Yu Sui was still wondering how Gu Gan planned to help Wei Kun get rid of Mei Chengyu. In her view, regardless of Mei Chengyu's own strength, the safeguard of being able to summon Sage Chang Gen would be difficult to overcome.
She fell into thought, her gaze slightly unfocused. She hadn't expected Mei Chengyu to look over at her.
Whenever Mei Chengyu saw Yu Sui, he noticed that she was alone most of the time.
Alone in the outer city, alone at the Taoist Saint Hall to practice, alone at the Dining Hall, alone returning to the dormitory, alone attempting the Military Formation.
Now, too, she sat quietly by herself on the stone steps, utterly out of place amid the bustle of the dispersing crowd.
His friends walked on ahead. Mei Chengyu fell behind and stopped where he was, slowly taking out his Listening Wind Ruler.
A moment later, Yu Sui's Listening Wind Ruler began to buzz. She lowered her eyes to look:
Mei Chengyu asked, "Are you going to the Saint Hall or to get something to eat?"
Yu Sui rubbed her eyes and replied, "I'm going to the Saint Hall to eat."
Mei Chengyu's fingers quickly tapped out a reply in the character grid: "Let's go."
He stood there waiting for Yu Sui. When she jogged up beside him, they left together.
After nightfall, rings of lights shone around the Taoist Saint Hall. It was quiet inside; if Sage Chang Gen's two disciples didn't come by, the hall would be so silent that not even an insect would chirp.
Mei Chengyu often stayed at the Taoist Saint Hall. It had once been his own private world, but ever since Yu Sui arrived, his Junior Martial Sister had taken a liking to the place too, running over every day and staying there almost every night.
Mei Chengyu told himself that if he couldn't stop it, he might as well accept it.
He returned from the Dining Hall carrying a food box and saw Yu Sui beneath a tree, having apricots thrown at her by her master. Only then did he realize that Yu Sui had already reached Soul Control Second Level.
Mei Chengyu sat down against the stone steps and opened the food box. The aroma wafted out. The person in the distance had a dog's nose; as soon as she smelled the food, she clutched the green apricot in her hand and ran over.
"Senior Martial Brother!" Yu Sui called.
Mei Chengyu tapped the edge of a bowl with his chopsticks, gesturing for her to help herself.
Yu Sui sat down against the stone steps too, with the food box between them. She was indeed a little hungry. Holding a bowl, she ate with patient elegance, showing no sign of how hungry she was. All one could see was the decorum and propriety instilled in her from childhood, evident in every movement.
Mei Chengyu was talking to Sage Chang Gen about the Military Formation. Yu Sui kept her head down and ate without a word, until her Senior Martial Brother suddenly brought her into the conversation. "You attempted the Military Formation alone to practice Death Talismans and Soul Control in there?"
"Mm-hm!" Yu Sui nodded.
Mei Chengyu looked at Yu Sui thoughtfully, but spoke to Sage Chang Gen. "The way my Junior Martial Sister throws herself into cultivation, you'd think someone would kill her if she didn't learn."
Sage Chang Gen said, "It wasn't me."
"Who else could it be, then? Me?" Mei Chengyu was amused by his master's reply.
Yu Sui still had food in her mouth. She puffed out her cheeks, swallowed, then said, "Senior Martial Brother, you're really smart."
Mei Chengyu raised an eyebrow at the unexpected praise.
Yu Sui's expression was serious. "I really am going to die if I don't learn. Senior Martial Brother, you know I have Farmer School Xi Rang. Everyone wants it. People from the Farmer School have been hunting me since I was little, and practitioners from the Nine Schools of other families have also wanted to seize the treasure."
"I used to be a Normal Practitioner. I couldn't use Nine Schools Techniques, so compared with them, I had no way to protect myself. I could only rely on other people to save me."
"But other people can't save me for the rest of my life. Now that I can cultivate, if I still can't learn powerful Nine Schools Techniques, won't I really die?"
