Chapter 56
Yu Sui hadn't expected these two would encounter each other this way.
Gu Qian had come by often before, mostly looking for Xun Zhiya.
When he wanted to find Yu Sui, he had to send messages through Wind-Listening Rulers first, otherwise he might come to the dormitory only to find nothing, because Yu Sui often stayed at the Ghost Way Saint Hall and didn't return to sleep.
Yu Sui had no choice but to check the Five Elements Light Core she had placed in her room to see what was happening there.
At this moment, Gu Qian looked at Mei Liangyu walking out of Yu Sui's room as if no one else existed, his expression darkening slightly as he stared at the food box in Mei Liangyu's hand and demanded: "What did you take from Sui Sui's room?"
Mei Liangyu smiled, his tone light and airy: "Want to know? Go ask my Junior Sister."
He wasn't hiding his troublemaking intent at all right now, his expression malicious.
Yu Sui was sending messages to Gu Qian to explain. She thought that if Gu Qian didn't want to expose being suspected, he'd better hold back now and not fight with Mei Liangyu.
Gu Qian's Wind-Listening Ruler was buzzing, but he had no mind to look at it, still staring at Mei Liangyu.
Mei Liangyu's mocking gaze tinged with slight ridicule made Gu Qian very displeased. What right did he have to show such an expression?
Gu Qian said: "Open it."
He pointed to the food box Mei Liangyu was carrying.
"If you have the ability, come and snatch it." Mei Liangyu ignored him and stepped toward the exit.
Anyone with half a brain would know he couldn't possibly listen to Gu Qian.
Mei Liangyu had just taken one step forward when Gu Qian blocked him. Their Five Elements Energy collided silently. When Gu Qian moved to snatch it and Mei Liangyu lifted it to dodge, Ji Meng shouted: "Hey! Don't fight in their room!"
Seeing them start fighting, Yu Sui had no choice. Gu Qian wouldn't even look at the messages she was sending him.
Wen Yanghui, who had been standing at the door looking down at his Wind-Listening Ruler, only looked up toward the inside when he heard the commotion, and called out when he saw Mei Liangyu: "Brother."
Brother?
Yu Sui blinked in confusion.
Mei Liangyu used his energy to push away Gu Qian who was trying to snatch something, his gaze neither cold nor indifferent as he glanced at Wen Yanghui: "Who's your brother? Don't randomly claim relationships."
Wen Yanghui said to Gu Qian: "Stop fighting."
There was no benefit to fighting Mei Liangyu right now.
After Ji Meng pulled Gu Qian back, he glared at Mei Liangyu unwillingly.
When Mei Liangyu walked to the doorway, he looked at Wen Yanghui standing beside him. Wen Yanghui stood there obediently, like a good child listening to a lecture.
"Did you give them the Demon Sealing Pillar that night?" Mei Liangyu lifted his eyelids to look at him, his tone as casual as if discussing today's weather.
Ji Meng and the others felt their hearts shake upon hearing this, all looking toward Wen Yanghui simultaneously.
Wen Yanghui opened his mouth, disappointment appearing on his face: "You could tell?"
Mei Liangyu turned sideways, his gaze lightly sweeping over the several people in the room: "The numbers roughly match up too, it's just that there are more who know Legalist judgment techniques."
When he finished speaking, Mei Liangyu was looking at Gu Qian and Xun Zhiya. Both were from the Legalist School, but he had fought Xun Zhiya on the martial arts arena during advancement challenges and could confirm it wasn't her.
Plus when the other party saved the Shadow Swallow's master, that embracing posture was obviously a man's.
And there was Gu Qian's Five Elements Energy that had just activated.
Coincidentally, Mei Liangyu was particularly sensitive to others' Five Elements Energy. Theoretically, everyone's Five Elements Energy was the same, but there were always some exceptions or special identification techniques.
Shi Yuezhen's investigation into Medical School's Qian Ying hadn't yielded results yet, but Mei Liangyu had solved the puzzle himself through Wen Yanghui.
That night, the person who used Divine Mechanism Arts to eliminate his Nine Schools Arts was Gu Qian.
Yu Sui, who had already arrived at Ghost Way study hall and taken her seat, touched her nose. She really hadn't expected this development, she had only asked Senior Brother to come get some apricot jam.
Shu Chujun and Ji Meng both tensed up, carefully not letting their surprise show.
Gu Qian calmly positioned Xun Zhiya behind him, blocking Mei Liangyu's scrutinizing gaze. Though shocked that Mei Liangyu had directly pointed this out, his face showed no emotional fluctuation, still looking at Mei Liangyu coldly.
