Chapter 33

Help!

I'm going to die! ...

The moment she heard that voice, Sheng Ningyu felt her blood rush to her head. She was incredibly grateful for the mask covering her face, but she still kept her head down, not daring to utter a sound.

She wanted to test her skills by finding a few people from the Sword Pavilion, but the people she was looking for were not from the Sword Pavilion!

Sheng Ningyu didn't need to look up to recognize the owner of the voice.

Rongque.

Her second senior brother.

He is the universally acknowledged "Number One Young Master" in the cultivation world, a flawless immortal master whose zither skills are no less than those of the Pavilion Master of the Nine Heavens Pavilion. Whenever he is mentioned, people praise him highly. Even those who dislike him due to various opinions cannot help but be captivated by his charm once they have seen him in person.

He was once the person Sheng Ningyu trusted most; even her shattered natal sword was named "Flawless".

Sheng Ningyu still remembered that she had a question when she was young: "'Que' means deficiency or fault. But what deficiency does my second senior brother have?"

Rong Que always indulged her mischievous antics, only stopping her when she was about to fall and get hurt.

For example, at this moment, he swiftly pulled Sheng Ningyu down from the rooftop, who was about to leap onto it with her spiritual power. He wiped the dust off her forehead with a handkerchief, tapped her nose, and said with a helpless smile, "What nonsense are you talking about? In this life, how can one truly be without regrets?"

"I don't care."

Young Sheng Ningyu tilted her head back and knelt crookedly on the prayer mat, her expression proud. "My second senior brother is the most perfect person in the world."

Rong Que smiled and shook his head. After tidying her clothes, he lit another incense stick and continued to sit and play the zither: "Junior sister is too kind. My talent in swordsmanship is not as good as yours. In time, you will surely surpass me and senior brother and become the most outstanding disciple of this Sword Pavilion."

"This alone makes it far from 'perfect'."

The lingering sound of the zither, like the smoke of bygone days, blurred the features of an old friend.

Sheng Ningyu didn't remember what Rong Que's expression was like that day. She only remembered that she frowned, then quickly relaxed her brows and clapped her hands, saying, "From now on, Second Senior Brother will be the number one zither cultivator in the cultivation world, and I will be the number one sword cultivator in the cultivation world. But my sword will be called 'Flawless Sword' from now on, so that whether it's the zither or the sword, Second Senior Brother will be number one!"

Sheng Ningyu couldn't remember what Rong Que said, or perhaps he said nothing at all.

Time has passed and things have changed; the days and months have suddenly passed.

She truly became a peerless swordsman and ascended to the position of "Sword Master," but her cultivation of the "Ninefold Sword" was stuck at the sixth level, with no further progress.

The second senior brother still loved playing the zither, and the sound of a melody would dispel the soul. However, the person he was willing to play the zither for was no longer her.

...

"Second Senior Brother, what are you doing here?"

"Acting Pavilion Master."

Just as Sheng Ningyu was considering the possibility of running away, two voices saved her.

Feng Xiaosheng trailed her feathered skirt as she approached, and standing not far from her was a person with a look of surprise in their eyes—Ning Jiao, Sheng Ningyu's junior sister!

Sheng Ningyu: "..."

What day is it today? Did they plan to meet here together?

Fortunately, Ning Jiao didn't pay attention to the dusty little disciple. When she saw Rong Que, her face lit up with joy. She lifted her dress and ran to his side, her watery eyes full of innocence and fragility.

Feng Xiaosheng found Ning Jiao's clingy and nagging manner the most annoying. He scoffed and didn't even bother to look at her again: "You two, as fellow disciples, can go to the Four Seasons Scenery to catch up."

After she finished speaking, she grabbed Sheng Ningyu by the back of her collar and was about to lift her away.

"Young Master Feng, please wait."

Rong Que stepped forward, his wide sleeves billowing like clouds as he walked, displaying an elegant and graceful demeanor.

He was also dressed in snow-white, with light-colored silver threads and subtle patterns in the middle. He was elegant and refined, like a glazed porcelain. He also had jade ornaments hanging from his waist, which jingled as he moved.

This outfit was somewhat similar to Xie Qianjing's, but after getting to know them better, Sheng Ningyu realized that the two had completely different personalities.

When Xie Qianjing smiled with his eyebrows arched, it was like the shimmering spring water, but his essence was more like the pure and aloof snow on a mountain peak, where the dust had settled and the light was shining, untouched by the world.

The second senior brother, Rong Que, was handsome and refined, like a garden full of jade hairpin flowers in late summer. With each step he took, it seemed as if a fairy was rising up, concealing the heavy dew of the mortal world.