Mei Chengyu's slightly raised eyes silently studied Yu Sui. He hadn't expected her to give such an answer, but when he thought it over, Yu Sui really was in a dangerous situation.
If she remained a Normal Practitioner all her life, she would be at the mercy of others, able to survive only by relying on the strong for the rest of her days.
The situation among the six nations of the Xuangu Continent would only grow more chaotic in the future.
Even if they weren't trying to seize Xi Rang, as the heir to the Nangong Family, Yu Sui would have no shortage of enemies simply because she hated Nangong Ming and because people held grudges against the Nangong Family. Those who wanted to kill Nangong Ming and his child would only grow in number.
No matter how one looked at it, Yu Sui, a Normal Practitioner, was the Nangong Family's most obvious and easiest weakness to attack.
Mei Chengyu watched Yu Sui for a while. Until now, he hadn't really formed an opinion of his Junior Martial Sister. Even though she had saved Gu Gan as soon as she arrived, Yu Sui was his master's chosen disciple, so Mei Chengyu wouldn't do anything to her.
His latest opinion of her was that she wasn't annoying. So he had accepted that the Taoist Saint Hall, once a place where he was the only one who stayed, had suddenly become somewhere another person spent all her time.
As for how Yu Sui had lived in Qingyang as the heir to the Nangong Family, how she would fare after coming to Taiyi, what stories she bore, or what troubles she faced, Mei Chengyu had never cared. Those were other people's private affairs, and he wasn't particularly interested.
But tonight, after hearing Yu Sui speak so frankly about her pursuit of Nine Schools Techniques and her urgent need to master them, Mei Chengyu went along with her and took some time to consider her situation.
Yu Sui hadn't said those things for Mei Chengyu's sake, but for her master, Sage Chang Gen. She wanted Sage Chang Gen to understand her circumstances and difficulties, then teach her more powerful Nine Schools Techniques.
"Finish eating first, then let the injuries on your face heal." Mei Chengyu's gaze fell on Yu Sui's cheek, passing over the deep and shallow scars one by one. "At least in Taiyi, no one can kill you."
After returning to the dormitory, Yu Sui was still thinking about Gu Gan joining forces with Wei Kun.
Gu Gan wanted Wei Kun to lure Mei Chengyu to the outer city on the fifteenth.
That would be easy enough. Mei Chengyu was already keeping an eye on Wei Kun and wanted to kill him in the outer city. If Wei Kun went there on his own, Mei Chengyu would undoubtedly follow.
But why did it have to be the fifteenth?
There were three days until then.
What kind of trick could Gu Gan come up with?
Their conversation on the Listening Wind Ruler hadn't revealed much. The two of them would probably meet privately to discuss the rest. Yu Sui hadn't seen Gu Gan these past two days, either, and she hadn't left a listening Light Core with him.
She hadn't expected Gu Gan to act so quickly.
Only a few days ago, he had said he'd handle the matter of targeting Zhongli Shan. Now he had already contacted Wei Kun and was preparing to cooperate, with each of them targeting someone.
Yu Sui fell onto her bed and rolled into the corner by the wall, burying her head in the soft quilt. When she finally lifted her little face, gasping for breath, the bridge of her fair nose was red from being pressed against the bedding.
She rolled her eyes and decided to follow Gu Gan and see how far he could go in targeting Mei Chengyu.
It would also give her a chance to see how strong Gu Gan was now.
Yu Sui had cultivated to the second level of Control Soul. The Five Elements Light Cores separated from her second soul could now move under the control of her thoughts.
Previously, she had only been able to make them explode, not control their movements.
And after all her days of breaking through formations and refining them, her Light Cores seemed stronger than before. The power they contained had grown, and they were more potent when shattered.
Yu Sui opened her palm and separated a Five Elements Light Core onto it. With a light tap of her fingertip, the core turned transparent, nearly invisible to the naked eye. Hidden among clothing and hair, it would be difficult to notice.
