Page 40

Xie Xiyi had just emerged from meditation. Seeing Xiaoqiu's furious face but no injuries on him, he thought little of it and asked mildly, "How did he play dirty?"

Xiaoqiu recounted what had happened to Xie Xiyi, embellishing the account of Zhiguan's sly smile as Chi Yu held him in his arms.

Xie Xiyi: "..."

After a long silence, he said, "Do you have nothing to do? If you have too much free time, go cultivate. All you think about is competing for affection and getting jealous. Are you a puppy? If I were you, I'd stab myself to death. Go cultivate. Say any more of this nonsense and I'll send you home."

Xiaoqiu: "..."

No one understood him. No one!

Xiaoqiu had come storming over, but left utterly deflated.

He had returned but had yet to step inside when Chi Yu's exuberant praise came from the room.

Xiaoqiu: "..."

Heavens, that villain actually-actually!

He could actually do that!

Even Aotian-ge had never praised him like that!

Jealousy churned inside Xiaoqiu, leaving him at a loss.

Only after Zhiguan left did Xiaoqiu enter.

Chi Yu noticed his dejected look. As usual, he gave him a handful of snacks and asked, "What's wrong? Did His Highness scold you?"

Xiaoqiu had just opened his mouth when his eyes darted about. He forced his eyes red in an instant, threw himself into Chi Yu's arms, and sobbed, "His Highness scolded me and snapped at me, boo-hoo. He said he'd send me home, and he called me a dog."

Sorry, Your Highness! Xiaoqiu silently begged forgiveness.

Chi Yu hurried to comfort him. "That's going too far. Why send you home for no reason? You're already working so hard. You cultivate eight hours a day now, and he still scolds you? He's mean. Don't take it to heart."

Nestled in Chi Yu's warm arms, Xiaoqiu discovered what an embrace felt like.

Though born of a concubine, he had been treated equally, weaned early, and taken from his wet nurse's arms. It had been a long time since he had felt such a warm embrace.

He could not help mumbling, "If only you were my real big brother."

Chi Yu laughed. "It doesn't matter if we aren't related. We're cultivators now. Why care about blood ties?"

Xiaoqiu said, "Other people might not care about blood ties, but we in Great Xia care a lot. Look at how well His Highness treats me. That's because I'm his younger cousin. Otherwise, he wouldn't bother with me."

Chi Yu asked in surprise, "Really?"

Xiaoqiu said, "Yes. His temper is actually awful, but he treats his own people very well. The Second Highness is timid and hopeless, but he still protects and loves him. Now that he's no longer Crown Prince, he doesn't resent the Second Highness either. Instead, he tells him to study hard, cultivate diligently, and not slack off."

Chi Yu listened with a smile. He could sense that contradiction in the Crown Prince too. He seemed unapproachable, but if you kept pestering him, you could always get him to compromise. He was very softhearted.

Besides, having brought a child so far from home, how could he not look after him?

Someone who knew how to care for children could not be too bad.

Hahaha, that seemed like praising himself. (x

Xiaoqiu sighed. "If only you were my real big brother."

Being related was always better than being someone else.

Then, no matter how Zhiguan clung to him, he would still be Xiaoqiu's real big brother.

But he did not seem to have any right to stop Zhiguan from approaching him, since they were not actually related.

Chi Yu laughed. "It doesn't matter if we aren't related. Don't fuss over that. Besides, I already have lots of younger brothers and sisters. That doesn't stop me from being close to you."

Chi Yu had a whole crowd of cousins, both boys and girls, older and younger. He had looked after plenty of children and was even practiced at holding babies. Strangely enough, no matter how much a baby cried, they would gradually quiet down in his arms. The adults joked that he was born to be a kindergarten teacher, so whenever the holidays came around, childcare duties automatically fell to him.

He treated all children equally, without any favorites.

Xiaoqiu muttered, "It's different. His Highness would never hold me like this."

Chi Yu thought about it, then laughed again. He really could not imagine the Crown Prince holding Xiaoqiu. He always seemed so reserved.

He patted Xiaoqiu's shoulder and said, "All right, all right. Go cultivate. I have things to do too."

As usual, he had papers to work on today.

He had only just taken out his papers when someone knocked.

Chi Yu opened the door. It was the newly arrived cultivator. With his good memory, Chi Yu greeted him with a smile. "Hello, Senior Brother Qingxuan. Come in for some tea."

He invited Qingxuan inside and went to brew tea. Qingxuan sat down and surveyed Chi Yu's room. Spotting the snow-white papers on the desk, he swept his divine sense over them and saw many complicated symbols. He paused briefly, then withdrew his divine sense.

Chi Yu's divine sense was weak, and he did not notice the intrusion. He brought the tea over to Qingxuan and asked, "Did you need something, Senior Brother?"

Qingxuan said coolly, "We'll be neighbors from now on, so I came to see you."

He even politely took out a gift, set it on the table, and pushed it toward Chi Yu.

Chi Yu smiled. "You're too kind, Senior Brother. Since you've brought it, I'll accept."

