Chapter 89
The trial of Three Thousand Divergent Paths had already been burned away by Strange Fire. Yu Sui walked out leisurely, which counted as passing.
She stared at Mei Liangyu without blinking, but he could see some bewilderment on her face, as if she was still immersed in the previous trial scene, her emotions not yet fully withdrawn.
Mei Liangyu had originally wanted to make a few more cutting remarks, but seeing her silent appearance, he found it meaningless. Why scold her? How could she know how terrifying Three Thousand Divergent Paths was?
She certainly couldn't imagine it would trigger Strange Fire clashing with ancient dragon power, even attracting two Saints.
These obvious facts really didn't need to be nagged about to Yu Sui.
Mei Liangyu suppressed his emotions and said coldly: "Change the names next time."
Yu Sui nodded, her gaze moving past him to look at the sea behind. She squatted down, hands curved and placed on her knees. Her beautiful blue skirt, the same color as the sea, flowed to the ground, gently brushing the soft sandy earth.
"Senior Brother, I want to be alone and quiet for a while." She stared at the sea in a daze.
Mei Liangyu said with a wooden expression: "This place is only so big. Where can I go? Just pretend I don't exist."
He was about to take a detour behind Yu Sui, so that only the sea would be in her line of sight, no living people.
But Yu Sui said softly: "Wouldn't it be better if you left Dragon Head?"
Mei Liangyu stopped, turning his back to the starry sea, looking down at the person who had squatted and curled into a ball. She spoke casually, her gaze also looking over carelessly.
Yu Sui looked at Mei Liangyu. She knew what she had just said, even with a somewhat malicious tone.
Senior Brother knew she had Strange Fire. Even if he didn't tell Legalist School's Master Yu and School of Names' Elder Zhu just now, he would tell Master after getting out. He was just choosing who he wanted to tell.
Seeing his body tense when hiding Strange Fire from the two Saints just now, Yu Sui wanted to laugh.
She indeed couldn't bring herself to burn strangers without any scruples before, so she endured it.
But why should only I suffer so much because of Strange Fire's existence?
You should also taste the embarrassment and fear of hiding Strange Fire.
Strange Fire could burn any Nine Schools Arts, even Divine Mechanism Arts couldn't resist it. In the blink of an eye, it could turn you into charred corpse and dry bones, completely controlling your life and death, yet you don't know when it will erupt.
And I'm right in front of you, we're so close to each other.
The Strange Fire you know is right in front of you.
You should also feel this fear.
Why should it only be me?
Yu Sui looked at Mei Liangyu with faint stars and sea in her eyes, deep blue light filling her pupils, colors that should have been melancholy and gentle.
She couldn't beat Mei Liangyu.
She couldn't beat Saint Chang Gen either.
Much less could she beat Taiyi Academy's many Saints.
Against these people, the difference in strength was too great. She had no chance of winning.
When Mei Liangyu knew she had Strange Fire, Yu Sui even felt somewhat relieved.
Go ahead and tell.
When Master knows, that's when I burn down Taiyi Academy.
Thinking that the only thing she was confident about before dying was being able to release Strange Fire and burn all of Taiyi Academy, Yu Sui couldn't help but find it pitiful and amusing. With a trace of smile, she looked away, gazing back at the sea, her tone still carrying seemingly absent malice: "Why hasn't Senior Brother left yet?"
Why must you stay here being an eyesore?
The anger and resentment stirred up in Yu Sui during Three Thousand Divergent Paths hadn't been calmed, and at this moment, she vented it on Mei Liangyu.
"Nangong Sui." Mei Liangyu looked at her coldly. "So you do have a temper."
He walked toward Yu Sui: "Throwing a tantrum at me?"
Mei Liangyu, who had just wanted to take a detour behind her, now walked directly in front of Yu Sui, occupying all her line of sight so she couldn't look at the vast sea behind.
Yu Sui's field of vision was invaded by Mei Liangyu. She had to look up to see his appearance clearly.
His black clothing fluttered lightly in the sea breeze. A strand of long black hair was blown up, sweeping across his phoenix eyes with their slightly hidden black pupils. Though he had restrained his coldness, the slightly upturned corners of his eyes still added some oppressive feeling.
