Chapter 36
Yu Sui looked at the ascending Dragon Stairs, her expression stunned for a moment, then looked down at the black coat draped over her arm after being removed.
Neither of them had thought of this matter just now.
Now looking at the ascending Dragon Stairs, there was no way to catch up. She'd return it to Senior Brother later.
With this thought, Yu Sui walked toward Gu Qian's dormitory.
Outside, thunder crashed continuously, lighting up the night sky from time to time. Ferocious lightning split the night curtain, each strike seeming to pierce heaven and earth. Even inside the dormitory building where the sound of torrential rain couldn't be heard, the roaring thunder of this night was still audible.
Yu Sui knocked on the door while sending messages to Gu Qian.
During the day, Gu Qian had sent her many messages because he knew about her being ambushed by the Agricultural School last night. Although none of the parties involved had spoken about it publicly, quite a few people had been hiding in the shadows watching the excitement that night, and news had quickly spread throughout the Outer City and Taiyi.
When another thunderclap sounded, the door opened.
Gu Qian saw Yu Sui outside the door and breathed a sigh of relief, bringing her inside.
A dim yellow candle burned in the bedroom, creating a warm atmosphere. Gu Qian had Yu Sui sit on the bedside while he crouched down to examine the wounds on her hands and face, grinding his teeth in anger.
"Those Agricultural School bastards," Gu Qian cursed. "How dare they!"
"Don't be angry. I just went to the Medical School to have my wounds examined. The Medical School Senior Sister on duty helped me change the medicine. It doesn't hurt anymore. As long as I don't get it wet, it'll be completely healed in a couple of days." Yu Sui spoke softly and gently. "It's just that tonight's thunder and rain won't stop, and I'm a bit scared, so I wanted to find you, Brother Gu, to talk."
She curled up on the bedside, hugging herself into a ball like an obedient little cat, soft and harmless.
Gu Qian looked at her with considerable heartache.
Since childhood, Yu Sui had used the excuse of being afraid of thunder to stay at Gu Qian's house without leaving, then spend the whole night reading books.
Gu Qian truly believed she was afraid of thunder and had never doubted it all these years.
If it were another girl, he would think a girl this old who was still afraid of thunder was truly spoiled, but when it came to Yu Sui, Gu Qian found it reasonable. Being afraid of thunder was perfectly normal, and he should accompany her.
They had grown up together, and some things had become habits through years of interaction.
Gu Qian had never noticed Yu Sui's other side.
In his eyes, his soft little childhood friend was lovely, gentle, and interesting no matter how you looked at her.
"I'll make you some hot tea to calm your nerves. Don't be afraid, just stay at my place tonight." Gu Qian touched her head as he stood up, going to the outer hall to brew tea for her.
Yu Sui supported her head with one hand, watching him leave.
After all these years, this brother was still as defenseless as ever against well-behaved and soft girls.
In certain matters, Gu Qian was truly good to her.
Because Gu Qian classified Yu Sui as "one of his own."
But Yu Sui had also seen Gu Qian be equally good to other girls.
At the National Academy, there were at least three to five daughters of noble families who had been saved by Gu Qian, and they looked at him daily with shy, timid gazes mixed with joy and worship.
Princess Shangyang hadn't given up on Gu Qian all these years either.
Yu Sui had also seen that period when Gu Qian saved Xiang Feifei. To avoid pursuit by Qingyang's Communication Courtyard, he hid Xiang Feifei in his home, eating and living together every day.
The day he sent Xiang Feifei away, she stole a kiss from him. Yu Sui happened to be there and saw this scene, covering her mouth in surprise.
Gu Qian was stunned for a moment and quickly turned to explain to her.
Yu Sui had always known that many girls liked Gu Qian, but she didn't think anything of it. Some people liked Gu Qian, others disliked him.
The girls liking him was their business.
Because when Gu Qian was good to everyone, he was genuinely good. Some people thought he was gentle, caring, and brave; others thought he was dissolute, shameless, and detestable.
Everyone had their own opinions.
Yu Sui didn't care which girl Gu Qian liked. She just feared that one day Nangong Ming would have a moment of madness and marry her to Gu Qian, allowing Gu Qian to legitimately use the Prince's Manor's power for revenge.
Being used as a tool to this extent, she still felt somewhat unwilling.
Gu Qian came in to see Yu Sui sitting by the bed in a daze, so he took down books from the desk shelf and gave them to her: "Look at these to distract yourself. The tea will be ready soon."
He also knew Yu Sui liked reading books.
