Because the story of a fairy falling in love with a cowherd was widely circulated throughout Shenzhou, every noble family with a beautiful daughter kept an eagle eye on the cowherds outside.
Li Mu Yang was the cowherd watched so warily by the Cui and Yan families.
Don't be fooled by Li Mu Yang's dark complexion—he wasn't stupid in the slightest.
He had been classmates with Cui Xiaoxin for three years. Although he had never had the chance to speak with her before, he knew perfectly well how outstanding Cui Xiaoxin's appearance, bearing, words, and actions were. Rumors that Cui Xiaoxin came from an extraordinary background and had a mysterious history had been circulating for a long time. But back then, Li Mu Yang had been dazed and drowsy all day long, either sleeping or brewing up plans to sleep. Where would he have had the leisure or inclination to pay attention to such boring matters?
If he had dared to shamelessly go over and say a few words to Cui Xiaoxin, never mind how the teachers and students in his class would have laughed at him—there probably would have been an even more amusing version of the toad lusting after swan meat story at school.
When they encountered the assassin's attack at Beast-Faced Pavilion, he had guessed that Cui Xiaoxin's background was extraordinary. How could an ordinary family's child possibly encounter something so dangerous?
Assassins were expensive, all right? Who would hire an assassin for no reason, just to kill a pig for New Year's?
Later, when he escorted Cui Xiaoxin home, he saw the luxurious carriage that had come to pick her up. The man in the azure robe had used noble knightly etiquette toward her. Only the ancient, unshakable aristocratic clans and magnates of the imperial capital could afford high-level martial artists as private knights.
Li Mu Yang had no choice but confirm one thing: Cui Xiaoxin truly came from an extraordinary background, and she and he belonged to two different worlds.
Therefore, he wasn't surprised that Yan Xiangma had come looking for him today.
In fact, he had expected the other party's reaction to be even more intense.
Otherwise, how could he, this "cowherd," receive a profound lesson and retreat in the face of difficulty?
"But I want to attend Xifeng University in the imperial capital." Li Mu Yang looked at Yan Xiangma with complete sincerity. "Xiao Xin and I agreed that we would go watch the sunset over Nameless Lake together."
"You agreed?" Yan Xiangma froze for a moment, then burst out laughing. He pointed his fan at Li Mu Yang and said, "Li Mu Yang, I realized something today. Not only are you not stupid, you're especially entertaining. You and Xiao Xin agreed to go watch the sunset over Nameless Lake together? Are you joking with me?"
"I'm not." Li Mu Yang shook his head. "We really did agree. If you don't believe me, go home and ask Xiao Xin. The reason I've worked so hard to make up my studies and refused to waste even a second is because I want to attend Xifeng University. A man has to keep his word. I said I was going to Xifeng University, so how could I break my promise?"
"Do you think you can get in?" Yan Xiangma sniffed and smiled with narrowed eyes.
"I don't know." Li Mu Yang shook his head. "But I have to try. How can I give up before the very last moment?"
"Li Mu Yang." Yan Xiangma snapped his fan open with a sharp smack. His patience was nearly exhausted, and he truly didn't want to waste too much of his time on an insignificant person. The only reason he could still speak to Li Mu Yang so patiently was that Li Mu Yang had saved his cousin after all, and the Cui and Yan families weren't ungrateful bastards. There was another important reason, too: Li Mu Yang had treated him to watermelon chilled in well water. It was the most delicious watermelon he had ever eaten. "I praised you for being clever just now, but clearly, there are some things you haven't thought through—or perhaps you simply don't want to think them through. Do you know what kind of person you are?"
"I know." Li Mu Yang nodded. "A high school student who was sickly, ugly, terrible at studying, and practically good for nothing before now."
"Fair enough." Yan Xiangma nodded. "Then do you know what kind of person Xiao Xin is?"
Li Mu Yang thought for a moment before answering, "She's my friend."
"Friend?" Yan Xiangma bared his teeth in a smile. "Are you two merely friends? Don't you have even the slightest romantic feelings for her?"
"I do." Li Mu Yang said, "I like Cui Xiaoxin. I only discovered that fact a few days ago."
"So—" Yan Xiangma's voice suddenly turned biting and sarcastic. "Are you worthy of her?"
"—"
"What? Did I hurt your pride?" Seeing Li Mu Yang close his mouth and say nothing, the corner of Yan Xiangma's lips twitched slightly. "But this is a fact that no one can deny. You don't know Cui Xiaoxin's background, and I can't tell you. But I, Yan Xiangma—my father is Yan Bo Lai, the lord of Jiangnan City, the highest-ranking official in this city. Even if Cui Xiaoxin were my biological sister, do you think our family would agree to let her marry a sickly, ugly, poor-studying, good-for-nothing high school student?"
