At those words, Cui Qianqian's face turned deathly pale. She said to Wen Xiancheng, "I'm sorry."
Wen Xiancheng did not respond to Cui Qianqian's apology. Instead, he looked toward the source of the voice.
A sweet-faced girl with a graceful figure was walking toward them.
Wen Xiancheng immediately frowned.
She was pretty enough, but what a vicious mouth she had!
Seeing Wen Xiancheng merely staring at her, the girl flicked her long hair and said smugly, "What, am I wrong? What's so fun about a fat pig like Cui Qianqian? What could you possibly see in her, besides her family's money?"
Wen Xiancheng shook his head and said gravely, "I don't know what Cui Qianqian ever did to you to make you attack her so viciously. But to my eyes, at least, she's far more pleasant to look at than you. With a tongue that poisonous, you'd better watch out before it comes back to bite you."
"What did you say? Say that again if you dare!" The girl's face turned livid. She raised her hand, an Iron Sword appeared in her right hand, and she moved to thrust it at Wen Xiancheng!
"Fang Sisi!" a voice snapped.
At some point, Cui Qianqian had come over. She seized Fang Sisi's wrist and flipped her with a fierce heave.
Fang Sisi was thrown straight onto her backside!
"You-you dare hit me!" Fang Sisi scrambled up in fury and raised her sword, ready to attack Cui Qianqian!
Cui Qianqian's hands rapidly formed seals.
Fang Sisi froze in place, her pupils contracting slightly.
In her eyes, a venomous snake suddenly lunged at her, coiling around her body and binding her tightly.
Watching the venomous snake raise its head and flick its tongue, eyeing her like a tiger waiting to pounce, Fang Sisi screamed in terror, "Help! Help!"
Only then did Cui Qianqian pull her hands apart.
In Fang Sisi's eyes, the venomous snake vanished instantly.
In reality, however, Wen Xiancheng and everyone else saw nothing on Fang Sisi at all.
Her body simply writhed strangely before she collapsed onto the ground.
The people nearby gathered around curiously.
Cui Qianqian took Wen Xiancheng's hand and hurried away.
Only after they had run a long way, with no one else in sight, did Cui Qianqian release his hand. She braced both hands on her knees, panting softly.
Her face was as red as an apple.
Wen Xiancheng asked curiously, "What happened just now? Why did Fang Sisi suddenly stand there in a daze and make those strange movements? And at the end, no one even touched her, so why did she collapse?"
Cui Qianqian managed a strained smile. "Illusion arts. I cast a one-on-one illusion on her. You've never practiced illusion arts, so you wouldn't understand. Only the caster and the target can see a one-on-one illusion like that. No one else can see it."
Wen Xiancheng was secretly delighted.
So that was how it worked!
It was right there in Cui Qianqian's notes!
However, Wen Xiancheng did not say so aloud.
Giving Cui Qianqian a thumbs-up, Wen Xiancheng praised her. "Cui Qianqian, you're amazing! Do that next time, too. Don't just take it when people bully you! That includes your sister. If she doesn't treat you like her sister, why should you be polite to her? If she humiliates you, humiliate her with your illusion arts. Show her what you're capable of! People bully the meek and fear the vicious. If you never fight back, they'll think you're easy prey and only get worse!"
Cui Qianqian shot him an exasperated look. "How could it be as easy as you make it sound? Every family is different. In my family, I can't treat my sister like that. I'd be punished. At least until I get married, I can't do that!"
Wen Xiancheng shrugged. "Who cares about any of that? If someone bullies me, I'll find a way to get them back, no matter who they are!"
Cui Qianqian did not continue arguing. Instead, she asked, "Wen Xiancheng, why did you speak up for me just now? Do you know that Fang Sisi is an intermediate Martial Master? If I hadn't stepped in, you would've been beaten up, maybe even seriously injured! Weren't you afraid?"
Wen Xiancheng smiled. "Honestly, it'd be a lie to say I wasn't afraid at all. But I can't just back down because I'm scared, either. Besides, if I watched you being bullied and did nothing, could I even call myself human?"
