Chapter 18
Nangong Ming threatened Lady Su to break the Non-War Pact, while Gu Qian said they wanted to work with two other nations to protect peace.
Given how closely Nangong Ming and Gu Qian cooperated, this definitely wasn't the truth.
Yu Sui said nothing, just nodded in agreement, saying she would help properly and to tell her if there was anything needed.
Gu Qian said: "You just arrived at the academy, so get used to it first. Ask me if there's anything you don't understand. Though I'll be a bit busy these next few days, don't be afraid to ask when you need to."
After a pause, he added: "If Mei Liangyu targets you because of me, you must tell me."
His expression was stern as he said this, clearly holding a grudge against Mei Liangyu for his recent actions.
Yu Sui: "Okay."
As she stood up, she was tripped by the table. With an "Oh!" she stumbled forward, and Gu Qian quickly reached out to steady her.
A Five Elements Light Core fell into Gu Qian's clothes from an angle no one could see.
Perhaps she hadn't made progress in other areas these years, but using Light Cores was becoming increasingly skillful.
"Let's go, I'll walk you down," Gu Qian said.
Yu Sui agreed and followed him out.
Knowing she was sharing a dorm with Xun Zhiya, Gu Qian briefly described her: "She's quite famous in the Legalist School, very capable, and is the disciple of Legalist Saint Yu."
"Though she looks unapproachable, her temper isn't bad—she's cold on the outside but warm inside. If I can't answer your questions promptly, you can also ask Xun Zhiya."
Yu Sui nodded: "Okay."
In the Dragon Stairs, Gu Qian looked at Yu Sui standing beside him, seeming to think for a long time before saying quietly: "Sui Sui."
"Mm?" Yu Sui turned to look.
Gu Qian said: "Don't worry too much about the Pagoda Tower matter. Just have fun at Taiyi. If anyone gives you trouble, tell me—don't worry about anything else."
Yu Sui said confusedly: "But that's why Father sent me to Taiyi."
Gu Qian said firmly: "I'll help explain things to the Prince."
Yu Sui blinked at him, thinking you'd better.
Gu Qian frowned, seeming to think his words were too harsh and afraid she'd misunderstand, so he explained: "I'm worried it's too dangerous. I don't want you involved in these troublesome matters."
Yu Sui went along with his words: "I know. I can't use Nine Schools Arts, so I definitely can't help Brother Gu with anything important. As long as I don't hold you back, I'll study hard."
"What holding back?" Gu Qian glared at her. "Don't say things like that."
The Dragon Stairs door opened. Yu Sui walked out: "Then when you need my help, be sure to say so."
Only then did Gu Qian smile: "Don't worry, Sui Sui, there will definitely be times when I need you."
The two came out of the Dragon Stairs and walked around the corridor, finally stopping at room 607.
Yu Sui took out her keys to open the door, saying to Gu Qian outside: "I'll go in now."
Gu Qian nodded, watching her enter and close the door before leaving.
The room was brightly lit and clean. The windowsill also had long and short flower racks filled with flower pots of various sizes. Yu Sui could see the entire main room at a glance—it showed signs of only two people living there.
On the desk, whether teacups or bowls and chopsticks, there were only two sets each.
Through her Strange Fire, Yu Sui could sense the two people in the room were behind doors. She pretended not to know, avoided the occupied rooms, and came to an empty room. Just as she was about to push the door open, she heard a click of a door opening behind her.
She turned back to see Li Jin Shuang coming in with keys.
Their eyes met, and Li Jin Shuang seemed momentarily surprised, then lowered her head and returned to silence.
Yu Sui greeted her friendly: "You live here too?"
Li Jin Shuang walked toward the empty room beside her: "Mm."
She said this and pushed open the door, went in, and closed it again.
After entering her room, Yu Sui leaned against the door, looking thoughtfully toward next door:
She'd seen Li Jin Shuang standing with Xun Zhiya at the Trial Ground before, they were together during the Legalist School's Three Provinces imprisonment, and now they even shared the same residence.