During thunderstorms, this soft childhood friend would be too disturbed to sleep, afraid and thinking all sorts of random things. She used to ask him many strange questions, and Gu Qian's patience with Yu Sui had been accumulated through years of thunderstorm nights.
Until giving Yu Sui books to read could make her quiet, the books piling up in Gu Qian's house had grown more and more numerous.
Yu Sui reached out to receive the books, and only then did Gu Qian notice the black coat draped over her arm, which was men's clothing.
"Whose is this?" he frowned and asked.
"It's my Senior Brother's," Yu Sui said while flipping through the books she received. "Senior Brother escorted me back from the Medical School. He lent me his clothes to shield me from the rain because the Medical School Senior Sister said my wounds couldn't get even a drop of water on them."
Gu Qian's frown deepened: "Mei Liangyu?"
Yu Sui nodded: "Yes."
There was some displeasure in Gu Qian's words: "Why did he escort you back and give you his clothes?"
"Because we went from Ghost Way Saint Hall, Master was teaching me introductory mental techniques, and Senior Brother was also watching from the side." Yu Sui flipped through the books without looking up. "I forgot to return it to him when we just arrived."
"Put it aside," Gu Qian looked at that coat with distaste everywhere, reaching out to take it from her arm. "If you're cold, cover yourself with a blanket to read."
Yu Sui laughed upon hearing this.
She was so hot she wanted to throw the blanket far away.
"Does Mei Liangyu often go to Ghost Way Saint Hall to find you?" Gu Qian casually threw the black coat onto a chair nearby.
"He doesn't come to find me. He goes to Ghost Way Saint Hall to find Master," Yu Sui patiently explained.
"He harbors ill intentions, acts improperly, and has malicious thoughts. Sui Sui, you must be on guard against him," Gu Qian said in a deep voice. "Regarding the Legalist School's judgment last time, he definitely feels resentful. I heard he's been going to the Communication Courtyard to make trouble recently."
Really? Yu Sui looked up with confusion.
Yu Sui asked: "What does he go to the Communication Courtyard for?"
Gu Qian smiled coldly without sound: "He's still trying to find clues from that time at Inverted Hanging Moon Cave. He's not a good person, so you must never be bewitched by him."
Yu Sui nodded thoughtfully: "Senior Brother doesn't seem like that kind of person."
"You've only just come to the academy not long ago. You don't know what he's done yet. He's killed quite a few academy disciples alone," Gu Qian said seriously. "You're Saint Chang Gen's disciple, so you'll have more contact with Mei Liangyu than others. He has an unpredictable temper, cold-hearted and emotionless. Only Saint Chang Gen can manage him somewhat."
Yu Sui agreed with this last statement.
Gu Qian continued: "Having Mei Liangyu around is also an obstacle to our search for the Pagoda. Currently, it seems Mei Liangyu stands with the academy, meaning the side of order."
Yu Sui blinked as she listened, thinking this wasn't necessarily true. If Senior Brother knew the Pagoda could break the Six Kingdoms' Non-War Pact, he would definitely search all of Taiyi, assemble the Pagoda, and immediately dissolve the pact to throw the world into chaos.
"Taiyi has an organization called the 'Nine Capital Guards.' Those who can enter the Nine Capital Guards are all Class A disciples of Taiyi. Generally, Class A disciples are at minimum Ninth Realm practitioners, at most Thirteenth Realm."
Gu Qian leaned against the door, arms crossed, explaining with a calm expression: "Class A disciples often count as part of Taiyi's ruling class. For example, the Medical School you went to tonight, the medical clinic duty disciples are only Class A disciples. When academy students are injured and need treatment or medicine, it initially goes through these Class A disciples' hands. Only if Class A disciples can't resolve it will it be transferred to Thirteenth Realm teachers."
"Rank advancement challenges are also defended by Class A disciples, and for some large cultivation trials, Class A disciples are also responsible for monitoring, patrolling, and even scoring."
Yu Sui sighed: "Class A disciples really have many privileges."
Gu Qian nodded: "Class A disciples of the Nine Capital Guards can enter certain academy forbidden areas under the pretext of patrol and guard duty, up to Level One forbidden areas, such as the Legalist School's Level One forbidden area, Inverted Hanging Moon Cave."
Yu Sui looked confused: "Brother Gu, do you plan to join the Nine Capital Guards after becoming a Class A disciple?"
"Exactly. This would be very convenient for our operations," Gu Qian stretched his neck. "I can definitely win the rank advancement challenge in two months. Then only the problem of entering the Nine Capital Guards remains, because someone needs to recommend you, and half the internal members must agree."
That wasn't simple either.
Yu Sui rolled her eyes: "Is my Senior Brother also a member of the Nine Capital Guards?"
