Chapter 67: Azure Cloud (45)

Yun Zhi’s corpse was laid out in Baozuo Hall. The personnel inside had already been cleared out, and his room was piled with ice, the cold penetrating to the bone.

After He Tinglong arrived, he lifted the white cloth to take a look. The young man’s face was pale and ashen, completely lifeless—truly an actual corpse. He covered him back up with the cloth, raised his hand to wipe away nonexistent tears from the corners of his eyes, then bowed his head and retreated from the room.

Since the investigation was still ongoing, he couldn’t burn spirit money either. He could only symbolically pay his respects, then grief-stricken, fainted into Fu Fengyan’s arms and was carried out to the courtyard.

Baozuo Hall was now divided in two halves. One side held Yun Zhi’s corpse, the other held the shell left behind by Shen Xiyuan. His primordial spirit had already scattered, though a few wisps of demonic energy still remained in the body. The Immortal Alliance had taken over and sealed it, now dispatching people to investigate Shen Xiyuan’s travel routes to see if they could root out a few more demon clan members or traitors.

However, the Cold Mountain Realm was quite far from Azure Clouds Academy. To investigate everything thoroughly would take at least several months. As for news of Yun Zhi’s death, within two or three days it would reach the ears of Jade Balance Sect’s master, but for him to come attend the funeral would also take over a month.

Yun Zhi and Shen Xiyuan’s relationship had been abnormal to begin with. If he investigated all the way to Cold Mountain Realm… He Tinglong’s gaze shifted, landing on Fu Fengyan beside him.

The other was staring at the sun in the sky. Swallows carried mud back and forth, landing under the eaves to build nests—a perfectly ordinary scene, yet Fu Fengyan watched with rapt attention.

They had known each other for over a year now. This brother showed not the slightest bit of boredom, but rather grew more spirited the longer he stayed, fully intent on sticking to his side for a lifetime.

Fu Fengyan had always been sensitive to his gaze. Seeing He Tinglong staring at him, he quickly withdrew his gaze and smiled at him very gently.

His disguised eyes were pitch black, clear and quiet as a pool of water in the sunlight, without the purple eyes’ otherworldly strangeness, appearing somewhat obedient and peaceful. However, his appearance was still genuinely outstanding. When he focused on him wholeheartedly, there was an extremely sincere obsession that made one shudder from the bottom of their heart.

Somewhat uncomfortable, He Tinglong moved his gaze away and silently recited “form is emptiness, emptiness is form” in his heart, then looked toward Yue Qianxun who was counting on his fingers beside him, slapping down with one palm. “What are you thinking about?”

Yue Qianxun startled, looking like he’d been caught red-handed, face full of panic as he stammered, “Th-thinking? What could I be thinking? Ah… speaking of thinking, I’m thinking about homework! Right, the Eight Formation Diagram that Master Mu assigned me still isn’t finished. That formation is so difficult!”

After speaking, he thrust both hands into his hair, scratching and scratching, looking extraordinarily distressed.

“Formation? You’ve been solving that formation for half a month and still have no clue?” Zhang Duixue sat on the doorstep, half-propping his head, eyelashes lowered, also appearing downcast. His toes scraped back and forth on the ground, almost digging out a hole. “If it really won’t work, you could go to Langhuan Pavilion to read books. Ah, but that place has been sealed.”

“Who knows what the situation is inside, whether Origin Star Palace will send people over… Has the Young Palace Master woken up yet?”

“There are still two months until his birthday. What exactly did he mean by what he said that day?” Zhang Duixue clutched his head, eyes wide. “He saved me again and said all those ambiguous things. Is my intelligence really that low? Why can’t I understand?”

He Tinglong perked up his ears. “What do you mean ‘again’?”

Zhang Duixue pressed his lips together, showing a frustration at his own inability to measure up, bowing his head and murmuring, “I really planned to break it off with him, but… Little He, I don’t know why, but seeing him injured, I felt my heart tighten. By the time I reacted, my feet had already moved on their own.”

