Chapter 66
This battle in the Military Formation was extremely draining. Xue Mushi looked listless, and though he always appeared spiritless, he was visibly exhausted now.
Though Li Jin Shuang didn't show it too obviously, fatigue could be seen around her eyes and brows.
Both planned to return to the dormitory to rest. Yu Sui bid farewell to them before heading to the Ghost Way Saint Hall.
It was now early summer, with green grass covering the ground outside the Saint Hall. What had previously been barely recognizable as a path was now covered with flowers and grass. Surrounded by tranquil green fields, trees and ground glistened with crystal morning dew. Except for the flying birds and walking creatures in the forest, no one would touch that cool dew.
Every time Yu Sui came to the Ghost Way Saint Hall, she felt it was like a place separated from the world.
Quiet, peaceful, with clear mountains and distant green waters, it was a resting place for many souls.
Except for Saint Chang Gen's two disciples who often came to disturb, it was very quiet.
Yu Sui thought she had come early enough, but after climbing the steps, she saw the main hall door open wide. Senior Brother was curled in a rocking chair, draped in a black wide robe, both hands extending from beneath the clothing to operate his Wind-Listening Ruler. While staring intently, he also frowned slightly, telling Saint Chang Gen: "I also attended Teacher Ruan's class. There's nothing I need to ask you. Teacher Ruan taught very well, and I'm not an idiot, I could understand everything. Master, you should ask if Junior Sister can understand. Oh, she didn't even attend Teacher Ruan's class... She's already at Soul Control third level, so she can attend Teacher Ruan's class now, right?"
Before Saint Chang Gen could answer, Mei Liangyu sensed someone approaching from outside. Looking up and seeing Yu Sui coming against the morning light, he squinted slightly, then looked back at the Wind-Listening Ruler in his hand, saying lazily: "Our diligent little Junior Sister who stayed up all night studying hard is rushing here bright and early to seek Master's guidance."
Yu Sui stopped at the doorway, asking softly: "Senior Brother, how did you know?"
Mei Liangyu didn't look up: "Lucky guess."
Though he said it was a guess, it was based on traces of combat on Yu Sui. She had mentioned before that she couldn't sleep well, and she often practiced at the Saint Hall until dawn.
Yu Sui praised: "Senior Brother is amazing."
Mei Liangyu glanced at her briefly, finding her earnest praise somewhat amusing.
"Senior Brother didn't leave the Saint Hall last night?" Yu Sui walked in and asked.
Mei Liangyu hummed, shrinking further into his coat, lifting his chin slightly toward Yu Sui: "The wind's cold, close the door."
Yu Sui turned back to close the main hall door, but when she looked back at Mei Liangyu, she was somewhat puzzled. Those clear black and white eyes seemed to silently ask, when did Senior Brother become weak enough to fear the morning chill?
Mei Liangyu caught her meaning and added with a neutral tone: "Your Senior Brother is still a patient."
Yu Sui looked at the white medicinal cloth on his neck and hands that hadn't been removed, thinking that was true.
Her thoughts interrupted by Mei Liangyu, she wasn't in a rush to ask Saint Chang Gen about cultivation matters. After greeting Master, she asked Mei Liangyu: "Senior Brother, your hand was injured so severely, deep enough to see bone. When will it heal?"
"In a while," Mei Liangyu said carelessly.
Yu Sui asked: "Will it grow back the same as before?"
Mei Liangyu tilted his head to look at her: "It might grow with all five fingers the same length."
Yu Sui's eyes widened slightly, as if she really believed it.
Mei Liangyu couldn't help but curve his lips. Though he knew Yu Sui was pretending, he was still amused by her reaction.
"Come here," Mei Liangyu said.
Yu Sui obediently walked to the rocking chair, then heard Senior Brother say: "Come closer, lower your head."
Too lazy to get up, he directed Yu Sui to come over.
Yu Sui was confused but complied anyway.
She stood beside the rocking chair, bending over with her head lowered. Her long hair draped over her shoulders fell down, creating small curls on Mei Liangyu's black coat. His hand holding the Wind-Listening Ruler lifted to remove a golden hairpin from Yu Sui's hair.
