciples were selected. Li Fei had decided on Wuyue Court, but whether they would accept her was another matter. Master Dongyang had said that if she excelled at the academy, he could take her to Wuyue Court. Looking back, she thought she had been “outstanding” at the academy, right?
“What if Wuyue Court doesn’t accept me? Where will you go?” Li Fei asked quietly.
Without looking up, Lei Xiuyuan continued shelling edamame skillfully, saying, “Where do you want me to go?”
Uh, where did she want him to go? Of course, she hoped her friends could stay together, but that was impossible. Their group of four, along with Ye Ye and the others, would soon part ways. Ji Tongzhou was going to Xingzheng Pavilion, and Ye Ye had mentioned wanting to join the Dizang Sect, which specialized in concealment and deception, seemingly to his liking. As for the Baili sisters, Geling had mentioned wanting to go to Fire Lotus Temple together, but who knew what she thought now?
Lei Xiuyuan had excellent aptitude, so it wouldn’t be a problem wherever he went. She couldn’t bind him with her “hopes.”
“It’s where you want to go that matters,” Li Fei smiled. “Isn’t there a sect you’ve set your sights on?”
Lei Xiuyuan replied calmly, “Yes.”
“Which one?”
“Guess.”
Guess, my foot! Li Fei rolled her eyes at him. If you don’t want to say, just say so!
“We’ll be parting ways with everyone soon,” she suddenly felt sentimental. “I wonder if we’ll have the chance to cultivate together again.”
This year had been incredibly rewarding for her, and it all started on the night she left Qingqiu. She met many people, and her life changed drastically from there. Now she was back here, the Tiger’s Mouth Cliff still steep and dangerous, the small courtyard still cozy and simple, but everything was different from a year ago.
She was no longer the clueless Xiao Bang Chui, nor would she climb the Tiger’s Mouth Cliff with a hemp rope. Now she was Jiang Li Fei, about to become a formal disciple of an immortal sect. Her master’s elusive whereabouts were finally within her grasp.
On the tenth day of the eighth month, the capital of the Yue Kingdom, Duantu, was bathed in sunshine.
Just past the hour of Chen, the streets were bustling with traffic and people. This capital, with immortals from Xingzheng Pavilion residing, was more prosperous than one could imagine. Shops lined the streets, and the main avenue of the capital was wide and spacious. The buildings along the street were brightly colored and grand, mostly three stories or higher. At a glance, one could immediately feel the strength and prosperity of the Yue Kingdom.
Although Li Fei had seen quite a bit of the world with her master, the grandeur of Duantu was still rare. She could instantly understand why Ji Tongzhou always had such an arrogant and domineering demeanor. As the Prince Ying of the Yue Kingdom and a prodigious talent, it would be strange if he weren’t proud.
Prince Ying’s residence was located in the southeast of Duantu, with high and thick walls. Only cultivators could see the extremely fine lines of light surrounding the residence, which was a spiritual energy net. With Xuan Shanzi guarding the rear and Ji Tongzhou being the next potential immortal in the royal family, the palace and the residence were heavily guarded. The spiritual energy net ensured that not even an ordinary bird could fly over the residence.
The main gate of the residence was tightly closed, with only a side gate half-open. Guards in bright armor stood watch, eyes fixed on the entrance.
A luxurious carriage stopped in front of the residence, and the guards immediately greeted the guests with the utmost respect, opening the carriage door and saying, “Honored guests, please enter. The prince has been expecting you.” With that, the guards carefully opened the half-closed side gate and ushered the two into the residence.
Such respectful caution was completely different from the arrogant bullies in Huaguang County.
It was likely because Ji Tongzhou had sent a carriage to wait at the inn. Everyone had agreed to meet in Duantu, the capital of the Yue Kingdom, on the tenth day of the eighth month. Ji Tongzhou would send a carriage to wait at the Duantu Inn. As soon as Li Fei and Lei Xiuyuan arrived at the inn, they were taken by carriage to Prince Ying’s residence.
Two clean and handsome young servants led them for a while, then through a gate, where they were greeted by two beautiful maidservants in their early twenties. The maidservants bowed gracefully, their voices as sweet as orioles, “Welcome, honored guests. Please follow us.”
