Chapter 4 My Father's Godson

Yu Sui looked back with a bewildered expression.

Nangong Ming knew how difficult it would be to explain to the child in front of him, so he didn't say much, only saying, "He will stay at the Prince's Mansion for a while, and after a few days he will go to the National Academy with you to study."

Yu Sui lowered her head, flipped through the pages of the book in her hand, and said, "Can I memorize it again tomorrow?"

Nangong Ming said, "Okay."

The child grabbed his sleeve and stood up, and was helped back by the mute woman and the others.

Yu Sui returned to her room and lay down, sighing inwardly. Even after being reborn, she still couldn't escape reading, reciting, and memorizing.

She closed her eyes for a short while, and the strange fire became active. Yu Sui was covered in sweat, and her palms were wet. Helplessly, she got out of bed and went to the bathtub behind the screen.

The water in the bathtub was still warm. Yu Sui stood on a stool, leaned over the edge of the tub, and looked at her reflection in the water. Sweat slid down her chin and dripped onto the water's surface.

Yu Sui felt that things couldn't go on like this. If the mute woman saw this one day, she would definitely tell Madam Su, and it would be troublesome if Madam Su found out.

After the water had cooled completely, Yu Sui plunged in. As she was fully submerged, she opened her eyes and saw shimmering light and shadow in the water. Her detached consciousness looked at her from another perspective, a flame appearing in its dark pupils.

With a fierce determination, Yu Sui roared at the strange fire.

The sound of splashing water echoed in the room. Yu Sui, who was almost out of breath, got out of the water. Her long, wet hair clung to her skin, and water droplets kept dripping down.

The heat remained.

Yu Sui raised her hand, and a small flame was burning on her slender white fingertips.

She opened her five fingers and then closed them again, the flame disappeared, and when she opened them again, the flame reappeared.

Yu Sui gradually mastered the knack of summoning the strange fire, spending the whole night in this repeated trial. The cluster of flames, the size of a fingernail, evaporated the moisture on the ground and also dried her soaked hair and clothes.

The next day, Yu Sui drowsily boarded the carriage to the National Academy. After arriving at the National Academy, he fell asleep at the table, which made the teacher on the stage sigh repeatedly.

Princess Shangyang, propping her head up with one hand, asked her, "Why do you sleep all the time?"

Yu Sui changed her posture, burying her head in her arms, and said in a deep voice, "Because I have to memorize my lessons tonight."

Princess Shangyang laughed nonstop after hearing this.

Compared to the listless Yu Sui, the six-year-old Princess Shangyang is full of energy every day, leading her little sisters to run rampant in the Imperial Academy.

At sunset, Yu Sui and his three elder brothers returned to the palace.

She was so tired that she could barely walk and almost fell when she got off the carriage.

The three older brothers beside him looked over with different expressions. Yu Sui rubbed his eyes and limped inside.

Recently, Yu Sui has been kneeling for two hours at a time, and after returning home, she needs to be massaged for another hour before she can walk again the next day.

Madam Su meant that she could stop kneeling only when she could memorize all the books her teacher had taught her.

Today, Yu Sui was kneeling in front of Madam Su's door, lost in thought. The door was closed and no one was watching. She wondered if she could slack off and was about to stand up when the door opened from the inside, startling her so much that she knelt back down.

The boy who came out was the one Nangong Ming brought back last night.

He changed into clean clothes: dark trousers, a white shirt, and a black belt. Although simple, the fabric was as precious as that worn by the young master of the manor.

The boy seemed surprised to see Yu Sui kneeling outside. He paused for a moment, then whispered, "I'm the only one here."

In other words, Madam Su is not inside.

Yu Sui then stood up.

She looked at the unfamiliar boy in front of her; he must be an important person to Nangong Ming.

Yu Sui bent over, rubbing her knees, and asked the boy, bewildered, "Who are you, and why are you here?"

The boy didn't answer. He walked outside, his back to Yu Sui, and said, "I won't stay here. Please thank your mother for me."

His departing figure was resolute and dashing.

Yu Sui tilted her head to look until he disappeared from sight.

She thought, "That poor kid is definitely not going to make it."

The next day, Yu Sui slowly arrived at the gate of the mansion and saw Nangong Ming, who had gone out, returning with a boy whose face was full of reluctance.

The three older brothers beside him greeted their father obediently.

Nangong Ming hummed in agreement, then casually pulled the boy beside him over and said, "His name is Gu Gan. He'll be going to the National Academy with you tomorrow."

In that instant, Yu Sui seemed to see a sentence in the eyes of his three older brothers: My father has brought back another illegitimate child from outside.

Yu Sui didn't think Gu Gan was Nangong Ming's illegitimate son. According to Nangong Ming's style of doing things, if he were his child, he would openly admit it.

Seven-year-old Gu Gan was somewhat rebellious, mainly because he would go against Nangong Ming. If Nangong Ming told him to go west, Gu Gan would go east.