Mei Liangyu held the damaged hairpin before Yu Sui's eyes, asking: "Where did you fight all night to have someone's sword technique cut your hairpin in half?"
Yu Sui straightened up, looking at the hairpin in Mei Liangyu's hand in surprise. The jade pearl red lotus ornament on the hairpin had been severed in half. She reached out to take it, saying distressedly: "Last night I practiced Nine Schools Arts in a Military Formation. I didn't expect to break it inside."
Mei Liangyu asked: "What Realm Military Formation?"
"Fifth Realm." Yu Sui held up her hand to show the number. "With Li Jin Shuang."
Mei Liangyu said: "You practiced in the Military Formation all night?"
"Yes!" Yu Sui nodded, then turned to look at the portrait. "I came to ask Master, as long as something is alive, it possesses its own Life Symbol, and we Ghost Way practitioners find the talisman's existence within it, rather than bestowing 'talismans' upon others, right?"
Saint Chang Gen answered: "Your understanding is correct."
Yu Sui asked again: "Master, if First Realm me saw through a Thirteenth Realm being's Life Symbol, could I directly destroy their Life Symbol and drain their life force?"
Mei Liangyu understood her meaning and just smiled silently without interrupting.
"Theoretically possible, but Thirteenth Realm won't just stand there and take a beating," Saint Chang Gen said. "Ghost Way School's Life and Death Symbol talismans can kill with one strike, but others will also defend and obstruct. The greater the realm difference, the harder it is to grasp another's Life Symbol."
Ghost Way School's Life Symbols were among the more powerful Nine Schools Arts.
But whether they could take effect depended on the strength of the practitioner using the Nine Schools Arts.
After hearing this, Yu Sui thought: Master, when you destroyed Ji Shuyan's Life Symbol, it seemed quite easy, giving him no chance to defend or obstruct.
Ji Shuyan was at least a Twelfth Realm master, but in that instant when Saint Chang Gen acted, Ji Shuyan was like an Ordinary Practitioner who knew nothing.
She didn't know whether to say Master was too strong, or the gap between Saints and other realms was too vast.
But there weren't many Ghost Way School Saints on the entire Xuangu Continent who could achieve physical dissolution while maintaining consciousness. It should be that Master was too strong.
Learning that Yu Sui would also participate in the Dragon Slaying Cave challenge, Saint Chang Gen encouraged her: "Dragon Slaying Cave is full of mechanisms, creates its own world, with Five Elements energy cycling endlessly, incorporating techniques from all schools. It's an excellent trial location."
"Don't be too fixated on the dragon head Ye Pool. That's just the academy's public information. There are many other places worth exploring in Dragon Slaying Cave."
Only then did Mei Liangyu speak: "Master, why don't you point us in the right direction?"
Saint Chang Gen: "You must explore on your own."
Using connections wouldn't work.
Yu Sui nodded, accepting obediently: "I understand. I'll try to stay in Dragon Slaying Cave as long as possible."
Mei Liangyu glanced at her without speaking.
Since Senior Brother was also there, Yu Sui didn't ask about Divine Mechanism Arts. After relaxing, drowsiness hit her. Yu Sui yawned several times while chatting with her master, and eventually fell asleep at the desk.
Seeing Yu Sui asleep, Mei Liangyu stopped talking. He hadn't rested last night either, chatting with Master about various things. Now he also curled up in his chair for a brief nap.
He wasn't busy with anything these past few days while injured anyway.
Saint Chang Gen remained quietly, not disturbing his two disciples' rest.
Though he felt it wasn't quite appropriate for these two to sleep in the Saint Hall, before the resting graves of Ghost Way School's predecessors, his disciples seemed to have gotten used to it.
Yu Sui woke first, as she still had to attend classes. When time was up, she drowsily awoke, said something to Master, saw Mei Liangyu still sleeping, and quietly left.
When Mei Liangyu woke, it was already afternoon. He yawned lazily, his Wind-Listening Ruler buzzing as Xing Chun asked him several times about food.
"Food."