Gu Qian pressed his lips: "Yes, so I can forget about his vote."
Mei Liangyu definitely wouldn't agree.
"Sui Sui, don't go to the Outer City recently, or if you must go, you need to call me along. Otherwise I won't feel at ease. The Agricultural School has pursued you here, and you shouldn't go near the Agricultural School area in daily life either. There are too many people with ulterior motives," Gu Qian looked at Yu Sui with a serious expression. "I'm afraid you'll be in danger."
"Mm mm." Yu Sui nodded obediently, returning the book in her hands to him. "Brother Gu, I've read all of these. What books are those over there?"
Gu Qian followed her gaze and saw the three books on the table that had been brought from Shenbao Library, his expression subtle: "Books about various schools' secret techniques. All schools are covered."
"May I look at them?" Yu Sui asked with curiosity filling her eyes.
Gu Qian thought, what couldn't she do? They were just three books. After Wen Yanghui brought them back, several people had looked through them countless times without finding any clues from these three books.
"You can," Gu Qian brought the books to Yu Sui.
Yu Sui read books very quickly, and Gu Qian knew this, even being accustomed to it. He felt Yu Sui read National Academy coursework-related books very slowly, but as long as they weren't books designated by the National Academy, she read very fast.
Gu Qian had once asked why this was so. Yu Sui said it might be because the books were given by you, Brother Gu, so reading them felt different from what the National Academy made her read.
When asked to be specific, Yu Sui would only answer that it felt different.
Such answers would make Gu Qian feel his existence was "special" to her.
No one would refuse their existence being "special" to another person.
The tea water outside had boiled. Gu Qian went out to brew tea while Yu Sui quietly flipped through books. When Gu Qian returned, he saw Yu Sui sitting by the bedside, head slightly lowered. The dim yellow candlelight bathed her features, adding warm light that made her appear gentle and serene, too beautiful to disturb.
Gu Qian's door-closing sound was very, very soft. He placed the tea by the bedside table and withdrew, his hand brushing past Yu Sui's hanging hair strands, making his heart itch with subtle emotions.
"Sui Sui," Gu Qian couldn't help calling her name.
"Mm?" Yu Sui looked up.
Gu Qian smiled with the corner of his mouth, showing a roguish grin: "Nothing, just wanted to call your name."
He sighed softly at the end: "It seems like we haven't talked like this for a long time."
"Yes, you came to Taiyi two years ago and never returned. We couldn't talk either," Yu Sui smiled slightly. Outside, thunder rumbled, and Gu Qian said, "Don't be afraid. It'll stop after a while."
"Speaking of which, Brother Gu, has Father asked you to keep an eye on Zhongli Shan these two years?" Yu Sui asked with some distress.
"No," Gu Qian asked. "Why?"
Yu Sui sighed softly, flipping through book pages: "Father seems to want me to find a way to get Zhongli Shan expelled from Taiyi Academy. Is it because Zhongli Shan learned something at Taiyi that made Father feel threatened?"
Gu Qian knew that Zhongli Shan came to Taiyi to find a way to break the School of Names' Asura Eyes, but Asura Eyes weren't that easy to break. Gu Qian had focused on his own development these two years and hadn't paid much attention to Zhongli Shan.
"He often cultivates at the Military School, has participated in several Class A large trials, has decent strength, and is currently rushing to Tenth Realm Divine Soul, but there's no news of him having already seen through the Asura Eyes," Gu Qian pondered. "If there were, we at Taiyi should know first. It's impossible for the Prince to get news before us. So it's not about the Asura Eyes, but rather fighting with the Zhongli family in the imperial capital, unwilling to give Zhongli Shan more time."
Yu Sui wrinkled her face: "Then what should I do?"
"How can he make you do such things?" Gu Qian frowned.
Yu Sui said timidly: "Is it because I can cultivate now..."
"Isn't that a good thing for him?" Gu Qian smiled.
Yu Sui asked again: "Then Brother Gu, do you think I'll really inherit the Prince's Manor in the future and become the master of the Nangong family?"
Gu Qian was stunned for a moment, then nodded: "Of course. If not you, who else could it be?"
Yu Sui blinked at him without speaking.
Gu Qian said decisively: "It definitely can't be Sheng Hao anyway."
Yu Sui burst into laughter.
Seeing her laugh, Gu Qian's eyes also unconsciously showed traces of amusement: "The position of Nangong family heir belongs to you. I'd like to see who dares compete with you. If your brothers dare fight you for the throne, they'll have to see if I agree first."