Though Qingxuan had arrived later than him, seniority in the cultivation world had always depended on cultivation level. It was utterly pragmatic.

In an immortal sect, someone who joined first would be the senior brother, but if a junior brother overtook him in cultivation, he would have to start addressing that former junior as his senior brother.

This rule also bred plenty of hostility, jealousy, and dark deeds.

Chi Yu understood the rule well, so he felt no discomfort calling Qingxuan his senior brother. The strong preyed on the weak in the cultivation world. It was perfectly normal.

Seeing that Qingxuan seemed disinclined to talk, Chi Yu took the initiative to strike up a conversation, warming the atmosphere and doing his best to keep it from falling flat. "Where are you from, Senior Brother?"

Qingxuan said, "The Eastern Mirror Continent."

Surprised, Chi Yu said delightedly, "What a coincidence! I'm from the Eastern Mirror Continent too. We're from the same homeland!"

Qingxuan blinked in slight confusion, unsure why Chi Yu reacted so strongly. Every continent was unimaginably vast. Merely coming from the Eastern Mirror Continent was nothing worth being surprised about.

Chi Yu did not care. Wherever he was, he always steered the conversation. He continued, "What a coincidence. The Eastern Mirror Continent is actually quite nice. There are lots of ordinary people, and the cultivators are mild-tempered too. It's quite a livable place."

Qingxuan said, "But the spiritual energy in the Eastern Mirror Continent is very thin. It really isn't somewhere to stay long."

Chi Yu blinked at him and smiled. "Senior Brother, I meant somewhere pleasant to live. Setting cultivation aside, the Eastern Mirror Continent is actually the best. It's full of everyday life."

Qingxuan paused, quickly realizing that this cultivator had little ambition.

He was precisely the sort of person Qingxuan despised most, but looking at that youthful, lively face, he found him less disagreeable.

Chi Yu asked, "Are you an independent cultivator, Senior Brother?"

Qingxuan paused, then said, "I come from the Five Aggregates Sect on the Eastern Mirror Continent. And you?"

Chi Yu said, "I'm an independent cultivator."

Qingxuan did not believe him. Only a major immortal sect could raise someone to the Foundation Establishment Stage in his teens using precious natural treasures.

Besides, he could tell that Chi Yu's spiritual roots were not particularly good.

But though he did not believe him, he did not show it.

His cool exterior was too deceptive. Chi Yu continued chatting with him in the same tone he used with the other disciples, and before long, he had chatted him right out the door.

Xiaoqiu emerged from the kitchen and told Chi Yu, "That man isn't nice."

Chi Yu asked, "What's wrong with him?"

Xiaoqiu said, "He barely bothers to answer you. Is he that impressive?"

Chi Yu burst out laughing.

It was time for class again.

This time, Chi Yu finally managed to get up a little after five.

He even ran into Xie Xiyi on the way.

Chi Yu called cheerfully, "Senior Brother, you're up early!"

Xie Xiyi glanced at him and slowed down. Only after Chi Yu caught up did he resume his pace. "You brought another child over?"

Chi Yu yawned, his reactions a little sluggish. Several moments passed before he understood. "He isn't a child. He's our fellow student, from the cessation class."

Xie Xiyi said mildly, "Those who know would think you came here to study. Those who don't would think you came to look after children."

Chi Yu laughed. "You're one to talk. Didn't you bring Xiaoqiu here, Senior Brother?"

Xie Xiyi neither agreed nor disagreed.

Just then, a voice came from behind him. "Junior Brother."

Chi Yu turned and saw Senior Brother Qingxuan. He stopped to wait briefly for him. "Good morning, Senior Brother."

Qingxuan said, "Morning."

Another man of few words.

Xie Xiyi ignored him and continued walking. Knowing that Xie Xiyi disliked socializing, Chi Yu did not introduce them. He asked Qingxuan, "Senior Brother, how many hours do you cultivate each day?"

Qingxuan answered, "Twelve hours."

Before Chi Yu could praise him, Xie Xiyi gave a soft snort.

Cultivators had keen hearing and eyesight, so Qingxuan naturally heard it. He paused, then spoke first. "And this is?"

Chi Yu smiled and said, "This is Senior Brother Xuanji."

Qingxuan said, "Hello, Senior Brother Xuanji."

Xie Xiyi replied mildly, "Hello."

Qingxuan fell silent, the chill in his expression deepening.

Chi Yu scratched his head and spoke with composure. "Senior Brother Qingxuan, what do you usually do besides cultivating?"

Qingxuan said coolly, "I'm a talisman master. Apart from cultivating, I make talismans."

Chi Yu exclaimed admiringly, "Wow, you're a talisman master? That's amazing! Do you sell talismans, then? Could I buy some from you?"

Qingxuan said, "Of course."

Chi Yu smiled. "That's wonderful."

When they reached the classroom, Chi Yu sat beside Xie Xiyi as usual. Lowering his voice, he asked, "Do you dislike Senior Brother Qingxuan?"

Although Xie Xiyi rarely socialized, he generally treated people quite well.