Chapter 57
Yu Sui had originally been waiting for Gu Qian to tell her about being discovered by Mei Liangyu, but who knew that by afternoon there was still no movement. She even tested him several times, but Gu Qian avoided talking about it.
It seemed he wanted to first test Mei Liangyu's attitude.
But Mei Liangyu also didn't mention this matter.
Yu Sui didn't care anymore, letting these two fight it out themselves while she happily took Li Jin Shuang to the Outer City to buy new clothes.
Blackbeard timed his arrival perfectly, waiting outside Taiyi Academy's main gate.
The Academy's main gate was an overall black, heavy high wall with the four characters "Taiyi Academy" on both inside and outside. The black wall was as smooth and lustrous as jade, with very rich colors. At first glance, it only felt gentle and pleasing. It had four wide entrances and exits, totaling over a hundred meters long.
Each entrance connected to roads leading to the Outer City, only each path went in different directions and passed through different scenery.
Every day, many disciples and instructors entered and exited the Academy gates. Many disciples liked to play in the Outer City, or because of cultivation and trials, many people frequently traveled between the Academy and surrounding islands.
Yu Sui waited at the first entrance of the Academy gate, where quite a few people had already gathered. She leaned against the stone wall looking down at her Wind-Listening Ruler. After she sent a message, Li Jin Shuang had obviously gone through an internal struggle, replying much later: "Coming."
But having the determination to change was always good.
She was just afraid Li Jin Shuang would give up and muddle through life according to her grandmother's orders.
What Yu Sui valued was Li Jin Shuang's special sword spirit, one with self-awareness that would argue with its master and actively help its master. Such sword spirits were indeed rare.
Not to mention it possessed very strong power, a strength that Fifth Realm Li Jin Shuang couldn't control or fully utilize.
Worthy of being from a former Military School God of War family, Li Jin Shuang had inherited the family talent completely.
Yu Sui couldn't help thinking of Zhongli Que.
Even though the Zhongli family had been continuously suppressed by generations of Qingyang Emperors, their descendants' talents consistently remained excellent, far surpassing other families.
Originally the Zhongli family was in mortal danger, viewed as a thorn in the side. The previous emperor had planned to completely eliminate them and support new forces, but that year Zhongli Ci appeared.
With talent stronger than any of his ancestors, already called the Military School God of War in his youth, achieving brilliant military accomplishments. The vassal states of Qingyang with ulterior motives wanting to seize power and rebel all feared Zhongli Ci, or the first step of their rebellion plans was how to suppress Zhongli Ci's power.
The previous emperor died with hatred because of this. Under Zhongli Ci's leadership, the Zhongli family came alive again. On the surface it still looked stable and safe, but the current Qingyang Emperor felt the Zhongli family was most dangerous.
Because he couldn't see through the current General Zhongli Ci, even feeling that after experiencing family upheaval and the previous emperor's suppression of the Zhongli family, his heart no longer loyally served the Qingyang royal family, harboring rebellious intentions.
Zhongli Ci's strength also made everyone increasingly cautious about the Zhongli family's children.
If they really let the Zhongli family's women also learn Nine Schools Arts, then this family would truly be completely beyond control, without any weaknesses. At that time, the resentful Zhongli family's first target of rebellion would be the current emperor.
Zhongli Que had complained to Yu Sui that although she wasn't allowed to learn the family's hereditary sword techniques, every time her father taught her older brother, he required her to watch.
The little girl said sadly: "If I'm not allowed to learn, why must I go watch?"
It was from then that Yu Sui felt General Zhongli Ci didn't seem to actually want to restrict his children from learning Nine Schools Arts.
Perhaps Zhongli Ci was using another method to try to teach Zhongli Que the hereditary sword techniques. He believed in his children's talent.
Yu Sui told Zhongli Que to watch carefully, voicing her guess: "Perhaps your father isn't unwilling to let you learn. The sword techniques' incantations, key points, and forms, when he teaches your brother, he's also saying them for you to hear."
