Missing Thoughts Literature

Mei Chengyu really did let Yu Sui use Wind Riding Technique to take him to the Medical School.

Yu Sui held on to the corner of his clothes. Golden Five Elements Qi enveloped them both, and she controlled its flow with increasing precision. In the blink of an eye, they had vanished into the distance.

After the Military School sealed off the formation, far fewer injured disciples came to the Medical School. The earlier rush had passed, and the clinic was quiet now.

Shi Yuezhen was still on duty at the clinic, with Cang Shu keeping her company. Nian Qiuyan was there tonight too, helping Cang Shu sort medicinal herbs.

"Sister Yuezhen!" Yu Sui's voice reached them before she did, making all three people in the clinic look toward the door.

When Mei Chengyu landed with Wind Riding Technique, he glanced at Yu Sui. She really was getting more and more skilled at controlling Five Elements Qi.

"My Senior Martial Brother is hurt!" Yu Sui tugged Mei Chengyu inside by his clothes, looking worriedly at Shi Yuezhen. "Sister Yuezhen, please take a look at him."

She had come to the Medical School every night to change her bandages, so she had grown familiar with Shi Yuezhen.

The three people inside saw Yu Sui lead in a man covered in blood. When they looked closer, they recognized him.

Shi Yuezhen stepped out from behind the table, a hint of surprise in her eyes as she examined Mei Chengyu's injuries. She quickly recognized which Nine Schools Techniques had caused them.

"You took Judgment Technique: Lingchi head-on?" Shi Yuezhen picked up the Medicated Cloth from the table, but didn't apply it herself. She handed it to Mei Chengyu, who took it and treated himself.

Cang Shu asked, "Since when could Wei Kun use the Legalists' Judgment Techniques?"

"He wasn't just hit by the Legalists' Judgment Techniques. His Five Elements Qi is in disarray. We need to deal with that first." As Shi Yuezhen spoke, she headed upstairs.

Nian Qiuyan looked at the wounded Mei Chengyu and shook his head gently, wearing a somewhat helpless expression. Without hurrying, he picked up a few medicine jars and followed.

Yu Sui reached the second floor and watched Mei Chengyu enter a small room. He casually tossed the outer robe he was wearing over the back of a chair, then bowed his head and bandaged his own hands. Sweat glistened on his taut skin, gradually dampening the hair that hung against his neck.

"What about you?" Shi Yuezhen's voice brought Yu Sui back to herself. She pulled her gaze away and looked at the person before her. Shi Yuezhen asked, "Are you hurt anywhere?"

Yu Sui shook her head. "I'm not hurt. I just happened to run into my Senior Martial Brother on the way back. I don't know who he fought to end up like this, so I brought him here. Sister Yuezhen, my Senior Martial Brother won't die, will he?"

She looked as if she were terribly afraid of that.

Shi Yuezhen laughed. "It won't come to that. Your Senior Martial Brother isn't so easy to kill."

Yu Sui seemed relieved. She obediently sat on the long bench in the corridor and waited.

She noticed that none of Shi Yuezhen and the others would treat Mei Chengyu themselves. As long as he wasn't unconscious and lying helpless, they only helped prepare the medicine; everything else was left to him.

Mei Chengyu wrapped his hands in Medicated Cloth. Cang Shu and Shi Yuezhen brought him two large basins of medicinal water. He submerged his hands in the black liquid, the pain making the corner of his brow twitch. From the corner of his eye, he quickly glanced at Yu Sui sitting outside the window.

"Let's settle the disorder first." Cang Shu added herbs to the basin as he asked, "There was more than one person?"

"More than one." Mei Chengyu's voice was cool. "Besides Wei Kun, there were three others."

"The Yin-Yang School's Shadow Devouring, the Legalists' Lingchi, and someone with the Mechanism Artists' Demon Sealing Pillar."

"Wei Kun managed to find that many helpers?" Cang Shu sounded surprised.

Nian Qiuyan said gently, "Anyone willing to join forces with Wei Kun must have offended you, or simply dislike you."

Mei Chengyu let out a low laugh, cold as frost. He looked at Shi Yuezhen and asked, "Those three were all struck by Daoist Golden Thunder. They're badly hurt, but they don't seem to dare come to the clinic."

"If someone is struck by the golden thunder of the Daoist Heavenly Dipper Five Thunders, it leaves a thunder mark. In severe cases, their Five Elements Qi will also fall into disarray, and they'll suffer the torment of Thunder Fire Affliction." Shi Yuezhen opened the Medicine Box and pondered. "Among the Medical School's practitioners, aside from a few Thirteenth Realm Instructors and Sages, only I and one Junior Martial Sister can remove thunder marks and settle the disorder."

