Bad kitty

That was the union of causes and conditions that only someone as weak-willed as Xiaoqiu would crave.

Author's note:

Later.

Xie: Xiaoqiu, what makes you think you can stand on equal footing with me? kicks-him-away.jpg

Chapter 30: Bad kitty

More than two months flew by, and Chi Yu finally trained his divine sense to the level of the eighth layer of the Qi Refining Stage.

That was already quite fast, and it also indirectly confirmed that his comprehension was indeed very good.

As for swordsmanship, Chi Yu owed his growing proficiency in part to his excellent coordination, so after more than two months, he looked fairly competent.

Chi Yu was actually a little puzzled. As the crown prince of a mortal dynasty, how did Xuanji have such decent cultivation methods to hand out so casually? Although Chi Yu had not specifically tested their grades, he knew they certainly could not be poor-at least middle-grade.

In that case, giving him a middle-grade guqin seemed a little too shabby.

So Chi Yu browsed the market every few days, spending over a hundred middle-grade spirit stones on a jade hair crown and a jade thumb ring for the crown prince.

He did not deliver them himself, either, instead having Xiaoqiu take them over.

Holding the gift box, Xiaoqiu asked Chi Yu, "Why don't you take it to him yourself?"

Chi Yu said, "I'm afraid Senior Brother Xuanji will ask why I'm not cultivating if I have so much time."

Xiaoqiu could not help laughing. "That does sound like something His Highness would say."

He then took the gift box to Xie Xiyi.

Although Xie Xiyi did not see Chi Yu in person, he still had something to say. "He certainly has plenty of free time. Does my telling him to cultivate go in one ear and out the other?"

With that, he opened the box. When he saw the jade crown and thumb ring inside, the corners of his lips curled up despite himself. "We're in the Chan Sect. What use do I have for these things he's given me? He hasn't even put any sincerity into his gifts."

But Xiaoqiu said, "Your Highness, that's where you're wrong. If you have no use for such things, why are you still living in a palace?"

The smile faded from Xie Xiyi's lips. He glanced at Xiaoqiu and said mildly, "Are you itching for a beating?"

Grinning, Xiaoqiu fell silent.

Xie Xiyi only lived in a palace in the Chan Sect because he had not wanted to come in the first place and had casually made a few demands to make things difficult for Ruoku. In the end, Ruoku had actually fulfilled them.

Xiaoqiu, the dullest of the lot, had been one of those demands as well, securing guaranteed admission to the Chan Sect through Xie Xiyi.

Clearly, Ruoku was indeed sincere in wanting him to become the Buddha-son.

Although Xie Xiyi was lackadaisical, he maintained a bottom line, diligently cultivating and tempering his Buddha Bone without slacking off in his cultivation.

But it was very dull all the same.

After Xiaoqiu left, Xie Xiyi picked up the jade token Long Aotian had given him. With one hand, he idly wound a lock of long black hair around his finger. Only once it reached the base of his finger did he leave a message in the jade token with his divine sense. "Mortals don't hold their capping ceremony until twenty. You're giving me a jade crown too early."

Chi Yu soon saw it and replied, "Senior Brother Xuanji, this has nothing to do with a capping ceremony. I bought this jade crown because I thought it would suit you when I saw it. As for the jade thumb ring, I bought it for you because I noticed how long and beautiful your thumb was. Although I don't know your preferences, Senior Brother Xuanji, whenever I see beautiful things, I always feel they would suit you, so I buy them as gifts. Please don't turn your nose up at them, Senior Brother Xuanji."

Xie Xiyi: "..."

His lips curled up. That dragon certainly has a sweet tongue.

But soon, when he realized that a mere word or two from the dragon had delighted him, his brows knitted again.

Had his resolve grown weak? To think he could be stirred by a few words.

Xie Xiyi could not help reflecting deeply. He turned his divine sense inward and saw that his cultivation realm remained stable. A faint golden light flowed through his tempered bones, showing that the emptiness of inherent nature remained unchanged and unaffected.

After a moment's consideration, Xie Xiyi put the jade token away.

Meanwhile, seeing no response from the crown prince after all his compliments, Chi Yu did not mind. He simply decided on his own that his praise had embarrassed him, and put away his jade token with a smile too.

It seemed buying these things worked as well.

Over time, Chi Yu bought the crown prince some belts, hair ties, and spirit treasures shaped like jade pendants.

He accepted them all, but after accepting gifts for a while, he went into seclusion. In the end, Chi Yu could only leave them with Xiaoqiu for the time being and have him deliver them after the crown prince emerged.

Today, Chi Yu temporarily set aside his cultivation to continue working on Zhiguan's stutter.

Since he had decided to help, Chi Yu had no intention of being inconsistent about it. If he was going to help, he would see it through. He could not abandon someone halfway, so he worked with Zhiguan every three days.

Working on it alone was not enough; he also had to take Zhiguan out to meet people and practice handling real situations.

First came Xiaoqiu. Under Chi Yu's encouraging gaze, Zhiguan spoke. "Xiao... qiu, good... morning."

Xiaoqiu muttered, "It's almost noon already."

Chi Yu praised him. "Not bad! That was already very fluent. It looks like the practice is working."

Zhiguan smiled. "Suoluo... and Qiye, keep me company."

Chi Yu knew they were close. It had been those two brothers who first took him to see Zhiguan. "Have them talk with you often, and don't get stage fright. As the old saying goes, after grappling with myself for so long, I would still rather be myself. You need to be yourself too. You mustn't become afraid and ashamed just because someone mocks you a little, and stop speaking. We're all cultivators now. We need to be able to handle this much pressure, understand?"