Li Fei had never seen such a grand display. The Prince Ying’s residence was enormous! With so many servants and maidservants, she realized that Ji Tongzhou’s life at the academy was extremely simple by comparison. Lei Xiuyuan remained calm, as he had once been a noble himself, so he was unfazed. It was just her, quietly amazed.
As they continued inside, the residence was filled with lush greenery and towering buildings, exuding an indescribable grandeur. After passing through another gate, two more maidservants, only about eleven or twelve years old, took over as guides. After a short walk, a young man in luxurious attire approached quickly. Who else could it be but Ji Tongzhou?
“You’re finally here!” Ji Tongzhou beamed, waving his hand to dismiss the maidservants.
Once the maidservants were out of sight, Ji Tongzhou suddenly punched Lei Xiuyuan in the chest. The two exchanged blows for a while before Ji Tongzhou stepped back, frustrated, “Another draw! These clothes are too restrictive. Let’s practice some immortal techniques later!”
Lei Xiuyuan brushed the dust off his clothes, calmly saying, “Academy disciples are forbidden from private duels using immortal techniques.”
“Then let’s spar with fists and swords!”
“I’m exhausted from the long journey. I don’t want to fight.”
“No way, we must fight!”
Li Fei was used to this. The two never got along. During Mo Yanfan’s fist and sword classes, they fought from start to finish. Their cultivation sessions were even more chaotic, always earning scoldings from Hu Jiaping.
To the proud young prince, Lei Xiuyuan was more of a rival to be bested than a friend. After all, Lei Xiuyuan was the only one in the academy who could match him.
While they bickered, Li Fei admired the scenery of the residence, suddenly remarking, “Ji Tongzhou, you make quite the impressive prince.”
Ji Tongzhou grinned proudly, “Finally, you see the prince’s grandeur? Come on, let me show you around.”
He led the way along a smooth pebble path for about half an incense stick’s time, and suddenly the view opened up to a magnificent courtyard. In front of the courtyard, two more maidservants, about fourteen or fifteen years old, greeted them with graceful bows, their voices sweet and melodious, their beauty rare.
Li Fei was dazzled by the luxurious and enchanting scene, unable to help but sigh.
This golden and jade-like young prince was too fortunate. Why bother cultivating immortality when being a prince is so much more comfortable?
Inside the house, the opulence was beyond words. Ji Tongzhou disappeared into the inner chamber for a moment, only to reappear in a different set of clothes, still luxurious and elegant. He waved the maidservants away, and Li Fei finally exclaimed, “Do you change clothes hundreds of times a day?”
One set for going out, another for meeting guests, and perhaps another for meals?
Ji Tongzhou lounged in a chair, sipping tea, all traces of princely demeanor gone, saying, “Royal etiquette is like this, not as casual as the academy. Have Ye Ye and the others arrived yet? I thought you’d come together.”
“Let’s wait a bit. They might arrive soon.”
Li Fei couldn’t sit still, pushing open the window to look outside. Behind her, Ji Tongzhou and Lei Xiuyuan started arguing again, this time about drinking. One claimed to have the tolerance of an ox, while the other said he fell asleep after two cups.
She ignored them, fascinated by the exquisite embroidery on the curtains and the jade hooks holding them. She couldn’t help but admire them for a while. This visit to the prince’s residence was truly an eye-opener.
The argument behind her stopped at some point. Ji Tongzhou parched, drank some tea, and noticed Li Fei’s curious gaze, clearly intrigued. He found it amusing and a bit endearing. She was still a little beggar, fascinated by a curtain hook. He pulled out a cricket made of purple jade from his sleeve and handed it to her, “Play with this. What’s so interesting about a curtain hook?”
Li Fei saw that the cricket was the same size as a real one, and the purple jade was carved with such lifelike detail. It was incredibly delicate and vivid, and holding it gave off a faint coolness, making it extremely comfortable in the summer heat.
“This is great!” She didn’t hide her delight, “It’s just like a real one!”
Seeing her eyes light up with joy, Ji Tongzhou had never seen Jiang Li Fei so gentle. His heart leaped with joy, and he said proudly, “If you like it, it’s yours.”