Nian Qiuyan turned to look at her. "Qian Ying?"

Shi Yuezhen smiled faintly. "That's right."

"I vaguely remember her," Nian Qiuyan said. "When you went to Moon Island to cultivate, Qian Ying was on duty at the clinic."

Shi Yuezhen said gently, "She's very talented. She reached Grade A in only two years at the academy."

Cang Shu gave a little "oh" and looked at her. "Is she the one who made you take clinic duty for an entire month?"

Shi Yuezhen turned back and gave Cang Shu a reassuring look, smiling as she said, "They joined forces with Wei Kun to target Meimei. They definitely won't dare come to the clinic tonight. If they don't remove the thunder marks, someone might discover them later. Since they don't want to reveal their identities, their best option is to ask Qian Ying for help."

Gu Gan followed Yu Sui's carriage all the way, carefully keeping out of sight so the Nangong Family's Technicians wouldn't notice him. After entering the academy, he saw Yu Sui use Wind Riding Technique to take Mei Chengyu toward the Medical School.

His expression turned grim. He stared after them, struggling to restrain himself.

In the end, he thought of Xiang Feifei's injuries and didn't follow. Instead, he hurried back to the dormitory.

He had left Xiang Feifei with Huo Xiao, who had brought her back to the academy first.

Avoiding other people's notice, Huo Xiao carried the unconscious Xiang Feifei back to the dormitory.

When Ji Meng saw Huo Xiao return with the injured Xiang Feifei, he hurriedly asked, "How did she get hurt this badly?"

"I'll explain later." Huo Xiao tried to take Xiang Feifei to Gu Gan's room, but Ji Meng stopped him. "No. Instructor Chen just sent me a message saying he's coming to collect the medicinal flowers I grew. That old man could smell the blood from outside the door. He's also the type who can't resist his curiosity and loves to join in the commotion. It'll be hard to explain if he asks questions."

Huo Xiao had no choice but to take Xiang Feifei to Xun Zhiya's room instead.

After receiving the message, Xun Zhiya came out and explained everything to Shu Chujun. Shu Chujun knitted her brows. "Where should Xiang Feifei stay?"

"She can stay with me," Xun Zhiya said.

"How could that be!" Shu Chujun objected sternly. "Saintess, how could you live on the same level as her?"

Shu Chujun looked around, then went to Li Jinshuang's door and opened it. "Li Jinshuang hasn't come back anyway. Let Xiang Feifei stay here for now."

Xun Zhiya found Shu Chujun's rigid sense of hierarchy rather troublesome.

Shu Chujun wouldn't let the injured and unconscious Xiang Feifei stay in Yu Sui's room, either. She was afraid that when the door opened, the gold, silver, and jade inside would dazzle Xiang Feifei and make her injuries even worse. Besides, Li Jinshuang was from the Southern Capital, so she was easier to order around.

Huo Xiao carried Xiang Feifei inside and laid her in Li Jinshuang's room. Seeing her brows tightly knitted in pain, he explained to Xun Zhiya and the others, "It was the Daoist Heavenly Dipper Five Thunders."

As soon as he finished speaking, he clutched his shoulder and shuddered. He was in much the same condition. Xiang Feifei had also been struck by Mei Chengyu's Thunder Serpent, and if Gu Gan hadn't interrupted, she would nearly have been devoured by the Ghost Dao School's Life Talisman.

"Where's Gu Gan?" Xun Zhiya asked with a frown.

"He stayed behind to cover our retreat. He should be fine," Huo Xiao said, his face deathly pale.

"You should rest too," Shu Chujun said irritably. "Gu Gan must have gone to fetch Qian Ying."

They all knew Gu Gan and Qian Ying were close. The two seemed to have known each other for a long time, even before entering Taiyi Academy.

Yu Sui usually kept a Five Elements Light Core in her room, just in case. She was a little surprised to see Huo Xiao bring Xiang Feifei there; she had thought he would take her to Gu Gan's room.

Looking more closely, she realized they were in Li Jinshuang's room.

Yu Sui couldn't help thinking that Li Jinshuang really was the perfect errand girl. To Xun Zhiya and Shu Chujun, she was like a loyal hound who could be summoned and dismissed at will.

She patiently listened as Huo Xiao explained the night's upheaval to Xun Zhiya and the others. Then someone knocked on the dormitory door, and Shu Chujun went to answer it.

