Qingcheng is a city of blooming flowers, and its people live in happiness and well-being. For the rest of their lives, this city will be protected by Qingcheng Academy, which, together with its disciple Xu Yuehuai, will set up a protective barrier to defend against outsiders.
Xu Yuehuai agreed to leave early the next morning, but Yuan Shui was unwilling. He thought he could go back after this day, but he didn't expect to have to stay another day. He felt like he was crawling with fleas all over his body and felt uncomfortable all over.
"I told you there's nothing good here, but you wouldn't listen. Fine, you won't listen, but now you insist on staying another night. Do you know that the grand competition is tomorrow? What if something happens on the way back? If you don't participate in this competition, who knows when you'll be able to enter the ruins again? Are you willing to miss such an opportunity?"
Yuan Shui looked at her with disappointment. Humans really are troublesome creatures. They have to consider the consequences of everything they do and also have to take emotions into account. They, who are artifacts, don't have to think so much. They just need to follow their masters and dominate the world.
Xu Yuehuai held the teapot in her hand and slowly poured herself a cup of tea. "What's the rush? Nothing has happened yet. It's all just your imagination. Whether this will happen or not is another matter. Besides, whether I can come back in the future is unknown. Staying a little longer will give my old friends here a little more to miss."
Yuan Shui was too lazy to argue, but he was still resentful and sat there like a big shot, ignoring everyone else. The fact that Xu Yuehuai was about to leave, his fate uncertain, hadn't spread widely within the academy. Only a handful of people knew the details. Dean Guo and his disciples had kept it a secret, hoping to prevent rumors from circulating after Xu Yuehuai's departure.
Before she could finish her tea, more bad news came from the Pu family. By the time Xu Yuehuai arrived at the Pu family, the person was already dead. She could hear the surrounding chatter reaching her ears, telling her that what was happening before her eyes was not a lie.
"What a pity, what a pity. Such good children. If they had a future, it would only be a matter of time before they became outstanding. How could they have died like this?"
"Yes, their deaths were suspicious. There are no other members left in the Pu family now, and we don't know who will take care of their funeral arrangements. They are truly pitiful."
"I would not dare to trouble you with the affairs of the Pu family. As a former servant of the Pu family, I will naturally take care of everything. Please do not gather here and give the two young masters a quiet and peaceful place."
As the murmurs arose, the old steward of the Pu family returned. With his white hair and unsteady gait, he stood at the Pu family's door, suggesting that the Pu family was not deserted and that there were still people who cared about the Pu family.
Upon hearing these words, the people simply shook their heads, turned, and left; none of them wanted to argue with a dead man.
After everyone left, Xu Yuehuai appeared in the crowd. When the old man saw her, his eyes reddened. He clasped his hands in greeting and said, "This old woman greets you, young lady. Did you come here to remember them?"
The old man spoke boldly, showing no regard for others. Xu Yuehuai did not deny it. Looking at the bronze door, she spoke again, her voice hoarse, "How could they die? What was the cause of death? Have you found out?"
"I don't know, but nowadays outsiders avoid the Pu family like the plague, thinking this place is unclean and will bring bad luck. Nobody wants to come. The only doctors who were willing to come have gone on a long trip. The timing is too coincidental, so coincidental that I have no way to find someone to ask them to verify how they died." The old man spoke with snot and tears streaming down his face, looking extremely miserable, but Xu Yuehuai was not moved in the slightest.
She simply stepped into the house, and the furnishings inside were exactly the same as when she left. How could things have changed so drastically in just a few hours?
Yuan Shui followed behind Xu Yuehuai. This time, for some reason, he kept saying he hated humans, but he still refused to return to the space. Xu Yuehuai had no reason to send him back, so he let him go.
The two entered the Pu family's residence together. In the courtyard, there were two corpses, each covered with a white sheet. The old steward closed the door and wiped away the tears from his eyes. "It is because I am incompetent and have no ability that the two young masters have suffered such a calamity. It is a pity that the once great Pu family will disappear completely from Qingcheng and the world from now on."
Xu Yuehuai squatted down and lifted the white cloth covering one of the people. Lying inside was Pu Erge. Pu Erge was pale and had a wound on the corner of his mouth, obviously from biting himself. The fact that he bit himself while still conscious meant something obvious.
Their bodies had been cleaned; people about to be buried should naturally keep themselves as clean as possible.
Xu Yuehuai covered the white cloth again, and when she stood up again, she felt a wave of whiteness wash over her and almost collapsed to the ground. She gave a bitter smile.
Yuan Shui stepped closer to her, worried that she might fall. "Absurd! This is utterly absurd! I clearly rescued them, so why did it turn out like this!"
It's understandable that Xu Yuehuai would find it hard to accept the fact that three people had died in just one day. The old steward beside him simply lowered his head. Such things were common. On this continent, the strong were respected. Only the strong had the right to live here. As the weak, they could only eke out a living. It was already difficult enough to have the chance to continue living. How could they dare to hope for anything else?
"Please take care of yourself, young lady. He is gone, but the living must look forward and not confine themselves to the same place for the rest of their lives." The old steward's words may or may not have brought Xu Yuehuai any comfort. Now is not the time for him to grieve. When someone dies, it is best to bury them as soon as possible. He needs to prepare for the funeral.
After the old butler left, only the four of them remained in the courtyard. Two lay on the ground, not breathing, one slumped on the ground, looking utterly wretched, and the other stood beside him with a look of utter disgust.
Yuan Shui never expected things to develop in this direction. As a result, Xu Yuehuai's life will once again be in danger, and this whole thing started as a mistake.
He didn't think that Xu Yuehuai would stand idly by and risk his life for a possibility after something like this happened.
After her breakdown, Xu Yuehuai quickly composed herself, stood up from the ground, and turned to Yuan Shui, saying, "Let's go."
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