Yu Sui saw herself in his eyes, sharp, cold, unreasonable.
"I didn't," she said quietly, looking away.
"Didn't throw a tantrum at me," Mei Liangyu asked, "or you don't have a temper?"
Yu Sui looked down at the sandy ground: "Neither."
Mei Liangyu laughed upon hearing this. He squatted down, still a head taller than Yu Sui. His long arm reached out to embrace the back of Yu Sui's neck, pulling her forward until they were almost touching foreheads, yet still separated by a few inches.
He spoke softly and slowly, but each word carried oppressive force: "Junior Sister, don't give in so quickly. Try telling me to leave again?"
Mei Liangyu wasn't a fool who couldn't hear anything. On the contrary, he was extremely perceptive, especially regarding malice directed at him. He could also hear that Yu Sui wasn't asking him to leave just now, but telling him to get lost.
The distance between them suddenly closed, becoming more dangerous.
Yu Sui thought that at such close distance, Mei Liangyu had nowhere to escape. When Strange Fire spontaneously combusted and burned her, Senior Brother would actually die before her. How could he still dare to come closer?
"Don't you have any fear?" Yu Sui asked this question somewhat helplessly.
"I do," Mei Liangyu's deep voice carried cold laughter. "I'm afraid of you throwing tantrums at me. How impressive."
Yu Sui looked at him quietly for a moment, suddenly feeling it didn't matter anymore.
There were so many strange and wondrous things in the world, each more powerful than her. Exposing Strange Fire was only a matter of time. She simply couldn't hide it for a lifetime.
Even deeper secrets than Strange Fire, her secret of coming from beyond the heavens, could be glimpsed by Three Thousand Divergent Paths. What else could she hide in this world?
Just thinking that if people wanted to kill her because of Strange Fire, those people wouldn't live either, Yu Sui calmed down.
Yu Sui blinked, a brief closing and opening of eyes. What was still reflected in her pupils was Mei Liangyu, close at hand.
After leaving Dragon Slaying Cave, if Senior Brother told Master about her having Strange Fire.
Then they could all die together.
"Senior Brother." Yu Sui's head gently bumped against Mei Liangyu's forehead. Her gaze also became as gentle as before. The warm sensation of their foreheads touching made Mei Liangyu pause.
Yu Sui said: "I'm not your Junior Sister who can get Heavenly Mechanism Arts at First Realm. That's not impressive enough."
Changes in one's state of mind often happen in a single thought.
She still didn't want to die.
But she wasn't as afraid anymore.
Mei Liangyu could feel that the sharp aura around Yu Sui had dissipated, and the malice and hostility were hidden away.
He only thought Yu Sui had snapped out of Three Thousand Divergent Paths and didn't intend to think deeply about anything else.
"Go to Ye Pool and choose your Heavenly Mechanism Arts." Mei Liangyu withdrew his hand and stepped aside, letting Yu Sui see the sea ahead.
Yu Sui supported herself on her knees and stood up, walking toward the seawater without a word.
Mei Liangyu watched Yu Sui disappear into the seawater, waiting patiently while thinking whether to leave Dragon Slaying Cave after Junior Sister got her Heavenly Mechanism Arts, or turn back to check on Zhongli Shan.
The sea waves suddenly became turbulent, rolling frantically. Several meteors streaked across the night sky, falling toward the Taoist School trial ground.
Mei Liangyu's eye twitched as he watched, his gaze following the falling meteors. What was happening at the Taoist School side now?
……
When Yu Sui walked into the seawater, she saw brilliant light ahead, moving from night to day. Water and sky met as one color. Standing on the sea surface, she momentarily couldn't tell where the sky was.
The Ghost Way School Nine Schools Arts that had been stripped away by Three Thousand Divergent Paths were all returned to her now.
Countless Ghost Way School talismans flashed before Yu Sui's eyes. Golden talismans marking these Heavenly Mechanism Arts sparkled ahead like golden stars, illuminating this entire sky into a majestic and mysterious gold.
Mei Liangyu had told her before that choosing Heavenly Mechanism Arts at Ye Pool was a one-time opportunity. She had to think clearly before acting.
