Chapter 31
"Weren't there forty-nine rules for Qingyi Academy?!" Sheng Ningyu threw down her pen and turned around incredulously. "When did it become eighty-one?!"
"Let me see... Ha, 'matters that occur within the academy shall be handled internally by the academy and shall not be reported to the mortal government'? Are you crazy! Do you have to write this into the academy rules? Senior Brother Fei, who changed the rules?"
Yuan Bushu coldly replied, "Do you really not know who these rules were changed for?"
It is usually ordinary people who seek help from these cultivators. But one person did the opposite and reported the matter of the academy directly to the human government. She was also very lucky to encounter an incorrigible official, who actually threw several cultivators into the human prison.
Coincidentally, that person was a prominent figure in the academy back then. As soon as this incident came out, countless disciples rushed to imitate it, and for a time, the human prison was almost overflowing with people.
Sheng Ningyu: "."
Realizing that she had done something absurd, Sheng Ningyu coughed lightly, obediently picked up the pen from the ground, and, too lazy to copy anymore, simply used the pen as a sword, twirling it slightly between her fingers.
She said nonchalantly, "These rules are good, really good." She went through the extra palace rules and muttered to herself, "With so many unnecessary additions, they didn't even add the rule that 'Qingyi Academy prohibits the use of Snow Melting Charms'?"
He didn't want to say more about this matter. He stretched out a finger and sent out a wisp of spiritual energy, freezing Sheng Ningyu's movements: "What did you say to Xie Qianjing yesterday?"
This Bodhi Immortal was once famous throughout the world. Everyone knew that he was the pride of the Xie family, but few had actually seen him.
Even when appearing in public, Xie Qianjing always wore a veil to cover his face, surrounded by Xie family attendants, just like the unique Bodhi lotus in the Xie family's pond, untouched by any dust.
Coincidentally, Yuan Bushu was not a very sociable person either.
So even though his father had taught this Bodhi Immortal Lord, Yuan Bushu had almost never seen his true face.
Sheng Ningyu knew what Yuan Bushu wanted to ask, and shook her head: "The spirit bone is not his."
She had initially thought that the extra half of her spiritual bone belonged to Xie Qianjing, but after some probing, Sheng Ningyu almost ruled out that possibility.
To be honest, even Sheng Ningyu had to suppress and control the pain when touching the person who possessed her spiritual bone, but Xie Qianjing didn't react much when she touched him several times.
Yuan Bushu's brows relaxed slightly: "Then you and him..."
"That's fine then." Sheng Ningyu took it all in stride, making a small sword-like flourish with her pen, and said nonchalantly, "We used to be friends, and now, I don't think it's so bad."
friend?
I just don't think it's right.
Yuan Bushu: "One should always be wary of others. I am here in the academy, but you should also be careful."
Compared to Yuan Bushu's concerns, Sheng Ningyu was less concerned. Although Xie Qianjing denied the "sworn brotherhood" claim, based on just a few words, Sheng Ningyu was certain that in those forgotten memories, she and Xie Qianjing must have had a very deep relationship and were extremely good friends.
It wasn't that Sheng Ningyu hadn't considered other possibilities, but she was very clear about her own personality. Although she often said "I like you" and could easily say a string of compliments, she would never betray her promise and find someone else when it came to her future Daoist partner.
Even after learning that Chu Chang'an and his junior sister had developed feelings for each other, Sheng Ningyu's only thought was to quickly break off the engagement rather than find someone else.
Therefore, Xie Qianjing will only ever be her friend, the kind of friend with whom she has a very good relationship.
Moreover, Sheng Ningyu calculated that her memory was faulty, probably related to the destruction of the Xie family back then.
The Xie family's harboring of demonic seeds and their attempt to overthrow the Three Realms caused a sensation back then, but it was quickly suppressed. Looking back now, this matter seems quite bizarre.
If she had known Xie Qianjing back then, she would never have stood idly by.
Why even get engaged? If we don't ruin the Chu family, we'll be letting down the reputation of the "devil incarnate" that people secretly gave her!
