Chapter 18

"Right now, the academy is selecting students, and we have a chance to escape from the Cang Qin Kingdom. If we are any slower, the academy will likely find out that I killed Xian Yuankui and Yong Liman..." Ji Luofei whispered urgently in Ning Cheng's ear, her voice so low that only he could hear it.

Killed Xian Yuankui and Yong Liman? Ning Cheng was startled, but he instantly understood when he thought of these two names. He didn't know if there were other reasons for Ji Luofei killing these two people, but he was certain that it had something to do with him.

When he first came to the Cang Qin Kingdom and went shopping, he almost died at the hands of Xian Yuankui. Ji Luofei killing Xian Yuankui definitely had the intention of avenging him. As for Yong Liman, although Ning Cheng didn't know her, he knew that she was definitely connected to the Cang Qin royal family.

Even if she had nothing to do with the Cang Qin royal family, just the news of Ji Luofei killing Xian Yuankui would mean certain death for her. Ji Luofei clearly knew that being caught meant death, yet she still came back to find him, obviously afraid that if she left, the Cang Qin Kingdom and the Xian family would vent their anger on him.

"Thank you, Luofei." After understanding this, Ning Cheng immediately gripped Ji Luofei's hand and said gratefully. He didn't particularly like Ji Luofei, but her killing Xian Yuankui and risking her life to come back and warn him to escape filled him with deep gratitude. He didn't say the reason for his thanks, but he believed Ji Luofei would understand his meaning.

Previously, when Ji Luofei held Ning Cheng's hand, she didn't feel anything, even when she carried him home. Ning Cheng's revival on her back was nothing unusual to her. Whether Ning Cheng was alive or dead, she would take him away from the prison gate. For her, this was just a way to repay a debt, not to Ning Cheng, but to Grandpa Ning.

Previously, when she sent Ning Cheng to the cultivation tower, it was also part of repaying a debt. Even as she was about to leave the Cang Qin Kingdom, her concern for Ning Cheng was purely out of worry, with no other emotions involved. But now, the five heartfelt words from Ning Cheng made Ji Luofei's heart tremble, and she deeply felt Ning Cheng's gratitude.

Ning Cheng had changed. The previous Ning Cheng, even if she gave her life to him, would only think it was deserved and would never say such five words. The current Ning Cheng completely overturned her original image of him. At this moment, when Ning Cheng held her hand, she even felt her face flush.

Ji Luofei's heart was still trembling, but Ning Cheng was much calmer. He pulled Ji Luofei's hand and said, "Don't be nervous, follow me, just listen to me."

Seeing Ning Cheng move towards the edge of the crowd as if nothing had happened, Ji Luofei's eyes reddened, and she obediently followed behind him.

"Don't be nervous, follow me, just listen to me." A simple sentence, but it made Ji Luofei feel a sense of reliance. Her cultivation was clearly higher than Ning Cheng's, yet she could feel his protection.

When the Ning family was destroyed, she was still young, taken in by the Ning family. To put it nicely, she was the descendant of a friend of the Ning family. To put it bluntly, she was a child bride with no status, no different from a servant. Grandpa Ning didn't look down on her, but the rest of the Ning family didn't treat her as a member of the family, just as a little servant.

Even Ning Cheng treated her like a female servant, almost worse than a servant. Every time Ning Cheng saw her, his face was full of disgust.

Ning Hongchang, as the head of the Ning family, couldn't take care of Ji Luofei all the time.

From the time she could remember, everything depended on herself, with no one to rely on. Sometimes she didn't even have food to eat and had to follow orders from other servants in the Ning residence. It wasn't until she grew older and was sent to the Cang Qin Second Star Academy by Grandpa Ning that her days of hunger slowly changed.

Ning Cheng was clearly a year younger than her, but his simple words made her feel that Ning Cheng was now towering and reliable. Only someone who had never had a reliance could understand the value of these words. Ning Cheng's image seemed to be completely transformed in her heart at this moment.

Ning Cheng, of course, didn't think so much. Although he knew that Ji Luofei was more familiar with the Cang Qin Academy, he was very clear that in terms of survival skills and handling emergencies, Ji Luofei was far inferior to him.

Ji Luofei followed Ning Cheng through the crowd, and they had already reached the edge. Seeing Ning Cheng slip into a row of giant trees, Ji Luofei immediately thought Ning Cheng was going to leave through a small door leading to the arena. She was about to remind Ning Cheng that today was the day the Meteoric Star Academy was selecting students, and such small doors leading to the arena were likely sealed, and it would be better to go through the main gate. At that moment, a group of about seven or eight guards rushed out, suddenly appearing in front of them.

This group of guards, seeing that Ning Cheng and Ji Luofei seemed to be heading towards the small door, immediately stopped and even showed a tendency to approach.

