Wu Wei had no idea how strong Ji Xiang was.
But he could imagine how powerful the Five Emperors Professor Wang had mentioned were.
Although Ji Xiang's poor choice had left him and the Five Emperors worlds apart, even a phoenix that had lost its feathers was still far stronger than a chicken.
And that was exactly how things had turned out.
Professor Wang had already surrendered, and "Professor Chi" had lost all will to fight as soon as he heard Ji Xiang's title, "Sixth Child."
Ji Xiang made a phone call, and someone came to clean up the mess.
Then Ji Xiang called Wu Wei up to the rooftop for a smoke.
Wu Wei turned down Ji Xiang's cigarette. Looking at him surrounded by smoke, Wu Wei felt as if he were staring at a soul on its last legs.
"Old man, are you really not surnamed Liu?" Wu Wei asked curiously.
Ji Xiang choked before he could exhale.
"My surname is Ji." Ji Xiang's face darkened. "Don't call me Uncle Liu. I hate the pinyin 'liu.'"
It was the pain of his life.
Wu Wei nodded obediently. "All right, old man."
Ji Xiang: "...I'm probably a few years younger than your dad."
"But you look a lot older than him." Wu Wei was just being honest.
A knife appeared in Ji Xiang's hand, and a sudden bloodlust filled his heart.
Seeing that, Wu Wei swiftly changed the subject. "Uncle Ji, are you bringing me into Night Emperor Academy?"
As the organization with the largest concentration of human elites in Great Qin, Night Emperor Academy opened its doors to the outside world at regular intervals to recruit new blood. Its leadership also underwent a change every thirty years, ensuring a smooth transition and preventing the academy from growing stagnant and losing its vitality.
The next time Night Emperor Academy opened its doors was not far off.
Geniuses like Wu Wei were normally eligible for special admission.
But Ji Xiang shook his head.
"I called you up here because I just wanted to have a casual chat. That's all. Plenty of people have already planned out your future for you. I'm in no position to interfere. Ultimately, though, it's up to you."
"You're really big on human rights, huh?"
"Of course. As long as they don't break the law, everyone has the right to choose the life they want to live. Don't worry too much about what other people think. Just become the person you want to be."
Wu Wei eyed Ji Xiang suspiciously. He had a feeling the man was up to no good.
"Uncle Ji, it sounds like you're trying to lead me into a ditch."
"...You ungrateful brat. You can't even tell a good person from a bad one."
"Come on. How could you possibly feel warmly toward the child of your goddess and her man? I don't buy it. Unless you've got some kind of unusual hobby, you're not going to convince me to trust you."
Ji Xiang didn't feel like talking to Wu Wei anymore.
Why did this kid always say things that rubbed him the wrong way?
"Wu Wei, you're still young. You don't understand what true love is."
"True. Especially not the love of a simp."
"..."
That conversation was dead in the water.
"Uncle Ji, just say what you want. You don't have to beat around the bush. With your little bit of intelligence, tricking me won't be easy."
That one hit a nerve.
"Come on, spit it out. Stop hemming and hawing. Anyone who didn't know better would think I was your elder. At least let me keep some respect for you," Wu Wei continued.
Ji Xiang clenched both fists. His heart pounded wildly. Then he shut his eyes and finally revealed what he wanted.
"Could you give me a photo of God Lin?"
Wu Wei: "..."
"Don't tell me you don't even have a single picture of my mom?"
Ji Xiang took another drag and fell into a deep silence.
Wu Wei shivered. It only strengthened his resolve to become a noble.
It went without saying that Ji Xiang had to be a big shot in the Esper world. Even if he wasn't on the Five Emperors' level, he was surely a top-tier fourth-rank esper.
But as far as Wu Wei was concerned, Ji Xiang had lost every last bit of his imposing aura.
"The only photo I have with God Lin is our class graduation picture."
Wu Wei nearly burst into tears.
What a miserable life.
Since you're already so miserable, you might as well keep it up.
"Uncle Ji, I'm still on my dad's side. Besides, how stupid are you? You never thought to take a secret photo?"
There really was no information about his mother online. Wu Wei had already checked.
But since Ji Xiang had met his mother, secretly snapping a few photos should have been basic practice, shouldn't it?
Ji Xiang shook his head. "What's a goddess? Someone you can admire from afar but never desecrate. How could I take secret photos? You have to show a goddess the respect she deserves."
"Then why do you want a photo of my mom now?"
"To commemorate the youth I've lost. Back then, I said I'd give my life for love. I didn't die, so my youth paid the price instead."
Wu Wei looked at him strangely.
When Ji Xiang didn't get the reaction he'd expected, he turned to Wu Wei, irritation creeping into his expression. "You're not moved?"
"Not only am I not moved, I'm cringing. Old man, we young people don't go in for melodrama anymore. It's passé."
Ji Xiang: "..."
"Uncle Ji, I'm curious. Were there a lot of people chasing my mom back then?"
"Of course. She was the one and only goddess of our generation. Everyone but Madman Gu was at her feet." Ji Xiang answered without hesitation, but then his voice faltered and his expression turned strange. "But after God Lin married your father, Madman Gu was the only one who stayed single. Everyone else is married with kids now."
Wu Wei filed the name "Madman Gu" away.
Su Shi and Yuan Zhen had both written heartfelt poems mourning their dead wives, then gone on to take concubines.
Wang Wei, on the other hand, didn't write anything when his wife died. He simply never remarried for the rest of his life.
Actions would always speak louder than words.
"Was my mom really that amazing?"
"Of course. She was a flawless goddess."
"Even if she didn't love you?"
"If a goddess loved me, she wouldn't be a goddess." Ji Xiang replied solemnly.
Wu Wei gave Ji Xiang a thumbs-up, then said in a quiet voice, "I actually think my mom wasn't amazing enough."
"Impossible. There's no woman more perfect than God Lin."
Wu Wei tuned Ji Xiang out and slowly dealt him another blow. "I think my mom should reflect on herself. Maybe she wasn't amazing enough, and that's why so many people like you felt confident enough to pursue her. If she'd really been perfect, mere mortals like you wouldn't have dared to entertain such delusions."
Ji Xiang: "(?^?)"
After knocking Ji Xiang out, Wu Wei remembered something from the past.
"Mom, why did you marry Dad?"
"I was too young and couldn't resist that face of his. Son, you inherited your dad's face, and you're just as handsome. What are you going to do?"
Yeah, what was he going to do?
Wu Wei thought of Lan Meng, then sank into deep worry and self-reflection.
He really wasn't amazing enough. That was why Lan Meng had felt confident enough to pursue him.
But it wasn't my fault I was handsome.
Before you continue