In conclusion, Sheng Ningyu reasonably speculates that perhaps the person who destroyed the Xie family was the one who altered her memories.
If she wants to prove this point, the simplest way is to find the people from back then and ask them clearly.
For example, Feng Xiaosheng.
Sheng Ningyu was her closest friend back then.
If she were to let go of her brother's affairs...
Feng Jiutian is a junior member of the Phoenix Clan, so he has a lot to say about Feng Xiaosheng's affairs.
Shh! Keep your voice down!
Feng Jiutian was stunned by her blunt words for a moment, and then hurriedly came over to cover her mouth.
Sheng Ningyu quickly covered her mouth, gave a knowing look, and then lowered her voice, whispering, "Is it really that exaggerated? Then why did you say last time that Young Master and Sword Master were the best match?"
Feng Jiutian's ears turned red, and she lowered her head shyly, saying coyly, "I just love the idea of destined enemies and love-hate relationships."
Sheng Ningyu: "..."
Sheng Ningyu sat a little further away from him, her face expressionless: "Speak properly."
"You don't know, it's said that when the news of Sword Master's deep entrapment in the Mitian Realm spread, many people felt sorry for him and watched to see how our young lord would react. They all thought that the grudges would be settled with his death, but who knew that our young lord would directly order that no one in Zhuyue City was allowed to feel sorry for him or mention it. If Sword Master's body was found, it had to be brought to her. We all guessed that she wanted to whip his corpse to vent her anger!"
Sheng Ningyu: "That's not necessarily true..."
"Once, the Chu family found a woman who looked remarkably like the Sword Master. However, when they passed through Zhuyue City, our Young Lord stumbled upon her. My God, you have no idea how bloody the scene was! The Young Lord ordered the woman's skin to be peeled off and hung high on the city tower, where her body was left to rot for seven days. From then on, no one dared to mention the Sword Master in front of the Young Lord!"
It was rare to find someone so bold as to be willing to listen to such things. Feng Jiutian was in high spirits, waving his folding fan, and had the air of a storyteller in a teahouse: "Sixty years is nothing to our Phoenix Clan, just the time it takes to go into seclusion. I think it's still a long way from when Young Lord puts aside this grudge."
Sheng Ningyu: "."
She gave up struggling.
It seems that instead of hoping that Feng Xiaosheng will give her any hints, it would be better to ask Xie Qianjing not to reveal her identity.
"What are you afraid of?"
Xie Qianjing sat across from her at the desk. After listening to her words, he propped his head up and laughed: "I thought she wouldn't kill you."
Xie Qianjing turned his head and said softly, "I thought that the Sword Master and this Phoenix Lord were close friends back then, so why are you so suspicious now?"
Sheng Ningyu looked up: "If you have nothing to do, come and help me with my homework after you've finished your studies."
To avoid all this nonsense.
Xie Qianjing smiled and said, "I don't need to write these. As I said before, I entered the academy to protect its safety."
Is Yuan Daojun really senile to entrust the safety of Qingyi Academy disciples with a demon?
Even if he really is confused, is Feng Xiaosheng not sober either?
"This talisman is missing a stroke."
Sheng Ningyu paused in thought.
The fingers resting on her desk were long and slender, with jade-like fingertips and prominent veins on the back of her hand, making her look extremely beautiful.
She's so beautiful, how could she have done that to her back then?
Sheng Ningyu said casually, "I did it on purpose, just to make Chu Chang'an angry."
As soon as he finished speaking, the spiritual thread that should have been focused on his studies curled up and tied several knots around Xie Qianjing's fingers.
Crooked and uneven, it doesn't match those beautiful fingers at all.
Xie Qianjing looked up and saw Sheng Ningyu raise her eyebrows and smile at him, taking his hand and saying with great interest, "The injury on your wrist has actually healed."
Xie Qianjing didn't seem to care much: "My injuries always heal quickly."