Rong Que said, "I saw this young friend here all alone, not saying a word, and I was a little worried." He turned to Sheng Ningyu and asked gently, "Young friend, there's no need to be afraid. Were you bullied at the academy?"

Sheng Ningyu quickly shook her head, cold sweat seeping from her back.

She didn't dare say a word.

If her most striking feature was her appearance, then for Rong Que, what was most likely to catch his attention was her voice.

As a qin (a type of Chinese stringed instrument) master who was almost on par with Yu Tanqiu, the master of the Nine Heavens Pavilion, Rong Que was extremely sensitive to sound. He could recognize anyone he had ever seen or heard with just a word.

If someone plays a piece he has heard before, he will point it out if they miss even a single beat.

If you were to ask when this always-smiling, elegant gentleman's expression would be at its coldest, it would probably be at this moment.

Only perfect piano skills can win a smile from him.

Even in private, some people jokingly say, "Yin Wuque, Gongzi Yue," meaning that a perfectly good zither player was unfortunately recruited into the Sword Pavilion.

But Sheng Ningyu knew that was not the case.

Earlier...

"Many disciples caused trouble today, and she was among them. She was probably punished by her own sect leader with a ban on speaking and a copy of the palace rules. Being young and hot-blooded, she came here to vent her anger."

Feng Xiaosheng spoke casually, waved his hand, and picked up Sheng Ningyu: "Her sect leader has been looking for her for a long time. We'll take our leave first. Please make yourself at home, Sect Leader."

Sheng Ningyu was suddenly lifted into the air by Feng Xiaosheng. A cold wind rushed towards her face, and her feet felt light as if she were walking on clouds. If it were an ordinary disciple, he would probably be ashen-faced by now. Sheng Ningyu breathed a sigh of relief.

As Yuan Daojun said, memory is something that cannot be done by anyone other than a close person.

Rong Que was once Sheng Ningyu's closest and most trusted person.

Before she has the ability to contend with him, Sheng Ningyu will not easily acknowledge him.

"You've got guts."

Feng Xiaosheng spoke softly.

The two landed again, and Sheng Ningyu was taken back to the main hall of the academy.

Recalling how she had instigated her disciples to cause a disturbance in the school, Sheng Ningyu felt a little guilty and gave an embarrassed smile: "This disciple knows her mistake."

"Why didn't you answer the question asked to you by the acting leader of the Sword Pavilion?"

Sheng Ningyu blinked, feigning timidity, and stammered, "I...I'm most afraid of strangers. That acting head of the Sword Pavilion is so elegant and refined, like a celestial being from the clouds. You can tell at a glance that he's no ordinary person. I'm so flustered that I dare not speak."

"You wouldn't dare?" Feng Xiaosheng repeated, then let out a cryptic laugh. "You wouldn't dare in front of him, but you would dare in front of me?"

Sheng Ningyu felt somewhat helpless.

How can Feng Xiaohong act so calm and gentle in front of others, truly a young lord who can serve as a role model for the Phoenix Clan, yet behind closed doors she is so aggressive and has no tolerance for others?

She curled the corners of her mouth into a smile, bent down, and adopted the demeanor of a naive and inexperienced disciple: "Young Master, please understand. When I first saw your esteemed presence in the academy, I was equally impressed..."

Sheng Ningyu couldn't bring herself to say the rest.

Her chin was lifted, and with a flick of a hot fingertip, the mask fell off instantly.

The mask bears an array drawn by Yuan Bushu; though not overly complicated, it cannot be easily removed.

However, since Feng Xiaosheng's cultivation level was comparable to Yuan Bushu's, breaking the formation was not difficult for her.

Sheng Ningyu was caught off guard when her mask was suddenly burned.

In an instant, that face, now completely exposed, was revealed directly to Feng Xiaosheng!

...

On the other side, Rong Que and Ning Jiao walked side by side.

"Will our Sword Pavilion disciples also be staying at the academy this time?"

Rong Que nodded: "Qingyi Academy is a rare and grand event. It's good for them to broaden their horizons."

"That's wonderful." Ning Jiao sighed beside him, her delicate face full of regret, looking pitiful. "It's a pity that when my father brought me back back then, I had already missed the time to enroll in school. After that, due to various circumstances, it was no longer appropriate."

The "father" she spoke of was the previous Sword Pavilion Master, Guihai Sword Venerable.

Rong Que smiled gently, his lowered eyes remaining calm and unmoved amidst the changing light and shadow.

Ning Jiao was used to his behavior and continued speaking to herself: "Just now I met the head of the Chu family and chatted with him for a while. I learned that he is now teaching at the academy, probably for that nephew who is quite favored by him. When I saw him in the hall just now, he did look somewhat similar to him."

