Chapter 143
Yu Sui carefully compared the map positions of Taiyi, then looked at where Mei Liangyu's Wind-Listening Ruler was located, unable to figure out how he had gotten to such a distant place.
That area was all ocean. Was Senior Brother on the sea or in the sea?
Taiyi's Number Mountains communication had almost complete coverage, but was limited in range by the Communication Courtyard, not allowing connection to outside Number Mountains, which is why they couldn't send messages or voice transmissions to the outside world.
While Yu Sui was still pondering, the red dot suddenly disappeared from the map.
She immediately checked Zhongli Shan's location, which also showed no display.
Was there a problem with the Number Mountains, or were the Wind-Listening Rulers broken?
Yu Sui sent a message to Mei Liangyu, but received no reply.
……
Inside Taiyi Communication Courtyard.
Taoist School Saint Li Qiuwen stood before three large Number Mountains with his hands clasped behind his back.
Director Song of the Communication Courtyard stood beside him, awaiting his orders.
After a long while, Li Qiuwen, who had been studying the Number Mountains, finally said thoughtfully: "I'm still concerned about the previous incident."
Director Song bowed his head respectfully: "What do you think should be done?"
"Spread the word that for the next seven days, the Communication Courtyard will undergo maintenance and temporarily suspend all Wind-Listening Ruler functions." Li Qiuwen said, "Inspect all Number Mountains in the Communication Courtyard thoroughly."
Director Song trembled upon hearing this and hurriedly said: "If we inspect all the Number Mountains thoroughly, those seven days might..."
"I'll help too." Li Qiuwen said, "I'll personally investigate."
Seeing his mind was made up, Director Song knew it was useless to say anything, so he nodded and sent down the notice.
Soon the Communication Courtyard became lively. The Communication Courtyard practitioners who had gone to rest were all called back to the Communication Courtyard to begin searching the Number Mountains.
The disciples in the academy and people in the Outer City all received message notifications from Taiyi Communication Courtyard, informing them that Wind-Listening Rulers would be unable to function normally for the next seven days.
After seeing the news, Yu Sui sighed inwardly. What timing this was.
The Communication Courtyard wanted to dismantle the Number Mountains for inspection, and she had no way to stop it.
Yu Sui stood outside the Ghost Way Saint Hall pondering for a long time. Just as she was about to leave, she looked up to see Yan Xiaochuan walking through the night. The young man was also somewhat surprised to see her standing at the entrance and waved: "Little Princess!"
"How did you come here?" Yu Sui put away her Wind-Listening Ruler and asked.
Yan Xiaochuan said breathlessly: "I came looking for Senior Brother Liangyu. I went to the dormitory earlier but didn't see him. The Communication Courtyard just announced they're suspending the Wind-Listening Rulers, so I had no choice but to come to the Ghost Way Saint Hall to try my luck."
Yu Sui said helplessly: "Senior Brother isn't here either."
Yan Xiaochuan was stunned upon hearing this. Looking at the Ghost Way Saint Hall he couldn't enter, he scratched his head in puzzlement: "Then where did Senior Brother Liangyu go?"
In the sea, probably.
Yu Sui thought to herself but said aloud: "Maybe he's at another school. I'll help you look for him."
"No need, it's not urgent." Yan Xiaochuan shook his head. "I'll go ask some other people."
Yu Sui watched Yan Xiaochuan leave, then stood outside the door for a long time before leaving. Just as she walked out of the Ghost Way Saint Hall's territory, she saw Zhang Xiangyan and Luo Fu waiting at the end of the small path.
These two wouldn't wait there for no reason.
"Little Princess, sorry, we meet again." Zhang Xiangyan looked at Yu Sui with squinting, smiling eyes.
Yu Sui looked around and frowned: "Aren't you afraid others will see you looking for me so openly?"
"I'm a regular at the Ghost Way School. Although I'm not as diligent as you, Little Princess, attending classes at every school, I come to Ghost Way School classes quite frequently." Zhang Xiangyan shrugged. "It wouldn't be strange if anyone saw."
Yu Sui asked: "What's the matter?"
Zhang Xiangyan was also direct, asking straightforwardly: "Is Mei Liangyu in the Saint Hall?"
Yu Sui said: "No."
Zhang Xiangyan studied her as if hesitating whether to believe her.