He happened to be hungry too.
Mei Liangyu blinked, gradually becoming alert. After fully waking, he pushed off the outer coat and rose from the rocking chair, putting on his clothes properly.
He glanced at the empty desk, asking Saint Chang Gen: "When did Junior Sister wake up?"
"She woke half an hour after falling asleep," Saint Chang Gen answered.
Mei Liangyu thought to himself that she could really endure hardship.
Yu Sui had external studies at School of Names and Medical School today. At School of Names she encountered Gu Qian, who looked very busy. He hurriedly greeted her before leaving.
Her secondary Wind-Listening Ruler kept receiving messages from Gu Qian, but Yu Sui ignored them. She was busy with cultivation and didn't want to deal with Pagoda matters.
Gu Qian tried both soft and hard approaches, using threats and bribes, but Yu Sui didn't even look.
After sunset, Yu Sui returned to the Saint Hall to discuss Divine Mechanism Arts with Master.
Mei Liangyu, arriving a step behind her at the Saint Hall, was thus blocked outside by Master again.
Mei Liangyu: "......"
To Yu Sui's question about needing to cultivate to Soul Control third level before using Divine Mechanism Arts, Saint Chang Gen answered: "Not every Ghost Way School disciple knows Divine Mechanism Arts. Rather, you who possess Divine Mechanism Arts happen to be a Ghost Way School disciple."
"Divine Mechanism Arts usage sometimes varies according to the master's differences." Saint Chang Gen told her, "Divine Mechanism Arts are innate mystical abilities, unlike Nine Schools Arts or Heavenly Mechanism Arts that can be acquired through learning and cultivation. Though the world has records of Divine Mechanism Arts' power, that's only the tip of the iceberg."
Yu Sui couldn't help but think of her first meeting with Gu Qian.
When he first arrived, he was rebellious, wanting to leave the royal residence. The moment he stepped out, he was caught and brought back by the residence's people. Gu Qian had also lived at the royal residence for a while. Lady Su treated his injuries and cared for him, and Nangong Ming often visited him.
Both Nangong Ming and Lady Su would teach Gu Qian cultivation.
Perhaps from then, Nangong Ming was already trying to help Gu Qian learn to control his Divine Mechanism Arts.
Yu Sui sighed softly: "I used to think Master also had Divine Mechanism Arts, since Master is so powerful."
Saint Chang Gen said: "The strong don't necessarily possess special mystical abilities."
Yu Sui said: "But possessing special mystical abilities makes one strong."
Saint Chang Gen: "......"
She rolled her eyes and added: "I'm not yet."
Saint Chang Gen said: "You will be."
Yu Sui smiled with curved eyes.
Appropriate encouragement and recognition could indeed make one feel joyful and full of courage.
Yu Sui sat at the table, supporting her face with both hands while looking at the portrait: "Master, I have a friend. Her realm is very low, also First Realm like me, but she can open Military Formations through star charts that far exceed her realm."
"Why is this?"
Saint Chang Gen: "Under normal circumstances, the comprehensive strength tested by star charts is reduced in difficulty, so new academy disciples are all called to the Yin-Yang School's Yin-Yang Five Elements Field to open star chart trials. The comprehensive strength is then reduced by half in difficulty, so situations where they can't complete it won't occur."
Yu Sui almost doubted her ears. What did he mean by taking comprehensive strength and reducing it by half in difficulty?
Those were all special-grade Military Formations.
Or was the Military Formation's power being reduced?
Saint Chang Gen: "If opening Military Formations beyond one's realm through star charts, that means your comprehensive strength is very high."
Yu Sui: "......"
Master directly said "your."
Yu Sui gently touched her nose, following his words to ask: "But star charts open dead formations without master control. Would Military Formation power also change according to the opener's strength?"
Saint Chang Gen: "Yes."
Yu Sui gestured: "Not changes in Military Formation level, but changes in power within the Military Formation."
Saint Chang Gen said: "Yes."
Yu Sui was stunned: "But I... this friend has always been First Realm."
Saint Chang Gen: "Taking comprehensive strength means other powers within your body are changing and strengthening."