Considering that Xun Zhiya was Princess Shangyang's saint maiden and Li Jin Shuang also said she was from Princess Shangyang, the two should know each other.
But their atmosphere together wasn't like friends—more like superior and subordinate.
Yu Sui surveyed the room, which had only bed and desk-chairs, simple furnishings with basic necessities provided.
Blackbeard was sending messages asking what else she needed.
Yu Sui sat on the bedside, gently pressing her palm against the bed edge. Her consciousness connected through Strange Fire to the Five Elements Light Core placed in the double-petaled blue flower, seeing the room's scene:
Gu Qian had returned.
Ji Meng stood by the window with arms crossed, looking at the returning Gu Qian: "Reseal the Pagoda Tower—is that what you told Nangong Sui?"
Gu Qian sat expressionlessly at the table: "It's too dangerous. I don't want her involved. Sui Sui is an Ordinary Practitioner without self-defense capability yet. It's better for her not to participate."
Huo Xiao was more realistic, stating bluntly: "He's right. With Nangong Sui's level of ability, her participation might create many unnecessary problems."
Gu Qian frowned and glanced at Huo Xiao with some warning. Huo Xiao wasn't intimidated at all.
"Well, I have no objections," Ji Meng rubbed his eyebrows and asked Gu Qian, "What do you plan to do next? Go explore Inverted Moon Cave again?"
"Wait for news from Xun Zhiya," Gu Qian said. "That night, we weren't the only ones who entered Inverted Moon Cave—there were others."
Ji Meng cursed: "Don't know which bastard stole the Silver River Water at such a convenient time to let us take the blame."
Gu Qian laughed coldly: "This matter won't end here. What about Xiang Feifei? She was responsible for guarding the earthly barrier entrance that night—didn't she notice anyone leaving?"
"She said no," Huo Xiao said, leaning against the door. "Xiang Feifei's Yin-Yang Art Shadow Swallowing couldn't possibly miss anyone leaving the earthly barrier that night, unless the person was Thirteenth Realm or above."
"There's another possibility," Ji Meng said. "The other party possesses Divine Mechanism: Heavenly Eye."
Gu Qian turned to look: "What are the odds we'd encounter someone with Divine Mechanism: Heavenly Eye?"
Ji Meng shrugged, indicating he shouldn't have spoken.
Gu Qian stretched his neck and shoulders, producing cracking sounds: "The next time Inverted Moon Cave shows the Heavenly Secret Line will be in three months."
Huo Xiao nodded: "In three months, Dragon-Slaying Cave will coincidentally open at the Legalist School. There will be another chance then."
Gu Qian leaned back in his chair, pondering: "When Wenyang returns, we'll see how his mechanism arts have progressed. Three months is enough time for us to prepare."
……
Yu Sui mainly wanted to hear about the Wind-Listening Ruler from Gu Qian, but unexpectedly learned much more.
From beginning to end, Gu Qian never mentioned the Wind-Listening Ruler, and Ji Meng and Huo Xiao didn't ask either. It seemed the claim that "Wind-Listening Rulers can send messages without using inscriptions" was mostly his lie.
But the Di Su Balance Scale hadn't detected it.
Yu Sui rolled her eyes, withdrew her consciousness, and lay down on the bed, raising her hand to rub her eyes.
It was only midday now.
She'd only been at Taiyi Academy for half a day.
Quite a lot had happened.
The Five Elements Light Cores used for surveillance could currently go undetected on people below the Thirteenth Realm, though highly sensitive people maintaining constant vigilance might still discover them.
People like Nangong Ming and Lady Su—even if Five Elements Light Cores were placed in their surroundings, Yu Sui wouldn't be detected when not connecting her consciousness. But once Yu Sui connected through Strange Fire, even the extremely subtle, momentary circulation of Five Elements energy would attract their attention.
Yu Sui had tried many times, always crushing the Light Cores when about to be discovered. Once, Nangong Ming even thoroughly searched the entire Prince Manor because of that tiny sense of being watched.