Gu Gan stood outside. He was injured too, but still holding himself together. A touch of pallor had appeared on his stern face. He turned slightly, letting the girl behind him enter first.

The girl behind him wore a white dress and had fair skin and striking features. Her eyes were bright and lively, and her raised brows and smile radiated warmth.

Yu Sui watched Qian Ying through the Five Elements Light Core for a while, surprised. She had seen this person before.

She had once been a timid little girl who hid behind Gu Gan, afraid to look up at her.

When Gu Gan was fourteen, he had held the girl's hand and explained to Yu Sui, who was sitting in the carriage, that she was a younger sister from a family that had often visited his home. After her family fell into misfortune, she had been left with nowhere to go and ended up wandering the streets. Someone had bullied her, and he'd been lucky enough to save her. He couldn't leave his little sister to live alone, helpless and all by herself.

But he still had things to take care of, and they were dangerous. He couldn't bring her along, so he had said to Yu Sui, "Suisui, her name is Qian Ying. While I'm away from the Imperial Capital, let her stay at the prince's estate for a while. I'm sorry for the trouble, but could you look after her for me?"

What else could Yu Sui say? Naturally, she had agreed.

Qian Ying was settled at the prince's estate. The grubby little child who had once wandered the streets was washed clean and dressed in beautiful clothes; the contrast was like night and day. Perhaps that was why the image Yu Sui first left in Qian Ying's eyes was that of a refined, elegant young noblewoman from the prince's estate, too high to approach.

In any case, Qian Ying was a little afraid of Yu Sui.

After returning from the Imperial Academy, Yu Sui would visit Qian Ying to see how she was doing. But Qian Ying was always afraid of her, keeping her head bowed and barely speaking. Yu Sui couldn't do much except make sure she had enough to eat and wear.

At the time, Sheng Zui and Gu Gan's relationship was in the midst of an explosive bout of mutual loathing. Neither could stand the other. When Sheng Zui found out that Qian Ying was Gu Gan's younger sister and that Yu Sui had been asked to look after her, he couldn't bear seeing her living so well at the prince's estate.

Yu Sui didn't know what Qian Ying had done to offend Sheng Zui that day, but Sheng Zui had driven her out of the estate, and Yu Sui had to go searching for her in the middle of the night.

She still didn't know what had happened between the two of them, but she remembered that day clearly.

Nangong Ming had also been at the prince's estate and knew Qian Ying had been thrown out, but he hadn't intervened. Yu Sui went to great lengths to bring her back. Sheng Zui confronted Nangong Ming, and Yu Sui heard him say to Sheng Zui, "Gu Gan asked Suisui to look after a child. If she can't even handle something this trivial, what can she do?"

Nangong Ming scolded Sheng Zui and said something about his rivalry with Gu Gan, but Yu Sui didn't bother to remember it.

She had met several young masters from noble families while searching for Qian Ying. They were out on the lake in boats, enjoying themselves late at night.

All of them had grudges against Gu Gan. Yu Sui often helped him, and whenever he ran into noble young masters bullying him with their power, she would use her status as the King County Princess to rescue him and put those young men in their place.

After this had happened several times, those noble young masters began to dislike Yu Sui too, and started targeting her as well.

By chance, they caught sight of Yu Sui out looking for someone in the middle of the night. The nearby streets and lake had been reserved for the evening. One of the young masters aboard a boat spotted her on the shore and called his companions over.

One of them used a Nine Schools Technique to knock Yu Sui into the lake. After all, she was a Normal Practitioner; there was no need to use anything complicated.

Caught off guard, Yu Sui was knocked into the water, making a huge splash. The young men aboard the boat burst into laughter.

The noblewoman from the prince's estate who had acted so high and mighty, protecting Gu Gan in front of them, had now been knocked into the water like a drowned dog. The contrast was so funny that the boys couldn't stop laughing.

The Nangong Family's Nine Schools Practitioners were with Yu Sui, but the guards didn't dare act that night.

The Crown Prince of Qingyang was aboard the boat. Leaning against the doorway, he watched the young men beside him mock Yu Sui as she surfaced, a faint smile on his face. Without his approval, those people wouldn't have dared make a move.

The Crown Prince of Qingyang didn't rely on the Nangong Family's power, nor did he need to. He wasn't afraid of Nangong Ming, either. Besides, the young man was proud and ambitious, and unwilling to bow to anyone. As the Crown Prince and future heir to the throne, he saw nothing wrong with knocking the overconfident Nangong Family down a peg.