He Tinglong was actually quite clear about this. That day when someone fell from midair, Zhang Duixue’s leg lifted and he charged in that direction. No matter how stubborn his words, he ultimately couldn’t let go in his heart. After all, after so many years together, with such meticulous, almost unconditional care and affection—even raising a pet would have developed feelings.

In the previous life, Zhang Duixue had been obsessed with Xie Xuanxiao for decades, only becoming clear-headed in the last ten years of his life. In this life, those later entanglements hadn’t yet occurred. Even if there were quarrels, they were minor squabbles. Moreover, Zhang Duixue was inherently loyal and sentimental, unlike Xie Xuanxiao’s naturally cold temperament. His current reluctance to let go was perfectly natural human emotion.

“Saving a life—that’s your kind heart. What’s there to hesitate about?” He Tinglong’s gaze was gentle. “The entire Origin Star Palace should thank you for your life-saving grace.”

Zhang Duixue’s ears turned red as he stammered, “Let’s not talk about that. Just… later when I was carrying that person out, I encountered others who had been infected by demonic energy and gone mad. At the time, my spiritual power was insufficient. With two fists I couldn’t fight four hands, trapped in place, nearly pressed into the demonic energy by them… He sacrificed himself to save me.”

“Then he went berserk, completely entering demonic obstruction. After losing consciousness, he still didn’t attack me.” Zhang Duixue’s voice grew lower and lower, carrying a very strange confusion. “He carried me out of that demon creature’s sea of consciousness and heart domain. All along the way he didn’t say a word, just looked at me and cried.”

“Why cry? He cried so sadly, as if his heart had died.” Zhang Duixue’s eyes showed bewilderment. “He has so many things—talent, power, everyone’s attention. The Young Palace Master was born to be the center of attention…”

Yet in that chaotic, unbearable darkness, when Xie Xuanxiao’s entire body was soaked in filth, he used his last bit of spiritual power to create a restriction, covering him within it, holding him as he limped out, still comforting him not to be afraid. Those eyes after losing consciousness, crazed and desperate, made his heart tighten. Inexplicably he wanted to cry along with him.

The Young Palace Master looked to be in great pain. Pain that penetrated to the bone.

Zhang Duixue just felt confused. He had always thought he was a plaything, a bird raised by those in high positions to amuse themselves during idle moments… Everyone else in the palace always said so, and sometimes the Young Palace Master gave him that feeling too.

He was sculpting him, for the sake of some shadow in his memory. Zhang Duixue thought he was a substitute. But when Xie Xuanxiao lost all reason, what emerged from his indistinct throat was still his name…

He could always clearly distinguish true feelings from false intentions, but only when facing Xie Xuanxiao did that almost keen intuition fail.

Yue Qianxun hugged his knees beside them, turned his head and pursed his lips. “Just admit it—you still have feelings for him!”

Zhang Duixue’s face stiffened as he instinctively retorted, “I don’t.”

“Oh yes you do.” Fu Fengyan rested his head on top of He Tinglong’s, peeking over with eyes shining. “According to my observation, you’re not over him yet. Xie Xuanxiao’s level is very high—momentarily falling for him is nothing to be ashamed of.”

Zhang Duixue: “…”

“If you’re confused, why not go ask clearly?” He Tinglong said from the side. “Rather than thinking over and over, worried and afraid, why not go see him?”

“But Langhuan Pavilion is sealed now.” Zhang Duixue said in a low voice. “Moreover, there are many people guarding it. Where’s my turn? I was just driven out this morning…”

“That’s nothing.” He Tinglong stood up. “We’re all classmates. When a classmate falls unconscious, visiting the sick is perfectly normal.”

Yue Qianxun: “Human nature.”

Fu Fengyan: “Nothing improper about it.”

The three rose in unison, their figures engulfing Zhang Duixue. He Tinglong reached out and pulled. “Origin Star Palace isn’t too far from Azure Clouds Academy. If they use a teleportation array, counting the days, in three to five more days they’ll most likely send people to take him away.”