"No." Li Mu Yang answered with absolute certainty.
"Then let everything return to the beginning. You're still you, and Xiao Xin is still Xiao Xin. Take this box, idle around and wait for Jiangnan University's admission notice, and when Xiao Xin comes to tutor you again tomorrow, tell her that you can't study anymore and want to give up. Isn't that the wisest choice?"
"Yes," Li Mu Yang said.
"Then we've reached an agreement?"
"There's one thing I don't understand," Li Mu Yang said.
"What don't you understand?"
"I never said I wanted to pursue Cui Xiaoxin." Li Mu Yang's voice grew solemn. "I only like her. I feel that I like her a little, but I never said I wanted to pursue her right now. I only want to be her friend, even if we're nothing more than ordinary friends. I'll work hard and do everything in my power. If I can get into Xifeng University with her, that will naturally be my good fortune. If I can't, I can accept that fate as well."
"I'll make myself outstanding, so that one day I can match Xiao Xin's excellence. I'll make her look at me in a new light and develop even the slightest bit of affection for me. I understand better than any of you that I'm not worthy—I can't match her. But that isn't a reason for me to cut ties with Xiao Xin. If I can give her happiness, I'll ask her to accept my feelings. If I feel that I can't do it, that I'll always feel unworthy of her whenever I'm in front of her, then I'll sincerely wish for her to meet a better man. I think Xiao Xin will need some friends before she finds her husband, too. Isn't that right?"
"Xiao Xin is a very stubborn girl. Once she sets her mind on something, she'll give it everything she has. That includes tutoring me. She thinks I still have hope and can fight for it one more time. So I have to work and fight alongside her. In all these years, I've never wanted so fiercely to accomplish anything. At a time like this, how can I tell Xiao Xin that I want to give up?"
Yan Xiangma pondered for a long while as he looked at Li Mu Yang. "You've almost convinced me. But if you insist, you may lose everything. You won't be able to attend Xifeng University, nor will you be able to attend Jiangnan University. You'll have nothing. At that point, do you think you'll still have any chance with Xiao Xin?"
"If I tell Cui Xiaoxin now that I want to give up, will we still have any chance?"
"At least you'll have Jiangnan University."
"But I want to attend Xifeng University."
"See? There's no way to negotiate this." Yan Xiangma smiled.
Crack—
With a flick of Yan Xiangma's paper fan, sharp spikes suddenly emerged from its iron framework.
The spikes gleamed with black light, as though they had been soaked in deadly poison.
"This fan is called Dragon Spine Fan. It can slice through iron as easily as mud and specializes in severing human tendons and bones. The elders in my family told me it could even break a dragon's spine." As Yan Xiangma spoke, the fan—with a framework as black as cast ink-iron—spun rapidly between his fingers. The wind howled, and a mass of white light shimmered all around him.
Slash—
The fan's handle touched the Lapis Lazuli table before him, and a corner of the table was cleanly sliced away.
Slash—
It touched the table again, and another chunk of Lapis Lazuli was sliced off.
Smack—
Yan Xiangma folded the fan shut and clasped it in his hand. Smiling at Li Mu Yang, he said, "See? I can also negotiate with you another way. But we're cultured people, nobles with reputations. I can't use the methods of hooligans and thugs. So, would you please think it over again?"
"How impressive." Li Mu Yang's eyes shone as he stared at the Dragon Spine Fan in Yan Xiangma's hand. "It slices through iron like mud and cuts stone as easily as tofu. Cousin, your fan is truly incredible."
Yan Xiangma was the second strongest person Li Mu Yang had ever seen, as powerful as the assassin Killer Crow he had encountered last time.
For some reason, whenever he saw someone unleash abilities beyond the realm of ordinary people, his blood began to boil. It was as though some kind of emotion were calling out to him.
Yan Xiangma was very pleased with Li Mu Yang's reaction. "With those skinny arms and legs of yours, if I struck you with this even once, I'm afraid every bone in your body would be smashed to pieces. I, Yan Xiangma, can't bring myself to do something like that. So, Mu Yang, you'd better take care of yourself. Let's keep things harmonious and peaceful. Wouldn't that be nice?"
Li Mu Yang's right hand gripped the corner of the table. His face flushed slightly, and red light swirled in his eyes. A faintly brown fish scale appeared on the back of his hand. Clouds churned across the scale, and thunder streaked through it.
He suddenly exerted force from his Dantian. With a sharp crack, he forcibly broke a large chunk of stone from the Lapis Lazuli table.
He shook his head and said to Yan Xiangma, who was staring at him in stunned silence, "Cousin is still a little more impressive. Look, the stone I broke off with my hand isn't as neat as the one you cut with your fan."
"—"
Before you continue