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It’s not surprising that he couldn’t remember; after all, he was challenged every day, fighting from dawn till dusk. These challengers would block the entrance as soon as the sun rose, leaving Jiang Baiyu no time for anything else.
One must admit that fighting is the fastest way to accumulate experience. The more you fight, the more you naturally understand certain things. When he first saw them, Jiang Baiyu thought they were new challengers.
“It’s me!” Lou Yuzhu greeted with a smile, “It’s been three years, and you don’t recognize us?”
Jiang Baiyu stood on the second-floor balcony looking out. Hearing this, he suddenly realized, “It’s you guys! You’ve changed so much!”
The door that blocked the two opened by itself. “Don’t just stand outside; come in and talk.”
The two brothers entered the courtyard, and the door gently closed behind them, refusing entry to outsiders.
The first floor was spacious, elegantly and comfortably arranged. There was a space separated by a screen where friends could sit around a table, chat, drink tea, and enjoy the courtyard scenery, watching flowers bloom and fall. The gentle breeze carried a pleasant fragrance, lifting one’s spirits.
The three of them took off their shoes and sat cross-legged at a low table. Just as Jiang Baiyu was about to pour tea, he remembered there was no water in the kettle. He paused, ready to get up, but saw Lou Yuzhu raise his hand to stop him: “Alright, don’t fuss about. You just came out of the Immortal Pool, and you’ve been busy dealing with the endless stream of challengers these days. We suddenly showed up, so you definitely didn’t have time to prepare tea.”
“Today, Xian Zhu and I have something serious to discuss with you. Let’s put aside these trivial matters.”
He paused, curiosity flickering in his eyes. “In the past, the top students would also disappear for long periods while cultivating in the Immortal Pool, but it’s rare for someone like you to sit for three years straight. How does it feel, like just entering school and suddenly becoming a senior?”
Jiang Baiyu sighed, “I don’t have time to reflect on that right now.”
Bai Xian Zhu chuckled, “So busy! It seems everyone is eager to test the results of the top student’s three years of seclusion.”
Jiang Baiyu waved his hand, “Don’t mention it.”
Bai Xian Zhu took out a box and pushed it in front of Jiang Baiyu. “Here, a gift for your visit.”
Jiang Baiyu was surprised, “So polite?”
As he casually opened the box, he was astonished to find a crystal-clear spiritual ginseng lying inside, exuding a fragrant aroma. Just a whiff made him feel refreshed and clear-headed; it was obviously a precious item. He quickly closed the box and pushed it back, “This is too valuable; I can’t accept it!”
He would have readily accepted some snacks, but this was different.
Bai Xian Zhu pressed the box down, not allowing it to be pushed back. “Don’t be in a hurry. Actually, my senior brother and I have something we want to ask of you. This is just a form of payment.”
Jiang Baiyu paused, cautiously asking, “What is it?”
Lou Yuzhu exchanged a glance with Bai Xian Zhu. As the senior brother, Lou Yuzhu cleared his throat. “You just entered school and went into seclusion, so you probably don’t know much about the academy’s situation, right? Xian Zhu and I have been here for three whole years.”
He glanced at Jiang Baiyu, “Do you know about the academy’s promotion rules?”
Jiang Baiyu shook his head.
Lou Yuzhu decisively said, “The promotion system at the Immortal Academy is related to credits. As long as you reach a certain number of credits, you can be promoted. Conversely, if you don’t have enough credits, you’ll be held back.”
Jiang Baiyu was taken aback but not too surprised. The academy had various ways to earn credits, so there must also be ways to spend them.
When it came to social skills, he really couldn’t compare to Lou Yuzhu and Bai Xian Zhu. They had lived in the sect for a long time and knew how to get familiar with the people around them and quickly gather information. He had even learned that the most important currency in the academy was credits when challengers had come and damaged his dormitory.
Now, after three years of seclusion, his understanding of the academy was still stuck at the time he first entered. The two of them had genuinely spent three years here and were likely very familiar with all the rules.
Jiang Baiyu instinctively reached for the teapot, only to remember it was empty. Lou Yuzhu took out a water pouch, opened the cap, and poured water into the teapot.
Jiang Baiyu poured a cup for all three of them, took a sip, and was instantly amazed. It was no exaggeration to say it was the best water he had ever tasted—sweet and refreshing, with a natural essence.
It turned out to be water from a water pouch, which was mainly used during travels.