Though it was a tiny sphere, when she parted her lips and gently blew on it, it became as light as a dandelion seed.
Early the next morning, Yu Sui contacted Black Beard. She said she wanted to visit the outer city on the night of the fifteenth to shop for newly released jewelry and clothes, and told him to have the shopkeepers set the goods aside.
Black Beard did as she asked.
Yu Sui went to the Taoist Saint Hall as usual and continued sparring with her master, trying to reach the third level of Soul Control. In the afternoon, she took elective courses in the School of Medicine and the School of Names, running back and forth between the two to attend class.
She was quite busy herself. Whenever she met Mei Chengyu on the way, she would greet him first, then hurry off.
Mei Chengyu seemed completely unaware of what was about to happen. He was busy with his own cultivation, and had recently been spending a lot of time with Zhongli Shan. Yu Sui hadn't asked whether he had told Zhongli Shan that the Nangong Family was targeting him.
After attending classes in the School of Medicine and the School of Names for several days, Yu Sui had gained a deeper understanding of the basics of both schools. She had also learned to recognize many kinds of herbal medicine in the School of Medicine. Fortunately, the academy didn't limit how many times she could take electives, so she could slowly learn the basics of every school.
On the morning of the fifteenth, Yu Sui waited outside Gu Gan's dormitory. She raised a hand and knocked, waiting for someone to come out.
But the person who opened the door wasn't Gu Gan.
The one who opened it was a white-clad young man, still bleary-eyed with sleep. He seemed exhausted and a little dazed. His long, curled black lashes trembled as his hazy gaze examined Yu Sui standing outside.
The young man had exquisitely delicate features, a face and complexion like a white porcelain doll. His beauty was so striking that he seemed a little feminine, yet his eyes and brows were innocent.
Yu Sui was slightly surprised. She knew who he was: Gu Gan's roommate, Wen Yanghui, the young master of the Wen Yang Family, one of the three great mechanical clans.
"Who are you looking for?" Wen Yanghui rubbed his eyes and asked her groggily, his voice gentle.
Before Yu Sui could answer, a loud crash came from inside. A beautiful figure stormed out of Gu Gan's room and shouted furiously, "Gu Gan!"
"How can you sleep without wearing clothes? What were you doing last night?"
"Ask yourself. Why did you throw back my covers as soon as you arrived? Even if I sleep without clothes, I was still under a blanket." Gu Gan answered unhurriedly from inside the room.
Xiang Feifei angrily kicked the door. "Get dressed and get up already!"
Yu Sui looked away. Wen Yanghui didn't react at all, as if he were used to this kind of thing. She said to him, "I'm looking for Brother Gu."
Wen Yanghui murmured, "Oh, oh," then turned and called, "Gu Gan! Someone's here to see you!"
Xiang Feifei turned around. When she saw Yu Sui standing at the door, she paused.
Yu Sui looked docile and quiet, standing there without making a fuss. Her clear, moist eyes held a faint, gentle smile, and faint, slender scars marked her tender skin, making her look all the more pitiful and lovely.
Xiang Feifei remembered Yu Sui.
Back then, she had infiltrated the Communication Array in the Qingyang Imperial Capital. After being discovered and chased, she had happened to be rescued by Gu Gan. While she was recovering from her injuries at his home, Yu Sui had often come by.
Xiang Feifei had known then that the County Princess from Qingyang and Gu Gan had a very close relationship. When they were together, they seemed like siblings, but not quite.
In Xiang Feifei's eyes, Gu Gan and Yu Sui had an ambiguous relationship. There was no way they would stop at being childhood friends who were like siblings.
Men were all the same, always saying one thing and meaning another.
Back then, when she'd said she would capture Yu Sui to threaten Gu Gan, the young man who had just been ignoring her had instantly turned hostile. He claimed Yu Sui was his childhood friend and little sister, yet he had scowled just because she'd been walking and chatting with another young man.
Xiang Feifei rolled her eyes and curled her lips into a wicked smile. She lightly kicked the door again and said, "You'd better hurry up. The County Princess is waiting outside."