Zhongli Que later confirmed that Yu Sui was right.
After her brother went to Taiyi, father had no one to teach and would occasionally practice the sword techniques himself. Zhongli Que would time it perfectly, struggling to hang on walls to secretly watch. Year after year, she was never discovered by father even once.
However, Thirteenth Realm Zhongli Ci with Saint-level strength couldn't possibly have not noticed.
Yu Sui couldn't help but contemplate deeply. Because of Zhongli Ci, the Qingyang Emperor continuously leaned toward Nangong Ming's side. The two had the same goals, both needing to rely on Zhongli Ci to solve the vassal rebellions while also guarding against him breaking through to Saint level. If Zhongli Ci broke through to Saint level, then Nangong Ming facing him wouldn't be as composed as now.
As for Nangong Ming, Yu Sui had an ominous premonition.
Saints, as the strongest combat power on Xuangu Continent, couldn't bypass the "Non-War Pact" to attack other countries, but Thirteenth Realm could.
Perhaps Nangong Ming hadn't broken through to Saint level not because he couldn't, but to be able to move between countries and achieve his purposes.
If Zhongli Ci became a Saint, Nangong Ming would have to break through to continue restraining him.
Currently in the capital, the General's manor was the safest place, because once the Military Formation placed in the General's manor activated, its range would cover the entire Qingyang capital.
Only this Military Formation protecting the Zhongli family, though powerful, would also involve other ordinary people in the capital. If Zhongli Ci really did this, others would have legitimate reasons to kill him.
And the School of Names' Heavenly Mechanism Arts: Asura Eyes could see through Military Formations, it was just a matter of time.
Either kill everyone before the Military Formation was broken, or use that time to evacuate.
This was the Zhongli family's future choice.
Besides Military Formations, the Zhongli family's sword techniques were also restricted by "Asura Eyes," so Zhongli Shan came to Taiyi to find a way to break the Asura Eyes.
Yu Sui believed Zhongli Shan, like her, didn't have much time.
This inexplicably similar situation actually gave her some comfort. She wasn't the only one in the world desperately trying to shake off the threats pursuing her. Such circumstances oddly gave her some consolation.
As another great Military School family, Nanjing Kingdom's Li family also had to consider their escape route.
If Li Jin Shuang listened to her grandmother and sought revenge, given the Li family's current strength with only Li Jin Shuang supporting them, that wouldn't be revenge, but going to die.
Li Jin Shuang should also know this, so all she thought about was protecting the remaining living members of the Li family.
But with her unstable sword spirit, she couldn't even accomplish protection.
Yu Sui saw Li Jin Shuang still hadn't come and started playing with her Wind-Listening Ruler. She told Zhongli Que about taking Li Jin Shuang to the Outer City to buy clothes, but Zhongli Que hadn't replied. Then she remembered that today was Lady Sun's birthday, so Zhongli Que was probably still busy.
When disciples went out and saw Yu Sui, they greeted her. Yu Sui looked up and smiled in response, with several people gathering to chat.
From the corner of her eye, Yu Sui noticed Wei Ren walking toward them from not far away. He had a clear target, walking straight toward Yu Sui, but was stopped by someone midway.
Two disciples blocking Wei Ren were positioned in front and behind him. They didn't look very friendly, more like some kind of coercion.
Wei Ren's expression was bland as he glanced toward Yu Sui standing at the entrance, then followed those two disciples away.
They happened to walk through Yu Sui's entrance, but Wei Ren didn't look at her once or actively speak. Yu Sui hadn't seen the two disciples with Wei Ren before, but felt something was wrong, so she lightly flicked a Five Elements Light Core from her sleeve to follow these three people.
Shortly after Wei Ren left, Li Jin Shuang arrived.
