"Xiu Yuan, did you hear that just now?" Li Fei tugged at Lei Xiuyuan's sleeve. "Disciples from Star Rectitude Hall are here too! Could Ji Tongzhou be among them?"
Lei Xiuyuan stood up and squinted into the distance. After five years, the group of children had grown into adults, their youthful appearances long gone. Even he couldn't tell which one might be Ji Tongzhou.
Just as he was about to go take a closer look, someone suddenly called from behind, "Is that Xiu Yuan?"
Turning around, he saw a young man and woman standing there. The man was strikingly handsome with a composed demeanor, while the woman was as elegant as a peony, her voluminous black hair tied into two braids that draped over her chest. Both wore delighted smiles—it was none other than the long-lost Ye Ye and Baili Changyue.
Ye Ye stepped forward and clapped Lei Xiuyuan on the shoulder, laughing. "I knew I wasn't mistaken—it really is you! Five years apart, and look how tall you've grown!"
Lei Xiuyuan, rarely surprised, exclaimed, "You two came as well?"
"They said a new Trial Grounds was discovered. Changyue and I just happened to break through our second bottleneck, so we were selected." Ye Ye studied him carefully before smiling again. "You've changed so much from before—I almost didn't recognize you. By the way, where's Li Fei? Didn't she come?"
He had noticed the stunning young woman beside Lei Xiuyuan earlier. Their intimate demeanor suggested an unusual closeness, but now that they were no longer children, such private matters weren't his place to pry. Ye Ye merely nodded politely at her. Unexpectedly, the girl burst into laughter, stepping forward to grab Baili Changyue's sleeve. "Ye Ye, Changyue, it's been so long! You've both changed so much!"
The two were stunned, scrutinizing her for a long moment before looking up at Lei Xiuyuan in confusion. Lei Xiuyuan, rarely one to laugh, chuckled. "She's right here."
Baili Changyue gasped. "...Xiao Bangchui?"
No matter how hard she looked, she couldn't find even a trace of resemblance between the girl before her and Jiang Li Fei from five years ago. Yet the rhythm of her heartbeat was just as lively—that familiar sound.
"It really is you!" Baili Changyue couldn't contain her emotions, suddenly cupping the girl's face to examine her closely.
Li Fei let out an "ow!" but couldn't stop grinning, throwing her arms around Changyue in sheer delight. "I never thought I'd see you two again! This is amazing!"
A smile spread across Baili Changyue's face as she reached up to pat Li Fei's head, saying gently, "You've grown taller—no more little dumpling."
Li Fei clung to her, chattering nonstop. "Earlier, we saw people from Star Rectitude Hall—Ji Tongzhou might be with them! And since we're near the Eastern Sea, we might even see Ge Lin! That means all six of us will be together again!"
Ye Ye laughed. "Now I believe she's Li Fei. You gave me quite a scare earlier."
Lei Xiuyuan and Ye Ye walked side by side, both young men exuding grace and handsomeness, while the two young women behind them were equally captivating, drawing admiring glances from passersby.
The four chatted as they walked, but as they approached the massive building, the two Tiger Demons at the entrance suddenly stood up, baring their fangs and growling menacingly at them. Li Fei raised her hand and immediately cast two layers of Bronze Wall Technique—strange, they hadn't reacted when she entered earlier.
Inside the building, the gathered disciples erupted into chaos once more. Keeping Monstrous creatures as guards was dangerous after all! See? They're acting up now!The three elders from both sects immediately stepped outside. Seeing that the two tiger demons were only baring their teeth and growling lowly without any intent to harm, Dongyang Zhenren quickly asked, “What’s going on? Who provoked them?”
Li Fei was equally baffled. “No one did. We were just about to go inside.”
As they spoke, the two tiger demons snarled and moved closer, their eyes blazing. One suddenly swiped a paw at Lei Xiuyuan, causing gasps all around. Fortunately, the Bronze Wall Technique blocked the attack, leaving him untouched. The elders were at a loss—they couldn’t very well kill the tiger demons on someone else’s territory—so they stood by, remaining vigilant.
Soon, a local dressed in strange attire hurried out from inside. He immediately scolded the two tiger demons harshly, kicking them as he berated them. The fearsome creatures, capable of tearing a man apart with a single swipe, cowered with flattened ears and whimpered pitifully.
“My apologies,” the man said, turning back to clasp his hands in a gesture of remorse. “These two are usually well-behaved. I don’t know why they suddenly went mad today. Please don’t take offense. Come right in—we’ll have your rooms ready shortly.”
Li Fei didn’t dare dismiss the Bronze Wall Technique. The four of them cautiously made their way inside, passing by the tiger demons, which growled threateningly again. But soon, the growls turned into soft whimpers, and after a few mournful sounds, they fell completely silent.
Li Fei finally relaxed. Though the two tiger demons weren’t much of a threat, this place was teeming with monstrous creatures that seemed to coexist peacefully with the locals. Unlike in the Central Land, where they could kill freely, causing harm to someone’s “guard dogs” here would likely bring a heap of trouble.
Once inside, they found the main hall packed with people, all staring at them—just as they scrutinized everyone in return. Ye Ye whispered, “I don’t see Tongzhou. He actually didn’t come?”
Given Ji Tongzhou’s talent, that was unexpected.
Dongyang Zhenren suddenly announced, “We will stay at this inn for three days before setting out once everyone has arrived. This place is near the Eastern Sea and vastly different from the Central Land. Remember—under no circumstances are you to provoke conflict with any person or demon here. As disciples of an Immortal Sect from the Central Land, you must uphold the dignity of a great faction! When traveling abroad, humility and courtesy come first!”