Yu Sui continued walking forward, saying: "You came just to ask if my Senior Brother is here?"
"He took people to Mechanism Island that night and took something very important, but now he's nowhere to be found." Zhang Xiangyan stared at Yu Sui approaching, squinting: "You two have such an intimate relationship, didn't he tell you?"
Yu Sui pretended not to understand: "What did Senior Brother take from Mechanism Island?"
"What do you think?" Zhang Xiangyan laughed coldly. "If it weren't the Silver River Water, I wouldn't care what he took."
Looking at Yu Sui's surprised expression, Zhang Xiangyan couldn't see any flaws. Seeing she was completely unaware, Mei Liangyu probably hadn't revealed any information to her.
"But I haven't seen Senior Brother either, and Master also said he hadn't come." Yu Sui showed a worried expression about Mei Liangyu. "Are you sure my Senior Brother got the Silver River Water?"
Zhang Xiangyan squinted: "I don't want to believe Nian Qiuyan's divination results, so tomorrow I plan to go to Mechanism Island to see for myself."
Watching Yu Sui's worried appearance, he suddenly smiled: "Little Princess, if you're so worried about your Senior Brother, come with us to the abyss sea tomorrow. Don't forget, finding the Silver River Water is also your responsibility."
Zhang Xiangyan pressed his hand on Yu Sui's shoulder, bending down close to her, his tone half teasing, half threatening: "If Mei Liangyu really got the Silver River Water, whether we kill or rob him then will all depend on your word, Little Princess."
Yu Sui looked back up at him, her eyes trembling slightly. Before she could respond, the silent Luo Fu suddenly looked in a certain direction and said coldly: "Who's there?"
The moment he spoke, Luo Fu had already acted.
A talisman paper thrown from his hand transformed into a blue sword light, clashing with the swords of the person hiding behind the tree, producing a crisp sound.
Yu Sui saw who was behind the tree clearly and waved away Zhang Xiangyan's hand on her shoulder, shouting: "Stop!"
Li Jin Shuang, carrying a food box, emerged from the shadows behind the tree. When she looked up, her gaze calmly swept over Luo Fu and Zhang Xiangyan.
"Well now." Zhang Xiangyan said cheerfully, "I was wondering how long you'd keep hiding. I didn't expect that just touching her once would make you unable to hold back."
Both Yu Sui and Zhang Xiangyan knew of Li Jin Shuang's presence.
With Zhang Xiangyan's acuity, it would be impossible for him to discuss Silver River Water matters with Yu Sui under threatening circumstances.
Li Jin Shuang had been called by Yu Sui to begin with.
Her Five Elements Light Cores had monitored Zhang Xiangyan and Luo Fu's arrival, so while the Wind-Listening Ruler could still be used, she sent a message saying she was hungry and asked Li Jin Shuang to bring her some late-night snacks from the dining hall to the Ghost Way Saint Hall.
Yu Sui had calculated that after Li Jin Shuang reached the Ghost Way Saint Hall and encountered Zhang Xiangyan's two, hiding herself, she would then come from the Saint Hall side.
Luo Fu stared coldly at Li Jin Shuang: "She heard everything."
Yu Sui stood between the two groups, saying to Zhang Xiangyan: "I'll handle this matter."
"How will you handle it?" Zhang Xiangyan asked with a smile.
Yu Sui's face showed some anger: "Surely you don't want to murder someone to silence them right here in the academy?"
After hearing this, Zhang Xiangyan rested one hand on Luo Fu's shoulder and buried his head, snorting with laughter. He laughed until his shoulders shook, and after not speaking for a long time, it was Luo Fu who said: "How do you plan to handle it?"
Yu Sui didn't turn back to look at Li Jin Shuang, keeping her back straight, appearing naive yet foolish: "She won't tell anyone."
Luo Fu listened unmoved, without a trace of trust in his eyes.
In their silent confrontation, there seemed to be no room for negotiation. Luo Fu moved again to grab Li Jin Shuang, while Yu Sui simultaneously ignited golden protective energy. The invisible bell sound had just rung when the tense atmosphere was interrupted by Zhang Xiangyan speaking.