Rong Que remained silent, his narrow eyes half-closed, as he walked forward.

Upon seeing this, Ning Jiao frowned but quickly relaxed. She caught sight of something, took three steps in two, and rushed to Rong Que, blocking his path.

"Did Second Senior Brother just go to settle the disciples in those four scenic spots?"

Rong Que corrected: "It refers to the scenery of the four seasons."

"Oh dear, I've never been to Qingyi Academy before, and I've made such a fool of myself! Luckily, it was in front of my second senior brother. If others had found out, I wonder what kind of gossip would have spread."

Ning Jiao tapped her head, a little embarrassed, and pursed her lips, revealing a dimple on her cheek. She continued walking forward with Rong Que, "So, is Second Senior Brother also staying?"

"I won't stay, but Junior Brother Yang will."

Ning Jiao's eyes flashed, and she spoke casually, "Then why did you suddenly call out to a strange disciple just now, Senior Brother? When I first saw him, I thought that disciple had offended you."

The two walked at a leisurely pace, but Rong Que suddenly stopped.

What do you think of that disciple?

Ning Jiao was taken aback, pondered for a moment, and then shook his head: "I see nothing wrong with him except that he is wearing a mask, which is a bit strange."

There was not a single moment of impropriety.

Rong Que thought that this must indeed be the case.

Because of what happened in the past... his vision has become increasingly blurry lately. Just now, in the time it took to say a few words, Rong Que used his spiritual power to transform into invisible strings of a zither and probed the disciple's pulse.

It was a rhythm I had never heard of before, no different from that of the masses.

If one had to nitpick, the only problem would be that the string was tainted with a hint of demonic energy when it was retracted.

The woman covered her face, probably for this very reason.

Rong Que remembered that his junior sister had saved a demon a long time ago, and her appearance was also disfigured in the same way.

This thought made Rong Que momentarily realize something, then quickly come to his senses.

Upon closer inspection, he realized that the person in front of him was also not the right shape.

Mingyue'er was taller and more fearless, her movements as graceful as a gentle breeze and a bright moon, quite unlike this drooping and soft demeanor.

It's because his eyesight has deteriorated in recent years that he mistook a demon for his junior sister and even tried to test her with words. He really shouldn't have done that.

Ning Jiao lagged slightly behind Rong Que, and in the sunlight, the purple hem of her dress shimmered with gold threads: "Second Senior Brother, do you think there's something wrong with that woman?"

"No, I was just asking casually."

Rong Que smiled nonchalantly and said, "The Four Seasons Scenery is just ahead. Madam Ning, you should stop here."

Ning Jiao opened her eyes wide, bit her lip, and said with a wronged expression, "Second Senior Brother, won't you take me to see Junior Brother Yang?"

Rong Que chuckled softly and stopped in his tracks: "The Four Seasons Scenery not only houses the Sword Pavilion, but also half of the sect's disciples. Is Madam Ning sure she wants to enter?"

Ning Jiao's face suddenly turned pale.

She married Qi Baiya, the city lord of the Mountain and Sea Never Sleeps City, but everyone knows that before that, Qi Baiya had another Daoist partner.

That Daoist companion was previously unknown, but now her name is known to everyone.

The successor of the Half-Site Sect leader, Yan Wurong.

If it weren't for the protection of Feng Qingli, the leader of the Qingniao Yiyehua sect, Ning Jiao probably wouldn't have survived to this day.

Even so, Yan Wurong once declared that if Ning Jiao dared to step out of the Mountain and Sea Never Sleeps City and was caught by her, he would die.

Ning Jiao dared not make a big fuss about this trip.

"Then I shall bid farewell to my senior brother once again."

Rong Que remained gentle and smiling, seemingly unaware of Ning Jiao's sudden change in demeanor, and softly instructed, "Since you have chosen Lord Qi, you should stay with him in the City That Never Sleeps and not be willful, lest you make things difficult for him."

Ning Jiao couldn't bring herself to say the rest.

Her body stiffened, an overwhelming fear enveloped her, her neck felt like it was being strangled, and she struggled to breathe, a suffocating sensation washing over her.

Rong Que still wore a gentle smile, but his face clearly showed confusion. His fingers, capable of producing the most beautiful music in the world, were wrapped with transparent threads, each thread ending in the person beside him.

With just a light touch, he could tear the person in front of him to pieces.

The situation changed abruptly, and the atmosphere of the fellow students advancing and retreating together and chatting casually shattered in an instant.

Like a wisp of a past dream, it vanishes without a trace.