Three days? Weren’t they supposed to head to the New Trial Grounds? The two elders had brought them to this strange yet bustling town and even booked rooms at an inn—it was all so confusing. The disciples had been on edge, fearing encounters with disciples from other sects that might lead to magical combat at the slightest provocation. Yet here they were, meeting people from Star Rectitude Hall, and everyone was perfectly amicable, with no signs of hostility. What was going on?
Ye Ye chuckled softly. “Seeing you all, I’m starting to think this ‘fight over the Trial Grounds’ was just a pretext.”
Lei Xiuyuan replied, “All the disciples sent here were told not to speak of this matter, and the excuse given was deliberately vague. I suspect this is a private meeting between a select few sects from the mountains and seas. As for the specifics, we’ll have to wait for the elders to explain.”
While the two young men discussed serious matters, Li Fei had already pulled Baili Changyue outside and was waving at them. “Xiu Yuan! Ye Ye! Come on! Let’s go explore!”
Noticing how much closer and more familiar the two seemed compared to their days at the Academy, Ye Ye couldn’t help but ask, “Xiu Yuan, you and Li Fei…?”
Lei Xiuyuan lowered his head with a faint smile and lightly punched Ye Ye’s shoulder. “Let’s go.”No denial? Ye Ye also smiled, lightly returning a punch: "Being with her has changed you a lot. This is for the best."
The city was unexpectedly large, seemingly no less grand than the royal capital of Yue, Duantu. Ye Ye and Lei Xiuyuan were drawn to shops selling various maps and books, while Baili Changyue had wandered off alone again—five years later, this girl was still as independent and solitary as ever. Nearby, Li Fei spotted a stall selling all sorts of peculiar trinkets and couldn’t resist picking up a small glass orb to examine.
Inside the orb was a thumb-sized crimson flower that cycled endlessly from full bloom to withering, shedding its withered petals before reviving anew.
Seeing her fascination, the stall owner said, "Miss, everything here is said to be treasures from overseas! That flower you’re looking at is only found in the Overseas Thousands of Continents and Myriad Islands."
At the mention of the Overseas Thousands of Continents and Myriad Islands, Li Fei’s hand trembled, nearly dropping the orb. She quickly placed it back carefully.
Naturally, she didn’t believe such a small stall could have anything truly from overseas. The flower’s cycle was merely the simplest illusion spell at work. Smiling, she noticed another peculiar item nearby—a palm-sized, exquisitely carved figurine made from tree roots.
The figurine resembled an ordinary person, but its expression was ferocious and menacing, brimming with killing intent. Above each ear, three inches up, grew a horn, making it look both eerie and mysterious.
Just as she reached to pick it up, she sensed someone standing beside her. Glancing over, she saw a young man in white robes next to her, scanning the stall’s wares with interest.
The more Li Fei looked at him, the more familiar he seemed. He appeared about eighteen or nineteen, with dark hair cascading to his shoulders. The simple disciple uniform he wore looked as regal as fine robes on him, exuding nobility. With his long eyebrows, starry eyes, and tall stature, he was an exceptionally striking and elegant young man—none other than Ji Tongzhou, whom she hadn’t seen in five years.
"Ji Tongzhou!" she blurted out without thinking.
Startled, he looked down at her, his expression utterly bewildered.
Who was this girl? He hadn’t paid attention earlier, but now, upon closer inspection, he noticed her skin was as fair as snow, her eyes lively and warm—a stunning beauty. Did she know him?
Li Fei grinned broadly. "You really came! Earlier at the inn, there were so many Star Rectitude Hall disciples, but we didn’t see you. Where’d you go?"
Ji Tongzhou grew even more perplexed. "I am indeed Ji Tongzhou. May I ask who you are, miss?"
Li Fei nearly doubled over laughing. "I am indeed Ji Tongzhou"? "May I ask who you are, miss"? The arrogant little prince had become so refined in five years?
"Tongzhou!" someone called from behind. Ji Tongzhou turned, even more baffled, and to his astonishment, saw Ye Ye—wait, was that Ye Ye? And the person beside him… Lei Xiuyuan?!
His expression shifted instantly, his mouth falling open in shock and delight as he stared at the two approaching. Suddenly, he exclaimed, "It’s you?! How did you all get here?"He was afraid he might be mistaken, so he looked at each of them carefully. These two were indeed his friends from the Academy whom he hadn't seen in five years. He clapped Ye Ye on the shoulder and gave Lei Xiuyuan a solid punch, his face instantly lighting up with joy: "Ye Ye! Lei Xiuyuan! Am I seeing things?"
Both returned his punches, and Ye Ye laughed, "Good lad, you've grown so tall too! You seem steadier than before. How's your cultivation been these years?"
Ji Tongzhou examined them with delighted surprise. Ye Ye hadn't changed much, but Lei Xiuyuan was almost unrecognizable. The Lei Xiuyuan in his memory had seemed somewhat sickly, but the young man before him now was strikingly handsome and robust, standing nearly as tall as himself. With his features matured, he had turned out like this!
"Are you alone? Where's Jiang Li Fei? You rascal! Finally out of Cinnabar Cave? How's your cultivation now? Let's spar later! No, let's find a place right now!"
As he finished speaking, all three couldn't help but laugh. Ji Tongzhou's temperament hadn't changed a bit—seeing Lei Xiuyuan always meant challenging him to a fight first.
"Ji Tongzhou, I was the first to call out to you," Li Fei couldn't suppress her laughter. He still remembered to ask Lei Xiuyuan about her, yet failed to recognize her standing right before him.
Frowning, Ji Tongzhou studied her intently for a long moment before suddenly starting in surprise. Unsure, he murmured, "...Jiang Li Fei?"
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