Sheng Ningyu: "That's not a particularly impressive skill. Being able to avoid getting hurt is what's truly impressive."
"for example?"
"Like me."
Sheng Ningyu tossed aside her pen, leaned back lazily, rested one hand on the back of her head, and said smugly, "Since you've known me before, you should know how good I was at fighting back in the academy!"
Back then, she was so talented that she could have entered Qingyi Academy long ago, but when her cultivation was unstable, Sheng Ningyu refused to step out of the Sword Pavilion.
She is very proud and cannot tolerate being defeated by others.
Even if it's a fight, she should be the one hitting others.
“I know.” Xie Qianjing looked at her animated expression, paused, picked up the scroll that had been tossed in front of him, lowered his eyes, picked up his pen with composure, and wrote lightly, “But I’ve never seen it.”
Too.
Because of that prophecy, it seems that this Bodhi Immortal Lord from the Xie family has never visited Qingyi Academy.
A sense of regret inexplicably arose in Sheng Ningyu's heart. After thinking for a moment, she pressed her hand on Xie Qianjing's homework and said with a smile, "You wait, I will definitely find a chance to let you see me!"
Sheng Ningyu herself didn't realize that when she talked about these things, her tone became raised, without a trace of the previous heavy concerns, only youthful spirit.
Xie Qianjing smiled lightly: "Okay, I'll be waiting."
These were just casual remarks from Sheng Ningyu. At most, she was thinking that after retrieving the spiritual bone from Chu Chang'an's Yin-Yang Mirror, she would find an opportunity to beat up the Chu family. She never expected the opportunity to come so quickly.
The incident was caused by Ji Qingwu's injury.
The wound was on her right hand; it wasn't serious, but Sheng Ningyu noticed it at a glance.
She leaned closer and asked casually, "Which elder's lecture did you attend today? It was so interesting, did you use a magical artifact?"
Ji Qingwu shook her head: "It was the seniors from Tianji Pavilion who taught us how to nurture and mobilize our divine sense. We didn't need to use any magical artifacts."
Tianji Pavilion?
Because she disliked this awful place, Sheng Ningyu specifically asked Yuan Bushu to arrange for her to attend someone else's class.
Her purpose in coming to Qingyi Academy was not to study, so the courses were arranged loosely. With Yuan Bushu in charge and Xiang Bieyun backing her up, no one dared to say anything to her.
But things are different now.
Sheng Ningyu grabbed Yuan Shuhe's hand and brought her close to his neck: "What's wrong with you now?"
Yuan Shuhe dodged back in a panic, covering her wound with one hand: "I was accidentally scratched by spiritual energy, it's just a minor injury, Senior Sister Wang... please don't worry about it."
"Alright!" Yuan Shuhe rarely lost his temper. "The matter is over. Don't say anything more."
Yuan Shuhe looked at Sheng Ningyu, feeling extremely guilty.
He had already learned the truth from his brother.
The matter of "half a spiritual bone" was purely his overthinking, and Wang Daoyou's identity was exactly as her father had said before; both she and Xie Daoyou had a past connection with the Yuan family.
His elder brother also specifically reminded him that, in order to avoid trouble, he should address others as "Fellow Daoist Wang" or "Fellow Daoist Xie" when they are out, so as not to cause any unnecessary misunderstandings.
They were truly a couple whose lives were filled with hardship.
Yuan Shuhe thought to herself that she absolutely could not cause them any more trouble.
Yao Youling said, feeling aggrieved, "Fine, I'll listen to my senior brother."
Seeing that Yuan Shuhe was talking about other things, Sheng Ningyu was getting impatient.
She is now using the name of Yunwang Palace as a pretext, treating herself as half a member of Yunwang Palace. However, the disciples of Yunwang Palace have been injured time and time again, which makes Sheng Ningyu feel very embarrassed.
She is determined to find out the truth today!
However, before Sheng Ningyu could get a closer look, a hand landed on the back of her neck and gently pressed it.
What are you doing?