Cui Qianqian smiled shyly. "All right, then thank you. But don't be so reckless again. You haven't cultivated, so you need to keep a low profile when you come to our Royal Academy. There are lots of martial artists here. You'll get bullied!"
"Hahaha, I'll remember that. I just couldn't hold back this time. Usually, I'm careful about making a move." Wen Xiancheng offered no explanation.
In fact, after cultivating with Spirit-Gathering Powder for over a month, he had already reached the advanced Martial Apprentice level and was working toward breaking through to become an elementary Martial Warrior.
Only then did Cui Qianqian nod. "So, what are you going to do now? Want to get something to eat together?"
Wen Xiancheng shook his head. "Another day! I'll bring the exercise books and textbooks tomorrow, and we can have lunch together then. Today, I came specifically to give you these spirit stones as a reward. I have something urgent to take care of now, so I'll be going."
Cui Qianqian looked a little disappointed, but quickly composed herself and waved with a smile. "Okay! Go ahead!"
Wen Xiancheng made an encouraging gesture. "Stand up for yourself. Don't let people bully you! If you really can't beat them, find a way to take them down with a dirty trick!"
Cui Qianqian burst out laughing. "Just go already!"
Watching Wen Xiancheng's retreating figure, Cui Qianqian murmured to herself, "I'm so glad I met you!"
When Wen Xiancheng arrived at the Royal Academy, the Mouse Clone was already waiting there.
The urgent matter Wen Xiancheng had mentioned was actually buying Marrow-Cleansing Liquid for the Mouse Clone.
After all this time, he had finally saved enough low-grade spirit stones to buy Marrow-Cleansing Liquid, and he could hardly wait.
Taking a bus, Wen Xiancheng arrived at a store called Huang's Elixir Shop in downtown Imperial City.
Just as he was about to enter, Wen Xiancheng stopped dead in his tracks.
In the weapon shop next door, called "Not the Best, Only Better," he saw Xue Ruigao holding a sword and explaining it at length to a young man.
The young man's gaze was not on the sword at all, but on Xue Ruigao's face.
Xue Ruigao, however, seemed not to have noticed.
Why was Xue Ruigao here? Was he her classmate?
Puzzled, Wen Xiancheng walked over.
He had only just reached the weapon shop's entrance when Xue Ruigao's pretty face flushed, and she became visibly uneasy in the middle of her explanation.
Through the glass, Wen Xiancheng saw the young man look over and say something to Xue Ruigao. She shook her head and hurried to meet him.
The young man followed close behind.
As Wen Xiancheng pushed open the glass door, Xue Ruigao looked away awkwardly. "W-what brings you here?"
Wen Xiancheng asked, "What about you?"
Xue Ruigao's pretty face reddened. "Well, I... I noticed you're always busy, and you seem to be saving up to buy something. So... so I got a part-time job. I figured I could help somehow."
Wen Xiancheng paused, warmth welling up in his heart. "Who told you that? Go home. Don't work part-time anymore. I didn't interfere before, but now I just want you to focus on cultivating. I can handle everything else."
Xue Ruigao hurriedly shook her head. "No! Stop putting on a brave face, Orange. I've noticed you've really changed. Some things have changed for the better, but others are really annoying. You used to tell me everything. Now you shoulder everything yourself."
Wen Xiancheng reached out, took Xue Ruigao's hand, and pulled her outside. "I don't care. You're coming with me! If I catch you working part-time again, don't blame me for getting mad!"
"Orange, don't be like this. It's not right for me to leave so suddenly," Xue Ruigao said anxiously.
Wen Xiancheng ignored her completely.
"Let go of Xue Ruigao!" Murderous intent filled the young man's face. He swung a fist at Wen Xiancheng, unleashing eight fist afterimages that enveloped his entire body.
He dared lay hands on the woman I liked? He was courting death!
"Get lost!" Xue Ruigao struck out with her free palm, scattering all eight fist afterimages!
Looking coldly at the young man, Xue Ruigao said, "Just fucking try attacking him again!"
(End of chapter)
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