"You've made so many enemies that you've reached the point of suspecting everyone wants to harm you. Isn't that thinking too highly of yourself?" Gu Qian mocked coldly.
Mei Liangyu completely ignored his words, that handsome and aloof face showing some amusement, with a contemptuous look like someone looking down at ants from above, making Gu Qian clench his fists.
"The same words back to you." Mei Liangyu said softly and slowly, "Thinking that blocking your judgment technique once meant wanting to harm you, so you joined forces with Wei Kun, believing four against one would be foolproof. Isn't that thinking too highly of yourself?"
He didn't reveal the Divine Mechanism Arts matter though.
Mei Liangyu glanced at Wen Yanghui as he left, but said nothing.
Gu Qian watched Mei Liangyu leave, frowning deeply, thinking as expected, he and Mei Liangyu were destined to be unable to coexist peacefully.
Ji Meng pulled Wen Yanghui into the main room and closed the door, asking him: "How could he tell about the Demon Sealing Pillar? Can he also tell who made it?"
This challenged his understanding of mechanism techniques too much.
"Others might not be able to, but he definitely can." Wen Yanghui sighed, "His mechanism techniques talent is even better than you imagine. If everyone didn't know he was brought back to Taiyi by Saint Chang Gen, people would guess he's an illegitimate son from one of the four great mechanism families."
Shu Chujun glared at them: "Since you knew his mechanism techniques talent was good, why did you still use a Demon Sealing Pillar you made yourself? Isn't that deliberately giving him clues?"
"Using other Demon Sealing Pillars would be easier to trace, they all have mechanism serial numbers." Wen Yanghui retorted, "Mine doesn't have any."
"What do we do now? Gu Qian is exposed, Mei Liangyu will definitely retaliate viciously afterward." Shu Chujun looked at Gu Qian, finding him walking straight toward Yu Sui's room.
Gu Qian circled around Yu Sui's room but didn't notice anything wrong. His brow furrowed when his gaze fell on several jars of apricot wine on the table, as he didn't know when his little childhood friend had started drinking.
Xun Zhiya stood at the doorway, frowning as she looked at Gu Qian with some concern: "You need to be more careful in your actions from now on."
"I know." Gu Qian closed the door for Yu Sui, thinking deeply, "The Dragon Slaying Cave challenge is coming up soon too. Next time before entering the Inverted Moon Cave, I'll be careful."
But Ji Meng said to Gu Qian: "Now we've completely fallen out with Mei Liangyu, but what about the Princess? She's Saint Chang Gen's disciple like Mei Liangyu, and often stays at the Ghost Way Saint Hall instead of returning to the dormitory. Her private contact with Mei Liangyu is definitely more than we imagine. Mei Liangyu can even come to her room to take things, their relationship is better than we thought."
He hesitated, then probed: "Going forward, wouldn't it be inconvenient to let the Princess know about our affairs?"
Hearing this, Yu Sui couldn't help but smile silently.
Only now they think of her? And they think her relationship with Mei Liangyu is quite good.
Thinking about it carefully, the relationship really wasn't bad.
"I never wanted her to know about these complicated matters." Gu Qian said grimly, "I'm just afraid that if she becomes close to Mei Liangyu, she might be used by him instead."
"As long as she's still Saint Chang Gen's disciple, she can't completely separate her relationship with Mei Liangyu." Wen Yanghui's mind worked much faster after waking up than when he was half-asleep, "On the contrary, as long as Nangong Sui is still Saint Chang Gen's disciple, Mei Liangyu won't make a move against her."
Wen Yanghui looked at Gu Qian: "This is actually a point we can effectively utilize."
After hearing this, Gu Qian frowned in thought but didn't give a direct answer, instead saying: "Let's focus on recovering from injuries for now, wait for the second trip to the Inverted Moon Cave. Mei Liangyu needs to recover too, so we won't have major troubles in the short term."
……
Yu Sui had no need to expose Gu Qian's targeting of Mei Liangyu, and didn't plan to do so, because Senior Brother and his friends could find the person themselves. Finding the person was just a matter of time.
Not to mention she didn't even know about the relationship between Mei Liangyu and Wen Yanghui.
The Demon Sealing Pillar was made by Wen Yanghui and recognized by Mei Liangyu. Who could have expected such a thing? Wen Yanghui himself hadn't expected it.
