"Fellow Student Pei, look, I've finished your picture." Changsun Jue held up the drawing board and smiled at him. "Is it pretty?-Immortal Jiang, look."
Jiang Yiner nodded repeatedly. "Changsun, your drawings keep getting better."
Pei Ye took it with a smile. "I've never received such a beautiful picture. Thank you, Fellow Student Changsun."
"You're welcome. I hope you'll come study at the Imperial College soon, Fellow Student Pei. I can help you catch up on the classics you've missed."
Changsun Che looked at the boy sitting cross-legged, then shifted his gaze to Shi Zanxue on his left, then Jiang Yiner on his right, then Cui Zhaoye on Jiang Yiner's right, then his own younger sister beside Cui Zhaoye... Finally, his gaze returned to Pei Ye, and he fell silent.
Holding the picture, Pei Ye gave him a faint smile. He felt he understood how this elder brother Changsun felt at this moment.
Although his relationship with Fellow Student Changsun was entirely innocent, a friendship between gentlemen, he could imagine leaving the capital for two years, then returning to see Yin'er, only for the girl to lower her head and say, "I'm weaving a sword tassel for Fellow Cultivator Zhao. The way he uses a sword truly makes my heart soar. You should learn from him, Brother."
He turned toward the girl beside him. Jiang Yiner was eating dates Yan Feiqing had shared with her and looked back at him blankly.
The great bell soon rang again.
The Feather Inspector's voice carried across the sword platform. "Second bout. Ranked second, [Young Chun], Li Shenyi, versus ranked ninth, Xudao Mountain, [Scenery Changes, Immortal Dwells], He Miao."
"Li Shenyi. The head of the Li family in the Northwest has that name too." Pei Ye tilted his head left.
"That is indeed him." Shi