She still looked somewhat conflicted, as if she might flee at any moment. After Yu Sui grabbed her hand and brought her onto the carriage, she told Blackbeard to head to the Outer City at maximum speed to prevent Li Jin Shuang from changing her mind and running away.
In the carriage, Yu Sui earnestly said to Li Jin Shuang: "It's just changing clothes. It's perfectly normal for girls to wear women's clothing. You've worn men's clothing for over ten years, what's wrong with changing back to women's clothing?"
Li Jin Shuang was tongue-tied, not as eloquent as her. When stuck, emotions just built up in her chest, feeling stifled.
Yu Sui continued: "Repeat after me: I am a girl."
Li Jin Shuang looked up at her, and Yu Sui was looking at her seriously too.
"...It's difficult." Li Jin Shuang said in a trembling voice.
Yu Sui said: "Alright, asking you to say this on the first day, you really can't get past that psychological barrier. But whether speaking or writing, you must express your position, express it to yourself."
"Since you can't say it yet, send me a message."
Li Jin Shuang's hand holding the Wind-Listening Ruler was shaking.
Yu Sui gazed at her calmly. Though it was a very easy thing, for her it was incredibly difficult.
There were always such people in the world.
The moment Li Jin Shuang admitted it, she would also be denying her past ten-plus years.
Denying her persistence every year, the suffering every day, the self that urged perseverance and endurance every moment.
Li Jin Shuang lightly tapped the character grid, her distinct-jointed fingers pausing before moving again after a long while.
Outside the carriage window, glowing night lights and sea surfaces flashed by rapidly. The distant clusters of islands all shone with light numerous as stars. Birds flew past the window, their wing-flapping sounds like deliberately teasing little girls, making Li Jin Shuang's heart pound.
Yu Sui received Li Jin Shuang's message: "I am a woman."
She propped one hand on her bent knee against the carriage window, supporting her head as she looked at Li Jin Shuang: "I don't like wearing men's clothing."
Li Jin Shuang pursed her lips, moved her fingers, and slowly sent this message: "I don't like wearing men's clothing."
Yu Sui said: "I am a woman."
Li Jin Shuang began struggling to send the second time: "I am a woman."
Yu Sui: "I can protect the Li family."
Li Jin Shuang's eyelashes trembled lightly as she slowly looked up at her. In a daze, shame and embarrassment faded somewhat, and Li Jin Shuang felt that the gentle, lovely Qingyang Princess was actually quite stern.
She tapped the character grid, calmed her heart, and sent to Yu Sui: "I can protect the Li family."
Yu Sui showed Li Jin Shuang the Wind-Listening Ruler's message interface, smiling: "Remember to send this once every day from now on."
"Until you can say it out loud."
Li Jin Shuang's grandmother had told her for 18 years "you are a man" and "you must become a strong man like your grandfather and father."
But Li Jin Shuang's life was still long. In the countless future periods of 18 years, she only needed to speak and hear the truth.
……
After nightfall, the Outer City remained lively with people coming and going on the streets. Since the island mostly had Nine Schools practitioners but also accommodated a small number of Ordinary Practitioners, all the buildings were strange and wondrous, towering into the clouds. The corridors for people to walk on overlapped in three or four layers, circling high above the Outer City, connecting different places.
Taiyi's vastness was like the seventh kingdom of Xuangu Continent.
Just the Outer City alone was comparable to two Qingyang capitals.
All the rules and order maintenance here were managed by Taiyi's 24 Saints.
Blackbeard led the way in front, bringing the two people up the climbing red corridor to commercial buildings also situated at height.
This entire area was Nangong family property. Although there were countless royal nobles and aristocratic families from various countries, and most students at Taiyi Academy had some background and wealthy families, never lacking money, few could maintain stable businesses in Taiyi's Outer City.
Li Jin Shuang had never gone out to buy clothing. Her clothes were always prepared by others and sent directly to her room.
Not to mention coming to places specifically designed for women's gold and silver jewelry, gorgeous dresses and beautiful skirts. Usually walking on the road, she was afraid to even glance at such places.
