Chapter 66: Azure Cloud (44)

He Tinglong slept until daybreak. When he woke, the room was dim and so quiet a pin drop could be heard. He slowly turned his head and saw Fu Fengyan leaning beside the bed curtain, propping his head with one hand, his purple eyes unblinking as they stared at him—who knows for how long.

“You’re awake?” Fu Fengyan leaned closer, pressing a palm to his forehead to check his temperature, then withdrew it with satisfaction. “Your recovery is not bad.”

“Ahhh! It hurts, it hurts! Lighter, lighter!! My arm, my arm is going to break!”

Fu Fengyan walked with light steps, humming a tune as he pulled open the window. Immediately, fresh breeze and sunlight poured in together. He Tinglong squinted and saw in the small courtyard Yue Qianxun sitting at the table with needles stuck all over from head to buttocks, while Zhang Duixue lay collapsed in a reclining chair, pants rolled up to his knees, feet soaking in a bucket, both hands spread open, also full of golden needles, completely motionless and utterly lifeless.

At the not-so-large table, Master Mu sat with his legs crossed, chatting and laughing with Dean Xu. While laughing, he twisted the golden needles, and hearing his young disciple’s pig-slaughtering screams, didn’t forget to scold, “Can’t even handle this little pain, pathetic!”

When sounds came from He Tinglong’s side, the four people all turned their heads at once. Through the window, Dean Xu greeted them, “Oh, so you’re awake? Young He, do you feel unwell anywhere?”

Fu Fengyan blocked the window opening, his voice steady, “He’s fine, no need for needles.”

It was already the hour of chen (7-9 AM).

Yesterday Azure Clouds Academy had been invaded by demon clan members—this was a tremendous breach. So many students were injured, yet the dean wasn’t currently busy running around comforting students, but instead sitting here playing chess… there must be someone else who had come to take charge of the academy.

He Tinglong thought for a moment, his expression unchanged, slowly got up, dressed himself, and went out to greet the teachers.

His body was still somewhat weak, but compared to his condition after using secret techniques in the past, it was much better. He had neither lost strength nor was trembling, with not a single symptom of aftereffects.

His gaze drifted toward Fu Fengyan, who touched his mouth in a rather obvious attempt at concealment, the corners of his lips curving upward, then walked out with light steps.

Even his hair seemed to be written with joy.

He Tinglong: “…”

There was no mirror in his room, so he couldn’t see what his face looked like. He could only fetch his sword and use the silvery-white blade as a mirror. Fortunately—slightly red, a bit swollen, but not obvious.

Putting away the sword, he supported himself against the wall and went out, moving one step at a time with slight trembling. He looked in decent spirits, but not completely unaffected—very fitting for his insignificant soldier status, having hidden from beginning to end.

When Dean Xu saw the two of them, without a word he first moved aside, sat them down there, grabbed one arm each, and asked gently, “How do you feel? Has your cultivation declined? Is your spiritual power stagnant?”

Master Mu grabbed the other arm, pressing on the pulse point and asking, “Headache, dizziness, nausea, or faintness, weakness, cold sweats?”

“None of that.” Fu Fengyan pulled both his arms back, moved over a small stool to sit on the side, and watched with interest the tearful and needle-dizzy Yue Qianxun, and the sweat-covered Zhang Duixue.

He Tinglong didn’t move, letting the two elders on his left and right search and examine him, while softly asking, “Master, what happened in the academy last night? Was that demon creature dealt with?”

Dean Xu stroked his chin, examining for a long while, his gaze surveying He Tinglong from top to bottom for quite some time before retracting his fingers. “Rest assured, your Master Qin used a secret technique to send a portion of his soul inside. Although he shattered the Wandering Spirit Realm, he successfully annihilated that demon creature. The casualties in the academy aren’t too severe.”

He Tinglong seemed to breathe a sigh of relief at these words. He smiled bitterly, “This disciple’s cultivation is inadequate. When the incident occurred, I only thought of fleeing quickly, disappointing the masters’ teachings.”

“Don’t blame yourself. With that situation and your cultivation level, charging forward would have been suicide. Assessing the situation and preserving yourself wasn’t wrong,” Dean Xu chuckled, “You clever boy, your mind works pretty fast. Without your reminder, who knows how many more would have died.”

He Tinglong lowered his eyes, his face full of worry. “I don’t know… how were the academy’s casualties?”

“Two dead, twelve seriously injured, everyone has some light injuries.” Master Mu supplemented from the side. “This counts as major dereliction of duty. The Immortal Alliance sent people overnight. Look, even the dean’s title has been stripped away. Now he can only sit here with this old man and bask in the sun.”

“Basking in the sun is good, basking in the sun is wonderful! This mess—having someone clean it up for this old man, I couldn’t ask for more!” Dean Xu leaned back in his chair, calm and unruffled. “Sitting here playing a few more rounds isn’t nice? When in previous years could I accompany you this long?”

“Hey now, you old boy are actually getting smug about it! You haven’t exactly been short on slacking off normally, have you?”

…

The two old men bickered across him. He Tinglong mediated between them while his peripheral vision constantly looked around. The small courtyard was still the same small courtyard, except two people now stood guard in the shadows at the entrance. The half-open door couldn’t completely hide their forms—he could see half a piece of golden-trimmed clothing.

He Tinglong immediately understood.

The Immortal Alliance.

They had come much faster than he imagined… or perhaps he had slept too long.