“You guys seem to have had quite a rich experience over the past three years.”
Lou Yuzhu took a sip of water and set the cup down. “That’s also why we came to find you.”
Knowing the other party was about to get to the point, Jiang Baiyu listened attentively.
Lou Yuzhu continued, “Credits are extremely important in the academy; they affect many aspects, including cultivation manuals, precious medicines, and even entering the Immortal Pool for cultivation. I’ve mentioned this to you before. To be promoted, you need to spend a certain number of credits, which increases with each grade. The higher the grade, the more credits you need to spend. The academy allows for being held back, but each grade can only be held back a maximum of nine times. If you can’t be promoted after nine times, you’ll be expelled from the academy.”
“The credits obtained by the top student are fixed; they are the same for every grade, but the credits required for promotion will increase. The higher the level of the manual or medicine, the more credits it costs. So, to stay in the academy, you must find ways to earn more credits.”
“Planting spiritual herbs, refining magical tools, and concocting pills are the most stable methods with low risk. There’s also a faster way to earn credits, but it comes with higher risks: accepting tasks assigned by the academy. Depending on the difficulty and completion of the task, you can earn different amounts of credits.”
Jiang Baiyu fell silent, drinking water, drinking water, drinking water.
Putting down his cup, his expression turned serious. “I’ve been in seclusion for three years, and I only have the initial credits given by the academy. The previous situation was special, and the academy won’t pursue it, but for the upcoming promotion assessment, I must gather enough credits. Otherwise, I’ll be held back and lose my position as the top student?”
Lou Yuzhu and Bai Xian Zhu nodded in unison.
Jiang Baiyu trembled as he asked, “So how many credits do I need to gather next?”
Lou Yuzhu said sympathetically, “To go from first year to second year, you need ten thousand credits. From second year to third year, you need twenty thousand credits. Then from third year to fourth year, you need thirty thousand credits.”
“The fixed credits for the top student are one thousand, distributed monthly. The academy’s semester lasts ten months, with a two-month break. If the credits are distributed on time each month, that would be exactly thirty thousand credits. However, during your cultivation in the Immortal Pool, credits are not distributed. This means you currently only have the one thousand credits you received upon enrollment.”
Bai Xian Zhu took a sip of water and added with a sympathetic tone, “Besides the thirty thousand credits, you also need to make up for the previous ones. Otherwise, if you fail the promotion, not only will you lose your position as the top student, but you’ll also be held back and have to start over from the first year.”
Jiang Baiyu’s pupils shook in disbelief as he looked at the two.
Lou Yuzhu drank water, drank water, drank water.
Bai Xian Zhu drank water, drank water, drank water.
After a moment, Jiang Baiyu clutched his heart in despair, “You’ve changed!”
Lou Yuzhu coughed lightly, “We’re just here to bring you timely rain, just when you need it the most. If we hadn’t explained the situation, you might not have known what was going on. It would be terrible if you accidentally missed the promotion.”
Bai Xian Zhu nodded, “This is common knowledge in the academy. You could have found out if you had some free time; your mentors should have notified you.” He paused, frowning, “Maybe they’ve been too busy these past few days and forgot.”
Speaking of this, the expressions of the two brothers turned serious.
“Your performance in the Immortal Pool that day was reported by the other grades’ top students.” Lou Yuzhu said, looking a bit apprehensive, “It was really dangerous! If you hadn’t reacted in time, even if the dean had eliminated the intruders, it would have been hard to clear your name as the troublemaker. They barged into the academy so brazenly and pointed at you as the troublemaker in front of everyone. Afterward, who would care if it was true or not? Only you, the unfortunate one, would suffer the consequences.”
Lou Yuzhu lowered his voice involuntarily, “Now everyone says it was the Chen family’s doing. The young master of the direct line died at the academy’s gate without a sound, and instead, they sent in a more valuable direct descendant from the main family. He must have been sent as an undercover agent to infiltrate the academy and gather information. The academy knew there was a problem but couldn’t act rashly. So, while the intruders seemed to make a big fuss, they actually didn’t cause much damage to the academy. The only unexpected thing was that they suddenly claimed to be capturing the troublemaker.”
“The dean was already prepared. When they brought up that title, they couldn’t help but hesitate, otherwise, it would seem like the academy was firmly protecting the troublemaker, which would give others something to talk about.”
The three fell into silence.
Such a significant matter was almost beyond the reach of students; they could only watch how the academy would respond.