If this was the case in the manor, she'd have to be even more careful using Light Cores at Taiyi Academy, where Thirteenth Realm cultivators were everywhere and twenty-four Saints resided.
What threatened Yu Sui was not knowing what methods others might use to identify World Destroyers.
Besides exposing Strange Fire.
Yu Sui took out the Wind-Listening Ruler to examine it. The projected circular dial was spinning rapidly, with runes and numbers running at speeds invisible to the naked eye.
Though ordinary people couldn't see clearly, Yu Sui could easily remember every moment's information.
Taiyi's giant communication array limited the Wind-Listening Ruler's external transmission, only allowing use within Taiyi's island range.
Yu Sui played with the Wind-Listening Ruler briefly, closing her eyes to mentally calculate, working through the communication array cipher texts she'd decoded in Qingyang's imperial capital over the years. After inputting the cipher into the Wind-Listening Ruler, she lay on the bed for a short rest.
She dreamed of standing on an endless water surface, surrounded by familiar Strange Fire heat that made the water evaporate into misty vapor.
These years, Yu Sui was most familiar with two things: fire and water.
Fire accompanied and coexisted with her.
To escape the fire's searing heat, she repeatedly dove into cold water.
In this world, what could give Yu Sui momentary security was the endless, silent water surface beneath her feet.
When she looked down, she saw flames rapidly rising from the water's depths, carrying power to devour everything. Yu Sui's eyes were illuminated by the flames, reflecting gorgeous golden-orange colors. Her consciousness knew those were Strange Fires about to consume her, but she couldn't avoid them.
Just as the flames were about to break the surface, from those gorgeously colored eyes reflected black and white twin fish chasing each other's tails, spinning beneath her feet, encircling and suppressing the flames underwater.
Only then did Yu Sui open her eyes and sit up, raising her hand to rub her eyes.
She sat alone quietly for a moment, then got up and left.
……
Blackbeard had pushed off his brothel business today, initially running around for Gu Qian's affairs, now rushing about for Yu Sui.
The news that Yu Sui had been accepted as a disciple by a Ghost Way Saint, he immediately sent people to report to the Prince.
Though they couldn't use Wind-Listening Rulers, the outer city housed countless people from all walks of life, mixing in every trade. If they wanted to send messages outside, each had their own methods.
Others didn't know, but Blackbeard was quite happy about it.
Being accepted as a personal disciple by a Ghost Way Saint surely indicated exceptional qualities—perhaps the Princess was profoundly wise, with talents so deep that only Saint Chang Gen had recognized them.
He believed the Princess would make great progress at Taiyi Academy, completely shedding the "Ordinary Practitioner" label, returning to the capital to inherit the throne. As long as he served her well here, he could ask the Princess for a chance to return home in the future.
With these plans, Blackbeard enthusiastically ran errands for the Princess, bringing people to arrange Yu Sui's residence room.
He transformed the plain room into something exquisite and luxurious, even the bedside ornaments gleaming with gold, every detail screaming "the Nangong family is very wealthy."
Yu Sui sat in the main room's chair, playing with the Wind-Listening Ruler.
Blackbeard came out saying: "Princess, everything's arranged. Is there anything unsatisfactory?"
Yu Sui shook her head. She said worriedly: "My Wind-Listening Ruler seems unable to send messages. Could it be because it can't connect to this island's Number Mountains?"
Blackbeard explained: "Once within Taiyi's range, Number Mountains automatically capture Wind-Listening Ruler inscriptions."
"But I just can't send anything out. It worked before." Yu Sui said, "I'll go ask at the Communication Courtyard."
Blackbeard quickly said: "I can handle such small matters."
Yu Sui shook her head and stood up: "I'm idle anyway, and this way I can tour the academy and get familiar with it."
She hadn't walked far when Li Jin Shuang from next door came out.
Yu Sui enthusiastically greeted her: "Are you going out for a stroll too?"
Li Jin Shuang: "No."