As for Gu Qian's final response, it seemed that if possible and necessary, he would also use her brotherly relationship with Mei Liangyu.
It seemed that after two years apart, they had both grown.
Grown more rational and calm, and more ruthless.
Yu Sui didn't think there was anything wrong with this. They had been using each other from the beginning anyway. It just depended on what Gu Qian wanted to do and whether she would cooperate.
When Gu Qian saw Yu Sui's message explaining that Mei Liangyu had come to get the apricot cakes she made, he couldn't help remembering what Ji Meng and Wen Yanghui had said, indirectly confirming that these two really had a good relationship.
In just over two months, why could Sui Sui have such a good relationship with Mei Liangyu? I've never even eaten apricot cakes she made, and didn't even know she could cook!
Could she have learned during these two years?
Gu Qian hadn't returned to Qingyang for over two years, always staying at Taiyi Academy. He had many memories with Yu Sui, but undeniably, all their memories stopped two years ago, stopping on that night when he left the capital to go to Taiyi.
That night the moon shone high, fireflies rose and fell along both sides of the road, their light dispelling the night mist. When the young man looked back, the girl standing in place gazed at him with slightly stunned eyes, her bright black and white almond eyes holding shimmering tears. Seeing him look back, the girl smiled with curved eyes and waved goodbye.
Gu Qian felt he would never forget that scene in his lifetime.
But he always remembered those beautiful memories vividly, yet forgot the bad things that happened to the girl. He wanted too much, walking determinedly forward, and because he couldn't bring Yu Sui along, he prayed in his heart that she would stay in place and wait.
She would wait.
And he wouldn't forget either.
Gu Qian stared at his Wind-Listening Ruler in a daze. After coming back to his senses, he still felt uncomfortable and asked Yu Sui: "When did you learn to make apricot cakes?"
Clearly compared to Mei Liangyu, he was the one with the best and closest relationship to Yu Sui. Why didn't he know, while Mei Liangyu could directly come to her room and take things away?
The more Gu Qian thought about it, the more he regretted it. He should have stopped Mei Liangyu and snatched back the food box. Since he had already guessed, falling out completely would be falling out completely, it would actually make things easier.
"I learned last year." Yu Sui replied, "Those were apricots picked from the Saint Hall, said to be planted by Master when he was still alive. It's an old apricot tree. Senior Brother picks apricots to eat every year. When he wasn't there this year, I was practicing Five Elements Energy and accidentally picked them all clean. I was afraid Senior Brother would be angry when he returned and couldn't eat apricots, so I made the picked apricots into other things."
Seeing Yu Sui's patient and detailed reply, Gu Qian felt much comforted and his stuffiness dissipated considerably.
But he was still quite indignant, telling Yu Sui directly: "I want to eat some too."
Yu Sui replied: "Sure, I've been pretty busy recently with lots of classes. When I have free time I'll make some for Brother Gu. By the way, Brother Gu, how are your injuries healing? Senior Brother probably doesn't know yet that you were the one cooperating with Wei Kun. Brother Gu, you must not get into conflict with Senior Brother again."
Gu Qian thought it was too late, not only had they conflicted, but he'd been discovered.
He wanted to reply but suddenly paused, wanting to see whether Mei Liangyu would tell Yu Sui or not.
If Mei Liangyu didn't say anything, then he truly doted on Sui Sui as his Junior Sister and didn't want her involved in these matters.
On the matter of Yu Sui being likeable, Gu Qian shared the same view as Zhongli Que, believing that no one wouldn't like Yu Sui.
Gu Qian's gaze turned cold as he decided not to tell Yu Sui first, waiting to see Mei Liangyu's reaction.
……
Mei Liangyu really didn't say anything.
After taking the items, the messages Mei Liangyu sent Yu Sui were all asking about the apricot jam and apricot cakes.
Yu Sui asked him: "Senior Brother, Brother Gu didn't argue or fight with you, did he?"
Mei Liangyu lazily replied: "He can't out-argue or out-fight me."
After replying, he suddenly thought that if Gu Qian was feeling frustrated, he might go confide in Yu Sui and end up having Junior Sister comfort him.
Just thinking about it made Mei Liangyu feel disgusted and nauseated.
He tapped the character grid lightly with his finger, typed a paragraph, then felt it wasn't appropriate. What was he saying this for? So he deleted it.
At noon, Xing Chun and the others called Mei Liangyu to the dining hall for lunch. Only then at the dinner table did they learn that Gu Qian was the one who had cooperated with Wei Kun.
