Ming Li found it hard to believe that the junior brother in her memories was actually a ground ghost, yet the scene at the new dormitory cruelly told her: stop avoiding it, Zhou Zixi is a ground ghost.
She could still sit quietly here listening to Nan Que people teach common knowledge about the Ancient Passage Continent, only because the news that Zhou Zixi wasn’t dead suppressed the various emotions churning in her heart.
The introductory course occupied most of the disciples’ day. By the time class ended, it was already dusk, but the Star Constellation Academy Master raised his hand and pointed at the Ancient Passage Continent map, saying: “Today, your performance has left me very dissatisfied.”
The disciples who had been eagerly anticipating the end of class froze, a sense of foreboding rising in their hearts.
The Star Constellation Academy Master, who had been gentle for almost the entire day, drew a purple star line at the Nan Que location on the Ancient Passage Continent map: “Far too many of you failed to concentrate and listen attentively. Thus, I can only test whether you’ve understood this knowledge through practical action.”
“Today, only those who can guide my star line to the correct path may leave class. Good luck to you all.”
Cheng Jingbai, who had slept through the entire class: “…”
What?
What had been taught?
Over a hundred disciples wailed out loud, pointing and discussing the assignment on the lectern.
Those who had listened attentively quickly went up to adjust the star line, drawing the correct path on the map before leaving.
Ming Li still rested her chin on one hand, staring absent-mindedly out the window.
More and more people left, and the sounds in the classroom grew fewer and fewer.
Fang Hui had originally planned to wait for Ming Li to come out so they could talk, but when she didn’t emerge for a long time, he eventually had to turn back to find her, only to discover he couldn’t get in. He could only wait outside.
Surely she couldn’t be struggling with the difficult problem left by the Star Constellation Academy Master.
Cheng Jingbai stared blankly at the map. Only three people remained in the classroom: him, Ming Li, and Zhou Xiang.
None of them spoke, each immersed in their world.
Cheng Jingbai waited and waited until he finally couldn’t hold back anymore. He turned to look at Ming Li sitting behind him and tapped on her desk: “Genius, do you know how to solve it?”
Only then did Ming Li slowly turn to look at him: “What?”
“You’ve been daydreaming until now? That’s even worse than me.” Cheng Jingbai pointed at the map on the lectern. “We can’t use repeated paths to find the ground ghost dispersal points, the master mentioned earlier. I fell asleep when the academy master was lecturing and didn’t hear anything about how to proceed.”
Find ground ghost dispersal points?
Only then did Ming Li look at the continental map on the lectern. As she stood up, she glanced at Zhou Xiang, who was still sitting there, and asked after a pause: “Why haven’t you left either?”
For some reason, she suddenly realized that this girl belonged to the Wing Constellation Academy like herself.
Zhou Xiang, suddenly addressed, was startled. She timidly looked at Ming Li and hesitated before saying: “I-I was thinking… since ground ghosts look no different from humans and are good at disguising themselves, what if someone falls in love with a ground ghost… Or, would ground ghosts ever like…”
Before she could finish, she heard the answer: “Of course they would!”
Cheng Jingbai rested his head on his hand and tilted his head to look at her. When Zhou Xiang turned to him, he raised his eyebrows: “You just said ground ghosts are good at disguising themselves and can sense human emotions, so they definitely would like humans too.”
A hint of delight rose in Zhou Xiang’s eyes.
But Cheng Jingbai chuckled: “But even if he likes you, really likes you, that doesn’t stop a ground ghost from killing you and then killing your entire family. Some ground ghosts have cruel killing methods. If you knew about them, you definitely wouldn’t have such thoughts.”
Zhou Xiang was frightened.
Cheng Jingbai sighed: “These monsters deserve to die. If someone falls in love with a ground ghost, that’s their misfortune—eight lifetimes of bad luck.”
Ming Li thought to herself that she had been quite unlucky lately.
Zhou Xiang lowered her head dejectedly, seeming somewhat sad.
Cheng Jingbai scratched his head and looked at her helplessly. “I was just talking about people who fall in love with ground ghosts, not about you. You look so sad, almost about to cry. You couldn’t possibly…”
Zhou Xiang suddenly stood up, shaking her head repeatedly: “No, it’s not me, I’m not!”
