Chapter 44: Azure Cloud (22)

In the Pavilion of Hundred Herbs, specifically the Duheng Courtyard, disciples carrying medicinal herbs bustled to and fro, heading into various small compartments to treat and apply medicine to patients.

Young men howled in pain everywhere. For a time, wailing filled the air, a truly tragic scene.

Yue Qianxun, with an eyepatch over his left eye, looking like a weather-beaten pirate, lay motionless on the bed. On the adjacent bed was He Tingtong. Having consumed too much spiritual power and moved too vigorously, he had twisted his waist. He lay prone, a pillow under his head, his entire face radiating an expression of utter hopelessness.

Fu Fengyan, whether due to good luck or excellent physical constitution, remained unscathed. He sat on He Tingtong’s legs, massaging his waist.

A senior sister from Duheng Courtyard came over between brewing medicine to offer guidance on Fu Fengyan’s technique—how to exert force, how to press acupoints, warming the medicinal oil by rubbing it in the palms, how to smooth the flow from the nape to the lumbar spine… Fu Fengyan was smart and eager to learn, mastering the key points in a few tries. His warm hands kneaded the body with the technique of petting a cat, moving from the slender nape to the thin shoulder blades, then down to a narrow waist that could be gripped with curved fingers… After a few strokes, He Tingtong felt his bones and muscles soften. His hands dangled limply, feeling like a piece of dough being kneaded and rubbed. His back was rubbed red, but the dull, stagnant pain dissipated.

All of them passed the final trial this time. However, having offended Xie Xuanxiao and Fu Baiyu, the impression they left on the other teachers in the academy was probably not good.

To be admitted, they still had to count on Su Tan giving them a hand.

He arched his back and looked at Yue Qianxun beside him. Having gone three days and nights without sleep and drained of spiritual power, the young Demon Lord was sleeping in complete darkness on the bed, occasionally mumbling something as if talking in his sleep.

Sleeping even in such a noisy place—he must be truly exhausted.

He Tingtong propped himself up on the bed, intending to tell Fu Fengyan to stop. Just as he turned his head, the window nearby was suddenly pulled open. Cold wind rushed into the room, accompanied by Zhang Duixue’s exceptionally excited voice, “Xiao Fu, Xiao He, the roster is out!”

Fu Fengyan quickly grabbed the quilt beside him and covered He Tingtong, wrapping him tightly. Staring unhappily at the window, he saw a head plastered with quite a bit of gauze poking in afterward, cheerfully saying, “We passed! Tomorrow we officially enter the Sword Pavilion!”

After seeing the scene inside the room clearly, Zhang Duixue cast a suspicious look at them. “What are you doing?”

A human shape wiggled under the quilt. He Tingtong struggled to extend a hand and waved. “I’m here. I twisted my waist in the mystic realm. Not enough hands in the medicine hut, so Brother Fu is helping me rub it.”

“Ah? Oh!” Zhang Duixue came back to his senses, then fiercely spat on his own evil thoughts. He climbed in through the window, eyes full of excitement. “I heard the Master of Guili Sword personally picked me. Does this mean I truly have talent?”

“Of course, you performed very well.” He Tingtong managed to stick his head out of the quilt and praised Zhang Duixue, “Brother Zhang is one of the most talented sword cultivators I have seen in my life.”

Zhang Duixue’s voice rose a pitch. “Really? Really?”

He Tingtong sat up wrapped in the quilt, nodded, and chuckled lightly. “Of course it’s true. Four years in the Sword Pavilion, we’ll be classmates from now on. I’ll have to ask Sword Immortal Zhang for much guidance.”

The spring breeze was gentle, brushing past the willows. Zhang Duixue hugged He Tingtong, almost lifting him up to spin in circles. His eyes were red, tears welling up, half happy and half bitter. As if having a thousand words to say, in the end, it only amounted to a short sentence, “That’s great! Let’s work hard together for the next four years!”