But what could she tell just by looking at talismans?
She couldn't even make out the names.
Yu Sui temporarily put other matters aside and focused on the Ghost Way School talismans ahead. The golden talismans arranged in long lines circled ahead, flowing slowly, one circle after another, surrounding this heaven and earth and enclosing her within.
Nine Schools Arts was a general term for techniques. Heavenly Mechanism Arts were the limits of similar types of Nine Schools Arts, achievable through continuous practice and upgrading of Nine Schools Arts to learn Heavenly Mechanism Arts.
The inheritance mark bestowed by Dragon Head "Ye Pool" was equivalent to directly upgrading first-level Nine Schools Arts to maximum-level Heavenly Mechanism Arts for you.
But this was too many.
Yu Sui pondered thoughtfully. Did Ghost Way School have so many Heavenly Mechanism Arts? Looking at what seemed like thousands and tens of thousands of talismans, choosing from so many was also somewhat of a test for her.
Ye Pool seemed to have no time limit. Yu Sui considered for a long time and finally decided to choose based on perception.
She closed her eyes, patiently sensing the surrounding Five Elements Energy while gently conveying her intentions, searching for the talisman most suitable for herself.
Golden talismans flew past her, disappearing one after another. The golden stars between sea and sky gradually diminished. After an unknown amount of time, only seven or eight golden talismans remained in front of her.
Yu Sui slowly opened her eyes, looking at these seven or eight talismans, and on a whim, used Heavenly Eye to look at them.
Magnificent light flowed in her eyes. Previously she could only see golden radiance on the talismans, but now she could see the strength and weakness of Five Elements Energy within them. Seeing the distant sky gradually darken, Yu Sui's heart jumped. Could there be a time limit after all?
Yu Sui hesitated no more and chose the one with the strongest Five Elements Energy among the talismans.
When she reached out to touch it, the golden talisman transformed into golden threads that entered the depths of her consciousness through her fingertips, firmly imprinting in the deepest part of her soul for her use.
Ghost Way School Heavenly Mechanism Arts: Soul Capture.
Before Yu Sui could feel the suddenly abundant power, she was expelled from Ye Pool, returning to the sandy ground at night, seeing Mei Liangyu looking up at the sky.
The sea breeze was as gentle as this night.
It blew the man's hair and clothing softly. He tilted his head slightly, his angular face settling into peaceful colors. From Yu Sui's angle, she could see his dark eyes dyed with deep blue starlight, not sorrowful, only feeling infinitely gentle.
Yu Sui's words calling to Senior Brother stopped at her lips. She somewhat couldn't believe who the person before her was.
Mei Liangyu sensed Yu Sui coming out and stopped looking at the sky. His black pupils moved lightly toward the corner of his eye, the starlight in his eyes dispersing.
"Chosen?" he asked proactively.
Yu Sui nodded, looking at the person before her who was pressing his brow with cold expression and voice, thinking the gentleness from just now must have been an illusion.
"Good then." Mei Liangyu nodded. "Do you want to leave Dragon Slaying Cave now, or what?"
Yu Sui said softly: "I want to go back and look around more. The journey was too rushed. I feel like I missed many things. Master also said Dragon Slaying Cave has more worth exploring than just Ye Pool."
Mei Liangyu thought, your courage is really something, still wanting to explore existences beyond Ye Pool, not afraid of encountering a second Three Thousand Divergent Paths.
Yu Sui momentarily suspected whether Mei Liangyu knew about her having Strange Fire. His previous behavior was indeed abnormal, but attributing this abnormality to knowing the secret of Strange Fire was also strange.
She didn't believe Mei Liangyu had no fear of Strange Fire whatsoever.
Though Senior Brother was intelligent, scheming, and powerful, he couldn't hide his fear of Strange Fire completely when facing her, could he?
This strange feeling had started since the Divine Wood seed's divination, so Yu Sui said again: "Senior Brother, I want to go back and try the Divine Wood seed divination."
Mei Liangyu made a sound of acknowledgment, saying you go ahead.
Anyway, you won't be able to see the Divine Wood seed.
Yu Sui said: "But I'm a bit scared. Can Senior Brother accompany me?"