An incident at Azure Clouds Academy, especially letting a demon cultivator in under the noses of numerous elders—Dean Xu bore inescapable responsibility, not to mention Xie Xuanxiao, Fu Baiyu, Xiangli Xuan and other heaven’s favored children were seriously injured. The sect masters and leaders would certainly be furious, coming to demand an explanation.

If the Immortal Alliance didn’t intervene in this matter, the leaders of the major sects might just come tear down Azure Clouds Academy. Sealing off the entire academy now was perfectly normal. Since it was currently spring, of the Immortal Alliance’s four halls, the ones who came must be from the Azure Yang branch.

“Yu Xi Zheng Li” [appears to be a title or name at bottom of page]

As he thought about these matters, his brows were full of sorrow, his face showing reluctance. Then with a pained voice he inquired, “I hope Master can tell me—which two fellow students were the victims?”

“One was an ordinary cultivator who had long been possessed by that demon cultivator, corroded into an empty shell. The other you know,” Dean Xu’s voice was light and airy, “Yun Zhi. Come to think of it, he was your former sect brother.”

He Tinglong’s fingers trembled at these words. He looked up, appearing extremely shocked. “How could it be him? Though the Young Sect Master’s cultivation couldn’t compare to the young masters of various sects, it wasn’t bad either. How could he be the one to die?”

“Possibly had some connection with that demon cultivator and was silenced.” Dean Xu said carelessly, “His primordial spirit was completely destroyed—this method of handling things makes it impossible to investigate anything.”

“A-Zhi was the only son of Jade Balance Sect’s master. If he has died… the sect master must be devastated.” After speaking, He Tinglong’s eyes trembled and moistened.

Fu Fengyan walked over, pressed He Tinglong’s shoulder, and patted it consolingly. The young man’s shoulders trembled as he buried his face in his good brother’s embrace with immense grief, silently shedding tears.

Dean Xu glanced repeatedly, and after a long while, uttered, “Well then, your feelings for him were genuine.”

“This student received kindness from Jade Balance Sect’s master. The sect master’s nurturing grace, the Young Sect Master’s fellowship—it’s my fault for not watching over him properly.” He Tinglong wiped his tears. “I don’t know where the Young Sect Master’s body is placed? I want to see him off one last time.”

“I’m afraid that won’t work. We’re under house arrest.” Dean Xu spread his hands. “Need to report upward first, see if my good grand-nephew has the leisure amid his busy schedule to review and grant you clemency. Look, guards at the gate and everything—how professional!”

“Second Uncle, you exaggerate.” A very clear and gentle voice sounded. Someone pushed open the half-closed door, and a corner of snow-white clothing floated in. The refined young man wore a veiled hat, separated by a layer of gauze-like curtain that obscured his features. Only lush greenish-new like spring leaves could be seen peeking from behind the hat as he moved, like a new willow tree dimly visible through mist. His voice was even more gentle, flowing past everyone’s ears like water. “It was Xu’s oversight. The law doesn’t override human sentiment. Although this incident hasn’t been fully investigated, if you young friends wish to see your companion one last time, that’s permissible.”

The young man waved to signal He Tinglong to go out. The attendant behind him very perceptively opened the gate wide. Dean Xu shot to his feet. “Should’ve done this earlier! I’ll go check on the students…”

“Second Uncle,” the young man’s voice remained neither warm nor cold, “You may not leave.”

Dean Xu: “…”

The four youths in the courtyard looked left and right, rolled their eyes, and finally all suddenly remembered that bit of questionable “fellowship with their classmate.” Weeping copiously with earth-shaking cries, He Tinglong let Fu Fengyan support him, Yue Qianxun yanked out the needles stuck in his body, joining with Zhang Duixue whose calves were soaked bright red from his footbath. The four gathered together, pulling each other, supporting one another, limping while wailing, “Yun Zhi, you died so miserably!”

Then wiping their tears, they speedily fled the scene.

The small courtyard of the Sword Pavilion was left behind. After walking one li away, He Tinglong finally breathed a sigh of relief and asked in a low voice, “I slept through the night—when did the Immortal Alliance send people?”

“The hour of yin (3-5 AM).” Zhang Duixue pulled down his pant legs. “As soon as they arrived, they sealed off the entire academy. Originally, with the Young Palace Master seriously injured and his cultivation dropped, Elder Lu was wailing and arguing with the dean. After that person came, he first confined the dean, then sealed Langhuan Pavilion and several other courtyards, ordering everyone not to leave.”

“The dean said we were injured and needed someone to care for us, so he was confined together with us.”

“How badly injured is Xie Xuanxiao?” He Tinglong asked.

“His cultivation dropped to the sixth realm. When I left he still hadn’t awakened, and was faintly about to enter demonic obstruction.” Zhang Duixue’s lips parted slightly, then pressed tight again, his face covered with gloomy clouds. “In any case, the situation is very bad. Those who charged to the very front are now basically lying in bed unable to move. But fortunately, Little Yue was lucky and wasn’t much affected. Little He, you too—I couldn’t find you later and nearly went crazy with worry.”

“After you left, I discovered I was close to Little Yue, so I casually pulled him along. Before the two of us could get out, that demon creature had already been killed with one sword strike by Brother Tan.” He Tinglong’s expression didn’t change. “We were lucky.”

Yue Qianxun: “It was Master Qin who saved us?”

He Tinglong turned his head, eyes crinkling with a smile. “Of course, or could there be a second Brother Tan?”

Yue Qianxun lowered his head, listlessly said “oh,” and in the end didn’t ask more questions.