He Tingtong echoed softly, “Mn!”

Zhang Duixue secretly wiped some tears with the quilt. He had come here alone now and hadn’t seen Xie Xuanxiao. With such a big disagreement, confronting each other repeatedly in the final trial and even fighting several times, there must have been disputes between them.

But regarding emotional matters, if Zhang Duixue didn’t speak, He Tingtong naturally wouldn’t ask.

The first step had been taken. As for other matters, they just needed to watch the changes quietly.

---

Late March, early April. The last bit of chill in the air was about to vanish. The sky was azure blue. Flowers and plants abounded in the medicine hut. Butterflies flapped their wings, landing in front of the window lattice, only to be brushed away and driven off before staying long.

Xie Xuanxiao lay in a single room, his face pale. He was injured, still dizzy, with a circle of gauze wrapped around his forehead, faintly showing blood stains.

Master Lu sat by the bed sighing and lamenting, “That kid Qin Tan is so shameless, giving our Yuanchen Palace no face at all, actually forcefully poaching the Young Madam away.”

“Xiao Xue does indeed have talent in the Way of the Sword. It is normal for the Master of Guili Sword to take a fancy to him. Since Xiao Xue insists on this, let him be.” Xie Xuanxiao closed his eyes wearily. After a moment of silence, he ordered, “Doesn’t the academy allow choosing two additional subjects? Trouble the Master to register my name in the Sword Pavilion for me.”

“The Young Madam has really been too unruly these days. Why doesn’t this old man write a letter to…” Xie Xuanxiao’s words poured into Master Lu’s ears. He was stunned at first, then realized belatedly, his eyes widening. “Young Palace Master, what did you say?”

“I said, submit my name to the Sword Pavilion.” Xie Xuanxiao’s tone was slow, brooking no refusal. “Did the Master hear clearly?”

Master Lu turned pale with fright. “Young Palace Master, absolutely not! That Qin Tan is ruthless and cruel, not easy to get along with at all. You have never held a sword; how can you endure his torture?”

Looking at the injured and weak Xie Xuanxiao on the bed, he felt for a moment that the Young Palace Master had lost his mind.

Zhang Duixue, an orphan, what virtue or ability did he have to make the Young Palace Master so obsessed? Possessing looks but no virtue, neither family background nor talent. It would be one thing if he were obedient, but he caused trouble and tormented people every day.

Xie Xuanxiao was the future of Yuanchen Palace; how could he be misled by such a person?

“Young Palace Master, you are the Young Master of Yuanchen Palace. If you enter under Qin Tan’s tutelage, who knows how people of the world will laugh at our Yuanchen Palace.” Master Lu’s face was solemn as he reminded in a low voice, “If you truly persist in your error, this old man will write a letter immediately to inform the Palace Master and let him reason with you.”

Three years ago, due to a life-saving grace, Xie Xuanxiao suddenly opened his heart to love, liking Zhang Duixue like crazy. For this, he didn’t even hesitate to self-destruct, scaring everyone out of their wits.

The Palace Master only sighed deeply, uttered the phrase “Red Dust Tribulation,” and let them be.

Actually, young love wasn’t forbidden. In those aristocratic families of the Five Sects and Seven Clans, who didn’t have some dirty secrets? Cultivators had long lifespans; provoking some romantic affairs in their frivolous youth was inconsequential, as long as they remembered to cultivate, remembered the inheritance, and didn’t disgrace the sect.

But Zhang Duixue’s behavior had become increasingly perverse recently, causing even the Young Palace Master to act out of line. This was not a good omen.

The Young Palace Master entering Azure Cloud Academy was due to the Palace Master’s soft-heartedness. But if his frivolity went too far, he might not necessarily keep his current freedom.

Xie Xuanxiao also knew clearly that this romantic affair of his was something he had begged for himself.

Master Lu’s words were half threat, half persuasion, finally dispelling Xie Xuanxiao’s idea.