Yu Sui paused: "Master, it's my friend."
Saint Chang Gen: "Your friend has other powers changing within their body."
Yu Sui supported her face with one hand, thinking.
It couldn't be Breath Soil, because Master had helped seal Breath Soil's power.
Divine Mechanism Heavenly Eye was indeed changing for her, gradually becoming familiar, with increasing abilities she could master.
Though Yu Sui didn't want to admit it, the greatest power source in Asura Hell seemed to come from Strange Fire.
She remembered the final scene last night in Asura Hell, Strange Fire materializing her appearance, reaching out to her, inviting her to use that world-destroying power.
She wondered if others' Strange Fire would do the same.
Yu Sui was lost in thought.
After Yu Sui stopped discussing Divine Mechanism Arts, Saint Chang Gen let his eldest disciple in.
Mei Liangyu walked up the steps aggressively, ready to ask why these master and disciple had blocked him outside again, but saw Yu Sui coming out of the main hall, calling "Senior Brother" in a clear voice, saying let's spar.
This familiar scene.
Same twilight, same being shut out, same voice calling him Senior Brother, smiling with curved eyes as she invited.
Same as before, Mei Liangyu agreed.
"Extra charge," he said.
Yu Sui nodded: "Okay."
Paid sparring was acceptable.
"Senior Brother, I'll use Life Symbols on you, so watch carefully and defend and stop me," Yu Sui said.
Mei Liangyu fell silent. Seeing Yu Sui wasn't joking, he asked slowly: "Are you sparring with me or trying to kill me?"
Yu Sui shook her head: "How could that be? Senior Brother is so capable, you definitely won't let me destroy your Life Symbol. I just want to see what methods others use to resist, because Senior Brother knows many schools' Nine Schools Arts."
She spoke reasonably with a serious expression, as if truly sparring rather than wanting Mei Liangyu dead.
Mei Liangyu smiled without warmth: "Is there a possibility that my defense fails, Junior Sister successfully destroys my Life Symbol, drains my life force, and turns me into an ugly human skin talisman?"
"Impossible." Yu Sui immediately denied. "Senior Brother, you're very capable, much more capable than me. This situation could never occur."
Though being praised by Junior Sister for being capable, and so firmly, was sincere truth, Mei Liangyu felt something was off.
Yu Sui thought and added: "Besides, Master is watching. Even if Senior Brother gets distracted and can't defend in time, Master would stop it."
Mei Liangyu said: "You've thought everything through, just wanting me dead, right?"
Yu Sui: "......"
Mei Liangyu stopped teasing her, golden Five Elements energy igniting around him for protection, waiting for Yu Sui's attack.
Yu Sui indeed chose Mei Liangyu because he knew multiple schools' Nine Schools Arts. Sparring with Senior Brother was equivalent to sparring with disciples from other schools, very useful.
Junior Sister was no longer the novice who only knew Wind-Riding Techniques. This time Mei Liangyu was somewhat serious. Each time Yu Sui tried to destroy his Life Symbol, he blocked her with different methods, sometimes closing distance to suppress with physical techniques, sometimes creating distance to repel her with various schools' different Nine Schools Arts.
When Mei Liangyu used Nine Schools Arts Yu Sui hadn't seen, Saint Chang Gen would timely explain for her.
Master wouldn't interfere with their sparring but would become a qualified commentator.
Yu Sui moved her neck, finding this teaching method quite suitable for her.
Seeing the Hai hour arrive, Yu Sui made a pause gesture to Mei Liangyu, slightly bending at the waist to wipe sweat, gasping: "Senior Brother, let's continue tomorrow. I need to go break through Military Formations."
Mei Liangyu withdrew the surrounding Five Elements energy, walking before her and looking down. Junior Sister was really working desperately hard.
He didn't stop her, watching Yu Sui leave the Saint Hall.
……
Yu Sui still went with Li Jin Shuang and Xue Mushi to break through Military Formations at night.
She wanted to test Heavenly Eye's power and usage. Even if Strange Fire tempted her, she'd pretend not to see or hear it.