Turning their heads, they were met with Xie Qianjing's smiling eyes. However, when they met that smiling face, everyone present couldn't help but shiver.
Sheng Ningyu silently released her hand.
Yao Youling was so frightened that she broke out in a cold sweat and dared not speak. In the end, Yuan Shuhe said stiffly, "It's not convenient to talk here. Let's go sit down in front and talk."
The group gathered together, chattering away, and after a long while, Sheng Ningyu finally managed to figure out what had happened.
She knew the culprit all too well.
“Fellow Daoist Wang, you didn’t see it. That guy is completely lawless in class because he relies on the good relationship between the Chu family and the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion! The elders of the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion have never paid any attention to him, but if we make the slightest move, he will scold us.”
"Exactly! If he takes action, it's considered a 'coincidence' or 'accident,' but if we do, it's considered 'disrespectful to elders,' 'unruly,' and 'intolerant.' It's utterly ridiculous!"
Although Sheng Ningyu didn't see it, she guessed it.
Moreover, she roughly guessed why Chu Le did this.
He was retaliating against her by bullying her fellow disciples.
That's really childish and ridiculous.
As they were complaining, another person joined in.
The once glamorous young master was now dejected and depressed.
As soon as he arrived, he found a seat, buried his head in his arms, and remained silent, which made the complaints of the surrounding disciples much quieter.
Yao Youling mouthed: [What's wrong with him?]
Ji Qingwu shook her head: [I don't know, maybe she was punished by her superiors?]
Another half of the disciples from the Bi Sect joined: [The Elder of the Tianji Pavilion said today that if he speaks rudely again, he should tell your Madam Xiang and the former Palace Master that he no longer needs to attend his classes.]
Jin Xianyao fears nothing but hurting Xiang Bieyun and Yuan Bushu.
Yuan Shuhe said worriedly, "[He hasn't spoken for a long time.]"
A disciple from the Thousand Poison Cave poked his head out from somewhere: "[You're all his fellow disciples, why don't some of you go and politely inquire?]"
The next moment, a disciple of the Nine Heavens Pavilion emerged from the bushes: [He was reprimanded today for speaking up for us. Please be more tactful when you ask him questions.]
The disciple from the Thousand Poison Cave rolled his eyes, changed seats, and didn't want to sit with the Nine Heavens Pavilion.
The group looked at each other. Just as Yuan Shuhe was about to speak, someone reached out and waved, signaling her to come over.
All the disciples breathed a sigh of relief.
Sheng Ningyu stepped forward, patted Jin Xianyao's shoulder, and tilted her head to the side: "Are you crying?"
The disciples: "..."
Ugh, they'd be better off playing!
Jin Xianyao was originally on the verge of tears, her eyes were already wet, but Sheng Ningyu slapped her back.
He sniffed, looked up, and said sullenly, "I didn't cry."
Kim Hyun-yo muttered softly, "But he's not fair."
Why is it that Chu Le can insult him, but he can't insult her back?
Sheng Ningyu thought for a moment and said, "Then next time you don't scold him, just tell him to 'use more idioms,' and he'll be furious."
Jin Xianyao burst into laughter through his tears, then immediately stopped, his face hardening as he said, "Do you think everyone is like you?"
Everyone spoke up to comfort Jin Xianyao, while Xie Qianjing listened casually. Suddenly, someone hooked his little finger, which was hidden under his sleeve, with a spiritual thread.
Before he could even turn his head, he felt a warm breath on his earlobe, a tingling sensation, somewhat like the blood from that day, but even more pleasing to Xie Qianjing than the blood.
This is really strange.
Xie Qianjing thought that as a demon, he should love blood and killing. How could there be anything he liked more?
Sheng Ningyu had no idea what the person next to her was thinking. She leaned closer and whispered, "Xie Qianjing, do you want to see me fight?"
There were people from all sorts of sects and factions present, but she only spoke to him in hushed tones.
Xie Qianjing somewhat liked this feeling.