The Immortal Academy had stood for a thousand years and wouldn’t be so fragile as to collapse at the slightest disturbance.
So they changed the subject.
Bai Xian Zhu urged, “Senior brother, let’s get to the main topic.”
Lou Yuzhu quickly said, “We want to ask you for help in completing a task issued by the academy. You’ll get the majority of the credits.”
Jiang Baiyu perked up, “What’s the task?”
Lou Yuzhu replied, “It’s a strange missing person case. At first, we thought it was just an ordinary missing person case, and we set out with two other companions who accepted the task. But after investigating, we found that things seemed to be more complicated. We returned to report our findings to the academy, and the task level was raised, doubling the credits.”
“After discussing it, we decided to continue the investigation, and we just heard that you finished your seclusion and came out of the Immortal Pool.”
Bai Xian Zhu gestured, “If we complete this task, we can earn forty thousand credits. You’ll get twenty thousand, and the remaining will be split among the four of us.”
A single task could yield twenty thousand credits!
Jiang Baiyu’s eyes lit up immediately, “Really?”
Bai Xian Zhu replied, “Of course, we wouldn’t lie to you. If you want to earn credits quickly, taking tasks issued by the academy is the fastest way. Sometimes, two or three tasks can earn you the credits you need, and for more powerful tasks, you can earn it all in one go. However, the higher the credits, the higher the risk of the task, so you must think carefully before accepting.”
He paused, lowering his voice, “I asked my senior brother, and there was a task before that required investigating the Demon Mountain, with credits set at one hundred thousand. Now that the Demon Mountain has been flattened, the task has naturally been canceled.”
Recalling this, both Lou Yuzhu and Bai Xian Zhu fell silent.
After a moment, Lou Yuzhu’s voice turned cold, “That young master from the Chen family probably wasn’t satisfied with just a simple investigation. He wanted to earn more credits in one go, confidently aiming to slay the rumored man-eating ghost of the Demon Mountain.”
He only realized this after entering school; he had thought the young master from the Chen family had accidentally wandered in during his travels. How could an outsider know the academy’s rules so well?
Jiang Baiyu was taken aback and casually asked, “Isn’t the Demon Mountain not within the Immortal Academy’s territory? Would they still issue tasks for it?”
Bai Xian Zhu answered, “Although it’s not within the Immortal Academy’s territory, it’s close enough. With such an unstable area at their doorstep, they can’t help but investigate.” He paused, his expression becoming complex, “The academy has a rather fair assessment of the Demon Mountain, only requiring an in-depth investigation. Each task is evaluated by the academy, but there can still be unexpected situations. After completion, the academy will consider the actual circumstances and may increase the credits.”
“Moreover, the tasks issued by the academy aren’t necessarily all within their territory; many are located elsewhere. These commissioned tasks have clients who pay for the rewards, with the academy taking a portion and the rest going to the students. You can either take it directly or give it to the academy to exchange for credits.”
“The task for the Demon Mountain was issued by the academy itself, only requiring an investigation.”
One hundred thousand credits!
That was one hundred thousand credits!
Jiang Baiyu felt heartbroken.
Bai Xian Zhu noticed his strange expression and asked, “What’s wrong?”
Jiang Baiyu replied, “I’m heartbroken over the one hundred thousand credits I lost!”
As soon as he said this, he trembled all over.
He was shocked again!
Jiang Baiyu, filled with hope, bounced around in the danger zone, “Do you think it’s possible to reissue a task, like the mystery of the missing persons at the Demon Mountain?”
“Uh…”
Lou Yuzhu smiled awkwardly but politely.
Suddenly, with a bang, Jiang Baiyu gritted his teeth and slammed his face against the table, startling both of them.
“What’s wrong?” Lou Yuzhu quickly reached out.
“Nothing… nothing…” Jiang Baiyu straightened up, his expression stiff, forcing out a twisted smile, “I didn’t sleep well last night; I’m a bit tired.”
He rubbed his face hard to relax his nerves and finally returned to normal. “I agree to the task you mentioned, but is it just the three of us?”
Lou Yuzhu replied, “It’s five people.”
Jiang Baiyu understood, “The other two also agreed to investigate together? I’m taking two thousand credits for myself; do they agree?”
Lou Yuzhu said, “They agreed.”
Jiang Baiyu asked, “You mean, a strange missing person case?”