Yu Sui said: "If I can't do well with the tasks Father gives me, I'm afraid I'll disappoint him. When I cultivate more powerfully and have more confidence, it'll be better."
Gu Qian nodded: "You're right. You've only just entered the academy not long ago. You haven't even learned all the Nine Schools Arts yet. How can he make you do such things? I'll respond to the Prince later. Leave the Zhongli Shan matter to me."
Yu Sui settled the Zhongli Shan matter and finished reading all three books during the long night, roughly understanding various schools' Heavenly Mechanism Arts and related Divine Mechanism Arts records.
Gu Qian chatted with her about many things, as if making up for the missing two years.
The topics they could discuss had become much more numerous than before, especially regarding Nine Schools Arts. Yu Sui's innocent and curious questions could all be answered by Gu Qian, and seeing Yu Sui's sudden realization afterward, looking at him with eyes full of worship, the curve of Gu Qian's mouth never went down.
Nights like this, when Yu Sui would actively come find him, made Gu Qian feel his heart was filled, sweeping away the past few days' gloom. Just looking at her made him feel good.
The two didn't sleep all night, spending it all on conversation.
The next morning, the torrential rain gradually stopped, thunder also faded, leaving only the sound of gentle drizzle.
Ji Meng knocked on the door outside calling for Gu Qian. When Gu Qian opened the door, Ji Meng was stunned to see Yu Sui sitting in the room.
"The Princess is here too?" Ji Meng said puzzledly. "When did the Princess arrive?"
Gu Qian: "Didn't she tell you not to call her Princess?"
Ji Meng spread his hands: "I can't call her Sui Sui like you do, right? Using her full name doesn't sound quite right either."
Gu Qian glanced at the yawning Yu Sui and raised his eyebrows at Ji Meng: "That definitely won't work."
Ji Meng rolled his eyes at him and said while walking outside: "The Nine Capital Guard disciples who were patrolling Inverted Hanging Moon Cave that day have been confirmed. Just those three, also the three most suspicious. Perhaps one of them is the person who sent you that Wind-Listening Ruler message."
Gu Qian smiled coldly: "Let's go test them out."
Yu Sui closed the book pages, placed it back on Gu Qian's desk, raised her hand to brush her drooping temple hair behind her ear, and looked toward Gu Qian who was walking away.
……
After dawn, Cang Shu, who had been on duty with Shi Yuezhen at the medical clinic, returned to the dormitory.
He and Shi Yuezhen shared a dormitory, just the two of them. Cang Shu lived on the sixty-ninth floor like Mei Liangyu, separated from Mei Liangyu by just two dormitory rooms.
Before coming to knock on room 1036, Cang Shu deliberately sent a message asking if Mei Liangyu was awake, saying if not, he'd wait until he was conscious before coming.
Mei Liangyu replied that he was awake and told him to come take away all the venomous creatures Wei Ren raised.
Only then did Cang Shu slowly come to the door of room 1036.
Wei Ren happened to be awake too, having just come out of the bedroom door and was drinking water in the main room. His face was still pale and didn't look good. He occasionally covered his mouth to cough, looking tired.
Mei Liangyu got up to open the door. Wei Ren didn't pay attention, just tracked him with his peripheral vision.
"Two Ghost Armored Sky Spiders, five green snakes, seventeen jointless scorpions, a pair of Asura dragonflies, about forty-five Ghost Face mosquitoes," Mei Liangyu stood at the door, calculating with Cang Shu the out-of-control venomous creatures in the room.
Wei Ren heard this and slowly turned his head, looking at the two with eyes full of confused question marks.
Cang Shu slowly surveyed the corners of the room, seeing the green snakes and scorpions huddled in corners due to Mei Liangyu's Five Elements pressure, and slowly nodded.
"All acceptable," Cang Shu looked at the venomous creatures in the corners with loving eyes.
Wei Ren understood. The corner of his eye twitched, and he took a deep breath: "If I'm not mistaken, these are the venomous insects I cultivate with."
"They were yours before today, after today, they're his," Mei Liangyu tilted his head toward Cang Shu.
Wei Ren smiled without humor: "Really? I'd like to see if creatures that acknowledge a master will follow him."
Cang Shu spread his arms, remaining silent, but strange bird sounds resonated in the room, like the clear, pleasant sound of jade stones striking each other, slow and heavy. Though it could be ignored by people, it could precisely transform into Five Elements energy for the venomous creatures to sense.
Like a summons, yet like a threat, the venomous creatures trembled and slowly moved toward Cang Shu.
Wei Ren's face changed slightly, saying in a deep voice: "The academy has rules against seizing others' cultivation materials, right?"