Unlike the children of the Prince's Mansion, Gu Gan was like a wild grass growing freely outside. He was not afraid of Nangong Ming at all. Even when he was pinned to the ground and beaten, he still refused to admit defeat and would dare to do it again next time.

Only those who knew Nangong Ming well knew how indulgent he was towards Gu Gan. Gu Gan hardly felt any pressure from Nangong Ming.

Yu Sui could tell from the details that Nangong Ming valued Gu Gan, while her brothers had quite a few opinions about Gu Gan.

The eldest brother remained composed and treated Gu Gan with the same politeness.

The other two rolled their eyes at Gu Gan, and the two brothers walked away arm in arm, ignoring the "adopted son" their father had taken in.

In order to avoid being forced to kneel and recite texts by Madam Su, Yu Sui took the initiative to study with Gu Gan. She said to Madam Su, "I'm studying with Brother Gu. I can't kneel while he stands. Brother Gu said he feels embarrassed."

Gu Gan stood by and watched her talk nonsense without refuting her, while Madam Su tacitly accepted her statement.

Nangong Ming was very pleased with Yu Sui's initiative to get closer to Gu Gan, and he took the two children with him in everything he did afterward, creating more opportunities for them.

Although Gu Gan was stubborn and defiant, he was very intelligent.

When he first entered the National Academy, the teachers there didn't know his background, so they made things difficult for him. But who knew that this kid knew everything, could answer any question, and had a stronger presence than them, so they couldn't control him at all.

She used her sharp tongue to retort to the point that the gentleman turned pale and then left in shame and indignation.

Gu Gan became famous and won the favor of Princess Shangyang, who chased after him relentlessly. The more Gu Gan ignored her, the more excited Princess Shangyang became.

The gentleman originally intended to punish Gu Gan, but he received a warning from the Prince of Nangong's mansion.

When Yu Sui returned home, she overheard her second and third brothers muttering to each other: "Whenever we get into trouble at the Imperial Academy, Father doesn't care. But when this wild child gets into trouble, Steward Xu comes to the Imperial Academy in person. It's really infuriating to compare people like this."

Third Brother snorted, "He has no name or status, so why should we care?"

The two walked around the corner and saw Yu Sui at the corner of the corridor.

Yu Sui hesitated for a moment, then stepped aside against the wall and said, "I didn't hear you."

The two older brothers: "..."

You'd be better off not saying anything!

Given that she was the successor handpicked by Nangong Ming, the two elder brothers' expressions changed several times before they shut up and went their separate ways.

Yu Sui didn't think he had any particularly noble status.

Even if the three princes did not receive Nangong Ming's exclusive favor, he did not completely neglect his sons. The princes of the royal family had all the status and prestige they needed, and they also had their mothers as their backers.

Yu Sui was different.

Her parents were constantly trying to torment her, treating her like a mere tool in their collaboration. Her mother's attitude was clear: she would never be as important as her eldest daughter, Qingkui.

He also bears the mark of the Destroyer of Worlds. If exposed, even his unreliable parents cannot stop the pursuit of all the low-level sorcerers in the world.

Not only can they not be stopped, they might even strike first.

Yu Sui withdrew her gaze from her brother's retreating figure, raised her hand to rub her face, and sighed inwardly: Luckily, she is a mentally mature adult; if she were really the mentally challenged child of six, she would have died countless times by now.

As spring passed and summer arrived, Yu Sui found it increasingly difficult to bear the restlessness of the strange fire after nightfall. Fortunately, the mute woman and others would place cooling items in her room.

This must be one of the advantages of being a princess in a royal palace.

The housekeeper delivered a piece of "Liudan Jade," about a meter tall, with a deep blue color like the sea, crystal clear, and carved into a fan shape. The cool air it released could keep her entire courtyard cool and ventilated even during the hottest time of summer.

However, it could not suppress the intense heat of the strange fire.

Yu Sui secretly studied the strange fire in his room every night.

She looked at the tiny flame burning on her fingertip and said wistfully, "What use are you anyway?"

It's only good for warming yourself by the fire in winter.

She would summon the strange fire every day and also separate her consciousness to observe it. Tonight, Yu Sui was too hot to sleep, so she sat down next to Liu Dan jade stone, opened her palm to summon the strange fire, and suddenly found that the flame seemed to be a little bigger.

Yu Sui observed in amazement for a moment, his dark eyes fixed on the strange fire at his fingertips. He stood still, yet he could see a small, glowing dot deep within the flame.

The origin point was slowly pulsating, as if trying to break free from the cage of flames.

Yu Sui reached out to grab it and clearly touched something cold. She carefully took the dot out of the flame.

When Yu Sui separated the dot from the flame, she felt as if she had peeled off her own flesh and taken out her heart. It was strange and eerie. She had a bad feeling and immediately put it back.

Yu Sui knew very little about cultivation practices.

The National Academy currently teaches only parts that do not involve supernatural abilities or magical arts, seemingly because they feel the children are too young to be exposed to them.