The youth lowered his eyelids, his expression rarely showing a trace of pale fragility.

Master Lu sighed in his heart and changed the topic. “Don’t know what that old man Xu Yinwei was thinking, expanding enrollment for no reason. Now look, all sorts of shady characters have been selected.”

Staring at Xie Xuanxiao’s bleeding head, Master Lu’s face was livid. “The Xiangli clan is truly worse with each generation. Growing up in the wild and not being locked up to learn rules, actually let out to bite people randomly, not afraid of ruining their Xiangli clan’s reputation.”

Xie Xuanxiao had no patience to listen further. He only said, “I’m dizzy. Master, you may leave.”

Master Lu knew their Young Palace Master found him annoying. The old man inevitably felt a bit wronged, but still left silently, thoughtfully closing the doors and windows.

In this final trial, Yuanchen Palace lost all face. Rubbings of the Shadow Retention Stones showing Xie Xuanxiao and Fu Baiyu being beaten flew everywhere. Although the two families acted immediately to choke off the source, people were still secretly circulating them in private.

Xie Xuanxiao always kept his emotions hidden. It was unknown what he thought in his heart, but he probably didn’t feel too good either.

It was all the fault of those few small rogue cultivators for enticing the Young Madam to escape!

Master Lu thought hatefully, It doesn’t matter. Anyway, in the next four years, there will be plenty of time to torment them.

---

Fu Baiyu was heavily injured.

Fortunately, he had many magic treasures on him, preventing him from being directly eliminated.

Through this battle, he realized he was truly foolish. Although he learned miscellaneously, dabbling in the celestial arts of a hundred schools, had strong cultivation, and outstanding abilities, it didn’t mean he really wanted to be the biggest sucker.

Xiangli Xuan promised to advance and retreat together, but in the end, he sold him out faster than anyone. Xie Xuanxiao’s head was filled only with his little lover. The agreed cooperation yielded no points in the end, nor did they teach anyone a lesson. Only he remained, beaten from start to finish, and finally gang-beaten by three Tenth Realm opponents. He truly almost lost half his life.

At this moment, Fu Baiyu had his arm in a sling, eyes swollen, long silver-white hair braided into a plait at the back of his head to prevent loose hair from touching his wounds. He sat half-dead in the medicine hut. Opposite him, the Dean looked at his miserable state, shaking his head repeatedly, saying earnestly, “You need to recuperate from these injuries for at least half a month. Baiyu, I’ve watched your performance all the way; it is indeed good. This old man has an acquaintance with your esteemed mother, so I must remind you: do things according to your ability. Never put yourself in danger due to a moment of impulse.”

“Look at you,” Dean Xu extended a finger and poked the back of Fu Baiyu’s hand. The youth’s face twisted immediately, sucking in several cold breaths from the pain. “Never be arrogant and conceited in the future!”

The injuries suffered in the mystic realm were real. He single-handedly resisted three Tenth Realm opponents at the end, broke three bones, was slashed eight times by blade Qi, and ruined three protective spiritual tools. Being able to lie here with all limbs intact was indeed already very formidable.

Fu Baiyu looked listless. “Dean Xu, I know I was wrong.”

“Good that you know.” Dean Xu looked benevolent, holding the tea in his hand. “The elders of the Fu clan are all reclusive sages. You were learning well at home; why did you think of coming to the academy to study?”

“Don’t know, my dad made me come.” Fu Baiyu looked blank. “Don’t know what the clan elders divined again. Some said the family’s Feng Shui was bad, others said something was lost in the forbidden ground. It was chaotic all day long, saying they wanted to change the array, and sent quite a few people out. Staying at home was really annoying; the academy is quieter.”

Hearing this, Xu Yinwei sighed softly. “Alright, since you’re here, stay well. If there’s anything unclear on normal days, you can come ask me.”

Fu Baiyu nodded. Sitting in a wheelchair, he had someone push him out of the Pavilion of Hundred Herbs and back to his own courtyard.