Yu Sui climbed out of the water, drenched from head to toe. Droplets clung to her eyelashes and kept falling. She shook her head and, trembling, leaned against the stone wall at the water's edge, looking back at the boat on the lake.

Someone called out to her, "Well, isn't this the County Princess of the Nangong Family? How'd you fall into the water? Do you want your big brother here to jump in and save you, or should we send your Brother Gu over?"

Yu Sui's trembling gaze swept over the people on the boat one by one. When she spotted the Crown Prince of Qingyang standing behind the group of young men, she knew she could only let the matter end here.

In the end, Yu Sui struggled up onto the shore by herself. The prince's attendants, who had been immobilized on the bank by a Nine Schools Technique, were released from it. Convinced that disaster was about to befall them, they rushed to Yu Sui and knelt before her.

Yu Sui raised a hand to smooth her wet hair. With her back to the boat, she said softly, "Go find her."

She brought Qian Ying back to the prince's estate from an empty alley.

Nangong Ming already knew Yu Sui had fallen into the water, but because the incident involved the Crown Prince of Qingyang, he couldn't do anything right away. All he could do was sigh. His foolish daughter couldn't cultivate and was a Normal Practitioner; otherwise, how could this have happened to her?

Remembering that she had fallen into the water, Nangong Ming didn't scold Yu Sui too harshly.

When Gu Gan came back and learned that Sheng Zui had driven Qian Ying out of the prince's estate, he took the initiative to fight Sheng Zui for the first time. Yu Sui happened to be nearby when they started fighting, but she did nothing, merely watching in silence. Only then could she refrain from taking Gu Gan's side just because of Nangong Ming.

In the end, Gu Gan took Qian Ying away, and Yu Sui never saw her again. Every now and then, she heard Gu Gan mention his younger sister, which showed that the two were still in touch.

Now, looking at the girl who had walked into the room, Yu Sui saw how graceful and poised she had become, her smile gentle and radiant. The reason Yu Sui was surprised was that Qian Ying no longer seemed like the timid child who couldn't even meet someone's eyes.

She had even become a Grade A Disciple of the Medical School.

It seemed Gu Gan had taken good care of her all these years.

Qian Ying walked into the room at an unhurried pace and asked, "Where's Xiang Feifei?"

"Over here," Huo Xiao answered.

Qian Ying headed over. At the doorway, she turned back and smiled at Gu Gan. "Brother Gu, you'd better stop using your Five Elements Qi too. Take the medicine I gave you and rest for a while."

Gu Gan nodded helplessly. "I know. Take a look at her first."

Qian Ying went to the bedside. Seeing Xiang Feifei's injuries, she knitted her delicate brows, set the Medicine Box she was carrying down beside her, and began treating her with focused attention.

"The Ghost Dao School's Life Talisman and the Daoist Heavenly Dipper Five Thunders. How many people did she fight?" Qian Ying used the Medical School Heavenly Secrets Technique: Subtle Hand to first stabilize the disorder in Xiang Feifei's Five Elements Qi.

Gu Gan's expression shifted. He said quietly, "One. Mei Chengyu from the Ghost Dao School."

"Why would she fight him?" Qian Ying turned back in surprise. "My mentor once said he hates treating disciples injured by Mei Chengyu most of all, because they're usually hurt by more than one school's Nine Schools Techniques."

Gu Gan sneered. "He's badly hurt this time too. On the way back, he couldn't keep chasing us because his Five Elements Qi was in disarray. I could've—" He stopped halfway, remembering Yu Sui, and fell silent.

Huo Xiao, however, said, "His Five Elements Qi is in disarray. This is our chance."

Gu Gan said, "If he summons Sage Chang Gen, we'll be in trouble."

Qian Ying thought it over. "If his Five Elements Qi is in disarray too, he'll probably go to the clinic to find Senior Martial Sister Shi. She'll definitely tell him I can treat thunder marks. It's probably only a matter of time before Mei Chengyu finds out that you were among them, Brother Gu."

Gu Gan said coolly, "If we can't hide, we'll meet him head-on."

Qian Ying laughed at that.

Gu Gan watched Qian Ying stabilize the disorder in Xiang Feifei's Five Elements Qi. When the tight furrow between her brows finally eased, he breathed a sigh of relief.

Now that he no longer had to worry about Xiang Feifei, he couldn't help thinking of Yu Sui. The sight of her taking Mei Chengyu away wouldn't leave his mind. That treacherous, cunning man was even wearing the clothes Suisui had bought for him!

Gu Gan took a deep breath, turned away, and pulled out the Listening Wind Ruler to send Yu Sui a message.