Yu Sui had no choice but to find a solution herself, but she had to make sure that no one else noticed.

The elder brothers have a mediocre relationship with Yu Sui and don't communicate much. If they were to seek cooperation with the three princes, Madam Su would definitely find out.

Yu Sui had no choice but to go to Gu Gan.

Gu Gan is very intelligent. Nangong Ming tested his talent and found that it far surpassed that of his own children, even his most outstanding third son.

So while Yu Sui was still learning music, chess, calligraphy and painting, Gu Gan was already reading books on supernatural abilities and techniques such as Qimen Dunjia.

Gu Gan did not live in the Prince's Mansion, but he had to come to the mansion every day to go to the State Academy with the princes and princesses. Occasionally, after arguing with the princes, Gu Gan would stop coming to the mansion and go directly to the State Academy.

Recently, Gu Gan and the heir apparent have fallen out and he has stopped coming to the Prince's residence.

Yu Sui had no choice but to look for him in the Imperial Academy.

The young princess of the royal palace did not inherit her parents' talents, but she did inherit their beauty and looks. Although she was young, she was beautiful and delicate.

Gu Gan had a very good impression of Yu Sui, at least better than her brothers. In addition, because she had been treated by Madam Su, Gu Gan did not refuse when Yu Sui said she wanted to go to his house to play.

Gu Gan lives alone.

The house was not far from the Prince's Mansion, with courtyards in the front and back. The surrounding area was relatively quiet, and the house was clean and tidy. There was also a separate study next to the bedroom.

The study was filled with books related to cultivation in the Nine Schools of Thought.

Even after leaving the palace, Yu Sui could not freely browse the study, because the reaction from the strange fire told her that someone was watching her nearby.

The object could be Gu Gan, or it could be her.

Everything she did and said at Gu Gan's house was told to Nangong Ming in detail by the bodyguards who accompanied her.

Gu Gan stood on a stool, tiptoed, and handed her a few books: "Can you finish reading them?"

"I can't finish reading it." Yu Sui took the book and hugged it. "Can I continue reading it tomorrow?"

Gu Gan was taken aback by the earnest look in his eyes, then turned his head away: "Come if you want."

Yu Sui would ask Gu Gan questions every time she turned a page, because she couldn't understand anything. Gu Gan went from patiently explaining to losing patience, complaining as he explained.

"What were you doing while the teacher was lecturing?" Gu Gan asked, puzzled.

Yu Sui put her hands together beside her face, making a sleeping gesture.

Gu Gan: "..."

He said, "If you come in last place in this monthly exam, Madam Su won't let you off the hook."

"I've already tried my best." Yu Sui said, head drooping. "How about this, I'll look through it first, make up all the questions, and then ask you?"

Seeing her pitiful appearance, Gu Gan softened and said, "Alright."

On the first day, Yu Sui did not look at any books related to the Nine Schools of Arts. She traveled back and forth to Gu Gan's house for about ten days. As the people monitoring her began to relax their vigilance, Yu Sui slowly began to look at the books she wanted to read.

Occasionally, when Gu Gan asked her if she could understand it, she would shake her head, point to a certain character, and ask him, "What is this character pronounced, and what does it mean?"

Gu Gan would sigh like a little adult.

This foolish princess, how will she manage the entire palace in the future?

Yu Sui learned a lot from Gu Gan's study.

At least she understood what the dots in the strange fire were.

The dots emitted a milky white, lustrous light; these were the "Five Elements Light Cores," representing the cultivator's innate talent. All future cultivation and power would be given and stored by the Five Elements Light Cores.

When the Nine Streams Technique reaches the tenth realm, the Master level, the Five Elements Light Core will transform into a golden "Dual Soul Core". There is a clear difference in strength between the Dual Soul Core and the Five Elements Light Core, but Yu Sui has not yet seen the difference in the book.

As a cultivator, whether it is the Five Elements Light Core or the Divine Soul Dual Core, it is unique and cannot be cultivated again after destruction.

Yu Sui found this strange.

That night, Yu Sui stared at the small white dot spinning in the flame at his fingertips. This must be the "Five Elements Light Core" that the book described as the source of a cultivator's power.

Just like last time, she peeled the Five Elements Light Core out of the flames.

She held the Five Elements Light Core between her fingers; it was as cold as a fragile glass ball, ready to shatter at the slightest touch. After a few breaths, Yu Sui made a bold decision: she crushed the fragile glass ball.

After a faint cracking sound, the five elemental light cores turned into white fluorescent light and dissipated.

Yu Sui touched her heart, but there was no reaction. Then she looked at the flame in her hand. In the orange flame, a white five-element light core had condensed again.

She breathed a sigh of relief; it seemed she hadn't made the wrong bet.

Yu Sui finally discovered the strange fire's ability beyond keeping warm in winter.

It seems to be able to generate "countless" Five Elements Light Cores for itself.

[Author's Note]

Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!