Zhang Xiangyan's gaze looked past Yu Sui toward Li Jin Shuang behind her, but his words were directed at Yu Sui: "Since you trust her so much, we won't interfere in this matter. But tomorrow when we go to Mechanism Island, this little Junior Sister from the Military School will have to come with us."
Yu Sui frowned, clearly unwilling. Zhang Xiangyan said: "Little Princess, if you really want to fight here, we don't mind."
Li Jin Shuang spoke up at this moment: "Fine."
"Good, then it's settled." Zhang Xiangyan clapped his hands cheerfully. "We'll see each other tomorrow morning."
Before leaving, Luo Fu glanced at Yu Sui. After walking away, he said to Zhang Xiangyan: "She's far inferior compared to Qingkui."
"Indeed, having Qingkui as an elder sister for comparison makes her appear too naive and foolish." Zhang Xiangyan said in a relaxed tone, "But this is perfect. It saves us trouble. Once she finishes being stupid and messes things up, she'll be kicked out of Taiyi."
……
Only after Zhang Xiangyan and Luo Fu left did Yu Sui turn around.
She looked at Li Jin Shuang with apologetic eyes, saying quietly: "Sorry, I didn't expect to drag you into these troublesome matters."
After hearing tonight's conversation, Li Jin Shuang finally understood what Yu Sui meant by troublesome matters.
She carefully considered her words before saying: "This kind of thing is indeed difficult for you to handle alone."
Yu Sui lowered her head without speaking.
She had deliberately let Li Jin Shuang find out.
In Yu Sui's view, actively bringing up the Silver River Water and Lan Poison matters herself versus letting Li Jin Shuang accidentally discover them had different effects.
Yu Sui and Xue Mushi had the most solid relationship because of the secret of possessing Strange Fire.
She had already seen through Wei Ren's thoughts, so she wasn't worried about him.
Only with Li Jin Shuang, Yu Sui felt their relationship was still lacking something.
"Going to Mechanism Island will be somewhat dangerous." Yu Sui said, "These two won't listen to me."
Li Jin Shuang looked at her and said: "Wouldn't it be more dangerous to let you go alone?"
Yu Sui was stunned after hearing this.
She looked up at Li Jin Shuang. The girl before her was completely different from when they first met.
The elegant but somewhat gloomy boyish appearance had disappeared. Now standing before her was a clean, beautiful girl in white dress.
Though returning to her girlish appearance made her seem even more cold and difficult to approach, she was surprisingly someone who was cold on the outside but warm inside.
Yu Sui brought Li Jin Shuang back to her dormitory before telling her about her relationship with Zhang Xiangyan.
After listening, Li Jin Shuang frowned: "Getting too deeply involved with Lan Poison isn't good. If the academy discovers..."
"I know." Yu Sui sat across from her, holding the scalding hot teacup with both hands without feeling anything. She looked down at the steam in the cup. "I'll find a way to solve it. I just need to trouble you for now."
Li Jin Shuang's expression paused, and she said quietly: "I'm fine."
"Are you really fine?" Yu Sui looked up with a troubled expression. "I'm really afraid they might kill you to silence you."
But Li Jin Shuang shook her head: "That place is too close to the Ghost Way Saint Hall. Even if a fight really broke out, they wouldn't dare make too much commotion. Besides, as long as you speak up, Saint Chang Gen will come."
"Killing someone in the academy isn't the best strategy either. They would only try to control me and erase my memories."
But Zhang Xiangyan also knew that Yu Sui wouldn't dare summon Saint Chang Gen.
Both sides had concerns, so they could only each take a step back.
Yu Sui lightly tapped the teacup with her finger, looking at Li Jin Shuang with a bright smile: "This is a task my father gave me, and it concerns my inheritance rights. Aren't you afraid that in order to inherit the Nangong family, I'll become someone like Zhang Xiangyan?"
Li Jin Shuang was silent for a long time before gathering courage to say: "In my heart, you're not that kind of person."
It seemed somewhat embarrassing for her to say such words. After briefly looking at Yu Sui, Li Jin Shuang turned her eyes away.
Yu Sui laughed out loud at Li Jin Shuang's embarrassed avoidance.
She reached out to ask Li Jin Shuang for food, speaking with playful complaint: "I'm really hungry."
Li Jin Shuang brought the food box to the table, opened it, and took out the late-night snacks inside to share with her.