As time drew closer, discussions about Dragon Slaying Cave increased.
Yu Sui also asked Li Jin Shuang and Xue Mushi about their plans.
Xue Mushi scratched his head: "Last time at the Yin-Yang Five Elements Field trial, I didn't call Jiayue and she was very angry, so this time for Dragon Slaying Cave she demands I go with her."
Yu Sui asked Li Jin Shuang: "What about you?"
Li Jin Shuang's expression showed momentary hesitation, not quite daring to look at Yu Sui, saying quietly: "The Saint Maiden said if needed, I should accompany her."
Yu Sui supported her face thoughtfully.
Li Jin Shuang going with Xun Zhiya meant taking the dragon belly route.
Since Xun Zhiya would definitely cooperate with Gu Qian, and they wanted to go to Inverted Moon Cave, the dragon belly entrance was closest.
Everyone had their choices. Yu Sui wasn't surprised.
After attending classes during the day, she returned to the Saint Hall at sunset to wait for Senior Brother to spar. During this time, her Wind-Listening Ruler detected the "Strange Fire" keyword multiple times, again that School of Names disciple complaining about the School of Names trial, saying Strange Fire had burned the stones in Xiaoyao Pool.
Yu Sui passed time by reading Yan Xiaochuan's mutterings.
Xuangu Continent's approach to Strange Fire information was suppression. Even when finding someone carrying Strange Fire, they only announced it publicly when hunting and killing them. After killing the World Destroyer, they would comprehensively suppress related information, claiming it was to avoid public panic.
People only needed to know that a World Destroyer appeared, but it was fine because they would definitely die.
This was indeed true. After each World Destroyer's identity was exposed, they wouldn't live long before being killed by everyone.
Xuangu Continent wouldn't be destroyed by Strange Fire, because all Nine Schools Arts practitioners from the Six Kingdoms would prevent it. They would spare no effort to protect this continent.
Yan Xiaochuan knowing about Strange Fire and using it to joke about trials was understandable. The Six Kingdoms' propaganda about Strange Fire was: it's terrifying, but will definitely be eliminated, so people could be vigilant but didn't need to be too afraid.
Only those carrying Strange Fire needed to fear and worry about their death date.
Yu Sui put away her Wind-Listening Ruler when Mei Liangyu arrived.
Today they didn't spar with Life Symbols but switched to "curses" among Ghost Way School talismans.
Saint Chang Gen said: "'Symbols' already exist and need to be seen through and destroyed. 'Curses' are materialized creations of your own. Ghost Way School's 'Soul Fixing' can also fix others, twisting or controlling others' Five Elements energy."
It sounded very advanced.
When sparring with Mei Liangyu, Yu Sui experienced firsthand what it meant to have one's Five Elements energy controlled and twisted by another.
The instant Mei Liangyu formed hand seals, black curse patterns flashed at his fingertips, withdrawing Yu Sui's Five Elements energy maintaining Wind-Riding Techniques, nearly making her fall from the air. Fortunately, he withdrew the curse quickly and Yu Sui reacted fast, stumbling as she landed, looking up at Mei Liangyu in surprise.
"Senior Brother," Yu Sui called softly.
Mei Liangyu looked at her with one eye open, one closed: "I can't teach you this. What I just used was Ghost Way School's Heavenly Mechanism Art, Reverse Kun Curse."
"But there is a curse technique you can learn fastest and that would be most useful." Mei Liangyu walked toward Yu Sui under the apricot tree, saying as he walked: "Curse seal Qian Fixed, directly freezing others' Five Elements energy. Whether simple protection or materialized Nine Schools Arts, both can be frozen for a brief time."
This meant during those brief two moments, your opponent couldn't use Five Elements energy, becoming an Ordinary Practitioner.
Yu Sui had an epiphany. Under Master's explanation, she learned Ghost Way School curse techniques were quite similar to Eight Trigrams Life Arts, except curse techniques required recognizing "curse seals."
She looked at the ghostly scribbles Senior Brother and Master wrote on paper in silence, as if reading hieroglyphics.
It seemed she still had a long way to go in cultivation.