"Not surprising." Cang Shu said mildly, "Qian Ying has a very good relationship with Gu Qian. Last time during Hundred Schools Night March, she even lectured Sheng Hao, who has a bad relationship with Gu Qian, in front of so many people. She doesn't easily treat others, but if it's Gu Qian, Qian Ying will help unconditionally."
Mei Liangyu's neck and hands still had white medicinal cloth attached. As he reached with chopsticks to pick up food, he said to Zhongli Shan: "He's also trying to find ways to get you expelled from the Academy because of Nangong Ming's orders."
Zhongli Shan wasn't surprised to hear this, just frowning slightly with some confusion as he looked back: "Nangong family orders, how do you know?"
"Saw it by accident." Mei Liangyu said.
Zhongli Shan asked: "From Nangong Sui?"
Mei Liangyu glanced at him, indicating you know what you need to know, what's the point of asking.
"Wait, if I remember correctly, Nangong Ming is Nangong Sui's father. Why is Gu Qian carrying out his orders?" Xing Chun asked his companions in confusion, "Is Gu Qian a subordinate of the Nangong family?"
"Much better treatment than a subordinate." Zhongli Shan said, "Su Feng and I both thought Gu Qian was Nangong Ming's illegitimate son when we were young."
Xing Chun, who had been focusing on eating, gasped in shock: "Then wouldn't he and Nangong Sui be half-siblings with the same father? That's not allowed!"
Zhongli Shan: "......It was just a guess."
Xing Chun tried another line of thinking: "Then isn't this a child husband raised for Nangong Sui, to assist her in managing the manor in the future?"
Zhongli Shan was convinced by him and actually felt there was some truth to this.
Mei Liangyu felt his Junior Sister was more like the one who would assist Gu Qian in managing the manor, otherwise she wouldn't have come to Taiyi to save Gu Qian.
The Academy also had many Ordinary Practitioners, all children of noble families from various countries, whose family elders hoped they could come out to see the world and build connections. Even if they couldn't cultivate Nine Schools Arts, they could at least "understand" Nine Schools Arts.
The dignified future princess of Qingyang manor came to Taiyi to study because of saving someone, indicating that Junior Sister's family never planned to make her excellent enough to inherit the manor from the beginning.
Mei Liangyu unconsciously thought more deeply, but only let his mind wander and stopped himself from continuing to think about such problems in time.
"In a few days Dragon Slaying Cave will open, we'll go to Dragon Head Ye Pool to compete for Heavenly Mechanism Arts and help you find a way to break the Asura Eyes." Mei Liangyu said, "Since Gu Qian wants to break through the Inverted Moon Cave, he won't give up this Dragon Slaying Cave challenge opened by the Legalist School. Maybe if he focuses on the Inverted Moon Cave, he won't have energy to cause you trouble."
Zhongli Shan nodded: "Good."
Xing Chun asked Cang Shu: "Is Yuezhen coming to this Dragon Slaying Cave challenge?"
Cang Shu said: "She should come."
Xing Chun turned to ask Mei Liangyu: "What about your Junior Sister?"
Mei Liangyu said without changing expression: "Didn't ask, don't know."
Xing Chun asked again: "Gu Qian wouldn't be low enough to use your Junior Sister against you, would he?"
Mei Liangyu said lazily: "I wouldn't be low enough to be attacked by such tactics either, would I?"
"That's true, but it's always good to be careful. You won't have fully recovered by the time Dragon Slaying Cave opens." Xing Chun buried his head to eat a couple bites then added, "And your Junior Sister is caught between you two, which is quite difficult. Helping either side or not helping either side, someone will criticize her."
Mei Liangyu frowned slightly: "Who would criticize her?"
"If she helps you, Gu Qian's side will definitely think she's doing wrong." Xing Chun lifted his chin slightly, gesturing with his eyes, "If she helps Gu Qian, I'll definitely think she's failing you as her Senior Brother."
Mei Liangyu looked away expressionlessly: "My expectations for my Junior Sister aren't that high. She can help whoever she wants, as long as she's happy."
Xing Chun nodded, breathing a sigh of relief: "Oh, that's good. Then when she helps Gu Qian, I won't have to worry either. After all, criticizing your Junior Sister goes against my conscience too."
After they finished talking, they looked up at Zhongli Shan as if asking what he would do.
Being stared at by both, Zhongli Shan put down his bowl and chopsticks, sat up straight, and answered: "My sister likes her very much, so as long as Nangong Sui is happy."