Lou Yuzhu nodded, “We only found the recently missing people, all within a month. Those who disappeared over a month ago are completely gone. According to the missing persons’ accounts, the first person trapped entered alone, with no one else around. However, the missing incidents have been happening for half a year.”
Bai Xian Zhu’s expression turned serious, “The formation is very strange. My senior brother and I couldn’t handle it, and it was a junior who came along and saved us all. Otherwise, my senior brother and I might have disappeared like the previous victims.”
“This kind of formation couldn’t have formed naturally; it must have been set up by someone. We still don’t know who set the formation or for what purpose. If it was man-made, is it only here, or are there others?”
“We’ve already destroyed it once, and continuing the investigation might anger the person behind it. At that point, a fight is inevitable, and two thousand credits won’t be easy to obtain. You’re the top student, and with your participation, our safety will be much higher.”
“Currently, the academy has issued a tracking task; as long as we find a clue, we can earn credits.”
Jiang Baiyu pushed the box back, “I already have two thousand credits; there’s no need for more spiritual herbs. You should take this back.”
Bai Xian Zhu refused, “Don’t be so polite. You should take this spiritual ginseng. Don’t think of it as taking advantage of us. We dug it up by chance, and my senior brother and I can’t use it. Consider it our way of buttering you up in advance, so you can ask us for help in the future without hesitation.”
“The investigation task seems simple, but the changes can be significant. It might unexpectedly turn into a conflict or battle.” Bai Xian Zhu paused, his voice a bit heavy, “Our master has only sent back sporadic messages over the past three years. My senior brother and I are worried and afraid to go looking for him, fearing we might ruin things for him. This task allows us to go out and take a look; there have been some bad rumors lately.”
Jiang Baiyu looked at the two of them. Being overly polite was actually a form of distance. They were the first friends he had made since coming to this world.
So he accepted the spiritual ginseng, “Alright, I’ll accept your flattery. If you need help with anything, just ask; don’t be shy.”
Lou Yuzhu picked up his teacup and took a sip of water, “Of course, we won’t be polite with you.”
Jiang Baiyu asked, “When do we set off?”
Lou Yuzhu replied, “How about tomorrow morning?”
Jiang Baiyu readily agreed, “Sure!”
They agreed to meet at the academy gate, and the two took their leave.
Today was another ordinary day: fighting, fighting, fighting.
By evening, Lin Zhao Ren was once again fighting him for the bed.
The beautiful young man, pure and flawless like a snow mountain lotus, lay sideways on the bed, propping his head up with one hand, looking relaxed and lazy. His gaze was casual, drifting lightly, and when he glanced over, it was captivating and full of charm.
When focused on, his gaze could mesmerize the soul, as if it could draw one’s very essence away.
“What’s wrong? Not sleeping tonight?”
With his pale white fingers lightly tapping the empty space beside him, he stared intently at Jiang Baiyu, who was hesitating by the bed, a deeper smile on his lips, his tone ambiguous, “You have to get up early tomorrow.”
With him staring like that, who would dare?
Thinking about how the other party would take advantage of him right after he woke up and pinch him hard, Jiang Baiyu felt a pang of pain!
This morning’s pinch was truly a pain that life couldn’t bear, leaving him wilted for a long time.
Waking someone up repeatedly and then pinching them—how cruel!
Where’s the integrity? Where’s the restraint?
What he said was to guard against the other person continuing to disturb his sleep, but unexpectedly, the other party would really break through the limits and take the initiative to pinch him. He really couldn’t handle it!
Jiang Baiyu pulled the blanket around himself and lay down on the floor defiantly, firmly refusing, “No need!”
Lin Zhao Ren wasn’t angry; he just looked down at the person on the floor, staring, staring, staring, as if it were tangible.
The floor was hard and uncomfortable to lie on; the bed was so much more comfortable, soft and fragrant. After lying on the floor for a while, Jiang Baiyu couldn’t stand it anymore and sighed, “Let’s make up.”
Lin Zhao Ren smiled, “Hmm?”
Jiang Baiyu, with a pained expression, said, “I shouldn’t have pinched you; I really know I was wrong!”
Lin Zhao Ren remained noncommittal, “Oh.”
Jiang Baiyu gazed at him, wrapping himself up like a spring roll, with only his face exposed, “From now on, I won’t pinch you anymore; you also shouldn’t pinch me!”
Lin Zhao Ren said lightly, “You know it hurts; finally scared?”