Master first taught her to recognize Qian Fixed curse seals. After studying for two days, Yu Sui felt somewhat confident. When forming seals, she gathered her Five Elements energy into the curse seal's shape, black curse patterns flashing at her fingertips.
Mei Liangyu watched her intently.
Yu Sui said seriously: "Qian Fixed."
She looked up at Mei Liangyu. Senior Brother should be unable to move now, right?
Mei Liangyu touched her forehead with his finger: "Fix what?"
Yu Sui: "......"
"Fix Five Elements energy, not freeze me in place," Mei Liangyu's fingertip gently touched her smooth forehead.
Yu Sui blinked in confusion: "Oh."
In the two days before Dragon Slaying Cave, Yu Sui kept studying the curse seals Master wrote for her, including not just Qian Fixed curse technique, but others too.
By the day Dragon Slaying Cave opened, Yu Sui had barely mastered Qian Fixed curse technique.
When morning had just dawned, Taiyi Academy disciples heard a low, slow dragon roar echoing across the entire academy, like a sigh of rebirth, stirring wind, rain, thunder, and lightning between heaven and earth in celebration.
Daytime thunder, howling wind and rain.
Morning divided new from old, yesterday gone, new day arriving. The "Dragon Slaying Cave" challenge began from this moment.
The most dedicated disciples had long guarded the School of Names entrance, looking up at the golden dragon body appearing in the shifting morning light. Its body was massive, endless to the eye, with sharp claws and dense dragon scales faintly reflecting light. Disciples standing on the ground felt it covered the entire world.
The golden dragon appeared and disappeared, slowly moving its body, seeming like a living creature rather than a mechanism transformed by Nine Schools Arts practitioners.
All those responsible for patrolling and maintaining trial rules were Thirteenth Realm instructors.
The three open entrances were dragon belly, dragon claws, and dragon tail.
Though dragon belly was closest, it was still the dragon's belly. It looked considerably ahead of the other two, but looking at the endless golden dragon, the distance to the dragon head was incalculable.
Mei Liangyu and Zhongli Shan were among the first batch of disciples to enter through dragon belly.
As soon as day broke, hundreds of Class A disciples had already entered.
A Technical Arts School disciple called to a yellow-clothed woman standing under a tree: "Su Tong! Coming together?"
"No thanks." Su Tong shook her head, looking toward the dragon tail direction, waving goodbye to them. "I made plans with someone. You go ahead."
Su Tong walked toward the dragon tail entrance, where many Class C and D disciples had gathered, mostly new faces, basically all new disciples this year who had no one to lead them.
She remembered yesterday's conversation with Mei Liangyu:
"I'll help Little Shan get to Ye Pool for Heavenly Mechanism Art. You help me watch my Junior Sister. As long as she doesn't get eliminated within half a month, I can come back and take her to Ye Pool."
In Dragon Slaying Cave challenges, fighting alone would only lead to quicker elimination. Everyone defaulted to finding companions to team up.
Su Tong had already obtained Heavenly Mechanism Art from Ye Pool two years ago, and her combat ability was poor, easily losing in fights with others. She didn't mesh with Zhongli Shan's group's "fight when in doubt" approach, but was skilled at divination to avoid danger.
With Mei Liangyu personally asking for this favor, so rare, Su Tong agreed.
Su Tong waited patiently until daylight was bright, finally seeing the tardy Yu Sui.
Yu Sui was looking down at her Wind-Listening Ruler, then looked up. Seeing the massive creature swimming ahead, she was slightly stunned, marveling at its existence and increasingly curious about what was inside.
She walked forward. People were everywhere. Yu Sui heard someone shout: "Yan Xiaochuan! Coming to dragon tail to prey on low-level disciples is shameless!"
This familiar name.
Yu Sui stopped walking, following the voice.
"What low-level high-level? Don't categorize people like that. We're all academy disciples, only those I can beat and those I can't."
The bright-smiling young man in black clothing under sunlight tossed a small black round stone with one hand, walking casually toward Yu Sui with clear purpose. His eyes reflected Yu Sui's image, coming specifically for her.