Yuan Qi circled around Wen Zhujun. She was indeed a female ghost, and one with considerable cultivation, having been dead for at least a hundred years.

What comforted her was that the person had no hostility and, despite their high level of cultivation, had never harmed anyone.

"Who are you?" Yuan Qi noticed that she had a cold and aloof demeanor and did not bother to communicate with the students around her. Moreover, in a place like the academy, where righteousness was strong and ordinary ghosts could not get close, Wen Zhujun seemed to be completely unaffected and did not feel uncomfortable at all.

Furthermore, she exudes a righteous aura. If she hadn't destroyed the painting, she might have been able to achieve enlightenment after cultivating for several hundred years.

Wen Zhujun also saw the light of merit on Yuan Qi's body and knew that she was no ordinary person. Although the other party was young, she still respectfully clasped her hands and said, "I am Wen Zhujun, the third-ranked scholar in the fifteenth year of Xuande in the previous dynasty. Back then, I disguised myself as a man to go to the capital to take the imperial examination and won the top spot, becoming the third-ranked scholar."

Wen Zhujun sighed helplessly: "I am full of talent and have high martial arts skills. I originally wanted to serve the court, but I did not expect to be favored by the princess. If I reveal that I am a woman, it would be a crime of deceiving the emperor. I refused repeatedly, but the princess was willing to marry me, so I had no choice but to marry her."

The crowd couldn't help but sigh with emotion upon hearing this, with one student exclaiming, "So touching! What happened next? Did the princess discover you were a woman?"

Yuan Qi looked at the man as if he were an idiot: "Where is it touching? It's not touching yet."

Wen Zhujun pretended not to hear and continued, "At first, I used various excuses to avoid getting close to the princess. As time went on, the princess realized something was wrong. The princess found out that I was a girl."

The talkative student then asked, "Did the princess expose you and get the emperor to execute your entire family?"

Wen Zhujun gently shook her head, her eyes filled with pity: "No, at that time, the princess had already fallen deeply in love with me and was captivated by my talent. I was handsome, talented, and skilled in both literature and martial arts, and countless women were infatuated with me at that time."

Yuan Qi also showed his appreciation. There are not many women like her in the world, so it is only natural that someone likes her.

She asked curiously, "How could someone like you die so young?"

"Later, the barbarians invaded, and the people on the border suffered greatly. The court had no capable generals to suppress the rebellion, so I volunteered to go into battle and kill the enemy."

Wen Zhujun was lost in her memories, a time of bloodshed and violence, but also the most glorious period of her life. A smile unconsciously appeared on her face.

"I died on the battlefield, in the final battle between the imperial court and the barbarians. I perished together with the enemy leader."

Bai Sicheng had heard this story long ago. He greatly admired Wen Zhujun's talent. Not only was her martial arts and strategy unmatched, but her literary talent was also rare in the world. He greatly admired such an extraordinary woman.

"Zhujun, really, don't go. I'm willing to let you use my body. I don't ask for anything in return."

Yuan Qi reminded him from the side, "Your body is too weak to support two people. If you force two souls to be contained, you will die in less than five years."

Bai Sicheng roared, "Mind your own business! I'm willing to use my body to make Zhu Yun shine in the court. Can't I fulfill the wish she couldn't achieve in her past life?"

Yuan Qi was not one to rigidly adhere to rules, so she asked Wen Zhujun, "What do you think?"

"I do have unfulfilled ambitions, and I admit I have selfish motives. By having Bai Sicheng enter the painting, I wanted to live a few more years in his body to finish what I hadn't done. Celestial Master, I have no intention of harming him. If sharing a body with him would cause him to die young, then so be it." Wen Zhujun's expression was indifferent, showing little sadness.

Yuan Qi greatly admired her magnanimity and demeanor, and most importantly, he felt a sense of mutual respect: "I have some acquaintances in the underworld. How about you take a position there? In a few hundred years, you might be able to achieve enlightenment and ascend to the immortal realm."

"No—" Bai Sicheng stood between the two of them. "Little girl, what are you doing trying to sow discord at such a young age? I have already promised Zhu Jun that I would let her use my body. Even if I die early, I will be willing."

He said to Wen Zhujun with great stubbornness, "I am willing to follow you for all eternity, and never be separated from you!"

Qi Sheng was heartbroken. Although he admired Wen Zhujun, he didn't want to see Bai Sicheng lose his life. He reminded him, "Brother Sicheng, you ranked third in the second class of the exam. Your future is bright. Why are you so stubborn? Wake up! She was from the previous dynasty and has been dead for over a hundred years..."

Bai Sicheng shook his head painfully: "No, you don't know, I've been with her every day for the past few years. I owe my success to her. She helped me answer my questions and resolve my doubts. She is my mentor and the woman I love most in this life. Without her, I would rather die."

Qi Sheng didn't know how to persuade him anymore, so he looked at Yuan Qi: "Celestial Master, why don't you try to persuade him? Or can you let Wen Zhujun stay and keep him company?"

Yuan Qi shrugged: "Good advice is useless to a suicidal ghost. There's nothing I can do."

Qi Sheng ran to Wen Zhujun and knelt down before her: "You can't just stand by and watch him sink into despair like this. His madness today is because of you."

Wen Zhujun looked down at him and said calmly, "You really care about him. Fine, let him forget me."

Yuan Qi tugged at Bai Sicheng: "Humans and ghosts are different. I advise you to think more positively. It's impossible for you two to be together."

Bai Sicheng, a grown man, actually started crying, pounding his chest and wailing: "Zhujun, don't treat me like this. I wholeheartedly want to follow you. If we can't be together as humans, then I'll be a ghost too."

The more Yuan Qi listened, the more he felt that Bai Sixiang was a resentful woman, the kind of resentful woman who had been ruthlessly abandoned by her husband.

Wen Zhujun gave him a disdainful look: "Even if we become ghosts, we can't be together. I've already decided to accept the Celestial Master's invitation to become a ghost messenger in the underworld. When you die, you can only enter the underworld, cross the Bridge of Helplessness, and enter the next cycle of reincarnation."

Yuan Qi quickly chimed in, "She's right, you two are ultimately not on the same path."

Wen Zhujun had no lingering feelings for Bai Sicheng, behaving exactly like a heartless and fickle man, leaving Bai Sicheng heartbroken and crying as she left.

Without hesitation, he crawled into Yuan Qi's Soul Nourishing Bottle.

At the same time, a ray of merit light flew into Yuan Qi's spiritual platform.

Qi Sheng and the students of Lushan Academy stayed behind to persuade Bai Sicheng.

Bai Sicheng stared blankly at the painting, which was empty except for the landscape.

On the way, Xiangli Youming kept sighing, but Yuan Qi ignored him.

Xiangli Youming muttered to himself, "Seventh Sister, aren't you being a bit too heartless? If I become this attached to you in the future, will you abandon me like Wen Zhujun did?"