The spiritual threads on his little finger had faded somewhat, and Xie Qianjing felt a subtle sense of regret.
He said, "I want to."
Sheng Ningyu smiled, raised an eyebrow, and said in a whisper, "If you want to see it, you can right away."
Amidst the chorus of indignant voices, a clear and melodious female voice suddenly broke through.
"Seeking help from our teachers is certainly reliable. However, the path of cultivation is long and arduous. If others encounter similar situations and their teachers are not by their side, how do you all plan to deal with it? Are you suggesting sending a telepathic message from afar to summon your teachers?"
"Moreover, the method of teachers and elders can only sweep a person out of the public eye. That person only needs to remain silent for a few years or months, and then they can make it seem like nothing happened and reappear in front of others. If you meet them again in the future, in a place of discussion or banquet, in a fair and open manner, you will still have to humble yourselves and call them 'teacher and elders.' Wouldn't that make you feel resentful?"
These words struck a chord with everyone, and someone immediately couldn't hold back any longer, slamming their fist on the table and standing up: "I'm going to confront him! I'll just go back to Qingniao Yiyehua, I'm done!"
A pair of hands landed on her shoulders and pressed her down.
The force wasn't great, but the disciple of Qingniao Yiyehua couldn't help but follow her wishes.
“This fellow Daoist is quite courageous, which I truly admire. But why must you go it alone and risk your own life?” Sheng Ningyu stood behind her, her face covered by a mask, but the unbridled spirit in her words was as bright as the moon, making people unconsciously convinced.
She beckoned closer to the crowd, her voice slightly hoarse, possessing an alluring quality.
"I do have some vague ideas, and I hope that my fellow Daoists will give me some guidance."
For Sheng Ningyu, this level of trouble was no challenge at all.
...
Three days later.
It was another lesson from an elder of the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion.
In this lesson, he taught how to summon magical artifacts using divine sense. At first, the classroom was extremely quiet, and he thought he had tamed these disciples, nodding in satisfaction.
I heard that many important figures are coming today, including the acting head of the Sword Pavilion, the city lord of the Mountain and Sea Never Sleeps City, and his wife Ning Jiao.
If the head of the Chu family were to come, seeing how well he treated the Chu family scion, he would surely appreciate him greatly.
Before the elder could finish gloating, the moment he ordered the release of his divine sense, the entire classroom descended into complete chaos!
First, a disciple from some unknown sect placed a Snow Melting Talisman under his seat. The moment he sat down, the talisman exploded with a "boom"! Just then, Yao Youling seized the opportunity, quickly picked up a Snow Melting Talisman, and rushed straight towards Chu Le.
Chu Le sneered and was about to dodge when, unexpectedly, the disciples of Qingniao Yiyehua also made their move at the same time. Several streams of spiritual energy intertwined in the air, forming a giant flower-shaped net that completely blocked the Chu family's escape route. The next second, countless explosions rang out in the classroom!
This is the approach that Sheng Ningyu offered them.
One word: Explode!
What "formation" or "verbal sparring" is nothing compared to the satisfaction of simply blowing everything up!
A disciple of the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion angrily retorted, "You have absolutely no respect for the law!"
Recalling Sheng Ningyu's previous teachings, Jin Xianyao said dryly, "Ah, you can use idioms now."
Little did he know that his tone only made it sound more sarcastic.
The Chu family members blushed instantly: "Stop talking nonsense!"
Jin Xianyao found it amusing and jumped around excitedly: "Hey! You guys can do it too? Why don't you two have a competition to see who can say more idioms?"
The disciples of Tianji Pavilion and the Chu family were immediately enraged.
They were all young people, in the prime of their lives, full of youthful vigor. Seeing this, the other disciples abandoned their previous restraint and joined the battle. Disciples from other sects were not to be outdone, and they all displayed their magical artifacts and cast spells. In an instant, magical artifacts flew around the classroom, and streams of spiritual energy of different colors crisscrossed as everyone displayed their unique abilities, creating a chaotic melee.