Mei Liangyu yawned: "You didn't follow them yourself, so why expect others to be reasonable with you?"
Wei Ren was somewhat annoyed: "How did I not follow them? I didn't steal his Ghost Armored Sky Spiders!"
Mei Liangyu slightly raised his chin: "Didn't you try to steal Nangong Sui's Breath Soil?"
Wei Ren's teacup was about to shatter in his grip. He gritted his teeth: "I didn't steal it."
Mei Liangyu just smiled lightly, his dark eyes looking at him coldly and indifferently.
Wei Ren could feel the Ghost Armored Sky Spiders in his sleeves also couldn't resist Cang Shu's phoenix bird sound summons. He tried to grab the Ghost Armored Sky Spiders back, but the two red spiders spun silk and flew away.
Noticing Wei Ren was attempting mutual destruction, preferring to crush the Ghost Armored Sky Spiders rather than let them go to Cang Shu, Mei Liangyu flicked his finger toward empty air, and Wei Ren was struck by his Five Elements power, sent flying to crash through the door into the room.
Wei Ren hit the bookshelf inside, covering his shoulder and coughing as he staggered to his feet, grabbing the door frame for support, looking up at Cang Shu who had already obtained the Ghost Armored Sky Spiders.
"With your current First Realm cultivation, you can't control these venomous creatures," Cang Shu said in his mild tone. "If not for Mei Mei's Five Elements energy suppressing them, they would already be scurrying around the dormitory biting people and seeking food."
Wei Ren's brow furrowed tightly, his eyes downcast, his expression dark and unclear.
Cang Shu left with a bunch of venomous creatures: "I'll take care of them for you first. Come find me to get them back when you return to Fifth Realm."
Only after Cang Shu left did Mei Liangyu close the door. Looking back at Wei Ren who was crouched by the door, he looked extremely uncomfortable, his features wrinkled together, fingers tightly gripping his left shoulder, breathing deeply repeatedly.
This person had destroyed his own cultivation, damaging his Five Elements Light Core. He couldn't use Five Elements energy in the short term, but just now he had tried to stop Cang Shu and used it anyway. Now he was in so much pain that his internal organs hurt everywhere, breaking out in cold sweat all over.
Mei Liangyu stared at Wei Ren for a while, watching his extremely painful state, and said casually: "The Agricultural School's supreme treasure, Breath Soil, such an important thing falling into the hands of an Ordinary Practitioner, others would hide and avoid it, but only Qingyang's Nangong family dares announce it to the world."
"These ten-plus years, the Agricultural School disciples who died in Qingyang's imperial capital were numerous. I see that any Agricultural School people with some ability get called to seize the Breath Soil, then without exception all die there."
Wei Ren covered his mouth and coughed twice, looking up at Mei Liangyu with a complex expression, saying hoarsely: "What do you know?"
"I don't need to know anything," Mei Liangyu said indifferently.
Wei Ren looked down at the blood in his palm, his eyes showing some annoyance: "I just had suspicions. I originally thought it was a problem with the Breath Soil, but during the trials, I found she really could use Nine Schools Arts, so I thought it was a problem with Nangong Sui."
"Cough cough... When Lu Haiyu asked about her whereabouts, I wanted to take this opportunity to see whether what the Nangong family was hiding was a problem with the Breath Soil, or a problem with Nangong Sui."
When Wei Ren said this, the memory flashing through his mind was of Yu Sui's conversation with Lu Haiyu when she was bound by the phantom giant python.
Mei Liangyu glanced toward the door behind him. Soon, he heard knocking.
Yu Sui could sense someone was right at the door. She called out gently: "Senior Brother."
Both people in the room heard her.
Wei Ren was covered in sweat, struggling to turn his neck toward the door.
Mei Liangyu turned to open the door, seeing Yu Sui standing outside. She still wore the same clothes as when she left last night, the same makeup and styling. The black outer coat she had forgotten to return last night was now folded and draped over her arm.
Yu Sui smiled at Mei Liangyu with curved eyes: "Senior Brother, I forgot to give this back to you when I left last night. Thank you for lending me your clothes."
Mei Liangyu looked down at her for a moment, finally taking the outer coat Yu Sui handed over and lazily draping it over his shoulder.
"Is Wei Ren here?" Yu Sui asked again. "I'd like to talk with him."
"He is," Mei Liangyu stepped aside, tilting his head toward Wei Ren's direction, indicating for Yu Sui to come in and see.
Yu Sui stepped inside, and in the somewhat dim room, saw Wei Ren crouched against the wall. He was covered in sweat, his brow furrowed in pain, his face pale, looking disheveled as he avoided Yu Sui's scrutiny.