She walked straight out, avoiding contact with Yu Sui.
Yu Sui turned back to ask Blackbeard: "Do I seem hard to get along with? She never says more than three words to me."
Blackbeard shook his head repeatedly.
When they entered the Dragon Stairs, Blackbeard told Yu Sui: "The other three people sharing your residence are all from Princess Shangyang. Legalist Xun Zhiya is Princess Shangyang's saint maiden and likely future heir to the throne."
Yu Sui made a small exclamation—that status and position were indeed incomparable.
Blackbeard said: "Yin-Yang School's Shu Chujun is the saint maiden's confidant, grew up with her, and may inherit Princess Shangyang's High Priestess position in the future."
Yu Sui nodded: "What about Li Jin Shuang?"
"She's the most loyal retainer of the Xun family." Blackbeard paused, then said with some sentiment, "Princess Shangyang's Li family has the same reputation as our Qingyang's Zhongli family—both Military School families that have produced several Military School War Gods. But previous internal conflicts in Princess Shangyang caused heavy Li family casualties, with almost all direct-line males killed."
"Li Jin Shuang has the highest talent among the new generation. Though not direct Li family lineage, she was raised by the main family from childhood."
Yu Sui said: "Raised as a boy?"
Li Jin Shuang's masculine clothing didn't look like personal preference.
Blackbeard nodded: "Exactly. The Li family has been a Princess Shangyang noble house for a thousand years, still maintaining old-era clan customs with many rules. Perhaps because all main family males died, the current Li family grandmother is raising Li Jin Shuang as male, and she's always operated under male identity."
Yu Sui ran her hand through her hair without commenting.
Zhongli Que faced difficulties because Qingyang's emperor was wary of the Zhongli family—not just her, but all Zhongli family children had uncertain futures. As for Princess Shangyang's Li family, that was due to internal clan reasons.
These Military School clan children all seemed to have peculiar circumstances.
Yu Sui didn't think much about it, since her own situation wasn't much better.
……
Taiyi's Communication Courtyard was comparable in size to all of Qingyang's National Academy. This wasn't just a large communication array, but a super-giant communication array, with different areas housing different sized Number Mountain groups.
Many people came and went at the Communication Courtyard, all wearing uniform clothing, recording Number Mountain information daily. Though it was just past midday, the Communication Courtyard's Nine Schools practitioners were already busy, each taking their positions.
At the entrance to the Number Mountain groups, patrol guards stopped Yu Sui and Blackbeard.
After Blackbeard explained their purpose, one guard extended his hand: "Give me the Wind-Listening Ruler, I'll take it inside to check."
Yu Sui asked: "Can I go in too?"
The Qingyang Princess's status wasn't useful here. The patrol guard said tactfully: "It's inconvenient for people outside the Communication Courtyard to enter."
Yu Sui looked at Blackbeard, who was also somewhat troubled, lowering his voice: "Princess, the Communication Courtyard's security ranks in the top five at Taiyi. Without special circumstances, they won't let you in."
"Alright." Yu Sui handed the Wind-Listening Ruler to the patrol guard. "How long will it take?"
"If it's just because you recently arrived and can't connect to the Number Mountains, causing transmission problems, it'll be quick." The patrol guard seemed amused by her reluctant expression, his tone becoming gentler.
Yu Sui watched the patrol guard take her Wind-Listening Ruler inside.
The moment the door opened, she glimpsed familiar yet strange Number Mountains inside. Unlike those at the National Academy, these Number Mountains were black-gold colored, and the colorful bands and discs rotating around them were the same, emanating solemn majesty and overwhelming presence that made one instinctively hold their breath.
The courtyard door closed, and Yu Sui withdrew her gaze.
She waited patiently.
The patrol guard brought the Wind-Listening Ruler close to establish connection with the Number Mountains. Each attempt sent more of Yu Sui's cipher text into the Number Mountains, until all the cipher was fully transmitted and the Wind-Listening Ruler's connection with the Number Mountains was successfully established.