Gu Gan came out dressed and glared at Xiang Feifei before looking toward Yu Sui at the door, his expression softening. "Suisui."
"Brother Gu, I'm going to the outer city to buy some things today. Do you want to come with me?" Yu Sui invited him.
"Sure." Gu Gan agreed at once. "I'll go with you."
Yu Sui smiled, her eyes curving. "Great. Then we'll go to the outer city together tonight."
"Tonight?" Gu Gan hesitated. "Suisui, wasn't it during the day?"
"I have class in the School of Medicine during the day. I'm only free at night." As if she knew he was in a difficult position, Yu Sui looked at him expectantly. "Can't you go tonight, Brother Gu?"
Xiang Feifei gave Gu Gan a meaningful look from the side, warning him not to get distracted by a pretty face and forget what mattered.
A helpless look appeared in Gu Gan's eyes. "Suisui, I'm sorry, but I can't tonight. There's something I absolutely have to do."
Before Yu Sui could speak, Gu Gan raised a hand as if to swear an oath. "I promise I'll have time to go with you next time."
"All right." Yu Sui lowered her head slightly. She looked a little hurt and nodded helplessly. "Then go take care of your important business, Brother Gu. I just haven't seen you these past few days, and wanted to spend some time with you."
Gu Gan's heart softened when he heard that, but he really couldn't delay what he had to do tonight. He could only comfort Yu Sui for now and promise that he would absolutely make time for her next time.
Only after Yu Sui had been coaxed into leaving did Gu Gan finally breathe a sigh of relief.
Xiang Feifei stood inside the room with her arms folded, leaning against the wall. She gave a soft snort.
Gu Gan looked at her with a headache. "What's wrong with you now?"
"She still has the mood to ask you to play?" Xiang Feifei asked, baffled. "You're already swamped. She's no longer a Normal Practitioner, but she still doesn't focus on cultivation. Then she gets upset when you don't have time to play with her."
"Suisui is timid, and this is her first time leaving the imperial capital and traveling far away. She's come to Taiyi, where she doesn't know anyone. I really haven't spent much time with her lately." Gu Gan raised a hand and pinched the bridge of his nose.
Ji Meng came out yawning. "We're not in Taiyi to have fun, and the County Princess can't expect you to keep her company every day. She's grown up, too."
Huo Xiao, standing beside Xiang Feifei, said nothing. He only glanced at Gu Gan. Gu Gan frowned and asked, "What?"
"As long as she won't get in the way, it's fine," Huo Xiao said unhurriedly. "It's the first time I've seen you spend so much time coaxing someone."
Gu Gan replied unhappily, "What are you all talking about? Let's discuss the important business. Xiaohui?"
He knocked on Wen Yanghui's door. When it opened, he saw Wen Yanghui lying face-down on the bed and yawning.
"How are things arranged with Sage Chang Gen?" Gu Gan asked.
Wen Yanghui raised a hand from his bed. "Tonight, during the three families' Mechanism Technique trial of the Mechanism Array, they'll summon Sage Chang Gen over. The trial array prevents summons, but only for a quarter of an hour. You'll have to make the most of it."
A quarter of an hour. Gu Gan nodded. That was enough time.
Standing inside the Dragon Ladder, Yu Sui saw the scene through her Five Elements Light Core and raised an eyebrow in mild surprise.
So they planned to trap her master using the three families' Mechanism Technique.
Having Sage Chang Gen come and examine the newly developed Mechanism Array during the three families' trial would indeed limit summoning for that period of time.
Huo Xiao's expression was calm. "Leaving Mei Chengyu alive would be another variable when we go to the Hanging Moon Cave next month to retrieve the Futuo Tower. If possible, it would be best to eliminate that variable completely tonight."
"What about Wei Kun?" Xiang Feifei frowned at Gu Gan. "He's no good either."