Sheng Ningyu was gleefully adding insult to injury.
As a disabled person who now only has half an unknown spiritual bone, she never confronts others head-on. Instead, under the cover of others, she kicks here and hooks there, relying on the stealth skills she honed by sneaking away over the wall back then. She even caused internal strife within the Chu family and the disciples of the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion.
Just then, several members of the Chu family noticed something was wrong.
Chu Yanshu withdrew his hand and hesitantly said to the person beside him, "Why do I feel like their target isn't us?"
"Hmm? It doesn't seem to be targeting us after all?"
"Of course it's not targeting you guys."
A disciple of the Half-Body Sect tossed his hair, held his sword in front of him, and said with a smile, "We know that many of you are innocent, and the biggest fault does not lie with you."
This is what Fellow Daoist Wang Jiu said to them yesterday.
With Xie Qianjing around, Sheng Ningyu knew that the students' safety was guaranteed.
But the elders of the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion are another story.
Explosions roared, and a chaotic scene unfolded as the "immortals" fought each other, seeking revenge for their grudges and seeking justice for those wronged. Eventually, they became so mixed up that it was impossible to distinguish which sect they belonged to, and they all joined together to create a spectacular scene of a massive brawl.
The voice was deep and resonant, but even faster than the voice came the man's magical artifact.
It's the Yin-Yang Mirror! The head of the Chu family has arrived!
Some disciples immediately felt fear and stopped fighting, while others were fighting with bloodshot eyes, wishing they could break free of the spiritual power and continue fighting to their hearts' content. And then there were others...
Sheng Ningyu couldn't help but look up at the suspended Yin-Yang Mirror.
Seeing a disciple from the Mystery Pavilion sneaking up behind her, she had a sudden thought. She simply closed her eyes and pretended not to see him, then used the disciple's spiritual power to fly northwest.
"Fellow Daoist Wang, be careful!"
"Is Fellow Daoist Wang alright?!"
Sheng Ningyu paid no heed.
We're very close now.
The next second, his body suddenly lost its weight. Someone arrived even earlier, and the power of the spirit was so great that it forced Chu Chang'an to withdraw the Yin-Yang Mirror!
unwise!
With no other target in mind, Sheng Ningyu had no choice but to temporarily draw out a few strands of spiritual energy to cushion her body as she knelt down on the ground.
Thankfully, I didn't embarrass myself.
Sheng Ningyu praised herself for her quick thinking, but then belatedly realized something.
Quiet.
It's too quiet.
If the previous commotion made everyone seem like a boiling pot, then the entire place is now as silent as a lake sleeping under the night sky.
You could hear a pin drop.
Sheng Ningyu suddenly came to her senses. She lowered her face, but saw a red hem of clothing gradually intruding into her peripheral vision.
At first, it was a blazing red flame, and then it was a snow-white white mourning cloth.
...Probably not?
"Are you a disciple of Yunwang Palace?"
A calm yet gentle female voice rang out from above, but when it reached Sheng Ningyu's ears, it was no less than a thunderclap.
Feng Jiutian, who was mixed in with the crowd, was pale-faced and knelt down with a thud, his voice trembling: "Young...Young Lord."
Sheng Ningyu: "..."
Honestly, she never expected that her luck would turn out this bad after she came out of the coffin.
Under the watchful eyes of everyone, the renowned young lord of the Phoenix Clan ignored his own clansmen and instead settled down beside an inconspicuous disciple of the Cloud Gazing Palace.
Ignoring the astonished and probing gazes of the crowd, Feng Xiaosheng spoke again, his calm tone slightly lowered, each word like a heavy blow, making the hearts of those who heard him tremble.
"look up."
-----------------------
Author's note: Sheng Ningyu: Whatever it is, let's fight first and then talk.
I won't forgive you: You were having a good time.
Xie Qianjing: No need, Senior Brother...
I won't forgive you: You seemed to enjoy watching it too.
I won't forgive you: Also, "sworn brothers" doesn't need to be addressed as she does :)
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