As soon as he entered the room, he used tiredness as an excuse to lie on the bed. After everyone left and the courtyard was quiet with only him remaining, Fu Baiyu opened his eyes, struggled to climb up from the bed, endured the pain, hopped on one leg to bolt the door, and closed the window.

The room was quiet. Fu Baiyu cleared a space on the table, covered his hand with a handkerchief, and then respectfully took out a small jade figure from his storage spiritual tool.

This small puppet was carved from a whole piece of spiritual jade, pale all over, with wide robes and large sleeves. One hand formed a seal, the other held a sword. Eyes half-closed, it had an appearance of compassion.

This was the Fu Clan’s Young Lord puppet. The Emperor Lord hadn’t attended to worldly affairs for a long time; praying to his statue had long received no response. However, the Young Lord resided in the Azure Cloud Palace for a long time. Although he never showed his face, he had always been somewhat efficacious. Fu Baiyu had been worshiping this Young Lord statue since he was twelve, seven years until now. He had always been devout. When he was young and mischievous, attacked by evil ghosts, he had even been saved by the Young Lord.

He was the one with the purest bloodline in the Fu clan’s current generation, bearing some resemblance to those figures, and was closer to them, receiving the most protection from the ancestors.

Fu Baiyu sniffled a little, took out a jade lotus-patterned mat and placed it on the table, then invited the Young Lord puppet out, gently standing it firmly on top. He placed quite a few flowers and plants around it, as well as desserts and food, grandly filling a table.

Then he knelt down with a thud. He had been truly too unlucky recently, simply possessed by the god of misfortune. Facing the benevolent face of the Young Lord, he knocked his head heavily on the ground, silently praying for the Young Lord’s blessing in his heart.

Then he couldn’t help but complain about Xie Xuanxiao, Xiangli Xuan, He Tingtong, and Fu Fengyan.

Xie Xuanxiao was sick, Xiangli Xuan was insidious, He Tingtong was cunning, Fu Fengyan aided the tyrant—birds of a feather flocking together…

After chanting for at least half a shichen, Fu Baiyu felt his mood improve significantly. He put away the things, climbed onto the bed, lay flat, and slept.

In the dead of night, he had a mysterious dream. In the dream, a youth with snowy hair and purple eyes like him stood high above. It seemed layers of clouds and mist separated them. He couldn’t see the face clearly, but he could feel that this was the Young Lord.

For so many years, this was the first time he clearly dreamed of the Young Lord!

Before Fu Baiyu could be happy, he saw the Young Lord in the dream say nothing, raise a hand and wave. The clouds and mist gathered into a big stick, whipping towards his head, beating him for half the night.

---

Early the next morning, the admission list was posted on the jade wall in the center of the drill ground. Those eliminated went back home; those admitted could go to the warehouse to collect clothes and student jade tablets.

He Tingtong looked up at the Sword Pavilion list. A short section, fewer than the other four pavilions, with only thirteen people. Yue Qianxun’s name hung at the very end, like a dispensable addition.

However, for Yue Qianxun, this was simply a bolt from the blue. He turned pale with fright, read the name twenty times, then turned to ask Zhang Duixue, He Tingtong, and Fu Fengyan to read it for him once each. Unfortunately, the name didn’t change; he had entered the Sword Pavilion.

“Me learning the sword?” Yue Qianxun broke down. “How do I learn the sword? With my head? Is there a mistake?”

He Tingtong pressed his shoulder from the side and pulled him away. “Langhuan Pavilion is Xie Xuanxiao’s territory. Of the eight teachers there, five have received favors from Yuanchen Palace, and three are elders of Yuanchen Palace. Do you want to go over there and be tortured?”

He Tingtong’s voice was very low and steady. Yue Qianxun’s face paled for a moment, then he also lowered his voice. “But I’ve never held a sword… And Qin… the Master of Guili Sword, he’s too fierce!”