Ning Jiaojiao's face turned pale, her teeth chattered, and she dared not utter a single word.

“Ning Jiaojiao.” Rong Que walked up to her, lifted her chin, looked her over carefully, and his expression was a mixture of sigh and smile.

"After all these years, you still haven't given up on comparing yourself to her?"

His expression clearly told Ning Jiao not to humiliate herself.

Ning Jiao's consciousness became chaotic at this moment, and she was still not able to recover even after she could no longer see Rong Que's trace.

Long time no see, and the second senior brother's methods have become even more unpredictable.

but……

Ning Jiao gently licked her lips.

She's not bad either.

Something hidden under her skirt flew into her hand. Ning Jiao took a closer look and found that it was a few poorly made talismans.

It looks familiar, but I can't quite place it.

As if possessed, Ning Jiao placed the talismans into her personal storage pouch.

She wasn't very skilled in talismans, and she didn't dare to stay here for long. After thinking about it, she simply put the talisman into her sleeve, intending to take it back and ask Qi Baiya to have someone take a look.

He doted on her, practically handing over the Mountain and Sea Never Sleeps City to her, and taking whatever she wanted from him. Naturally, he wouldn't refuse to examine this little talisman.

Ning Jiao raised the corners of her mouth, a ruthless glint flashing across her beautiful and innocent face.

It's okay if you look down on her.

That bright moon was no exception.

...

Feng Xiaosheng looked at Sheng Ningyu's face, then quickly looked away.

What do you want?

Sheng Ningyu hesitated, "I'll take whatever the Palace Master is willing to give me."

The disciple before him clearly showed joy and greed on his face, yet he tried his best to suppress it.

She doesn't resemble her at all.

That's better.

Feng Xiaosheng was dignified and composed. She was used to keeping an arm's length distance from others, but she kept an even greater distance from the disciple in front of her.

"I can give you a lot, but there will be a price."

Sheng Ningyu's eyes lit up, focusing on the first half of the sentence: "Anything is fine?"

If she said she was angry and wanted to borrow the Yin-Yang Mirror to take a look, would Feng Xiaosheng agree?

Upon seeing this, Feng Xiaosheng twitched the corner of his mouth and said, "My Phoenix Clan is different from some people; we never break our promises."

Sheng Ningyu remained silent for a moment, feeling as if she had been scolded.

"It seems you've decided what you want."

Sheng Ningyu nodded, finally remembering the second half of that sentence.

She flinched, slumped to the ground, and bit her lower lip, mimicking Ning Jiao's expression from her memory. She hesitated and said, "I am penniless and have little spiritual power. If Young Master wants me to do something, I cannot."

In fact, Sheng Ningyu was not afraid of Feng Xiaosheng.

If their identities were restored, the two would be separated by a blood feud, and with the responsibilities of "Young Master Feng" and "Sword Master" weighing on their heads, they would have to think carefully before speaking and acting, and could no longer be as close as before.

But not now.

Within Qingyi Academy, her status was more akin to that of a teacher, while she was merely a junior disciple with somewhat unusual appearance.

Sheng Ningyu was confident that Feng Xiaosheng, as a member of the Phoenix Clan, would never lay a hand on an innocent junior disciple.

Or rather, in Feng Xiaosheng's eyes, she was not worthy of her help at all.

Sheng Ningyu knew that Feng Xiaosheng hated Ning Jiao's weak and helpless demeanor, but she still imitated it. She intended to use this to clear her name and provoke Feng Xiaosheng so that she would get rid of her as soon as possible.

Unexpectedly, the other party did not play by the rules at all.

The fan rib pressed against Sheng Ningyu's lips, burning with heat, while its owner responded with icy words.

"I don't want you to do anything."

The noble young lord of the Phoenix Clan bent down, and the incense surrounding him enveloped Sheng Ningyu, making her feel as if she were in a raging fire.

Her fan slids moved from the corner of Sheng Ningyu's mouth, inch by inch, down to her brow bone, pulling on the skin of Sheng Ningyu's right cheek, and then down along the brow bone to the center of her brow. From there, the movements were gentle and slow, as if she were admiring some rare and precious treasure.

Finally, the fan ribs were slightly raised, and the tip touched Sheng Ningyu's lips.

"I want your skin."

Sheng Ningyu: "..."

Oh wow.

That was too much of a shock.

After being mischievous all day, she might really lose her mischievousness now.

-----------------------

Author's note: Xie Qianjing: No.

I will not forgive; I will not.

Mrs. Xiang: No.

Yuan Daojun: No.

In short, when you encounter something you don't understand, silently read the first three characters of the title.