In the cultivation world, the strong preying on the weak was one thing, but apart from the children of great families and descendants of the Immortal Sect, many cultivators had grown up fending for themselves. They had learned many lessons through their own struggles.

Zhiguan rarely encountered a cultivator like Chi Yu, who was willing to teach and encourage others.

Moreover, despite being at the Foundation Establishment Stage, he did not look down on those of them at the Qi Refining Stage. What sort of mindset was that?

Zhiguan's eyes reddened slightly, and he nodded emphatically.

I mustn't let him down, Zhiguan thought. So after returning, Zhiguan kept trying hard to strike up conversations with Suoluo and Qiye.

Knowing that this was Chi Yu's intention, Suoluo and Qiye were also willing to help him practice speaking.

Another half a month passed like this, and the Hongbao Trial was about to begin.

Xie Xiyi emerged from seclusion just in time.

As soon as he came out, he saw Xiaoqiu and Long Aotian playing cards in the main hall while waiting for him. Seeing him emerge, both smiled and said, "Your Highness/Senior Brother Xuanji, you're finally out."

Xie Xiyi's gaze fell on the two of them, and he sensed something odd: even their smiles were in sync. At first glance, they looked as though they came from the same family.

He could not help giving a derisive chuckle. He seemed to be the outsider instead.

Chi Yu had no idea what he was thinking and said excitedly to Xie Xiyi, "Senior Brother Xuanji, we're going down the mountain tomorrow! I've already packed my things. You should hurry and pack too."

Seeing how happy he was, Xie Xiyi said without betraying anything, "I have nothing to pack. What about you? How are your swordsmanship and divine sense coming along?"

Chi Yu said confidently, "Pretty well, I think. Let me show you."

He went to an open area outside the palace, took a spirit sword from his Sumeru Ring, and began practicing.

The youth was slender and slight, but his limbs were long and his back straight. With nimble, flowing movements, he wielded the coldly gleaming spirit sword in strikes, interceptions, thrusts, draws, sweeping cuts, blocks, points, and presses.

Every set of sword moves was displayed well.

But there were only moves, without sword intent, killing intent, or an incisive edge. Xie Xiyi watched in silence.

Chi Yu put away his sword and asked happily, "How was that?"

Beside him, Xiaoqiu applauded enthusiastically. "Good, very good! Excellent!"

Xie Xiyi took a low-grade spirit stone from his sleeve and tossed it to Chi Yu. "Your reward."

Chi Yu caught the spirit stone and laughed. "Just one low-grade spirit stone?"

Xie Xiyi offered an objective assessment. "You could rival the street performers of the mortal world. One low-grade spirit stone is already too much."

Chi Yu: "..."

Listen-to-yourself-is-that-anything-a-decent-person-would-say.jpg

Chi Yu humbly sought guidance. "Then tell me what was wrong with it."

Xie Xiyi asked in return, "Have you ever killed anything?"

Chi Yu froze, his mouth falling open. "Uh..."

One look at him, and Xie Xiyi understood. "You haven't."

He found it inconceivable. "You reached the Foundation Establishment Stage without ever shedding blood?"

Even Xiaoqiu was shocked. He stared at Chi Yu, his mouth wide open. "Aotian-ge, you've actually never shed blood?"

Xie Xiyi's golden eyes fixed on Chi Yu with suspicion. "You're from the Eastern Mirror Continent. All the way from the Eastern Mirror Continent to Zizai Continent... no, in all these years of your life, you've never once slain a demon, a demonic beast, or a demonic cultivator?"

Chi Yu scratched his head, forcing an attempt to save face. "...I have a kind heart."

Xie Xiyi said, "Even Xiaoqiu has slain demonic beasts and shed blood. Yet you, a higher-level Foundation Establishment cultivator, have only the form of swordsmanship, with none of its spirit."

He looked at Chi Yu and fell silent once more.

Under his gaze, Chi Yu felt guilty and ashamed. He really had never fought.

For someone born in peaceful

times,

it was always difficult to accept taking another's life.

As a child, Chi Yu had watched his grandmother slaughter a chicken. A slit was cut across its downy neck, and blood flowed out in steady gushes. Watching a life fade away before his eyes always left him feeling sad.

However, he also understood very well that, now that he had come to the cultivation world, there were some things he could not be stubborn about.

So Chi Yu curved his lips and said as though nothing were wrong, "I just never had the chance before. If there's an opportunity during tomorrow's trial, I'll do it! Slaying demons, vanquishing evil, taking the protection of the world as my duty-none of that will be a problem!"

Xie Xiyi: "No need. Just keep an eye on Xiaoqiu."

Then he said to Xiaoqiu, "You have one task this time: protect this Foundation Establishment cultivator beside you. Understood?"

Xiaoqiu: "..."

He glanced at Chi Yu, saw that his expression was composed, and nodded stiffly. "Oh..."

Chi Yu: "Hahahahaha, surely there's no need to go that far."

He was being underestimated. Damn it!

Chi Yu's competitive spirit was stirred too.

It really did not make sense for Long Aotian not to kill.

That very night, Chi Yu bought a wild rabbit to slaughter on the spot.

But after holding the rabbit and looking at it for a long time, Chi Yu still let it go. To Xiaoqiu, who had been watching him the whole time, he declared with perfect conviction, "Actually, rabbit doesn't taste all that good."