Yue Qianxun couldn’t forget the force that flung him more than ten meters with a single sleeve, and that gaze that seemed capable of slicing people into pieces. “Me learning the sword, isn’t that asking for my life!”

“And I want to learn arrays,” Yue Qianxun pursed his lips. “I memorized so many array techniques, am I going to give up halfway?”

He Tingtong explained patiently, “Azure Cloud Academy has one major subject, but others are not restricted. If you want, you can even learn five subjects. However, a person’s time is limited. I calculated that if you want to get started in all of them or even master them, according to the teachers’ schedules, you can learn three subjects simultaneously.”

Yue Qianxun tilted his head. “What do you mean?”

He Tingtong patted his shoulder. “In other words, you can report to the drill ground in the morning and report to Langhuan Pavilion in the afternoon. Look, sword cultivation and array cultivation, neither delayed. Isn’t it beautiful? This way, when you fight others in the future, you can set up arrays with culture and draw your sword with martial arts, cultivating both inside and outside, invincible!”

“In broad daylight, under the bright sun, He Tingtong, are you speaking human language?” Yue Qianxun rolled his eyes, almost fainting, his breath weak as a thread. “Doesn’t this mean I have to get beaten by the Master of Guili Sword in the morning, suffer the squeezing out from Xie Xuanxiao and his lackeys in the afternoon, and run for half a shichen at noon to travel between them?”

“Theoretically speaking, yes.” He Tingtong rubbed his chin and nodded.

Suddenly feeling a weight by his side—Yue Qianxun had fainted, probably from fright.

Zhang Duixue hadn’t gone back; he slept by the sickbed in the Pavilion of Hundred Herbs all night, and now had dark circles under his eyes. Beside him, Fu Fengyan, for some reason, wasn’t in very good spirits today either. Adding the fainted Yue Qianxun, the four of them crookedly and difficultly made their way to the warehouse, collected disciple jade tablets and Sword Pavilion uniforms, and followed the direction indicated by the senior brothers to their brand-new small courtyard.

Four people to a courtyard. This courtyard was much more spacious, unlike the cramped one they temporarily resided in before, though the layout was the same.

Collecting the tablet counted as official admission. Since basically everyone had injuries, the academy would officially start classes in three days.

During these three days, students could walk around Azure Cloud Academy on their own to familiarize themselves with the environment.

On the first day, Xie Xuanxiao had someone deliver a letter. After reading it, Zhang Duixue’s eyes reddened. He apologized to them and hurriedly went to Langhuan Pavilion to find him.

He Tingtong didn’t stop him. What’s done is done; Xie Xuanxiao couldn’t do anything more. There was nothing wrong with the young couple pouring out their feelings to each other.

Yue Qianxun, however, remained muddled, unable to accept reality.

Until that night, there was a knock on their courtyard door. He Tingtong opened the door. Outside stood Su Tan, who had strolled over to visit the little cubs after dealing with all the matters.

“Children, did you miss me?” Su Tan, dressed in green robes, looked like a cluster of slender emerald bamboo, his brows and eyes slightly curved. “I watched your final trial; you performed very well!”

He reached out and patted He Tingtong’s shoulder. “Mn, seem to have grown a bit taller.”

Then he turned to look at Fu Fengyan, giving a thumbs up. “You comprehended Sword Intent at such a young age. Not bad, not bad, truly not bad!”

He Tingtong’s expression changed slightly, but seeing Su Tan’s careless appearance, he just smiled and said, “Sword Intent?”

“Yeah, Qin Tan said so.” Su Tan mercilessly sold the person out. “He was a bit surprised too. If you ask me, what’s there to be surprised about? There are so many geniuses in the cultivation world; what’s wrong with cultivating Sword Intent at the Second Realm?”

Beside him, Fu Fengyan’s expression remained unchanged. He stayed silent, sweat breaking out on his forehead.