Jiang Baiyu declared solemnly, “I have deeply reflected on my mistakes; this is a pain that life cannot bear! I sincerely repent for my previous actions; I shouldn’t have been so frivolous and reckless, causing you great trouble!”
Lin Zhao Ren remained indifferent, neither agreeing nor refusing.
He changed his position, lying on his back. Just as he did, he heard the person on the floor rustling, and then the whole person squeezed onto the bed.
Still the familiar closeness, entangled like a sticky rice cake, not only tightly pressed against him, but also burning with heat, clinging with hands and feet. Lin Zhao Ren’s face darkened, gritting his teeth, “What are you doing?”
Jiang Baiyu looked innocent, “Sleeping.”
Lin Zhao Ren growled fiercely, “I didn’t agree!”
Jiang Baiyu looked even more innocent, “This is my bed; why do I need your permission to sleep?” He said seriously, “You lying on my bed means you want to sleep with me. It’s fine; I agree.”
As soon as he finished speaking, he added, “I need to get up early tomorrow, so let’s hurry and sleep; it won’t be good if I’m late.”
Saying this, he closed his eyes and went to sleep.
The warm breath rose and fell with his breathing, brushing against his ear. The body that was too close was gradually warmed by the other’s body temperature, and he could even feel the other’s heartbeat. In a daze, he felt as if he had come back to life, regaining warmth and a heartbeat.
After a while, Lin Zhao Ren said, “You’re hugging too tightly; let go.”
Jiang Baiyu didn’t respond.
Lin Zhao Ren frowned slightly, displeased, “I know you’re not asleep yet; let go.”
Pretending to be asleep, Jiang Baiyu had to open his eyes and silently consider the probability of being ambushed if he let go.
“I want to pinch you; why wait until you wake up? Now that we’re so close, if you fall asleep, it’s meaningless.” Lin Zhao Ren struggled, his legs tightly entangled, one leg pressing down on him, like an octopus, “Let go now, and I won’t pinch you.”
Hearing the dangerous undertone, Jiang Baiyu thought for three seconds and backed down.
After regaining his freedom, Lin Zhao Ren still lay there, feeling the gaze from his side, and said irritably, “What are you looking at?”
Jiang Baiyu replied, “I thought you were going back. Don’t you usually turn into spiritual light all the time?”
Just last night, he had acted unusually and refused to return to his small pouch.
“Can’t I sleep on the bed?” Lin Zhao Ren retorted.
“Of course, of course, you can!”
Transforming into a ghost in advance, Lin Zhao Ren was a living person; it was perfectly normal to sleep on the bed.
Suddenly, it became quiet, and no one spoke.
Jiang Baiyu lay on his back, gazing at the ceiling, with a dangerous beautiful young man beside him. It was hard to fall asleep; he was really afraid of a sudden ambush!
This was clearly the psychological shadow brought by the day.
Staring blankly for an unknown amount of time, Jiang Baiyu closed his eyes to sleep but still couldn’t fall asleep.
“Still not sleeping?”
“Hmm, I’m sleeping.”
“Can’t sleep? I can help you.” Lin Zhao Ren said slowly.
“I’m sleeping!” Jiang Baiyu wrapped himself in the blanket and went to sleep.
Sleep is such a magical thing; sometimes you can’t sleep no matter what, and sometimes you just fall asleep without knowing how.
Having gotten used to sleeping alone on a bed, his sleeping posture was free and unrestrained. Before sleeping, he was still proper, but after falling asleep, he gradually sprawled out. Lin Zhao Ren shifted a bit, and as he did, Jiang Baiyu squeezed over a little.
Being pushed to the edge of the bed against the wall, and the other still wanted to squeeze over, Lin Zhao Ren couldn’t take it anymore.
He reached out and pinched Jiang Baiyu’s face, waiting for him to wake up in a daze, and impatiently said, “Move over; you’re squeezing me.”
Jiang Baiyu silently rolled over, giving up his position.
Then he heard Lin Zhao Ren’s ominous voice, “Don’t squeeze over again.”
Jiang Baiyu shivered.
But it wasn’t long before he fell asleep again.
In a half-dream, half-awake state, he felt a bit cold, and in a daze, he groped around for the blanket. Not knowing what he touched, he was suddenly grabbed hard, and a gritted voice came from beside him, “What are you touching?”
Jiang Baiyu opened his eyes in confusion, seeing the beautiful young man glaring at him with fiery eyes, and he let out a slow, “Huh?”