“You’re a disciple of Origin Star Palace. Have you thought about whether you’ll stay at Azure Clouds Academy in the future, or leave together with him?”

Zhang Duixue’s footsteps gradually slowed.

“If you return to the sect, you and Xie Xuanxiao will still have much time together to sort out your feelings and problems.” He Tinglong reminded him. “If you stay at the academy, the next time you meet will most likely be three years later or even longer.”

The most immortal officials stood guard outside Langhuan Pavilion.

After all, the one seriously injured this time was their Young Palace Master. Elder Lu had flown into a great rage and nearly fought with the dean. Even after being taken over, he wasn’t behaving himself. Naturally the Immortal Alliance sent exceptionally many people to watch over things.

He Tinglong stood not far away, watching people come and go inside. The Azure Yang branch’s clothing was indeed beautiful. Probably because they presided over the spring season, the outer garments of the immortal officials on duty were all lush emerald green, while the inner robes were a layer of goose yellow, like newly sprouted green leaves on branches, flowing back and forth, pleasing to the eye.

Fu Fengyan tilted his head closer. “You like them?”

He Tinglong reached out and poked him away a bit. “Who doesn’t like beautiful things?”

Zhang Duixue paced anxiously back and forth on the other side. “Can we get in? It looks like we can’t. We’ll probably be stopped. What if they call the masters over, then we’ll just be causing them more trouble…”

But He Tinglong pointed to a corner in the courtyard. “Do you still remember back then when you were locked inside by Xie Xuanxiao, how we rescued you?”

Zhang Duixue: “…I remember.”

He Tinglong: “You’ve always had insights into techniques. Earth escape definitely won’t stump you. We’ll go create a diversion for you. How to drill your way in—you figure it out yourself.”

After speaking, He Tinglong waved his hand and swaggered over, greeting the row of immortal officials guarding the gate and skillfully striking up conversation.

Four people guarded the main gate. Most of Xu Jingzhen’s subordinates had also come from Azure Clouds Academy, so they could barely be called senior brothers. Seeing fellow sword cultivators, especially disciples under Sword Master Guili, they asked a few more questions, their attitude quite warm.

However, as they chatted at the gate, they naturally drew over Elder Lu who was locked inside like a caged beast. A roar was heard, followed by the old man’s exasperated voice. “You thieves, how dare you brazenly intrude!”

He Tinglong’s voice was extremely innocent. “Hearing that Young Palace Master Xie was seriously injured, I came specially to visit. I don’t know if the Young Palace Master has awakened?”

The Marriage Mirror incident this time had occurred precisely because Yun Zhi falsely accused He Tinglong of being a possessed person, which Xie Xuanxiao set up planning to eliminate. This time everyone was kicked inside by Qin Tan, now ending up in such a state—it could be said they lifted a rock only to drop it on their own feet.

Now He Tinglong was lively and jumping around at the main gate while Xie Xuanxiao still lay in bed in dire straits. No matter how you looked at it, this was a demonstration and mockery.

Elder Lu had always been domineering. How could he tolerate such provocation? He immediately charged over, about to give these stinking brats what they deserved.

The surrounding immortal officials naturally wouldn’t allow it. Two or three people had difficulty restraining him. Fortunately there were enough guards, and hearing the commotion they all rushed over to break up the fight. For a time, the entrance to Langhuan Pavilion was in complete chaos, noisy beyond measure.

He Tinglong cupped his hands. “Just a small effort, nothing worth mentioning.”

Elder Lu nearly fainted from anger.

Zhang Duixue took advantage of the chaos to dig through the earth, following the old route to drill into Xie Xuanxiao’s room, lifting the stone tiles with two clicks.

Incense burned quietly, the room brightly lit. Xie Xuanxiao leaned against the headboard, his gaze dark, his entire body seeming to hide in shadows. When he saw Zhang Duixue, his brows and eyes lifted slightly, then he slowly smiled and said softly, “Xiao Xue, let’s get married.”

Zhang Duixue: “…”

His head that had been pushing up the stone tiles silently retracted, clicking shut with perfect precision, as if no one had ever come.