He Tingtong nodded repeatedly, echoing, “Yeah, yeah! What’s wrong with cultivating Sword Intent at the Second Realm? Cultivating a Consciousness Domain at the Second Realm isn’t anything difficult either!”

The courtyard was instantly filled with a cheerful atmosphere.

Yue Qianxun was playing dead on the table in his room. Through the window, he suddenly saw the tall youth at the door. At first, he felt a chill all over, but seeing “Qin Tan” reach out to pat He Tingtong’s shoulder, he couldn’t help stretching his neck, eagerly watching the other pat He Tingtong’s shoulder and seemingly casually touch his head. Rising with some envy, he approached involuntarily. By the time he came to his senses, he was already standing at the door with He Tingtong and the others.

“Good evening, Master of Guili Sword.”

Yue Qianxun greeted, then received the other’s impartial praise, “Little Yue, you’ve grown taller too.”

Looking at Su Tan’s slightly curved brows and eyes, Yue Qianxun’s heart softened. Then an indescribable emotion surged up, tingly and numbing, making his ears turn red and his heart beat faster. His tone softened, “Is… is that so? May I ask the Master of Guili Sword, why did you choose me to enter the Sword Pavilion?”

His voice was pinched thin, vaguely a bit coquettish.

Seeing his appearance, He Tingtong thought oh no. He quickly reached out, rubbed Yue Qianxun’s head, and said lovingly, “Of course, it’s because you have a destiny with the Way of the Sword!”

Stepping on Fu Fengyan’s toes to remind him, He Tingtong gave a wink. Fu Fengyan understood, imitated Su Tan’s expression, put on a loving and gentle look, and rubbed Yue Qianxun’s head from the other side. “Of course, it’s because you are smart and cute.”

Rubbed by two bony hands, Yue Qianxun was intoxicated for a moment, dizzy and disoriented. He only heard He Tingtong’s low and gentle voice in his ear, “Then do you still want to learn the sword?”

Yue Qianxun nodded. “Yes!”

“Then do you want to learn arrays?”

Yue Qianxun continued to nod. “Of course, yes too!”

He Tingtong: “Then it’s settled, you aren’t allowed to go back on your word.”

Then whoosh, the warm palms on his head were withdrawn. Yue Qianxun suddenly sobered up. “…Wait!”

He reached forward and grabbed a corner of emerald green clothes. As soon as he looked up, he saw eyes cold and hard as knife edges, and the other’s calm but icy counter-question: “Wait for what? Want to go back on your word?”

Yue Qianxun’s heart stopped.

Clearly the same person, why did he give such distinctly different feelings? One moment like a spring breeze, the next like an evil ghost.

He looked at He Tingtong, who was covering his mouth snickering on the side, about to fall into Fu Fengyan’s arms. What was there not to understand? He immediately flew into a rage out of humiliation, but dared not be presumptuous in front of Qin Tan, so he could only be exasperated with his companion beside him. “He Tingtong, you did it on purpose!”

“I didn’t do it on purpose? You agreed to it yourself repeatedly; what is there to regret?” He Tingtong pulled him, patted his head, rubbing Yue Qianxun’s hair into a mess. “Alright, alright, don’t be angry. I apologize to you; I’ll treat you to meat, okay?”

Yue Qianxun chased him to hit him. He Tingtong dodged left and right. He ran fast and soon ran to the very front.

It was still early. Fu Fengyan locked the courtyard door. Watching the two chasing and fleeing in front, his steps became lighter too. Just as he was about to run after them, he suddenly heard Qin Tan’s cold voice in his ear, “Who are you?”

Fu Fengyan paused. He looked up slowly, meeting Qin Tan’s probing gaze, and said seriously, word by word, “I am Fu Fengyan, acquainted with He Tingtong since childhood, a rogue cultivator from Jubei Prefecture. Has the Sword Master forgotten?”