Ji Luofei's heart sank. She guessed that her actions had been exposed, and that was why the guards were coming. She was determined that even if she died, she would let Ning Cheng escape.

Before Ji Luofei could speak, Ning Cheng suddenly whispered again, "What's the name of the vice president of the academy?"

"Yong Changyan." Ji Luofei answered instinctively.

Ning Cheng suddenly raised his voice slightly and said, "I was just picked to run an errand, sigh, it's just that we are too close to the arena, what a pity..."

After saying "what a pity," Ning Cheng instead showed a look of surprise and ran towards the group of guards.

This group of guards, seeing that Ning Cheng and Ji Luofei were actually leaving at this time, had already stopped. They had intended to ask Ning Cheng and Ji Luofei where they were going, but now that they saw Ning Cheng and Ji Luofei running towards them, they stood still.

"Wait a moment, brothers..." Even though the guards in front had already stopped, Ning Cheng still called out loudly.

"What's the matter?" The leader of the guards, a cultivator at the third level of Qi Gathering, saw Ning Cheng calling out and forgot about his previous intention to ask where Ning Cheng was going.

Ning Cheng took out a black wooden token and handed it to the guard leader, saying, "Seeing you here is just perfect, brothers, you are really helping me a lot. I am a disciple of Elder Mu, and Dean Yong asked my master to send someone to gather a team of guards to wait at the entrance of the cultivation tower. My master sent us two, but now is a critical time for the Meteoric Star Academy to select students, and I really don't want to leave. I didn't expect you to come just in time. Please go with me to the entrance of the cultivation tower. Wait, I'll give you Dean Yong's order, and you can directly hand it to Dean Yong..."

"That won't do. We are going to the Xifeng Gate and the Nanfeng Gate, and we can't help you." The guard leader checked the wooden token in his hand and immediately interrupted Ning Cheng, speaking sternly.

After saying that, he handed the wooden token back to Ning Cheng. The token had the words "cultivation tower" carved on it, and he could tell it was genuine. After returning the token to Ning Cheng, the guard leader and his team of guards quickened their pace, completely ignoring Ning Cheng's attempt to hand over the order.

Ning Cheng quickly followed behind, calling out anxiously, "But I have Dean Yong's order. Isn't it the same to execute the order wherever we go? Why don't you go to the entrance of the cultivation tower first..."

While speaking, Ning Cheng felt relieved. He was afraid that the guard would recognize that this was just a token for cleaning the cultivation tower.

"You have an order, and we have an order. If we were as lax and casual as you students, the Cang Qin Kingdom's guard team might as well just find anyone. I suggest you go yourself and stop trying to be clever." The captain said disdainfully as he walked. He looked down on Ning Cheng, who had no concept of military discipline.

By the time the two were talking, they had already reached the entrance to the bustling market. As Ji Luofei had expected, this small door was also guarded by two guards, but not the same middle-aged guard as before.

Seeing the two guards guarding the small door, Ning Cheng said with a slightly annoyed expression, "Open the door, I want to go out."

While Ning Cheng was talking to the captain, the two guards had already heard him and knew what he was going to do. Seeing Ning Cheng's annoyed expression, the guards knew he wanted to watch the challenge match and was now being sent away, which would naturally make him unhappy.

One of the guards was about to speak, but Ning Cheng suddenly interrupted with a delighted look, "Brother, aren't you guarding here? Guarding two people is the same as guarding one. Why don't one of you stay here, and the other help me with a favor, go to the..."

"Sorry, we have orders to guard here and cannot leave." The other guard said bluntly.

Ning Cheng's face darkened again, but this time it only lasted a moment before he said with a smile, "You are guarding this door, so you definitely don't allow anyone to enter or leave, right?"

"Yes." The guard answered straightforwardly.

"Then you definitely won't open the door for us, right? For example, I just asked you to open the door, didn't I?" Ning Cheng continued, his expression like a big gray wolf leading a little lamb.

The guard was about to say yes but saw Ning Cheng's insincere smile and felt a sudden jolt. This student clearly didn't want to do the task and was trying to shift the blame to them for not opening the door. What a bold and audacious student.

However, the students of the Cang Qin Academy all had unusual backgrounds, so having such a bold student didn't surprise the guard.

"Very well, you are doing the right thing. Senior Sister, let's go back first." Ning Cheng pulled Ji Luofei and turned to leave.

"Wait, show me your token." The guard, understanding Ning Cheng's cunning, quickly called out to stop him. This was just a way to give Ning Cheng a step down. He knew Ning Cheng had a token, as the guard leader had already seen it.

Ning Cheng didn't move, "Why should I show you the token? You refused to open the door when I asked. This is your duty, and I don't blame you. Why should you see my token? If every soldier I meet wants to see my token, I might as well hang it on my chest. Let's go, Senior Sister."

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