Abba abba abba?
Then, he fell into a cool embrace.
Lin Zhao Ren impatiently pressed Jiang Baiyu into his arms, restraining his hands and feet. With a flick of his fingers, the blanket that had fallen to the floor slithered back up like a spirit snake, covering both of them. Seeing Jiang Baiyu still staring at him with confused eyes, he scolded, “Go to sleep!”
Oh.
Jiang Baiyu closed his eyes and continued to sleep.
Lin Zhao Ren didn’t sleep, but he could rest in a light doze. The long night finally passed quietly and steadily without any more disturbances.
The next day, Jiang Baiyu woke up to find himself in Lin Zhao Ren’s arms. The two were tightly pressed together, the cool body becoming warm, just like his own. His legs were pressed down, and his hands were held, almost interlocking fingers, lying face to face, able to count each other’s eyelashes.
Jiang Baiyu: ???
He couldn’t remember waking up twice after falling asleep yesterday; the things that happened in that half-dream state had been deleted from his mind like a dream, with his memory stopping at just before he fell asleep.
This position, this gesture, it shouldn’t have been him who initiated it, right?
Jiang Baiyu fell into deep thought.
As if sensing his gaze, Lin Zhao Ren opened his eyes, looking at him expressionlessly, his eyes clear and bright, clearly not asleep, just pretending to doze.
Jiang Baiyu awkwardly greeted, “Morning.”
Lin Zhao Ren’s gaze was cold. Seeing him awake, he released their interlocked hands and withdrew his leg that had been pressing down on him.
He glanced at the sky outside, “If you’re awake, hurry up and get up. While no one is here to challenge you, it’ll be hard to leave if you wait too long.”
Thinking about the exciting life of the past few days, Jiang Baiyu knew it wasn’t a false statement. He set aside all his questions and quickly got up, walking behind the screen to change clothes. When he came out, he saw that the bed was already empty, and his gaze immediately drifted to his small pouch, walking over to hang it at his waist.
The morning at the Immortal Academy was still shrouded in a thin mist. The sun hadn’t risen yet, but the horizon was already glowing with dawn. A gentle breeze blew, carrying a hint of coolness and the mixed fragrance of plants.
To prevent anyone from knocking on the door, Jiang Baiyu hung a small sign that read: Out for business, please do not disturb, return date uncertain.
Taking advantage of the early morning to rush to the academy gate, he found that the way was clear, with no students jumping out to block his path and issue challenges.
Birds chirped in the air. Looking up, he saw large, colorful unknown birds flapping their wings as they flew by in pairs, swirling and dancing in the air like a performance, entwined and emitting clear, pleasant calls.
By the time the sun rose, the sky was filled with morning glow, and Lou Yuzhu and Bai Xian Zhu arrived, stepping into the sunlight.
The three gathered together.
Jiang Baiyu asked, “Who are the other two you mentioned?”
Lou Yuzhu replied, “They are juniors from a year below us. Although they aren’t the top students of their grade, they are quite impressive—one is second in the grade, and the other is ninth.”
Jiang Baiyu asked, “Which one was it that saved you from the formation yesterday?”
Bai Xian Zhu answered, “It was the one ranked ninth.”
He continued, “Jing Xue Di is actually quite impressive. I’ve seen the top student from their grade, and I feel he’s not as good as Jing Xue Di. If he wanted to compete for first place, it shouldn’t be a problem. When the four of us were trapped in the formation, we were anxious, but Jing Xue Di observed and figured out how to break the formation, leading everyone out. His insight is exceptional, with sharp vision and meticulousness, but he’s a bit playful and doesn’t care much about rankings, which is probably why he ended up ninth.”
“On the other hand, Jie Xue Di cares a lot about his ranking and has been troubled by being second for a long time. Jing Xue Di dragged him along to take this task, hoping he could relax a bit and not be so tense all the time.”
Lou Yuzhu pointed out, “If Jie Xue Di could relax a bit, his cultivation results might improve.”
“The two have very different personalities; Jing Xue Di is lively and playful, while Jie Xue Di is serious and earnest.”
Just as they were talking, two figures ran over from a distance.
One was neatly dressed, hair meticulously styled, while the other looked a bit disheveled, hurriedly putting on clothes, with hair not even combed properly, clutching a strap in his hand.