Most people in the academy had run out to play. Few lamps were lit, and few people were seen. At the beginning of the month, the sky was extremely dark. With only a few lanterns by the roadside emitting yellowish light, faces appeared somewhat blurry and obscure.

“You are not.” Qin Tan’s expression was stiff, his voice carrying a chill. “You can fool others, but you can’t fool me. From Jubei Prefecture to Azure Cloud Academy, you have been disguising yourself along the way.”

“A month ago, you couldn’t catch a single sword strike of mine. During the final trial, you could slay black cavalry without a sword. Divine Dynasty Tenth Realm cultivation, extinguished with a finger. Your cultivation is more than the Thirteenth Realm.”

Unknown when Qin Tan’s long sword had been unsheathed, lying across the youth’s neck—a cold segment of silver-white, like a mirror, reflecting Fu Fengyan’s confused gaze.

Qin Tan opened his lips. “Possession?”

Fu Fengyan blinked, eyes reddening, then crystal-clear tears welled up. “Possession? What is possession? I don’t understand. My sword broke during the final trial; I didn’t want to be eliminated, so I used sword fingers. Is there a problem with that?”

“The rain was heavy then. After the trial ended, we were teleported out directly. I am not clear about what happened.”

Qin Tan frowned tightly, his tone irritable. “Don’t cry and sniffle in front of me; I don’t buy this act.”

“If you speak the truth, there’s room for discussion between us. Otherwise, don’t blame me for going to question He Tingtong.”

Su Tan: “…”

He screeched sharply in his consciousness, “What are you doing! Don’t scare the child; he’s only in his teens, what could he understand?”

Qin Tan: “Shut up!”

Su Tan: “You shut up!”

Impatient, Qin Tan sheathed his sword, intending to kick Su Tan out to let him handle it, when Fu Fengyan beside him suddenly spoke, “I am not an evil person.”

The confusion, sadness, and astonishment on his face vanished instantly, like a cold block of wood or stone. His steps slowed down as well. Turning to look at Qin Tan beside him, he simply repeated, “I have known He Tingtong since childhood. I am a rogue cultivator from Jubei Prefecture. Never possessed anyone, and am not an evil person.”

Qin Tan was stunned. Walking alongside him, his tone icy and guarded, he frowned at Fu Fengyan. “You’d better be.”

The youth looked straight ahead, repeating calmly, “Of course I am.”

Not far away, He Tingtong stood under a lantern, bathed in yellowish light, his hair seeming to glow. He was waving at the two of them. “Immortal Qin, A-Fu, come over quickly!”

So Fu Fengyan raised his voice beside him, replied “I’m coming,” then strode forward, trotting quickly toward He Tingtong. The three youths met under the lamp. He Tingtong jumped onto Fu Fengyan, and the two stuck together.

Qin Tan frowned tightly. “You saw it, right? He is really not right.”

Su Tan had just quarreled with Qin Tan and lost. Now he was listening to the system calculating Yue Qianxun’s favorability, hearing the favorability go up and down unstably, feeling very anxious.

Qin Tan suddenly asked him. He was stunned for a moment, then said seriously, “Qin Tan, do you really think Little Fu is a bad person?”

Qin Tan: “I didn’t say that.”

Su Tan: “But your tone was warning him, and so fierce!”

Qin Tan: “…”

“Little Fu walked all the way with us. He didn’t kill or commit arson, nor did he break laws or commit crimes. Although he’s a bit dull sometimes, he looks like an honest person. Even if his identity is a bit abnormal, so what?”

Su Tan’s voice was light, carrying a bit of naivety. “He must have his own considerations for hiding his identity. Why expose him and make it so awkward?”

“And obviously, he came here for Little He. One doesn’t necessarily have to get to the bottom of everything; leave some leeway. What if he’s some family’s young master hiding his identity to date?”

Qin Tan: “…”

Su Tan concluded neatly, “Master of Guili Sword, your EQ is really not good.”

Qin Tan: “…Heh.”