Both Cheng Jingbai and Ming Li were startled.
Zhou Xiang awkwardly wiped her face, then went up to the lectern and quickly traced the star line with her fingers, rapidly solving the problem before running out.
She had been the most focused, most attentive person in this class.
Cheng Jingbai gazed in the direction she had left with a complex expression, sighed, stood up, and walked to the lectern. He placed his hand on the star line on the map and sincerely said, “Genius, help me out here.”
Ming Li told him the correct path. After completing it, Cheng Jingbai sighed in relief.
“You didn’t know any of the paths?” Ming Li asked him.
Cheng Jingbai said helplessly, “I fell asleep.”
By the time the two left the classroom, it was already night outside. Fang Hui was still waiting outside, leaning against the wall, reading a book. Hearing the sound, he turned to look and saw Ming Li come out, his expression slightly complicated.
Cheng Jingbai waved his hand in greeting.
Fang Hui asked Ming Li: “You couldn’t possibly not have known the answer, right?”
Ming Li shook her head, offering no further explanation. Fang Hui didn’t waste more words either, getting straight to the point: “I heard Qian Li has woken up. Want to go to the Well Constellation Academy to see him?”
Cheng Jingbai interjected: “What’s there to see if he’s awake? I haven’t seen him all day, and he didn’t seem to be in class earlier either.”
Others didn’t know about Qian Li’s injury. Fang Hui ignored Cheng Jingbai and waited for Ming Li’s answer.
Ming Li shook her head and said, “I need to return to the Wing Constellation Academy first. I’ll go later.”
*
Qian Li was awakened by fright.
In his dream, he returned to his childhood when he witnessed his father leading people to exterminate their clan. The immersive terror left him unable to control his body; he could only stand frozen in the pathway, watching people kill each other.
His father’s face gradually blurred in his blood-soaked vision; he could vaguely see only the curve of his father’s slightly upturned lips—a nauseating, smiling demeanor.
His mother’s screams before death still echoed in his ears, each desperate “I regret” uttered with all her strength. The walls covered with paper bore the names of dead clan members and his mother’s curses against his father.
Every night, facing that wall plastered with hatred and curses, he pondered why things had turned out this way.
Qian Li awoke in terror as the man approached him, bent down to wipe the blood from his face, and his vision gradually cleared, revealing his father’s full appearance. He sat up in bed, drenched in sweat.
“You’re awake.” A gentle voice instantly dispersed the gloom surrounding him.
Qian Li turned to look and saw two people sitting at the tea table in the corridor outside the room: the Well Constellation Academy Master, Yumei, who was pouring tea, and Cui Yaocen, who was playing with an empty teacup.
Yumei said, “Since you’re awake, come have a cup of hot tea.”
Qian Li’s mind raced quickly as he hastily threw off the blanket and got up. He remembered being severely injured the night before and instinctively touched his chest, only to find he felt no pain at all. His wound had been treated; wearing clothes, he felt a coldness on his chest, suppressing the throbbing pain of his wound.
“Disciple greets the Academy Master,” he bowed at the doorway.
Yumei asked: “Do you remember what happened last night?”
Qian Li’s expression faltered: “Some of it.”
Yumei smiled gently: “Don’t be afraid. With Saint Cui here, the Jiang Clan won’t dare act rashly in the future.”
Qian Li couldn’t help but glance at the silent Cui Yaocen, unable to hide his surprise.
Yumei continued: “Last night, Saint Cui brought you back from the Jiang Clan.”
Qian Li quickly bowed to Cui Yaocen: “This disciple thanks Saint Cui for saving my life.”
Cui Yaocen put down the cup in her hand and glanced at him. “Fortunately, you look like your mother.”
Qian Li kept his head lowered, not daring to look up to see the expression of the person who said these words. The pilgrim’s pressure made it difficult for him to express his usually lively personality; he could only listen in silence.
Yumei coughed a few times, covering his mouth as he said: “Qian Li, I should have intervened to protect your mother back then, preventing her from fleeing to Ji Dan and dying of illness. But at that time, I was severely injured and unconscious. Now I can hardly recover my strength… Fortunately, you’ve caught Saint Cui’s eye. She will take you as her disciple, teach you cultivation, and help you avenge your mother.”