They hurriedly reached the gate to meet up, and the neatly dressed youth raised his hand in greeting, “Sorry, we’re late!”
The other, hastily tying his hair into a long ponytail, gasped, “Sorry for keeping you waiting!”
Lou Yuzhu shook his head, “No worries; we just arrived as well.”
“This is the top student of the third year? I’m Jie Yan, nice to meet you, senior.”
“I’m Jing Yan Hang, nice to meet you, senior.”
“No need to be so polite. I’m Jiang Baiyu.”
After exchanging names and getting to know each other, Jie Yan got straight to the point, cupping his fists, “I heard Senior Jiang has been in seclusion for three years; may I have the honor of learning a thing or two?”
Jiang Baiyu replied, “…No, we’re about to carry out a task from the academy. By the way, should we report to the academy that we’re setting off as a group of five?”
Lou Yuzhu shook his head.
Jiang Baiyu asked, “So we’re setting off now?”
Jie Yan wanted to say something, but Jing Yan Hang hooked his shoulder, “Relax, don’t be so anxious. Senior Jiang just came out of seclusion, and I’ve heard there are countless challengers; it must be quite bothersome. At least let Senior Jiang catch his breath. We’ll be working together soon; do you really fear you won’t have the chance to learn from Senior Jiang’s skills?”
Jie Yan frowned, his brows furrowing deeply enough to crush a mosquito, brushing off the hand on his shoulder, “Do you think everyone is as lazy as you? We agreed to meet this morning, and you almost slept through it. If I hadn’t called you, would you have slept until noon?”
Jing Yan Hang raised his hands in surrender, “Yes, yes, it’s my fault. Thanks to you calling me, I made it on time.”
Jie Yan replied, “Now you know; I won’t call you next time.”
The two bantered back and forth, with Jie Yan sternly reprimanding while Jing Yan Hang laughed it off.
The air was filled with a lively atmosphere; well, perhaps only Jing Yan Hang was lively, while Jie Yan was rolling his eyes.
Lou Yuzhu said, “Alright, let’s get back to serious matters.” He paused, waiting for everyone’s attention to gather before slowly saying, “This time we’ve taken on a follow-up investigation task. The academy’s requirements are relatively low; as long as we find a clue, it counts as completed. On the other hand, it can also show the difficulty or danger level of the investigation.”
“Although the captured individuals are all ordinary people and seem to have no commonalities—men, women, old, and young, with no规律—perhaps it’s just that we haven’t discovered it yet. After we rescued the people last time, we hurried to send the missing back home and report to the academy, without carefully investigating if there were any other useful clues. This time, I propose we go back to the place where the missing were trapped and take another look.”
“And those who were rescued, let’s check if there’s anything in common among them.”
“That’s all I wanted to say; if anyone has other ideas, feel free to bring them up.”
Jing Yan Hang shook his head, “What Senior Lou said is exactly what I was thinking; I don’t have any other ideas for now.”
Jiang Baiyu said, “I don’t know as much about this case as you do; you all decide.”
Bai Xian Zhu and Jie Yan had no objections.
To save time, they unanimously decided to fly over. The longer they waited, the more the remaining clues might disappear.
All four of them used sword flight, which was standard. When Jiang Baiyu revealed his roasted wings circular ring, Jie Yan’s eyes widened, his mind going blank, while Jing Yan Hang’s eyes sparkled with excitement.
“I heard Senior Jiang is a food cultivator; I didn’t expect it to be true!” Jing Yan Hang took a deep breath, enchanted, drooling, “What a fragrant smell of roasted wings; it must be delicious!”
He leaned in closer, nearly drooling, “The surface is golden and crispy, the meat is firm, and the aroma is enticing; it’s clearly top-quality roasted wings!”
“What wings are these made from? Tell me quickly; I’ll go catch one!”
As he spoke, he slurped loudly.
Jie Yan, with a dark expression, grabbed him back, scolding, “Don’t embarrass yourself!”
Jiang Baiyu, unfazed, said, “It’s getting late; let’s set off.”
Taking the empty path was fast; the shortest distance between two points is a straight line, and they reached their destination at the fastest speed.
The location of the missing person case was called Tianquan Forest, named for the rumored ageless spring within the mountain.
“It is said that someone once witnessed the heavenly gate opening, with sweet dew descending, and cultivators experiencing a rebirth, their realms soaring, ascending on the spot and vanishing into the heavenly gate. The sweet dew gathered into a spring, and anyone who drank from it would remain youthful forever, turning an old man with white hair into a vigorous youth in the blink of an eye.”
