Reflect

Wu Wei did not know how strong Ji Xiang was.

However, Wu Wei could certainly imagine how strong the Five Emperors mentioned by Professor Wang were.

Although Ji Xiang had ended up in a different world from the Five Emperors due to a lapse in judgment, a plucked phoenix was surely still far superior to a wild pheasant.

The facts proved this to be true.

Professor Wang had already surrendered, and "Professor Chi," upon hearing Ji Xiang's moniker "Sixth Child," had lost all will to fight.

Ji Xiang made a single phone call, and people arrived to clean up the mess.

Wu Wei was then summoned by Ji Xiang to the rooftop to smoke.

Wu Wei declined Ji Xiang's cigarette, and as he watched Ji Xiang wreathed in smoke, he felt as though he were looking at a decrepit, aging soul.

"Old... man, are you really not surnamed Liu?" Wu Wei asked out of curiosity.

Ji Xiang failed to exhale his smoke properly and ended up choking on it.

"My surname is Ji." Ji Xiang's face darkened. "Don't call me Uncle Liu; I don't like the sound of that pinyin."

It was the pain of his entire life.

Wu Wei nodded obediently: "Understood, old... man."

Ji Xiang: "...I should be a few years younger than your father."

"But you look much older than him." Wu Wei spoke the truth.

A knife appeared in Ji Xiang's hand, and his heart was suddenly filled with a bloodthirsty craving.

Seeing this, Wu Wei decisively changed the subject: "Is Uncle Ji here to recruit me into Night Emperor Academy?"

As the organization that effectively gathered the most human elites within Great Qin, Night Emperor Academy opened to the outside world periodically to recruit fresh blood. Furthermore, the management underwent a turnover every thirty years to ensure the academy could transition smoothly without becoming stagnant or losing its vitality.

The next opening of Night Emperor Academy was not far off.

A genius like Wu Wei would naturally fall into the category of special recruits.

However, Ji Xiang shook his head.

"Calling you up here was just to have a casual chat; there's no other meaning. Many people have already planned out your future, and I have no right to interfere. But at the end of the day, it all depends on your own wishes."

"Is it really that respectful of human rights?"

"Of course. As long as you don't break the law, everyone has the right to choose the life they want to lead. Don't worry too much about what others think; just live as the person you want to become."

Wu Wei looked at Ji Xiang suspiciously, feeling that he had ill intentions.

"Uncle Ji, it feels like you're trying to lead me into a trap."

"...A dog biting Lu Dongbin—you don't recognize a good heart."

"Let's be reasonable. Why would you have any goodwill toward the child of your goddess and her man? I don't really believe it. Unless you have some special fetish, Uncle Ji, you won't be able to convince me to trust you."

Ji Xiang didn't want to talk to Wu Wei anymore.

Why was this kid so unpleasant to listen to?

"Wu Wei, you're still young; you don't understand what true love is."

"Indeed, especially not the love of a simp."

"..."

The conversation was dead again.

"Uncle Ji, just say what you have to say. No need to beat around the bush. With your level of intelligence, it's hard to fool me."

That was a stinging blow.

"Go on, don't stutter. If people didn't know better, they'd think I was your elder. At least let me maintain some respect for you," Wu Wei continued.

Ji Xiang clenched his fists, his heart pounding wildly. Then, closing his eyes, he finally revealed his purpose:

"Can you give me a photo of God Lin?"

Wu Wei: "..."

"Don't tell me you don't even have a single photo of my mother?"

Ji Xiang took another drag of his cigarette and fell into a deep silence.

Wu Wei shivered, his resolve to become a noble deepening once more.

It went without saying that in the world of abilities, Ji Xiang must be a prominent figure. Even if he wasn't at the level of the Five Emperors, he was certainly a high-tier expert.

Yet, to Wu Wei, he now possessed absolutely no aura of a master.

"The only photo I have with God Lin is our class graduation photo."

Wu Wei almost cried.

That is truly pathetic.

Since you're already this pathetic, you might as well keep it up.

"Uncle Ji, I'm still on my dad's side. Besides, how stupid are you? You didn't even think to take a candid shot?"

Wu Wei had already tried searching for his mother online, and it was true that absolutely no information about her could be found.

However, since they had been in contact with her, wasn't secretly snapping a few photos just standard procedure?

Ji Xiang shook his head. "What is a goddess? She is someone to be admired from afar, not profaned. How could I secretly take photos? Naturally, one must maintain the necessary respect for a goddess."

"Then why do you want a photo of my mom right now?"

"To mourn my departed youth. Back then, I said I would dedicate my life to love. Later, I didn't die, so my youth paid the price in my stead."

Wu Wei's expression turned strange.

Not receiving the reaction he had imagined, Ji Xiang turned his head to look at Wu Wei, somewhat indignant. "Aren't you moved?"

"Not only am I not moved, I actually feel it's quite cringe. Old man, we young people don't play that sentimental game anymore; it's outdated."

Ji Xiang: "..."

"Uncle Ji, I'm curious, were there a lot of people chasing my mom back then?"

"Of course. She was the only goddess of our era. Except for Madman Gu, we were all subjects beneath her skirt," Ji Xiang said without hesitation. However, his voice paused afterward, and his expression became somewhat strange. "But ever since God Lin married your father, only Madman Gu has remained alone to this day. Everyone else has since married and had children."

Wu Wei took note of the moniker "Madman Gu."

When the wives of Su Shi and Yuan Zhen died, they both wrote deeply affectionate mourning poems, only to continue taking concubines afterward.

Conversely, when Wang Wei's wife died, he wrote nothing at all, simply choosing not to remarry for the rest of his life.

Actions are always more powerful than words.

"Is my mom very outstanding?"

"Of course, a flawless goddess."

"Even if the goddess didn't love you?"

"If the goddess loved me, she wouldn't be a goddess," Ji Xiang said solemnly.

Wu Wei gave Ji Xiang a thumbs-up, then said quietly, "I, on the contrary, feel that my mom isn't outstanding enough."

"Impossible. There is no woman more perfect than God Lin."

Wu Wei filtered out Ji Xiang's words entirely, then slowly twisted the knife: "I think my mom should reflect on herself. Is it because she wasn't outstanding enough that so many people like you had the confidence to pursue her? If she were truly outstanding enough, mortals like you shouldn't even dare to harbor such delusions."

Ji Xiang: "(?^?)"

Having KO'd Ji Xiang, Wu Wei recalled a past event.

"Mom, why did you marry Dad?"

"Blame me for being too young; I saw that face of his and couldn't hold back. Son, you inherited your dad's face and grew up just as handsome. What are you going to do in the future?"

Indeed, what was he to do?

Wu Wei thought of Lan Meng again, then fell into deep distress and self-reflection.

He truly wasn't outstanding enough, which was why Lan Meng had the confidence to pursue him.

But then again, it wasn't his fault that he was handsome.