"Don't worry." Gu Gan chuckled softly. "Tonight, we'll let the dogs fight each other. Neither of them will be left standing."
Yu Sui leaned against the wall of the Dragon Ladder as it descended, listening to Gu Gan and the others' plans. She was just thinking they were biting off a lot when the Dragon Ladder stopped and the doors opened.
Mei Chengyu and Nian Qiuyan stood outside, both looking into the Dragon Ladder.
Yu Sui straightened unconsciously and called softly, "Senior Martial Brother."
Mei Chengyu responded lazily. He and Nian Qiuyan entered the Dragon Ladder one after the other. He casually asked, "Are you going to the School of Medicine?"
He knew Yu Sui had been going back and forth between the School of Medicine and the School of Names lately.
"Mm!" Yu Sui stood outside the Dragon Ladder and smiled at him, her eyes curving. "See you later, Senior Martial Brother."
The Dragon Ladder doors closed.
Yu Sui didn't leave. She quietly moved the Five Elements Light Core she had left inside the Dragon Ladder, guiding it around the two men's field of vision and silently slipping it into Mei Chengyu's black hair.
She waited a little while, making sure Mei Chengyu hadn't noticed, then turned and left. Inside the Dragon Ladder, Mei Chengyu had just taken out his Listening Wind Ruler when Nian Qiuyan asked gently, "Should I save you a divination today?"
Mei Chengyu answered lazily, "Could today really be the day I die? You don't need to divine that for me to know."
Nian Qiuyan smiled. "True."
He said that, but his hand still reached for the three wooden slips hanging at his waist.
Mei Chengyu looked over at him.
Nian Qiuyan said, "Since you're so confident, I'll divine for your Junior Martial Sister instead."
A disciple of the School of Techniques could perform hundreds of divinations a day while cultivating.
But Nian Qiuyan was different. He performed only three divinations a day, no more and no less.
At that moment, Mei Chengyu looked at Nian Qiuyan as if the words "What's wrong with you?" were written across his face.
He said, "Nangong Sui hasn't asked you for a divination. Why are you doing one for her?"
Nian Qiuyan remained gentle as ever. He held the three black wooden slips of varying lengths in his palm and smiled faintly. "I remember she and Gu Gan are very close. Since the Nangong Family and Zhongli Family are at odds, perhaps we can learn something else by divining for her."
Walking along the Peach Blossom Forest Path, Yu Sui stopped and narrowed her eyes slightly.
It seemed they already knew that Gu Gan and Wei Kun were joining forces tonight?
Mei Chengyu remained as lazy as ever. "What do the things she and Gu Gan do have to do with her? Whenever there's murder or arson, Gu Gan and Sheng Zui rush to take care of it for her, spoiling her until her hands stay clean and her face remains innocent and kind. Ask her anything, and she knows nothing."
Yu Sui: "..."
She hadn't known that was the image she had in Mei Chengyu's mind.
Yu Sui couldn't help looking down at her hands. Her five fingers were slender, as white as jade shoots against snow, with rounded fingertips that shimmered in the sunlight. They were indeed lovely, clean hands.
"True. Nangong Sui doesn't seem to have any flaws." Nian Qiuyan put away the wooden slips and turned to Mei Chengyu. "Since you and your Junior Martial Sister have a good relationship, and you and Xiaoshan are also close, which side would you help if their families fought?"
Mei Chengyu's expression was unreadable. "What do their families fighting have to do with me?"
Nian Qiuyan rubbed his chin. "It's only a hypothetical, but it could very well become reality. Even if you hate being forced to choose, one day you'll have to face it."
Mei Chengyu curved his lips in a faint, mocking smile. "I don't have to choose. I'll help whoever my master helps. If my master doesn't take a side, then I don't need to choose either."
Nian Qiuyan sighed. "That's sophistry."
Mei Chengyu shot him a cool glance. "Why don't you choose for yourself?"
Nian Qiuyan smiled mildly. "I don't have to choose either. I'll help whoever you choose."
Before you continue