Yu Sui effortlessly brought her into the shop. Clothing racks were filled with beautiful dresses Li Jin Shuang didn't dare look at. Her avoidant gaze happened to fall on the table displaying rows of golden hairpins and jade pins, tasseled jade pendants, earrings and flower ornaments, etc., so exquisite they inspired love and possessiveness.
Li Jin Shuang stood in the shop, more at a loss than ever before. No matter where she looked, she saw either gorgeous dresses or exquisite jewelry, and the air carried the soft, elegant fragrance belonging to women.
The attendants skillfully and sweetly recommended different styles of dresses to her.
Yu Sui asked her: "Do you like any of these?"
Li Jin Shuang couldn't answer. She hadn't even dared to look.
Yu Sui sighed, stood on tiptoe to gently cup her face, forcing Li Jin Shuang to look up: "Do you like or dislike these clothes?"
Li Jin Shuang's neck was extremely stiff. She moved her lips and answered quietly: "...Don't dislike them."
"Not disliking is good." Yu Sui smiled and nodded. "Li Jin Shuang, this is just an ordinary, common small matter. If you don't even dare do such small things, don't talk about conquering your sword spirit or protecting your family."
Li Jin Shuang once again felt Yu Sui's sternness.
Though she smiled slightly and spoke softly, that undeniable pressure was directed only at her.
Li Jin Shuang inwardly scolded herself in frustration: You're the one seeking her help, she gave you a solution, so why are you being timid? Besides her, no one else would help you like this.
"Go wash off the makeup on your face, we'll redo it." Yu Sui said.
Li Jin Shuang did as she said, following the attendants to wash and let down her hair. The attendants, following Yu Sui's signals, spoke to Li Jin Shuang in gentle, soft voices. As the deliberately masculinizing makeup was removed and the ink-black long hair was let down, flowing quietly over her shoulders.
The attendants bustled around Li Jin Shuang as Yu Sui said: "Take her to change into this set."
Li Jin Shuang glanced with her peripheral vision at Yu Sui's slender jade finger pointing to a cross-collared light purple dress on the clothing rack. The colors had gradient layers, the fabric looked very soft, the outer garment was covered with embroidered flower branches. Li Jin Shuang didn't know what flowers they were, but felt them elegant and noble, yet also conveying gentleness.
The dress was so beautiful she actually stared at it in a daze for a moment.
Yu Sui smiled with squinted eyes as she watched Li Jin Shuang being led into the changing room by attendants.
Li Jin Shuang said stiffly: "I can do it alone..."
Yu Sui shook her head: "You can't do it alone. After trying on dozens of outfits, I might reluctantly believe you can manage alone."
Li Jin Shuang, who had tried to act tough, fell silent.
The attendants giggled and lowered the curtain to help Li Jin Shuang change clothes.
Yu Sui walked to the table to pick out jewelry for Li Jin Shuang while checking on Wei Ren's situation.
The two disciples who had taken him away didn't seem like they simply disliked Wei Ren and were taking revenge while he had crippled his cultivation. Instead, they seemed to know each other.
More like Agricultural School accomplices.
The two disciples flanking him front and back were clearly forcibly taking Wei Ren away from the Academy.
Through the Five Elements Light Core, Yu Sui saw Wei Ren in a deserted alley so quiet even insect sounds couldn't be heard. Following his two companions' lead, Wei Ren walked toward an unlit small house at the end of the alley.
One companion pushed open the door to pitch darkness inside. Wei Ren went in alone while the two companions closed the door and stood guard outside.
Wei Ren stood in place without continuing forward. His expression was cold, slightly lowered head. The darkness and silence in the room brought wordless oppression, prompting people to imagine many things and thus applying psychological pressure.
Apparently feeling enough time had passed, a low male voice slowly asked: "Tell me, how did Lu Hai Ye die?"