“If the blessings are deep enough, one might even see the heavenly gate open again, receiving the sweet dew’s nourishment and ascending during the day. The ageless spring is the key to opening the heavenly gate, connecting the two realms.”
“This rumor is quite prevalent around Tianquan Forest, and many people believe it deeply, often leading seekers of immortality into the mountains to explore the ageless spring, hoping to gain the chance for ascension.”
“Among those who went missing, some were seekers of opportunities who entered the mountains. The mountains are filled with wolves, tigers, and leopards, with treacherous terrain, so it’s not uncommon for ordinary people to enter and never come out again. Therefore, when the disappearances first occurred, no one paid much attention. It wasn’t until someone disappeared from their own home that panic set in.”
“According to the families of the missing, people disappeared at night; they were there the day before and vanished without a trace the next morning.”
“Even stranger, we found that the formation trapping the missing people is right in Tianquan Forest. It’s one thing for young men to accidentally stumble into the formation, but how did those elderly, children, and weaker women manage to pass through Tianquan Forest and fall into the formation?”
Lou Yuzhu’s expression turned solemn as he described the details of the previous case, “We investigated the villages near Tianquan Forest where the missing persons were reported, and the only commonality is that the missing people all disappeared from their homes without a trace. By chance, during a night patrol, we encountered a young man wandering towards Tianquan Forest in a daze. We chased after him to intercept him, but he inexplicably vanished, which led us deeper into Tianquan Forest, where we inadvertently fell into the formation trapping the missing.”
“If the missing people all voluntarily walked out of their homes and entered Tianquan Forest to be trapped by the formation, it’s no wonder we couldn’t find the kidnappers. Some were discovered by their families, but they probably had no idea what was happening and might have thought they were sleepwalking.”
Jiang Baiyu pondered for a moment and asked, “Have all the missing people from the past month been found? Are there any who went missing but haven’t been discovered?”
Jing Yan Hang replied, “Senior Jiang’s speculation is something I’ve considered too. Perhaps we’ve only found the lucky ones who managed to pass through Tianquan Forest, while the unfortunate ones who couldn’t have already been eaten by the wolves and leopards in the mountains. Indeed, there are a few who also disappeared from their homes within the past month but weren’t found in the formation.”
“The forest is vast, and if they’ve already been devoured by wild beasts, it’s basically impossible to find them again.”
The group stopped at a location, “We’ve arrived; this is where we fell into the formation that traps people.”
It looked unremarkable, just an ordinary forest. Who would have thought that a formation trapping people was hidden ahead? Just as Jie Yan was about to enter, he was suddenly pulled back by Jing Yan Hang. He frowned and turned back, seeing the other’s expression was very serious. He paused, “What did you find?”
Jing Yan Hang stared ahead for a moment, “Something’s not right.”
He said, “The formation seems to have reappeared.”
Jie Yan was shocked, “What do you mean? Did someone come back and repair the formation?”
His body tensed, on guard for any enemies that might appear.
Jing Yan Hang shook his head, struggling to say, “There are no signs of anyone having been here; it’s as if the formation repaired itself.”
Jie Yan was about to say it was impossible when he heard a gasp.
“Look at the sky!”
Between the clouds, shadows flickered, faintly revealing a luxurious palace, with heavenly music seemingly echoing, lingering for three days without end.
Sweet dew fell from the sky, landing on the five of them. Just a little made them feel completely refreshed and clear-headed, instinctively wanting more and more; just this little bit was simply not enough, like scratching an itch through a boot, a drop in the bucket.
Jie Yan’s eyes lit up, instantly igniting his fervor, rushing forward to grab more sweet dew.
Jing Yan Hang grabbed his wrist, horrified, “Don’t go over there; it’s a formation!”
At the same time, Jiang Baiyu felt a splitting headache, with laughter and playful teasing ringing in his ears, and he could vaguely hear voices, coming from far away through layers of barriers.
“Come here, come this way.”
His vision blurred, and the vaguely heavenly gates transformed into a sinister face.
Jiang Baiyu closed his eyes, then opened them again, only to see a starry sky in his vision.
In the moment he looked up at the sky.
Boom——
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Lost Nexus[Translator]
Hi, I’m Lost Nexus or call me Nex! I translate web novels into English so more people can enjoy these amazing stories.