Xun Zhiya noticed his shifting emotions and wanted to ask about them, but stopped herself.

Yu Sui toyed with the Listening Wind Ruler. Gu Gan's messages kept arriving one after another, but she didn't reply.

After stabilizing Xiang Feifei and Huo Xiao's injuries, Qian Ying turned to Gu Gan outside the room. "Brother Gu, I'll remove your thunder mark first."

Gu Gan nodded.

When Qian Ying came out, she glanced at the room next door and asked, "Does the County Princess of the Nangong Family live here too?"

"Suisui? Yes." Gu Gan looked toward the empty doorway and frowned.

"It's so late. Why hasn't the County Princess come back yet?" Qian Ying helped him take off his outer robe. The Five Elements Qi at her fingertips pressed against the black thunder mark on his back.

Gu Gan said, "She's probably busy cultivating at the Ghost Dao Saint Hall."

Qian Ying didn't continue talking about Yu Sui.

It wasn't that she disliked Yu Sui. She simply disliked everyone from the Nangong Family.

Yu Sui lowered her head to look at the Listening Wind Ruler, focused on what was happening at the dormitory. She didn't notice the people in the small room.

Mei Chengyu's disordered Five Elements Qi had now settled, and he had become more talkative. He sat in a chair with both hands soaking in the medicinal water, his long legs crossed and his posture relaxed against the backrest. You'd never guess he was there to suffer rather than enjoy himself.

Nian Qiuyan tugged at his clothes and looked at his back, marveling, "Just as you'd expect of the Yin-Yang School's Star General. Even ice shards cutting into your flesh won't melt."

Mei Chengyu replied halfheartedly, "Then melt them."

Nian Qiuyan smiled and let go, leaving Cang Shu to pick the tiny ice shards out of the flesh on Mei Chengyu's back. "I don't like doing that kind of thing."

Mei Chengyu said lazily, "My Junior Martial Sister is studying the Medical School's healing arts. Why didn't you choose to study medicine?"

Nian Qiuyan said, "I'm just a diviner. Why would I study medicine?"

Cang Shu glanced at him. "Then learn a little physical combat. When your divinations are wrong and someone's chasing you, at least you'll be able to run faster."

Nian Qiuyan smiled. "I only need to run to Yiyi."

Shi Yuezhen brought up a Medicine Bowl. Mei Chengyu looked toward Yu Sui outside and asked her, "Why haven't you left yet?"

Yu Sui finally looked up, as if unsure whether her Senior Martial Brother was speaking to her. Once she was certain, she said, "I'm waiting until you're all right before I leave."

After a pause, she added an excuse of her own. "Besides, I don't sleep very well at night anyway."

Mei Chengyu tilted his head toward Shi Yuezhen and said, "Check why my Junior Martial Sister sleeps so badly. If nothing else, prescribe her something to calm her nerves."

Shi Yuezhen laughed and called Yu Sui downstairs. Yu Sui obediently followed.

Nian Qiuyan watched them both go downstairs before turning back to Mei Chengyu. "I still cast a divination for you."

Mei Chengyu glanced sideways at him. "No wonder you were waiting here."

Nian Qiuyan took out his black Divine Wood Sign and showed it to Mei Chengyu. His voice lowered. "The omen is half good and half bad, but this is the strange part."

Cang Shu and Mei Chengyu both looked at the Divine Wood Sign in his hand. The sign, once fine-grained, sturdy, and smooth, now had several tiny cracks in it.

"I don't know which of you affected my divination, but some even more mysterious and advanced force of authority is suppressing it. It seems to dislike people making predictions." Nian Qiuyan warned Mei Chengyu, "The people you ran into tonight weren't there by chance."

Mei Chengyu lowered his eyes and glanced at the empty bench in the corridor.

He remembered the carriage rolling up and Yu Sui lifting the curtain to call out to him, "Senior Martial Brother!"

For the first time, Mei Chengyu deliberately thought back over more than just that moment.

She had been able to open the Ghost Dao Saint Hall's door before she could even cultivate.

She had carried the Breath Soil and been hunted by the Agriculturalists since childhood; in the outer city, she had held Wei Ren down beneath the sea.

She gently told Wei Ren to cripple his own cultivation.

She was exceptionally eager to learn the Nine Schools Techniques.

Most of the time, his Junior Martial Sister seemed gentle and well-behaved, cute as a button, her smile bright as sunshine. Perhaps because she was like this so often, even when she occasionally showed a side at odds with that sweet image, people didn't take much notice.

So what if she was cunning and calculating?

She was still pretty cute.