The Nan Que pilgrim wanted to take him as a disciple?
Qian Li had just been marveling at being saved by a pilgrim, not knowing there was even more explosive news to follow. It was as if a pie had fallen from the sky and hit him, leaving him seeing stars.
He couldn’t help but ask: “Is this your idea, Academy Master, or Saint Cui’s own decision?”
Before his mother died, she had told him to find the Well Constellation Academy Master, Yumei, at Nan Que. Whatever he wanted to do, Yumei would help him.
Hearing this, Cui Yaocen laughed softly and turned her head to look at Qian Li with interest: “You’re unwilling?”
Qian Li shook his head repeatedly: “Of course not! But I wouldn’t want to impose…”
Cui Yaocen snorted lightly. “Tell me, who could impose on me?”
Qian Li was dumbfounded.
Yumei smiled: “If you’re unwilling…”
“Disciple greets Master!” Qian Li knelt with a serious expression.
Yumei smiled and shook his head.
Cui Yaocen stood up and said, “Follow me to Three Saints Peak. Let’s see what you’ve learned over these years.”
“Yes.” Qian Li rose from the ground and looked up at Cui Yaocen. Her slender yet powerful figure inspired awe in him.
*
Earlier, Li Yansi had asked Ming Li to come to the main residence later to teach her the Yin Meridian spirit technique. Ming Li was still on her way when she received a message from the academy master via a red-winged vermilion bird.
She followed the red-winged vermilion bird back to the Wing Constellation Academy. Night had fallen, and the snow continued to fall. The light was dim, and the central hall on the heights was shrouded in snowy mist, yet it couldn’t conceal the conspicuous vermilion bird stone statue.
Ming Li couldn’t help thinking about the fallen fate star. Bei Dou’s certainty about Qing Ying’s death, apart from her senior brother’s testimony, would be based on the fate star in the Star Breaking River, in the absence of finding her remains.
As for her junior brother, who was considered missing, his fate star should still be at Bei Dou. Bei Dou could determine a disciple’s location based on their fate star, so why couldn’t they find him?
Ming Li walked, lost in thought. On her way to the main residence, she encountered Jiang Ying, who had just come from that direction.
Both saw each other as they walked onto the small bridge over the lotus pond. Jiang Ying carried a lantern, while Ming Li was guided by the fluttering red-winged vermilion bird. As they drew near, both stopped and looked at each other.
“Master wants to teach you cultivation so late at night. It seems she likes you,” Jiang Ying nodded and smiled.
Ming Li also smiled: “Sister Jiang feels quite the opposite of Master, otherwise you wouldn’t have had someone tell me the inner academy dormitories were full.”
When Ming Li pointed this out, Jiang Ying showed no sign of annoyance, continuing to smile: “You’re not only the Zhao family’s helper, but you also injured my sister. Why would you think I could be magnanimous enough to let you live comfortably at Nan Que?”
Ming Li said, “Your sister’s strength is too poor. Sister Jiang should urge her to practice more. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have been so upset when I took a bracelet you gave her, yet could only move her lips without daring to take back the silver bracelet.”
She stepped closer and asked Jiang Ying, “Sister Jiang, do you want to take it back for your sister?”
Jiang Ying lowered her eyes to look at her, somewhat surprised. This young girl appeared obedient, yet unexpectedly turned out to be so arrogant.
Ming Li stepped forward to stand beside her, turning her head to say languidly: “Jiang Wuyue was crying and shouting that it was given by her sister, and she must take it back. I was wondering why such an ordinary silver bracelet would matter. How could a lady of the noble Jiang family give such a crude piece of jewelry? Sister Jiang, I heard you’re just a young lady from a branch of the Jiang Clan, not highly regarded, so you give your sister such crude trinkets?”
Jiang Ying turned to look at her, smiling, though her gaze was no longer as gentle as before, hiding gloom. She spoke softly: “The crude jewelry you speak of was indeed given by me.”
“Don’t be impatient. You’ll soon have to personally return that crude jewelry to me.”